Women, in both Greek and Mesopotamian mythology, are often symbolic of temptation, mischief and trouble. Before women first stepped onto the earth, men lived peaceful and healthy lives. The stories of Pandora and Ishtar serve as two prime examples of women depicted as the sources of punishment, trickery, or otherwise general immortality. When Zeus sent Pandora to earth, he had only vengeful punishment in mind. While Pandora was beautiful and gifted, she was also very deceitful, which was a fitting attribute considering Zeus’s plan to trick Epimetheus into his own punishment. When the first woman set her foot on Earth after the creation of man, she served as the very first image and idea of a woman, clearly depicting women as a …show more content…
After witnessing the mighty journey Gilgamesh had completed with Enkidu, she immediately tried to seduce Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh refused her offer and insulted Ishtar, reminding the goddess of all the previous lovers she had harmed. Ishtar, filled with anger and embarrassment, demanded that the sky god, Anu, release the Bull of Heaven upon Gilgamesh so it can kill him. At first Anu was reluctant to give into her demands but then has no other choice but to give into her after Ishtar threatened the world stating, “If you refuse to give me the Bull of Heaven I will break in the doors of hell and smash the bolts; there will be confusion of people, those above with those from the lower depths. I shall bring up the dead to eat food like the living; and the hosts of the dead will outnumber the living.” Anu had no other choice but to release the bull of heaven, which was eventually killed by Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The killing of the Bull of Heaven helped lead to the death of Enkidu. Because of Ishtar’s selfish and malice actions, Enkidu was condemned to death by the gods for the killing of the Bull of Heaven and Humbaba, the protector of the Cedar