Thirst for Knowledge and Power

Knowledge is power, so the saying goes. Which means that secret knowledge is secret power.

Odin did not seek knowledge for its own sake. Rather, he tried to find a way to circumvent the destruction of the gods and the world that he helped to create. Odin learned from the seeress Sibyl and the Norns that the gods would fight a final battle against the frost-giants at Ragnarök. Only a few gods would escape death and destruction. Odin was one of them who was doomed to die.

Odin seemed obsessed with Ragnarök, as it could be seen in several poems of the Poetic Edda: Voluspa ("Sibyl's Prophecy"), Havamal ("Sayings of the High One"), and Vafthrudnismal ("Sayings of Vafthrudnir").

Odin tried to gain knowledge and power by speaking to wise people such as seers, prophets, kings, and philosophers, as he did in the three poems I mentioned above.

Odin had several means of gaining news from around the world. One of the means of gaining knowledge came from his two ravens – Hugin ("Thought") and Munin ("Memory"). These two birds flew throughout the world each day. Then they flew back, giving Odin news of what was happening anywhere around the world, while he sat on Hlidskialf, his throne, in the hall of Valaskialf.

Hlidskialf also allowed Odin to see what was happening around the world without moving from his throne.

Of all the gods, Odin was one who tried to secure knowledge, no matter what. Odin would try everything he could to gain knowledge. Odin would resort to deception, betrayal and murder. Odin was the breaker of oaths, since he would break his vows, especially if he could gain an advantage from it.