The Faraway-Gilgamesh Tablets X and XI

As Gilgamesh reaches the land over the Mashu Mountains he encounters an old woman in her house on the beach. She counsels him to turn back, this woman could be a metaphor of doubt, keeping us from striving on, from continuing, but Gilgamesh ignored it and searched for the ferryman. The ferryman was the only one able to cross the great sea and the ocean of death, Gilgamesh built a boat to travel it without being harmed. He persisted until he encountered his ancestor. Gilgamesh questioned “the Faraway”, who advised Gilgamesh not to be foolish. The part of us that is careful and attentive, ever watchful for danger, for sin, for evil. Utnapishtim then told him of his own story, what had befallen him. He told him of “the Flood” and the god’s desire to wipe out man kind for the greater good. And like all stories of “the flood” his involved one man being spared. In this case Ea spares Utnapishtim. We sinned and sinned until soon it became unbearable for the gods. They wipe us all out and begin anew, correcting the flaw and perfecting us. But again we fall into sin and the cycle continues. Enlil had not planned for one to be spared but it was the “all knowing” Ea that decided it was the right choice. Should we be spared, or are we just naturally evil and should we be destroyed? Are we worth saving; are there good people in the world truly attempting to make a difference to save it? How can we know? It is above us, and up to the “gods” to decide whether or not we should live or die.