Over a period of twenty years, Snorri Sturluson, scholar, courtier and poet, compiled the prose EDDA as a textbook for young poets who wished to praise kings. His work surveys the content, style and metres of traditional Viking poetry and includes a poem of Snorri’s own, praising the king of Norway. Ironically, Snorri was killed in his own cellar in 1241 on the instigation of the king of Norway as a result of political intrigue.

The EDDA contains the most extensive account of Norse myths and legends that has survived from the Middle Ages. This is the only edition available with introduction, text summaries, indexes and chronology of early Icelandic literature.