Gilgamesh and Egyptian Poetry Test

What is A Dialogue of a Man with His Soul about?

A man addresses his soul in a meditation on evil and death

What are the two Gods' names and what do they mean?

Ba (soul) and Ka (ghostly twin)

What is believed about the Ba?

It leaves your body at death, but returns if properly mummified. They are large white owls found in grave areas.

What troubles the speaker in the first stanza?

He feels alone because he has no friends to speak to

What is the man's solution to his problem?

He wants to die

What scene does the speaker think of to make his solution positive?

Like a passing of rain clouds

Like sickness leaving the body

Yonder

the world of the dead

Re

the son-god

What is Akhenaten's Hymn to the Sun about?

It addresses the sun to praise its beauty and life-giving properties

How does the speaker describe the surroundings of ancient people who had no light after sundown?

He talks about dangerous entities that lie in the dark, monsters, and bad things that come out of caves

How do people react to the sunrise?

They raise their arms and praise, perform daily tasks

What does Akhenaten also credit the sun god with?

Creating a world that all people desire

What is Akhenaton and others' attitude towards the sun?

They worship the sun god

Is this hymn a song of praise?

Yes because he describes all the good the sun brings

two lands

Upper and Lower Egypt, united by Menes around 3100 BC

I Think I'll... - Why do medical specialists snarl in their teeth at him?

They can't figure out what is wrong with him because he is faking it

Who is the speakers love?

Most likely a woman that is a neighbor

Why does she smile when others snarl?

She knows that he is faking it for her attention

I Was Simply... What does the speaker see as she goes to visit Nefrus?

She sees specifically Mehy on a horse with other boys

Why does she notice Mehy?

Her heart flutters/ she has feelings for him

What Line reveals the speaker's inner feelings?

Line 5

Does the speaker have conflicting emotions?

Yes, the speaker does not want to be treated/seen as any other girl in the palace

Mother Hathor

the goddess of love and joy

Horus

a son of God, child of Osiris and Isis, represented having the head of a hawk

Prologue and Lament- Of what ancient city was Gilgamesh king

Uruk, Mesopotamia

What quest undertaken by the hero has prompted modern readers to describe it as "a protest against death"

the quest for everlasting life

Name three types of power the narrator mentions for Gilgamesh

LOTS of answers - perfect body/beauty, courage, knowledge of all things, sees mysteries, 1/3 man 2/3 god

How does the narrator illustrate to Mesopotamia that the deeds of Gilgamesh are still evident as the story is told

The walls of Uruk have no equal

How have Enkidu and Gilgamesh become friends?

The fought at first but then became friends, performing heroic deeds together and killing a giant

Who has causes Enkidu's illness and why?

Ishtar because she is angry at Gilgamesh for rejecting her love

What non-living things does Gilgamesh include among the mourners that weep for Enkidu?

river, banks, mountains, pathways

How does Gilgamesh respond to Enkidu's death

He pulls his hair out, weeps, wanders the wilderness as a hunter, and roams over the plains

When does Gilgamesh bury his friend

7 days after his death, when the worms fastened on him

Does the death cause Gilgamesh to think about his own life?

Yes, it causes him to fear death and search for immortality

Eanna

name given to Uruk to the area that help temples of Anu/Ishtar

Ula of Elam

river Ula flower down from Zagros mountains in Elam, the region of East Sumeria

The Watchman

the giant Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar forest of Lebanon

Utnapishtim...life

Utnapishtim was an immortal being who lived on the remote island of paradise of Dilmun. beyond the water of death

Flood and Return - Who is Narrating?

Utnapishtim

How does he know about the flood?

He is immortal and his family are the only survivors of the flood, living beyond the water of death

Whos is Ea

the God of Wisdom

How does Ea help Utnapishtim?

He tells him to tear down his house a build a boat

How complex is the project?

Very, it was 180ft, 6 decks, and took him 7 days

Does he complete it in time?

Yes he completes it in 7 days

How do the Gods react to the storm and its effects?

They become terrified and run to the highest heavens

What birds does Utnapishtim release?

A dove, swallow, and raven

What do they show him?

They come back, telling him there is no land. Raven doesn't come back, meaning their is land

What causes Enlil to become angry?

No mortals were suppose to survive

How does Ea respond?

Ea says that he did not tell the mortal, but showed him in a dream (bc he thought it was a terrible idea)

Can Utnapishtim help Gilgamesh in his search for an endless life?

Yes, he tells him of the plant that grants eternal life

How does Gilgamesh get the plant?

He ties stones to his feet and walks underwater

How does Gilgamesh loose the treasure?

A serpent ate it while he was bathing

When Gilgamesh returns to Uruk, what is he still proud of?

He proudly shows the walls to Urshanabi

Nisir

"mountain of salvation"

The Gulf

the Persian Gulf

one hundred and twenty cubits

180 feet

the rider of the storm

the god Adad

Urshanabi

a boatman who ferries daily across the water of death; reminisciery of Charon in classical mythology

Shurrupak

One of the oldest cities in Mesopotamia, located NW of Uruk

Vault...abyss

the firmament, vault of the sky

Because of his oath

Utnapishtim is under the special protection of Ea in order not to violate the agreement of the gods. Ea does not speak directly to him but gives him the message to the walls of his protege's house