Six years had already passed since my reign
over Babylon. Without a doubt, the most boring time of my life. Although we
received several attempted invasions, those small armies could not even get
past the first ranks of Babylonian warriors. I wanted them to come to me and
confront them. I wanted good for my empire, however, I was also fond of fun,
and there was nothing that amused me more than fighting.
In that time, I was training with Ukubu every day. I became even better
than him in all disciplines. He mastered hand-to-hand combat and combat with
weapons, whether spears, swords or bows; although I preferred my great bronze
ax more. I had become better than my father ever was, and even more so by
adding my divine strength.
I had already turned 18, and my mother had not returned since that
argument we had when I was a child. The more I grew up, the more I missed the
maternal love that I did not know how to appreciate at the time. However, it
was already too late for regrets, because I should have repented at that moment
when I ordered him to leave my palace. I learned that he had returned to
heaven, his birthplace and his true home. Sometimes he visits my father, but
without getting too close to the city, or rather, to me.
Such was my dictatorship, that I had created the most selfish law that
could exist: The King's Right, that's what I named it. Basically, the king had
the right to sleep with and have relationships with men's future wives. In
order to be officially married, every woman would have to sleep with me first,
if she didn't, the wedding couldn't take place.
I also ordered the construction of enormous walls around the entire city
of Uruk. Construction lasted four years, while more than a thousand workers
worked tirelessly. These were a hundred meters high, and although it seems that
the purpose was defensive, I had built them simply as a symbol of my greatness
and power. For anyone who would try to ambush, upon seeing the walls would
realize the powerful king who resides within.
I was aware that the people did not agree with many of my decisions,
however, my pride came first. I ordered anyone who dared to protest or speak
ill of me to be executed or imprisoned. People began to hate me even more for
this, and they felt more and more oppressed and enslaved.
Everything was even worse with the death of my father, because one
fateful day the disease killed him. My suffering was so great when I found out
that for the first time in a long time I cried. I did it non-stop for two
weeks, and in my thoughts I could only remember that miserable day when I
disrespected both him and my mother. Not even pride had room in my heart, since
repentance left no room. I ordered all Babylon to mourn him, and to mourn his
death just as I did.
All the sadness of having lost Lugalbanda, my father, made me make many
wrong decisions. I slept with three women every day, without caring about their
consent either. I also forced tall, muscular men to fight with me to drown my
sorrows. I didn't care about hurting or killing them, I just wanted to fight,
but none of them could resist me in combat. He had searched throughout the
Babylonian Empire for a worthy opponent, however, all in vain.
The inhabitants of the kingdom were fed up with my oppression and
brutality. Therefore, I had learned about certain rituals and prayers to the
gods that they performed. They prayed to the great king of the universe, the
god Anu, to end my life.
Apparently, the people's prayers were not in vain. Because one day,
after six years without him visiting me, my mother Ninsun came to warn me.
After all, she was a goddess too, so she had knowledge about divine plans.
—Gilgamesh, you are in danger. Father Anu ordered my sister Aruru to
destroy you. Since she cannot do it personally, she has created a being capable
of rivaling your strength.
-Really?! —I didn't feel afraid, in fact, quite the opposite, I was
excited by the idea of facing someone who could fight me. And where is it?
"You're still just as immature..." she replied. I don't know
where he is, or what he looks like, I just know that they will send him to
Earth to kill you.
—Come on! I'm not afraid of battle, mother.
Despite everything, that was when I realized that he still loved me. I
wanted to invite her to stay in the palace, like in the old days.
—Mother, do you want to stay here with me? —I asked him, scared by his
response.
—No son... My place is where I belong, in heaven with the other gods. I
just wanted to take care of you, after all, you are my son.
Deep down I was hoping for that answer. She knew that she would never
live with humanity again. Furthermore, his son was no longer that child to whom
he had given life, he was now an unscrupulous, oppressive and arrogant king.
"Goodbye, mother..." I said as I watched her go further and
further away.
After that meeting, he anxiously awaited the arrival of that powerful
enemy. My desire to fight someone as strong as me was as great as my own pride.
Having two divine parts and one human part, it was obvious that my opponent
would not be a simple human. Only something created by the gods could rival a
demigod like me.
Time passed, and he still couldn't find the whereabouts of that
mysterious guy. In the end I got tired of waiting so much, and my desire
quickly faded. He had lost hope of having a worthy fight. My boredom had an
influence on me again, so I decided to resume my dirty habits.
Despite my bad hobbies, I did my tasks as a ruler without fail. The
economy of the empire prospered more and more, as did agriculture. They hated
me for the way I was, but they never dared to insinuate anything about poverty,
because it was non-existent. In addition, he had closed very important deals
with nearby empires, bringing peace and prosperity to Babylon.
To my surprise, after a long time things would get better for me. Well,
one day a farmer from the outskirts of Uruk came to visit me. When I found out
about his visit, I just thought that he was another one looking for money, and
that he intended to ask me for it personally. However, the reason for his visit
turned out to be absolutely different. Visit that I would greatly appreciate
later.
"Great King Gilgamesh, I need your help," that peasant told
me.
—Despite everything I offer you, you will never be happy, right?
—No, my lord! —The man was very nervous, so much so that the words were
barely coming out. I come to ask you for help because of a beast.
—A beast? —I asked confused.
-Yeah. For a long time a savage has been bothering our crops. It has
also freed all the animals we had to eat, and the horses we used to move
around.
—But... How can I help you? —I asked again.
"He's the only one who can stop him," he replied. It is a huge
and very ferocious beast. It looks like a man, but with a face and fur similar
to that of a lion. He walks like a person, but behaves like an animal.
—It will be another forest animal lost on the farms.
—It's not just any animal, I myself saw it knock down a tree with just
its hands. He jumps several meters effortlessly, and runs long distances in the
blink of an eye.
I stopped to think for a few moments about the incredible story that
that man had offered me, and it made me remember what my mother warned me a
while ago. Could that beast be the being that the goddess Aruru created to
destroy me? I thought.
Not knowing what to do, an idea crossed my mind. I decided to give this
task to Shamhat, one of the most trusted priestesses I had.
"Bring me Shamhat!" —I ordered the subordinates who were in
the room.
—But sir... Aren't you coming to kill the beast? —said the farmer,
desperate to help him—. I came here out of fear of the power that savage has,
knowing that you are the only one who has the strength to kill him.
At that moment my subordinates brought in Shamhat. When I looked at her
I was stuck for a while, because despite seeing her almost every day, her
beauty never ceased to surprise me. I myself slept with her many times, but I
never got bored of her charms.
"Do you need me, King Gilgamesh?" —she asked me a little
confused. Normally I never call her, unless it's to go to bed.
—Shamhat, you will go to this man to help him. He will take you to a
strange creature, half man and half beast.
"Will I have to die, sir?" —she asked again, scared, because
she was a woman who enjoyed life more than anyone else.
"No, I wouldn't make you make such a mistake," I replied to
reassure her. Your beauty can conquer anyone, be it man, god, or beast. You
must seduce that savage, soften him, and bring him to Uruk. I would go myself,
but I don't have time to go and verify my suspicions in person.
Shamhat didn't ask anything more, he knew that my orders had to be
followed regardless of the consequences. He went with the farmer to his land to
find that mysterious beast. However, I was not going to let things happen
without my observation, therefore, I sent several subordinates to monitor all
events. This way I could keep informed of all the events that were happening.
A week later, I was informed that Shamhat was successfully accomplishing
its task. He met the beast who was apparently called Enkidu. In fact, she even
managed to make him fall in love with her, and according to my guards, they
slept together several times. He managed to cut its fur and humanize it in his
own way. The only downside was something I didn't expect at all, and that was
that she had also fallen in love with him. Obviously I didn't feel jealous, he
could have all the women he wanted, however, his disobedience made me very
angry. Since he had ordered him to return with the beast to Uruk, something he
apparently completely ignored.
As the days went by I ended up forgetting about it. After all, it seemed
illogical to me that if Aruru had created a beast, she would send it to the
forest instead of killing me directly. Furthermore, my subordinates had lost
sight of the two lovers, therefore, I was no longer receiving information from
them. Apparently, that farmer was not lying at all, according to my informants
the beast was as strong as he had told me.