Gilgamesh (btw. 2800 and 2500 BC?)

Sumerian Stories of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh and the Halub-Tree (a.k.a.Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld)

Gilgamesh and Huwawa (a.k.a. Gilgameshand the Land of the Living)

Gilgamesh and the Bull of Heaven

The Death of Gilgamesh

Versions of the Epic

Old Babylonian Version c. 1700 BC

11-Tablet Version8th-7th c. BC

12-Tablet Version}

Summary of OBV

Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, is oppressing hispeople. The gods create Enkidu tochannel his energies more profitably.

Enkidu is a wild man, but he is seduced bya prostitute who brings him to Gilgamesh.They become friends

Summary of OBV

Gilgamesh and Enkidu slay Huwawa(Humbaba). The gods kill Enkidu aspunishment for their hubris

Gilgamesh is devastated and goes wandering.Eventually meets Siduri, who advises himto enjoy earthly life. Gilgamesh goes home

Prologue (Tablet 1)

Bull of Heaven (Tablet 6)

Ut-napishtim(?) and FloodStory (Tablets 10-11)

Alternative death ofEnkidu (Tablet 12)

OBV lacks…

Following Tzvi Abusch…

Gilgamesh learning to cope with position as:

Man (OBV) Heroismvs.

King (11-Tablet) Mortality

God (12-Tablet)

Three Versions, Three Messages

Self-conscious hero (pp. 51-52)

Difficulty of slaying Huwawa (p. 143)

Reasons to slay Huwawa (p. 144)

Gilgamesh after the death of Enkidu (pp. 149-50)

Advice of Siduri (p. 150)

Taking pride in Uruk (p. 120)

Gilgamesh as Man (OBV)

The bad king of Uruk the sheepfold (pp. 50-52)

Heroic expeditions - mocking Ishtar (p. 82)

Ut-napishtim as normal, despite immortality(p. 109), but removed from humanworld (p. 116)

Gilgamesh’s failure to attain immortality,but learns to be king (pp. 50-51)

Gilgamesh as King (11-Tablet)

Tablet 12 based on Gilgamesh, Enkidu and theNetherworld. Added after epic stabilised

How can Gilgamesh be a god?

Enkidu goes to the underworld to findGilgamesh’s pukku and mekku. Is seized byunderworld and unable to leave, except asshade to advise Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh as God (12-Tablet)

Meeting Ishhara (p. 140): Sacred marriage ordroit de seigneur (p. 139)?

Rejection of Ishtar’s proposal because notready to die

Change in being and acceptance of necessityof death before can become god(Tablets 7-11)

Learning required knowledge in Tablet 12

Gilgamesh as God (12-Tablet)