ODIN - Odin was Norse God of war, poetry, wisdom, death and he was chief divinity of the Norse pantheon, and the first of the Aesir. Sometimes he was called "Alfadir", which translated means the "all father". He was son of Bor and Bestla.

Odin has many sons and daughters - with his wife goddess Frigg he is the father to Hod, Balder and Hermod; with the goddess Jord he is the father of Thor and
with the giantess Grid he is the father of Vidar.

Odin can make the dead speak to reveal their wisdom. News is brought to Odin by Huginn and Muninn, Odin's Ravens. Odin has a spear called Gungnir that never misses, his eight-footed horse Sleipnir carries him into battle. Two wolves Freki and Geri accompany Odin.

As he was God of war and battle Odin was very popular with the Vikings when they began raiding out of Scandinavia, to his great fortress hall Valhalla he gathered those slain in battle. Called the einherjar (glorious dead) , these warriors were preserved by Odin to supplement the gods in their final battle against the giants at Ragnarok. Odin was not a warrior himself , but inspired warriors into going berserk in battle , feeling and fearing nothing. Sacrificial hangings were part of worship of Odin , and suicide by hanging was thought to be a shortcut to Valhalla.

Odin gained his wisdom by throwing one of his eyes into Mimir's well in trade for a drink of wisdom. He also hung himself from the cosmic tree, Yggdrasil, to learn the knowledge of the dead, and then was revived by magic.

Odin was to be killed during Ragnarok by Fenrir , the wolf spawned by Loki.

Posted in: Norse Mythology and Norse God Odin.