ship_manifesto

Title: History's First Lovers
Fandom: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Pairing: Gilgamesh/Enkidu
Author: ninurta
Email: Sharur@gmail.com

12-8-09 – I have found THE MOST AWESOME BOOK: When Heroes Love: The Ambiguity of Eros in the Stories of Gilgamesh and David.


This quarter I took "Introduction to Western Civilization" at the University of Washington, which covered from the Natufian culture (about 9000 BC) to the fall of Rome. For our first essay one of the choices was the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu and what Gilgamesh learned from their relationship. Since it was obvious Gilgamesh and Enkidu were doing it, I just had to write on that *g*. What follows is my essay, exactly as I turned it in.

But first, a short character introduction.

Gilgamesh is ensi of Uruk, leader and protector of the city. He is a great king unmatched by any other, beautiful and two-thirds god. But soon Gilgamesh oppresses the people of the city, not leaving a son to his father or a girl to her mother (or betrothed). He "struts his power over the people like a wild bull". The people of Uruk pray and cry to the gods. Hearing the people, Enkidu is created to tame Gilgamesh.

Enkidu is a wild man living among lions until a prostitute goes to him and civilizes him. Enkidu is a just and loyal man and bacomes fiercly protective of and devoted to Gilgamesh.


( History's First Lovers )


There is no Gilgamesh/Enkidu fanfic on the web that I've been able to find. But! There is a novel called Gilgamesh by Stephan Grundy, which I'm about halfway through. It's really good, and I am so happy I didn't talk myself out of buying it. Unfortunately he puts in het sex but skips the gay sex. So I'll just have to write some myself ;).


1-1-05: I just realized I didn't put one of my favorite slashy parts in the essay (cuz I just got to that part in Grundy's book). After Gilgamesh and Enkidu return to Uruk, Ishtar goes to Gilgamesh and asks him to be her husband. He essentially says 'Are you nuts? You killed all your other lovers' and lists her lovers and what she did to them. She then goes to her father, Anu, and tells him to give her the Bull of Heaven so it can kill Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill it, of course.

"Woe unto Gilgamesh who slandered me and killed the Bull of Heaven!"
When Enkidu heard this pronouncement of Ishtar,
he wrenched off the Bull's hindquarter and flung it in her face:
"If I could only get at you I would do the same to you!
I would drape his innards over your arms!"

That's the second part the made me think "They are so doing it!" Enkidu basically bitch-slaps Ishtar and tells her to keep the fuck away from his man. I love that part *g*