The idea of leadership has existed since the beginning of civilization, when certain individuals possessed characteristics that set them above the rest. However, those characteristics do not always define them as exceptional leaders. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, a verse narrative translated by Herbert Mason, a king of the city Uruk, Gilgamesh, is a man and a god. Even though he is physically superior to his subjects, Gilgamesh does not rule fairly and wisely. Throughout the epic, Gilgamesh gradually learns the qualities of becoming a model leader, such as humility and bravery, resultantly transitioning into one through experiences that test his abilities. At first, even with power as a god and a man, Gilgamesh was not an equitable leader.