The Flood of Gilgamesh - the story of Noah -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 09:34:25 04/10/02 Wed
Author: Adilbrand
Subject: The Flood of Gilgamesh - the story of Noah
In reply to: mt. healthy mountaineer 's message, "Gilgamesh?" on 08:20:27 04/10/02 Wed

Yes, the oldest known reference to the Flood comes from the Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh. A lot of scholars believe the Hebrews picked up the Flood story from the Sumerians/Babylonians. In the epic, Gilgamesh goes in search of Utnapishtim (renamed Noah in the Hebrew version), who is renowned for surviving the Flood, for some advice. Below is the story that Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh:

"There was a city called Shurrupak
On the bank of the Euphrates.
It was very old and so many were the gods
Within it. They converged in their complex hearts
On the idea of creating a great flood.
There was Anu, their aging and weak-minded father,
The military Enlil, his advisor,
Ishtar, the sensation craving one,
And all the rest. Ea, who was present
At their council, came to my [Utnapishtim's] house
And, frightened by the violent winds that filled the air,
Echoed all that they were planning and had said.
"Man of Shurrupak", he said, "tear down your house
And build a ship. Abandon your possessions
And the works that you find beautiful and crave
And save your life instead. Into the ship
Bring the seed of all living creatures."

I was overawed, perplexed,
And finally downcast. I agreed to do
As Ea said but I protested: "What shall I say
To the city, the people, the leaders?"

"Tell them," Ea said, "you have learned that Enlil
The war god despises you and will not
Give you access to the city anymore.
Tell them for this Ea will bring the rains."

That is the way gods think, he laughed. His tone
Of savage irony frightened Gilgamesh
Yet gave him pleasure, being his friend.
They only know how to compete or echo.

But who am I to talk? He sighed as if
Disgusted with himself; I did as he
Commanded me to do. I spoke to them
And some came out to help me build the ship
Of seven stories each with nine chambers.
The boat was cube in shape, and sound; it held
The food and wind and precious minerals
And seed of living animals we put
In it. My family then moved inside
And all who wanted to be with us there:
The game of the field, the goats of the Steppe,
The craftsmen of the city came, a navigator
Came. And the Ea ordered me to close
The door. The time of the great rains had come.
O there was ample warning, yes, my friend,
But it was terrifying still. Buildings
Blown by the winds for miles like desert brush.
People clung to branches on trees until
Roots gave way. New possessions, now debris,
Floated on the water with their special
Sterile vacancy. The riverbanks failed
To hold the water back. Even the gods
Cowared like dogs at what they had done.
Ishtar cried out like a woman at the height
Of labor: "O how could I have wanted
To do this to my people!" They were hers,
Notice. Even her sorrrow was possessive.
Her spawn that she had killed too soon.
Old gods are terrible to look at when
They weep, all bloated like spoiled fish.
One wonders if they ever understand
That they have caused their grief. When the seventh day
Came, the flood subsided from its slaughter
Like hair drawn slowly back
From a tormented face.
I looked at the Earth and all was silence.
Bodies lay like alewives dead
And in the clay. I fell down
On the ship and wept. Why? Why did they
Have to die! I couldn't understand. I asked
Unanswerable questions a child asks
When a parent dies - for nothing. Only slowly
Did I make myself believe - or hope - they
Might all be swept up in their fragments
Together
And made whole again
By some compassionate hand.
But my hand was too small
To do the gathering.
I have only known this feeling since
When I look out across the sea of death,
This pull inside against a littleness - myself -
Waiting for an upward gesture.

O the dove, the swallow, and the raven
Found their land. The people left the ship.
But I for a long time could only stay inside.
I could not face the deaths I knew were there.
Then I received Enlil, for Ea had chosen me;
The war god touched my forehead; he blessed
My family..."

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