Does anyone know whether there is any Pagan Verse still surviving?

Question

There doesn't seem to be any text on it.

Answer 1

Depends on what you mean by 'pagan'. If you just mean 'not Christian' then there's the whole of ancient Greek poetry, starting with Homer. 'Beowulf' doesn't quite count, as it's a poem about pagans that was written by a Christian.

There are Norse sagas, the epic of Gilgamesh, loads of stuff that involves strange and unfamiliar gods. None of it's hard to find; Penguin Classics publish volumes of it.

It's kind of a long shot, but the German poet J.W. Goethe was fairly pagan, although he wrote in the late 18th and early 19th century. He wrote some extremely non-Christian stuff about sex and wine and having fun. However, it's in German.

Answer 2

look at any celtic or norse mythology. Y Mabinogi is a welsh book with many beautiful tales.

king arthur is a celtic story, although the victorians hijacked it and added religion into it. arthur, king of the britons, did not go off looking for the holy grail.

although in Y Mabinogi there is a story or a great dish that would heal anyone who drank from it. that sounds about right, the christian church cant find their own stories so the 'borrow' for heathens!!!!! we all know why we celebrate Xmas in december, when its obvious the nativity is based in the spring- because of the romans- who before the church were, thats right... PAGANS!!!!

Answer 3

There are a few folk songs that seem to have a pagan theme, eg 'Staines Morris' which is about spring and fertility. Beautiful tune.

Answer 4

That would mostly depend on your definition of pagan verse.

Answer 5

Beowulf?