Penguin Classics: The Epic of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, and his companion Enkidu are the greatest of the heroes to have survived from the ancient literature of Babylon, immortalised in this epic poem that dates back to the third millennium BC. Together they journey to the Cedar Forest, slay the monster Humbaba and defeat the Bull of Heaven. 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 or 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. This edition also includes a glossary of names and a map of the Ancient Orient.