The Epic of Gilgamesh Quizzes

The Epic of Gilgamesh Quiz 1

By Amit Dave · Edited by Bella Wang · Last reviewed August 19, 2011

1 What kind of king is Gilgamesh? How is he first described to us?

A fierce warrior who protects his city

A tyrant who oppresses his people

A holy man who consults the gods

A wise sage who rules with fairness
2 Why did the gods create Enkidu?

To stop Gilgamesh from finding a bride

To be a counterforce to Gilgamesh

To defeat and overthrow Gilgamesh

To prevent Gilgamesh from destroying them
3 What did the trapper do after first seeing Enkidu?

Warned the people in the village of a monster

Told his father he had seen a giant man

Set larger traps to catch this beast

Started a fire to drive the creature away
4 How did the animals react to Enkidu after he was visited by Shamhat, the temple prostitute?

Attacked him and drove him into the woods

Appointed him as their protector from hunters

Asked him to lead them to find food and water

Rejected him and no longer regarded him as kin
5 What objects are featured in Gilgamesh's dreams prior to meeting Enkidu?

A sword and a shield

A mountain and a lion

A meteor and an axe

A bull and a cart
6 What was Gilgamesh doing that angered Enkidu to challenge him to a fight?

Putting the elderly of the city to death

Collecting heavy taxes from farmers

Sleeping with newly married brides

Enslaving peasants for his own amusement
7 What did Enkidu do after losing a fight with Gilgamesh?

Begged him to spare his life

Agreed to become his personal servant

Acknowledged his greater strength

Returned in shame to the wilderness
8 What did Gilgamesh propose that he and Enkidu do to gain fame and recognition?

Cross the Euphrates to conquer Shurrupak

Climb the mountains of Mashu to find Shamhat

Journey to the Cedar Forest to defeat Humbaba

Liberate Mesopotamia from the rule of Ea
9 What did Ninsun do before Gilgamesh and Enkidu left on their quest?

Packed food for them

Told them a cautionary tale

Prayed for their safety

Obtained weapons for use
10 Gilgamesh dreams of a mountainslide and a fiery storm. What does Enkidu tell him these dreams have predicted?

That they should choose another path

That they will be victorious in their quest

That they must return to the city quickly

That they will encounter terrible weather
11 What did Gilgamesh and Enkidu do upon hearing Humbaba's bellowing in the forest?

Hid behind some bushes until he passed

Called him out to face them in battle

Mimicked his voice to confuse him

Encouraged each other not to be afraid
12 What did Shamhash do to Humbaba to aid Gilgamesh and Enkidu?

Told his seven disciples to block out the sun

Fed him four herbs to poison his heart

Summoned ten birds to peck out his eyes

Bound him with thirteen winds
13 What did Humbaba do before he was beheaded?

Said a prayer to Anu for forgiveness

Cursed Gilgamesh and Enkidu

Gave Ishtar instructions in the event of his death

Pleaded with Enlil for assistance
14 What did Gilgamesh and Enkidu plan to do with a giant cedar tree they cut down after defeating Humbaba?

Carve an idol as homage to the gods

Fashion weapons for their next adventure

Construct a new home in the forest

Use it to build a gate for a temple
15 Why did Gilgamesh reject the Goddess Ishtar?

Because he had already selected another woman

Because he knew how she treated other lovers

Because he wished to take a vow of celibacy

Because he wanted to focus on starting a family
16 What did Ishtar do after being rejected by Gilgamesh?

Threatened to make Ninsun very sick

Sought romantic advice from Utnapishtim

Visited Shamhash to acquire poison

Asked Anu to punish him immediately
17 What did the Bull of Heaven do to the city of Uruk?

Trampled all the city's crops

Destroyed the temple walls

Unleashed a deadly plague

Brought about a drought
18 How did Enkidu further enrage Ishtar after he and Gilgamesh slayed the Bull of Heaven?

Told her she was too ugly to be a goddess

Threw its hindquarters at her face

Destroyed a temple built in her name

Convinced the other gods to shun her
19 What did Enkidu do after he fell ill?

Insulted Enlil and the other gods

Cursed Shamhat and the trapper

Beseeched Urshanabi for a cure

Blamed Gilgamesh and his mother
20 What was Enkidu's final lament before he died?

He wished he could have started a family

He wished to become the king of his own city

He wanted to travel and see the world

He wanted to die a heroic death in battle
21 Prior to his death Enkidu has a dream in which he is taken to the underworld. How does he describe the underworld to Gilgamesh?

A land of despair

A valley of decay

A kingdom of grief

A house of dust
22 Gilgamesh mourns over Enkidu's body for six days and seven nights. What finally prompts him to bury his friend?

His skin turns black and falls off

A worm crawls out of his nose

The stench of decay becomes too strong

A jackal comes to claim the body
23 As Tablet Nine begins, Gilgamesh is mourning the loss of Enkidu. How does the text describe him?

Roaming the wilderness dressed in animal skins

Locked in his chambers adorned in fine attire

Walking the streets of his city completely naked

Seeking out battles in a full suit of armor
24 What did Gilgamesh decide to do after Enkidu's death?

Relinquish his throne and live in the wild

Learn about the secret of immortality

Challenge the gods to battle him in war

Take his own life to end his suffering
25 What did Gilgamesh do when he arrived at the mountains of Mashu?

Wrestled a sacred lion with giant teeth

Encountered two terrifying scorpion-men

Questioned a deformed hermit for directions

Climbed it to drink from a magic fountain

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