Gilgamesh
Summary
Gilgamesh was a mighty warrior who did not control himself, for he terrorized the people. The god Aruru created another man, Enkidu, to challenge Gilgamesh. But instead of being enemies, they became good friends. They would travel together and performed great deeds such as killing Humbaba, chief of the forest. The goddess Ishtar lusted after the great Gilgamesh, so when he spurned her, she sent the Bull of Heaven to ravage the land in revenge. Gilgamesh killed the Bull, and to repay him, the gods killed Enkidu, who had become his dearest friend. Based on a dream of the afterlife and his misery over Enkidu, Gilgamesh decided that all life is worthless, for it ends in sorrow and misery, so he began to wander hopelessly. Eventually, he found his way through many horrors to Utnapishtim, a mortal man who had become immortal. Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh the story of the great flood and how he had become immortal, but Gilgamesh could not achieve this same accomplishment, so he went back home to be memorialized when he died.