Chapter Twelve, Lecture One Introduction to Heroic Myth

Humans are the protagonists, not gods Narrative about events in the human, not divine, past “Hero” –Homer: noble-born male who’s alive –Later: noble figure from the distant past.

Tomb of Heroes

Object of Hero cults –heroa (heroö) Bronze Age earthen mounds –sêma Cults and tumuli of Alyattes, Achilles, Theseus...

Epic of Gilagmesh

Epic of Gilgamesh Tumuli cults date from the Iron Age Associated with the popularization of heroic myth via writing But not heroes in Egyptian or Semitic myth The great hero of Mesopotamia is Gilgamesh

Epic of Gilgamesh Comes to us as a written exercise, not as the dictation of what an oral poet was saying. A literate myth –Scribal exercises Strong indications of influence from the Epic of Gilgamesh and Greek heroic myth Gilgamesh an historical king of Uruk in Mesopotamia (2600 BC)

Gilgamesh and Enkidu

Opening lines like that of Homer’s Odyssey. –The one who saw all [Sha nagba imuru] I will declare to the world, The one who knew all I will tell about [line missing] He saw the great Mystery, he knew the Hidden: He recovered the knowledge of all the times before the Flood. He journeyed beyond the distant, he journeyed beyond exhaustion, And then carved his story on stone.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu Gilgamesh abused his royal power Aruru sent a rival, Enkidu –Lived in nature –Gilgamesh sent out a whore to make him fall Enkidu comes to Uruk to prevent Gilgamesh from abusing a virgin After the draw in the wrestling match, they become friends

Gilgamesh and Humbaba

The Land of the Living (Land of Cedars) –Shamash –Humbaba

Gilgamesh and Ishtar

Ishtar –Gilgamesh rebuffs and reviles her Anu The Bull of Heaven Enkidu’s dream Enkidu’s death from illness

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