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![Tablet I. The Coming of Enkidu
He who saw the Deep, the country’s
foundation
[who] knew…, was wise in all manners!
[Gilgamesh, who] saw the Deep, the
country’s foundation,
[who] knew…, was wise in all matters!
[He] … everywhere…
and [learnt] of everything the sum of
wisdom.
He saw what was secret, discovered what
was hidden,
he brought back a tale of before the
Deluge.
Translated by Andrew George (1999)
Prologue
Gilgamesh King in Uruk
I will proclaim to the world the deeds of
Gilgamesh. This was the man to whom all
things were known; this was the king who
knew the countries of the world. He was
wise, he saw mysteries and knew secret
things, he brought us a tale of the days
before the flood. He went on a long
journey, was weary, worn-out with labour,
returning he rested, he engraved on a
stone the whole story.
Translated by N. K. Sanders](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/gilgamesh-110823220813-phpapp01/85/Gilgamesh-11-320.jpg)
Uploaded byMatthew Hartman
Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh was a historical king of Uruk around 2800 BCE who is famous for being the protagonist in an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem. The standard version of the Epic of Gilgamesh dates back to around 1200 BCE and tells the story of Gilgamesh's adventures and quest for immortality with his companion Enkidu. It is considered one of the earliest great works of literature and explores timeless themes of friendship, loss, and the search for meaning that still resonate with modern readers.
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Gilgamesh
- 1. Who was Gilgamesh? “In Uruk he built walls . . . Look at it still today . . . Touch the threshold, it is ancient.” Gilgamesh. From Khorsabad (Palace of Sargon II). Neo-Assyrian, 721-705 B.C.E. Housed in the Paris Louvre.
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- 4. Uruk site in2008 (modern Warka, Iraq)
- 5. Ur site (Iraq),with view of zigguraut
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- 8. 3000 B.C. Inventionof writing 2800 B.C. Gilgamesh, king of Uruk 2100 B.C. Oldest copy of a Sumerian Gilgamesh poem 1800 B.C. Babylonian Epic of Creation 1200 B.C. The standard version of Gilgamesh in Akkadian
- 9. Sumerian oral poemsand stories circulate for generations Until they are written down on clay tablets in Sumerian, then Akkadian
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- 11. Tablet I. TheComing of Enkidu He who saw the Deep, the country’s foundation [who] knew…, was wise in all manners! [Gilgamesh, who] saw the Deep, the country’s foundation, [who] knew…, was wise in all matters! [He] … everywhere… and [learnt] of everything the sum of wisdom. He saw what was secret, discovered what was hidden, he brought back a tale of before the Deluge. Translated by Andrew George (1999) Prologue Gilgamesh King in Uruk I will proclaim to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh. This was the man to whom all things were known; this was the king who knew the countries of the world. He was wise, he saw mysteries and knew secret things, he brought us a tale of the days before the flood. He went on a long journey, was weary, worn-out with labour, returning he rested, he engraved on a stone the whole story. Translated by N. K. Sanders
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- 13. • Anu –sky god, principal god of Uruk • Ishtar – goddess of love and war, Venus; principal goddess of Uruk • Enlil – god of earth, wind, and spirit; one of the supreme deities • Shamash – sun god • Humbaba – giant montster, guardian of the Forest of Cedar
- 14. Horned crown ofAnu Eight pointed star of Ishtar A stele of the Assyrian king Šamši-Adad V (c.815 BCE), in a gesture of blessing to symbols of five deities.
- 15. Cylinder seal showingIshtar (with weapons rising from her shoulders).
- 16. Questions • Whywas this story written down? Why is Gilgamesh an important hero to the people of the Mesopotamian civilizations? • What patterns in this epic will we see continued in later epics and narratives? Do we recognize any of these patterns in stories that continue to be told today?