The Epic of GilgameshAndrew George's "masterly new translation" (The Times) of the world's first truly great work of literature A Penguin Classic Miraculously preserved on clay tablets dating back as much as four thousand years, the poem of Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, is the world’s oldest epic, predating Homer by many centuries. The story tells of Gilgamesh’s adventures with the wild man Enkidu, and of his arduous journey to the ends of the earth in quest of the Babylonian Noah and the secret of immortality. Alongside its themes of family, friendship and the duties of kings, the Epic of Gilgamesh is, above all, about mankind’s eternal struggle with the fear of death. The Babylonian version has been known for over a century, but linguists are still deciphering new fragments in Akkadian and Sumerian. Andrew George’s gripping translation brilliantly combines these into a fluent narrative and will long rank as the definitive English Gilgamesh. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. |
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Common terms and phrases
Akka Akkadian ancient Anunna Assyria Atram-hasis auras of terror Babylonian epic battle Bilgames Bilgames's British Museum Bull of Heaven century BC cuneiform death Deluge drawing by Joanna dream Dumuzi earth Enki Enkidu Enkidu opened Enlil Ereshkigal Euphrates father Forest of Cedar fragment friend Enkidu Gilgamesh and Enkidu Gilgamesh epic Gilgamesh opened goddess Ninsun gods hand harlot heart hero Humbaba Huwawa Inanna Ishtar Joanna Richards journey king Kullab lacuna land Line drawing lord Bilgames Lugalbanda Mesopotamia mighty millennium BC mother who bore mountain mouth to speak Namtar Netherworld seized night Ninurta Nippur Nudimmud Old Babylonian opened his mouth saying to Enkidu saying to Gilgamesh seven Shamash Shamhat Sippar spoke standard version Sumer Sumerian poems tavern-keeper Tell temple text of Tablet took translation Ur-shanabi Uruk Uruk-the-Sheepfold Uruk-the-Town-Square Uruk's Uta-napishti VIII wander the wild warrior weeping wild bull words young Ziusudra
Popular passages
Page xxxvi - Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
Page xxxvi - But you, Gilgamesh, let your belly be full, enjoy yourself always by day and by night! Make merry each day, dance and play day and night! 'Let your clothes be clean, let your head be washed, may you bathe in water! Gaze on the child who holds your hand, let your wife enjoy your repeated embrace!
Page xxxiv - O my friends; a visitant Is knocking his dire summons at my door, The like of whom, to scare me and to daunt, Has never, never come to me before; 'Tis death,— O loving friends, your prayers!— 'tis he!
Page xxiii - I am the first man to read that after more than two thousand years of oblivion." Setting the tablet on the table, he jumped up and rushed about the room in a great state of excitement, and, to the astonishment of those present, began to undress himself!
Page xxiii - Smith took the tablet and began to read over the lines which Ready had brought to light; and when he saw that they contained the portion of the legend he had hoped to find there, he said, "I am the first man to read that after more than two thousand years of oblivion.
Page xxxiv - Ur-shanabi, climb Uruk's wall and walk back and forth! Survey its foundations, examine the brickwork! Were its bricks not fired in an oven? Did the Seven Sages not lay its foundations?
Page li - SN KRAMER, Schooldays ; A Sumerian Composition Relating to the Education of a Scribe, Journal of the American Oriental Society, 69 (1949), pp.