The rest of
mankind must face death as the end of life.
That the story of the Deluge is told in the eleventh tablet of the
series, corresponding to the eleventh month, known as the month of
"rain curse" [120] and marking the height of the rainy season, may
be intentional, just as it may not be accidental that Gilgamesh's
rejection of Ishtar is recounted in the sixth tablet, corresponding to
the sixth month, [121] which marks the end of the summer season. The
two tales may have formed part of a cycle of myths, distributed
among the months of the year. The Gilgamesh Epic, however, does
not form such a cycle. Both myths have been artificially attached
to the adventures of the hero. For the deluge story we now have the
definite proof for its independent existence, through Dr. Poebel's
publication of a Sumerian text which embodies the tale, [122] and
without any reference to Gilgamesh. Similarly, Scheil and Hilprecht
have published fragments of deluge stories written in Akkadian and
likewise without any connection with the Gilgamesh Epic. [123]
In the Epic the story leads to another episode attached to Gilgamesh,
namely, the search for a magic plant growing in deep water, which has
the power of restoring old age to youth.
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