by Anonymous
First published -1500
N.K. Sandars presents five ancient poems from Babylonian civilization at its height in the second millennium B.C. The collection opens with The Babylonian Creation, performed at New Year festivals to honor Marduk's victory over Tiamat, the goddess who embodies watery chaos. Inanna's Journey to Hell follows the fertility goddess as she travels into a dark wasteland populated by devils and shadows. The volume also includes Adapa: the Man, which tells how humanity lost its place through faithful obedience rather than rebellious pride. Sandars, recognized for her translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh, brings these foundational texts into English. The poems reveal how ancient Mesopotamians understood creation, divine power, and human nature through stories of gods who battle primordial forces and descend into underworlds.
Genres: mythology, poetry, ancient, ancient-history
Vibes: lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: gods, mythology
Setting: Babylonia
Period: Second Millennium BC
192 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics