podcast friday

[sabotabby]

 Listen this is the best episode of a podcast you'll listen to all week. Maybe ever. In this podcast lies the seed of all other podcasts.

The Aurora-nominated podcast Wizards & Spaceships episode "The Ur-Pisode: The Queer Heart of The Epic of Gilgamesh, ft. Julian Gunn" is about the Epic of Gilgamesh (obviously), why it still matters after 4000 years, and most importantly, why Tablet XII is canon despite what homophobic translators have done with it over the past century or so. It's so good you guys. It makes me happy every time I listen to it. radiantfracture is just one of the most brilliant people I know and hearing him geek out about this is a delight you won't want to miss.

Comments

[highlyeccentric]

OHH YESSS I was running out of podcasts suitable for "while cooking" and this looks perfect.

[sabotabby]

It's like an hour of absolute nerdery, highly recommend.

[greylock]

Manly-man Gilgamesh? Gay?

YOU HAVE TURNED ON GOD - Americans, who can't spell Gilgamesh!

He was just searching for a root before Grindr!

(My knowledge of Gilgamesh is based on Disney, and until your post way back, I'd never looked into it)

[sabotabby]

18 feet tall, hot, and a disaster bisexual. It's canon.

[greylock]

Wait... 6m tall?
I'm starting to think the historical records are inaccurate.
I mean, if I pull out my copy of Avengers #300 he's not even as tall as Reed Richards, Steve Rogers OR Sersei.

I doubt the veracity of Sumerian tablets.

[sabotabby]

One of the cool things about Gilgamesh is it's a long, long ago story. It's in our distant past, but it's a story about the distant past of the people telling it, and by the end they're telling stories from an even more distant past.

[greylock]

Yes, but WOKE!

[kore]

That sounds neat!

[radiantfracture]

Hahaha perfect. Can I put it on a slide?

[radiantfracture]

Aw -- you are a great host. That was the most fun I've had in forever.

Can we get a shoutout to sovay for her vast store of wisdom on ancient texts?

GILGAMESH

[minoanmiss]

zomg

[sabotabby]

Only if I can see the slide.

[sabotabby]

It is!

[sabotabby]

We absolutely can!

Re: GILGAMESH

[sabotabby]

You will love this.

[selki]

Yeah, that was a fun one! I've enjoyed 2 fictions that have to do with Gilgamesh, that I recall:
1) Brenda Clough's *How Like A God* couple of novels (modern DC couple runs into trouble from ancient times)
2) Modes of Thought in Anterran Literature audio drama (archaeology professor at "Harbridge" University is obsessed with Anterran culture most people think isn't real); several episodes touch on Gilgamesh https://www.modesofthoughtpodcast.com/

[sabotabby]

Modes of Thought in Anterran Literature has been in my feed for ages but I haven't ever listened to it.

[metawidget]

Highest quality nerdy; congrats on the well-deserved nomination!

[sabotabby]

Thank you!

[selki]

It's not bad, but more for a select audience who enjoy academic thrillers with indirect commentary on the unfortunate lives of grad students, and don't mind an obsessed lead character who is not especially nice. Some stuff developed that surprised and interested me but the new episodes stopped after that.