Gilgamesh

 

The tale of Gilgamesh is the oldest story in the world with origins associated with Sumerian legends and poems found on the cuneiform tablets dating back to as early as 2750 BC, perhaps earlier. The story was preserved on 12 clay tablets. According to ancient Sumerian king lists, Gilgamesh served as the fifth king who ruled after the flood. Enlil, an Annunaki god, (an alien from planet Nibiru) flooded the entire Earth. This story was similar to the story in the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Enlil wanted to destroy all of mankind. They irritated him and Enlil thought the Annunaki could live without them. The god Enki, Enlil’s brother, forewarned Utnapishtim which enabled him to escape with his family with seeds from plant life, animals and his treasures on a boat he was ordered to build. The story of Gilgamesh involved his friend Enkidu and all their adventures. 

The people of Uruk, unhappy about Gilgamesh’s treatment of them especially the women, started rebelling. He slept with married women and used women like they were sexual objects. Arura, the goddess of creation, created a mighty wild man, Enkidu, who was as powerful as Gilgamesh.  He lived amongst the wild animals. He caused problems for the shepherds and trappers of the area. Gilgamesh was made aware of their concerns. He sent a prostitute, Shamhat, to lure and domesticate Enkidu. She spent six days and seven nights with the wild man. Shamhat converted Enkidu from a wild man who lived with animals to a man who adapted the ways of men. Shamhat convinced him to move to the city. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh had strange dreams in which his mother confirmed was an indication that he would be joined by a gargantuan friend.

            Enkidu worked with the shepherds and trappers to help them with their work. Gilgamesh attended a wedding party to sleep with the newly married bride. Enkidu stepped in and stopped Gilgamesh. He warned Gilgamesh that he must stop feeding his ego and stop his horrible treatment of women and he must stop defiling sacred marriage bonds. Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought against each other in a mighty battel. Gilgamesh defeated Enkidu and decide to spare his life. Enkidu wanted to provide Gilgamesh with many lessons involving the virtues of compassion and humbleness along with bravery and dignity. Enkidu discovered that he could learn important lessons from Gilgamesh. They developed a new-found friendship and saw each other as brothers, inseparable.

            After many years, Gilgamesh became bored with the peaceful life and wanted to shake things up. Having the desire to do something noteworthy, he suggested they travel to the sacred Cedar Forest to chop down some of the great trees and kill the demon Humbaba, the guardian of Cedar Forest. The council of elders, Gilgamesh’s mother and Enkidu did not support Gilgamesh’s plans. They told Gilgamesh that the Cedar Forest, a sacred realm of the gods, needed to be left alone. The sun-god Shamash was enlisted for his support regarding Gilgamesh’s plans. Gilgamesh pushed forward and was on his way to the Cedar Forest with Enkidu, while engaging in bad dreams. Enkidu explained his dreams away and said they were good omens. He encouraged Gilgamesh on even though he feared entering the Cedar Forest.

            The fearsome heroes confronted the demon-ogre Humbaba and a great battle ensues. During the battle Gilgamesh offers his own sisters as wives and concubines to the monster to distract him. The monster’s seven layers of armor were peeled away slowly with the help of Shamash. He sent fierce winds to help remove the armor. They finally defeated Humbaba. Gilgamesh at first felt sympathy and spared the ogre’s life. He finally complied with Enkidu’s logical orders and put Humbaba to death. They cut down a huge cedar tree and the tree is used as a huge door for the gods.

           

            Later in Gilgamesh’s future, a vixen by the name of Ishtar, known as the goddess of love and war and daughter of the sky-god Anu, made sexual advances to Gilgamesh. He was aware of her mistreatment of previous lovers so he rejected her. Offended, she requested her father to send down the “Bull of Heaven” to get back at Gilgamesh. She also threatened to raise the dead if he continued to refuse her. The bull brought great drought and plagues upon Uruk. Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed the beast and offered its heart to Shamash. The bull’s behind was thrown at Ishtar.

            The people of Uruk celebrated the victory, but Enkidu had a bad dream about the gods being unhappy with him for killing the “Bull of Heaven” and Humbaba and curses the door he made for the gods at the Cedar Forest. He cursed the woman he married and the day he became human. He changes his mind when Shamash tells him from heaven that he is not treating himself fairly. Shamash warned Enkidu that Gilgamesh will become a lesser man if he dies. Enkidu died and on his way to the underworld he described the darkness and how the dead wore feathers like birds and they ate clay. Gilgamesh was devastated about his death and refused to leave his side for six days and seven nights until maggots festered on his body and begin to fall off. He ordered everyone to mourn for Enkidu and ordered statues to be built in Enkidu’s honor (Mitchell, 2004).

            “Gilgamesh meant never to die. Having seen death at close quarters, he knew that it was not for him. He made a nonsense of all endeavor, made fame worthless, made achievements hollow. No, he would oversee Enkidu’s funeral, then leave Uruk - it held nothing for him now – and go in search of the secret” (McCaughrean, 2002, pg. 48).

            He had a conversation with his mother about pursuing the gift of immortality.

            “Gilgamesh, no one lives forever,” said Ninsun. She viewed the unkept wildness of her son after he came back from the forest and the look in his eye was one of sheer madness” (McCaughrean, 2002).

            Gilgamesh made a dangerous journey to visit Utnapishtim and his wife. The only humans who survived the great flood Enlil inflicted on the humans to rid the planet of what he thought were useless, pesky, and noisy creatures. The journey involved crossing vast rivers and oceans and mountain passes and dealing with and slaying massive mountain lions, bears and other beasts. He finally reached the twin peaks of Mount Mashu which was considered the end of the Earth where the sun rises from another world. The gate was guarded by two scorpion monsters. They permit Gilgamesh to enter because he convinces them of his divinity and desperation. He traveled 12 leagues through a dark tunnel where the sun traveled every night. At the end of the tunnel a bright wonderland emerges which was full of trees with leaves made of jewels. Gilgamesh marveled at the splendor.

            He met a wine maker named Siduri. Siduri thought he was a murderer, an untrustworthy person, because he was dirty and disheveled. She finally believed him and sent him to meet Urshanabi, a ferryman. He needed to transport Gilgamesh across the Waters of Death. One quick touch of the water meant instant death. When he meets Urshanabi he was surrounded by stone giants. Gilgamesh hastily kills the stone giants. He felt they were probably hostile. He informed the ferryman of his good deed and asked for his help. Urshanabi explained that he has destroyed the sacred stones which eliminated the only way they could cross the Water of Death. Gilgamesh cut 120 trees and made punting poles out of the trees. Each pole was used to punt across the water and he used his garment as a sail.

            Gilgamesh finally reaches Utnapishtim and Utnapishtim told the story about his survival of the great rain storm and flood inflicted by the god Enlil.

“The boat I was instructed to build, housed seeds from plants and animals. We landed at the tip of the mountain of Nisir. We had to wait for the water to subside. We released the first dove, then a swallow and then a raven to search for dry land. We found out later that Enlil was furious when he learned that a few humans survived. Enki, his brother, convinced him to make peace. Enlil blessed Utnapishtim and his wife and the remaining humans were granted everlasting life. And that’s how we got to the island of Dilmun, the land of the gods.”

            Utnapishtim, reluctant to grant Gilgamesh his wish for eternal life, finally after much coaxing by Gilgamesh, he conceded to give him a chance of immortality. The first challenge Gilgamesh had to meet was to stay awake for six days and seven nights. Gilgamesh however fell asleep right away and did not meet the challenge. Utnapishtim mocks Gilgamesh and sends him packing for Uruk. The ferryman was also exiled along with Gilgamesh.

            Utnapishtim’s wife asked him to have mercy on Gilgamesh concerning his long journey. He conceded and told him of a plant that grew at the bottom of the ocean that will convert him to his youth. Gilgamesh found the plant when he attached stones to his feet so he could walk on the bottom of the ocean. He found the plant and planned on rejuvenating the old men who live at Uruk. He placed the plant on the shore of a lake while he bathed and unfortunately a serpent  stole the plant. Gilgamesh became saddened and frustrated because he lost two chances of immortality. He returned to Uruk. After a while, Gilgamesh died, the city mourned the loss and they knew they would never see anyone like him again (Mitchell, 2004).