The Epic of Gilgamesh: Summaries of Tablets VII and VIII

I apologize for beings so late; sisterly duty called.  Tonight might be a little short, sweet, and too the point.  It's a little late, but don't worry, you'll be rewarded by the action packed tablets.

Tablet VII is titled "The Death of Enkidu."  AHHHH! Yes.  He dies.  As we left off on Tablet VI, Enkidu had a dream.  At the beginning of Tablet VII, Enkidu awakes and asks Gilgamesh, "My friend, why were the great gods in counsel? (VII 1).  Well, Enkdu, the gods had a counsel because they were figuring out your fate.  The gods are angry that Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven.  They've decided that between the two, one of them must die. 

Enkidu then falls ill.  Enkidu is delirious and says that he would rather tear the cedar they brought back and have his name forever forgotten than die like this.  Gilgamesh is distraught and tears run his face as he watches his brother/best friend dying.  As he's falling more ill, Enkidu cries to Shamash and curses the hunter who took him out of the forest and the harlot who seduced him.  Shamash hears Enkidu and asks why he is cursing Shamhat, because if not for her, she would have never, "fed you bread that was fit for a god,/ and poured you ale that was fit for a king,/ who clothed you in a splendid garment,/ and gave you as companion the handsome Gilgamesh?" (VII 135-38).  Shamash tells Enkidu that Gilgamesh will wander around the earth, overcome with grief.  Enkidu is comforted by Shamash's words, and he retracts his words and actually blesses Shamhat.

The next day, Enkidu is on his death bed and tells Gilgamesh of a horrid dream of a vision of hell.  On the twelfth day of his sickness, Enkidu tells Gilgamesh he wishes he would have died in battle because that is an honorable way to die, telling Gilgamesh, "My friend, one who falls in combat makes his name,/ but I, do not fall in combat, and shall make not my name" (VII 266-67).  He then succumbs to death. 

What a sad ending to Tablet VII, huh?  Tablet VIII is called "The Funeral of Enkidu."  I would say it's pretty fitting.  As one might guess, Gilgamesh is devastated.  He tears his hair and rips his clothes.  Gilgamesh laments over his friend's death.  Not only is Gilgamesh grieving, but so are the elders, the citizens of Uruk, and even the animals.  Gilgamesh calls the craftsmen of Uruk and commands them to make a statue of Enkidu made of the riches of the city.  The rest of the tablet consists of a detailed description of Enkidu's funeral.  Without going into too much detail, Gilgamesh disregards expenses and makes Enkidu's funeral extremely extravagant to honor his dead friend.  Needless to say, he is overwhelmed with grief and sadness. 

That's the end of the two tablets.  Completely different than the previous tablets, don't you think?  It's okay, it gets a little better from here.  First, it gets worse, but then it gets better.  Don't fret!

Until later,

Cassy