epics
The Aeneid
Aeneis
Virgil · Classical Latin · 19 BCE
Andromache
Ἀνδρομάχη
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 420 BC
Argonautica
Ἀργοναυτικά
Apollonius of Rhodes · Epic Greek · 3rd century BC
The Bacchae
Βάκχαι
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 405 BCE
Beowulf
Bēowulf
Unknown · Anglo-Saxon · 975
Children of Heracles
Ἡρακλεῖδαι
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 430 BCE
Cyclops
Κύκλωψ
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 410 BC
Digenes Akritas
Διγενής Ακρίτας
Unknown · Medieval Greek · c. 12th century
Dionysiaca
Διονυσιακά
Nonnus · Epic Greek · 5th century
Divine Comedy, Book 1: Inferno
Divina Commedia, I cantica: Inferno
Dante Alighieri · Italian · 1321
Divine Comedy, Book 2: Purgatorio
Divina Commedia, II cantica: Purgatorio.
Dante Alighieri · Italian · 1321
Divine Comedy, Book 3: Paradiso
Divina Commedia, III cantica: Paradiso
Dante Alighieri · Italian · 1321
Electra
Ἠλέκτρα
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 420 BCE
The Epic of Gilgamesh
𒀭𒄑𒉋𒂵𒈩
Sîn-lēqi-unninni · Akkadian · 1200 BCE
Epic of King Gesar
གླིང་གེ་སར།,
Unknown · Tibetan · originated c. 12-14th century; first written down c. 15-17th century.
Tibetan · originated c. 12-14th century; first written down c. 15-17th century.
Epic of King Gesar
Гэсэр хааны тууж
Unknown · Mongolian · 1716
Epic of Manas
Манас дастаны
Sagymbai Orozbak uulu; Unknown · Kyrgyz · 1885
Epic of Sunjata
Sònjàdà
Banna Kanute; Bamba Suso · Mandinka · oral tradition likely began in 15th century; first written versions in 1890s
Fragments
αποσπάσματα
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 406 BC
Fragments
αποσπάσματα (apospasmata)
Aeschylus · Classical Attic Greek · c. 456 BC
Hecuba
Ἑκάβη
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 424 BC
Helen
Ἑλένη
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 412 BCE
Hippolytus
Ἱππόλυτος
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 428 BCE
Iliad
Ἰλιάς
Homer · Epic Greek · 800 BCE
Ion
Ἴων
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 412 BC
Iphigenia in Aulis
Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Αὐλίδι
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 407 BC
Jerusalem Delivered
Gerusalemme liberata
Torquato Tasso · Italian · 1581
The Libation Bearers
Χοηφόροι
Aeschylus · Classical Attic Greek · 459 BCE
The Lusiads
Os Lusíadas
Luís de Camões · Portuguese · 1572
Mahabharata
महाभारतम्
Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa · Epic Sanskrit · 300 BCE
Medea
Μήδεια
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 435 BCE
Merlin
Merlin
Robert de Boron · Old French · c. 1195-1210
Mirgorod
Миргород
Nikolai Gogol · Russian · 1835
The Odyssey
Ὀδύσσεια
Homer · Epic Greek · 800 BCE
Orestes
Ὀρέστης
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 408 BC
Orlando Furioso
Orlando furioso
Ludovico Ariosto · Italian · 1516
The Persians
Πέρσαι
Aeschylus · Classical Attic Greek · 472 BCE
The Phoenician Women
Φοίνισσαι
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 410 BC
Posthomerica
τὰ μεθ’ Ὅμηρον
Quintus Smyrnaeus · Epic Greek · c. 300
Ramavataram
கம்பராமாயணம்
Kambar · Tamil · 12th century
Ramayana
रामायण
Valmiki · Epic Sanskrit · earliers portions c. 700 - 400 BC
Rhesus
Ῥῆσος
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · c. 410 BC
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
三國演義
Luo Guanzhong · Classical Vernacular Chinese · 1350
Seven Against Thebes
Ἑπτὰ ἐπὶ Θήβας
Aeschylus · Classical Attic Greek · 467 BCE
The Song of El Cid
El Cantar de Mio Cid
Unknown · Old Spanish · c. 1140-1207
The Song of Roland
La Chanson de Roland
Turoldus · Old French · 1100
Story of Sinuhe
Za-Nehet
Unknown · Middle Egyptian · oldest extant copy dated c. 1800 BCE
The Suppliant Women
Ἱκέτιδες
Euripides · Classical Attic Greek · 423 BCE
The Suppliants
Ἱκέτιδες
Aeschylus · Classical Attic Greek · 463 BCE
The Táin
Táin Bó Cúailnge
Unknown · Middle Irish · c. 630-670
The Tale of Kieu
傳翹; Truyện Kiều
Nguyễn Du · Vietnamese · 1820
The Tale of Lady Delhemma
سيرة ذات الهمة
Unknown · Classical Arabic · c. 900-1000