This is an essay I wrote circa 1998 for a college mythology class, rewritten by GPT-4 to remove potential factual inaccuracies and provide a more nuanced understanding of the characters of Aeneas and Gilgamesh.
The archetype of the epic hero is often a complex individual, who may or may not be of divine origin, and whose actions are shaped by varying degrees of interaction with gods and destiny. Tragedy often forms the backdrop against which these heroes act, pushing them towards fulfilling their roles in their respective worlds. Aeneas from The Aeneid and Gilgamesh from The Epic of Gilgamesh are two such characters who embody various aspects of the epic hero.
In this essay, I will compare and contrast the journeys and challenges of both Aeneas and Gilgamesh. Though they both face daunting tasks, their approaches and responses to these tasks reflect their distinct personalities.
Gilgamesh initially appears as a self-centered king obsessed with his own power and legacy. However, the loss of his friend Enkidu becomes a turning point, pushing him towards a quest for wisdom and understanding about mortality. On the other hand, Aeneas is pious and duty-bound, guided largely by a sense of destiny and the varying influences of divine powers. While he wrestles with emotional and moral dilemmas, like his love for Dido, he remains committed to fulfilling his destiny.
Gilgamesh’s pursuit of immortality takes on a transformative character after Enkidu’s death. Rather than just seeking eternal life as an end in itself, he looks for answers to the larger questions about human existence and legacy. Aeneas, in contrast, is not driven by personal desires for immortality. He is tasked with securing a future for his displaced people and ensuring the eventual rise of Rome, a task that is complex in its own right, involving both divine opposition and military conquests.
Both heroes experience tragedy and confront the influences of divine beings, but in different ways. Aeneas has to navigate both divine assistance and hindrance in his journey, facing obstacles set particularly by Juno. Gilgamesh, though initially buoyed by his friendship with Enkidu—a creation of the gods to divert and humble him—faces the harsh reality of human mortality, catalyzed by divine intervention.
Gilgamesh returns to Uruk not just in despair, but also with newfound wisdom about his role as a leader and the limitations of human life. Aeneas, on his part, successfully navigates the obstacles in his path, and while he doesn’t directly found Rome, he establishes the lineage and the settlement that would eventually lead to its creation.
Between the two, I personally find Aeneas more admirable for his sense of duty and ability to put aside personal desires for the greater good. Gilgamesh, despite his early arrogance, undergoes significant transformation but falls short of realizing a grand vision for humanity.
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