All the same, Odin sometimes got tired of walking and riding about. One day when he was really fed up with wandering, he had a good idea. And he thought about this for a while.
What he needed was True Wisdom. If only he had True Wisdom, he would be able to stay at home and see everything all at the same time, and even you can't do that on the internet. But to gain True Wisdom, he knew he would have to have a drink from the Well guarded by Mimir, the wisest man in Midgard.
The next morning, Odin left Asgard.. The journey was dangerous. For he had to climb over rocky mountains with blizzards of snow and ice cold winds. The well was near where the giants lived in Jotunheim, and lay under a huge ash tree. Mimir was not at all hospitable.
How right he was. As Odin tramped along the road to the well, he met a giant riding on the back of a reindeer. Odin had pulled himself up to the height of the giant, and fell into conversation with him. And if you answer any of them wrong, you will lose your head. But if you answer them right, you can ask me three questions on the same terms. Do you agree to my rules? This was not the sort of game Odin liked, -and can you blame him?
What are the names of the horses that Day and Night drive across the sky? And what is the name of the plain on which the last battle will be fought? The field for the Last Battle is Vigard. Odin asked: "What will be the last words that Odin will whisper into the ear of Baldur, his son? No, you did not Many have asked for the wisdom of the waters, but not one has yet agreed to pay the price. Odin nodded. He was glad to leave the wise but fierce giant and walk on. The path was stony, and there was a bitterly cold wind and rain so that his cloak was soon wet through.
He fingered the clasp and whispered the rune: his cloak dried, and the weather improved, but the path was still rough, and he had to be very careful where he put his feet. It was depressing, especially when Odin thought about the eye he would have to lose forever.
Having made the necessary sacrifice, Mimir dipped his horn into the well and offered the now-one-eyed god a drink. The unfortunately fragmentary sources for our current knowledge of the pre-Christian mythology and religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples are, however, silent on exactly what kind of wisdom Odin obtained in exchange for his eye.
But we can hazard a guess. The fact that Odin specifically sacrificed an eye is surely significant. What mode of perception was exchanged for what other mode, then? The all-father Odin is a multi-dimensional god whose greatness extends to many realms and facets of the Viking universe. It seems from Old Norse tales and stories that Odin had a hand in virtually every aspect of the Norse existence — the creation of the world, the birth of humankind, and most certainly the end of the world and its rebirth.
Unlike his hammer-wielding son Thor, who is universally depicted as the ultimate armor-clad fighting machine, a common perception of Odin is that of a long-bearded old man dressed in a long cloak and wide-brimmed hat, who would just as soon resort to cunning, trickery, and magic to defeat his enemies. In addition to his nondescript appearance save for the fact that he only has one eye , references are made in Norse mythology of certain objects and select companions of the animal variety that are unique to Odin and part of his persona.
Many depictions of Odin, both old and contemporary, feature these mythical accessories and animals:. Although it may not have seen battle often, when Gungir was drawn, it was reputed to make the ground shake and enemies tremble. The spear was also fabled to never fail to hit its intended mark once thrown by Odin. Odin relied heavily on his ravens as they were his eyes and ears in the different realms of the Viking universe serving dual roles as his spies and advisors.
What did the Vikings use to fight? The Top 5 to learn more. The Viking Era came to an end as its people converted to Christianity and adopted Christian beliefs, but there are still those who revere Old Norse gods like Odin in the modern world. There is even one group of around that is recognized as an official Nordic religious society by the Danish government.
Indeed, the Asatro also Asatru movement, which is a revival of the worship of Norse gods and goddesses, has seen steady growth in recent years. Aside from Norway and Sweden, it has gained in popularity in Iceland. Though he may not be worshiped with the same fervor as he was centuries ago, one-eyed Odin is still perceived as a symbol of wisdom and a champion for the pursuit of knowledge.
Those who study the old myths about Odin do so not to join him in the halls of Valhalla or to learn the secrets of ancient runes, but rather, to gain a deeper appreciation for self-enlightenment.
So much so that Odin was willing to make great sacrifices in exchange for unrivaled knowledge and enlightenment. The Vikings used all sorts of weapons, from swords to spears to axes to bows. One of the lesser-known Viking weapons is the seax, a kind of knife or shortsword. Knives like the seax would have been The word "Viking" probably evokes images of a warrior with a battle-axe or a sword and shield.
But the Vikings used long-range weapons as well as melee weapons.
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