Epic of Gilgamesh

Column I.

(The Argument).

He who (the heart of) all matters hath proven let him ‘teach’ the nation,

"He who all" knowledge possesseth, therein shall he "school" all the people,

"He shall his wisdom impart (?)' and (so) shall they ‘share it? together.

Gilgamish( ?)—he was the ' Master’ of wisdom, with knowledge’ of all things,

(Aye), handed down the tradition relating to (things) prediluvian,

Went on a journey afar, (all) aweary and ‘worn with his toiling(?)",

Of Erech, the high-wall'd,

He (it was) built up the ramparts; (and) he (it was) clamp’d the foundation,

Like unto brass, of "E’-Anna, the sacred, the treasury hallow’d,

Strengthen'd' its base to grant wayleave to no ‘one’

the threshold which from ‘of old (?))

(About thirty lines wanting. The description of Gilgamish

runs on to the beginning of the next Column).

Column II.

Two-thirds of him are divine, and "one-third of him human,?

The form of his body ...............-2240.2-

He hath forced to take

(Gap of about three lines).

(The Plaint of Erech(?) to the gods against the tyrant Gilgamish)

of Erech ’tis he who hath ‘taken’,

(while) tow 'reth "his? crest like an aurochs,

Ne’er hath the shock of "his? ' weapons (its) "peer"; are driven "his? fellows

Into the toils!, while cow 'd are the heroes of Erech un- . . . . ..

Gilgamish leaveth no son to ‘his’ father, "his? arrogance swelling

(Each) day and ‘night’ ; "aye, he’ is the shepherd of Erech, the high-'wall’d’,

He is ‘our(?)’ shepherd . . . . "masterful, dominant, subtle’. .

Gilgamish" leaveth no "maid to her mother, nor’ daughter to ‘hero’,

(Nay), nor a spouse to a husband’ ”

(And so), to (th’ appeal of) their wailing

‘Gave ear th’ Immortals’: the gods of high heaven ‘address’d the god Anu',2

(Him who was) Seigneur of Erech: “’Tis thou a son hast begotten,

(Aye, in sooth, all) tyrannous, "while tow’reth his crest like an aurochs’,

Ne’er hath ‘the shock of his weapons” (its) peer; are driven "his fellows?

Into the toils, "while cow’d are the heroes of Erech un- . . . . 72.

Gilgamish leaveth no son to his father, "his arrogance swelling’

(Each) day and night; aye, he is the shepherd of Erech, "the high-wall'd",

He is their shepherd . . . masterful, dominant, subtle .

Gilgamish leaveth no maid to "her mother’, nor daughter to hero,

(Nay), nor a spouse to a "husband". ”

(And so), to (th’ appeal of) their wailing

Anu' gave ear, call’d the lady Aruru: “’Twas thou, O Aruru,

Madest "(primeval seed of) mankind(?)': do now make its fellow,

So that he "happen on Gilgamish’, yea, on the day of his pleasure,

So that they strive with each other, and he unto Erech give ‘surcease’. ”

(The Creation of Enkidu).

So when the goddess Aruru heard this, in her mind she imagined

(Straightway, this) Concept of Anu, and, washing her hands, (then) Aruru

Finger’d some clay, on the desert she moulded (it): (thus) on the desert”

Enkidu made she, a warrior, (as he were) born (and) begotten,

(Yea), of Ninurta the double, "and put forth’ the whole of his body

Hair: in the way of a woman he snooded his locks (in a fillet) ;

Sprouted luxuriant growth of his hair-like (the awns of) the barley,

Nor knew he people nor land; he was clad in a garb like Sumuqane.

E en with gazelles did he pasture on herbage, along with the cattle

Drank he his fill, with the beasts did his heart delight at the water.

(The Encounter of Enkidu with the Hunter).

(Then) did a hunter, a trapper, come face to face with this (fellow),

Came on him ‘one’, two, three days, at the place where (the beasts) drank

(their) water! ;

(Sooth), when the hunter espied him, his face o’ermantled with terror,

He and his cattle went unto his steading, "dismay 'd' (and) affrighted,

Crying aloud, ‘distress’d in’ his heart, and) his face overclouded,

. woe in his belly . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Aye, and) his face was the same as of one "who hath gone’ a far "journey".

Column III.

Open 'd "his mouth (then)" the hunter, and spake, addressing "his father’:

“Father, there is "a? great fellow come ‘forth from out of the mountains’,

(O, but) "his? strength is the greatest "(the length and breadth) of the country’,

Like to a double’ of Anu's own self "his strength’ is enormous,

Ever (?) "he rangeth at large’ o’er the mountains, "(and) ever" with cattle

Grazeth on herbage (and) ever he setteth" his foot to the water,

"So that I fear? to approach him. The pits which I "myself" hollow d

(With mine own hands) hath he fill'd in (again), (and) the traps of my

rsetting"

‘Torn up, (and) out of my clutches hath holpen escape’ (all) the cattle,

Beasts of the desert : to work at my fieldcraft "he will not allow’ me.”

Open'd his mouth (then) his father, and spake’, addressing the hunter:

“Gilgamish 'dwelleth’ in Erech, "my son, whom no one’ hath vanquish’d,

(Nay, but) tis his strength is greatest (the length and breadth) of the country”

‘Like to a double of Anu’s own self", his strength is ‘enormous’,

Go, set? thy face "towards Erech: and when he hears of! a monster,

He will say ‘Go, O hunter, a courtesan-girl, a hetaera’

drinking-place, ditto.” 2Probably supply anaku at the end of the line "I myself.” sIt is doubtful whether

there is room for this line in the break. 4Fairly probable restoration.

Take "with thee” ..... like a strong one;

When he the cattle shall gather again" to the place of (their) drinking,

So shall she put off? her "mantle? (the charm of) her beauty revealing’ ;

(Then) shall he spy her, and (sooth) will embrace her, (and thenceforth)

his cattle,

"Which in? his very own deserts "were rear'd", will (straightway) deny him.

» 99

(How Gilgamish first heard of Enkidu).

Unto the rede of his father the hunter "hath hearken’d, (and straightway)’

He will away "unto Gilgamish"!.

Taking the road towards Erech

Turn’d he ‘his steps, and to’ Gilgamish "came, his speech thus addressing":

(Saying): “There is a great fellow "come forth from out of the mountains’,

(O, but) his strength? is the greatest, (the length and breadth) of the country,

Like to a double of Anu’s own self "his strength’ is enormous,

"Ever (?) he rangeth at large o’er the mountains, (and) ever with cattle

Grazeth on herbage, (and)! ever "he setteth' his foot to the water,

So that I fear to approach "him'. The pits which I "myself" hollow’d

(With mine own hands) hath he fill’d in (again, and) the traps ‘of my "setting?

Torn up, (and) out of my clutches hath holpen escape (all) the cattle,

Beasts "of the desert? : to work at my fieldcraft he will not allow me.”

Gilgamish unto him, unto the hunter made answer (in this wise) :

“Go, (good) my hunter, take with thee a courtesan-girl, a hetaera,

When he the cattle shall rgather" again to the place of (their) drinking,

So shall she put off her mantle, (the charm of her) beauty ‘revealing’,

(Then) pore he spy her, and (sooth) will embrace her, (and thenceforth) his

catt

Which in his very own deserts were rear'd will (straightway) deny him.2”

(The Seduction of Enkidu).

Forth went the hunter, took with him a courtesan-girl, a hetaera,

(So) did they start on their travels, went forth on their journey (together),

(Aye), at the term of three days arrived at the pleasaunce appointed.

Sate they down in their ambush (?), the hunter and the hetaera,

One day, two days they sat by the place where (the beasts) drank (their) water.

(Then) at last came the cattle to take their fill in their drinking.

Column IV.

Thither the animals came that their hearts might delight in the water,

(Aye), there was Enkidu also, he whom the mountains had gender'd,

E'en with gazelles did he pasture on herbage, along with the cattle

Drank he his fill!, with the beasts did his heart delight at the water,

So beheld him the courtesan-girl, the lusty great fellow,

(O but) a monster (all) savage from out of the depths of the desert!

“Tis he, O girl! O, discover thy beauty, thy comeliness shew (him),

So that thy loveliness he may possess—(O), in no wise be bashful,

Ravish the soul of him—(certes), as soon as his eye on thee falleth,

He, forsooth, will approach thee, and thou—O, loosen thy mantle,

So that he clasp thee, and (then) with the wiles of a woman shalt ply him;

(Wherefore) his animals, bred in his desert, will (straightway) deny him,

(Since) to his breast he hath held thee. ”

The girl, displaying her bosom,

Shew’d him her comeliness, (yea) so that he of her beauty possess’d him,

Bashful she was not, (but) ravish 'd the soul of him, loosing her mantle,

So that he clasp’d her, (and then) with the wiles of a woman she plied him,

Holding her unto his breast.

(‘Twas thus that) Enkidu dallied

Six days, (aye) seven nights, with the courtesan-girl in his mating.

(How Enkidu was invetgled into Erech to fight with Gilgamish).

Sated at length with her charms, he turn d his face to his cattle,

O the gazelles, (how) they scamper’d away, as soon as they saw him!

Him, yea, Enkidu,—fled from his presence the beasts of the desert!

Enkidu losing his innocence—so, when the cattle fled from him,

Failed his knees, and he 3slack d in his running, (not) as aforetime:

Natheless he (thus) hath attain'd his full growth and hath broaden’d (his)

wisdom.

Sat he again at the feet of the woman, the woman his features

Scanning, and, while she was speaking, his ears heard (the words) she was

saying:

“Comely thou art, e en like to a god, O Enkidu, shalt be,

Why with the beasts (of the field) dost thou (ever) range over the desert ?

Up! for I'll lead thee to Erech, the high-wall’d—(in sooth), to the Temple

Sacred, the dwelling of Anu and Ishtar, where, highest in power,

Gilgamish is, and prevaileth o er men like an aurochs. ”

(strength).” sLit. “Enkidu.” 4The word is curiously spelt, if this is right. SVariant: "the woman, he her

features watching.” Lit. “[The woman) spake unto him, yea, unto Enkidu.” 7Lit. "the woman ”

E'en as she spake it found favour, (for) conscious he was of his longing

Some companion to seek; so unto the courtesan spake he!:

“Up, then, O girl, to the Temple, the holy (and) sacred, invite me,

Gilgamish is, and prevaileth o’er men like an aurochs—for I, too,

Column V.

I, I will summon him, challenging boldly (and) crying through Erech,

‘I, too, am mighty!’ Nay, I, forsooth I’, will (e en) destiny alter—

(Truly), ‘tis he who is born in the desert whose vigour "is greatest!"

I will "please" thee,

‘whatever’ there be, that would I know.”

"Enkidu, come (then) to "Erech’, the high-wall’d, "where" people "array! them

Gorgeous' in festal attire, (and) each day the day is a revel,

. flown with their wantoning, gleeful, and keeping the nobles

Out of their beds?! (Nay), Enkidu, "joy? in thy life (to its fullest)

"Thou shalt? taste—(forsooth) will I shew thee a man who is happy,

Dower 'd with lustiness is he, the whole of his body with power

Brimming, "his? vigour is stronger than thine, (all) day and night restless!

Anu ,(and) Enlil, and Ea have dower’d his wisdom with largesse.

(How Gilgamish dreamt of Enkidu).

(Sooth), or ever from out of thy mountains thou camest, in Erech

Spake to his mother, the dream to reveal.

‘O my mother, a vision

Which I beheld in my night-time. (Behold), there were stars of the heavens,

When something like unto Anu s own self fell down on my shoulders,

Loosed I, I was unable to shake him (from off me): (and now, all the mean-

while),

People from Erech were standing about "him, the’ artisans "pressing".

Kissing "his? feet; "I, I to my breast? like a woman did hold him,

(Then) "I" presented him low at ‘thy’ feet, "that? as mine own equal.

T[hou' might st account him.’

She! who knoweth all wisdom (thus) to her Seigneur she answer 'd,

‘(Lo), by the stars of the heavens are represented thy "comrades"',

That which was like unto’ Anu’s "own self', which fell on thy shoulders,

"Which thou am heave, but he was” o erstrong for thee, "(aye), though his

grappie

Thou didst unloose’, but to shake him from off thee thou wert "unable,

I might’account him—and thou to thy breast like a woman'didst hold him:

Column VI.

‘This is a stoutheart, a’ friend, one ready to stand by "a comrade’,

One whose strength "is the greatest, (the length and breadth) of the country’,

‘Like to a double of Anu’s own self his’ strength is enormous.

(Now), since thow to thy breast didst hold him "the way of a woman’,

‘This’ of thy dream is the "meaning".

‘Again he spake’ to his mother,

‘TMother’, a second dream "did I see: "Into Erech, the high-wall d',

‘People’ were standing about it, "the people’ (all) thronging before it,

r Artisans pressing’ behind it, "while? I at thy feet did present it,

As mine own equal.’

She the "all -wise, who knoweth all wisdom, (thus) answer’d her offspring,

She the all-wise' who knoweth all wisdom, to Gilgamish answer’d:

‘(Lo, that) "Axe" thou didst see (is) a Man; like a woman didst hold him,

‘This’ is a stoutheart, a friend, one ready to stand by a comrade,

One whose strength is the "greatest (the length and breadth) of the country",

‘Like to a double of! Anu’s "own self’, his strength is enormous.’

Gilgamish open’d his mouth, and’ addressing his mother, (thus spake he):

‘Though great "danger (*?)! befall, "a friend (?)' shall I have . . .2’”

(The Assyrian Edition of the seventh century has three more

lines on the First Tablet, which correspond with Column IT, l. 3 of

the Second Tablet of the Old Babylonian Edition. This latter has

already begun with the episode of the two dreams, approximately

Column V, 1.24 of the Assyrian First Tablet, and the text ts so

similar in both thatI have not repeated 1t here. The Old Babylonian

Edition here takes up the story, repeating one or two detatls).

Column II.

Enkidu sitteth before the hetaera, and she ‘displaying? her’ bosom,

(So) Enkidu dallied

(Thus) for six days, seven nights, with the courtesan-girl in his mating.

“(Yea, as) I view thee, (e en) like a god, O Enkidu, shalt be,

Why with the beasts (of the field) dost thou (ever) range over the desert?

Sacred, the dwelling of Anu—O Enkidu, come, that I guide thee,

Unto E-Anna, the dwelling of Anu, where "Gilgamish? (liveth),

Like "to a woman’, (and e en) ‘as’ thyself thou shalt "love him’.

O, rouse thee

Up from the ground— 'tis a shepherd s bed (only).”

Her utterance heard he,

She one garment took off wherewith she might clothe him: the others

(Thus) to the booths(?) of the shepherds, the place of the sheepfolds. The

shepherds

(Gap of four or five lines.)

Column III.

(How the Hetaera schooled Enkidu).

He (in the past) of the milk of the wild things to suck was accustom 'd!

Enkidu bread did not know how to eat, nor had he the knowledge

Mead how to quaff!

“Enkidu, taste of the bread, (for) of life ‘tis, (forsooth), the essential,

Drink thou, (too), of the mead, ‘tis the wonted use of the country. ”

Drank of the mead seven bumpers; his spirits rose, (and), exultant,

Donn 'd he a garment to be like a man!, (and) taking his weapon,

Caught he. (So) he, having master'd the lions, the shepherds slept soundly.

(Now) is one of the heroes speaking to "Gilgamish(?)’ . . . .

(About thirteen lines are missing, a gap in which a sinister

figure has evidently appeared, sent evidently by Gilgamish to

learn the meaning of the arrival of the strangers in Erech. Enkidu

sees him and speaks).

Column IV.

Spake he unto the woman: “O doxy, bring me (this) fellow,

The woman the fellow

Call'd that he come to him, that he might see him: "O, why art thou seeking,

Sir? (Pray), which is the way to thy rest-house?”

Enkidu: “You to the House of Community "Gilgamish calleth",

(This is) the custom of men, and a homage (too) to the great ones:

Come, on behalf of the common weal bring in the food of the city.

(Tis) for the king of broad-marketed Erech to look on thy greeting,

First doth he mate with the woman allotted by fate, and then after

Speak by the counsel of god, and so from the shape of the omens!

(Utter the rede of) his destiny.”

(So) at the words of the fellow

Went they before him.

(Gap of about nine lines).

Column V.

(The Entry of Enktdu into Erech).

(Then), as he stopp d in the street of broad-marketed Erech, the people

Shorter in stature a trifle, "his? composition is stronger.

ings!

Ever the bread-cakes in Erech give glorious (climax) to manhood!

(Now) unto Gilgamish, god-like, his composition is equal.”

(How Enkidu fought with Gilgamish for the Hetaera).

Cometh to sleep, to delight in the woman: (but) "Enkidu’, coming

He with his strength gi

(Gap of seven or eight lines).

Column VI.

highway.

Enkidu barr d up the door with his foot, (and) to Gilgamish entry—

Shatter’d: the (very) wall quiver’d as Gilgamish!, Enkidu grappled,

quiver d.

(The Birth of Friendship).

(Aye, and) his ardour? was quell d: so soon as was quelled his ardour,

Bear thee as one, and one only: (that choicest) cow of the steer-folds,

Thee with the kingship o er men.”

THE EXPEDITION TO THE FOREST OF CEDARS AGAINST HUMBABA.

(About a column and a half of the beginning of the Old Baby-

lonian version on the Yale tablet are so broken that almost all the

text ts lost. Gilgamish and Enkidu have now become devoted

friends, thus strangely stulttfying the purpose for which Enkidu

was created, and now is set afoot the great expedition against the

famous Cedar Forest guarded by the Ogre Humbaba. The courtesan

has now for a brief space left the scene, having deserted Enkidu,

much to his sorrow. The mutilated Assyrian Version gives a hint

that the mother of Gilgamish 1s now describing the fight to one of her

ladtes(?) Rishat-Nin . . . and where her recital becomes connected

the story runs thus).

Column II.

(The Tale of the Fight).

“He lifted up “his foot? to the dgor.......

21.(?) They raged furiously . . . . . . . . . ... . .

Enkidu hath not "his equal" . . . unkempt is the hair. . .

(Aye) he was born in the desert, and no’ one "his presence can equal". ”

(Enkudu s sorrow at the loss of his Love).

Enkidu (there) as he stood gave ear "to his utterance (?)', grieving

Slack'd was his bodily vigour’. Each clasp'd "the hand of the other.

answer 'd:!

(Wherefore) my arms lose their power, my bodily vigour is slacken 'd. ”

(The Ambition of Gilgamish).

Column III.

(Gap of about two lines)

“I, O my friend, am determined to go to the Forest of Cedars’,

Enkidu open d his mouth, and to Gilgamish spake he (in this wise),

I for a distance of two hours march from the skirts of the Forest

Into its depths would go down. Humbaba—his roar was a whirlwind,

This to accomplish? To meet(?) with Humbaba were conflict unequall'd. ”

“r Tis that I need the rich yield of its mountains "I goto the Forest!” . . . .

+

(Seven mutilated lines continuing the speech of Gilgamish,

and mentioning “the dwelling "of the gods???” (of the beginning of

the Fifth Tablet), and “the axe,” for cutting down the Cedars).

The Old Babylonian Version runs (Column II. 26) “The eyes [of Enkidu fill’d] with tears, his heart was [heavy]

and . . . he mourned, his heart [was heavy], and . . . he mourn'd. [Gilgamish] lifted up his face, [spake]

to Enkidu: '[Why] are thine eyes [full of tears] (and) thy [heart heavy]? [Why dost thou] mourn?’ [Enkidu

answer'd] and spake to Gilgamish :” and then it continues as above in the text. 2A difficult phrase. It may be

that this represents the words for saying farewell, without any further explanation, just as our "God be with you”

has become, “Good-bye.” The same convention is apparent in Ruth 1, 14, at the parting of the two daughters

of Naomi: “And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.” sEnds of three short lines here.

... “the wood,” “ . . ,” “I will open it.”

Strong, never ‘sleeping’, O Gilgamish ......

(Three mutilated lines, apparently explaining the powers

which Shamash (?), the Sun-god, and Adad, the Storm-god, have

bestow'd on Humbaba).

Column IV.

Him hath Enlil appointed—Humbaba, his roar is a whirlwind,

Flame (in) his jaws, and his very breath Death! (Aye), if he in the Forest.

Hear (but) a tread( ?) on the road—‘ Who is this come down to his Forest ?’

So that he safeguard the Forest of Cedars, a terror to mortals,

Him hath Enlil appointed, and fell hap will seize him who cometh

Down to his Forest.”

Gilgamish open'd his mouth and to Enkidu spake he (in this wise):

“Who, O my friend, is unconquer’d by ‘death’? A divinity, certes,

Liveth for aye in the daylight, but mortals—their days are (all) number’d,

All that they do is (but) wind—But to thee, now death thou art dreading,

‘Tis thine own mouth shall tell thou didst fear the onslaught (of battle),

(I, forsooth), if I should fall, my name will have stablish’d (for ever).

(In the future),

After my children are born to my house, and climb up thee, (saying):

‘Tell to us all that thou knowest’......

P>

(Four lines mutilated).

(Yea), when thou’ speakest "in this wise’, thou grievest my heart (for) the

Cedar

(The Weapons are cast for the Expedition).

(Now), O my friend, "my charge’ to the craftsmen I fain would deliver,

So that they cast in our presence "our weapons". ” |

‘The charge’ they deliver'd

Unto the craftsmen: the mould (?) did the workmen prepare, and the axes

Monstrous they cast: (yea), the celts did they cast, each (weighing) three

talents;

Glaives, (too,) monstrous they cast, with hilts each (weighing) two talents,

Blades, thirty manas to each, corresponding to fit them: "the inlay(?)’,

Gold thirty manas (each) sword: (so) were Gilgamish!, Enkidu laden

Each with ten talents.

(Gilgamish takes counsel with the Elders).

(And now) "in? the Seven Bolt "Portal of Erech?

Hearing ‘the bruit(?)' did the artisans gather, "assembled the people( ?)?,

(There) in the streets of broad-marketed Erech, “im Gilgamish’ "honour(*)",

‘So did the Elders of Erech? broad-marketed take seat before him.

Gilgamish" spake "thus: "O Elders of Erech? broad-marketed, "hear me!

‘I go against Humbaba, the Fierce, who shall say, when he heareth',

Column V.

‘(Ah), let me look on (this) Gilgamish, he of whom (people) are speaking,

He with whose fame the countries are fill’d’ —’Tis I will o'erwhelm him,

(There) in the Forest of Cedars—I '1l make the land hear (it)

(How) like a giant the Scion of Erech is—(yea, for) the Cedars

I am determined to fell, that I may gain fame everlasting. ”

Gilgamish (thus) did the Elders of Erech broad-marketed answer:

“Gilgamish, ’tis thou art young, that thy valour (o’ermuch) doth uplift thee,

Nor dost thou know to the full what thou dost seek to accomplish.

Unto our ears hath it come of Humbaba, his likeness is twofold.3

Who (of free will) then would "seek to’ oppose "in encounter’ his weapons?

Who for a distance of two hours’ march from the skirts of the Forest

Unto its depths would "go down? Humbaba, his roar is a whirlwind,

Flame (in) his jaws, and his very breath Death! (O), why hast desired.

This to accomplish? To meet(?) with Humbaba were conflict unequall’d.”

Gilgamish unto the rede of his counsellors hearken'd and ponder 'd,

Cried to rhis? friend: “Now, indeed, O "my? fried, "will I" thus "voice

opinion".

I (forsooth) dread him, and (yet) to "(the depths of the) Forest"I'11take"me"..”

(About seven lines mutilated or missing 1n which the Elders

bless Gilgamish in farewell). |

may thy god (so) "protect" thee,

Bringing thee back ' (safe and)" sound to the walls of "broad-marketed” Erech. ”

“Here I present myself, Shamash, "to lift up’ my hands (in entreaty),

O that hereafter my life may be spared, to the ramparts of "Erech?

And Shamash made answer,

‘Speaking’ his oracle . . . . . . .

(About six lines mutilated or missing).

Column VI.

Tears adown Gilgamish’ "cheeks were (now)? streaming: "A road I have never

Traversed "I go, on a passage( ?)' I know not, (but if) I be spared

homage. ”

(Two mutilated lines with the words “on seats” and “his

equipment. ”)

‘Into’ (his) hand ; (so) taking a celt, "he slung on (?) his quiver,

‘But, or ever the twain’ had set forth on their journey, they offer d

‘Gifts’ to the Sun-god, that home he might bring them to Erech (in safety).

(The Departure of the two Heroes).

Counsel ‘concerning’ the road: “O Gilgamish, to thine own power

Trust not (alone) ; (but at least) let thy "road? be traversed "before? thee,

Guard thou thy person; let Enkidu go before thee (as vaward).

(Aye, for) ‘twas he hath discover'd the 'way’, the road he hath travell'd.

(Yea), he who goeth? as vaward is (able) to safeguard a comrade,

O that the Sun-god "may grant! thee ‘success to attain’ thine ‘ambition’,

O that he level the path that is block d, cleave a road for thy treading,

Bring in thy night-time a message to thee, with which shalt be gladden’d,

So that it help thine ambition, (for) , like a boy thine ambition

On the o’erthrow of Humbaba thou fixest, as thou hast settled.

Wash, (then), thy feet!: when thou haltest, shalt hollow a pool, so that ever

Pure be the water within thy skin-bottle, (aye), cool be the water

Unto the Sun-god thou pourest, (and thus) shalt remind Lugal-banda. ”

Enkidu open'd his mouth, and spake unto Gilgamish, (saying) :

“Gilgamish?, art (?) thou (in truth) full equal to making (this) foray ?

Let "not? thy heart be afraid; trust me.”

On (his) shoulder his mantle

"Drew he, (and now) ‘on the road’ to Humbaba they set forth (together).

(Five lines mutilated ; the two heroes meet a man who sets them

on thew way).

Cf

. they went with me . . . "tell" you . . . in joy of heart.”

"So when he heard’ this his word, the man on his way did "direct him’:

“Gilgamish, go, . . . let thy brother (?) precede ‘thee’ . . . "(and) in

thine ambition’.

O that the Sun-god (?)! may shew ‘thee’ success!”

(The Old Babylonian Version breaks off after three more

fragmentary lines. The following is the Assyrian Verston of

Column VI,l. 21, and onwards of the preceding text. It marks the

beginning of the Third Tablet in the Assyrian Version, i peaiE

with the episode of the conclave of the Elders).

“Gilgamish, put not thy faith in the strength of thine own person (solely),

Quench'd be thy wishes to trusting(?) (o’ermuch) in thy (shrewdness in)

smiting.

(Sooth), he who goeth as vaward is able to safeguard a comrade,

He who doth know how to guide hath guarded his friend; (so) before thee,

Do thou let Enkidu go, (for ’tis) he to the Forest of Cedars

Knoweth the road: ’tis he lusteth for battle, and threateneth combat.

Enkidu—he would watch over a friend, would safeguard a comrade,

(Aye, such an one) would deliver his person from out of the pitfalls.

We, O King, in our conclave have paid deep heed to thy welfare,

Thou, O King, in return with an (equal) heed shalt requite us.”

Gilgamish open'd his mouth, and spake unto Enkidu, saying:

“Unto the Palace of Splendour, O friend, come, let us betake us,

Unto the presence of Nin-sun, the glorious Queen, (aye) to Nin-sun,

Wisest of (all) clever women, all-knowing; a well-devised pathway

She will prescribe for our feet.”

Clasp'd they their hands, each to each, and went to the Palace of Splendour,

Gilgamish!, Enkidu. Unto the glorious Queen, (aye) to Nin-sun

Gilgamish came, and he enter'd in unto "the presence of Nin-sun’:

“Nin-sun, O fain would I tell thee "how" I a far journey "am going’,

(Unto) the home ‘of Humbaba to counter a warfare I know not,

"Follow a road’ which I "know? not, '(aye) from the time of my starting’,

Till my return, until I arrive at the Forest of Cedars’,

"Till I oerthrow Humbaba, the Fierce, and destroy from the country’

‘All that the Sun-god abhorreth of evil” ....

(The rest of the speech of Gilgamish ts lost until the end of the

Column, where we find him still addressing his mother, and

apparently asking that she shall garb herself in festal attire to beg

a favour of the Sun-god).

«4

. . garb thyself; . . . in thy presence.”

(So) to her offspring, to Gilgamish "Nin-sun' gave ear . . . -ly,

Column II.

Enter’d "her chamber’ . . . "and deck'd herself! with the flowers of Tulal(?),

"Put on’ the festal garb of her body ..............

‘Put on’ the festal garb of her bosom . . ., her head "with a circlet?

Crown 'd, and . . . the ground tpirani.

Climb 'd "she the stairway’, ascended the roof, and "the parapet( ?)! mounted,

Offer’d her incense to Shamash, (her) sacrifice offer’d "to Shamash’,

(Then) towards Shamash her hands she uplifted (in orison saying):

With which didst dower Gilgamish, "my? son?

That now thou touchest him, and (straight) he starteth

A journey far to where Humbaba (dwelleth),

To counter warfare which he knoweth not,

Follow a pathway which he knoweth not,

Till he return, till to the Cedar Forest

He reach; till he o’erthrow the fierce Humbaba,

And from the land destroy all evil things

Which thou abhor'st; the day which ‘thou hast set”

May Aas, (thy) bride, be "thy? remembrancer.

He the night-watches..... ”

(Columns III, IV, and V are much mutilated. There ts the

remnant of a passage in Assyrian, corresponding to the Thwd

Tablet of the Old Babylonian Version, Column III, 15, which gives

Enkidu’s speech about “the mountains,” “the cattle of the field,”

and how “he waited” : then follows another fragment with a mention

of the “corpse” "of Humbaba and of the Anunnaki (the Spirits of

Heaven), anda repetition of the line “that strong man (who) feareth

rithe.” Then a reference to “the journey” until "Gilgamish

shall have overthrown the fierce Humbaba’, be it after an interval of

days, months, or years; and another fragment probably part of the

previous text, where someone “heaps up incense” "to a god”, and

Enkidu again speaks with someone, but the mutilated text does not

allow us much light on its connection, and although there ts another

fragment, the connection again ts notobvious. The last column is a

repetition of what the Elders said to Gilgamish) :

“(Aye, such an one) "would deliver his person’ from out of the pitfalls.

"(Now), O King, in thy turn with an (equal) heed” shalt requite us. ”

Enkidu "open 'd' his mouth ‘and spake unto Gilgamish, saying’:

“Turn, O my friend . . . . a road not.... ”

THE ARRIVAL AT THE GATE OF THE FOREST.

(Of Column I about ll. 1-36 are mutilated or missing, there

being actually the beginnings of only sixteen lines. When the text

becomes connected the heroes have reached the Gate of the Forest).

Column I.

(Enkidu addresses the Gate).

“O thou Gate of the Forest without understanding(?) . . .

Sentience which thou hast not, . . . .

I for (full) forty leagues have admired thy "wonderful timber,

(Aye), till I sighted the towering Cedar... .

(O but) thy wood hath no peer (in the country) . . .

Six gay thy height, and two gw thy breadth . . .

(Sooth, but) thy stanchion (?), thy socket (?),! thy pivot(?), thy lock (2),

and thy shutter (?) ,

"(All of them) must have been fashion’d for thee’ in the City of Nippuri I

O, if I had but known, O Gate, that this was "thy grandeur’,

This, too, the grace "of thy structure’, then either an axe had I lifted

Or I had . . . or bound together. . . . ”

(Of the next Column remains a fragment, and that only pre-

sumed to belong to one of the above fragments from its appearance,

which speaks of terror, a dream, and sorrow: “let me pray the gods

. „may thy? god be . . . the father of the gods.” Agatn,

of the third Column there is only a small portion left of the right

half (this fragment, too, being also presumed to belong to the same

tablet as that above-mentioned), speaking of Gilgamish, the Forest,

and Enkidu. The fourth Column is entirely lost. Of Column V

the latter part survives, in this case without any uncertainty.

After a few broken lines tt runs as follows, the first speaker being

probably Enkidu, and the scene the Gate of the Forest):

". . . FO, haste’ thee, withstand him, he will not "pursue(?) thee’,

"We will go on down into the wood not ‘daunted, together (*)".

. . . Thou shall put on seven garments...

. . putting on, and six...(?)...”

He like a mighty wild bull...

Flung he the Portal afar, and "his? mouth was fill’d (with his challenge),

Cried to the Guard of the Forest: “Up (2?) . . .!

r"Tis I will challenge’ Humbaba like toa... ”

(A small gap.)

Column VI.

(Enkidu is speaking)

“Trouble (?) "I foresee(?)? wherever I go . . . .

O my friend, I have "seen? a dream which un- . . . . ”

The day of the dream he had seen fulfilled . . . .3

Notzs. 1Text has “and”. 2Or “the dream will be [fulfll'd].” sOne text adds a horizontal line here.

(Enkidu ts stricken with fear at thought of the combat).

Enkidu lay for a day, "yea, a second'—for Enkidu "lying?

(Prone) on his couch, was a third and a fourth day . . ., afifth, sixth and

seventh,

Eighth, ninth, "and tenth’. While Enkidu "lay in his’ sickness . . ., th’

eleventh,

(Aye, till) the twelfth . . . on ‘his’ couch was Enkidu "lying".

Call'd he to Gilgamish,.........

“(O but), my comrade, . . . hateth me . . because within Erech

I was afraid of the combat, and . . . My friend, who in battle... ”

(A small gap in which Gilgamish has answered. Enkidu replies):

"Enkidu open 'd' his ‘mouth’ and spake ‘unto Gilgamish, saying’:

(“Nay, but), "my friend, let us no wise’ go down ‘to the depths of the Forest",

(For) ‘tis my hands "have grown weak’, and "my arms? are stricken with

palsy. ”

Gilgamish open’d his mouth and spake "unto Enkidu", saying:

“Shall we, O friend, "play? the coward? ......

: . thou shalt surpass them all(?) .

"Thou, my friend, art cunning in warfare, art rshrewd( ?)" in the batiie,

(So) shalt thou touch the . . . and of "death? have no terror,

(Two dificult and mutilated lines).

r$o that? the palsy (now striking) thine arms "may" depart, and the weakness

Pass ‘from thy hands?! ‘Be brave(?)' and resist! O my comrade, together

We will go down—let the combat "in no wise diminish(?)" thy courage !

O forget death, and be fearful(?) of nothing(?) . . (for he who is) "valiant(?)",

Cautious (and) careful, by leading "the way’ hath his own body guarded,

(He ‘tis) will safeguard a comrade.”

| A name by their ‘valour(?)’ . .

They will establish. (And now) they together arrive at the barrier(?),

Still 'd into silence(?)" their speech, and they themselves (suddenly) stopping.

Column II.

(The Wonders of the Forest).

Stood they and stared at the Forest, they gazed at the height of the Cedars,

Scanning the avenue into the Forest: (and there) where Humbaba

Stalk’d, was a path, (and) straight were his tracks, and good was the passage.

(Eke) they beheld the Mount of the Cedar, the home of th” Immortals,

Shrine‘of Irnini, the Cedar uplifting its pride ’gainst the mountain,

Fair was its shade, (all) full of delight, with bushes (there) spreading,

Spread, too, the . . . . the Cedar the incense . . . . =

(After a few mutilated lines the Column breaks: the upper part

of Column II contains about twenty lines badly mutilated ; then the

lower part is more complete, beginning with visions granted to the

hero).

Column II.

(Gilgamish relates his dreams).

"T4Then came another dream to me, comrade, and this second’ vision

"Pleasant, indeed", which I saw, (for) we ( ?) "twain were standing together"

"High o (?) a peak of the mountains, "and then did the mountain peak!

topple,

"Leaving us twain (?)? to be like . . . (?) which are born in the desert. ”

Enkidu spake to his comrade the dream (?) ‘to interpret’, (thus saying):

“Comrade, (in sooth, this) vision "of thine unto us’ good fortune (forbodeth),

(Aye), ‘tis a dream of great gain" thou didst see’, (for, bethink you), O

comrade,

(Surely) the mountain which thou hast beholden "must needs be Humbaba(?).

(Thus doth it mean) we shall capture Humbaba, (and) ‘throw down his

carcase,

r Leaving" his corpse in abasement—to-morrow 's (outcome) will I "shew thee" ”.

(Now) at the fortieth league did they break their fast "with a morsel",

(Now) at the sixtieth rested, and hollow’d a pit in the sunshine. . .

Gilgamish mounted above ‘it! . . . (and) pour'd out his meal ‘for the

mountain’ :

“Mountain, a dream do thou grant . . . breatheonhim... ”

Notzs. 1Aseyrian Version. 2A form of Ishtar. SLit. Ferula Persica. 4The restorations are obviously uncertain.

Column III.

Granted "the mountain’ a dream . . . it breathed on him...

Then a chill wind-blast Tup” -sprang (and) fa gust’ passing over . . .

‘Made’ him to cower, and . . . ‘thereat he sway d' like the corn of the

mountains . . . l

Gilgamish, pe bent-kneed, supported his haunches, (and straight-

way

Sleep (such as) floweth on man descended upon him: ‘at? midnight

Ending his slumber (all sudden), he hied him to speak to his comrade:

“Didst thou not call me, O friend? (O), why am I waken’d (from slumber) ?

Didst thou not touch me—(for), why am I fearful(?), (or) hath not some spirit

Pass'd (me)? (Or,) why is my flesh (all) a-quiver ?

(The dream of the volcano, which probably represents Humbaba).

A third dream, O comrade,

I have beheld: but all awesome (this) dream which I have beholden:

(Loud) did the firmament roar, (and) earth (with the echo) resounded,

Sombre the day, with darkness uprising, (and) levin bolts flashing,

Kindled were flames, "and there, too, was Pestilence (?)" fill’d to o'erflowing,

Gorgéd was Death! (Then) "faded? the glare, (then) faded the fires,

Falling, "the brands’ turn’d to ashes—' Come, let us go! down to the desert,

That we may counsel together. ”

Enkidu (now) to interpret his dream unto Gilgamish speaketh:

(Remainder of Column III broken away).

(A variant version is found on one of the Semitic tablets from

Boghaz Keut!. Where the sense becomes connected it briefly

describes how the heroes halt for the night and at midnight sleep

departs from the hero who tells his dream to Enkidu, after asking

much in the same way why he is frightened at waking from his

dream. “Besides my first dream a second . . . In my dream,

"O friend, a mountain . . . he cast me down, seized my feet...

The brilliance increased: a man . . ., most comely of all the land

was his beauty . . . Beneath the mountain he drew me, and . . .

water he gave me to drink, and my desire "was assuaged’ ; to earth

he set'my feet . . . Enkidu unto this god . . . unto Gilgamish

orgs. 1Published by Weidner, Keilschrifturkunden aus Boghazkoi, IV. 12, p. 13.

spake: “My friend, we willgo . . . whatever ts hostile . . . Not

the mountain . . . Come, lay aside fear...” The rest

after about mutilated seven lines ts lost).

(Column IV is all lost, and hardly anything of Column V

remains. Column VI once contained the story of the great fight,

but except for a few broken lines at the end tt ts all lost. But we

can fortunately replace it from the Hittite version from Boghaz Keut!)

Column VI.

(The Fight with Humbaba).

In the following manner . . . the Sun-god in heaven . . . the trees:

He saw 'Gilgamish’: of the Stiti-god in heaven in...

And ‘shew’d him the dam on the ditches.

Gilgamish "spake? then "in orison? unto the Sun-god in heaven;

“Lo, on that day to the city . . . . which is in the city:

I in sooth ‘pray’ to the Sun-god in heaven: I on a road have now started,

Unto th’ <a of Gilgamish hearken 'd the Sun-god in heaven,

Wherefore against Humbaba he raised mighty winds: (yea), a great wind,

Wind from the North, (aye), "a wind from the South’, yea "a tempest? (and)

storm wind,

Chill wind, (and) whirlwind, a wind of (all) evil: *twas eight winds he raisód,

Seizing "Humbaba’ before and behind, so that nor to go forwards,

Nor to go back was he able: and then Humbaba surrender’d.

Wherefore to Gilgamish spake (thus) Humbaba: “O Gilgamish, (pr’y thee),

Stay, (now, thy hand) : be "thou now my "master", and I'll be thy henchman:

O disregard” (all) "the words? which I spake "(so) boastful’ against thee,

Weighty . . . I would lay me down . . . and the Palace.”

Thereat to "Gilgamish? Enkidu ‘spake’: ""Of the rede which’ Humbaba

"Maketh to thee’ thou darest in nowise offer acceptance.

(Aye, for) Humbaba "must? not ‘remain alive’. . . . ”

(The Hittite Version here breaks off. The Assyrian Version

ends with six badly mutilated lines of which the last tells the

successful issue of the expedition).

. they cut off the head of Humbaba.

small fragments (Keils. Boghaz, VI. 30 and 32) are to be assigned hereabouts.

Column I.

(Gilgamish is removing the stains of combat).

1(Now) is? he washing his stains, (and) is cleansing his garments in tatters,

Braiding (?) (the locks of) his hair (to descend loose) over his shoulders,

Laying aside his garments besmirchen, (and) donning his clean ones,

Putting on armlets (?), and girding his body about with a baldric,

Gilgamish bindeth his fillet, and girdeth himself with a baldric.

(Ishtar sees him and seeks to wed him).

(Now) Lady Ishtar espieth the beauty of Gilgamish: (saith she),

“Gilgamish, come, be a bridegroom, to me of the fruit (of thy body)

Grant me largesse: (for) my husband shalt be and I’ll be thy consort.

O, but I’ll furnish a chariot for thee, (all) azure and golden,

Golden its wheel, and its yoke precious stones, each day to be harness’d

Unto great mules: (O), enter our house with the fragrance of cedar.

(So) when thou enterest into our house shall threshold and dais

Kiss thy feet, (and) beneath thee do homage kings, princes, and rulers,

Bringing thee yield of the mountains and plains as a tribute: thy she-goats

Bring forth in plenty, thy ewes shall bear twins, thy asses‘ attaining

(Each) to the size of a mule, (and) thy steeds‘ in thy chariot winning

Fame for their gallop: "thy mules” in the yoke shall ne’er have a rival.”

Gilgamish'" open’d his mouth in reply, Lady Ishtar "to answer’:

“Aye, but what must I give’ thee, (if (?)) I should take thee in marriage?

‘I must provide thee with oil for (thy) body, and clothing: (aye, also)

Give thee (thy)” bread and (thy) victual: (sooth), must be sustenance ample’

Meet for divinity—'I, (too), must give thee (thy) drink’ fit for royalty.

I shall be bound, . . . let us amass (?), . . . clothe with a garment.

"What, then, will be my advantage, supposing’ I take thee in marriage?

"Thou rt but a ruin which giveth no shelter (?) to man’ from the weather,

Thou 'rt but a back door "not" giving resistance to blast or to windstorm,

an uncertain kind of gem. 4Singular in the text. A fragment of a Semitic tablet from Boghaz Keui (Keils.

Boghask, IV. 12, p. 12) includes among her gifts “great horses” and “crystal for thy feet.”

Thou 'rt but a palace which dasheth the heroes "within it to pieces’,

Thou 'rt but a pitfall (which letteth) its covering "give way (all treach 'rous)",

Thou art but pitch which "defileth" the man who doth carry it with him,

Thou 'rt but a bottle which "leaketh’ on him who doth carry it with him,

Thou art but limestone which 'letteth' stone ramparts fall crumbling in ruin’.

Thou 'rt but chalcedony ‘failing to guard (?)"! in an enemy’s country,

Thou 'rt but a sandal which causeth its owner ‘to trip (by the wayside)’.

Who was ever ‘thy’ husband ‘thou faithfully lovedst for all time?

Who hath been ever thy lord who hath gain’d "over thee’ the advantage?

Come, and I will unfold thee ‘the endless tale’ of thy husbands.

(Sooth), thou shalt vouch ( ?) for the truth ( ?) of (this) list—Thy maidenhood’s

consort,

Tammuz, each year dost make him the cause of Wailing, (then cometh

Next) = bird Roller gay-feather'd thou lovedst, and (yet) thou didst smite

im

Breaking his wing: in the grove doth he stand, crying kappi ‘ my wing!’

Lovedst thou also a Lion, in (all) the full strength of (his) vigour,

(Yet) thou didst dig for him seven and seven (deep) pits (to entrap him).

Lovedst thou also a Stallion, magnificent he in the battle,

Thou wert the cause of a bridle,.a spur, and a whip to him: (also)

Thou wert the cause of his fifty miles galloping; thou wert the cause, too,

(Eke), of exhaustion and sweating (?); (thereafter), ‘twas thou who didst

(also) ;

Unto his mother Silili give cause for (her deep) lamentation.

Lovedst thou also a Shepherd, a neatherd, for thee without ceasing

Each day to sacrifice yeanlings for thee would heap thee his charcoal,

(Yet) thou didst smite him, transforming him into a jackal: his herd boy

Yea, his own herd boy drove him away, and his dogs tore his buttocks.

Lovedst thou, too, Ishullanu, the gardener he of thy sire,

Bringing delights (?) to thee ceaseless, while daily he garnish’d thy platter;

"Twas for thee only to cast thine eyes on him, and with him be smitten‘.

ʻO Ishullanu of mine, come, let me taste of thy vigour,

Put forth thy hand, too, ......... 5”

I.e., aseal-cylinder or amulet of chalcedony. 2The Annual festival of the Wailing for Tammuz. Tammuz, the

husband of Ishtar, representing vegetation, dies each year in the Autumn, and his faithful spouse goes down to

the Underworld to bring him back with the return of Spring. sThe Roller, a brightly coloured bird which lives

in the palm groves of Southern Babylonia, uttering a hoarse cry which may be identified with kappi. During the

breeding season it has a curious irregular flight which probably gave rise to the legend of the brokenwing. 4The

force of the tense of the last verb appears to demand this form of translation. SThis, the invitation of Ishtar,

(two words) is omitted.

But he, Ishullanu,

Said to thee ‘What dost thouask me? Save only my mother hath baked (it),

Nought have I eaten—(and) what I should eat would be bread of transgression,

(Aye) and iniquity ! (Further), the reeds are a cloak against winter.!'

Thou this "his answer’ didst hear, didst smite him and make him a spider(?),

Making him lodge midway up a "dwelling( ?)'—not to move upwards

Lest there be drainage; nor down, lest a crushing ‘o’erwhelm him’.

So, too, me in my turn thou wouldst love and (then) "reckon? me like

them.”

‘Heard’ this (then) Ishtar: she burst into rage and "went up’ to Heaven,

Hied her (thus) Ishtar to Anu, "her father’, to Antu, her mother,

Came she "to tell (them): “O father, doth Gilgamish load me with insult,

Gilgamish tale of my sins, my sins and iniquities telleth.”

Anu made answer, (thus) speaking, and said unto Ishtar the Lady:

“Nay, thou didst ask him ‘to grant thee largesse of the fruit of his body’,

(Hence) hes the tale of thy sins, thy sins and iniquities telleth. ”

(The Creation of the Divine Bull which ts to destroy the heroes).

Ishtar made answer (thus) speaking, and said unto "Anu, her father’:

“Father, O make (me) a Heavenly Bull, which shall Gilgamish ‘vanquish’,

But if thou’lt "not" make ‘this Bull, then... .

I’ll smite. . . ., I'll put...., PTH....

— LL

Anu "made answer, (thus) speaking, and said unto’ Ishtar, the Lady:

"TIf I the Heavenly Bull shall create, for which’ thou dost ask me,

(Then) seven years of (leer) husks "must needs follow after his onslaught (*)".

fodder (?).”

"Ishtar made’ answer, (thus) speaking "and said unto’ Anu, her father:

"Corn for mankind’ have I hoarded, have grown ‘for the cattle the fodder’,

"I will for man’ gather ‘corn and increase for the cattle’ the fodder.”

(Perhaps a small gab.)

(About seven lines are so badly mutilated that little can be

gleaned from them except that the fight with the Heavenly Bull is

about to take place in Erech. After these "a hundred men descend

‘upon the Bull", but with his (fiery) breath "he annihilates them.

Then come two hundred with the same result, and then three hun-

dred more, again to be overcome).

Enkidu girded (?) his middle; (and straightway) Enkidu, leaping,

Seized on the Heavenly Bull by ‘his’ horns, and (headlong) before him

Cast down the Heavenly Bull his full length, ....

(Aye), by the thick of his tail.

(Gap of thirteen mutilated lines.)

Chased him did Enkidu, . . . the Heavenly Bull...

Seized him and by ‘the thick” of his tail. . . .

(Gap of about fourteen mutilated lines tn which the Bull ts slain.)

(So), what time they the Bull of the Heavens had kili’d, its heart they

- removed,

Unto the Sun-god they offer'd in sacrifice ; when the libation

Unto the Sun they had voided, they sate them down, the two brothers.

(The Frenzy of Ishtar).

(Then) mounted Ishtar (the crest of) the ramparts of Erech, the high-wall'd,

(So) to the roof-top ascended, (and there) gave voice to her wailing;

“Woe unto Gilgamish—he who by killing the Bull of the Heavens,

Made me lament.” When Enkidu heard this, the shrieking of Ishtar,

Wrenching the member from out of the Bull, he toss’d (it) before her;

“If I could only have reach’d thee, i’faith, I'd ha’ served thee the same way,

I'd ha let dangle his guts on thy flanks (as a girdle about thee). ”

Ishtar assembled the girl-devotees, the hetaerae and harlots,

Over the member (torn out) from the Bull she led the lamenting.

(The Triumph of Gilgamish).

. Gilgamish call’d to the masters of craft, the artists, (yea), all of them,

That at the size of its horns (all) the guilds of the crafts speak their praises

Each had of azure in weight thirty minas to be as their setting,

Two fingers their . ... ... . . «. «. 1 « «1 « 1. .

Both of them held six measures of oil; to his god Lugal-banda

He for (his) unguent devoting, brought in, and (thus) let them hang (there),

(There) in the shrine of his forbears.

(And now) in the River Euphrates

Washing their hands, they start (on their progress) and come (to the city);

(Now) are they striding the highway of Erech, the heroes of Erech

Thronging (about them) to see them. (Then) Gilgamish utter'd a riddle

Unto the notables (?):

Who, pr ythee, is most splendid of heroes,

Who, pr ythee, is most famous of giants?

Gilgamish—he ts most splendid of heroes,

r Enkidu—he is most’ famous of giants.

(Three mutilated lines follow.)

So in his palace did Gilgamish hold high revel: (thereafter),

(While all) the heroes asleep, on their nightly couches were lying

Enkidu, too, was asleep, and a vision beheld, and (so) coming

Enkidu (now) his dream to reveal: (thus) spake he unto his comrade.

THE DEATH OF ENKIDU.

Column I.

(Enkidu's dream).

"Why, O my friend, do the great gods (now) take counsel together ?”

(The remainder of the Column is lost in the Assyrian, but it

can be partially supplied from the Hittite Version:1 “ ... Then

came the day ...'Enkidu’ answered Gilgamish: '"Gilgamish,

hear the’ dream which I "saw tn the night: "Now Enlil, Ea, and

the Sun-god of heaven... "the Sun-god (?) Enlil spake in

Then answer'd Enlil boldly “O Sun-god', at thy behest did they

Slay the Heavenly Bull and Humbaba. But now shall Enkidu

die.’ But Enlil turn’d angrily to the Sun-god: ‘What dost thou

them as befitting ... 2? Waith his comrade thou settest out daily.’”

But Enkidu laid himself down to rest before Gilgamish, and by

the dam . . . him the ditch: ‘My brother, of (great) worth 1s my

rdream'.'” It breaks off after a few mutilated lines more).

(Column II entirely lost. From the Htttite it ts clear that

Enktdu has dreamt that the gods have taken counsel together, that

Enkidu ts to die, but Gilgamish remain alive. It would appear

from the succeeding material that Enkidu, stricken presumably

by fever, attributes all his misfortunes to the hetaera whom he

loads with curses. The first part of the next fragment begins

“destroy his power, weaken his strength,” probably referring to

Enkidu. Then says Enkidu, after three broken lines: “... the

hetaera . . . . who has brought (?) a curse, ʻO hetaera, I will

decree (thy) "fate(?)" for thee— thy woes(?)! . . . shall never end

for all eternity. "Come", I will curse thee with a bitter curse, . ..

with desolation shall its curse come on thee: "may there never be

satisfaction of thy desire” —and then follow the broken ends of six

lines and then—““ May . . fall on thy house, may the . . of the

street be thy dwelling, "may the shade of the wall be thy abode, . . .

for thy feet, "may scorching heat and thirst’ smite thy strength”

The rest of the curse ts badly broken, but it is exceeding probable

that the following are the fragments which should be assigned here).

(The End of Enkidu’s curse on the Hetaera).

“Of want... . Since me it is that. ..hath....

And me the fever "hath laid’ on my back.”

(The Answer of Shamash).

Heard him the Sun-god, and open’d his mouth, and from out of the heavens

(Straightway) He call’d him: “O Enkidu, why dost thou curse the hetaera ?

She ’twas who made thee eat bread, for divinity proper: (aye), wine (too),

She made thee drink, (’twas) for royalty proper: a generous mantle

Put on thee, (aye), and for comrade did give to thee Gilgamish splendid.

Now on a couch of great size will he, (thy) friend (and) thy brother

Gilgamish, grant thee to lie, on a handsome couch will he grant thee

Rest, and to sit on a throne of great ease, a throne at (his) left hand,

So that the princes of Hades! may kiss thy feet (in their homage) ;

He, too, will make (all) the people of Erech lament in thy (honour),

Making them mourn thee, (and) damsels (and) heroes constrain to thy service,

"While he himself? for thy sake will cause his body to carry

Stains, "(and) will put on’ the skin of a lion, and range o’er the desert.”

Enkidu '(then) giving ear’ to the words of the valiant Shamash

Speaking........ his wrath was appeased.

(One or two lines missing).

Column IV.

(Enkidu, relenting, regrets his curse, and blesses the Hetaera).

may . . . restore to thy place!

(So, too), may monarchs and princes’ and chiefs be with love "for thee!

smitten;

"None smite (?)' his breech "in disgust (?); against thee; and for thee may

the hero’

Comb out his locks;... who would embrace ‘thee’,

Let him his girdle unloose . . . and thy "bed" be azure and golden;

May .. .entreat thee kindly (?), . . . . are heap'd his ishshikku

May the gods make thee enter. ..........

Mayst thou’ be left as the mother of seven brides . . .

Enkidu, sorrowful at his approaching end, sleeps alone and dreams).

"Enkidu . . . woe in his belly . . . sleeping alone,

‘Came’ in the night ‘to discover’ his heaviness unto his comrade:

"TFriend', (O) a dream I have seen in my night-time: the firmament

rroaring",

Echo 'd the earth, and I "by myself? was standing(?).. .

"When perceived I a man (?)', (all) dark was his face, rand! was liken 'd

Unto” . . .his face, . . . "and" his nails like claws of a lion.3

Me did he overcome. . . climbing up . . . press' d me down,

Upon me... my (?) body .......

Enkidu of ?

(Here follows a gap of perhaps three lines, until what ts still

presumably the dream ts again taken up by the other half of the

Column at l. 31 (?) with a description of the Underworld which ts

being shewn to Enkidu in premonition of his death).

33). 0 adw like birds my hands: (and) he seized (?) me,

Me did he lead to the Dwelling of Darkness, the home of Irkalla,!

(Aye), by the road on the passage whereof there can be no returning,

Unto the Dwelling whose tenants are (ever) bereft of the daylight,

Where for their food is the dust, and the mud is their sustenance: bird-like

Never the light will they see. On the Gate... . when I enter’d

On the house (?).. . . was humbled the crown,

For . . . those who (wore) crowns, who of old ruled over the country,

. of Anu and Enlil ’twas they set the bakemeats,

Into (this) House of the Dust, were High Priest and acolyte sitting,

Seer and magician, the priest who the Sea of the great gods anointed,

(Here) sat Etana*, Sumuqan; the Queen of the Underworld (also),

Ereshkigal, in whose presence doth bow the Recorder of Hades,

Belit'-seri, and readeth before her; "she lifted’ her head (and) beheld me,

. . and took this...........

(The text here breaks off).

6(The first Column ts badly mutilated, and all we can glean

from wt vs that “as soon as something of morning has dawned,”

Gilgamish addressing Enkidu, compares him to a gazelle, and

promises to glorify him. Then follows apparently a recital by

Gilgamish of their exploits together, “mountains "we ascended,

"with wild beasts (?)! drawing nigh after us.” Enkidu is lying

dying or dead, and Column II begins with Gilgamish keening over

his dead friend before the Elders of Erech):

“Unto me hearken, O Elders, to me, aye, me ‘shall ye listen’,

‘Tis that I weep for my ‘comrade’ Enkidu, bitterly crying

Like to a wailing woman: my grip is 'slack'd' on the curtleaxe

(Slung at) my thigh, (and) the brand at my belt from my sight "is removed’.

(Aye, and) my festal attire "lends nought of its aid for’ my pleasure,

Me, me hath ‘sorrow’ assailed, and ‘cast? me "down in affliction’.

Comrade (and) henchman, who chased the wild ass!, the pard of thedesert,

Comrade (and) henchman, who chased the wild ass!, the pard of the desert,

Enkidu—we who all ‘haps’ overcame, ascending ‘the mountains’.

Captured the Heavenly Bull, and "destroy 'd (him)? : we o'erthrew Humbaba,

He who ‘abode’ in the Forest "of Cedars—O, what is this slumber

Now hath o'ercome ‘thee’, (for now) art thou dark, nor art able to hear "me" ? ”

Natheless he raised not "his eyes, and’ his heart, (when Gilgamish)

felt (it),

Made no beat.

Then he veil’d (his) friend like a bride. .

Lifted his voice like a lion. .......

"Roar'd' like a lioness robb’d of "her? whelps. In front of his comrade’

Paced he backwards and forwards, tearing and casting his ringlets( ?),

Plucking and casting away (all) the grace of his... .

Then when something of morning had dawn’d, did Gilgamish ... .

(Column II here breaks off. Column III begins with Gilgamish

still mourning, telling his dead friend all he will do for him in the

words of Shamash in the preceding tablet, so that we may supply

the last two (?) lines of Column II as follow):

Column II.

(The Lament of Gilgamish).

49-50. “ʻO, on a couch of great size will I, thy friend and thy brother,

Column III.

Gilgamish, grant thee to lie’, on "a handsome’ couch ‘will I grant thee

Rest, and’ to sit on "a throne of great size, a throne at (my) left hand’,

So that the princes of Hades "may kiss thy feet (in their homage)’ ; |

I, too, will make (all) "the people of Erech? lament in thy (honour),

While I myself for thy sake "will cause my body to carry’

‘Stains’, (and) will put on the skin of a ‘lion!, and range o’er the desert". ”

Then when something of morning had dawn’d did "Gilgamish? ....

Loosing his girdle. . . . . . . . . . . 1 .

(Column IV has only five fragmentary lines at the end, men-

tioning “to my friend,” “thy sword,” “likeness,” and “to the god

Bibbu,” i.e., a planet or Mercury. Column V has only a bare

dozen fragmentary lines at the end):

Column V.

(Then), when Gilgamish heard this, he form’d of the slaying a concept’.

Brought out also a mighty platter of wood from the highlands‘. |

Fill’d he with honey a bowl of (bright) ruby, a bowl (too) of azure,

Fill 'd he with cream ; (and) adorn’d he the . . ., and Shamash instructed . .

(One line lost at end of Column. Column VI is all lost).

GILGAMISH IN TERROR OF DEATH SEEKS ETERNAL LIFE.

Column I.

(Gilgamish determines to seek Eternal Life).

Gilgamish bitterly wept for his comrade, (for) Enkidu, ranging

Over the desert: "I, too—shall I not die like Enkidu also?

I will get hence on the road to the presence of Uta-Napishtim,

(If) 'tis in darkness that I shall arrive at the Gates of the Mountains,

Offer my prayer to the Moon-god, (or else) to . . the gods let my orison

Come . . . ʻO deliver me!’” . . . Heslept . . . (and) a dream . . .

‘Saw he’ . . . which were rejoicing in life,

Lance-like leapt he amongst them . . . smiting, . . . (and) crushing.

(The rest of the Column is mutilated).

Column II.

(The hero reaches the Mountains of Mashu).

Mashu the name of the hills; as he reach’d the Mountains of Mashu,

Where ev’ry day they keep watch o’er "the Sun-god’s’ rising "and setting’,

(Deep) unto Hell reach their breasts: (and there) at their portals stand sentry

Scorpion-men, awful in! terror, their (very) glance Death: (and) tremendous,

Shaking the hills, their magnificence ; they are the Wardens of Shamash,

(Than) from alarm and dismay was his countenance stricken with pallor,

Senseless, he grovell’d before them.

(Then) unto his wife spake the Scorpion :

“Lo, he that cometh to us—’tis the flesh of the gods is his body. ”

(Only) a third of him human.”

(Eight broken lines remain, in which the Scorpion-man

addresses presumably Gilgamish, asking him "why he has gone’ a

far journey, and telling him how hard the traverse ts. Column III

begins with the third line in which Gilgamish ts evidently telling

the Scorbion-man that he proposes to ‘ask(?)' Uta-Napishtim

about death and life. But the Scorpion-man says that" the journey

has never before been made, that none "has crossed’ the mountains.

The traverse ts by the Road of the Sun by a journey of twenty-four

hours, beginning with deep darkness. The last half of this Column

and the first half of Column IV are lost, but it would appear that

the Scorpion-man describes the journey hour by hour, and that

Gilgamish accepts the trial of his strength ""even though it be) in

pam . . . , “though my face be weatherd' with cold ‘and heat

NOTR.—ILit. “their terror, and.” 2Lit. “of Shamash.”

(and) in grief "I got . . .” Then the Scorpion-man, with a final

word about the mountains of Mashu, farewells him, wishing him

success. “"(Then) when! Gilgamish "heard this), "he set off! at the

word of the" Scorpion-man, taking’ the Road of the Sun . . .” The

first two hours are in deep darkness, without light, “ which did not

allow ‘him to see . . . behind him.” Each succeeding period

of two hours is the same until the eighth is reached and passed, and

by the ninth he apparently comes to the first glimmer of light.

Finally, with the twelfth double hour, he reaches the full blaze

of the sun, and there he beholds the Tree of the Gods, the description

of which ts given in the only four complete lines, 48-51, of Column

V. It is conceivable that this is the Vine, the Tree of Life, whence

Siduri, the Maker of Wine, plucks the fruit for her trade).

Bearing its fruit (all) ruby, and hung about with (its) tendrils.

Fair for beholding, and azure the boskage it bore ; (aye), twas bearing

Fruits (all) desirable unto the eye.

(Column VI in the Assyrian ts nearly all lost, and it is un-

certain what part the Tree plays: but at this point a third Old

Babylonian tablet helps us out. At this point, according to this

early verston the Sun-god takes pity on the hero).

“r He of the wild things hath dressćd" their pelts and the flesh of them eateth.

Gilgamish, "never" a crossing ‘shall be (?)? where none hath been ever,

(No), "so long" as the gale driveth water.”

Shamash was touch’d, that he summon’d him, (thus) unto Gilgamish

speaking :

“Gilgamish, why dost thou run, (forasmuch as) the life which thou seekest

Thou shalt not find?” (Whereat) Gilgamish answer’d the warrior Shamash:

“Shall I, after I roam up and down o’er the waste as a wand’rer,

Lay my head in the bowels of earth, and throughout the years slumber

Ever and aye? Let mine eyes see the Sun and be sated with brightness,

(Yea, for) the darkness is (banish 'd) afar, if wide be the brightness.

When will the man who is dead (ever) look on the light of the Sunshine ?”

(With this ends all our connected text of Column VI, the

Assyrian Version ending with about a dozen mutilated lines con-

taining a mention of numerous minerals and stones, and evidently

Gilgamish has now come to the girl Siduri the sabitu, which

last word 1s generally taken to mean a provider of strong waters).

How GILGAMISH REACHED UTA-NAPISHTIM.

Column I.

(Gilgamish meets Siduri).

Dwelt Siduri, the maker of wine . . . . . ... .

Wine(?) was her trade, her trade was . . . . . . . . .

Cover 'd she was with a veil and . . . . . . . . .

Gilgamish wander'd "towards her" . . . . . . .

Pelts was he wearing . . . . . . . . . « 1 « . .

Flesh of the gods in "his body’ possessing, but woe in ‘his belly’,

(Aye), and his countenance like to a (man) who hath gone a far journey.

Look’d in the distance the maker of wine, (and) a word in her bosom

Quoth she, in thought with herself: “This is one who would ravish (?) ‘a

woman',

Whither doth he advance in . . . ?” Assoonas the Wine-maker saw him,

Barr’d she "her postern’, barr’d she her inner door, barr’dshe "her chamber( ?).

Straightway did Gilgamish, too, in his turn catch the sound "of her shutting(?)",

Lifted his chin, and so did he let "his attention fall on her".

Unto her (therefore) did Gilgamish "speak, to the Wine-maker saying”:

“Wine-maker, what didst thou see, that "thy postern (now)? thou hast barréd,

Barréd thine inner door, "barréd thy chamber(?)?? O, I’llsmite thy’ portal,

‘Breaking the bolt? . . . . . . . . . .

(About nine lines mutilated, after which it is possible to

restore l. 32—Column II, 8).

Unto him (answer 'd) the Wine-maker, speaking to Gilgamish, (saying) :

"Why is thy vigour (so) wasted, (or why) is thy countenance? sunken,

(Why) hath thy spirit a sorrow (?), (or why) hath thy cheerfulness surcease ?

(O, but) there’s woe in thy belly! Like one who hath gone a far journey

(So) is thy face—(O,) with cold and with heat is thy countenance weather’d,

. . that thou shouldst range over the desert.”

Gilgamish unto her (answer’d and) spake to the Wine-maker, saying:

“Wine-maker, 'tis not my vigour is wasted, nor countenance sunken,

Nor hath my spirit a sorrow (?), (forsooth), nor my cheerfulness surcease,

No, ’tis not woe in my belly: nor doth my visage resemble

One who hath gone a far journey—nor is my countenance weather’d

Either by cold or by heat . . . that (thus) I range over the desert.

Comrade (and) henchman, who chased the wild ass, the pard of the desert,

Comrade (and) henchman, who chased the wild ass, the pard of the desert,

Enkidu—we who all haps overcame, ascending the mountains,

Captured the Heavenly Bull, and destroy’d him’: we 'o'erthrew Humbaba,

He who abode in the Forest of Cedars; we slaughter’d the lions

Column II.

There in the Gates (?) of the mountains (?); with me enduring all hardships,

Enkidu, (he was) my comrade—the lions we slaughter’d (together),

(Aye), enduring all hardships—and him! his fate hath o’ertaken.

(So) did I mourn him six days, (yea), a! se’nnight, until unto burial

I could consign (?) him . . . . (then) did I fear. ....

Death did I dread, that I range o er the desert’: the hap of my comrade

‘Lay on me heavy(?)—O’tis a long road that I range o'er' the desert !

Enkidu, (yea), "of my comrade the hap lay heavy (?) upon me —

r"Tis a long road’ that I range 'o'er the desert—O, how to be silent’,

(Aye, or) how to give voice? (For) the comrade I ha’ (so) lovéd™

Like to the dust "hath become’; O Enkidu, (he was) my comrade,

He whom I loved hath become "like the dust — 1, shall I not, also,

Lay me down "like him", throughout all eternity "never returning’ ?”

(Here may be interpolated, for convenience, the Old Babylon-

san Version of thts episode in the Berlin tablet of 2000 B.C. Column

II, 1,—III, 14):

Column II.

“He who enduréd all hardships with me, whom I lovéd dearly,

Enkidu,—he who enduréd all hardships with me (is now perish’d),

Gone to the common lot of mankind! (And) I have bewail’d him

Day and night long: (and) unto the tomb I have not consign’d him.

(O but) my friend cometh not (?) to my call—six days, (yea) ,2 a se’nnight

He like a worm hath lain on his face—(and) I for this reason

Find no life, (but must needs) roam the desert like to a hunter,

(Wherefore), O Wine-maker, now that (at last) I look on thy visage,

Death which I dread I will see not!”

(The Philosophy of the Wine-maker).

The Wine-maker Gilgamish answer d:

Notgs,—1Probable restoration. 2Lit. “and.” 3Or “on account of him.”

Column III.

“Gilgamish, why runnest thou, (inasmuch as) the life which thou seekest,

Thou canst not find? (For) the gods, in their (first) creation of mortals,

Gilgamish, full be thy belly,

Each day and night be thou merry, (and) daily keep holiday revel,

(Aye), let thy head be clean washen, (and) bathe thyself in the water,

Cherish the little one holding thy hand; be thy spouse in thy bosom

Happy—(for) this is the dower ‘of man” .....

(Here the Old Babylonian Version breaks off and we must return

to the Assyrian).

(Gilgamish, dissatisfied with a Wine-maker’s philosophy, would seek

further afield).

"TPr'ythee, then”, Wine-maker, which is the way unto Uta-Napishtim ?

"What (is)? its token, I pr’ythee, vouchsafe me, vouchsafe me its token.

If it be possible (even) the Ocean (itself) will I traverse,

(But) if it should be impossible, (then) will I range o’er the desert. ”

(The Wine-maker, in accordance with tradition, attempts to dissuade him).

“There hath been never a crossing, O Gilgamish: never aforetime

Anyone, coming thus far, hath been able to traverse the Ocean:

Warrior Shamash doth cross itl, ’tis true, but who besides Shamash

Maketh the traverse ? (Yea), rough is the ferry, (and) rougher its passage,

Gilgamish, if perchance thou succeed in traversing the Ocean,

What wilt thou do, when unto the Waters of Death thou arrivest ?

Gilgamish, there is Ur-Shanabi, boatman to Uta-Napishtim,

He with whom sails (?) are, the urnu of which in the forest he plucketh,

Cross—(but) if it be not, (then) do thou retrace thy steps (homewards).”

Gilgamish, hearing this, "taketh (his) axe in his "hand", "while he draweth

Glaive from his baldric (?)’.

(The remainder of this Column in the Assyrian Version 1s so

much mutilated that little can be made out, but what 1s obviously

essential is that Gilgamish meets Ur-Shanabi, but destroys the

satls (?) of the boat for some reason. Before going on with the

restoration of the Assyrian Version, we can interpolate Column IV

from the Old Babylonian Version of the Berlin Tablet):

(Then) did Ur-Shanabi! speak to him (yea), unto Gilgamish, (saying) :

“Tell to me what is thy name, (for) Iam Ur-Shanabi, (henchman) ,

(Aye), of far Uta-Napishtim.” To him did Gilgamish answer :

“Gilgamish, (that) is my name, come hither from Erech(?), E-Anni (?),

(One) who hath traversed the Mountains, a wearisome journey of Sunrise,

Now that I look on thy face, Ur-Shanabi—Uta-Napishtim

Let me see also—the Distant one!” Him did Ur-Shanabi ‘answer’,

Gilgamish: ...,.....

(In the Assyrian Version Ur-Shanabi presently addresses

Gilgamish in exactly the same words as Siduri, the Wine-maker,

with the same astonishment at his weather-beaten appearance) :

Column III.

(Thus) did Ur-Shanabi speak to him, (yea), unto Gilgamish, (saying) :

“Why is thy vigour all wasted... ”

(It continues thus, to be supplied for Il. 2-31 from Columns

I, 33—II, 14 with due bracketing for the last words, and then the

text goes on): |

Gilgamish (thus) continued his speech to Ur-Shanabi, (saying):

“Pr’ythee, Ur-Shanabi, which is "the way unto Uta-Napishtim'?

What is its token, I pr’ythee, vouchsafe me, vouchsafe me "its token’.

If it be possible (even) the Ocean (itself) will I traverse,

But if it should be impossible, "(then) will I range o’er the desert". ”

(Thus) did Ur-Shanabi speak to him, (yea), unto Gilgamish, (saying):

“Gilgamish, 'tis thine own hand hath hinder’d ‘thy crossing the Ocean’,

Thou hast destroyéd the sails(?), (and) hast piercéd (?) the . . . .

(Now) destroy 'd are the sails(?), and the urnu not . . . . .

Sockets, (too), add (to them)!: bring "them me’.” (Thereat), when Gilgamish

‘heard this’,

Took he the axe in his hand, (and) "the glaive? drew forth ‘from his baldric",

(Knops of) bitumen he made,and he added (their) sockets : and brought them. .3,

Gilgamish (then), and Ur-Shanabi fared them forth "in their vessel",

Launch 'd they the boat on the billow, and they themselves "in her embarking’.

After the course of a month and a half he saw on the third day

Column IV.

(Thus) did Ur-Shanabi ‘answer’ him, '(yea), unto Gilgamish, (saying) :

“Gilgamish, take the ....away............

Let not the Waters of Death touch thy hand......

Gilgamish, take thou a second, a third, and a fourth pole (for thrusting),

Gilgamish, take thou an eighth, (and) a ninth, and a tenth pole (for thrusting),

Gilgamish, take an eleventh, a twelfth pole!” He ceased‘ from (his) poling,

(Aye) with twice-sixty (thrusts); (then) ungirded his loins... .

(He reaches Uta-Napishtim).

Uta-Napishtim look’d into the distance and, inwardly musing,

Aye, and one who is not of my . . . (?) doth ride on the vessel?

(This) is no mortal who cometh: nor... .

I look, but (this) is no "mortal ......

(Remainder of Column lost, but about l. 42 it becomes apparent

that Uta-Napishtim is asking Gilgamish in exactly the same words

as Siduri, the Wine-maker, and Ur-Shanalt “Why is thy vigour

(all) wasted? ” and so on, down to Column V, 1.22 “IO, shall

I not also lay me down like him, throughout all eternity never

returning ?”’):

= “Then "I bethought me’, I’ll get hence and see what far Uta-Napishtim

ferule or ring at the other. 2Lit. “Went down into.” sProbably supply "to Ur-Shanabi.” 4Or “he com-

pleted,” or "used up his poles.” The text has “Gilgamish. ”

Saith (on the matter). (And so), again (?) I came through all countries,

Travell'd o'er difficult mountains,. (aye), "and? all seas have I traversed,

Nor hath (ever) my face had its fill of gentle sleep (?): (but) with hardship

Have I exhausted myself, (and) my flesh have I laden with sorrow.

Ere I had come to the "House( ?)" of the Wine-Maker, spent were my garments,

. . . Owl, bat, lion, pard, wild cat, deer, ibex, and . . . . .

"Flesh" of them (all) have I eaten, (and eke) their pelts have I dress'd (?*) "me". ”

(The remainder of the Column is mutilated: there 1s some

mention of “let them bolt her gate . . .; with pitch and bitumen

. . . .” md, 33, and then nothing which gives connected sense

until Column VI, ll. 26-39):

Column VI.

“Shall we for ever build house(s), for ever set signet (to contract),

Brothers continue to share, or among ‘foes (*?)" always be hatred?

(Or) will for ever the stream (that hath risen) in spate bring a torrent,

Kulilu-bird ‘to’ Kimppu-bird ........ ?

Face which doth look on the sunlight . . . presently (?) shall not bel . . .

Sleeping and dead ‘are’ alike, from Death they mark no distinction

Servant and master, when once thy have reach’d ‘their full span allotted’,

Then do the Anunnaki, great gods, .....

Mammetum, Maker of Destiny with them, doth destiny settle,

Death, (aye), and Life they determine; of Death is the day not revealéd. ”

THE FLOOD.

Column I.

(The Cause of the Flood).

Gilgamish unto him spake, to Uta-Napishtim the Distant:

“Uta-Napishtim, upon thee I gaze, (yet) in no wise thy presence

Strange is, (for) thou art like me, and in no wise different art thou;

Thou art like me; (yea) a stomach for fighting doth make thee consummate,

r Aye, and to rest (?)? on thy back thou dost lie. "O tell me (?)’, how couldst

thou

Stand in th’ Assemblage of Gods to petition for life (everlasting) ?”

Uta-Napishtim (addressing him thus) unto Gilgamish answer'd:

“Gilgamish, I unto thee will discover the (whole) hidden story,

Aye, and the rede of the Gods will I tell thee.

The City Shurippak—

(O ’tis) a city thou knowest !—is set "on the marge’ of Euphrates,

Old is this city, with gods in its midst. (Now), the great gods a deluge

Purposed to bring: . . .... there was Anu, their sire; their adviser

Warrior Enlil; Ninurta, their herald; their leader(?) Ennugi;

Nin-igi-azag— tis Ea—, (albeit) conspirator with them,

Unto a reed-hut their counsel betray’d he: "O Reed-hut, O Reed-hut !

Wall, wall! Hearken, O Reed-hut, consider, O Wall! O thou Mortal,

Thou of Shurippak, thou scion of Ubara-Tutu, a dwelling

Pull down, (and) fashion a vessel (therewith); abandon possessions,

Life do thou seek, (and) thy hoard disregard, and save life; every creature

Make to embark in the vessel. The vessel, which thou art to fashion,

Apt be its measure; its beam and its length be in due correspondence,

(Then) "on? the deep do thou launch it.” And I—sooth, I apprehending,

(This wise) to Ea, my lord, did I speak: ‘See’, Lord, what thou sayest

Thus, do I honour, I’ll do—(but) to city, to people, and elders

Am I, forsooth, to explain?’ (Then) Ea made answer in speaking,

Saying to me—me, his henchman !—‘Thou mortal, shalt speak to them this

wise:

“Tis me alone (?) whom Enlil so hateth that I in your city

No (more) may dwell, nor turn my face unto the land which is Enlil’s.

I will go’ down to the Deep, (there) dwelling with Ea, my "liege? lord,

eas = a you will he shower down plenty, yea, fowl"in great num-

er( ?)’, |

Booty of fish . . . . "and big’ the harvest.

EZ ee causing a plentiful rainfall (?) to come down upon you.” ’3

(Then) when something’ of morning had dawn'd . .

(Five lines mutilated).

Pitch did the children provide, (while) the strong brought ‘all that was

needful.

(Then) on the fifth day (after) I laid out the shape (of my vessel),

Ten gar each was the height of her sides, in accord with her planning(?),

Ten gar to match was the size of her deck (?), and the shape of the fore-

part (?) |

THE EPIC OF GILGAMISH. -.: | 51

Did I lay down, (and) the same did I fashion; (aye): six times cross-

pinn’d her, DER

Sevenfold did I divide her . . . . , divided her inwards

Ninefold: hammer'd the caulking within her, (and) found me a quarit-pole,

(All) that was needful I added; the hull with six! ska; of bitumen ` 75-7.

Smear’d I, (and) three shar of pitch "did I smear’ on the inside; some people...

Bearing a vessel of grease, three shar of it brought (me); (and) one shar sz

(Out of this) grease did I leave, which the tackling (?) consumed; (and) the

boatman

Two shar of grease stow 'd away; (yea), beeves for the . . . I slaughter’d,

Each day lambs did I slay: mead, beer, oil, wine, too, the workmen

-Drank as though they were water, and made a great feast like the New Year.

(Five mutilated lines "I added salve for the hand(s),” "the

vessel was finish’d . . . Shamash the great.” “was dificult,”

“... P I caused to bring above and below,” “two-thirds

of it”):

"All I possess’d I” laded aboard her; the silver I laded

All I possess’d; gold, all I possess’d I laded aboard her,

All I possess’d of the seed of all living "I laded aboard’ her.

Into the ship I embark’d all my kindred and family (with me),

Cattle (and) beasts of the field (and) all handicraftsmen embarking.

(Then) decreed Shamash the hour:“ . . . . (?)

Shall in the night let a plentiful rainfall(?) pour down . . . .2

(Then) do thou enter the vessel, and (straightway) shut down thy hatchway. ”

Came (then) that hour (appointed), . . . . . . (2)

Did in the night let a plentiful rainfall(?) pour down . . . . (?)

View d I the aspect of day: to look on the day bore a horror,

(Wherefore) I enter 'd the vessel, and (straightway) shut down my hatchway,

(So, too) to shut down the vessel to Puzur-Amurri (?), the boatman,

Did I deliver the poop (of the ship), besides its equipment.

(Then), when something of dawn had appear'd, from out the horizon

Rose a cloud darkling ; (lo), Adad (the storm-god) was rumbling within it,

Nabu and Sharru were leading the vanguard, and coming as heralds

Over the hills and the levels: (then) Irragal wrench 'd out the bollards;

Havoc Ninurta let loose as he came, th’ Anunnaki their torches

Brandish’d, and shrivell’d the land with their flames ; desolation from Adad

Stretch’d to (high) Heaven, (and) all that was bright was turn’d into darkness.

(Four lines mutilated “the land like... ,” “for one day the

storm ...,” “fiercely blew... .” “like a battle... ”).

Nor could a brother distinguish his brother, ; from heaven were mortals

_..Not to be spied. O, were stricken with terror the gods at the Deluge,

AZ Fleeing, they rose to the Heaven of Anu, and crouch'd in the outskirts,

Cow ring like curs were the gods (while) like to a woman in travail

Ishtar did cry, she shrieking aloud, (e'en) the sweet-spoken Lady

(She of the gods): ‘ May that day turn to dust, because I spake evil

(There) in th’ Assemblage of Gods! O, how could I utter (such) evil

(There) in the Assemblage of Gods, (so) to blot out my people, ordaining

Havoc! Sooth, then, am I to give birth, unto (these) mine own people

Only to glut (with their bodies) the Sea as though they were fish-spawn?'

Gods—Anunnaki—wept with her, the gods were sitting (all) humbled,

(Aye), in (their) weeping, (and) closed were their lips "amid( ?)'the Assemblage.

Six days, al se’nnight the hurricane, deluge, (and) tempest continued

Sweeping the land: when the seventh day came, were quelléd the warfare,

Tempest (and) deluge which like to an army embattail’d were fighting.

Lull’d was the sea, (all) spent was the gale, assuaged was the deluge,

(So) did I look on the day; (lo), sound was (all) still’d; and all human

Back to (its) clay was return’d, and fen was level with roof-tree.

(Then) I open’d a hatchway, and down on my cheek stream’d the sunlight,

Bowing myself, I sat weeping, my tears o’er my cheek(s) overflowing,

Into the distance I gazed, to the furthest bounds of the Ocean,

Land was uprear’d at twelve (points), and the Ark on the Mountain of Nisir

Grounded ; the Mountain of Nisir held fast, nor gave lease to her? shifting.

One day, (nay,) two, did Nisir hold fast, nor give lease to her shifting.

Three days, (nay), four, did Nisir hold fast, nor give lease to her shifting,

Five days, (nay,) six, did Nisir hold fast, nor give lease to her shifting.

(Then), when the seventh day dawn’d, I put forth a dove, and released (her),

(But) to and fro went the dove, and return’d (for) a resting-place was not.

(Then) I a swallow put forth and released ; to and fro went the swallow,

She (too) return’d, (for) a resting-place was not; I put forth a raven,

Her, (too,) releasing; the raven went, too, and th’ abating of waters

Saw ; and she ate as she waded (and) splash’d, (unto me) not returning.

Unto the four winds (of heaven) I freed (all the beasts), and an off’ring

Sacrificed, and a libation I pour’d on the peak of the mountain,

Twice seven flagons devoting, (and) sweet cane, (and) cedar, and myrtle,

Heap 'd up beneath them ; the gods smelt the savour, the gods the sweet savour

Smelt ; (aye,) the gods did assemble like flies o'er him making the off ring.

Then, on arriving, the Queen (of the gods) the magnificent jewels

Lifted on high, which Anu had made in accord with her wishes;

‘O ye Gods! I will (rather) forget (this) my necklet of sapphires,

Than not maintain these days in remembrance, nor ever forget them.

(So), though (the rest of) the gods may present themselves at the off’ring,

Enlil (alone of the gods) may (himself) not come to the off’ring,

Because he, unreasoning, brought on a deluge, and therefore my people

Unto destruction consign’d.’

Then Enlil, on his arrival,

Spied out the vessel, and (straightway) did Enlil burst into anger,

Swollen with wrath 'gainst the gods, the Igigi!: ‘Hath any of mortals

’Scaped? Sooth, never a man could have lived through (the welter of) ruin.’

(Then) did Ninurta make answer and speak unto warrior Enlil,

Saying: ‘O, who can there be to devise such a plan, except Ea?

Surely, tis Ea is privy to ev ry design.’ Whereat Ea

Answer’d and spake unto Enlil, the warrior, saying: ʻO chieftain

Thou of the gods, thou warrior! How, forsooth, how (all) uncounsell’d

Couldst thou a deluge bring on? (Aye,) visit his sin on the sinner

Visit his guilt on the guilty, (but) O, have mercy, that (thereby)

He shall not be cut off; be clement, that he may not ‘perish’.

O, instead of thy making a flood, let a lion come, man to diminish;

O, instead of thy making a flood, let a jackal come, man to diminish;

O, instead of thy making a flood, let a famine occur, that the country

May be "devour d(*)"; instead of thy making a flood, let the Plague-god

Come and the people ‘o’erwhelm’ ;

Sooth, indeed ’twas not I of the Great Gods the secret revealéd,

(But) to th’ Abounding in Wisdom? vouchsafed I a dream, and (in this wise)

He of the gods heard the secret. Deliberate, now, on his counsel’.

(Then) to the Ark came up Enlil; my hand did he grasp, and uplifted

Me, even me, and my wife, too, he raised, and, bent-kneed beside me,

Made her to kneel; our foreheads he touch’d as he stood there between us,

Blessing us; ‘Uta-Napishtim hath hitherto only been mortal,

Now, indeed, Uta-Napishtim and (also) his wife shall be equal

Like to us gods; in the distance afar at the mouth of the rivers

Uta-Napishtim shall dwell’. (So) they took me and (there) in the distance

Caused me to dwell at the mouth of the rivers.

But thee, as for thee, pray,

Who will assemble the gods for thy (need), that the life which thou seekest

Thou mayst discover? Come, fall not asleep for six days, aye, a se'nnight!”

(But Gilgamish ts too mortal to resist even sleep).

(Then), while he sat on his haunches a sleep like a breeze breathed upon

him.

Spake to her, Uta-Napishtim, yea, unto his wife: “O, behold him,

E’en the strong fellow who asketh for life, (how) hath breathéd upon him

Sleep like a breeze!” (Then) his wife unto Uta-Napishtim the Distant

Answer’d: “O, touch him, and let the man wake, that the road he hath

traversed

He may betake himself homeward in peace, that he by the portal

Whence he fared forth may return to his land.” Spake Uta-Napishtim,

(Yea), to his wife: “(How) the troubles of mortals do trouble thee also!

Bake then his flour (and) put at his head, but the time he is sleeping

On the house-wall do thou mark it.1” (So straightway) she (did so), his flour

Baked she (and) set at his head, but the time he was sleeping she noted

On the house-wall. (So), first was collected his flour, (then) secondly sifted,

Thirdly, ’twas moisten’d, and fourthly she kneaded his dough, and so fifthly

Leaven she added, and stxthly ’twas baked; (then) seventh—he touch’d him,

All on a sudden, and (so from his slumber) dwoke the (great) fellow !

Gilgamish unto him spake, (yea) to Uta-Napishtim the Distant:

“(Tell me), I pr’ythee (?), was 't thou, who when sleep was shower’d upon me

All on a sudden.didst touch me, and (straightway) rouse me (from slumber) ? ”

Uta-Napishtim to Gilgamish "spake, (yea), unto him spake he’:

“Gilgamish, told was the tale of thy meal . . . and (then) did I wake thee:

*One’—was collected" thy flour: " (then) 'źwo '—it was sifted ; (and) ‘thirdly’ —

Moisten = (and) ‘fourthly’—she kneaded thy dough '(and) ‘fifthly” the

eaven

Added: (and) ‘sixthly’—’twas baked: "(and) 'seventh'"— 'twas I on a sudden

Touch’d thee and thou didst awake.” To Uta-Napishtim, the Distant,2

. Gilgamish answer'd: "O, "how" shall I act, (or) where shall I hie me,

Uta-Napishtim? A Robbers (from me) hath ravish’d my "courage,"

Death "in? my bed-chamber broodeth, and Death is wherever I "listen". ”

‘Spake’ to "him, (yea),? to the boatman Ur-Shanabi Uta-Napishtim:

(Sooth), to all those who come to its marge, doth its marge set a limit:

(This) man for whom thou wert guide—are stains to cover his body,

Or shall a skin hide the grace of his limbs? Ur-Shanabi, take him,

. Lead him to where he may bathe, that he wash off his stains in the water

(White) as the snow: let him cast off his pelt(s)that the sea may remove (them) ;

Fair let his body appear: of his head be the fillet renewéd,

Let him, as clothes for his nakedness, garb himself in a mantle,

Such that, or ever he come to his city, and finish his journey,

No (sign of) age shall the mantle betray, but preserve (all) its freshness. ”

Wherefore Ur-Shanabi took him, and where he might bathe did he lead him,

Washing his stains in the "water" like snow, his pelt(s), "too", discarding,

So that the sea might bear them away; (and) his body appearéd

Fair; ‘of’ his head he ‘the fillet’? renewed, and himself in a mantle

Garb’d, as the clothes for his nakedness, ‘such that or ever his city

Reach he’, or ever he finish his journey, "the mantle betray not

Age, but? preserve "(all) its freshness’.

(So) into their vessel embarkéd

Gilgamish, (aye), and Ur-Shanabi, launching (their) craft "on the billow",

They themselves riding aboard (her).

(The magic gift of restored youth). |

| To Uta-Napishtim, the Distant!,

Spake (then) his wife: "Came Gilgamish (hither) aweary with rowing,

. What wilt thou give wherewith he return to his land ? ” and the meanwhile

Gilgamish, lifting his pole, was pushing the boat at the seashore.

(Then answer d) Uta-Napishtim to him, (yea), "to Gilgamish "spake he’:

“Gilgamish, (hither) didst come (all) aweary with rowing; (O, tell me),

. What shall I give thee (as gift) wherewith to return to thy country?

Gilgamish, I will reveal thee a hidden matter . . . I'll tell thee:

There is a plant like a thorn with its root (?) "deep down in the ocean’,

Like unto those of the briar (in sooth) its prickles will scratch ‘thee’,

(Yet) if thy hand reach this plant, ‘thou’lt surely find life (everlasting)". ”

(Then), when Gilgamish heard this, he loosen 'd(?) "his girdle about him’,

Bound heavy stones "on his feet?, which dragg’d him down to the sea-deeps,

"Found he the plant’; as he seized on the plant, (lo), "its prickles did scratch

him’.

Reż wana "to him, (yea), to Uta-Napishtim.” 2The word is not spelt quite correctly, if this

is right.

Cut he the heavy stones "from his feet? that again it restore him

Unto its shore. |

Gilgamish spake to him, (yea), to the boatman Ur-Shanabi (this wise) :

“(Nay, but) this plant is a plant of great wonder(?), Ur-Shanabi, ” said he,

“Whereby a man may attain his desire—I’ll take it to Erech,

(Erech), the high-wall’d, and give it to eat "unto..... ue

‘Greybeard-who-turneth-to-man-in-his-prime’ is its name and I[’]] eat it

I myself, that again I may come to my youthful condition. ”

(The Quest ends in Tragedy).

Broke they their fast at the fortieth hour: at the sixtieth rested.

. Gilgamish spied out a pool of cool water, (and) therein descending

Bathed in the water. (But here was) a serpent who snuff'd the plant's

fragrance,

Darted he up "from the water (?)", and snatch’d the plant, uttering malison

. As he drew back. Then Gilgamish sate him, (and) burst into weeping.

Over his cheeks flow’d his tears: to the boatman Ur-Shanabi ‘spake he( ?)"

“(Pr’ythee), "for? whom have toiléd mine arms, O Ur-Shanabi, (tell me),

(Pr’ythee), for whom hath my heart’s blood been spent? (yea), not for mine

| own self,

Have I the guerdon achieved; (no), 'tis for an earth-lion (only)

Have I the guerdon secured—(and) now at the fortieth hour

(Such an) one reiveth (it)—O, when I open'd the sluice and . . .ed the

attachment, 1

(Aye), I noted the sign (?) which to me was vouchsafed as a warning,

. Would I had turn'd and abandon 'd the boat at the marge (of the ocean)! ”

Broke they their fast at the fortieth hour: at the sixtieth rested,

(So in the end) to the middle of Erech, the high-wall'd, arrivód.

(The Pride of the Architect).

Gilgamish spake to him, (yea), to the boatman Ur-Shanabi (this wise):

“Do thou, Ur-Shanabi, go up and walk on the ramparts of Erech,

Look on its base, and take heed of its bricks, if its bricks be not kiln-burnt,

(Aye), and its ground-work be not bitumen, e’en seven courses,

One shar the city, (and) one sha; the gardens, and one sha» the. . . .(?)

. . the Temple of Ishtar, amass’d I three shay and . . .(?) of Erech.

Fifth Tablet, Column VI? 2Unfortunately there are two difficult words in these two lines.

"THE EPIC OF GILGAMISH. 57

GILGAMISH, IN DESPAIR, ENQUIRES OF THE DEAD.

Column I.

(How the dead haunt the living).

1(Then), what time that the seine had pass’d through the Architect’s dwelling,

(Aye, and) the net "had taken its toll" . . . . "said he’:

“Lord, what "is’t Imaydo'............

(Now, what time that) the seine hath "pass'd through the Architect’s?

dwelling’,

(Aye and) the net "hath taken its tol) . . . ........ s

Gilgamish ‘unto him spake’ ............

CH WARGO! x 1 os, “ph Be tes Sh 47 06 0 ee ae 2 i

(About two lines wanting, in which Gilgamish presumably

asks how the dead may be made to haunt the mowrner).

“Gilgamish, . > »woócętd ee Hk ee ww a HS i

(The Mourner’s Duty).

“If to the . . . ‘thou drawest?, unto the temples ........

Raiment clean ‘shalt not don’, (but) like to a townsman shalt .. ..

Nor with sweet oil from the cruse be anointed, (lest) at its fragrance

Round thee they gather: nor mayst thou set bow to the earth, (lest) around

thee

Circle those shot by the bow; nor a stick in thy hand mayst thou carry,

(Lest) (stricken) ghosts should gibber against thee: nor shoe to thy footsole

Put on, nor make on the ground a (loud) echo: thy wife, whom thou lovest,

Kiss (aer thou mayst not, thy wife whom thou hatest—thou mayst not

astise (her),

(Aye, ano thy child whom thou lovest not kiss, nor thy child whom thou

| hatest

Mayst not chastise, (for) the mourning of earth doth hold thee enthralléd.

architecture by Gilgamish, as a cue for the opening lines of the Twelfth Tablet. The “Architect” must be Gil-

gamish: and the description of seine and net passsing through his house, parallel to the phrase in the First

Tablet, Column II, must a be a euphemism for the death of Enkidu. Gilgamish, having failed to learn the secret

- of eternal life is now reduced to calling up his dead friend to know the worst which he may expect. He asks what

must the mourner do to avoid being haunted by the ghost: and then proceeds to do exactly the contrary in order that

Enkidu may return to haunt him. 20r, if it is the Architect speaking, “my dwelling.” SThese lines are capable

of two restorations: either “If thou (drawest) . . . unto. . . , then the ghosts will accompany thee to thy Temple, ”

or “If thou [drawest) . .. unto... , or go to the Temple.” Some slight restoration can be made from /. 31.

“She who dead lieth,

She who dead lieth,

Mother of Ninazu,

She who dead lieth,

„30. No more with mantle are

Veil’d her fair shoulders,

No more her bosom

Drawn!, like the lard cruse!”

(Gilgamish by contravening these customs attempts to raise Enkidu).

(So) did he draw ‘the . . . to. . ., and came to the temple’,

Put on clean raiment’... (and) like to a townsman . . .

Round oo they gather’d :2 the bow did he set (?) "to the earth’, and around

im

Circled the spirits, (yea,) those who were "shot! by the bow at him gibber’d,

r Carried” a stick in his hand ‘and the (stricken) ghosts at him gibber'd(?)".

Kiss'd he’ his wife "whom he lovód, chastiséd his? wife whom he hated,

(Aye, in good sooth, 'twas) the mourning of earth which did hold him

enthrallód :

“She who (dead) lieth,

‘She who’ (dead) lieth,

Mother of Ninazu,

She who (dead) lieth,

No (more) with mantle are

Veil'd ‘her’ fair shoulders,

No (more) her bosom

Drawn, like the lard cruse. ”

Namtar, hath seized” him, nor fever, (but only) the earth :3 nor the Croucher,

"Nergal", the ruthless, hath seized him, (but only) the earth: neither fell he

There "= was battle’ of mortals; ’twas only the earth "which hath seized

im.? ”3

(So). . . for his servitor Enkidu sorrow’d the offspring of Nin-sun,

TRE EPIC OF GILGAMISH. 30

(Aye), as he went all alone unto "Ekur", the temple of Enlil:

“Enlil’, (my) Father, ('tis now) that the seine hath stricken me also,

Down to the earth—the net to the earth hath stricken me also.

Enkidu ie I pray thee’ to raise "from the earth'—not (the Plague-

800),

Namtar, hath seized him, nor fever, "but only the earth? : nor the Croucher,

Nergal, the ruthless, hath seized "him, but only the earth’ : "neither fell he?

There — was battle of mortals: " 'twas only the earth which hath seized

im".

(But) no answer did Enlil, the father vouchsafe.

| To the Moon-god he hied him (?)':

“Moon-god, (my) Father, ('tis now) that the seine ‘hath stricken me also,

Down to the earth’'—the net ‘to the earth hath stricken me also".

Enkidu ae ‘I pray thee’ to raise "from the earth'—not (the Plague-

800),

Namtar, hath seized him, ‘nor’ fever, "but only the earth: nor’ the Croucher,

Nergal, "the ruthless, hath seized him, but only the earth’: "neither fell he?

There = rwas battle of mortals: ’twas only the earth which hath seized

im.”

(But) no answer the Moon-god vouchsafed :

| (Then) to Ea he hied him:'

r"Ea, (my) Father, 'tis now that the seine hath stricken me also,”

r Down to the earth—the net to the earth hath stricken me also."

"Enkidu e" I pray thee to raise from the earth—not (the Plague-

god) ,' |

Nam'tar, hath seized him, nor fever, but only the earth: nor” the Croucher,

Nergal, the ruthless, "hath seized him, but only the earth: neither fell he’

There = was battle of mortals: "'twas only the earth which hath seized

im.”

Ea, the father, "gave ear (and) to Nergal", the warrior-hero,

Spake he’: "O Nergal, O warrior-hero, "give ear to my speaking(?)'!

‘Ope now,” a hole "in the earth’, that the spirit of "Enkidu, (rising)",

"May from the earth issue forth, and so have speech’ with ‘his’ brother. ”

Nergal, the warrior-hero, "gave ear to the speaking of Ea',

Oped, then, a hole in the earth, and the spirit of Enkidu issued

Forth from the earth like a wind. They embraced and.....

Communed together, mourning.

“Tell, O my friend, O tell, O my friend, (O) tell (me, I pr'y thee),

What thou hast seen of the laws of the Underworld?” "(Nay, then,) O

comrade ;

What I have seen of the laws of the Underworld, —sit thee down weeping ! ”

“(Then) let me sit me down weeping. ” |

(The wretched lot of all who must die).

| “(So be it): "the friend(?)"' thou didst fondle

(Thereby) rejoicing thee—" into his body(?), as though 'twere a’ mantle

didst fondle,

Coe rejoicing thee—fill’d with the dust "is her body’ RA Gal

„ he hath spoken and "into the’ ground (?) is he sunken,

. . . . he hath spoken and "into the” ground ( ?) is he sunken.”

“(He who fell in.... 1

(About seventeen lines missing).

ap

‘Props ?? an inner por'tico (?)) . . .

(About twenty-five lines missing).

Didst thou see him? ""(Aye), I saw’:

Straightway for . .

By removal of a plug.......

“He whom death . . . ........ |

“Didst thou see him?” “'(Aye) I saw’:

He’s at rest upon a couch,

Limpid water doth he drink. p

“(Then, the hero) slain in fight,

Didst thou see him?” “(Aye) I saw:

O’er him wife "in bitter woe’.

“He whose corpse in desert lieth,

Hast thou seen him?” “(Aye), I saw;

Not in earth doth rest his spirit.”

“He whose ghost hath none to tend,

Didst thou see him?” “(Aye), I saw,

Lees of cup, and broken bread

Thrown into the street he eateth.”

+P

THE END OF THE EPIC OF GILGAMISH.