The Poetic Edda

Enter the oldest and most powerful surviving collection of Norse mythology in The Poetic Edda—a treasury of ancient poems that shaped the legends of the Viking world.

Preserved in the medieval manuscript known as the Codex Regius, these poems reveal the voices of a lost age—stories of Odin’s relentless quest for wisdom, Thor’s battles with giants, Loki’s cunning schemes, and the inevitable doom of Ragnarök.

This illustrated edition brings these timeless verses vividly to life, guiding readers through:

The creation and structure of the Norse cosmos
The mighty gods of Asgard and their struggles
Heroic sagas of warriors, dragons, and fate
The prophetic vision of the end—and rebirth—of the world

Translated by Henry Adams Bellows, this edition balances faithful scholarship with readability, making it ideal for both new readers and mythology enthusiasts.

Dark, poetic, and profoundly philosophical, The Poetic Edda is not merely a collection of myths—it is the foundation of all Norse storytelling, influencing literature, fantasy, and modern culture for centuries.