Prologue

The Prologue highlights Gilgamesh's unique origin as a creation of the gods: being the offspring of a goddess and a human, he is partly divine. He is the strongest and wisest among humans, known for his prowess as a builder and as the king of the magnificent city of Uruk. The Prologue sets the narrative in ancient times, "the days before the flood" (1.61), when Gilgamesh himself inscribed the entire story on stone.

1. The Coming of Enkidu

Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, is the mightiest of men but rules harshly and unkindly. The citizens of Uruk complain to Anu, the god of Uruk, who then asks Aruru, the goddess of creation, to craft an equal or "second self" (1.62) to challenge Gilgamesh and bring peace to the people. Aruru creates Enkidu from the raw elements of nature. Enkidu, a wildly strong, uncivilized "wild man" with long hair and rugged features, roams with animals and eats grass. A trapper spots Enkidu at a watering hole and reports the wild man's interference with his traps to his father. The father advises him to inform Gilgamesh about this wild man. Gilgamesh provides a temple courtesan to tame Enkidu. The woman embraces Enkidu, cleans and clothes him, and teaches him the ways of civilization. When Enkidu arrives in Uruk, Gilgamesh postpones his impending marriage to Ishtar, the goddess of love, to meet Enkidu, who has challenged him, in the streets. They engage in a fight, and after Gilgamesh overpowers Enkidu, they embrace and become friends.

2. The Forest Journey

Enlil, the father of the gods, decrees that Gilgamesh's fate is to be a king and accomplish great deeds, but Enkidu feels "oppressed by [the] idleness" (1.70) of life in Uruk. To establish an enduring legacy, to "leave behind me a name that endures" (1.71), Gilgamesh decides to journey with Enkidu to the Land of the Cedars to slay its guardian, the formidable giant Humbaba. Gilgamesh prepares for the expedition by offering a sacrifice to Shamash, who grants him the natural elements as allies; forging a set of powerful weapons, including an axe, bow, and shield; and seeking the blessing of his mother Ninsun, who adopts Enkidu as her own. Now brothers as well as companions, Gilgamesh and Enkidu embark on their journey. Along the way, Gilgamesh experiences three dreams which, though terrifying, predict a successful outcome for their quest. Humbaba, the guardian of the cedars, can detect the slightest movement from miles away and wields seven terrifying "splendors" as weapons. Upon reaching the grove, Gilgamesh and Enkidu provoke Humbaba by cutting down one of the sacred trees. After an intense battle, Gilgamesh defeats Humbaba, who pleads for his life. Gilgamesh almost spares him, but heeds Enkidu's warning and decapitates the giant. They present Humbaba's head to Enlil, who is furious at their actions.

3. Ishtar and Gilgamesh, and the Death of Enkidu

Following Gilgamesh's victory over Humbaba, Ishtar proposes marriage to him, promising numerous luxurious gifts. Gilgamesh firmly rejects her proposal due to her "abominable behaviour" (1.87), aware of how cruelly she has treated her past lovers, often transforming them into animals. Angered, Ishtar implores her parents, Anu and Antum, to unleash the Bull of Heaven upon Uruk and Gilgamesh. Together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu slay the bull, further solidifying their legendary status and prowess. Subsequently, Enkidu dreams of a divine council decreeing his death as punishment for their actions. Enkidu falls ill, cursing the trapper and courtesan who led him to civilization. However, Shamash reminds him of the benefits that resulted from their actions. Enkidu then dreams of the underworld and its inhabitants, which Gilgamesh interprets as a death omen. Enkidu succumbs to his illness after several days, and Gilgamesh mourns for seven days, delivering a heartfelt lament and erecting a noble statue in his friend's honor.

4. The Search for Everlasting Life

Overcome with grief, Gilgamesh embarks on a long journey to unravel the mysteries of life, particularly the secret of immortality. He sets out to find Utnapishtim, "the Faraway," his ancient ancestor who "has entered the assembly of the gods" (1.97) and attained eternal life. Stricken by Enkidu's death and his own newfound awareness of mortality, Gilgamesh traverses the formidable mountains of Mashu, which serve as the gateway to the afterlife where the sun sets. He defeats a pride of lions and then encounters the terrifying Scorpion-Demon and his mate, who guard Mashu. After persuading them to let him pass, Gilgamesh travels through twelve leagues of darkness (24 hours) before reaching the garden of the gods. There, he meets Shamash, the sun god, who discourages his quest; Siduri, the goddess of wine and vines, who advises him to "dance and be merry, feast and rejoice" (1.102); and finally, Urshanabi, the ferryman of Utnapishtim, who initially deems the quest futile but ultimately agrees to take him to Utnapishtim. Gilgamesh recounts his journey, Enkidu's death, and his quest for immortality. In response to Gilgamesh's inquiries about eternal life, Utnapishtim bluntly states, "There is no permanence" (1.196). Despite this, Gilgamesh's persistence leads Utnapishtim to share "a mystery" (1.107) about how he achieved immortality.

5. The Story of the Flood

In the ancient city of Shurrupak on the Euphrates, according to Utnapishtim's tale, the uproar of humanity reaches the gods, disturbing their tranquility. Enlil calls for the gods "to exterminate mankind" (1. 108). The council of the gods agrees, but Ea secretly warns Utnapishtim in a dream about the impending flood. To protect her favorite, Ea instructs Utnapishtim to build a boat and "take up into the boat the seed of all living creatures" (1. 108). Utnapishtim constructs a boat with seven decks in seven days. After loading it with his family, wealth, craftsmen, and animals, he endures a six-day storm. On the seventh day, the boat grounds, and Utnapishtim releases three birds one after another. A dove and a swallow return, but a raven does not, signaling the presence of dry land. Utnapishtim offers a sacrifice, over which the gods "gathered like flies" (1. 111). Ishtar presents her lavish necklace as a remembrance of the catastrophe, and Enlil compensates for his hasty decision by granting Utnapishtim and his wife immortality.

6. The Return

Utnapishtim tests Gilgamesh's desire for eternal life: "only prevail against sleep for six days and seven nights" (1. 114). Gilgamesh, however, quickly succumbs to sleep due to his exhaustion. To demonstrate Gilgamesh's slumber, Utnapishtim has his wife bake a loaf of bread for each of the seven days Gilgamesh sleeps. When Utnapishtim wakes Gilgamesh, he sees the proof and despairs, realizing more clearly than ever that "death inhabits my room" (1. 115). Utnapishtim then curses Urshanabi for bringing Gilgamesh to him and orders Urshanabi to bathe and dress Gilgamesh, who is filthy and clothed in skins. Utnapishtim's wife pleads with Utnapishtim not to send Gilgamesh away empty-handed. In response, Utnapishtim reveals the location of a secret underwater plant that will "restore his lost youth to a man" (1. 116). Gilgamesh retrieves the plant and plans to take it back to Uruk. However, when Gilgamesh stops at an oasis to bathe, a serpent steals and eats the plant, sheds its skin, and vanishes. Gilgamesh laments the loss—his final chance for immortality—and returns to Uruk. There, he engraves his exploits in stone to commemorate his greatness.

7. Death of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh has fulfilled his destiny as king, but his dream of eternal life remains unfulfilled. The narrative concludes with a lament on Gilgamesh's mortality, a description of his funerary rites, and a tribute to Gilgamesh: his family, his servants, the city of Uruk, and the pantheon of gods all mourn his loss.