Mythology
September 25, 2006
Epic of Gilgamesh
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Gilgamesh is characterized as someone who learned by experiencing and
traveling
Found out what was secret, brought back was hidden
Knowledge of time “before the flood” – reference to flood story in Mesopotamian
mythology
Sent by gods, only one couple of humans survived
Brought the knowledge back and then made it permanent by engraving it in stone
Built the wall of Uruk – the sheepfold of Eanna
Then the narrator asks the audience to bear witness to the wall – evidence that you
can look at
A description of the wall and the city follows
“Lapis lazuli tablet” – here we get the epic of Gilgamesh
Superior to other kings, warrior, hero, goring wild bull
Marches at the front as a leader and goes behind his support; part of a community
– not just a individual
Can be protecting and helpful, but also threatening
Son of Lugalbanda – previous king of Uruk; Mortal
Gilgamesh’s mother was immortal, “wild cow Ninsun”
Said to have gone to the end of the world and back again
Searching for eternal life – because of his mortal father he is subject to death; the
crux of his dilemma
Reached where Ut-napishtim lived
Sheepfold: A name for the city Uruk
Gilgamesh was superior to all in the city, and he knew it
Frequently displayed his superiority; would harass both the men and women
Turning into a problem for the people of Uruk; prayed to the gods to relieve them
of Gilgamesh
Sky god Anu hears their complaints, gets other gods together
Call on Aruru (Earth goddess, mother goddess, who created mankind), wanted her
to make a rival for Gilgamesh
She creates a primitive man within her – Enkidu
Said to be very hairy; doesn’t belong to a people or nation; did not wear clothing
Lives among the animals, in concert with them
A hunter finds Enkidu who is preventing him from being able to hunt
Hunter tells this to his father, his father gives him some advice
Father says, go to Uruk and get Gilgamesh to give you a woman
Then have this woman seduce Enkidu; the cattle and other creatures will become
alien to him
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Gilgamesh gives the hunter a woman named Shamhat (a noble and respected
prostitute, not the same pejorative sense); she seduces him for six days and seven
nights
Enkidu feels diminished after this, cannot keep up with the animals
The animals will have nothing to do with him
But he had acquired wisdom and judgment
Becomes more civilized, Shamhat leads Enkidu to Gilgamesh
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh is having a dream, tells it to his mother, she says that it
means he will find a good friend
Shamhat leads Enkidu towards the city, stop and stay with some shepherds
(intermediary between civilized city and living wild life with animals)
Give him clothing and teach him to eat in a more proper fashion
Enkidu comes to the city not for friendship but to challenge Gilgamesh
Fight over right to sleep with Ishhara; Gilgamesh had not been challenged like
this before
In the middle of the fight, Enkidu breaks down and cries, they grasp hold of each
other and then recognize in each other the quality of being equal; from then on
become best of friends
After this the city calms down as Enkidu is able to curb Gilgamesh’s energy
Ellil (storm god, turbulent elements) has designated Humbaba to protect the pine
forest
Humbaba is a symbol of guarding nature while Gilgamesh is the king or
champion of civilized life
Gilgamesh and Enkidu decide to go on a trek to take on Humbaba
Gilgamesh has to complete the cycle – leave home, complete journey, then return
to civilization
Enkidu is less confident about the return
The elders tell Gilgamesh that he is too young and impetuous to take this one
But Gilgamesh refuses to listen
They then tell him to let Enkidu lead because he knows the way
Gilgamesh then goes to his mother to say that he wants to exterminate this
monster in honour of Shamash (the sun god)
Ninsun washes herself, adorns herself and prays to sun god
Says “Why did you single out my son Gilgamesh and impose a restless spirit on
him?”
Also asks Shamash to help him
Enkidu is still reluctant to go, but says he will not leave Gilgamesh
Repeated sacrifice scene of offerings made to Shamash
Gilgamesh dreams of horrible things, but interpretation of dreams is that he will
be successful
After a long journey, finally arrive at pine forest
Humbaba makes his voice heard, tells them that they are foolish
Accuses that Enkidu does not know his real father (father’s identity determines
own identity)
Enkidu lives with this problem that his identity is uncertain
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Humbaba says he regards them like a turtle – not a mammal, do not drink milk
from their mothers
Gilgamesh begins to get frightened, and Enkidu encourages him
Gilgamesh again prays to Shamash; Shamash hears them, gives them advice to
work together
Combat begins, a “cosmic battle” that affected the geography against the land
Shamash calls a tempest against Humbaba, defeat him
Humbaba tries to bargain with Gilgamesh, but Enkidu tells him not to listen,
persuades Gilgamesh to finish Humbaba off by telling him that if he does this an
eternal memorial of this feat will be recorded forever
Humbaba leaves a curse on the pair as he is dying – neither will outlive each
other, they will die young men
Gods are conflicted between themselves
Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down trees and make them into a raft to bring back to
Uruk, then washes himself and puts on a crown
Goddess Ishtar sees Gilgamesh and proposes marriage to him
He refuses her, says that all her previous love stories have ended badly
Gives the examples of Dumuzi, the allallu-bird, lion, horse…
Does not want the same to happen to him
Ishtar becomes furious, went to heaven and wept before father Anu and mother
Antu
Asks Anu for the “Bull of Heaven”
Says if she does not get this, she will turn the dead loose on the land of the living
Wants something unnatural
Anu gives in and lets her have the Bull of Heaven
The bull goes down to Earth and hundreds of men fall into a crater that he creates
Enkidu is one of those that falls in, but he is able to get out