Week 7 EC Reading: The Gilgamesh Epic

The Birth of Gilgamesh (No Notes, not a specific story)

Eabani (No Notes, not a specific story)

Gilgamesh as Tyrant:

•  Gilgamesh fulfilling "double rôle of ruler and oppressor" of Uruk
• Pressed young men into service in building a wall
• Takes women to his court
• People pray to the gods, specifically goddess Aruru, to make a hero who would force Gilgamesh to treat them better out of fear
• Aruru takes a piece of clay and casts it upon the ground, creating Enkidu
• Enkidu was covered with hair, had long luxurious hair
• Enkidu lived in harmony with wild animals, and knew nothing of the land or of people

The Beguiling of Eabani:

•  Hunter named Tsaidu encountered Enkidu
• Possibly sent by Gilgamesh to entrap Enkidu and bring him back to Uruk
• Possibly completely accidental
• Tsaidu returns to Uruk and tells Gilgamesh about Enkidu
• Enkidu was strong and fleet, but also shy at sight of another human
• Gilgamesh seems to know why Enkidu was created, and wants to go against the gods' plans
• Sends Tsaidu back to the mountains with Ukhut, a sacred woman of the temple of Ishtar, to seduce Enkidu and convince him to return to Uruk with her
• Ukhut's beauty enthralls Enkidu, and he spends a week with her
• Realizing he no longer belonged with the beasts, Enkidu goes along with Ukhut when she tries to convince him to go to Uruk and meet with Gilgamesh
• He finds the idea of befriending Gilgamesh delightful

Gilgamesh Meets Eabani:

• Feast of Ishtar was happening when the trio (Enkidu, Ukhut, Tsaidu) returned to Uruk
• Enkidu thought that he would have to fight Gilgamesh before befriending him, but refrained through a warning that Gilgamesh was stronger than him
• Warning could have been a dream or from Ukhut
• Meeting is not detailed, but Enkidu and Gilgamesh meet and become friends
• Enkidu laments loss of former freedom, aims his hate at Ukhut
• Shamash (sun-god) talks to Enkidu and convinces him of the benefits
• Unclear if dream or vision
• Shamash talks of the benefits Enkidu already has, and tells Enkidu that Gilgamesh will provide Enkidu with a wonderful couch to sleep on and give Enkidu a seat at his left hand
• Enkidu stops being upset at his current situation
• Enkidu then receives a vision/dream about Khumbaba, a monster in the Forest of Cedars
• Khumbaba was also a "guardian of the abode of the goddess Irnina (a form of Ishtar)"
• Gilgamesh and Enkidu go to the priestess Rimat-belit (Gilgamesh's mother) and seek protection from Shamash for their adventure

The Monster Khumbaba:

•  Khumbaba:
• Terrifying creature that saps the strength and vitality of any who enter the forest
• Bel appointed Khumbaba to guard a specific cedar tree
• Enkidu complains that he feels weak upon nearing the forest, but Gilgamesh encourages him
• The pair receive a dream foretelling of Khumbaba's death when they enter the forest and go forth, successfully slaying Khumbaba

Ishtar's Love for Gilgamesh:

• Gilgamesh and Enkidu returned to Uruk victorious
• Gilgamesh dressed himself in kingly clothes upon their return
• Ishtar fell in love with Gilgamesh after witnessing him, and proposed to Gilgamesh
• She promised many gifts if he did so - increased flocks and herds, "his horses and oxen would be without rival", other kings/princes would bring tribute to him
• Gilgamesh rejected and taunted Ishtar due to her past treatment of lovers
• Tammuz, "to whom she clung weepingly year after year"
• Alalu the eagle
• "A lion perfect in might and a horse glorious in battle"
• Tabulu, a shepherd
• Isullanu, the gardener of Ishtar's father
• Ishtar had treated her previous lovers poorly and mocked them
• Gilgamesh believed that he would be treated similarly if he accepted Ishtar's proposal
• Ishtar was furious at the rejection and went to her father Anu
• Seems as if she lied and made it sound as if Gilgamesh tried to court her instead of the other way around

The Bull of Anu:

• Ishtar begged her father to send a mighty bull against Gilgamesh
• Anu refused at first due to the fact that it would cause "seven years' sterility on the earth", but eventually agreed
• Great bull, Alu, was sent to battle Gilgamesh
• Text about the battle is missing but Gilgamesh was able to finally kill the beast
• Ishtar went onto the wall of Uruk and cursed Gilgamesh for angering her and killing the bull from heaven
• When Enkidu heard the curse, he tore out the entrail of the bull and threw them in front of Ishtar, telling her:
• "As for thee, I will conquer thee, and I will do to thee even as I have done to him"
• Direct threat that Enkidu will kill Ishtar
• Gilgamesh dedicated the horns of the bull to the sun god and returned to Uruk
• Possible that Enkidu was sent a dream in which Ukhut (who was now dead) told him of the underworld (Hades)
• Described as "a path whose way has no return", place where inhabitants are cut off from light, and only dust exists without food or water

The Death of Eabani:

•  Enkidu falls ill and dies twelve days later
• Possible that Enkidu was wounded
• Possible that Enkidu was cursed to die outside of battle, likely by Ishtar
• Gilgamesh grieves Enkidu's death

The Quest of Gilgamesh:

• Gilgamesh became terrified of death and went in search of Ut-Napishtim, his ancestor who might know of a way for Gilgamesh to escape death
• Gilgamesh set out and had to pass through mountain gorges full of wild beasts
• Sin, the moon-god, helped him make it through safely
• Gilgamesh arrived at the mountain Mashu ("the Mountain of the Sunset") which lay between the earth and the underworld on the western horizon
• The entrance was guarded by scorpion-men (monsters)
• Gilgamesh was overcome by fear when he saw them, but answered their questions about why he came
• Scorpion-men only didn't kill him due to his divine heritage
• Scorpion-men advised he turn back when they learned he sought Ut-Napishtim
• They told Gilgamesh that he would have to go through twenty-four hours of darkness until he re-emerged into the light of day, and refused to let him pass
• Gilgamesh begged them (with tears) to let him through, and they eventually did so
• Gilgamesh ended up in a garden of trees that carried precious stones as fruit and leaves (?)
• Gilgamesh encountered the sea-goddess Sabitu, who retreated into her palace and shut the gate
• He threatened to break down the door until she opened it and aided him
• Gilgamesh knew that her help was necessary to reach Ut-Napishtim
• She sent Gilgamesh to Adad-Ea (Ut-Napishtim's ferryman)
• Adad-Ea advised Gilgamesh to turn back as well, but agreed when Gilgamesh started destroying Adad-Ea's boat with an axe
• Adad-Ea forced Gilgamesh to go find a new rudder before they set off

Gilgamesh and Ut-Napishtim:

• Gilgamesh contracted a grievous illness and could not leave the boat when they arrived at Ut-Napishtim's home
• Gilgamesh didn't believe Ut-Napishtim when he tried to tell Gilgamesh that death was the fate of mankind and controlled by the gods
• Ut-Napishtim told Gilgamesh the story of the Babylonian Deluge Myth

Deluge Myth (No Notes, not a story I will focus on)

Gilgamesh and the Plant of Life (no section header in source):

• Deluge myth proved to Gilgamesh that unlike his previous belief, his situation was not the same as his ancestor's
• Ut-Napishtim was given the blessing of Bel after he saved humanity when Bel wanted to flood the world, due to Bel being convinced by the other gods that his actions were an overreaction
• Ut-Napishtim took pity on Gilgamesh and healed him
• Gilgamesh slept for a week
• Ut-Napishtim's wife made a magic "preparation" with seven ingredients and gave it to Gilgamesh
• When Gilgamesh woke, Ut-Napishtim sent him to a magic spring to finish healing him
• Gilgamesh returned and was still insistent on his quest for immortality
• Ut-Napishtim sent Gilgamesh with Adad-Ea to the location of the plant of life
• Plant would give immortality and eternal youth to whoever ate it
• Plant was a weed at the bottom of the ocean that would prick the hands of the gatherer
• Gilgamesh found the plant of life and set out to return to Uruk, accompanied by Adad-Ea
• When Gilgamesh stopped at a well of fresh water, a snake stole the plant and Gilgamesh wept at the loss

Eabani's Spirit (no section header in source):

•  Gilgamesh still grieving Enkidu's loss
• "Thou canst no longer stretch thy bow upon the earth; and those who were slain with the bow are round about thee. Thou canst no longer bear a sceptre in thy hand; and the spirits of the dead have taken thee captive. Thou canst no longer wear shoes upon thy feet; thou canst no longer raise thy war-cry on the earth. No more dost thou kiss thy wife whom thou didst love; no more dost thou smite thy wife whom thou didst hate. No more dost thou kiss thy daughter whom thou didst love; no more dost thou smite thy daughter whom thou didst hate. The sorrow of the underworld hath taken hold upon thee."
• Implies Enkidu had a wife and daughter? Love-hate relationship with the wife and daughter, or just pointing out that Enkidu can no longer show love or anger towards his closest family members?
• Gilgamesh went to multiple temples to pray for Enkidu's return
• Ninsum, Bel, Sin
• Eventually Ea took pity on Gilgamesh and persuaded Nergal to bring forth Enkidu's spirit from Hades
• Enkidu couldn't tell Gilgamesh what he'd seen in the underworld but could describe the general conditions
• People who were taken care of properly (buried, offerings made) and/or slain in battle have ideal afterlives
• People who were not either have miserable afterlives

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Bibliography: The Gilgamesh Epic from Myths & Legends of Babylonia & Assyria by Lewis Spence. Web Source

Image: Near Eastern - Cylinder Seal with Enkidu Vanquishing the Bull of Heaven - Walters 42786 - Side B, anonymous artist from the Middle East, from the Walters Art Museum. Image Web Source