Mark’s Reviews > The Epic of Gilgamesh > Status Update

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

“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

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