Page 1557

 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:318
Tablet 1:360

west wind, moaning wind,
319 Gale, Sparziqqu-wind, Imhullu-wind, Asakku wind,
320 Wintry wind, tempest, whirlwind, 13 winds rose up at him and Humbaba’s face grew dark.
321 He could not charge forwards, he could not go run backwards.
322 Thus, the weapons of Gilgamesh succeeded against Humbaba.
323 Humbaba gasped for breath, he addressed Gilgamesh.
324 You are young, Gilgamesh; your mother gave birth to you,
325 And you are the offspring of Ninsun you rose up at the command of Shamash, ruler of the mountain.
326 And you are the scion of Uruk, ruler Gilgamesh.
327 Oh Gilgamesh, my friend Gilgamesh I shall make them grow luxuriantly for you in your sight,
328 As many trees as you wish.
329 I shall keep for you myrtle wood, timbers to be the pride of your palace in Uruk.
330 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke; he said to Gilgamesh,
331 My friend, don’t listen to the words of Humbaba.
332 You have found out the nature of my forest, the nature of my dwelling;
333 And now you know all their natures.
334 I should have taken you and slain you at the entrance to my forest’s growth,
335 I should have given your flesh to be eaten by the birds of the forest, roaring lions, birds of prey, and scavengers.
336 But now, Enkidu, it is in your power to release me.
337 So tell Gilgamesh to spare my life.
338 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke; he said to Gilgamesh,
339 My friend, finish him off, slay him, grind him up, that I may survive,
340 Humbaba, the guardian of the pine forest!
341 Do it before the leader Enlil hears about it.
342 Lest the Anunnagi will be filled with fury at us.
343 Enlil in Nippur, Shamash in Sippar,
344 Set up an eternal memorial to tell how Gilgamesh slew Humbaba!
345 Humbaba listened and said you sit like a shepherd,
346 Now, Enkidu, thus settle in, your own release.
347 And tell Gilgamesh that he may save his life.
348 Neither one of them shall outlive his friend Gilgamesh and Enkidu shall never become old men.
349 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke; he said to Gilgamesh,
350 My friend, I talk to you, but you don’t listen to me.
351 Their dark patch of verdigris,
352 Gilgamesh was cutting down the trees; Enkidu kept tugging at the stumps.
353 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke; he said to Gilgamesh,
354 My friend, I have had a fully mature pine cut down,
355 The crown of which butted against the sky.
356 I made a door six poles high and two poles wide.
357 Its doorpost is a cubit feet, its lower and upper hinges are made from a single.
358 Let the Furattu, Euphrates carry it to Nippur.
359 They tied together a raft, they put it down Enkidu embarked on it and Gilgamesh took the head of Humbaba.
360 He washed his filthy hair, he cleaned

Page 1558

 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:360
Tablet 1:410

his gear.
361 Shook out his locks over his back,
362 Threw away his dirty clothes, and put on fresh ones.
363 He clothed himself in robes and tied on a sash.
364 Gilgamesh put his crown on his head.
365 And Ishtar, the princess raised her eyes to the beauty of Gilgamesh.
366 Come to me, Gilgamesh, and be my lover!
367 Bestow on me the gift of your fruit!
368 You can be my husband, and I can be your wife.
369 I shall have a chariot of Lapis Lazuli and gold harnessed for you,
370 With wheels of gold, and horns of elmesu-stone.
371 You shall harness umu-demons as great mules!
372 Enter into our house through the fragrance of pine!
373 When you enter our house.
374 The wonderfully-wrought threshold shall kiss your feet!
375 Rulers, nobles, princes shall bow down beneath you.
376 The verdure of mountain and country shall bring you produce.
377 Your goats shall bear triplets, your ewes twins,
378 Your loaded donkey shall outpace the mule.
379 Your horses shall run proud at the chariot,
380 Your ox shall be unrivaled at the yoke.
381 Gilgamesh made his voice heard and spoke,
382 He said to Ishtar, the princess, what could I give you if I possessed you?
383 I would give you body oil and garments.
384 I would give you food and sustenance.
385 Could I provide you with bread fit for an Aluhum?
386 Could I provide you with ale fit for rulers?
387 Could I heap up a robe?
388 If I possess you, you would be like ice,
389 A draughty door that can’t keep out winds and gusts,
390 A palace that rejects its own warriors,
391 An elephant which its covering bitumen which stains its carrier,
392 A waterskin which soaks its carrier,
393 A juggernaut which smashes a stone wall,
394 A battering ram which destroys war,
395 A shoe which bites into the foot of its wearer.
396 Which of your lovers lasted forever?
397 Which of your masterful paramours went to heaven?
398 Come, let me describe all your lovers to you.
399 He of the sheep knew him:
400 For Dammuzi the lover of your youth you decreed that he should keep weeping year after year.
401 You loved the colorful Allallu-Bird,
402 But you hit him and broke his wing.
403 He stays in the woods crying “my wing”.
404 You loved the lion, whose strength is complete,
405 But you dug seven and seven pits for him.
406 You loved the horse, so trustworthy in battle,
407 But you decreed the whip, goad, and lash for him,
408 You decreed that he should gallop seven leagues non-stop,
409 You decreed that he should be overrought and thirsty,
410 You decreed that endless weeping for

Page 1559

 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:410
Tablet 1:462

his mother Sililiu.
411 You loved the shepherd, herdsman, and chief shepherd,
412 Who was always heaping up the glowing ashes for thou,
413 And cooked ewe-lambs for you every day.
414 But you hit him and turned him into a wolf,
415 His own herd-boys hunts him down and his dogs tear at his haunches.
416 You loved Ishullanu, your father's gardener,
417 Who was always bringing your baskets of dates.
418 They brightened your table everyday;
419 You lifted your eyes to him and went to him.
420 My own Ishullanu, let us enjoy your strength,
421 So put your hand and touch our vulva.
423 But Ishullanu said to you,
424 What do you want of me?
425 Did my mother not bake for me, and did I not eat?
426 What I eat with you would be loaves of dishonor and disgrace,
427 Rushes would be my only covering against the cold.
428 You listened as he said this,
429 And you hit him, turned him into a frog,
430 Left him to stay amid the fruits of his labors.
431 But the pole goes up no more, his bucket goes down no more.
432 And how about me? You will love me and then treat me just like them.
433 When Ishtar heard this, Ishtar was furious, and went up to heaven.
434 Ishtar went up and wept before her father ANU,
435 Her tears flowed before her mother Antu.
436 Father, Gilgamesh, hast shamed me again and again Gilgamesh spelt out to me, my dishonour,
437 My dishonor and my disgrace.
438 ANU made his voice heard and spoke,
439 He said to the princess Ishtar,
440 Why didn't you accuse Gilgamesh the ruler for yourself,
441 Since Gilgamesh spelt out your dishonor,
442 Your dishonor and your disgrace?
443 Ishtar made her voice heard and spoke, she said to her father ANU,
444 Father, please give me the bull of heaven, and let me strike Gilgamesh down,
445 Let me capture Gilgamesh in his dwelling.
446 If you don't give me the bull of heaven,
447 I shall strike Gilgamesh.
448 I shall set my face towards the infernal regions,
449 I shall raise up the dead, and they will eat the living,
450 I shall make the dead outnumber the living,
451 ANU made his voice heard and spoke,
452 He said to the princess Ishtar,
453 On no account should you request the bull of heaven from me.
454 There would be seven years of chaff in the land of Uruk,
455 You would gather chalk instead of gems,
456 You would raise grass.
457 Ishtar made her voice heard and spoke.
458 She said to her father ANU,
459 I have heaped up a store of grain in Uruk,
460 I have ensured the production of the years of chaff hast been gathered.
461 ANU listened to Ishtar speaking,
462 And he put the bull of heaven's reins in

Page 1560

 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:462
Tablet 1:509

her hands.
463 Ishtar took hold and directed it. When it arrived in the land of Uruk,
464 It went down to the seven rivers.
465 At the snorting of the bull of heaven a chasm opened up, and one hundred young men of Uruk fell into it,
466 Two hundred young men, three hundred young men.
467 At its second snorting another chasm opened up, and another hundred young men of Uruk fell into it,
468 Two hundred young men, three hundred young men fell into it,
469 At its third snorting a chasm opened up,
470 And Enkidu fell into it.
471 But Enkidu leapt out. He seized the bull of heaven by the horns.
472 The bull of heaven blew spittle into his face,
473 With its thick tail it whipped up its dung.
474 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke,
475 He said to Gilgamesh,
476 My friend, we were too arrogant when we killed Humbaba.
477 How can we give recompense for our action?
478 In between the base of the horns and the neck tendons.
479 Enkidu spun round to the bull of heaven,
480 And seized it by its thick tail, and then Gilgamesh, like a butcher, heroic and brave,
481 Plunged his sword in between the base of the horns and the neck tendons.
482 When they had struck the bull of heaven they pulled out its innards,
483 Set them before Shamash,
484 Backed away and prostrated themselves before Shamash.
485 Then the two brothers sat down.
486 Ishtar went up on to the wall of Uruk, the sheepfold.
487 She was contorted with rage. She hurled down curses,
488 That man Gilgamesh who reviled me, hast killed the bull of heaven.
489 Enkidu listened to Ishtar saying this,
490 And he pulled out the bull of heaven's shoulder and slapped it into her face.
491 If I could only get at you as that does,
492 I would do the same to you myself, I would hang its intestines on your arms. Ishtar gathered the crimped courtesans, prostitutes and harlots.
493 She arranged for weeping over the bull of heaven's shoulder.
494 Gilgamesh called craftsmen, all the armorers,
495 And the craftsmen admired the thickness of its horns.
496 Thirty minas of lapis lazuli was needed for each of their pouring ends.
497 Two minas of gold was needed for each of their sheathings.
498 Six kor of oil was the capacity of both.
499 He dedicated them for anointing his god, Lugalbanda,
500 Took them in and hung them on his bed where he slept as head of the family.
501 In the Furattu, Euphrates they washed their hands and held hands and came,
502 Riding through the main street of Uruk.
503 The people of Uruk gathered and gazed at them.
504 Who is finest among the young men?
505 Who is proudest among the males?
506 Gilgamesh is the finest among the young men,
507 Gilgamesh is finest among the males.
508 We knew in our anger there is nobody like him who can please her.
509 Gilgamesh made merry in his palace.

Page 1561

 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:510
Tablet 2:1

510 Then they lay down. The young men were lying in bed for the shadow hour,
511 And Enkidu lay down and had a dream.
512 Enkidu got up and described the dream,
513 He said to his friend, my friend, why are the great Anunnagi consulting together?
514 Then daylight came and Enkidu said to Gilgamesh,
515 O my brother, what a dream I saw last shadow hour.
516 ANU, Enlil and Enqi and heavenly Shamash were in the assembly.
517 And ANU said to Enlil, as they have slain the bull of heaven,
518 So too they have slain Huwaawa, Humbaba, who guarded the mountains planted with pines.
519 And ANU said, one of them must die.
520 Enlil replied: let Enkidu die, but let Gilgamesh not die.
521 Then heavenly Shamash said to valiant Enlil,
522 Was it not according to your word that they slew the bull of heaven and Huwaawa? Should now innocent Enkidu die?
523 But Enlil turned in anger to heavenly Shamash, saying, the fact is, you accompanied them daily, like one of their comrades.
524 Enkidu lay down before Gilgamesh, his tears flow in like streams.
525 O my brother, my brother is so dear to me.
526 But they are taking me from my brother. And I shall sit among the dead.
527 Never again shall I see my dear brother with my own eyes.
528 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke.
529 He said to his friend Gilgamesh, come in the door, Enkidu lifted up his face, he discussed with the door;
530 Door, don't you remember the words?
531 I selected the timber for you over twenty leagues, until I had found a fully mature pine.
532 There is no other wood like yours!
533 Your height is six poles, your width two poles, your doorpost, your lower and upper hinge are made from a single tree.
534 I made you, I carried you to Nippur be aware, door,
535 That this was a favor to you, and this was a good deed done for you.
536 I myself raised the axe, I cut you down,
537 Loaded you myself on to the raft,
538 I myself put you in temple of Shamash,
539 I myself set you in his gate,
540 I myself set you in Uruk.
541 Now, door, it was I who made you, I who carried you to Nippur.
542 But the ruler who shall arise after me shall go through you,
543 Gilgamesh shall go through your portals,
544 And change my name, and put on his own name.
545 He tore out the door and hurled.
546 He kept listening to his words, straight away,
547 Gilgamesh kept listening to the words of his friend Enkidu,
548 And his tears flowed.
549 Gilgamesh made his voice heard and spoke;
550 He said to Enkidu,
551 You, who used to be reasonable, the dream was very precious, and the warning awful!

Tablet Two
The Dream
(19x39=741)

Lo! Enkidu, your lips buzzed like flies,

Page 1562

 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 2:23
Tablet 2:48

2 They have let a legacy of grieving for next year.
3 The dream hast left a legacy of grief for next year.
4 I shall go and offer prayers to the great Anunnagi,
5 I shall search out your Anunnagi, look for you, her,
6 Enlil, the father of the Anunnagi.
7 To Enlil the counselor, father of the Anunnagi,
8 I shall make a statue of you with countless gold.
9 The words he spoke were not like him,
10 What he said did not go back, did not alter.
11 Enkidu raised his head, wept before Shamash,
12 His tears flowed before the rays of the sun.
13 I hereby beseech thou, Shamash, because my fate is different, because the hunter, the brigand,
14 Did not let me attain as much as my friend,
15 Let the hunter never attain as much as his friend make his advantage vanish, make his strength less.
16 When he had cursed the hunter as much as he wanted,
17 He decided, to curse the harlot too.
18 Come, Shamhat, I shall fix a fate for you,
19 Curses that shall not cease forever and ever.
20 I shall curse you with a great curse.
21 Straight away my curses shall rise up against you.
22 You shall never make your voluptuous gestures again,
23 You shall not release you of your young bulls,
24 You shall not let them into the girl’s rooms,
25 Filth shall impregnate your lovely lap.
26 The drunkard shall soak your party dress with vomit.
27 Your cosmetic paint shall be the potter’s lump of clay.
28 You shall never obtain the best cosmetic oil.
29 Bright silver, people’s affluence, shall not accumulate in your house.
30 The crossroads shall be your only sitting place,
31 Waste ground your only lying place, the shade of a city wall, your only sitting place.
32 Thorns and spikes shall skin your feet.
33 The drunkard and the thirsty shall slap your cheek,
34 The Earth shall shout out against you.
35 The builder shall never plaster the walls of your house.
36 Owls will nest in your roof, beams feasting shall never take place in your house,
37 Because pure is in my open country.
38 Shamash heard the utterance of his mouth.
39 Immediately a loud voice called down to him from the sky:
40 Enkidu, why are you cursing my harlot, Shamhat,
41 Who fed you on food fit for Anunnagi,
42 Gave you ale to drink, fit for kings, clothed you with a great robe,
43 Then provided you with Gilgamesh for a fine partner?
44 And now Gilgamesh, the friend who is a brother to you will lay you to rest on a great bed and lay you to rest on a bed of loving care,
45 And let you stay in a restful dwelling, the dwelling on the left.
46 Princes of the Earth will kiss your feet.
47 He will make the people of Uruk weep for thou, mourn for you,
48 And he himself will neglect his