The Völva - Gullveig Part 7

The Völva

Previous post in this series: Gullveig - Gullveig Part 6

In Baldrs draumar (Vegtamskviða), we see Odin ride to Niflheim to consult a "deceased" völva. After being summoned from her grave, the völva reveals a prophecy foreseeing Baldr's death, which would be a great misfortune to the gods. Stanzas 4 - 5 describe Odin riding east of the high hall of Hel to meet this völva, and the residence of Angrboda is described as east in Gylfaginning 12. Notably, the völva proclaim themselves a long time dead, and they don't know who Odin is:

[4] Then Othin rode | to the eastern door,
There, he knew well, | was the wise-woman's grave;
Magic he spoke | and mighty charms,
Till spell-bound she rose, | and in death she spoke:

[5] "What is the man, | to me unknown,
That has made me travel | the troublous road?
I was snowed on with snow, | and smitten with rain,
And drenched with dew; | long was I dead."

Brock, C. E.. Garm and Óðinn. From: Keary, Annie, and Liza Keary. The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology. London: Macmillan and Co. Limited, 1930. [160]. MyNDIR: My Norse Digital Image Repository. Ed. P. A. Baer. 2024. Edition 2.6. Victoria, B. C.: Humanities Computing and Media Centre, University of Victoria. 2024.

I believe this is Gullveig playing into Odin's "disguise" of Vegtamr. They both clearly know who the other person is. I believe this völva is the same as in the Voluspa; if Odin got a great prophecy once before, it stands to reason he would go back to the same völva.

We see in Baldrs Draumar (13 - 14) that the jig is up! They both obviously know each other, and Odin specifically calls out Gullveig as the mother of three monsters: Fenrir, Jormangandr and Hel.

Brock, C. E.. Header for "Niflheim". From: Keary, Annie, and Liza Keary. The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology. London: Macmillan and Co. Limited, 1930. 19. MyNDIR: My Norse Digital Image Repository. Ed. P. A. Baer. 2024. Edition 2.6. Victoria, B. C.: Humanities Computing and Media Centre, University of Victoria. 2024.

The Wise-Woman spake:

[13] "Vegtam thou art not, | as erstwhile I thought;
Othin thou art, | the enchanter old."

Othin spake:

"No wise-woman art thou, | nor wisdom hast;
Of giants three | the mother art thou."

The Wise-Woman spake:

[14] "Home ride, Othin, | be ever proud; For no one of men | shall seek me more Till Loki wanders | loose from his bonds, And to the last strife | the destroyers come."

Bellows makes an interesting comment here in regards to stanza 14;

Concerning Loki's escape and his relation to the destruction of the gods, cf. Voluspo, 35 and 51, and notes. While the wise-woman probably means only that she will never speak again till the end of the world, it has been suggested, and is certainly possible, that she intends to give Loki her counsel, thus revenging herself on Othin.

Given the relationship between Angrboda (Gullveig) and Loki, it certainly puts an interesting spin on the reasoning. We know Angrboda and Loki have a personal relationship, and we know the Gullveig has good reason to exact revenge on Odin for you know, stabbing and burning her. All these little things just add up.

I think it's reasonable to conclude that the völva in Baldrs Draumar could be the same as the one in the Voluspa. Odin got such a good prophecy from them before, why not again? He knew exactly where to go, and even disguised himself in the hope of not being recognised... Because the völva knew him already.

Frølich, Lorenz. Oðinn Consulting the Seeress. From: Ældre Eddas Gudesange. Translated by Karl Gjellerup, Kjøbenhavn: P.G. Philipsens Forlag, 1895. 8. MyNDIR: My Norse Digital Image Repository. Ed. P. A. Baer. 2024. Edition 2.6. Victoria, B. C.: Humanities Computing and Media Centre, University of Victoria. 2024.

In summary, we see that the völva Odin uses both times is very likely to the the same, and we are informed that she has a special relationship with both Loki and Odin, unfortunately for Odin, its not a good one.

Next post in this series: Why not Freyja? - Gullveig Part 8

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