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Utnapishtim reveals the secret of a plant that bestows eternal life, which Gilgamesh obtains, only to have it stolen by a serpent.

The goddess Ishtar proposes to Gilgamesh, but he rejects her. In retaliation, she sends the Bull of Heaven to ravage the earth.

The epic introduces Gilgamesh, a tyrannical king, who is two-thirds god and one-third man. He befriends Enkidu, a wild man sent by the gods to challenge him.

Utnapishtim recounts the Great Flood, a cataclysm sent by the gods, and how he survived it, thus being granted immortality.

Enkidu has a premonitory dream about his own death, which symbolizes the unavoidable nature of mortality.

Gilgamesh embarks on a quest to find Utnapishtim, the immortal man, in hopes of discovering the secret to eternal life.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu venture to the Cedar Forest to slay the guardian monster Humbaba, defying the will of the gods and showing their might.

Enkidu falls ill and dies as a punishment from the gods for the companions' hubris, leaving Gilgamesh grief-stricken and fearful of his own mortality.

Gilgamesh crosses the perilous Waters of Death on his journey, showcasing his determination to overcome even the most insurmountable obstacles.

Despite his losses, Gilgamesh returns to his city, Uruk, where he finds meaning in the legacy he will leave through his accomplishments.

The Epic of Gilgamesh influences later literary works and provides invaluable insights into Mesopotamian culture, with themes that resonate to this day.