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From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Newsgroups: net.nlang,net.origins
Subject: Re: Days of the week, Gods
Message-ID: <2487@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Dec-85 06:37:38 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2487
Posted: Wed Dec  4 06:37:38 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Jan-86 07:23:09 EST
References: <174@watmath.UUCP> <262@ho95e.UUCP> <674@spar.UUCP> <1328@jhunix.UUCP>
Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Organization: System Development Corporation R&D, Santa Monica
Lines: 14
Keywords: Days, Gods, Calendar

Odin and Mercury were both psychopomps (conductors of souls to the dead).
Odin's aspects as a death god are there if you look for them.  His animals
are wolves and ravens.  His priestesses are the Choosers of the Slain
(Valkyries).  His horse has eight legs (just like the four men who carry
a coffin).

I've read that the modern assessment of Odin as unchallenged Chief God of the
Norse is ...umm...dubious, partly due to the fact that Odin was considered
the patron of the poets who wrote the Eddas (and also due to the fact that
it's unlucky to offend a death god).  Certainly worship of Thor was very
popular, and it was Thor -- not Odin -- who showed up in the names people
gave their children.

--Lee Gold