Gilgamesh was a existent ancient person, a male monarch who ruled over the Sumerian city state of Uruk around 2100 B.C.E. Gilgamesh is a new English version that was written by Stephen Mitchell. Long following his decease, people worshipped Gilgamesh, well-known as a warrior and builder and mostly remembered for his perceptual experience and astuteness. Gilgamesh was one-third adult male and two-thirds God. Gilgamesh built a glorious metropolis, and surrounded his metropolis with high walls. He was physically beautiful, tremendously strong, and exceptionally wise. Gilgamesh was a barbarous oppressive swayer. Gilgamesh terrorized his citizens, ravishing any female who struck his illusion ; it did non count if she was the comrade of one of his warriors or the progeny of a Lord. He achieved his building undertakings with compulsory labour, and his dog-tired citizens cried out under his ferociousness. The Gods heeded the citizens ‘ call and became determined to maintain Gilgamesh in restraint by making a wild adult male named Enkidu, who was every bit impressive as Gilgamesh. Enkidu became Gilgamesh ‘s greatest friend, and Gilgamesh ‘s was devastated when Enkidu died of an unwellness caused by the Gods. Gilgamesh so journeyed to the border of the universe and learned about the yearss prior to the inundation and other secrets of the Gods, and he wrote them on rock tablets.
Gilgamesh is introduced and explains how he regulations his people. Gilgamesh is a indurate male monarch as stated:
“ the metropolis is his ownership, he struts through it, chesty, his caput raised high, treading its citizens like a wild bull. He is king, he does whatever he wants takes the boy from his male parent and crushes him, takes the miss from her female parent and uses her, the warrior ‘s girl, the immature adult male ‘s bride he uses her, no 1 dares to oppose him ” ( Steven Mitchell, 72 ) .
Gilgamesh is a true autocrat he is like a kid that takes whatever he wishes. Gilgamesh ‘s people began pleading with to the Gods to assist them. The Gods had Aruru ‘she was the goddess who made worlds ‘ , create a wild adult male. Aruru created him by organizing clay and used her wet custodies and threw it into the wilderness and named him Enkidu.
Enkidu was every bit impressive as Gilgamesh. Enkidu ran through the wilderness naked he would feed in the hayfield and drink from the waterholes next to the animate beings. When a trapper came across Enkidu it frightened him so he went to Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh sent the trapper to Shamhat who was a cocotte of the Gods. Shamhat managed to score Enkidu and they had sex for several yearss and darks. When Enkidu went to imbibe from the lacrimation hole, the animate beings shunned Enkidu, and became afraid and ran from him.
“ Enkidu sat down at Shamhat ‘s pess. He looked at her, and he understood all the words she was talking to him ” ( 80 ) . “ Now, Enkidu, you know what it is to be with a adult female, to unify with her. You are beautiful you are like a God. Why should you roll the wilderness and live like an animate being? Let me take you to great-walled Uruk, to the temple of Ishtar, to the castle of Gilgamesh the mighty male monarch, who in his haughtiness oppresses the people, treading upon them like a wild bull ” ( 80 ) .
When Enkidu and Shamhat reached Uruk, he became surrounded by the “ shepherds ” who were in awe at how much Enkidu resembled Gilgamesh.
One twenty-four hours Enkidu became enraged by the audaciousness of Gilgamesh to take virgin brides foremost. Enkidu decided to face Gilgamesh which led to a royal rumbling. With strong weaponries locked around each other they wrestled through the streets resiling off of houses until Gilgamesh “ threw the wild adult male and with his right articulatio genus pinned him to the land ” ( 89 ) . Enkidu became humbled by Gilgamesh stated:
“ Gilgamesh you are alone among worlds. Your female parent, the goddess Ninsun, made you stronger and braver than any mortal, and justly has Enlil granted you the kingship, since you are destined to govern over work forces ” . “ They embraced and kissed. They held custodies like brothers. They walked side by side. They became true friends ” ( 90 ) .
Gilgamesh and Enkidu became inseparable. As clip passed Gilgamesh became ungratified and desired to travel on an escapade. This would be the same as when Luke went looking for Obi One Kenobi, because of R2D2 who had a message for him.
Gilgamesh wanted and Enkidu went on a journey to the Cedar Forest to kill Humbaba while on the journey they had a function reversal so to state. Gilgamesh began moving like Enkidu and Enkidu began moving like Gilgamesh which was the start of Enkidu ‘s death. Upon returning to Uruk Gilgamesh encounters Ishtar this is what brings on Enkidu ‘s fate. Gilgamesh and Enkidu Killed the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh embarrasses Ishtar and Enkidu threatens her which does non set good with the Gods. While Gilgamesh is hiking and observing Enkidu goes to bed.
Enkidu has a atrocious dream and goes to state Gilgamesh he asks him why the Gods have assembled. Gilgamesh tried to comfort Enkidu by stating him that he nil to worry approximately. Again Enkidu woolgather this clip it was more hideous so the first. Enkidu describes is dream to Gilgamesh.
“ The celestial spheres thundered the Earth replied. A animal appeared with a king of beasts ‘s caput, and king of beasts ‘s paws, and bird of Jove ‘s talons and wings. He flew at me, he seized me by the hair, I tried to fight, but with one blow he capsized me like a raft, , he leaped upon me, like a bull he trampled my castanetss. “ Gilgamesh salvage me, salvage me! ” I cried but you did non salvage me. You were afraid and you did n’t come. The animal touched me and all of a sudden plumes covered my weaponries, he bound them behind me and forced me down to the underworld, the house of darkness, the place of the dead, where all who enter ne’er return to the sweet universe ” ( 142-143 ) .
Again Gilgamesh tried to comfort Enkidu about his bad dreams he told him that he would pray to the Gods and inquire them to demo him mercy, and construct a gold statue in their awards so they would do him experience better. But small did Gilgamesh cognize that the Gods had already decided that Enkidu must decease to refund the wickednesss that they had done.
Enkidu began cussing the Gods because he did non desire to decease when Shamash heard his supplications she reminded him what all was given to him by the Gods. Shamash told Enkidu that Gilgamesh was his friend. Shamash adds “ he will put you down on a bed of award, he will set you on a royal brier, on his left he will put your statue in the place of rest, the princes of the Earth will snog its pess, the people of Uruk will mourn you, and when you are gone he will roll the wilderness with matted hair, in a king of beasts tegument ” ( 147-148 ) . When Enkidu listened to this he became unagitated. As the yearss went on Enkidu became weaker and weaker. Enkidu called out to Gilgamesh and asked if he had left him. Gilgamesh at Enkidu ‘s side “ when he heard the decease rattling, Gilgamesh moaned, like a dove. His face grew dark. “ Beloved, delay do n’t go forth ne Dearest of mean, do n’t decease, do n’t allow them take you from me ” ( 150 ) . Gilgamesh cried for his beloved friend all dark in his torment he proclaims.
“ Hear me, seniors, hear me, immature work forces, my darling friend is dead, he is dead, my darling brother is dead. I will mourn every bit long as I breathe, I will sob for him like a adult female who has lost her lone kid. O Enkidu you were the axe at my side in which my arm trusted, the knife in my sheath, the shield I carried, my glorious robe, the broad of my belt around my pubess, and now a harsh destiny has torn you from me, everlastingly ” ( 152-153 ) .
Enkidu did non reply his beloved friend Gilgamesh his bosom did non crush.
Dawn the following twenty-four hours Gilgamesh told his blacksmiths, goldworkers and the silver workers to construct a glorious statue of Enkidu. Gilgamesh offered gifts to the Gods so Enkidu would non walk in the underworld alone. Gilgamesh so took off all of his royal fabrics and headed into the wilderness in a king of beastss cloth with matted hair to happen Utnapishtim who was granted ageless life by the Gods.
During Gilgamesh ‘s journey to the border of the universe he meets some interesting characters. First, he meets the Scorpio people one adult male and a adult female who guard the tunnel at Twin Peaks. At first the Scorpio adult male denies Gilgamesh entry so but the Scorpio adult female talks him into leting Gilgamesh entry. Gilgamesh is warned to run every bit fast as he can because if he does non emerge on the other side in 12 hours he will ne’er acquire out. Gilgamesh makes it out merely in the dent of clip. This is like Luke Skywalker acquiring away of the decease sailplane merely in clip. Following, Gilgamesh encounters the tavern keeper Shiduri who startled by Gilgamesh tallies inside locks the door and goes to the roof. Gilgamesh asks Shiduri why she locked him out she replied “ you seemed wild ” ( 160 ) . When asked who he was, Gilgamesh replies. “ Gilgamesh is my name, I am the male monarch of great-walled Uruk. I am the adult male who killed Humbaba in the Cedar Forest, I am the adult male who triumphed over the Bull of Heaven ” ( 166 ) . Gilgamesh says this like it is something to be proud of non recognizing that this is why the Gods punished Enkidu by decease. He goes on to state her about Enkidu and that he is looking for Utnapishtim. Shiduri points toward Urshanabi and the rock work forces. When Gilgamesh sees them in a tantrum of fury he smashed up the rock work forces and throws them into the H2O. When asked who he was Gilgamesh replied as he did to Shiduri. Gilgamesh insisted that Urshanabi take him to Utnapishtim. Urshanabi tells Gilgamesh that he smashed up his crew for his boat. Urshanabi tells Gilgamesh if he wants to traverse he must travel cut down “ three hundred punting poles, each a 100 pess long ” ( 172 ) . Gilgamesh does what he is told and brings them back to Urshanabi. As they are traversing the H2O Urshanabi tells Gilgamesh to get down utilizing the poles he cut but be certain non to touch the H2O or you will decease. Finally, Gilgamesh meets Utnapishtim who gives him a trial of the Gods and tells him to remain awake for seven yearss. Alternatively of remaining watchful Gilgamesh slumbers for seven yearss. When Gilgamesh fails the trial he is sadden but Utnapishtim ‘s married woman negotiations Utnapishtim into stating Gilgamesh about the works of young person under the H2O. Gilgamesh goes under the H2O and retrieves it. Urshanabi was informed to take Gilgamesh back to Uruk.
Like Luke Skywalker had to larn lessons on how to be a Jedi by Obi One Kenobi. The Gods created a wild adult male Enkidu to coerce Gilgamesh to larn some difficult life lesson. Gilgamesh was taught how a male monarch should move by Enkidu. The Gods punished Gilgamesh and Enkidu for butchering Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven by giving Enkidu a disease. After, the decease of Enkidu, Gilgamesh became afraid of decease. Gilgamesh went in hunt of immortality but was told the lone 1s that were immortal where the Gods. In his hunt he received a works for ageless young person which was taken from him by a serpent.
