1. Eddie Arnold
P.4
Gilgamesh’s Long Journey
How do epic heroes show greatness? They fight evil and accomplish great tasks.
Gilgamesh is an epic hero who does the right thing for his country by fighting evil giants.
Gilgamesh wants fame by going on an adventure with his close companion Enkidu.
Gilgamesh is king of Uruk and protects his people by building huge walls that surround
the city. This adventure that these two friends encounter on will test their strength
because they leave the safety their city provides and the evil giant Humbaba is in his
home of the cedar forest. Gilgamesh is stronger than any man on Earth and is handsome
too. Gilgamesh and Enkidu have the same desires to have fame and have there lives be
remembered after they die.
The elders warn the two warriors not go into the cedar forest because it is far
away from safety and it is almost impossible to each Humbaba once he hears them in the
forest. The elders also think that Gilgamesh underestimates Humbabas power and that he
is an evil demon that can be a tough threat to Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh knows he must
follow Enkidu into the forest because Enkidu knows the forest well. “Let Enkidu led,
don’t trust your strength, he knows the forests…” (Lines 56-57) As the elders give
permission to go on the journey, they give their blessing and tell them that the sun God
Shamash will help them.
After three days of walking, which would have taken any ordinary man three
weeks to walk, they reach the forest gate were Humbabas watchmen stood. He warns
Humbaba about the invasion of these two fierce enemies. Throughout the whole journey

2. Enkidu had been the one who was afraid of the evil demon but now that they have
reached the forest gate Gilgamesh all of a sudden is scared. Enkidu then touches the gate
with his hand became paralyzed. Gilgamesh, showing his leadership says, “It will pass,
and we must go into the forest together, forget your fear of death. I will go before you
and protect you.”(Lines 73-77) As they reach the high Cedar trees, they ponder on the
height of them. They rest at night and before they sleep, Gilgamesh pours flour onto the
ground to pray to Shamash to come to him in his dream and grant him to be a favorable
man. Enkidu cannot sleep and his pain has spread to the side of his body. As Enkidu
struggles to sleep, Gilgamesh dreams that during combat a mountain falls on top of them
and is tremendously scared. “Tomorrow you will be victorious.”(Line 133) As he
awakes, he tells Enkidu of this dream and he says that the mountain is merely Humbaba
and as he falls Gilgamesh will defeat him. As Gilgamesh falls back asleep he dreams
again of heaven on fire and that death had rained down on them. Enkidu again says that
he will be victorious and that the next night they will fight together in victory.
At dawn Gilgamesh raises his ax and cuts down the cedar tree. Humbaba comes
rushing down the path as he hears the trees falling down. Humbaba as a huge head and
very clumsy legs which give an advantage to both warriors. He can cut down a cedar with
one swipe of his arm and shoulder. He was the slave of the Gods and was granted the
cedar forests after years of work. The two warriors felt pity for the monstrous giant and
almost didn’t fight because of the pity. As Humbaba attacks Enkidu and crushes him to
the ground and was almost crushed to death when he made his one final move to strike
Humbaba to the ground. “Raised high above his head watching the monster plead.” (Line
188) As Gilgamesh was decided what to do with the evil demon, Enkidu comes alive and

3. chops off the monsters head. Gilgamesh was doing the right thing to not kill the monster
and it shows that he is a true epic hero.