The Elder Edda

by Orchard, Andy

• ISBN13: 9780140435856
• ISBN10: 0140435859
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-07-26
• Publisher: Penguin Classics

Summary

'She stood by the standing-beam, summoned her strength:her eyes blazed fire, she snorted venom, Brynhild, Budli's daughter'Compiled by an unknown scribe in Iceland around 1270, and based on sources dating back centuries earlier, the single main manuscript of the Poetic Edda is one of the literary wonders of the medieval world and the greatest source of knowledge of Viking lore in existence. These mythological and heroic poems tell of gods and mortals from an ancient era: the giant-slaying Thor, the doomed Völsung family, the Hel-ride of Brynhild and the cruelty of Atli the Hun. Eclectic, incomplete and fragmented, these verses nevertheless retain their stark beauty and their power to enthrall, opening a window on to the thoughts, beliefs and hopes of the Vikings and their world.Andy Orchard's new translation faithfully conveys the spare, unadorned style of the original metre and language. The lightly glossed text is accompanied by four additional poems not in the original manuscript, a chronology, further reading, index of names, note on pronunciation, and an introduction discussing the poems in detail, the history of the Poetic Edda and its influence on writers from Tennyson to Tolkien.Translated and edited with an introduction by ANDY ORCHARD

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Chronology	p. xi
Introduction	p. xiv
Further Reading	p. xxxvi
A Note on Spelling, Pronunciation and Translation	p. xliii
The Elder Edda
The Mythological Poems of the Codex Regius
Völuspá: The prophecy of the seeress	p. 5
Hávamál: The lay of the High One	p. 15
Vafthrúdnismál: The lay of Vafthrúdnir	p. 40
Grímnismál: The lay of Grímnir	p. 50
För Skírnis: Skírnir's journey	p. 59
Hárbardsliód: Grey-beard's poem	p. 67
Hymiskvida: The song of Hymir	p. 77
Lokasenna: Loki's home-truths	p. 83
Thrymskvida: The song of Thrym	p. 97
Völundarkvida: The song of Völund	p. 102
Alvíssmál: The lay of All-wise	p. 108
The Heroic Poems of the Codex Regius
Helgakvida Hundingsbana in fyrri: The first song of Helgi, the slayer of Hunding	p. 117
Helgakvida Hjörvardssonar: The song of Helgi Hjörvardsson	p. 126
Helgakvida Hundingsbana önnur: The second song of Helgi, the slayer of Hunding	p. 135
Frá dauda Sinfjötla: About Sinfjötli's death	p. 145
Grípisspá:Grípir's prophecy	p. 146
Reginsmál: Regin's lay	p. 154
Fáfnismál: Fáfnir's lay	p. 160
Sigrdrifumál; Sigrdrífa's lay	p. 169
Brot af Sigurdarkvidu: A fragment of the song of Sigurd	p. 176
Gudrútnarkvida in fyrsta: The first song of Gudrún	p. 179
Sigurdarkvida in skamma: The short song of Sigurd	p. 183
Helreid Brynhildar: Brynhild's Hel-ride	p. 193
Dráp Niflunga: The killing of the Niflungs	p. 196
Gudrúnarkvida in forna: The ancient song of Gudrún	p. 196
Gudrúnarkvida in thridja: The third song of Gudrún	p. 203
Oddrúnargrátr: Oddrún's lament	p. 204
Atlakvida: Atli's song	p. 209
Atlamál in groenlenzku: The Greenlandic lay of Atli	p. 216
Gudrúnarhvöt: Gudrún's inciting	p. 232
Hamdismál: Hamdir's lay	p. 236
Appendix Some Eddie Poems Not Contained in the Codex Regius
Rígsthula: Ríg's list	p. 243
Baldrs draumar: Baldr's dreams	p. 250
Hyndluljód: Hyndla's poem	p. 252
Grottasöngr: Grotti's chanting	p. 259
Abbreviations of Texts in the Notes and Index	p. 264
Notes	p. 266
Index of Names	p. 344
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