Gilgamesh : A New Rendering in English Verse (2 page)

will go with you and with her beauty conquer

the wild man. He will lie with her and then

the gazelles with whom he feeds upon the grasslands,

and the others with whom he visits the watering places,

will flee from him who ranged the hills with them.”

iv

The harlot and the hunter traveled together,

taking three days, back to the watering place.

For three more days they waited, and finally

Enkidu came with the creatures that love the water,

the gazelles and the others, so as to drink their fill.

The temple prostitute looked at him, Enkidu,

the hairy-bodied wild man of the grasslands,

the hair of his head like the grain fields of the goddess,

naked as Sumuqan the god of cattle.

“That is Enkidu, Shamhat, show him your breasts,

show him your beauty. Spread out your cloak on the ground.

Lie down on it. The wild man will look at you.

Show him your body. The hairy-bodied man

will come to you and lie down on you; and then

show him the things a woman knows how to do.

The gazelles and with them all the other creatures

will flee from him who ranged the hills with them.”

And so the harlot, Shamhat, showed him her breasts,

showed him her body. The hairy-bodied man

came over to her, and lay down on her, and then

she showed him the things a woman knows how to do.

For seven days Enkidu in his wonder

lay with her in pleasure, and then at last

went to seek out the company of the creatures

whose hearts delight in feeding upon the grasslands,

and visiting the watering places, and

ranging the hills. But seeing him, they fled.

The creatures were gone, and everything was changed.

His body that loved to range the hills was now

unable to follow; but in the mind of the wild man

there was beginning a new understanding.

Bewildered, he turned, and sought out the company

of the temple prostitute. He sat down beside her,

and looked into her face, and listened to her:

“Enkidu, now you are beautiful as a god.

Why do you seek the company of beasts?

Come with me to the city, to Uruk,

to the temple of Anu and the goddess Ishtar.

Gilgamesh is the ruler, the strongest of all,

the terror. The aura and power of his desire

can be withstood by no one.” Then Enkidu,

whose heart was beginning to know about itself

and longed for a companion, cried aloud:

“Take me to Uruk, the city of Gilgamesh,

whose aura and power cannot be withstood.

I will cry out in Uruk, challenging him:

‘It is I, Enkidu. The strength of the wild man

born in the wilderness cannot be withstood.'”

The temple prostitute replied: “Come then

to Uruk, where the processions are, and music,

and let us go together through the dancing

to the palace hall where Gilgamesh presides,

the favorite of the gods, the beautiful,

strongest of all, the terror, the most desired.

Look at his radiant face, the favorite

of Shamash and Enlil, Ea, and Anu.

While you were grazing beastlike with gazelles,

before your mind had any understanding,

his mind, a gift to the gifted of the gods,

had a dream of you before you knew of him.

In the early morning Gilgamesh arose

and told his mother his dream: ‘I had a dream.

A star fell from the heavens, a meteorite,

and lay on the empty plain outside Uruk.

The men and women came and wondered at it.

I strove with it to lift it but could not.

I was drawn to it as if it was a woman.'

All-knowing Rimat-Ninsun spoke to him,

the lord of Uruk, Gilgamesh. His mother,

All-knowing Rimat-Ninsun, spoke and said:

‘The star that fell from the heavens, the meteorite

that lay on the empty plain outside Uruk,

the star you could not lift when you strove with it,

the star you were drawn to as if drawn to a woman,

is the strong companion, powerful as a star,

the meteorite of the heavens, a gift of the gods.

That you were drawn to it as if drawn to a woman

means that this companion will not forsake you.

He will protect and guard you with his life.

This is the fortunate meaning of your dream.'

Then Gilgamesh the lord of Uruk said:

‘May the dream as you interpret come to pass.'”

The temple prostitute thus told the tale.

TABLETS II AND III

i

Shamhat took off her robe and divided it

so that the wild man also could be clothed.

When this was done and both of them were clothed,

she took him by the hand as a goddess might,

leading a worshipper into the temple precinct;

as if he was a child she held his hand

and they began their journey. They came to a camp

where shepherds lived, who gathered about and wondered

at the huge size and strength of Enkidu,

the hairy-bodied wild man of the grasslands.

They said to each other: “He is like Gilgamesh,

twice the size of ordinary men,

stronger and taller than a battlement.

He is like a star that has fallen from the heavens.”

They cooked food and set it down before him;

they brought out beer they had brewed and set it down.

But Enkidu knew nothing about these things,

so he sat and stared at the cooked food and the beer

for a very long time, not knowing what to do.

Then Shamhat, the harlot, the temple prostitute,

said: “Enkidu, this is the food and drink

men eat and drink. Eat and drink your fill.”

So Enkidu ate his fill of the cooked food,

and drank the beer. Seven jugs of the beer

and he was suddenly joyful, and sang aloud.

Then he washed his hairy body, anointed himself

with oil, and dressed his body in new clothes,

so that he looked as beautiful as a bridegroom.

He took up a weapon to guard the flocks and shepherds

against the wolves and lions that preyed upon them.

Therefore, at night, with Enkidu to guard them,

the shepherds could lie down in peaceful sleep.

ii

One day a stranger came into the camp

bearing a richly decorated platter,

and Enkidu asked Shamhat to question him.

“Where are you going? Where are you hurrying to?”

The young man opened his mouth and said to them:

“I am going to the wedding feast in Uruk,

bearing delicious offerings on the platter,

ceremonial offerings for the feast.

Before the husband, Gilgamesh will lie

in pleasure with the bride in the marital chamber.

There is no withstanding the aura or power of the desire

of the Wild Ox Gilgamesh, the strongest of all.”

Then Enkidu was full of anger and said:

“Take me to Uruk, the city of Gilgamesh,

whose aura and power cannot be withstood.

I will cry out in Uruk, challenging him:

‘It is I, Enkidu. The strength of the wild man

born in the wilderness cannot be withstood.'”

So they set out for the wedding feast in Uruk.

iii

Enkidu entered Uruk; then, amazement

crowded the streets at the sight of the size of him,

the strength and beauty, the likeness to Gilgamesh.

“One has appeared worthy of Gilgamesh,

stormy heart to struggle with stormy heart.”

“The wedding feast of the goddess of love is ready.”

Enkidu stood, guardian on the threshold

of the marital chamber, to block the way of the king,

the aura and power of the Wild Ox Gilgamesh,

who was coming to the chamber to take the bride.

Stormy heart struggled with stormy heart

as Gilgamesh met Enkidu in his rage.

At the marital threshold they wrestled, bulls contending;

the doorposts shook and shattered; the wrestling staggered,

wild bulls locked-horned and staggering staggered wrestling

through the city streets; the city walls and lintels

shuddered and swayed, the gates of the city trembled

as Gilgamesh, the strongest of all, the terror,

wrestled the wild man Enkidu to his knees.

And then the rage of Gilgamesh subsided.

He turned his chest away. Enkidu said:

“You are the strongest of all, the perfect, the terror.

The Lady Wildcow Ninsun bore no other.

Enlil has made you sovereign over the city.”

Then Enkidu and Gilgamesh embraced,

and kissed, and took each other by the hand.

iv

Enkidu listened as Rimat-Ninsun spoke

to Gilgamesh her son: “Enkidu has neither

father nor mother; there is no one to cut

the wild man's hair. He was born on the grasslands and grazed

with gazelles and the other beasts on the grass of the grasslands;

Enkidu, the companion, will not forsake you.”

Enkidu listened, and wept, and felt his weakness.

Then Enkidu and Gilgamesh embraced,

and kissed, and took each other by the hand.

v

Enkidu spoke these words to Gilgamesh:

“Huwawa's mouth is fire; his roar the floodwater;

his breath is death. Enlil made him guardian

of the Cedar Forest, to frighten off the mortal

who would venture there. But who would venture

there? Huwawa's mouth is fire; his roar

is the floodwater; he breathes and there is death.

He hears the slightest sound somewhere in the Forest.

Enlil made him terrifying guardian,

whose mouth is fire, whose roar the floodwater.

Helpless is he who enters the Cedar Forest.”

But Gilgamesh replied: “Who is the mortal

able to enter heaven? Only the gods

can live forever. The life of man is short.

What he accomplishes is but the wind.

Where is the courage that you used to have?

Where is the strength? It is Gilgamesh

who will venture first into the Cedar Forest,

and you can follow after, crying out:

‘Go on, go forward, go on, embrace the danger!'

You who have fought with lions and with wolves,

you know what danger is. Where is your courage?

If I should fall, my fame will be secure.

‘It was Gilgamesh who fought against Huwawa!'

It is Gilgamesh who will venture into the Forest

and cut the Cedar down and win the glory.

My fame will be secure to all my sons.”

vi

So the two warriors went to the armor makers,

who made them weapons as they watched them work,

axes, and swords, and adzes, weighty and mighty,

making each of them ready for the adventure.

The people gathered at the Seven-Bolt Gate,

and Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, said:

“It is Gilgamesh who will venture into the Forest

and cut the Cedar down and win the glory.

My fame will be secure to all my sons.

The journey I will undergo has never

been undergone before. Give me your blessing.

I will return to celebrate the feast

of the New Year. Uruk will shout in praise.”

The old men of the city said to him:

“Gilgamesh the king is a young man. His valiant

heart is restless and does not know its danger.

Huwawa's mouth is fire; his roar is the roar

of the floodwater; he breathes and there is death.

Helpless is he who enters the Cedar Forest.”

Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, said:

“It is Gilgamesh who will venture into the Forest.”

The old men said: “Though you are strongest of all,

do not put all your trust in your own strength.

Let Enkidu, who knows the way to the Forest,

who knows the wilderness, let him go first.

Enkidu the companion will not forsake you.

Let him go first to find the way through the passes.

Let him whose heart delights in water find

the hidden wilderness places where the cold

pure secret of the earth may be disclosed

to quench your thirst. Offer to Shamash water.

May the god Shamash grant you your desire.

Be mindful of your father, Lugalbanda.

Be mindful of his memory. May he protect you.”

Then Enkidu spoke and said to Gilgamesh:

“It is your restless heart's desire to venture

into the Cedar Forest. Enkidu

the companion will not forsake you. Let Enkidu,

who knows the wilderness, and knows the way

to the Cedar Forest, let Enkidu go first

to find the way through the passes and find the water

to quench your thirst and offer to the god.”

vii

Then Gilgamesh and Enkidu together

went to the palace, Egalmah, to Ninsun

the All-knowing, mother of Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh told his mother about the adventure,

how it is Gilgamesh who would kill Huwawa,

and cut the Cedar down and win the glory.

Ninsun listened grieving to what he said,

and then went grieving to her chamber where

she purified herself and put on garments

suitable to her task, and sprinkled ritual

water on the ground. She mounted the stairs

to the palace roof and at the altar burned

and offered offerings of plants, fragrant

and sacred, to propitiate the god:

“Why have you given my son a restless heart?

No one has ever undergone the journey

that he will undergo. Huwawa's mouth