Chapter 8 Summary

Immediately following the slaying of the Bull of Heaven, Enkidu begins having dreams full of ominous portents. Gilgamesh begs his friend to relate the dreams so that he can tell them to his mother, the prophetess Ninsun.

In Enkidu's dream, Ishtar and her priestesses are all gathered on top of the city wall, wailing in grief over the Bull's leg Enkidu had thrown up to Ishtar as a sarcastic offering. This itself does not bother Enkidu, but then he hears the angry voices of the other gods with father Anu calling for the death of one of the companions. It is Enlil who answers, "Enkidu must die." Though Shamash argues for Enkidu's life, the gods are resigned. Enkidu must die. Gilgamesh, though upset, reasons that, because they committed all their acts together, they cannot die separately. Enkidu, however, contracts a fever and his...