The Æsir, Nordic Mythology

As this is Æsir Books I thought it was time to have a go at describing the Aesir. In Norse mythology there was originally two groups of gods. There was the Aesir and the Vanir. After the Æsir-Vanir war these two groups unified to become one pantheon. The Æsir were formed by the sons of Bor and were led by the god Odin. They built a wonderous home over Midgard (the world) called Asgard. Over the universe grew Yggdrasil, the world tree. The three roots of the tree reached the three zones, Asgard, Midgard and the Niflheim (the underworld).

The gods of the Æsir

Odin
Odin comes from the Old Norse Óðinn. In Anglo-Saxon sources he is refered to as Woden, Wodan or Wotan. Nordic sources such as Snorri Sturluson, refer to him as the father of the gods. He is the wisest and most powerful. He is sturdy and warrior like. He is often depicted with one eye and with a grey beard (hence the nickname Harbard, meaning “Hairy Beard”). The eye was sacrificed in the pursuit of wisdom. Odin came to Mimir’s well. The waters of the well impart cosmic knowledge. The price Mimir asked for this knowledge was Odin’s eye. He is married to Frigg. Some sources say he is also married to Jord, with whom he had Thor. He has many names that describe his different mystical affiliations. Some of his names include “The All-Father,” “The Father of the Slain,” “The Father of the Victories,” “The God of the Captured” and “The God of the Hanged”. Whilst the first title refers to his position in the Nordic pantheon the next three refer to his function as a battle god. The last title refers to those sacrificial victims rendered unto him. These were modeled on the sacrifice of Odin himself.

Odin The Wanderer By Georg von Rosen – Appeared in the 1893 Swedish translation of the Poetic Edda. Immediate source: http://www.ginnungagap.info/gge_pic6.asp (accessed July 14th 2005). Taken from the English Wikipedia., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=225899

Tyr
Tyr, from the Old Norse Týr, became a more marginalised god, after starting out as one of the major war gods (some say he was once the head of the pantheon) along with Odin and Thor. He lost one of his hand to the wolf Fenrir. The gods had decided to shackle to wolf. This could only be done with a special ribbon made by the dwarves called Gleipnir. The wolf refused to be bound unless one of the gods put his hand in the wolf’s mouth. Tyr, known for his wisdom and courage agreed to do it. After Finrir was bound he struggled to break free. Enraged when he couldn’t he bit Tyr’s right hand off. This is suggestive of Tyr’s other judicial role in matters involving the law, justice and oaths.

Tyr feeding Fenrir (the title given to this illustration in the book) |Source=”The Heroes of Asgard : Tales from Scandinavian Mythology / by A. & E. Keary with illustrations by Huard”

Thor
Thor, from the Old Norse Þórr, is dependable and predictable and steadfast in his persecution of the giants. He is very prominent in Norse mythology. He was the inspiration for the human warrior. He has courage and an enduring sense of duty. Thor is the son of Odin and Fyorgin or Jorth (meaning “earth”). He is described as being large in size, appetite, thirst and anger. As well has his famous hammer, Mjölnir, and chariot, he also has iron gloves and a girdle of power. His hall is called Thrudheim or Thrudvang (meaning “home of power”). He is married to Sif, who is supposed to have the most beautiful hair of the goddesses. His daughter is called Thrud, representing physical might.

Thor By Mårten Eskil Winge – 3gGd_ynWqGjGfQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22007120

Balder
Balder, from the Old Norse Baldr, has brilliant shining white hair and is the most beautiful of the gods. He is of a kind and gentle disposition. He is also noted for his wisdom. He is the second son of Odin. Although there are not many myths in which he is the central character, the ones that he is are among the most important. He has attributes, such as forgiveness, which are similar to those of Christ. His death and resurrection also have parallels with Christ. His death by Loki is one of the major events causing the eventual apocalypse, Ragnarök. The story of his death started with Balder’s dream foreshadowing his own death. His mother, Frigg managed to convince everything on earth not to harm him except mistletoe. The gods, believing that Balder was immune to everything started throwing things at him. However Loki, having learned from Frigg about the mistletoe whilst disguised as a woman, plucked some of the plant out of the earth. He made a magical spear with the mistletoe and gave it to Hod (Nordic Höðr), who inadvertently killed Balder with it. Much grieved at their loss the gods asked for a volunteer to go to Hel. Hermod (Hermóðr) agreed to go. He found Balder seated in a place of honour. He learned that Balder could only return if all things, living and dead, would weep for him. All things did weep except one. A giantess, the disguised loki.Thus he had to remain until the world would revive after his destruction.

Balder the Good By Jacques Reich – Bradish, Sarah Powers. (1900) Old Norse Stories, page 112. American Book Company, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4175304

Bragi
Bragi is the god of poetry. Bragi is considered to be associated with Bragr, the Nordic word for poetry. As there was a strong aural tradition of story telling, Bragi was an important god, if not quite as reveared as some of the other gods. He is described in the Prose Edda as a god of the skalds (Nordic Poets). His father was Odin. He is often depicted in Valhalla (Odin’s hall and the place where slain warriors go) greeting the recently departed souls. He regails them with his poetic tales. Bragi is slighted by Loki (the trickster god) when Bragi tries to forbid him from entering the hall. He is overruled by Odin. Loki gives greetings to all the gods and goddesses in the hall except Bragi. Bragi, as a peace-offering offers Loki his sword, horse and an arm ring. Loki responds by calling him a coward and questions his ability as a warrior.

Bragi with a harp.
Published in 1882.
Source Wägner, Wilhelm. 1882. Nordisch-germanische Götter und Helden. Otto Spamer, Leipzig & Berlin. Page 185.
Author Carl Emil Doepler (1824-1905)

Forseti
Forseti is the god of justice. In Old Nordic Forseti meant “the presiding one”. He is the son of Baldr and Nanna. His hall is called Glintnir, meaning “shining”. This is a reference to the silver ceiling and golden pillars that radiate light which can be seen from a great distance. He was considered a wise and eloquent god. He was a mediator over disputes. He was known for finding solutions that all parties considered fair. He favoured peace, so those judged by him could live safely so long as they abided by his sentence. It is thought that his belief in peace is the reason that he is not mentioned in Ragnarok.

Forseti By Carl Emil Doepler (1824-1905) – Wägner, Wilhelm. 1882. Nordisch-germanische Götter und Helden. Otto Spamer, Leipzig & Berlin. Page 277., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5167197

Heimdall
Heimdall, from the Old Norse Heimdallr, is the watchman of the gods. He guards the entrance to Asgard at the edge of Bifrost (the burning rainbow that acts as a bridge between Midgard (the world) and Asgard (the realm of the gods). His most precious possession is Gjallarhorn. This is the horn that he will use to announce the coming of Ragnarök. He keeps it in Mimir’s well, next to Odin’s eye. He will kill and be killed by Loki at Ragnarök, the last god to fall. Heimdall has no weapon but his head, and his name itself possibly denoting “tree” or “fruit tree”, relates to the head of the butting ram. It is mentioned in the Prose Edda and the poetry of the Skalds that Heimdall that nine sisters gave birth to him. The meaning of this intriguing concept has been debated by scholars. Some have linked the nine mothers with the nine daughters of the sea-god Ægir. The names of the daughters imply waves. This would suggest that Heimdall was born from the waves of the sea.

Heimdallr blows into Gjallarhorn By Johan Thomas Lundbye 1907- Published in Johansen, P. Nordisk Oldtid og Dansk Kunst. I komission hos H. Hagerup., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5174677

Hermod
Hermod, or Hermóðr (Old Norse for “war-spirit”) is considered a messenger of the gods. He is a son of Odin. After Balder’s death Frigg asked the Æsir for volunteers to ride to Hel to offer a ransom for the return of Balder. Whoever went would gain her love and favour. Hermod agrees and rides off on Sleipnir to Hel. He rode for nine nights, eventually coming to Gjöll (the river that separates the living from the dead) bridge. The maiden of the bridge, Modgud, told him that Balder had already crossed the bridge. Upon coming to Hel’s gate Hermod found Balder sitting in the seat of honour. Hermod begged Hel to release Balder, explaining the pain his death had caused all the Æsir. Hel explained that Balder could only be released if all things, living and dead wept for him. All things did weep except one. A giantess, the disguised loki.Thus Balder had to remain until the world would revive after his destruction.

Hermod’s Farewell to Baldur, Published in 1893, Pitt, Ruth J. 1893. The Tragedy of the Norse Gods. T. Fisher Unwin. Page 71. Digitized by Google Books.
Author George Percy Jacomb-Hood
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balder_and_Nanna_with_Hermod.jpg

Hod
Hod (or Höðr) is the blind brother of Balder. His blindness representing darkness and winter as opposed to Balder representing lightness and spring. Hod was tricked by Loki into shooting the mistletoe arrow at Balder, the only object he was vulnerable to (see Balder above). In reaction to the death of Balder Odin and the giantess Rindr gave birth to Váli. Váli grew to adulthood in one day and slew Hod.

Höðr and Loki. An illustration from Fredrik Sander’s 1893 Swedish edition of the Poetic Edda. Reprinted with Erik Brate’s 1913 translation which in turn is published by Project Runeberg at http://runeberg.org/eddan

Hœnir
Hœnir was considered an indecisive god. After the Æsir-Vanir War there was a truce and exchange of hostages.Njordr and his offspring left to live with the Æsir in exchange for Hœnir and Mimir. All seemed well to start with. Hœnir was honoured as a powerful leader whilst Mimir was noted for his wisdom. It soon became apparent that the Vanir had fared poorly in the exchange. Hœnir was only able to lead as long as Mimir was there to advise him. Without him he was indecisive and ineffectual. The Vanir took revenge by cutting of the head of Mimir and sent it to Odin as a sign of their displeasure.
He does have a more positive role as laid down in the poem Völuspá from the Poetic Edda. Hœnir along with Odin and Lódur were involved in the molding of the first humans and giving them the spark of life. He is said to have given reason to humans.

By Unknown – AM 738 4to, 40v. Digitized version available from http://skaldic.arts.usyd.edu.au/db.php?table=images&id=22973. Image processing (crop, erase etc.) by Skadinaujo (talk · contribs), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6049270

Meili
There is little known about Meili (Old Norse “the radical one”). All that is written in the Poetic or Prose Edda is that he is a son of Odin and a brother of Thor.

Mímir
The name Mímir is related to memory (Old Norse “The rememberer, the wise one”). He has a well at the foot of Yggdrasil (the world tree). Every day he drinks from the well using Heimdall’s Gjallarhorn. The water imparts cosmic knowledge onto him. See Odin above for an account of how Odin’s request to drink from the well in exchange for one of his eyes. This is known as Fjolnir’s Pledge. Fjolnir is one of Odin’s many identities and means “the concealer”.
Mimir is also mentioned in the Æsir-Vanir War. He was one of the hostages exchanged in the truce (see Hœnir above). After the Vanir cut off the head of Mimir and send it back to Odin as a token of their displeasure, Odin smears the head with herbs and balms to preserve it. He whispers magic charms to give it speech. This meant that Odin always had to counsel of Mimir to advise him.
At Ragnarok Odin jumps upon Sleipnir to hastily consult with Mimir.

Odin at the Brook Mimir Published in 1893, Pitt, Ruth J. 1893. The Tragedy of the Norse Gods. T. Fisher Unwin. Frontispiece. Page 82. Digitized by Google Books.
Author John Angell James Brindley

Ull
Ull (or Ullr) is a son of Sif and a stepson of Thor. Although it is thought that he was once an important god in the early Germanic pantheon there are no mythical stories told in the Eddas of Snorri Sturluson. However it does mention that he can be called a ski-god, bow-god, hunting-god and a shield-god.

An illustration of the god Ullr, from an Icelandic 18th century manuscript., 1760, NKS 1867 4to, 92v. Digitized version available from http://www.kb.dk/permalink/2006/manus/738/dan/92+verso/. Image processing (crop, rotate, color-levels) by Skadinaujo (talk · contribs)
Author
Ólafur Brynjúlfsson

Váli
Váli was born for the purpose of vengeance against Hod. He is the son of Odin and Rindr the giantess. Hod had accidentally killed Balder (see Hod and Balder above).

Wali. Váli, holding a bow, travelling through a forest, 1882, Wägner, Wilhelm. 1882. Nordisch-germanische Götter und Helden. Otto Spamer, Leipzig & Berlin. Page 263.
Author Carl Emil Doepler (1824-1905)

Vili and Vé
Vili and Vé are the brothers of Odin. The three are the sons of Borr. The triad was responsible for the slaying of the primal giant Ymir. The cosmos was created out of his remains. They are also attributed with the creation of the first humans. In the Völuspá’s version of the tale Vili is replaced by Hœnir and Vé by Lóðurr, implying that the two sets are analogous.

Ymir is attacked by the brothers Odin, Vili, and Vé By Lorenz Frølich, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=399486

Vidar
Vidar (Víðarr Old Norse, possibly “wide ruler”) is the god of vengeance. He is the son of Odin and the giantess Grid. He avenges his father’s death at Ragnarök by killing the wolf Fenrir. He is one of the few god who survives Ragnarök.

A depiction of Víðarr stabbing Fenrir while holding his jaws apart (1908) By W.G. Collingwood (1854 – 1932) – The Elder or Poetic Edda; commonly known as Sæmund’s Edda. Edited and translated with introduction and notes by Olive Bray. Illustrated by W.G. Collingwood (1908) Page 38. Digitized by the Internet Archive and available from http://www.archive.org/details/elderorpoeticedd01brayuoft, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4657687