1. Gilgamesh Gilgamesh (First written in 2100 BC, 1300 years before the Iliad and the Odyssey) is a flood myth that has a lot of the myth elements as well as the hero elements:

2. This image of Gilgamesh comes from Assyria. It shows Gilgamesh subduing a lion, a common pose for the great warrior-king. His long hair and beard also show his strength, as well as his physical perfection. 3. This image of Gilgamesh and Enkidu by modern-day artist Neil Dalrymple is inspired by ancient images of the two friends; notice Enkidu is part-animal, and smaller than the king whom he loves and serves. 4. Enkidu and the Priestess The pattern of wholeness traced in the first two tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh is the following: Enkidu is the one capable to tame the, but only if he could transcend his wilderness without and within. To help Enkidu reach out for the Transcendent, a young priestess named Shamhat of the temple of Inanna/Ishtar is called. Her Task is to initiate the wild Enkidu into his Higher Self, to tame the beast within to find the man without, a man who is both divine and very human, the healed version of Gilgamesh the king. 5. The Priestess continued They meet, Shamhat and Enkidu, in the forest and for six days and seven nights, as the planets and the stars travelled the skies, they shared all fleshly and spiritual delights. A world of touch, tastes, senses and experiences exploded around them as they shared the pleasures of body, mind, heart and spirit. So much they learnt with each other, they taught each other. On the seventh day, Enkidu realizes that although the forest, the wild beasts were dear to him beyond measure, somehow he needed more than to eat, bask in the sun or sleep. 6. Then Shamhat tells him of Uruk and Gilgamesh, someone who could be his equal in all respects, perfect in strength. Enkidu decides to go to Uruk. Before they reach Uruk, Enkidu learns to eat and drink from the table the fruits of mens labors on earth, and is taken to the place of the sheepfold, a probable allusion to the rites of the Sacred King as Shepherd of the Land, capable of defending the herds and land against all predators and beasts. 7. The beauty and terror of the greatest of Sumerian goddesses come through in this ancient statue. Ishtar was at once lovely and terrible, seducing many great men and then killing them. Her unearthly white skin and glowing red eyes warn those who might answer her as she beckons with her right hand. 8. Humbaba's demonic face was a popular subject for sculptors; this ancient Assyrian representation follows the usual practice of depicting the creature's face as one swirling line. 9. Siduri: Alewife or Goddess? Siduri, the veiled barmaid, is a traditional figure in Mesopotamian mythology and poetry, and in the Hurrian language her name means young woman. The goddess of wine-making and beer brewing, she is usually considered a manifestation of Ishtar. Her warmth and kindness to Gilgamesh throughout this episode are notable, since he treated Ishtar with such contempt in Uruk. 10. This modern-day recreation of a great walled city on a river gives us a sense of the beauty and power of Gilgamesh's city of Uruk. The continuing interest in ancient Sumeria is proof that his city did indeed grant Gilgamesh immortality. 11. Read Rosenberg: pp: 459-477 The Creation, Death, and Rebirth of the Universe The Theft of Thors Hammer The Death of Balder