Publisher's Synopsis
The Havamal (Hávamál) ('sayings of the high one' i.e. 'Odin') is a collection of poetry from the Viking age. It can be described as 'gnomic poetry' in that it contains a series of insightful verses which offer advice in the form of maxims and aphorisms (short statements, observations, and opinions) about how to live one's life, how to conduct oneself in a proper manner, and how to gain and use wisdom in order to survive and prosper in a dangerous world.
Old Norse is a North Germanic language spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia from about the 7th to the 15th centuries. The text is presented in its original Old Norse, with a literal word-for-word line-by-line translation, and a Modern English translation, all side-by-side. In this way, it is possible to see and feel how the Old Norse language worked and how it has evolved. Also included is a word list with 1,471 Old Norse words translated in to English, and 1,148 English words translated into Old Norse. This book is designed to be of use and interest to anyone with a passion for the Old Norse or Old Icelandic language, Old Norse history, or languages and history in general.
