The relationship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh in Epic of Gilgamesh and Achilles and Patroclus in Homer’s Iliad is full of love, loyalty, and courage.
Enkidu and Gilgamesh in Epic of Gilgamesh is full of love, meaning that they represented some homosexual behaviors throughout each articles. This is also true for Homer’s Iliad between Achilles and Patroclus. Both articles are about friendship between two men, who love each other, and then loss the friend to death at the end. During the first meet with Enkidu, which is the battle that Gilgamesh comes to understand that his thoughts about women and life in general could be wrong? “For Gilgamesh, king of ramparted Uruk, people’s veils are open for the taking. He mates with the lawful wife, he first, the groom after.” This is the thoughts about women and life for Gilgamesh before he meets Enkidu. Starting with the first meet as enemies and fight each other, in the tablet II in the Epic of Gilgamesh, stated that “Enkidu blocked the door to the wedding with his food, not allowing Gilgamesh to enter…They grappled each other at the door to the wedding, they fought in the street, the public square.” When they first meet after the flight with each other, in the tablet II, it states that, “they kissed each other and made friends.” This action between Enkidu and Gilgamesh showing that they are in the same camp, and cannot wait to stay together to be a friend. Also, Gilgamesh and Enkidu exhibit homosocial behavior, in that their love is a form of brotherly, masculine love that reveals the nature of male relationships in Mesopotamian culture.
Gilgamesh held Enkidu’s body when Enkidu die.
For example, in tablet I, Ninsun explained to Gilgamesh about his second dream, said that, “My son, the exe you saw is a man. You’re loving it like a woman and caressing it, and my making it your partner. Means there will come to you a strong one, a companion who rescues a friend…” And after that, Shamhat told the dreams of Gilgamesh to Enkidu, each was drawn by love to the other. Here, we can find that, even though they don’t meet yet, at the beginning of the story, already construct that they will become best friend, lover for each other, according to the text. And in the Tablet I, when describe to Enkidu, the text states that, “Becoming aware of himself, he sought a friend.” Enkidu’s desire for a friend is an important stage in his transition from the wild-man life to ordinary human life. As a best friend and lovers, Gilgamesh learns from Enkidu about the relationship between men and women, and Enkidu learns and becomes more civilized through his friendship with Gilgamesh.
In Homer’s Iliad, Achilles and Patroclus also show the similar relationship as Enkidu and Gilgamesh. They also represent a perfect friendship. In the Iliad, Homer’s eight century BCE epic poem set during the Trojan War, Achilles is as the greatest Greek warrior and Patroclus is his dearest companion, or best friend. When Patroclus died for Achilles, Achilles become indignation and sorrowfully. “The sound of Achilles’s grief stung the air.” “…My friend is dead, Patroclus, my dearest friend of all. I love him, and I killed him…” the sound of grief, and the self-accusation represent the love from Achilles to Patroclus. Due to this strong relationship, the death of Patroclus becomes the prime motivation for Achilles to return to battle. Achilles revenged for his best friend, Patroclus by killing Hector. The friendship of Achilles and Patroclus is mentioned explicitly in the Iliad.
Achilles bandaging a wounded Patroclus
And also, the death of Patroclus underpins a great deal of Achilles’ actions and emotions toward the Trojan War for the rest of the poem. Overall, the male comradeship between the Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s Iliad is similar with the friendship full of love, loyalty, and courage. But the different is, the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu seems to have some homosocial behaviors, and the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is best friend for each other, and also, the partner in the war fair.
