Unfortunately, our translations often fail to convey that. The reason Iliad is referred to as a “song” is because it is one!īoth the Iliad and the Odyssey were originally written in verse as a song, and meant to be performed aloud. The Iliad is also referred to by scholars and historians as the “Song of Ilion” or “Song of Ilium.” Written sometime in the 8th century BCE, it has more than 15,000 lines of verse, which are organized into 24 books. The ancient poem was written by Homer and is considered the first great epic poem of Western literature. It is the great Iliad that is responsible for two famous phrases - “Achilles’ Heel” and "Trojan horse.” While not part of Western literature like the other works in this list, it’s simply too good to leave out. He takes this knowledge, returns home to Uruk, and rules as a just king.Įpic of Gilgamesh deals with themes of heroism, friendship, failure, death, and the search for immortality. His adventures result in tragedy, but not all is in vain.Īt the end of his journey, Gilgamesh learns that the inevitable end of human life is death. Gilgamesh, however, fails to become immortal. His many adventures on that journey include killing monsters, meeting gods, and even finding a man who achieved immortality. ![]() Angered by these actions, the gods sentence Enkidu to death.Īnguished by his friend Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh decides to go on a journey in search of eternal life. The two then undertake a six-day journey into a forest where they kill and slay monsters. Gilgamesh wins but becomes friends with Enkidu. Initially, the latter challenges the former to a test of strength. ![]() The first half of the poem deals with the adventures of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The gods created Enkidu to stop Gilgamesh from oppressing the people of Uruk. Eventually his monarchy gets challenged by Enkidu, a wildman. He is described as being two-thirds god and one-third man.Īs a young god-king, Gilgamesh is arrogant and his subjects are troubled by his practices and behavior. Gilgamesh is said to have ruled Uruk for around 126 years. The story goes as follows: Gilgamesh is a Sumerian king who rules over Uruk. In the mid-19th century, a copy of it was unearthed by archaeologists near the city of Mosul in Iraq. That is approximately 4000 years ago!Īfter 600 B.C., the story of Gilgamesh was lost to history. ![]() Known as the oldest work of literature in the world, the Epic of Gilgamesh originated during the time of the Sumerian civilization. The oldest poem on it was written 4,000 years ago, and the “youngest” one nearly 400 years ago! PS - This list is arranged in chronological order. I hope this list of the best epic poems helps kickstart your exploration of that world! The world of epic poetry is a deep and beautiful one. The passage of time proves their relevance to humans of all ages. ![]() Many of these poems were written hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. The unifying factor among all these epic poems is mastery of language, an entertaining narrative, and deep insight into the shortcomings and virtues of human nature. These poems explore the inner-workings of the soul and the essence of the human condition. Well-known epics of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance include the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri and Paradise Lost by John Milton. However, these poems are much more than just that.Įpic poems of ancient times, such as Beowulf and the Epic of Gilgamesh, tell the stories of extraordinary men who fought great battles and dealt with supernatural forces to save their people.įor a good example of this, take the works of a poet like Homer-the Iliad and the Odyssey. These two poems basically laid the foundation of all Greek literature!Īmong other things, they're poems that describe war, politics, love, lust, and longing for home. Here’s a list of the seven best epic poems of all time.Īn epic poem is usually a long, narrative poem that describes heroic deeds and events significant to the poet. Ready to explore the incredible world of epic poetry? Want to learn more about the most famous epic poems ever written?
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