1. How did the epic of Gilgamesh influence later works of literature in Mesopotamia and beyond? Provide examples of specific themes, motifs, and characters that can be traced back to the epic. - The epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of literature in the world, dating back to the third millennium BCE. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and his quest for immortality, friendship, and wisdom. The epic influenced later works of literature in Mesopotamia and beyond, such as the Babylonian Enuma Elish, the Hebrew Bible, the Greek Iliad and Odyssey, and the Arabian Nights. Some of the themes, motifs, and characters that can be traced back to the epic are: - The theme of mortality and the quest for eternal life. Gilgamesh is haunted by the death of his friend Enkidu and seeks to overcome death by finding the secret of immortality. He fails in his quest, but learns to accept his mortality and appreciate his legacy. This theme is echoed in later works such as the Enuma Elish, where Marduk creates humans to serve the gods and relieve them from their toil; the Hebrew Bible, where Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden for eating from the tree of knowledge; the Iliad, where Achilles chooses a short but glorious life over a long but obscure one; and the Odyssey, where Odysseus rejects the offer of immortality from Calypso and returns to his mortal wife Penelope. - The motif of the flood and the survivor. In one of the tablets of the epic, Gilgamesh meets Utnapishtim, who tells him how he survived a great flood that wiped out humanity by building a boat and taking animals with him. He also reveals that he was granted immortality by the gods as a reward. This motif is found in later works such as the Enuma Elish, where Ea warns Atrahasis of the impending flood and instructs him to build a boat; the Hebrew Bible, where Noah builds an ark and saves his family and animals from the flood; and the Arabian Nights, where Sindbad encounters a man who claims to be a survivor of a flood. - The character of the hero and his companion. Gilgamesh is a powerful but flawed hero who needs a companion to balance him out. He meets Enkidu, a wild man who becomes his friend and rival. Together, they go on adventures and face challenges such as killing Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar forest, and slaying the Bull of Heaven. Their friendship is tested by their different views on mortality, loyalty, and honor. Their relationship is similar to later pairs of heroes and companions, such as Marduk and Ea in the Enuma Elish, David and Jonathan in the Hebrew Bible, Achilles and Patroclus in the Iliad, and Odysseus and Telemachus in the Odyssey.