1. Friendship Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh Summary
2. Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh About Friendship
3. Friendship Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh In The Bible
4. Friendship Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh Pdf
5. The Epic Of Gilgamesh Quizlet
6. Gilgamesh Quotes About Death

A legend from Ancient Mesopotamia, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the one of the oldest known works of great literature, dating from around 1800 BCE and inscribed on clay tablets. The story follows the eponymous Gilgamesh, the Semi-Divine King of Uruk. When Enkidu takes his last breath, Gilgamesh is drowned in pain and depression. Memories of their friendship takes over him. Enkidu, struggling in his final moments of life, witnesses his bitter tears: “You are crying. You never cried before./.

The Epic of Gilgamesh stands out as one of the earliest-known pieces of writings in human history. It is an epic poem which narrates the story of the life of a man named Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was the King of Uruk, a majestic Sumerian city that is located in present-day Iraq. This historic piece of poetic literature actually predates Homer’s earliest writings by 1,500 years. For this reason, many historians have put it as the oldest remaining remnant of an epic in the history of Western literature. Starting off by introducing the powerful character of Gilgamesh, the epic takes the lead characters on an adventure where they learn about life, death, and friendship. Here is a list of 10 interesting points to summarize the Epic of Gilgamesh:

1. The hard-won and enduring friendship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh is at the core of the epic. Without this strong friendship, it is probable that Gilgamesh would not have turned into the awe.
2. Here, Enkidu is really taking the friendship-as-protecting thing seriously, by telling Gilgamesh that he shouldn't go on the quest at all. The tablet unfortunately breaks off at this point, but we can probably catch the general drift of what Enkidu is about to say: the quest is going to be extremely dangerous, and pointless.

10. Epic of Gilgamesh: The Prelude

The prelude to the Epic of Gilgamesh primarily revolves around the introduction of Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk, and the subsequent events that shape his journey. Born two-thirds god and one-third man, Gilgamesh had formidable strength and an intimidating yet appealing physique. In early excerpts, he is portrayed as a wise man, building magnificent temples and towers in his Sumerian city, surrounded by high walls. But as he realized his might was beyond that of ordinary humans, he soon became a cruel tyrant. He began abusing his people, raping any woman he had his eye on and forcing people to work on his personal construction projects.

To curb Gilgamesh’s behavior, the gods created an equally powerful being named Enkidu to fight him. They ended up becoming great friends, so much so that Gilgamesh was devastated when Enkidu died of an illness inflicted by the gods. Unable to grasp the concept that death is a real possibility even for the likes of him, he embarks on a journey to the edge of the world. On his way, he learns about things beyond the scope of his kingdom and records his knowledge on stone tablets. These tablets represent the different life lessons in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

9. Epic of Gilgamesh: History

Citing the earliest examples of the Epic of Gilgamesh, and if the myths around Gilgamesh are to be believed, the epic stood right at the top of the great literary masterpieces of ancient times. It is without doubt a gem in the history of cuneiform literature, a writing system developed by the ancient Sumerians themselves around 3500 to 3000 BC.

Archaeologists are yet to discover any actual evidence that could date the epic back to its time of origin, but multiple copies of certain snippets of the epic have been found in modern-day Israel, Syria, and Turkey. Furthermore, the main character Gilgamesh is mentioned throughout ancient Greek and Roman literature.

There are a few surviving cuneiform tablets depicting the epic, and these older stone tablets showcase the Babylonian version which dates back well into the second millennium BC. It is only two-thirds complete and presents the story of Gilgamesh in a different light. Then there is the Akkadian version from the early 13th to the 10th century BC. It wasn’t until the seventh century AD that contemporary historians found the best-preserved copies in the ruins of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal’s library.

8. Myth of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh is also known as Bilgames in Sumerian and Gilgamos in Greek and was part god, part man. He was the fifth king of the Sumerian city of Uruk. His life and deeds were so influential that many myths grew up around his achievements among subsequent generations of Sumerians. These myths and stories finally culminated in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The epic describes him as a fierce warrior and audacious architect. Despite having his entire kingdom at his mercy, his kingship was marred by his outrageous antics. He took part in ceaseless battles, forced his people to construct endless projects, and raped any woman he fancied.

It was only when he befriended an equally powerful being, Enkidu, that his atrocities began to calm down. In Enkidu, he found a true friend and brother – someone he could trust with his life and confide his biggest fears to. So, when Enkidu died, he had a sudden, horrifying realization that death is a destiny he could not escape either. Still grieving for his friend, he sets out on a quest to learn the secret of eternal life, abandoning all his glory and power as a king. By the end of his quest, he finds that true harmony lies in accepting how ephemeral life can be. His happiness depends on how he chooses to reconcile himself with this truth. He then returns to his kingdom with a promise to be a better king and use his divine skills for the greater good.

7. Origin of Enkidu

To counter the ever-growing menace that Gilgamesh was presenting to his people, the gods made Enkidu from water and clay to be equal to Gilgamesh in terms of might and power. But unlike the King of Uruk, Enkidu’s early days were spent in the wild, his instincts and lifestyle influenced by the wild animals that raised him. For a long time, he remained completely isolated from the civilized world, but gradually his interactions with humans became more regular as he would free animals trapped by hunters. Eventually, he abandoned his life in the wild and headed for the city of Uruk.

It is said that on reaching Uruk, Enkidu wrestled with Gilgamesh as a test of strength. But soon, they become good friends, so much so that Gilgamesh soon regarded him as a brother and equal, and a part of his conscience. In a way, Enkidu does fulfill the purpose of his creation by reducing Gilgamesh’s atrocities with his friendship. As a true brother in arms, Enkidu inspires the King of Uruk to become the perfect leader he could once have been. However, things take a desperate turn when Enkidu, together with Gilgamesh, slays the god of the earth Enlil’s servant, Humbaba. He faces the wrath of Ishtar and is struck down with an illness that slowly poisons his body, ultimately leading to his death.

6. Utnapishtim’s Journey to Immortality

Long before the time of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim ruled as the king and high priest of the city of Shuruppak. He was chosen by the god Enki to abandon all his possessions and create a giant ship so as to survive the impending great flood that would wipe out all plants, animals, and humans. One can see obvious similarities between Utnapishtim’s life and the story of Noah’s Ark. Regardless of the moral dilemma of having to leave his neighbors and friends to die, Utnapishtim loyally completed the task set him by Enki. He and his wife were granted immortality and a place among the gods.

In his sorrow over the death of Enkidu, and the fear of the inevitable death that awaited him, Gilgamesh was keen to find Utnapishtim. He believed that since Utnapishtim was given eternal life by the gods, he would be able to guide him to immortality as well. When they finally met, Utnapishtim tried to convince Gilgamesh to abandon his quest and live a happy life as a mortal. But he also told him about a magical plant that could possibly help him gain eternal life.

5. Siduri, Tavern-Keeper of the Underworld

In his pursuit of Utnapishtim, at one point on his journey, Gilgamesh ended up at the gates of the underworld. This is where he met Siduri, a tavern-keeper in the underworld. Different versions of the epic give different accounts of the interaction between Siduri and Gilgamesh. Also known as the goddess of winemaking and brewing, Siduri is rather alarmed when Gilgamesh threatens to smash the tavern into pieces if she doesn’t help him in his quest.

In the beginning, Siduri tries her best to talk Gilgamesh out of his search for eternal life, a quest that she considered a fool’s errand. Ultimately, she sends him to Urshanabi, the boatman, whose help was essential for him to succeed in his search.

4. Epic of Gilgamesh: Old Babylonian Version

Also referred to as the “earlier” or “older” version, this version is found on the oldest cuneiform tablets inscribed with details of the epic. Dating as far back as 2000 to 1500 BC, the Old Babylonian version of the epic is, however, considered incomplete with some of its tablets missing and the discovered ones having definite gaps in their narration. Historians actually believe that the epic could date back even further than this version. Altogether, there are eight different tablets in the Old Babylonian version. Each tablet takes its name from its current location or from its place of discovery.

3. Epic of Gilgamesh: Standard Akkadian Version

This is by far the more popular and well-preserved version, composed by Sin-liqe-unninni somewhere between 1300 and 1000 BC in contemporary Mesopotamia. It was discovered by Hormuzd Rassam in the ruins of the library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh. The standard Akkadian and Old Babylonian versions have two different and distinct opening phrases. In cuneiform texts, these opening words are known as “incipit.” The incipit in the Old Babylonian version opens with the words Surpassing all other kings whereas in the standard version it says: He who saw the deep. In the second phrase, the word “deep” is translated from the Akkadian word nagbu which linguists have interpreted as having the meaning “unknown mysteries.”

The standard Akkadian version consists of 11 tablets that map the entire story of Gilgamesh from his birth to his friendship with Enkidu and then his eventual journey in search of eternal life. The final tablet concludes the epic by retelling how Gilgamesh attains the knowledge to worship the gods and decides to live the rest of his life virtuously as a wise king. A 12th tablet was added to the Akkadian version at a later date as a sequel to the original 11 tablets.

2. Biblical References

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Hebrew Bible have strikingly similar themes and storylines. Perhaps the best-known event that occurs across the two narratives is the flood story. The epic’s flood story pans out almost exactly like the tale of Noah’s ark in the Bible.

The similarities don’t end there. Events from the epic’s ark story are very close to episodes in the Bible’s Genesis, such as the serpent who misses his chance of grabbing the plant of eternal life and Gilgamesh’s ultimate realization that mortal life can be meaningful only if he truly accepts his humanity. That being said, there are differences in the stories as well. For example, in the Bible, Noah takes 100 years to build the ark whereas, in the epic, Utnapishtim had only seven days to complete it. Similarly, where it rained non-stop for 40 days in the Bible, it only rained for seven days in the epic.

See also:
Top 11 Inventions and Discoveries of Mesopotamia

1. Epic of Gilgamesh: Influences in Art and Literature

The Epic of Gilgamesh is now regarded as one of the oldest masterpieces of cuneiform literature, slowly gaining recognition and popularity. Over time, it has been through multiple adaptations and retellings by subsequent generations. Since it contains the universally appealing themes of friendship, mortality, and the nature of the gods, the epic has had a huge influence in shaping the literature of subsequent cultures.

Ancient Greek epics by the likes of Homer such as The Odyssey and The Iliad have clear similarities to the various episodes in the Epic of Gilgamesh. In the modern era, the epic gained a far wider audience during the post-World War I period. By the time the Second World War ended, it was already being featured in various genres of art and literature.

Conclusion

The rich history of the Epic of Gilgamesh puts its legacy beyond that of a simple archaeological artefact. Yes, the epic has its fair share of bizarre twists and rather unusual theories on the creation of the universe. It has also been retold and reshaped countless times which might have significantly altered the original storyline. Despite all this, the tale of the epic remains mesmerizing, be that in terms of the monumental adventure Gilgamesh sets out on or in terms of the powerful message the epic delivers to its readers.

Abstract

Ancient works of literature often become a unique tool of gender analysis. The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis reveal the gender and sexuality complexities that existed at the time they were created. The goal of this paper is to reconsider the role, which women played in both stories and their gender implications. First, a brief summary of both stories is provided. The paper is focused on the analysis of the complex relations between Enkidu and the harlot in The Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Adam and Eve in The Book of Genesis. Both are the stories of creation, and this paper attempts to prove that, while the story of creation in The Epic of Gilgamesh is male-oriented, creationism in The Book of Genesis positions woman as the crown of creation, whose superiority cannot be debated.

Friendship Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh Summary

Keywords: Epic of Gilgamesh, Book of Genesis, Enkidu, harlot, Eve, Adam, gender, creationism, sexuality.

Masculinity and Feminism in The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis remain the two most cited stories of creation in classic literature. The relationship between Eve and Adam is similar to that between Enkidu and the harlot. In this sense, both stories have far-reaching implications for understanding the role of women and men in societies that created those stories. In both stories, a woman is an agent of seduction and change: the unnamed harlot seduces Enkidu to bring him to the world of humans, while Eve persuades Adam to taste the apple of sin, thus causing their rejection by God. In both stories, sexuality plays one of the primary roles in the relationship between the man and the woman, and sexuality is primarily responsible for the events that follow the act of seduction. In both The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis, women are the carriers of negativity and even evil: by trusting themselves into the hands of women, men in these stories face isolation and rejection from those who used to be their support and assistance. However, while The Epic of Gilgamesh positions the woman as subordinate to the man, The Book of Genesis presents an entirely different picture, in which a woman is the center of the universe and the triumph of creation, whose role of the carer and mother enable her to retain this leading feminine position in the world of masculinity.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis: A Brief Insight

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis reveal numerous commonalities. Their parallels and analogies have been profoundly explored. Unfortunately, the gender and sexual implications of both stories are often ignored. In this sense, of particular interest are the relationships between Enkidu and the harlot, as well as those between Adam and Eve. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the most ancient stories of creation ever known to the humanity. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu meets the harlot, who has been sent to him by gods to tame his wild habits with the help of her sexuality: “The trapper went, bringing the harlot, Shamhat, with him. They set off on the journey, making direct way. […] Then Shamhat saw him [Enkidu] – a primitive, a savage fellow from the depths of the wilderness!” (Anonymous, 1998). The relationship between Enkidu and the harlot is a story of Enkidu’s creation of transformation, which is much similar to the creation of Eve and the transformation Adam undergoes under her influence. As a reminder, God creates Eve after Adam, from Adam’s rib, to be Adam’s partner and soulmate: “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof” (Gen.1:2). Enkidu’s encounter of the harlot and God’s creation of Eve from Adam’s rib set the stage for the subsequent evolution of their gender relations.

Enkidu, Shamhat, Adam, and Eve: Sexuality, Gender, Seduction, and Change

Two gender themes emerge in the course of reading The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis: in the relationships between Enkidu and the harlot and between Adam and Eve, the role of feminine sexuality and the weakness of masculinity in the face of female beauty become even more obvious. Both Shamhat and Eve are sent by Gods and seduce their men, bringing a serious change into their lives. However, while Adam’s main task is to remain strong and try not to taste the apple, the situation with Enkidu is quite the opposite: he must undergo a sexual change in order to join the society of humans. “That is he, Shamhat! Release your clenched arms, expose your sex so he can take in your voluptuousness. Do not be restrained – take his energy!” (Anonymous, 1998). As a result, women in both stories are created with a single goal of being an instrument of change for their men. The latter, in turn, implies that women are to play a secondary role in their relations with men. They are important only as long as they are accomplishing their mission. When Adam says, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:23), he automatically reaffirms his superior position against the woman.

In both stories, the function of a woman is that of seduction. While the harlot is seducing Enkidu and using her sexuality to turn Enkidu into a human being, Eve is using her sexuality to persuade Adam that they can taste the fruit, which will enable them to know the good and evil (Gen. 3:2). Yet, the most important is not the seduction but the change it brings into the lives of men. Throughout the two stories of creation, women are described as someone carrying negativity, undesirable changes, and troubles to men. This is one of the dominant gender themes that have transcended male-female relationships for centuries. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu spends several nights with Shamhat, until he becomes part of the human, not animal society. Once back in the world of animals, Enkidu realizes that he is no longer its part. He is now a human, not an animal. He is a human hero (Anonymous, 1998). It is interesting to note that there are two different versions of The Epic of Gilgamesh – a Babylonian and Assyrian one. The latter version creates a better picture of what happens to Enkidu after his sexual transformation. At first, Enkidu does not realize that his relationship with Shamhat could change anything in his life (Bailey, 1970). Only with time, he sees that his animals have abandoned him, and he is no longer as fast and flexible as he used to be before he met the harlot. This is also what happens to Adam: seduced by Eve to taste the forbidden fruit, he faces God’s judgment and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Upon seeing that Adam did not follow His command, God proclaims that, from now on, there will be constant enmity between the man and the woman, and the man will be set to rule the woman until her last days (Genesis 3:13). Like Shamhat in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Eve in The Book of Genesis becomes the main source of troubles for Adam. He cannot continue his life in the Garden of Eden. In this context, both the harlot and Eve are the malign figures, who have been in a plot against their men, used their sexuality to lead them astray, tore their men from the places they used to belong, and eventually doomed them to death (Bailey, 1970).

However, the main problem is not that the harlot and Eve seduce their men. The most problematic aspect of both stories it that both Enkidu and Adam, men in flesh and mind, trust themselves to women. Their failure and the subsequent rejection result not from the fact that they engage in a sexual intercourse with women but from the fact that they trust their women more than they trust their gods (Bailey, 1970). In The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis, the coming of a woman is the final point of creation. With the emergence of Shamhat and Eve on the scene, the act of creation is finally complete (Bailey, 1970). The moment Enkidu and Adam trust themselves to their women, these women become stronger in their striving to achieve gender superiority over men. For example, Eve is heavily influenced by the serpent, but the decision to taste the fruit is fully hers (Bailey, 1970). According to The Book of Genesis,

when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (3:6)

Unfortunately, compared to Eve, the harlot in The Epic of Gilgamesh does not possess as much power and freedom as to rule Enkidu. From the very beginning of the Epic, she is merely a tool of sexual transformations that is guided by Gilgamesh. Everything the harlot accomplishes in the Epic of Gilgamesh is intended to bring Enkidu closer to Gilgamesh. However, she is also free to take decisions as long as they benefit her purpose. Again, like in case with Adam and Eve, Enkidu trusts the harlot. When he sees a man who has come for him, he asks Shamhat to have the man go away (Anonymous, 1998). Apparently, Enkidu feels the strength and power residing within the harlot’s heart, but the woman is not even close to the position of centrality and power given to Eve in The Book of Genesis.

Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh About Friendship

The harlot and Eve are similar in their sexuality and seduction, but they differ greatly in the amount of power and influence in their hands. The Epic of Gilgamesh positions the woman as subordinate to the man, while The Book of Genesis presents an entirely different picture, in which a woman is the center of the universe and the triumph of creation, whose role of the carer and mother enable her to retain this leading feminine position in the world of masculinity. The harlot is just a secondary element of creation, not its center. At the center of the harlot’s sexuality is Enkidu, not the harlot herself. She leaves the scene as soon as her mission is accomplished. Moreover, she follows Enkidu, not vice versa (Anonymous, 1998). In the meantime, and despite the rejection faced from God, Eve manages to retain her leading power. She has been made of Adam’s rib, but she is not secondary to him. Eve, like Shamhat, leads Adam to the downfall. Her decision to taste the forbidden fruit is the curse for the entire humanity. However, as the mother of her children and the woman who gives start to the growth and development of the human society, she forever remains central to the story of creation. The harlot, who seduces Enkidu, is just an instrument in the hands of Gilgamesh, a means to achieve his goal. She is subordinate to Gilgamesh; she is neither a mother nor a wife. She is just an episode in the life of Enkidu, while Eve is ever present in the lives of all humans (Bailey, 1970). Even if Eve is doomed to occupy a position of inferiority in marriage, motherhood gives her the status and position, which not a single woman in the Epic of Gilgamesh can ever achieve.

Friendship Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh In The Bible

Conclusion

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Genesis provide interesting accounts of the changes in the role of women and their implications for the development of male-female relations. The harlot and Eve use their sexuality and knowledge to accomplish their seductive missions. However, the most interesting is the fact that men willingly trust their fates into the hands of their women. Moreover, the role and position of Eve in The Book of Genesis differs greatly from that of Shamhat in The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh positions the woman as subordinate to the man, while The Book of Genesis presents an entirely different picture. Even despite the rejection that follows Adam’s failure, Eve manages to retain her superior position of mother and carer. While Shamhot is guided by Gilgamesh to accomplish her seductive mission, motherhood gives Eve the status and position, which not a single woman in The Epic of Gilgamesh can ever achieve.

Friendship Quotes From The Epic Of Gilgamesh Pdf

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Gilgamesh Quotes About Death

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