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Adonis - (Syrian) associated with the mystery of vegetation
Aegir (Eagor) - (Germanic) Germanic god of the ocean, and husband of Ran. His nine daughters, known as the "billow maidens", directed the swirling waves under his orders. He was sometimes depicted as a very old man with white hair and claw-like fingers. Whenever he left his glistening underwater palace it was with the single-minded purpose of destroying ships and their crews. To placate him the Vikings often sacrificed some prisoners before setting sail.
Aesir - The collective name for the the principal race of Norse gods; the other was the Vanir. The Aesir gods under the leadership of Odin, included Balder (god of beauty), Bragi (god of eloquence), Forseti (god of mediation), Freyr (god of fertility, who originally was from the Vanir), Heimdall guardian of the bridge), Hodr (the blind god), Loki (god of fire and ally of the frost giants), Njord (the sea god, and another ex-Vanir), Thor (god of thunder), Tyr (god of war), Vili (brother to Odin), Ve (brother to Odin), and Vidar (Odin's son). The goddesses included Freyja (the fertility goddess), Frigg (Odin's wife), Sif (Thor's wife), and Idun (keeper of the apples of youth). They lived in Asgard.
Alberich (Andvari) - (Scandinavian) King of the Dwarfs who steals the magic gold ring, Andvarinaut, (and the rest of the treasure) guarded by the Rhine Maidens, but is forced to give up all he has for his freedom after he has been captured. His curse upon the ring led to the deaths of all who tried to possess it.
Alfhild - (Scandinavian) A maiden goddess of Scandinavia who dressed as a warrior to avoid being taken in marriage by King Alf. Only when they engaged in a fight to the death (almost), and he proved to be as strong as she, did she agree to mate with him.
Alvis - (Germanic) His name means all-wise. He was a member of the dwarf race. In return for the weapons he forged for the gods he was promised Thrud, Thor's daughter, in marriage. Thor didn't like this arrangement and devised a test of knowledge to stop the marriage. He told Alvis that he had to prove that his great wisdom made up for his small stature. Thor prolonged the test until sunrise when the rays of the sun fell upon the dwarf; all dwarves turned to stone if touched by the sun's rays. End of story.
Amma - (Norse) A great mother in the Norse creation story, Amma ("grandmother") gave birth to the race of Churls, who conducted business and learned trades.
Ammon - (or Amun) (Egyptian) son of Zeus
Amor - or Cupid
Amphitroniades - or Heracles
Amun - or Ammon
Angerboda - (Norse) A frost giantess who was mate (or mistress) to the trickster god Loki. She bore three children; Jormungand (the Midgard Serpent), who grew so large he surrounded the earth; Fenrir (the Wolf of Ragnarok) and Hel (the death queen).
Aphaia - Goddess worshipped in Aegina and identified with the Cretan Britomartis
Aphrodite - Goddess of love, desire and procreation. Known by the Romans as Venus
Apis - (Egyptian) The sacred bull of Memphis which the Egyptians worshipped as a god
Apollo - (or Cynthus) Son of Zeus and the mortal Leto. Twin brother of Artemis. He was god of prophecy, song and music
Arethusa - (Greek) A river and river goddess of southern Greece
Aristaeus - Son of Apollo. Minor deity, the protector of cattle, fruit trees and bee-keepers
Artemis - (or Cynthia) Daughter of Zeus and the mortal Leto. Twin sister of Apollo. Goddess of the chase and protector of children and young animals.
Asclepius or Aesculapius - Son of Apollo and Coronis. A god of healing
Asgard - (Norse) The home of the Norse gods. To reach this land one had to cross the bridge Bifrost (rainbow). Asgard was divided into a number of separate kingdoms, each ruled over by a different god. Valhalla was ruled by Odin, Thrudheim by Thor, etc. The walls surrounding Asgard were built by Hrimthurs, who asked in payment the hand of Freyja plus the sun and the moon. Odin agreed providing the walls be complete in six months. Hrimthurs had a magic horse, named Svadifari, who helped him in his work. To Odin (and the other gods, especially Freyja)'s horror, with but a few days left, Hrimthurs was almost finished. Loki, the trickster, turned himself into a mare and beguiled the stallion Svadifari away. The job was not completed in time and no payment was given.
Askr and Embla - (Norse) The first man and first woman and the progenitors of the human race. They were created out of tree trunks by Odin his two brothers.
Asopus - A river god.
Athena - Daughter of Zeus and Metis. Goddess of wisdom and patron to the arts and crafts, a protector of agriculture and a warrior
Atlas - A titan
Attis - God of vegetation
Aurora - Goddess of the dawn
Baal - (Middle Eastern)
Balder - (Norse) Balder was the second son of Odin, chief of the gods, and Frigg. His mother took oaths from all plants, creatures, elements and metals that they would not harm him, all except the mistletoe plant for she felt it was too young and too small to harm him. He was therefore thought to be immune from harm and the other gods, in sport, would throw things at him. Loki, the god of mischief, deceived Hod (Hoder), a blind god and Balder's brother, into throwing a spear made from mistletoe at Balder, thereby killing him.
Beiwe - A Lappland goddess who heralded the arrival of spring.
Berserk, Berserker - (Norse) Grandson of the eight-handed Starkadder and Alfhilde. He always fought ferociously and recklessly, without armor. That's the origin of berserk for a savage fighter, or one with the "fighting fever".
Bertha - (Norse) The goddess of spinning.
Beowulf - (Germanic) Denmark hero, killer of two mythical water monsters; Grendel, the sea monster and Grendel's mother, a monstrous merwoman. In his old age he slew another monster, a fire-breathing dragon, but lost his own life in the battle.
Bergelmir - (Germanic) The frost giant who, with his wife, were the only frost giants to survive drowning in the blood when Odin and his brothers killed Ymir.
Bestla - (Scandinavia) The mother of Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve by her husband Bor.
Billing - (Germanic) Father of the beautiful Rind, who despite an initial repugnance toward Odin eventually capitulated to his wooing and bore him a son, Vali. Vali later killed Hoder, thereby avenging Balder's death.
Bona Dea - Roman fertility goddess
Bor - (Norse) Son of Buri, husband of the giant Bestla, and father of Odin, Vili and Ve.
Bragi - (Norse) The god of poetry and eloquence, son of Odin and Gunnlod, a female giant. He was married to Idun (Iduna) guardian of the "apples of immortality".
Brono - (Norse) Brono was the son of Balder. He was the god of daylight.
Brunhild, Brünnehilde or Brynhild - (Germanic) A mighty female warrior, one of the Valkyrie. She defied Odin and in punishment he imprisoned her within a ring of fire on earth, decreeing that there she would remain until a brave hero rescued her. Enter Siegfied (Sigurd). He braved the fire, broke her charmed sleep, and fell in love with her. He gave her the ring, Andvarinaut, unaware of its curse. Eventually she kills herself when she learns that Sigurd had betrayed her with another woman (Gudrun), not knowing he had been bewitched into doing so by Grimhild.
Buri - (Norse) The first god, was the father of Bor and the grandfather of Odin. His "birth" was by being released from the primeval ice when Audhumla (the cow) licked the ice.
Budda -
Bylgja - (Norse) A daughter of Aegir and Ran.
Ceres - Italian corn goddess
Cronus - Son of Uranus and Ge. Married his sister Rhea and fathered Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon, Hades and Zeus
Cupid - (or Amor or Eros) god of love
Cybele - The mother goddess of Phrygia
Cynthia - or Artemis
Cynthus - or Apollo
Diana - Italian goddess of woods, women and childbirth
Edda - (Edda means great grandmother, and the term eddas, "tales of great grandmother" is the word used to describe the great stories in Scandinavian mythology.) The dwarfish Edda was the first to create offspring with her husband Ai. She gave birth to the Thralls, the ones "enthralled" to service as food producers.
Egeria - Italian goddess associated with Diana
Eileithyia - (Greek) Goddess of childbirth
Eir - A companion of Frigg, Eir is the goddess of healing. She taught her art and the secret powers of herbs only to women, the only physicians in ancient Scandinavia.
Elivagar - (Norse)
Elle (Elli) - (Norse) Personification of Old Age; in the form of an old hag she wrestled Thor to defeat, much to his shame.
Embla - (Norse) The name of the first woman.
Enipeus - River god
Eos - Goddess of the dawn
Erda - (Germanic) Ancient earth goddess.
Eridanus - Italian river god
Eros - or Cupid
Farbanti (Farbauti) - (Norse) He was a giant who ferried the dead over the waters to the underworld. He was the father of Loki by Laufey, who gave birth to Loki when Farbanti struck her with a lightning bolt.
Faunus - Italian god of the flocks, herds and wild countryside
Fengi - (Scandinavia) The answer to the question, "Why is the sea so salty?": Once upon a time, in the days of King Frodi, there were two female giants who worked a mill called Grotti. Fengi and Mengi were the only beings strong enough to turn the giant millstone that magically produced food and plenty for Frodi's land. The king kept them working constantly, letting them rest only as long as it took them to sing a song. One night, angry and exhausted, they sang a magical charm that caused Frodi's death. But the new king, Mysing, set the giants to work as before, this time grinding salt. They ground so much that the entire ocean was filled with it.
Fenris (Fenrir) - (Norse) Fenris is the monstrous wolf, son of the god Loki who will swallow Odin at Ragnarok but will be slain by Odin's son, Vidar.
Fjalar - (Norse) The evil dwarf who, with his brother Galar, killed the wise man Kvasir in order to gain Kvasir's magic powers. They mixed his blood with honey in a cauldron and ended up with a mead that bestowed wisdom to the drinker. But the mead was taken by Suttung, a frost giant, who boasted of his acquisition to all. When the boasts reached Odin, he decided to go to Jotunheim (land of the frost giants) to get the mead for himself. He disguised himself as the evil frost giant Bolverk, and persuaded Baugi (another frost giant) to dig a tunnel through the mountain to where Suttung kept the mead under the guard of his daughter Gunnlod. Then Odin turned himself into a snake and slithered through the tunnel to the treasure. When he reached the cavern he turned himself into a handsome giant and for three days and nights was Gunnlod's passionate lover. She allowed him to drink all of the mead whereupon he changed himself into an eagle, flew home to Asgard and spit up the mead into some empty jars.
Fjorgyn - (Norse) The mother of the Norse god Thor, she appears in few myths.
Forseti or Forsetti (Forsite) - (Norse) God of justice. Son of Balder and Nanna.
Flora - Italian goddess of flowers and spring
Fortuna - Roman goddess identified with Tyche
Frey - (Norse) A god of the Vanir race. Twin brother of Freyja. He was the god of peace, fertility and weather. He was married to Gerd (Gerda).
Freyja (Freya) - (Norse) She was originally from the Vanir. Goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, sometimes identified as the goddess of battle and death. She was also quite accommodating in sexual matters. She is said to have traded sexual favors (by sleeping with the four dwarves who had fashioned the necklace) to possess the necklace of the Brisings. When it was taken from her by Loki, she started a war of retaliation. Her father was Njord, a fertility god. Blond, blue-eyed, and beautiful, Freyja traveled in a chariot drawn by cats. She resided in the celestial realm of Folkvang, where it was her privilege to receive half of all the warriors slain in battle and take their souls to her hall, Sessrumnir, in Folkvang; the god Odin received the other half at Valhalla. She loves music, spring and flowers, and spends much time with the fey. She is seen wearing a cloak of bird feathers, which allows the wearer to change into a falcon and the beautiful necklace of the Brisings given to her by dwarves, which the Norse still refer to as the Milky Way. In Germany, Freya was sometimes identified with Frigg, the wife of Odin. She was also the sister of the god Frey.
Frigg (Frigga, Frija, Fricka) - (Norse) Goddess of the sky. Daughter of Fjorgyn, goddess of the earth. She was Odin's wife and mother of Balder and Hoth. Friday is named after her. Frigg is the patroness of marriage and motherhood. She assists women in labor and is associated with the naming of children. Frigg has the reputation of knowing everyone's destiny, but never reveals it. Being the wife of the god Odin, she was known as the Queen of the Heavens. She is the central diety in Asgard where her hall, Fensalir ("water halls") is located.
Fulla - (Norse) From her name we get our word for abundance. Fulla is Frigg's handmaiden and messenger. Prayers are addressed to her for intercession with Frigg, and for guidance in service. She was pictured as a young woman with long, full hair bound at the temple with a golden band.
Fylgja(sing.), Fylgakona(plural) - (Iceland) A family's guardian spirit (sometimes called Haminga). Some legends consider them to be ominous as well as protective spirits.
Gaea - (or Ge) Earth goddess
Garm - (Norse) The hound which stands in front of Hel's home and snarls with jaws dripping blood at the pilgrims from the upper world.
Ge - or Gaea
Gefion (Gefinn, Gefjon) - (Scandinavian) There are two Scandinavian females with this name (or can it be one with two very different set of character traits?). One Gefjon was a trickster giantess; she was promised as much land as four oxen could plow in a day. So she conceived four ox-shaped sons by a another giant; when her sons had grown, Gefjon brought them back to Sweden, where they plowed off a part of that country and dragged it to a new location, where it became the island of Zealand. The other Gefjon, a goddess, sold her hymen for a jewel but miraculously retained her virginity. She was an attendant of Frigg. All women who die as maidens were said to pass into this Gefjon's possession. She is also the bringer of good luck and prosperity.
Geirrod - (Norse) A frost giant and father of two daughters, Gjalp and Greip. He was a bitter enemy of Thor, and having captured Loki (when Loki was flying around as a hawk) received from him a promise that he, Loki, would bring Thor to Geirrod's castle without Thor having his magic belt and magic hammer. Loki did as promised and led Thor into the trap. On the way there, though, they stopped to rest at the home of a giantess named Grid. She told Thor what was up when Loki left the room, and gave him her magic belt, iron gloves and magic staff. Needless to say Thor used each with supreme efficiency and slew Geirrod, his daughters and all other frost giants in the vicinity.
Gerd (Gerda) - (Scandinavian) A Scandinavian deity of light. She was the most beautiful of creatures, the daughter of a female giant and a mortal man. Frey became infatuated with Gerd and sent his servant to fetch her. Gerd refused, but Frey kept sending gifts and, finally, threats. A spell in runes eventually won Gerd, and she traveled to Asgard, the home of the gods, to live with Frey.
Ginnunggap - (Norse) Ginnunggap was the "Yawning Void" that existed before the creation of gods.
Gioll - (Norse) The river which surrounded the underworld, Hel.
Gleipnir - (Norse) The chain which binds Fenris. It is made from the footfalls of cats, the beards of women, the roots of mountains and the breath of fish.
Gna - (Norse) The messenger of heaven and of heaven's queen, Frigg. She was a wind deity.
Godar - (Scandinavian) The Scandinavian gods were served by a class of priest-chieftains called Godar. Worship was originally conducted outdoors, under guardian trees, near sacred wells, or within sacred arrangements of stones. Later, wooden temples were used, with altars and with carved representations of the gods. Here animals and even human beings were sacrificed.
Goilveig - (Scandinavian) She is a mighty witch who, according to legend, was killed three times but still lived. Some believe she is an avatar for the mightiest of the Vanir, Freya.
Gold-comb - (Norse) The cock who shall crow when Ragnarok comes.
Gondul - (Norse) One of the most famous Valkyries, Gondul was sent to earth to bring back the spirits of famous kings who fell in battle.
Gonlod - (Scandinavian) The mother of poetry. She was the giant who owned the cauldron of inspiration that the god Odin took by trickery. She was also said to be the mother of Bragi, god of poets.
Gotterdammerung - (Norse) The end of the world.
Groa - (Scandinavian) A wise old woman who, in the eddas, is credited with being a sorcerer, a healer and a caster of spells.
Gulltopr - (Norse) Heimdall's horse.
Gungnir - (Norse) Odin's spear, obtained from the dwarves by Loki for Odin.
Hades - Son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Poseiden. God of the underworld
Heimdall (Heimdalr) - (Norse) He is said to be the son of nine mothers. He lived at the foot of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge, and guarded it. He was known as the watchman of the gods. Heimdall was the keeper of the Gjallahorn, the "ringing" horn, which he was to sound when Ragnarök, the end of the world, was near. In an Irish myth he is called Rígr, and is considered the father of mankind. He consorted with three women, from whom descend the three classes of mankind: serf(thrall), freeman(karl), and nobleman(jarl).
Hel - (Norse) The goddess of the dead. She dwelt beneath one of the three roots of the sacred ash tree Yggdrasil and resides in her hall, Elvidnir (misery) in the underworld of Niflheim, the World of Darkness. She was the daughter of Loki, the spirit of mischief or evil, and the giantess Angerbotha (Angerboda). Odin, the All-Father, hurled Hel into Niflheim, the realm of cold and darkness, itself also known as Hel, over which he gave her sovereign authority. Here the dead suffered unimaginable tortures, except for those who died heroically in battle (who ended up in Valhalla, the Hall of the Heroes). Hel is described as being half white and half black. She is responsible for plagues, sickness and catastrophes.
Helen - Daughter of Zeus and Leda. Goddess associated with birds and trees
Hephaestus - One of the Olympian gods. Son of Zeus and Hera. The god of fire and metal-work. Romans new him as Vulcan
Hera - Daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Sister and wife of Zeus. Goddess of all living things and vegetable life
Heracles - (or Hercules) Hero who later became a god. Son of Alcmene and Zeus. Half-brother of Iphicles.
Hercules - or Heracles
Hermes - Son of Zeus and Maia. God of fertility and later a god of dice games
Hermod - (Norse) Son of Odin and Frigg, and brother of Balder. He was divine messenger of the gods (same as Hermes and Mercury).
Hestia - Sister of Zeus and Hera. The goddess of the hearth
Hod (Hodr, Hodur) - (Norse) The blind brother of Balder, tricked by Loki, throws a mistletoe dart at his brother and kills him.
Hoenir - or Vili
Hogni - (Norse) He and his brother Gunner, persuaded by Brynhild to avenge her honor, arranged Sigurd's death. They inherited his fortune, including the cursed ring Andvarinaut, and were in turn doomed at the hands of Atli.
Holer (Holler) - (Norse) The god of death and destruction and the one who brings diseases and disasters. He takes people to his dungeon where he tortures them to death.
Honir (Hoenir) - (Norse) The long-legged god of the Aesir, and brother of Odin. He and the wise god Mimir were sent to live with the Vanir to seal their truce. The Vanir gladly accepted them and made Honir one of their leaders. Honir, however, was not as smart as the Aesir had claimed (was very indecisive, actually) and relied heavily on Mimir. He gave noncommittal answers whenever Mimir was not around. The Vanir, feeling cheated, cut off Mimir's head and sent it back to Odin. Honir is one of the gods that will survive Ragnarok.
Hreidmar - (Norse) The father of Regin, Fafnir and Otter. See Fafnir.
Hresvelgr - (Norse) The giant who lives in the extreme north; the motion of his wings causes wind and tempest.
Hrungnir - (Norse) The strongest of the frost giants, killed by Thor in a personal duel.
Hugi - (Norse) The young frost giant who defeated Thialfi (Thor's human servant) in a foot race; one of the many adventures undergone by Thor and Loki in their journey to Utgard, land of the frost giants.
Huginn - (Norse) Huginn (thought) was one of the two ravens which sat upon Odin's shoulder and which brought him news each day of what was happening in the world. The other was Muninn (memory).
Hyman - God of weddings
Hymir - (Norse) Hymir is a sea giant, the husband of Hrod, who lives at edge of the heaven. He possessed an enormous cauldron which the Aesir coveted because they could brew enough beer in it for all the gods, and Thor was sent to obtain it. In the final battle against the gods, Hymir will sail the terrible ship Naglfar, which is made entirely from the nails of the dead. The flood that precedes Ragnarok will free the ship after which the giants will board it and, with Hymir as commander, sail towards the battlefield of Vigrond.
Hyperion - God of the Sun.
Hypnus - The god of sleep
Idun (Iduna, Idunnor) - (Norse) She was the goddess of spring and eternal youth. Wife of Bragi, and guardian of the golden apples of immortality which the gods ate whenever they wanted to renew their youth.
Ilmarinen -
Irene - Daughter of Zeus and Themis. The goddess of peace
Isis - (Egyptian) Wife of Osiris and mother of Horus.
Janus - (Roman) God of beginnings.
Jehovah -
Juno - Italian goddess of womanhood and childbirth
Juturna - Italian goddess of springs and streams
Liber Pater - Italian god of the vine.
Lothur - or Ve
Mars - (Roman) God of War
Minerva - (Etruscan) Goddess of wisdom. Romans identified her with Athena
Morpheus - The son of the god of sleep. A god who sends dreams and visions of human form.
Nemesis - (Greek) Daughter of Oceanus
Neptune - (Italian) Sea god
Nereus - Sea god
Nerthus - (German) Earth deity
Nike - Goddess of victory
Njord - (Norse) Father of twins Frey and Freyja. God of fertility
Odin - (or Wodin) (Norse) Brother of Vili and Ve
Orcus - (Roman) Roman name for Hades
Osiris - (Egyptian)
Palaemon - Sea god
Pales - (Italian) God of flocks and herds
Tellus - Earth goddess
Thor - (Norse) God of Thunder
Tyr - (Norse)
Vili - (or Hoenir) (Norse) Brother of Odin and Ve
Ve - (or Lothur) (Norse) Brother of Odin and Vili
Wodin - or Odin

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