| Subject: Re: oldest ghost and why |
Author:
Chris
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Date Posted: 3/12/02 23:26:21
Author Host/IP: webcacheB08a.cache.pol.co.uk/195.92.168.170
In reply to:
John
's message, "oldest ghost and why" on 30/11/02 23:10:43
I don't know about why, but here is what must be one of the first documented ghosts:
Belief in ghosts can be traced back as far as 2,000 B.C. This first record of a ghost comes from the Babylonian story The Epic of Gilgamesh, and is etched in clay tablets. The story tells of the the hero Gilgamesh and the ghost of his dead friend, Enkidu.
"And Nergal, accustomed to absurd orders, obeyed as soldiers do.
He freed Enkidu to speak once to kin
and showed Gilgamesh how to descend halfway
to Hell through the bowels of earth.
Enkidu's shadow rose slowly toward the living
and the brothers, tearful and weak,
tried to hug, tried to speak,
tried and failed to do anything but sob.
"Speak to me please, dear brother," whispered Gilgamesh.
"Tell me of death and where you are."
"Not willingly do I speak of death,"
said Enkidu in slow reply.
"But if you wish to sit for a brief
time, I will describe where I do stay."
"Yes," his brother said in early grief.
"All my skin and all my bones are dead now.
All my skin and all my bones are now dead.
"Oh no" cried Gilgamesh without relief.
"Oh no," sobbed one enclosed by grief.
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