The Prose Edda on Odin

The Younger Edda: > Snorre'S Edda, Or The Prose Edda. > Preface.

• attestation: Odin and his brothers, identified as the sons of Bure, slew Ymer to create the world

  "Odin and his brothers--the bright sons of Bure--gave Ymer a mortal wound"

• attestation: Odin leads the Aesir and the einherjar into battle at Ragnarok

  "Odin advances with all the asas and all the blessed einherjes"

• attestation: Anderson describes Odin as the historical founder of the Teutonic race, referencing the euhemerized account

  "a study of the historical anthropomorphized Odin. With a view of giving a pretty complete outline of the founder of the Teutonic race"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > Foreword.

• attestation: Odin fled out of Asia to the north country when Pompey harried the eastern region

  "when Pompey, a Roman chieftain, harried in the east region, Odin fled out of Asia and hither to the north country"

• attestation: Odin claimed Priamos had been called Odin and his queen Frigg, and from Frigg the realm was named Frigia

  "Priamos had hight Odin and his queen Frigg, and from this the realm afterward took its name and was called Frigia"

• relationship: The genealogy from Thor through twenty generations leads to Vodin (Odin), famous for wisdom

  "he had the son who is called Vodin, whom we call Odin; he was a famous man for wisdom and all accomplishments. His wife hight Frigida, whom we call Frigg"

• attestation: Odin had the power of divination, as did his wife, and foresaw his fame in the north

  "Odin had the power of divination, and so had his wife, and from this knowledge he found out that his name would be held high in the north part of the world"

• attestation: Odin traveled from Turkey with many people and costly things to Saxland

  "he was eager to begin his journey from Turkey, and he had with him very many people, young and old, men and women, and he had with him many costly things"

• attestation: Odin continued north and came to Reidgotaland, conquering everything he desired

  "Odin continued his journey northward and came into the country which was called Reidgotaland"

• relationship: Odin established his son Skjold in the land now called Denmark; Skjold's son was Fridleif

  "He established there his son, who hight Skjold; his son hight Fridleif; from him is descended the race which hight Skjoldungs; these are the Dane kings"

• attestation: Odin established his son Saming as king in Norway

  "there he established his son in the kingdom, which is now called Norway; he is hight Saming"

• attestation: Odin's son Yngve became king in Sweden, and from him descend the Ynglings

  "Odin had with him that son who is called Yngve, who was king in Sweden, and from him is descended the families called Ynglings"

• attestation: The Aesir took wives in the land and their families became so numerous they spread from Saxland across the north

  "The asas took to themselves wives there within the land"

• attestation: The tongue of the Asiamen became the native tongue of all the northern lands

  "the tongue of these Asiamen became the native tongue of all these lands"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter V. > The Creation--(Continued.)

• attestation: The three sons of Bor each gave different gifts: spirit/life, reason/motion, form/speech/senses

  "The first gave them spirit and life; the second endowed them with reason and power of motion; and the third gave them form, speech, hearing and eyesight"

• attestation: In Asgard is Hlidskjalf, a high-seat from which Odin can see over the whole world

  "In Asgard is a place called Hlidskjalf, and when Odin seated himself there in the high-seat, he saw over the whole world"

• relationship: Odin's wife Frigg was the daughter of Fjorgvin

  "His wife hight Frigg, and she was the daughter of Fjorgvin"

• attestation: The Aesir are described as the divine race from which the asa-race has descended

  "from their offsp"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Vii. > On The Wonderful Things In Heaven.

• attestation: Odin sacrificed one of his eyes as a pledge to drink from Mimer's well

  "Alfather once came there and asked for a drink from the well, but he did not get it before he left one of his eyes as a pledge"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Viii. > The Asas.

• attestation: Odin is the highest and oldest of the Aesir; the other gods serve him as children serve a father

  "Odin is the highest and oldest of the asas. He rules all things, but the other gods, each according to his might, serve him as children a father"

• attestation: Odin is called Alfather because he is father of all gods, and Valfather because all who fall in battle are his chosen sons

  "Odin is called Alfather, for he is the father of all the gods; he is also called Valfather, for all who fall in fight are his chosen sons"

• attestation: Odin prepares Valhal and Vingolf for his einherjes (fallen heroes)

  "For them he prepares Valhal and Vingolf, where they are called einherjes (heroes)"

• attestation: Odin's second son is Balder, the best of the asas, praised by all, so bright that rays of light issue from him

  "Odin's second son is Balder, and of him good things are to be told. He is the best, and all praise him. He is so fair of face and so bright that rays of light issue from him"

• attestation: Odin's many names exist because all peoples turned his name into their own tongue for worship and prayer

  "as there are many tongues in the world, so all peoples thought they ought to turn his name into their tongue, in order that they might be able to worship him and pray to him each in its own language."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Xii. > Life In Valhal.

• attestation: All who have fallen in battle since the beginning come to Odin in Valhalla

  "all men who since the beginning of the world have fallen in battle have come to Odin in Valhal"

• attestation: Odin is called a very great chief who commands a mighty host in Valhal

  "I know that Odin is a very great chief, since he commands so mighty a host."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Xv. > The Death Of Balder.

• attestation: Odin took Balder's death most to heart, best comprehending the loss it was to the asas

  "Odin took this misfortune most to heart, since he best comprehended how great a loss and injury the fall of Balder was to the asas."

• attestation: Odin laid his gold ring Draupner on Balder's funeral pile; the ring produced eight equal rings every ninth night

  "Odin laid on the funeral-pile his gold ring, Draupner, which had the property of producing, every ninth night, eight gold rings of equal weight"

• attestation: Balder's funeral was attended by Odin with Frigg and valkyries, Frey with boar Gullinburste, Heimdal on Gulltop, and Freyja with her cats

  "First of all came Odin, accompanied by Frigg and the valkyries and his ravens. Frey came riding in his chariot drawn by the boar called Gullinburste or Slidrugtanne. Heimdal rode his steed Gulltop, and Freyja drove her cats"

• attestation: Odin saw Loke's hiding place from Hlidskjalf, and Kvaser, the wisest of the asas, deduced the net design from the ashes

  "Odin had seen from Hlidskjalf where Loke kept himself. Loke immediately sprang up, cast the net on the fire and leaped into the river. When the asas came to the house, he entered first who was wisest of them all, and whose name was Kvaser; and when he saw in the fire the ashes of the net that had been burned, he understood that this must be a contrivance for catching fish"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Xvi. > Ragnarok.

• attestation: Odin rides to Mimer's well for counsel before the final battle

  "Odin rides to Mimer's well to ask advice of Mimer for himself and his folk"

• attestation: Odin advances against the Fenris-wolf wearing his golden helmet and carrying his spear Gungner

  "Odin rides first; with his golden helmet, resplendent byrnie, and his spear Gungner, he advances against the Fenris-wolf"

• attestation: Odin possesses the spear Gungner and wears a golden helmet and resplendent byrnie

  "his spear Gungner"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter I. > æGer'S Journey To Asgard.

• attestation: At the feast, Odin had swords brought in that were so bright they served as the only light

  "Odin had swords brought into the hall, and they were so bright that it glistened from them so that there was no need of any other light"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Ii. > Idun And Her Apples.

• attestation: Odin, Loke, and Honer traveled together over mountains and heaths where they could find no food

  "three asas, Odin, Loke and Honer, went on a journey over mountains and heaths, where they could get nothing to eat"

• attestation: The three gods found cattle in a valley and took an ox but could not get the broth to boil

  "when they came down into a valley they saw a herd of cattle. From this herd they took an ox and went to work to boil it"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iii. > How Njord Got Skade To Wife.

• attestation: Odin cast Thjasse's eyes into heaven where they became stars, as additional atonement to Skade

  "Odin did even more than was asked, in that he took Thjasse's eyes and cast them up into heaven, and made two stars of them"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > The Origin Of Poetry.

• attestation: Odin caused nine thralls to kill each other by throwing a whet-stone in the air so they scrambled with scythes

  "he threw the whet-stone up in the air, and when all wished to catch it they scrambled about it in such a manner that each brought his scythe onto the other's neck."

• attestation: Odin called himself Bolverk and offered to do the work of nine men for the giant Bauge, brother of Suttung, in exchange for a drink of Suttung's mead

  "Odin called himself Bolverk. He offered to undertake the work of the nine men for Bauge, but asked in payment therefor a drink of Suttung's mead."

• attestation: With three draughts Odin emptied all three mead vessels: Odrarer, Bodn, and Son

  "With the first draught he emptied Odrarer, in the second Bodn, and in the third Son, and thus he had all the mead."

• attestation: Odin flew back as an eagle; Suttung pursued in eagle form; Odin spewed the mead into jars at Asgard

  "he took on the guise of an eagle, and flew off as fast as he could. When Suttung saw the flight of the eagle, he also took on the shape of an eagle and flew after him."

• attestation: Mead Odin accidentally sent backward during escape became the share of poetasters -- anyone could have it

  "he sent some of the mead after him backward, and as no care was taken of this, anybody that wished might have it. This we call the share of poetasters."

• attestation: Suttung's mead was given to the asas and to those able to make verses; hence poetry is called Odin's prey, find, drink, gift, and drink of the asas

  "Suttung's mead Odin gave to the asas and to those men who are able to make verses. Hence we call songship Odin's prey, Odin's find, Odin's drink, Odin's gift, and the drink of the asas."

• attestation: A kenning is a poetical periphrasis, as when Odin is called 'Ygg's replacement' or 'god of freight'

  "the third sort of diction is called kenning (a poetical periphrasi"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > Thor And Hrungner.

• attestation: Odin rode Sleipner to Jotunheim and wagered his head that no horse in Jotunheim could match his steed

  "Odin rode on his horse Sleipner to Jotunheim, and came to the giant whose name is Hrungner."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > Idun.

• attestation: Odin, Loke, and Honer were together when the giant attacked, with Loke called 'husband of Sigyn' and 'wolf's father'

  "the unsuspecting gods, Odin, Loke and Honer, were sitting."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > Loke'S Wager With The Dwarfs.

• attestation: Odin received Gungner, Thor received Sif's hair, and Frey received Skidbladner from Loke's treasures; Odin received the ring, Frey the boar, Thor the hammer from Brok's

  "Loke gave to Odin the spear Gungner, to Thor the hair, which Sif was to have, and to Frey, Skidbladner"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > The Niflungs And Gjukungs.

• attestation: Odin, Honer, and Loke traveled together to learn the whole world; Loke killed an otter near a force with a stone throw

  "three asas went abroad to learn to know the whole world, Odin, Honer and Loke. They came to a river, and walked along the river-bank to a force, and near the force was an otter."

• attestation: Odin sent Loke to capture the dwarf Andvare, who lived as a fish in water, and demanded all his gold as ransom

  "Odin sent Loke to the home of the swarthy elves, and he came to the dwarf whose name is Andvare, and who lived as a fish, in the water. Loke caught him in his hands, and demanded of him, as a ransom for his life, all the gold that he had in his rock."

• attestation: Odin kept Andvare's ring for himself, finding it fair, and gave Hreidmar the rest of the gold

  "when the latter saw the ring, it seemed to him a fair one, and he took it and put it aside, giving Hreidmar the rest of the gold."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > Menja And Fenja.

• relationship: Odin had a son Skjold from whom the Skjoldungs descend; Skjold ruled Denmark (then called Gotland)

  "Odin had a son by name Skjold, from whom the Skjoldungs are descended. He had his throne and ruled in the lands that are now called Denmark, but were then called Gotland."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > The Historical Odin.

• attestation: This section discusses the historical/euhemerized Odin based on Heimskringla

  "The historical or anthropomorphized Odin"

• attestation: This section discusses the historical/euhemerized Odin based on Heimskringla

  "the historical Odin"

• attestation: This section discusses the historical/euhemerized Odin based on Heimskringla

  "It is said that the earth's circle (Heimskringla), which the"

• attestation: Odin went with a great army against the Vanaland people; the war was indecisive and they made peace

  "Odin went out with a great army against the Vanaland people"

• attestation: This section discusses the historical/euhemerized Odin based on Heimskringla

  "There goes a great mountain barrier from northeast to southw"

• attestation: This section discusses the historical/euhemerized Odin based on Heimskringla

  "[Footnote 118: Ancient Norse writers connect this event with"

• attestation: Odin's desire for revenge on the Romans is argued to have been a ruling principle of his whole conduct after being driven from his eastern homeland

  "a desire of being revenged on the Romans was one of the ruling principles of Odin's whole conduct. Driven by those foes of universal liberty from his former home in the east"

• attestation: Odin traversed many distant lands and established doctrines of valor to unite all Teutonic nations against the Romans

  "Odin had no other view in traversing so many distant lands, and in establishing with so much zeal his doctrines of valor, than to arouse all Teutonic nations, and unite them against so formidable and odious a race as the Romans."

• attestation: Odin's descendants eventually overturned the Roman Empire, avenging the insult Pompey offered their founder centuries before

  "the descendants of Odin fell like a swarm of locusts upon this unhappy empire, and, after giving it many terrible shocks, eventually overturned it, thus completely avenging the insult offered so many centuries before by Pompey to their founder Odin."

• attestation: Odin settled at Lake Malar at Sigtun, erected a large temple, and gave domains to the temple gods

  "Odin took up his residence at the Malar lake, at the place now called Sigtun.[123] There he erected a large temple, where there were sacrifices according to the customs of the Asaland people."

• attestation: Odin distributed domains to the gods: Njord dwelt in Noatun, Frey in Upsal, Heimdal in Himinbjorg, Thor in Thrudvang, Balder in Breidablik

  "Njord dwelt in Noatun, Frey in Upsal, Heimdal in Himinbjorg, Thor in Thrudvang, Balder in Breidablik"

• attestation: Odin and Gylfe competed with many tricks and enchantments, but the Asaland people always had superiority

  "Odin and Gylfe had many tricks and enchantments against each other; but the Asaland people had always the superiority."

• attestation: This section discusses the historical/euhemerized Odin based on Heimskringla

  "[Footnote 123: Sigtun. Sige, Ger. Sieg, (comp. Sigfrid,) m"

• attestation: Odin could transform his shape into fish, worm, bird, or beast while his body lay as if dead, traveling to distant lands

  "Odin could transform his shape; his body would lie as if dead or asleep, but then he would be in the shape of a fish, or worm, or bird, or beast, and be off in a twinkling to distant lands upon his own or other peoples' business."

• attestation: Odin could quench fire, still ocean tempests, and turn the wind to any quarter with words alone

  "With words alone he could quench fire, still the ocean in tempest, and turn the wind to any quarter he pleased."

• attestation: Odin had a ship called Skidbladner that could sail wide seas and be rolled up like cloth

  "Odin had a ship, which he called Skidbladner,[126] in which he sailed over wide seas, and which he could roll up like a cloth."

• attestation: Odin carried Mimer's head with him, which told him all the news of other countries

  "Odin carried with him Mimer's head, which told him all the news of other countries."

• attestation: Odin could call the dead out of the earth and sat beside burial-mounds, earning titles ghost-sovereign and lord of the mounds

  "Sometimes even he called the dead out of the earth, or set himself beside the burial-mounds; whence he was called the ghost-sovereign, and the lord of the mounds."

• attestation: Odin had two ravens he taught to speak, which flew throughout the land bringing him news

  "He had two ravens,[127] to whom he had taught the speech of man; and they flew far and wide through the land, and brought him the news."

• attestation: Odin practiced magic (seidr), through which he could know men's fated destinies, bring death or ill-luck, or transfer strength and wit between people

  "Odin also understood the art in which the greatest power is lodged, and which he himself practiced, namely, what is called magic. By means of this he could know beforehand the predestined fate[128] of men, or their not yet completed lot, and also bring on the death, ill-luck or bad health of people, or take away the strength or wit from one person and give it to another."

• attestation: Magic/witchcraft was considered unrespectable for men to practice, so priestesses were trained in this art instead

  "But after such witchcraft followed such weakness and anxiety, that it was not thought respectable for men to practice it; and therefore the priestesses were brought up in this art."

• attestation: Odin taught his arts in runes and songs called incantations, giving the Asaland people the name incantation-smiths

  "He taught all these arts in runes and songs, which are called incantations, and therefore the Asaland people are called incantation-smiths."

• attestation: People sacrificed to Odin and the twelve chiefs of Asaland, calling them gods and believing in them long afterward

  "People sacrificed to Odin, and the twelve chiefs of Asaland,--called them their gods, and believed in them long after."

• attestation: The name Audun derived from Odin's name, and Thor's name gave rise to Thorer, Thorarinn, Steinthor, and Hafthor

  "From Odin's name came the name Audun, which people gave to his sons; and from Thor's name came Thorer, also Thorarinn; and it was also sometimes augmented by other additions, as Steinthor, Hafthor"

• attestation: Odin established laws that all dead men should be burned with their property and the ashes cast into the sea

  "Odin established the same law in his land that had been before in Asaland. Thus he established by law that all dead men"

• attestation: Odin died in his bed in Sweden and was burned with great splendor

  "Odin died in his bed in Sweden"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Vi. > Karl Blind.

• comparison: Dark elves are often confounded with dwarfs and seem identical, though Odin's Raven's Song distinguishes them

  "The dark elves are often confounded with the dwarfs, with whom they, indeed, seem identical, although they are distinguished in Odin's Raven's Song."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter VI of Ynglinga / Saga

• attestation: This passage from Ynglinga Saga Chapter VI describes Odin's supernatural powers as a historical figure

  "text reads "Ynglingla"

the much-traveled man, the / ἀνὴρ πολύτροπος _text r"