The Elder Edda. Songs about gods and heroes

"The Elder Edda" is one of the most famous epic poems of the Middle Ages. It depicts a vivid, fantastical world where valkyries live, dragons guard treasures, and the gods of Asgard intervene in the fates of humans. "The Elder Edda" is one of the most important monuments of Western European literature, a unique collection of mythological and heroic songs. It tells of the Viking era, when Scandinavian peoples and states emerged, and tales and myths were born. Together with the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey," it holds an esteemed place in world literature. The songs about gods and heroes, so popular in Iceland, are dated to the 13th century, but their creation is commonly attributed to much earlier times. "The Elder Edda" is not only a unique source of material on mythology and a crucial resource for understanding European and, in particular, Scandinavian history and literature, but also an engaging text written with remarkable poetic skill.