In the Epic of Gilgamesh, after Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed a giant Humbaba, they cut down and chose timber of cedar which of Humbaba guarded.  Then they made a huge door with cedar to delight Enlil because Enlil sent Humbaba to guard the Cedar Forest and its trees and they killed Humbaba and cut the cedar.  They sent it to Nippur that is sanctuary of Enlil.

The behaviors of Gilgamesh and Enkidu are unusual toward Enlil.  The reason why Enlil sent Humbaba to the Cedar Forest is that he wanted people not to cut the cedars.  In the Epic of Gilgamesh, there is a quote “In order to safeguard the forest of cedars, Enlil has appointed him to terrify the people” on page 112.  However, Gilgamesh and Enkidu not only cut the cedars and killed Humbaba.  They did not followed what Enlil who is God said.  Even though Gilgamesh is two third god and Enkidu is one half beast, they are lower than a complete God, Enlil.  These behaviors are against Enlil.  I believed that ancient people feared God more than modern time’s people.  Nonetheless, Gilgamesh and Enkidu fight against a god’s will.  They made a big door and sent it to Nippur where is the sanctuary place of Enlil to be apologized from Enlil.  However, it seems that they flattered to Enlil.

This passage leave me wanting to know the further story.  If I were Enlil in the epic, I would not forgive Gilgamesh and Enkidu because they ignore what I said.  I expect Enlil would hate and give them punishment.  In the Epic of Gilgamesh’s brief summary on page 97, after the second challenge, the gods make a decision that Gilgamesh or Enkidu must die.  When the gods make the decision, Enlil might support that one of them should die.

When I read the epic, I felt I have a cultural ignorance.  In this story, Gilgamesh was son of Ninsun who is a goddess.  He was able to predict the future through dream.  God such as Shamash who is another God in the epic answer his question through dream. Predicting future is one of ancient priest roles in ancient religion.  Moreover, he was wise as god, brave and stronger than any other people.  But at the same time, he was a king of Uruk.  In my art history class, I learned that religion played very important role in ancient society such as Babylon or Sumer and priests were classified as high social class people.   In this epic, Gilgamesh played two role.  One is priest and the other is king.  I learned that a person who has religious power could have power in a politic.