• Are the citizens in his cities fond of their king? Page 72. Why did the citizens not leave the city and the kings tyrannous behavior? Page 73.—CB

• On page 74 Aruru was told to create a man to balance out Gilgamesh, but it doesn’t seem that Enkidu was able to stop him from being a tyrant, like how no matter Enkidu’s advise Gilgamesh still went after Humbaba, so did Aruru really accomplish her task?—NB

• My question for the week is whether or not sex civilized a man? In reference, I’d like to use page 78 to 80.—LH

• On page 81, Shamhat describes the city of Uruk. where “you will see young men dressed in their splendor.” “Every day is a festival in Uruk, with people singing and dancing in the streets, musicians playing their lyres and drums, the lovely priestesses standing before the temple of Ishtar, chatting and laughing, flushed with sexual joy, and ready to serve men’s pleasure, in honor of the goddess.” Is there a city in our country that would be our Uruk?—MO

• Could there be an underlying theme of the search for balance in both Gilgamesh and Enkidu? And why is it significant that Gilgamesh needs to lower himself in order to have a balanced life and Enkidu needs to raise his level of humanity? Book 1, page 82—CSt

• On page 83, in the dream Gilgamesh has, Enkidu is said to be a friend of Gilgamesh. Can there be an even greater importance that Enkidu holds, other than slaying Humbaba?—DE

• I thought Gilgamesh and Enkidu were of equal strength yet, on page 89-90 Gligamesh defeats Enkidu in the streets then they become like brothers. How did Gilgamesh win this fight and was it because the fight was a challenge for Gilgamesh that the two become friends?—RG

• Why did Gilgamesh get the sudden urge to go into the Cedar Forest and kill Humbaba? Pg. 91—DS

• Why do the characters seemingly switch personalities throughout their journey? In one example, on page 92, Enkidu sounds afraid of going into Cedar Forest, but on 124 and 125 Gilgamesh is the one who fears Humbaba but is reinforced by Enkidu.—CJM

• On page 41 of "Gilgamesh", translated by Andrew George from Penguin Classics book company, why does Gilgamesh all of the sudden seem to cower away from the battle against Humbaba when he was so confident before hand?—ASC

• Question comes from: PG 105-114: What is the author trying to convey by repeating “At four hundred… and his face lit up with pleasure,” multiple times throughout Book IV?—HW

• What is the purpose of repeating the exact same 5 times before each dream that Gilgamesh has on their way to the cedar forest? (starting at page 105)—MT

• In the stories of the Monster, Humbaba; and the Goddess, Ishtar; on pages 125 and 131, Gilgamesh is presented with temptation. Both times he denies their bribes and does what he believes is right. Do you think that at the time this story was written, resisting temptation was an attribute of someone with nobility?—BY

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• Was the friendship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh forged from fear of each other’s power or from genuine respect?—CSz

• If the people wanted someone to end Gilgamesh’s reign, why did the Gods give him an friend rather than an enemy?—MM