Gilgamesh
Summary of tablets 1-5
Tablet 1

Gilgamesh is the King of Uruk

Gilgamesh is 2/3 god & 1/3 human

Gilgamesh sleeps with brides on their
wedding day referred to as “lord’s right”

The people of Uruk abhor him

They pray to the god Aruru – goddess of
creation – to help them
Tablet 1

Aruru creates the wild-man Enkidu

Gilgamesh finds out & sends the temple
prostitute – Shamhat – to “reform” him

7 days later Enkidu is “reformed” – he now
wants to join civilization

The body contact with Shamhat civilizes
Enkidu
Tablet 1

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh has a strange dream
and asks him Mom to interpret it

She says it means that a mighty friend will
come to him

For class purposes – we will refer to this
dream as dream #1
Tablet 2

Enkidu & Shamhat go to a wedding

Gilgamesh is at the same wedding

Enkidu & Gilgamesh have a mighty battle that
lasts for 40 days & nights

It ends in a draw

They become very close friends
Tablet 3
this part is in our book - see page 58

Gilgamesh & Enkidu go on a “road trip” to
the Cedar Forest to cut trees & to kill the
forest’s guardian, Humbaba

Gilgamesh & Enkidu notify the elders of
their plans

The elders give their blessing with
reservations
Tablet 4
this part is in our book
see pages 59 - 62

Gilgamesh & Enkidu go to the Cedar Forest

Enkidu is afraid, Gilgamesh encourages him

Enkidu interprets Gilgamesh’s dream #2 to
mean “Tomorrow you will be victorious”
line 133

Enkidu interprets Gilgamesh’s dream #3 just
as he did dream #2
Tablet 5
this part is in our book
see pages 62 - 63

Gilgamesh & Enkidu battle Humbaba

They behead Humbaba and hang his head in
the trees
Tablets 6 - 12

Go to my webpage to find the remaining
summaries