Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem dating back to the 18th century BC. It tells the story of a hero-king, Gilgamesh, who embarks on a quest for knowledge and immortality after his friend Enkidu dies. The poem follows him as he faces numerous trials and tribulations in his journey through foreign lands and hostile forces. Along the way, he meets many gods and goddesses who give him advice or test him in various ways. In the end, although unable to attain true immortality himself, Gilgamesh learns valuable lessons about mortality that provide hope in life's darkest moments.
As one of the earliest surviving works of literature known to humanity, The Epic of Gilgamesh has had tremendous influence throughout history. Its themes have resonated with readers since its first rediscovery by modern scholars in 1872 CE; these include themes such as friendship between two different individuals (in this case men), striving against impossible odds to achieve something meaningful despite their own mortality, and embracing change even if it means losing some part of oneself along the way—all universal concepts that are still relevant today regardless of whether we're talking about ancient civilizations or modern ones alike. Additionally, many aspects of this work form direct precursors for similar stories told later down the line from Ancient Greece right up until now: elements like heroic journeys involving monsters, dragons, etc., and gods intervening directly into human affairs can be seen almost everywhere across literature today, though they were initially introduced here long before anyone else thought them up.