Ancient Mesopotamia: An Enthralling Overview of Mesopotamian History, Starting from Eridu through the Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Hittites, and Persians to Alexande by History Enthralling

Author:History, Enthralling
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-04-25T00:00:00+00:00

This terracotta wall panel from Ur, circa 2027–1763, depicts Enkidu.

(Credit: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Enkidu,_Gilgamesh%27s_friend._From_Ur,_Iraq._2027-1763_BCE._Iraq_Museum.jpg

Enkidu agreed to accompany Shamhat to Uruk to challenge Gilgamesh and change the order of things. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh dreamed that a meteorite fell from the sky and landed next to him. His goddess mother told him the meteorite represented the most rugged man in the land who would be his comrade.

On their way to Uruk, Shamhat took Enkidu to some shepherds, who put food and beer in front of him. Shamhat showed him how to eat human food. Enkidu drank seven mugs of beer until his face glowed, and he sang with joy! Then he bathed, rubbed oil on himself, and became human.

One shepherd told Enkidu of Gilgamesh’s dastardly habit of raping the brides before their husbands could make love to them. This enraged Enkidu, and he stormed to Uruk, where a wedding had just taken place. He blocked the door to the bridal chamber, keeping Gilgamesh out. The two fought fiercely. The doorposts trembled, and the walls shook. After they wore each other out fighting, they kissed and became friends.

Forgetting the bride, they started talking about the ferocious monster Humbaba, the guardian of the cedars of Lebanon. With their joint strength, they determined to kill Humbaba. Hand in hand, they went to the forge to have weapons made. The Uruk elders counseled Gilgamesh not to be too foolhardy and told Enkidu to protect him. They then went to Gilgamesh’s goddess mother, Ninsun, asking her to intercede with the sun god Shamash on their behalf.

The two men strode off, walking fifty leagues a day until they reached Lebanon. That night, Gilgamesh had a frightening dream that a mountain had fallen on him. Enkidu interpreted the dream to mean the mountain represented Humbaba, the monster, and that they would capture and kill him. For the next three nights, Gilgamesh had disturbing nightmares: a wild bull, a bolt of lightning, a tall, fearful creature. Each time, Enkidu assured him the dreams meant they would triumph over Humbaba.

On the fifth night, Gilgamesh had another disturbing dream. Tears were streaming down his face, but before he told the dream to Enkidu, the sun god Shamash warned them it was time to fight Humbaba. “Hurry! Don’t let him enter the forest and hide in the thickets. He’s only wearing one coat of armor, not all seven!”

Gilgamesh and Enkidu lunged at the Humbaba monster. Humbaba scoffed at them. “An idiot and a moron! Enkidu, you son of a fish! You don’t even know your own father! I saw you when you were young but didn’t bother you. Now you’ve brought Gilgamesh, an enemy! A stranger! I will feed your flesh to the screeching vultures!”

Just then, the ground shook, and they whirled around to see Mount Hermon split open. The clouds suddenly darkened, and the sun god Shamash sent thirteen winds against Humbaba. Locked in place by the winds, the monster begged Gilgamesh for his life.

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