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Bilgames and the Bull of Heaven: this differs from the version in the epic in a few ways. Inanna cries out, and her cry is so loud that An relents. Bilgames is unbothered by the bull and finishes his meal. He gives the bull’s remains to the poor of the village. I like the added detail in this version

Bilgames and Huwawa: Version A is fantastic and the best work in this entire collection (at least for now). This text is almost entirely complete. The verse is very readable and while it is repetitious I feel that unlike other Gilgamesh tablets, it serves the poem well, giving it a rhythmic feel. The narrative is also interesting: Bilgames makes a case for sparing Huwawa before Enkidu unexpectedly kills him

The connection between Osiris, Horus, and Ra is interesting. I like the myth that the sun descends into the netherworld when it sets to join its father Osiris

“The Envoys of Akka”: The elders of Uruk tell Bilgames that they should submit to his nephew Akka, king of Kish. Bilgames convinces the young men of Uruk that they should fight. His royal bodyguard Birhurturra is sent to Akka to “confound his good sense”. Akka beats him. Uruk attacks Kish’s army and wins. Bilgames defers to Akka, saying he gave him refuge and he lets Akka return home

The dynastic period began with the consolidation of power by pastoralists in the eastern desert and oases in the western desert near Upper Egypt. They consolidated power mostly by peaceful means such as treaties and marriages in hopes of avoiding conflict with their neighbors. Eventually Upper Egypt absorbed Lower Egypt (for trade reasons?) and began the united dynasty

Tablet XI: Uta-napishtim tells Gilgamesh the story of the flood. Uta-napishtim, with the help of his village, crafted an ark and in doing so saved them from the flood and granted him immortality. He tells Gilgamesh that he should try to go a week without sleep. Gilgamesh falls asleep right away, proving that he can’t beat sleep or death. He travels back to Uruk with Ur-shanabi

Tablet X: Gilgamesh asks the goddess tavern keeper Shiduri how to get to Uta-napishti. She tells him to find Ur-shanabi, the ferryman of Uta-napisti. Gilgamesh sneaks up on Ur-shanabi and the Stone Ones, who man the boat, killing the Stone Ones. He crosses the ocean and the waters of death. Uta-napishti tells Gilgamesh that he lives a lavish life and that by struggling to seek immortality, he is killing himself

Tablet IX: Gilgamesh travels to the Mashu mountains. Two scorpion men guard the gate to the path under the mountain. Gilgamesh tells them of his journey and they allow him passage under the mountains. He travels for 12 double-hours in complete darkness. When he emerges, he is in a forest of trees made from gems

Tablet VIII: Gilgamesh laments Enkidu. Then he goes into his treasury to grab offerings for Enkidu (much of this is fragmentary). Then Gilgamesh makes offerings to the gods

It’s interesting though not surprising that many of the names we use for Egyptian cities and kings are Greek in origin

This is a pretty lengthy introductory chapter but it’s also very good. Surprisingly lots of info on historiography, especially as it relates to Egyptology of course. One interesting tidbit what that historians tend to define an era or civilization by the language used in the source materials. When the Egyptians switched to using Greek, many historians mark this as the end of ancient Egypt

Mieroop states in his introduction that he intends in this book to write an introductory text on ancient Egyptian political history, with some elements of social history. He claims many other introductory books lack academic rigor. This text is written for use in college classes

Tablet VII: Enkidu dreams that the gods Anu, Enlil, Ea, and Shamash assemble. Anu is angered by Gilgamesh’s and Enkidu’s actions and demands that one of them die. Enkidu weeps and curses the hunter and Shamhat. Shamash points out that Shamhat was good to him, so Enkidu blesses her. Enkidu then falls ill and dies

Tablet VI: Ishtar asks Gilgamesh to marry her. Gilgamesh tells the myths of what befell her last lovers. Ishtar goes to Anu, insulted, and asks for the bull of heaven lest she open up the gates to the netherworld and release the dead. She unleashes the bull on Uruk. It drinks its water and kills its people. Enkidu holds the bull while Gilgamesh kills it. They offer it to Shamash and celebrate

Tablet V: Gilgamesh and Enkidu arrive at the forest of cedar. Shamash unleashes 13 storms and Gilgamesh attacks Humbaba. Humbaba insults them both and pleads for his life. Enkidu urges Gilgamesh to kill him and he does so. He takes war trophies. Then Gilgamesh fells the cedars and Enkidu fashions a large door out of one. They sail on a raft with it back down the Euphrates