ZEUS -- ODIN

ZEUS
Zeus is the ruler of the Greek gods. He is the son of Cronos and Rhea, in fact the
only son of these two to survive to adulthood. Zeus had been hidden by Rhea so
that Cronos would not swallow him like he had all of his other offspring; he had
been warned that one of his children would eventually overthrow him. Rhea sent
Zeus to the island of Crete where he was raised. Zeus eventually killed his
father. After he killed Cronos, he restored life to his brothers and sisters. He
then drew lots with his brothers Poseidon and Hades to see who would become ruler
of the various parts of the universe. Zeus won the draw and became the supreme
ruler of the gods. He is lord of the sky, the rain god. His weapon is a
thunderbolt, made for him by the Cyclopes under the direction of Hephaestus, which
he hurls at those who displease him. He married a succession of spouses with whom
he had many children including: Athena, The Fates, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, and
Hermes. His last, and most well-known wife is Hera but he is famous for his many
affairs.

ODIN
Odin is the leader of the Norse gods and has a myriad of names including
Allfather, Ygg, Bolverk (evil doer), and Grimnir. He also has many functions
within the myths including being a god of war, poetry, wisdom, and death. However,
he is not considered the "main" god of each of these functions.
Odin's symbol is his magical spear named Grungir which never misses its mark. He
also owns a magic ring called Draupnir which can create nine of itself every
night. It was this ring that Odin laid on his son Balder's funeral pyre and which
Balder returned to Odin from the underworld. Odin also has two wolves, Geri and
Freki, and two ravens, Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory). He sends his ravens out
every day to gather knowledge for him. Odin was destined to die at Ragnarok;
Fenris-Wolf swallowed him. Knowing his fate, he still chose to embrace it and do
battle, showing the true warrior ethic. He is the god of warriors and kings, not
the common man. Among his children are:Thor, Hermod, and Balder. He is married to
Frigg, the goddess of marriage.

DIRECT COMPARISON

The first obvious similarity between Zeus and Odin is in their appearance. Both
are very large men, but they are not depicted as fat men. Both look very powerful
and foreboding. They also are both shown as having beards. A beard represents
manliness, in a very basic way as facial hair is something that every man can
have. In this sense the beard as a signature feature of these gods brings in a
sense of attachment to the people within the societies that worshipped them. If
they had a different signature feature, for example wings, this would remove the
gods from the common man. The beard is something ordinary people can relate to. It
may also be of note that the stereotypical view of Vikings and Norsemen almost
always includes beards on the men. Maybe they were trying to emulate their head
god or maybe the god was "created" in the image of the ordinary man.
Zeus and Odin were respective rulers over the gods in their mythologies. Zeus was
known for upholding the law and social order. In fact, one of his titles was Zeus
Horkios which literally means "the Guarantor of Oaths." This is quite similar ot
Odin's recording of all the laws, contracts and agreements onto his spear which he
was bound to uphold. They both had their palaces in the sky to some extent. Mt.
Olympus was very high (in the mythologies; the real Mt. Olympus is a mountain, but
not very high.) It is also important to note that when the three brothers (Zeus,
Poseidon, and Hades) were deciding which part of the world each would get, Zeus
chose the sky. There are many stories of Zeus looking down from Mt. Olympus into
the lives of other men. This is also the case with Odin. He could watch other
people, gods and mortals alike, from his throne Hlidskialf in Asgard, Asgard being
the palace in the sky where the gods met. So there are distinct similarities
between Asgard and Mt. Olympus: both were in the sky, both allowed for the
observation of the rest of the world, both were the meeting place for the gods in
their respective mythologies.
The actions of the two gods are very important to look at as well. Zeus is well-
known for going off into the world of mortals and trying to have "relations" with
the mortals. Often times he would change shape in order to accomplish this. He
took such forms as a bull, swan, golden shower, and a quail, for example. This
shape-shifting was also a typical action of Odin. He changed himself into animals
occasionally, such as a snake or an eagle. (Interestingly, Zeus is often depicted
as an eagle!) But, more often than not, Odin changed himself into "The Wanderer."
In this form he was known to wear a long grey cloak and a wide brimmed hat that
covered or cast shadows over his missing eye. In this form he attempted, on many
occasions, to have "relations," often spawning offspring. There is one story of
Odin and Rind where Odin must change his shape multiple times to meet the needs of
Rind who he is wooing. He transforms from captain of her father's army to a smith
to a warrior and finally is accepted into her arms only after taking his natural
form as a god.
This raises one important difference between the two: the attitudes of the two
respective wives of the gods, Hera and Frigg. Hera is well-known for her jealous
and vengeful reactions to Zeus actions. However, Frigg does not have the same
reaction. To see the development of this thought, see the wives' page.
Another commonality of the two gods is their interaction with mortals. In both
their visiting and aiding of these mortals Zeus and Odin identified certain people
that they considered great and offered them their assistance. This supports the
theory that these mythologies, because they were serving generally less-advanced
societies (industrially, socially and intellectually), created gods who would come
down and physically interact with mortals, gave the gods a sense of tangibility to
the society. At this point could a society have been able to accept a flawless,
omnipotent being, especially one on a cosmic level, rather than a physical level?
If a god could come to a man and physically aid him, that would be an incentive to
believe and worship.
Both of these gods have a specific symbol of power. Zeus has his lighting bolt,
and Odin has his spear. Both of these items have a somewhat negative
interpretation. Lighting is a destructive force and a spear is a weapon used to
kill. In our society, gods are usually displayed to have a very positive light
surrounding them and a weapon may seem strange to us as a symbol of a god. We must
also see that the gods both used their respective weapons by throwing them. Maybe
this is the beginning of the thoughts of a cosmic entity -- the gods did not have
to be physically there, but could project their intentions from afar. The fact
that both of these symbols were destructive in one form or another raises a few
questions: Were these cultures looking for a destructive god? Were they still at a
state that a primitive personification of man was desired as a god? Were these
societies looking at chaos and destruction as being more important in the society
than order? It may be that the fear that they invoke will have people thinking
that they can be punished, and if they are punished it will not be a simple slap
on the wrist, but rather a spear or lightning bolt hurled at them. So I believe
that this fear was used when the myths were being originally fashioned so that one
would be intimidated to believe and worship.
One last thing to be considered about these two gods, and their manliness, is that
both of them were very fertile. They were both fathers to many offspring, thus
spreading their wonderful qualities around to other beings. What I think these
societies needed was a powerful man, one who was warlike, strong, large,
intimidating and prolific. This was they type of god that one in those times could
fear and respect, and therefore worship fairly easily.
THOR

Thor is the son of Odin and a member of the Aesir, the name for the collection of
Norse gods. He is the god of thunder and the main enemy of the giants. He would
smash their heads with his mighty axe-hammer, Mjolnir. To wield this awesome
weapon he needed iron gloves and a belt of strength. Mjolnir would return to
Thor's hand after being thrown and is symbolic of lightning.

.
Thor rode around middle-earth in his wagon drawn by two goats. His abode is
Thruthheim [Land of Strength] and his hall, Bilskinir. His wife is Sif.
Thor was very well-known for his quick and hot temper. This was often vented on
the giants, the main enemies of the gods.

He was foremost of the gods to the common man, who would call on him to ensure
fertility, and was widely worshiped. Hammer-shaped amulets were popular, the
hammer being a symbol of Thor because it was his weapon, and were worn about the
neck well into the Christianization of Scandinavia. There are molds from that time
which contain both cross and hammer shapes, side by side. His name is found in
numerous place names, and it was his statue which was central in the great temple
at Uppsala. Our day of the week, Thursday, is named for him. Donar was an early
version of Thor among the early Germans. The Anglo-Saxons worshiped a thunder god
named Thunor.

COMPARISON

There doesn't seem to be a direct counterpart to this Norse god of thunder.

However, some aspects of Thor can be found in some of the Greek gods. The first
one is the parallel with Zeus. Zeus is the god of lightning and thunder. Thor is
also the god of thunder but he is not the ruler of the gods. In some ways, though,
he was the most important god to the Norse, in the sense that Thor was the most
worshipped and liked god. Thor, in this context, could be compared to Athena.
Athena was the most beloved goddess of the Greeks. This is quite interesting as
Thor and Athena are very different. Thor is basically a brute while Athena is a
wise, strategic goddess. She is reasonable and usually thinks her actions through.
Thor usually acts on impulse. So, what does this say about the cultures which
chose these two for their favourites? Were the Norse brutes themselves while the
Greeks were more civilized? Were the Norse looking for a simplistic and impulsive
god, who acted much like they did, while the Greeks were more strategic?

ATHENA

Athena is the daughter of Zeus and Metis. There was a prophecy that Metis would
bear a child equal to Zeus in wisdom, so he ate his pregnant wife, Metis, and
unborn daughter. The story goes that, one day Zeus claimed that he had the worst
headache in history, and ordered Hephaestos, the craftsman god, to split his head
open with an axe. He did so and Athena sprang -- full grown and in armour -- from
his forehead. She is fierce and brave in battle but only fights to protect the
state and home from outside enemies. She is the goddess of the city, handicrafts,
and agriculture. She invented the bridle, which permitted man to tame horses, the
trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the
chariot. She is the embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity. She was Zeus'
favourite child and was allowed to use his weapons including his thunderbolt. Her
favorite city is Athens. Her tree is the olive. The owl is her bird. She is a
virgin goddess.

COMPARISON

Athena does not have a direct counterpart in Norse mythology. However, she is a
major figure in Greek mythology and cannot be ignored. Athena was the most
worshipped of the Greek gods and goddesses, and in this respect can be compared to
Thor. As Thor had amulets of his hammer made for him, Athena had her likeness put
on the staters (coins) of Alexander the Great.

Because of her great wisdom, a comparison can be drawn between her and Odin. Odin
also had great wisdom. However, it seems that Athena was held in higher esteem
than Odin, as Odin was not born with this great wisdom, but had to go through many
tasks and tricks to gain the knowledge. Another similarity between Odin and Athena
is the fact that both are known for helping mortals. Athena helped Odysseus,
Perseus, Jason and Herakles. In this same light, Odin is the protector of Sigmund,
for example. Athena was a warrior goddess, as Odin was a warrior god, although
Athena was a strategic figure, and most of the Norse figures, including Odin, were
not known for being strategists.
An interesting difference between Norse and Greek mythology is exemplified in the
popularity and importance of Athena, because she is female. Although a line in the
Poetic Edda states that the goddesses were no less important than the gods, in
fact no Norse goddess approached the stature or popularity that Athena had with
the Greeks. In the various stories of Norse mythology, the goddesses, while being
mentioned, have no major impact, yet Athena is a prime mover in many Greek
legends.
LOKI

Loki is one of the giants, the enemies of the Norse gods. He became a member of
the Aesir (the gods) when Odin made Loki his blood brother. He is the god of fire,
mischief, a trickster, and very cunning. After causing the death of Balder, he was
bound by the gods until the Ragnarok (the final battle or the twilight of the
gods), at which time, he will be freed. Loki fathered Fenris, the wolf that is
prophesied to kill Odin during Ragnorok; the Midgard Serpent, prophesied to kill
Thor in the same battle; and Hel.

This is a picture of Loki with two of his three "creature" sons: The Midgard-
Serpent and Fenris the Wolf.

COMPARISON

Loki does not have an obvious counterpart in Greek mythology, although many other
cultures -- such as North American aboriginals, Oceanic, West African and Chinese
-- have myths which feature tricksters. There is one Greek god, however, that is
considered somewhat of a trickster, although certainly not to the same extent as
Loki -- Hermes. As soon as Hermes was born, he displayed this trait by stealing
Apollo's cows. He was taken for judgement to Zeus after this crime, but he used
his cunning, offering the lyre he invented, to escape punishment. In many ways
this is much like Loki's behaviour, in that Loki often was able to talk his way
out of predicaments.
He was also somewhat like Zeus, known for his shape-changing. This was one of
Loki's favourite "tricks."
As god of fire, Loki could be compared to Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire. One
of the major stories about Loki is his exile from Asgard for being indirectly
responsible for the death of Balder. This punishment was meted out by Odin.
Similarly, Hephaestus was ejected from Mt. Olympus by Zeus over an argument about
one of Zeus' favourites, Heracles. However, these two gods cannot be considered
direct counterparts because Loki is a major figure in Norse mythology, while
Hephaestus is a much more incidental figure in the myths of the Greeks.
There are many symbols present in Norse myths. The giants represent the powerful
forces of nature for example. One major symbol applies to Loki specifically. This
is fire, both in its good and bad sense. Loki often helps out the gods (fire in
the good sense). Loki also sets the gods very far back -- even to death (the bad
sense of fire). This would sum up Loki's character perfectly, as Loki was both
good and bad, just like the fire he was the god of.

This is a stone carving of Loki found on an old stone stove.

PROMETHEUS

Before I go into the comparison of Loki and Prometheus, I must acknowledge Bob
Fisher (webmaster@showgate.com) -- as he was the one to point out this comparison
to me. Thanks!
The first obvious commonality between the two would be the association with fire:
Loki being the god of fire, and Prometheus being the bringer of fire to the
humans. Above I mentioned both the "good" and "bad" aspects of fire. This can be
applied to Prometheus' steakling of the fire from the gods of Olympus. Although
the giving of fire to man aided humankind, and led to technological advance, the
stealing of fire had reprecussions: It taught men to cheat and steal, and of
course Odin's blood-brother. Prometheus was a Titan, but was admitted to Olympus
for remaining neutral in the revolt of the Olympians against the Titans. Both of
these gods were adopted into the respective races almost as to reward them, but
both would be regretted. Prometheus knew who would be responsible for the death of
Zeus. This can be looked at in the same light as Loki's both knowledge and
responsibilty of Odin's death, as he fathered the beast Fenris who would kill him.
Another reason why the adoption of these two would be regretted was the role they
would play in the harm and destruction of humanity. Loki is a major palyer and
provokes Ragnorok, the final battle that will destroy everything including the
gods. Prometheus caused the creation of Pandora therefore daming mankind. However
this was not enough punishment in the eyes of Zeus, so he caused a flood that
destroyed mankind. However it is equally important to notice that in both myths,
humanity renews itself. Fire also plays a very large role in the destruction of
the world in the Norse myths, as Surtur engulfs the world in flame after the
battle of Ragnarok. Some would say that Prometheus' association of fire destroyed
mankind. In Norse myths too, fire destroyed mankind.
Prometheus was also a trickster, as he stole cheated and lied. His name means
"forethought", and in a lot of ways this is muck like Loki. As mentioned above one
of Loki's strong qualities was his ability to out-wit the gods. This too was a
characteristic of Prometheus. Neither acted capriciously, which set both of them
apart from the other gods in their respective mythologies.
For indirectly causing the death of Balder, Loki was bound in chains with a
seprent above him dripping poison to harm Loki. Prometheus was likewise bound by
the gods for his actions. He was chained to a rock in the Caucasian mountains,
with a vulture to tear away at his liver all day long -- an endless torture, as
his liver would grow back every night. Very similar as both were chained to stone,
with an endless torture. Loki was not freed until the twilight of the gods, or
Ragnorok. Prometheus was also released by Herakles, and immediatly had the
interaction with Zeus, when he told him what would cause his death. So both were
freed, and immediatly became associated with the death of the gods.

TYR -- ARES

TYR
Tyr is the Norse god of war. He is also known as being the bravest of the gods.
This was exemplified when he put his right hand into Fenris the wolf's mouth when
the gods were binding him with chains. Fenris then bit off Tyr's right hand, which
is why Tyr is always depicted with one hand. There is much debate about his left-
handedness. In the Norse culture the right hand was given for a pledge, which
could be why the right hand was placed in the wolf's mouth. It has also been
noted, however, that the offering of the right hand is to show that it is free of
weapons. A left- handed person was sometimes considered evil because he could use
a weapon with his left hand even though he shook with his right hand. He was
thought to be either the son of Odin, or of a giant. Tyr had no myths all to
himself, but he often accompanied Thor on many journeys. This may be why he was
considered such a brave person. Tyr was known by the Anglo-Saxons as Tiw or Tiu,
and had Tuesday named for him.

Another image of Tyr. Notice his handless arm holding the shield.

ARES
Ares is one of the few sons that Zeus and Hera had. It is important to note that
Ares was disliked by both parents. He is the Greek god of war. Ares is considered
murderous and bloodstained but, also a coward. He was never very popular in myth,
and he was constantly outwitted by Athena. He was sent to trial for raping a
daughter of Poseidon. He seemed to love the brutal aspects and the carnage of war.
Ares, except for when he is on the battlefield, is usually displayed in myths as
being Aphrodite's lover. He seemed hot-tempered and fell quickly to jealousy. It
is thought that the golden boar that killed Adonis was actually Ares in disguise,
acting on his jealousy. His bird is the vulture. His animal is the dog.

DIRECT COMPARISON

The main similarity between Tyr and Ares is their specific area: war. Both are
gods of war, and the same kind of war: battle and impulsive attack. Barely any
strategy comes into play with these two gods. However, while these two seem like
the logical parallel for each other, in fact it seems that they are almost
opposites. The main distinction is that Tyr is very well-known for his bravery
(the story of the loss of his hand). In this light, Ares is the opposite. He is
known for being cowardly and unliked. Tyr was very well-liked by the Norse even to
the point of having Tuesday named for him. This goes back to the point that it
seems that the Norse were fighters, but not in the strategic sense, and liked this
type of god. The Greeks, on the other hand, really liked the strategic gods, and
disliked the impulsive ones.
It seems that Ares would fit in perfectly with the Norse gods. He has many of the
typical characteristics of the Norse gods. Ares could be one of the best examples
to show the differences that must have been present between the two societies.
Ares is basically a Norse-style god in Greek myths. And not only is he displayed
as being unliked and not a "good" god, as Athena was, he was barely worshipped.
This shows what the Greeks were looking for in the gods they liked and worshipped.
However, had Ares appeared in the Norse myths, he would have been brave, valiant
and great. This is seen in the acclaim both Tyr and Thor received from the society
that worshipped them. So it would prove that the Norsemen wanted this type of god.