The Epic Of Gilgamesh | A FULL BREAKDOWN

When you consider who the most powerful hero in the history of the world's various mythologies is, some names may come immediately to mind, such as Heracles of Greek origin and Beowulf of Germanic origin. However, the true answer may just lie within one of the oldest surviving texts ever discovered from the Middle East. Today, we'll discuss the famed Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, including its discovery, the wild and inspiring story of Gilgamesh, and how later religious texts likely borrowed elements of the story in the creation of their own tales. Without further ado, let's take a deep dive into the history, tale, and legacy of the Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest surviving works of literature from ancient Mesopotamia, and tells the history and story of Gilgamesh, the famed king of Uruk. The epic poem is made up of a number of smaller poem texts, and the story was first discovered in the 18th century BC. Later, a more complete version of the story was found on 12 tablets left behind in the ruins of 7th century Assyrian king Ashurbanipal's library. The Epic of Gilgamesh is widely considered to be a foundational piece of modern-day religion and heroic tradition stories. Gilgamesh even formed the mold for heroes introduced much later in history, such as Greece's Heracles, and the story of Homer's Epics. There are also a number of religious stories found in texts such as the Bible and the Quran that bear striking resemblance to portions of Gilgamesh's story. The Epic of Gilgamesh is not unlike many other heroic tales. It begins with a flawed protagonist who is wrapped up in his own ego and desires. Along his journey to achieve immortality, however, Gilgamesh evolves as a character and is empowered to become the hero he was destined to be. Although the story ends in disappointment for the hero, the riveting tale is full of bravery, action, and character development. According to the story told in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh was a heroic legend of ancient Mesopotamia, with tales of his legendary conquests filling the tablets of the famous poem. There is even proof that there was a time during the early dynastic period where Gilgamesh was actually worshipped as a god by the people of Mesopotamia, and in the 21st century BCE, King Utu-Hengol of Uruk actually claimed the folk hero as his deity of choice. In the epic poem bearing his name, Gilgamesh was a true hero's hero, adventurous and brave in spirit, and an overcomer of the odds. He was two-thirds a god, one-third a man, and his conquest rivaled any hero to come after him. However, in reality, it is now likely determined by historians that Gilgamesh was actually a historical king of Uruk, an ancient Sumerian city-state. His rule likely took place between 2900 and 2350 BCE, and a couple of recovered ancient texts, including the Tamil Inscription, written somewhere between 1950 and 1920 BCE, makes mention of Gilgamesh's reign as Uruk's king. Gilgamesh was born being part god. His father, Lugalbanda, was the half-god ruler of Uruk, and his mother was a goddess named Ninsun. Being a demigod came with certain powers, these included being a strong and powerful builder and warrior, along with being lorded as a knower of all things, both on dry land and abroad at sea. His strength is displayed early on in the story, as in Tablet 2, he and foe-turned-friend Enkidu endure a test of strength, in which Gilgamesh is the victor. Being a demigod meant he was the most powerful man in the world, and in battle, he could overpower any foe and even move mountains. He had no fear of either man or beast, and did as he pleased, even if it meant harming his people. As you can imagine, this caused him to have a hubris, and as a result, the gods determined that Gilgamesh requires a challenge, and this challenge came in the form of Enkidu. Later on, after rejecting the marriage proposal of Ishtar, goddess of love, she sends a divine bull to attack him in retaliation. Gilgamesh overcomes the obstacle, showcasing his otherworldly strength. He also later completes a dangerous and arduous journey to visit Utnapishtim, the lone survivor of the Great Babylonian Flood, in search of a youth-renewing plant. Time and time again throughout the epic of Gilgamesh, the protagonist's strength and power are displayed through both physical combat, as well as a high level of determination and grit. The central theme of the epic poem depicting Gilgamesh's epic life is his eternal quest to achieve immortality. While he was part god, he was also part human, meaning that eventually, as all humans do, he would perish. However, unable to come to terms with that reality, Gilgamesh becomes hell-bent on finding a mythical plant, one that would grant him eternal youthfulness, and thus become immortal. Through his journey, Gilgamesh overcomes the odds from fighting the bull of the heaven to defeating Humbaba, the demon ogre of the cedar forest, and successfully ends up visiting Utnapishtim, the lone survivor of the Babylonian Flood, to speak with him about the whereabouts of the plant he desires. While Utnapishtim gives Gilgamesh the correct advice, and he eventually finds and acquires the plant, all is lost when a serpent unexpectedly steals the plant away from him, sending Gilgamesh back home to Uruk, empty-handed and as mortal as ever. While Gilgamesh failed in his attempt to achieve physical immortality, he succeeded in leaving a lasting legacy that is still discussed today. The fact that this video is even being made is proof that the legacy of his epic life lives on long after his physical body perished. The moral of the story of Gilgamesh, and something he realised after returning to Uruk without the mythical plant, was that he needed to find appreciation for what he did have, where before he was so wrapped up in his pursuit of living forever, he now saw beauty in the life he had been blessed with. Things like the Sumerian sun reflecting off of the walls of Uruk, the gardens that were constructed under his watch, and the temples used to praise the gods became proof to him that he had achieved a sense of immortality after all, one of legacy. Because of this, Gilgamesh returned to Uruk a changed man, a better man, and used that transformation to become a better king and ruler of his people as well. Gilgamesh's story is proof that people's lives are only as good as the legacy they leave behind them once they are gone. Temporary highs and material possessions only satisfy so much of a human's desire to live wholly and fully, and upon realising that he too would wither away like all humans before him, Gilgamesh's full attention turned to doing the most good he could in the time he had on the Earth. Another important note to make is that Gilgamesh bears a striking resemblance to a character of the Bible, Nimrod. While Nimrod is only mentioned in seven Bible passages, he is noted as a great-grandson of Noah and his Hebrew name translates to rebel. In Genesis 10.8.12, it is stated that Nimrod was a great and mighty warrior and was a mighty hunter before the Lord. It also states that the first centres of Nimrod's kingdom were, among other places, Uruk. Along with other passages later on in the Old Testament, many biblical scholars have drawn the conclusion that Nimrod was actually the basis of the Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh is still widely discussed and taught in schools worldwide for a reason, not only for its historical importance, being one of the earliest found recordings of a literary work, but also for the important lessons it teaches. Widely regarded as the first recorded epic hero story, the legacy of the epic poem lives on, centuries after it was initially scripted on its original tablets. What do you think? Have you read the Epic of Gilgamesh? Do you believe it is the greatest epic ever written? Be sure to let me know in the comments. And as always, please like and subscribe for more content just like this. See you in the next video.