IMMORTALITY

IMMORTALITY
   This theme does not constitute a major preoccupation for Mesopotamian thinkers. The subject is only addressed in the Gilgamesh epic, where it states that the gods kept immortality to themselves, having allotted a limited life span to human beings. The only person to have been granted “eternal life” was the flood hero (known variously as Atra-hasis or Utnapishtim), the only one to escape the planned annihilation of humankind. His continuing existence was to serve the gods as a reminder of their promise never to destroy humanity again. The attempt by Gilgamesh to win immortality for himself is therefore doomed to fail. The only form of immortality open to mortals is by “making a name”; in the case of Gilgamesh, to have built the great walls of Urukand to have committed his experience to writing.
   See also HISTORIOGRAPHY; RELIGION.

Historical Dictionary of Mesopotamia. . 2012.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Immortality — • By immortality is ordinarily understood the doctrine that the human soul will survive death, continuing in the possession of an endless conscious existence Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Immortality     Immortality …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Immortality — (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an infinite length of time. [(cf Concise Oxford Dictionary] As immortality is the negation of mortality not dying or not being subject to death it has been a subject of… …   Wikipedia

  • Immortality — «Immortality» Sencillo de Pearl Jam del álbum Vitalogy Lado B Rearviewmirror (Interpretada por The Frogs) Formato CD, casete, Vinil Grabación Marzo a Abril de 1994 en los estudios …   Wikipedia Español

  • Immortality — Im mor*tal i*ty, n.; pl. {Immortalities}. [L. immortalitas: cf. F. immortalit[ e].] 1. The quality or state of being immortal; exemption from death and annihilation; unending existance; as, the immortality of the soul. [1913 Webster] This mortal… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • immortality —    Immortality is the property of not being subject to death. Traditionally, Christian philosophers have not hesitated to attribute this property to God. Nevertheless, there is a problem with so doing: Christians believe that Jesus was divine and …   Christian Philosophy

  • immortality — [n1] endless life athanasia, deathlessness, endurance, eternal life, eternity, everlasting life, perpetuity, timelessness; concepts 539,798 immortality [n2] enduring fame celebrity, fame, famousness, glorification, glory, greatness, lasting fame …   New thesaurus

  • immortality — I (deathlessness) noun athanasy, canonization, commemoration, continuity, deathlessness, endless life, endlessness, eternal continuance, eternity, everlastingness, imperishability, indestructibility, infinity, perpetuation, perpetuity, undying… …   Law dictionary

  • immortality — (n.) mid 14c., deathlessness, from O.Fr. immortalité (13c.) and directly from L. immortalitatem (nom. immortalitas) deathlessness, endless life, from immortalis (see IMMORTAL (Cf. immortal)). Sense of everlasting fame is from 1530s …   Etymology dictionary

  • immortality — /im awr tal i tee/, n. 1. immortal condition or quality; unending life. 2. enduring fame. [1300 50; ME immortalite < L immortalitas. See IMMORTAL, ITY] * * * ▪ philosophy and religion       in philosophy and religion, the continuity of human… …   Universalium

  • immortality — The condition of being exempt from death or destruction, of living for ever. Personal immortality entails that after our death (as identified by others) we ourselves shall enjoy experiences, possibly after an interval, and shall live another life …   Philosophy dictionary

  • immortality — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ personal (technical) ▪ Some religions include a doctrine of personal immortality. ▪ baseball, cinematic, literary, sporting (BrE), etc. ( …   Collocations dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”