Agnarr (
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
: ) is the son of King Gerriod, son of
Hraudung in
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology, is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The ...
. He was named after his uncle Agnarr, who was betrayed by Gerriod and sent to die on the high seas. Agnarr is solely attested in the poem ''
Grímnismál'' in the ''
Poetic Edda
The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems in alliterative verse. It is distinct from the closely related ''Prose Edda'', although both works are seminal to the study of Old Norse ...
'', the latter compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources. In ''Grímnismál'' he is described as aiding
Odin
Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
, disguised as
Grímnir, to escape from Geirröðr's torture. After Odin reveals his true identity, King Gerriod dies by falling on his own sword, leaving Agnarr as his heir.
[Simek (2007:4).][Orchard (1997:25–6).]
Notes
References
* Orchard, Andy (1997). ''Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend''.
Cassell.
* Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. ''Dictionary of Northern Mythology''.
D.S. Brewer.
People in Norse mythology
Odin
{{norse-myth-stub