Reading Guide: The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Transcription

1 Reading Guide: The Epic Of Gilgamesh Part 1: Gilgamesh King in Uruk, The Coming of Enkidu 1. We are told that Gilgamesh was the man to whom all things were ; this was the king who knew the of the. He was, he saw and knew, he brought us a tale of before the. He went on a long, was, worn out with, returning he, he on a the whole. 2. Think: What characteristic usually associated with heroes is not even mentioned here? 3. What point is the poet making by not mentioning this? 4. The goddess gave Gilgamesh a perfect, full of and. 3. What fraction of Gilgamesh was god? What fraction was man? 4. What did Gilgamesh build in Uruk that the narrator says is still there? 5. Gilgamesh went all over the world, but never found what until he came to Uruk? 6. Name two things Gilgamesh did that angered the men of Uruk : a) b) 7. The people say the king should be a to his people. What does that mean? 8. The gods heard these complaints, so they cried to the god of, who told the goddess of : You made ; now create his his second, stormy for stormy. Let them together and leave in. 9. Put that plan into your own words:

2 10. This goddess pinched off, and noble was created. 11. What Biblical character was created in a similar way? 12. Look at the description of Enkidu s appearance, and look back at the description of Gilgamesh s appearance (question #4). What is different? 13. Where did Enkidu live, what did he act like, and how is that different from Gilgamesh? 14. One day a saw Enkidu, and told his father that Enkidu was causing what problem? 15. The father told the son to tell Gilgamesh to send a to defeat Enkidu by doing what? 16. After this, how did beasts react to Enkidu, and what happened when Enkidu tried to run? 17. Enkidu was grown, for was in him, and the thoughts of a were in his. 18. The harlot said that Enkidu was and become like a, so she would take him to. 19. What did the harlot tell Enkidu about Gilgamesh and what did Enkidu promise to do? 20. When Enkidu walked into Uruk, what did the people do and say? 21. What happened when Gilgamesh and Enkidu met? 22. What happened when the fight was over?

3 Reading Guide: The Epic Of Gilgamesh Part 2: The Forest Journey 1. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh that the father of the gods has given you, such is your destiny; is not your destiny. o What does the word destiny mean? 2. Enkidu says that Gilgamesh has been given the power to be the and the of mankind. Then he says, But do not this power. 3. Enkidu then weeps because he is oppressed by. What does this mean? 4. To solve this, Gilgamesh says I will go to the country where the is felled to kill a giant named, whose name is. ANALYZE AND WRITE: So why are they killing the giant? 5. Enkidu says that has appointed this giant to guard, and says of this giant, When he roars it is like, his breath is like, and his jaws are itself. 6. Gilgamesh asks, Where is the man who can to? What does he mean? 7. He says that, when he looks over the city s wall, he sees what and realizes what? 8. He asks for Shamash s help in his quest, and Shamash accepted the sacrifice of his and sent what to help Gilgamesh? 9. Gilgamesh has his craftsmen make axes that weigh score pounds. A score is twenty; so how much do the axes weigh?

4 10. He has the craftsmen make swords that weight score pounds. Again, a score is twenty; so how much do the swords weigh? 11. The biggest axe is given what name? 12. Gilgamesh tells the people of Uruk that he will show Humbaba the strength of whom? 13. What warning do the counselors of Uruk give him? 14. How does Gilgamesh respond to this warning? 15. A league is about three miles, so Enkidu and Gilgamesh walk miles the first day? 16. In three days they ve walked as far as most men walk in how long? 17. What does Gilgamesh do to get Humbaba to come out of the forest and fight? 18. Why does Humbaba say that Gilgamesh ought to feel pity for him? 19. At first, The of Gilgamesh was moved with. 20. What does Enkidu advise? 21. So what do Gilgamesh and Enkidu do? 22. What sacrifice to Gilgamesh and Enkidu give to the god Enlil? 23. How does this god respond to the gift?

5 Reading Guide: The Epic Of Gilgamesh Part 3: The Death of Enkidu and Search for Everlasting Life (book pp ) 1. Who killed Enkidu, and why, and how? 2. Gilgamesh cried, the dream was but the terror was ; we must treasure the whatever the, for the dream has shown us that comes at last to the healthy man, the end of life is. 3. Enkidu cried, I feared to fall, but happy is the man who, for I must die in. 4. After Enkidu died, Gilgamesh wept, then admitted that he was most afraid of what? 5. Who is Utnapishtim, and why did Gilgamesh go to seek him? 6. Gilgamesh told the Man-Scorpion, I thought my friend would come back because of what? 7. Shamash told Gilgamesh, You will never find. 8. Siduri, the maker of wine, told Gilgamesh, You will never find. 9. Siduri told Gilgamesh, fill your with ; day and night, night and day, and be, and. Let your be fresh, yourself in, cherish the, and make your ; for this too is. 10. FREEWRITE 10 words: In your own words, summarize Siduri s advice: 11. What was Utnapishtim doing when he saw Gilgamesh? 12. THINK AND ANSWER: Would Gilgamesh be happy doing this? 13. Gilgamesh said to Utnapishtim, Because of my brother I am afraid of. 14. Gilgamesh then asked how Utnapishtim came to possess. 15. Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh, I will reveal to you a, I will tell you a.

6 Reading Guide: The Epic Of Gilgamesh Part 4: The Story of the Flood and the Return to Uruk (Textbook pp ) 1. According to Utnapishtim, why did Enlil persuade the gods to destroy mankind? 2. Who warned Utnapishtim that this was coming? 3. Once the flooding started, how did the gods react to the destruction of the world? 4. How long did the storm last? 5. Utnapishtim sent out three birds. Which did not return, signaling that land is near? 6. Are we ever told why Utnapishtim was saved? 7. THINK: Use the above to find 3 differences between Utnapishtim s flood story and Noah s: Utnapishtim asked Gilgamesh, Who will for your sake, so that you may find? What answer is implied? 9. What test did Utnapishtim devise for Gilgamesh to prove his worth for eternal life? 10. What happened in Gilgamesh s attempt to complete this test? 11. After this, Utnapishtim devised another test. What must Gilgamesh find, and where? 12. What happened after Gilgamesh found it? 13. When they returned home, Gilgamesh asked Urshanabi to do what? 14. Compare the story s final paragraph to its first paragraph (Handout I). What do you notice?

7 Excerpts from The Epic of Gilgamesh Adapted by the translation by N. K. Sandars (1972) Part 1: Gilgamesh King in Uruk; The Coming of Enkidu I will proclaim to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh. This was the man to whom all things were known; this was the king who knew the countries of the world. He was wise, he saw mysteries and knew secret things, he brought us a tale of the days before the flood. He went on a long journey, was weary, worn-out with labour, returning he rested, he engraved on a stone the whole story. When the goddess created Gilgamesh she gave him a perfect body beauty courage surpassing all others, terrifying like a great wild bull. Two thirds they made him god, one third man. In Uruk he built walls, a great rampart, and the temple of blessed Eanna for the god of the firmament Anu, and for Ishtar the goddess of love. Look at it still today: the outer wall where the cornice runs, it shines with the brilliance of copper; and the inner wall, it has no equal. Touch the threshold, it is ancient.climb upon the wall of Uruk; walk along it, I say; regard the foundation terrace and examine the masonry: is it not burnt brick and good? Gilgamesh went abroad in the world, but he met with none who could withstand his arms till he came to Uruk. But the men of Uruk muttered in their houses, 'Gilgamesh rings a loud alarm bell all night for his amusement, his arrogance has no bounds by day or night. No son is left with his father, for Gilgamesh takes them all, even the children; yet the king should be a shepherd to his people. His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior's daughter nor the wife of the noble; yet this is the shepherd of the city, wise, comely, and resolute.' The gods heard their lament, and cried to Anu the god of Uruk: A goddess made him, strong as a savage bull, none can withstand his arms. No son is left with his father, Gilgamesh takes them all; is this the king, the shepherd of his people? His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, nor the warrior's daughter nor the wife of the noble. When Anu heard he cried to Aruru, the goddess of creation, 'You made him; now create his equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self; stormy heart for stormy heart. Let them contend together and leave Uruk in quiet.' So the goddess dipped her hands in water and pinched off clay, and noble Enkidu was created. There was virtue in him of the god of war, his body was rough, he had long hair like a woman's, like the hair of the goddess of corn. His body was covered with matted hair like the god of cattle. Enkidu was innocent of mankind; he knew nothing of the cultivated land. He ate grass in the hills with the gazelle and lurked with wild beasts at the water-holes; he had joy of the water with the herds of wild game. One day there was a trapper who met him face to face at the drinking-hole, and the trapper was frozen with fear. He went back to his house with the game that he had caught, and he was benumbed with terror. With awe in his heart he spoke to his father: 'Father, there is a man, unlike any other, who comes down from the hills. He is the strongest in the world, he is like an immortal from heaven. He ranges over the hills with wild beasts and eats grass; I am afraid and dare not go near him. He fills in the pits which I dig and tears up-my traps set for the game; he helps the beasts to escape and now they slip through my fingers.'

8 His father opened his mouth and said to the trapper, 'My son, in Uruk lives Gilgamesh; no one has ever prevailed against him, he is strong as a star from heaven. Go to Uruk, find Gilgamesh, extol the strength of this wild man. Ask him to give you a harlot, a wanton from the temple of love; return with her, and let her woman's power overpower this man. When next he comes down to drink at the wells she will be there, stripped naked; and when he sees her beckoning he will embrace her, and then the wild beasts will reject him.' So the trapper set out on his journey to Uruk and addressed himself to Gilgamesh, [who agreed with the plan]. The trapper returned, taking the harlot with him. They came to the drinking hole, and there the harlot and the trapper sat facing one another and waited for the game to come. On the third day the herds came; and Enkidu was with them. The small wild creatures of the plains were glad of the water, and Enkidu with them, who ate grass with the gazelle and was born in the hills; and she saw him, the savage man, come from far-off in the hills. The trapper spoke to her: 'There he is. Now, woman; teach him, the savage man, your woman's art, for when he murmurs love to you the wild' beasts that shared his life in the hills will reject him.' She taught him the woman's art. For six days and seven nights they lay together, for Enkidu had forgotten his home in the hills; but when he was satisfied he went back to the wild beasts. Then, when the wild creatures saw him they fled. Enkidu would have followed, but his body was bound as though with a cord, his knees gave way when he started to run, his swiftness was gone. Enkidu was grown weak, for wisdom was in him, and the thoughts of a man were in his heart. So he returned and sat down at the woman's feet, and listened intently to what she said. 'You are wise, Enkidu, and now you have become like a god. Why do you want to run wild with the beasts in the hills? Come with me. I will take you to strong-walled Uruk, to the blessed temple of love and of heaven; there Gilgamesh lives, who is very strong, and like a wild bull he lords it over men.' When she had spoken Enkidu was pleased; he longed for a comrade, for one who would understand his heart. ' Come, woman, and take me to that holy temple, to the house of Anu and of Ishtar, and to the place where Gilgamesh lords it over the people. I will challenge him boldly, I will cry out aloud in Uruk, "I am the strongest here, I have come to change the old order, I am he who was born in the hills, I am he who is strongest of all.'i will go to the place where Gilgamesh lords it over the people, I will challenge him boldly, and I will cry aloud in Uruk, "I have come to change the old order, for I am the strongest here." Now Enkidu entered Uruk, that great market, and all the folk thronged round him where he stood in the street in strong-walled Uruk. The people jostled; speaking of him they said, 'He is the spit of Gilgamesh. 'He is shorter.' 'He is bigger of bone.' This is the one who was reared on the milk of wild beasts. His is the greatest strength.' The men rejoiced: 'Now Gilgamesh has met his match. This great - one, this hero whose beauty is like a god, he is a match even for Gilgamesh.' Gilgamesh came to the house of a woman he wished to have. Then Enkidu stood in the street and blocked the way. Mighty Gilgamesh came on and Enkidu met him at the gate. He put out his foot and prevented Gilgamesh from entering the house, so they grappled, holding each other like bulls. They broke the doorposts and the walls shook, they snorted like bulls locked together. They shattered the doorposts and the walls shook. Gilgamesh bent his knee with his foot planted on the ground and with a turn Enkidu was thrown. Then immediately his fury died. So Enkidu and Gilgamesh embraced and their friendship was sealed.

9 Part 2: The Forest Journey (HUMBABA!) One day Enkidu said to Gilgamesh, The father of the gods has given you kingship; such is your destiny. Everlasting life is not your destiny. Because of this do not be sad at heart, do not be grieved or oppressed. He has given you power to bind and to loose, to be the darkness and the light of mankind. He has given you unexampled supremacy over the people, victory in battle from which no fugitive returns, in forays and assaults from which there is no going back. But do not abuse this power, deal justly with your servants in the palace, deal justly before Shamash. The eyes of Enkidu were full of tears and his heart was sick. He said, I am weak, my arms have lost strength, the cry of sorrow sticks in my throat, I am oppressed by idleness. So Gilgamesh said, I will go to the country where the cedar is felled. I will set up my name in the place where the names of famous men are written, and where no man s name is written yet. Because o the evil that is in the land, we will go to the forest and destroy the evil; for in the forest lives Humbaba, whose name is Hugeness, a fierce giant. But Enkidu sighed bitterly and said, When I lived with the wild beasts I discovered the forest; it is ten thousand leagues in every direction. Enlil has appointed Humbaba to guard it. Terrible to all flesh is Humbaba. When he roars it is like the torrent of the storm, his breath is like fire, and his jaws are death itself. He guards the cedars so well that when the wild heifer stirs in the forest, though she is sixty leagues distant, he hears her. What man would willingly walk into that country and explore its depths? I tell you, weakness overpowers whoever goes near it: it is not an equal struggle when one fights with Humbaba; he is a great warrior, a battering-ram, the watchman of the forest who never sleeps. Gilgamesh replied: Where is the man who can clamber to heaven? Only the gods live forever, but as for us men, our days are numbered, our occupations are a breath of wind. Here in the city man perishes with despair in his heart. I have looked over the wall and I see the bodies floating on the river, and that will be my lot also, for whoever is tallest among men cannot reach the heavens, and the greatest cannot encompass the earth. Therefore I would enter that country: I will go to the country where the cedar is cut. I will set up my name where the names of famous men are written; and where no man s name is written. Then tears ran down his face and he said, Alas, it is a long journey that I must take to the Land of Humbaba. If this enterprise is not to be accomplished, why did you move me, Shamash, with the restless desire to perform it? How can I succeed if you will not help me? If I die in that country I will die without rancour, but if I return I will make a glorious offering of gifts and of praise to Shamash. So Shamash accepted the sacrifice of his tears. He appointed strong allies for Gilgamesh, the great winds he appointed: the north wind, the whirlwind, the stone and the icy wind, the tempest and the scorching wind. Like vipers, like dragons, like a scorching fire, like a serpent that freezes the heart, a destroying flood and the lightning s fork, such were they and Gilgamesh rejoiced. Gilgamesh went to the forge and said, I give orders to the armourers; they shall cast us our weapons while we watch. So the armourers and the craftsmen went into the groves of the plain and cut willow and box-wood; they cast for them axes of nine score pounds, and great swords they cast with blades of six score pounds each one, with pommels and hilts of thirty pounds. They cast for Gilgamesh the axe Might of Heroes and the bow of Anshan; and Gilgamesh was armed and Enkidu; and the weight of the arms they carried was thirty score pounds.

10 The people collected and the counsellors in the streets and in the market-place of Uruk; they came through the gate of seven bolts and Gilgamesh spoke to them in the market-place: I, Gilgamesh, go to see that creature of whom such things are spoken, the rumour of whose name fills the world. I will conquer him in his cedar wood and show the strength of the sons of Uruk, all the world shall. know of it. I am committed to this enterprise: to climb the mountain, to cut down the cedar, and leave behind me an enduring name. The counsellors of Uruk; the great market, answered him, Gilgamesh, you are young, your courage carries you too far, you cannot know what this enterprise means which you plan. We have heard that Hurnbaba is not like men who die, his weapons are such that none can stand against them; the forest stretches for ten thousand leagues in every direction; who would willingly go down to explore its depths? As for Humbaba, when he roars it is like the torrent of the storm, his breath is like fire and his jaws are death itself. Why do you crave to do this thing, Gilgamesh? It is no equal struggle when one fights with Humbaba, that battering-ram. When he heard these words Gilgamesh looked at his friend and laughed, How shall I answer them; shall I say I am afraid of Humbaba, I will sit at home all the rest of my days?. And now they brought to them the weapons, they put in their hands the great swords in their golden scabbards, and the bow and the quiver. Gilgamesh took the axe, he slung the quiver from his -shoulder, and the bow of Anshan, and buckled the sword to his belt; and so they were armed and ready for the journey. After twenty leagues they broke their fast; after another thirty leagues they stopped for the night. Fifty leagues they walked in one day; in three days they had walked as much as a journey of a month and two weeks. They crossed seven mountains before they came to the gate of the forest. When they had come down from the mountain Gilgamesh seized the axe in his hand: he felled the cedar. When Humbaba heard the noise far off he was enraged; he cried out, Who is this that has violated my woods and cut down my cedar?.humbaba came out from his strong house of cedar. A long and fierce battle ensued; finally, Gilgamesh was about to kill Humbaba. The tears started to Humbaba s eyes and he was pale, Gilgamesh, let me speak. I have never known a mother, no, nor a father who reared me. I was born of the mountain, he reared me, and Enlil made me the keeper of this forest. Let me go free, Gilgamesh, and I will be your servant, you shall be my lord; all the trees of the forest that I tended on the mountain shall be yours. I will cut them down and build you a palace. He took him by the hand and led him to his house, and the heart of Gilgamesh was moved with compassion. He swore by the heavenly life, by the earthly life, by the underworld itself: O Enkidu, should not the snared bird return to its nest and the captive man return to his mother s arms? Enkidu said, Do not listen, Gilgamesh: this Humbaba must die. Kill Humbaba first and his servants after. Gilgamesh listened to his companion, he took the axe in his hand, he drew the sword from his belt, and he struck Humbaba with a thrust of the sword to the neck, and Enkidu his comrade struck the second blow. At the third blow Humbaba fell.. They set Humbaba before the gods, before Enlil; they kissed the ground and dropped the shroud and set the head before him. When he saw the head of Humbaba, Enlil raged at them. Why did you do this thing? From henceforth may the fire be on your faces, may it eat the bread that you eat, may it drink where you drink. Then Enlil took again the blaze and the seven splendours that had been Humbaba s: he gave the first to the river, and he gave to the lion, to the stone of execration, to the mountain and to the dreaded daughter of the Queen of Hell.