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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 2:574
Tablet 2:617

mouth of the rivers. They took me and made me dwell far off, at the mouth of the rivers.
575 So now, who can gather the Anunnagi on your behalf Gilgamesh, that you too may find eternal life which you seek?
576 For a start, you must not sleep for six days and seven shadow hours. As soon as he was sitting, with his head between his knees, sleep breathed over him like a fog.
577 Utnafishtim spoke to her, to his wife, look at the young man who wants eternal life, sleep breathes over him like a fog.
578 His wife spoke to him, Utnafishtim the far-distant, touch him, and let man wake up.
579 Let him go back in peace the way he came. Go back to his country through the great gate, through which he once left.
580 Utnafishtim spoke to her, to his wife, man behaves badly: he will behave badly towards you.
581 For a start, bake a daily portion for him, put it each time by his head, and mark on the wall the days that he sleeps.
582 She baked a daily portion for him, put it each time by his head, and marked on the wall for him the days that he slept.
583 His first day's portion was dried out,
584 The second was going bad, the third was soggy,
585 The fourth had white mold on the fifth was discoloured,
586 The sixth was stinking,
587 The seventh at that moment that he touched him and the man woke up.
588 Gilgamesh spoke to Utnafishtim the far-distant.
589 No sooner had sleep come upon me,
590 Then you touched me, straight away, and roused me.
591 Utnafishtim spoke to him, to Gilgamesh,
592 Look, Gilgamesh, count your daily portions,
593 That the number of days you slept may be proved to you:
594 Your first day ration is dried out,
595 The second is going bad, the third is soggy,
596 The fourth hast white mold on it,
597 The fifth hast discoloured, the sixth is stinking,
598 The seventh at that moment you woke up.
599 Gilgamesh spoke to him, to Utnafishtim,
600 How, O how could I have done it, Utnafishtim? Wherever can I go?
601 The snatchers have blocked my routes,
602 Death is waiting in my bedroom,
603 And wherever I set my foot, death is there too.
604 Utnafishtim spoke to him, to Ur-Shanabi the boatman,
605 Ur-Shanabi, the quay will cast you out, the ferry will reject thou.
606 Be deprived of her side, at whose side you once went.
607 The man whom you led: filthy hair fetters his body.
608 Skins have ruined the beauty of his flesh.
609 Take him, Ur-Shanabi, bring him to a wash-bowl,
610 And let him wash in water his filthy hair, as clean as possible.
611 Let him throw away his skins, and let the sea carry them off.
612 Let his body be soaked until it is fresh.
613 Put a new headband on his head.
614 Have him wear a robe as a proud garment,
615 Until he comes to his city,
616 Until he reaches his journey's end.
617 The garment shall not discolor, but stay absolutely new.