Epic of Gilgamesh: Poem Two

Part of my series on the ages old story of Gilgamesh (you need to go back a day or two to review poem one)....this is my rendering of poem number two (without the poetry stuff).

As we last left our three characters (Enkidu the unsophisticated rural guy, Gilgamesh the thug king, and Shamhat the harlot gal with slutty behavior).....Shamhat had just brought Enkidu into a camp of shepherds.

Naturally, most audience members listening into the story are a bit thrilled, because this is probably their chief occupation, and it's a bit thrilling for their craft to be mentioned in a story.

There on the first day in the camp....the shepherd guys are introducing Enkidu to the local refined food.  It's safe to say....it was a bit gourmet-like in nature, probably very fatty/greasy, and the spices and pepper-usage were a bit too much for Enkidu. But he was never a guy to turn down a free buffet-dinner.

After a while, the shepherds have a vote and appoint Enkidu to the head position of night watch.  To be honest, this is the worst job of a shepherd and Enkidu probably didn't grasp that until the end of the first shift. 

As days passed.....one evening....some guy with no name (there's always that type of character in a Steinbeck novel)....comes passing by.  A bit of conversation starts up between Enkidu and the stranger.  Guys in this case typically talk about weather, sheep, women, and 'stuff'.

The stranger brings up a new topic though....Gilgamesh (the king) and his treatment of new brides.  The talk gets hyped up and Enkidu is all disturbed that such guy is taking advantage of these fine women.

In a flash, without much thinking....Enkidu decides to take off to Uruk.

To be honest, Enkidu wasn't much of a traveler....probably had no idea where Uruk was located....and didn't have a map or compass.

No one says much over days or weeks passing....that part of the poem that just leaves this out.  We an assume that it took more than a day or two.

So our hero....Enkidu arrives at this capital city and plants himself at the entrance of a wedding chamber.  As Gilgamesh prances up to the doorway.....he finds Enkidu blocking the door.  It's a bit of a shocker.  Typically....no one ever blocks doorways in the kingdom.

A fierce fight erupts.  The poem doesn't really give this much coverage.  It ought to have been a sixty-line moment, and a lot of fist-to-fist coverage spoken about.

What we can say is a pretty good fight occurs, and there's a pause....mostly because both are tired-out and not able to fight much more.

Enkidu notes that Gilgamesh was fairly strong.  Both guys admire each other....a bit of sweat has fallen off each other.  Gilgamesh says that he Enkidu ought to be friends.  Note, he didn't say 'special friends'....just that they could hang out with each other.

Gilgamesh talks up this epic adventure idea....going off to the Cedar Forest.  Enkidu asks what's big about this Cedar Forest, and Gilgamesh responds that there is this monster called Humbaba (some kind of monster demi-God).  If they together were to defeat Humbaba....legends would be told over both.

Enkidu looks over this talk and the Humbaba creature, and he kinda thinks this ain't very smart.  He's advising Gilgamesh against this idea.  Some old guys in the Kingdom....mostly Senator-types (like Senator McCain) also note that they don't think this hunting down Humbaba idea is that smart.

Gilgamesh is not to be deterred and our dynamic duo run off in search of the Humbaba.

End of Poem Two.

It should be noted that there's almost no mention of the Shamhat gal (the slutty gal training Enkidu in poem two), and there's never a name given to the newly married gal that Enkidu saved from Gilgamesh.  It should also be noted that no mention of the stranger's name who suggested this adventure to Enkidu was mentioned.....or if he had a limp or any warts.  The party down at the Shepherd camp?  The alcohol consumed at the camp?  Well....it's best not to mention that part, I guess.