The Epic of Gilgamesh
(ISBN 0-14-044100-X)
Penguin Classics, introduction by N K Sanders
The Epic of Gilgamesh was composed some time in the 3rd millenium BC, and there's some evidence that Gilgamesh himself existed as king of Uruk in about 2700 BC. But this isn't a history, it's a collection of tales about a hero. I keep wanting to quote bits of it; I'm not sure if this is thanks to the translator or whether the original is as beautiful.
Gilgamesh is the most fortunate man alive: handsome, powerful, part-god, with lots of wives and concubines. His wild excesses lead the gods to create Enkidu to stand up to him - and Enkidu becomes his dearest friend. Together they are unstoppable. But Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh realises that he must die too one day. He seeks a way to prevent his own death. A couple of times he comes close, but each time falls asleep at the critical moment and loses the opportunity. Finally, he dies. Is his life in vain? No, his people recognise him as the great hero who raised the city, fought their enemies, and brought back secret knowledge from the gods. But his fate, like that of all mortals, is death.
Here's a more detailed chapter-by-chapter summary, with quotes:
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Prologue
"I will proclaim to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh."
Gilgamesh was a great king, two-thirds god and one-third human, who built the city of Uruk.
1 The coming of Enkidu
"create his equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart"
After the people of Uruk complain to the gods about Gilgamesh's bad behaviour, the gods create Enkidu, a match for Gilgamesh. Enkidu is wild as an animal until a harlot teaches him to behave as a man and takes him to Uruk, where Enkidu and Gilgamesh first fight and then become friends.
2 The Forest Journey
"All living creatures born of the flesh shall sit at last in the boat of the West, and when it sinks... they are gone; but we shall go forward and fix our eyes on this monster."
Enkidu and Gilgamesh travel to the Forest of Cedars where they fight and kill the giant Humbaba. The god Enlil is angry with them.
3 Ishtar and Gilgamesh and the death of Enkidu
"What is this sleep which holds you now? You are lost in the dark and cannot hear me."
Gilgamesh rejects the advances of Ishtar, goddess of love and war - a bad move. Ishtar, in anger, sets the Bull of Heaven on him. Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill the bull. In retribution, the gods decide that Enkidu must die, which he does. Gilgamesh is overcome with grief.
4 The search for everlasting life
"How can I be silent, how can I rest, when Enkidu whom I love is dust, and I too shall die and be laid in the earth?"
After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh wanders the wilderness searching for everlasting life and eventually comes to Utnapishtim, a mortal who attained everlasting life. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh the story of the flood:
5 The story of the flood
"A stupor of despair went up to heaven when the god of the storm turned daylight to darkness, when he smashed the land like a cup."
Once, the gods decided to destroy humanity with a flood, but the god Ea warned Utnapishtim first. Utnapishtim built a boat and put his family, livestock and possessions on board so they survived the flood. When the waters went down, he made a sacrifice to the gods and they made him and his wife immortal.
6 The return
"...was it for this that I toiled with my hands, is it for this I have wrung out my heart's blood? For myself I have gained nothing..."
Utnapishtim offers Gilgamesh eternal life if he can stay awake for a week, but he falls asleep. So instead Utnapishtim tells him about a plant growing under the sea that restores youth. Gilgamesh picks the plant, but on his way home it is stolen by a snake, so he never gets to try it.
7 The death of Gilgamesh
"You were given the kingship, such was your destiny, everlasting life was not your destiny"
Gilgamesh dies; his people grieve and make offerings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Penguin Classics, introduction by N K Sanders
The Epic of Gilgamesh was composed some time in the 3rd millenium BC, and there's some evidence that Gilgamesh himself existed as king of Uruk in about 2700 BC. But this isn't a history, it's a collection of tales about a hero. I keep wanting to quote bits of it; I'm not sure if this is thanks to the translator or whether the original is as beautiful.
Gilgamesh is the most fortunate man alive: handsome, powerful, part-god, with lots of wives and concubines. His wild excesses lead the gods to create Enkidu to stand up to him - and Enkidu becomes his dearest friend. Together they are unstoppable. But Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh realises that he must die too one day. He seeks a way to prevent his own death. A couple of times he comes close, but each time falls asleep at the critical moment and loses the opportunity. Finally, he dies. Is his life in vain? No, his people recognise him as the great hero who raised the city, fought their enemies, and brought back secret knowledge from the gods. But his fate, like that of all mortals, is death.
Here's a more detailed chapter-by-chapter summary, with quotes:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prologue
"I will proclaim to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh."
Gilgamesh was a great king, two-thirds god and one-third human, who built the city of Uruk.
1 The coming of Enkidu
"create his equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart"
After the people of Uruk complain to the gods about Gilgamesh's bad behaviour, the gods create Enkidu, a match for Gilgamesh. Enkidu is wild as an animal until a harlot teaches him to behave as a man and takes him to Uruk, where Enkidu and Gilgamesh first fight and then become friends.
2 The Forest Journey
"All living creatures born of the flesh shall sit at last in the boat of the West, and when it sinks... they are gone; but we shall go forward and fix our eyes on this monster."
Enkidu and Gilgamesh travel to the Forest of Cedars where they fight and kill the giant Humbaba. The god Enlil is angry with them.
3 Ishtar and Gilgamesh and the death of Enkidu
"What is this sleep which holds you now? You are lost in the dark and cannot hear me."
Gilgamesh rejects the advances of Ishtar, goddess of love and war - a bad move. Ishtar, in anger, sets the Bull of Heaven on him. Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill the bull. In retribution, the gods decide that Enkidu must die, which he does. Gilgamesh is overcome with grief.
4 The search for everlasting life
"How can I be silent, how can I rest, when Enkidu whom I love is dust, and I too shall die and be laid in the earth?"
After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh wanders the wilderness searching for everlasting life and eventually comes to Utnapishtim, a mortal who attained everlasting life. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh the story of the flood:
5 The story of the flood
"A stupor of despair went up to heaven when the god of the storm turned daylight to darkness, when he smashed the land like a cup."
Once, the gods decided to destroy humanity with a flood, but the god Ea warned Utnapishtim first. Utnapishtim built a boat and put his family, livestock and possessions on board so they survived the flood. When the waters went down, he made a sacrifice to the gods and they made him and his wife immortal.
6 The return
"...was it for this that I toiled with my hands, is it for this I have wrung out my heart's blood? For myself I have gained nothing..."
Utnapishtim offers Gilgamesh eternal life if he can stay awake for a week, but he falls asleep. So instead Utnapishtim tells him about a plant growing under the sea that restores youth. Gilgamesh picks the plant, but on his way home it is stolen by a snake, so he never gets to try it.
7 The death of Gilgamesh
"You were given the kingship, such was your destiny, everlasting life was not your destiny"
Gilgamesh dies; his people grieve and make offerings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~