Afterlife in "the Aeneid" and "epic of the Gilgamesh"

The death is inevitable, but the views on the afterlife and the idea of how death should have been dealt with were different in various cultures. The concepts of afterlife in The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Aeneid are different in underworld image and the fate of the souls.

The Enkidu’s dream of underworld paints an image of not desirable place to go after death. He describes it as “dark house, dwelling of Erkalla’s god” (Gilgamesh, p. 89). There was only one way road without any light. People were dressed with feathers, like birds. Also, there was Anzu-bird with paws of a lion and the claws of an eagle.

In the Epic of Gilgamesh the afterlife is portrayed as a house full of darkness that no one that enters it can leave. There were no different treatment of good and bad people; there was no place for punishment for bad behavior in life. It didn’t matter if person obeyed or disobeyed the gods. All suffered alike in death. The only food for souls in underworld was dust and clay as their bread. The epic eludes the fear of death, therefore Gilgamesh is willing to make a dangerous journey to avoid death. The perfect example of this view is the Enkidu’s dream of underworld. Death is regarded as something to be dreaded and feared. They had nothing to look forward to in their afterlives. Where dead were eaten by vermint. All suffered alike in death. Death was inevitable conclusion to life.

Belief that it was beneficial to offer sacrifices to the gods in order to gain eternal life.

Mesopotamian culture fear of the dead and people often make sacrifices to the dead.

In Gilgamesh there is no distinction between the body and soul.

In Aeneid, there is a presence of different locations to the dead. The souls were localized in a particular place. On the other hand, there was the possibility that the souls passed into a new plane of existence.

The idea of the punishment and separation of the virtuous from the wicked divided the atmosphere into upper and lower regions. Various regions of the underworld.

Road divide, to the left is Tartarus and to the right is Elysium.

Tartarus is the place for punishment for sinners. Hell, triple-walled, invincible fortress with huge door, mighty columns, and an iron tower, surrounded by a seething, violent river. One of the dread Furries stands guard. From within come horrible sounds of suffering.

Elysium or Elysian Fields. Happy place, the pleasant glades of the woods of the fortunate. All is bright, has its own sunlight, Shades, wearing halos of snowy white garlands

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