Summary
Tablet XI of the epic ‘Gilgamesh’ is a conversation that Gilgamesh has with Utanapishtim, who survives the great flood. Gilgamesh wants to fight with Utanapishtim but when the former sees the latter, he realizes that Utanapishtim is unlike him though he appears as a man. Gilgamesh asks Utanapishtim to narrate the story of his fate, and Utanapishtim reveals the secret behind his fate through the story of the flood.
Shuruppak, a city on the banks of the river Euphrates, is the abode of gods. Anu, Enlil, Ninurta and Ennugi, decide to destroy all living beings within the city by unleashing a flood. However, Princess God Ea wants to save mankind and other living beings and she warns Utanapishtim of the flood. She further asks him to build a boat of equal dimensions and cover it with a roof of ‘Apsu.’ She also instructs to gather all living beings with enough food and supplies and take them to the boat. Utanapishtim expresses his concerns on how he shall inform the city’s population. Ea replies that he needs to tell them that Enlil is rejecting him and that he is going to Apsu to live with his Lord Ea where wealth and food are abundant.
When the sun rises the next morning, Utanapishtim collects the craftsmen from the city and together they build a boat of walls with equal dimensions of “10 times 12 cubits height.” He designed the boat with six decks and nine compartments each and fills it with all the necessary items for the living beings inside. The craftsmen were given beer and wine and they complete the work by sunset. Utanapishtim loads it with all kinds of living beings, his family and the craftsmen and seals the entrance in time as stated by Shamash.
From inside, they witness the black clouds rushing towards the city’s horizon, accompanied by the Gods Adad, Shullat, Erragal, Ninurta and Hanish. Torrential rains and heavy winds ensue, lashing the city. Anunnaki causes heavy lightning and thunder. The rains last for 7 days and 7 nights and cause a flood which sweeps away all living beings from the city, and causes carnage. The gods become devastated by this aftermath and regret their deed.
Ishtar, the Mistress of the Gods, along with Anunnaki, weeps with grief. After the 7th day, the rains stop and the flood subsides. Utanapishtim’s boat lands on Mount Nimush and gets lodged there firmly. On the seventh day after the flood, Utanapishtim offers sacrifices to the gods by placing incense in front of Mount Ziggurat and sacrificing sheep.
Gods arrive to accept the offering and Enlil gets furious when she sees that some living beings are alive. But Lord Ea negotiates with Enlil and reminds him of his cruel deeds. Enlil regrets his deeds and blesses Utanapishtim and his wife and renders them the status of gods.
Once the story of the flood is finished Utanapishtim challenges Gilgamesh to stay awake for 6 days and 7 nights but the latter fails and is sent back to Uruk – Haven with Urshanabi. But Utanapishtim’s wife feels sorry for Gilgamesh and requests Utanapishtim not to send him away empty-handed. Utanapishtim gives Gilgamesh a clue about a plant that can bring immortality to him. Gilgamesh finds the plant at the bottom of the sea and takes it along to test it on an old man. But he loses the plant due to his carelessness and is devastated. Finally, empty-handed, Gilgamesh goes back to Uruk – Haven with Urshanabi.
Reactions
My first reaction to the story of the flood derives from its striking resemblance to the Story of Genesis from the Bible. I feel that the Gods in the story hardly have any heavenly qualities. They decide to destroy the living beings besides conspiring against one another. After the flood, the gods regret their deed and shed tears like mortals. “Ishtar shrieked like a woman in childbirth, the sweet-voiced Mistress of the Gods wailed: ‘The olden days have alas turned to clay, because I said evil things in the Assembly of the Gods! How could I say evil things in the Assembly of the Gods, ordering a catastrophe to destroy my people!! No sooner have I given birth to my dear people than they fill the sea like so many fish!’” (The Epic of Gilgamesh). I wonder how the gods decide to fight against one another and act like normal human beings. Why are the gods mentioned in the story destroying the living beings when they are supposed to protect them? In this story, the human being Utanapishtim lures the gods by offering incense and sheep and the gods are attracted by the sacrifice. “The gods smelled the savor, the gods smelled the sweet savor and collected like flies over a (sheep) sacrifice” (The Epic of Gilgamesh). Are Gods attracted to worldly pleasure?
The dimension of the boat that Utanapishtim builds is a surprise. Boats with equal dimensions are not sea-worthy. I wonder how Utanapishtim managed to fill all living beings in such a boat. The choice of Utanapishtim as the survivor of living beings by Ea is also not found in the story.
Therefore, overall, the story of the flood is quite unbelievable with its weird accounts on gods and immortality.
Works Cited
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Table XI: The Story of the Flood. 2009. Web.