About this book

An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic

Morris Jastrow Albert Tobias Clay

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