| I will lead you to Gilgamesh--I know where he will be. Look about, Enkidu, inside Uruk-Haven, where the people show off in skirted finery, where every day is a day for some festival, where the lyre(?) and drum play continually, where harlots stand about prettily, exuding voluptuousness, full of laughter and on the couch of night the sheets are spread(!)." Enkidu, you who do not know, how to live, I will show you Gilgamesh, a man of extreme feelings(!). Look at him, gaze at his face-- he is a handsome youth, with freshness(!), his entire body exudes voluptuousness He has mightier strength than you, without sleeping day or night! Enkidu, it is your wrong thoughts you must change! It is Gilgamesh whom Shamhat loves, and Anu, Enlil, and La have enlarged his mind." Even before you came from the mountain Gilgamesh in Uruk had dreams about you." … At this point, it seems Gilgamesh, the mighty strong man, who is so handsome and impressive, has at least one lover, this harlot Shamhat, and not only is she willing to seduce a hairy wildman for her lover Gilgamesh, she sounds like she is trying to entice him into a threesome. Enkidu goes to the land or Uruk and Gilgamesh is picking a bride and Enkidu blocks the path, grapples with Gilgamesh and eventually they “kiss and become friends.” The next lines explain how Gilgamesh gave Enkidu his first task at helping him change the order of things: Enkidu made a declaration to (Gilgamesh'). [32 lines are missing here.] “in order to protect the Cedar Forest Enlil assigned (Humbaba) as a terror to human beings, Humbaba's roar is a Flood, his mouth is Fire, and his breath is Death! He can hear 100 leagues away any rustling (?) in his forest! Who would go down into his forest! … Gilgamesh and Enkidu walked to the Egalmah ("Great Palace"), to Ninsun, the Great Queen. Gilgamesh proceeds to address Ninsun and tells her what he must do now by eradicating Humbaba: until I reach the Cedar Forest, until I kill Humbaba the Terrible, and eradicate from the land something baneful that Shamash hates, If I kill Humbaba and cut his Cedar let there be rejoicing all over the land, …is not the wild bull? He is totally different? |
While on their journey, Gilgamesh has a dream in which he is grappling with the “wild bull of the wilderness” and Enkidu must console him: "My friend, the god to whom we go is not the wild bull? He is totally different? The wild bull that you saw is Shamash, the protector, in difficulties he holds our hand. …” Then they saw the Cedar Mountain, the Dwelling of the Gods, the throne dais of Imini. Across the face of the mountain the Cedar brought forth luxurious foliage, its shade was good, extremely pleasant. ..Suddenly the swords...,and after the sheaths ...,the axes were smeared...dagger and sword... Enkidu spoke to Humbaba, saying: ‘A slippery path is not feared by two people who help each other. Humbaba spoke to Gilgamesh, saying: ‘An idiot’ and a moron should give advice to each other, but you, Gilgamesh, why have you come to me! Give advice, Enkidu, you ‘son of a fish’, who does not even know his own father, I would feed your flesh to the screeching vulture, the eagle, and the vulture!” Gilgamesh spoke to Enkidu, saying: “My Friend, Humbaba's face keeps changing!’ … (It sounds like Gilgamesh is starting to lose his mind here or at least he’s hallucinating at this point.) Shamash raised up against Humbaba mighty tempests'-- thirteen winds rose up against him and covered Humbaba's face. Humbaba now begins to beg for mercy to Enkidu… But you are sitting there like a shepherd... and like a 'hireling of his mouth.' Now, Enkidu, clemency is up to you. Speak to Gilgamesh that he spare my life!" Enkidu spoke to Gilgamesh, saying: "My friend, Humbaba, Guardian of the Forest, grind up, kill, pulverize(?), and destroy him! They tied together a raft... Enkidu steered it... while Gilgamesh held the head of Humbaba… (A little bit later on….) When Gilgamesh placed his crown on his head, a princess Ishtar raised her eyes to the beauty of Gilgamesh. “Come along, Gilgamesh, be you my husband, to me grant your lusciousness.” Be you my husband, and I will be your wife. I will have harnessed for you a chariot of lapis lazuli and gold, with wheels of gold and 'horns' of electrum(?) It will be harnessed with great storming mountain mules! Come into our house, with the fragrance of cedar. Gilgamesh addressed Princess Ishtar saying: "What would I have to give you if I married you! Do you need oil or garments for your body! Do you lack anything for food or drink! |