Read the Excerpt From Gilgamesh a New English Version at Four Hundred Miles

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Translated by Andrew George
Penguin Classics, 1999

Tablet I. The Coming of Enkidu

He who saw the Deep, the country's foundation
[who] knew…, was wise in all manners!
[Gilgamesh, who] saw the Deep, the land'southward foundation,
[who] knew…, was wise in all matters!

[He] … everywhere…
and [learnt] of everything the sum of wisdom.
He saw what was clandestine, discovered what was subconscious,
he brought back a tale of earlier the Drench.

Gilgamesh riding in chariot, from the volume Gilgamesh the Male monarch, past Ludmila Zeman.
Gilgamesh the Rex. © 1992 Ludmila Zeman, published past Tundra Books of Northern New York.

He came a far road, was weary, establish peace,
and set up all his labors on a tablet of stone.
He congenital the rampart of Uruk-the-Sheepfold,
of holy Eanna, the sacred storehouse.

Come across its wall like a strand of wool,
view its parapet that none could copy!
Take the stairway of a bygone era,
draw nearly to Eanna, seat of Ishtar the goddess,
that no subsequently king could ever copy!

Climb Uruk's wall and walk dorsum and forth!
Survey its foundations, examine the brickwork!
Were its bricks not fired in an oven?
Did the Seven Sages non lay its foundation?

[A square mile is] city, [a square mile [date-grove, a square mile is
dirt-pit, one-half a quarter mile the temple of Ishtar:
[iii square miles] and a half is Uruk'south expanse.

[See] the tablet-box of cedar,
[release] its squeeze of bronze!
[Elevator] the lid of its undercover,
[pick] up the tablet of lapis lazuli and read out
the  travels of Gilgamesh, all that he went through.

Surpassing all other kings, heroic in stature,
dauntless scion of Uruk, wild balderdash on the rampage!
Going at the force he was the vanguard,
going at the rear, ane his comrades could trust!

A mighty bank, protecting his warriors,
a violent flood-wave, peachy a rock wall!
Wild bull of Lugalbanda, Gilgamesh, the perfect in strength,
suckling of the august Wild Cow, the goddess Ninsun!

Gilgamesh the alpine, magnificent and terrible,
who opened passes in the mountains,
who dug wells on the slopes of the uplands,
and crossed the ocean, the wide sea to the sunrise;

who scoured the world ever searching for life,
and reached through sheer force Uta-napishti the Afar;
who restored the cult-centers destroyed by the Deluge,
and gear up in place for the people the rites of the cosmos.

Who is there tin can rival his kingly standing,
and say like Gilgamesh, 'It is I am the male monarch'?
Gilgamesh was his name from the 24-hour interval he was born,
2-thirds of him god and one third human.

It was the Lady of the Gods drew the grade of his figure,
While his build was perfected past divine Nudimmud.

* * *

A triple cubit was his foot, half a rod his leg.
Six cubits was his footstep,
… cubits the forepart office of his …

His cheeks were disguised like those of …,
the hair of his head grew thickly [as barley.]
When he grew alpine his dazzler was consummate,
by earthly standards he was nigh handsome.

In Uruk-the-Sheepfold he walks [dorsum and forth,]
like a wild bull lording it, head held aloft.
He has no equal when his weapons are brandished,
his companions are kept on their anxiety past his contests.
The young men of Uruk he harries without warrant,
Gilgamesh lets no son go gratis to his male parent.
By day and by dark his tyranny grows harsher,
Gilgamesh, [the guide of the teeming people!]

It is he who is shepherd of Uruk-the-Sheepfold,
[simply Gilgamesh] lets no [daughter go free to her] mother.
[The women voiced] their [troubles to the goddesses,]
[they brought their] complaint before [them:]

'[Though powerful, pre-eminent,] practiced [and mighty,]
[Gilgamesh] lets [no] girl go free to [her benedict.]'
The warrior's daughter, the fellow's bride,
to their complaint the goddess paid heed.

The gods of haven, the lords of initiative,
[to the god Anu they spoke] …:
'A cruel wild bull you have bred in Uruk-the-Sheepfold,
he has no equal when his weapons are brandished.

'His companions are kept on their feet by his contests,
[the young men of Uruk] he harries without warrant.
Gilgamesh lets no son go costless to his male parent,
by solar day and past [night his tyranny grows] harsher.

'Yet he is the shepherd of Uruk-the-Sheepfold,
Gilgamesh, [the guide of the] teeming [people]
Though he their shepherd and their [protector,]
powerful, pre-eminent, expert [and mighty,]
Gilgamesh lets no girl go free to her bride[groom.]'

The warrior's daughter, the beau's helpmate:
To their complaint the [Anu] paid heed.

The stanza which gives Anu's reaction has been dropped in the late edition of the ballsy, but by good fortune it is preserved as a short extract from an older version of the text, which was written by a student on an exercise tablet found in the city of Nippur:

'[Let] them summon [Aruru,] the corking 1,
[she information technology was created them,] flesh then numerous:
[allow her create the equal of Gilgamesh,] ane mighty in strength,
[and allow] him vie [with him,] and then Uruk may be rested!'

The text of Tablet I resumes:

They summoned Aruru, the groovy i:
'You lot, Aruru, created [mankind:]
now mode what Anu has thought of!

'Permit him be a lucifer for the storm of his heart,
let them vie with each other, so Uruk may be rested'
The goddess Aruru heard these words,
What Anu had thought of she fashioned within her.

The goddess Aruru, she washed her hands,
took a pinch of clay, threw information technology down in the wild.
In the wild she created Enkidu, the hero,
offspring of silence, knit potent by Ninurta.

All his torso is disordered with hair,
he bears long tresses like those of a woman:
the hair of his head grows thickly every bit barley,
he knows not a people, nor fifty-fifty a country.

Coated in hair like the god of animals,
with the gazelles he grazes on grasses,
joining the throng with the game at the h2o-pigsty,
his heart delighting with the beasts in the water.

A hunter, a trapper-man,
did come upon him by the water-hole.
One day, a second and then a third,
he came upon him by the h2o-pigsty.
When the hunter saw him, his expression froze,
only he with his herds — he went back to his lair.

[The hunter was] troubled, subdued and silent,
his mood [was despondent,] his features gloomy.
In his heart at that place was sorrow,
his face resembled [one come from] afar.

The hunter opened [his mouth] to speak, saying [to his father:]
'My begetter, in that location was a man came [past the water-hole.]
Mightiest in the country, strength [he possesses,]
[his strength] is every bit mighty [equally a stone] from the sky.

'Over the hills he [roams all day,]
[always] with the herd [he grazes on grasses,]
[always] his tracks [are constitute] past the water-hole,
[I am agape and] I dare not approach him.

'[He fills in the] pits that I [myself] dig,
[he pulls up] the snares that I lay.
[He sets free from my grasp] all the beasts of the field,
[he stops] me doing the work of the wild.'

[His father opened his rima oris to] speak, saying to the hunter:
'[My son, in the city of] Uruk [go seek out] Gilgamesh!
……… in his presence,
his forcefulness is as mighty [every bit a rock from the sky.]

'[Have the route,] fix your confront [toward Uruk,]
[do not rely on] the forcefulness of a human being!
[Go, my son, and] fetch [Shamhat the harlot,]
[her allure is a match] for fifty-fifty the mighty!

'[When the herd comes] down [to] the water-hole,
[she should strip off] her [raiment to reveal] her charms.
[He will] see her, and he volition approach her,
his herd will spurn him, [though he grew upwards ] amidst information technology.'

[Paying heed] to the advice of his father,
the hunter went off, [set out on the journey.]
He took the route, set [his face] toward Uruk,
Before Gilgamesh the male monarch [he spoke these words:]

'In that location was a human [came by the h2o-hole,]
mightiest in the land, forcefulness [he possesses,]
[his forcefulness] is as mighty as a stone from the sky.

'Over the hills he roams all [day,]
e'er with the herd [he grazes on grasses,]
ever his tracks [are found] by the h2o-[pigsty,]
I am afraid and I dare non approach [him.]

'He fills in the pits that I [myself] dig,
he pulls up the snares [that I lay.]
He sets costless from my grasp all the beasts of the field,
he stops me doing the work of the wild.'

Said Gilgamesh to him, to the hunter:
'Go, hunter, take with you Shamhat the harlot!

'When the herd comes down to the water-hole,
she should strip off her raiment to reveal her charms.
He volition meet her, and will approach her,
His herd volition spurn him, though he grew upwards amidst it.'

Off went the hunter, taking Shamhat the harlot,
they ready out on the road, they started the journey.
On the third day they came to their destination,
hunter and harlot sat down there to wait.

I day and a 2d they waited by the h2o-hole.
so the herd came downward to drink the water.
The game arrived, their hearts delighted in h2o,
and Enkidu likewise, built-in in the uplands.

Enkidu spying on Shamhat playing the lyre under a tree, from the book Gilgamesh the King, by Ludmila Zeman.
The Revenge of Ishtar. © 1993 Ludmila Zeman, published by Tundra Books of Northern New York.

With the gazelles he grazed on grasses,
joining the throng with the game at the water-pigsty,
his heart delighting with the beasts in the water:
then Shamhat saw him, the kid of nature,
the barbarous man from the midst of the wild.

'This is he, Shamhat! Uncradle your bosom,
bare your sex, allow him accept in your charms!
Exercise non recoil, just accept in his olfactory property:
he will see you lot, and will approach you.

'Spread your clothing so he may lie on you,
exercise for the human being the work of a woman!
Let his passion caress and embrace you,
his herd volition spurn him, though he grew upwards amongst in.'

Shamhat unfastened the cloth of her loins,
she bared her sex and he took in her charms.
She did not recoil, she took in his scent:
she spread her wear and he lay upon her.

She did for the man the work of a woman,
his passion caressed and embraced her.
For half-dozen days and seven nights
Enkidu was cock, every bit he coupled with Shamhat.

When with her delights he was fully sated,
he turned his gaze to his herd.
The gazelles saw Enkidu, they started to run,
the beasts of the field shied away from his presence.

Enkidu had defiled his torso and so pure,
his legs stood withal, though his herd was in move.
Enkidu was weakened, could not run as before,
but at present he had reason, and wide agreement.

He came back and saturday at the anxiety of the harlot,
watching the harlot, observing her features.
Then to the harlot'due south words he listened intently,
[as Shamhat] talked to him, to Enkidu:

'You are handsome, Enkidu, you are just like a god!
Why with the beasts practice you wander the wild?
Come up, I will take you Uruk-the-Sheepfold,
to the sacred temple, domicile of Anu and Ishtar,

'where Gilgamesh is perfect in force,
similar a wild bull lording it over the menfolk.'
So she spoke to him and her word establish favour,
he knew by instinct, he should seek a friend.

Said Enkidu to her, to the harlot:
'Come, Shamhat, take me forth
to  the sacred temple, holy home of Anu and Ishtar,
where Gilgamesh is perfect in forcefulness,
like a wild bull lording information technology over the menfolk.

'I will challenge him, for [my strength] is mighty,
I volition vaunt myself in Uruk, saying "I am the mightiest!"
[There] I shall modify the mode things are ordered:
[one] born in the wild is mighty, strength he possesses.'

Shamhat:

'Let [the people] see your face,
…… that exists I know indeed.
Go, Enkidu, to Uruk-the-Sheepfold,
where young men are girt with waistbands!

'Every day [in Uruk] there is a festival,
the drums at that place rap out the trounce.
And at that place are harlots, most comely in figure,
graced with amuse and full of delights.

'Even the aged they rouse from their beds!
O Enkidu, [every bit nonetheless so] ignorant of life,
I will show yous Gilgamesh, a man happy and carefree,
look at him, regard his features!

'He is fair in manhood, dignified in bearing,
graced with amuse his whole person.
He has a force more mighty than yours,
unsleeping he is by twenty-four hours and by night.

'O Enkidu, bandage aside your sinful thoughts!
Gilgamesh it is whom divine Shamash loves.
The gods Anu, Enlil, and Ea accept broadened his wisdom.

'Before you fifty-fifty came from the uplands,
Gilgamesh in Uruk was seeing you in dreams:
Gilgamesh rose to relate a dream, proverb to his mothers:
"O female parent, this is the dream I had in the night —

'" The stars of sky appeared higher up me,
like a rock from the sky one fell down earlier me.
I lifted it upwards, but it weighed too much for me,
I tried to roll it, merely could not dislodge it.

'" The state of Uruk was standing around information technology,
[the land was gathered] well-nigh information technology.
A crowd [was milling most] before it.
[the menfolk were] thronging around it.

'"[Like a babe-in]-arms they were kissing its feet,
like a married woman [I loved it,] caressed and embraced it.
[I lifted information technology up,] prepare it downward at your anxiety,
[and you, O mother, you] made information technology my equal."

Enkidu kissing Shamhat, from the volume Gilgamesh the King, by Ludmila Zeman.
The Terminal Quest of Gilgamesh. © 1995 Ludmila Zeman, published past Tundra Books of Northern New York.

'[The female parent of Gilgamesh] was clever and wise,
well-versed in everything, she said to her son —
[Wild-Cow] Ninsun was clever and wise,
well-versed in everything, she said to Gilgamesh:

'" The stars of heaven [appeared] above y'all,
[like a] stone from the sky one vicious down before you lot.
Yous lifted information technology up, but it weighed too much for you,
y'all tried to ringlet it, but y'all could not dislodge it.

'" Y'all lifted information technology upwardly, gear up it own at my anxiety,
and I, Ninsun, I made it your equal.
Like a wife you loved it, caressed and embraced information technology:
a mighty comrade will come to you, and be his friend'south saviour.

'" Mightiest in the land, forcefulness he possesses,
his strength is as mighty equally a stone from the sky.
Like a wife yous'll love him, caress and comprehend him,
he will exist mighty, and ofttimes save you."

'Having had a second dream,
he rose and entered before the goddess, his mother.
Said Gilgamesh to her, to his mother,
"Over again, O mother, accept I had a dream —

'"[In a street] of Uruk-the-Town-Square,
an axe was lying with a crowed gathered circular.
The land [of Uruk] was standing effectually it.
[the land was] gathered around it.

'" A crowd was milling about before information technology,
[the menfolk were] thronging effectually it.
I lifted information technology upward and prepare information technology down at your feet,
like a married woman [I loved] it, caressed and embraced it.
[and you, O female parent,] you made it my equal."

'The female parent of Gilgamesh was clever and wise,
well versed in everything, she said to her son —
Wild-Cow Ninsun was clever and wise,
well versed in everything, she said to Gilgamesh:

'"My son, the axe you lot saw is a friend,
like a married woman you'll love him, caress and embrace him,
and I, Ninsun, I shall make him your equal.
A mighty comrade volition come up to y'all, and be his friend'south saviour,
mightiest in the state, strength he possesses,
his strength is equally mighty as a rock from the sky."

'Said Gilgamesh to her, to his female parent,
"May it befall me, O mother, by Counsellor Enlil'southward
command!
Let me acquire a friend to counsel me,
a friend to counsel me I will acquire!"

'[And so did Gilgamesh] see his dreams.'
[Subsequently] Shamhat had told Enkidu the dreams of Gilgamesh,
the two of them together [began making] love.

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Source: https://www.learner.org/series/invitation-to-world-literature/the-epic-of-gilgamesh/the-epic-of-gilgamesh-read-the-excerpt/

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