CLAA05H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Urshanabi, Utnapishtim, Siduri
Document Summary
Gilgamesh arrives at the seaside tavern of siduri the alewife. Alewives were a special class of women outside of the authority of a male family member. Sponsored by a palace which provided them with supplies. Ale was a staple drink and a source of nutrition in ancient mesopotamia (river water can make you sick, source of grains, minerals, calories etc. ) Upon seeing gilgamesh, siduri is afraid : he"s only wearing a lion skin, he has the face of a long-distance traveller , she thinks he might be an assassin. She locks him out of the tavern. Gilgamesh explains who he is siduri has heard of him but doesn"t believe its him. Gilgamesh tells his story of enkidu and being afraid of death. He asks her to show him the way to ut-napishtim. The alewife in obv tells gilgamesh to stop seeking immortality and just enjoy the life he has now.
