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Odin is the Allfather, the chief of the Norse gods, and the god of wisdom, war, death, poetry, magic and the runes. Here is who he is, what he rules, the ravens that bring him news, and the fate he cannot escape.
Who is Odin?
Odin is the chief of the Aesir and the most complex of the Norse gods — a god of war and death, but also of wisdom, poetry, magic and the runes. He is called the Allfather, one-eyed, grey-bearded and cloaked, forever wandering the worlds in disguise in search of knowledge. He gave one eye to drink from Mimir's well and hung nine nights on Yggdrasil to win the runes.
He is called the Allfather (Old Norse Alföðr) because he is the father of all the gods. Snorri Sturluson gives him this name in the Prose Edda. He is also called Valföðr, Father of the Slain, because the warriors who fall in battle are his chosen sons.
What is Odin the god of?
- Domains — wisdom, war, death, poetry, magic, the runes
- World — Asgard
- Day — Wednesday
- Animal — raven, wolf
- Offerings — beer, wine, mead, bread, poetry; a spear pendant, a raven charm, small silver
- Herbs — mugwort, yarrow · Wood — ash · Metal — iron, silver
Kin — Parents: Borr and Bestla · Brothers: Vili and Ve · Consort: Frigg · Children: Thor, Baldr, Hodr, Hermod, Vidar, Vali
Odin's spear, ring and ravens
Odin wields the spear Gungnir, which never misses, and wears the ring Draupnir. Two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory), fly out each day and bring him news of all the worlds, and two wolves sit at his feet. From his high seat Hlidskjalf he sees everything. He rules Valhalla, gathering slain warriors for the last battle, yet he knows all his cunning cannot save him: at Ragnarok the wolf Fenrir will swallow him whole.
Odin won the runes on Yggdrasil, and the first of them is Fehu, the rune of wealth.
Questions
Who is Odin in Norse mythology?
Odin is the chief of the Norse gods, the Allfather. He is the god of wisdom, war, death, poetry, magic and the runes, and he rules Valhalla.
What happened to Odin's eye?
He gave it to drink from Mimir's well, the well of wisdom beneath one of Yggdrasil's roots. The eye stays in the well.
Who is Odin's father?
Borr. His mother is the giantess Bestla, and his brothers are Vili and Ve.
What are Odin's ravens called?
Huginn, which means thought, and Muninn, which means memory. Each day they fly over all the worlds and bring him news.
Which day is named after Odin?
Wednesday, from Woden's day: Woden is the Old English name for Odin.