It seems after reading this chapter, Oden shares a lot of similarities with Hercules in Greek mythology:
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Oden got drunk and started fights with gamblers;
Hercules got drunk and started fights with centaurs
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Oden caught two rabbits with his bare hands at age 2;
Hercules caught two snakes and killed them with his bare hands at 8 months old
- Age 15,
Oden kidnaps women, forms a harem; Age 19,
Hercules forms a harem, had sex with 50 women
-
Oden diverts a river to flood the capital;
Hercules diverts a river to flood the Augean stables.
- The giant boar attacks the capital and
Oden wants to do something.
It came from the mountains; The Erymanthian boar was a giant boar that
Hercules had to capture (12 labors). It also lived in the mountains.
- The harem thing could also be attributed to the Nemean Lion in a way, that Hercules had to kill as part of his 12 labors.. This lion kidnapped women and kept them in its lair, in order to lure warriors and kill them. This is similar to how the Harem Revolt in this chapter culminated.
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Oden lifting a rock and killing a bear with it at age 6 is really typically Herculean - as something that required great strength - and is again, similar to
Hercules killing snakes at 8 months old.
-
Oden sentenced to hard labour after nearly killing someone is quite similar to
Hercules, who sentenced himself to the 12 labors after he killed his wife and kids, though the sentences are very different.