Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh: There is There is Nothing We Should FearNothing We Should Fear

FeracoFeraco

SDAIESDAIE

16 September 201316 September 2013

Once Enkidu comes in from the Steppe, his Once Enkidu comes in from the Steppe, his first meeting with Gilgamesh is charged with first meeting with Gilgamesh is charged with conflict. conflict.

It’s perhaps unrealistic to believe that It’s perhaps unrealistic to believe that Enkidu would take such great offense at Enkidu would take such great offense at Gilgamesh’s treatment of Uruk’s new brides, Gilgamesh’s treatment of Uruk’s new brides, considering he wouldn’t exactly be familiar considering he wouldn’t exactly be familiar with the institution of marriage after spending with the institution of marriage after spending his entire life with the animals. his entire life with the animals.

But by positing Enkidu as Gilgamesh’s But by positing Enkidu as Gilgamesh’s opponent, the poet(s) (whoever he was or they opponent, the poet(s) (whoever he was or they were) can underscore the tyrannical and were) can underscore the tyrannical and unnatural nature of what the king does. unnatural nature of what the king does.

Enkidu revolts against Gilgamesh’s Enkidu revolts against Gilgamesh’s behavior for the same reason Gilgamesh behavior for the same reason Gilgamesh revolts against death: because both seem like revolts against death: because both seem like gross violations of what should be the natural gross violations of what should be the natural order. order.

While Mason’s translation shows While Mason’s translation shows the battle between the two ending in the battle between the two ending in a draw – and he has his reasons for a draw – and he has his reasons for portraying the fight that way – some portraying the fight that way – some translations feature Gilgamesh translations feature Gilgamesh emerging victorious; others have emerging victorious; others have Enkidu carrying the day. Enkidu carrying the day.

Regardless of who wins, Regardless of who wins, however, the two are now bound to however, the two are now bound to each other. each other.

They’ve tested each other’s They’ve tested each other’s strength and courage and deemed strength and courage and deemed their counterpart worthy of their their counterpart worthy of their company. company.

Then, in whiplash fashion, the Then, in whiplash fashion, the narrative shifts towards the battle in the narrative shifts towards the battle in the forest with Humbaba.forest with Humbaba.

This doesn’t seem to be the result of This doesn’t seem to be the result of a missing tablet, but rather the manner in a missing tablet, but rather the manner in which the poet(s) felt like telling the which the poet(s) felt like telling the story. story.

The abrupt nature of the switch, and The abrupt nature of the switch, and the disorientation that accompanies it, the disorientation that accompanies it, nicely reflects the apparent arbitrariness nicely reflects the apparent arbitrariness of Gilgamesh’s quest (Shamash urged him of Gilgamesh’s quest (Shamash urged him to kill Humbaba in his dreams), as well as to kill Humbaba in his dreams), as well as his fickle personality. his fickle personality.

But the quest isn’t as arbitrary as it But the quest isn’t as arbitrary as it seems.seems.

Mason doesn’t spend a lot of time Mason doesn’t spend a lot of time explaining why Gilgamesh wants to go explaining why Gilgamesh wants to go fight the forest guardian, but other fight the forest guardian, but other translations paint a fuller picture.translations paint a fuller picture.

Technically, Humbaba’s a creature of Technically, Humbaba’s a creature of pure evil; Enlil just happens to enlist him pure evil; Enlil just happens to enlist him to do “good” work, namely by defending to do “good” work, namely by defending the Cedar Forest from men who would the Cedar Forest from men who would destroy it. destroy it.

But this isn’t enough to clear But this isn’t enough to clear Humbaba in Shamash’s eyes; the god Humbaba in Shamash’s eyes; the god makes it his mission to eradicate evil from makes it his mission to eradicate evil from the planet, and he can’t accomplish that the planet, and he can’t accomplish that while the forest guardian lives. while the forest guardian lives.

So Shamash goes to Gilgamesh in So Shamash goes to Gilgamesh in his dreams, convincing him to attack his dreams, convincing him to attack Humbaba while the king sleeps; this is Humbaba while the king sleeps; this is why Ninsun curses him for giving her son why Ninsun curses him for giving her son a restless heart.a restless heart.

And you see that Gilgamesh isn’t And you see that Gilgamesh isn’t driven by pure bloodlust when they cut driven by pure bloodlust when they cut down cedars along the way in order to down cedars along the way in order to make a giant door for the gods. make a giant door for the gods.

In his waking thoughts, Gilgamesh is In his waking thoughts, Gilgamesh is convinced he’s following the right course convinced he’s following the right course of action, and – Enkidu’s objections aside of action, and – Enkidu’s objections aside – he really has no reason to doubt that – he really has no reason to doubt that conclusion. conclusion.

As it so happens, by going into the As it so happens, by going into the forest to destroy its guardian, forest to destroy its guardian, Gilgamesh’s best-case scenario – kill Gilgamesh’s best-case scenario – kill Humbaba! – leaves him pleasing one god Humbaba! – leaves him pleasing one god (Shamash) while seriously angering (Shamash) while seriously angering another (Enlil) – and we don’t even want another (Enlil) – and we don’t even want to contemplate the worst-case scenario. to contemplate the worst-case scenario.

This is how the coin-flip game relates This is how the coin-flip game relates to to Gilgamesh:Gilgamesh: Our hero doesn’t know what Our hero doesn’t know what heads or tails stand for, has no idea what heads or tails stand for, has no idea what any of the three values in play could be, any of the three values in play could be, yet chooses to flip the coin anyway. yet chooses to flip the coin anyway.

To be fair, it should be noted that he To be fair, it should be noted that he doesn’t think the heads-tails scenario doesn’t think the heads-tails scenario applies to his decision – again, he thinks applies to his decision – again, he thinks he’s doing the right thing, which makes he’s doing the right thing, which makes this less a chance worth taking and more this less a chance worth taking and more an action one must commit.an action one must commit.

It is Humbaba who has taken your It is Humbaba who has taken your strength,strength,

Gilgamesh spoke out, anxiousGilgamesh spoke out, anxious

For the journey. We must kill himFor the journey. We must kill him

And end his evil power over us.And end his evil power over us.

No, Enkidu cried; it is the journeyNo, Enkidu cried; it is the journey

That will take away our life.That will take away our life.

Don’t be afraid, said Gilgamesh.Don’t be afraid, said Gilgamesh.

We are together. There is nothingWe are together. There is nothing

We should fear.We should fear.

When Enkidu’s attempts to When Enkidu’s attempts to reason with Gilgamesh fall on deaf reason with Gilgamesh fall on deaf ears, the king tells the Elders of ears, the king tells the Elders of Uruk that he intends to slay Uruk that he intends to slay Humbaba. Humbaba.

At this point, a curious At this point, a curious interaction takes place.interaction takes place.

Gilgamesh justifies his actions Gilgamesh justifies his actions by insisting that “the youth of Uruk by insisting that “the youth of Uruk need this fight,” and the old men, need this fight,” and the old men, flush with memories of long-ago flush with memories of long-ago glories, agree to his plan. glories, agree to his plan.

This short exchange, easily skipped, This short exchange, easily skipped, reminds us again of the stagnation that reminds us again of the stagnation that has taken root in Uruk.has taken root in Uruk.

These Elders are no longer fighters, These Elders are no longer fighters, and the real fighters, the youth of the and the real fighters, the youth of the city, grow restless from lack of fighting. city, grow restless from lack of fighting.

In short, Gilgamesh is not the only In short, Gilgamesh is not the only one lacking purpose; through his one lacking purpose; through his capriciousness and tyranny, he has capriciousness and tyranny, he has robbed others of theirs as well, as robbed others of theirs as well, as though he were spreading a contagion though he were spreading a contagion throughout his population.throughout his population.

Then an even odder thing Then an even odder thing follows: once the Elders agree that follows: once the Elders agree that Gilgamesh should slay the monster, Gilgamesh should slay the monster, he and Enkidu venture out alone.he and Enkidu venture out alone.

None of the youth of Uruk, None of the youth of Uruk, those who supposedly “need the those who supposedly “need the fight” most, fight with him! fight” most, fight with him!

What was Gilgamesh arguing if What was Gilgamesh arguing if he never intended for the young he never intended for the young warriors to join him?warriors to join him?

We see here the idea of We see here the idea of revitalization by proxy, revitalization by proxy, as well as the as well as the connection a ruler was supposed to have connection a ruler was supposed to have to his realm. to his realm.

As the king goes, so goes his city. As the king goes, so goes his city. (We saw this idea expressed literally (We saw this idea expressed literally earlier, with the walls Gilgamesh allowed earlier, with the walls Gilgamesh allowed to fall into disrepair.) to fall into disrepair.)

If Gilgamesh is able to regain his If Gilgamesh is able to regain his purpose, to win glory and death-beating purpose, to win glory and death-beating fame, the benefits supposedly carry over fame, the benefits supposedly carry over to the rest of his people, and Uruk will to the rest of his people, and Uruk will be renewed. be renewed.

This is a surprisingly common idea in This is a surprisingly common idea in a lot of old literature, and even some a lot of old literature, and even some relatively contemporary works.relatively contemporary works.

T.S. Eliot’s T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, The Waste Land, for for example, uses the wounded, impotent example, uses the wounded, impotent Fisher King as a metaphor for the Fisher King as a metaphor for the degeneration of modern society in the degeneration of modern society in the wake of the Great War.wake of the Great War.

We even get hints of this idea earlier We even get hints of this idea earlier in the epic, during Enkidu’s battle with in the epic, during Enkidu’s battle with Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh.

The citizens of Uruk cheer lustily The citizens of Uruk cheer lustily when their king’s equal proves his worth: when their king’s equal proves his worth: they aren’t rooting for their king to lose, they aren’t rooting for their king to lose, but for new blood and purpose to take but for new blood and purpose to take root. root.

So Gilgamesh goes out to overcome the So Gilgamesh goes out to overcome the monster, and the book does an oddly monster, and the book does an oddly effective job of positioning it within the effective job of positioning it within the archetypal context of saving a province or archetypal context of saving a province or nation.nation.

His victory is the City’s, for victory brings His victory is the City’s, for victory brings them life they otherwise miss. them life they otherwise miss.

The adventure also begs some questions The adventure also begs some questions that, while more relevant to the ancient that, while more relevant to the ancient cultures that produced the epic, remain cultures that produced the epic, remain interesting in the modern age. interesting in the modern age.

Do we Do we needneed enemies? enemies? Would we stagnate without conflict? Would we stagnate without conflict? And what’s the relationship between the And what’s the relationship between the

fortunes of a society and those of its leaders? fortunes of a society and those of its leaders? What What shouldshould it be? it be?

As they head out, Enkidu leads As they head out, Enkidu leads the way. the way.

Before doing so, he warns Before doing so, he warns Gilgamesh that they are heading Gilgamesh that they are heading down “a road which you have never down “a road which you have never traveled.” traveled.”

In the context of their In the context of their conversation, Enkidu means that conversation, Enkidu means that he’s never faced something as he’s never faced something as terrible as Humbaba before, and that terrible as Humbaba before, and that Gilgamesh, for all his bravado, will Gilgamesh, for all his bravado, will be shaken to his core when he does. be shaken to his core when he does.

We know better, of course.We know better, of course.

Gilgamesh will indeed Gilgamesh will indeed tremble when he faces the tremble when he faces the monster. monster.

But monsters can be beaten. But monsters can be beaten.

What shakes us to our cores What shakes us to our cores are the things that cannot. are the things that cannot.