Gilgamesh and Enkidu's epic meet cute

Recreating the epic battle that led to an epic partnership.

Hosted by Dr. Moiya McTier & Dr. Emily Zarka, FATE & FABLED explores the stories and characters of mythologies from all around the world - why they came to be and how they impact us still today.

Fate & Fabled is produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.

[paintedpig]

The enemies to lovers trope is truly one of humanities oldest traditions

[DeTAYL.]

Gilgamesh: “Did we just become best friends?”
Enkidu: “Yep!”
Gilgamesh: "Do you wanna do karate in the garage?"
Enkidu: “Yep!”

[parceustheawesome]

The enemies to lovers trope IS as old as storytelling!

[moonchild]

you missed the part where they kissed right after fighting! and then Gilgamesh immediately goes to introduce Enkidu to his mom, lol.

[JimmyCerra]

Gilgamesh and Enkidu at Uruk.

The new friends went out into the desert together, where the Great Bull of Heaven was killing men by the hundreds. Enkidu caught the Bull by the tail. Gilgamesh struck him with his sword.

They were victorious. But Enkidu fell to the ground, struck down by the gods. Gilgamesh wept bitter tears, saying, "He who was my companion, through adventure and hardship, is gone forever."

[spacedustcowboy]

I’ll never forget reading this in college and saying the only thing keeping it from being a bromance was that in our version they were brothers

[Neuvost]

wasn't there more smooching involved?

[LunDruid]

Beauty and the Beast.
Enemies to Lovers.
Truly, tales as old as time. 😂

[Caterfree]

World’s first slash ship right there y’all. BD

[mildredhuertas]

I’m starting to see this story in a new light

[Wolfcreed]

I'm pretty sure that's how all Irish men friendships, or men in general friendships start.
Guy 1: I hate you, let's fight!
Guy 2: Let's do this!
(Fighting for a while)
Guy 1: Hay, you ain't to bad. Let's be friends.🤝
Guy 2: Hell's yeah.🤝
It's our love language.

[anaannna]

Gay. Love it. The epic of gilgamesh is on my to read list.

[YoussefMouline-zoit]

So you’re telling me the first story EVER RECORDED was a gay love story…LOVE IT 😭❤

[Holyflowers]

So youre telling me the epic of gilgamesh was the first ever yaoi fanfiction? /j

[GenderFluidDragonKing]

I swear people will say anything just to take away gay / bisexual characters from us like they definitely in the bath house together we're not 5 ft apart because they definitely were gay

[everseekingwisdom]

These stories (myths) are highly complex symbolic allegories.. for example Gilgamesh and Enkidu represent the two nature's of man.. one animal and one divine.. you'll see this theme repeated throughout ancient mythology.. it can be easily seen in the Bible with Jacob and Esau..Jacob is the divine nature and Esau was described as Hairy and wearing animal skins was the animal nature.. know as "the beast " as in number of.. 6 in Judaism means physicality and when something is repeated 3 times like in holy holy holy it means the ultimate of.. so 666 means you are man in body mind and soul.. in other words he has identified solely with the his animal nature..
Other examples.. Castor and Pollux, Hercules and his brother.. etc

[iamdigory]

You have no reason to think that enkidu wasn't based on a real guy. He probably wasn't made from clay by the gods, but he could of existed.

[andiralosh]

"Marriage" what like... good friends?

[Tigerona]

Yes...the epic is actually very Gay...and I'm all for it. :)

[bezbezzebbyson]

Speaking as an Egyptian, strong friendships and strong relationships between things in general are metaphorically called marriges with no sexual undertones. Some sufists and mystics describe their love to god as a marrige it's just a metaphor. I don't think I need to specify I'm not homophobic but these neo-western sexual readings of some old literature are very wrong.