Dr. Crawford: Grimfrost has a statue of Odhinn available (when they aren't sold out) based on a find from Lindby, Sweden. It is one-armed now, but if the missing arm were posed as the surviving arm, the figure would be standing "akimbo" as your video references. May be no connection at all, but I found it interesting and thought I'd bring that to your capable attention.
Man, I like Odin. He's selfish, but so am I. He does what he's gotta do, man. He wants to be wise, and he wants to win. He wants to defy destiny, even though he knows he must fail.
"Bring your gaze nearer and look through my arm akimbo. You must first hallow your eyes with the sign of victory, to recognise the war god safely face to face". Even given that the above quote is taken from a translation of a translation, it appears that the wife is expressing wisdom of the ages, thus: The husband wishes to know how to find (favour) with Odin. His wife then tells him - "Look, see through what I do, how I stand with arm(s) akimbo (i.e. the physical stance of unshakable victory/of conquest) and assume a hallowed (i.e. sanctified/unassailable) vision of your victory. You will then see the battle through safely" i.e. found divine favour. Therefore in a spiritual or metaphysical sense, his wife was telling him "assume the stance both physical and mental, of victory, and the divine providence will favour you. "As a man thinketh so he is"
Love the info you bring us on this subject. Keep it coming. Very interesting stuff. I love learning from you, Thank You for all you do. Much love, Shelly.
I wish I could be your Patron again. Covid since March in addition to other calamities has me in the red and fed by the church.... I really miss your Patreon site. And I'm not the only one in this situation. I want my job back. I've even lost my motivation to write (for me, writing is as necessary as breathing). Let's hope this gets better soon. Though soon, in terms of economy might mean years. Let's hope I get my inspiration back. Before Covid, I had ideas for a youtube educational channel, but...
It is my understanding that one eyed Odin is the same as Gandalf. I read/heard that Gandalf was the one eyed wizard who lost his sight in the eye in which the future was revealed(this is what Tolkien used for his Lord of the Rings.) Hell, most of the names from LOTR sound like they came straight out of the Edda. Fascinating.
Odin was a major influence on Odin-- like anything in Middle Earth, it's not an exact 1:1 analogy, but he was definitely an inspiration, in Letter 107 from "The Letters of Tolkien" he actually describes Gandalf as an "Odinic wanderer". The Eddas only mention that Odin gave his eye for wisdom, not specifically seeing the future ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-asf8U-_4AJg.html ), which seems to be supported by him calling on völva in poems such as Völuspá or Baldurs draumr to do that, but you're definitely right about the names-- "Gandalf" is actually directly from Völuspá's "Catalog of the Dwarfs" (as well as a number of other names you'll probably recognize from the books as well: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-21h8B8sEkQg.html
The story about Diomedes and Ares in the Iliad suggests that pagans were quite capable of liking some gods and despising others. Hrolft Kraki behaves somewhat like Diomedes.
I am sorry if you have answered this question elsewhere, but which method of purchasing The Wanderer's Havamal supports you the most? Does amazon take a cut? Should I purchase from your website?
when you first said about the victory signal thing i thought it was like this ✌(ik its a peace sign, but i think that its victory the other way? or something like that? also it fits nicely because we have two eyes and two fingers out)
Hello Dr. Crawford, long time fan of your work. I wanted to somewhat contest how you say the Scandinavians viewed Odin. Yes, there are some instances of them reviling at his presence, but there's also various instances of him being praised and revered by Norseman, and though he wasn't the common man's God, if a warrior was to go out on campaign they would give him his due. I was under the impression that Thor was very popular because he was a God of the common people, but as a fair size of the population would either be 1) noble, and 2) a warrior on campaign, Odin would receive praise from these groups and be respected and feared.
how should one go about learning nordic runes? anyone have any experience? I have tried but what I find frustrating is that there are all these different versions.
Just chose one system to start with (though they are always much in flux and variance geographically). I’d say Futhark 16 or as it’s known the younger Futhark. It's simple, the most used in the time where it was the main writing system and it’s logical. There is no way around rote learning. Write it down, with corresponding Latin letter and sound under each, on a card. Put it in your pocket and recite it obsessively every chance you get. After a week it should have stuck. Remember that is only a “toy”. Being able to substitute runes for letters is only the very beginning. You should know the conventions of of how to use the runes. And ultimately learn some old Norse. If you know some Scandinavian language you’ll most likely be able to make *some* sense of runic inscriptions after just learning the Furthark though.
For videos, Dr. Crawford does have an entire playlist on Runes: ru-vid.com/group/PLATNGYBQ-TjrPCf9YGy0qzqca1ypcGs50 -- the one called "Which Runes go with which Language?" will probably be useful for sorting out the various futharks and the time periods/languages they were used for ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Gjmxu7z04kk.html ) but the other commenter's correct in that the Younger Futhark is the one used for Old Norse. I'd check out the intro video there as well, along with the videos he has on whatever futhark you want to concentrate on (there are quite a few on Younger), and if you do go with learning Younger Futhark, Dr. Crawford's "Writing Old Norse in Runes" is a very good simple tutorial: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X7Z65582ex4.html -- that said, as the other commenter also mentioned, it was used to write Old Norse, so you'll have to have some knowledge of ON to get really proficient at it (especially regarding the vowels). The book Dr. Crawford usually recommends is in the intro video, but it's Michael Barnes' "Runes: A Handbook"-- it's an excellent book and it's worth checking to see if a library can get it in for you, or checking out the preview on Google Books (it's fairly extensive).
@@Frisenette I also wonder how does one get around the fact that many letters have no correspondent in the futhark, like for example o or the norwegian letters æ, ø, å?
Bob Hans you use the nearest equivalent. That should be clear from a good cheat sheet. The U rune for example also is O. Ø and Å didn’t really exist in the Iron Age to early medieval period. The same is also the case with our current alphabet. There letters also have to cover many different sounds.
Fascinating! Could not looking at Odin without protection possibly have anything to do with mortals not being able to looking at Zeus in his 'real' form?
"If you want to see the world as Odin does pluck or hallow out your eye and see. Perhaps you can perceive the world or obtain his power as he does if you too do as he did. Maybe sacrificing half your vision enlightens you to see the world anew.
There are many gods upon the land, but for this they are not so beloved Each has a kin and a kine and a clan, as they say: "as below, so above" And each has a place and a power and a reach, not better or worse, but unique And to each must apply their own way of sight, in order to reach what you seek Nature has many aspects that emerge, overlap and hold back and ring true The question is not which is better or worse, but which ones have called out to you So pick your alliances carefully, in space and in time and in journeys to learn Though mighty you be with one of the many, so humble with others unearned There are many kinds of power, many kinds of vision. To be strong in one does not extinguish the other. To be taught by one does not master the lessons of the other. Still, for a man to master even one kind of vision is a great thing. To try to stay open to all is a kind of madness for only the shamans to endure, and for this they are kept moving among the peoples lest that open door let loose the flood of Spirit, ever-changing and beyond mind. It is better to choose your place and your patron and your people, and to serve them with all the virtues of a life, and to make your honor upon their throne. Sometimes, there is a war among the Spirits, even among the Aspects, for the world itself will change by moods and seasons, and so even climates and shores will adjust. In such times it is better to move your house and tribe, to keep with your honors instead of your boundaries; rather than stand futile against the rising tide or oncoming ice, to be swept away by gods you do not know. By your faithfulness will your place be prepared in new lands, ready to find. Sometimes, oftentimes, you will find that in moving with the will of that which will have you master its ways, you will in fact be led home again after a cycle of seasons, to the very hills that brought you forth. The purpose of the moving was not victory or defeat, but to teach you where you most belong, and with whom. There, your mastery may be less applauded, but it will be more useful. From there, you may strike out again as you wish, and return with what you have earned. Sometimes, it is your home that has moved without you, and you must journey to catch up. There you will find your mastery recognizes the land as if it had brought you forth, and you will fill in amongst the Spirits there unannounced as if you had always been, and they merely waited for you. By this you will know when to stay. Thus the people have been moved, and thus they have been settled, and old gods found in new places. By choosing amongst the gods, they chose a face and a place and a base. From this foundation, many things may be built. Meanwhile, let the gods settle their rivalries amongst themselves, and you only peer sometimes to perceive the progress. Their quarrels may last many lives, and so let long lives rest in between.
