Written in Iceland a century after the close of the Viking Age, it tells ancient stories of the Norse creation epic and recounts the battles that follow as gods, giants, dwarves and elves struggle for survival. It also preserves the oral memory of heroes, warrior kings and queens. In clear prose interspersed with powerful verse, the Edda provides unparalleled insight into the gods' tragic realisation that the future holds one final cataclysmic battle, Ragnarok, when the world will be destroyed. These tales from the pagan era have proved to be among the most influential of all myths and legends, inspiring modern works as diverse as Wagner's Ring Cycle and Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.This new translation by Jesse Byock captures the strength and subtlety of the original, while his introduction sets the tales fully in the context of Norse mythology. This edition also includes detailed notes and appendices.

    This classic of European literature has influenced such diverse figures as Dante, T.H. White, and the makers of the 1967 film Camelot.

    Odo of Cheriton (c. 1185- c. 1247) wrote sophisticated fables, filled with great wit and humor, yet highly moral, even didactic, in keeping with the age in which he lived - one vigorous in religious, philosophic, scientific, and social debate and conflict.Jacobs' translation of the 117 fables makes them available to a new readership at a time when interest in fables, parables, and fairy tales is growing.In addition to the fables themselves, Jacobs has provided a substantial Introduction which discusses Odo of Cheriton's life and his 13th-century world. As the first comprehensive discussion of Odo's career and critical analysis of the fables, the Introduction will interest medievalists and a broad range of readers.Drawing upon modern critical techniques, Jacobs sheds new light on medieval narrative and modes of interpretation. He also shows how the moralizing commentaries attached to representative fables are integral to the fables' narrative art.The text is illustrated with seventeen exceptional sketches taken from the album of Villard de Honnecourt - a near contemporary of Odo. These drawings have a fluid vitality which perfectly complements the delightful narratives.