Epic of Gilgamesh

A Legend from the Cradle of Civilization 🌍

Long before Homer’s Iliad or the Bible’s Genesis, there was The Epic of Gilgamesh — one of humanity’s first great stories. Carved into clay tablets around 2100 BCE, it tells the adventures of Gilgamesh, the mighty king of Uruk, and his search for meaning, immortality, and friendship.

This story isn't just ancient—it’s timeless.

The questions it raises about life, death, and what makes us truly human still echo today.

Who Was Gilgamesh? 👑

Gilgamesh was said to be two-thirds divine and one-third human — a powerful, almost unstoppable ruler.

But he wasn’t a hero at first. He ruled Uruk with arrogance, leading his people to cry out to the gods for help.

Their solution? Send a wild man named Enkidu to humble him.

Enkidu, created by the gods, was as strong as Gilgamesh. Their initial clash quickly turned into a profound friendship that would define both their lives.

The Journey of Friendship 🤝

Once enemies, Gilgamesh and Enkidu became inseparable.

Together, they undertook dangerous quests to carve their names into history:

🗡️ Defeating Humbaba, the monstrous guardian of the Cedar Forest

🦁 Slaying the Bull of Heaven, sent by the goddess Ishtar after Gilgamesh spurned her advances

These adventures revealed both their strength and their vulnerability, setting the stage for the epic's emotional core.

The Death of Enkidu 💔

The gods, angered by their defiance, condemned Enkidu to death.

Enkidu’s slow, painful demise was a devastating blow to Gilgamesh.

For the first time, the mighty king was faced with something he could not defeat: mortality.

Enkidu’s death triggered Gilgamesh’s obsessive quest for eternal life — a journey that would take him across the known and unknown worlds.

The Search for Immortality 🔥

Driven by fear and grief, Gilgamesh set out to find Utnapishtim, a figure who had survived the Great Flood and been granted immortality by the gods.

Along the way, Gilgamesh faced:

🧩 Guardians of distant lands

🐍 Cunning serpents

🌊 Treacherous waters leading to the ends of the Earth

When he finally met Utnapishtim, he heard a hard truth:

Immortality was not meant for mortals.

Instead, Utnapishtim tested him — and Gilgamesh failed, falling asleep instead of staying awake as a proof of worthiness.

The Secret of Life 🪷

Utnapishtim eventually revealed a secret: a magical plant of rejuvenation hidden at the bottom of the cosmic waters.

Gilgamesh managed to retrieve it — only to lose it when a serpent stole it away while he bathed.

The message was clear: Life is fleeting, and trying to escape death is futile.

Rather than despair, Gilgamesh returned to Uruk, wiser.

He realized that his true legacy would not be in living forever but in building and protecting a great city — his name living on through memory and achievement.

Why The Epic Still Matters 🌟

The Epic of Gilgamesh isn’t just an ancient story.

It’s a mirror reflecting our deepest fears, hopes, and dreams:

🧠 The meaning of life

🕰️ The fear of death

💬 The power of friendship

🏛️ The importance of building something that outlasts you

Its themes have influenced countless later works - from biblical tales to modern novels - and it still speaks to anyone who has ever asked: “What will I leave behind?”

Fun Facts! 🎉

The story was lost for centuries and rediscovered in the 19th century in the ruins of Nineveh.

Parts of it closely resemble the story of Noah’s Flood in the Bible.

Gilgamesh may have been a real historical figure, later Mythologized into legend.

Final Thoughts 🧭

The Epic of Gilgamesh invites us on a profound adventure—not just across mythic landscapes, but into the depths of the human soul.

It reminds us that while life is short, how we live matters.

And maybe, just maybe, the greatest victory isn't defeating death, but embracing life while we have it.

🌿✨

Symposium Discussion Points 🔥

When Organising your Symposium you can use this list of questions to get you started!

• Has the desire for immortality changed until today?

• How does friendship change a person?

• What do we learn about leadership and responsibility on Gilgamesh’s journey?

• How do we react to loss?

• Are Bible stories just later version of stories in the Epic of Gilgamesh?