Óðrerir


In Norse mythology, Óðrerir, Óðrørir or Óðrœrir refers either to one of the three vessels that contain the mead of poetry or to the mead itself.

Attestations

Poetic Edda

Óðrerir is mentioned in two ambiguous passages of the Hávamál. In a first stanza, it is sometimes assumed that Óðrerir is synonymous with mead of poetry, but both interpretations are possible.
In another stanza, the meaning of Óðrerir depends on the translation.
In most translations, Óðrerir seems to refer to a vessel, but other interpretations of ausinn Óðreri are possible, which can lead to understand Óðrerir to be the mead itself.

Prose Edda

For Snorri Sturluson, Óðrerir is the name of the kettle in which Kvasir's blood was mixed with honey to create the mead:
Similarly, Snorri considers that "liquid of Óðrerir and Boðn and Són" is a kenning for the mead of poetry.
But in skaldic poetry, Óðrerir is a synonym of mead of poetry and it is therefore assumed that Óðrerir as a vessel is Snorri's invention. Moreover, the etymology of the name – which can be rendered into "stirrer of inspiration" or "stirrer of fury" – suggests that it rather refers to the mead. Boðn probably means "vessel" and Són signifies either "reconciliation" or "blood".