Do we know how and in which circumstances Gilgamesh died?
According to these answers seems that The Epic of Gilgamesh doesn't mention that, however Wikipedia page mention something about Sumerian poem - The Death of Gilgamesh.
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2Translations of various versions of The Death of Gilgamesh: etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr1813.htm– yannisCommented Apr 29, 2015 at 12:20
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If it was common for some to live to 900 years + during that time, 126 years may have seemed young.– user969Commented Nov 29, 2015 at 23:30
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1 Answer
According to The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, my best guess from reading the translated text provided is he died of old age :
..... hero ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. He of well-proportioned limbs ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. He who ...... wickedness has lain down and is never to rise again. The young man ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. He who was perfect in ...... and feats of strength has lain down and is never to rise again. ......
It doesn't give an specific explanation for his death, but the text is fragmentary at best and several parts are missing.
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2If he died of old age, why the translation say: 'The young man ...... has lain down and is never to rise again.'?– kenorbCommented Apr 29, 2015 at 13:10
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The text of segment B seems to point toward death from old age/disease as well:
For six days, he ...... ill. ...... on his skin like resin. Lord Gilgamec ...... ill.Segment A and B both reference his death-bed as well, which at least implies he died in bed. Including those might strengthen the answer, to my mind. Commented May 9, 2015 at 22:36 -
1@kenorb Some of the kings mentioned in the list ruled for over 20,000 years. Gilgamesh is an infant in comparison.– yannisCommented Oct 7, 2017 at 13:35