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Old Norse Online

Lesson 9

Todd B. Krause and Jonathan Slocum

Aesir and Vanir

The gods are divided into two major races or lineages, the Aesir and the Vanir. Reckoned among the Aesir are those gods best known from tellings and retellings of Norse myths. Chief among the Aesir is Odin, a divine father in much the same sense as Zeus or Jupiter. He is the god of poetic inspiration, mystery, and magic. He is invoked by warriors as their patron. He is married to the goddess Frigg, who knows men's fates. The god Thor is counted first among the sons of Odin. He is a warrior god and married to Sif. Bragi is another son of Odin, and also linked to poetic speech. He is married to the goddess Idunn, who keeps the apples of eternal youth. Odin's son Baldr, husband of Nanna, was killed by the blind god Hod. Tyr is also Odin's son, a god of war who lost his hand to the wolf Fenrir. Heimdall is the herald of the final battle, which brings destruction to the gods. His nemesis, Loki, is a fickle creature, part god, part demon. Loki married Sigyn, but produced with the giantess Angrboda three notorious offspring: the wolf Fenrir, the World Serpent Jormungand, and Hel, ruler of the other world.

The Vanir appear to be on equal footing with the Aesir. One of the Vanir, Njord, is god of seafaring, fishing and wealth. He married the contrariminded giantess Skadi. Njord begat the twins Freyr and Freyja, who were also lovers. Freyr married the giantess Gerd, and Freyja married Od. Both Freyr and Freyja are gods of fertility and produce.

Occupying a status somewhat beneath these two races are a number of other lesser deities: Hoenir, Kvasir, Gefjon, Vali, Vili, Ve, and Vidar, among others. Several types of supernatural creatures appear in Old Norse literature: dwarves, elves, norns, trolls, witches, valkyries. Chief among such creatures are the jötnar, a term usually translated as 'giants', but whose physical features are variable enough that the term only loosely applies. These 'giants' are the age-old rivals of the gods, and many stories tell of the conflict between the races.

Odin and Thor

Odin figures prominently in Norse mythology. The roles, however, in which he is found are so numerous and varied that any attemps to specify Odin as god of one or two specifc subjects or areas are generally impossible or impractical, and basically fundamentally misguided. A survey of some examples from Odin's host of epithets shows how fluid and changing Norse conceptions of the gods could be. Notable epithets are Alföðr (All-father), Valföðr (Father of the Slain), Hangaguð (God of the Hanged), Haptaguð (God of Captives), Farmaguð (God of Cargoes). These are but a small fraction of a much larger collection. A list found in Grímnismál includes Hnikarr (Inflamer), Bileygr (Weak-eyed), Báleygr (Fiery-eyed), Bölverkr (Evil-doer), Síðhöttr (Long-hood), Sigföðr (Father of Victory), Blindi (the Blind One), Göndlir (the One with the Magic Staff), Jálkr (Gelding), Kjalarr (Feeder), Viðurr (Destroyer), Yggr (Terror), Váfuðr (Wind), Veratýr (God of Men). Each of these presumably captures some characteristic or mythological exploit ascribed to Odin, and shows the malleable nature of the Norse belief system. Another common epithet, Grímr (the Masked One), along with Síðhöttr above, probably describes Odin's propensity for traveling in disguise. The appellation Hár is alternately translated as 'the High One' or 'the Blind One', depending on the etymology chosen. The references to blindness speak of the eye Odin gave in exchange for a drink from the wisdom-giving well Mimisbrunn.

Lest the panoply of epithets leave the impression that Odin is pure enigma, a few of his more dominant characteristics may be pointed out. First and foremost, Odin is the patron of poets and kings, as well as warriors and those involved in magic. His patronage, however, is tinged with treachery and deceit. In some stories Odin will spur a faithful warrior to victory, only to see that he is cut down later to join Odin in Valhalla. His willingness to deceive is underscored by his use of disguises and false names, and his shape-changing ability. This underhandedness is countered by a constant devotion to knowledge, sacrificing himself on a tree for wisdom, and trading an eye for a draught from the well of knowledge. Odin questions the wise, makes the dead talk, and sends the ravens Hugin and Munin to all corners of the earth in search of news.

Thor, by contrast, is a straighforward warrior. He constantly battles the enemies of the gods. Thor carries three monikers of his warrior status: the hammer Mjollnir, a belt of strength, and iron gloves. Thor is unrivalled in strength among the gods. He is also renowned for his drinking prowess. Many of Thor's exploits center on his struggles with the jötnar, arch-rivals of the gods. He fought the giant Hrungnir, whose head and heart were stone. When Hrungnir threw his whetstone at Thor, he responed by casting Mjollnir, which split the whetstone in two. The hammer continued through and crushed Hrungnir's skull, killing him, but one piece of the whetstone struck Thor and lodged itself in his head. Thor also battled Jormungand, the World Serpent, a struggle which is depicted in many Viking Age carvings.

Curiously, Thor is the only god mentioned in memorial inscriptions. Sources say he commands the air, thunder and lightning, winds and rains, fair weather, and crops. He more than any other is taken as a personal god, and his name is found as part of many personal names: Þorsteinn, Þorfinnr, Þorgerðr, Þorgunnr. In a temple at Uppsala Thor's statue was placed between Odin and Freyr, signalling his prominence in that region over the other gods.

Baldr and Loki

Baldr and Loki have an intertwined history according to mythological tradition. Baldr is very much the pride of the gods, foremost in countenance, eloquence and grace. Little definite is known about him. Loki, by contrast, is a mischievous character, full of spite and an incessant troublemaker. Though his impetuous actions often get the gods into severe trouble, Loki's wit and cunning are just as often what save the gods from defeat.

One story tells of a dream Baldr has presaging his death. When his dream becomes known to the other gods, this begins the causal paradox which leads to his ultimate demise. In the effort to save Baldr from misfortune, Frigg is enlisted to obtain oaths from all creatures that they should not harm Baldr. This done, the gods soon take to sporting with Baldr, hurling all sorts of weapons at him, confident they will have no effect. When Loki learns of the oaths, he disguises himself and asks Frigg if anything has yet to swear an oath. She replies that the mistletoe seemed too young to be asked. Loki then takes a shaft of mistletoe and tricks the blind god Hod to shoot it at his brother Baldr, who is promptly killed. The hero Hermod eventually rides to the other world, securing permission from Hel for Baldr to return from the dead, on one condition: that every creature weep for him. All creatures do this, save one hard-hearted giantess, presumably Loki in disguise. Eventually the angry gods capture Loki and chain him to rocks, with a snake dripping poison from above. Loki's destined escape will signal final doom for the gods.

Reading and Textual Analysis

The following is from the Völuspá 'Prophecy of the Seeress', first poem of the Poetic Edda as found in the Codex Regius. Though the manuscript dates from the 1270s, most scholars agree that the poem itself was composed some time in the late 900s. The poem is a cosmogony, though at times cryptic and vague. It begins at the behest of Odin (here called Valföðr), who asked the prophetess to tell of the beginning as far back as she can remember. She begins with the creation of the earth, then of time. The gods reside in peace until the arrival of three giantesses. Dwarves are mentioned, then the creation of man, then the fates. A woman of magic comes to the gods and spurs a war between the Aesir and Vanir. When peace comes, a giant offers to rebuild Asgard in exchange for the sun, moon, and Freyja. The poem goes on at length, eventually turning to events of the future, including Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods, at which time Baldr will return from the other world.

1 - Hlióðs bið ec allar helgar kindir,
        meiri oc minni, mögo Heimdalar;
        vildo, at ec, Valföðr, vel fyrtelia
        forn spioll fira, þau er fremst um man.

2 - Ec man iotna, ár um borna,
        þá er forðom mic fõdda höfðo;
        nío man ec heima, nío íviðior,
        miotvið mõran fyr mold neðan.

3 - Ár var alda, þat er Ymir bygði,
        vara sandr né sær né svalar unnir;
        iorð fannz æva né upphiminn,
        gap var ginnunga, enn gras hvergi.

4 - Áðr Burs synir bioðom um ypþo,
        þeir er miðgarð, mõran, scópo;
        sól scein sunnan á salar steina,
        þá var grund gróin grõnom lauki.

5 - Sól varp sunnan, sinni mána,
        hendi inni hõgri um himinioður;
        sól þat né vissi, hvar hon sali átti,
        stiornor þat né visso, hvar þær staði átto,
        máni þat né vissi, hvat hann megins átti.

6 - Þá gengo regin öll á röcstóla,
        ginnheilog goð, oc um þat gættuz:
        nótt oc niðiom nöfn um gáfo,
        morgin héto oc miðian dag,
        undorn oc aptan, árom at telia.

7 - Hittuz æsir á Iðavelli,
        þeir er hörg oc hof há timbroðo;
        afla lögðo, auð smíðoðo,
        tangir scópo oc tól gorðo.

8 - Teflðo í túni, teitir vóro,
        var þeim vættergis vant ór gulli,
        unz þriár qvómo þursa meyiar,
        ámátcar mioc, ór iotunheimom.

9 - Þá gengo regin öll á röcstóla,
        ginnheilog goð, oc um þat gættuz,
        hverr scyldi dverga dróttin scepia,
        ór Brimis blóði oc ór Bláins leggiom.

10 - Þar var Mótsognir mæztr um orðinn
        dverga allra, enn Durinn annarr;
        þeir manlícon mörg um gorðo,
        dvergar, ór iorðo, sem Durinn sagði.

11 - Nýi oc Niði, Norðri oc Suðri,
        Austri oc Vestri, Alþiófr, Dvalinn,
        Bívörr, Bávörr, Bömburr, Nóri,
        Án oc Ánarr, Ái, Miöðvitnir.

12 - Veigr oc Gandálfr, Vindálfr, Þráinn,
        Þeccr oc Þorinn, Þrór, Vitr oc Litr,
        Már oc Nýráðr -- nú hefi ec dverga
        -- Reginn oc Ráðsviðr -- rétt um talða.

13 - Fíli, Kíli, Fundinn, Náli,
        Hepti, Víli, Hánarr, Svíurr,
        Frár, Hornbori, Frægr oc Lóni,
        Aurvangr, Iari, Eikinscialdi.

14 - Mál er, dverga í Dvalins liði
        lióna kindom til Lofars telia,
        þeir er sótto frá salar steini
        aurvanga siöt til Iorovalla.

15 - Þar var Draupnir oc Dólgþrasir,
        Hár, Haugspori, Hlévangr, Glói,
        Scirvir, Virvir, Scáfiðr, Ái,

16 - Álfr oc Yngvi, Eikinscialdi,
        Fialarr oc Frosti, Finnr oc Ginnarr;
        þat mun uppi, meðan öld lifir,
        langniðia tal Lofars hafat.

17 - Unz þrír qvómo ór því liði,
        öfligir oc ástgir, æsir, at húsi;
        fundo á landi, lítt megandi,
        Asc oc Emblo, ørlöglausa.

18 - Önd þau né átto, óð þau né höfðo,
        lá né læti né lito góða;
        önd gaf Óðinn, óð gaf Hõnir,
        lá gaf Lóðurr oc lito góða.

19 - Asc veit ec standa, heitir Yggdrasill,
        hár baðmr, ausinn hvítaauri;
        þaðan koma döggvar, þærs í dala falla,
        stendr æ yfir, grõnn, urðar brunni.