The Gilgamesh Epic

Gilgamesh and Ishtar, and the death of Enkidu

Layout of the Gilgamesh Epic

Prologue The coming of Enkidu The forest journey Ishtar and Gilgamesh and the death of Enkidu The search for everlasting life The story of the flood The return The death of Gilgamesh

What has happened thus far?

Flashback: Humbaba, guardian of the forest

Flashback: Humbaba, guardian of the forest

Flashback: Humbaba, guardian of the forest

Gilgamesh in visual representations

Gilgamesh in visual representations

Gilgamesh in visual representations

Gilgamesh in visual representations

Layout of Gilgamesh and Ishtar, and the death of Enkidu

After Gilgamesh and Enkidu slayed Humbaba they returned to Uruk. Once there the goddess Ishtar asked Gilgamesh to be her husband, and then she would make him famous among men. Gilgamesh did not accept Ishtars offer, naming all the lovers that Ishtar have had and not loved forever. Ishtar was enraged, she told her father Anu how Gilgamesh insulted her. She went on to ask Anu to give her the Bull of Heaven to destroy Gilgamesh, and if he did not give it she would open the doors of hell so that the dead can live among the living. Anu agreed to give her the Bull of Heaven, but in return there would be seven years of drought in Uruk. Ishtar however indicates that she saved enough grain for the people for seven year. Ishtar led the Bull of Heaven to Uruk, but it was not match for Gilgamesh who slayed it with the help of Enkidu. Gilgamesh ripped out the heart of the Bull and presented it to Shamash, whereafter Gilgamesh and the heroes of the city had a great feast. Enkidu had a dream which he told to Gilgamesh. In the dream Enlil said to Shamash that because Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed both Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven one of them must die.

 Enkidu became sick and in his sickness he cursed the city walls of Uruk and the harlot who braught him there. Shamash however spoke to him from heaven telling him to not curse the harlot because if it was not for her he would never have known Gilgamesh. Enkidu then withdrew his curse. Enkidu had another dream, wherein a sombre-faced man-bird transformed his arms into wings and took him to the place of the Queen of Darkness where those who enters never returns. There Enkidu saw many kings, rulers and kings who once wore kingly crowns and ruled the world in the days of old. Enkidu shared his dream with Gilgamesh, and as he becames sicker Gilgamesh wept over Enkidu. Enkidu died and Gilgamesh mourned him for seven days and nights. Gilgamesh commanded that the whole Uruk weep for his friend and commissioned that a statue should be made of his friend.

Ishtar the goddess of love and war

Ishtar the goddess of love and war

Ishtar the goddess of love and war

The Bull of Heaven

The Bull of Heaven

The Search for Everlasting Life

The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Search for Everlasting Life: Overview

Gilgamesh mourned the death of Enkidu, but because he was afraid of death he went in search of Utnapishtim, who was the only one who received everlasting life from the gods. Gilgamesh decided to go to the land of Dilmun, the garden of paradise,, where Utnapishtim lived, but at night he reached the mountain pass where lions roamed. Gilgamesh prayed to the moon god Sin to protect him, and he overpowered the lions with his axe and his sword. Then Gilgamesh came to the great mountains of Mashu, which guards the rising and the setting sun. Its twin peaks are as high as the wall of heaven and it reached down to the underworld. The Scorpions stand guard at its gates, half man and half dragon. Gilgamesh asks the scorpions if he may enter, even if no one has entered before, because he is on his way to see Utnapishtim, to ask him abaout life and death. The scorpions grant him permission to enter into the darkness of the mountain.

Gilgamesh in the mountain pass killing the lions

The Scorpion Men

 Gilgamesh entered the mountain and travelled a very long distance in the darkness before the light of dawn appeared. Gilgamesh reached the great sea and he met the woman of the vine, the maker of wine, called Siduri. Siduri could not believe that it was Gilgamesh, because he looked so weary, but then he told her about Enkidu and his plans to obtain everlasting life. Siduri told Gilgamesh that he had to cross the sea to find the land of Dilmun where Utnapishtim lives. Gilgamesh said who but Shamash could cross the great sea. Siduri however told him that he could ask Urshanabi, the ferryman of Utnapishtim to help him. Urshanabi told Gilgamesh to go and chop wood in the forest to build a boat. After Gilgamesh built the boat he and Urshanabi sailed for a month and fifteen days until they reached Dilmun where Utnapishtim lived, the only man that received everlasting life from the gods.

Gilamesh and Urshanabi grossing the Great Sea

 When Gilgamesh reached Dilmun, Utnapishtim saw him from a distance and wondered who this man was. Gilgamesh introduced himself as Gilgamesh from Uruk, but Utnapishtim could not believe that it could be Gilgamesh, because he looked so weary. Gilgamesh then explained to him that Enkidu has died, and he mourned for him seven days and seven nights, and that he has travelled a very far distance to reach Dilmun. Gilgamesh told Utnapishtim that he came to ask him about life and death and how to gain everlasting life, whereby Utnapishtim told him that Anunnaki, the judge and Mammetun, the mother of destinies, decides the fates of men. Utnapishtim however said that he would tell Gilgamesh how he came into the precence of the gods and how they granted then everlasting life. The story continues in THE STORY OF THE FLOOD