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#ancientliterature
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JenP
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In what is a supreme act of avoidance from writing grants (which probably won‘t get funded anyway in this climate), I decided to take a world literature course from Harvard extension. They offer a bunch of free online courses although I may pay the certificate fee just to support them. Gilgamesh is the first text they are discussing and I hadn‘t ever read it so finally getting to it

merelybookish Once upon a time I taught world lit to undergraduates (not at Harvard 😆) and always started with this. And it was often the book they liked best. Enjoy your course! Sounds fun! 2w
JenP @merelybookish I‘m certainly liking it more than the Odyssey which I read freshman year (many years ago 😂). How fun you taught world literature. I‘m enjoying this class so far. 2w
Tamra It‘s a fantastic historical study! 2w
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DGRachel I decided at the beginning of the years that I wanted to do a deep dive into Ishtar, and the book I‘m reading references Gilgamesh quite a lot, so I picked up a copy last month. I‘m looking forward to getting to it. 2w
JenP @DGRachel it‘s a very quick read. Hope you like it. I found it interesting 1w
JenP @Tamra yes! I‘ve found it interesting to compare the deluge to the version in genesis. The historical background from the class has also been fascinating 1w
Tamra @JenP there are several parallels with later mythologies! Humans have been asking the same questions and telling the same stories. 1w
Avanders Love this! ♥️ 1w
27 likes8 comments
review
Tamra
Gilgamesh | Stephen Mitchell
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Pickpick

Reread with IRL club and it was a raucous good time, lots of fodder for laughter and discussion.

Once again struck by the highly relatable themes. Humanity hasn‘t fundamentally changed.

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AnishaInkspill
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#Two4Tuesday, thanks @TheSpineView

1/ both - I can't choose, I 😍 them both
2/ dusty, unexpected, informative
extras (couldn't resist 😃) amazingly this is older than The Iliad and has somehow surived

TheSpineView 🧡🌅 Thanks for playing 7mo
10 likes1 comment
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Coffeymuse
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I remember reading an excerpt of this in a big chunky English Lit book for high school homework.

#Schoolspirit
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs

Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 8mo
Rome753 I remember reading excerpts also. Hopefully can get around to reading the full work sometime. 8mo
Coffeymuse @Rome753 I keep thinking about going back and reading the entirety but just haven\'t yet. Maybe next year? 8mo
Rome753 @Coffeymuse It can be tough making the time. Especially if there's alot on the TBR list. 8mo
21 likes4 comments
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suvata
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Pickpick

3.5 Stars • The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest great works of literature, originating from ancient Mesopotamia, likely around the 18th century BCE. Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, is initially tyrannical until the gods create Enkidu to challenge him. They become friends and embark on adventures, including defeating Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. ⬇️

suvata After Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh, fearing mortality, seeks immortality, meeting Utnapishtim, who survived a great flood. He learns of a plant that can restore youth but loses it to a snake, realizing immortality is unattainable. Gilgamesh returns to Uruk, accepting his mortality and finding meaning in his legacy. 9mo
31 likes1 comment
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Super_Jane
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Pickpick

3.75/5 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑

Reading greek plays in Greece. 🇬🇷 🏛️🏺

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Bookwomble
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The Epic of Gilgamesh has parts dated from 2100 BCE, other elements up to 1200 BCE. It's a fantastic insight into the minds of the earliest settled, literate people. My edition is a Penguin Classic I bought in the 1980s, so I do need to get a more modern edition that incorporates newer archeological findings and historical perspectives.
#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern

Soscha That would be mine as well! What? What? You‘ve stolen my flood! 🌊 1y
julesG Oh, right, The Epic of Gilgamesh is ancient. Same goes for The Book of Toth. 🤔 Guess I've read ancient book then. 🤣🤣🤣 1y
Awk_Word_Smith Beowulf most likely. 1y
BookmarkTavern I need by to read this one. 😄 Thanks for posting! 1y
quietlycuriouskate Gilgamesh! I've got the Stephen Mitchell one (Profile Books, 2005) ❤️ 1y
30 likes5 comments
review
averil
Oedipus at Colonus | Sophocles, David Mulroy
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Pickpick

Oedipus at Colonus is a weird tragedy in that the climax of the play is not really tragic. I even hesitate to call this play a tragedy: yes, some machinations of fate are at play, and yes, Polynices' obstinacy to go to his death are sad, but the story here is of Oedipus and his fate to die in glory with the gods.

Oedipus is practically assumed as Christians would later call it—it‘s such a supernatural ending to such an earthy tradition, no?

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Daisey
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Pickpick

This was fascinating from a historical perspective and a quicker read than I initially expected. I appreciated the introductory essays describing the history of this ancient story. The story itself is interesting but becomes even more so as you consider it in comparison to other mythological stories.

Tamra I was blown away by how the story still resonates - so very human 2y
Daisey @Tamra I agree; I was surprised by just how personal some aspects were. 2y
dabbe Hello there, sweet little floof! 🖤🐾🖤 2y
54 likes3 comments
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Daisey
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Today‘s Sunday morning book and breakfast is the introductory information in this edition of The Epic of Gilgamesh.

#BookAndBreakfast #ReadAndEat

Soscha In case this is of interest to anyone besides me, Peter Pringle singing the Epic of Gilgamesh in Sumerian with sacred lyre https://youtu.be/dDRD3c-WAec?si=1XIUJhhrXG5xbAxB 2y
Daisey @Soscha Interesting! Thanks for sharing. 2y
61 likes2 comments