Havamal Snippets 105: Gunnloths Mead

Gunnlod was/is/will be a Giantess.  She was the keeper of mead (ie alcohol) that Odin used for inspiration.  Alcohol is often associated with poetic and Bohemian artistic types and this has some truth to it because alcohol causes the mind to become less ordered which allows new ideas to come into it.  Though of course just because a man might consume alcohol doesn't mean that he is going to become a prize winning poet.  To conjure up or write innovative or new ideas, poetry or whatever requires that the person has creativeness in their heart to begin with, alcohol in this respect is just a tool that allows the creativity to come forward in different ways.  To be really creative a man must make use of his disciplined mind also (ie the one that likes Excel spreadsheets, ordered food larders, daily routines etc).  Then the creative ideas can be systematised and developed to their fullest potential.  This can be seen in many innovators and inventors are neat and tidy rather than chaotic and dishevelled.  James Dyson for instance.

For more on Gunnlod, go to http://www.timelessmyths.com/norse/giants.html#Gunnlod

 

 

105

Gunnlöð mér um gaf
gullnum stóli á
drykk ins dýra mjaðar
ill iðgjöld
lét ek hana eptir hafa
síns ins heila hugar
síns ins svára sefa              

Gunnloth gave to me

[3] a drink of the precious mead
[2] on her golden throne;
A bad reward
I gave her afterwards
for her whole heart,
for her sorrowful spirit.


[End.]