Gilgamesh epic hero cycle

Call to adventure

Enkidu was very sick but his suffering finally stopped when he died. Gilgamesh became afraid of death. Gilgamesh is in search of immortality.

Quote:" 'Because I am afraid of death I will go as

best I can to find Utnapishtim whom they call

the faraway,for he has entered the assembly

of the gods' " (16).

Sharing the gift

Gilgamesh was no longer afraid of death and he engraved his story on stone to share with the people.

Quote: "He went a long journey, was weary, worn out with labour, and returning engraved on a stone the whole story" (23).

Allies

The Return

Sin, the moon god wakes Gilgamesh from his sleep so that he can defend himself from the lions.

Quote: "When he had prayed he layed down to sleep, until he was woken from out of a dream"(16).

Gilgamesh and Urshanabi returned to Uruk.

Quote: " ' In these mountain passes long ago I saw lions, I was afraid and I lifted my eyes to the moon; I prayed and my prayers went up to the gods, so now, O moon god Sin, protect me' "(16).

Quote: "After twenty leagues they broke their fast, after thirty leagues they stopped for the night; in three days they had walked as much as a journey of a month and fifteen days. When the journey was accomplished they arrived at Uruk, the strong-walled city" (23).

Atonement with the father

Guardians

Gilgamesh Epic

Hero Cycle

The scorpion men stand guard at the gate leading to the immortal world.

Gilgamesh fails his test to stay awake for 6 days and gain immortality. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh about the plant of youth. Gilgamesh and Urshanabi the ferryman went to look for the plant and they found it, but as Gilgamesh bathed, a serpent took the plant.

Quote: "At it's gate the scorpions stand guard, half man and half dragon; their glory is terrifying, their stare strikes death into men, their shimmering halo sweeps the mountains that guard the rising sun" (16).

Quote: "Gilgamesh saw a well of cool water and he went down and bathed; but deep in the pool there was lying a serpent, and the serpent sensed the sweetness of the flower. It rose out of the water and snatched it away, and immediately it sloughed its skin and returned to the well" (22).

By: Lizzet Gonzalez

Allies

Urshanabi took Gilgamesh across the ocean to Utnapishtim the immortal man.

Quote: " So Urshanabi the ferryman brought Gilgamesh to Utnapishtim, whom they call the faraway, who lives in Dihun at the place of the sun's transit, eastward of the mountain" (18).

Road of trials or tests

Gilgamesh had to pass through 36 leagues of darkness to get to the garden of gods.

Quote: "When he had gone one league the darkness became thick around him, for there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him" (16).

Belly of the whale

Meeting the goddess/ Woman as temptress

Gilgamesh reaches the garden of the gods where Siduri is near the gate.

Siduri, the goddess of wine tries to stop Gilgamesh from his quest to find immortality. Instead she tells Gilgamesh to be content with his life.

Quote: " There was the garden of the gods; all round him stood bushes bearing gems" (16).

Quote: " She answered, 'Gilgamesh where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for which you are looking' " (17).

Quote: "Beside the sea she lives, the woman of the vine the maker, of wine; Siduri sits in the garden at the edge of the sea, with the golden bowl and the golden vats that the gods gave her" (17).