Gilgamesh

by Stephen Mitchell

thirds divine and one-third human, son of King Lugalbanda, who became a god, and of the goddess Ninsun,

Utnapishtim—the man who survived the Great Flood and was made immortal—

Aruru, mother of creation,

Anu, father of them

“Aruru, you are the one who created humans. Now go and create a double for Gilgamesh,

his second self, a man who equals his strength and courage, a man who equals his stormy heart. Create a new hero, let them balance each other perfectly, so that Uruk has peace.”

A...

Hair covered his body, hair grew thick on his head and hung down to his waist, like a woman’s hair. He roamed all over the wilderness, naked, far from the cities of men, ate grass with gazelles, and when he was thirsty he drank clear water from the waterholes, kneeling beside the antelope and deer.

Shamhat, one of the priestesses who give their bodies to any man, in honor of the goddess.

Shamhat, Ishtar’s priestess,

He tried to catch up, but his body was exhausted, his life-force was spent, his knees trembled, he could no longer run like an animal, as he had before. He turned back to Shamhat, and as he walked he knew that his mind had somehow grown larger, he knew things now that an animal can’t know.

in his heart he felt something stir, a longing he had never known before, the longing for a true friend.

Shamash, the sun god,

From

the moment the king’s birth-cord was cut, every girl’s hymen has belonged to him.”

‘I am the mightiest! I am the man who can make the world tremble! I am supreme!’”

They embraced and kissed. They held hands like brothers. They walked side by side. They became true friends.

Cedar Forest, where the fierce monster Humbaba lives.

“But how can any man dare to enter the Cedar Forest? It is sacred to Enlil. Hasn’t he declared its entrance forbidden,

Only the gods live forever.Our days are few in number, and whatever we achieve is a puff of wind. Why be afraid then, since sooner or later death must come?

I will kill Humbaba, the whole world will know how mighty I am. I will make a lasting name for myself, I will stamp my fame on men’s minds forever.”

When he and his dear friend Enkidu arrive, stir up strong winds against Humbaba, the south wind, the north wind, the east and the west, storm wind, gale wind, hurricane, tornado, to pin Humbaba, to paralyze his steps and make it easy for my son kill him.

“Since you must do this, I must go with you. So let us leave. Let our hearts be fearless. I will go first, since I know the way to the Cedar Forest, where Humbaba lives.”

They had traveled for just three days and nights,

Enkidu did the ritual for dreams,

Enkidu, dear friend, I have had a dream, a horrible dream. We were walking in a gorge, and when I looked up, a huge mountain loomed, so huge that we were as small as flies. Then the mountain fell

down on top of us. Dear friend, tell me, what does this mean?”

The mountain stands for Humbaba. He will fall just like that mountain.

They had traveled for just three days and nights, a six weeks’ journey for ordinary men.

have had a dream, a dream more horrible than the first. I looked up and a huge mountain loomed, it threw me down, it pinned me by the feet, a terrifying brightness hurt my eyes, suddenly a young man appeared, he was shining and handsome, he took me by the arm, he pulled me out from under the mountain, he gave me water, my heart grew calm.

Again, the mountain stands for Humbaba. He threw you down, but he could not kill you. As for the handsome young man who appeared, he stands for Lord Shamash, who will rescue you and grant you everything you desire.”

They had traveled for just three days and nights, a six weeks’ journey for ordinary men.

The heavens roared and the earth heaved, then darkness, silence. Lightning flashed, igniting the trees. By the time the flames died out, the ground was covered with ash.

The fiery heavens stand for Humbaba, who tried to kill you with lightning and flames. But in spite of the fire, he could not harm you. We will kill Humbaba. Success is ours. However he attacks us, we will prevail.”

They had traveled for just three days and

nights, a six weeks’ journey for ordinary men.

I saw a fierce eagle with a lion’s head, it floated down toward me like a huge cloud, it grimaced at me, terrifying flames shot from its mouth, then beside me I saw a young man with an unearthly glow, he seized the creature, he broke its wings, he wrung its neck and threw it to the ground.

The eagle that you saw, with a lion’s head, stands

for Humbaba. Though it dived straight toward you and terrifying flames shot from its mouth, nothing could cause you harm. The young man who came to your rescue was our lord, Shamash. He will stand beside us when the monster attacks. Whatever happens, we will prevail.”

They had traveled for just three days and nights, a six weeks’ journey for ordinary men.

have had a fifth dream, a dream more horrible

than all the others. I was wrestling with a gigantic bull, its bellow shattered the ground and raised clouds of dust that darkened the sky, it pinned me down, it crushed me, I felt its breath on my face, then suddenly a man pulled me up, put his arms around me, and gave me fresh water from his waterskin.

The gigantic bull is no enemy of ours. He stands for the very god who has helped us, bright Shamash, our protector, lord of the sky, who in every danger will come to our aid. The man who pulled you up from the ground and gave you fresh water from his waterskin is Lugalbanda, your personal god. Withhis help, we will achieve a triumph greater than any man has achieved.”

You go into the dreadful forest, you kill Humbaba and win the fame. I will return now to great-walled Uruk, and all men will know what a coward I have been.”

“Dear friend, dear brother, I cannot kill Humbaba alone.

‘Two boats lashed together will never sink. A three-ply rope is...

His teeth are knife-sharp, they stick out like tusks, his face, blood-smeared, is a lion’s face, he charges ahead like a raging torrent, his forehead ablaze.

If we help each other and fight side by side, we will make a lasting name for ourselves, we will stamp our fame on men’s minds forever.”

‘Two boats lashed together will never sink. A three-ply rope is not easily broken.’

Enkidu, you son of a fish or a turtle, you gutless, fatherless spawn who never suckled on mother’s milk,