Gilgamesh and the people of Uruk mourn Enkidu as he dies.Īgain Gilgamesh journeys out into the wilderness, now hoping to find the legendary Utnapishtim, who survived a great flood many years before and was granted immortality. The following night, Enkidu has a dream of the gods gathered together and agreeing that one of the two (Enkidu and Gilgamesh) must die for the killing of Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. The Bull of Heaven wreaks havoc in Uruk, killing many, but Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat it. Enraged by his refusal, Ishtar threatens to smash the doors of hell and release the dead unless her father, Anu, releases the Bull of Heaven to destroy Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh turns her down, however, because she treated her previous lovers badly, often turning them into animals. Ishtar, the goddess of love, invites Gilgamesh to her palace and proposes marriage. Humbaba pleads for forgiveness, but Enkidu delivers the killing blow. With the help of Shamash, the sun god, Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat Humbaba. He pledges to travel to the Land of Cedars and slay the giant Humbaba who guards it. They each commend each other’s strength and declare themselves friends.īecause of a dream he has that Enkidu interprets, Gilgamesh realizes that he has not yet made a name for himself. They wrestle, but Gilgamesh beats Enkidu. Afterwards, when Enkidu returns to the hills where he lives, the animals run away from him.Įnkidu eventually travels to Uruk and blocks Gilgamesh’s way while walking in the city. The trapper then brings a temple prostitute, Shamhat, to Enkidu, and she seduces him. Both the trapper’s father and Gilgamesh tell him that when Enkidu sleeps with a woman, the animals he lives with will reject him. The trapper describes Enkidu as the strongest man in the world.

Enkidu lives in nature, in harmony with the wild animals.Įventually a trapper discovers that Enkidu has been destroying his traps. Aruru forms Enkidu out of water and clay, out in the wilderness.

The gods hear these complaints, and the god Aruru creates Enkidu, a man as strong as Gilgamesh. Though Gilgamesh is known to be stronger than any other man, the people of Uruk complain that he abuses his power. The story begins in Uruk, a city in Ancient Sumer (Mesopotamia) where Gilgamesh rules as king.

The Epic of Gilgamesh by Anonymous