controversial figure of Odin is one of the key places in Norse mythology.Some researchers argue that somehow the god Odin is involved not only in every epoch-making incident, but in most small household episodes of the epic ancient Vikings: One adjusts the event is their party or else has a direct or indirect assistance to the heroes and often repairing them obstacles.
form one bright and picturesque.Ancient gave his elder features, but it does not give him the weak and the poor, but on the contrary - it emphasizes the wisdom.Wisdom is one that is called, composed legends.Even the characteristic feature of its exterior - the one-eyed - he is obliged to request to receive secret knowledge: to voluntarily sacrificing his left eye, the Scandinavian god Odin was able to drink from a magical source of knowledge of Mimir.No less expressive features - wide-brimmed pointed hat or hood poluzatenyayuschy person giving the appearance of the whole mystery.One accompanying sacred companions: two ravens scout, two guard-dog and faithful Semynoha horse Sleipnir.
One Yet, for all its appearance of a priest, is the patron saint of the warrior.Curiously, this function, he was endowed with relatively late, and was originally a Viking warrior Thor led individually.But with the growing popularity of Odin grew and the number of his admirers who want to see the wisdom of God as their patron.
Ancient warriors believe that God is one person watching every battle and personally forwards heroically fallen to Valhalla - a special place in Scandinavian paradise, where the brave eternal feast with the gods and ancestors.However, this belief is not unique, with parallels in many other pagan religions of the world of the warlike times.For example, in Russia, this function was vested with Perun, and Perunitsa helped him to collect the souls of fallen soldiers to be sent to Irij.
God is One, and had a weapon - enchanted spear Gungnir that can strike the enemy without a miss.But in spite of the title of honorary patron of troops, own artifact weapons and magical snow-white horse, one does not participate in the battles, does not lead the troops behind him.He acts as the mastermind, the keeper of the military success, guide lost souls.But always primarily watches over its interests: the Scandinavians in the epic there are many examples of how one does not save the hero, and leads to certain death.The reason is simple - in anticipation of the day of Ragnarok, when gods and heroes have shlestnutsya in a fierce battle with the cruel giants, the wise one collects under his wing the best of the best, so they entered his heavenly army.This belief is perfectly consistent with the philosophy of the Viking warriors of the time that the military luck is fickle, death - not a tragedy and one of the stages of the path leading to the next life.
assisted by one deal with the responsibilities of Frigg, his wife.According to ancient legends, Odin rather big family: in addition to Frigg it has other, younger wives and numerous children.
One God mythology of the ancient Scandinavians, not only has many names, under which was known to other European culture of his time, but also a lot of "twin brothers" in the cults of many other nations.The Germans called him Wodan or Wotan.In the mythology of ancient Slavs unambiguous double Odin not, but you can draw parallels between him and Veles, Svarog, Perun.A number of researchers have found some similarities between him and Indian Shivvoy.
