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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:32
Tablet 1:66

high like a wild bull.
33 He had no rival, and at his Pukku, his weapons would rise up, his comrades have to rise up. The young men of Uruk became dejected in their private quarters.
34 Gilgamesh would not leave any son alone for his father. Day and shadow hour his behavior changed and was overbearing.
35 He was the shepherd. He was their shepherd also yet he was powerful, superb, knowledgeable and expert,
35 Gilgamesh would not leave young girls alone, the daughters of warriors, the brides of young men.
36 The Aluhum often heard their complaints.
37 The Igigi of heaven and also the ruler of Uruk, `Did Aruru, who is called Mami really create such a rampant wild bull?
38 Is there no rival at the Pukku?' His weapons rise up, his comrades have to rise up.
39 ANU, who is El often hears their complaints.
40 They called upon the great Aruru also known as Mami:
41 You, Aruru, you created mankind, did you not? Now create someone for him, to match his hunger the desire of his loins is great and they are the taker of his energies!
42 Let them be regular rivals, and let Uruk be allowed peace!
43 When Aruru heard this, she created inside herself the word control of ANU, the El.
44 Aruru washed her hands, pinched off a piece of clay, and cast it out into open country.
45 She created a primitive man, Enkidu the warrior: offspring of silence the bullman, sky-bolt of Ninurta.
46 His whole body was shaggy with hair, he was furnished with tresses like a woman.
47 His locks of hair grew luxuriant like grain.
48 He knew neither people nor country; he was dressed as cattle are.
49 With gazelles he eats vegetation, with cattle he quenches his thirst at the watering place.
50 With wild beasts he satisfies his need for water.
51 A hunter, a bandit, came face to face with him beside the watering place.
52 He saw him on three successive days beside the watering place.
53 The hunter looked at him, and was dumbstruck to see him.
54 In the problem times he went back into his house and was afraid, stayed mute, was silent, and hid the grief in his innermost being.
55 His face was like that of a long-distance traveller.
56 The hunter made his voice heard and spoke, he said to his father,
57 Father, there was a young man who came from the mountain, on the land he was strong, he was powerful.
58 His strength was very hard, like a sky-bolt of ANU.
59 He walks about on the mountain all the time,
60 All the time he eats vegetation with cattle,
61 All the time he puts his feet in the water at the watering place.
62 I am too frightened to approach him. He kept filling in the pits that I dug to trap the beast.
63 He kept pulling out the traps that I laid.
64 He kept helping cattle, wild beasts of open country, to escape my grasp.
65 He will not allow me to work in open country.
66 His father spoke to him, to the hunter,