Ancient world masterpieces that have survived until the present day have probably done so because of their ability to draw people. These great literary works explore different areas of the human experience, to help us understand the world and our lives. Many times, several different works will deal with the same issues, giving us insight into the way different cultures understood them. Upon examining three of these works, The Epic of Gilgamesh, Homer's Iliad, and Virgil's Aeneid, one finds that, although there are variations, there exists a common theme of a complex relationship between gods and mortals.
             Often times, those who are directly descended from the gods have a special, somewhat closer relationship with the gods. Aeneas, Gilgamesh, and Achilles all have divine mothers; Aeneas is the son of Venus, Gilgamesh is the son of Ninsun, and Achilles is the son of Thetis. Because they are born of the gods, they are sometimes described as having a divine quality. Aeneas has "head and shoulders Noble as a god's" (Aeneas Book 1, 219-20). Gilgamesh is told to have "a perfect body," and it is said, "the great gods made his beauty perfect, surpassing all others" (Norton, 18-19). Achilles is described by the author and by the other characters as "brilliant" and "godlike" (Iliad Book 1). Furthermore, these three seem to have special privileges
             due to their relationship to the divine. They are able to interact directly with the gods, as seen in Gilgamesh when Ishtar tries to seduce Gilgamesh, or in the Iliad when Athena came down to check Achilles' rage. In addition, each of the three receives special favors from their divine mothers. Ninsun prays to Shamash on Gilgamesh's behalf, asking him to "keep him from harm" (Norton 25). Thetis, the mother of Achilles, entreats Hephaestus to forge Achilles a new set of armor when Hector steals his
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