The Poetic Edda comprises a treasure trove of mythic and spiritual verse holding an important place in Nordic culture, literature, and heritage. Its tales of strife and death form a repository, in poetic form, of Norse mythology and heroic lore, embodying both the ethical views and the cultural life of the North during the late heathen and early Christian times.
Collected by an unidentified Icelander, probably during the twelfth or thirteenth century, The Poetic Edda was rediscovered in Iceland in the seventeenth century by Danish scholars. Even then its value as poetry, as a source of historical information, and as a collection of entertaining stories was recognized. This meticulous translation succeeds in reproducing the verse patterns, the rhythm, the mood, and the dignity of the original in a revision that Scandinavian Studies says "may well grace anyone's bookshelf."
. . . the translation may indeed be regarded as the crowning achievement of a great scholar.
Lee M. Hollander was Professor Emeritus of Germanic Languages at the University of Texas at Austin and an authority in Nordic language and literature. His translations of the best prose and poetry of the Old North- among them Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway and The Saga of the Jom'svikingshave also appered under the imprint of the University of Texas Press.
- General Introduction
- The Prophecy of the Seeress: Voluspá
- The Sayings of Hár: Hávamál
- The Lay of Vafthrúthnir: Vafthrúthnismál
- The Lay of Grímnir: Grímnismál
- The Lay of Skírnir: Skírnismál
- The Lay of Hárbarth: Hárbarzljóth
- The Lay of Hymir: Hymiskvitha
- The Flyting of Loki: Lokasenna
- The Lay of Thrym: Thrymskvitha
- The Lay of Alviís: Alvíssmál
- Baldr's Dreams: Baldrs draumar
- The Lay of Ríg: Rígsthula
- The Lay of Hyndla: Hyndluljóth
- The Short Seeress' Prophecy: Voluspá hin skamma
- The Lay of Svipdag: Svipdagsmál
- The Spell of Gróa: Grógaldr
- The Lay of Fjolsvith: Fjolsvinnsmál
- The Lay of Grotti: Grottasongr
- The Lay of Volund: Volundarkvitha
- The Helgi Lays
- The Lay of Helgi Hjorvarthsson: Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar
- The First Lay of Helgi the Hunding-Slayer: Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I
- The Second Lay of Helgi the Hunding-Slayer: Helgakvitha Hundingsbana II
- Sinfjotli's Death: Frá dautha Sinfjotla
- The Prophecy of Grípir: Grípisspá
- The Lay of Regin: Reginsmál
- The Lay of Fáfnir: Fáfnismál
- The Lay of Sigrdrífa: Sigrdrífumál
- The Great Lacuna
- Fragment of a Sigurth Lay: Brot of Sigurtharkvithu
- The First Lay of Guthrún: Guthrúnarkvitha I
- The Short Lay of Sigurth: Sigurtharkvitha hin skamma
- Brynhild's Ride to Hel: Helreith Brynhildar
- The Fall of the Niflungs: Dráp Niflunga
- The Second (or Old) Lay of Guthrun: Guthrúnarkvitha II (hin forna)
- The Third Lay of Guthrun: Guthrúnarkvitha III
- The Plaint of Oddrún: Oddrúnargrátr
- The Lay of Atli: Atlakvitha .
- The Greenlandish Lay of Atli: Atlamál hin groenlenzku
- Guthrun's Lament: Guthrúnarhvat
- The Lay of Hamthir: Hamthismál (hin fornu)
- The Catalogue of Dwarfs: (Dvergatal)
- Guide to Pronunciation
- Glossary
- Selected Bibliography
- Index and List of Names
