“Shesees,comingupasecondtime,earthfromtheocean,eternallygreen;thewaterfallsplunge,aneaglesoarsabovethem,overthemountainhuntingfish.“AftertheterribleconflagrationofRagnarok,theearthrisesserenelyagainfromtheocean,andlifeisrenewed.ThePoeticEddabeginswithTheSeeress’sProphecywhichrecountsthecreationoftheworld,andlooksforwardtoitsdestructionandrebirth.InthisgreatcollectionofNorse-Icelandicmythologicalandheroicpoetry,theexploitsofgodsandhumansarerelated.Theone-eyedOdin,red-beardedThor,Lokithetrickster,thelovelygoddesses,andthegiantswhoaretheirenemieswalkbesidetheheroicHelgi,SigurdtheDragon-Slayer,Brynhildtheshield-maiden,andtheimplacableGudrun.Thistranslationalsofeaturesthequest-poemTheLayofSvipdagandTheWakingofAngantyr,inwhichagirlfacesdownherdeadfathertoretrievehissword.Comic,tragic,instructive,grandiose,witty,andprofound,thepoemsoftheEddahaveinfluencedartistsfromWagnertoTolkienandspeaktousasfreelyaswhentheywerefirstwrittendownsevenhundredandfiftyyearsago.
