Eddic [Mythology of All Races Vol. 2] Chp IV: Odin
A few personal notes for me to keep in mind. This is all from the book, Eddic: Mythology of All Races by Matthew MacCollogh. Nothing is outside of this. Furthermore I’m sure there is content in here that can be debated.
Other names:
Wodan wōd: mad
OHG woutan
OS wodan
AS Woden
ON O penn ON: poetic frenzy
Furious Host (?)
Other Norse Names:
Vafud
Vegtam (Wanderer)
Gangler (Traveler)
Ómi (Noist one)
Vidforull (Fartraveler).
Viator Indefessus (Unwearied traveler) by Saxo.
Heimskringla (The far have travelled) by Snorri.
Galga Valdyr (Lord of the Gallows)
Hanga-tyr (God of the hanged).
Hnikar (Thruster).
Karl af berge (The man of the mountain).
Rostarus.
Drauga Drottim (Lord of Ghosts).
Valgautr (God of the Slain).
Val-Fadir because ‘all that fall in battle are sons of his adoption. Oski Synir (Snorri)
Valkjosandi (Chooser of the Slain) in (Kormaks-saga).
Hropt.
Fjolnir (The many shaped).
Bolverk.
Sigfadir (Father of Victory)
Sigtyr (God of Victory).
Hertyr (God of hosts).
Heryan (Leader of hosts).
Herfadir (Father of hosts).
Valfadir (Father of the slain).
Hnikarr (Spear-lord).
Biflindi (Spear Brandisher).
Gautatyr (God of the Gauts).
Saxagod (God of the Saxons).
Aldafadie (father of men).
Grimnir (the hooded one).
Hrafna-god (Raven god).
All Father and patron of aristocracy, warriors and skalds.
Hyndlujod, Freyja says he gives hold, Hermod helm and coat of mail, to Sigmund a sword, and triumph to some.
Oaths were sworn by Sigtyr’s Mountain, his city was Sigtun.
Odin drinks wine.
The first drink is to Odin ‘for victory and power.’
The other gods are Odin’s people as he rules all things.
Grants men their wishes.
War god
Weapons and armour to heroes.
Dog was given his spear.
Heroes valour, triumph and treasure.Women and giantesses made victims by his runes.
Caused the first war between the Aesir and Vanir.
‘He hurled his spear on the host, and war then came first into the world.’ (Voluspa).
Also pisses off princes, kings and causes strife.
Provoked battle of Harald and Ring.
Pisses off easily when victory is given to the wrong places such as Brynhild and Agnar (Svefnthorn).
Joins in battle and has favourites, so people favour him.
Great warrior.
Weapons reference Odin and his Valkyries.
More prominent than Thor.
Likewise his spear is of better 'culture’ than Thor’s hammer.
Ravens haunting the battlefield equate to him.
Spear Gungnir made by dwarfs and given to him by Loki.
All other weapons were useless against it.
God of poetry, master of magic, knowledge.
Odin gives poets their words by taking poetic mead from the giants.
Gave Starkad the art of poetry and composition of spell.
Appears in dreams before great battles to give some victory and invite others to him. (Snorri)
Spoke magic and charms to the Volva but did not know Balder’s fate-- had to seek knowledge from her.
Struck Rinda with a bark of runes and drew her into a frenzy.
Loki accuses him of dressing as a witch and working charms in Samsey.
Obtained a magic wand gambantein and learned a language from the dead in Hlebard in Harbardsljod.
Cures a lame horse with charm or rune.
Knows magic songs bringing sickness, sorrow, stop arrows, produce fetters and blunt weapons, neutralizer dangerous roots where runes are written and reflect the danger, remove hatred, calm wind, aid friends in a fight, make the hanged speak, quench fire, give knowledge of the gods and elves and win love.
Takes form of a ferryman, a servant or peasant, snake, eagle.
Woke the dead and sat under hanged men for knowledge. (Ynglinga-saga)
Could control fire, sea and wind by his words.
Knew of buried treasure, runes to open earth, mountains, rocks and mounds. Could also bind these.
May understand the language of birds.
Runes
May have created runes in Havamal.
Coloured them perhaps with blood.
Could have obtained the wounds by hanging on Yggdrasil and wounding himself by his spear as an offering to himself. The runes may have fallen down from the tree.
Consults Mimir.
Made runes of draught from head of Heithdraupnir and horn of Hoddrofnir.
Mimir may be a waterspirit with his well beneath a root of Yggdrasil.
Wisdom and understanding are stored under Yggrasil
Loss of his eye! Mimir withheld a drink from the well until he was given.
Odin’s eye is hidden in the well where Mimir drinks of the pledge each day.
Could perhaps be Odin’s uncle, son of Bolthorn who is the father of Bestla who is Odin’s mother.
More Wisdom
Drinks daily from the cool waves of Sokkvabekk with gold cups with the Goddess Saga (Frigg?)
Saga is a female water elf.
Love affair (?).
Sought to match his knowledge with the giant Vafthrudnir. Proved himself wiser.
“What did Odin speak into Balder’s ear before he was burned on the pyre?” A riddle used with both th giant and King Heidrik during Yule.
Initially a spirit of god of wind or dead as the past wandered in the wind. Brings wind with his wagon.
Gives fair winds to sailors as said by Freyja in Hyndluljod.
The storm stills when Odin boards Sigurd’s ship.
May have first been worshipped in Gotland.
Is a traveler.
Rides a white or black horse with a wide brimmed hat, staff and hounds.
Snorri: rides with helmet, birnie and speak Gungnir at Ragnarok.
Also known to ride Sleipnir. The eight legged grey mare of Loki’s lineage with Svadilfari.
Rides her to Urd’s well daily.
To consult Volva in Niflhel about Balder’s dreams.
To offer random for Hel after his death.
Names stemming from appearance:
Sidhottr (with broad hat).
Harbard (grey beard).
Skidskegg (long beard).
Misc about appearance
A man of amazing height (Saxo).
Draupnir, the ring made by Sindri the dwarf was given to Odin by his brother.
Burned with Balder’s pyre and Balder sent it back to him from Hel.
Animals of Odin.
Munnin (Memory) and Huginn (Thought) are sent at day break around the world and return at evening to bring news to him.
Whisper what they have heard.
All Ravens are birds of Odin.
Wolves are also his: Geri ‘The Ravener’ and Freki ‘The Glutton’
Shares food and wind with him.
Sleipnir is taken to Hel, Jotunheim, etc.
Challenged Hrungnir that his was better than Gullfaxi.
Hrungnir chased him into Asgard where Thor dealt with him.
Yggdrasil
‘Ygg’s Horse’ Ygg being “The terrible”.
Askr Yggdrasils (the ash of Yggdrasil or of Odin’s steed).
Odin hung for nine nights in Havamal.
Stabbed himself with his own spear as well.
King Vikar needed to sacrifice himself so that his fleet might pass through great storms.
Starkad (Odin’s foster son) created a death akin to Odins for Vikar.
Harbard
Appears as a ferryman of the dead.
Valhalla
“Souls of those slain by violence go in the Furious Host, and souls of heroes go to Odin in Valhall.” (MacCulloch, 44).
Chosen warriors are einherjar.
Mightiest of warriors are taken to Valhalla as he wants them by their side when Fenrir comes to the seat of the god.
Valhalla lies in Gladsheim, the world of joy.
Valhall is the ‘Hall of the Slain’.
Vingolf is the ‘friendly floor.’
Valkyries
‘Chooser of the Slain,’
However shares the slain with Freyja.
Determine a man’s feyness and awarded victory and took the slain.
Wish-Maidens becausee they carried out Odin’s will.
Corselets sprinkled with blood and sparks fly from their spears.
Sacrifice
Prisoners sacrificed more common in Denmark and Sweden. ‘Odin has you all!’
In response Odin gives some gifts at times.
Descent
The cow Audhumla gave birth to Buri.
His son was Borr who married Bestla.
Bestla was daughter of Bolthorn.
Bestla and Borr had Odin, Vili and Ve.
Children and Love
Frigg.
Wife of Odin, although she was at one point shared with Vili and Ve when they believed Odin would not return.
Frigg offending Odin may have been why he left.
Or perhaps thrown out into exile after the incident with Rinda.
Took her back as his wife when he came back.
Son was Balder
Jord
Son was Thor.
Rinda.
After Balder died, Odin desired revenge. So he spoke to prophets on this and one of these told him a son must be born to him by Rinda. As a soldier, he gained her father’s favour but not Rinda. As a smith he made Rinda made many things but she still refused him. Eventually, he used the bark of runes and claimed to cure her as a maiden skilled in Leecraft.
Has Vali by her (Bous in Eddas).
Seven sisters in Harbardsljod. Allures witches from their husbands.
Linen-White Maid.
Grid
Has Vidarr by her.
Billings Daughter
“Dear to him as life.”
Tried to visit her at night on her request only to find a band of warriors at her home.
Visited her in the morning and found a dog tied to her bed.
“Many maids are fickle.”
Gunnlod, daughter of the giant Suttung.
Penetrated rock with the snout of Rati.
Mead given to him by Gunnlod and he won her over.
‘fettered with the feathers of the bird of forgetfulness (heron) in Gunnlod’s abode, very drunk in the house of wise Suttung.’
Gains knowledge from the mead.
As Bolverk, he slept with her for three nights and received three draughts of mead. He gave the first to Odrorir, second to Bodn and third Son to gain all the mead.
Then turned into an eagle and flew away beck to Asgard.
Gave the mead to the Aesir, who have the ability of composition. Poetic Mead.
Other Children
Heimdall
Bragi
Hod
Skjold
Kings and chiefs (Skjoldings from his son Skjold)
Losses
After killing Otter he had to pay wergild when overcome by Hreidmar.
“In Lokasenna, Odin shows himself frightened for Loki, and it is Thor, not Odin, who silences him.” (MacCullogh, 49)
Source Credit
MacCulloch, John Arnott. The Mythology of All Races: Eddic. Vol. 2, Cooper Square Publ., 1964.
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TEXTURES OF BIFRÖST - ABSTRACT STAVES
Elder Futhark Rune Art 2022
@Gifts of Heimdall Runes
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"Textures of Bifröst - Abstract Staves" shared a rune art journey with twenty-four staves of the Elder Futhark. The project was an attempt to represent interactions with rune energy by creative expressions.
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These designs were divided into three parts for this post:
○ Textures
○ Reflections
○ Rune Circles
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The correspondences for runes were created as a gentle reminder of personal rune journeys over time. The text for each rune attempted to represent both a subjective journey within each individual rune and trans-personal initiations following the combined 24 staves of the Elder Futhark (beginning with Fehu & completing with Daugr.)
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Rune names were taken from Wardruna albums 'gap var Ginnunga', 'yggdrasil' & 'Ragnarok'. The elective use of these rune names represented merely a personal tribute to Wardruna's wonderful music creations.
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This project celebrated a continued journey with the runes and Spirit inspiration and to perhaps inspire others with their own rune travels. The project was created for fun and should only be considered as a product of a thoroughly eccentric middle-aged imagination that absolutely should know better but was now completely past caring!
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'Textures of Bifröst' was created on & off within the first half of 2022, then shared October 2022 to March 2023 via social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram & partially Flickr.)
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Reflections designs showed condensed ongoing personal rune meditations from 1997 to the present. Text showed some personal keywords and phrases formed by meditated interactions with each rune as well as engaging in study from various published authors. Content was also shared on 'Bifröst Shining' but again further developed for these designs.
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The Brisingamen content with 'Reflections' came into consciousness with 'Bifröst Shining', which was shared 2021 & 2022. The myths and associations therein were still being worked upon. Future developments on this issue may, however, be forthcoming subject to Asgardian relations between Freya & Odhinn mitigated by intervention from Lokean mischief or Heimdallian diplomacy!
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Collectively, each rune reflection card communicated an understanding of a journey of personal and trans-personal initiation throughout the three Ætts (eights) of the Elder Futhark that I have personally come to understand as:
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○ First Eight: Journeys of Creation (as described by norse mythology).
○ Second Eight: Journeys Within: Norns and travelling Yggdrasil.
○ Third Eight: Journeys of Soul via the Norse Gods to Ragnarök.
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Rune Circle cards showed condensed keywords from combined personal rune meditations. All rune correspondences in designs were subjective and should only be regarded as a load of nonsense that blossomed from an over-active aging hippy imagination.
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Finally, the collection shown here was created for a private published copy by Make Playing Cards (MPC) that was adjusted to accommodate a 3.5 x 3.5 MPC template. The focus for 'Textures of Bifröst' from initial concept was on design, not publishing, which resulted in some slightly different pictures shared on Facebook & Instagram October 2022 to March 2023. Photos of these MPC printed rune art cards are also shown.
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The project was dedicated to any steadfast followers that have kindly followed this journey with runes since 2019, and perhaps even before. Thank you, everyone!
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'Textures of Bifröst - Abstract Staves' completed here.
The Gifts of Heimdall journey with runes continues.
Image Ref: World Tree Design
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Gifts of Heimdall Runes (FACEBOOK)
Gifts of Heimdall Runes (INSTAGRAM)
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