Around 460 BCE a man named Thucydides lived to experience and record the historical storyline the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides was an Athenian, unbiased, historian that is best known for the way he structurally reconciled information from the Peloponnesian War and is credible for the most reliable source that chronicled the war. The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient epic poem regularly deemed as the first great work of literature, gives civilization a definition to the people of ancient Mesopotamia (Earth of Its Peoples, 26). Gilgamesh, the ultimate leader of Uruk, pursues immortality throughout his journey, exemplifying his power and educating himself on humankind along the way. If a fellow Athenian were to recite the Epic of Gilgamesh to Thucydides, he would likely …show more content…
Gilgamesh’s dictatorial and authoritarian styles tie into how Thucydides viewed innate dictatorship. Thucydides saw how corrupt human nature was and commented on how people during the Peloponnesian war reacted by saying, “Indeed…men take it upon themselves to begin the process of repealing those general laws which are there to give a hope of salvation to all who are in distress, instead of leaving those laws in existence, remembering that there may come a time where they, too, will be in danger and will need their protection” (Thucydides, 245). The manner in which Gilgamesh abused his power might be one of the few things Thucydides agreed with. Thucydides believed human beings were innately sinful and their only good intentions came from being influenced under laws and communal constrictions. Gilgamesh, being one-third God, has no restrictions; therefore, in Thucydides eyes is bound to allow his viler desires to control his actions. While most people respond negatively towards Gilgamesh’s tyranny, Thucydides would accept his methods of regime knowing he didn’t have to abide by any
Thucydides would draw the parallel that both were weak and ignorant for not accepting an inevitable
Man cannot live for ever this is an indisputable fact; however, long after our mortal bodies decay, we can live on through our children and our children's children. David Ferry’s version of the poem “Gilgamesh” support this idea and synthesises it with other points to support the following theme: no matter how great a man is in living his glory is only valuable if he lives on in his offspring. I believe Gilgamesh’s journey and failure to find immortality supports this, revealing values that early Mesopotamian culture held. After pursuing and failing to find immortality for himself, Gilgamesh pleads to the gods to raise his friend to speak with him about death and its state. The spirit of Enkidu raises and reveals to his friend the following
Gilgamesh is just doing this out of boredom and obviously doesn’t care about his city. Gilgamesh is also being very selfish when he makes the decision to go fight Humbaba. “Then if I fall I leave
Always encountering success, Gilgamesh was once a tyrant to his people. Reflecting on his rule, he recalls that, “He demanded from an old birthright/the privilege of sleeping with their brides” (15). His triumphs fostered arrogance. To him, everyone else paled in comparison. When he experiences defeat, however, Gilgamesh grows as a leader, seeing the similarities between him and his subjects, their common humanity.
He had many extraordinary qualities, and heroic characteristics. The most obvious being that he is a king, a man of highest level in society. He was also known and appreciated for building many walls and temples around his city, which no man who followed ever matched. However, after the presence of Enkidu was made, Gilgamesh started to become the more noble and favored ruler of Uruk. Since he finally knew what it was like to have a companion and someone of his level of greatness, he no longer terrorized his city as he did before, and is still aware that death is inevitable.
When I say he puts others before him self I'm describing the fact when he faced the beast Humbaba he did not turn around and run I felt as if he stayed and fought the beast to protect his people. This shows another characteristic that shows he is an epic hero. Gilgamesh was strong two thirds God
In comparison, it’s always observed on how different scholars find the similarity of especially marital settings, characters, and as well as the wanderings of the mythological world. Different events within the life of these characters cover broadly a huge range of epic encounters that are heroic. The character, emotional and psychological development of Gilgamesh can be borrowed especially from the ancient heroic perspectives of mortality and death while comparing with Achilles. Mesopotamian civilization has had several phases in which hero Gilgamesh has been in existence, however having similar attributes. One of the earliest stories of Gilgamesh is developed from Sumerian texts, one of the most influential and well-known poems (Michelakis & Pantelis 2007).
Instead of feeling safe under a divine ruler, people feel threatened and pray to gods to protect them. Gilgamesh oversteps the family boundaries, and this constant violation causes Gilgamesh to lose favor and love from his own subjects. A good king can lose the favor of his people because without them, the glory of being a monarch diminishes, losing the respect and loyalty from his subjects. As a result, Gilgamesh’s corruption prohibits him from calling himself a great king among other
Gilgamesh is a powerful yet emotional king. Gilgamesh shows his weak side by saying “I have wept for him day and night…” After this he remains an epic hero in my opinion. The text states he went on a great dangerous journey and survived and killed the guard of The Cedar
Many see love as a positive quality and for the most part it is. It gives us compassion for our fellow man, allows us to bond with each other, and care for our families. But it also has self-destructive properties too. In Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians feel a really strong patriotism to their city and empire.
The Epic of Gilgamesh gives a lot of insight to what was happening and what was expected in ancient Mesopotamia. The epic poem which revolves around a king, includes many details in to the civilization, beliefs, and values of the Mesopotamians. The king thrives to be remembered and many of his actions reflect that. The Epic of Gilgamesh show how an ideal heroic king should be in ancient Mesopotamia. The first thing it shows us is that hero kings should be strong.
Silvy Elsa Mathew Hum 120 3/1/18 Paper 1 - The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s Iliad The two main oldest epic tales in the world, ‘Epic of the Gilgamesh’ and Homer’s ‘Iliad’ deals with many significant issues that pose a meaning in the life of an individual and communities. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written 1500 years before Homer wrote the Iliad.
The early Gilgamesh was full of hubris as much as he is full greatness. But towards the end of the poem
Through suffering, they learn the nature of reality and accept their limitations. Gilgamesh suffers from attempting to obtain glory and immortality. In the beginning, Gilgamesh tyrannized
The wars that took place in Sparta in Greece, Rome in Italy, and North Africa are similar to each other in terms of goals and results achieved. In the Peloponnesian War, Sparta's goal was to restore the balance of Greek power and maintain Spartan supremacy at the expense of Athens and the other states of the Greek Union, while Rome's goal in the wars that took place in Italy and North Africa was to unite the regions under its control and create a strong Roman Empire. Sparta and Rome were similar in their use of military force to achieve their goals. But there were differences in how these goals were achieved.