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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 2:534
Tablet 2:574

boat fast and did not let it budge.
535 The first and second day the mountain Nimush held the boat fast and did not let it budge.
536 The third and fourth day the mountain Nimush held the boat fast and did not let it budge.
537 The fifth and sixth day the mountain Nimush held the boat fast and did not let it budge.
538 When the seventh day arrived, I put out and released a dove. The dove went; it came back, for no perching place was visible to it and it turned round.
539 I put on and released a swallow. The swallow went; it came back, for no perching place was visible to it, and it turned round.
540 I put out and released a raven. The raven went, and saw the waters receding. And it ate, preened and lifted its tail and did not turn round.
541 Then I put everything out of the four winds, and I made a sacrifice, set out a Surqinnu-offering upon the mountain peak.
542 Arranged the jars seven and seven; into the bottom of them I poured essences of reeds, pine, and myrtle.
543 The Anunnagi smelt the fragrance,
544 The Anunnagi smelt the pleasant fragrance,
545 The Anunnagi like flies gathered over the sacrifice.
546 As soon as the mistress of the Anunnagi arrived, she raised the great flies which ANU had made to please her.
547 Behold, O Anunnagi I shall never forget the significance of my Lapis Lazuli necklace,
548 I shall remember these times, and I shall never forget.
549 Let other Anunnagi come to the Surqinnu-offering,
560 But let Enlil not come to the Surqinnu-offering, because he did not consult before imposing the flood, and consigned my people to destruction.
561 As soon as Enlil arrived, he saw the boat. Enlil was furious, filled with anger at the Igigi.
562 What sort of life survived? No man should have lived through the destruction.
563 Ninurta made his voice heard and spoke. He said to the warrior Enlil, who other than Enqi would have done such a thing?
564 For Enqi can do everything. Enqi made his voice heard and spoke, he said to the warrior Enlil, you are the sage of the Anunnagi, warrior.
565 So how, O how, could fail to consult, and impose the flood? Punish the sinner for his sin, punish the criminal for his crime, but ease off, let work not cease; be patient. Instead of your imposing a flood, let a lion come up and diminish the people.
566 Instead of your imposing a flood, let a wolf come up and diminish the people.
567 Instead of your imposing a flood, let a famine be imposed and diminish the people.
568 Instead of your imposing a flood, let a Erra rise up and savage the people.
569 I did not disclose the secret of the great Anunnagi,
570 I just showed Utnafishtim a dream, and thus he heard the secret of the Anunnagi.
571 Now the advice that prevailed was his advice. Enlil came up into the boat, and seized my hand and led me up.
572 He led up my woman and made her kneel down at my side. He touched our foreheads, stood between us, blessed us:
573 Until now Utnafishtim was mortal, but henceforth Utnafishtim and his woman shall be as we Anunnagi are.
574 Utnafishtim shall dwell far off at the