II) Babylonians
 B) Improvements on Sumer
  4) Literature
   i) Gilgamesh ( was a story possibly passed down from Sumer)
    a) centers on a larger than life hero
    b) provides ethical guidance
    c) use of foreshadowing and repetition
     1) use of this reinforces order, people didn't like chaos so they used foreshadowing and repetition
     2) makes people feel secure
     3) provides emotional fulfillment
     4) provides a larger than life man to combat chaos
      a) this provides emotional fulfillment
    d) Ethical Guidance
     1) tells people that war is not good for amusement
     2) tells people they should not take another mans woman
     3) shows some of the downfalls of an evil king
     4) tells people how to deal with an evil king
      a) they should pray to the gods
      b) tells people that is they kill him, it will only create instability an war
      c) tells kings that power is supposed to be used for good purposes
    e) Gods respond and send Enkidu
     1) Enkidu was at first wild, until he was baited with a woman trap
      a) this shows that Babylonians believed that woman were key to civilization
      b) this woman helps civilize Enkidu
     2) Enkidu tries to return to wild but the animals won't accept him
      a) this tells people that no matter how hard civilization can be, you can't go back to the wild
    f) Enkidu and Gilgamesh fight each other then become friends
     1) they were evenly matched so they showed respect for each others strength
     2) this tells people that great things can happen if two work together
      a) take the warring city states as an example
    g) adventures of Enkidu and Gilgamesh
     1) beat up Hum-baba, who tries to become their slave after he is beaten
      a) Enkidu wants to kill him
      b) brings up the question, is it better to enslave an enemy or to kill him
      c) writer brings up many reasons for each side of the issue
        i) helps people deal with difficult questions, slavery or death, both are wrong, which to chose
      d) Gilgamesh ultamitly decides to kill him
     2) Ishtar- goddess of love- represents the natural force of sexuality
      a) Gilgamesh turns her down
        i) she was not good to previous lovers
        ii) she runs and tells Enlil (Father god)
       b) teaches people that sexuality is
         i) dangerous
         ii) powerful and appealing, warns them to be careful
      3) Gods send the bull of the Sun
       a) Enkidu is to be killed
       b) before he dies, he complains about his death
       c) Shamash asks Enkidu why he is complaining
         i) tells him that he has lived a good life, eaten great food, and made a good friend
         ii) Enkindu should be happy of these things
         iii) no afterlife is predicted though, Mesoptanians did not belive in a glorious afterlife
      4) No though of an afterlife makes Gilgamesh search for immortality
       a) he finds the plant but is so tried of the journey he falls asleep after he gets it
       b) snake comes up and takes the plant
      5) this work tells people that even though there is no afterlife, their memory will live on with the works the create, and the people that remember them
        a) this helped people deal with death