Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Poetic Version retells the ancient story of how King Gilgamesh changes from a tyrant to a man capable of compassion and genuine love.

This journey begins with a friendship with a beast-like man known as Enkidu. Gilgamesh and Enkidu complement each other, filling in the missing humanity the other lacks. The two men share many adventures until Enkidu is mortally wounded. Now Gilgamesh must bare the sorrow of the death of his friend. Yet he refuses to accept the finality of death and decides to search for the source of eternal life.

His search for eternal life leads Gilgamesh to strange lands as he meets some very interesting people. The wise Utnapishtim offers his version of the Biblical flood and provides Gilgamesh the key to everlasting life.

One of the earliest examples of literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh speaks to the soul about human conditions and the desire to have purpose in life. This edition was written primarily for younger students, who have been generally excluded from those who study this epic tale.