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    Gilgamesh: A New English Version
    Gilgamesh: A New English Version
    Gilgamesh: A New English Version
    Audiobook4 hours

    Gilgamesh: A New English Version

    Written by Stephen Mitchell

    Narrated by George Guidall and John McDonough

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    This brilliant new treatment of the oldest epic in the world is a literary event. Esteemed translator and best-selling author Stephen Mitchell breathes life into a 3,700-year-old classic, delivering a lithe and muscular rendering that shows how startlingly alive Gilgamesh is, how filled with intelligence and beauty. It is the story of literature's first hero, an historical king of Uruk in Babylonia, and his journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Gilgamesh discovers that friendship can bring peace to a whole city and that wisdom can be found only when the quest for it is abandoned.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateNov 11, 2004
    ISBN9781436101455
    Author

    Stephen Mitchell

    Stephen Mitchell's many books include the bestselling Tao Te Ching, Gilgamesh, and The Second Book of the Tao, as well as The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, The Gospel According to Jesus, Bhagavad Gita, The Book of Job, and Meetings with the Archangel.

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    Reviews for Gilgamesh

    4/5

    394 ratings24 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This was a fantastic translation for the modern reader. Stephen Mitchell made the story come alive and John McDonough read it with intense feeling.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I had read Mitchell's lengthy introduction a while ago, but last night I read the translation itself. It's so much a rite - with iconic repeated phrases and images. It could be chanted, which is perfectly apt for a story this old, and this deep. Very spare and clear.
    • 5/5
      There's something absolutely magical about reading a story which is roughly 4000 years old. The concept that ancient Akkadians and Babylonians once sat huddled for comfort against the mysterious terrors of the night while poets and performers recited this same tale that I have just read makes my mind reel. To have such a connection of story over millennia gives me a far greater sense of the connectedness of humanity and history than anything else.On top of that, it's an excellent story. Sex, romance, battles, curses, vicious insults hurled at a god, epic quests, wise immortals, moral ambiguity, tragedy, regret -- All of that is in there and we don't even have the whole thing!I would definitely like to try out other translations. This one, however, is considered 'beginner-friendly', and I think it was a great place to start.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful new version that aims to tell the tale for modern readers while maintaining the feel and beauty of the original. Mitchell states that he does not read the original languages and that this is not a new translation. Instead his aim was to make the story accessible and appealing to the lay public, and it certainly felt like that to me. Includes an excellent introduction and and a large notes section.
    • 5/5
      Well, how cool is Gilgamesh?! It's really old, predating The Iliad and The Bible. Mitchell's Introduction tells us it is the story of how a man becomes civilized, rule himself and his people all while acting with temperance, wisdom and piety.In a character named Enkidu, the gods create a double of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk. They become, according to Mitchell, what is believed to be the first great friendship in literature. Together they fight the monster of Cedar Forest, defeat a raging bull then once alone Gilgamesh struggles through his grief and searches to find the answer as to how he can attain eternal life. I thought the translation very readable and, though pieces of the original are still missing, put together quite will.The story is an ancient road trip, of sorts, and an easy read but do read the introduction first as it explains the text in detail.
    • 3/5
      Finally read this, intro was good but didn't read all the notes.
    • 5/5
      Almost 4800 years after his reign in the city of Uruk, Gilgamesh is still remembered not only in his native land but now around the world even though his native language is long forgotten. In Stephen Mitchell’s English verse translation of Gilgamesh, the story of the demigod’s calming friendship with Enkidu and his quest to avoid his mortality.The tale of Gilgamesh is not just about the king of Uruk, it is the tale of Enkidu and his civilizing by Shamhat, the friendship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh as well as their adventures, and finally the death of Enkidu that sends Gilgamesh in his vain search to stop death by asking the one man whom the gods made immortal. Yet while several aspects of Gilgamesh are similar to later tales of Greek and Germanic origin, there are clear differences as well especially when it comes to Gilgamesh expressing his fear in the face of very dangers and ends with accepting his own mortality in the end.Unfortunately, the story of Gilgamesh that we have is not as complete as it was 4000 years ago. Several sections are fragmentary which Mitchell had to work around to make the book read well and keeping true to the narrative; in this he did a wonderful job. Yet, in a book that has around 300 pages only 123 covers the epic itself which while not dishonest is surprising about how short the tale is and how much analysis Mitchell provides the reader before and notes after.Gilgamesh: A New English Version is a fantastic book both in the tale of the heroic demigod king and the translation done by Stephen Mitchell.
    • 4/5
      A classic tale of a hero in ancient Akkad. Perhaps not all tablets have been found, yet its a story worth reading for anyone interested in the stories of thousands of years ago.
    • 5/5
      Read it. A lot of later epics, fables, stories have found their source here. The tale of the Great Flood is here hundreds of years before its mention in Genesis.
    • 4/5
      Very easy to read, and accompanied by an introduction explaining the sequence of discovery of the different texts, and the gaps (although I recommend skipping straight to the story, and coming back for the scholastic details, as they do tend to detract from the enjoyment of the story for itself). Excellent, accessible translation, and a great old story. One comment, I notice some of the previous reviews include quotations from different translations? This translation is to me, very clear and straightforward, as are Stephen Mitchell's other translatons.
    • 5/5
      Another of my comfort books, this one is a pure and transcendent meditation on loss and grief. The things about humanity that have come down unchanged through all the years are limned here starkly. I love Mitchell's work, and this is one of my favorite translations. I recommend it very highly, especially during times of trouble.
    • 5/5
      I love this book, just love it. A book about friendship and loss. What does one do when they lose a loved one? This is what happens with Gilgamesh, Enkidu is sent into his life for a purpose but they end up becoming the best friends and then brothers. These two together become unstoppable and when they upset the GODS Gilgamesh will face his biggest challenge of all, the lose of a loved one. He will go through anything to find out how one deals with death. But death is all around, its not going anywhere. Live your life, do things you want to do.
    • 3/5
      Gilgamesh is a real illustration of progress. It's the world's oldest story--about a thousand years before The Iliad and even longer before the Bible. Which makes it a fascinating historical document. But, to me, much of it read like immature nonsense. Sure there were neat parts, battles, floods, etc. And sure it was interesting that the mind thousands of years ago went through many of the same emotions and issues that we go through today. And sure it is an interesting historical document. But much of it is also a slog. It's possible the experience would have been different if, like Greek Mythology or the Bible, one had a grounding and came into it knowing who Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim and Enkidu. But I didn't
    • 5/5
      It has been a few generations since I've read Gilgamesh and only remember it being an odd hero journey where the hero encounters some interesting female characters. Stephen has compiled a literary adaptation of Gilgamesh so inviting you can swim in it. The deep end has been filled with a psychological walkthrough of the mythical hero's journey. For me, it is a powerful, living example for male spirituality from the encounter with the wild man to the chasing off death to the final surrender where the story is suddenly retold anew.
    • 5/5
      Book 1 on my list: Gilgamesh, 2000BCE. Read March 2012This is Stephen Mitchell’s interpretation of the existent body English translations of Gilgamesh (particularly A. R. George) and therefore it is not a new translation in the strictest sense. Mitchell says in the forward that he wants to give this old story a new voice—he does so admirably. Because this is a work for enjoyment, and not a direct, word-for-word translation, Mitchell is able to take the exploits of Gilgamesh and Enkidu and make them dance in English verse to what he describes in what he as a “loose, noniambic, nonalliterative tetrameter.” Mitchell promises to stay close to the historical translations, but makes no apology for telling a story. This is an absolutely riveting quick read—highly recommend picking it up!
    • 5/5
      Best version of the Gilgamesh epic that I have read. Very accessible and enjoyable. The work itself is a must read primarily because as the single oldest mythic work it creates a blue print upon which all subsequent heroes (Greek, Roman, Christian, etc) are fashioned. Inside its pages are the original versian of Adam, the Flood, the motif of the male friendship bond, the quest for immortality, the identification of the serpent as the robber of human immortality, among many others. The work also includes what is probably the single greatest curse in literature.
    • 5/5
      I liked Stephen Mitchell's translation quite a lot. His scholarly notes at the beginning were really useful, and the verse itself was engaging and understandable. Five stars for him.
    • 4/5
      The Epic of Gilgamesh is arguably the oldest story in the world, a thousand years older than the Iliad and the Bible. Dating back to 26th century B.C.E., The Epic of Gilgamesh is probably based on a Sumerian king who ruled the city of Uruk around 2750 B.C.E. The ruins of Uruk were only recently discovered, and the story of Gilgamesh itself was lost to time until a 1872 when a scholar noticed that a set of undeciphered tablets, sitting the the British Museum for decades, contained the story of a Babylonian Noah. He deciphered them all, giving the world its first near complete translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh.The Epic of Gilgamesh tells the story of a great king, a god-king, who, through friendship, became a human being. As it opens, Gilgamesh is building the city of Uruk, constructing the greatest walled city ever seen. He has no regard for the people whose lives are consumed by his desire nor for the gods who fear it. Enkidu, a wild man capable of defeating Gilgamesh, is sent by the gods to the forests near Uruk. Enkidu lives at peace with nature, a friend to all animals until a beautiful young priestess, Shamhut, arrives. When he falls in love with her, she cuts his hair, cleans him up, civilizes him and brings him back to Uruk where he does battle with Gilgamesh.The battle is a fierce one, but it eventually becomes apparent that the two great men are equally matched. Gilgmaseh, who has never had an equal before, befriends Enkidu and the two then have a series of adventures. Typically, Gilgamesh suggests the adventure and Enkidu tries to talk him out of it before giving in and going along. Gilgmamesh suggests they defeat the monster Humbaba and cut down the forest he lives in, but Enkidu resists arguing that this will anger the goddess Ishtar to whom the forest belongs. They defeat Humbaba, cut down the forest, and disgrace Ishtar. The gods then send down the Bull of Heaven which Gilgamesh and Enkidu also kill. But during the battle, Enkidu is mortally wounded and dies soon after. Gilgamesh is heartbroken, so he sets off to defeat death itself. It is during this final journey that he meets the man who survived the great flood which destroyed all the world. Gilgamesh is a compelling story, full of adventure, romance, sex and violence and it does have a few things to say to a modern audience. Who hasn't suffered the loss of a loved one or wanted to defeat death? Mr. Mitchell's translation is both poetic and highly readable; the story can be read in one or two evenings. But if you're looking for something as wonderful as Seamus Heaney's recent translation of Beowulf, you won't find it in Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh feels like a very primitive story, like a rough draft for the epics that will follow it. It lacks the poetry of Homer's Iliad or Virgil's Aeneid, along with the depth of character and narrative complexity of later epics. But it is the first one, and there is something to be said for that. I believe that one of the most important lessons we can learn from history is that it can all vanish. The historical king, Gilgamesh, built a great city, Uruk, which is now a ruin, one that would be unknown but for the expert eye of archaeologists. The names of its kings are recorded as are many of their deeds, but the only one anybody is still talking about, outside of very refined academic circles, is the fictional one featured in the Epic of Gilgamesh. What survives the passage of time is art.
    • 5/5
      Honestly, I did NOT think I was going to like Gilgamesh. I had read it for my college literature class.. and.. actually, I really loved it! I think most of my classmates were surprised that they liked it as well. The story was so interesting and well told. I felt like there was a lot of life lessons that were taught. I think it's a timeless story. I highly recommend, Gilgamesh!
    • 5/5
      I enjoy Stephen Mitchell's rendition, don't get me wrong,. Mitchell is a good poet. It's good to have an edition by a good poet. It's possible that having an edition by a good poet is the best of all possible editions. Yet, I can't help wishing that the critical edition ISBN 0198149220 by A. R. George would get equivalent critical attention from the New York Times and others. An edition published in numbers similar to the Mitchell version would bring the price per copy down to a level non-specialists can afford. As it is, only those associated with institutions can acquire a copy either by getting the institution to buy it for them or buying it and taking it off of their income taxes.Apologies for the rant. I just really hate to see good work out of reach.Oh, and George Guidall's reading on the audiobook is excellent.
    • 3/5
      This is enjoyable if you like mythology and poetry. I actually listened to the audio version, performed by British theater actor George Guidall. It has a rhythm that you may not catch in the reading. I was especially struck by the flood story that so closely parallels that of the Biblical flood. I wonder what fundamentalist Christian-ists would think of a story like this, written a thousand years before Genesis. Though I don't see a fundamentalist Christian-ist finding any interest in mythology.
    • 4/5
      A very readable version of our civilization's "first" epic.
    • 5/5
      Yeah, so what if it's not a literal translation of the original? So what if Stephen Mitchell filled in a few gaps here and there? This is proof that poetry -- poetry based on ancient writings -- can be an absolutely visceral experience. You don't study this. You inhabit it.
    • 5/5
      I fell in love with this new translation of the Gilgamesh Epic. It is by far the most vibrant and accessible translation of an epic that I have yet read. I can't speak to the purity of the translation (I don't know cuneiform) but it is just so fresh, so alive, so newly relevant in these troubled martial times. Read it; you won't regret it.