The Epic of Gilgamish The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Epic of Gilgamish This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : The Epic of Gilgamish Author : Stephen Langdon Release date : July 23, 2006 [eBook #18897] Language : English Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18897 Credits : Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EPIC OF GILGAMISH *** The Epic of Gilgamish by Stephen Langdon University of Pennsylvania The University Museum Publications of the Babylonian Section Vol. X No. 3 Introduction In the year 1914 the University Museum secured by purchase a large six column tablet nearly complete, carrying originally, according to the scribal note, 240 lines of text. The contents supply the South Babylonian version of the second book of the epic ša nagba imuru , “He who has seen all things,” commonly referred to as the Epic of Gilgamish. The tablet is said to have been found at Senkere, ancient Larsa near Warka, modern Arabic name for and vulgar descendant of the ancient name Uruk, the Biblical Erech mentioned in Genesis X. 10. This fact makes the new text the more interesting since the legend of Gilgamish is said to have originated at Erech and the hero in fact figures as one of the prehistoric Sumerian rulers of that ancient city. The dynastic list preserved on a Nippur tablet 1 mentions him as the fifth king of a legendary line of rulers at Erech, who succeeded the dynasty of Kish, a city in North Babylonia near the more famous but more recent city Babylon. The list at Erech contains the names of two well known Sumerian deities, Lugalbanda 2 and Tammuz. The reign of the former is given at 1,200 years and that of Tammuz at 100 years. Gilgamish ruled 126 years. We have to do here with a confusion of myth and history in which the real facts are disengaged only by conjecture. The prehistoric Sumerian dynasties were all transformed into the realm of myth and legend. Nevertheless these rulers, although appearing in the pretentious nomenclature as gods, appear to have been real historic personages. 3 The name Gilgamish was originally written d Gi-bil-aga-miš , and means “The fire god ( Gibil ) is a commander,” abbreviated to d Gi-bil-ga-miš , and d Gi(š)-bil-ga-miš , a form which by full labialization of b to u̯ was finally contracted to d Gi-il-ga-miš . 4 Throughout the new text the name is written with the abbreviation d Gi(š) , 5 whereas the standard Assyrian text has consistently the writing d GIŠ-ṬU 6 -BAR . The latter method of writing the name is apparently cryptographic for d Giš-bar-aga-(miš) ; the fire god Gibil has also the title Giš-bar . A fragment of the South Babylonian version of the tenth book was published in 1902, a text from the period of Hammurapi, which showed that the Babylonian epic differed very much from the Assyrian in diction, but not in content. The new tablet, which belongs to the same period, also differs radically from the diction of the Ninevite text in the few lines where they duplicate each other. The first line of the new tablet corresponds to Tablet I, Col. V 25 of the Assyrian text, 7 where Gilgamish begins to relate his dreams to his mother Ninsun. 8 The last line of Col. I corresponds to the Assyrian version Book I, Col. VI 29. From this point onward the new tablet takes up a hitherto unknown portion of the epic, henceforth to be assigned to the second book. 9 At the end of Book I in the Assyrian text and at the end of Col. I of Book II in the new text, the situation in the legend is as follows. The harlot halts outside the city of Erech with the enamoured Enkidu, while she relates to him the two dreams of the king, Gilgamish. In these dreams which he has told to his mother he receives premonition concerning the advent of the satyr Enkidu, destined to join with him in the conquest of Elam. Now the harlot urges Enkidu to enter the beautiful city, to clothe himself like other men and to learn the ways of civilization. When he enters he sees someone, whose name is broken away, eating bread and drinking milk, but the beautiful barbarian understands not. The harlot commands him to eat and drink also: “It is the conformity of life, Of the conditions and fate of the Land.” He rapidly learns the customs of men, becomes a shepherd and a mighty hunter. At last he comes to the notice of Gilgamish himself, who is shocked by the newly acquired manner of Enkidu. “Oh harlot, take away the man,” says the lord of Erech. Once again the faithful woman instructs her heroic lover in the conventions of society, this time teaching him the importance of the family in Babylonian life, and obedience to the ruler. Now the people of Erech assemble about him admiring his godlike appearance. Gilgamish receives him and they dedicate their arms to heroic endeavor. At this point the epic brings in a new and powerful motif , the renunciation of woman’s love in the presence of a great undertaking. Gilgamish is enamoured of the beautiful virgin goddess Išhara, and Enkidu, fearing the effeminate effects of his friend’s attachment, prevents him forcibly from entering a house. A terrific combat between these heroes ensues, 10 in which Enkidu conquers, and in a magnanimous speech he reminds Gilgamish of his higher destiny. In another unplaced fragment of the Assyrian text 11 Enkidu rejects his mistress also, apparently on his own initiative and for ascetic reasons. This fragment, heretofore assigned to the second book, probably belongs to Book III. The tablet of the Assyrian version which carries the portion related on the new tablet has not been found. Man redeemed from barbarism is the major theme of Book II. The newly recovered section of the epic contains two legends which supplied the glyptic artists of Sumer and Accad with subjects for seals. Obverse III 28–32 describes Enkidu the slayer of lions and panthers. Seals in all periods frequently represent Enkidu in combat with a lion. The struggle between the two heroes, where Enkidu strives to rescue his friend from the fatal charms of Išhara, is probably depicted on seals also. On one of the seals published by Ward, Seal Cylinders of Western Asia , No. 459, a nude female stands beside the struggling heroes. 12 This scene not improbably illustrates the effort of Enkidu to rescue his friend from the goddess. In fact the satyr stands between Gilgamish and Išhara(?) on the seal. 1 Ni. 13981, published by Dr. Poebel in PBS. V, No. 2. 2 The local Bêl of Erech and a bye-form of Enlil, the earth god. Here he is the consort of the mother goddess Ninsun. 3 Tammuz is probably a real personage, although Dumu-zi , his original name, is certainly later than the title Ab-ú , probably the oldest epithet of this deity, see Tammuz and Ishtar , p. 8. Dumu-zi I take to have been originally the name of a prehistoric ruler of Erech, identified with the primitive deity Abu. 4 See ibid. , page 40. 5 Also Meissner’s early Babylonian duplicate of Book X has invariably the same writing, see Dhorme, Choix de Textes Religieux , 298–303. 6 Sign whose gunufied form is read aga . 7 The standard text of the Assyrian version is by Professor Paul Haupt, Das Babylonische Nimrodepos , Leipzig, 1884. 8 The name of the mother of Gilgamish has been erroneously read ri-mat ilat Nin-lil , or Rimat-Bêlit , see Dhorme 202, 37; 204, 30, etc. But Dr. Poebel, who also copied this text, has shown that Nin-lil is an erroneous reading for Nin-sun . For Ninsun as mother of Gilgamish see SBP. 153 n. 19 and R.A., IX 113 III 2. Ri-mat ilat Nin-sun should be rendered “The wild cow Ninsun.” 9 The fragments which have been assigned to Book II in the British Museum collections by Haupt, Jensen, Dhorme and others belong to later tablets, probably III or IV. 10 Rm. 289, latter part of Col. II (part of the Assyrian version) published in HAUPT, ibid. , 81–4 preserves a defective text of this part of the epic. This tablet has been erroneously assigned to Book IV, but it appears to be Book III. 11 K. 2589 and duplicate (unnumbered) in Haupt, ibid. , 16–19. 12 See also Ward, No. 199. Transliteration 1 it-bi-e-ma ilu Gilgamiš šu-na-tam i-pa-aš-šar. 2 iz-za-kar-am 1 a-na um-mi-šu 3 um-mi i-na ša-a-at mu-ši-ti-i̭a 4 ša-am-ḫa-ku-ma at-ta-na-al-la-ak 5 i-na bi-ri-it id-da-tim 6 ib-ba-šu-nim-ma ka-ka-’a 2 ša-ma-i 7 ki-?-?-rum 3 ša a-nim im-ku-ut a-na ṣi-ri-i̭a 8 áš-ši-šu-ma ik-ta-bi-it 4 e-li-i̭a 9 ilam 5 iš-šu-ma nu-uš-ša-šu 6 u-ul el-ti-’i̭ 10 ad-ki ma-tum pa-ḫi-ir 7 e-li-šu 11 id-lu-tum ú-na-ša-ku ši-pi-šu 12 ú-um-mi-id-ma pu-ti 13 i-mi- du i̭a-ti 14 aš-ši-a-šu-ma at-ba-la-áš-šu a-na ṣi-ri-ki 15 um-mi ilu Gilgamiš mu-u-da-a-at ka-la-ma 16 iz-za-kar-am a-na ilu Gilgamiš 17 mi-in-di ilu Gilgamish ša ki-ma ka-ti 18 i-na ṣi-ri i-wa-li-id-ma 19 ú-ra-ab-bi-šu ša-du-ú 20 ta-mar-šu-ma [sa(?)]-ap-ḫa-ta at-ta 21 id-lu-tum ú-na-ša-ku ši-pi-šu 8 22 te-iṭ-ṭi-ra-šu(?) … šu-ú-zu 23 ta-tar-ra-[’a]-šu a-na ṣi-[ri-i̭]a 24 [iš-(?)] ti-lam-ma 9 i-ta-mar ša-ni-tam 25 [šu-na-]ta i-ta-wa-a-am a-na um-mi-šu 26 [um-m]i a-ta-mar ša-ni-tam 27 [šu-na-ta a-ta]mar e-mi-a i-na zu-ki-im 28 [i-na?] Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim 10 29 ḫa-aṣ-ṣi-nu na-di-i-ma 30 e-li-šu pa-aḫ- ru 31 ḫa-aṣ-ṣi-nu-um-ma ša-ni bu-nu-šu 32 a-mur-šu-ma aḫ-ta-ta a-na-ku 33 a-ra-am-šu-ma ki-ma áš-ša-tim 34 a-ḫa-ap-pu-up el-šu 35 el-ki-šu-ma áš-ta-ka-an-šu 36 a-na a-ḫi-i̭a 37 um-mi ilu Gilgamish mu-da-at ka-la-ma 38 [iz-za-kar-am a-na ilu Gilgamish] ................................... COL. II 1 aš-šum uš-[ta-] ma-ḫa-ru it-ti-ka. 2 ilu Gilgamish šu-na-tam i-pa-šar 3 ilu En-ki-[dû w]a?-ši-ib ma-ḫar ḫa-ri-im-tim 4 UR [ ]-ḫa-mu DI-?-al-lu-un 5 [ ] im-ta-ši a-šar i-wa-al-du 6 ûmê 6 11 ù 7 mu-ši- a-tim 7 ilu En-ki-dû te-bi- i-ma 8 ša-[am-ka-ta] ir- ḫi 9 ḫa-[ri-im-tu pa-a]-ša i-pu-ša-am-ma 10 iz-za-[kar-am] a-na ilu En-ki-dû 12 11 a-na-ṭal-ka d En-ki-dû ki-ma ili ta-ba-áš-ši 12 am-mi-nim it-ti na-ma-áš-te-e 13 13 ta-at-ta-[na-al-]la -ak ṣi-ra-am 14 al-kam lu-ùr-di- ka 15 a-na libbi Uruk-(ki) ri-bi-tim 16 a-na biti [el-]lim mu-ša-bi ša A-nim 17 d En-ki-dû ti-bi lu-ru-ka 18 a-na É-[an-n]a mu-ša-bi ša A-nim 19 a-šar [ ilu Gilgamiš] it-[.........] ne-pi-ši-tim(?) 20 ù at-[ ]-di [ -] ma 21 ta-[ ] ra-ma-an- ka 22 al-ka ti-ba i-[na] ga-ag-ga-ri 23 ma-a-a? 14 -ak ri-i-im 24 iš-me a-wa-az-za im-ta-gár ga-ba-ša 25 mi-il-kum ša sinništi 26 im-ta-[ku]-ut a-na libbi-šu 27 iš-ḫu-uṭ li-ib-ša-am 28 iš-ti-nam [ú]-la-ab-bi-iš-šu 29 li-ib- [ša-am] ša-ni-a-am 30 ši-i it-ta-al-ba- áš 31 ṣa-ab-ta-at ga-az- zu 32 ki-ma ? i-ri-id-di-šu 33 a-na gu-up-ri ša ri-i-im 34 a-š[ar ] tar-ba-ṣi-im 35 i-na [ ]-ḫu-ru ri-i̭a-ú 15 36 ............................. (About two lines broken away.) COL. III 1 ši-iz-ba ša na-ma-áš-te-e 2 i-te-en- ni- iḳ 3 a-ka-lam iš-ku-nu ma-ḫar-šu 4 ip-te-iḳ-ma i-na -aṭ-ṭal 16 5 ù ip-pa-al-la- as 6 u-ul i-di d En-ki- dû 7 aklam a-na a-ka-lim 8 šikaram a-na ša-te-e-im 9 la-a lum-mu- ud 10 ḫa-ri-im-lum pi-ša i-pu-ša-am- ma 11 iz-za-kar-am a-na ilu En-ki-dû 12 a-ku-ul ak-lam d En-ki-dû 13 zi-ma-at ba-la-ṭi-im 14 bi-ši-ti ši-im-ti ma-ti 15 i-ku-ul a-ak-lam ilu En-ki-dû 16 a-di ši-bi-e-šu 17 šikaram iš-ti-a-am 18 7 aṣ-ṣa-am-mi-im 17 19 it-tap-šar kab-ta-tum i-na-an-gu 20 i-li-iṣ libba- šu- ma 21 pa-nu-šu [it-]ta(?)-bir -ru 18 22 ul-tap-pi-it [............]-i 23 šu-ḫu-ra-am pa-ga-ar-šu 24 ša-am-nam ip-ta-ša-áš-ma 25 a-we-li-iš i-mē 26 il-ba- áš li-ib-ša-am 27 ki-ma mu-ti i-ba-áš-ši 28 il-ki ka-ak-ka-šu 29 la-bi ú gi-ir- ri 30 iš-sa-ak-pu šab-[ši]-eš mu-ši-a-ti 31 ut- tap -pi-iš šib-ba-ri 19 32 la-bi uk-t[a ]-ši-id 33 it-ti immer na-ki-[e?] ra-bu-tum 34 ilu En-ki-dû ma-aṣ-ṣa-ar-šu-nu 35 a-we-lum wa-ru-um 36 iš-[te]-en id-lum 37 a-na[ ........ u]-za-ak-ki-ir ........................... (About five lines broken away.) REVERSE I .............................. 1 i-ip-pu-uš ul-ṣa-am 2 iš-ši-ma i-ni-i-šu 3 i-ta-mar a-we-lam 4 iz 20 -za-kar-am a-na ḫarimti 5 ša-am-ka-at uk-ki-ši 21 a-we-lam 6 a-na mi-nim il-li-kam 7 zi-ki-ir-šu lu-uš-šu 22 8 ḫa-ri-im-tum iš-ta-si a-we-lam 9 i-ba-uš-šu-um-ma i-ta-mar-šu 10 e-di-il 23 e-eš-ta-ḫi-[ṭa-am] 11 mi-nu a-la-ku-zu na-aḫ- 24 [ -]ma 12 e pi-šu i-pu-ša-am-[ma] 13 iz-za-kar-am a-na ilu En-[ki-dû] 14 bi-ti-iš e-mu-tim [ ] 15 ši-ma-a-at ni-ši-i- ma 16 tu-ṣa 25 -ar pa-a-ta-tim 26 17 a-na âli dup-šak-ki-i e ṣi-en 18 UG-AD-AD-LIL e-mi ṣa-a-a-ḫa-tim 19 a-na šarri Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim 20 pi-ti pu-uk epši 27 a-na ḫa-a-a-ri 21 a-na ilu Gilgamiš šarri ša Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim 22 pi-ti pu-uk epši 28 23 a-na ha-a-a-ri 24 áš-ša-at ši-ma-tim i-ra-aḫ-ḫi 25 šu-u pa-na-nu-um-ma 26 mu-uk wa-ar-ka-nu 27 i-na mi-il-ki ša ili ga-bi-ma 28 i-na bi-ti-iḳ a-pu-un-na-ti-šu 29 29 ši- ma- az- zum 30 a-na zi-ik-ri id-li-im 31 i-ri-ku pa-nu-šu REVERSE II ............................................................ (About five lines broken away.) 1 i-il-la-ak- .......... 2 ù ša-am-ka-at[ ]ar-ki-šu 3 i- ru- ub-ma 30 a-na 31 libbi Uruk-(ki) ri-bi-tim 4 ip-ḫur um-ma-nu-um i-na ṣi-ri-šu 5 iz-zi-za-am-ma i-na zu-ki-im 6 ša Unuk-(ki) ri-bi-tim 7 pa-aḫ-ra-a-ma ni-šu 8 i-ta-mē-a i-na ṣi-ri-šu pi(?)-it-tam 32 9 a-na mi-[ni] 33 ilu Gilgamiš ma-ši-il 10 la-nam ša- pi- il 11 e-ṣi[ pu]-uk-ku-ul 12 i ? -ak-ta 13 i[- -]di i-ši? 14 ši-iz-ba ša[na-ma-]áš-[te]-e 15 i-te- en- ni- iḳ 16 ka-i̭ā-na i-na [libbi] Uruk-(ki) kak-ki-a-tum 34 17 id-lu-tum u-te-el-li- lu 18 ša-ki-in ip-ša- nu 35 19 a-na idli ša i-tu-ru zi-mu-šu 20 a-na ilu Gilgamiš ki-ma i-li-im 21 ša-ki-iš-šum 36 me-iḫ-rum 22 a-na ilat Iš-ḫa-ra ma-i̭ā-lum 23 na- [di]-i- ma 24 ilu Gilgamish id-[ ]na-an(?)... 25 i-na mu-ši in-ni-[ -]id 26 i-na-ak 37 -ša-am- ma 27 it-ta-[ ]i-na zûki 28 ip-ta-ra-[ku ]-ak-tām 29 ša ilu Gilgamish 30 ........... da-na(?) ni-iš-šu COL. III 1 ur-(?)ḫa ..................... 2 ilu Gilgamiš ................ 3 i-na ṣi-ri .................... 4 i-ḫa-an-ni-ib [pi-ir-ta-šu?] 5 it-bi-ma ... 6 a-na pa-ni- šu 7 it-tam-ḫa-ru i-na ri-bi-tu ma-ti 8 ilu En-ki-dû ba-ba-am ip-ta-ri-ik 9 i-na ši-pi-šu 10 ilu Gilgamiš e-ri-ba-am u-ul id-di-in 11 iṣ-ṣa-ab-tu-ma ki-ma li-i-im 12 i- lu- du 38 13 zi-ip-pa-am ’i-bu- tu 14 i-ga-rum ir-tu-tū 39 15 ilu Gilgamiš ù ilu En-ki- dû 16 iṣ-ṣa-ab-tu-ù- ma 17 ki-ma li-i-im i-lu-du 18 zi-ip-pa-am ’i-bu- tu 19 i-ga-rum ir-tu-tū 20 ik-mi-is-ma ilu Gilgamiš 21 i-na ga-ga-ag-ga-ri ši-ip-šu 22 ip-ši-iḫ 40 uṣ-ṣa-šu- ma 23 i-ni-’i i-ra-az-zu 24 iš-tu i-ra-zu i-ni-ḫu 41 25 ilu En-ki-dû a-na ša-ši-im 26 iz-za-kar-am a-na ilu Gilgamiš 27 ki-ma iš-te-en-ma um-ma-ka 28 ú- li- id- ka 29 ri-im-tum ša zu- pu-ri 30 ilat -Nin- sun- na 31 ul-lu e-li mu-ti ri-eš-su 32 šar-ru-tam ša ni-ši 33 i-ši-im-kum ilu En-lil duppu 2 kam-ma šu-tu-ur e-li … 4 šu-ši 42 1 Here this late text includes both variants pašāru and zakāru . The earlier texts have only the one or the other. 2 For kakabê ; b becomes u̯ and then is reduced to the breathing. 3 The variants have kima kiṣri ; ki-[ma]?-rum is a possible reading. The standard Assyrian texts regard Enkidu as the subject. 4 Var. da-an 5 ŠAM-KAK = ilu , net. The variant has ultaprid ki-is-su-šu , “he shook his murderous weapon.” For kissu see ZA. 9,220,4 = CT. 12,14b 36, giš-kud = ki-is-su . 6 Var. nussu for nuš-šu = nušša-šu . The previous translations of this passage are erroneous. 7 This is to my knowledge the first occurence of the infinitive of this verb, paḫēru , not paḫāru . 8 Text ma ? 9 ištanamma > ištilamma . 10 Cf. Code of Hammurapi IV 52 and Streck in Babyloniaca II 177. 11 Restored from Tab. I Col. IV 21. 12 Cf. Dhorme Choix de Textes Religieux 198, 33. 13 namaštû a late form which has followed the analogy of reštû in assuming the feminine t as part of the root. The long û is due to analogy with namaššû a Sumerian loan-word with nisbe ending. 14 Room for a small sign only, perhaps A; māi̭āk ? For mâka , there, see BEHRENS, LSS. II page 1 and index. 15 Infinitive “to shepherd”; see also Poebel, PBS. V 106 I, ri-i̭a-ú , ri-te-i̭a-ú . 16 The text has clearly AD-RI . 17 Or azzammim ? The word is probably an adverb; hardly a word for cup, mug (??). 18 it is uncertain and ta more likely than uš . One expects ittabriru . Cf. muttabrirru , CT. 17, 15, 2; littatabrar , EBELING, KTA. 69, 4. 19 For šapparu . Text and interpretation uncertain. uttappiš II² from tapāšu , Hebrew tāpaś , seize. 20 Text ta ! 21 On ekēšu , drive away, see Zimmern, Shurpu , p. 56. Cf. uk-kiš Myhrman, PBS. I 14, 17; uk-ki-ši , King, Cr. App. V 55; etc., etc. 22 The Hebrew cognate of mašû , to forget, is našâ , Arabic nasijia , and occurs here in Babylonian for the first time. See also Brockelman, Vergleichende Grammatik 160 a. 23 Probably phonetic variant of edir . The preterite of edēru , to be in misery, has not been found. If this interpretation be correct the preterite edir is established. For the change r > l note also attalaḫ < attaraḫ , Harper, Letters 88, 10, bilku < birku , RA. 9, 77 II 13; uttakkalu < uttakkaru , Ebeling, KTA. 49 IV 10. 24 Also na -’-[ -] ma is possible. 25 The text cannot be correct since it has no intelligible sign. My reading is uncertain. 26 Text uncertain, kal-lu-tim is possible. 27 KAK-ši . 28 KAK-ši . 29 Literally nostrils. pitik apunnati-šu , work done in his presence(?). The meaning of the idiom is uncertain. 30 Text ZU ! 31 Text has erroneous form. 32 Text PA-it-tam clearly! 33 Omitted by the scribe. 34 Sic! The plural of kakku , kakkîtu (?). 35 Cf. e-pi-ša-an-šu-nu libâru , “May they see their doings,” Maḳlu VII 17. 36 For šakin-šum . 37 On the verb nâku see the Babylonian Book of Proverbs § 27. 38 The verb la’āṭu , to pierce, devour, forms its preterite iluṭ ; see VAB. IV 216, 1. The present tense which occurs here as iluṭ also. 39 Note BUL(tu-ku) = ratātu (falsely entered in Meissner, SAI. 7993), and irattutu in Zimmern, Shurpu , Index. 40 “For ipšaḫ .” 41 Sic! ḫu reduced to the breathing ’u ; read i-ni-’u . 42 The tablet is reckoned at forty lines in each column, Translation 1 Gilgamish arose interpreting dreams, 2 addressing his mother. 3 “My mother! during my night 4 I, having become lusty, wandered about 5 in the midst of omens. 6 And there came out stars in the heavens, 7 Like a … of heaven he fell upon me. 8 I bore him but he was too heavy for me. 9 He bore a net but I was not able to bear it. 10 I summoned the land to assemble unto him, 11 that heroes might kiss his feet. 12 He stood up before me 1 13 and they stood over against me. 14 I lifted him and carried him away unto thee.” 15 The mother of Gilgamish she that knows all things, 16 said unto Gilgamish:— 17 “Truly oh Gilgamish he is 18 born 2 in the fields like thee. 19 The mountains have reared him. 20 Thou beholdest him and art distracted(?) 21 Heroes kiss his feet. 22 Thou shalt spare him…. 23 Thou shalt lead him to me.” 24 Again he dreamed and saw another dream 25 and reported it unto his mother. 26 “My mother, I have seen another 27 [dream. I beheld] my likeness in the street. 28 In Erech of the wide spaces 3 29 he hurled the axe, 30 and they assembled about him. 31 Another axe seemed his visage. 32 I saw him and was astounded. 33 I loved him as a woman, 34 falling upon him in embrace. 35 I took him and made him 36 my brother.” 37 The mother of Gilgamish she that knows all things 38 [said unto Gilgamish:—] ................................... COL. II 1 that he may join with thee in endeavor.” 2 (Thus) Gilgamish solves (his) dream. 3 Enkidu sitting before the hierodule 4 5 [ ] forgot where he was born. 6 Six days and seven nights 7 came forth Enkidu 8 and cohabited with the courtesan. 9 The hierodule opened her mouth 10 speaking unto Enkidu. 11 “I behold thee Enkidu; like a god thou art. 12 Why with the animals 13 wanderest thou on the plain? 14 Come! I will lead thee 15 into the midst of Erech of the wide places, 16 even unto the holy house, dwelling place of Anu. 17 Oh Enkidu, arise, I will conduct thee 18 unto Eanna dwelling place of Anu, 19 where Gilgamish [ oppresses ] the souls of men(?) 20 And as I ............ 21 thou shalt ........ thyself. 22 Come thou, arise from the ground 23 unto the place yonder (?) of the shepherd.” 24 He heard her speak and accepted her words with favor. 25 The advice of the woman 26 fell upon his heart. 27 She tore off one garment 28 and clothed him with it. 29 With a second garment 30 she clothed herself. 31 She clasped his hand, 32 guiding him like .............. 33 unto the mighty presence of the shepherd, 34 unto the place of the ... of the sheepfolds. 35 In ......... to shepherd 36 ............................. (About two lines broken away.) COL. III 1 Milk of the cattle 2 he drank. 3 Food they placed before him. 4 He broke bread 4 5 gazing and looking. 6 But Enkidu understood not. 7 Bread to eat, 8 beer to drink, 9 he had not been taught. 10 The hierodule opened her mouth 11 and said unto Enkidu:— 12 “Eat bread, oh Enkidu! 13 It is the conformity of life, 14 of the conditions and the fate of the land.” 15 Enkidu ate bread, 16 until he was satiated. 17 Beer he drank 18 seven times (?). 19 His thoughts became unbounded and he shouted loudly. 20 His heart became joyful, 21 and his face glowed. 22 He stroked................. 23 the hair of the head . 5 His body 24 with oil he anointed. 25 He became like a man. 26 He attired himself with clothes 27 even as does a husband. 28 He seized his weapon, 29 which the panther and lion 30 fells in the night time cruelly. 31 He captured the wild mountain goats. 32 The panther he conquered. 33 Among the great sheep for sacrifice 34 Enkidu was their guard. 35 A man, a leader, 36 A hero. 37 Unto .......... he elevated ........................... (About five lines broken away.) REVERSE I .............................. 1 And he made glad. 2 He lifted up his eyes, 3 and beheld the man, 4 and said unto the hierodule:— 5 “Oh harlot, take away the man. 6 Wherefore did he come to me? 7 I would forget the memory of him.” 8 The hierodule called unto the man 9 and came unto him beholding him. 10 She sorrowed and was astonished 11 how his ways were ............ 12 Behold she opened her mouth 13 saying unto Enkidu:— 14 “At home with a family [ to dwell ??] 15 is the fate of mankind. 16 Thou shouldest design boundaries(??) 17 for a city. The trencher-basket put (upon thy head). 18 .... ......an abode of comfort. 19 For the king of Erech of the wide places 20 open, addressing thy speech as unto a husband. 21 Unto Gilgamish king of Erech of the wide places 22 open, addressing thy speech 23 as unto a husband. 24 He cohabits with the wife decreed for him, 25 even he formerly. 26 But henceforth 27 in the counsel which god has spoken, 28 in the work of his presence 29 shall be his fate.” 30 At the mention of the hero 31 his face became pale. REVERSE II ............................................................ (About five lines broken away.) 1 going ....................... 2 and the harlot ..... after him. 3 He entered into the midst of Erech of the wide places. 4 The artisans gathered about him. 5 And as he stood in the street 6 of Erech of the wide places, 7 the people assembled 8 disputing round about him:— 9 “How is he become like Gilgamish suddenly? 10 In form he is shorter. 11 In ........ he is made powerful. 12 13 14 Milk of the cattle 15 he drank. 16 Continually in the midst of Erech weapons 17 the heroes purified. 18 A project was instituted. 19 Unto the hero whose countenance was turned away, 20 unto Gilgamish like a god 21 he became for him a fellow. 22 For Išhara a couch 23 was laid. 24 Gilgamish ................... 25 In the night he .............. 26 embracing her in sleep. 27 They ........ in the street 28 halting at the ................ 29 of Gilgamish. 30 .......... mightily(?) COL. III 1 A road(?) .................... 2 Gilgamish ................... 3 in the plain .................. 4 his hair growing thickly like the corn. 5 He came forth ... 6 into his presence. 7 They met in the wide park of the land. 8 Enkidu held fast the door 9 with his foot, 10 and permitted not Gilgamish to enter. 11 They grappled with each other 12 goring like an ox. 13 The threshold they destroyed. 14 The wall they demolished. 15 Gilgamish and Enkidu 16 grappled with each other, 17 goring like an ox. 18 The threshold they destroyed. 19 The wall they demolished. 20 Gilgamish bowed 21 to the ground at his feet 22 and his javelin reposed. 23 He turned back his breast. 24 After he had turned back his breast, 25 Enkidu unto that one 26 spoke, even unto Gilgamish. 27 “Even as one 6 did thy mother 28 bear thee, 29 she the wild cow of the cattle stalls, 30 Ninsunna, 31 whose head she exalted more than a husband. 32 Royal power over the people 33 Enlil has decreed for thee.” Second tablet. Written upon ... 240 (lines). 1 Literally “he attained my front.” 2 IV¹ of walādu . 3 I.e., in the suburb of Erech. 4 patāḳu has apparently the same sense originally as batāḳu , although the one forms its preterite iptiḳ , and the other ibtuḳ . Cf. also maḫāṣu break, hammer and construct. 5 The passage is obscure. Here šuḫuru is taken as a loan-word from suģur = ḳimmatu, hair of the head. The infinitive II¹ of saḫāru is philologically possible. 6 I.e., an ordinary man.