Ancient Literature

This is the homepage for the Ancient Literature category, a subcategory of Literature.

The Arabian Nights: The Thousand and One Nights

English translation by Sir Richard Burton 1888. King Schahriah marries and kills new woman each night, Scheherazade tells “to be continued” story each night to keep king from killing her

The History of Aladdin

Aladdin, son of Chinese tailor Mustafa, given lamp with two genii by African magician who shuts him in cave. Aladdin gets wealth and marries sultan’s daughter Badroulboudour.

The History of Sinbad the Sailor

Baghdad merchant Sinbad describes 7 voyages to porter Hindbad. mistakes whale for island. gets diamonds from Roc’s eggs. meets Cyclops. burned alive. kills Old Man of the Sea. visits Serendip. sold into slavery and shoots elephants from trees

The History of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

woodcutter Ali Baba sees robber open cave by saying “Open Sesame” and gets treasure. thieves kill his brother Cassim who forgets secret words. Ali’s slave Morgiana kills band of thieves with boiling oil

The Rubiayat of Omar Khayyam

translated by Edward Fitzgerald. 1200 quatrains

Epic of Gilgamesh

Goddess Aruru made hairy wild man Enkidu out of clay to oppose oppressive King Gilgamesh of Erech. Enkidu protected the beasts. Gilgamesh sent a woman to seduce him. Enkidu defeated Gilgamesh in wrestling, and they became friends. Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down a cedar in the sacred woods and beheaded the one-eyed monster Humbaba with the help of Gigamesh’s mom Ninsun. Ishtar tried to seduce Gilgamesh but he knew how she had treated others such as Tammuz and refused. Enkidu died because he killed the storm bull of heaven. Gilgamesh consulted Utnapishtim, who had been warned of a flood by wisdom god Ea and survived by building an arc. got herb of youth from bottom of sea but stolen by a snake

Enuma elish

“War of the gods”. fresh water Apsu and salt water wife Tiamat had kids gods of the deep Lahmu and Lahamu who had Anshar and Kishar, parents of sky Anu, father of wisdom god Ea. Ea drugged and killed Apsu and dwarf counselor Mummu. Tiamat took Kingu as consort. Ea and Damkina had storm god Marduk; Tiamat warred with principals gods who supported Marduk. Marduk destroyed Tiamat and formed firmament and earth foundations from her body. Anu rules area above firmament, Enlil between firmament and earth, and Ea waters below earth. Kingu killed to make man puppet. gods built Babylon as shrine for Marduk.