While the Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest epic poem known, and one of the oldest works of literature, it was lost to history until the 1870s. Since then, different versions have been painstakingly reconstructed from broken cuneiform tablets scattered all over the world.

A friend recently loaned me Gilgamesh by Stephen Mitchell. I loved it, but this is less a translation than an adaptation, a new work of art inspired by the old. (David Ferry’s adaption takes a similar approach, though I’ve not read it yet.) 

I’ve read other translations and adaptations of the epic over the years. Checking Amazon and Goodreads, here’s how they’re rated:

AmazonGoodreadsTranslatorTitlePublished
4.83.75Sophus HelleGilgamesh: A New Translation of the Ancient Epic2021
4.64.13N. K. SandarsThe Epic of Gilgamesh1960
4.64.01Stephanie DalleyMyths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others2009, 1989
4.63.75Stephen MitchellGilgamesh2004
4.53.99Herbert MasionGilgamesh: A Verse Narrative1970
4.53.73David FerryGilgamesh: A New Rendering in English Verse2014
4.43.75Danny JacksonThe Epic of Gilgamesh: A Myth Revisited1997
3.94.06Andrew R. GeorgeThe Epic of Gilgamesh: A New Translation2000
3.83.75Albert Tobias Clay, Morris Jastrow Jr.An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic: On the Basis of Recently Discovered Texts1920
[one rating]3.75Simo ParpolaThe Standard Babylonian, Epic of Gilgamesh1997

I sorted by the Amazon ratings, but provide the Goodreads ratings for reference. Unfortunately Goodreads treats many of the translations as being the same book. For instance, I’ve never read nor rated Jackson’s translation, but Goodreads thinks I have:

Epic of Gilgamesh Goodreads rating

I loved Mitchell’s adaptation so much that it inspired me to create an NPC in Planet of the Week who constantly quotes Gilgamesh (though I used a public domain translation for those quotes).

Of course, there’s a Star Trek angle. The epic was a key inspiration for the Top 15 TNG episode, “Darmok,” in which Picard tells the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu to the alien he is stranded on the planet with.

As for a conlang angle, the Esperanto translation is short and appears based on very old translations.

If it’s been a while since you’ve read this epic, I encourage you to pick out a translation new to you and revisit it. And, if you’ve never read it before, I highly encourage you to read Mitchell’s adaptation.

Updated: 25-10-05. Added Myths from Mesopatamia, at Mark Rosenfelder’s suggestion. See his Gilgameshes blog post.

Illustration credit: Neil Dalrymple, as part of his series of great modern sculptures, The Gilgamesh Project.

See also: Top 35 Most Famous Poets