The Epic of Gilgamesh (in two sessions)

Thursday, December 7 and December 14, 2023

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“From the days of old there is no permanence. The sleeping and the dead, how alike they are, they are like a painted death.”

The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered to be one of the oldest surviving literary works. It was composed 4,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, though the story’s oral origins date back much further, influencing the Old Testament and the Iliad and Odyssey. The epic’s authorship and intended readership are unknown. Through his struggle to find meaning, Gilgamesh defies death and becomes our first literary epic hero. The grief of Gilgamesh and the questions of mortality and morality invoked by the death of his dear friend Enkidu universally resonate and comment on human experience that transcend millenia. We invite you to join us for two Thursday evening online sessions as we discuss this wonderful story, rendered in verse translation.

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Reading:

Gilgamesh – A Verse Translation by Herbert Mason

Mariner Books; First Edition (July 2003)

ISBN 978-0618275649

Thursday, December 7 – pages 11-50

Thursday, December 14 – pages 51-92

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Schedule:

5:30-7:00PM PST, both evenings.

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Tutors: 

Roxana Zirakzadeh and Andy Gilman

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Location: 

Online. Register to receive the link.