Post: #1

Hávamál is a poem in the Poetic Edda - a collection of Viking age (900-1300) poetry and stories - in which Odin, the chief god, lectures a young man on life. I thought some of you might enjoy some old school knowledge from back when scandinavians struck fear into Europeans.

On Women:

The speech of a maiden should no man trust
nor the words which a woman says;
for their hearts were shaped on a whirling wheel
and falsehood fixed in their breasts.

Now plainly I speak, since both I have seen;
unfaithful is man to maid;
we speak them fairest when thoughts are falsest
and wile the wisest of hearts.

-- Let him speak soft words and offer wealth
who longs for a woman's love,
praise the shape of the shining maid --
he wins who thus doth woo.

Never a whit should one blame another
for a folly which many befalls;
the might of love makes sons of men
into fools who once were wise.

On Travel:

He hath need of his wits who wanders wide,
aught simple will serve at home;
but a gazing-stock is the fool who sits
mid the wise, and nothing knows.

He knows alone who has wandered wide,
and far has fared on the way,
what manner of mind a man doth own
who is wise of head and heart.

On Drinking:

Less good than they say for the sons of men
is the drinking oft of ale:
for the more they drink, the less can they think
and keep a watch o'er their wits.

Drunk was I then, I was over drunk
in that crafty Jötun's court.
But best is an ale feast when man is able
to call back his wits at once.

A fool will gape when he goes to a friend,
and mumble only, or mope;
but pass him the ale cup and all in a moment
the mind of that man is shown.

Keep not the mead cup but drink thy measure;
speak needful words or none:
none shall upbraid thee for lack of breeding
if soon thou seek'st thy rest.

On Life:

A coward believes he will ever live
if he keep him safe from strife:
but old age leaves him not long in peace
though spears may spare his life.

The unwise man is awake all night,
and ponders everything over;
when morning comes he is weary in mind,
and all is a burden as ever.

For the unwise man 'tis best to be mute
when he come amid the crowd,
for none is aware of his lack of wit
if he wastes not too many words;
for he who lacks wit shall never learn
though his words flow ne'er so fast.

One's own house is best, though small it may be;
each man is master at home;
though he have but two goats and a bark-thatched hut
'tis better than craving a boon.

Let no man stint him and suffer need
of the wealth he has won in life;
oft is saved for a foe what was meant for a friend,
and much goes worse than one weens.

To his friend a man should bear him as friend,
to him and a friend of his;
but let him beware that he be not the friend
of one who is friend to his foe.

Post: #2

It's amazing that thoughts such as these are seemingly purposefully kept from Americans during their education. I believe that I literally never encountered anything praising bravery and shaming cowardice until I was out of University.

Absolutely stunning.

Post: #3

Quote:the might of love makes sons of men
into fools who once were wise.

never have truer words been spoken

Post: #4

(07-31-2014 02:16 PM)Sonsowey Wrote:  It's amazing that thoughts such as these are seemingly purposefully kept from Americans during their education. I believe that I literally never encountered anything praising bravery and shaming cowardice until I was out of University.

Absolutely stunning.

Yep, I had the same conversation with my brother about it today, about how we never read a single word of the Edda even though it is the most important literary work in Nordic history. Instead we read all kinds of crap boomer literature. I laughed out loud when I first read the poems about drinking (there are several more) too, now I know that the nordic tradition of binge drinking isn't new.

Post: #5

Thanks for sharing.

Saw this at a Norwegian restaurant last month:

Post: #6

The Havamal reminds me of the book of solomon...its concentrated wisdom that no one seems to know about. I've dropped quotes from the Havamal around this forum before.

Post: #7

Post: #8

As an Asatruar myself, The Eddas are perhaps the most red pill books ever written.

Post: #9

Quote:The medieval Icelandic lawbook Grágás (K 254) prohibits women from wearing men's clothes, from cutting their hair short, or from carrying weapons.

How far we have fallen!

Post: #10

(07-31-2014 06:39 PM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  The Havamal reminds me of the book of solomon...its concentrated wisdom that no one seems to know about. I've dropped quotes from the Havamal around this forum before.

Is the Hamaval a book?

I looked on Amazon but there's nothing listed under that name.

Post: #11

(08-08-2014 09:25 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 06:39 PM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  The Havamal reminds me of the book of solomon...its concentrated wisdom that no one seems to know about. I've dropped quotes from the Havamal around this forum before.

Is the Hamaval a book?

I looked on Amazon but there's nothing listed under that name.

It's part of Edda: http://www.amazon.com/Edda-Everymans-Lib...460876163/

Post: #12

(08-08-2014 10:32 AM)berserk Wrote:  

(08-08-2014 09:25 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 06:39 PM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  The Havamal reminds me of the book of solomon...its concentrated wisdom that no one seems to know about. I've dropped quotes from the Havamal around this forum before.

Is the Hamaval a book?

I looked on Amazon but there's nothing listed under that name.

It's part of Edda: http://www.amazon.com/Edda-Everymans-Lib...460876163/

Cheers. Ordered.

Post: #13

Wrong book sorry, it the Poetic Edda (http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Edda-Lee-M-...B00CEIGZ3M) NOT the Prose Edda I linked above.

Post: #14

This is the kind of red-pill religion our society desperately needs.

Post: #15

A drinking horn would be a hell of a peacocking device in a bar

Post: #16

^ We'll have to try it and report back