Looking for Paradise

In Tablets 9 and 10, Gilgamesh lost his most prized friend, and after noticing what would sooner or later happen to him too, he began his search for immortality.

Gilgamesh had once heard about some people who had survived a flood, and the gods had granted immortality. Now, knowing how dangerous that could turn out to be, he set out on a journey of life. He passed through about nine caves, always with the sun behind him, and when it was about to catch up with him, he got out. On the other side there was truly a paradise of sun and flowers, with the shiny see lying ahead.

He met various people on his journey, none of them really wanting him to go, but at last they all let him go. On a part of his journey, he killed the only creatures who could allow him to cross the sea, so he had to cut down lots of tress to make something to move the boat with. When he finally made it to his final destination, he again was asked why he looked like that, and he answered the usual.

The old man, Utnapishtim, instead of helping him, scolded him, and told him that he had to follow human's fate and that if he has to die, he shall die.

It's funny how the search for immortality has been in human's minds since the beginning of humanity. It seems like we have life, we are the most powerful creatures on Earth, and we have gotten to the maximum extent of developing technology, but it's just not enough for us. We want to have what we are sure we'll never get: an endless life.

Since the first work of literature it is already mentioned, and there is no doubt people will want it until the time when we finally achieve it (probably never).