Numbers in Norse mythology
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Numbers are significant in Norse mythology although not to the extent which they are in some traditions e.g. as in Jewish kabbalism.
Particularly significant numbers are three and nine (which is nothing else than three times three).
[edit] Three
The number three is both an invocatory and magic number: The number three occurs with great frequency in grouping individuals and artefacts:
- There are three Norns.
- Odin had two brothers, Vili and Vé; i.e. there were three siblings.
- Yggdrasil has three roots, and three is the square root of the number of worlds on Yggdrasil, nine.
- In the Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda, King Gylfi is confronted by a triple throne at the false home of the gods, one being seated and occupied atop another.
- Loki has three malign progeny by the giantess Angerboda: the wolf, Fenrir; the world-serpent, Jörmungandr; and Hel.
- Prior to Ragnarök, there will be three hard winters without an intervening summer, the Fimbulwinter.
- The wolf Fenrir was bound by three chains, Lœding, Drómi, and Gleipnir, of which only the last held him.
- When Loki is bound with three bonds made from the entrails of his son through holes in three upright slabs of rock, one under his shoulders, one under his loins, and one under the backs of his knees.
[edit] Nine
The number nine is also a magically significant number:
- When Odin sacrificed himself to himself, he hung upon the gallows for nine days and nine nights. In return, he learned eighteen (twice nine) charms (or runes).
- The Norse cosmology knows nine worlds that are supported by Yggdrasil.
- Every ninth year, people from all over Sweden assembled at the Temple at Uppsala to sacrifice both male slaves and male animals.
- In Skírnismál Freyr is obliged to wait nine nights to consummate his union with Gerd.
- In Svipdagsmál, the witch Gróa grants nine charms to her son Svipdag.
- In Fjölsvinnsmál, Lægjarn's chest is fastened up with nine locks.
- At Ragnarök, Thor kills Jörmungandr but staggers back nine steps before falling dead himself, poisoned by the venom that the snake spewed over him.
- According to the very late Trollkyrka poem, the fire for the blót was lit with nine kinds of wood.
- Odin's ring Draupnir gives forth eight more similar rings every ninth night for a total of nine rings
- In the guise of Grímnir in the Grímnismál, Odin awaits the attention of King Geirroth for eight days, killing him on the ninth.
- There are nine daughters of Ægir.
- There are nine mothers of Heimdallr.
[edit] See also
 |
Norse mythology |
|---|---|
| List of Norse gods | Æsir | Vanir | Giants | Elves | Dwarves | Valkyries | Einherjar | Norns | Odin | Thor | Freyr | Freyja | Loki | Balder | Tyr | Yggdrasil | Ginnungagap | Ragnarök | |
| Sources: Poetic Edda | Prose Edda | The Sagas | Volsung Cycle | Tyrfing Cycle | Rune stones | Old Norse language | Orthography | Later influence | |
| Society: Viking Age | Skald | Kenning | Blót | Seid | Numbers | |
| The nine worlds of Norse mythology | People, places and things |
