The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known literary work to date, detailing the story of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk and hero, who was two-thirds God and one-third man.

This book is written using the fragments discovered and translated so far from Sumerian tablets, as well as those found in other nations that made copies in their own languages, as explained by the author responsible for compiling everything in this edition.

The language of the story is somewhat complex, partly due to the mysterious arrangement of the passages and partly due to missing elements lost from the tablets; however, with some effort, it is possible to understand.

The author provides a rather extensive introduction, explaining passages of the text, historical context, and information about the origins of the tablets. In my opinion, if you are going to read this book, it is interesting to start directly with the epic itself, then read the introduction. It’s a good way to avoid narrative spoilers and story development; plus, it will be easier to understand the explanation once you know the textual basis.

About the story:#

I found it very interesting to see the world-view of that era. This is great material for understanding the dynamics between gods and humans and how the religious system functioned—the temples (Ziggurats) which were the dwelling places of the gods on earth, and the Garden of the Gods, which was the transition point to the divine, as well as the Underworld, the destination of all souls and home to the gods of the dead.

Among them are Ereshkigal (The Queen of the Underworld), Nergal (The God of Destruction and Pestilence), Namtar (The Messenger and Fate), and the famous subjects of countless conspiracy theories, the Anunnaki (The Judges of the Underworld). To reach Ereshkigal, one must pass through seven gates. At each one, the being must "leave a piece of clothing" (a metaphor for losing their mortal essence, power, or ego). Gilgamesh feared the underworld more than anything, which is described as a dark place where the dead eat clay and drink dust.

I made a small representation of how the world looked in their view—it turned out horrible, so I asked Gemini to improve it, but you can get an idea of how it was.

Gilgamesh was blessed by Shamash, the sun, and protected by Lugalbanda, the third king of Uruk and a god. At one point, he is called the son of Utnapishtim, the Sumerian Noah (in this case, I believe this relationship is like the view of Noah in the Christian perspective, as he is the one who survived the flood and repopulated the world, thus all of humanity are his children).

Enkidu, who was the representation of the wild and uncultured man, was molded from clay by Aruru with the essence of Anu and Ninurta to be the antithesis of Gilgamesh. He was later seduced by a woman and rejected by the wild animals he lived with, eventually becoming the one Gilgamesh "loves like a wife." Furthermore, the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, who was like a brother to him, and the events that unfolded, were what led Gilgamesh on his quest for eternal life.

Date: 04/25/2026