Traveler's Rede: Poetry from Hávamál

Viking-Age proverbs in poetic form, newly translated for modern readers.

Hear the words of Odin, the wandering sage and wisdom-seeker of the ancient Norse, as he regales readers with insights hewn from the harsh landscapes of Scandinavia. The power of preparedness. The wisdom of practicality. And the boons found in honoring the bounds of friendship and hospitality. All these lessons and more leap from the past with surprising potency that remains vital today.

Comprises stanzas 1-80 of Gestaþáttr, a section of Hávamál dedicated to advice for travelers. Each proverb is shown as both poetic interpretation and literal translation with original language and explanatory notes. These proverbs are newly translated from the 700-year-old collection of Icelandic verses found in the Poetic Edda.