Reading a book about SF which mentioned the Epic of Gilgamesh reminded me that I had never actually read it. It is the first recorded story that can be classed as fantasy, although I'm still not sure of the connection made in the book on SF - it was posited (not by the author) as a very early example of SF. Tenuous at best, I suppose.
So taking down my copy from the nice little series called 'Penguin Epics' that my wife bought me I read all 64 pages of it. From my limited starting point I knew it had mentioned a world wide flood [a story lifted pretty much wholesale into the Bible], I thought it included Tiamat and that it was a Sumerian story written on clay tablets. So what is it about? [Contains spoilers :)]
The story tells of Gilgamesh who seems to be the strongest, most gifted man in Uruk who was making a real pain of himself to all the people living there. They plead to the gods to do something about it, so they create Enkidu to challenge him. Enkidu is the opposite of Gilgamesh, based on the wild, uncivilised lands contrasting Gilgamesh's civilised nature. [This could be a direct reference to the dawning of agriculture - the change from a foraging nature as exemplified by Enkidu to the more civilised Gilgamesh]. Enkidu is civilised by a harlot and becomes a fast friend of Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh grows bored and hears about Humbaba who lives in the forest of Cedars [Lebanon] and with Enkidu he sets out to defeat the giant in battle. [This is probably a recording of a fight with another nation and the defeat of the patron god of that nation replayed through Gilgamesh's exploits].
At this point Gilgamesh spurns the advances of Ishtar, goddess of love and war [how many times does this combination come up in mythology?] who demands the Bull of Heaven to devastate Uruk. Enkidu and Gilgamesh defeat the Bull. [The Bull represents drought and the subsequent famine feared by these people at the time].
Enkidu then catches a disease and dies. Gilgamesh goes into deep mourning and sets off to find the Fountain of Life - travelling deep into the land of the gods but fails in the quest. However, he does learn a secret of the gods - that Enlil [one of the Sumerian chief gods] set about to destroy the world and all the humans in it by sending a great flood.
The Epic ends with the tale of the death of Gilgamesh.
The Epic of Gilgamesh has all the essential qualities of an epic tale - a powerful hero, his faithful companion, a journey quest, interfering gods, challenges of mighty beasts, portentous dreams and finally the death of the hero. Was this the tale that all others hang on? Or have humans always crafted such tales of heroes - probably the latter. So what about Tiamat - well she is Sumerian in origin but not involved in the Epic. Anu [later Enlil, then later still Marduk] battles Tiamat - the representation of chaos and defeats her, using her sundered body to form the world.
7 comments:
You've got the Sumerian version? Fancy. I had to settle for the plain old Akkadian version.
Of course, there is an alternative ending to the Epic. In this, Gil actually eats the flower and gains immortality but is trapped at the bottom of the sea until the 1950's when an archealogical dig uncovers him and he moves to the US of A to join a team of superheroes called Freedom Force USA.
When I say another version I mean my version. I have pictures somewhere.
Judging by the source of my version [Penguin] I don't think it is anything special - so is probably the same version as yours. I just assumed it was Sumerian as this was the cities it was talking about. I know of the later version [Akkadian] it is mentioned in some reference material I read.
Good concept for a Superhero though!
Does Gil visit Utnapishtim? If he does then the chances are you have the Akkadian version as that was name of the Akkadian flood hero.
I really do have pics, I'll try and post them on Omnihedron so you can see my superhero version of Gil.
Gilgamesh has, of course, already been a superhero. He was The Forgotten One who, for a few short issues, was a member of the Avengers around issues 298-310 iirc. He was killed at the beginning of 'The Crossing' about 100 issues later. They had him grouped with the Eternals. He wore a silly buffalo helmet.
Clearly from the artwork you can tell that my idea dates to the 1950's so I had it first.
My version is definitely the Akkadian one then - it has the bit about the flood.
Good likeness of Gilgamesh in you art work - what powers did you have planned for him? Defeating droughts and thumping giants don't really seem to fit with genre.
Gilgamesh Smash!
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