Gilgamesh and Enkidu

Read the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu of Sumerian Mythology. Gilgamesh is precursor to Hercules, He was also violent and unruly and Enkidu was sent to moderate his violent nature. In the same way Hercules is always accompanied by iolaus (his nephew)(note the similarity). This shows that Hercules story itself is modified form of Gilgamesh story.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Iraq and is among the earliest known works of literary writing. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the mythological hero-kingGilgamesh, which were gathered into a longer Akkadian poem much later; the most complete version existing today is preserved on 12 clay tablets in the library collection of the 7th century BCE Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. It was originally titled He who Saw the Deep (Sha naqba īmuru) or Surpassing All Other Kings (Shūtur eli sharrī). Gilgamesh might have been a real ruler in the late Early Dynastic II period (ca. 27th century BCE).

The essential story revolves around the relationship between Gilgamesh, who has become distracted and disheartened by his rule, and a friend, Enkidu, who is half-wild and who undertakes dangerous quests with Gilgamesh. Much of the epic focuses on Gilgamesh's thoughts of loss following Enkidu's death. It is about their becoming human together, and has a high emphasis on immortality. A large portion of the poem illustrates Gilgamesh's search for and failure to gain immortality after Enkidu's death.