Один на скандинавском как пишется

Один (/ˈouːðɪn/, /ˈoːðẽnː/, от древнескандинавского Óðinn, от протогерманского *Wōdanaz.) — в германо-скандинавской мифологии верховный ас, бог мудрости и военного дела. Внук первопредка Бури, сын Бора и Бестлы, Один имеет великанское происхождение.

Бог Один в скандинавской мифологии имеет особое значение. Это не просто верховное божество, и не просто “отец всех богов”. Это воин и сказитель, мудрец и шаман.

Характерной чертой Одина является готовность к самопожертвованию: с целью приобретения мудрости и тайных знаний, он принес себя в жертву самому себе. Это благородное, мужественное божество, которое фигурирует и во многих скандинавских мифах и легендах, и в средневековом фольклоре. Его альтер-эго, его “темной стороной” является коварный Локи.

Словарь

Один (Odinn) — в скандинавской мифологии верховный бог, соответствующий Водану (Вотану) у континентальных германцев. Этимология имени Одина (Водана) указывает на возбуждение и поэтическое вдохновение, на шаманский экстаз. Таков смысл др.-исл. odr (см. Од, ср. готское woths, «неистовствующий», и лат. vates, «поэт», «провидец»). Тацит (I в. н. э.) описывает Водана под римским именем Меркурия, тот же самый день недели (среда) связывается с его именем («Германия», IX). К VI–VIII вв. относятся надписи с именами Одина и Водана в разных местах. Во Втором мерзебургском заклинании (на исцеление захромавшего коня) (записано в X в.) Водан выступает как основная фигура, как носитель магической силы. Имеются свидетельства почитания Водана германскими племенами — франками, саксами, англами, вандалами, готами. В «Истории лангобардов» Павла Диакона (VIII в.) рассказывается о том, что перед битвой винилов с вандалами первые просили о победе у жены Водана Фрии (Фригг), а вторые у самого Водана. Водан предсказал победу тем, кого увидит первыми. Это были жены винилов, которые по совету его жены сделали из волос бороды (объяснение названия «лангобарды» — длиннобородые). О споре Одина и Фригг из-за своих любимцев рассказывается и во введении к «Речам Гримнира» («Старшая Эдда»). В позднейших немецких легендах он фигурирует как водитель «дикой охоты» — душ мертвых воинов (этот мотив, как убедительно показал О. Хефлер, восходит к тайным мужским союзам германцев).

По-видимому, Водан в генезисе — хтонический демон, покровитель воинских союзов и воинских инициаций и бог-колдун (шаман). В отличие от Тиу-Тюра и Донара-Тора, имеющих определенные соответствия в индоевропейской мифологической системе, Водан-Один первоначально не входил в небесный пантеон богов. Это, разумеется, не исключает правомерность его сравнения с индийским богом Варуной (как выражающим темную сторону небесного бога) или с Рудрой (по «характеру»), с кельтским Лугом и т. д. (Впрочем, не менее близкую параллель находим в финском Вяйнямёйнене.) В конечном счете (но далеко не с самого начала) Водан-Один стал представлять в том числе и духовную власть и мудрость как первую функцию богов в трехфункциональной системе (другие функции — военная сила и богатство-плодородие), которую Ж. Дюмезиль считает специфичной для индоевропейских мифологий.

Превращение Водана-Одина в небесного и верховного бога связано не только с укреплением воинских союзов и повышением удельного веса бога — покровителя военных дружин (имелась даже упрощенная попытка представить Одина как «аристократического» бога — военного вождя — в противоположность «крестьянскому» богу Тору), но и с расщеплением первоначального представления о загробном мире и с перенесением на небо особого царства мертвых для избранных — смелых воинов, павших в бою. В качестве «хозяина» такого воинского «рая» (Вальхаллы) Один оказался важнейшим небесным божеством и сильно потеснил и Тюра, и Тора в функции богов и неба, и войны. Процесс превращения Одина в верховного небесного бога, по-видимому, завершился в Скандинавии. Здесь Один оставил заметные следы в топонимике (главным образом в названии водоемов, гор). Правда, если судить по современным толкованиям скандинавских наскальных изображений эпохи бронзы, в то время там еще не было отчетливого эквивалента Одина.

В дошедших до нас источниках по скандинавской мифологии Один — глава скандинавского пантеона, первый и главный ас (см. Асы), сын Бора (как и его братья Вили и Ве) и Бестлы, дочери великана Бёльторна, муж Фригг и отец других богов из рода асов. В частности, от Фригг у него сын Бальдр, а от любовных связей с Ринд и Грид сыновья Вали и Видар. Тор также считается сыном Одина.

Один выступает под многочисленными именами и прозвищами (см. список имён Одина), часто меняет обличья. Он живет в Асгарде в небесном жилище Гладсхейм, восседая там на престоле Хлидскьяльв. Также с Одином связывают крытый серебром Валаскьяльв.

Один и на севере сохранил черты хтонического демона, ему служат хтонические звери — вороны и волки (известны, напр., имена его воронов — Хугин и Мунин, «думающий» и «помнящий»; волков — Гери и Фреки, «жадный» и «прожорливый»; Один кормит их мясом в Вальхалле); хтонические черты имеет и его восьминогий конь Слейпнир («скользящий»), на котором сын Одина — Хермод скачет в царство мёртвых Хель; он сам одноглаз (а судя по некоторым эпитетам, даже слеп), ходит в синем плаще и надвинутой на лоб широкополой шляпе. В небесном царстве мёртвых, где живет его дружина — павшие воины, ему подчинены воинственные валькирии, распределяющие по его приказу победы и поражения в битвах. Один — бог войны и военной дружины (в отличие от Тора, который, скорее, олицетворяет вооруженный народ), даритель победы и поражения (воинской судьбы), покровитель героев (в том числе Сигмунда и Сигурда), сеятель военных раздоров. Один, по-видимому, — инициатор первой войны (война между асами и ванами), он кидает копье в войско ванов. Копье (не дающий промаха Гунгнир) — символ военной власти и военной магии — постоянный атрибут Одина.

Как покровитель воинских инициации и жертвоприношений (особенно в форме пронзания копьем и повешения), Один, по-видимому, — скрытый виновник «ритуальной» смерти своего юного сына Бальдра (убийцу Бальдра — Хёда, возможно, следует толковать как ипостась самого Одина; «двойником» Одина отчасти является и подсунувший Хёду прут из омелы злокозненный Локи).

Один является инициатором распри конунгов Хёгни и Хедина из-за похищения Хедином дочери Хёгни по имени Хильд (см. Хедин и Хильд). Отец и муж Хильд во главе своих воинов сражаются, убивают друг друга, ночью Хильд их оживляет для новых битв. Эта битва т. н. хьяднингов напоминает эйнхериев, дружину Одина, которая также сражается, умирает и снова воскресает для новых битв.

Один сам себя приносит в жертву, когда, пронзенный собственным копьем, девять дней висит на мировом древе Иггдрасиль, после чего утоляет жажду священным мёдом из рук дяди по матери, сына великана Бёльторна и получает от него руны — носители мудрости. Это «жертвоприношение» Одина, описанное в «Речах Высокого» в «Старшей Эдде», представляет, однако, не столько воинскую, сколько шаманскую инициацию. Это миф о посвящении первого шамана (ср. близкий сюжет в «Речах Гримнира»: Один под видом странника Гримнира, захваченный в плен конунгом Гейррёдом, восемь ночей мучается между двух костров, пока юный Агнар не дает ему напиться, после чего Один начинает вещать и заставляет Гейррёда упасть на свой меч). Шаманистский аспект Одина сильно разрастается на севере, может быть, отчасти под влиянием финско-саамского этнокультурного окружения. Шаманский характер имеет поездка Одина в Хель, где он пробуждает вёльву (пророчицу), спящую смертным сном, и выпытывает у нее судьбу богов [«Старшая Эдда», «Прорицание вёльвы» и «Песнь о Вегтаме» (или «Сны Бальдра»)]. Функция шаманского посредничества между богами и людьми сближает Одина с мировым древом, соединяющим различные миры. Последнее даже носит имя Иггдрасиль, что буквально означает «конь Игга» (т. е. конь Одина). Один — отец колдовства и колдовских заклинаний (гальдр), владелец магических рун, бог мудрости. Мудрость Одина отчасти обязана шаманскому экстазу и возбуждающему вдохновение шаманского мёду, который иногда прямо называется мёдом поэзии; его Один добыл у великанов. Соответственно Один мыслится и как бог поэзии, покровитель скальдов. В «Прорицании вёльвы» есть намек на то, что Один отдал свой глаз великану Мимиру за мудрость, содержащуюся в его медовом источнике. Правда, одновременно говорится и о Мимире, пьющим мёд из источника, в котором скрыт глаз Одина, так что можно понять, что сам глаз Одина, в свою очередь, — источник мудрости; Один советуется с мёртвой головой мудреца Мимира. Мудрость оказывается в чем-то сродни хтоническим силам, ибо ею обладают мертвый Мимир, пробужденная от смертного сна вёльва, сам Один после смертных мук на дереве или между костров. В мудрости Одина имеется, однако, не только экстатическое (шаманское), но и строго интеллектуальное начало. Один — божественный тул, т. е. знаток рун, преданий, мифических перечней, жрец. В «Речах Высокого» он вещает с «престола тула». Соревнуясь в мудрости, Один побеждает мудрейшего великана Вафтруднира. Гномика и дидактика (правила житейской мудрости, поучения) собраны в «Старшей Эдде» главным образом в виде изречений Одина («Речи Высокого», «Речи Гримнира») или диалогов Одина с Вафтрудниром, вёльвой.

Один — воплощение ума, не отделенного, впрочем, от шаманской «интуиции» и магического искусства, от хитрости и коварства. В «Песни о Харбарде» («Старшая Эдда») Один представлен умным и злым насмешником, который издевается над простодушным силачом Тором, стоящим на другом берегу реки и потому неопасным для Одина (последний под видом перевозчика Харбарда отказывается перевезти Тора через реку). Хитрость и коварство Одина резко отличают его от Тора и сближают его с Локи. Именно по инициативе Одина Локи похищает Брисингамен у Фрейи.

Один вместе с другими «сынами Бора» участвует в поднятии земли и устройстве Мидгарда, в составе троицы асов (вместе с Хёниром и Лодуром) находит и оживляет древесные прообразы первых людей (см. Аск и Эмбла). Кроме этого участия в космо- и антропогенезе, Один выступает также в качестве культурного героя, добывающего мёд поэзии. В «Младшей Эдде» также рассказывается о соревновании Одина в конной скачке с великаном Хрунгниром и об участии (совместно с Локи и Хёниром) в добывании клада карлика Андвари. В эсхатологической последней битве (Рагнарёк) Один сражается с волком Фенриром и побежден в этом поединке (волк проглатывает Одина); за него мстит сын Видар. С Одином в какой-то степени связаны и мотивы плодородия, о чем, возможно, свидетельствует такой его атрибут, как кольцо Драупнир («капающий»), порождающее себе подобных.

Саксон Грамматик в «Деяниях датчан» (нач. XIII в.) представляет Одина и других богов древнейшими королями. Он сообщает о том, что после измены Фригг Один ушел и место его временно занял Mythothyn. В другом месте «заместителем» Одина выступает бог Улль. В «Саге об Инглингах» Вили и Ве узурпируют власть в отсутствие Одина. Эти легенды о «заместителях» Одина конунга являются, по-видимому, реликтами культа царя-жреца и его ритуальной смены при одряхлении или племенном неблагополучии (неурожаи и т. п.). От Водана ведут свой род англосаксонские короли. Датский королевский род Скьёльдунгов (согласно англосаксонскому эпосу о Беовульфе) ведет свое происхождение от Скьёльда (др.-исл. Skjoldr, англосакс. Skyld) — сына Одина. Согласно «Саге о Вёльсунгах», Один стоит и у начала легендарного королевского рода Вёльсунгов, к которому принадлежит и Сигурд — знаменитый герой общегерманского эпоса (Нибелунги).

Этимология

От прото-норвежского ᚹᛟᛞᛁᚾᛦ (wodinz), от протогерманского *Wōdanaz, откуда также древнеанглийское Wōden, древнесаксонское Wōden, древневерхненемецкое Wuotan, Wodan. Относится к прилагательному óðr, буквально означающему «сумасшедший».

Отец богов

Бог Один (Вотан) — в германо-скандинавской мифологии верховное божество. Является отцом и предводителем асов.

Один — сын Бора и Бестлы, внук Бури. В некоторых источниках его называют “отцом колдовства”, мудрецом, шаманом, знатоком рун и сказов. Это одновременно жрец, воин и сказитель.

Вот что говорится в книге “Речи Гримнира”:

“Один ныне зовусь,

Игг звался прежде,

Тунд звался тоже,

Вак и Скильвинг,

Вавуд и Хрофтатюр,

Гаут и Яльк у богов,

Офнир и Свафнир,

но все имена

стали мной неизменно.”

Один — бог войны и победы. Он покровительствовал военной аристократии. Является хозяином Вальхаллы и повелителем валькирий.

В германо-скандинавских эсхатологических мифах говорится о том, что в день Рагнарёка Один погибнет в схватке с чудовищным волком Фенриром.

Кто такой Один

Один — верховный бог скандинавской мифологии. Скальды называли это божество Всеотцом — отцом всех богов и людей. На самом деле, Один не был отцом всем богам.

Вот, что написано в книге “Видение Гюльви”:

“Есть в Асгарде место Хлидскьяльв. Когда Один восседал там на престоле, видел он все миры и все дела людские, и была ему ведома суть всего видимого.”

По некоторым сведениям, Один и Тюр (древний небесный бог у скандинавов) дополняли друг друга. Они считались богами магической власти и права. Один в большей степени был, конечно, магом. Например, пока его тело лежало бездыханным, дух (хамингья) мог превратиться в зверя или в птицу. Это позволяло божеству проникать во все миры — всюду, куда только он пожелает.

Один охотно пользовался своей способностью к оборотничеству. Кроме того, Один мог легко потушить даже сильный огонь, усмирить море, повернуть ветер в нужную для него сторону.

Особенно охотно Один пользовался колдовством. С его помощью он вызывал из могилы мертвых и выведывал у них тайны мира. При необходимости он при помощи вредоносных мертвецов насылал на неугодных порчу. Еще Один мог легко отнимать силу у одних и передавать ее другим.

Это божество не брезговало даже ограблением древних курганов. При помощи специальных заклинаний он лишал мертвецов силы и отнимал их сокровища.

Мудрость и тайные знания дались Одину нелегко. Вот что говорится в книге “Речи Высокого”:

“Знаю, висел я

в ветвях на ветру

девять долгих ночей,

пронзенный копьем,

посвященный Одину,

в жертву себе же,

на дереве том,

чьи корни сокрыты

в недрах неведомых.

139 Никто не питал,

никто не поил меня,

взирал я на землю,

поднял я руны,

стеная их поднял —

и с древа рухнул.

140 Девять песен узнал я

от сына Бёльторна,

Бестли отца,

меду отведал

великолепного,

что в Одрёрир налит.

141 Стал созревать я

и знанья множить,

расти, процветая;

слово от слова

слово рождало,

дело от дела

дело рождало.

142 Руны найдешь

и постигнешь знаки,

сильнейшие знаки,

крепчайшие знаки,

Хрофт их окрасил,

а создали боги

и Один их вырезал”

В “Саге об Инглингах” Снорри Стурлусон писал, что колдовство — занятие недостойного благородного мужа и воина. Издревле колдовству обучались женщины-жрицы, но никак не мужчины. Колдовство, как и оборотничество, вообще не считалось занятием, достойным божества. Скорее, это был удел нечистой силы, или ведьм, которые превращались в тюленей, волков, или коней.

В эпоху постоянных кровопролитных битв, которая знаменовала Переселение народов, а также в век викингов, который завершил эти переселения, магия и воинская ярость оказались гораздо выше традиционного права. Таким образом Один оттеснил благородного Тюра и стал называться богом богов, или отцом всех богов.

Один и его братья создавали мир, и, по некоторым данным — были причастны к созданию людей.

Вот, что написано в книге “Видение Гюльви”:

“Шли сыновья Бора [Один, Хёнир и Лодур] берегом моря и увидали два дерева. Взяли они те деревья и сделали из них людей. Первый дал им жизнь и душу, второй — разум и движенье, третий — облик, речь, слух и зрение. Дали они им одежду и имена: мужчину нарекли Ясенем, а женщину Ивой. И от них-то пошел род людской, поселенный богами в стенах Мидгарда.”

А вот отрывок из Старшей Эдды. Книга называется “Прорицания Вельвы”:

“Они не дышали,

в них не было духа,

румянца на лицах,

тепла и голоса;

дал Один дыханье,

а Хёнир — дух,

а Лодур — тепло

и лицам румянец.”

Жену Одина в скандинавской мифологии зовут Фригг. Это богиня-провидица, и родоначальница рода асов.

Практически все дети Одина в скандинавской мифологии (кроме Тора, Видара и Бальдра) не были божествами, однако они присоединились к божественному миру. Другие дети Одина в скандинавской мифологии: Хёд, Хермод, Вали, Хеймдалль, и Браги. Считается также, что сыном Одина был родоначальник инглингов, Ингви.

Также Один именуется отцом павших (в мифологии часто говорится о сынах Одина — об эйнхериях). Это обусловлено тем, что воины, которые героически сражались на поле битвы, и погибли в бою, становились его приемными сыновьями.

Тор и Один в мифологии скандинавов имеют особое значение. Они — отец и сын, и оба будут принимать участие в последней битве богов, сражаясь на одной стороне.

Смерть Одина в мифологии достаточно драматична. Кто убил Одина в мифологии древних скандинавов? Согласно эсхатологическим легендам, в день Рагнарёк это сделал чудовищный волк Фенрир.

Внешний облик и характеристика

Отец Одина в скандинавской мифологии — Бор, сын Бури. История бога Одина в скандинавской мифологии начинается с того, что он вместе с братьями, Вили и Ве, убивают первовеликана Имира, из плоти которого произошел мир. Но он вовсе не был таким кровожадным. Это очень неоднозначное верховное божество.

У Одина много имен. Одно из них — Херьян (Воитель) свидетельствует о прочной связи этого божества с погибшими воинами. Другие имена Одина: Игг (Страшный), Хникар (Сеятель раздоров). Всех имен этого божества не знал никто.

Один с легкостью изменял свой облик. Однако его обычно описывали как странника с посохом в руках. Он был одет в синий плащ, а на голове у него была широкополая шляпа, которую божество надвигало на лоб.

О том, почему у Одина один глаз, в скандинавской мифологии есть интересный сюжет. Верховное божество не всегда было таким мудрым, каким его знают. Однажды он услышал о существовании источника мудрости. Этот источник принадлежал злейшим врагам асов — великанам. Чтобы испить из него, Один и пожертвовал один глаз.

В скандинавской мифологии есть несколько версий того, как Один потерял свой глаз.

Согласно одной из версий, Один отправился в Йотунхейм, уже зная о жертве, которую ему предстоит сделать. По другой версии, он принял решение расстаться с глазом спонтанно. По третьей версии, он сделал это по требованию великанов.

Для павших героев Один построил в Асгарде два загробных чертога. Главным была великая Вальхалла (Вальгалла), которая также имела другое имя — Глядсхейм, зала мертвых. Другой чертог зался Вингольв, или “Обитель блаженства”, которая также должна была уцелеть после Рагнарёка. Интересно, что Вингольвом также именуется святилище богинь на небе. Вероятно, это не случайно. В древних источниках говорится, что одна из богинь поровну делила с Одином павших, и это была не Фригг, а Фрейя.

Древние скандинавы верили, что под видом бедного странника (в некоторых источниках — в образе уродливого карла) Один бродит по свету. Часто он, желая испытать того или иного человека, просится н ночлег, и горе тому, кто не пустит его на порог.

Также бытовали верования о том, что Один часто объезжает землю на своем коне, Слейпнире. В эпоху кровопролитных войн говорилось о том, что божество, оставаясь невидимым, принимало участие в сражениях, и помогало наиболее достойным воинам одержать победу.

Во многих историях скандинавской мифологии бог Один описан как существо, которое, в отличие от других божеств, не нуждается в пище. Живет он тем, что пьет мед, брагу, или вино.

Рим и Британия

В какой мифологии есть “аналог” бога Одина — Меркурий. По крайней мере, именно так его идентифицирует римский писатель и историк Тацит. Говоря о религии свевов (германцев), он писал, что “среди богов они в основном поклоняются Меркурию. Они считают своим религиозным долгом приносить ему в определенные дни человеческие, а также другие жертвы”. Тора Тацит именовал на римский манер — Геркулесом.

А вот, что пишет на эту тему Павел Диакон. История лангобардов. (Бенедиктинский монах, церковный писатель. 720 г. н.э.) (Источник: Текст -Кузнецова Т. И. Перевод — Тhietmar):

“И тем не менее верно то, что лангобарды, первоначально называвшиеся винилами, впоследствии получили свое название от длинных бород, не тронутых бритвой. Ведь на их языке слово «lang» означает «длинный», a «bart» – борода» . А Годан, которого они, прибавив одну букву, называли Гводаном, это тот самый, кто у римлян зовется Меркурием и кому поклонялись как богу все народы Германии, не наших, однако, времен, а гораздо более древних. И не Германии он собственно принадлежит, а Греции.”

По мнению исследователя скандинавских мифов, Э.Бирли, идентификация Одина с Меркурием связана с тем, что оба эти божества были странниками. Оба изображались одетыми в длинный плащ, оба, отправляясь в дальнее странствие, брали с собой посох.

При размышлениях о боге Одине, и о том, кто это в мифологии, нельзя не упомянуть о том, что в древнеанглийской литературе сохранились упоминания о нем, как об основателе древнеанглийской королевской семьи.

Прямо или косвенно Один несколько раз упоминается в сохранившихся древнеанглийских текстах — в частности в заклинании “Девять трав” и в древнеанглийской рунической поэме.

Предположительно, упоминания об этом божестве содержится в одной из загадок в древнеанглийской поэме “Соломон и Сатурн”. Также упоминания об Одине содержатся в древнеанглийской гномической поэме “Максимы I” в аллитерационной фразе «Woden worhte weos».

В “Заговоре девяти трав” Один представлен убийцей некоего страшного дракона. Стихотворение датируется 9 столетием, и считается одним из самых загадочных древнеанглийских текстов.

Вот, что говорится в строфе, в которой упоминается Один (Воден):

“Wyrm com snican, toslat he man;

ða genam Woden VIIII wuldortanas,

Sloh ða þa næddran, heo on VIIII tofleah.

Крадучись червь пришел, но не сгубил никого он,

Воден взял эти стебли, девять побегов славы,

И от удара аспид на девять [частей] распался.”

Дальше рассказывается о том, как были созданы две волшебные травы — фенхель и кервель. В стихотворении говорится, что их создал некий мудрец, когда висел в небесах.

Эти травы он подарил человечеству. Этот текст ассоциируется с Одином, потому что он пошел на самопожертвование (ритуальное самоповешение) во имя знаний.

В одной из древнеанглийских рунических поэм был описан рунический алфавит. С Одином была связана руна Ос:

“Os byþ ordfruma ælere spræce,

wisdomes wraþu ond witena frofur

and eorla gehwam eadnys ond tohiht.

Бог — источник всей речи,

мудрости столп и мудрым утеха,

дар и надежда герою.”

Первое слово в этой строфе является омофоном древнеанглийского слова os, что означало “языческий бог”.

Есть предположение. что поэма цензурировалась, и изначально речь в ней шла именно об Одине.

По словам Кэтлин Герберт, “Os родственно скандинавскому As, т.е. один из асов, верховного племени богов”.

В поэме “Соломон и Сатурн” говорится о Меркурии-Великане, который изобрел буквы. Вероятно, здесь также речь идет об Одине: именно Один в мифологии Скандинавии был первооткрывателем рунических алфавитов. Сама поэма была написана в стиле поздних скандинавских песней, участником которых было это божество — в частности, в стиле “Речей Вафтруднира”. Это произведение рассказывало о том, как однажды Один вступил в смертельный поединок с великаном Вафтрудниром, и победил его.

В письменном памятнике 9 столетия из Майнца (Германия), который известен как “Древнесаксонская крестильная клятва”, говорится о трех древних саксонских божествах, одним из которых был Один (Воден).

В Мерзебурге (Германия) была обнаружена рукопись, датируемая 10 столетием. В этой рукописи находилось так называемое Второе Мерзебургское заклинание. Там к Одина и некоторых других божеств из пантеона континентальных германских племен призывали, чтобы они помогли вылечить коня:

“Phol ende uuodan uuoran zi holza.

du uuart demo balderes uolon sin uuoz birenkit.

thu biguol en sinthgunt, sunna era suister,

thu biguol en friia, uolla era suister

thu biguol en uuodan, so he uuola conda:

sose benrenki, sose bluotrenki, sose lidirenki:

ben zi bena, bluot si bluoda,

lid zi geliden, sose gelimida sin!

Пфол и Водан выехали в рощу.

Тут Бальдеров жеребчик вывихнул бабку.

Заклинала Синтгунт с Сунною-сестрицей;

Заклинала Фрия с Фоллою-сестрицей;

Заклинал и Водан; заговор он ведал

От полома кости, от потока крови, от вывиха членов.

Склейся кость с костью, слейся кровь с кровью,

К суставу сустав, как слепленный, пристань[25].”

Культ божества был распространен даже в раннем средневековье.

Атрибуты Одина

В скандинавской мифологии у бога Одина есть следующие атрибуты:

• Скидбладнир. Это самый быстрый в мире корабль. В мифах говорится о том, что удивительное судно способно вместить любое количество воинов. Однако, при необходимости корабль можно сложить напополам и спрятать в кармане;
• Слейпнир. Это волшебный восьминогий конь божества, на котором оно путешествует между мирами. Это самый быстрый конь в мире, и его бег не может замедлить ни одна из стихий;
• Гунгнир. Легендарное копье Одина, способное поразить любую цель, пробить самый толстый щит и разбить на куски даже самый закаленный меч.

Один, едущий верхом на Слейпнире, стал особым образом.

Вот, что говорится в Саге о Хервёр и Хейдреке:

“Тогда сказал Гестумблинди:

Что это за двое,

у которых десять ног,

три глаза

и один хвост?

Конунг Хейдрек,

думай над загадкой.

— Это Один скачет на Слейпнире.”

Когда боги и герои собираются на пиршество в Вальхалле, у ног Одина ложатся два свирепых волка, которых зовут Гери и Фреки. А на плечах у божества сидят два ворона, Хугин и Мунин, которые рассказывают ему обо всем, что происходит во всех мирах.

Еще у Одина есть священный престол, который называется Хлидскьяльв. Этимология точно неизвестна: возможно, это название обозначает утес или отверзающуюся скалу. Самым главным является то, что с этой скалы божество может обозревать все миры. Это роднит престол Одина с мировым древом.

Кстати, гора Одина является распространенным названием урочищ у древних германцев: в очень давние времена там существовали его святилища.

Происхождение среды

Имя Одина (Вотана) восходит в древнегерманскому корню wut, что буквально обозначает “воинственный”, или “буйство”.

По мнению мифологов и культурологов, у древних германцев существовало единство религиозных представлений. Свидетельством этого стали названия дней недели. Семидневную неделю германцы переняли у римлян. Но названия дней они заменили именами своих богов.

Среда, которая досталась Одину (у римлян среда была днем Меркурия), дословно переводится с древнегерманского как “День Одина”. В связи с этим можно предположить, что не римляне отождествляли скандинавское божество с Меркурием, а наоборот — германцы отождествляли римского бога со своим Одином.

Некоторые научные теории

Бог Один в скандинавской мифологии часто является героем научных исследований. Например, ему посвятил свою докторскую диссертацию Генри Петерсен. Он предположил, что Один был более поздним божеством, покровительствовавшим вождям и поэтам.

По мнению других исследователем, Один в мифологию и историю скандинавов из легенд других народов. Считается, что родиной Одина является юго-восточная Европа, и что первые упоминания о нем встречаются в легендах железного века. По мнению других ученых, Один — персонаж, появившийся в результате галльского влияния.

В 16 столетии считалось, что Один был первым шведским королем. Такое мнение высказывалось и во времена правления Карла IX.

Исследуя функции Одина и его атрибутику, некоторые скандинавоведы интерпретировали его как божество ветра или смерти.

Есть легенда, что название племени лангобардов происходит “От Одина”. Вот, что говорит на эту тему Павел Диакон. История лангобардов. (Бенедиктинский монах, писатель. 720 г. н.э.) (Источник: Текст -Кузнецова Т. И. Перевод — Тhietmar):

“Старое предание рассказывает по этому поводу забавную сказку: будто бы вандалы обратились к Годану с просьбой даровать им победу над винилами и он ответил им, что даст победу тем, кого прежде увидит при восходе солнца. После этого, будто бы Гамбара обратилась к Фрее, супруге Годана, и умоляла ее о победе для винилов. И Фрея дала совет приказать винильским женщинам распустить волосы по лицу так, чтобы они казались бородой, затем, с утра пораньше, вместе со своими мужьями, выйти на поле сражения и стать там, где Годан мог бы их увидеть, когда он, по обыкновению, смотрит утром в окно. Все так и случилось. Лишь только Годан при восходе солнца увидел их, как спросил: «Кто эти длиннобородые?» Тогда Фрея и настояла на том, чтобы он даровал победу тем, кого сам наделил именем. И таким образом Годан даровал победу винилам”.

Адам Бременский:

“Теперь скажем несколько слов о верованиях свеонов. У этого племени есть знаменитое

святилище, которое называется Убсола и расположено недалеко от города Сиктоны. Храм сей

весь украшен золотом, а в нем находятся статуи трех почитаемых народом богов. Самый

могущественный из их богов-Top — восседает на престоле в середине парадного зала, с одной

стороны от него — Водан, с другой — Фриккон. Вот как распределяются их полномочия: «Тор,

— говорят свеоны, — царит в эфире, он управляет громами и реками, ветрами и дождями,

ясной погодой и урожаями. Водан, что означает «ярость», — бог войны, он возбуждает

мужество в воинах, сражающихся с неприятелем. Третий бог — Фриккон — дарует смертным мир

и наслаждения. Последнего они изображают с огромным фаллосом. Водана же свеоны

представляют вооруженным, как у нас обычно Марса. А Тор напоминает своим скипетром

Юпитера. Они также почитают обожествленных людей, даря им бессмертие за славные деяния.”

Современный фольклор

Легенды об Одине бытовали в Скандинавии даже в 19 столетии. Он, конечно, уже не был тем грозным божеством. Но истории о боге Одина в скандинавской мифологии “перекочевали” в фольклор.

Люди называли его “Одином Старым”. В Швеции у крестьян была традиция обязательно оставлять на поле большой сноп для лошадей Одина.

Также существуют примечательные сведения о некоем кургане, который был обнаружен в 18 столетии. Согласно местным поверьям, там лежало тело Одина. В быличках рассказывается и о том, что в момент, когда курган раскрыли, вспыхнул яркий огонь, подобный молнии.

Есть другая легенда, записанная Бенджамином Торпом. Одна из местных легенд гласила, что некий человек однажды посеял рожь на поле. Когда она взошла, с холма спустился Один. Он был настолько огромен, что возвышался над всеми постройками фермерского хозяйства. В течение нескольких ночей грозный призрак никому не позволял ни входить, ни выходить из жилищ. Так продолжалось до тех пор, пока всю рожь не собрали.

Также Торп пишет следующее: в Швеции, “когда ночью слышен шум, подобный шуму экипажей и лошадей, люди говорят: “Один проходит мимо”.

В позднесредневековых балладах рассказывается о том, как Один, бог скандинавской мифологии, а также Локи и Хенир помогли некоему мальчику, на которого напали ётуны.

Один в мифах и легендах

Один и другие божества — главные герои скандинавских мифов. Одна из известных легенд гласит, как Один побывал у вёльвы.

Вот что пишется об этом в книге “Прорицание вёльвы”:

“Внимайте мне все

священные роды,

великие с малыми

Хеймдалля дети!

О́дин, ты хочешь,

чтоб я рассказала

о прошлом всех сущих,

о древнем, что помню.”

Прорицание вёльвы:

“Она колдовала

тайно однажды,

когда князь асов

в глаза посмотрел ей:

«Что меня вопрошать?

Зачем испытывать?

Знаю я, Один,

где глаз твой спрятан:

скрыт он в источнике

славном Мимира!»

Каждое утро

Мимир пьет мед

с залога Владыки —

довольно ли вам этого?”

Состязание в мудрости с существами из других миров не было для богов праздным развлечением. Победитель в таком состязании признавался повелителем мироздания, которому угрожали чудовища и великаны.

Поездка к великанам с целью состязания в мудрости была трудной задачей дажа для Одина, и поэтому он посоветовался с Фригг о том, стоит ли ему ехать к самому мудрому ётуну — Вафтрудниру.

Фригг, как могла, предостерегала мужа от этой поездки. Стоит сказать, она тревожилась не напрасно. Само слово “ётуна” означает “сильный в обмане”.

Когда Один приезжает на место и сообщает великану о том, что хотел бы состязаться с ним и постичь все его познания, тот разгневался. Он сообщил Одину, что вступит с ним в поединок, и горе ему, если он его не выиграет: живым ему в этом случае не уйти.

Один прекрасно знал, что в чужом, враждебном мире он не должен называться собственным именем. Поэтому он представился именем Ганград, что означает “Правящий победой”. Проявив смирение, “как бедный в доме богатого”, Один ответил сердитому великану, что готов ответить на все его вопросы.

Ётун тут же начал задавать Одину вопросы о мироздании. Тот прекрасно знал ответы, потому что сам принимал участие в создании мира. Великан вынужденно признал, что его гость обладает серьезными познаниями, и предложил ему сесть. Но к мирной беседе это не привело: великан предложил поспорить, кто мудрее, а на кон поставить свои головы.

Один согласился, и сам начал спрашивать обо всем ётуна. Тот легко отвечал на вопросы о том, каким образом был сотворен мир из тела Имира — ведь он сам был первобытным великаном.

Один в свою очередь признал, что его противник очень мудр, и поинтересовался, откуда он вообще имеет все эти сведения. Выяснилось, что ётун, также, как и Один, смог проникнуть во все миры, и даже спускался в Нифльхель.

И вот, Один принялся выспрашивать у великана о грядущих временах. Вероятно, именно это и было истинной целью его путешествия. Великан рассказал ему о том, что произойдет после того, как мир погибнет. Рассказал он и о том, какие потомки асов уцелеют, и кто отомстит за смерть самого Одина.

Один отчаянно нуждался в этих ответах, потому что Рагнарёк приближался, и Бальдр уже пил свой мед в Хельхейме…В конце-концов, Один достает свой козырь, и спрашивает у великана, что он шепнул Бальдру, когда тот лежал на погребальном костре. В этот момент ётун узнал Одина, и признал свое поражение.

Смысл этого мифа заключается не в том, что божество победило великана, а в том, как он это сделал, и что в итоге получил. Этот сюжет является одной из песней Старшей Эдды. Считается, что песнь исполнялась людьми, которые также жаждали постичь высшую мудрость.

Вероятно, она представляла собой живой диалог, который состоял из вопросов и ответов. Также считается, что в языческие времена, когда “Эдда” еще не была собранием увлекательных мифов, этот диалог имел ритуальный характер.

Он исполнялся в храме двумя жрецами, и происходило все это во время языческих празднеств — вероятнее всего, во время главного годового праздника, в канун Нового года: считалось, что именно в это время все судьбы открыты для будущего.

Сокровенные знания, которые добыл Один, достались людям. Он вообще достаточно охотно помогал смертным и покровительствовал им: лучшие из них становились героями и пополняли его дружину, во главе которой он должен был выйти на свою последнюю битву. Но эти знания часто были очень тяжкими — как и встречи с божеством.

Кстати, Один еще не раз бился на свою голову. В “Младшей Эдде” рассказывается, как он соревновался с Хрунгниром в конской скачке. Один посетил в Ётунхейме Хрунгнира и побился с ним об заклад на свою голову, что ни один конь великанов не сможет сравниться в беге со Слейпниром. Великан, как и следовало ожидать, тут же разъярился. И началась бешеная скачка.

Один прискакал в Асгард первым, но Хрунгнир каким-то образом тоже проскользнул в ворота…

Один в мире людей

В “Старшей Эдде” находится целый моральный кодекс викингов, создание которого древние скандинавы приписывали Одину, или Высокому, как иногда называл он себя.

В “Речах Высокого” содержится вся мудрость раннего средневековья. там находятся советы, как осматривать входы в своем жилище (а вдруг там затаился враг?), а также — полезные нравоучения.

В “Речах Высокого” Один постепенно раскрывает свою сущность. Он произносит краткую проповедь о пользе воздержания, но тут же дает советы мужчинам о том, как им следует вести себя с хитрыми девицами. В одном из мифов Один и сам попался на обман. В древней легенде рассказывается о том, как Один назначил красивой девушке любовную встречу. Та пообещала прийти, но не пришла. Придя на свидание, огорченный Один обнаружил только собаку, которая, поскуливая, лежала возле лежбища.

Исследуя “Речи Высокого”, можно найти интересные сведения о “взаимоотношениях” людей и богов. Закон язычества гласил, что эти отношения основывались на обмене. Причем, Один делал все, чтобы этот обмен не был равноценным.

Вот что говорится о коварстве божества в книге “Речи Высокого”:

“Клятву Один

дал на кольце;

не коварна ли клятва?

Напиток достал он

обманом у Суттунга

Гуннлёд на горе.

Пора мне с престола

тула поведать

у источника Урд.”

Завершаются “Речи Высокого” перечислением заклинаний, которые были известны только одному Одину. Особенно интересными кажутся два заклинания. Одно из них было направлено на того, кто собирался навести порчу при помощи кореньев: заклинание приводило к его смерти. Второе не позволяло ведьмам-оборотням вернуть себе человеческий облик.

Интересным и страшным кажется двенадцатое заклинание: оно сопровождается вырезанием рун под деревом, на котором висит повешенный. Один говорил, что после этого заклинания мертвец оживет и расскажет все тайны иного мира. Он знал, о чем говорил: недаром его также называли богом повешенных.

Пятнадцатое заклинание Один получил от некоего карлика. К сожалению, миф об этом странном событии потерялся. Интересным представляется то, что карлик является ночным хтоническим существом. Рискуя жизнью, он должен был сообщить Одину сокровенные знания: Один считался родителем Дня, а днем, под воздействием солнечных лучей, карлики в скандинавской мифологии превращались в камни. Только эта угроза могла заставить волшебное существо, враждебное богам, поделиться с ними тайным знанием.

Всего заклинаний восемнадцать. Это число считается священным (2 раза по 9). Сам поэтический перечень должен был способствовать запоминанию этой мифопоэтической системы заклятий. Все-таки, недаром Один называл себя тулом — жрецом-прорицателем.

Еще одна песня

В одной из песен рассказывается, как Один, оказавшись в мире людей, поначалу представился беспомощным стариком. В этой истории он попал в ловушку и не могу не только освободиться от пут, но и защититься от пыток. Разумеется, это была только игра: бог ждал от своих почитателей той самой мудрости, которой обучал их.

В “Старшей Эдде” рассказывается о том, как двух детей некоего конунга, которых звали Гейррёд и Ангар, унесло в лодке в открытое море. Лодка разбилась, и обоих детей приютили старик со старухой. Одного мальчика опекал старик, а второго — старуха. Когда наступила весна, старик что-то шепнул Гейррёду. Братья сели в лодку, и когда она достигла берега, Гейррёд вышел из лодки и проклял брата, сказав ему: “Плыви туда, где возьмут тебя тролли!”. После этого он вернулся в землю своего отца-конунга, которого уже не было в живых, и сам стал конунгом.

Это была предыстория. Через какое-то время Один и Фригг сидели в Асгарде осматривали все миры. В этот момент Один спросил Фригг, знает ли она, что произошло с ее воспитанником, Ангаром. Когда Фригг ответила отрицательно, Один злорадно ответил, что тот женился на великанше, в то время, как его воспитанник стал конунгом.

Один и Фригг часто соперничали. Ангар был потомком конунга и воспитанником самой Фригг (теми стариком и старухой были они с Одином), и связь с дикой великаншей была для него оскорбительной…

Но Фригг в долгу не осталась и парировала тем, что воспитанник ее супруга настолько скуп. что морит голодом гостей. Один поддался на провокацию и, приняв облик старика, отправился в мир людей — навестить Гейррёда.

Тем временем Фригг отправила в мир людей свою служанку Фуллу, которая должна была предупредить Гейррёда о том, что к нему явится злой колдун. Узнать этого колдуна можно было по тому, что на него не нападают собаки.

Конунг захватил гостя, который назвался Гримниром (Скрывающийся под маской) в плен и подверг его пытке огнем и голодом. Плен длился восемь лет.

У Гейррёда был сын, которого он, согласно древнему обычаю, назвал в честь брата, которого считал умершим (все, кого отправляли к троллям, считались умершими). Юный Ангар пожалел старика и дал ему напиться, за что тот предрек тому долгую и счастливую жизнь.

А далее божество сделало то, чего никогда не делало в мире великанов — оно открыло свое настоящее имя.

В итоге Гейррёд встретил свою смерть: услышав имя Одина, он вскочил. В его руке был полуобнаженный меч, который выскользнул из ножен, и конунг споткнулся. Он упал на меч и умер, а его сын Ангар стал конунгом.

Несмотря на весь свой гнев, Один проявил великодушие по отношению к бывшему воспитаннику. Смерть конунга все-таки была смертью от оружия, хотя и напоминала гибель от проклятия, которое накладывалось на клятвопреступников. Но одновременно это была жертвенная смерть — посвящение Одину.

Мед поэзии

Однажды Один решил раздобыть мед поэзии. С этой целью он отправился в Ётунхейм и увидел, как на лугу трудятся девять косарей. Достав точило, он наточил им косы, да так хорошо, что они принялись упрашивать его отдать чудесное точило им.

Один начал торговаться, но договориться им не удавалось. Тогда он бросил точило в воздух, и косари бросились за ним. Коварный трюк удался: все работники перерезали себе горла косами и погибли.

Хозяин луга, Брауги, увидев своих косарей мертвыми, принялся сетовать и жаловаться. В этот момент к нему явился Один, и назвался вполне достойным его именем — Бёльверк, что в переводе означает “Злодей”. Он предложил себя в качестве работника, причем сказал, что будет работать за девятерых. Платой же должен был стать один глоток меда поэзии. Брауги согласился: волшебный мед хранился у его брата, и он обещал помочь достать его.

Один работал все лето, но Суттунг (хранитель меда) ни в какую не соглашался поделиться им. Тогда Один пошел на очередную хитрость. Он затеял очередное состязание, и едва не погиб, но ему помогло его умение менять обличия. Улучив момент, он превратился в змею, и проник туда, где сидела девушка, которая сторожила мед поэзии. Тут Один принял облик привлекательного молодого человека, и соблазнил ее. Он провел с ней три ночи, и, весьма довольная, великанская дева угостила возлюбленного вожделенным медом. Один выпил три глотка, причем, осушил несколько сосудов. После этого он превратился в орла и полетел в Асгард.

Узнав об обмане, Суттунг тоже превратился в орла и принялся преследовать Одина. Увидев, что он уже подлетает, асы подставили сосуд, в который верховный бог выплюнул мед. В этот миг Суттунг уже почти настиг его, и Один выпустил часть меда через задний проход. Этот — несобранный — мед достался рифмоплетам. А мед подлинной поэзии достался асам и скальдам.

В мифе не рассказывается о том, что произошло с Суттунгом. Вероятно, ему пришлось какое-то время простоять у ворот Асгарда. Возможно, потом асам надоело слушать его гневные вопли и брань, и они пригрозили ему, что сейчас придет Тор. Это подействовало: своя голова была дороже, чем мед поэзии. Суттунг от всей души пожелал асам подавиться и улетел к себе в Ётунхейм.

Миф о дикой охоте

Один — не только мифологический образ и верховное божество. Это еще и культурный герой: именно он дал людям руны и добыл мед поэзии.

В “Младшей Эдде” рассказывается о том, что Один, оседлав своего коня, вместе со свитой часто носится по миру. Происходит это, разумеется, темными зимними вечерами. Зачем он это делает — загадка. В поздних легендах говорится, что он собирает души людей.

С течением времени образ пугающей Дикой охоты трансформировался в культуре многих народов — в том числе и в культуре западных славян. В некоторых регионах Дикую охоту возглавлял не Один, а Фригг.

Odin (;^[1] from Old Norse: Óðinn) is a widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and depicts him as the husband of the goddess Frigg. In wider Germanic mythology and paganism, the god was also known in Old English as Wōden, in Old Saxon as Uuôden, in Old Dutch as Wuodan, in Old Frisian as Wêda, and in Old High German as Wuotan, all ultimately stemming from the Proto-Germanic theonym *Wōðanaz, meaning ‘lord of frenzy’, or ‘leader of the possessed’.

Odin appears as a prominent god throughout the recorded history of Northern Europe, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania (from c.  2 BCE) through movement of peoples during the Migration Period (4th to 6th centuries CE) and the Viking Age (8th to 11th centuries CE). In the modern period, the rural folklore of Germanic Europe continued to acknowledge Odin. References to him appear in place names throughout regions historically inhabited by the ancient Germanic peoples, and the day of the week Wednesday bears his name in many Germanic languages, including in English.

In Old English texts, Odin holds a particular place as a euhemerized ancestral figure among royalty, and he is frequently referred to as a founding figure among various other Germanic peoples, such as the Langobards, while some Old Norse sources depict him as an enthroned ruler of the gods. Forms of his name appear frequently throughout the Germanic record, though narratives regarding Odin are mainly found in Old Norse works recorded in Iceland, primarily around the 13th century. These texts make up the bulk of modern understanding of Norse mythology.

Old Norse texts portray Odin as the son of Bestla and Borr along with two brothers, Vili and Vé, and he fathered many sons, most famously the gods Thor (with Jörð) and Baldr (with Frigg). He is known by hundreds of names. Odin is frequently portrayed as one-eyed and long-bearded, wielding a spear named Gungnir or appearing in disguise wearing a cloak and a broad hat. He is often accompanied by his animal familiars—the wolves Geri and Freki and the ravens Huginn and Muninn, who bring him information from all over Midgard—and he rides the flying, eight-legged steed Sleipnir across the sky and into the underworld. In these texts he frequently seeks greater knowledge, most famously by obtaining the Mead of Poetry, and makes wagers with his wife Frigg over his endeavors. He takes part both in the creation of the world by slaying the primordial being Ymir and in giving life to the first two humans Ask and Embla. He also provides mankind knowledge of runic writing and poetry, showing aspects of a culture hero. He has a particular association with the Yule holiday.

Odin is also associated with the divine battlefield maidens, the valkyries, and he oversees Valhalla, where he receives half of those who die in battle, the einherjar, sending the other half to the goddess Freyja‘s Fólkvangr. Odin consults the disembodied, herb-embalmed head of the wise Mímir, who foretells the doom of Ragnarök and urges Odin to lead the einherjar into battle before being consumed by the monstrous wolf Fenrir. In later folklore, Odin sometimes appears as a leader of the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of the dead through the winter sky. He is associated with charms and other forms of magic, particularly in Old English and Old Norse texts.

The figure of Odin is a frequent subject of interest in Germanic studies, and scholars have advanced numerous theories regarding his development. Some of these focus on Odin’s particular relation to other figures; for example, Freyja‘s husband Óðr appears to be something of an etymological doublet of the god, while Odin’s wife Frigg is in many ways similar to Freyja, and Odin has a particular relation to Loki. Other approaches focus on Odin’s place in the historical record, exploring whether Odin derives from Proto-Indo-European mythology or developed later in Germanic society. In the modern period, Odin has inspired numerous works of poetry, music, and other cultural expressions. He is venerated with other Germanic gods in most forms of the new religious movement Heathenry; some branches focus particularly on him.

Name[edit]

Etymological origin[edit]

The Old Norse theonym Óðinn (runic ᚢᚦᛁᚾ on the Ribe skull fragment)^[2] is a cognate of other medieval Germanic names, including Old English Wōden, Old Saxon Wōdan, Old Dutch Wuodan, and Old High German Wuotan (Old Bavarian Wûtan).^[3][4][5] They all derive from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic masculine theonym *Wōðanaz (or *Wōdunaz).^[3][6] Translated as ‘lord of frenzy’,^[7] or as ‘leader of the possessed’,^[8] *Wōðanaz stems from the Proto-Germanic adjective *wōðaz (‘possessed, inspired, delirious, raging’) attached to the suffix *-naz (‘master of’).^[7]

Internal and comparative evidence all point to the ideas of a divine possession or inspiration, and an ecstatic divination.^[9][10] In his Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum (1075–1080 AD), Adam of Bremen explicitly associates Wotan with the Latin term furor, which can be translated as ‘rage’, ‘fury’, ‘madness’, or ‘frenzy’ (Wotan id est furor : «Odin, that is, furor«).^[11] As of 2011, an attestation of Proto-Norse Woðinz, on the Strängnäs stone, has been accepted as probably authentic, but the name may be used as a related adjective instead meaning «with a gift for (divine) possession» (ON: øðinn).^[12]

Other Germanic cognates derived from *wōðaz include Gothic woþs (‘possessed’), Old Norse óðr (‘mad, frantic, furious’), Old English wōd (‘insane, frenzied’) and Dutch woed (‘frantic, wild, crazy’), along with the substantivized forms Old Norse óðr (‘mind, wit, sense; song, poetry’), Old English wōþ (‘sound, noise; voice, song’), Old High German wuot (‘thrill, violent agitation’) and Middle Dutch woet (‘rage, frenzy’), from the same root as the original adjective. The Proto-Germanic terms *wōðīn (‘madness, fury’) and *wōðjanan (‘to rage’) can also be reconstructed.^[3] Early epigraphic attestations of the adjective include un-wōdz (‘calm one’, i.e. ‘not-furious’; 200 CE) and wōdu-rīde (‘furious rider’; 400 CE).^[10]

Philologist Jan de Vries has argued that the Old Norse deities Óðinn and Óðr were probably originally connected (as in the doublet Ullr–Ullinn), with Óðr (*wōðaz) being the elder form and the ultimate source of the name Óðinn (*wōða-naz). He further suggested that the god of rage Óðr–Óðinn stood in opposition to the god of glorious majesty Ullr–Ullinn in a similar manner to the Vedic contrast between Varuna and Mitra.^[13]

The adjective *wōðaz ultimately stems from a Pre-Germanic form *uoh₂-tós, which is related to the Proto-Celtic terms *wātis, meaning ‘seer, sooth-sayer’ (cf. Gaulish wāteis, Old Irish fáith ‘prophet’) and *wātus, meaning ‘prophesy, poetic inspiration’ (cf. Old Irish fáth ‘prophetic wisdom, maxims’, Old Welsh guaut ‘prophetic verse, panegyric’).^[9][10][14] According to some scholars, the Latin term vātēs (‘prophet, seer’) is probably a Celtic loanword from the Gaulish language, making *uoh₂-tós ~ *ueh₂-tus (‘god-inspired’) a shared religious term common to Germanic and Celtic rather than an inherited word of earlier Proto-Indo-European (PIE) origin.^[9][10] In the case a borrowing scenario is excluded, a PIE etymon *(H)ueh₂-tis (‘prophet, seer’) can also be posited as the common ancestor of the attested Germanic, Celtic and Latin forms.^[6]

Other names[edit]

More than 170 names are recorded for Odin; the names are variously descriptive of attributes of the god, refer to myths involving him, or refer to religious practices associated with him. This multitude makes Odin the god with the most known names among the Germanic peoples.^[15] Professor Steve Martin has pointed out that the name Odinsberg (Ounesberry, Ounsberry, Othenburgh)^[16] in Cleveland Yorkshire, now corrupted to Roseberry (Topping), may derive from the time of the Anglian settlements, with nearby Newton under Roseberry and Great Ayton^[17] having Anglo Saxon suffixes. The very dramatic rocky peak was an obvious place for divine association, and may have replaced Bronze Age/Iron Age beliefs of divinity there, given that a hoard of bronze votive axes and other objects was buried by the summit.^[18][19] It could be a rare example, then, of Nordic-Germanic theology displacing earlier Celtic mythology in an imposing place of tribal prominence.

In his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, Richard Wagner refers to the god as Wotan, a spelling of his own invention which combines the Old High German Wuotan with the Low German Wodan.^[20]

Origin of Wednesday[edit]

The modern English weekday name Wednesday derives from Old English Wōdnesdæg, meaning ‘day of Wōden’. Cognate terms are found in other Germanic languages, such as Middle Low German and Middle Dutch Wōdensdach (modern Dutch woensdag), Old Frisian Wērnisdei (≈ Wērendei) and Old Norse Óðinsdagr (cf. Danish, Norwegian, Swedish onsdag). All of these terms derive from Late Proto-Germanic *Wodanesdag (‘Day of Wōðanaz’), a calque of Latin Mercurii dies (‘Day of Mercury’; cf. modern Italian mercoledì, French mercredi, Spanish miércoles).^[21][22]

Attestations[edit]

Roman era to Migration Period[edit]

The earliest records of the Germanic peoples were recorded by the Romans, and in these works Odin is frequently referred to—via a process known as interpretatio romana (where characteristics perceived to be similar by Romans result in identification of a non-Roman god as a Roman deity)—as the Roman god Mercury. The first clear example of this occurs in the Roman historian Tacitus’s late 1st-century work Germania, where, writing about the religion of the Suebi (a confederation of Germanic peoples), he comments that «among the gods Mercury is the one they principally worship. They regard it as a religious duty to offer to him, on fixed days, human as well as other sacrificial victims. Hercules and Mars they appease by animal offerings of the permitted kind» and adds that a portion of the Suebi also venerate «Isis». In this instance, Tacitus refers to the god Odin as «Mercury», Thor as «Hercules», and Týr as «Mars». The «Isis» of the Suebi has been debated and may represent «Freyja».^[24]

Anthony Birley noted that Odin’s apparent identification with Mercury has little to do with Mercury’s classical role of being messenger of the gods, but appears to be due to Mercury’s role of psychopomp.^[24] Other contemporary evidence may also have led to the equation of Odin with Mercury; Odin, like Mercury, may have at this time already been pictured with a staff and hat, may have been considered a trader god, and the two may have been seen as parallel in their roles as wandering deities. But their rankings in their respective religious spheres may have been very different.^[25] Also, Tacitus’s «among the gods Mercury is the one they principally worship» is an exact quote from Julius Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico (1st century BCE) in which Caesar is referring to the Gauls and not the Germanic peoples. Regarding the Germanic peoples, Caesar states: «[T]hey consider the gods only the ones that they can see, the Sun, Fire and the Moon», which scholars reject as clearly mistaken, regardless of what may have led to the statement.^[24]

There is no direct, undisputed evidence for the worship of Odin/Mercury among the Goths, and the existence of a cult of Odin among them is debated.^[26] Richard North and Herwig Wolfram have both argued that the Goths did not worship Odin, Wolfram contending that the use of Greek names of the week in Gothic provides evidence of that.^[27] One possible reading of the Gothic Ring of Pietroassa is that the inscription «gutaniowi hailag» means «sacred to Wodan-Jove», but this is highly disputed.^[26]

Although the English kingdoms were converted to Christianity by the 7th century, Odin is frequently listed as a founding figure among the Old English royalty.^[28]

Odin is also either directly or indirectly mentioned a few times in the surviving Old English poetic corpus, including the Nine Herbs Charm and likely also the Old English rune poem. Odin may also be referenced in the riddle Solomon and Saturn. In the Nine Herbs Charm, Odin is said to have slain a wyrm (serpent, European dragon) by way of nine «glory twigs». Preserved from an 11th-century manuscript, the poem is, according to Bill Griffiths, «one of the most enigmatic of Old English texts». The section that mentions Odin is as follows:

The emendation of nan to ‘man’ has been proposed. The next stanza comments on the creation of the herbs chervil and fennel while hanging in heaven by the ‘wise lord’ (witig drihten) and before sending them down among mankind. Regarding this, Griffith comments that «In a Christian context ‘hanging in heaven’ would refer to the crucifixion; but (remembering that Woden was mentioned a few lines previously) there is also a parallel, perhaps a better one, with Odin, as his crucifixion was associated with learning.»^[29] The Old English gnomic poem Maxims I also mentions Odin by name in the (alliterative) phrase Woden worhte weos, (‘Woden made idols’), in which he is contrasted with and denounced against the Christian God.^[30]

The Old English rune poem recounts the Old English runic alphabet, the futhorc. The stanza for the rune ós reads as follows:

The first word of this stanza, ōs (Latin ‘mouth’) is a homophone for Old English os, a particularly heathen word for ‘god’. Due to this and the content of the stanzas, several scholars have posited that this poem is censored, having originally referred to Odin.^[32] Kathleen Herbert comments that «Os was cognate with As in Norse, where it meant one of the Æsir, the chief family of gods. In Old English, it could be used as an element in first names: Osric, Oswald, Osmund, etc. but it was not used as a word to refer to the God of Christians. Woden was equated with Mercury, the god of eloquence (among other things). The tales about the Norse god Odin tell how he gave one of his eyes in return for wisdom; he also won the mead of poetic inspiration. Luckily for Christian rune-masters, the Latin word os could be substituted without ruining the sense, to keep the outward form of the rune name without obviously referring to Woden.»^[33]

In the prose narrative of Solomon and Saturn, «Mercurius the Giant» (Mercurius se gygand) is referred to as an inventor of letters. This may also be a reference to Odin, who is in Norse mythology the founder of the runic alphabets, and the gloss a continuation of the practice of equating Odin with Mercury found as early as Tacitus.^[34] One of the Solomon and Saturn poems is additionally in the style of later Old Norse material featuring Odin, such as the Old Norse poem Vafþrúðnismál, featuring Odin and the jötunn Vafþrúðnir engaging in a deadly game of wits.^[35]

The 7th-century Origo Gentis Langobardorum, and Paul the Deacon’s 8th-century Historia Langobardorum derived from it, recount a founding myth of the Langobards (Lombards), a Germanic people who ruled a region of the Italian Peninsula. According to this legend, a «small people» known as the Winnili were ruled by a woman named Gambara who had two sons, Ybor and Aio. The Vandals, ruled by Ambri and Assi, came to the Winnili with their army and demanded that they pay them tribute or prepare for war. Ybor, Aio, and their mother Gambara rejected their demands for tribute. Ambri and Assi then asked the god Godan for victory over the Winnili, to which Godan responded (in the longer version in the Origo): «Whom I shall first see when at sunrise, to them will I give the victory.»^[36]

Meanwhile, Ybor and Aio called upon Frea, Godan’s wife. Frea counselled them that «at sunrise the Winnil[i] should come, and that their women, with their hair let down around the face in the likeness of a beard should also come with their husbands». At sunrise, Frea turned Godan’s bed around to face east and woke him. Godan saw the Winnili and their whiskered women and asked, «who are those Long-beards?» Frea responded to Godan, «As you have given them a name, give them also the victory». Godan did so, «so that they should defend themselves according to his counsel and obtain the victory». Thenceforth the Winnili were known as the Langobards (‘long-beards’).^[37]

Writing in the mid-7th century, Jonas of Bobbio wrote that earlier that century the Irish missionary Columbanus disrupted an offering of beer to Odin (vodano) «(whom others called Mercury)» in Swabia.^[38] A few centuries later, 9th-century document from what is now Mainz, Germany, known as the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow records the names of three Old Saxon gods, UUôden (‘Woden’), Saxnôte, and Thunaer (‘Thor’), whom pagan converts were to renounce as demons.^[39]

A 10th-century manuscript found in Merseburg, Germany, features a heathen invocation known as the Second Merseburg Incantation, which calls upon Odin and other gods and goddesses from the continental Germanic pantheon to assist in healing a horse:

Viking Age to post-Viking Age[edit]

In the 11th century, chronicler Adam of Bremen recorded in a scholion of his Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum that a statue of Thor, whom Adam describes as «mightiest», sat enthroned in the Temple at Uppsala (located in Gamla Uppsala, Sweden) flanked by Wodan (Odin) and «Fricco». Regarding Odin, Adam defines him as «frenzy» (Wodan, id est furor) and says that he «rules war and gives people strength against the enemy» and that the people of the temple depict him as wearing armour, «as our people depict Mars». According to Adam, the people of Uppsala had appointed priests (gothi) to each of the gods, who were to offer up sacrifices (blót), and in times of war sacrifices were made to images of Odin.^[11]

In the 12th century, centuries after Norway was «officially» Christianised, Odin was still being invoked by the population, as evidenced by a stick bearing a runic message found among the Bryggen inscriptions in Bergen, Norway. On the stick, both Thor and Odin are called upon for help; Thor is asked to «receive» the reader, and Odin to «own» them.^[41]

Poetic Edda[edit]

Odin is mentioned or appears in most poems of the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from traditional source material reaching back to the pagan period.

The poem Völuspá features Odin in a dialogue with an undead völva, who gives him wisdom from ages past and foretells the onset of Ragnarök, the destruction and rebirth of the world. Among the information the völva recounts is the story of the first human beings (Ask and Embla), found and given life by a trio of gods; Odin, Hœnir, and Lóðurr:
In stanza 17 of the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, the völva reciting the poem states that Hœnir, Lóðurr and Odin once found Ask and Embla on land. The völva says that the two were capable of very little, lacking in ørlög and says that they were given three gifts by the three gods:

Ǫnd þau né átto, óð þau né hǫfðo, lá né læti né lito góða. Ǫnd gaf Óðinn, óð gaf Hœnir, lá gaf Lóðurr ok lito góða. Old Norse:[42]

Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not, blood nor motive powers, nor goodly colour. Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hœnir, blood gave Lodur, and goodly colour. Benjamin Thorpe translation:[43]

Soul they had not, sense they had not, Heat nor motion, nor goodly hue; Soul gave Othin, sense gave Hönir, Heat gave Lothur and goodly hue. Henry Adams Bellows translation:[44]

The meaning of these gifts has been a matter of scholarly disagreement and translations therefore vary.^[45]

Later in the poem, the völva recounts the events of the Æsir–Vanir War, the war between Vanir and the Æsir, two groups of gods. During this, the first war of the world, Odin flung his spear into the opposing forces of the Vanir.^[46] The völva tells Odin that she knows where he has hidden his eye; in the spring Mímisbrunnr, and from it «Mímir drinks mead every morning».^[47] After Odin gives her necklaces, she continues to recount more information, including a list of valkyries, referred to as nǫnnor Herians ‘the ladies of War Lord’; in other words, the ladies of Odin.^[48] In foretelling the events of Ragnarök, the völva predicts the death of Odin; Odin will fight the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the great battle at Ragnarök. Odin will be consumed by the wolf, yet Odin’s son Víðarr will avenge him by stabbing the wolf in the heart.^[49] After the world is burned and renewed, the surviving and returning gods will meet and recall Odin’s deeds and «ancient runes».^[50]

The poem Hávamál (Old Norse ‘Sayings of the High One’) consists entirely of wisdom verse attributed to Odin. This advice ranges from the practical («A man shouldn’t hold onto the cup but drink in moderation, it’s necessary to speak or be silent; no man will blame you for impoliteness if you go early to bed»), to the mythological (such as Odin’s recounting of his retrieval of Óðrœrir, the vessel containing the mead of poetry), and to the mystical (the final section of the poem consists of Odin’s recollection of eighteen charms).^[51] Among the various scenes that Odin recounts is his self-sacrifice:

While the name of the tree is not provided in the poem and other trees exist in Norse mythology, the tree is near universally accepted as the cosmic tree Yggdrasil, and if the tree is Yggdrasil, then the name Yggdrasil (Old Norse ‘Ygg’s steed’) directly relates to this story. Odin is associated with hanging and gallows; John Lindow comments that «the hanged ‘ride’ the gallows».^[55]

In the prose introduction to the poem Sigrdrífumál, the hero Sigurd rides up to Hindarfell and heads south towards «the land of the Franks». On the mountain Sigurd sees a great light, «as if fire were burning, which blazed up to the sky». Sigurd approaches it, and there he sees a skjaldborg (a tactical formation of shield wall) with a banner flying overhead. Sigurd enters the skjaldborg, and sees a warrior lying there—asleep and fully armed. Sigurd removes the helmet of the warrior, and sees the face of a woman. The woman’s corslet is so tight that it seems to have grown into the woman’s body. Sigurd uses his sword Gram to cut the corslet, starting from the neck of the corslet downwards, he continues cutting down her sleeves, and takes the corslet off her.^[56]

The woman wakes, sits up, looks at Sigurd, and the two converse in two stanzas of verse. In the second stanza, the woman explains that Odin placed a sleeping spell on her which she could not break, and due to that spell she has been asleep a long time. Sigurd asks for her name, and the woman gives Sigurd a horn of mead to help him retain her words in his memory. The woman recites a heathen prayer in two stanzas. A prose narrative explains that the woman is named Sigrdrífa and that she is a valkyrie.^[57]

A narrative relates that Sigrdrífa explains to Sigurd that there were two kings fighting one another. Odin had promised one of these—Hjalmgunnar—victory in battle, yet she had «brought down» Hjalmgunnar in battle. Odin pricked her with a sleeping-thorn in consequence, told her that she would never again «fight victoriously in battle», and condemned her to marriage. In response, Sigrdrífa told Odin she had sworn a great oath that she would never wed a man who knew fear. Sigurd asks Sigrdrífa to share with him her wisdom of all worlds. The poem continues in verse, where Sigrdrífa provides Sigurd with knowledge in inscribing runes, mystic wisdom, and prophecy.^[58]

Prose Edda[edit]

Odin is mentioned throughout the books of the Prose Edda, composed in the 13th century and drawing from earlier traditional material. The god is introduced at length in chapter nine of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, which explains that he is described as ruling over Asgard, the domain of the gods, on his throne, that he is the ‘father of all’, and that from him all the gods, all of humankind (by way of Ask and Embla), and everything else he has made or produced. According to Gylfaginning, in Asgard:

There the gods and their descendants lived and there took place as a result many developments both on earth and aloft. In the city there is a seat called Hlidskialf, and when Odin sat in that throne he saw over all worlds and every man’s activity and understood everything he saw. His wife was called Frigg Fiorgvin’s daughter, and from them is descended the family line that we call the Æsir race, who have resided in Old Asgard and the realms that belong to it, and that whole line of descent is of divine origin. And this is why he can be called All-father, that he is father of all gods and of men and of everything that has been brought into being by him and his power. The earth was his daughter and his wife. Out of her he begot the first of his ons, that is Asa-Thor.^[59]

In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning (chapter 38), the enthroned figure of High (Harr), tells Gangleri (king Gylfi in disguise) that two ravens named Huginn and Muninn sit on Odin’s shoulders. The ravens tell Odin everything they see and hear. Odin sends Huginn and Muninn out at dawn, and the birds fly all over the world before returning at dinner-time. As a result, Odin is kept informed of many events. High adds that it is from this association that Odin is referred to as «raven-god». The above-mentioned stanza from Grímnismál is then quoted.^[60]

In the same chapter, the enthroned figure of High explains that Odin gives all of the food on his table to his wolves Geri and Freki and that Odin requires no food, for wine is to him both meat and drink.^[60]

Heimskringla and sagas[edit]

Odin is mentioned several times in the sagas that make up Heimskringla. In the Ynglinga saga, the first section of Heimskringla, an euhemerised account of the origin of the gods is provided. Odin is introduced in chapter two, where he is said to have lived in «the land or home of the Æsir» (Old Norse: Ásaland eða Ásaheimr), the capital of which being Ásgarðr. Ásgarðr was ruled by Odin, a great chieftain, and was «a great place for sacrifices». It was the custom there that twelve temple priests were ranked highest; they administered sacrifices and held judgements over men. «Called diar or chiefs», the people were obliged to serve under them and respect them. Odin was a very successful warrior and travelled widely, conquering many lands. Odin was so successful that he never lost a battle. As a result, according to the saga, men came to believe that «it was granted to him» to win all battles. Before Odin sent his men to war or to perform tasks for him, he would place his hands upon their heads and give them a bjannak (‘blessing’, ultimately from Latin benedictio) and the men would believe that they would also prevail. The men placed all of their faith in Odin, and wherever they called his name they would receive assistance from doing so. Odin was often gone for great spans of time.^[61]

Chapter 3 says that Odin had two brothers, Vé and Vili. While Odin was gone, his brothers governed his realm. Once Odin was gone for so long that the Æsir believed that he would not return, his brothers began to divvy up Odin’s inheritance, «but his wife Frigg they shared between them. However, afterwards, [Odin] returned and took possession of his wife again».^[61] Chapter 4 describes the Æsir–Vanir War. According to the chapter, Odin «made war on the Vanir«. The Vanir defended their land and the battle turned to a stalemate, both sides having devastated each other’s lands. As part of a peace agreement, the two sides exchanged hostages. One of the exchanges went awry and resulted in the Vanir decapitating one of the hostages sent to them by the Æsir, Mímir. The Vanir sent Mímir‘s head to the Æsir, whereupon Odin «took it and embalmed it with herbs so that it would not rot, and spoke charms [Old Norse galdr] over it», which imbued the head with the ability to answer Odin and «tell him many occult things».^[62]

In Völsunga saga, the great king Rerir and his wife (unnamed) are unable to conceive a child; «that lack displeased them both, and they fervently implored the gods that they might have a child. It is said that Frigg heard their prayers and told Odin what they asked», and the two gods subsequently sent a Valkyrie to present Rerir an apple that falls onto his lap while he sits on a burial mound and Rerir‘s wife subsequently becomes pregnant with the namesake of the Völsung family line.^[63]

In the 13th century legendary saga Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, the poem Heiðreks gátur contains a riddle that mentions Sleipnir and Odin:

36. Gestumblindi said:

Who are the twain

that on ten feet run?

three eyes they have,

but only one tail.

All right guess now

this riddle, Heithrek!

Heithrek said:

Good is thy riddle, Gestumblindi,

and guessed it is:

that is Odin riding on Sleipnir.^[64]

Modern folklore[edit]

Local folklore and folk practice recognised Odin as late as the 19th century in Scandinavia. In a work published in the mid-19th century, Benjamin Thorpe records that on Gotland, «many traditions and stories of Odin the Old still live in the mouths of the people». Thorpe notes that, in Blekinge in Sweden, «it was formerly the custom to leave a sheaf on the field for Odin’s horses», and cites other examples, such as in Kråktorpsgård, Småland, where a barrow was purported to have been opened in the 18th century, purportedly containing the body of Odin. After Christianization, the mound was known as Helvetesbackke (Swedish «Hell’s Mound»). Local legend dictates that after it was opened, «there burst forth a wondrous fire, like a flash of lightning», and that a coffin full of flint and a lamp were excavated. Thorpe additionally relates that legend has it that a priest who dwelt around Troienborg had once sowed some rye, and that when the rye sprang up, so came Odin riding from the hills each evening. Odin was so massive that he towered over the farm-yard buildings, spear in hand. Halting before the entry way, he kept all from entering or leaving all night, which occurred every night until the rye was cut.^[65]

Thorpe relates that «a story is also current of a golden ship, which is said to be sunk in Runemad, near the Nyckelberg, in which, according to tradition, Odin fetched the slain from the battle of Bråvalla to Valhall«, and that Kettilsås, according to legend, derives its name from «one Ketill Runske, who stole Odin’s runic staves» (runekaflar) and then bound Odin’s dogs, bull, and a mermaid who came to help Odin. Thorpe notes that numerous other traditions existed in Sweden at the time of his writing.^[66]

Thorpe records (1851) that in Sweden, «when a noise, like that of carriages and horses, is heard by night, the people say: ‘Odin is passing by'».^[67]

Odin and the gods Loki and Hœnir help a farmer and a boy escape the wrath of a bet-winning jötunn in Loka Táttur or Lokka Táttur, a Faroese ballad dating to the Late Middle Ages.^[68]

Archaeological record[edit]

References to or depictions of Odin appear on numerous objects. Migration Period (5th and 6th century CE) gold bracteates (types A, B, and C) feature a depiction of a human figure above a horse, holding a spear and flanked by one or two birds. The presence of the birds has led to the iconographic identification of the human figure as the god Odin, flanked by Huginn and Muninn. Like the Prose Edda description of the ravens, a bird is sometimes depicted at the ear of the human, or at the ear of the horse. Bracteates have been found in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and, in smaller numbers, England and areas south of Denmark.^[69] Austrian Germanist Rudolf Simek states that these bracteates may depict Odin and his ravens healing a horse and may indicate that the birds were originally not simply his battlefield companions but also «Odin’s helpers in his veterinary function.»^[70]

Vendel Period helmet plates (from the 6th or 7th century) found in a grave in Sweden depict a helmeted figure holding a spear and a shield while riding a horse, flanked by two birds. The plate has been interpreted as Odin accompanied by two birds; his ravens.^[71]

Two of the 8th century picture stones from the island of Gotland, Sweden depict eight-legged horses, which are thought by most scholars to depict Sleipnir: the Tjängvide image stone and the Ardre VIII image stone. Both stones feature a rider sitting atop an eight-legged horse, which some scholars view as Odin. Above the rider on the Tjängvide image stone is a horizontal figure holding a spear, which may be a valkyrie, and a female figure greets the rider with a cup. The scene has been interpreted as a rider arriving at the world of the dead.^[72] The mid-7th century Eggja stone bearing the Odinic name haras (Old Norse ‘army god’) may be interpreted as depicting Sleipnir.^[73]

A pair of identical Germanic Iron Age bird-shaped brooches from Bejsebakke in northern Denmark may be depictions of Huginn and Muninn. The back of each bird features a mask-motif, and the feet of the birds are shaped like the heads of animals. The feathers of the birds are also composed of animal-heads. Together, the animal-heads on the feathers form a mask on the back of the bird. The birds have powerful beaks and fan-shaped tails, indicating that they are ravens. The brooches were intended to be worn on each shoulder, after Germanic Iron Age fashion.^[74] Archaeologist Peter Vang Petersen comments that while the symbolism of the brooches is open to debate, the shape of the beaks and tail feathers confirms the brooch depictions are ravens. Petersen notes that «raven-shaped ornaments worn as a pair, after the fashion of the day, one on each shoulder, makes one’s thoughts turn towards Odin’s ravens and the cult of Odin in the Germanic Iron Age.» Petersen says that Odin is associated with disguise, and that the masks on the ravens may be portraits of Odin.^[74]

The Oseberg tapestry fragments, discovered within the Viking Age Oseberg ship burial in Norway, features a scene containing two black birds hovering over a horse, possibly originally leading a wagon (as a part of a procession of horse-led wagons on the tapestry). In her examination of the tapestry, scholar Anne Stine Ingstad interprets these birds as Huginn and Muninn flying over a covered cart containing an image of Odin, drawing comparison to the images of Nerthus attested by Tacitus in 1 CE.^[75]

Excavations in Ribe, Denmark have recovered a Viking Age lead metal-caster’s mould and 11 identical casting-moulds. These objects depict a moustached man wearing a helmet that features two head-ornaments. Archaeologist Stig Jensen proposes these head-ornaments should be interpreted as Huginn and Muninn, and the wearer as Odin. He notes that «similar depictions occur everywhere the Vikings went—from eastern England to Russia and naturally also in the rest of Scandinavia.»^[76]

A portion of Thorwald’s Cross (a partly surviving runestone erected at Kirk Andreas on the Isle of Man) depicts a bearded human holding a spear downward at a wolf, his right foot in its mouth, and a large bird on his shoulder.^[77] Andy Orchard comments that this bird may be either Huginn or Muninn.^[78] Rundata dates the cross to 940,^[79] while Pluskowski dates it to the 11th century.^[77] This depiction has been interpreted as Odin, with a raven or eagle at his shoulder, being consumed by the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the events of Ragnarök.^[77][80]

The 11th century Ledberg stone in Sweden, similarly to Thorwald’s Cross, features a figure with his foot at the mouth of a four-legged beast, and this may also be a depiction of Odin being devoured by Fenrir at Ragnarök.^[80] Below the beast and the man is a depiction of a legless, helmeted man, with his arms in a prostrate position.^[80] The Younger Futhark inscription on the stone bears a commonly seen memorial dedication, but is followed by an encoded runic sequence that has been described as «mysterious,»^[81] and «an interesting magic formula which is known from all over the ancient Norse world.»^[80]

In November 2009, the Roskilde Museum announced the discovery and subsequent display of a niello-inlaid silver figurine found in Lejre, which they dubbed Odin from Lejre. The silver object depicts a person sitting on a throne. The throne features the heads of animals and is flanked by two birds. The Roskilde Museum identifies the figure as Odin sitting on his throne Hliðskjálf, flanked by the ravens Huginn and Muninn.^[82]

Various interpretations have been offered for a symbol that appears on various archaeological finds known modernly as the valknut. Due to the context of its placement on some objects, some scholars have interpreted this symbol as referring to Odin. For example, Hilda Ellis Davidson theorises a connection between the valknut, the god Odin and «mental binds»:

For instance, beside the figure of Odin on his horse shown on several memorial stones there is a kind of knot depicted, called the valknut, related to the triskele. This is thought to symbolize the power of the god to bind and unbind, mentioned in the poems and elsewhere. Odin had the power to lay bonds upon the mind, so that men became helpless in battle, and he could also loosen the tensions of fear and strain by his gifts of battle-madness, intoxication, and inspiration.^[83]

Davidson says that similar symbols are found beside figures of wolves and ravens on «certain cremation urns» from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in East Anglia. According to Davidson, Odin’s connection to cremation is known, and it does not seem unreasonable to connect with Odin in Anglo-Saxon England. Davidson proposes further connections between Odin’s role as bringer of ecstasy by way of the etymology of the god’s name.^[83]

Origin and theories[edit]

Beginning with Henry Petersen’s doctoral dissertation in 1876, which proposed that Thor was the indigenous god of Scandinavian farmers and Odin a later god proper to chieftains and poets, many scholars of Norse mythology in the past viewed Odin as having been imported from elsewhere. The idea was developed by Bernhard Salin on the basis of motifs in the petroglyphs and bracteates, and with reference to the Prologue of the Prose Edda, which presents the Æsir as having migrated into Scandinavia. Salin proposed that both Odin and the runes were introduced from Southeastern Europe in the Iron Age. Other scholars placed his introduction at different times; Axel Olrik, during the Migration Age as a result of Gaulish influence.^[84]

More radically, both the archaeologist and comparative mythologist Marija Gimbutas and the Germanicist Karl Helm argued that the Æsir as a group, which includes both Thor and Odin, were late introductions into Northern Europe and that the indigenous religion of the region had been Vanic.^[85][86]

In the 16th century and by the entire Vasa dynasty, Odin (as Oden) was officially considered the first King of Sweden by that country’s government and historians. This was based on an embellished list of rulers invented by Johannes Magnus and officially adopted in the reign of King Carl IX, who, though numbered accordingly, actually was only the third Swedish king of that name.^[87]

Under the trifunctional hypothesis of Georges Dumézil, Odin is assigned one of the core functions in the Indo-European pantheon as a representative of the first function (sovereignty) corresponding to the Hindu Varuṇa (fury and magic) as opposed to Týr, who corresponds to the Hindu Mitrá (law and justice); while the Vanir represent the third function (fertility).^[88][89]

Another approach to Odin has been in terms of his function and attributes. Many early scholars interpreted him as a wind-god or especially as a death-god.^[90] He has also been interpreted in the light of his association with ecstatic practices, and Jan de Vries compared him to the Hindu god Rudra and the Greek Hermes.^[91]

Modern influence[edit]

The god Odin has been a source of inspiration for artists working in fine art, literature, and music. Fine art depictions of Odin in the modern period include the pen and ink drawing Odin byggande Sigtuna (1812) and the sketch King Gylfe receives Oden on his arrival to Sweden (1816) by Pehr Hörberg; the drinking horn relief Odens möte med Gylfe (1818), the marble statue Odin (1830) and the colossal bust Odin by Bengt Erland Fogelberg, the statues Odin (1812/1822) and Odin (1824/1825) by Hermann Ernst Freund, the sgraffito over the entrance of Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth (1874) by R. Krausse, the painting Odin (around 1880) by Edward Burne-Jones, the drawing Thor und Magni (1883) by K. Ehrenberg, the marble statue Wodan (around 1887) by H. Natter, the oil painting Odin und Brunhilde (1890) by Konrad Dielitz, the graphic drawing Odin als Kriegsgott (1896) by Hans Thoma, the painting Odin and Fenris (around 1900) by Dorothy Hardy, the oil painting Wotan und Brünhilde (1914) by Koloman Moser, the painting The Road to Walhall by S. Nilsson, the wooden Oslo City Hall relief Odin og Mime (1938) and the coloured wooden relief in the courtyard of the Oslo City Hall Odin på Sleipnir (1945–1950) by Dagfin Werenskiold, and the bronze relief on the doors of the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities, Odin (1950) by Bror Marklund.^[92]

Works of modern literature featuring Odin include the poem Der Wein (1745) by Friedrich von Hagedorn, Hymne de Wodan (1769) by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, Om Odin (1771) by Peter Frederik Suhm, the tragedy Odin eller Asarnes invandring by K. G. Leopold, the epic poem Odin eller Danrigets Stiftelse (1803) by Jens Baggesen, the poem Maskeradenball (1803) and Optrin af Norners og Asers Kamp: Odin komme til Norden (1809) by N. F. S. Grundtvig, poems in Nordens Guder (1819) by Adam Oehlenschläger, the four-part novel Sviavigamal (1833) by Carl Jonas Love Almqvist, «The Hero as Divinity» from On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History (1841) by Thomas Carlyle, the poem Prelude (1850) by William Wordsworth, the poem Odins Meeresritt by Aloys Schreiber [de] set to music by Karl Loewe (1851), the canzone Germanenzug (1864) by Robert Hamerling, the poem Zum 25. August 1870 (1870) by Richard Wagner, the ballad Rolf Krake (1910) by F. Schanz, the novel Juvikingerne (1918–1923) by Olav Duun, the comedy Der entfesselte Wotan (1923) by Ernst Toller, the novel Wotan by Karl Hans Strobl, Herrn Wodes Ausfahrt (1937) by Hans-Friedrich Blunck, the poem An das Ich (1938) by H. Burte, and the novel Sage vom Reich (1941–1942) by Hans-Friedrich Blunck.^[93]

Music inspired by or featuring the god includes the ballets Odins Schwert (1818) and Orfa (1852) by J. H. Stunz and the opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1848–1874) by Richard Wagner.^[94]

Robert E. Howard’s story «The Cairn on the Headland» assumes that Odin was a malevolent demonic spirit, that he was mortally wounded when taking human form and fighting among the Vikings in the Battle of Clontarf (1014), that lay comatose for nearly a thousand years—to wake up, nearly cause great havoc in modern Dublin but being exorcised by the story’s protagonist helped by the ghost of a Catholic saint.

Science fiction writer Poul Anderson’s story The Sorrow of Odin the Goth asserts that Odin was in fact a twentieth-century American time traveler, who sought to study the culture of the ancient Goths and ended up being regarded as a god and starting an enduring myth.

Odin was adapted as a character by Marvel Comics, first appearing in the Journey into Mystery series in 1962.^[95] Sir Anthony Hopkins portrayed the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

Odin is featured in a number of video games. In the 2002 Ensemble Studios game Age of Mythology, Odin is one of three major gods Norse players can worship.^[96][97][98] Odin is also mentioned through Santa Monica Studio’s 2018 game God of War and appears in its 2022 sequel God of War Ragnarök.^[99] He is a major influence in the 2020 Ubisoft game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in the form of an Isu (a godlike, humanoid species within the Assassin’s Creed universe) of the same name. The primary protagonist, Eivor, who the player controls throughout the game is revealed to be a sage, or human reincarnation, of Odin.^[100] Odin is also one of the playable gods in the third-person multiplayer online battle arena game Smite.^[101]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

• MyNDIR (My Norse Digital Image Repository) Illustrations of Óðinn from manuscripts and early print books. Clicking on the thumbnail will give you the full image and information concerning it.

Odin (;^[1] from Old Norse: Óðinn) is a widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and depicts him as the husband of the goddess Frigg. In wider Germanic mythology and paganism, the god was also known in Old English as Wōden, in Old Saxon as Uuôden, in Old Dutch as Wuodan, in Old Frisian as Wêda, and in Old High German as Wuotan, all ultimately stemming from the Proto-Germanic theonym *Wōðanaz, meaning ‘lord of frenzy’, or ‘leader of the possessed’.

Odin appears as a prominent god throughout the recorded history of Northern Europe, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania (from c.  2 BCE) through movement of peoples during the Migration Period (4th to 6th centuries CE) and the Viking Age (8th to 11th centuries CE). In the modern period, the rural folklore of Germanic Europe continued to acknowledge Odin. References to him appear in place names throughout regions historically inhabited by the ancient Germanic peoples, and the day of the week Wednesday bears his name in many Germanic languages, including in English.

In Old English texts, Odin holds a particular place as a euhemerized ancestral figure among royalty, and he is frequently referred to as a founding figure among various other Germanic peoples, such as the Langobards, while some Old Norse sources depict him as an enthroned ruler of the gods. Forms of his name appear frequently throughout the Germanic record, though narratives regarding Odin are mainly found in Old Norse works recorded in Iceland, primarily around the 13th century. These texts make up the bulk of modern understanding of Norse mythology.

Old Norse texts portray Odin as the son of Bestla and Borr along with two brothers, Vili and Vé, and he fathered many sons, most famously the gods Thor (with Jörð) and Baldr (with Frigg). He is known by hundreds of names. Odin is frequently portrayed as one-eyed and long-bearded, wielding a spear named Gungnir or appearing in disguise wearing a cloak and a broad hat. He is often accompanied by his animal familiars—the wolves Geri and Freki and the ravens Huginn and Muninn, who bring him information from all over Midgard—and he rides the flying, eight-legged steed Sleipnir across the sky and into the underworld. In these texts he frequently seeks greater knowledge, most famously by obtaining the Mead of Poetry, and makes wagers with his wife Frigg over his endeavors. He takes part both in the creation of the world by slaying the primordial being Ymir and in giving life to the first two humans Ask and Embla. He also provides mankind knowledge of runic writing and poetry, showing aspects of a culture hero. He has a particular association with the Yule holiday.

Odin is also associated with the divine battlefield maidens, the valkyries, and he oversees Valhalla, where he receives half of those who die in battle, the einherjar, sending the other half to the goddess Freyja‘s Fólkvangr. Odin consults the disembodied, herb-embalmed head of the wise Mímir, who foretells the doom of Ragnarök and urges Odin to lead the einherjar into battle before being consumed by the monstrous wolf Fenrir. In later folklore, Odin sometimes appears as a leader of the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of the dead through the winter sky. He is associated with charms and other forms of magic, particularly in Old English and Old Norse texts.

The figure of Odin is a frequent subject of interest in Germanic studies, and scholars have advanced numerous theories regarding his development. Some of these focus on Odin’s particular relation to other figures; for example, Freyja‘s husband Óðr appears to be something of an etymological doublet of the god, while Odin’s wife Frigg is in many ways similar to Freyja, and Odin has a particular relation to Loki. Other approaches focus on Odin’s place in the historical record, exploring whether Odin derives from Proto-Indo-European mythology or developed later in Germanic society. In the modern period, Odin has inspired numerous works of poetry, music, and other cultural expressions. He is venerated with other Germanic gods in most forms of the new religious movement Heathenry; some branches focus particularly on him.

Name[edit]

Etymological origin[edit]

The Old Norse theonym Óðinn (runic ᚢᚦᛁᚾ on the Ribe skull fragment)^[2] is a cognate of other medieval Germanic names, including Old English Wōden, Old Saxon Wōdan, Old Dutch Wuodan, and Old High German Wuotan (Old Bavarian Wûtan).^[3][4][5] They all derive from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic masculine theonym *Wōðanaz (or *Wōdunaz).^[3][6] Translated as ‘lord of frenzy’,^[7] or as ‘leader of the possessed’,^[8] *Wōðanaz stems from the Proto-Germanic adjective *wōðaz (‘possessed, inspired, delirious, raging’) attached to the suffix *-naz (‘master of’).^[7]

Internal and comparative evidence all point to the ideas of a divine possession or inspiration, and an ecstatic divination.^[9][10] In his Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum (1075–1080 AD), Adam of Bremen explicitly associates Wotan with the Latin term furor, which can be translated as ‘rage’, ‘fury’, ‘madness’, or ‘frenzy’ (Wotan id est furor : «Odin, that is, furor«).^[11] As of 2011, an attestation of Proto-Norse Woðinz, on the Strängnäs stone, has been accepted as probably authentic, but the name may be used as a related adjective instead meaning «with a gift for (divine) possession» (ON: øðinn).^[12]

Other Germanic cognates derived from *wōðaz include Gothic woþs (‘possessed’), Old Norse óðr (‘mad, frantic, furious’), Old English wōd (‘insane, frenzied’) and Dutch woed (‘frantic, wild, crazy’), along with the substantivized forms Old Norse óðr (‘mind, wit, sense; song, poetry’), Old English wōþ (‘sound, noise; voice, song’), Old High German wuot (‘thrill, violent agitation’) and Middle Dutch woet (‘rage, frenzy’), from the same root as the original adjective. The Proto-Germanic terms *wōðīn (‘madness, fury’) and *wōðjanan (‘to rage’) can also be reconstructed.^[3] Early epigraphic attestations of the adjective include un-wōdz (‘calm one’, i.e. ‘not-furious’; 200 CE) and wōdu-rīde (‘furious rider’; 400 CE).^[10]

Philologist Jan de Vries has argued that the Old Norse deities Óðinn and Óðr were probably originally connected (as in the doublet Ullr–Ullinn), with Óðr (*wōðaz) being the elder form and the ultimate source of the name Óðinn (*wōða-naz). He further suggested that the god of rage Óðr–Óðinn stood in opposition to the god of glorious majesty Ullr–Ullinn in a similar manner to the Vedic contrast between Varuna and Mitra.^[13]

The adjective *wōðaz ultimately stems from a Pre-Germanic form *uoh₂-tós, which is related to the Proto-Celtic terms *wātis, meaning ‘seer, sooth-sayer’ (cf. Gaulish wāteis, Old Irish fáith ‘prophet’) and *wātus, meaning ‘prophesy, poetic inspiration’ (cf. Old Irish fáth ‘prophetic wisdom, maxims’, Old Welsh guaut ‘prophetic verse, panegyric’).^[9][10][14] According to some scholars, the Latin term vātēs (‘prophet, seer’) is probably a Celtic loanword from the Gaulish language, making *uoh₂-tós ~ *ueh₂-tus (‘god-inspired’) a shared religious term common to Germanic and Celtic rather than an inherited word of earlier Proto-Indo-European (PIE) origin.^[9][10] In the case a borrowing scenario is excluded, a PIE etymon *(H)ueh₂-tis (‘prophet, seer’) can also be posited as the common ancestor of the attested Germanic, Celtic and Latin forms.^[6]

Other names[edit]

More than 170 names are recorded for Odin; the names are variously descriptive of attributes of the god, refer to myths involving him, or refer to religious practices associated with him. This multitude makes Odin the god with the most known names among the Germanic peoples.^[15] Professor Steve Martin has pointed out that the name Odinsberg (Ounesberry, Ounsberry, Othenburgh)^[16] in Cleveland Yorkshire, now corrupted to Roseberry (Topping), may derive from the time of the Anglian settlements, with nearby Newton under Roseberry and Great Ayton^[17] having Anglo Saxon suffixes. The very dramatic rocky peak was an obvious place for divine association, and may have replaced Bronze Age/Iron Age beliefs of divinity there, given that a hoard of bronze votive axes and other objects was buried by the summit.^[18][19] It could be a rare example, then, of Nordic-Germanic theology displacing earlier Celtic mythology in an imposing place of tribal prominence.

In his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, Richard Wagner refers to the god as Wotan, a spelling of his own invention which combines the Old High German Wuotan with the Low German Wodan.^[20]

Origin of Wednesday[edit]

The modern English weekday name Wednesday derives from Old English Wōdnesdæg, meaning ‘day of Wōden’. Cognate terms are found in other Germanic languages, such as Middle Low German and Middle Dutch Wōdensdach (modern Dutch woensdag), Old Frisian Wērnisdei (≈ Wērendei) and Old Norse Óðinsdagr (cf. Danish, Norwegian, Swedish onsdag). All of these terms derive from Late Proto-Germanic *Wodanesdag (‘Day of Wōðanaz’), a calque of Latin Mercurii dies (‘Day of Mercury’; cf. modern Italian mercoledì, French mercredi, Spanish miércoles).^[21][22]

Attestations[edit]

Roman era to Migration Period[edit]

The earliest records of the Germanic peoples were recorded by the Romans, and in these works Odin is frequently referred to—via a process known as interpretatio romana (where characteristics perceived to be similar by Romans result in identification of a non-Roman god as a Roman deity)—as the Roman god Mercury. The first clear example of this occurs in the Roman historian Tacitus’s late 1st-century work Germania, where, writing about the religion of the Suebi (a confederation of Germanic peoples), he comments that «among the gods Mercury is the one they principally worship. They regard it as a religious duty to offer to him, on fixed days, human as well as other sacrificial victims. Hercules and Mars they appease by animal offerings of the permitted kind» and adds that a portion of the Suebi also venerate «Isis». In this instance, Tacitus refers to the god Odin as «Mercury», Thor as «Hercules», and Týr as «Mars». The «Isis» of the Suebi has been debated and may represent «Freyja».^[24]

Anthony Birley noted that Odin’s apparent identification with Mercury has little to do with Mercury’s classical role of being messenger of the gods, but appears to be due to Mercury’s role of psychopomp.^[24] Other contemporary evidence may also have led to the equation of Odin with Mercury; Odin, like Mercury, may have at this time already been pictured with a staff and hat, may have been considered a trader god, and the two may have been seen as parallel in their roles as wandering deities. But their rankings in their respective religious spheres may have been very different.^[25] Also, Tacitus’s «among the gods Mercury is the one they principally worship» is an exact quote from Julius Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico (1st century BCE) in which Caesar is referring to the Gauls and not the Germanic peoples. Regarding the Germanic peoples, Caesar states: «[T]hey consider the gods only the ones that they can see, the Sun, Fire and the Moon», which scholars reject as clearly mistaken, regardless of what may have led to the statement.^[24]

There is no direct, undisputed evidence for the worship of Odin/Mercury among the Goths, and the existence of a cult of Odin among them is debated.^[26] Richard North and Herwig Wolfram have both argued that the Goths did not worship Odin, Wolfram contending that the use of Greek names of the week in Gothic provides evidence of that.^[27] One possible reading of the Gothic Ring of Pietroassa is that the inscription «gutaniowi hailag» means «sacred to Wodan-Jove», but this is highly disputed.^[26]

Although the English kingdoms were converted to Christianity by the 7th century, Odin is frequently listed as a founding figure among the Old English royalty.^[28]

Odin is also either directly or indirectly mentioned a few times in the surviving Old English poetic corpus, including the Nine Herbs Charm and likely also the Old English rune poem. Odin may also be referenced in the riddle Solomon and Saturn. In the Nine Herbs Charm, Odin is said to have slain a wyrm (serpent, European dragon) by way of nine «glory twigs». Preserved from an 11th-century manuscript, the poem is, according to Bill Griffiths, «one of the most enigmatic of Old English texts». The section that mentions Odin is as follows:

The emendation of nan to ‘man’ has been proposed. The next stanza comments on the creation of the herbs chervil and fennel while hanging in heaven by the ‘wise lord’ (witig drihten) and before sending them down among mankind. Regarding this, Griffith comments that «In a Christian context ‘hanging in heaven’ would refer to the crucifixion; but (remembering that Woden was mentioned a few lines previously) there is also a parallel, perhaps a better one, with Odin, as his crucifixion was associated with learning.»^[29] The Old English gnomic poem Maxims I also mentions Odin by name in the (alliterative) phrase Woden worhte weos, (‘Woden made idols’), in which he is contrasted with and denounced against the Christian God.^[30]

The Old English rune poem recounts the Old English runic alphabet, the futhorc. The stanza for the rune ós reads as follows:

The first word of this stanza, ōs (Latin ‘mouth’) is a homophone for Old English os, a particularly heathen word for ‘god’. Due to this and the content of the stanzas, several scholars have posited that this poem is censored, having originally referred to Odin.^[32] Kathleen Herbert comments that «Os was cognate with As in Norse, where it meant one of the Æsir, the chief family of gods. In Old English, it could be used as an element in first names: Osric, Oswald, Osmund, etc. but it was not used as a word to refer to the God of Christians. Woden was equated with Mercury, the god of eloquence (among other things). The tales about the Norse god Odin tell how he gave one of his eyes in return for wisdom; he also won the mead of poetic inspiration. Luckily for Christian rune-masters, the Latin word os could be substituted without ruining the sense, to keep the outward form of the rune name without obviously referring to Woden.»^[33]

In the prose narrative of Solomon and Saturn, «Mercurius the Giant» (Mercurius se gygand) is referred to as an inventor of letters. This may also be a reference to Odin, who is in Norse mythology the founder of the runic alphabets, and the gloss a continuation of the practice of equating Odin with Mercury found as early as Tacitus.^[34] One of the Solomon and Saturn poems is additionally in the style of later Old Norse material featuring Odin, such as the Old Norse poem Vafþrúðnismál, featuring Odin and the jötunn Vafþrúðnir engaging in a deadly game of wits.^[35]

The 7th-century Origo Gentis Langobardorum, and Paul the Deacon’s 8th-century Historia Langobardorum derived from it, recount a founding myth of the Langobards (Lombards), a Germanic people who ruled a region of the Italian Peninsula. According to this legend, a «small people» known as the Winnili were ruled by a woman named Gambara who had two sons, Ybor and Aio. The Vandals, ruled by Ambri and Assi, came to the Winnili with their army and demanded that they pay them tribute or prepare for war. Ybor, Aio, and their mother Gambara rejected their demands for tribute. Ambri and Assi then asked the god Godan for victory over the Winnili, to which Godan responded (in the longer version in the Origo): «Whom I shall first see when at sunrise, to them will I give the victory.»^[36]

Meanwhile, Ybor and Aio called upon Frea, Godan’s wife. Frea counselled them that «at sunrise the Winnil[i] should come, and that their women, with their hair let down around the face in the likeness of a beard should also come with their husbands». At sunrise, Frea turned Godan’s bed around to face east and woke him. Godan saw the Winnili and their whiskered women and asked, «who are those Long-beards?» Frea responded to Godan, «As you have given them a name, give them also the victory». Godan did so, «so that they should defend themselves according to his counsel and obtain the victory». Thenceforth the Winnili were known as the Langobards (‘long-beards’).^[37]

Writing in the mid-7th century, Jonas of Bobbio wrote that earlier that century the Irish missionary Columbanus disrupted an offering of beer to Odin (vodano) «(whom others called Mercury)» in Swabia.^[38] A few centuries later, 9th-century document from what is now Mainz, Germany, known as the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow records the names of three Old Saxon gods, UUôden (‘Woden’), Saxnôte, and Thunaer (‘Thor’), whom pagan converts were to renounce as demons.^[39]

A 10th-century manuscript found in Merseburg, Germany, features a heathen invocation known as the Second Merseburg Incantation, which calls upon Odin and other gods and goddesses from the continental Germanic pantheon to assist in healing a horse:

Viking Age to post-Viking Age[edit]

In the 11th century, chronicler Adam of Bremen recorded in a scholion of his Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum that a statue of Thor, whom Adam describes as «mightiest», sat enthroned in the Temple at Uppsala (located in Gamla Uppsala, Sweden) flanked by Wodan (Odin) and «Fricco». Regarding Odin, Adam defines him as «frenzy» (Wodan, id est furor) and says that he «rules war and gives people strength against the enemy» and that the people of the temple depict him as wearing armour, «as our people depict Mars». According to Adam, the people of Uppsala had appointed priests (gothi) to each of the gods, who were to offer up sacrifices (blót), and in times of war sacrifices were made to images of Odin.^[11]

In the 12th century, centuries after Norway was «officially» Christianised, Odin was still being invoked by the population, as evidenced by a stick bearing a runic message found among the Bryggen inscriptions in Bergen, Norway. On the stick, both Thor and Odin are called upon for help; Thor is asked to «receive» the reader, and Odin to «own» them.^[41]

Poetic Edda[edit]

Odin is mentioned or appears in most poems of the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from traditional source material reaching back to the pagan period.

The poem Völuspá features Odin in a dialogue with an undead völva, who gives him wisdom from ages past and foretells the onset of Ragnarök, the destruction and rebirth of the world. Among the information the völva recounts is the story of the first human beings (Ask and Embla), found and given life by a trio of gods; Odin, Hœnir, and Lóðurr:
In stanza 17 of the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, the völva reciting the poem states that Hœnir, Lóðurr and Odin once found Ask and Embla on land. The völva says that the two were capable of very little, lacking in ørlög and says that they were given three gifts by the three gods:

Ǫnd þau né átto, óð þau né hǫfðo, lá né læti né lito góða. Ǫnd gaf Óðinn, óð gaf Hœnir, lá gaf Lóðurr ok lito góða. Old Norse:[42]

Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not, blood nor motive powers, nor goodly colour. Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hœnir, blood gave Lodur, and goodly colour. Benjamin Thorpe translation:[43]

Soul they had not, sense they had not, Heat nor motion, nor goodly hue; Soul gave Othin, sense gave Hönir, Heat gave Lothur and goodly hue. Henry Adams Bellows translation:[44]

The meaning of these gifts has been a matter of scholarly disagreement and translations therefore vary.^[45]

Later in the poem, the völva recounts the events of the Æsir–Vanir War, the war between Vanir and the Æsir, two groups of gods. During this, the first war of the world, Odin flung his spear into the opposing forces of the Vanir.^[46] The völva tells Odin that she knows where he has hidden his eye; in the spring Mímisbrunnr, and from it «Mímir drinks mead every morning».^[47] After Odin gives her necklaces, she continues to recount more information, including a list of valkyries, referred to as nǫnnor Herians ‘the ladies of War Lord’; in other words, the ladies of Odin.^[48] In foretelling the events of Ragnarök, the völva predicts the death of Odin; Odin will fight the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the great battle at Ragnarök. Odin will be consumed by the wolf, yet Odin’s son Víðarr will avenge him by stabbing the wolf in the heart.^[49] After the world is burned and renewed, the surviving and returning gods will meet and recall Odin’s deeds and «ancient runes».^[50]

The poem Hávamál (Old Norse ‘Sayings of the High One’) consists entirely of wisdom verse attributed to Odin. This advice ranges from the practical («A man shouldn’t hold onto the cup but drink in moderation, it’s necessary to speak or be silent; no man will blame you for impoliteness if you go early to bed»), to the mythological (such as Odin’s recounting of his retrieval of Óðrœrir, the vessel containing the mead of poetry), and to the mystical (the final section of the poem consists of Odin’s recollection of eighteen charms).^[51] Among the various scenes that Odin recounts is his self-sacrifice:

While the name of the tree is not provided in the poem and other trees exist in Norse mythology, the tree is near universally accepted as the cosmic tree Yggdrasil, and if the tree is Yggdrasil, then the name Yggdrasil (Old Norse ‘Ygg’s steed’) directly relates to this story. Odin is associated with hanging and gallows; John Lindow comments that «the hanged ‘ride’ the gallows».^[55]

In the prose introduction to the poem Sigrdrífumál, the hero Sigurd rides up to Hindarfell and heads south towards «the land of the Franks». On the mountain Sigurd sees a great light, «as if fire were burning, which blazed up to the sky». Sigurd approaches it, and there he sees a skjaldborg (a tactical formation of shield wall) with a banner flying overhead. Sigurd enters the skjaldborg, and sees a warrior lying there—asleep and fully armed. Sigurd removes the helmet of the warrior, and sees the face of a woman. The woman’s corslet is so tight that it seems to have grown into the woman’s body. Sigurd uses his sword Gram to cut the corslet, starting from the neck of the corslet downwards, he continues cutting down her sleeves, and takes the corslet off her.^[56]

The woman wakes, sits up, looks at Sigurd, and the two converse in two stanzas of verse. In the second stanza, the woman explains that Odin placed a sleeping spell on her which she could not break, and due to that spell she has been asleep a long time. Sigurd asks for her name, and the woman gives Sigurd a horn of mead to help him retain her words in his memory. The woman recites a heathen prayer in two stanzas. A prose narrative explains that the woman is named Sigrdrífa and that she is a valkyrie.^[57]

A narrative relates that Sigrdrífa explains to Sigurd that there were two kings fighting one another. Odin had promised one of these—Hjalmgunnar—victory in battle, yet she had «brought down» Hjalmgunnar in battle. Odin pricked her with a sleeping-thorn in consequence, told her that she would never again «fight victoriously in battle», and condemned her to marriage. In response, Sigrdrífa told Odin she had sworn a great oath that she would never wed a man who knew fear. Sigurd asks Sigrdrífa to share with him her wisdom of all worlds. The poem continues in verse, where Sigrdrífa provides Sigurd with knowledge in inscribing runes, mystic wisdom, and prophecy.^[58]

Prose Edda[edit]

Odin is mentioned throughout the books of the Prose Edda, composed in the 13th century and drawing from earlier traditional material. The god is introduced at length in chapter nine of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, which explains that he is described as ruling over Asgard, the domain of the gods, on his throne, that he is the ‘father of all’, and that from him all the gods, all of humankind (by way of Ask and Embla), and everything else he has made or produced. According to Gylfaginning, in Asgard:

There the gods and their descendants lived and there took place as a result many developments both on earth and aloft. In the city there is a seat called Hlidskialf, and when Odin sat in that throne he saw over all worlds and every man’s activity and understood everything he saw. His wife was called Frigg Fiorgvin’s daughter, and from them is descended the family line that we call the Æsir race, who have resided in Old Asgard and the realms that belong to it, and that whole line of descent is of divine origin. And this is why he can be called All-father, that he is father of all gods and of men and of everything that has been brought into being by him and his power. The earth was his daughter and his wife. Out of her he begot the first of his ons, that is Asa-Thor.^[59]

In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning (chapter 38), the enthroned figure of High (Harr), tells Gangleri (king Gylfi in disguise) that two ravens named Huginn and Muninn sit on Odin’s shoulders. The ravens tell Odin everything they see and hear. Odin sends Huginn and Muninn out at dawn, and the birds fly all over the world before returning at dinner-time. As a result, Odin is kept informed of many events. High adds that it is from this association that Odin is referred to as «raven-god». The above-mentioned stanza from Grímnismál is then quoted.^[60]

In the same chapter, the enthroned figure of High explains that Odin gives all of the food on his table to his wolves Geri and Freki and that Odin requires no food, for wine is to him both meat and drink.^[60]

Heimskringla and sagas[edit]

Odin is mentioned several times in the sagas that make up Heimskringla. In the Ynglinga saga, the first section of Heimskringla, an euhemerised account of the origin of the gods is provided. Odin is introduced in chapter two, where he is said to have lived in «the land or home of the Æsir» (Old Norse: Ásaland eða Ásaheimr), the capital of which being Ásgarðr. Ásgarðr was ruled by Odin, a great chieftain, and was «a great place for sacrifices». It was the custom there that twelve temple priests were ranked highest; they administered sacrifices and held judgements over men. «Called diar or chiefs», the people were obliged to serve under them and respect them. Odin was a very successful warrior and travelled widely, conquering many lands. Odin was so successful that he never lost a battle. As a result, according to the saga, men came to believe that «it was granted to him» to win all battles. Before Odin sent his men to war or to perform tasks for him, he would place his hands upon their heads and give them a bjannak (‘blessing’, ultimately from Latin benedictio) and the men would believe that they would also prevail. The men placed all of their faith in Odin, and wherever they called his name they would receive assistance from doing so. Odin was often gone for great spans of time.^[61]

Chapter 3 says that Odin had two brothers, Vé and Vili. While Odin was gone, his brothers governed his realm. Once Odin was gone for so long that the Æsir believed that he would not return, his brothers began to divvy up Odin’s inheritance, «but his wife Frigg they shared between them. However, afterwards, [Odin] returned and took possession of his wife again».^[61] Chapter 4 describes the Æsir–Vanir War. According to the chapter, Odin «made war on the Vanir«. The Vanir defended their land and the battle turned to a stalemate, both sides having devastated each other’s lands. As part of a peace agreement, the two sides exchanged hostages. One of the exchanges went awry and resulted in the Vanir decapitating one of the hostages sent to them by the Æsir, Mímir. The Vanir sent Mímir‘s head to the Æsir, whereupon Odin «took it and embalmed it with herbs so that it would not rot, and spoke charms [Old Norse galdr] over it», which imbued the head with the ability to answer Odin and «tell him many occult things».^[62]

In Völsunga saga, the great king Rerir and his wife (unnamed) are unable to conceive a child; «that lack displeased them both, and they fervently implored the gods that they might have a child. It is said that Frigg heard their prayers and told Odin what they asked», and the two gods subsequently sent a Valkyrie to present Rerir an apple that falls onto his lap while he sits on a burial mound and Rerir‘s wife subsequently becomes pregnant with the namesake of the Völsung family line.^[63]

In the 13th century legendary saga Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, the poem Heiðreks gátur contains a riddle that mentions Sleipnir and Odin:

36. Gestumblindi said:

Who are the twain

that on ten feet run?

three eyes they have,

but only one tail.

All right guess now

this riddle, Heithrek!

Heithrek said:

Good is thy riddle, Gestumblindi,

and guessed it is:

that is Odin riding on Sleipnir.^[64]

Modern folklore[edit]

Local folklore and folk practice recognised Odin as late as the 19th century in Scandinavia. In a work published in the mid-19th century, Benjamin Thorpe records that on Gotland, «many traditions and stories of Odin the Old still live in the mouths of the people». Thorpe notes that, in Blekinge in Sweden, «it was formerly the custom to leave a sheaf on the field for Odin’s horses», and cites other examples, such as in Kråktorpsgård, Småland, where a barrow was purported to have been opened in the 18th century, purportedly containing the body of Odin. After Christianization, the mound was known as Helvetesbackke (Swedish «Hell’s Mound»). Local legend dictates that after it was opened, «there burst forth a wondrous fire, like a flash of lightning», and that a coffin full of flint and a lamp were excavated. Thorpe additionally relates that legend has it that a priest who dwelt around Troienborg had once sowed some rye, and that when the rye sprang up, so came Odin riding from the hills each evening. Odin was so massive that he towered over the farm-yard buildings, spear in hand. Halting before the entry way, he kept all from entering or leaving all night, which occurred every night until the rye was cut.^[65]

Thorpe relates that «a story is also current of a golden ship, which is said to be sunk in Runemad, near the Nyckelberg, in which, according to tradition, Odin fetched the slain from the battle of Bråvalla to Valhall«, and that Kettilsås, according to legend, derives its name from «one Ketill Runske, who stole Odin’s runic staves» (runekaflar) and then bound Odin’s dogs, bull, and a mermaid who came to help Odin. Thorpe notes that numerous other traditions existed in Sweden at the time of his writing.^[66]

Thorpe records (1851) that in Sweden, «when a noise, like that of carriages and horses, is heard by night, the people say: ‘Odin is passing by'».^[67]

Odin and the gods Loki and Hœnir help a farmer and a boy escape the wrath of a bet-winning jötunn in Loka Táttur or Lokka Táttur, a Faroese ballad dating to the Late Middle Ages.^[68]

Archaeological record[edit]

References to or depictions of Odin appear on numerous objects. Migration Period (5th and 6th century CE) gold bracteates (types A, B, and C) feature a depiction of a human figure above a horse, holding a spear and flanked by one or two birds. The presence of the birds has led to the iconographic identification of the human figure as the god Odin, flanked by Huginn and Muninn. Like the Prose Edda description of the ravens, a bird is sometimes depicted at the ear of the human, or at the ear of the horse. Bracteates have been found in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and, in smaller numbers, England and areas south of Denmark.^[69] Austrian Germanist Rudolf Simek states that these bracteates may depict Odin and his ravens healing a horse and may indicate that the birds were originally not simply his battlefield companions but also «Odin’s helpers in his veterinary function.»^[70]

Vendel Period helmet plates (from the 6th or 7th century) found in a grave in Sweden depict a helmeted figure holding a spear and a shield while riding a horse, flanked by two birds. The plate has been interpreted as Odin accompanied by two birds; his ravens.^[71]

Two of the 8th century picture stones from the island of Gotland, Sweden depict eight-legged horses, which are thought by most scholars to depict Sleipnir: the Tjängvide image stone and the Ardre VIII image stone. Both stones feature a rider sitting atop an eight-legged horse, which some scholars view as Odin. Above the rider on the Tjängvide image stone is a horizontal figure holding a spear, which may be a valkyrie, and a female figure greets the rider with a cup. The scene has been interpreted as a rider arriving at the world of the dead.^[72] The mid-7th century Eggja stone bearing the Odinic name haras (Old Norse ‘army god’) may be interpreted as depicting Sleipnir.^[73]

A pair of identical Germanic Iron Age bird-shaped brooches from Bejsebakke in northern Denmark may be depictions of Huginn and Muninn. The back of each bird features a mask-motif, and the feet of the birds are shaped like the heads of animals. The feathers of the birds are also composed of animal-heads. Together, the animal-heads on the feathers form a mask on the back of the bird. The birds have powerful beaks and fan-shaped tails, indicating that they are ravens. The brooches were intended to be worn on each shoulder, after Germanic Iron Age fashion.^[74] Archaeologist Peter Vang Petersen comments that while the symbolism of the brooches is open to debate, the shape of the beaks and tail feathers confirms the brooch depictions are ravens. Petersen notes that «raven-shaped ornaments worn as a pair, after the fashion of the day, one on each shoulder, makes one’s thoughts turn towards Odin’s ravens and the cult of Odin in the Germanic Iron Age.» Petersen says that Odin is associated with disguise, and that the masks on the ravens may be portraits of Odin.^[74]

The Oseberg tapestry fragments, discovered within the Viking Age Oseberg ship burial in Norway, features a scene containing two black birds hovering over a horse, possibly originally leading a wagon (as a part of a procession of horse-led wagons on the tapestry). In her examination of the tapestry, scholar Anne Stine Ingstad interprets these birds as Huginn and Muninn flying over a covered cart containing an image of Odin, drawing comparison to the images of Nerthus attested by Tacitus in 1 CE.^[75]

Excavations in Ribe, Denmark have recovered a Viking Age lead metal-caster’s mould and 11 identical casting-moulds. These objects depict a moustached man wearing a helmet that features two head-ornaments. Archaeologist Stig Jensen proposes these head-ornaments should be interpreted as Huginn and Muninn, and the wearer as Odin. He notes that «similar depictions occur everywhere the Vikings went—from eastern England to Russia and naturally also in the rest of Scandinavia.»^[76]

A portion of Thorwald’s Cross (a partly surviving runestone erected at Kirk Andreas on the Isle of Man) depicts a bearded human holding a spear downward at a wolf, his right foot in its mouth, and a large bird on his shoulder.^[77] Andy Orchard comments that this bird may be either Huginn or Muninn.^[78] Rundata dates the cross to 940,^[79] while Pluskowski dates it to the 11th century.^[77] This depiction has been interpreted as Odin, with a raven or eagle at his shoulder, being consumed by the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the events of Ragnarök.^[77][80]

The 11th century Ledberg stone in Sweden, similarly to Thorwald’s Cross, features a figure with his foot at the mouth of a four-legged beast, and this may also be a depiction of Odin being devoured by Fenrir at Ragnarök.^[80] Below the beast and the man is a depiction of a legless, helmeted man, with his arms in a prostrate position.^[80] The Younger Futhark inscription on the stone bears a commonly seen memorial dedication, but is followed by an encoded runic sequence that has been described as «mysterious,»^[81] and «an interesting magic formula which is known from all over the ancient Norse world.»^[80]

In November 2009, the Roskilde Museum announced the discovery and subsequent display of a niello-inlaid silver figurine found in Lejre, which they dubbed Odin from Lejre. The silver object depicts a person sitting on a throne. The throne features the heads of animals and is flanked by two birds. The Roskilde Museum identifies the figure as Odin sitting on his throne Hliðskjálf, flanked by the ravens Huginn and Muninn.^[82]

Various interpretations have been offered for a symbol that appears on various archaeological finds known modernly as the valknut. Due to the context of its placement on some objects, some scholars have interpreted this symbol as referring to Odin. For example, Hilda Ellis Davidson theorises a connection between the valknut, the god Odin and «mental binds»:

For instance, beside the figure of Odin on his horse shown on several memorial stones there is a kind of knot depicted, called the valknut, related to the triskele. This is thought to symbolize the power of the god to bind and unbind, mentioned in the poems and elsewhere. Odin had the power to lay bonds upon the mind, so that men became helpless in battle, and he could also loosen the tensions of fear and strain by his gifts of battle-madness, intoxication, and inspiration.^[83]

Davidson says that similar symbols are found beside figures of wolves and ravens on «certain cremation urns» from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in East Anglia. According to Davidson, Odin’s connection to cremation is known, and it does not seem unreasonable to connect with Odin in Anglo-Saxon England. Davidson proposes further connections between Odin’s role as bringer of ecstasy by way of the etymology of the god’s name.^[83]

Origin and theories[edit]

Beginning with Henry Petersen’s doctoral dissertation in 1876, which proposed that Thor was the indigenous god of Scandinavian farmers and Odin a later god proper to chieftains and poets, many scholars of Norse mythology in the past viewed Odin as having been imported from elsewhere. The idea was developed by Bernhard Salin on the basis of motifs in the petroglyphs and bracteates, and with reference to the Prologue of the Prose Edda, which presents the Æsir as having migrated into Scandinavia. Salin proposed that both Odin and the runes were introduced from Southeastern Europe in the Iron Age. Other scholars placed his introduction at different times; Axel Olrik, during the Migration Age as a result of Gaulish influence.^[84]

More radically, both the archaeologist and comparative mythologist Marija Gimbutas and the Germanicist Karl Helm argued that the Æsir as a group, which includes both Thor and Odin, were late introductions into Northern Europe and that the indigenous religion of the region had been Vanic.^[85][86]

In the 16th century and by the entire Vasa dynasty, Odin (as Oden) was officially considered the first King of Sweden by that country’s government and historians. This was based on an embellished list of rulers invented by Johannes Magnus and officially adopted in the reign of King Carl IX, who, though numbered accordingly, actually was only the third Swedish king of that name.^[87]

Under the trifunctional hypothesis of Georges Dumézil, Odin is assigned one of the core functions in the Indo-European pantheon as a representative of the first function (sovereignty) corresponding to the Hindu Varuṇa (fury and magic) as opposed to Týr, who corresponds to the Hindu Mitrá (law and justice); while the Vanir represent the third function (fertility).^[88][89]

Another approach to Odin has been in terms of his function and attributes. Many early scholars interpreted him as a wind-god or especially as a death-god.^[90] He has also been interpreted in the light of his association with ecstatic practices, and Jan de Vries compared him to the Hindu god Rudra and the Greek Hermes.^[91]

Modern influence[edit]

The god Odin has been a source of inspiration for artists working in fine art, literature, and music. Fine art depictions of Odin in the modern period include the pen and ink drawing Odin byggande Sigtuna (1812) and the sketch King Gylfe receives Oden on his arrival to Sweden (1816) by Pehr Hörberg; the drinking horn relief Odens möte med Gylfe (1818), the marble statue Odin (1830) and the colossal bust Odin by Bengt Erland Fogelberg, the statues Odin (1812/1822) and Odin (1824/1825) by Hermann Ernst Freund, the sgraffito over the entrance of Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth (1874) by R. Krausse, the painting Odin (around 1880) by Edward Burne-Jones, the drawing Thor und Magni (1883) by K. Ehrenberg, the marble statue Wodan (around 1887) by H. Natter, the oil painting Odin und Brunhilde (1890) by Konrad Dielitz, the graphic drawing Odin als Kriegsgott (1896) by Hans Thoma, the painting Odin and Fenris (around 1900) by Dorothy Hardy, the oil painting Wotan und Brünhilde (1914) by Koloman Moser, the painting The Road to Walhall by S. Nilsson, the wooden Oslo City Hall relief Odin og Mime (1938) and the coloured wooden relief in the courtyard of the Oslo City Hall Odin på Sleipnir (1945–1950) by Dagfin Werenskiold, and the bronze relief on the doors of the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities, Odin (1950) by Bror Marklund.^[92]

Works of modern literature featuring Odin include the poem Der Wein (1745) by Friedrich von Hagedorn, Hymne de Wodan (1769) by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, Om Odin (1771) by Peter Frederik Suhm, the tragedy Odin eller Asarnes invandring by K. G. Leopold, the epic poem Odin eller Danrigets Stiftelse (1803) by Jens Baggesen, the poem Maskeradenball (1803) and Optrin af Norners og Asers Kamp: Odin komme til Norden (1809) by N. F. S. Grundtvig, poems in Nordens Guder (1819) by Adam Oehlenschläger, the four-part novel Sviavigamal (1833) by Carl Jonas Love Almqvist, «The Hero as Divinity» from On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History (1841) by Thomas Carlyle, the poem Prelude (1850) by William Wordsworth, the poem Odins Meeresritt by Aloys Schreiber [de] set to music by Karl Loewe (1851), the canzone Germanenzug (1864) by Robert Hamerling, the poem Zum 25. August 1870 (1870) by Richard Wagner, the ballad Rolf Krake (1910) by F. Schanz, the novel Juvikingerne (1918–1923) by Olav Duun, the comedy Der entfesselte Wotan (1923) by Ernst Toller, the novel Wotan by Karl Hans Strobl, Herrn Wodes Ausfahrt (1937) by Hans-Friedrich Blunck, the poem An das Ich (1938) by H. Burte, and the novel Sage vom Reich (1941–1942) by Hans-Friedrich Blunck.^[93]

Music inspired by or featuring the god includes the ballets Odins Schwert (1818) and Orfa (1852) by J. H. Stunz and the opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1848–1874) by Richard Wagner.^[94]

Robert E. Howard’s story «The Cairn on the Headland» assumes that Odin was a malevolent demonic spirit, that he was mortally wounded when taking human form and fighting among the Vikings in the Battle of Clontarf (1014), that lay comatose for nearly a thousand years—to wake up, nearly cause great havoc in modern Dublin but being exorcised by the story’s protagonist helped by the ghost of a Catholic saint.

Science fiction writer Poul Anderson’s story The Sorrow of Odin the Goth asserts that Odin was in fact a twentieth-century American time traveler, who sought to study the culture of the ancient Goths and ended up being regarded as a god and starting an enduring myth.

Odin was adapted as a character by Marvel Comics, first appearing in the Journey into Mystery series in 1962.^[95] Sir Anthony Hopkins portrayed the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

Odin is featured in a number of video games. In the 2002 Ensemble Studios game Age of Mythology, Odin is one of three major gods Norse players can worship.^[96][97][98] Odin is also mentioned through Santa Monica Studio’s 2018 game God of War and appears in its 2022 sequel God of War Ragnarök.^[99] He is a major influence in the 2020 Ubisoft game Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in the form of an Isu (a godlike, humanoid species within the Assassin’s Creed universe) of the same name. The primary protagonist, Eivor, who the player controls throughout the game is revealed to be a sage, or human reincarnation, of Odin.^[100] Odin is also one of the playable gods in the third-person multiplayer online battle arena game Smite.^[101]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

• MyNDIR (My Norse Digital Image Repository) Illustrations of Óðinn from manuscripts and early print books. Clicking on the thumbnail will give you the full image and information concerning it.

Óðinn (Old Norse: ᚢᚦᛁᚾ/ᚮᚦᛂᚾ [ˈoːðenː], meaning «the mad one»), anglicised as Odin (/ˈoʊdɪn/), is a widely revered god. In Norse mythology, from which stems most surviving information about the god, Óðinn is associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and is the husband of the goddess Frigg. He is the King of Ásgarðr and is also the chief ruler (the Allfather) of the Æsir (the main pantheon of Norse gods) in Norse mythology. Óðinn is compared to Mercury by Tacitus. In wider Germanic mythology and paganism, Óðinn was known in Old English as Wōden (Ƿōden), in Old Saxon as Wōdan (ᚹᛟᛞᚨᚾ), and in Old High German as Wuotan or Wōtan, all stemming from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic theonym *wōđanaz (ᚹᛟᛞᚨᚾᚨᛉ).

Óðinn is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania through the tribal expansions of the Migration Period and the Viking Age. In the modern period, Óðinn continued to be acknowledged in the rural folklore of Germanic Europe. References to Óðinn appear in place names throughout regions historically inhabited by the ancient Germanic peoples, and the day of the week Wednesday bears his name in many Germanic languages, including English.

In Old English texts, Óðinn holds a particular place as a euhemerized ancestral figure amongst royalty, and he is frequently referred to as a founding figure amongst various other Germanic peoples, such as the Langobards. Forms of his name appear frequently throughout the Germanic record, though narratives regarding Óðinn are mainly found in Old Norse works recorded in Iceland, primarily around the 13th century. These texts make up the bulk of modern understanding of Norse mythology.

In Old Norse texts, Óðinn is depicted as one-eyed and long-bearded, frequently wielding a spear named Gungnir, and wearing a cloak and a broad hat. He is often accompanied by his animal companions and familiars—the wolves Geri and Freki and the ravens Huginn and Muninn, who bring him information from all over Miðgarðr—and rides the flying, eight-legged steed Sleipnir across the sky and into the underworld. Óðinn is the son of Bestla and Borr and has two brothers, Vili and Vé. Óðinn is attested as having many sons, most famously the gods Þórr (with Jörð) and Baldr (with Frigg), and is known by hundreds of names. In these texts, he frequently seeks greater knowledge, at times in disguise (most famously by obtaining the Mead of Poetry), makes wagers with his wife Frigg over the outcome of exploits, and takes part in both the creation of the world by way of slaying the primordial being Ymir and giving the gift of life to the first two humans Askr and Embla. Óðinn has a particular association with Yule, and mankind’s knowledge of both the runes and poetry is also attributed to him, giving Óðinn aspects of the culture hero.

In Old Norse texts, female beings associated with the battlefield—the valkyrjur—are associated with the god and Óðinn oversees Valhǫll, where he receives half of those who die in battle, the einherjar. The other half are chosen by the goddess Freyja for her afterlife location, Fólkvangr. Óðinn consults the disembodied, herb-embalmed head of the wise being Mímir for advice, and during the foretold events of Ragnarök, Óðinn is told to lead the einherjar into battle before being consumed by the monstrous wolf Fenrir. In later folklore, Óðinn appears as a leader of the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of the dead through the winter sky. He is associated with charms and other forms of magic, particularly in Old English and Old Norse texts.

Óðinn is a frequent subject of study in Germanic studies, and numerous theories have been put forward regarding his development. Some of these focus on Óðinn’s particular relation to other figures; for example, the fact that Freyja’s husband Óðr appears to be something of an etymological doublet of the god, whereas Óðinn’s wife Frigg is in many ways similar to Freyja, and that Óðinn has a particular relation to the figure of Loki. Other approaches focus on Óðinn’s place in the historical record, a frequent question being whether the figure of Óðinn derives from Proto-Indo-European religion, or whether he developed later in Germanic society. In the modern period, Óðinn has inspired numerous works of poetry, music, and other forms of media. He is venerated in most forms of the new religious movement Heathenry, together with other gods venerated by the ancient Germanic peoples; some branches focus particularly on him.

Etymology, other names, and relation to Wednesday

The Old Norse theonym Óðinn (popularly anglicised as Odin) and its cognates, including Old English Wōden, Old Saxon Wōden, and Old High German Wuotan, derive from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic theonym *wōđanaz. The masculine noun *wōđanaz developed from the Proto-Germanic adjective *wōđaz, related to Latin vātēs and Old Irish fáith, both meaning ‘seer, a prophet.’ Adjectives stemming from *wōđaz include Gothic woþs ‘possessed,’ Old Norse óðr, ‘mad, frantic, furious,’ and Old English wōd ‘mad.’

The adjective *wōđaz (or *wōđō) was further substantivised, leading to Old Norse óðr ‘mind, wit, soul, sense,’ Old English ellen-wōd ‘zeal,’ Middle Dutch woet ‘madness’ (modern Dutch:woede ‘anger’), and Old High German wuot ‘thrill, violent agitation.’ Additionally the Old Norse noun æði ‘rage, fury’ and Old High German wuotī ‘madness’ derive from the feminine noun *wōđīn, from *wōđaz. The weak verb *wōđjanan, also derived from *wōđaz, gave rise to Old Norse æða ‘to rage,’ Old English wēdan ‘to be mad, furious,’ Old Saxon wōdian ‘to rage,’ and Old High German wuoten ‘to be insane, to rage.’

Over 170 names are recorded for Óðinn. These names are variously descriptive of attributes of the god, refer to myths involving him, or refer to religious practices associated with the god. This multitude of names makes Óðinn the god with the most names known among the Germanic peoples.

The modern English weekday name Wednesday derives from Old English wōdnesdæg. Cognate terms are found in other Germanic languages, such as Middle Low German wōdensdach (Dutch woensdag), and Old Norse Óðinsdagr (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Onsdag). All of these terms derive from Proto-Germanic *Wodensdag, itself a Germanic interpretation of Latin Dies Mercurii («Day of Mercury»). In Old High German, the name derived from Óðinn’s was replaced by a translation of Church Latin media hebdomas (‘middle of the week’), hence modern German Mittwoch.

Attestations

Roman Era to Migration Period

The earliest records of the Germanic peoples were recorded by the Romans, and in these works, Óðinn is frequently referred to—via a process known as interpretatio romana (where characteristics perceived to be similar by Romans result in the identification of a non-Roman god as a Roman deity)—as the Roman god Mercury. The first clear example of this occurs in the Roman historian Tacitus’s late 1st-century work Germania, where, writing about the religion of the Suebi (a confederation of Germanic peoples), he comments that «among the gods, Mercury is the one they principally worship. They regard it as a religious duty to offer to him, on fixed days, human as well as other sacrificial victims. Hercules and Mars, they appease by animal offerings of the permitted kind» and adds that a portion of the Suebi also venerate «Isis.» In this instance, Tacitus refers to the god Óðinn as «Mercury,» Þórr as «Hercules,» and Týr as «Mars,» and the identity of the «Isis» of the Suebi has been debated.

Anthony Birley has noted that Óðinn’s apparent identification with Mercury has little to do with Mercury’s classical role of being the messenger of the gods, but appears to be due to Mercury’s role of the psychopomp. Other contemporary evidence may also have led to the equation of Óðinn with Mercury; Óðinn, like Mercury, may have at this time already been pictured with a staff and hat, may have been considered a trader god, and the two may have been seen as parallel in their roles as wandering deities. But their rankings in their respective religious spheres may have been very different. Also, Tacitus’ «among the gods Mercury is the one they principally worship» is an exact quote from Julius Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico (1st century BCE) in which Caesar is referring to the Gauls and not the Germanic peoples. Regarding the Germanic peoples, Caesar states: «[T]hey consider the gods only the ones that they can see, the Sun, Fire and the Moon,» which scholars reject as clearly mistaken, regardless of what may have led to the statement.

Although the English kingdoms were converted as a result of Christianization of the Germanic peoples by the 7th century, Óðinn is frequently listed as a founding figure among the Old English royalty. He is also either directly or indirectly mentioned a few times in the surviving Old English poetic corpus, including the Nine Herbs Charm and likely also the Old English rune poem. Óðinn may also be referenced in the riddle Solomon and Saturn. In the Nine Herbs Charm, Óðinn is said to have slain a wyrm (serpent, European dragon) by way of nine «glory twigs.» Preserved from an 11th-century manuscript, the poem is, according to Bill Griffiths, «one of the most enigmatic of Old English texts.» The section including Óðinn is as follows:

The emendation of nan to ‘man’ has been proposed. The next stanza comments on the creation of the herbs chervil and fennel while hanging in heaven by the ‘wise lord’ (witig drihten) and before sending them down to mankind. Regarding this, Griffith comments that «In a Christian context ‘hanging in heaven’ would refer to the crucifixion; but (remembering that Woden was mentioned a few lines previously) there is also a parallel, perhaps a better one, with Óðinn, as his crucifixion was associated with learning.» The Old English gnomic poem MaximsIalso mentions Óðinn by name in the (alliterative) phrase Woden worhte weos, (‘Woden made idols’), in which he is contrasted with and denounced against the Christian God.

The Old English rune poem is a rune poem that recounts the Old English runic alphabet, the futhorc. The stanza for the rune ós reads as follows:

The first word of this stanza, ōs (Latin ‘mouth’) is a homophone for Old English os, a particularly heathen word for ‘god.’ Due to this and the content of the stanzas, several scholars have posited that this poem is censored, having originally referred to Óðinn. Kathleen Herbert comments that «Os was cognate with As in Norse, where it meant one of the Æsir, the chief family of gods. In Old English, it could be used as an element in first names: Osric, Oswald, Osmund, etc. but it was not used as a word to refer to the God of Christians. Woden was equated with Mercury, the god of eloquence (among other things). The tales about the Norse god Óðinn tell how he gave one of his eyes in return for wisdom; he also won the mead of poetic inspiration. Luckily for Christian rune-masters, the Latin word ‘os’ could be substituted without ruining the sense, to keep the outward form of the rune name without obviously referring to Woden.»

In the poem Solomon and Saturn, «Mercurius the Giant» (Mercurius se gygand) is referred to as an inventor of letters. This may also be a reference to Óðinn, who is in Norse mythology the founder of the runic alphabets, and the gloss a continuation of the practice of equating Óðinn with Mercury found as early as Tacitus. The poem is additionally in the style of later Old Norse material featuring Óðinn, such as the Old Norse poem Vafþrúðnismál, featuring Óðinn and the Jǫtunn Vafþrúðnir engaging in a deadly game of wits.

The 7th-century Origo Gentis Langobardorum and Paul the Deacon’s 8th-century Historia Langobardorum derived from it recount a founding myth of the Langobards (Lombards), a Germanic people who ruled a region of the Italian Peninsula. According to this legend, a «small people» known as the Winnili were ruled by a woman named Gambara who had two sons, Ybor and Agio. The Vandals, ruled by Ambri and Assi, came to the Winnili with their army and demanded that they pay them tribute or prepare for war. Ybor, Agio, and their mother Gambara rejected their demands for tribute. Ambri and Assi then asked the god Godan for victory over the Winnili, to which Godan responded (in the longer version in the Origo): «Whom I shall first see when at sunrise, to them will I give the victory.»

Meanwhile, Ybor and Agio called upon Frea, Godan’s wife. Frea counseled them that «at sunrise, the Winnil[i] should come, and that their women, with their hair, let down around the face in the likeness of a beard should also come with their husbands.» At sunrise, Frea turned Godan’s bed around to face east and woke him. Godan saw the Winnili, including their whiskered women, and asked: «who are those Long-beards?» Frea responded to Godan, «As you have given them a name, give them also the victory.» Godan did so, «so that they should defend themselves according to his counsel and obtain the victory.» Thenceforth the Winnili were known as the Langobards (‘long-beards’).

Writing in the mid-7th century, Jonas of Bobbio wrote that earlier that century the Irish missionary Columbanus disrupted an offering of beer to Óðinn (vodano) «(whom others called Mercury)» in Swabia. A few centuries later, 9th-century document from what is now Mainz, Germany, known as the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow records the names of three Old Saxon gods, UUôden (‘Woden’), Saxnôte, and Thunaer (‘Thor’), whom pagan converts were to renounce as demons.

A 10th-century manuscript found in what is now Merseburg, Germany, features a heathen invocation known as the Second Merseburg Incantation, which calls upon Óðinn and other gods and goddesses from the Continental Germanic pantheon to assist in healing a horse:

Viking Age to post-Viking Age

In the 11th century, chronicler Adam of Bremen recorded in a scholion of his Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum that a statue of Þórr, whom Adam describes as «mightiest,» sat enthroned in the Temple at Uppsala (located in Gamla Uppsala, Sweden) flanked by Wodan (Óðinn) and «Fricco.» Regarding Óðinn, Adam defines him as «frenzy» (Wodan, id est furor) and says that he «rules war and gives people strength against the enemy» and that the people of the temple depict him as wearing armor, «as our people depict Mars.» According to Adam, the people of Uppsala had appointed priests (gothi) to each of the gods, who were to offer up sacrifices (blót), and in times of war, sacrifices were made to images of Óðinn.

In the 12th century, centuries after Norway was «officially» Christianized, Óðinn was still being invoked by the population, as evidenced by a stick bearing a runic message found among the Bryggen inscriptions, Bergen, Norway. On the stick, both Þórr and Óðinn are called upon for help; Þórr is asked to «receive» the reader, and Óðinn to «own» them.

Poetic Edda

Óðinn is mentioned or appears in most poems of the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from traditional source material reaching back to the pagan period.

The poem Vǫluspá features Óðinn in a dialogue with an undead völva, who gives him wisdom from ages past and foretells the onset of Ragnarök, the destruction, and rebirth of the world. Among the information the völva recounts is the story of the first human beings (Askr and Embla), found and given life by a trio of gods; Óðinn, Hǿnir, and Lóðurr:
In stanza 17 of the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, the völva reciting the poem states that Hǿnir, Lóðurr, and Óðinn once found Askr and Embla on land. The völva says that the two were capable of very little, lacking in ørlög and says that they were given three gifts by the three gods:

Old Norse: Ǫnd þau né átto, óð þau né hǫfðo, lá né læti né lito góða. Ǫnd gaf Óðinn, óð gaf Hœnir, lá gaf Lóðurr ok lito góða.

Benjamin Thorpe translation: Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not, blood nor motive powers, nor goodly colour. Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hœnir, blood gave Lodur, and goodly colour.

Henry Adams Bellows translation: Soul they had not, sense they had not, Heat nor motion, nor goodly hue; Soul gave Othin, sense gave Hönir, Heat gave Lothur and goodly hue.

The meaning of these gifts has been a matter of scholarly disagreement and translations therefore vary.

Later in the poem, the völva recounts the events of the Æsir−Vanir War, the war between Vanir and the Æsir, two groups of gods. During this, the first war of the world, Óðinn flung his spear into the opposing forces of the Vanir. The völva tells Óðinn that she knows where he has hidden his eye; in the spring Mímisbrunnr, and from it «Mímir drinks mead every morning.» After Óðinn gives her necklaces, she continues to recount more information, including a list of valkyrjur, referred to as nǫnnor Herians ‘the ladies of War Lord;’ in other words, the ladies of Óðinn. In foretelling the events of Ragnarök, the völva predicts the death of Óðinn; Óðinn will fight the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the great battle at Ragnarök. Óðinn will be consumed by the wolf, yet Óðinn’s son Víðarr will avenge him by stabbing the wolf in the heart. After the world is burned and renewed, the surviving and returning gods will meet and recall Óðinn’s deeds and «ancient runes.»

The poem Hávamál (Old Norse ‘Sayings of the High One’) consists entirely of wisdom verse attributed to Óðinn. This advice ranges from the practical («A man shouldn’t hold onto the cup but drink in moderation, it’s necessary to speak or be silent; no man will blame you for impoliteness if you go early to bed»), to the mythological (such as Óðinn’s recounting of his retrieval of Óðrœrir, the vessel containing the mead of poetry), and to the mystical (the final section of the poem consists of Óðinn’s recollection of eighteen charms). Among the various scenes that Óðinn recounts is his self-sacrifice:

While the name of the tree is not provided in the poem and other trees exist in Norse mythology, the tree is near universally accepted as the cosmic tree Yggdrasill, and if the tree is Yggdrasill, then the name Yggdrasill (Old Norse ‘Ygg’s steed’) directly relates to this story. Óðinn is associated with hanging and gallows; John Lindow comments that «the hanged ‘ride’ the gallows.»

In the prose introduction to the poem Sigrdrífumál, the hero Sigurðr rides up to Hindarfjall and heads south towards «the land of the Franks.» On the mountain, Sigurðr sees a great light, «as if the fire were burning, which blazed up to the sky.» Sigurðr approaches it, and there he sees a skjaldborg (a tactical formation of shield wall) with a banner flying overhead. Sigurðr enters the skjaldborg and sees a warrior lying there—asleep and fully armed. Sigurðr removes the helmet of the warrior and sees the face of a woman. The woman’s corslet is so tight that it seems to have grown into the woman’s body. v uses his sword Gram to cut the corslet, starting from the neck of the corslet downwards, he continues cutting down her sleeves and takes the corslet off her.

The woman wakes, sits up, looks at Sigurðr, and the two converse in two stanzas of verse. In the second stanza, the woman explains that Óðinn placed a sleeping spell on her which she could not break, and due to that spell she has been asleep a long time. Sigurðr asks for her name, and the woman gives Sigurðr a horn of mead to help him retain her words in his memory. The woman recites a heathen prayer in two stanzas. A prose narrative explains that the woman is named Sigrdrífa and that she is a Valkyrie.

A narrative relates that Sigrdrífa explains to Sigurðr that there were two kings fighting one another. Óðinn had promised one of these—Hjalmgunnar—victory in battle, yet she had «brought down» Hjalmgunnar in battle. Óðinn pricked her with a sleeping-thorn in consequence, told her that she would never again «fight victoriously in battle,» and condemned her to marriage. In response, Sigrdrífa told Óðinn she had sworn a great oath that she would never wed a man who knew fear. Sigurðr asks Sigrdrífa to share with him her wisdom of all worlds. The poem continues in verse, where Sigrdrífa provides Sigurðr with knowledge of inscribing runes, mystic wisdom, and prophecy.

Prose Edda

Óðinn is mentioned throughout the books of the Prose Edda, authored by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century and drawing from the earlier traditional material. In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning (chapter 38), the enthroned figure of High (Harr), tells Gangleri (king Gylfi in disguise) that two ravens named Huginn and Muninn sit on Óðinn’s shoulders. The ravens tell Óðinn everything they see and hear. Óðinn sends Huginn and Muninn out at dawn, and the birds fly all over the world before returning at dinner-time. As a result, Óðinn is kept informed of many events. High adds that it is from this association that Óðinn is referred to as «raven-god.» The above-mentioned stanza from Grímnismál is then quoted.

In the same chapter, the enthroned figure of High explains that Óðinn gives all of the food on his table to his wolves Geri and Freki and that Óðinn requires no food, for wine is to him both meat and drink.

Heimskringla and sagas

Óðinn is mentioned several times in the sagas that make up Heimskringla. In the Ynglinga saga, the first section of Heimskringla, a euhemerized account of the origin of the gods is provided. Óðinn is introduced in chapter two, where he is said to have lived in «the land or home of the Æsir» (Old Norse Ásaland eða Ásaheimr), the capital of which being Ásgarðr. Ásgarðr was ruled by Óðinn, a great chieftain, and was «a great place for sacrifices.» It was the custom there that twelve temple priests were ranked highest; they administered sacrifices and held judgments over men. «Called diar or chiefs,» the people were obliged to serve under them and respect them. Óðinn was a very successful warrior and traveled widely, conquering many lands. Óðinn was so successful that he never lost a battle. As a result, according to the saga, men came to believe that «it was granted to him» to win all battles. Before Óðinn sent his men to war or to perform tasks for him, he would place his hands upon their heads and give them a bjannak (‘blessing,’ ultimately from Latin benedictio) and the men would believe that they would also prevail. The men placed all of their faith in Óðinn, and wherever they called his name they would receive assistance from doing so. Óðinn was often gone for great spans of time.

Chapter 3 says that Óðinn had two brothers, Vili and Vé. While Óðinn was gone, his brothers governed his realm. Once, Óðinn was gone for so long that the Æsir believed that Óðinn would not return. His brothers began to divvy up Óðinn’s inheritance, «but his wife Frigg they shared between them. However, afterward, [Odin] returned and took possession of his wife again.» Chapter 4 describes the Æsir-Vanir War. According to the chapter, Óðinn «made war on the Vanir.» The Vanir defended their land and the battle turned to a stalemate, both sides having devastated one another’s lands. As part of a peace agreement, the two sides exchanged hostages. One of the exchanges went awry and resulted in the Vanir decapitating one of the hostages sent to them by the Æsir, Mímir. The Vanir sent Mímir’s head to the Æsir, whereupon Óðinn «took it and embalmed it with herbs so that it would not rot, and spoke charms [Old Norse galdr] over it,» which imbued the head with the ability to answer Óðinn and «tell him many occult things.»

In the Völsunga saga, the great king Rerir and his wife (unnamed) are unable to conceive a child; «that lack displeased them both, and they fervently implored the gods that they might have a child. It is said that Frigg heard their prayers and told Óðinn what they asked,» and the two gods subsequently send a Valkyrie to present Rerir an apple that falls onto his lap while he sits on a burial mound and Rerir’s wife subsequently becomes pregnant with the namesake of the Völsung family line.

In the 13th century legendary saga Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, the poem Heiðreks gátur contains a riddle that mentions Sleipnir and Óðinn:

36. Gestumblindi said:
«Who are the twain
that on ten feet run?
three eyes they have,
but only one tail.
All right guess now
this riddle, Heithrek!»

Heithrek said:
«Good is thy riddle, Gestumblindi,
and guessed it is:
that is Odin riding on Sleipnir.»

Modern folklore

Local folklore and folk practice recognized Óðinn as late as the 19th century in Scandinavia. In a work published in the mid-19th century, Benjamin Thorpe records that on Gotland, «many traditions and stories of Óðinn the Old still live in the mouths of the people.» Thorpe notes that in Blekinge, Sweden, «it was formerly the custom to leave a sheaf on the field for Odin’s horses,» and cites other examples, such as in Kråktorpsgård, Småland, where a barrow was purported to have been opened in the 18th century, purportedly containing the body of Óðinn. After Christianization, the mound was known as Helvetesbackke (Swedish «Hell’s Mound»). Local legend dictates that after it was opened, «there burst forth a wondrous fire, like a flash of lightning,» and that a coffin full of flint and a lamp were excavated. Thorpe additionally relates that legend has it that a priest who dwelt around Troienborg had once sowed some rye, and that when the rye sprang up, so came Óðinn riding from the hills each evening. Óðinn was so massive that he towered over the farm-yard buildings, spear in hand. Halting before the entryway, he kept all from entering or leaving all night, which occurred every night until the rye was cut.

Thorpe relates that «a story is also current of a golden ship, which is said to be sunk in Runemad, near the Nyckelberg, in which, according to tradition, Óðinn fetched the slain from the battle of Bråvalla to Valhalla,» and that Kettilsås, according to legend, derives its name from «one Ketill Runske, who stole Óðinn’s runic staves» (runekaflar) and then bound Óðinn’s dogs, bull, and a mermaid who came to help Óðinn. Thorpe notes that numerous other traditions existed in Sweden at the time of his writing.

Thorpe records (1851) that in Sweden, «when a noise, like that of carriages and horses, is heard by night, the people say: ‘Odin is passing by’.»

Óðinn and the gods Loki and Hǿnir help a farmer and a boy escape the wrath of a bet-winning jötunn in Loka Táttur or Lokka Táttur, a Faroese ballad dating to the Late Middle Ages.

Archaeological record

References to or depictions of Óðinn appear on numerous objects. Migration Period (5th and 6th century CE) gold bracteates (types A, B, and C) feature a depiction of a human figure above a horse, holding a spear and flanked by one or more often two birds. The presence of the birds has led to the iconographic identification of the human figure as the god Óðinn, flanked by Huginn and Muninn. Like Snorri’s Prose Edda description of the Ravens, a bird is sometimes depicted at the ear of the human, or at the ear of the horse. Bracteates have been found in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and, in smaller numbers, England and areas south of Denmark. Austrian Germanist Rudolf Simek states that these bracteates may depict Óðinn and his ravens healing a horse and may indicate that the birds were originally not simply his battlefield companions but also «Odin’s helpers in his veterinary function.»

Vendel Period helmet plates (from the 6th or 7th century) found in a grave in Sweden depict a helmeted figure holding a spear and a shield while riding a horse, flanked by two birds. The plate has been interpreted as Óðinn accompanied by two birds; his ravens.

Two of the 8th-century picture stones from the island of Gotland, Sweden depict eight-legged horses, which are thought by most scholars to depict Sleipnir: the Tjängvide image stone and the Ardre VIII image stone. Both stones feature a rider sitting atop an eight-legged horse, which some scholars view as Óðinn. Above the rider on the Tjängvide image stone is a horizontal figure holding a spear, which may be a Valkyrie, and a female figure greets the rider with a cup. The scene has been interpreted as a rider arriving at the world of the dead. The mid-7th-century Eggja stone bearing the Odinic name haras (Old Norse ‘army god’) may be interpreted as depicting Sleipnir.

A pair of identical Germanic Iron Age bird-shaped brooches from Bejsebakke in northern Denmark may be depictions of Huginn and Muninn. The back of each bird features a mask-motif, and the feet of the birds are shaped like the heads of animals. The feathers of the birds are also composed of animal-heads. Together, the animal-heads on the feathers form a mask on the back of the bird. The birds have powerful beaks and fan-shaped tails, indicating that they are ravens. The brooches were intended to be worn on each shoulder, after Germanic Iron Age fashion. Archaeologist Peter Vang Petersen comments that while the symbolism of the brooches is open to debate, the shape of the beaks and tail feathers confirms the brooch depictions are ravens. Petersen notes that «raven-shaped ornaments worn as a pair, after the fashion of the day, one on each shoulder, makes one’s thoughts turn towards Óðinn’s ravens and the cult of Óðinn in the Germanic Iron Age.» Petersen says that Óðinn is associated with disguise and that the masks on the Ravens may be portraits of Óðinn.

The Oseberg tapestry fragments, discovered within the Viking Age Oseberg ship burial in Norway, features a scene containing two blackbirds hovering over a horse, possibly originally leading a wagon (as a part of a procession of horse-led wagons on the tapestry). In her examination of the tapestry, scholar Anne Stine Ingstad interprets these birds as Huginn and Muninn flying over a covered cart containing an image of Óðinn, drawing a comparison to the images of Nerþuz attested by Tacitus in 1 CE.

Excavations in Ribe, Denmark have recovered a Viking Age lead metal-casters mold and 11 identical casting-molds. These objects depict a mustached man wearing a helmet that features two head-ornaments. Archaeologist Stig Jensen proposes these head-ornaments should be interpreted as Huginn and Muninn, and the wearer as Óðinn. He notes that «similar depictions occur everywhere the Vikings went—from eastern England to Russia and naturally also in the rest of Scandinavia.»

A portion of Thorwald’s Cross (a partly surviving runestone erected at Kirk Andreas on the Isle of Man) depicts a bearded human holding a spear downward at a wolf, his right foot in its mouth, and a large bird on his shoulder. Andy Orchard comments that this bird may be either Huginn or Muninn. Rundata dates the cross to 940, while Pluskowski dates it to the 11th century. This depiction has been interpreted as Óðinn, with a raven or eagle at his shoulder, being consumed by the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the events of Ragnarök.

The 11th-century Ledberg stone in Sweden, similarly to Thorwald’s Cross, features a figure with his foot at the mouth of a four-legged beast, and this may also be a depiction of Óðinn being devoured by Fenrir at Ragnarök. Below the beast and the man is a depiction of a legless, helmeted man, with his arms in a prostrate position. The Younger Futhark inscription on the stone bears a commonly seen memorial dedication, but is followed by an encoded runic sequence that has been described as «mysterious,» and «an interesting magic formula which is known from all over the ancient Norse world.»

In November 2009, the Roskilde Museum announced the discovery and subsequent display of a niello-inlaid silver figurine found in Lejre, which they dubbed Odin from Lejre. The silver object depicts a person sitting on a throne. The throne features the heads of animals and is flanked by two birds. The Roskilde Museum identifies the figure as Óðinn sitting on his throne Hliðskjálf, flanked by the ravens Huginn and Muninn.

Various interpretations have been offered for a symbol that appears on various archaeological finds known modernly as the valknútr. Due to the context of its placement on some objects, some scholars have interpreted this symbol as referring to Óðinn. For example, Hilda Ellis Davidson theorizes a connection between the valknútr, the god Óðinn and «mental binds:»

Davidson says that similar symbols are found beside figures of wolves and ravens on «certain cremation urns» from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in East Anglia. According to Davidson, Óðinn’s connection to cremation is known, and it does not seem unreasonable to connect with Óðinn in Anglo-Saxon England. Additionally, Davidson proposes further connections between Óðinn’s role as bringer of ecstasy by way of the etymology of the god’s name.

Origin, theories, and interpretation

Beginning with Henry Petersen’s doctoral dissertation in 1876, which proposed that Þórr was the indigenous god of Scandinavian farmers and Óðinn a later god proper to chieftains and poets, many scholars of Norse mythology in the past viewed Óðinn as having been imported from elsewhere. The idea was developed by Bernhard Salin on the basis of motifs in the petroglyphs and bracteates and with reference to the Prologue of the Prose Edda, which presents the Æsir as having migrated into Scandinavia. Salin proposed that both Óðinn and the runes were introduced from Southeastern Europe in the Iron Age. Other scholars placed his introduction at different times; Axel Olrik, during the Migration Age as a result of Gaulish influence.

More radically, both the archaeologist and comparative mythologist Marija Gimbutas and the Germanicist Karl Helm argued that the Æsir as a group, which includes both Þórr and Óðinn, were late introductions into Northern Europe and that the indigenous religion of the region had been Vanic.

In the 16th century and by the entire Vasa dynasty, Óðinn (as Oden) was officially considered the first King of Sweden by that country’s government and historians. This was based on a euphemistically embellished fantasy roster of rulers invented by Johannes Magnus and adopted as fact in the reign of King Carl IX, who, though numbered accordingly, actually was only Carl III.

Under the trifunctional hypothesis of Georges Dumézil, Óðinn is assigned one of the core functions in the Indo-European pantheon as a representative of the first function (sovereignty) corresponding to the Hindu Varuṇa (fury and magic) as opposed to Týr, who corresponds to the Hindu Mitrá (law and justice); while the Vanir represent the third function (fertility).

Another approach to Óðinn has been in terms of his function and attributes. Many early scholars interpreted him as a wind-god or especially as a death-god. He has also been interpreted in the light of his association with ecstatic practices, and Jan de Vries compared him to the Hindu god Rudra and the Greek Hermes.

Modern influence

The god Óðinn has been a source of inspiration for artists working in fine art, literature, and music. Fine art depictions of Óðinn in the modern period include the pen and ink drawing Odin byggande Sigtuna (1812) and the sketch King Gylfe receives Oden on his arrival to Sweden (1816) by Pehr Hörberg; the drinking horn relief Odens möte med Gylfe (1818), the marble statue Odin (1830) and the colossal bust Odin by Bengt Erland Fogelberg, the statues Odin (1812/1822) and Odin (1824/1825) by Hermann Ernst Freund, the sgraffito over the entrance of Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth (1874) by R. Krausse, the painting Odin (around 1880) by Edward Burne-Jones, the drawing Thor und Magni (1883) by K. Ehrenberg, the marble statue Wodan (around 1887) by H. Natter, the oil painting Odin und Brunhilde (1890) by Konrad Dielitz, the graphic drawing Odin als Kriegsgott (1896) by Hans Thoma, the painting Odin and Fenris (around 1900) by Dorothy Hardy, the oil painting Wotan und Brünhilde (1914) by Koloman Moser, the painting The Road to Walhall by S. Nilsson, the wooden Oslo City Hall relief Odin og Mime (1938) and the coloured wooden relief in the courtyard of the Oslo City Hall Odin på Sleipnir (1945–1950) by Dagfin Werenskiold, and the bronze relief on the doors of the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities, Odin (1950) by Bror Marklund.

Works of modern literature featuring Óðinn include the poem Der Wein (1745) by Friedrich von Hagedorn, Hymne de Wodan (1769) by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, Om Odin (1771) by Peter Frederik Suhm, the tragedy Odin eller Asarnes invandring by K. G. Leopold, the epic poem Odin eller Danrigets Stiftelse (1803) by J. Baggeson, the poem Maskeradenball (1803) and Optrin af Norners og Asers Kamp: Odin komme til Norden (1809) by N. F. S. Grundtvig, poems in Nordens Guder (1819) by Adam Oehlenschläger, the four-part novel Sviavigamal (1833) by Carl Jonas Love Almqvist, the poem Prelude (1850) by William Wordsworth, the canzone Germanenzug (1864) by Robert Hamerling, the poem Zum 25. August 1870 (1870) by Richard Wagner, the ballad Rolf Krake (1910) by F. Schanz, the novel Juvikingerne (1918–1923) by Olav Duun, the comedy Der entfesselte Wotan (1923) by Ernst Toller, the novel Wotan by Karl Hans Strobl, Herrn Wodes Ausfahrt (1937) by Hans-Friedrich Blunck, the poem An das Ich (1938) by H. Burte, and the novel Sage vom Reich (1941–1942) by ans-Friedrich Blunck.

Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods (2001) features Óðinn as «Mr. Wednesday,» traveling across the United States in a clash between old gods and new ones. Ian McShane plays Mr. Wednesday in its 2017 television adaptation.

Several characters from J. R. R. Tolkien’s fiction were inspired by the god Óðinn. The appearance of the wizard Gandalf was particularly inspired by Óðinn’s «wanderer» guise, whereas other aspects of the god directly influenced other characters, such as Saruman, Sauron, Morgoth, and Manwë.

Music inspired by or featuring the god include the ballets Odins Schwert (1818) and Orfa (1852) by J. H. Stunz and the opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1848–1874) by Richard Wagner.

In the comic book series The Wicked + The Divine, Óðinn under the name Woden appears in the 1830’s Occurrence in the body of author Mary Shelley.

Equipment

Gungnir

In Old Norse, it means «the swaying one.» It is the lance of the god Óðinn. It is made of Yggdrasil’s sacred ash and Óðinn wrote his magic runes on its tip. According to Prose Edda, it was created by the Dvergr known as the Sons of Ivaldi under the supervision of the master blacksmith dvergr Dvalinn. It is described as a lance that is so well balanced that it never misses and will always strike its target when thrown, regardless of the skill and strength of the wielder.

Crossbow

It was also said that Óðinn had a crossbow that could fire ten arrows at once, each hitting separate targets.

Draupnir

From Old Norse which means «The Dripper,» it is a gold ring worn by Óðinn. It has the ability to multiply itself by letting eight new rings ‘drip’ from it every ninth night, each one of the same size and weight as the original. It was forged by the dvergr brothers Brokkr and Eitri.

Sleipnir

From Old Norse which means «The Slipper,» it is a grey eight-legged horse owned by the god Óðinn. It is identified as the best of all horses. It was given to him by Loki.

Huginn and Muninn

Huginn came from Old Norse which means «Thought,» while Munnin means «Memory» or «Mind.» They are a pair of ravens that fly all around the world to bring information back to Óðinn.

Geri and Freki

Geri and Freki (Old Norse, both meaning «the ravenous» or «greedy one») are a pair of wolves which accompany the god Óðinn.

Hliðskjálf

It is the high seat or throne of Óðinn which allows him to see through all realms.

Symbol

The valknútr is a symbol of Óðinn.

Roman mythology

Main article: Mercurius Cimbrianus

Some Romans identify their god Mercury with Germanic deity Woden, especially in Anglo-Saxon contexts.

Gallery

Image gallery of Óðinn

Family

Names in Bold are Æsir/Ásynjur

Names in Italics are Vanir

Rindr was a human princess

Names in Bold are Vanir

Names in Italics are Æsir/Ásynjur

Frigg was mother to Baldr and Hǫðr by Óðinn

Sif was mother to Magni, Móði and Þrúðr by Þórr

Names in Bold are Jǫtnar/Gýgr

Names in Italics are Gods/Goddesses