The Epic of Gilgamesh

The *Epic of Gilgamesh* follows the king of Uruk from arrogant ruler to a man transformed by friendship, loss and the knowledge that death cannot be escaped. After the wild man Enkidu becomes his companion, the pair seek fame through dangerous exploits. Enkidu’s death then drives Gilgamesh on a far more personal journey in search of the survivor of the great flood and the secret of immortality.

Written and recopied across many centuries in ancient Mesopotamia, the epic survives in incomplete tablets and several textual traditions. Its themes of kingship, companionship, grief and human limitation make it one of the foundational works of world literature, while its flood narrative and descriptions of Uruk preserve important evidence for Mesopotamian religious and cultural thought.