This reading is for Ali, who managed somehow to take at least one of my classes every year for five years and still not encounter Gilgamesh. I hope you enjoy it. Before I start reading, a quick word on the text. In terms of background, I've put a link to an introductory talk in the introduction to this reading. The text I'm reading from is Benjamin Foster's translation published by Norton Critical Editions.
The surviving original text exists on 11 clay tablets, all of which are badly damaged, with the result that only about 60% roughly of the original text survives. There are gaps between lines, and there are gaps within lines. Where there's a gap between lines, I'll note that by saying how many lines Foster thinks are missing, and when there's a gap within a line, I'll simply pause for roughly how long it would take to read that gap. This is the best way I can think of to approximate with my voice the experience of reading a broken text on a page or on a tablet. This, I hope, will give some sense of there being other bits and pieces that are lost and may be peeking through the gaps, that perhaps with a little imagination we can wrap our minds around.
But enough talk. Tablet 1. He who saw the wellspring the foundations of the land who knew was wise in all things gilgames who saw the well-spring the foundations of the land who knew was wise in all things he throughout full understanding of it all he gained he saw what was secret and revealed what was hidden he brought back tidings from before the flood from a distant journey came home weary at peace engraved all his hardships on a monument of stone He built the walls of Rampart at Uruk, the lustrous treasury of hallowed Ayanna. See its upper wall, whose facing gleams like copper.
Gaze at its lower course, which nothing will equal. Mount the stone stairway. There, from days of old, approach Ayanna, the dwelling of Ishtar, which no future king, no human being will equal.
Go up, pace out the walls of Uruk, study the foundation terrace, and examine the brickwork. is not its masonry of kiln-fired brick and did not seven masters lay its foundations one square mile of city one square mile of gardens one square mile of clay pits and half a square mile of ishtar's dwelling three and a half square miles is the measure of uruk search out the foundation box of copper release its lock of bronze raise the lid upon its hidden contents take up and read from the lapis tablet of him who underwent many hardships surpassing all kings for his stature renowned heroic offspring of uruk a charging wild bull he leads the way in the vanguard he marches at the rear defender of his comrades mighty floodwall protector of his troops furious flood-waves smashing walls of stone wild calf of lugalbanda gilgamesh is perfect in strength suckling of the sublime wild cow the woman ninsun towering Gilgamesh is uncannily perfect, opening passes in the mountains, digging wells in the highlands verge, traversing the ocean, the vast sea, to the sun's rising, exploring the furthest reaches of the earth, seeking everywhere for eternal life, reaching in his might Utnapishtim, the distant one, restorer of holy places that the deluge had destroyed, founder of rights for the peoples. who could be his like for kingly virtue and who like gilgames can proclaim i am king gilgames was singled out from the day of his birth two-thirds of him was divine one-third of him was human the lady of birth drew his body image the god of wisdom brought his stature to perfection and here there's a gap a couple of broken lines stately in feature in body lofty his foot was a triple cubit his leg six times twelve his stride was six times twelve cubits his thumb was cubits his cheek his cheek had a beard like his locks the locks of his hair grew thick as a grain-field he was perfection in height ideally handsome in the enclosure of uruk he strode back and forth lording it like a wild bull his head thrust high the onslaught of his weapons had no equal his team-mates stood forth by his game-stick he was harrying the young men of uruk beyond reason gilgames would leave no son to his father day and night he would rampage fiercely gilgames This was the shepherd of Rampart-at-Uruk. This was the people's shepherd. Bold, superb, accomplished, and mature.
Gilgamesh would leave no girl to her mother. The warrior's daughter, the young man's spouse, goddesses kept hearing their plaints. The gods of heaven, the lords who command, said to Anu, You created this headstrong wild bull in Rampart-at-Uruk. The onslaught of his weapons has no equal. His teammates stand forth by his game stick.
He is harrying the young men of Uruk beyond reason. Gilgamesh leaves no son to his father. Day and night he rampages fiercely.
This is the shepherd of ramparted Uruk. This is the people's shepherd. Bold, superb, accomplished and mature.
Gilgamesh leaves no girl to her mother. The warrior's daughter, the young man's spouse. Anu kept hearing their complaints.
Anu speaks. let them summon anuni the great one she created the boundless human race let her create a partner for gilgames mighty in strength let them contend with each other that uruk may have peace they summoned the birth goddess you aruru created the boundless human race now create what anu commanded to his stormy heart let one be equal let them contend with each other that uruk may have peace when aruru heard this she conceived within her what annu commanded aruru wet her hands she pinched off clay she tossed it upon the step she created valiant ankidu in this step offspring of potter's clay with the force of the hero shaggy with hair was his whole body he was made lush with head hair like a woman the locks of his hair grew thick as a grain field he knew neither people nor inhabited land he dressed as animals do he fed on the grass with gazelles with beasts he jostled at the water-hole with wild life he drank his fill of water a hunter a trapping man encountered him at the edge of the water-hole one day a second a third he encountered him at the edge of the water-hole when he saw him the hunter stood stock still with terror as for nkidu he went home with his beasts aghast struck dumb his heart in a turmoil his face drawn with woe in his vitals his face like a traveller's from afar the hunter made ready to speak saying to his father my father there is a certain fellow who is come from the uplands he is the mightiest in the land strength is his like the force of heaven so mighty is his strength he constantly ranges over the uplands constantly feeding on grass with beasts constantly making his way to the edge of the water-hole i am too frightened to approach him he has filled in the pits i dug he has torn out the traps i set he has helped the beasts wild life of the steppe slip from my hands he will not let me work the steppe his father made ready to speak saying to the hunter my son in uruk dwells gilgames there is no one more mighty than he like the force of heaven so mighty is his strength take the road set off toward uruk tell gilgames of the mightiest man he will give you shamhat the harlot take her with you let her prevail over him instead of a mighty man when the wild beasts draw near the water-hole let her strip off her clothing lay bare her charms when he sees her he will approach her his beasts that grew up with him on the steppe will deny him giving heed to the advice of his father the hunter went forth he took the road set off toward uruk to the king gilgames he said these words there is a certain fellow who has come from the uplands he is the mightiest in the land strength is his like the force of heaven so mighty is his strength he constantly ranges over the uplands constantly feeding on grass with the beasts constantly making his way to the edge of the water-hole i am too frightened to approach him he has filled the pits i dug he has torn out the traps i set he has helped the beasts wildlife of the steppe slip from my hands he will not allow me to work the steppe gilgames said to him to the hunter go hunter take with you shamhat the harlot when the wild beasts draw near the water-hole let her strip off her clothing laying bare her charms when he sees her he will approach her the beasts that grew up with him on the steppe will deny him forth went the hunter taking with him shamhat the harlot they took the road going straight on their way on the third day they arrived at the appointed place hunter and harlot sat down to wait one day a second day They sat by the edge of the waterhole. The beasts came to the waterhole to drink. the wild life came to drink their fill of water but as for him and kitu born in the uplands who feeds on grass with gazelles who drinks at the water-hole with beasts who with wild life drinks his fill of water shamhat looked upon him a human man a barbarous fellow from the midst of the steppe there he is shamhat open your embrace open your embrace let him take your charms be not bashful take his vitality when he sees you he will approach you Toss aside your clothing, let him lie upon you.
Treat him a human to woman's work. His wild beasts that grew up with him will deny him, as in his ardor he caresses you. Shamhat loosened her garments, she exposed her loins, he took her charms. She was not bashful, she took his vitality, she tossed aside her clothing, and he lay upon her. She treated him a human to woman's work, and in his ardor he caressed her.
six days, seven nights, was Enkidu aroused, flowing into Shamhat. After he had had his fill of her delights, he set off toward his beasts. When they saw him, Enkidu, the gazelles shied off.
The wild beasts of the steppe shunned his person. Enkidu had spent himself, his body was limp. His knees stood still while his beasts went away. Enkidu was too slow. He could not run as before, but he had gained reason.
and expanded his understanding he returned he sat at the harlot's feet the harlot gazed upon his face while he listened to what the harlot was saying the harlot said to him to enkidu you are handsome enkidu you are become like a god why roam the steppe with wild beasts come let me lead you to rampart at uruk to the holy temple the abode of annu and ishtar the place of gilgames who is perfect in strength and so like a wild bull he lords it over the young men as she was speaking to him her words found favour he was yearning for one to know his heart a friend and kidu said to her to the harlot come shamhat escort me to the lustrous hallowed temple abode of annu and ishtar the place of gilgames who is perfect in strength and so like a wild bull he lords it over the young men i myself will challenge him i will speak out boldly i will raise a cry in uruk i am the mighty one i am come forward to alter destinies he who was born in the steppe is mighty strength is his shamhat replies come then let him see your face i will show you gilgames where he is i know full well come then ankidu to rampart at uruk where fellows are resplendent in holiday clothing where every day is set for celebration where harps and drums are played and the harlots too they are the fairest of form rich in beauty full of delights even the great gods are kept from sleeping at night and kedu you who have not learned to live oh let me show you gilgames the joy-woe man look at him gaze upon his face he is radiant with virility manly vigor is his the whole of his body is seductively gorgeous mightier strength has he than you never resting a day or night oh and kedu renounce your audacity Gilgamesh is beloved of Shamash. Anu, Enlil, and Ea broadened his wisdom. Ere you come down from the uplands, Gilgamesh will dream of you in Uruk.
Gilgamesh went to relate the dreams, saying to his mother, Mother, I had a dream last night. There were stars of heaven around me. Like the force of heaven, something kept falling upon me.
I tried to carry it, but it was too strong for me. I tried to move it, but I could not budge it. the whole of uruk was standing by it the people formed a crowd around it a throng was jostling toward it young men were mobbed around it infantile they were groveling before it i fell in love with it like a woman i caressed it i carried it off and laid it down before you then you were making it my partner the mother of gilgames knowing and wise who understands everything said to her son ninsan the wild cow knowing and wise who understands everything said to gilgames the stars of heaven around you like the force of heaven what kept falling upon you your trying to move it but not being able to budge it you're laying it down before me then my making it your partner your falling in love with it your caressing it like a woman means there will come to you a strong one a companion who rescues a friend he will be mighty in the land strength will be his like the force of heaven so mighty will be his strength you will fall in love with him and caress him like a woman he will be mighty and rescue you time and again he had a second dream he arose and went before the goddess his mother gilgames said to her to his mother mother i had a second dream an axe was thrown down in the street of rampart at uruk they were crowding around it the whole of uruk was standing by it the people formed a crowd around it a throng was drosseling toward it i carried it off and laid it down before you i fell in love with it like a woman i caressed it then you were making it my partner the mother of gilgames knowing and wise who understands everything said to her son ninsun the wild cow knowing and wise who understands everything said to gilgames my son the axe you saw is a man your loving it like a woman and caressing it and making it your partner means there will come to you a strong one a companion who will rescue a friend he will be mighty in the land strength will be his like the strength of heaven so mighty will be his strength gilgames said to her to his mother let this befall according to the command of the great counsellor enlil I want a friend for my own counsellor. For my own counsellor do I want a friend. Even while he was having his dreams, Shamhat was telling the dreams of Gilgamesh to Enkidu.
Each was drawn by love to the other.