by Houston Cable

MY REWRITE ON THE GRIEF OF ACHILLES AND GILGAMESH

Achilles: The Lost of a Dear One

The moment that spear hit his stomach, 

It went through my heart, my lover,

My lover was just suddenly gone, 

And I was to continue being the leader I once was?! 

He practically died because of me,

I never should have let him put that stupid armor on, 

I knew he would die, he has always pushed too far. 

But that was still something I loved about him, 

My Patroclus. 

Gilgamesh: The Gods Have Taken My Love 

When he took his last breath, I felt the sinking of my soul. 

My best friend, my lover, my axe, gone. 

The gods took him from me, 

Just like that, 

Didn’t even give me a chance to stop them, 

Not even time for one last adventure, the two of us. 

I can’t let him go, not yet, not now. 

I am unsure what to do, 

He came into my life and now I don’t know what to do without him in it,

My Enkidu. 

Achilles: Hope to be Held Once More 

His ghost comes to me, 

I am unsure it is a dream, 

I want to hold him again, 

But my hand seeps through the skin I once held. 

He wants to be buried together, 

I will do anything to arrange this. 

Anything for him, 

To celebrate his life and prepare for when I can lay with him once more. 

Gilgamesh: His Death Hurts Me, Mine Scares Me

I scream in mourning, 

I remiss, I lament, 

This is not enough to heal the burning thoughts, 

The thoughts of what is next for me. 

If my love is again this easy, so may I be soon, 

I need an out. His death cannot be for nothing. 

But my death cannot come at all. 

Achilles: Anger Changes Those Who Let it

Rage aches under my skin, in my heart 

Replacing the grief the love that has had control the last few days. 

How dare they kill my Patroclus, my love. 

They will face this wrath soon enough, 

First I need to honor him, let him pass through. 

Then I will allow my anger to control me, 

It is the only way I know from here forward. 

Gilgamesh: The Journey of a Deflated Hero 

Panic settles under my skin, in my throat. 

I let my ragged appearance go on for longer, 

Seeking out the forest for refuge, my new journey awaits. 

Another adventure, this time alone. 

I must reach Utanapishtim, this is the only way. 

I must reach infinite life. 

Narrator: Two Travelers, One Motivation

And so, the two embarked on their separate journeys… one seething with rage, one with panic. They both had a mission stemming from grief, not knowing that soon they would weirdly cross paths in some odd universe, Marvel-like time gap. 

The two meet, not sure of what to make of the other, not sure if this is a dream world, an astral projection. Both too distraught to turn away from the possibility that this meeting is meant to happen, like they are connected in some way. 

The Meeting of Two Heroes 

The two attempt a sort of introduction, deciding that maybe this is the god’s way of teaching them both a lesson, making them connect. A connection that goes beyond time or culture, one that brings two grieving lovers together. 

Achilles: I can’t believe I let him die for me. 

*Sound of bushes rustling–Gilgamesh entering*

Achilles: *distraught and eyes red from tears, draws his sword* WHOS THERE? 

Gilgamesh: I am Gilgamesh. I am not quite sure how I got here to be honest or why, but it is not to fight you. For that, I am too weak of heart at this moment. 

Achilles: Oh, I fear I am in a similar state. I don’t necessarily wish to fight, but I must. 

Gilgamesh: Have you just lost a dear one too? That is what fate has fallen upon me. 

Achilles: Unfortunately so. He died, pretending to be me. 

Gilgamesh: Mine was taken by the gods, for adventures we did together, outcomes I too am at blame for. 

Achilles: Well then I guess we know why we’re here. For grief. For loss. 

Gilgamesh: I guess so, though at least you are trying to avenge your lover. His death has scared me so much, I wish to find the solution to gain infinite life. 

Achilles: I am afraid I could not be away from him for that long, but first I need to avenge him before I return to him. 

Gilgamesh: I wish I had the courage. 

The two reminisce together the stories of their loved ones. Through tears and anger, they heal in some ways, still broken in others. Still to return to their journeys, though at least with the comfort that somewhere, at some time in the universe, there is someone who feels the same loss. Maybe they cannot place aside their fear or anger, but they can move forward with a different perspective on grief and how they have approached their life afterwards. 

created for HUM 124 with Valeria Tezzon