The Sumerian Myth of Gilgamesh Part 3 of 3: Journey to Utnapishtim

This program is the third and final episode in my telling of the ancient Sumerian myth of Gilgamesh, the hero-king of Uruk. Gilgamesh was two-thirds god and one-third human, and the gifts and challenges of this in-between situation are a major theme in the story.In Part 1, Gilgamesh wreaked havoc instead of being a good king to his people because he had no peers. Without limits he couldn’t fulfill his potential. So the gods provided him with Enkidu the wild man, his foil and friend. In Part 2 I told of their adventures and how they fulfilled Gilgamesh’s destiny to perform heroic deeds and make a name for himself.But this came at a cost. Enkidu is dead. It seems that this was necessary to maintain the proper balance of power between the gods and the semi-god Gilgamesh, and his mortal companion. And now Gilgamesh will struggle with the ultimate problem presented by his human side…. Support the show