An epic is a long poem that recounts the adventures of a legendary hero. Often, but not always, it involves a long journey, the most famous example being Homer's Odyssey. Usually the hero of an epic grows, becoming wiser or better than he was when he began, as is again the case with Odysseus.
The Gilgamesh Epic, too, involves a journey of growth. At the beginning of the story King Gilgamesh, apparently based on a real king in the Sumerian city of Uruk, treats his people so badly that they beg the gods to get rid of him. The gods respond by sending Enkidu (in-KEE-doo) to wrestle with him, but Gilgamesh wins—and the two become the closest of friends. Together they set out in search of the giant Humbaba (hoom-BAH-buh), who guards a nearby forest under the direction of the god Enlil (in-LEEL). They kill Humbaba, and on their way back to Uruk, they meet the goddess Ishtar. In spite of
Her beauty, Gilgamesh resists her charms, and that is the beginning of his troubles.
The scorned Ishtar goes to the chief god Anu (ah-NOO), who sends the Bull of Heaven against Gilgamesh and his kingdom. As a result of this curse, Uruk is subjected to seven years of drought—that is, a period of time when there is not enough water. Gilgamesh has already been changed by his friendship with Enkidu, and he is so upset by the wrong done to his people that he kills the Bull. That night, he learns in a dream that the gods will repay him either by killing him or Enkidu.
As it turns out, they kill his friend, and Gilgamesh is overwhelmed with grief. Wanting to bring Enkidu back from the dead, he goes in search of someone who can give him the secret to eternal life. That someone is a true survivor, Utnapishtim (oot-nah-PISH-tim), who lived through a great flood that destroyed most of the
Despite the fact that Ashurbanipal was a fighting man, like most other Assyrian rulers before him, he was also a man of culture. In those days, when scribes were the primary bearers of knowledge, illiteracy was common, even among kings. Ashurbanipal distinguished himself not only by his ability to read and write, but also by his contributions to learning. Under his direction, Assyrian scribes put together the first true library. The final version of the Gilgamesh Epic, Mesopotamia's greatest contribution to world literature, emerged during his reign.
Gilgamesh, from alabaster sculpture found in Khorsabad. Corbis-Bettmann. Reproduced by permission.
Population long before. Utnapishtim gives him a branch from a plant that is said to restore life, and Gilgamesh heads for home. But on the way he stops for a swim, and while he is in the water, a snake steals
The life-giving branch. In the end, Gilgamesh is forced to realize that no man can live forever.
Though it originated in Sumer as early as 2000 b. c., the Gilgamesh Epic was handed down by various Mesopotamian peoples, including the Babylonians and the Assyrians. The version prepared by scribes in the library of the Assyrian emperor Ashurbanipal (r. 669-626 b. c.) is the best known. But the story was lost for many centuries and not rediscovered by archaeologists until the a. d. 1800s.
There are several parallels between the Gilgamesh Epic and the Bible, most notably in its mention of a great flood that may be the same one described in the Book of Genesis. Likewise the branch offered to Gilgamesh by Utnapishtim resembles the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden; and as with Adam and Eve, Gilgamesh ends up being tricked by a snake.
Assyrian art forms, particularly relief sculptures of great winged lions and other creatures, reached their height during this time as well.
Ashurbanipal's empire did not outlast him by a long time. Just fifteen years after his death, in 612 b. c., a combined force of Babylonians and Medes completely destroyed Nineveh. Assyrian rulers struggled to maintain a weak grip on power, aided by their allies in Egypt, but with the destruction of its capital city, the Assyrian Empire had come to an end.
World History
