An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh EpicMorris Jastrow Albert Tobias ClayOmniClassics · Literature
An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic
Morris Jastrow Albert Tobias ClayTwo scholars examine ancient tablets to reconstruct an early form of the Gilgamesh story and explain the evidence behind their readings.
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About the book
Jastrow and Clay present an Old Babylonian version of the epic through transliteration, translation, commentary, and a substantial introduction. The book is a scholarly study of particular textual witnesses, not a seamless modern retelling of the whole Gilgamesh narrative. Damaged passages and comparisons with other versions make reconstruction part of the reading experience. The prefatory note distinguishes the authors' responsibilities, while their joint translation gives readers access to the material under discussion. Questions about the hero, his companion, and the development of the epic emerge through close attention to words and surviving fragments. Published in 1920, the study belongs to a particular stage of research; its historical value includes showing how scholars argued from incomplete evidence rather than concealing that incompleteness.
- Textual reconstruction
- Epic tradition
- Evidence and interpretation
Why read it
For readers interested in how an ancient epic becomes readable through the difficult work of interpreting fragmentary evidence.
Scholarly study with transliterations and English translations by Morris Jastrow Jr. and Albert T. Clay