At the end of his quest, he meets a couple who achieved immortality, having survived the flood, but could not reproduce.
Gilgamesh cannot even defeat sleep, the lesser brother of death. Uta-napishti than sends Gilgamesh back to Uruk in the company of Ur-shanabi, but Uta-napishti gives Gilgamesh some hope: there is a plant that will rejuvenate its possessor. Gilgamesh dives into the ocean to recover the plant. He succeeds, but shortly after, a snake steals it, and Gilgamesh is left with noth...

At the end of his quest, he meets a couple who achieved immortality, having survived the flood, but could not reproduce.
Gilgamesh cannot even defeat sleep, the lesser brother of death. Uta-napishti than sends Gilgamesh back to Uruk in the company of Ur-shanabi, but Uta-napishti gives Gilgamesh some hope: there is a plant that will rejuvenate its possessor. Gilgamesh dives into the ocean to recover the plant. He succeeds, but shortly after, a snake steals it, and Gilgamesh is left with nothing for his quest but wisdom.
People of ancient times and modern realize that even though one cannot escape death, one can to some degree achieve immortality, if only in the memories of those left behind.
Gilgamesh returns to Uruk still mortal, but wiser for his journey.