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"Come on baby. (And she had no fear.) And she ran to him. (Then they started to fly.) They looked backward and said goodbye. (She had become like they are.) She had taken his hand."

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Gilgamesh

Authors:
Anonymous (author), Jens Braarvig (translator), Tor Åge Bringsværd (translator) and Kate Kvalvik (covers)
Language:
Norwegian (bokmål)
Publisher:
Den Norske Bokklubben
Categories:
Classic and epic
Publication year:
2004
Original publication year:
700 BCE
ISBN:
82-525-5144-0
Synopsis:

Being one of the few surviving early epic poems in the world (dating to the third millennium BCE), Gilgamesh tells the story of Gilgamesh, a god-king of Uruk who the gods see as arrogant. They create Enkidu, a wild beast that eventually befriends Gilgamesh. They travel together to the cedar forest and battle Humbaba, a fiendish guardian. They successfully defeat him, but eventually Enkidu dies, and Gilgamesh becomes painfully aware of his own mortality. Not liking that, he sets out on a journey to find ever-lasting life.

Review:

The paperback edition that I read is only 62 pages, so it's a very light read. The story is engaging, but not really engagingly written (doubtless because of its age and the act of translation). Nevertheless, I recommend it if only for its prominent status. (Note: There are several free online translations. I originally read it online, but I can't find the version I read, so you could Google it if you want. However, my guess is that a translation from a proper book is best.)

Has read?
Yes
Images:
Back flap of Gilgamesh.Back of Gilgamesh.Spine of Gilgamesh.Front of Gilgamesh.Front flap of Gilgamesh.
High-res images:
[Back flap (30.67 MB)] [Back (44.3 MB)] [Spine (6.45 MB)] [Front (44.07 MB)] [Front flap (31.45 MB)]
Table of Contents:
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  • Innledning

DET KLASSISKE GILGAMESH-EPOSET

  • TAVLE I Enkidu kommer
  • TAVLE II Enkidu blir temmet
  • TAVLE III Forberedelser til reisen
  • TAVLE IV Reisen til Sedertreskogen
  • TAVLE V Kampen med Humbaba
  • TAVLE VI Ishtar og Himmeltyren
  • TAVLE VII Enkidus død
  • TAVLE VIII Enkidus begravelse
  • TAVLE IX Gilgamesh' vandringer
  • TAVLE X Ved verdens ende
  • TAVLE XI Den tapte udødelighet

MER OM GILGAMESH

  • I Bilgamesh og Akka
  • II I de dager, i de fjerne dager: Bilgamesh og Underverdenen
  • III Den store villoksen legger seg ned. Bilgamesh dør
  • Navneregister

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