The Epic of The Epic of

GilgameshGilgameshThe oldest story ever The oldest story ever

recordedrecorded

A Great but Terrible KingA Great but Terrible King

Gilgamesh was the Gilgamesh was the King of UrukKing of Uruk

His city-state was His city-state was wealthy and wealthy and powerfulpowerful

He wanted to show He wanted to show off his power off his power

His people His people suffered under his suffered under his leadershipleadership

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The Walls of UrukThe Walls of Uruk

Gilgamesh ordered the walls of Uruk to Gilgamesh ordered the walls of Uruk to reach the skyreach the sky

It was a great symbol of power, but a It was a great symbol of power, but a waste of valuable resourceswaste of valuable resources

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The People of Uruk Ask The People of Uruk Ask for Helpfor Help

Gilgamesh’s Gilgamesh’s people were forced people were forced to work on wallsto work on walls

Other jobs were Other jobs were left undone, city left undone, city was in dangerwas in danger

The elders prayed The elders prayed to the gods for to the gods for helphelp

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Gilgamesh and the GodsGilgamesh and the Gods

Gilgamesh was a favorite of the gods, and Gilgamesh was a favorite of the gods, and they gave him his great strength and powerthey gave him his great strength and power

However, they also appreciated the loyalty However, they also appreciated the loyalty and faith of the people of Urukand faith of the people of Uruk

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EnkiduEnkidu

The gods did not want to punish Gilgamesh The gods did not want to punish Gilgamesh directly so they created a monster to kill directly so they created a monster to kill himhim

Enkidu was part man, part animal and sent Enkidu was part man, part animal and sent to the forests outside of the cityto the forests outside of the city

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EnkiduEnkidu Enkidu was Enkidu was

spotted by hunters spotted by hunters Villagers refused Villagers refused

to go into the to go into the woods woods

They appealed to They appealed to King Gilgamesh for King Gilgamesh for helphelp

Gilgamesh ordered Gilgamesh ordered them back to work them back to work on the walls!on the walls!

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If you want it done right, If you want it done right, send a woman!send a woman!

The hunters The hunters refused to enter refused to enter the forestthe forest

One woman One woman offered to go and offered to go and find the monsterfind the monster

The men were too The men were too scared to help herscared to help her

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EnkiduEnkidu

Enkidu was a wild animalEnkidu was a wild animal He loved and protected some of the animalsHe loved and protected some of the animals He feared humans who were strange creatures He feared humans who were strange creatures

compared to the animals of the forestcompared to the animals of the forest

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EnkiduEnkidu

Enkidu was afraid Enkidu was afraid of the woman, but of the woman, but found her beautifulfound her beautiful

A lion attacked the A lion attacked the womanwoman

Enkidu protected Enkidu protected her as he her as he protected othersprotected others

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The Woman “Tames” The Woman “Tames” EnkiduEnkidu

The woman The woman teaches Enkidu to teaches Enkidu to speak, dress, and speak, dress, and act like a manact like a man

She leads him out She leads him out of the forest and of the forest and into a village into a village outside of Urukoutside of Uruk

There, Enkidu There, Enkidu learns of learns of GilgameshGilgamesh

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The BattleThe Battle

King Gilgamesh King Gilgamesh and Enkidu meet and Enkidu meet

They fight a They fight a terrible battleterrible battle

Neither man has Neither man has the advantage and the advantage and the battle the battle continues until continues until both men exhaust both men exhaust themselves themselves

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Gilgamesh and EnkiduGilgamesh and Enkidu

The exhausted The exhausted men can not men can not continue to fightcontinue to fight

They immediately They immediately develop a great develop a great respect and love respect and love for each otherfor each other

The two become The two become “brothers”“brothers”

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A New StartA New Start

Enkidu sees the good in Gilgamesh and Enkidu sees the good in Gilgamesh and wants others to see it toowants others to see it too

Gilgamesh decides to prove his greatness Gilgamesh decides to prove his greatness by ridding the world of evilby ridding the world of evil

HumbabaHumbaba

Gilgamesh travels Gilgamesh travels to the Cedar Forestto the Cedar Forest

Enkidu tries to Enkidu tries to convince convince Gilgamesh not to Gilgamesh not to attack Humbabaattack Humbaba

Gilgamesh insists, Gilgamesh insists, and Enkidu is and Enkidu is forced to help his forced to help his friendfriend

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Humbaba of the Cedar Humbaba of the Cedar ForestForest

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IshtarIshtar

The gods were The gods were angered by angered by Humbaba’s deathHumbaba’s death

His heroism His heroism attracted the attracted the attention of Ishtarattention of Ishtar

She appeared to She appeared to him and asked him him and asked him to marry herto marry her

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Ishtar’s WrathIshtar’s Wrath

Ishtar begged her Ishtar begged her father Anu to give father Anu to give her the Bull of her the Bull of Heaven to punish Heaven to punish Gilgamesh Gilgamesh

The Bull ravaged The Bull ravaged the city and its the city and its inhabitantsinhabitants

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More Teamwork!More Teamwork!

Gilgamesh and Enkidu defend their cityGilgamesh and Enkidu defend their city People of Uruk watch onPeople of Uruk watch on Another fierce battleAnother fierce battle Anoter victory for the dynamic duoAnoter victory for the dynamic duo Another insultAnother insult

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Ishtar’s RevengeIshtar’s Revenge

Enkidu gets very sick Enkidu gets very sick Slowly, the life drains out of himSlowly, the life drains out of him Enkidu dies with Gilgamesh at his side Enkidu dies with Gilgamesh at his side

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Gilgamesh Goes CrazyGilgamesh Goes Crazy

Gilgamesh is Gilgamesh is devastated devastated

He does not know He does not know or understand or understand deathdeath

He seeks out an He seeks out an ancient ancestor ancient ancestor who did not diewho did not die

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The Terrible JourneyThe Terrible Journey

Gilgamesh traveled across the entire known worldGilgamesh traveled across the entire known world Through the Mountains of Mashu, guarded by the Through the Mountains of Mashu, guarded by the

Scorpion MenScorpion Men Entered the Garden of Shamash the sunEntered the Garden of Shamash the sun Despite pleas even from the gods, Gilgamesh Despite pleas even from the gods, Gilgamesh

continued oncontinued on

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UtnapishtimUtnapishtim Across the bitter river Across the bitter river

lived a man who did lived a man who did not dienot die

A long time ago he was A long time ago he was chosen by the godschosen by the gods

He built a ship and He built a ship and saved a pair of all saved a pair of all living thingsliving things

The gods then The gods then destroyed the earth destroyed the earth and started againand started again

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UtnapishtimUtnapishtim Gilgamesh was told his Gilgamesh was told his

travels were uselesstravels were useless The gods gave The gods gave

Utnapishtim life, not Utnapishtim life, not his own deedshis own deeds

Gilgamesh is sent Gilgamesh is sent away, back the way he away, back the way he camecame

Out of pity, Out of pity, Utnapishtim told him Utnapishtim told him of the Roseof the Rose

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Back HomeBack Home

Gilgamesh returned home empty handedGilgamesh returned home empty handed He marveled at the waste that he createdHe marveled at the waste that he created He vowed to be a great leaderHe vowed to be a great leader Died a mortal’s death, beside his friendDied a mortal’s death, beside his friend

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