Myth Ch 12

Legends / Heroic Myth

“Hero” in Homer--a noble of well born male; alive

shift in meaning comes after Homer

Cultic worship of Heroes

at heroa: massive conspicuous tombs

Cultic following seems to have begun around 800 BC

Cf. pyramids

Cf. Cult of the Saints (“legends”)

center of worship

Heroic myths--not found in every culture

not in Egypt

rare in Bible (except for Samson)

Gilgamesh

a non-Greek story to know

only discovered by the West in the 19th century

preserved in Akkadian, Sumerian, Hittite

in cuneiform

Had no literary influence in the West until the 20th century

odd position at beginning of "canon"

Similar themes

May influence more indirectly (like Flood Story)

Elements of his story help see what constitutes a Heroic myth / legend

REAL Gilgamesh: 2600 BC

built city walls at Uruk

Story

preserved on a number of tablets c 700 BC

Part mortal, part god

(1/3 - 2/3 divine)

sleeps with the virgins of town

cf. “Droit de seigneur” myth

“prima nocte” “ius primae noctis”

Mother of the Gods creates Enkidu-- a wild man

long, hairy, lives in the woods

Gilgamesh--send him a whore

“the beasts will reject him”

loss of innocence

women: civilization, but degradation

now you are like a god (sex brings knowledge, but sadness)

Clean him up, bring him to town

THEY fight, then become best friends

importance of MALE friendship

not necessarily homosexual--homosocial

buddy movies

QUEST--go to the land of the Cedars

Humbaba

they kill him (begging for mercy)

offer him to Enlil (storm god)

BROKEN taboo

Divine retribution

Offered the Love of a goddess

Ishtar hits on him

he responds with scorn

the dangers of falling in love/sex/ power of women

Proverbial fickleness of woman

The Bull of Heaven is released as punishment

busts holes into the ground--hundreds fall in

Enkidu hurt

He dies--boring place, like Hades

Gilgamesh mourns

the LOST male companion

Gilgamesh tires to conquer death

search for Utnapishtim

-- survivor of the FLOOD

Siduri (gods' beer maid) tells him to give up

he punts across the with special poles

finds Utnapishtim, who upbraids him for his appearance

Death is unconquerable p. 338

a test--try and stay awake for 7 days

--beat sleep before death

Find a magic plant

Accept Mortality

admires the walls of Uruk he built

has his story preserved on stone

(a manner of immortality?)

A Mesopotamian Story

Fear / uncertainty about Death (not present in Egypt at all)

restless wandering and inquiring

--like the Odyssey, but much older

Conflict of civilized vs. natural world

Enkidu and his taming

Enkidu and his blame--the trapper; the whore

Gilgamesh becomes wild

Gilgamesh becomes tame

Only Mortals (and HUMANS in particular) suffer the anguish of knowing you will die

KEY Motifs found in Gilgamesh (Folklore/Heroic)

· Divine birth

· (miraculous birth; amazing childhood--not in Gilgamesh)

· Heroes amazing strength makes him a menace

o (Heracles--big dumb oaf; Zeus)

· Truest companion is a male

· Performs incredible deed (esp. dragon slaying)

· Breaks a taboo, and a price must be paid

· Resists dangerous women

· Causes the death of companion

· Goes on a Quest, even to the underworld

· Gets help from gods, magical items (minimal in Gilgamesh)

· Returns, atones for crimes, accepts limitations

· At death, receives magnificent funeral, and quasi-immortality by memory