Pursuit Of Money And Power In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

The pursuit of money and power has been something plaguing mankind since development of higher levels of consciousness. It has lead to the rise and fall of great empires and civilizations, mass subjugations, and the lives of untold amounts of people. Even today you would be hard pressed to find someone who has not dreamed of, thought of, or are currently in the processing of becoming wealth and famous; elevating them beyond their peers and making all of their problems go away. Throughout history there have been numerous myths, legends, and stories glorifying the pursuit of money and power, no matter the cost. But no matter if wealth and power were obtained or not, the stories that exemplified this chase are the most entrancing and hypnotic stories ever told. The most widely known and best-selling book in the world is the Holy Bible. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NIV. …show more content…
"He is the fiercest of warriors and the most ambitious of builders. Yet until Enkidu, his near equal, arrives to serve as a counterweight to Gilgamesh’s restless energies, he exhausts his subjects with ceaseless battle, forced labor, and arbitrary exercises of power." (Sparknotes) Because he was king, he thought he had all the power in Mesopotamia at the end of his fingertips. The Flood of Gilgamesh was quite similar to The Flood of Noah in The Bible. These floods were to stop the sins of mankind: Gilgamesh’s selfish power as an example. At the end of the Epic, his power did not go all towards selfishness. “Historical evidence for Gilgamesh’s existence is found in inscriptions crediting him with the building of the great walls of Uruk...”