h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You know, as long as I can remember I've been aware that Gilgamesh and Hercules/Herakles are sort of parallel figures, but it was not until the last few days, while reading Hawthorne's 'A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys' that I realised that they aren't just parallel, at times they are exactly the same figure. In the section of Hawthorne's book about the Golden Apples of the Hesperides, there is a remarkable section in which Hercules, wrapped in a lion's pelt, comes to the seashore, searching for an unusual individual and a special plant, and meets a number of nymphs who feed him grapes and try to disuade him from his journey but finally point him on his way.

Gilgamesh, of course, while dressed in a lion skin, meets the nymph-like Siduri at the edge of the sea. He needs directions in his quest to find an unusual individual and a special plant. She offers him wine and tries to disuade him from his journey but finally points him on his way.

There are also phonological arguments (which I'll not go into right now) to be made that Hercules/Herakles and Gilgamesh are identical names.

Why didn't I notice this before? Why did it take reading a nineteenth century American children's story?

Surely this is common knowledge in the scholarly world.


Of to look . . .

Jung would have a field day with this.