💔 The Passing of Enkidu: The King’s Greatest Loss 🌑

🌌 Epic of Gilgamesh (Part IV) The gods had seen enough ⚡—Gilgamesh and Enkidu had defied them too many times. Their punishment? One of the brothers had to pay the ultimate price. Enkidu fell into a fatal illness. For twelve agonizing days, he raged and cursed his fate—condemning the trapper who first found him, and Shamhat, the woman who brought him into the world of men. 💔 But the sun god Shamash reminded him of the joy, the love, and the honor he had shared with Gilgamesh. 🌞 In the end, Enkidu blessed Shamhat, accepted his fate, and passed into the dark underworld, where the souls that have crossed live as shadows under Queen Ereshkigal. Gilgamesh was shattered. His grief was boundless—he mourned Enkidu with tears, tore his clothes, wore animal skins, and wandered the wilderness in despair. 🌿 This loss would drive him on his next, most desperate quest: the search for immortality itself. 🕊️ ➡️ Follow to catch the next installment in your feed 😊