Great Epics
Epic of Gilgemash Sumerian / Mesopotamia Cuneiform Oldest know piece of literature. Gilgemash starts the story as a bad ruler. The gods send Enkidu (horned man) to fight Gilgemash. They find they are equals in strenght. They become friend and have several adventures. One day they fight a bull that excaped from heaven. They killed the bull and the gods were mad. As punishment Enkidu died. Gilgemash realizes he will die some day and sets off to find immortality. A man tells him about a magic plant. He finds the plant but a snake takes it from him. Gilgemash accepts that he will die someday and that while he is living he should be a great king. The Mahabharata Ancient India Sanskrit Hinduism - nobility, morality & mortality _The struggle for control of the kingdom by 10 cousins. The Hindu god Krishna gives a speech before the great battle at the end. The Ramayana
Ancient India Sanskrit Hinduism - Rama is the embodyment of Vishnu. Prince Rama fights to get his wife back from the evil demon king with the help of the warrior monkeys. The epic teaches how to be a good father, wife, daughter, son and ruler. |
The Iliad Ancient Greece Author: Homer This is the story of the Trojan War. The Greeks attacked the Trojans in order to get Helen back, who was stolen by Paris, the prince of Troy. Achilles kills Paris's brother Hector. Later Paris kills Achilles by shooting an arrow through his heel. Paris is later killed. Finally, the Greeks invade Troy and win the war. The Odyssey (Ulysses in Roman) Ancient Greece Author: Homer The Odyssey is about Odysseu's journey home from the Trojan War. Before heading back home, Odysseu did not thank the gods for the Greek victory. As punishment it took him 10 years to sail back home. He had many adventures before arriving at his palace and finding many men trying to marry his wife. He ran the men off and was reunited with his wife and son. |