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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 2:618
Tablet 2:655

618 Ur-Shanabi took him and brought him to a wash-bowl, and he washed in water his filthy hair, as clean as possible.
619 He threw away his skins, and the sea carried them off.
620 His body was soaked until it was fresh. He put a new headband on his head. He wore a robe as a proud garment, until he came to his city, until he reached his journey's end.
621 The garment would not discolour, and stayed absolutely new.
622 Gilgamesh and Ur-shanabi embarked on the boat. They cast off the Magillu-Boat and sailed away.
623 His wife spoke to him, to Utnafishtim.
624 Gilgamesh came, weary, striving,
625 What will you give him to take back to his country?
626 And Gilgamesh out there raised the pole,
627 He brought the boat near the shore.
628 Utnafishtim spoke to him, to Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh, you came weary, striving,
629 What can I give you to take back to your country?
630 Let me reveal a closely guarded matter Gilgamesh,
631 And let me tell you the secret of the Anunnagi.
632 There is a plant whose root is like camel-thorn,
633 Whose thorn, like a rose, will spike your hands.
634 If you yourself can win that plant, you will find rejuvenation.
635 When Gilgamesh heard this, he opened the pipe, he tied heavy stones to his feet.
636 They dragged him down into the Apsu, and he saw the plant.
637 He took the plant himself, it spiked his hands.
638 He cut the heavy stones from his feet.
639 The sea threw him up on to its shore.
640 Gilgamesh spoke to him, to Ur-Shanabi, the boatman,
641 Ur-Shanabi, this plant is a plant to cure a crisis,
642 With it a man may win the breath of life.
643 I shall take it back to Uruk the sheepfold, I shall give it to an elder to eat, and so try out the plant.
644 Its name shall be: "an old man grows into a young man."
645 At twenty leagues they ate their ration.
646 At thirty the leagues stopped for the shadow hour.
647 Gilgamesh saw a pool whose water was cool, and went down into the water and washed.
648 A snake smelt the fragrance of the plant.
649 It came up silently and carried off the plant.
650 As it took it away, it shed its scaly skin.
651 Thereupon Gilgamesh sat down and wept. His tears flowed over his cheeks. He spoke to Ur-Shanabi the boatman, for what purpose, Urshanabi have my arms grown weary?
652 For what purpose was the blood inside me so red? I did not gain an advantage for myself, I have given the advantage to the "lion of the ground."
653 Now the current will carry twenty leagues away.
654 While I was opening the pipe, arranging the gear, I found a door-thong which must have been set there as an omen for me. I shall give up and I have left the boat on the shore. At twenty leagues they ate their ration.
655 At thirty leagues they stopped for the shadow hour. They reached Uruk the sheepfold.