This is what the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu represents.
Thus, during the friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the two engage in numerous adventures, often dangerous in nature. For example, Enkidu assists Gilgamesh in his fight against Humbaba, the guardian monster of the Cedar Forest. Even though Enkidu does not agree with the actions, he nonetheless cooperates with Gilgamesh in successfully defeating and killing Humbaba. He later assists Gilgamesh with slaying the Bull of Heaven.
In the end, these actions anger the gods and the goddess Ishtar demands that both Gilgamesh and Enkidu should pay with their lives. However the god Shamash argues with the other gods that both should be spared. As an act of compromise, the gods agree to save only Gilgamesh and thus issue a judgment on Enkidu that holds he had no justification for fighting the Bull of Heaven. As a result, Enkidu is overcome with a severe illness and, before dying, curses the supposedly civilized life.
This portion of the men's friendship is symbolic of the inspiration that youth plays in an adult's life and the dominance of the adult life as to the adventurous life. Thus, Gilgamesh is portrayed as using Enkidu in the pursuit of senseless adventures as Enkidu's sense of adventure inspires Gilgamesh. However, Gilgamesh's acts of adventure are actually immature. Yet, being the youth, Enkidu subdues himself to Gilgamesh's...
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