2.The Epic of Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian Mythology)

Transcript

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Welcome my squeaky friends to According to yours truly. I'm your host, Wendy Morrow. Today. I actually have a very special guest here with me, but I love. I love so much. I'm going to let her introduce herself. Hi, I'm Sally free shirt and I love Wendy. And I honor you today. I love you. I'm. I'm so excited to do this podcast with you. You're actually my very first. Guest. And so I'm so excited. You. No. Your honor. It's going to be so fun. I. I think it's just going to. Bring us all together, on this podcast, we dive into myths. Myths and folk who are from all over the world. These stories have shaped. Shaped cultures, stirred imaginations and kept us captivated. For centuries. Together, we'll explore the oranges, meanings and mystery. Mystery behind these stills with fresh perspective and a little bit of fun. So I grabbed your favorite dream and gather. On my campfire for a teller, you won't forget. Okay guys. Stay, we're going to be talking about the epic of Gilgamesh. This is a Mesopotamian mythology and. And a really cool story. There's lots of lessons to be learned in it. Sally has never heard of before. So. I'm very excited to share and talk about it. In the ancient city of Uruk, towering walls stretched high above, built by the hand of Gelgamesh, a mighty king, set to be two thirds god and one third man. Gelgamesh was known for his strength, his beauty, and his ambition, yet also for his arrogance and pride. Though he was capable ruler, he often treated his people with a heavy hand. It was said that he wore out even the strongest men and claimed privileges over the people's daughters, earning himself both admiration and resentment. the cries of the people of Uruk and decided to give Ghalgamesh a challenge that would humble him. They created Umkidu. Don't you like that name? Interesting. Umkidu. What? Kadu? Umkidu? Umkidu. Yeah, I like Umkidu. Interesting. I wonder what his name means. Yeah, what is his name? You should look it up real quick. Yeah, let's check it out. Lord of the Reed Marsh. Wow, that's so interesting. I guess that would make sense since he was created from the gods. Or it says also, um, Lord of the Good Place. Oh, interesting. Yeah, so maybe that has something to do with the story. Maybe. So, yeah, I don't, I don't know. Hmm. We're just going to have to keep going. Imkadu was a wild man who roamed the forest as strong as Ghalgamesh and as fearless. So I guess you're completely right. It's funny because I knew exactly the next sentence. I didn't know. I honestly, I didn't know what that. I just thought it was so interesting. I honestly, I thought I had to do with his character, but I didn't know for sure. I was just, I was, I was curious. Yeah, with his long hair and powerful limbs, Nkudu became a friend to animals living in harmony with nature far from the city walls. One word of Nkudu reached Gilgamesh. He scoffed. A wild man? Question mark. A challenger to me? The king of Uruk? But curiosity overtook him, and he sent a temple priestess to bring Umkuru to the city. When Umkuru arrived, he was furious with Ghalgamesh's I don't even What is it? It's Triani. Triani? Okay, anyways. I'm gonna re read that sentence because that was freaking embarrassing. Okay, okay. When Unkaru arrived, he was furious at Kaguya Mishis. Tyranny and the two clashed. Sorry guys. Oh my God. In a fierce battle that shook the world, the walls of Uruk. I like can't read right now. Okay. Okay. Okay, you guys can't see but, Dallie's literally clutching it. She's on the floor dying right now. Oh my gosh. That was so embarrassing. Anyways, pretend that never happened. Okay, sometimes my brain just flukes for a minute, and I just can't read. Okay, okay, okay. Moving forward. Neither man could best the other, and as their strength waned, they found in each other a kindred spirit. Kudu laughed, clapping a hand on gal's shoulder. You fight well. King of Auch. Perhaps there's more to you than arrogance. Mish grinned. His pride softened and you kudu have a str, and you kudu have a strength like no other. Shall we be brothers and arms rather than rivals. From that day on, gal Indu were inseparable. Sharing adventures and testing their might. Together they fought and conquered creatures like the mighty Humbaba. And maybe someday I'll talk about Humbaba. Yeah, what is Humbaba? Humbaba is like, uh, He's, uh, like a guardian of some forest. Okay. And, oh wait, I think, I, he's literally, okay, he's the guardian of, uh, a cedar forest Um, and he has these horns. He's this big scary horned guy He's a monster though. He doesn't have like a human face. He has like a a face of a bull or I think Oh, okay. Yeah, so it's supposed to be very strong Which is weird that they kill the guardian of a cedar forest don't you think am I just the only one that thinks that's weird like Why would you? Yeah, like why would you need to kill him if he's protecting the Cedar Forest? I know, he's like not doing any harm. Hmm. Yeah, strange. Yeah. They also slew the Bull of Heaven sent by the goddess Ashtar. In a fit of revenge, yet even victory, the gods were displeased by their defiance and saw fit to punish them. One fateful night, Nkudu lay restless, his face drawn and pale. He turned to Galgamesh with a heavy sigh. The gods have spoken to me in a dream, Galgamesh. My time is ending. I am to leave this world. Gilgamesh's heart tightened with fear that he had never known before. No, Unkuru, we have conquered beasts and we have defied gods. This cannot be the end. Unkudu's eyes softened. Death is beyond even you, my friend. Perhaps this is a lesson that gods wish us to learn. The quest of I mortality. So AKA Kudu dies and, Gish is just super sad about it. Okay. Wait, so g what is his name? Gish. Gish. So he is the like guy, he's the king head, right? Or no, that's a different person. That's a different person. Dog is the king kus. The man that they created, the wild man. Okay. And they became best friends. They were supposed to be enemies, but they became best friends. And then he ends up dying. Because the gods realized that, he didn't really learn his lesson. Because the gods made him so that he could humble, uh, Calamish, but Anyways, he didn't humble the king. He didn't humble the king. The purpose of his creation. Okay. It's kind of weird that, like, the gods are hating on him for making friends, I think. Yeah, interesting. Yeah. Interesting. Okay, immortality. When Umkuru passes, Ghalgamesh was inconsolable, he wandered the streets of Uruk, haunted by the silence where his friend's laughter had once been. His heart, once so fierce, now felt hollow, and for the first time, Ghalgamesh was consumed by fear of death. No, he whispered to himself, standing alone in the night, I am Ghalgamesh, the son of Nensim. I will find a way to escape death, to conquer even this. His journey led him across the lands, from towering mountains to deep, dark valleys, in search of Utnapishtim, the man who had survived the great flood, and been granted eternal life by the gods. Galgamesh was relentless, driven by the desperation he cannot shake. Oh my goodness. We're laughing because something just fell down. My painting just fell down. We're just recording on my floor. And my painting just flopped and I have been trying to record this one line ever since. And we finally made it through. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Oh my gosh. That was crazy. Okay. After many trials, he reached the water of death and crossed them. Finally coming face to face with Unapishtem. So what is that? So it's the old man that, like, survived death. Well, conquered death. The gods just granted him immortality. And he's just a man. Or is he still, like, in the story? Like, is he just in the Oh, no. Gal'gamesh. Gal'gamesh wants immortality. Um Kadu is dead. Oh, okay. Unapishtim has immortality. Okay. That makes sense. That makes sense. Um Yeah. Umkadu is, uh, no longer in the story. Oh, okay. He has since, since then passed. I shouldn't be laughing. That's really sad. Yeah, it's pretty tragic. After many trials, he reached the waters of death and crossed them, finally coming face to face with Unapishtim, an ancient man who watched the king with calm eyes. Why do you seek me, Galgamesh? Unapishtim asked. Unapishtim asked. What do you hope to find? I seek immortality, Galgamesh declared. I wish to conquer death, as I have conquered every challenge before. Unapishtim chuckled, shaking his head. Immortality is not as simple as you think, King of Uruk. I was granted it not through my deed, but by the god's whim. Death is a fate for all mortals. Ghalgamesh's fists clenched. I have traveled far and suffered greatly. There must be a way. Unapishtim regarded him with pity. Very well, I will give you a challenge. Stay awake for six days and seven nights. If you can conquer sleep, perhaps you can conquer death. Confident, Galgamesh sat down, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. But as time passed, his eyelids grew heavy, and before he realized it, he had drifted into sleep. Sleep, a small death, is beyond your control. Return home, Galgamesh, and cherish the life you have. But Galgamesh, stubborn and undisturbed, begged for another chance. Unapishtim's wife, moved by his determination, whispered to her husband, Give him something for his journey, she argued. He has come so far. Relenting, Unapishtim told Galgamesh of a plant that grew at the bottom of the sea, a plant that could restore youth. Determined once more, Ghalgamesh dove into the water, deep waters, and retrieved the plant, holding it in his hands with triumph. This will make me young again, he cried, his eyes blazing with hope. But on his journey back, he stopped to rest by a river. While he slept, a serpent crept from the shadows and devoured the plant, shedding its skin and slithering away, renewed and rejuvenated. When Gilgamesh awoke, he found only empty soil, where the plant had been, and his heart sank. Even this, I cannot keep, he whispered, realizing at last the limits of his powers. The Return to Uruk When Gilgamesh returned to Uruk, he looked upon the towering walls he had built, walls that would stand long before he was gone. He understood now that life was fleeting, and that his legacy would be left not in defiance of death, but in the lives of his people and the strength of his city. As he gazed upon Uruk, he said softly, Unkudu, my friend, I see now what you meant. Life is a journey, not meant to be conquered, but to be cherished. So, Gagamis returned to rural Uruk with wisdom and compassion, leaving behind his quest for immortality and accepting the truth of human limits. Okay guys. So we have a tradition of end of this podcast where we. We talk about a scripture. And the lessons we've learned. And how it relates. And so the story today, Where. We're doing Ecclesiastes. Do you use three? Versus Chu. Would you like to read it? Yeah. Yeah. I can hear that. So it says a time to be born at a time to die. At time to. Plant. And a time to pluck up that, which is planted. Yeah, this first highlights to natural circle. Of life and death echoing Gogol meshes journey. I see grapples. With the debt with the death of his friend. When you do an. Ultimate fate of all humans. So Sally listening. Listening to this story and the lesson that it's like. Teaching. I mean, what actually, what do you think the lesson is in this story? I feel like there's definitely. Definitely different things. Get out of it. Yeah, like that scripture, even that we just barely read. It's pretty much just saying like there's a time for everything. And I think. I think, Gig Gil, a government. Gilgamesh. He had, um, a hard time dealing with the death of his. His friend and, and could do. And he wanted so badly. Sadly to have, um, like a mortality because he. Didn't want that same thing to happen to him, right. Instead of just enjoying like, The present time. Yeah. And. Yeah, I. I think that that's a huge lesson that we can take away from it is that we can. I always just enjoy the time that we're in and not be. Always wanting something else. Yeah. I like that. You said that actually. If anything, I think one of the lessons I've learned from this story is that like, I know in my life. I want to, like, I'm always thinking about the. Next thing, like I'm always thinking ahead or like I'm either way behind. Hind. And I'm thinking about something that happened in the past. But. Like it teaches me that I should like value. The present. A lot. Uh, do you remember. Kung Fu Panda. Turtle. He's like. This is like yesterday was history. Tomorrow's. It's mystery. And today is like, Good gift. That's why they call it the present freaking love lab. I love that. I should have that, but my wallet, I know. I think that sometimes guys, we like. Just. Want. More where think about other people and how they have it better. Because, you know, the old man did have it better. He. I did have that gift and mortality, you know, but. Some things in life. Aren't meant for us. And like, we shouldn't try so hard to obtain. What is out of our reach. Meaning if it doesn't mean. I mean, like don't aim for the stars. It just means like, Like. Don't kill yourself. Yeah. And again, nobody means not meant for you. Yeah, I think. Like we. We all have our story. That's written in the stars and like, Not like to say our destiny, but pretty much like. Like Our destiny, our story, our purpose. Like why we're here and. I don't know. I think that like, It's good to like, try to reach up to the measure of. Of your creation, but reaching out and like taking something. That doesn't belong to you. What ultimately like her young, the long run. It's kind of like what I was getting for you, right. Yeah, it makes me think too, like you think of the king gig Gilgamesh. I. I love that you. Like I live in not say his name. Oh my gosh. I'm. I'm dying, trying to say his name. But it's crazy how, like he was this king that was full of pride like that. All the gods knew it. And they sent. Um, and could, and could you do yeah. Yeah. To like humble him. Right? So like, Thinking about that. Like he probably had it like everything that. King probably had all the riches in the world like he had. So. So much already. Yeah. It's so much that he was so prideful. I needed someone to humble him. But then at the end, like, He's wanting more than what he already has. And. Maybe by like meeting this friend. And could you, he like. He met someone. And it made him realize like, Oh, Like friendship is, is amazing. And. I don't need all these riches and things like that. Yeah. And then when he lost that, Friend. It's like. So now he's realizing, wow. Aye. I I realized I, I want more than just my. Lifestyle is the key. Yeah. Yeah. Just a tyrant. Yeah. Yeah. I like how you said that. Uh, he found a friend in him. Him. And like, The value of the friend was worth more than his. Rich's. Yeah. There's just so cool. Like that's just another lesson in life that like, The value of friendship. His worth more than riches. And the value of connection in general. Is. So important. And I think that if we have like a hard. A hard heart. And like we're struggling with something. Something. In order to soft in our heart, we can reach out. To other people. This is kind of a personal part. Uh, well, just personal to me because I've been struggling with a few things. Recently. And like, I removed myself from some of my friends. And. Like kind of mentally distance myself. Myself from some of my family members. Just because I've been feeling. Feeling so hurt because I was laid off of my job. And school stuff. Wasn't working out both Sally and I are in. College and we're trying to stop. Yeah, but like figure everything out. Literally, I feel like life has been a literal mess. And so. So I distance myself from people. And even though I'm not. I'm not Gilgamesh and I'm not rich. Aye. I still have that like, Not that broke. Broken heart, but they have the hard heart. A little bit. Oh, just. Because I was, well, I started to, because I, I was distancing myself. And this is just like a good reminder to like let people. In. I can have a softer heart, heart. So. Yeah, I love that. It's crazy how there's so much that you could take away from. A story that was written like years ago. Right. I know. No. But. This is what this is all about. So I'm so glad. Glad I was able to have you on this episode, Sally. You'll definitely be hearing from Sally again, I would love. I am here. I'm still learning a little bit about mythology, but. Oh, yeah. It's the best. All right guys, until next time, my speaky friends.