1. Gilgamesh Summary of tablets 1-5

2. Tablet 1 Gilgamesh is the King of Uruk
Gilgamesh is 2/3 god & 1/3 human
Gilgamesh sleeps with brides on their wedding day referred to as “lord’s right”
The people of Uruk abhor him
They pray to the god Aruru – goddess of creation – to help them

3. Tablet 1 Aruru creates the wild-man Enkidu
Gilgamesh finds out & sends the temple prostitute – Shamhat – to “reform” him
7 days later Enkidu is “reformed” – he now wants to join civilization
The body contact with Shamhat civilizes Enkidu

4. Tablet 1
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh has a strange dream and asks him Mom to interpret it
She says it means that a mighty friend will come to him
For class purposes – we will refer to this dream as dream #1

5. Tablet 2 Enkidu & Shamhat go to a wedding
Gilgamesh is at the same wedding
Enkidu & Gilgamesh have a mighty battle that lasts for 40 days & nights
It ends in a draw
They become very close friends

6. Tablet 3 this part is in our book - see page 58
Gilgamesh & Enkidu go on a “road trip” to the Cedar Forest to cut trees & to kill the forest’s guardian, Humbaba
Gilgamesh & Enkidu notify the elders of their plans
The elders give their blessing with reservations

7. Tablet 4 this part is in our book see pages 59 - 62
Gilgamesh & Enkidu go to the Cedar Forest
Enkidu is afraid, Gilgamesh encourages him
Enkidu interprets Gilgamesh’s dream #2 to mean “Tomorrow you will be victorious”
line 133
Enkidu interprets Gilgamesh’s dream #3 just as he did dream #2

8. Tablet 5 this part is in our book see pages 62 - 63
Gilgamesh & Enkidu battle Humbaba
They behead Humbaba and hang his head in the trees

9. Tablets
Go to my webpage to find the remaining summaries