The Epic of Gilgamesh

Fiction & Literature, Poetry
Cover of the book The Epic of Gilgamesh by Penguin Books Ltd, Penguin Books Ltd
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Penguin Books Ltd ISBN: 9780241289907
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd Publication: June 2, 2016
Imprint: Penguin Language: English
Author: Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN: 9780241289907
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Publication: June 2, 2016
Imprint: Penguin
Language: English

The ancient Sumerian poem The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest written stories in existence, translated with an introduction by Andrew George in Penguin Classics.

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 fluid narrative and will long rank as the definitive English Gilgamesh.

If you enjoyed The Epic of Gilgamesh, you might like Homer's Iliad, also available in Penguin Classics.

'A masterly new verse translation'
The Times

'Andrew George has skilfully bridged the gap between a scholarly re-edition and a popular work'
London Review of Books

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The ancient Sumerian poem The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest written stories in existence, translated with an introduction by Andrew George in Penguin Classics.

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 fluid narrative and will long rank as the definitive English Gilgamesh.

If you enjoyed The Epic of Gilgamesh, you might like Homer's Iliad, also available in Penguin Classics.

'A masterly new verse translation'
The Times

'Andrew George has skilfully bridged the gap between a scholarly re-edition and a popular work'
London Review of Books

More books from Penguin Books Ltd

Cover of the book The Evils of Revolution by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Alanatomy by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Silent One by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book My Story by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Pericles by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Knock! Knock!: Ladybird I'm Ready to Read by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Pippa by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book The History of the Kings of Britain by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book English Romantic Verse by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Doctor Who: Thirteen Doctors 13 Stories by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book The Queen of Spades and Other Stories by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book The Fairy Caravan by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book An Answer to the Question: 'What is Enlightenment?' by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Max and Bird by Penguin Books Ltd
Cover of the book Mrs Brown's Family Handbook by Penguin Books Ltd
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy