ABSTRACT
Introduction: Religious Ideas and the Structure of the Universe Thus begins the epic of Gilgamesh, the first story that humans are known to have recorded in written form. In this ancient myth, Gilgamesh, the greatest hero of his age, is described as two-thirds God and one-third human. As a young man, he was an arrogant and callous ruler who built the formidable walls of the city of Uruk but mistreated his subjects. In response to their pleas for help, Anu, the Lord of the Heavens, sent a wild creature named Enkidu to befriend Gilgamesh. Together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu undertook a series of great tasks, even slaying Humbaba, the powerful demon who guarded a sacred cedar forest. But killing Humbaba upset the order established by the Gods, so, as a punishment, the Gods caused Enkidu to fall sick and die.
