The Epic of Gilgamesh #11

[sookieloveshailey]

Thank you for posting!

[foresakenlion]

Wait wait, so since he was never supposed to survive Enlil had mercy forgave him and made them immortal but removed them from normal human existence so they couldn't effect things.

[ElZenom]

Does it really stop like this? I feel like there's something missing yet when I searched around most of his story stopped here too.

[AuzLatino]

And a certain few who know the truth :)

[AuzLatino]

Far out makes you wonder if the Noah story in the bible was a copy, but then again who knows, Only YHVH, God ;)

[yoeydude]

Time has no meaning to the Human Condition

[craigpsimpson]

Joyce was right, literature is the eternal affirmation of the spirit of man. Across the ages, from Sumeria to here, mankind endures and expresses. I love this species and its stories.

[TheMimeGogo]

no #12? :(

[Caspar33]

I salute you - a prodigious achievement. It demonstrates how perfectly the oral tradition of story telling of the ancient civilisations worked. The Golden Ass, Homer's work, The Mahabarata and indeed great chunks of the Bible have all become immortal stories because they are so good, so well constructed; honed and perfected through untold numbers of listeners and story tellers. And you have carried on that tradition - brought it to many who have never heard it before.

[jonboy44ify]

Brilliant.. parts 1 - 11 straight through... no break! Wish i learned this at school... i might have gone more lol

[yourjaneinlights]

Thanks for the effort in uploading this! My modern brain has had so much trouble trying to read this in one sitting. I'm reading in nk sandars' version, and I noticed that the part where the harlot meets enkidu and seduces him is sort of titillating in both versions. Do you suppose this is just silliness on my part, or was it intended to catch the attentions of the original audience and arouse them?

[dacartel]

is that all !!!! please tell me theres more wtf i need more im doin research an i think gilgamesh and nimrod are the same person please tell me theres more



[thelaking100]

that was ace mate 5*

[em17ysdad]

Great! I enjoyed every minute

[helvis213]

@em17ysdad

Glad you enjoyed!

[MajLoki]

Really good listen sir, nicely done. I am personally of the opinion that the history of the human race is both apocryphal and much longer than we know. Most interesting is the Utanapishtim story which is retold almost exactly in the story of Noah. Coincidence? I think not.

[JulianCallens]

Giglamesh's epic makes me think about how the human condition has not changed at all over the millenia, how our fears and wants are the same.

[helvis213]

@JulianCallens

I agree!

[keld0n84]

@teajay159 Are you serious? This is one of the oldest text we have ever written, made by the first civilization that we know of. These people created the first known written language, it was written on clay tablets, this epic story was unearthed and translated, calling this lame is sheer lack of intellect, understanding, and appreciation.

[teajay159]

@keld0n84 you're right. i don't appreciate it. im just sorry that i wasted my time listening to the whole story. maybe lame isn't a great word to use, maybe something like awful, pointless, horribly done. (at this point, make up your own)

[keld0n84]

@teajay159 The more I see from you 18 and 19 year old kids, the more I see that your generation is fucked. No appreciation for anything, you kids are nothing but over-entertained, apathetic losers, with no intellectual articulation. You have no respect for any intellectual entertainment, claiming, it doesn't meet your high value entertainment specifications, such as 'man gets hit in the balls' humor. But whatever, keep dumbing yourself down with mindless entertainment... Loser.

[BowedOak1]

@keld0n84 Socrates said the same thing.

[helvis213]

@BowedOak1

...nearly two thousand years later.

[dacartel]

@teajay159 its ok to think like u but u need to go deeper then tryin to be entertained history is key to knowing wats goin on around u and wat is the truth about human history and the big question is y are the ruling families of the world keeping the truth from us so we must find out as much as we can !! knowledge is power !!! people back then had knowlege and technology that we dont have now and are still tryin to understand or duplicate also they were in touch wit supernatural beings personaly

[jersey1212]

THIS IS NOT THE FULL ENDING!!!!! TYPE IN """THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH PROLOGUE (SUMMARY FOR FULL STORY)"""

THERE IS STILL ANOTHER 4 OR 5 LINES TO THE STORY

[XYZRobZombie]

wait! that's it?  what happens next? i got hooked listening to this at work you did a great job reading this

[ILoveGonard]

Way better than just reading a description of this flood story. Easier and far more interesting than reading it for myself. Thanks!

[teajay159]

lame... 

[TheseEyesGod]

Beautifully read and done. Excellent!

~♥~

[SubconsciousDweller]

wr is part 12? or does it end here?

[MoteyJoe]

I started listening to this half expecting to be bored, but I got to say this was excellent. Thanks for doing this!

[helvis213]

@MoteyJoe

Glad you enjoyed!

[xM3GATRONx]

excellent reading

[LoveNow365]

You are a marvelous reader. I listened to the entire story in one sitting, riveted. Thank you.

[thebloodislove304]

thank you

[ppeeza]

cheers..great vid.. i learnt a lot.

[helvis213]

@ppeeza

Glad you enjoyed.

[sjkflies]

another translation says 6 days and 7 nights. where is this translation?

[LemonLimeLaughter]

I'm going to translate the story to modern day language: The meaning of life is simply that life likes to fuck you in the ass, just go along with it

[ASSYRIANNAZI]

Well Done!! 

[helvis213]

@ASSYRIANNAZI

Thank you.  Glad you enjoyed.

All best.

H

[Azmarith]

is the plant of life where the bible got the forbidden fruit from you recon?

[smarthandsomeguy]

Thank you very much for the effort.

[locatebob]

Helvis 213 : Thank you! Where is the key wisdom from this tale?  It is where we are instructed to spend our lives in happiness, to invest our best energies in creating our daily meals, by wearing clean clothes that are nicely ironed, by embracing our spouse in such a way that he or she will gain life's energy from our embrace. "The lowest thing a man can do in this life is to bend his back at the command of another man." Never borrow! Debt is slavery. Freedom is - WHAT?

[lawrichai]

Is that realy the end...

Oh I would want to story to go on ^^

What would happen next?

Thanks for this great reading of the Epic of GIlgamesh!

[spartacandream]

The endless search for eternal life, ends with the realization, that you always come a hair close, then miss it. Perhaps Siduri was right, or perhaps its worth the search anyway?

[AeonicDesigns]

Thanks for this. I've already read it but it's useful to listen to it as well.

[Jeorney]

Much of this reminds me of the zodiac imagery. "son of a fish or turtle" obsolete turtle(Testudo), in Pisces. Also Testudo is the alternative name for lyra. The great Bull of heaven, Taurus. The scorpian man & wife - Scorpio. The freindship between Gilgamesh & Enkidu- Gemini perhaps. Then again, Enkidu reminded me of Capricorn. The girl from the temple of Ishtar - Virgo. I'll have to go through this again to pick out the other signs.

[tsubasashi]

Thanks much for this. Just started Humanities class and the Sumerian civilization was our first stop. Great reading. Thanks again.

[latoofi]

Thank you so much that was amazing. Always wondered about the epic yet thanks to you now I know. I wish that I can return the favor one day. Thanks again for the outstanding work

[hunterusmc18]

I wish Holywood would stop making so many fucked up movies and bring stories like this one back to life.........outstanding work thank you so much for shareing

[aurias01]

great work ive listened to the whole epic 4 times already thanx a lot

[mmm318]

great job dude!!!

[sanchezdot]

most excellent ty :D

[41312111]

is this the end?

[helvis213]

Yes. Gilgamesh hears the story of flood, obtains and loses the plant of life and returns to Uruk. This is my favorite tablet.

[41312111]

awesome man thank u!

[beatriXkibo]

Mine too! This is so realistic and crucial. It is piercing.

[liamblackrebel]

wow. thx alot. was a pleasure to listen to you reading this great story!

[needparalegal]

AWESOME!

[snapx101]

Thank you very much much much much !!!!

but yet.. i dont understand the ending.. what does he mean by all that at the end.. after they camp the second time and he talks about the walk...

=\ annoies me that the only part i dont get in the ending..

gah gah gah!!

lol

=D but tanx again =DDD

[helvis213]

Hey there,

Glad you enjoyed. Listen to it again, it's worth it. Gilgamesh returns to Uruk accompanied by Urshanabi, the boatman who took Gilgamesh across the Sea of Death. On the way, he gets the plant that makes men young but he looses it.

Hope that helps.

[snapx101]

Thank you...

clears much up for me...

but... about the homosexuallity?....lol

[snapx101]

I mean... were Enkidu and Gilgamesh gay together??

[41312111]

according to the story no.

[mmm318]

yep!!

[gdavila99]

This was very helpfull for me thank you much. Do you have any other entries of Enkidu? I am looking to find something about Enkidu that may have not been mentioned.

[helvis213]

Glad you enjoyed. This is it. I don't think Enkidu is associated with any other story.

[MidlifeCrises]

That was fabulous, thank you.

[helvis213]

Glad you enjoyed!

[JavierR507]

this was really usefull, this epic is so complex and full of metaphors very nice i hope i get an A

[helvis213]

Glad you enjoyed.  Good luck!

[JavierR507]

Javier from Panama university Santamaria de la antigua i thank you very much.

[SailorBarsoom]

Well, I like to think that some day we'll figure out longevity, if not immortality. Just like we eventually figured out flight.

But whether your life should last twenty years or twenty thousand, you should make the most of it while you can. Gilgamesh seems to have learned this.

[helvis213]

Exactly! But as long as we're talking about humans, then life is indeed limited and short.

[evilkeo]

Thank you! I just finished listening to all of it nonstop. A great tale. Thank you for your efforts!

[helvis213]

Thank you.

I'm glad you enjoyed.

[earlytosleep]

...I have lost the marvelous plant to a reptile...How can I ever manage to find that place again?... sound familiar?

[Bargadiel]

Yep.

[nattyred100000]

thank you. i loved it =)

[Xxbadhabit420Xx]

this is the 1st time i've actually heard the epic of gilgamesh. what puzzles me is the end, if it is the actual end. when he returns Uruk it seems he forgets about his search for immortality and accepts the fact he will die, but takes comfort in what's around him

idk im probably wrong which is why i was wondering if some1 could help

excelent story btw

[helvis213]

That's the proper ending.

Listen to the last two tablets again.

[JonMcClinton]

Fantastic..... you brought the story to life...this alone was worth having the youtube account... not to say I don't enjoy other things but WOW ....

[da6is9]

What an interesting story. I found out about Gilgamesh while researching Lillith, one link led to another link led to another link led to....

I, too, sat back and listened to all 11 parts non stop.

Good narrative.

[helvis213]

Very cool!

Gilgamesh is a great story illustrating many universal truths. I like to call it, "a guide for living."

[disaROTIN]

helvis213, thx a lot for 'ur great job of uploading all these wonderful epic of gilgamesh. l have already read the book a year ago but it's very nice to hear on here, and l have renewed my memory about that great epic of gilgamesh. was that whole the book or is there some more? thought there were some more when read the book! if only thx again for 'ur time that u spend to upload these epic.

[helvis213]

Hey disaROTIN,

I'm glad you enjoyed. As you may already know, there are several versions of the epic and many copies include other stories that relate to the epic like, The Birth of Gilgamesh, for instance.

The version here is Stephen Mitchell's.

[disaROTIN]

yea, probably but l'm not sure about the birth of "Gilgamesh" but the one that l have read was translated by Andrew George, from Penguin Books, although as it says that the epic has been written on the cuniform tablets and each tablet has been found in different places, whereas as far as l remember there're still some pieces 're lost. and if u noticed it the treachery was existed in that era too and the power of the female on the males.

[spacecowboynj]

Amazing. I just sat and listened to all 11 back to back. Phenomenal job helvis.

The world's most underrated epic.

[SNIPEQUEST]

He had the way to imortality but lack the devotion or the faith to carry it through becuase he was in love with the world and life. He realized the things he earned in life was in vain becuase of they are not forever and lost the thing which was most important, the key to ever lasting life. The snaked stole it from him and deprived his immortality while he was cleansing himself.

[SNIPEQUEST]

I think it means; Immortal life will not be gained becuase the needs/drives of our body, as well love for worldy things, overcome our faith in acceptance of what is true and living according to it. What we accept as truth is in our heart, sowed from life experiences and relationships with others and yet people still fail to live according to it.

[helvis213]

I like to say, Gilgamesh is a guide to life. Immortality is not part of the human experience and so as we see, no matter what Gilgamesh does, he will never gain it.

Sure, Utnapishtim told him where to find the plant-and he even manages to capture it, but that's the paradox. One way or another, Gilgamesh will die, too, just like Enkidu.

With life comes death.

[ZXRaziel]

thank you .

[Jjuanpis]

Bien

[VELLACIFER]

Humbaba was a Robot!!!!

[stashkingjunior]

I loved it!!

[helvis213]

Yes, yes....another lover of the Epic!

Welcome to club!

[Drzaues]

Thanks Helvis,

I enjoyed this very much I appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Cheers

[helvis213]

Thanks Drzaues,

Glad you enjoyed!

[Rephilimatlantis]

on second thought it's prolly a sea urchin

[Rephilimatlantis]

I wonder what plant he is describing and if there is anything to this? Definately a coral of some kind not sure what exactly.

[helvis213]

I wonder if it's more about the paradox. Gilgamesh is searching for eternal life yet we know he can never attain this, for he is human. Utanapishtim explains to Gilgamesh and he even challenges him to stay awake but Gilgamesh fails. Then, as a consolation prize, Utanapishtim's wife convinces him to give Gilgamesh something for his effort and he tells Gilgamesh about the plant. If he eats it, he will gain eternal life. Gilgamesh dives into the water...

[helvis213]

and gets the plant but he's afraid to eat it. He plans to try it out on an old man back in Uruk. He then decides to bathe in the river and leaves the plant unguarded on the shore, where, as you know, a snake swallows it up and as final proof of the plants magical quality, the snake sheds it skin and slithers off.

After all his efforts, he has what he wants in his hand yet, somehow, he loses it.

Do you see? As a man, immortality is simply out of the question. Life comes with death.

[twb2b420]

What about Utanapishtim and his wife? They became imortal?

[helvis213]

Yes.

[ShaktipatSage]

Wonderful

[worldlystone]

Thanks for posting.Loved every second of it!

[helvis213]

Thank you, sir.

[OrkSlayer3434]

Thank you so much...your reading was great. You put emotion into many of the parts, I greatly appreciate this great Epic being posted. I hope you add many more!

[hurricaneivan117]

you are a great reader! thanks a million!

[sexagain]

what was in that plant? i want to live forever also

[ThoughtCriminal911]

Brilliant. I have to listen to Gilgamesh again.

[sorenkierkegaard2008]

Wait, am I missing something here? Where's part 12?

[helvis213]

Follow along. It's all here.

[sorenkierkegaard2008]

Part 12 is here and is called 'part 12' in some adequately directive language? I solved Myst in 30 minutes, but I cannot find it. What happened to Gilgamesh? I'd like to know.

[helvis213]

This video is the end. 11 tablets with a preface.

Listen to it and you'll see what happens to Gilgamesh.

Enjoy.

[fallis123]

Oh yeah apprently theres another tablet was readin it on the internet which is about endiku returning from the underworld (as a ghost or not it doesnt make it clear) check it out on wikipedia . com

[fallis123]

Im gonna read about Atrahasis which is what Utnapishtim tell gilgamesh seem quite intresting

[fallis123]

Loved it! why did endiku have to die!! ='( he was so cool. woulda of loved to read a long and in detailed book about this but cant find anythin like it anywhere so i watched all of these vids which were awesome thanks!! ='D

[thegalli]

Thanks, I really enjoyed listening to this.

I liked this version of the story, it seemed to be a very 'nuts and bolts' style of storytelling, which is good.

[Odmang]

Thanks for the videos, i watched all of them in one sitting =) now iam ready for class for once LOL

[Blubs73]

Thankyou for all the work you put in to make this vid. This was a great help. Thanks again.

[alfanow777]

thanks so much for taking the time to upload this story; I also enjoyed it.

[Summoner455]

wow that was a good story. i never thought of listening to stories instead of reading them. makes it very fun

[helvis213]

Sometimes people get tired while reading. The audio is good, it makes it possible to get through the whole epic in one sitting.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Summoner455]

i did do it in one sitting too!!! lol. it was so fun.

[Brightstar27]

What a fantastic story! Sat there and listened form 1 to the end. Magnificent!

[ml0004]

Don't for get the preface. Gilgamesh rocks!

[Simsim64]

Great Epic, many thanks. I wish you continue uploading more vidoe of epics from Ancient Iraq, Sumerian, Babylonian, Akkadian..etc.

[realistromeo]

Awesome helvis thanx for these epics.

I listened to all 11 parts and it is very interesting.

[helvis213]

Thanx realistromeo,

I'm glad you enjoyed!

[MattChez]

great story, thanks for putting it up here, much appreciated.

but is that the end of the entire epic??

it just seems like it was cut short is all..

[helvis213]

It is indeed. You'll notice the very end brings Gilgamesh(accompanied by Urshanabi back home to Uruk, and it's great walls, where the epic began.

[lcarlosrosado]

thanks dude, downloaded them all down on to my mp3 player, good stuff.