The Epic of Gilgamesh: Part 2 Summary & Analysis

The father of the Gods, “Enlil of the mountain,” is responsible for Gilgamesh’s fate. Gilgamesh has a dream, and Enkidu interprets it: he says that though Gilgamesh is a king, he is not fated to be immortal. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh not to despair over his mortality. He says that Gilgamesh has been given immense power and strength, and he should not abuse his power. As Enkidu tells Gilgamesh this, Enkidu begins to cry. Enkidu explains that “idleness” has weakened him. Gilgamesh likewise says that he has not “established my name stamped on bricks as my destiny decreed.” He decides to travel to the “Land of Cedars” to make a name for himself and raise monuments to the gods. Together, with Enkidu, Gilgamesh will travel to the forest, where an evil giant named Humbaba lives and guards the cedars.

Gilgamesh rouses Enkidu with a speech, saying that since all men must die eventually, he should have no fear of death when facing Humbaba. Gilgamesh says, “Our days are numbered, our occupations are a breath of wind.” Even if Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh says, his name will be remembered for his fight with Humbaba. Enkidu insists that, before entering the Land of Cedars, Gilgamesh should tell the sun god, Shamash, that he is going there, because the Land of Cedars belongs to Shamash.

Gilgamesh takes up two goats in his arms and speaks to Shamash, asking for the god’s permission and that he might return to Uruk. “Gilgamesh, you are strong,” Shamash replies, “but what is the Country of the Living to you?” Gilgamesh says that “In the city man dies oppressed at heart.” In a river, Gilgamesh sees bodies float by, and he knows that this will be his fate as well. He says that he wishes to enter the Land of the Cedars because his name will not yet be remembered forever, “as my destiny decreed.” Gilgamesh begins to cry. He asks Shamash why, if he is not meant to defeat Humbaba, “Why did you move me, Shamash, with the restless desire to perform it?” Gilgamesh promises that if he dies in the Land of the Cedars it will be without anger, but that if he returns he will bring “gifts and . . . praise to Shamash.”

Shamash accepts “the sacrifice of [Gilgamesh’s] tears.” In addition, Shamash appoints the winds to help Gilgamesh on his quest. Shamash orders blacksmiths to make enormous axes and swords. For Gilgamesh they craft an axe called “Might of Heroes” and “the bow of Anshan.”

The people of Uruk assemble in the street to listen to Gilgamesh speak. He declares his mission to “climb the mountain, to cut down the cedar, and leave behind an enduring name.” The “counselors of Uruk” tell Gilgamesh that he is young and arrogant to think that he can defeat Humbaba. They say that Humbaba is immortal and possesses powerful weapons. Gilgamesh laughs and asks Enkidu, “How shall I answer them; shall I say I am afraid of Humbaba, I will sit at home all the rest of my days?” He asks Enkidu to go with him to the Great Palace in Egalmah and ask Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s mother, for advice.

Having arrived at Egalmah, Gilgamesh asks Ninsun to pray to Shamash on his behalf while he goes on his journey. Ninsun dresses in her room, putting on jewels and a tiara, then goes to the altar of the Sun and speaks to Shamash, asking why he had to give Gilgamesh such great ambitions. She asks Shamash not to forget Gilgamesh while he goes on the journey. She then says to Enkidu that he is like an adopted son to her. She asks him to serve Gilgamesh well, and gives him an amulet that he wears around his neck. She tells him, “I entrust my son to you; bring him back to me safely.”

Gilgamesh and Enkidu prepare to leave for the Land of Cedars. They arm themselves. The people ask when they will return, and the counselors tell Gilgamesh not to be arrogant and to be cautious when fighting Humbaba. They also tell him to let Enkidu lead the way, because he knows the forest well and has seen Humbaba before. The counselors wish Gilgamesh good luck in his quest.

Enkidu tells Gilgamesh to follow him—Enkidu knows the way—and not to be afraid. In three days, they walk the distance of “a journey of a month and two weeks,” crossing seven mountains before arriving at the forest. Enkidu says that when he opened the gate to the forest before, his hand became weak. Gilgamesh tells Enkidu to “not speak like a coward.” Gilgamesh assures Enkidu not to be afraid and to “roused by the battle to come.” They travel into the forest and to the green mountain. They are stunned by the forest, by the height of the trees and the trail where Humbaba typically walked. Gilgamesh digs a well and makes an offering on top of the mountain, asking the mountain to give him a “favourable dream.”

They sleep, and at midnight Gilgamesh wakes up from a dream. He tells Enkidu of his dream: it was terrifying and confusing. Gilgamesh dreamed that he took hold of a wild bull that bit and attacked him. In the dream, the bull threw him back, and then a man offered him water from a water-skin. Enkidu offers his interpretation of the dream: the man is Shamash, and when they are in danger Shamash will lift the two of them up and offer them help.

Gilgamesh tells Enkidu of another dream he had. In a deep swamp, the two of them stood next to each other as the mountain above them fell toward them. The falling mountain caught Gilgamesh’s legs. Then he saw an incredible and beautiful light. The light pulled Gilgamesh out from under the mountain and lifted him up to stand solid-footed on the ground. Enkidu says that the mountain represents Humbaba, and just as the mountain fell, so Humbaba’s body will fall to the ground.

They travel another day and dig a well before the sun has set. Gilgamesh climbs up the mountain, sets an offering of food on the ground, and prays to the mountain to send Enkidu an auspicious dream. Enkidu dreams of cold rain coming down on him. When Enkidu wakes up at midnight, he asks Gilgamesh if he woke Enkidu up. Enkidu says that he is scared. He tells Gilgamesh that he saw another dream: the earth fell dark, lightning struck, fires raged, and the clouds “rained down death.” Then, in the dream, the light disappeared, the fires went out, and all that was left was ash.

After descending the mountain, Gilgamesh uses his axe to start chopping down the cedars. From afar, Humbaba hears the noise and shouts, “Who is this that has violated my woods and cut down my cedar?” From heaven, Shamash speaks to Gilgamesh, telling him not to fear. But Gilgamesh is very afraid, and is overcome by weakness and sleep. He lies on the ground “as though in a dream.” Enkidu tries to wake him, but cannot. Eventually Gilgamesh hears Enkidu’s pleas and wakes up, armoring himself. Gilgamesh prays to “live to be the wonder of my mother” and not to return to the city until he has fought Humbaba. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh that the only reason Gilgamesh is not afraid is because he does not know Humbaba. Enkidu himself is terrified. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh about Humbaba. He tells Gilgamesh to go on if he likes, but that he himself is going to return to the city.

Gilgamesh says that he will not die or be mourned. He asks Enkidu to help him in the fight against Humbaba. He tells Enkidu that since all men must die anyway, they should bravely fight Humbaba. Anyone who does not finish a fight, Gilgamesh says, “is not at peace.” Humbaba then comes out from his house of cedar. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh to remember his arrogance back in Uruk, and to attack Humbaba without fear. He tells Gilgamesh not to let Humbaba escape into the woods. Enkidu suggests that they trap Humbaba before he can arm himself. Humbaba comes out from his house and stares down Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh prays to Shamash for help, and Shamash commands the eight winds to attack Humbaba, blinding him and preventing him from moving.

Gilgamesh cuts down the first cedar and cuts the branches off, laying them down at the bottom of the mountain. He and Enkidu then cut down seven more cedars and assemble the branches at the bottom of the mountain. Seven times Humbaba “blazed out” at Gilgamesh and Enkidu, whenever they chop down a cedar. Humbaba begins to cry as he speaks to Gilgamesh, saying that he never had a mother or father, and that if Gilgamesh lets him go free, he will serve Gilgamesh and the mountain will belong to him. Humbaba says that he will cut down the trees and build Gilgamesh a palace. Humbaba leads Gilgamesh to his house, and Gilgamesh feels compassion for him. But Enkidu warns him that Humbaba will take advantage of Gilgamesh’s generosity and prevent him from returning home.

Humbaba says that Enkidu speaks out of jealousy and terror. Enkidu again tells Gilgamesh to slay Humbaba and his servants. Gilgamesh listens to Enkidu and strikes Humbaba with his sword. Then Enkidu strikes Humbaba. The third blow, also by Enkidu, kills Humbaba. The cedars “shiver” when Humbaba falls. Gilgamesh and Enkidu then advance into the forest to the “sacred dwellings of the Anunnaki.” Gilgamesh cuts down the first trees of the forest and Enkidu clears their roots. They lay down Humbaba’s body as an offering and kiss the ground. But when he sees Humbaba’s head, Enlil is angry. He curses them, declaring “may the fire be on your faces, may it eat the bread that you eat, may it drink where you drink.”