Orome, Odin and Hermes

[Mithrandir-Olor]

When I was new to studying ancient mythologies, I never got why the Ancient Greek and Roman authors tended to identify the Germanic god Odin with their Hermes rather then Zeus, I mostly just thought "Odin is the King of the gods so isn't he obviously Zeus". In time I learned both Odin and Zeus had more aspects then being a ruler, though still the Greeks didn't identify Thor (the Thunder god) with Zeus either, Thor was always either Herakles or Ares.

Interestingly it was studying the Vala Orome that made the similarities between Odin and Hermes apparent to me. In-spite of Tolkien mainly drawing on German-Norse and Celtic mythologies, the Valar as a group still kind of resemble the Olympians more so then the Aseir. Manwe seems like Zeus (With the Eagles being heralds of Manwe resembling the Aetos Zeus) Aule Hephestos (Though Sauron who was a Maia of Aule also resembling Hephestos), Varda is like Hera, Ulmo Posidon (and Osse Triton), Mandos is like Hades, Tulkas like Ares, Lorien is like Apollo (god of Prophecy) and so on. Orome is clearly best fitting Hermes in this scenario, but in the Norse context Orome definitely resembles Odin far more then Manwe does. With his Horse Nahar is like Odin's Slepinir.

Another fictional deity that resembles Odin and Orome is Lovecraft's Nodens (who is named after a Celtic deity that the Romans identified with Mercury) who is the only seemingly good deity in Lovecraft's mythos, serving as a Deus Ex Machina in a couple stories, and is the only basis in Lovecraft's stories for the "Elder Gods" devised by later Cthulu Mythos writers. He rides a Chariot filing the role of Nahar/Slepinir.

 

[Elassar]

I can see the connection

 

[Áramandë Amaniel]

If one would not mind being technical, would Mandos be more akin to Hades or Thanatos?

Mandos dwells in his own Halls, quite like how Hades dwells in the Underworld, and both namesakes are representative of the respective rulers themselves. Again, there are more similarities between Hades and Mandos - the souls of the Underworld are not allowed to leave such realm, much akin to how the féar of Mandos cannot leave his Halls.

However, though Hades ruled the Underworld and rarely left his realm, he did not necessarily rule over the souls that dwelt there, right? Thus, there seems to be a difference. Thanatos is generally held as the actual personification of death, and Mandos himself holds death as his own portion, for such could be speculated to have originated from a particular portion of Ilúvatar upon the Ainulindale.

In addition, Thanatos is generally depicted as cold and stern - something in common with Mandos - yet Orpheus performing to Hades to bring back his Eurydice is quite similar to Lúthien singing to Mandos to bring back her Beren. Nonetheless, one could add that more differences arise from this - Hades was moved not directly by the music of Orpheus, but more due to Persephone being moved first, and Hades then being moved by Persephone's plea. Yet for Mandos, Lúthien's singing moved him directly - there is no mention of Vaire within the Lament of Lúthien.

So, which acts as a more suitable representation for Mandos? Hades or Thanatos?​

 

[Elassar]

I would say Hades as he is the god of the underworld, the dwelling place of the dead whereas Thanatos is the lord of death and bringing people to the underworld (along side Caron). The underworld itself is akin to the halls of Mandos and compared to Hades Thanatos is a minor smaller god simmaler to a Mair spirit. So Thanatos could still have a counterpart in a Mair servant of mandos

 

[Áramandë Amaniel]

I would say Hades as he is the god of the underworld, the dwelling place of the dead whereas Thanatos is the lord of death and bringing people to the underworld (along side Caron). The underworld itself is akin to the halls of Mandos and compared to Hades Thanatos is a minor smaller god simmaler to a Mair spirit. So Thanatos could still have a counterpart in a Mair servant of mandos

That would make sense. Thanks for your opinion.

One coudl also consider Moros to be quite similar to Mandos - Moros being the Greek God of Fate and Impending Doom, which is something that Mandos is quite akin to in terms of his prophecies.

 

[Elassar]

Agreed