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The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient poem about the adventures of a Sumerian king and his companion Enkidu. It may be based on a real person, but the story is fantastical. The poem was originally recited orally and later written down on tablets. It was lost to history but rediscovered in the 1800s. The story focuses on mortality and has become popular due to its relatability. Some tablets are missing, but the story is still clear. Gilgamesh was known as He who saw the deep and Surpassing All Other Kings in the ancient world.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, often referred to as Gilgamesh, is an ancient poem that may be one of the oldest stories in the world. It concerns the adventures of a legendary Sumerian king, Gilgamesh, and his companion Enkidu. The evidence seems to strongly suggest that Gilgamesh was a real person who lived around the 27th century BC, although the records of the exploits in this poem are clearly in the realm of the fantastic, not least because Gilgamesh is described as the offspring of a goddess and a king. . . As with other royal figures from this period who have become embedded in legends, it can sometimes be difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to Gilgamesh.
Like other stories from the ancient world, the Epic of Gilgamesh probably began as a poem recited orally in the centuries following the death of the true king. Written editions began to be produced around the 17th century BC to preserve the legend and in the 7th century BC, an Assyrian king compiled the story in the Akkadian language, preserving it on tablets which have been used as the basis for modern translations.
This poem was briefly lost to history, which is perhaps not surprising, due to its extreme age. In the 1800s, however, tablets dating back to the 7th century were discovered and translated, bringing the Gilgamesh to the eyes of modern readers. There are a number of translations in circulation today, and the Epic doesn’t appear to be in danger of going out of print.
Gods, goddesses, and fantastic events populate the Epic of Gilgamesh versus, but the focal point of the story is a meditation on mortality. Enkidu dies in the tale, leading to accounts from the underworld and verses in which Gilgamesh ponders his own life, the nature of death, and what may lie beyond death. Many of Gilgamesh’s struggles are accessible to modern readers who struggle with the same issues, which may explain why this work has become wildly popular after its discovery.
Some of the tablets are damaged or missing, leading to gaps in the story, but the basic idea emerges very clearly and the Epic of Gilgamesh has been enriched with sections from other preserved versions. In the ancient world, Gilgamesh was better known as He who saw the deep, referring to the journey to the underworld, or as Surpassing All Other Kings, which celebrated the legendary legacy of Gilgamesh and his rule.
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