Achilles and the Caucasus - Université de Montréal

Achilles and the Caucasus (K. Tuite) — août 17, 2007 — pg. 38
Archaic Period, written in the context of this lively interchange
with the Near East, indicate some degree of familiarity on the part
of Greek writers, not only with motifs of Anatolian and
Mesopotamian origin, but even with Near Eastern narrative style
and form (Auffahrt 1991: 131-140; Burkert 1992: 88-127). 38 The
battle between Achilles and the river Scamander in Iliad 21 — to
which we return below — has been compared to the deluge scene
from the Akkadian epic of Atraḫasis (c. 17th c. BCE): the
personified waters spew dead bodies onto the land, bellowing like
a steer; both accounts are “nach altorientalischen
Drachenkampfmuster stylisiert” according to Auffarth (1991: 136).
Of particular relevance are the oft-noted parallels between
Achilles and Gilgamesh, the hero of the widely-diffused
Mesopotamian epic that bears his name. 39 Both were invincible
warriors, of partly divine, partly human origin. 40 Both forged a
bond of love and comradeship with a fellow warrior, who in a
sense died in their place: Patroclus was killed by Hector while
wearing the armor of Achilles, who was still refusing to fight
alongside Agamemnon (Iliad 16). After Enkidu and Gilgamesh kill
the Bull of Heaven sent against them by Ishtar, the god En-Lil
decrees: “let Enkidu die, but Gilgamesh must not die” (Gilgamesh
VII.6).
The deaths of their friends provoke a reaction of grief and rage
38 “Ein Vergleich altorientalischer Epik mit der frühgriechischen zeigt
erstaunliche Gemeinsamkeiten … in der formalen Gestaltung, in der
Verwendung typischer Szenen und in einzelnen Erzählmotiven” (Auffahrt 1991:
133).
39 The Epic of Gilgamesh, which dates back to at least 2000 BCE, was
translated into many of the Near Eastern literary languages of the Bronze Age.
“By some route or other, the name Gilgamos even penetrated into Greek
literature” (Burkert 1992: 33).
40 In some Sumerian texts of c. 2000 BCE, Gilgamesh is said to be the brother
of King Shulgi of Ur, and son of the zoomorphic goddess Ninsun ‘Lady Wild
Cow’ and the hero Lugalbanda (Gilgamesh I:240-241; Kovacs 1989: xxiiixxviii;
D’jakonov 1977: 331). The parallel with Achilles’ and Amiran’s
parentage is remarkable, and needs to be looked into further.