The Iliad: Book IX

After much of the war has gone on for quiet some time, the warriors of Troy begin to realise their weakness and see the end of the battle is nearing, with their defeat. As they realise this, they also finally see their need for the great warrior Achilles, having great victories in previous battles. 

Agamemnon sees it best to convince Achilles to return to battle alongside the Trojans, acknowledging that they may lose without him. Agamemnon knows of Achilles emotional, rage-filled pride might get in the way of his return. He sends the best of his officers to go to Achilles to convince him to return to battle, along with great gifts (timé) to aid their oratory. Agamemnon selectively chooses Ajax, Odysseus, and Phoenix to go to Achilles' tent.

Upon arrival, Achilles prepares the three a magnificent feast, providing great hospitality. Later in the night, they speak business, the three visitors bring the gifts to Achilles and Agamemnon's message. He initially declines, but then Phoenix, an old friend of Achilles, reminded him of his options, either live and lose honour and glory, or die and gain much of them. He still abstains, committed to his stubbornness and pride. 

The Iliad: Book VI

The gods have abandoned the mortals in their combat, and have thus ceased their intervention. The Acheans have the upper hand in the battle, and the Trojans retreated back into Troy. Nestor senses a great deal of weakness among the Trojans, as they give into the littlest extortion. He suggests that they kill as many Trojans as possible while they are winning. As the Trojans anticipate their defeat, they begin to pray. In the meantime, Paris has withdrawn from fighting claiming it because he is grieving. Hector and Helen quickly push Paris back out into battle. Hector also returns after visiting his wife, Andromache who was watching the battle from afar. She believes that Hector is going to die, and begins to mourn his potential death.

A theme in this book is the importance of bravery and nobility. Between mortals and gods both have a need for these virtues. For example, as Paris avoids war, he is brought to account for his lack of bravery.

A notable piece of poetry in this book is the following lines, from a dialogue between Hector to Paris, "How could anyone fair and just underrate your work in battle? You're a good soldier. But you hang back of your own accord, refuse to fight. And that, that's why the heart inside me aches when I hear our Trojans heap contempt on you, the men who bear such struggled all for you." The idea of rejection of cowardism is evident in this passage. From this calling, Paris agrees to fight alongside Hector.

The Iliad: Book I

The story begins with Chryses, an Apollonian priest, begs to have his daughter, Chryseis, back from Agamemnon, an Achean leader, who took her as a "spoils of war". Chyrses was denied and forcefully driven out of Agamemnon's presence. Chryses prayed to Apollo, his patron god, and Apollo strode down Olympus and began killing the Acheans through a great sickness. Achilles, a prominent soldier of the Acheans, called an assembly among the army, asking also for a soothsayer to figure out why people were dying. Calchas comes to Achilles and reveals the plague as a revenge tactic of Chryses via Apollo. Agamemnon is enraged, but refuses to give back Chryseis unless he has compensation, which is concluded to be Briseis. Achilles is offended by the taking of Briseis, and threatens to leave the Achean army. He later confronts Agamemnon, threatening his life. Before Achilles gives Agamemnon an assumably fatal strike, Athena comes down to him and puts reason in his actions. The story ends on Olympus, where Zeus and Hera argue over which of the sides (of the battle) shall win. They are soon loosed from anger with "nectar", as they all fall asleep.

A definite theme in The Iliad is replacement for lost things, as well as the idea of vengeance. Apollo strikes Agamemnon, Agamemnon loses something valuable; he must replace it with something more valuable, Briseis; and Achilles is the one in loss, and he must continue to shift the loss to someone else, and so on. 

A prominent line in Book I is in line 136-139 "What I [Agamemnon] really want is to keep my people safe, not seeing them dying. But fetch me another prize, and straight off too, else I alone of the Argives go without my honour." This text only speaks to the idea of replacement in the Iliad, as it also shows the innocence of Agamemnon. He is not a man who likes to do harm, but to keep people safe. He feels like the only way to keep his people safe is by keeping his honour, by taking all of these "spoils of war".

Summary of Tablet XI

Gilgamesh listens to the story of Uta-napishti, which in short goes along the lines of this:
    Uta-napishti was instructed by the god Ea to build a great boat in order to escape the             wrath of Enlil, who thinks that he needs to wipe out mankind so they will not become immortal like him. He plans to do this through a great flood (or Deluge), that even the gods will be threatened by. After given precise measurements, Uta-napishti builds the boat with some other men. He is instructed to also salvage the creatures of earth by bringing "one of each seed".
After this story, Uta-napishti tells Gilgamesh to test whether he is ready for immortality, he must stay awake for a whole week without sleep. Instead, Gilgamesh sleeps for all seven days, with loaves of bread to prove and to symbolise his failure. After this failed attempt he is instructed to get a plant that will give him immortality. He loses the plant when a snake eats it, he did not trust its potency and wanted to bring it back to Uruk for the old men to try. After these failed attempts, he realises that he will never achieve eternal life, and goes back to Uruk with this new wisdom.

Summary of Tablet X

Before reaching his final destination, Gilgamesh decides to stop at a tavern along the way. He talks to the tavern-keeper, Siduri and asks her for further directions. She directs him to Uta-napishti, by way of finding then asking Urshanabi of his whereabouts. Upon arriving at Urshanabi's place, he is confronted by several creatures, described as 'stone things.' Gilgamesh kills these creatures and realizes later from Urshanabi that they would've made his journey easier. He builds a sail boat of sorts and goes across the body of water where he sees Uta-napishti watching him approach. Uta-napishti asks who he is and what happened to the stone things. Gilgamesh explains what he wants and what happened with his friend Enkidu. Uta-napishti replies that nothings lives forever, explaining that even though he is part deity, he inherited his father's mortality.

Summary of Tablet IX

Gilgamesh, after mourning Enkidu's death, decides to set out on yet another quest. This quest is to find Uta-napishti, the survivor, to find out how to achieve immortality. He must venture very far to reach Uta-napishti, through many treacherous mountains. He comes across two beasts, scorpion-men. The creatures note how only the immortal come across their path in the mountains. Gilgamesh explains that he is seeking immortality. They creatures let him pass through and give him directions to Uta-napishti. As he walks through the mountians, he cannot see before him or behind him. He later finds himself in a light-filled garden with the colours of precious stones.

Summary of Tablet VIII

Gilgamesh is crushed when he begins to except the fact that his friend is dead. He mourns bitterly over Enkidu's body and refuses to give up his body for burial. He calls upon the people of Uruk, who he helped, to mourn Enkidu's death. He makes references to nature when talking of Enkidu's life. Gilgamesh also reflets on all the things he and Enkidu did together. This tablet shows how deep Gilgamesh and Enkidu's relationship was.

Summary of Tablet VII

Tablet VII immediately begins with Enkidu having a prophetic dream, involving a conversation between the deities. Anu is enraged by Gilgamesh and Enkidu's successful attempts to kill Humbaba, cut down the tallest cedar in the Forest, and to kill the Wild Bull. The deities resolve to have one of the two die and it's settles that it is to be Enkidu. Shamash desperately tries to defend Enkidu, but is silenced by the greater gods. Enkidu falls ill, Gilgamesh is heartbroken. Enkidu goes through an interesting phase in which he begins to curse the way in which he came into his circumstances. He curses the hunter that hired Shamhat, and curses Shamhat herself for seducing him into the city. Shamash tells Enkidu that he should be thankful for Shamhat, he agrees and blesses her instead. After Enkidu has another prophetic dream of Gilgamesh's fate, he dies shortly after.

Summary of Tablet VI

In Tablet VI, Gilgamesh and Enkidu had just returned from their quest to defeat Humbaba. Ishtar, patron deity of Uruk and daughter of Anu, comes to Gilgamesh in order to be his bride. Her attraction to Gilgamesh was triggered by his heroic deed of defeating Humbaba in the Cedar Forest. Gilgamesh declines Ishtar's offer and enrages her. She asks the "higher" gods for a wild bull to cause havoc across the land and to kill Gilgamesh. This bull caused a devastating drought throughout the land. But together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu were able to defeat it, offering it to a god. Gilgamesh and Enkidu are considered the bravest men in the land.

Summary of Tablet V

Tablet V starts with Gilgamesh and Enkidu preparing to enter the Cedar Forest, they stand and stare awfully its magnificence and frightening stature. The forest itself seems like sanctuary for Humbaba, as they are both able to smell incense floating in the air. As they enter, Gilgamesh pours flour on the ground as a sacrifice to Shamash (Sun-god), asking him to come to him in a dream for consul. Enkidu and Gilgamesh set up some sort of structure to protect them from the weather. That night Gilgamesh has a dream in which he and Enkidu are walking through some sort of valley. A mountain suddenly falls into the valley and the two die. After Gilgamesh told Enkidu about his dream, Enkidu assured him that the dream's prophesy was to their benefit. They both continue through the forest. Gilgamesh has yet another dream in which he is attacked and conquered by a wild bull, again, Enkidu interprets this as beneficial to them. 
Gilgamesh and Enkidu finally reach Humbaba, and with divine help, achieve the upper-hand. As Humbaba is on the ground under Gilgamesh and Enkidu's blade, Humbaba begins to beg for the sparing of his own life, praising Gilgamesh; mocking Enkidu. Gilgamesh kills Humbaba, bringing his head with them on their way back to Uruk via the river. 

Summary of Tablet III and IV

Tablet III starts with Gilgamesh addressing the people of Uruk. He tells them that he plans to go to the Cedar Forest with Enkidu and defeat the monster Humbaba. Gilgamesh, after preparing for his quest to the Cedar Forest to defeat Humbaba, goes to his mother Nínsun for a blessing. Nínsun is distraught, worrying that Gilgamesh will never return. She goes up to the god Shamash, begging him to help her son and Enkidu with the battle. She goes to Shamash in ornamented dress with incenses. They all participate in an number of religious activities, praising the god Shamash. She wishes her son and Enkidu farewell. The two also consult the elders, partially for permission. Gilgamesh instructs the elders on how to rule while he is absent. While leaving the city, they ask for the young men's blessing. 
In Tablet IV, they begin their long and dangerous journey. Enkidu is still very unsure of the perilousness of this journey. Gilgamesh continues to encourage Enkidu through the journey. Gilgamesh has several dreams during their journey, Enkidu tries to interpret them. Enkidu is also shown building camps along the way for them to rest in. These camps serve as "Dream Houses" for Gilgamesh to dream in. In these ways, Gilgamesh and Enkidu develop their friendship.

Summary of Tablet II

More and more, Shamhat the harlot is introducing Enkidu to the (at the time) modern society. As the two approach a shepherd's camp, Shamhat rips her own garment to share with Enkidu, assumably Enkidu's first time wearing clothes. When they arrive at the camp, the shepherds are astonished at Enkidu's beauty and strength. The shepherds proceed to present a feast to Enkidu, another first for him. He is unable to recognise any of the items before him as food, since he's only been eating from the land. A animal skin full of beer is presented before Enkidu, hesitant at first, Shamhat heavily encourages Enkidu to try it, and soon he has developed a taste for this new beverage. A wedding guest of a local wedding couple comes to Enkidu, explaining the injustice of circumstances that surround the bridegroom. He claims that Gilgamesh will "be with" the bride before the bridegroom. Enraged, Enkidu goes into the city to challenge Gilgamesh. Enkidu obstructs the way to the bride's bedchamber. Gilgamesh then approaches the Enkidu and accepts his challenge, the fight is described as "shaking the walls of the city". They both become tired and they admire each other's strength. An unlikely friendship develops between the two. Nínsun blesses their friendship claiming that Enkidu will be Gilgamesh's new companion. Their journey is to the Cedar Forest where Humbaba, a mighty divinely placed guardian, lives. They prepare by creating armour and weapons.

Summary of Tablet I

The reader is introduced to Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, as a mighty, brave, and heroic ruler. Gilgamesh is, by legend, descended from a great Sumerian family and Nínsun (also known as wild lady cow), who is interestingly enough daughter of the two supreme deities in Sumerian mythology, Anu and Uras. The reader can already assume that Gilgamesh is demi-god, but the author goes on to state that he is "two-thirds god; one-third man". 

The author uses words usually linked with agriculture to describe the greatness of this king. Gilgamesh's strength is affiliated with that of a wild bull (perhaps alluding to his mother's name) and having a head of hair as thick as a field of barley. The beginning of the Tablet describes a great deal about Gilgamesh's wisdom, coming from an unknown source during his [mysterious] journey. The reader, a bit confused, knows very little about the journey, the Deluge, and the superior wisdom at this point in the book.

The story then goes covertly into the past where we meet Gilgamesh, still king of Uruk but not as the heroic kindly king we saw before, but as a tyrant, one who owns his people instead of serving them. He rules his people, enslaves them as objects, with unquestionable strength. The people summon the god Aruru to create another man to challenge Gilgamesh's throne. Aruru takes a pinch of clay and creates Enkidu, described in the same way as Gilgamesh, creating a symmetry of poetic structure. Enkidu is a very mowgliesque character: he is one with nature, running with the wild animals and releasing them from the traps they get ensnared in. Local trappers find it difficult to make a living with Enkidu releasing their animals from their traps. A council of citizens gather and they have the idea of hiring a harlot to seduce Enkidu into the city [of Uruk].

Enkidu having never been to civilisation before, the harlot, Shamhat, becomes Enkidu's introducer to society. Shamhat tells Enkidu of Gilgamesh's tyranny, and Enkidu willingly offers to help. Shamhat warns him of Gilgamesh's superior strength. The Tablet ends with Shamhat telling a prophetic dream of Gilgamesh to Enkidu, which included a prophesy of Gilgamesh and Enkidu's future relationship.

First Impressions

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a intriguing story of a king who is at one point in time, a tyrant, and transforms into a valiant king of wisdom. The reader is given these two aspects of Gilgamesh's character just in the first tablet. I ask myself, "Why should I continue reading a story I already know the ending of?". 

I acknowledge Gilgamesh's transformation wasn't an overnight occurrence, and therefore, these two periods of time of these two very different characteristics [of Gilgamesh] are on the opposite ends of the "plot timeline". Why would anyone read a book that didn't have the many other medial elements of Freytag's Pyramid. The same goes for riding a roller coaster while unconscious, only waking at the end. Or eating a sandwich with out fillings, two slices of bland bread. The same goes with reading a good story.

Linguistically, The Epic of Gilgamesh (translated by Andrew George) has simple vocabulary but complex wording. Other ancient Greek texts I've read tend to be the opposite (simple wording; complex vocabulary). Therefore, a dictionary is not readily needed in this text, but one could be helpful.