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The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok
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Although based on historical persons from the 9th century, Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons are the subjects of compelling legends dating from the Viking era. Warriors, raiders, and rulers, Ragnar and his sons inspired unknown writers to set down their stories over seven centuries ago. This volume presents new and original translations of the three major Old Norse texts that te
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Paperback, 122 pages
Published
April 22nd 2009
by Troth
(first published 2009)
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Start your review of The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok
"I desire my death now.
The disir call me home,
whom Herjan hastens onward
from his hall, to take me.
On the high bench, boldly,
beer I'll drink with the Gods;
hope of life is lost now --
laughing shall I die!"
Damn, but do I love these old sagas! Epic and fascinating and mysterious, they're simply perfect for me. And it's history. A marriage made in heaven...or should I say, made in Valhall :)
Ben Waggoner's translation is easy to read and his notes at the end of the book helpful; I positively flew th ...more
The disir call me home,
whom Herjan hastens onward
from his hall, to take me.
On the high bench, boldly,
beer I'll drink with the Gods;
hope of life is lost now --
laughing shall I die!"
Damn, but do I love these old sagas! Epic and fascinating and mysterious, they're simply perfect for me. And it's history. A marriage made in heaven...or should I say, made in Valhall :)
Ben Waggoner's translation is easy to read and his notes at the end of the book helpful; I positively flew th ...more
It’s not an easy read. The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok is patchwork of literary styles, genres, and stories. Add a lot of names and genealogies and a rather wordy translation, and you have a bit of work ahead of you.
But it’s worth it. The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok contains tree sagas, a list of Swedish kings, and a long poem, Krákumál. If you’re unaccustomed with the Old Icelandic literary style, you should start with the sagas: Read The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok first, then The Tale of Ragnar’s Sons, an ...more
But it’s worth it. The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok contains tree sagas, a list of Swedish kings, and a long poem, Krákumál. If you’re unaccustomed with the Old Icelandic literary style, you should start with the sagas: Read The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok first, then The Tale of Ragnar’s Sons, an ...more
I have been watching the TV show "Vikings" so this was very interesting to read. The author uses three major old Norse stories to tell Ragnar's life and deeds. There is a lot of speculation as to whether there actually was a "Ragnar". He has been identified as various historical persons of this period but there is no actual proof. His sons are a different matter as there is more information about them. Anyone wanting to learn a bit more about Ragner and this period of Viking history will enjoy t
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I like my Vikings to be on the battlefield. But good background to know.
Aaaaaaaaw cute collection of sagas about Ragnar Lodbrok - "king in leathern breeches". First story is almost similar to the one from "Heroes of the Norselands" by Katharine Boult. Version in Waggoner's book is closer to the plot that was played in TV Show, but nevertheless is very interesting. Second story is Sögubrot - the saga about Ivar the boneless, and third story tells about the other Ragnar's sons. The last one in this book is Krákumál - dialogue of Ragnar with king Aella, before king thr
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This was interesting. I've recently read the Saxon Stories series and characters there worshiped Ragnar. They were marauding thieves and Ragnar was also known as being that, plus a mighty warrior. So it was kind of fun to read about Ragnar. In some ways this didn't long enough, and in others it seemed long. So 3 stars.
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This review is for the Audible edition.
If you like the History Channel's "Vikings"...
...Then you'll probably like this. It's a retelling of three surviving stories from Old Norse texts. Some of the characters from the show are there as viewers would know them; Others take different forms from story to story, but all have fates intertwined with Ragnar and his children. The seeds of the television show are definitely here, and Ragnar is no less enigmatic and entertaining than he is on television. ...more
If you like the History Channel's "Vikings"...
...Then you'll probably like this. It's a retelling of three surviving stories from Old Norse texts. Some of the characters from the show are there as viewers would know them; Others take different forms from story to story, but all have fates intertwined with Ragnar and his children. The seeds of the television show are definitely here, and Ragnar is no less enigmatic and entertaining than he is on television. ...more
It is wonderful to see all the works relating to Ragnar Lodbrok brought together in one volume. They make a fun and fascinating read, and the translation is well-handled. This book will appeal to lovers of Norse mythology and the sagas, as well as to fans of the TV series Vikings.
Superior translation, Very readable and as entertaining as a 1000 year old Saga can be.
Ragnar Lidbrook, made famous by the TV show “Vikings”, however the real Norse Sagas are nothing at all like that. First off Ragnar is a prince the eldest son of a king. The sagas contain two different versions of Ragnar’s life. In the first version, the Prince Ragnar goes to a neighboring kingdom to save a maiden, named Thora from a snake that has surrounded her house. Thora is a kings daughter and this snake eats its tale . Kind of like the Midgard serpent. After Ragnar rescues and marries her
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Great translation with notes to help understand the reasoning behind the translator's interpretations, as well as the history of the interpretations and differing opinions. The introduction provides good context for readers before they begin too!
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3.5
Thoughts to come.
Thoughts to come.
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In a British History magazine I read a short article on the authenticity of the History Channel series The Vikings. Because I'm always interested in "period" pieces and I didn't know much about the "reality" of the 8th-10th Centuries, and because the article mentioned the series is as accurate as we can get (from the research we have), I decided to watch it. And, fortunately or un-, got hooked.
That means, of course for me, that I had/have to do some "binge"reading on the period, and since my mas ...more
That means, of course for me, that I had/have to do some "binge"reading on the period, and since my mas ...more
3 and a half stars. Ben Waggoner's Sagas of Ragnar Lothbok collects all the literature surrounding Ragnar and his sons, and refers across to (although it does not include anything from) Saxo Grammaticus' history. makes for pretty interesting reading, all that detail, these variants in story. mostly prose, but with a lot of significant (and lovely) poetic stanzas folded in, and a concluding poem of great power, the Krakumal, Ragnar's death poem in the pit of snakes: "We struck with our swords!" e
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Do not be fooled by the size of this book. You will spend just as much time reading the book itself that you will be reading the footnotes at the end as you go along. Keep a pen handy to mark that spot, because, while it may seem annoying, keep in mind that you are in a strange place, in a strange time, meeting strange people, and you learn a lot about all of this.
That being said I found this book very interesting. It compiles a few different sources that include King Ragnar, including one poem ...more
That being said I found this book very interesting. It compiles a few different sources that include King Ragnar, including one poem ...more
I've been obsessed with Viking history lately, which sparked from reading Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology. I started the TV show Vikings, which is excellent, and discovered that it is (very loosely) based on The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok, so I embarked on the tale.
This book has several components and it blends nicely, having been diligently translated by Ben Waggoner. It was an entertaining read and I burned through the book in about 2hrs. It was quick, enjoyable, and I loved the historical and myt ...more
This book has several components and it blends nicely, having been diligently translated by Ben Waggoner. It was an entertaining read and I burned through the book in about 2hrs. It was quick, enjoyable, and I loved the historical and myt ...more
Hvitserk would be a top notch cat name.
Those of you who've watched even just part of the first season of "Vikings" should recognize the characters (notwithstanding the liberties the show's producers took with the source material). As with much of the surviving material from that age, we're treated with characters who are often larger than life. In this case, most of them, as I understand it, were real people. So perhaps we could consider the Sagas of Ragnar to be sort of the Norse equivalent of America's Tall Tales (Daniel Boone, Dav
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A lively and readable translation of the various sagas and fragments that tell the tale of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons. Ragnar straddles the boundary between the legendary and the historical. His sons - if they were his sons and not simply men who traced their lineage back to the clan founder - were the leaders of the Great Heathen Army that visited death and destruction upon 10th-century England, bringing down three of the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms until only Wessex, precariously, remained. But
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Okay it was actually interesting to see how much of the original sagas that was in the series, now that I watched that first and is obsessed!
I was confused at first because the first saga started with the story of his second wife Aslaug. Jumped lightly over the story of Ragnar and continued with the children they got. Because they only part Ragnar had was being there and did later xD
I mean it's so much more about his sons, their reaction to his death and how big they became. But still fun to s ...more
I was confused at first because the first saga started with the story of his second wife Aslaug. Jumped lightly over the story of Ragnar and continued with the children they got. Because they only part Ragnar had was being there and did later xD
I mean it's so much more about his sons, their reaction to his death and how big they became. But still fun to s ...more
the first section of the book provide an insight on historical references which has initiated my appetite for knowing more! i think i have spent like a month only reading through those initial 30 pages and searching for all the references in there... - this introduction was then followed by a translation of the 3 indicated sagas which reading went quite smoothly. i would advise every reader interested in Norse/Nordic history, to take your own time and savour this book... you won't get disappoint
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It’s tough to rate a translation of ancient manuscripts. These are legends and the authors are unknown. The writing is beautiful and somewhat poetic. There are places where the 3 different writings tell similar stories and other places where they go in separate directions. I suppose the one thing that disappointed me was that I was expecting more about what Ragnar accomplished in his own life to become so infamous, but instead there was more written about his sons than about him. Much of his lif
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this was a very nice collection with the original saga, a saga on his ancestors (though missing some pieces), the sagas of his sons, and the “krakumal”aka words of the raven — his death song. the translator has excellent footnotes with good information and the saga reads very well for the modern mind. probably my favorite saga that I have read so far, though ragnars saga is wayyy different from the show i don’t think i’ve lost love for the show as it takes creative freedom and effectively makes
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A well researched book that I enjoyed (credit to the author). I watched the Vikings TV series and thought it couldn’t be close to what actually happened. Whilst the sagas are more stories told over the ages, there is no smoke without fire as the saying goes which is why I wanted to read this book. It has proved useful in helping me clarify the story of Ragnar and his sons lives. Onto the biographies!
The book could be confusing at points, so a rough timeline/ tree would have been a very useful a ...more
The book could be confusing at points, so a rough timeline/ tree would have been a very useful a ...more
As a fan of Vikings and all things Nordic this is a rather compelling book. The stories of Ragnar and his Sons are very action packed, full of themes of trust and deceptions, hard choices and severe consequences which ultimately thins the lines between what was fact and what was fiction. Each character is well written and their dialogue fits each personality perfectly. At times it’s a little confusing to follow who is where but you eventually catch up.
I actually read the version that you can find at germanicmythology.com. It contains the original Old Norse text juxtaposed to an almost word for word English translation that is clear to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The Norse sagas are always better than the romanticized history we think we know. And yes, the Tale of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons is full of so much more detail than the histoy channel show "Vikings".
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I listened to the audiobook version because I really enjoyed the series Vikings and wanted to know more about the legends that inspired it. A lot of it is told in a similar fashion to other Norse myths, but the actual verse and the epic poem are difficult to digest via audiobook, esp since I'd never read them before. I ended up feeling like I needed to read this one the good old fashion way.
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Seems a great translation, not that I am able to compare it to the original. Very readable (listenable) and entertaining. The translation is mostly prose (like the original?) with poetic verses (usually in alliterative verse) here and there. The concluding poem, the Karkumal, is the highlight, in my opinion.
A very interesting book, even if it is only a story and not history. The translation is very good and readable. All notes are very informative and accurate. I recommend reading this together with The children of Odin. the Book of Northern Myths translated by Anon. E mouse eo And also read Dunstan. One man. Seven kings by Conn Iggulden.
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I've been studying Old Norse (close to modern Icelandic) in my copious spare time since about 2006. Now I translate, study, annotate, and periodically publish Old Norse sagas (longish prose narratives that come in a great many "genres"). Why? It's fun if you like that sort of thing, and someone has to do it. . . My focus has been on the fornaldarsögur or "sagas of olden time" -- legendary narrativ
...more
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“KRÁKUMÁL
[...]
25. We struck with our swords!
My soul is glad, for I know
that Balder’s father’s benches
for a banquet are made ready.
We’ll toss back toasts of ale
from bent trees of the skulls;
no warrior bewails his death
in the wondrous house of Fjolnir.
Not one word of weakness
will I speak in Vidrir’s hall.
26. We struck with our swords!
The sons of Aslaug all would
rouse the wrath of Hild here
with their ruthless sword-blades,
if they fathomed fully
how far I have traveled,
how so many serpents
stab me with their poison.
My son’s hearts will help them:
they have their mother’s lineage.
27. We struck with our swords!
Soon my life is ended;
Goinn scathes me sorely,
settles in my heart’s hall;
I wish the wand of Vidrir
would wound Æelle, one day.
My sons must feel great fury
that their father is put to death;
my daring swains won’t suffer
in silence when they hear this.
28. We struck with our swords!
I have stood in the ranks
at fifty-one folk-battles,
foremost in the lance-meet.
Never did I dream that
a different king should ever
be found braver than me—
I bloodied spears when young.
Æsir will ask us to feast;
no anguish for my death.
29. I desire my death now.
The disir call me home,
whom Herjan hastens onward
from his hall, to take me.
On the high bench, boldly,
beer I’ll drink with the Gods;
hope of life is lost now—
laughing shall I die!”
—
1 likes
More quotes…
[...]
25. We struck with our swords!
My soul is glad, for I know
that Balder’s father’s benches
for a banquet are made ready.
We’ll toss back toasts of ale
from bent trees of the skulls;
no warrior bewails his death
in the wondrous house of Fjolnir.
Not one word of weakness
will I speak in Vidrir’s hall.
26. We struck with our swords!
The sons of Aslaug all would
rouse the wrath of Hild here
with their ruthless sword-blades,
if they fathomed fully
how far I have traveled,
how so many serpents
stab me with their poison.
My son’s hearts will help them:
they have their mother’s lineage.
27. We struck with our swords!
Soon my life is ended;
Goinn scathes me sorely,
settles in my heart’s hall;
I wish the wand of Vidrir
would wound Æelle, one day.
My sons must feel great fury
that their father is put to death;
my daring swains won’t suffer
in silence when they hear this.
28. We struck with our swords!
I have stood in the ranks
at fifty-one folk-battles,
foremost in the lance-meet.
Never did I dream that
a different king should ever
be found braver than me—
I bloodied spears when young.
Æsir will ask us to feast;
no anguish for my death.
29. I desire my death now.
The disir call me home,
whom Herjan hastens onward
from his hall, to take me.
On the high bench, boldly,
beer I’ll drink with the Gods;
hope of life is lost now—
laughing shall I die!”
