the second dream. The point is of importance as showing that in the
Babylonian version the first dream lays stress upon the omen of
the falling meteor, as symbolizing the coming of Enkidu, whereas
the second dream more specifically reveals Enkidu as a man, [131]
of whom Gilgamesh is instantly enamored. Strikingly variant lines,
though conveying the same idea, are frequent. Thus line 14 of the
Babylonian version reads
"I bore it and carried it to thee"
and appears in the Assyrian version (I, 5, 35_b_ supplied from 6, 26)
"I threw it (or him) at thy feet" [132]
with an additional line in elaboration
"Thou didst bring him into contact with me" [133]
which anticipates the speech of the mother
(Line 41 = Assyrian version I, 6, 33).
Line 10 of the Pennsylvania tablet has _pa-hi-ir_ as against _iz-za-az_
I, 5, 31.
Line 8 has _ik-ta-bi-it_ as against _da-an_ in the Assyrian version I,
5, 29.
More significant is the variant to line 9
"I became weak and its weight I could not bear"
as against I, 5, 30.
"Its strength was overpowering, [134] and I could not endure
its weight."
The important lines 31-36 are not found in the Assyrian version,
with the exception of I, 6, 27, which corresponds to lines 33-34,
but this lack of correspondence is probably due to the fact that the
Assyrian version represents the anticipation of the dreams which,
as already suggested, might well omit some details. As against this
we have in the Assyrian version I, 6, 23-25, an elaboration of line
30 in the Pennsylvania tablet and taken over from the recital of
the first dream. Through the Assyrian version I, 6, 31-32, we can
restore the closing lines of column I of the Pennsylvania tablet,
while with line 33 = line 45 of the Pennsylvania tablet, the parallel
between the two versions comes to an end. Lines 34-43 of the Assyrian
version (bringing tablet I to a close) [135] represent an elaboration
of the speech of Ninsun, followed by a further address of Gilgamesh
to his mother, and by the determination of Gilgamesh to seek out
Enkidu. [136] Nothing of this sort appears to have been included in
the old Babylonian version.Our text proceeds with the scene between
Enkidu and the woman, in which the latter by her charms and her appeal
endeavors to lead Enkidu away from his life with the animals. From
the abrupt manner in which the scene is introduced in line 43 of the
Pennsylvania tablet, it is evident that this cannot be the _first_
mention of the woman. The meeting must have been recounted in the
first tablet, as is the case in the Assyrian version. [137] The second
tablet takes up the direct recital of the dreams of Gilgamesh and
then continues the narrative. Whether in the old Babylonian version
the scene between Enkidu and the woman was described with the same
naïve details, as in the Assyrian version, of the sexual intercourse
between the two for six days and seven nights cannot of course be
determined, though presumably the Assyrian version, with the tendency
of epics to become more elaborate as they pass from age to age, added
some realistic touches. Assuming that lines 44-63 of the Pennsylvania
tablet--the cohabitation of Enkidu and the address of the woman--is
a repetition of what was already described in the first tablet, the
comparison with the Assyrian version I, 4, 16-41, not only points to
the elaboration of the later version, but likewise to an independent
recension, even where parallel lines can be picked out. Only lines
46-48 of the Pennsylvania tablet form a complete parallel to line 21
of column 4 of the Assyrian version. The description in lines 22-32
of column 4 is missing, though it may, of course, have been included
in part in the recital in the first tablet of the old Babylonian
version. Lines 49-59 of the Pennsylvania tablet are covered by 33-39,
the only slight difference being the specific mention in line 58 of
the Pennsylvania tablet of Eanna, the temple in Erech, described as
"the dwelling of Anu," whereas in the Assyrian version Eanna is merely
referred to as the "holy house" and described as "the dwelling of
Anu and Ishtar," where Ishtar is clearly a later addition.
Leaving aside lines 60-61, which may be merely a variant (though
independent) of line 39 of column 4 of the Assyrian version, we now
have in the Pennsylvania tablet a second speech of the woman to Enkidu
(not represented in the Assyrian version) beginning like the first
one with _alka_, "Come" (lines 62-63), in which she asks Enkidu to
leave the "accursed ground" in which he dwells. This speech, as the
description which follows, extending into columns 3-4, and telling how
the woman clothed Enkidu, how she brought him to the sheep folds, how
she taught him to eat bread and to drink wine, and how she instructed
him in the ways of civilization, must have been included in the second
tablet of the Assyrian version which has come down to us in a very
imperfect form. Nor is the scene in which Enkidu and Gilgamesh have
their encounter found in the preserved portions of the second (or
possibly the third) tablet of the Assyrian version, but only a brief
reference to it in the fourth tablet, [138] in which in Epic style the
story is repeated, leading up to the second exploit--the joint campaign
of Enkidu and Gilgamesh against Huwawa. This reference, covering only
seven lines, corresponds to lines 192-231 of the Pennsylvania tablet;
but the former being the repetition and the latter the original
recital, the comparison to be instituted merely reveals again the
independence of the Assyrian version, as shown in the use of _kibsu_,
"tread" (IV, 2, 46), for _sêpu_, "foot" (l. 216), _i-na-us_, "quake"
(line 5C), as against _ir-tu-tu_ (ll. 221 and 226).
Such variants as
_d_Gish êribam ûl iddin (l. 217)
against
_d_Gilgamesh ana surûbi ûl namdin, (IV, 2, 47).
and again
_issabtûma kima lîm_ "they grappled at the gate of the family
house" (IV, 2, 48),
against
_issabtûma ina bâb bît emuti_, "they grappled at the gate of
the family house" (IV, 2, 48),
all point once more to the literary independence of the Assyrian
version. The end of the conflict and the reconciliation of the two
heroes is likewise missing in the Assyrian version. It may have been
referred to at the beginning of column 3 [139] of Tablet IV.
Coming to the Yale tablet, the few passages in which a comparison may
be instituted with the fourth tablet of the Assyrian version, to which
in a general way it must correspond, are not sufficient to warrant any
conclusions, beyond the confirmation of the literary independence of
the Assyrian version. The section comprised within lines 72-89, where
Enkidu's grief at his friend's decision to fight Huwawa is described
[140], and he makes confession of his own physical exhaustion, _may_
correspond to Tablet IV, column 4, of the Assyrian version. This
would fit in with the beginning of the reverse, the first two lines
of which (136-137) correspond to column 5 of the fourth tablet of the
Assyrian version, with a variation "seven-fold fear" [141] as against
"fear of men" in the Assyrian version. If lines 138-139 (in column
4) of the Yale tablet correspond to line 7 of column 5 of Tablet IV
of the Assyrian version, we would again have an illustration of the
elaboration of the later version by the addition of lines 3-6. But
beyond this we have merely the comparison of the description of Huwawa
"Whose roar is a flood, whose mouth is fire, and whose breath
is death"
which occurs twice in the Yale tablet (lines 110-111 and 196-197),
with the same phrase in the Assyrian version Tablet IV, 5, 3--but here,
as just pointed out, with an elaboration.
Practically, therefore, the entire Yale tablet represents an addition
to our knowledge of the Huwawa episode, and until we are fortunate
enough to discover more fragments of the fourth tablet of the Assyrian
version, we must content ourselves with the conclusions reached from
a comparison of the Pennsylvania tablet with the parallels in the
Assyrian version.
It may be noted as a general point of resemblance in the exterior form
of the old Babylonian and Assyrian versions that both were inscribed
on tablets containing six columns, three on the obverse and three on
the reverse; and that the length of the tablets--an average of 40 to
50 lines--was about the same, thus revealing in the external form
a conventiona1 size for the tablets in the older period, which was
carried over into later times.
PENNSYLVANIA TABLET
The 240 lines of the six columns of the text are enumerated in
succession, with an indication on the margin where a new column
begins. This method, followed also in the case of the Yale tablet,
seems preferable to Langdon's breaking up of the text into Obverse and
Reverse, with a separate enumeration for each of the six columns. In
order, however, to facilitate a comparison with Langdon's edition,
a table is added:
Obverse Col. I, 1 = Line 1 of our text.
,, I, 5 = ,, 5 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 10 = ,, 10 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 15 = ,, 15 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 20 = ,, 20 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 25 = ,, 25 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 30 = ,, 30 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 35 = ,, 35 ,, ,, ,,
Col. II, 1 = Line 41 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 5 = ,, 45 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 10 = ,, 50 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 15 = ,, 55 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 20 = ,, 60 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 25 = ,, 65 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 30 = ,, 70 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 35 = ,, 75 ,, ,, ,,
Col. III, 1 = Line 81 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 5 = ,, 85 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 10 = ,, 90 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 15 = ,, 95 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 26 = ,, 100 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 25 = ,, 105 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 30 = ,, 110 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 35 = ,, 115 ,, ,, ,,
Reverse Col. I, 1 (= Col. IV) = Line 131 of our text.
,, I, 5 = ,, 135 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 10 = ,, 140 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 15 = ,, 145 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 20 = ,, 150 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 25 = ,, 155 ,, ,, ,,
,, I, 30 = ,, 160 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 1 (= Col. V) = Line 171 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 5 = ,, 175 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 10 = ,, 180 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 15 = ,, 185 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 20 = ,, 190 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 25 = ,, 195 ,, ,, ,,
,, II, 30 = ,, 200 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 1 (= Col. VI) = Line 208 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 5 = ,, 212 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 10 = ,, 217 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 15 = ,, 222 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 20 = ,, 227 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 25 = ,, 232 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 30 = ,, 237 ,, ,, ,,
,, III, 33 = ,, 240 ,, ,, ,,
PENNSYLVANIA TABLET.
TRANSLITERATION.
Col. I.
it-bi-e-ma dGis sú-na-tam i-pa-ás-sar
iz-za-kàr-am a-na um-mi-sú
um-mi i-na sá-at mu-si-ti-ia
sá-am-ha-ku-ma at-ta-na-al-la-ak
i-na bi-ri-it it-lu-tim
ib-ba-sú-nim-ma ka-ka-bu sá-ma-i
[ki]-is-rù sá A-nim im-ku-ut a-na si-ri-ia
ás-si-sú-ma ik-ta-bi-it e-li-ia
ú-ni-is-sú-ma nu-us-sá-sú ú-ul il-ti-'i
Urukki ma-tum pa-hi-ir e-li-sú
it-lu-tum ú-na-sá-ku si-pi-sú
ú-um-mi-id-ma pu-ti
i-mi-du ia-ti
ás-si-a-sú-ma ab-ba-la-ás-sú a-na si-ri-ki
um-mi dGis mu-di-a-at ka-la-ma
iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGis
mi-in-di dGis sá ki-ma ka-ti
i-na si-ri i-wa-li-id-ma
ú-ra-ab-bi-sú sá-du-ú
ta-mar-sú-ma [kima Sal(?)] ta-ha-du at-ta
it-lu-tum ú-na-sá-ku si-pi-sú
tí-it-ti-ra-ás-[sú tu-ut]-tu-ú-ma
ta-tar-ra-[as-su] a-na si-[ri]-ia
[us]-ti-nim-ma i-ta-mar sá-ni-tam
[sú-na]-ta i-ta-wa-a-am a-na um-mi-sú
[um-mi] a-ta-mar sá-ni-tam
[sú-na-tu a-ta]-mar e-mi-a i-na su-ki-im
[sá Uruk]ki ri-bi-tim
ha-as-si-nu na-di-i-ma
e-li-sú pa-ah-ru
ha-as-si-nu-um-ma sá-ni bu-nu-sú
a-mur-sú-ma ah-ta-du a-na-ku
a-ra-am-sú-ma ki-ma ás-sá-tim
a-ha-ab-bu-ub el-sú
el-ki-sú-ma ás-ta-ka-an-sú
a-na a-hi-ia
um-mi dGis mu-da-at [ka]-la-ma
[iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGis]
[dGis sá ta-mu-ru amêlu]
[ta-ha-ab-bu-ub ki-ma ás-sá-tim el-sú]
Col. II.
ás-sum us-[ta]-ma-ha-ru it-ti-ka
dGis sú-na-tam i-pa-sar
dEn-ki-[du wa]-si-ib ma-har ha-ri-im-tim
ur-[sá ir]-ha-mu di-da-sá(?) ip-tí-[e]
[dEn-ki]-du im-ta-si a-sar i-wa-al-du
ûm, 6 ù 7 mu-si-a-tim
dEn-[ki-du] ti-bi-i-ma
sá-[am-ka-ta] ir-hi
ha-[ri-im-tum pa-a]-sá i-pu-sá-am-ma
iz-za-[kàr-am] a-na dEn-ki-du
a-na-tal-ka dEn-ki-du ki-ma ili ta-ba-ás-si
am-mi-nim it-ti na-ma-ás-te-e
ta-at-ta-[na-al]-ak si-ra-am
al-kam lu-úr-di-ka
a-na libbi [Urukki] ri-bi-tim
a-na bît [el]-lim mu-sá-bi sá A-nim
dEn-ki-du ti-bi lu-ru-ka
a-na Ê-[an]-na mu-sá-bi sá A-nim
a-sar [dGis gi]-it-ma-[lu] ne-pi-si-tim
ù at-[ta] ki-[ma Sal ta-ha]-bu-[ub]-sú
ta-[ra-am-sú ki-ma] ra-ma-an-ka
al-ka ti-ba i-[na] ga-ag-ga-ri
ma-a-ag-ri-i-im
is-me a-wa-as-sa im-ta-har ga-ba-sá
mi-il-[kum] sá assatim
im-ta-ku-ut a-na libbi-sú
is-hu-ut li-ib-sá-am
is-ti-nam ú-la-ab-bi-is-sú
li-ib-[sá-am] sá-ni-a-am
si-i it-ta-al-ba-ás
sa-ab-tat ga-as-su
ki-ma [ili] i-ri-id-di-sú
a-na gu-up-ri sá-ri-i-im
a-sar tar-ba-si-im
i-na [ás]-ri-sú [im]-hu-ruri-ia-ú
[ù sú-u dEn-ki-du i-lit-ta-sú sá-du-um-ma]
[it-ti sabâti-ma ik-ka-la sam-ma]
[it-ti bu-lim mas-ka-a i-sat-ti]
[it-ti na-ma-ás-te-e mê i-tab lib-ba-sú]
(Perhaps one additional line missing.)
Col. III.
si-iz-ba sá na-ma-ás-te-e
i-te-en-ni-ik
a-ka-lam is-ku-nu ma-har-sú
ib-tí-ik-ma i-na-at-tal
ù ip-pa-al-la-as
ú-ul i-di dEn-ki-du
aklam a-na a-ka-lim
sikaram a-na sá-te-e-im
la-a lum-mu-ud
ha-ri-im-tum pi-sá i-pu-sá-am-ma
iz-za-kàr-am a-na dEn-ki-du
a-ku-ul ak-lam dEn-ki-du
zi-ma-at ba-la-ti-im
sikaram si-ti si-im-ti ma-ti
i-ku-ul a-ak-lam dEn-ki-du
a-di si-bi-e-sú
sikaram is-ti-a-am
7 as-sa-am-mi-im
it-tap-sar kab-ta-tum i-na-an-gu
i-li-is libba-sú-ma
pa-nu-sú [it]-tam-ru
ul-tap-pi-it [lùSÚ]-I
sú-hu-ra-am pa-ga-ar-sú
sá-am-nam ip-ta-sá-ás-ma
a-we-li-is i-we
il-ba-ás li-ib-sá-am
ki-ma mu-ti i-ba-ás-si
il-ki ka-ak-ka-sú
la-bi ú-gi-ir-ri
us-sa-ak-pu re'ûti mu-si-a-tim
ut-tap-pi-is sib-ba-ri
la-bi uk-ta-si-id
it-ti-[lu] na-ki-[di-e] ra-bu-tum
dEn-ki-du ma-as-sa-ar-sú-nu
a-we-lum gis-ru-um
is-te-en it-lum
a-na [na-ki-di-e(?) i]-za-ak-ki-ir
(About five lines missing.)
Col. IV.
(About eight lines missing.)
i-ip-pu-us ul-sa-am
is-si-ma i-ni-i-sú
i-ta-mar a-we-lam
iz-za-kàr-am a-na harimtim
sá-am-ka-at uk-ki-si a-we-lam
a-na mi-nim il-li-kam
zi-ki-ir-sú lu-us-sú
ha-ri-im-tum is-ta-si a-we-lam
i-ba-us-su-um-ma i-ta-mar-sú
e-di-il e-es ta-hi-[il-la]-am
lim-nu a-la-ku ma-na-ah-[ti]-ka
e-pi-sú i-pu-sá-am-ma
iz-za-kàr-am a-na dEn-[ki-du]
bi-ti-is e-mu-tim ik ......
si-ma-a-at ni-si-i-ma
tu-a-(?)-ar e-lu-tim
a-na âli(?) dup-sak-ki-i e-si-en
uk-la-at âli(?) e-mi-sa a-a-ha-tim
a-na sarri sá Urukki ri-bi-tim
pi-ti pu-uk episi(-si) a-na ha-a-a-ri
a-na dGis sarri sá Urukki ri-bi-tim
pi-ti pu-uk episi(-si)
a-na ha-a-a-ri
ás-sa-at si-ma-tim i-ra-ah-hi
sú-ú pa-na-nu-um-ma
mu-uk wa-ar-ka-nu
i-na mi-il-ki sá ili ga-bi-ma
i-na bi-ti-ik a-bu-un-na-ti-sú
si-ma-as-su
a-na zi-ik-ri it-li-im
i-ri-ku pa-nu-sú
(About three lines missing.)
Col. V.
(About six lines missing.)
i-il-la-ak [dEn-ki-du i-na pa-ni]
u-sá-am-ka-at [wa]-ar-ki-sú
i-ru-ub-ma a-na libbi Urukki ri-bi-tim
ip-hur um-ma-nu-um i-na si-ri-sú
iz-zi-za-am-ma i-na su-ki-im
sá Urukki ri-bi-tim
pa-ah-ra-a-ma ni-sú
i-ta-wa-a i-na si-ri-sú
a-na salam dGis ma-si-il pi-it-tam
la-nam sá-pi-il
si-ma .... [sá-ki-i pu]-uk-ku-ul
............. i-pa-ka-du
i-[na mâti da-an e-mu]-ki i-wa
si-iz-ba sá na-ma-as-te-e
i-te-en-ni-ik
ka-a-a-na i-na [libbi] Urukki kak-ki-a-tum
it-lu-tum ú-te-el-li-lu
sá-ki-in ur-sá-nu
a-na itli sá i-sá-ru zi-mu-sú
a-na dGis ki-ma i-li-im
sá-ki-is-sum me-ih-rù
a-na dIs-ha-ra ma-a-a-lum
na-di-i-ma
dGis it-[ti-il-ma wa-ar-ka-tim]
i-na mu-si in-ni-[ib-bi]-it
i-na-ag-sá-am-ma
it-ta-[zi-iz dEn-ki-du] i-na sûkim
ip-ta-ra-[as a-la]-ak-tam
sá dGis
[a-na e-pi-is] da-na-ni-is-sú
(About three lines missing.)
Col. VI.
(About four lines missing.)
sar(?)-ha
dGis ...
i-na si-ri-[sú il-li-ka-am dEn-ki-du]
i-ha-an-ni-ib [pi-ir-ta-sú]
it-bi-ma [il-li-ik]
a-na pa-ni-sú
it-tam-ha-ru i-na ri-bi-tum ma-ti
dEn-ki-du ba-ba-am ip-ta-ri-ik
i-na si-pi-sú
dGis e-ri-ba-am ú-ul id-di-in
is-sa-ab-tu-ma ki-ma li-i-im
i-lu-du
zi-ip-pa-am 'i-bu-tu
i-ga-rum ir-tu-tu
dGis ù dEn-ki-du
is-sa-ab-tu-ú-ma
ki-ma li-i-im i-lu-du
zi-ip-pa-am 'i-bu-tu
i-ga-rum ir-tu-tú
ik-mi-is-ma dGis
i-na ga-ag-ga-ri si-ip-sú
ip-si-ih uz-za-sú-ma
i-ni-ih i-ra-as-su
is-tu i-ra-su i-ni-hu
dEn-ki-du a-na sá-si-im
iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGis
ki-ma is-te-en-ma um-ma-ka
ú-li-id-ka
ri-im-tum sá su-pu-ri
dNin-sun-na
ul-lu e-li mu-ti ri-es-ka
sar-ru-tú sá ni-si
i-si-im-kum dEn-lil
duppu 2 kam-ma
sú-tu-ur e-li .....................
4 sú-si
TRANSLATION.
Col. I.
Gish sought to interpret the dream;
Spoke to his mother:
"My mother, during my night
I became strong and moved about
among the heroes;
And from the starry heaven
A meteor(?) of Anu fell upon me:
I bore it and it grew heavy upon me,
I became weak and its weight I could not endure.
The land of Erech gathered about it.
The heroes kissed its feet. [142]
It was raised up before me.
They stood me up. [143]
I bore it and carried it to thee."
The mother of Gish, who knows all things,
Spoke to Gish:
"Some one, O Gish, who like thee
In the field was born and
Whom the mountain has reared,
Thou wilt see (him) and [like a woman(?)] thou wilt rejoice.
Heroes will kiss his feet.
Thou wilt spare [him and wilt endeavor]
To lead him to me."
He slept and saw another
Dream, which he reported to his mother:
["My mother,] I have seen another
[Dream.] My likeness I have seen in the streets
[Of Erech] of the plazas.
An axe was brandished, and
They gathered about him;
And the axe made him angry.
I saw him and I rejoiced,
I loved him as a woman,
I embraced him.
I took him and regarded him
As my brother."
The mother of Gish, who knows all things,
[Spoke to Gish]:
["O Gish, the man whom thou sawest,]
[Whom thou didst embrace like a woman].
Col II.
(means) that he is to be associated with thee."
Gish understood the dream.
[As] Enki[du] was sitting before the woman,
[Her] loins(?) he embraced, her vagina(?) he opened.
[Enkidu] forgot the place where he was born.
Six days and seven nights
Enkidu continued
To cohabit with [the courtesan].
[The woman] opened her [mouth] and
Spoke to Enkidu:
"I gaze upon thee, O Enkidu, like a god art thou!
Why with the cattle
Dost thou [roam] across the field?
Come, let me lead thee
into [Erech] of the plazas,
to the holy house, the dwelling of Anu,
O, Enkidu arise, let me conduct thee
To Eanna, the dwelling of Anu,
The place [where Gish is, perfect] in vitality.
And thou [like a wife wilt embrace] him.
Thou [wilt love him like] thyself.
Come, arise from the ground
(that is) cursed."
He heard her word and accepted her speech.
The counsel of the woman
Entered his heart.
She stripped off a garment,
Clothed him with one.
Another garment
She kept on herself.
She took hold of his hand.
Like [a god(?)] she brought him
To the fertile meadow,
The place of the sheepfolds.
In that place they received food;
[For he, Enkidu, whose birthplace was the mountain,]
[With the gazelles he was accustomed to eat herbs,]
[With the cattle to drink water,]
[With the water beings he was happy.]
(Perhaps one additional line missing.)
Col. III.
Milk of the cattle
He was accustomed to suck.
Food they placed before him,
He broke (it) off and looked
And gazed.
Enkidu had not known
To eat food.
To drink wine
He had not been taught.
The woman opened her mouth and
Spoke to Enkidu:
"Eat food, O Enkidu,
The provender of life!
Drink wine, the custom of the land!"
Enkidu ate food
Till he was satiated.
Wine he drank,
Seven goblets.
His spirit was loosened, he became hilarious.
His heart became glad and
His face shone.
[The barber(?)] removed
The hair on his body.
He was anointed with oil.
He became manlike.
He put on a garment,
He was like a man.
He took his weapon;
Lions he attacked,
(so that) the night shepherds could rest.
He plunged the dagger;
Lions he overcame.
The great [shepherds] lay down;
Enkidu was their protector.
The strong man,
The unique hero,
To [the shepherds(?)] he speaks:
(About five lines missing.)
Col. IV.
(About eight lines missing.)
Making merry.
He lifted up his eyes,
He sees the man.
He spoke to the woman:
"O, courtesan, lure on the man.
Why has he come to me?
His name I will destroy."
The woman called to the man
Who approaches to him [144] and he beholds him.
"Away! why dost thou [quake(?)]
Evil is the course of thy activity." [145]
Then he [146] opened his mouth and
Spoke to Enkidu:
"[To have (?)] a family home
Is the destiny of men, and
The prerogative(?) of the nobles.
For the city(?) load the workbaskets!
Food supply for the city lay to one side!
For the King of Erech of the plazas,
Open the hymen(?), perform the marriage act!
For Gish, the King of Erech of the plazas,
Open the hymen(?),
Perform the marriage act!
With the legitimate wife one should cohabit.
So before,
As well as in the future. [147]
By the decree pronounced by a god,
From the cutting of his umbilical cord
(Such) is his fate."
At the speech of the hero
His face grew pale.
(About three lines missing.)
Col. V.
(About six lines missing.)
[Enkidu] went [in front],
And the courtesan behind him.
He entered into Erech of the plazas.
The people gathered about him.
As he stood in the streets
Of Erech of the plazas,
The men gathered,
Saying in regard to him:
"Like the form of Gish he has suddenly become;
shorter in stature.
[In his structure high(?)], powerful,
.......... overseeing(?)
In the land strong of power has he become.
Milk of cattle
He was accustomed to suck."
Steadily(?) in Erech .....
The heroes rejoiced.
He became a leader.
To the hero of fine appearance,
To Gish, like a god,
He became a rival to him. [148]
For Ishhara a couch
Was stretched, and
Gish [lay down, and afterwards(?)]
In the night he fled.
He approaches and
[Enkidu stood] in the streets.
He blocked the path
of Gish.
At the exhibit of his power,
(About three lines missing.)
Col. VI.
(About four lines missing.)
Strong(?) ...
Gish
Against him [Enkidu proceeded],
[His hair] luxuriant.
He started [to go]
Towards him.
They met in the plaza of the district.
Enkidu blocked the gate
With his foot,
Not permitting Gish to enter.
They seized (each other), like oxen,
They fought.
The threshold they demolished;
The wall they impaired.
Gish and Enkidu
Seized (each other).
Like oxen they fought.
The threshold they demolished;
The wall they impaired.
Gish bent
His foot to the ground, [149]
His wrath was appeased,
His breast was quieted.
When his breast was quieted,
Enkidu to him
Spoke, to Gish:
"As a unique one, thy mother
bore thee.
The wild cow of the stall, [150]
Ninsun,
Has exalted thy head above men.
Kingship over men
Enlil has decreed for thee.
Second tablet,
enlarged beyond [the original(?)].
240 lines.
COMMENTARY ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TABLET.
Line 1. The verb _tibû_ with _pasâru_ expresses the aim of Gish to
secure an interpretation for his dream. This disposes of Langdon's
note 1 on page 211 of his edition, in which he also erroneously speaks
of our text as "late." _Pasâru_ is not a variant of _zakâru_. Both
verbs occur just as here in the Assyrian version I, 5, 25.
Line 3. _ina sât musitia_, "in this my night," i.e., in the course of
this night of mine. A curious way of putting it, but the expression
occurs also in the Assyrian version, e.g., I, 5, 26 (parallel passage
to ours) and II, 4a, 14. In the Yale tablet we find, similarly,
_mu-si-it-ka_ (l. 262), "thy night," i.e., "at night to thee."
Line 5. Before Langdon put down the strange statement of Gish
"wandering about in the midst of omens" (misreading _id-da-tim _
for _it-lu-tim_), he might have asked himself the question, what it
could possibly mean. How can one walk among omens?
Line 6. _ka-ka-bu sá-ma-i_ must be taken as a compound term for
"starry heaven." The parallel passage in the Assyrian version (Tablet
I, 5, 27) has the ideograph for star, with the plural sign as a
variant. Literally, therefore, "The starry heaven (or "the stars in
heaven") was there," etc. Langdon's note 2 on page 211 rests on an
erroneous reading.
Line 7. _kisru sá Anim_, "mass of Anu," appears to be the designation
of a meteor, which might well be described as a "mass" coming from Anu,
i.e., from the god of heaven who becomes the personification of the
heavens in general. In the Assyrian version (I, 5, 28) we have _kima
ki-is-rù_, i.e., "something like a mass of heaven." Note also I, 3,
16, where in a description of Gilgamesh, his strength is said to be
"strong like a mass (i.e., a meteor) of heaven."
Line 9. For _nussasu ûl iltê_ we have a parallel in the Hebrew phrase
NLE'ETIY NS' (Isaiah 1, 14).