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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Begin All Arts And Thinking By Using El Kuluwm, The All

Tablet One
Gilgamesh
(19 x 29 = 551)

Lo! Of him who found out all things, I of him who experienced everything, I shall teach the whole.

2 He searched the lands to teach everywhere.

3 He who experienced the whole gained complete wisdom.

4 He found out what was the secret and uncovered what was hidden, he brought back a tale of times before the flood.

5 He had journeyed far and wide, weary and at last resigned. He engraved all toils on a memorial monument of stone.

6 He had the wall of Uruk built, the sheepfold of holiest Eanna, the pure treasury.

7 See its wall, which is like a copper band, survey its battlements, which nobody else can match,

8 Take the threshold, which is from time immemorial approach Eanna, the home of Ishtar,

9 Which no future ruler nor any man will ever match!

10 Go up on to the wall of Uruk and walk around!

11 Inspect the foundation platform and scrutinize the brickwork!

12 Testify that its brick are baked bricks,

13 And that the 7 counselors must have laid its foundations!

14 One square mile is city, one square mile is orchards, one square mile is claypits, as well as the open ground of Ishtar's temple.

15 Three square miles and the open ground comprise Uruk.

16 Look for the copper the tablet-box, undo its bronze lock, open the door to its secret,

17 Lift out the Lapis Lazuli Tablet and read it.

18 The story of that man, Gilgamesh, who went through all kinds of sufferings.

19 He was superior to other rulers, a warrior master of great stature, a hero born of Uruk, a goring wild bull.

20 He marches at the front as leader,

21 He goes behind, the support of his brothers,

22 A strong net, the protection of his men, the raging flood-wave, which can destroy even a stone wall. Son of Lugalbanda, Gilgamesh, perfect in strength, son of the lofty cow, the wild cow Ninsun.

23 He is Gilgamesh, perfect in splendor, who opened up passes in the mountains,

24 Who could dig pits even in the mountainside, who crossed the ocean, the broad seas, as far as the sunrise.

25 Who inspected the edges of the world, kept searching for eternal life, who reached Ut-Nafishtim the far-distant, by force.

26 Who restored to their rightful place cult centres and temples which the flood had ruined.

27 There is nobody among the rulers of teeming humanity,

28 Who can compare with him,

29 Who can say `I am ruler' beside Gilgamesh.

30 Gilgamesh was named from birth for fame. Two-thirds of him was divine, and one-third mortal.

31 Belet-Ili who is the mistress of the Anunnagi, who is also known as Ninhursag or Mami and Aruru designed the shape of his body, made his form perfect,

32 As the Anunnagi, he was proud and noble in Uruk the sheepfold he would walk about, show himself superior, his head held