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

Death of Bilgames: Bilgames has a dream where the gods decide that he cannot be immortal, however he should become one of the Anunna and judge the shades in the netherworld. Gilgamesh diverts the Euphrates, builds a tomb on its bed, lies in it to die and then covers the tomb with water again. This tale ties together a lot of the other ideas and themes found throughout the other parts of the epic

“In those days”: One of the most readable and enjoyable of the Bilgames tales and also the funniest, albeit unintentionally. Funny things of note are Bilgames making a mallet and ball from Inanna’s tree and playing with them with men of Uruk, including piggybacking for some reason and the women of Uruk get pissed. Enkidu throws a stick at some shades in the netherworld which pisses them off

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 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