The name Odin means ‘Rage,’Fury,’ or ‘Inspiration’ however Odin go by many names including Wotan, Wodan, Grimnir, Valfodr and over 170 other. The day Wednesday is named after him (Wodan’s Day). He is the leader of the Aesir and not king which he is sometimes wrongly interpreted as.

 

Odin is the son of Bor and Bestla, and Husband to Frigg and lover to many women of the nine realms. Odin had many sons as well, Baldr and Hodr were born from his wife Frigg, Thor and Melli were born from the Goddess Jord, Tyr was born from the Goddess Saga, Vidar was born from the Jotun Gridr, Vali from the Jotun Rindr and Bragi from the Jotun Gunnlod. He is rumoured to have many more besides these.

 

He is normally accompanied by Huginn and Muninn, his two ravens that flew all over the realms bringing him back news of the nine realms, their names respectively mean ‘thought’ and ‘memory’  He is also accompanied by two wolves when on his travels, called Geri and Freki, ‘the Ravenous one’ and ‘the Greedy one’he feeds them his food as Odin needs only drink to live.. Finally his horse, Sleipnir, ‘the Slipper,’ pulled his chariot and had 8 legs. It is the best of all the horses and was birthed by the god Loki in the disguise of a chestnut mare.

 

Odin has two halls in which he resides, the first is that of Valhalla ‘The Hall of the Fallen’ where half of all the honoured dead are taken to become Odin’s Einherjar. The roof is made from shields and its rafters are made of of spears and the gates are guarded by wolves loyal to Odin. Is stands in Asgardr in an area known as Gladsheimr or ‘Bright Home.’The second of his halls is Valaskjalf ‘The Shelf of the Slain,’ where sits Odin’s throne Hlidskjalf, ‘High shelf,’ from here Odin watches the nine realms and sees all. Its roof is said to be made of solid silver. It is also located in Asgardr somewhere high in the mountains.

 

He is the owner of two Dokkalfer (Dwarf) made artefacts. The first is his spear Gungnir ‘The Swaying One,’ it is so well balanced that it can strike all targets regardless of the skill of its wielder. It was made by the Sons of Ivaldi. The second is the arm ring named Draupnir ‘The Dripper,’ which made eight new identical arm rings every nine nights. An oath sworn on these rings could not be broken. They were forged by the dwarven brothers Brokkr and Eitri.

 

Odin was considered the wisest of beings in the nine realms and was constantly searching for more wisdom. He travelled to Mimmisbrunnr or ‘Mimirs well,’ in Jotunheimr to gain wisdom from the wise Jotun Mimir. He asked Mimir if he could drink from the waters which contained the wisdom and if he could use Mimir’s Gjallerhorn ‘Yelling Horn,’ as the container. He was allowed to but only if he sacrificed his eye. Odin preceded to remove his eye which he placed in the waters of Mimisbrunnr and then drank of the waters and gained great wisdom.

 

He also gained the knowledge of the runes by hanging himself from the world tree for nine nights pierced by his spear Gungnir and without even a drop of water passing his lips. There between the realms of life and death the runes showed themselves to him and all their secrets. Having acquired the knowledge he fell screaming from the tree. He had also learnt new chants and powerful magick such as the ability to speak to the dead.

 

He is destined to die at Ragnarok where he will lead his Einherjar onto the field wearing a golden helmet and a fantastic coat of mail. He will wield Gungnir and go straight for Fenrir, Loki’s Wolf son and will be swallowed whole, to be later avenged by his son Vidar who will tear open Fenrir’s jaws and kill him.