Purpose of Life. In the Mesopotamian worldview, the gods were so distant from man that, even one who lived a proper righteous life could never count on the gods to ensure prosperity or happiness. All people had to fend for themselves, provide for their families, and seek their own pleasures. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero arrives at a tavern located at the ends of the earth. There the mysterious female tavern keeper Siduri advises him to abandon his search for immortality and enjoy what life and families have to offer:

Gilgamesh, where are you wandering?
You will not find the life for which you are searching.
When the gods created man,
They allotted death for mankind,
Keeping life for themselves.
Gilgamesh, let your belly be full,
Make merry by day and by night.
Make a feast of rejoicing every day.
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