TABLET 1

 

Out I went, into the world, but there was none better, none whom he, Gilgamesh, could not best.

And so, with his arms, he returned to Uruk. But in their houses, the men of Uruk muttered:

'Gilgamesh, noisy Gilgamesh! Arrogant Gilgamesh!'

All young men gone - Defeated by Gilgamesh, and no son was left to his father.

All young girls wanted by Gilgamesh

His lusts are such, and no woman left to her lover!

Not the daughter of a warrior,

Nor the wife of a nobleman!

Yet he is king and should be

The people's careful shepherd.

He is king and should be

Shepherd of the city.

He is wise, he is handsome, he is firm as a rock.

In heaven the gods heard

Heard the lament of the people,

And the gods cried out to the Great God, higher king of Uruk:

'Strong as a wild bull is this Gilgamesh

So he was made by Aruru, the godess

None there is who can - not one

None who can survive him in fighting.

No son left to his father.

Gilgamesh, he takes them all, and is he

He the king? Shepherd of the people?

No virgin left to her lover, For he lusts strongly!

No, nor the wife of the nobleman!

The Great God heard this, then

To the Goddess of Creation, Aruru -

Cried all the gods:

'You created this Gilgamesh! Well, create him his equal!

Let him look as into mirrors - Give a second self to him, yes;

Rushing winds meet rushing winds!

Let them flow heart to heart against -

Give them each other to fight,

 Leaving Uruk in peace!'

So the Goddess of Creation took and formed in her mind

This image, and there it was conceived -

in her mind, and it was made of material

That composes the Great God,

He of the Firmament.

She then plunged her hands down into water and pinched off a little clay. She let it drop in the wilderness

Thus the noble Enkidu was made. For this was he the very strength of Ninurta, the God of War, was his form, rough bodied, long hair,

His hair waved like corn filaments -

Yes, like the hair of that goddess

Who is the corn, she, Nisaba. Matted hair was all over his body, like the skins of the cattle.

Yes, like the body of that god.

Who is the cattle, he, Samugan.

This Enkidu was innocent of mankind.

He knew not the cultivated land.

Enkidu was in the hills

With the gazelles -

They jostled each other

With all the herds

He too loved the water-hole.

But one day by a water hole

A trapper met him

Yes, face to face,

Because the herds of wild game

Had strayed into his territory.

On three days face to face -

Each day the trapper was terrified,

Frozen stiff with fear.

With his game he went home,

Unable to speak, numb with fright.

The trapper's face altered, new -

A long journey does that to one,

Gives a new visage upon returning -

The trapper, his heart all awe, told his father:

'Father, what a man! No other like him! He comes from the hills, strongest alive!

A star in heaven his strength,

Of the star essense of An, the Sky Father

Over the hills with the beasts

Eating grass

Ranges across all your land,

Goes to the wells.

I fear him, stay far away.

He fills in my pits

Tears up my game traps

Helps the beasts escape;

Now all the game slips away -

Through my fingers.'

His father opened his mouth,

Told the son, the trapper:

'My son, in Uruk lives Gilgamesh.

None can withstand him,

None has surpassed him,

As a star in heaven his strength

Of the star-essence of An, the Sky Father.

Go to Uruk, find Gilgamesh

Praise the wild man's strength ask for a temple hierodule from the Temple of Love,

Such a child of pleasure;

Bring her and let her power for woman

Subdue this wild man.

When he goes to the wells,

He will embrace the priestess

And the wild beasts will reject him.'

To Uruk the trapper went

And said to Gilgamesh:

'Like no other, wild,

Roaming in the pastures,

A star in heaven his strength

Of the star-essence of An, the Sky Father.

I am afraid, stay far away; he helps the beasts escape

Fills in my pits

Tears up my game traps.'

Gilgamesh said:

'Trapper, return,

Take a priestess, child of pleasure -

When he goes to the wells

He will embrace the priestess

And the wild beasts will reject him.'

Then returned with the hierodule

And three days to the drinking hole,

There sat down

Hierodule facing the trapper,

Waiting for the game.

First day, nothing.

Second day, nothing.

Third day, yes.

The herds came to drink, and Enkidu -

Glad for the water were the small wild beasts,

And Enkidu was glad for the water -

He of the gazelles and wild grass,

Born in the hills.

The priestess saw this man

Wild from the hills.

'There, woman,' the trapper,

This is he,

Delay not,

Welcome him,

Teach him,

The savage, your art of woman,

For as he loves you, then

The wild beasts, his companions,

They will reject him.'

She welcomed him

Incited him to love,

Taught the woman's art.

Six days, seven nights,

Enkidu had forgotten his home

Had forgotten the hills

After that time

Then he went back to the wild beasts -

But the gazelles saw him and ran,

The wild beasts saw him and ran.

Enkidu would follow, but weak,

His strength gone through woman;

Wisdom was in him,

Thoughts in his ear - a man's.

So he returned to the priestess.

At her feet he listened intently

'You have wisdom, Enkidu.

Now you are as a god.

Why the beasts? Why the hills?

Come to Uruk of the strong walls

To Inanna's Temple of Love,

And to the Eanna,

Where the Sky God An can be found.

Gilgamesh is there, strong,

Raging like a wild bull, over all

Is his strength.'

Favourably as he speaks, he hears her words.

He comes to know his own heart

And his desire to find a friend.

He tells her, the priestess:

'Take me, girl, to the sacred pure

Dwelling of Love and Sky God's house

Where lives Gilgamesh of perfect strength,

He who rages like a bull over all,

And I will summon him forth and challenge him

And I will shout in Uruk:

"I am the mightiest!

Yes, I can change the order of what is!

Anyone born on the steppe is mighty and has strength"'

'Then let us go that he may see your face

And I will show you Gilgamesh, for I know well where he is.

Come Enkidu, to Uruk of ramparts,

Where all are dressed for festival,

Where each day is a festival,

To you, Enkidu, of joy in life

I will show Gilgamesh of joy in life

See him, see his face

Radiant is his manhood, of full-bodied vigour

His body ripe with beauty in every part.

So exceeding you in strength,

Needing no sleep by day or by night.

Restrain your folly, Enkidu.

Gilgamesh - Shamash the Sun is proud,

Also An, the God of Firmament,

Also valiant Enlil, his son,

And Enki, his son also -

All have given wisdom.

Before you come from the open plains

Gilgamesh will have dreamed of it.'

And so Gilgamesh rose from his bed

And to his mother, in revealing dreams, said:

'Mother, I saw in a dream last night

That there were stars in heaven

And a star descended upon me like unto

The essence of An, the Sky God.

I tried to lift it up, but it was too heavy for me,

I tried to move it, but it would not be moved.

The land of Uruk was around it,

The land was placed roud about it.

All the people were pressing towards it.

All the nobles also came round it,

And all my friends kissed its feet.

I was drawn towards it as to a woman

And I laid it at your feet

And you said it was my equal.'

She, the Wise, the Custodian of Knowledge,

Says to her lord -

She, Ninsun, Custodian of Knowledge,

Says to Gilgamesh:

'Your equal was a star of heaven

Which descended upon you like unto

The essence of An who his the God of the Firmament

You tried to lift it but it would not be moved

And I called it your equal, comparing it to you.

You were drawn to it as to a woman.

The meaning of this

Is of a strong friend who saves his companion

He is the strongest of the land; he has strength.

As a star in heaven his strength,

The strength of An of the Firmament and his host.

So that you are drawn to him overwhelmingly.

And this means he will never forsake you.

Such is your dream.'

Gilgamesh says again to his mother:

'Mother, another dream

In Uruk of the ramparts lay an axe -

All were gathered around it,

Uruk-land was standing round about it.

The people pressed towards it;

I laid it at your feet.

I was drawn to it as to a woman.

For you called it my equal.'

She, the Wise Custodian of Knowledge, says to her son -

'The axe is a man

You were drawn to it as to a woman

For I called it your equal

And it was to rival you.

This means a strong friend standing by his friend

He is the strongest of the land; he has strength.

The essence of An of the Firmament, is his,

So strong is he.'

Gilgamesh then spoke to his mother

'Now according to the word of God Enli

Let a counsellor and friend come to me

That I may acquire a companion

And to him I shall be friend and counsellor also.'

And as Gilgamesh revealed his dream

The girl was speaking to Enkidu

As they sat together.

 

A verse version of the Epic of Gilgamesh by Robert Temple, Rider, an imprint of Random Century Group Ltd, 1991, London, Sydney, Auckland, Johannesburg.