Gilgamesh Tablets VIII, IX

On these tablets, Gilgamesh in some way feels empty without his companion, Enkidu. He moarns and weeps for him. He says that everyone in the kingdom may moarn for him. "May the young men of the city who fought the bull, may they mourn for Enkidu who protected them." Pg 46. He says many things similar to this and says that everyone may mourn for Enkidu. The next thing that Gilgamesh does is that he orders to get a statue of Enkidu made. "And commanded that there be made a statue of him." Pg 47.

The next thing that happens is that Gilgamesh thinks that since Enkidu died, he must die too. He decides he will search for Utnapishitin. "The only one of men by means of whom he might find out how death could be avoided." Pg 48. During this tablet they say many times t Gilgamesh is afraid and companionless. And entered the darkness alone, without a companion." Pg 51. Gilgamesh goes into a path of 12 leagues in the search for this man. the text is very repetitive and says the same thing over and over again. "He struggled to breathe, trying to breathe the darkness." Pg 52. At the end of the tablet, Gilgamesh comes to the endo of the darkness path and gets to the sea.

What I most noticed about these tablets is that they describe Gilgamesh different than before. He is now less egocentric and less confident. Many times during the text, they say he is afraid, which we had never seen him lie this before. It seems that with the death of Enkidu he is no longer complete. They state many times that he is now without a companion so now he is not perfect as he used to be. Enkidu completed him.