Tablet XI

The man with the long and complicated name explains why he became immortal in a long and complicated story which I will now attempt to recount.

Basically, the gods had the clever idea to drown everyone in the city of Enlil. But Ae, who apparently like what's-his-name, told him to get on a boat with his family, which is what he did. So then everyone died and Utna-something made an offering to the gods, who came to see him.

Enlil appeared and got mad that a man had survived, but Ae convinced him to bless his intelligence rather than curse his cunning, and they made him immortal.

I guess his name wasn't that hard to figure out, then.

Anyway, Utnapishtim (I said it!) said he'd make Gilgamesh immortal too if he managed to stay awake for seven days, but for the first time ever Gilgamesh failed at something and so he didn't become a god.

He was about to go back to his city dressed as a king and with his beauty displayed, but Utnapishtim's (hey, it isn't that hard after all) wife tells him that he should give Gilgamesh a gift. So Utna tells him where he can find the plant called How-The-Old-Man-Once-Again-Becomes-A-Young-Man. I love that name!

Gilgamesh thanks him and finds it. He is delighted because he once again become the youngest and the strongest, and he will give it ti the old men in his village (with obviously no thought to the problems that that would cause, including but not limited to overpopulation).

Then a snake steals it and Gilgamesh cries some more (jeez, for a hero he really is a crybaby).

He goes home and measures Uruk, the city of Gilgamesh.