Tablet XI starts with Gilgamesh finding out that the old man is, in fact, Utnapishtim. Gilgamesh asks whether it was possible for him to live eternally too. Utnapishtim starts telling his story of how he had become a god. The gods have planned to destroy all life with a flood, but Ea, the wisest of the gods indirectly told Utnapishtim of how to survive and what to take with him (all the animals). In seven days, he finished the boat, which was used soon when the flood came. After a few days of non-stop rain, it stopped, and Utnapishtim found land. The gods come upon the land where he is, and although they first intended to punish him, due to Ea's persuasion, they change their minds and make him a god. Now, back to the present, Utnapishtim will test Gilgamesh whether he can stay awake for a week. Sadly, Gilgamesh falls into a deep sleep soon after the test begins. He wakes up on the seventh day, claiming he hadn't slept. When the seven breads and the markings on the wall proved that he failed the test, he is told to go back. Yet, Utnapishtim is willing to give him something, and tells him to pick the plant How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man, and take it back to Uruk. He successfully gets the plant, but while he is going back, a snake steals the plant and ends up in Uruk empty handed.
Wow. That was one long summary.
Anyways, it struck me weird that the story of Utnapishtim was very similar to that of the Noah's Ark from the bible. This might mean that the event had actually happened, only somewhat exagerated and interpreted differently by different people. It was kind of unexpected that Gilgamesh were to return with nothing. Poor him. Lucky snake. I also liked how Utnapishtim said that men were tricky and how he knew that Gilgamesh was going to try to trick him, for it shows the potential of human nature. The weirdest thing from this tablet, maybe even from the whole book, was the name of the plant: the 'How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man.' I mean, who calls a plant a 'How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man?' Like seriously. Haha.
Anyways, it struck me weird that the story of Utnapishtim was very similar to that of the Noah's Ark from the bible. This might mean that the event had actually happened, only somewhat exagerated and interpreted differently by different people. It was kind of unexpected that Gilgamesh were to return with nothing. Poor him. Lucky snake. I also liked how Utnapishtim said that men were tricky and how he knew that Gilgamesh was going to try to trick him, for it shows the potential of human nature. The weirdest thing from this tablet, maybe even from the whole book, was the name of the plant: the 'How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man.' I mean, who calls a plant a 'How-the-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-a-Young-Man?' Like seriously. Haha.
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