ODIN

In Norse mythology, Odin is the chief of the Aesir and father to many of the other powerful gods. Despite his high standing, many Greeks were quick to associate Odin with Hermes rather than Zeus, because of the number of trickster stories associated with him. Within the Prose Edda of Snorri

Sturluson, over thirty names are given for Odin, illustrating the number of stories attributed to him. Among the names are Grim or Grimnir, both meaning Masked One; Svipall or Changeable One; and Balverk, Worker-of-evil. These names are each used within different stories related to Odin and are used at the appropriate times to show his diverse personalities.

One of the characteristics of Odin is that he has the ability to foresee the future. Odin gained this ability when he drank of the spring of Mimir, which holds “hidden wisdom and understanding” in exchange for one of his eyes (Sturluson, Prose Edda 43). This wisdom allows Odin to earn the name Fjolsvid, or very-wise one, in many of his tales.

One of the myths of Odin as Balverk occurs over the taking of Suttung’s mead, or the mead that brings poetry. Odin gains the confidence of Suttung’s brother, Baugi by working for him in place of nine serfs, and asking as payment, a drink of Suttung’s mead. Baugi is unaware that Odin is responsible for the death of the nine serfs by throwing them a hone that causes a very sharp edge on blades, after sharpening their scythes. When Odin throws the hone, all nine of the serfs reach for it and unintentionally slit each others’ throats. After Odin worked for Baugi for a summer, he asked for his payment. Baugi and Odin go to Suttung, but Suttung refuses to give them a drop of the mead. Odin convinces Baugi that they must get the mead by means of a trick. They decide to bore a hole through Suttung’s mountain and when Baugi has accomplished this, Odin transforms himself into a serpent and crawls through the hole, leaving Baugi without any way of receiving mead. Inside the mountain, Odin finds Gunnlod, Suttung’s daughter and sleeps with her for three nights, at which point, Gunnlod gives Odin three drinks of mead. Odin is able to drink all of Suttung’s mead in his three drinks and thus there is no mead left for anyone else. After achieving his goal, Odin changes into an eagle and flies back to Asgard.