Odin

Chief of the Æsir (Allfǫðr — Allfather); central deity of Norse mythology. Wisdom-and-poetry god; receiver of the slain at Valhǫll. Sacrificed his right eye at Mímir's well for wisdom; hung himself on Yggdrasil for nine nights, pierced by his own spear, to receive the runes (Hávamál Rúnatal). Wields Gungnir and Draupnir; rides Sleipnir; accompanied by ravens Huginn and Muninn and wolves Geri and Freki. Father of Baldr by Frigg; father of Þórr by Jǫrð (the giantess earth-personification); father of Sæmingr by Skaði per Háleygjatal — the Norse pattern of god-jǫtunn unions producing royal-genealogical heirs is consistent. Tacitus Germania 9 (1st c. CE) is the earliest external attestation, via Roman interpretatio identifying Mercury (Germanic Wōden / Odin) as chief Germanic deity. The major cult centers were Gamla Uppsala (Sweden), Lejre (Denmark), and Hlaðir (Norway). Christianization of Scandinavia 10th-12th c. CE displaced active worship; the textual recording (Snorri, Codex Regius) is medieval-saga from the 13th c., separated from the cult by 200+ years.

Parentage

• parent: Borr
• parent: Bestla

Children

• Baldr
• Bragi
• Heimdall
• Höðr
• Sigi
• Thor
• Váli
• Víðarr

Domains

• kingship of Æsir Allfather
• wisdom poetry rune magic
• war and battle death
• patron of Yngling and Hlaðir jarls genealogy

Powers

• Chant spell-songs (galdr)
• Shapeshift into beasts
• Raise and question the dead
• Work runic magic
• Work seiðr sorcery

Epithets

• Alfǫðr old-norse · eddicAll-father; father of all gods and menSnorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning 3 & 20 (Prose Edda) (primary); Grímnismál 48 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Sigfǫðr old-norse · eddicFather of victory / war-fatherGrímnismál 48 (Poetic Edda) (primary); Vǫluspá 55 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Valfǫðr old-norse · eddicFather of the slain; lord of the chosen battle-deadVǫluspá 1, 27 (Poetic Edda) (primary); Snorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning 20 (Prose Edda) (primary)
• Hangaguð / Hangatýr old-norse · skaldicGod of the hanged; god of the gallows (the self-sacrifice on Yggdrasill)Snorri Sturluson, Ynglinga saga / Gylfaginning (Hangaguð) (primary); Simek, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, s.v. Hangatýr (secondary)
• Hárr / Jafnhárr / Þriði old-norse · eddicHigh, Just-as-high, Third — the three enthroned Odinic figuresSnorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning 2 (Prose Edda) (primary); Grímnismál 46 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Grímnir old-norse · eddicThe masked/hooded oneGrímnismál, prose frame & st. 47-49 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Gangleri old-norse · eddicThe wanderer / way-weary oneGrímnismál 46 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Bǫlverkr old-norse · eddicWorker of misfortune / evil-doer (name used in the mead-of-poetry theft)Grímnismál 47 (Poetic Edda) (primary); Snorri Sturluson, Skáldskaparmál (mead of poetry) (primary)
• Herjann old-norse · eddicHost-lord; lord of armies (the war-leader of the einherjar)Grímnismál 46 (Poetic Edda); Völuspá 30 (primary)
• Þundr old-norse · eddicThe thunderer / the roaring oneGrímnismál 46, 54 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Yggr old-norse · eddicThe terrible one (whence Yggdrasill, “Yggr’s steed”)Grímnismál 53–54 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Hroptatýr old-norse · eddicGod of the cry / the sage-godGrímnismál 54; Hávamál 160 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Veratýr old-norse · eddicGod of men / of beingsGrímnismál 3 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Gautr old-norse · eddicThe Geat; ancestral progenitor of the GautarGrímnismál 54 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Báleygr old-norse · eddicFlame-eyedGrímnismál 47 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Bileygr old-norse · eddicWeak-eyed / one-eyed (he gave one eye for wisdom)Grímnismál 47 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Síðhǫttr old-norse · eddicBroad-hat; the low-slouched-hat wandererGrímnismál 48 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Fjǫlnir old-norse · eddicThe concealer / much-knowingGrímnismál 47 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Hnikarr old-norse · eddicThe inciter; the storm-stiller invoked by seafarersGrímnismál 47; Reginsmál 18–19 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Farmatýr old-norse · eddicGod of cargoes; patron of burdens and seafaringGrímnismál 48 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Óski old-norse · eddicGod of wishes; fulfiller of desireGrímnismál 49 (Poetic Edda) (primary)
• Hárbarðr old-norse · eddicGrey-beard; the ferryman who taunts ÞórrGrímnismál 49; Hárbarðsljóð (Poetic Edda) (primary)

Relations

• spouse: FriggQueen of the Æsir, wife of Odin and mother of Baldr.Vafþrúðnismál; Lokasenna 26-27 (primary)
• sibling: VéReciprocal of norse_ve.sibling (alphabetical family sweep). (auto reciprocal)
• sibling: ViliReciprocal of norse_vili.sibling (alphabetical family sweep). (auto reciprocal)
• equated with: WodenCognates < PGmc *Wodanaz; weekday calque (dies Mercurii > Wodnesdæg/Óðinsdagr) and royal pedigrees align them; Edda Prologue glosses 'Voden, whom we call Odin'. OE side is genealogical-toponymic, no surviving myths.Snorri Sturluson, Prose Edda, Prologue ('Voden, þann köllum vér Óðin') (primary); J. de Vries, Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte, 2nd ed. (1956-57) (secondary)
• ally: LokiReciprocal of norse_loki.ally — Loki invokes the blood-brotherhood (fóstbrœðralag) he once swore with Odin, who pledged never to drink unless ale was borne to them both.Lokasenna st. 9 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Poetic Edda (Vǫluspá, Hávamál, Vafþrúðnismál, Grímnismál, Lokasenna, etc.); Snorri's Prose Edda (Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál); Heimskringla (Ynglinga saga); Háleygjatal; Tacitus Germania 9 (1st c. CE — the earliest external attestation, identifying Mercury as the chief Germanic deity); Adam of Bremen Gesta Hammaburgensis 4.26-27 (Uppsala temple) (primary)