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Enkidu ( EN.KI.DU3, "Enki's creation") is a central figure in the Ancient Mesopotamian ''Epic of Gilgamesh''. Enkidu was formed from clay and saliva by Aruru, the goddess of creation, to rid Gilgamesh of his arrogance. In the story he is a wild man, raised by animals and ignorant of human society until he is bedded by Shamhat. Thereafter a series of interactions with humans and human ways bring him closer to civilization, culminating in a wrestling match with Gilgamesh, king of Uruk. Enkidu embodies the wild or natural world, and, though equal to Gilgamesh in strength and bearing, he acts in some ways as an antithesis to the cultured, urban-bred warrior-king. Enkidu then becomes the king's constant companion and deeply beloved friend, accompanying him on adventures until he is stricken with illness and dies. The deep, tragic loss of Enkidu profoundly inspires in Gilgamesh a quest to escape death by obtaining godly immortality. Older sources sometimes transliterate his name as Enkimdu, Eabani, or Enkita. Enkidu is a modern variant. ==Creation of Enkidu== The people of Uruk complain to the gods that their mighty king Gilgamesh is too harsh. The goddess Aruru forms Enkidu from water and clay as rival to Gilgamesh, as a countervailing force. Enkidu lived in the wild, roaming with the herds, and joining the game at the watering-hole. M.H. Henze notes in this an early Mesopotamian tradition of the wild man living apart and roaming the hinterland, who eats grass like the animals and like them, drinks from the watering places.〔(Henze, M.H., ''The Madness of King Nebuchadnezzar'', Brill, 1999, ISBN 9789004114210 )〕 A hunter sees him and realizes that it is Enkidu who is freeing the animals from his traps. He reports this to Gilgamesh, who sends the temple prostitute, Shamhat, to deal with him.〔("The Coming of Enkidu", ''The Epic of Gilgamesh'', Assyrian International News Agency )〕 Enkidu spends six days and seven nights making love with Shamhat, after which, bearing her scent upon him, the animals flee from him, and he finds he cannot return to his old ways.〔(Westenholz, Aage and Koch-Westenholz, Ula. "Enkidu - the Noble Savage?", ''Wisdom, Gods and Literature: Studies in Assyriology in Honour of W.G. Lambert'', (Wilfred G. Lambert, A. R. George, and Irving L. Finkel, eds.), Eisenbrauns, 2000, ISBN 9781575060040 )〕 He returns to Shamhat, who teaches him the ways of civilized people. He now protects the shepherd's flock against predators, turning against his old life. Jastrow and Clay are of the opinion that the story of Enkidu was originally a separate tale to illustrate "man's career and destiny, how through intercourse with a woman he awakens to the sense of human dignity, ..."〔(Jastrow, Jr., Morris and Clay, ALbert T., ''An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic'', p.20, Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, 1920 )〕 Shamhat tells him of the city of Uruk and of its king Gilgamesh. He travels to Uruk and engages Gilgamesh in a wrestling match as a test of strength. Gilgamesh wins and the two become fast friends. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Enkidu」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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