Gilgamesh 9^th tablet

Studying mythological literature and reviewing ancient myths can be very helpful. Of course, if we might not be trapped in the same bicameral thoughts and attitudes. Rather, re-determine those factors they were searching for and find ways to reach them in our contemporary world. A bicameral mind just as what has been described by Julian Jaynes[1] is the one confronting with the world and nature and at the same time carrying past thoughts. Such a mind may not be able to process freely and directly its own received data trough five faculties of perception. A bicameral mind is always under the shadow of other persons' perceptions which are not belonged to it and it has accepted them intentionally or unintentionally as a part of its own understandings and inputs.

One of the most significant and ancient mythical literatures remained from very old times is Gilgamesh that is from Mesopotamia and may be regarded as a masterpiece made by Sumerian civilization. Historic evidences show that Gilgamesh was the fifth king of Orok and the son of Lougalbanda who ruled Sumerian people (after Noah's great flood) over 125 years.

This ancient story goes back to 4000 years ago and its most complete text was written on 12 cooked clayey tablets. This collection was formed as poem and discovered in the ruins of Ashurbanipal library. Each one of these 12 tablets consists of 300 lines in 6 columns of course except the last tablet which is added to the collection and is apparently shorter than previous tablets.

The myth tells us that Gilgamesh was a tyrant king and also an athlete. He was a semi heavenly filled with gods and human's characters. The story begins with Gilgamesh's works and victories introducing him a great man in the fields of science and wisdom. He could forecast storms. The death of his intimate friend Enkido disturbed him very much and Gilgamesh went on a long and hard trip to find eternity. Then he returns tiredly and hopelessly writing his travel story on clayey tablets.

By studying this mythical work we understand that the secret contemporary human tries to find is exactly what the old and ancient people seeking for: Eternity or a kind of life without death.

Gilgamesh's efforts for finding the secret of life and his arrival before the gate of darkness, talking to guardians and walking within the valleys of darkness are vivid signs of this long ambition.

If we confront with the idea of "how to eternize human" in Gilgamesh epic, the same idea can be found in the exhaustless efforts of genetics scientists and physicians who are trying to prolong humans lives and ages trough conquering diseases such as cancer and etc.. The hero of Gilgamesh epic is not human but the gods of nature appeared in a man. In our modern era we may also find scientists who do godly activities by manipulating genetic characteristics and properties within living cells.

In considering human capabilities and potentials and love for life and endless effort to conquer death, Gilgamesh may be regarded as important as our contemporary scientists' admirable works in defeating the death and enduring people's health and age. Gilgamesh can be a genetics scientist who has found the origin of life and instead of walking in the valleys of darkness looks into the inner space of cells trough electronic microscopes. An ancient desire is becoming realized in our age and time.

Gilgamesh told the Sumerian man: "I didn't find life.", but the genetics scientist or physician tells: "We have found the drug for cancer." Stress, anguish, adventurism and evolutionism of Gilgamesh may be found in contemporary scientists and physicians. Gilgamesh, who was ruling the people of Orok city, inspired those scientists who are ruling cell cores today.

It is not important what is the identity of the myths or to which land they belong, what matters is their message for us today and how much can we get inspiration from them to build our world today and tomorrow.

It is completely probable that an eastern myth has the same message for Western people and vise versa. Western and Greek myths such as Hummer's Odyssey and Iliad may have inspirations for the Eastern people. It seems that humans have always laid a similar message for future generations through different ages. This is that the problem of all of people has been the same: "Eternity".

Yet many buried and secret treasures of ancient myths are remained intact. This was a recreation of one of them. The recreation of a myth is not rebuilding it in the same past form, but redefining its impacts on modern social environments. These effects can embrace personal and organizational environments in national and meta-national aspects making a new image from present and future conditions. Myths are silent by themselves, but human can vocalize them and even resurrect them in new forms. An interaction between the mind of human and myths may be regarded as a factor in empowering personal creativity.

When we think about the myths, should we think in the same way that ancient people thought? Surely not. Naturally we can not and should not think like them. They were suffering from a bicameral mind. Perhaps the only positive point in thinking about past people is determining their ways and methods of thinking. Just as what Dr. Monshizadeh has told in the beginning Persian of Gilgamesh translation: "A separated human from nature deprives himself from the right of living. Perhaps a great portion of efforts made in 20^th century was conducted to bring back this natural right."

If we accept mythology as an introduction to futurology, then we may prepare ourselves for real alternative ../images received from future. These pictures will be probably greater than those ../images appeared in past nations' bicameral minds. Are you ready for such pictures?!

[1] Janes, Julian. "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind", Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1990.