The Epic of Gilgamesh: Crash Course World Mythology #26

This week, we're continuing our discussion of heroes by talking about Gilgamesh, star of one of the earliest written hero stories, The Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was a terrible ancient king who left his kingdom seeking adventure, and eventually on the prowl for immortality. Along the way, he checks pretty much all the boxes on the checklist of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey.

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[fjoa]

Gilgamesh, went out seeking inmortality and failed. Still we talk about him 4500 years after.

[darjeelingfed]

So when does he get his golden armor and start throwing swords out of mini portals?

[nyarlathotep]

I'm a Sumerologist and just want to clear a few things up:
1) it's called "Sumer", not "Sumeria"
2) The oldest Gilgamesh story in text form we have is from ca. 2700 BCE; also, the Sumerian Gilgamesh (semiticised from Bilgames) is a different collection of stories than the later Babylonian ones, with a very different emphasis.
3) The 2/3 deity thing can be calculated when considering that his father, Lugalbanda, is also of divine descent (Sun god).
4) It's a cedar forest that Gilgamesh and Enkidu wander into to kill the guardian of the forest. They did that because Gilgamesh wanted the wood, as Mesopotamia is more or less resources-free.
5) The reason Shamash helps is because he is related to Gilgamesh.
6) Siduri is not the goddess of beer and wisdom. That would be Ninkasi.
7) Lovely choice of images, but from a professional perspective it's all a bit of a jumble.
8) You are forgetting the beginning and the end. Gilgamesh in the Standard Babylonian version begins, after the beautiful words "He Who Saw the Deep", with a description of the city of Uruk, particularly its wall and quarters and gardens. At the end, when he returns from Ūta-napištim, he is accompanied by the ferryman. They arrive at Uruk, and Gilgamesh is proud to show the foreigner his city, and the same words are used. It's the focus on what man can achieve if he is okay with being, well, man. This is also echoed in Siduri's words to Gilgamesh, reminding him of the things that are human: falling in love, laughing, raising a child and living on forever through your work and offspring.


This is the first of your videos that I am watching, and besides for the few points up there, I really enjoyed it! It's wonderful to know that the love of mythology has not died out yet :)

I would be interested in your take on Adapa and the South Wind.

[charlotteniblett]

Ishtar: Marry me!
Gilgamesh: B E G O N E T H O T

[lolieimi]

Wow this is pretty epic someone should make an anime with this guy

[MWhaleK]

The reason Gilgamesh refused Ishtar is that she was well known for killing her lovers or them simply dying when she was done with them.

[witchmacadamia]

Fate fans: I can't spam the comments without get closer.

Mythology students: What the hell is Fate!?

[gabe]

You forgot to mention the Gates of Babylon, Ea, Enuma Elish, the golden armor, and his interactions with King Arthur.

[xXNickFosterXx]

You forgot to explain his Gate of Babylon and his ultimate weapon, Ea

[MW_Asura]

*sees Gilgamesh in the titles*
Fate fans: *Allows us to introduce ourselves*

[littleblu]

Gilgamesh rejects the Goddess because he has a perfectly good "wrestling buddy" in Enkidu

[Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

*Urshanabi:* "Wait! That's my boat and my things of stone!"
*Gilgamesh:* "Your things...ARE MY THINGS!"
*Urshanabi:* "He's the biggest bully in human history..."
Also, I see he was carrying a bow, earlier. Hmm. The Archer Class really is made up of archers.

[VoidRat]

What about the time Gilgamesh tried to have King Arthur marry him?

[SamGarcia]

Like Gilgamesh said: "I am the rules."

[lonelyisamanwithoutlove]

You forgot to mention that he had a thing with King Arthur

[lite]

How dare these mongrels pass judgement on the King?

[tibiademon]

"beer and wisdom, two things that don't often go together"

Odin would like to have a word with you

[sampson]

Didn't mention how Enkidu was created. This is important because he was made to rival Gilgamesh.

Didn't mention that Humbaba's name translates to "Hugeness".

Didn't mention that Gilgamesh didn't want to kill Humbaba.

Didn't mention that Gilgamesh insulted Ishtar and that's why the whole bull scene happened.

No mentions of the many dreams in this story that tell the future.

Didn't mention that Enkidu told Gilgamesh that immortality was not his destiny.

I understand that not everything can be covered in these episodes but all of these things are important to the story and could be mentioned in passing.

[edua]

“I shall offer this one strike as the ceremony of separation!"
"I speak of the beginning. Heaven and earth are divided and nothingness celebrates Creation. My Sword of Rupture rends the world apart."
"The vortex that turns the stars, this heavenly hell signifies the end of the eve of genesis. Subside with death!"
"Enuma Elish!”

[AbhishekSingh-gkgh]

What about the time when gilgamesh, king Arthur and Alexander the great had a banquet and gil showed them what true booz is all about