Simon Armitage
Gilgamesh: A New Verse Translation by Simon Armitage is not a translation, per se, but a reimagining of the epic in beautiful, rhythmic verse that breathes life into this very ancient poem.
Prof. Armitage’s intention, articulated in his introduction, is to “balance linguistic and historical frameworks against literary expectations of the present day.” In other words, he wants to translate the epic as a poet, not as an Assyriologist. He aims to render the scholarly word for word translations into a language that is vibrant, accessible, and readable.
Included in the introduction is a brief history of the poem’s evolution; the different translation and how each translator handled the issue of gaps in the existing tablets; an exploration of some of the major themes of the poem; and an acknowledgement of its continued relevance. Prof. Armitage eschews blank sections or rows of dots to indicate gaps in the material. Instead, he bridges the gaps in the tablets by using prose as fillers. That technique, coupled with a brief outline at the beginning of each chapter, allows for easy comprehension and smoother readability. Included at the end is a helpful glossary of the characters in Mesopotamian mythology, detailed notes, and a bibliography.
Prof. Armitage opens the section “A Note on the Translation” with an image of a clay jigsaw, thousands of years old, scattered over several thousand miles. His image reinforces the challenge facing any who wish to embark on translating Gilgamesh. Fortunately, scholars remain undeterred since there are several scholarly translations of the epic by Assyriologists, the most memorable being Sophus Helle’s Gilgamesh: A New Translation of the Ancient Epic.
The number of translations begs the question do we really need another translation? The answer is a resounding, yes! This remarkable epic continues to sing to us after four thousand years. Each translation or rendition adds a new layer of meaning, a new interpretation, a new way of seeing. And in the capable hands of Simon Armitage, we have the opportunity to read this ancient epic through yet another new set of lenses, this time in a powerful and mesmerizing verse rendition that captures the haunting beauty and poignancy of the original.
Highly recommended.