Gilgamesh is required reading if you enjoy epics. This ancient story contains an account of the Great Flood that predates the biblical version. This verse version by Stephen Mitchell is lively and accessible.

This cornerstone of Indian culture began as a 24,000 line story about the struggle for a kingdom in northern India. Over the next 1000 years, it morphed into a sprawling, chaotic jumble over 1,000,000 lines long. Fortunately, most English translations cut out the later additions, leaving us with the core story, which is a real gem. Try the William Buck or Krishna Dharma translations.

This is the Greek epic of Jason and the Argonauts, and their quest for Golden Fleece. While it is well written, there is more travelogue then story here. However, the section on Jason and Medea stealing the fleece is superb.

In this epic, Ovid retells the myths that have transformation as a key story element. The myths are Roman, but most of them have Greek origins. This is a key literary source for Dante, Shakespeare, and countless others. The Mandelbaum translation is superb, and a complete joy to read. Highly recommended.

Quintus wasn't a great poet, but we was a decent story teller. In this epic, he tells many of the Trojan War stories that Homer left out. These are events that precede and follow the events recorded in the Iliad. I read a prose translation called The War at Troy, by Frederick Combellack. I'm looking forward to reading this new verse translation by Alan James.

Seamus Heaney provides us with a masterful verse translation of a rip-roaring tale. Lord of the Rings fans, take note: Tolkien was the first to really point out Beowulf's literary merit. Beowulf also inspired Tolkien's "ring" concept and the Hobbit's dragon-slaying scene. It's a quick, fun read. Highly recommended.

In your epic quest, be sure to include a few Norse sagas. They are written in prose and tend to be fast-paced, bloody, and to the point. Just the way you like it, right? The Saga of the Volsungs is one of the most famous. You can tell it influenced Tolkien, and it was also Wagner's primary source for his Ring opera cycle.

Another Medieval epic told in direct, simple language. It is better than The Song of Roland, but lacks the artistic quality of Beowulf. It's a quick read, though, so don't leave this one out!

A wonderful verse translation of this German epic. It contains some of Wagner's source material for his Ring opera cycle. As far as literary quality goes, it's second rate. However, it is fast paced and a major national epic.

As far as I know, this Chinese epic wasn't originally a poem. However, it is certainly an epic. This is China's equivalent to the Iliad/Odyssey or Mahabharata/Ramayana sagas.

I'm wimping out on my Chaucer here by listing a "modernized" version. But I thought I'd get familiar with an "easy" version before I dug in with the original Middle English. Important tip: Read it aloud. That's when you really hear the music. A few of the stories are duds, but the good ones are superb.

This epic is a parody of medieval romances, and was itself lampooned by Cervantes in Don Quixote. The version I've selected for my list is a critically acclaimed prose translation. If you poke around, you can also find Barbara Reynolds' verse translation, which is now out of print.

I'm ashamed to say I haven't read this one yet; but naturally, I'm looking forward to it. I selected this edition for my list because of its excellent reviews, its scholarly but unobtrusive footnotes, and its critical essays.

This mini-epic is about Scottish clan wars during the reign of James V. It can be a bit slow and confusing at times, but the poetry is first-rate and it has several really great scenes. Be sure to get an edition that discusses the historical context and has decent footnotes.

This is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poem about the American Civil War.

This science fiction epic poem is very popular in Sweden, where its author won the Nobel Prize.

This mini-epic, by one of America's most honored poets, tells a tragic tale of the American West. Recommended.

Another acclaimed science fiction epic.