Simon and Gilgamesh

It must have been sometime in the seventies, or maybe early eighties, when I first discovered “The Epic of Gilgamesh”. How I found it I have no idea, was there a radio programme I heard, or an article in a newspaper, or maybe I just came across a book, but somehow I discovered this ancient story. I may have gone to a library to look it up – was I still in Manchester and did i go to Central Ref, Manchester Central Reference Library? I just about lived there for a while – I’m about to deviate into the story of passion cake, but no – I must resist, it’s a thing of myth and legend, much like Gilgamesh. The epic story from Mesopotamia is literally thousands of years old, and I was reminded of it today because I was listening to “Start the Week”, BBC Radio 4’s 9:00 Monday morning show, and Simon Armitage was being interviewed about his new book, based on the four thousand or more year old story of Gilgamesh:.

“The Epic of Gilgamesh” is an epic from ancient Mesopotamia that is the world’s oldest surviving example of narrative literature. The literary history of Gilgamesh begins with five Sumerian poems about Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, some of which may date to the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100 BCE). These independent stories were later used as source material for a combined epic in Akkadian.
Thank you Wikipedia

Gilgamesh was probably a Sumerian king of Uruk, in Mesopotamia, from about 2900–2350 BC, who was later deified. However, he is more well-known as the hero of an epic poem, or series of poems which recounts his adventures and his friendship with a wild-man, Enkidu. It’s a classic tale – maybe the original classic tale of brotherhood, adventure, kingship and maybe betrayal. I’ve read various versions over the years, it absolutely fascinates me.

Simon is just about my favourite poet, so interesting, so varied in what he writes about, and what is more he was born, grew up and probably still lives in a favourite part of the country, on the Pennines in West Yorkshire. His home town is Marsden, and we hoped to move there at one point, but various things happened which resulted in us indeed moving, but to Somerset, not Yorkshire. Back to Simon on the radio – he was talking about his latest book “Gilgamesh” and I immediately paid attention. This hooked me, because of my fascination with the epic, and also my love of Simon’s poetry. As soon as I was breakfasted and ready ,I went into town and ordered his book which will be available on Friday

If you don’t have access to a bookshop, here is a link to it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=simon+armitage+gilgamesh&crid=33H1HB2DX6HAA

Here are links to the Wikipedia entry on Gilgamesh, to Simon, and to something I wrote previously about the Mesopotamian epic:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Gilgamesh

https://www.simonarmitage.com/biography/

https://loiselsden.com/2021/09/23/the-story-of-a-superhuman-god/