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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

LATUM SHIL GILGAMESH
EPIC OF GILGAMESH

Tablet 1:187
Tablet 1:227

187 Let Enkidu guard the friend, keep the comrade safe.
188 Let him bring him back safe in person for brides,
189 So that we in our assembly may rely on us as ruler,
190 And that you in turn as ruler can rely on us again.
191 Enkidu made his voice heard and spoke, he said to Gilgamesh, my friend, turn back from the pine forest, a journey that is not needed,
192 Ninsun entered her chamber at the soap-plant.
193 She put on a garment of a queen, adornment of her body. She put on toggle-pins and wore her crown on her head.
194 Then she went up on to the roof.
195 She came before Shamash, made a smoke-offering, made a Surqinnu-offering before Shamash and raised her arms:
196 Why did you single out my son Gilgamesh and impose a restless spirit on him?
197 Now you have affected him and he will take the distant path to where Humbaba lives.
198 He faces an unknown struggle, he will ride along an unknown road.
199 Until the day when, having traveled far and wide,
200 He finally reached the pine forest,
201 Until he slays ferocious Humbaba, and exterminates from the land something evil which you hate.
202 On the day when you are at the side of Aya,
203 May Aya, the daughter-in-law, not be too fearful of you to commend him to you.
204 Entrust him to the shadow hour watchmen, hold the whip of Gilgamesh for he extinguished the smoke-offering and blood offering.
205 He called Enkidu to him and gave his decision. Enkidu, you are a strong man, though not from the same womb as I.
206 At twenty leagues they ate their ration. At thirty leagues they stopped for the shadow hour.
207 Fifty leagues they traveled during the day.
208 The distance took from the new moon to the full Lebanon.
209 There they dug a pit in front of Shamash.
210 They refilled their water skins to the brim.
211 Gilgamesh went up on to the mountain,
212 And made his flour-offering to Shamash.
213 O mountain bring me a dream, a favorable one!
214 Enkidu arranged it to be for him, for Gilgamesh.
215 A dust-devil passed by,
216 He made him lie down inside the circle and wait.
217 Just like wild barley he wanted blood.
218 Gilgamesh sat with his chin on his knees.
219 Sleep, which spills out over people, overcame him.
220 In the middle watch he finished his sleep.
221 He rose up and said to his friend,
222 My friend, didn't you call me? Then why am I awake?
223 Didn't you touch me? Why am I so upset?
224 Didn't an Aluhum pass by? Then why is my flesh so feeble?
225 My friend, I had a dream about this very thing.
226 And the dream that I had was extremely upsetting.
227 At the foot of the mountain I sat,