The Epic of Gilgamesh Read online

  The gods even were afraid of the storm;

  they retreated and took refuge in the heaven of Anu.

  There the gods crouched down like dogs, on the enclosure of heaven they sat cowering.

  Then Ishtar cried out like a woman in travail

  and the lady of the gods lamented with a loud voice, [saying]:

  'The world of old has been turned back into clay,

  because I assented to this evil in the assembly of the gods.

  Alas! that when I assented to this evil in the council of the gods,

  I was for the destruction of my own people.

  What I have created, where is it?

  Like the spawn of fish it fills the sea.'

  The gods wailed with her over the Anunnaki.

  The gods were bowed down, and sat there weeping.

  Their lips were pressed together [in fear and in terror].

  Six days and nights

  The wind blew, and storm and tempest overwhelmed the country.

  When the seventh day drew nigh the tempest, the storm, the battle

  which they had waged like a great host began to moderate.

  The sea quieted down; hurricane and storm ceased.

  I looked out upon the sea and raised loud my voice,

  But all mankind had turned back into clay.

  Like the surrounding field had become the bed of the rivers.

  I opened the air hole and light fell upon my cheek.

  Dumfounded I sank backward, and sat weeping, while over my cheek flowed the tears.

  I looked in every direction, and behold, all was sea.

  Now, after twelve [days] there rose [out of the water] a strip of land.

  To Mount Nisir the ship drifted.

  On Mount Nisir the boat stuck fast and it did not slip away.

  The first day, the second day, Mount Nisir held the ship fast, and did not let it slip away.

  The third day, the fourth day, Mount Nisir held the ship fast, and did not let it slip away.

  The fifth day, the sixth day, Mount Nisir held the ship,fast, and did not let it slip away.

  When the seventh day drew nigh

  I sent out a dove, and let her go.

  The dove flew hither and thither,

  but as there was no resting-place for her, she returned.

  Then I sent out a swallow, and let her go.

  The swallow flew hither and thither,

  but as there was no resting-place for her she also returned.

  Then I sent out a raven, and let her go.

  The raven flew away and saw the abatement of the waters.

  She settled down to feed, went away, and returned no more.

  Then I let everything go out unto the four winds, and I offered a sacrifice.

  I poured out a libation upon the peak of the mountain.

  I placed the censers seven and seven,

  and poured into them calamus, cedar-wood, and sweet incense.

  The gods smelt the savor;

  yea, the gods smelt the sweet savor;

  the gods gathered like flies around the sacrificer.

  But when now the lady of the gods [Ishtar] drew nigh,

  she lifted up the precious ornaments which Anu had made according to her wish (and said):

  'Ye gods here! by my necklace, not will I forget.

  These days will I remember, never will I forget [them].

  Let the gods come to the offering;

  But Bel shall not come to the offering,

  Since rashly he caused the flood-storm,

  and handed over my people unto destruction.'

  Now, when Bel drew nigh,

  and saw the ship, the god was wroth,

  and anger against the gods, the Igigi, filled his heart, [and he said]:

  'Who then has escaped here [with his life]?

  No man was to survive the universal destruction.'

  Then Ninib opened his mouth and spoke,

  saying unto Bel, the warrior:

  'Who but Ea could have planned this!

  For does not Ea know all arts?'

  Then Ea opened his mouth and spoke,

  saying unto Bel, the warrior:

  'Ay, thou wise one among the gods, thou warrior,

  how rash of thee to bring about a flood-storm!

  On the sinner visit his sin,and on the wicked his wickedness;

  but be merciful, forbear, let not all be destroyed!

  Be considerate, let not everything be [confounded]!

  Instead of sending a flood-storm,

  let lions come and diminish mankind;

  Instead of sending a flood-storm,

  let tigers come and diminish mankind;

  Instead of sending a flood-storm,

  let famine come and smite the land;

  Instead of sending a flood-storm,

  let pestilence come and kill off the people.

  I did not reveal the mystery of the great gods.

  [Some one?] caused Atrachasis to see [it] in a dream, and so he (Utnapishtim) heard the mystery of the gods."

  Thereupon Bel arrived at a decision.

  Bel went up into the ship, took me by the hand and led me out.

  He led out also my wife and made her kneel beside me;

  He turned us face to face, and standing between us, blessed us, [saying]

  'Ere this Utnapishtim was only human;

  But now Utnapishtim and his wife shall be lofty like unto the gods;

  Let Utnapishtim live far away [from men] at the mouth of the [two] rivers.'

  Then they took me and let us dwell far away at the mouth of the rivers."

  After Utnapishtim had finished this account, he turned to Gilgamesh and said:

  "Now as for thee, which one of the gods shall give thee strength,

  that the life thou desirest thou shalt obtain?

  Now sleep!" And for six days and seven nights

  Gilgamesh resembled one lying lame.

  Sleep came over him like a storm wind.

  Then Utnapishtim said to his wife:

  "Behold, here is the hero whose desire is life [recovery]!

  Sleep came upon him like a storm wind."

  And the wife replied to Utnapishtim, the distant:

  "Transform him; let the man eat of the charm-root.

  Let him, restored in health, return on the road on which he came.

  Let him pass out through the great door unto his own country."

  And Utnapishtim said to his wife:

  "The suffering [and torture] of the man pain thee.

  Well, then, cook now for him the food and place it at his head."

  And while Gilgamesh slept on board of his ship,

  she cooked the food to place it at his head.

  And while he slept on board of his ship,

  firstly, his food was prepared;

  secondly, it was peeled;

  thirdly, it was moistened;

  fourthly, his food was cleaned;

  fifthly, shiba [i. e., old age] was added;

  sixthly, it was cooked;

  seventhly, of a sudden the man was transformed, having eaten of the magic food.

  Then spoke Gilgamesh, and said unto Utnapishtim, the distant:

  "I had sunk down, and sleep had befallen me.

  Of a sudden thou didst charm me, and thus help me.

  And Utnapishtim said unto Gilgamesh:”

  "* * * Gilgamesh partake of thy food.

  * * * shall be told unto thee:

  firstly, thy food was prepared;

  secondly, it was peeled;

  thirdly, it was moistened;

  fourthly, thy food was cleaned;

  fifthly, shipa was added;

  sixthly, it was cooked;

  seventhly, I transformed thee suddenly,

  and thou didst eat of the magic food."

  And Gilgamesh said unto Utnapishtim, the distant:

  "What shall I do, Utnapishtim? whither shall I go?

  The demon [of th
e dead] has seized my [friend].

  Upon my couch death now sits.

  And where my * * * there is death."

  And Utnapishtim said to Urshabani, the ferryman:

  "Urshabani, thou * * * at thy side, let the boat carry thee;

  whosoever attempts to board [the ship] exclude him from it.

  The man, before whom thou goest,

  has his body covered with sores,

  and the eruption of his skin has altered the beauty of his body.

  Take him, Urshabani, and bring him to the place of purification,

  where he can wash his sores in water that they may become white as snow;

  Let him cast off his [sore] skin and the sea will carry it away;

  His body shall then appear well [and healthy];

  Let the turban also be replaced on his head,

  and the garment that covers his nakedness.

  Until he returns to his city,

  until he arrives at his road.

  The garment shall not shed [hair], it shall remain entirely new."

  And Urshabani took him and brought him to the place of purification,

  where he washed his sores in water so that they became white as snow;

  he cast off his [sore] skin and the sea carried it away;

  his body appeared well [and healthy] again;

  He replaced also the turban on his head;

  and the garment that covered his nakedness;

  until he should return to his city;

  until he should arrive at his road;

  [the garment did not shed hair], it remained entirely new.

  Then Gilgamesh and Urshabani embarked again,

  and during their journey the ship tossed to and fro.

  After Gilgamesh and Urshabani had returned from the place of purification:

  The wife of Utnapishtim spoke unto her husband, the distant, [saying]:

  "Gilgamesh did go away, labored, and has pulled [the oar].

  What now wilt thou do [or give], that he may return to his country?"

  And Gilgamesh lifted up the pole, and drew the boat nearer to the shore.

  Then Utnapishtim spoke unto Gilgamesh [and said]:

  "Gilgamesh, thou didst go away, didst labor and pull [the oar].

  What now shall I give thee, that thou mayest return to thy country?

  I will reveal unto thee, Gilgamesh, a mystery,

  and [the decision of the gods] I will announce unto thee.

  There is a plant resembling buckthorn, its thorn stings like that of a bramble.

  When thy hands can reach that plant * * *

  When Gilgamesh had heard this he opened the * * *

  bound heavy stones [to his feet],

  which dragged him down to the sea [and thus he found the plant].

  Then he grasped the [magic] plant.

  He removed [from his feet] the heavy stones [and one fell down],

  and a second he threw down to the [first].

  And Gilgamesh said unto Urshabani, the ferryman:

  "Urshabani, this plant is a plant of great renown [or transformation];

  and what man desires in his heart, he obtains.

  I will take it to Uruk the strong-walled, I will nurse [plant] it there and then cut it off.

  Its name is: 'Even an old man will be rejuvenated!'

  I will eat of this and return [again] to the vigor of my youth."

  And now they start out to return home to Uruk the strong-walled.

  Every twenty double-leagues they then took a meal:

  and every thirty double-leagues they took a rest.

  And Gilgamesh saw a well wherein was cool [and refreshing] water;

  He stepped into it and poured out some water.

  A [demon in the shape of a] serpent darted out; the plant slipped [away from his hands];

  he came [out of the well], and took the plant away,

  and as he turned back, he uttered a curse.

  And after this Gilgamesh sat down and wept.

  Tears flowed down his cheeks,

  and he said unto Urshabani, the ferryman:

  "Why, Urshabani, did my hands tremble?

  Why did the blood of my heart stand still?

  Not on myself did I bestow any benefit.

  On the ground-lion this benefit has been bestowed.

  After a journey of only twenty double-leagues the plant has been snatched away,

  As I opened the well, and lowered the vessel.

  I see the sign, that has become an omen to me. I am to return,

  leaving the ship on the shore."

  Then they continued to take a meal every twenty double-leagues,

  and every thirty double-leagues they took a rest,

  until they arrived at Uruk the strong-walled.

  Gilgamesh then spoke to Urshabani, the ferryman, [and said]:

  "Urshabani, ascend and walk about on the wall of Uruk,

  Inspect the corner-stone, and examine its brick-work,

  whether its wall is not made of burned brick, and its foundation [overlaid with] pitch.

  'Sevenfold is thy name.’

  Tablet XII

  H Gilgamesh, after his return from this long journey, continued to lament over the loss of his friend Enkidu. Addressing him, though absent, he said:

  "To a temple [thou goest no more]

  white garments [thou puttest on no more].

  Like an ordinary mortal thou art fallen.

  With sweet-smelling bull's fat dost thou no more anoint thyself,

  and people no more gather around thee on account of this sweet odor.

  The bow no longer dost thou stretch upon the ground;

  and those that were slain with the bow now are round about thee.

  The staff no longer dost thou carry in thy hand;

  The spirits of death have taken thee captive.

  Sandals no longer dost thou tie to thy feet;

  A (war) cry no longer dost thou shout here on earth;

  Thy wife whom thou lovedst, no longer dost thou kiss;

  Thy wife whom thou hatedst, no longer dost thou smite.

  Thy son whom thou lovedst, no longer dost thou kiss;

  Thy son whom thou hatedst, no longer dost thou smite.

  The woes of the netherworld have overtaken thee; as well as

  she that is dark, she that is dark, mother Nin-azu, who is dark,

  whose white, shining body is not clothed with a garment,

  whose breast like the bowl [lid] of a case [is not * * *]."

  Gilgamesh goes alone into the temple of the god Ningul, and laments over the loss of his friend in similar words:

  "His wife whom he loved, no longer does he kiss;

  His wife whom he hated, no longer does he smite;

  His son whom he loved, no longer does he kiss;

  His son whom he hated, no longer does he smite.

  The woes of earth have snatched him away, and

  she that is dark, she that is dark, mother Nin-azu, who is dark,

  whose white, shining body is not clothed with a garment,

  whose breast like the bowl [lid] of a box [is not * * *].

  Enkidu has [gone down] from earth into [darkness]

  pestilence has not snatched him away, consumption has not snatched him away;

  earth has snatched him away.

  The lurking demon of Nergal, the merciless, has not snatched him away,

  earth has snatched him away.

  The battlefield has not slain him; earth has snatched him away."

  [While Gilgamesh spoke thus] Ningul wept for his servant Enkidu.

  Then Gilgamesh went alone to E-kur the Temple of Bel [Marduk] [and prayed]:

  "Father Bel, the sting of a fly has cast me down upon the ground;

  Insects have brought me low to the ground.

  Enkidu [has sunk down] to the shades;

  Pestilence has not snatched him away, etc. * * *

  The lurking demon of Nergal, the merciless [has not
snatched him away].

  The battlefield has not slain him."

  But father Bel could not help him.

  In his sorrow, Gilgamesh addresses himself then to the Moon-god, saying:

  "Father Sin, the sting of a fly has cast me down upon the ground;

  Insects have brought me low to the ground.

  Enkidu [has sunk down] to the shades;

  Pestilence has not snatched him away, etc.

  The lurking demon of Nergal, the merciless [has not snatched him away]."

  [But Sin also could not do anything for Gilgamesh, nor could Ea, to whom he appealed with the same lament. But Ea besought Nergal, the god of the dead, the "hero and lord" [saying]:]

  "Break open the chamber of the grave [and open the ground],

  that the spirit of Enkidu, like a wind,

  may rise out of the ground."

  When Nergal, the hero and lord, heard this prayer,

  He broke open the chamber of the grave and opened the ground;

  and caused the spirit of Enkidu to rise out of the ground, like a wind.

  A dialogue between Gilgamesh and Enkidu; the former asking his friend to describe unto him the netherworld:

  "Tell me, my friend, O tell me, my friend;

  the appearance [looks] of the land, which thou hast seen, O tell me!"

  But Enkidu replied:

  "I can not tell thee, my friend, I can not tell thee.

  If I would describe to thee the appearance of the land that I have seen,

  [surely, Gilgamesh, thou wouldst?] sit down and weep."

  [And Gilgamesh said unto him?]: "Then let me sit down and weep!

  [Bitter and sad] is all that formerly gladdened thy heart.

  [All is there] like an old garment that the worm does eat.

  What thou hast done [while in this life], what formerly gladdened thy heart.

  [All is gone?] is cloaked in dust.'

  Close of the whole epic, with Enkidu's description of the joys awaiting the hero slain in battle and having received due burial; and bewailing the unhappy, miserable lot of the man to whom are denied the last burial rites; the important lesson for all readers of the poem being,

  "Take good care of your dead." He is properly cared for who

  rests on a soft couch, and drinks pure water; the hero slain in battle

  Thou and I have often seen such an one

  His father and mother support his head,

  and his wife [kneels] at his side.

  Yea! the spirit of such a man is at rest.