These tablets start out with Gilgamesh, sad because of the death of Enkidu. He stays with his dead body until a worm crawls out of the body's nose. No, I don't like worms. He wears things from the wild, such as animal skin, and heads off into the wilderness. Wondering if he would also die, he decides do find Utnapishtim, who was the only mortal to be granted everlasting life, in order to find the answer. He kills lions, passes the monster guardians, and passes the long dark tunnel, arriving to a beautiful garden beside the sea. After getting help from a woman called Siduri, he sails through the sea, to an island, where he meets Urshunabi. They sail together to the waters of death. At the end of the water, they meet an old man, who tells Gilgamesh that only gods live forever, death is destiny, blah blah blah. Usual stuff.
These tablets were a sudden turn of events after the death of Enkidu. I didn't expect any of the things that happened. I like how the author kind of makes the story go very fast, but I'm not sure if I like all the repetition of phrases he is making. I think he may be doing it just a little too much. (i.e. I look like one whose grief lives in his heart, because of the death of Enkidu the companion. Together we made the journey across the mountains...) Just my thought of course.
Also, what amazed me was how much philosophical thinking there was back in Mesopotamia. Personally, if someone said 'Mesopotamia', I would have thought of old, ancient people who didn't have the same capabilities as we did right now. Maybe in some ways, such as technology, I was right, but I guess not all was so.
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