An English-language rendering of the world's oldest epic poem seeks to convey the work's literary richness and follows the journey of conquest and self-discovery by the heroic king of Uruk, in an edition complemented by an introduction that places the story in its historical, spiritual, and cultural context. By the author and translator of

Gilgamesh is considered one of the masterpieces of world literature, but until now there has not been a version that is a superlative literary text in its own right.

Acclaimed by critics and scholars, Stephen Mitchell's version allows us to enter an ancient masterpiece as if for the first time, to see how startlingly beautiful, intelligent, and alive it is.

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