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The Heimskringla on Odin

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > Preliminary Remarks.

attribution: In the poem, Odin dreams of preparing Valhalla for slain warriors and orders Sigmund and Sinfjotle to go meet Eirik.

"Sigmund and Sinfjotle, rise in haste and go forth to meet the prince! Bid him in if it be Eirik, for it is he whom I look for."
attribution: When asked why Odin robbed Eirik of victory if he thought him brave, Odin replies that the grey wolf (Fenrir) may come upon the seat of the gods.

"Because it is not surely to be known, when the grey wolf shall come upon the seat of the god."

attestation: The feast-leader blessed goblets in sequence: first Odin's goblet for victory and power, then Niord's and Freyja's for peace and good seasons.

"first Odin's goblet was emptied for victory and power to his king; thereafter, Niord's and Freyja's goblets for peace and a good season."

attestation: In Hakonarmal, Odin sends the valkyries Gondul and Skogul to the battlefield to summon Hakon to Valhalla.

"'Go, my valkyries,' Odin said, 'Go forth, my angels of the dead, Gondul and Skogul, to the plain Drenched with the battle's bloody rain, And to the dying Hakon tell, Here in Valhal shall he dwell.'"
attestation: Odin sent Hermod and Bragi to welcome Hakon as the first of men and the Norsemen's king.

"To Hermod and to Brage then Said Odin, 'Here, the first of men, Brave Hakon comes, the Norsemen's king,-- Go forth, my welcome to him bring.'"

attestation: The one-eyed stranger had knowledge of every land and entertained the king late into the evening.

"He was one-eyed, and had something to tell of every land. He entered into conversation with the king; and as the king found much pleasure in the guest's speech, he asked him concerning many things, to which the guest gave good answers"
attestation: The stranger vanished in the night and could not be found the next morning.

"Soon after the king awoke, asked for the guest, and ordered him to be called, but the guest was not to be found"
attestation: The cook reported the stranger had given them two thick pieces of beef, criticizing the poor meat being prepared for the king.

"as they were making ready the meat a man came to them, and observed that they were cooking very poor meat for the king's table; whereupon he gave them two thick and fat pieces of beef, which they boiled with the rest of the meat"
comparison: The stranger's one eye and broad-brimmed hat match the traditional appearance of Odin.

"an old man very gifted in words, and with a broad-brimmed hat upon his head. He was one-eyed"