by Glenn “Maghnus” Wright
Odin is an ambivalent deity but he is the chief divinity of the Norse pantheon is the foremost of the Aesir. He is also called All-Father since he is the father of all the gods and actually goes by some 36 different names. The main reason for that is his tendency to disguise himself on his travels among ordinary people. Wearing a mask, a long hat and a green coat was his favorite disguise. His characteristics include being a god of war, battle, victory and death, but also wisdom, magic, poetry, prophecy, and the hunt. This array of attributes makes him open to patronage over a diversity of areas.
One cannot read Germanic or Norse mythology without encountering Odin and rightly so. His role, like that of many of the Norse gods, is complex. Odin is a principal member of the Æsir, the major group of the Norse pantheon. In the poem Völuspá, a völva tells Odin of numerous events reaching far into the past and future, including his own doom. Amongst various other events, the völva mentions Odin’s involvement in the Æsir-Vanir War, the oedipism of Odin’s eye at Mímir’s Well, the death of his son Baldr.
He hung for nine days, pierced by his own spear, on the world tree. It was here that he learned nine powerful songs, and eighteen runes. Odin has the ability to make the dead speak so that he can question the wisest amongst them thus increasing his own wisdom. His elements are the spear Gungnir, which never misses its target, the ring Draupnir, from which every ninth night eight new rings appear, and his eight-footed steed Sleipnir. He is accompanied by the wolves Freki and Geri, to whom he gives his food for he himself consumes nothing but wine. Odin has only one eye, (his other eye he traded for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, and gained immense knowledge) which blazes like the sun.
It is believed that Odin gives to worthy poets the mead of inspiration, made by the dwarfs, from the vessel Óð-rœrir. This and his patronage over magic and prophecy make him a very viable candidate for guidance by bards. An appropriate libation at ritual would be mead in return for the blessings that Odin may bestow. Mead has been known as the drink of the Norse throughout history and as such would no doubt be both welcome and appreciated by Odin.
Bibliography
Encyclopedia Mythica. Web. 03/02/2112 http://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/odin.html
