There are definitely two and possibly three mortals who are granted eternal life in the epic. The first two are Utnapishtim and his wife.
It is unclear whether Utnapishtim's boatman is also immortal. He certainly lives in the magical subterranean realm of the Apsu with the two flood survivors and is apparently banished from this realm by his master because he has helped a mortal reach there. It is interesting to note that, according to Berossus, the flood hero's pilot went with him when was granted immortality and taken to the realm of the gods.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim.
Gilgamesh, from the Epic of Gilgamesh.
The boon in the Epic of Gilgamesh is the miraculous plant that grants eternal youth. Gilgamesh seeks this plant to bring back to Uruk in hopes of achieving immortality. However, the plant is later stolen by a serpent, preventing Gilgamesh from obtaining eternal life.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh fails to attain eternal life because the gods decide that immortality is reserved only for themselves. Despite his efforts, he ultimately learns to accept the inevitability of death and gains wisdom through his journey.
The first known epic poem that features a descent into the underworld is "The Epic of Gilgamesh," which was written in ancient Mesopotamia. The poem follows the hero Gilgamesh as he seeks immortality and ventures into the underworld to seek the secret of eternal life.
Utnapishtim
Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh ends with Gilgamesh accepting his mortality and finding solace in the legacy he leaves behind. He also reflects on his friendship with Enkidu and the importance of living a meaningful life.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is the best-known surviving example of Mesopotamian literature.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story that speaks of a man who yearns for eternal life. Gilgamesh realizes eternal life could not be obtained and travels back to his village. This story talks about how we as humans can die and how are days are numbered. Mesopotamians were now able to focus on improving thier quality of life with the acceptance of knowing that thier days would eventually come to an end.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the plant is symbolic of immortality. It represents a chance for Gilgamesh to attain eternal life, but ultimately gets stolen before he can consume it, highlighting the theme of mortality and the limits of human existence.
epic of gilgamesh