The Epic Gilgamesh - Re-read many times! ;-)

Such an amazing work - and such a great historical tale.
You can see all of the bible, Homer and Plato starting to be reflected in these pages
Do the Andrew George version - my personal fav and I have read six different ones!

Gilgamesh was king in Uruk, the great walled city. On the sheepfold of Uruk he lifts his gaze high.
But Gilgamesh oppressed his people.
Day and night he oppresses the weak
Gilgamesh does not let the young women go to her mother,
The girl to the warrior, the bride to the young groom
So the people cried out to the gods and the mother, the great lady heard them, and formed Enkidu in the wilderness from a pinch of clay.
She gave birth in darkness and silence to one like the war god
He knew neither people nor homeland
He fed with the gazelles on grass
With wild animals he drank at the waterholes
With hurrying animals his heart grew light.
He came into the city and fought with Gilgamesh. They fought in the market. They fought in the temples. They fought on the walls. All day they fought until dusk, at the gates to the city,
Gilgamesh at last threw down Enkidu. Gilgamesh shaped his mouth to speak and praised Enkidu, saying “who is like you, you have no match. Let me cease from oppressing these people, and let us be friends.”
Enkidu stood there, listening to his words.
They caused him to grow pale.
He sat down, weeping;
His eyes filled with tears,
His arms went slack, his strength left him.
And they seized on another, embracing,
Took one another’s hands like brothers
Enkidu spoke words to Gilgamesh: friend.