"The destiny was fulfilled which the father of the gods, Enlil of the mountain, had decreed for Gilgamesh: "In nether-earth the darkness will show him a light: of mankind, all that are known, none will leave a monument for generations to come to compare with his. The heroes, the wise men, like the new moon have their waxing and waning. Men will say, 'Who has ever ruled with might and with power like him?' As in the dark month, the month of shadows, so without him there is no light. O Gilgamesh, this was the meaning of your dream. You were given the kingship, such was your destiny, everlasting life was not your destiny. Because of this do not be sad at heart, do not be grieved or oppressed; he has given you power to bind and to loose, to be the darkness and the light of mankind. He has given unexampled supremacy over the people, victory in battle from which no fugitive returns, in forays and assaults from which there is no going back. But do not abuse this power, deal justly with your servants in the palace, deal justly before the face of the Sun."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Translated by , 1960, Penguin Classics, Third edition, 1972
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Gilgamesh
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Gilgamesh
(Bilgames in the earliest texts) was a historical king of the ian city-state of Uruk, a major hero in ancient , and the protagonist of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an written in Akkadian during the late . He likely ruled between 2800 and 2500 BCE and was posthumously deified. He became a major figure in during the (c. 2112 – c. 2004 BCE).
20 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Gilgamesh →
Related Quotes
"Because of your purity, youthful Utu has made everything abundant for you; may a sweet life be your lot, son of Ninsu…"
"Who is there, my friend, can climb to the sky? Only the gods dwell forever in sunlight. As for man, his days are numb…"
"What should I do and where should I go? A thief has taken hold of my flesh! For there in my bed-chamber Death does ab…"
"Read out the travails of Gilgamesh, all that he went through!"
"opened his mouth, saying to Gilgamesh: "where you've set your mind begin the journey, let your heart have no fear, ke…"
"Father, let me have the Bull of Heaven To kill Gilgamesh and his city. For if you do not grant me the Bull of Heaven,…"
"The life that you seek you never will find: when the gods created mankind, death they dispensed to mankind, life they…"
"O Mighty King, remember now that only gods stay in eternal watch. Humans come then go, that is the way fate decreed o…"
"O man of Shurrupak, son of Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, …"
"For six days and six nights the winds blew, torrent and tempest and flood overwhelmed the world, tempest and flood ra…"