In those distant days when mankind was established, Gilgamesh was King: brave in battle and wise in governing. His city, Uruk, was the wonder of the world, well built and beautiful. Gilgamesh wasn't always beloved by his people. The son of King Lugalbanda and the Goddess Ninsun, he ruled harshly. Since Gilgamesh was half divine greater than all others, none dared question his wickedness. One day King Gilgamesh in his arrogance neglected to attend the Shamashite ritual, and his people took the chance to beg for aid from the Gods. Shamash, God of heaven, heard their prayers and commanded Aruru, Goddess of creation, to counter the foolish King. Aruru shaped Enkidu, a huge, hairy man who lived among the herds of antelope. When a trapper caught sight of this frightening wild man releasing animals from his snares, he traveled to Uruk to seek the only man great enough to stand up to the beastly stranger, the King. Gilgamesh asked Shamhat, priestess of Ishtar's temple, to seduce Enkidu, and she traveled to the watering hole where he and the animals drink. They made love for seven days, after which all the fellow animals shunned Enkidu because he had become humanized. When Shamhat told Enkidu of the splendors of Uruk, he realized that he longed for civilization, but when she told him of the detestable acts of her King, he was full of fury and rushed to the city to challenge Gilgamesh. The two fought such a duel as has never been surpassed. Eventually, Enkidu pinned Gilgamesh to the ground while Gilgamesh held a dagger to Enkidu's throat. So trapped, they earned one another's respect, and their anger faded. Many ancient days and nights in the great City of Uruk passed quietly under the now generous rule of King Gilgamesh, under the influence of his Grand Vizier Enkidu. The King proposed to travel to Cedar Forest in the distant land of Lebanon to obtain beams for the city's roofs, to drive evil from the world and improve the lives of his subjects. Enkidu objected: Enlil, one of the three Gods who ruled the universe, had created the deadly monster Humbaba to protect the forest. Gilgamesh, determined to have his adventure, called Enkidu cowardly and threatened to go alone. He addressed his people, describing his proposal. But the Urukites all agreed with Enkidu: to kill Humbaba would be against the Gods' will. At Gilgamesh's insistence, Enkidu sought out the blessing of Ninsun, Gilgamesh's mother. She prayed to Shamash for their safety and adopted Enkidu as her son. For days, the men journeyed to the Cedar Forest, praying for guidance in dreams. Gilgamesh's visions frightened him, but Enkidu interpreted them optimistically. As they neared the forest, Humbaba's roar terrified even the reckless Enkidu, who wanted to turn back. Gilgamesh became afraid and prayed to Shamash for guidance, and Shamash urged the heroes to attack at once, before Humbaba returned to the forest's depths to gain more strength. Therefore they courageously approached the monster's den. The fearsome and mighty Humbaba emerged and broke the ground, and sulfurous fumes overwhelmed them. Shamash, however, sent winds to disperse the fumes and paralyze Humbaba. Gilgamesh awoke and found himself separated from Enkidu in the cave. With his knife at its throat, Humbaba pleaded for mercy, but roared to life when Gilgamesh let his guard down. At that moment, Enkidu found them and with his help Gilgamesh cut off Humbaba's head. The heroes harvested Lebanon's cedars, and made a raft to float them to Nippur for Enlil's temple. They took Humbaba's head home as a trophy. When he returned home at last, Gilgamesh attracted Ishtar's gaze. The Goddess of love promised wealth and power in exchange for his hand. He instead insulted her, recalling how badly she treated her past lovers. Furious, Ishtar asked her father Anu to take the Bull of Heaven to earth to kill Gilgamesh. The bull tried to destroy Uruk until Enkidu and Gilgamesh killed it. When Enkidu taunted Ishtar she retreated to her temple, seething. That night, after a feast, Enkidu had a nightmare that the Gods met in council to punish him and Gilgamesh for offending the Gods by killing Humbaba and their bull. Enlil decreed that Enkidu die. Immediately, Enkidu fell sick, and though Gilgamesh insisted Enkidu would recover, he remained by his side. Enkidu cursed the priestess Shamhat for removing him from the wild, but Shamash spoke to him from heaven, reminding him that without Shamhat's actions, Enkidu would never have gained Gilgamesh's friendship. Enkidu summoned and blessed the priestess before dying. Gilgamesh wept terribly. He made offerings to many Gods, requesting his special care in the underworld. Then he left Uruk to wander. He traveled in search of Utnapishtim, the only man the Gods had granted immortality, to learn how to escape death. The bereaved King, in his wanderings, eventually reached the far west, where the scorpion people guarded the entrance of the tunnel through which the sun passed each night. They warned him to run as fast as he could through the darkness for 12 hours. If he didn't reach the exit by then, the sun would overtake and incinerate him. Gilgamesh barely emerged in the God’s eastern garden in the nick of time. There, Siduri, Goddess of wine and wisdom, warned him against seeking Utnapishtim and advised him to remain and enjoy life. Though tempted, Gilgamesh persisted, convincing Urshanabi the boatman to help across the sea. Finally, Gilgamesh met the old Utnapishtim on his island, who explained that long ago, when he was a King of Eridu, the five ancient Gods summoned a flood. Ea, a friend to humanity, warned Utnapishtim to prepare. When the storms came, the Gods regretted their decision. Only Utnapishtim and his kin survived in his boat. Though displeased, Enlil, true to his word, blessed Utnapishtim and his family with immortality and settled them on the island. Utnapishtim set a test for Gilgamesh: if he could stay awake for seven days, perhaps the Gods would let him escape death. But, exhausted by the journey, Gilgamesh fell asleep immediately. Each day he slept, Utnapishtim's wife baked a loaf of bread and placed it by the Gilgamesh as proof, which ended when Utnapishtim awakened him. Now Gilgamesh despaired that he had failed the immortality test. Sympathetic Utnapishtim offered Gilgamesh a consolation prize, directing him to dive the sea for a plant that renewed youth. Gilgamesh sunk into the deep water and retrieved the plant. He and Urshanabi departed for Uruk, where Gilgamesh planned to regain his untroubled youth. A day from home, they paused at an oasis, and as Gilgamesh bathed, a snake stole the plant, leaving behind its skin. Gilgamesh realized he was gladder now that he would not return to his wicked state before the life lessons of adventure. They reached home at long last, where Gilgamesh proudly showed Urshanabi his people's land. It was then the now wise and humble King finally realized that the true pride of Gilgamesh was never in his daring exploits, but in the magnificent city of Uruk.
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In those distant days when mankind was established, Gilgamesh was King: brave in battle and wise in governing. His city, Uruk, was the wonder of the world, well built and beautiful. Gilgamesh wasn't always beloved by his people. The son of King Lugalbanda and the Goddess Ninsun, he ruled harshly. Since Gilgamesh was half divine greater than all others, none dared question his wickedness. One day King Gilgamesh in his arrogance neglected to attend the Shamashite ritual, and his people took the chance to beg for aid from the Gods. Shamash, God of heaven, heard their prayers and commanded Aruru, Goddess of creation, to counter the foolish King. Aruru shaped Enkidu, a huge, hairy man who lived among the herds of antelope. When a trapper caught sight of this frightening wild man releasing animals from his snares, he traveled to Uruk to seek the only man great enough to stand up to the beastly stranger, the King. Gilgamesh asked Shamhat, priestess of Ishtar's temple, to seduce Enkidu, and she traveled to the watering hole where he and the animals drink. They made love for seven days, after which all the fellow animals shunned Enkidu because he had become humanized. When Shamhat told Enkidu of the splendors of Uruk, he realized that he longed for civilization, but when she told him of the detestable acts of her King, he was full of fury and rushed to the city to challenge Gilgamesh. The two fought such a duel as has never been surpassed. Eventually, Enkidu pinned Gilgamesh to the ground while Gilgamesh held a dagger to Enkidu's throat. So trapped, they earned one another's respect, and their anger faded. Many ancient days and nights in the great City of Uruk passed quietly under the now generous rule of King Gilgamesh, under the influence of his Grand Vizier Enkidu. The King proposed to travel to Cedar Forest in the distant land of Lebanon to obtain beams for the city's roofs, to drive evil from the world and improve the lives of his subjects. Enkidu objected: Enlil, one of the three Gods who ruled the universe, had created the deadly monster Humbaba to protect the forest. Gilgamesh, determined to have his adventure, called Enkidu cowardly and threatened to go alone. He addressed his people, describing his proposal. But the Urukites all agreed with Enkidu: to kill Humbaba would be against the Gods' will. At Gilgamesh's insistence, Enkidu sought out the blessing of Ninsun, Gilgamesh's mother. She prayed to Shamash for their safety and adopted Enkidu as her son. For days, the men journeyed to the Cedar Forest, praying for guidance in dreams. Gilgamesh's visions frightened him, but Enkidu interpreted them optimistically. As they neared the forest, Humbaba's roar terrified even the reckless Enkidu, who wanted to turn back. Gilgamesh became afraid and prayed to Shamash for guidance, and Shamash urged the heroes to attack at once, before Humbaba returned to the forest's depths to gain more strength. Therefore they courageously approached the monster's den. The fearsome and mighty Humbaba emerged and broke the ground, and sulfurous fumes overwhelmed them. Shamash, however, sent winds to disperse the fumes and paralyze Humbaba. Gilgamesh awoke and found himself separated from Enkidu in the cave. With his knife at its throat, Humbaba pleaded for mercy, but roared to life when Gilgamesh let his guard down. At that moment, Enkidu found them and with his help Gilgamesh cut off Humbaba's head. The heroes harvested Lebanon's cedars, and made a raft to float them to Nippur for Enlil's temple. They took Humbaba's head home as a trophy. When he returned home at last, Gilgamesh attracted Ishtar's gaze. The Goddess of love promised wealth and power in exchange for his hand. He instead insulted her, recalling how badly she treated her past lovers. Furious, Ishtar asked her father Anu to take the Bull of Heaven to earth to kill Gilgamesh. The bull tried to destroy Uruk until Enkidu and Gilgamesh killed it. When Enkidu taunted Ishtar she retreated to her temple, seething. That night, after a feast, Enkidu had a nightmare that the Gods met in council to punish him and Gilgamesh for offending the Gods by killing Humbaba and their bull. Enlil decreed that Enkidu die. Immediately, Enkidu fell sick, and though Gilgamesh insisted Enkidu would recover, he remained by his side. Enkidu cursed the priestess Shamhat for removing him from the wild, but Shamash spoke to him from heaven, reminding him that without Shamhat's actions, Enkidu would never have gained Gilgamesh's friendship. Enkidu summoned and blessed the priestess before dying. Gilgamesh wept terribly. He made offerings to many Gods, requesting his special care in the underworld. Then he left Uruk to wander. He traveled in search of Utnapishtim, the only man the Gods had granted immortality, to learn how to escape death. The bereaved King, in his wanderings, eventually reached the far west, where the scorpion people guarded the entrance of the tunnel through which the sun passed each night. They warned him to run as fast as he could through the darkness for 12 hours. If he didn't reach the exit by then, the sun would overtake and incinerate him. Gilgamesh barely emerged in the God’s eastern garden in the nick of time. There, Siduri, Goddess of wine and wisdom, warned him against seeking Utnapishtim and advised him to remain and enjoy life. Though tempted, Gilgamesh persisted, convincing Urshanabi the boatman to help across the sea. Finally, Gilgamesh met the old Utnapishtim on his island, who explained that long ago, when he was a King of Eridu, the five ancient Gods summoned a flood. Ea, a friend to humanity, warned Utnapishtim to prepare. When the storms came, the Gods regretted their decision. Only Utnapishtim and his kin survived in his boat. Though displeased, Enlil, true to his word, blessed Utnapishtim and his family with immortality and settled them on the island. Utnapishtim set a test for Gilgamesh: if he could stay awake for seven days, perhaps the Gods would let him escape death. But, exhausted by the journey, Gilgamesh fell asleep immediately. Each day he slept, Utnapishtim's wife baked a loaf of bread and placed it by the Gilgamesh as proof, which ended when Utnapishtim awakened him. Now Gilgamesh despaired that he had failed the immortality test. Sympathetic Utnapishtim offered Gilgamesh a consolation prize, directing him to dive the sea for a plant that renewed youth. Gilgamesh sunk into the deep water and retrieved the plant. He and Urshanabi departed for Uruk, where Gilgamesh planned to regain his untroubled youth. A day from home, they paused at an oasis, and as Gilgamesh bathed, a snake stole the plant, leaving behind its skin. Gilgamesh realized he was gladder now that he would not return to his wicked state before the life lessons of adventure. They reached home at long last, where Gilgamesh proudly showed Urshanabi his people's land. It was then the now wise and humble King finally realized that the true pride of Gilgamesh was never in his daring exploits, but in the magnificent city of Uruk.
Ayeeee there my fellow Captain and welcome to A-P! Hope you enjoy your time here! ^_^
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And I really would like to know how you like A-P so far!
Hello and welcome on Anime-Planet. I hope you enjoy your time here and if you need any help with the site or you're just bored and want to chat, leave me a comment. (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧