A reading guide
Epic poems
These epic poems bring together stories of gods, heroes, war and journeys for readers exploring the tradition in English. Start with The Odyssey for a homeward voyage through storms, strange creatures and divine interference.
Updated
Where to start
Start hereThe OdysseyHomerA homeward journey gives storms, strange creatures and encounters with gods a clear emotional centre: reunion with a threatened family.
Read free
Another way inBeowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic PoemTranslated by J. Lesslie HallThe poem follows a warrior who crosses the sea to help a king whose hall is attacked by Grendel.
Read free
Or tryEvangelineHenry Wadsworth LongfellowFor a story centred on love and separation, follow Evangeline's search across North America and her hope of finding Gabriel.
Read free
The books
Free to start one of the free gifts when you start
Ancient epics
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | About 750 BC | The OdysseyHomer Odysseus struggles home through storms and encounters with strange creatures while his family faces threats in Ithaca. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | About 750 BC | The IliadHomer Achilles withdraws from battle, exposing his companions to danger as gods intervene in the war against Troy. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | About 19 BC | The AeneidVirgil Aeneas leads survivors from Troy towards a new homeland in Italy, facing storms, loss and Juno's opposition. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | 1920 | An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh EpicMorris Jastrow; Albert Tobias Clay Surviving Old Babylonian fragments tell of Gilgamesh's friendship with Enkidu and explore human strength and the fear of death. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | · | The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa: Virata ParvaVyasa The Pandava brothers and Draupadi hide at King Virata's court, risking renewed exile if their disguises fail. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 6 | About 250 BC | The ArgonauticaApollonius of Rhodes Jason and his crew sail towards Colchis for the Golden Fleece, meeting dangers and interference from the gods. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
Medieval and Renaissance epics
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | About 1320 | Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, CompleteDante Alighieri Lost in a dark wood, Dante journeys through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, encountering souls and questions of divine justice. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1667 | Paradise LostJohn Milton Defeated in Heaven, Satan plans revenge through Adam and Eve, whose life in Eden turns on obedience and choice. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | · | Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic PoemTranslated by J. Lesslie Hall Beowulf crosses the sea to confront Grendel, beginning a story of monstrous enemies and a warrior's changing responsibilities. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | · | The Poetic EddaAnonymous Old Norse poems bring together the world's beginnings and destruction with gods and heroes facing loyalty, vengeance and fate. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | About 1100 | The Song of RolandAnonymous; C. K. Scott-Moncrieff (translator) Betrayal exposes Roland's rear guard to attack in the Pyrenees, testing his courage and willingness to ask for help. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 6 | About 1200 | The NibelungenliedG. H. Needler Siegfried's pursuit of Kriemhild draws royal marriages into secrets and rivalry, setting love against betrayal and revenge. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 7 | 1516 | Orlando FuriosoLodovico Ariosto Orlando's love for Angelica leads towards madness amid linked adventures and war between Christian and Saracen armies. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 8 | 1572 | The LusiadsLuís de Camões Vasco da Gama's voyage around Africa towards India joins storms and divine interference with stories of Portugal's past. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 9 | 1671 | Paradise RegainedJohn Milton Jesus faces Satan's temptations in the wilderness in a contest over obedience, ambition and the meaning of divine purpose. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
Epics of the modern age
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1835 | Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland — CompleteElias Lönnrot (compiler); John Martin Crawford (translator) A singer, a smith and other heroes use world-changing skills amid journeys and rivalry between northern peoples. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 1859 | Idylls of the KingAlfred, Lord Tennyson Arthur's hopes for a just kingdom meet divided loyalties, secret love and pride among the knights of his court. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1847 | EvangelineHenry Wadsworth Longfellow Separated from Gabriel by forced exile, Evangeline travels across North America sustained by the hope of reunion. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
Questions
What are the most famous epic poems?
The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid and Paradise Lost are familiar landmarks of epic poetry. Their stories offer different starting points: anger and battle at Troy, a troubled homecoming, the search for a new homeland, and Satan's attempt to tempt Adam and Eve.
What is an epic poem?
An epic poem is an extended narrative in verse, usually concerned with heroic deeds and events of significance to a people or culture. The Aeneid follows survivors seeking a homeland, while The Iliad explores a warrior's anger and its consequences for an army and its families.
What is the Epic of Gilgamesh?
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia about the king Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu. The Old Babylonian version on this page survives in fragments.
Which epic poem should I read first?
Start with The Odyssey for a journey centred on getting home to a family under threat. Odysseus encounters storms, strange creatures and gods who help or hinder him. For another starting point, Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem follows a warrior who crosses the sea to help a king whose hall is attacked by Grendel.
Which epic poems are the shortest?
Evangeline and Paradise Regained are the shortest choices on this list, each taking about 2 hours. Evangeline follows a woman searching for her lost love after forced exile. Paradise Regained centres on Jesus facing Satan's temptations in the wilderness, with obedience and ambition at the heart of their encounters.
Updated
Read and hear all of them
Every book on this page, and 200,000+ more, as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, in 25 languages, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. 5 accounts for the price of one.
