Enkidu (𒂗𒆠𒆕 EN. The Fertile Crescent is a Crescent -shaped region in the Middle East, originally incorporating the Levant and Ancient Mesopotamia, and often Ancient Semitic religion spans the Polytheistic religions of the Semitic speaking peoples of the Ancient Near East. Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian Akkadian Assyrian and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris In the Levantine pantheon the Elohim are the sons of El the ancient of days (olam assembled on the divine holy place Mount Zephon ( Jebel This is a sub-article to Pre-Islamic Arabia Arabian mythology comprises the ancient Pre-Islamic beliefs of the Arabs Prior to the Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding In Sumerian mythology and later for Assyrians and Babylonians Anu (also An; (from Sumerian *An = sky heaven was a sky-god The Anunna are the fifty great gods of Sumerian mythology. Some of them are associated with specific cities while others bear a strong resemblance to the functions of patron In Sumerian mythology, the utukku were a type of Spirit or Demon that could be either benevolent or evil Babylonian mythology is a set of stories depicting the activities of Babylonian deities, Heroes and Mythological creatures While these stories The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Adapa or Adamu son of Ea (according to Sayce was a Sumerian and Babylonian mythical figure who accidentally rejected the gift of Immortality Enmerkar, according to the Sumerian king list, was the builder of Uruk in Sumer, and was said to have reigned for "420 years" (or 900 as Ngeshtin-ana is a minor goddess in Sumerian mythology, the so-called "heavenly grape-vine" Gilgamesh was the son of Lugalbanda and the fifth king of Uruk (Early Dynastic II first dynasty of Uruk ruling circa 2600 BC according to the Sumerian king According to the Sumerian king list, Lugalbanda was the third king of Uruk and father of Gilgamesh, the legendary king of that ancient city Shamhat (or Šamhat) is the name of a female character who appears in Tablets I/and II of the Epic of Gilgamesh -(and later in Tablet VII Siduri is a character in the Epic of Gilgamesh. She is an " alewife " a wise female divinity associated with fermentation. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. EN (Borger 2003 nr 164; U+ 12097 𒂗 also read ENSI) is the Sumerian Cuneiform for " Lord " or " In Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag (NINURSAG was the earth and mother- Goddess, one of the seven great deities of Sumer. KI. DU3 "Enki's creation") appears in Sumerian mythology as a mythical wild-man raised by animals. Enki ( Sumerian: dENKI(G 𒂗𒆠 was a Deity in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Babylonian mythology Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian Akkadian Assyrian and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris His beast-like ways are finally tamed by a temple prostitute named Shamhat. Religious prostitution, sacred prostitution or temple prostitution is the practice of having Sexual intercourse (with a person other than one's spouse Shamhat (or Šamhat) is the name of a female character who appears in Tablets I/and II of the Epic of Gilgamesh -(and later in Tablet VII His archetype is the faithful sidekick. An archetype ( pronounced: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/ (Brit or /ˈɑrkɪtaɪp/ (Amer Later he adventures with Gilgamesh until his death in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was the son of Lugalbanda and the fifth king of Uruk (Early Dynastic II first dynasty of Uruk ruling circa 2600 BC according to the Sumerian king The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Older sources sometimes transliterate his name as Enkimdu, Eabani, or Enkita. Enkiddu is a modern variant.
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First Tablet
Enkidu is the quintessential savage person in the beginning of the epic:
The whole of his body was hairy and his (uncut) locks were like a woman's or the hair of the goddess of grain. Moreover, he knew nothing of settled fields or human beings and was clothed (in skins) like a deity of flocks.
Enkidu roamed with the beasts of the wilderness. He protected the animals, destroying the hunters' traps, and lurked around the watering holes to protect the game. These actions were much to the chagrin of a local trapper. The trapper went to King Gilgamesh to ask for help. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Gilgamesh offered the advice "Trapper, go back, take with you a harlot, a child of pleasure . . . he will embrace her and the game of the wilderness will surely reject him. " The trapper did what he was told, and hired the temple prostitute Shamhat for acculturation. Religious prostitution, sacred prostitution or temple prostitution is the practice of having Sexual intercourse (with a person other than one's spouse Shamhat (or Šamhat) is the name of a female character who appears in Tablets I/and II of the Epic of Gilgamesh -(and later in Tablet VII Enkidu was immediately taken with the harlot and bedded her. The animals begin to avoid him, the bond he once shared with them having been broken. Now "he scattered the wolves, he chased away the lions" and the herders could lie down in peace, for Enkidu was now their watchperson.
After the abandonment of his animal brethren, Enkidu is introduced to a pastoralist way of life. He works for the trapper and shepherds, hunting and killing the animals he once served. Soon he grows restless, looking for a greater challenge.
Shamhat tells of a great king in the city Uruk (Gilgamesh) and says, too, that he would be a worthy challenge for Enkidu. Gilgamesh is surprised by Enkidu. The two wrestle fiercely for sometime, until suddenly Gilgamesh gains the upper hand and throws Enkidu to the ground. Knowing his defeat, Enkidu praises Gilgamesh and both swear an oath of friendship, and thereafter cohabit.
Enkidu later in the Epic of Gilgamesh
Enkidu assists Gilgamesh in his fight against Humbaba, the guardian monster of the Cedar Forest. In Akkadian mythology Humbaba (Assyrian spelling or Huwawa ( Babylonian) was a monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the The Cedar Forest is the glorious realm of the gods of Mesopotamian mythology. Contrary to Enkidu's conscience, he cooperates in killing the defeated Humbaba. In Akkadian mythology Humbaba (Assyrian spelling or Huwawa ( Babylonian) was a monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the Afterwards, he again assists his companion Gilgamesh in slaying the Bull of Heaven, which the gods have sent to kill Gilgamesh as a reprisal for spurning the goddess Ishtar's affections. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Appearances of the Bull (also known as Taurus) in Mythology and worship are widespread in the ancient world Ishtar ( D IŠTAR 𒀭𒌋𒁯 is the Assyrian and Babylonian counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to Ishtar demands that the pair should pay for the bull's destruction. Shamash argues to the other gods to spare both of them, but could only save Gilgamesh. For the Canaanite sun godess see Shemesh Shamash was the common Akkadian name of the Sun-god and god of justice in Babylonia The gods pass judgment that Enkidu had no justification for fighting the Bull of Heaven and was interfering with the will of the gods. Appearances of the Bull (also known as Taurus) in Mythology and worship are widespread in the ancient world Enkidu then is overcome by a severe illness. Near death, he has visions of a gloomy afterlife, and curses the trapper and Shamhat for civilizing him. He retracts his curse on Shamhat, however, after Shamash scolds him, reminding him that it was Shamhat who taught him about civilization, and ultimately, brought him to Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh mourns over the body of Enkidu for several desperate days. In a vivid line repeated in the epic, Gilgamesh only allows his friend to be buried after a maggot falls out of the corpse's nose. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Gilgamesh's close observation of rigor mortis and the slow decomposition of Enkidu's body provides the hero with the impetus for his quest for eternal life, and his visit to Utnapishtim. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction.
There is another non-canonical tablet in which Enkidu journeys into the underworld, but many scholars consider the tablet to be a sequel or add-on to the original epic.
Popular cultural references
Enkidu and the Gilgamesh Epic have been mentioned in modern works of fiction, see adaptations of the Epic of Gilgamesh. GhIlghameS -->The Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh has inspired various works in modern popular culture
Bibliography
The Epic of Gilgamesh, Foster, Benjamin R. trans. & edit. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001. ISBN 0-393-97516-9
See also
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic