The Epic of Gilgamesh: An English Verison with an Introduction‘I am Gilgamesh who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven, I killed the watchman of the cedar forest, I overthrew Humbaba who lived in the forest’ Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, and his companion Enkidu are the only heroes to have survived from the ancient literature of Babylon, immortalized in this epic poem that dates back to the third millennium BC. Together they journey to the Spring of Youth, defeat the Bull of Heaven and slay the monster Humbaba. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh’s grief and fear of death are such that they lead him to undertake a quest for eternal life. A timeless tale of morality, tragedy and pure adventure, The Epic of Gilgamesh is a landmark literary exploration of man’s search for immortality. N. K. Sandars’s lucid, accessible translation is prefaced by a detailed introduction that examines the narrative and historical context of the work. In addition, there is a glossary of names and a map of the Ancient Orient. @UrukRockCity All the ladies want to get it on now that I’ve slain the demon. But I must decline. I’m a clean man these days. I just can’t win with women. Before, nailing all the ladies was bad. Now I refuse to seduce, and the Gods send a giant bull to kill me? From Twitterature: The World's Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less |
Contents
Map of the Ancient Orient | 6 |
The History of the Epic 79马马w89归p9 | 7 |
The Discovery of the Tablets | 9 |
The Historical Background 4 The Literary Background | 13 |
The Hero of the Epic | 20 |
The Principal Gods of the Epic | 23 |
The Story | 30 |
Survival | 44 |
GILGAMESH KING IN URUK | 61 |
THE COMING OF ENKIDU | 62 |
THE FOREST JOURNEY | 70 |
ISHTAR AND GILGAMESH AND THE DEATH OF ENKIDU | 85 |
THE SEARCH FOR EVERLASTING LIFE | 97 |
S THE STORY OF THE FLOOD | 108 |
THE RETURN | 114 |
THE DEATH OF GILGAMESH | 118 |
The Diction of the Epic | 47 |
Remarks on this Version | 49 |
Acknowledgements | 59 |
Glossary of Names | 120 |
Sources | 126 |
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Common terms and phrases
Anatolia ancient appears Assyrian boat body bring brother brought Bull called carried cedar century comes covered cross darkness dead death described destroy dream early earth Enkidu Enlil entered Epic episode face father fell flood followed forest fragment gate gave Gilgamesh give given glorious goddess gods hand heard heart heaven hero historical Humbaba Ishtar journey killed king known lament land lapis lazuli later leagues light lines lion living look lord lost material millennium mother mountain mouth night Ninhursag Ninsun Old Babylonian once opened passes perhaps Persian poem probably published river round Semitic seven Shamash sleep storm story Sumerian tablets tell temple texts things third took translation underworld Urshanabi Uruk Utnapishtim wall waters wild wilderness wind woman written young