Companions

Companions

At the beginning of the semester we read Gilgamesh.  This was odd to me seeing how the class was on the Homeric Iliad.  After reading both stories I discovered that Gilgamesh and Achilles have similarities that I will point out.  They are both great warriors whose glory and honor everyone knew.  Both of them were demigods with companions that resembled themselves.  Gilgamesh had Enkidu while Achilles had Patroclus.  Their companions however were both killed.  Patroclus was cut down by Apollo and Hector.  Enkidu however just died of sickness.  They were both killed by gods within their own stories.  Achilles and Gilgamesh took the deaths of their companions very hard.  Gilgamesh wondered through the wilderness grieving Enkidu.  Achilles went on a rampage and killed several people to atone for Patroclus’ death.  These warriors also had differences in status though.  Gilgamesh was a king while Achilles is a well-respected soldier.  Gilgamesh lived a long life while Achilles died young.  Finally they were both part of great epics and that’s the summed up connections between these warriors.