The Legendary Sumerian King
Image copyright: http://www.historywiz.com/images/neareast/gilgamesh1.jpg
Eventually after all his quests he meets Utnapishtim who tells him about The Great Flood. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh how the flood was a one time occurence and the only reason the gods gave him and his wife immortality is because he and his wife survived the flood. Taking pity on Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim's wife asks her husband to tell Gilgamesh about a plant that can make him young again. Gilgamesh, excited about this plant dives into the sea to get it. He retrieves the magical plant but loses it while taking a bath because a snake eats it. Distraught over the lose of the plant Gilgamesh is told to just enjoy his mortal life while he still can. Eventually Gilgamesh accepts his fate and begins to enjoy life.
Gilgamesh enjoys his life and then dies. The city of Uruk mourns for the loss of their legendary king. The story of Gilgamesh was found in the libary of King Assurbanipal of Nineveh. After a while people began to realize Gilgamesh was real since in the Sumerian list of kings Gilgamesh's name is on the list. Eventually the oral story of Gilgamesh was lost but the written transcript was kept since it was written on clay which hardens and does not get destroyed. The story of Gilgamesh could be seen as a forefather for other famous stories such as killing the Demon of The Cedar Forest, Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven kills his freind Enkidu and insolence such as killing the Cyclops almost kills Odessuys.