Where was Gilgamesh. Myths and legends. About everything that has seen

A brave, fearless demigod named Gilgamesh became famous for his own exploits, love for women and the ability to be friends with men. The rebel and ruler of the Sumerians lived to be 126 years old. True, nothing is known about the death of a brave warrior. Perhaps the fame of his deeds does not embellish reality, and the brave Gilgamesh found a way to gain immortality, which he so persistently sought.

History of creation

The biography of Gilgamesh reached the modern world thanks to a cuneiform called "The Epic of Gilgamesh" (another name is "About everything that has seen"). The literary work contains disparate legends about the exploits of an ambiguous character. Some of the records included in the collection date back to the 3rd millennium BC. The heroes of the ancient creation were Gilgamesh himself and his best friend, Enkidu.

The name of the hero is also found in the Tummal Inscriptions - a chronicle of the reconstruction of the city of Tummal, which took place in the 2nd millennium BC. The inscriptions state that Gilgamesh rebuilt the temple of the goddess Ninlil, which was damaged by the flood.

The mythology dedicated to the ruler of the Sumerians was reflected in the "Book of Giants", which was included in the Qumran manuscripts. The manuscripts casually touch upon the king of Uruk, without focusing on the exploits of the man.

Written evidence and analysis of the work of Sumerian masters allow us to assert that the character of the ancient epic has a prototype. Scientists are sure that the image of the ancient hero was copied from the real ruler of the city of Uruk, who ruled his fiefdom in the 17-16th century BC.

Myths and legends

Wayward Gilgamesh is the son of the great goddess Ninsun and the high priest of Lugalbanda. The biography of the Sumerian hero has been known since the world flood, which washed away most of humanity from the face of the Earth. People who were saved thanks to Ziusudra began to build new cities.

Due to the growth in the number of settlements, the influence of Aggi - the last of the rulers of Sumer - began to decline. Therefore, when the mature Gilgamesh overthrew the governor Aggi in the city of Uruk, the lord of Sumer sent an army to destroy the impudent rebel.

Gilgamesh has already become famous among the common people as an honest ruler of the city of Kullaba, located next to Uruk. After the overthrow of the local government, Gilgamesh proclaimed himself king of Uruk and united both cities with a thick wall.

Agga attacked the enemy in a rage, but the brave hero did not retreat. The man gathered an army of young residents and began to defend the freedom of cities from the oppression of a greedy ruler. Despite a large army, Agga was defeated. Gilgamesh received the title of lord of the Sumerians and moved the capital of the state to Uruk.

However, Gilgamesh was distinguished not only by strength and decisiveness. Because of the violent disposition and misplaced pride of the leader of the Sumerians, the gods sent Enkidu to Earth to pacify and defeat the man. But instead of fulfilling the mission entrusted to him, Enkidu joined Gilgamesh and became the best friend of the ruler of Uruk.

Together with Enkidu, the man went to the country of Huwawa, the giant who sowed death. Gilgamesh wanted to get the cedars that the huge monster was growing, and glorify his own name among the descendants.

The road to Huwawa took a long time, but the ruler of the Sumerians reached the magical forest, cut down the cedars and destroyed the giant. The extracted raw materials were used to build new palaces in the capital.

Despite his proud disposition and disregard for the law, Gilgamesh honored the gods. Therefore, when the goddess of love Inanna turned to the man for help, he dropped everything and rushed to the temple glorifying the goddess.

A beautiful willow tree grew in this temple, which delighted Inanna. But among the roots of the tree a snake started up. In the trunk of the willow, the demon hollowed out a refuge for itself, and in the crown a bloodthirsty eagle made a nest.

The hero cut off the head of the snake with one blow. Seeing the cruel reprisal, the eagle flew away, and Lilith disappeared into thin air. Grateful Inanna gave Gilgamesh a piece of wood, from which the carpenters made a magic drum. As soon as the ruler of Uruk hit a musical instrument, all the young men rushed to carry out their assignments, and the girls without hesitation surrendered to the power of Gilgamesh.

The contented man spent a lot of time in love games, until the gods, who were tired of listening to the complaints of grooms without brides, took away from Gilgamesh a magic instrument.

Seeing how his friend was suffering from the loss of his beloved toy, Enkidu went to the underworld, where the gods brought a magic drum. But the man did not take into account that only a person who does not break the rules can get out of the underworld. Alas, Enkidu found the drum, but was unable to leave the realm of the dead to return the loss.

Another legend tells about the death of Gilgamesh's friend in a different way. The goddess, impressed by the appearance and courage of Gilgamesh, invited the hero to marry her. But Gilgamesh refused the beauty, because he knew that Ishtar was not consistent.

The offended goddess complained to the god Anu, who sent a monster to Uruk. A huge heavenly bull came down to Earth to destroy his beloved city. Then Enkidu rushed to the enemy, and soon Gilgamesh arrived to help. Together, the men defeated a dangerous beast.

But for the massacre of the heavenly bull, the gods decided to punish Gilgamesh. After much debate, it was decided to leave the ruler of Uruk alive and take the life of Enkidu. Prayers and requests could not postpone the death of a man. After 13 days, Gilgamesh's best friend died. After mourning for his comrade, the king of Uruk erected a beautiful monument in honor of Enkidu.

Saddened by the loss, the man realized that he would also die one day. Such a turn did not suit the wayward Gilgamesh, so the hero set off on a dangerous journey to meet Utnapishtim. In search of immortality, the hero overcame many obstacles. Having found a wise old man, the hero found out that eternal life is given by the advice-grass that grows at the bottom of the sea.

The news did not dampen Gilgamesh's ardor. Having tied stones to his feet, the man took out a magic herb. But while the hero was tidying up his own clothes, a snake dragged the grass council away. Frustrated, Gilgamesh traveled back to Uruk to live an adventurous life and inevitably die.

• The meaning of the name "Gilgamesh" is the ancestor of the hero. Researchers claim that the word in the Sumerian manner sounded like "Bilga-mas". And the variant that has become widespread is a late variation from Akkadia.
• The character became a part of the serial anime "The Gate of Babylon".
• Like the Bible, the stories of Gilgamesh raise the issue of the Great Flood, which destroyed many people. There is a theory that the biblical catastrophe was borrowed from the Sumerians.

Quotes

“Here in Uruk, I am the king. I walk the streets alone, for there is no one who dares to come too close to me. "

"Enkidu, my friend, whom I loved so much, with whom we shared all our labors, - the fate of a man befell him!"

"I will chop a cedar, - the mountains overgrown with it, - I will create an eternal name for myself!"

"After wandering around the world, is peace enough in the land?"

"Let the eyes be saturated with sunlight: the darkness is empty, how much light is needed!"

The epic tells about the demigod Gilgamesh, a mighty warrior, the king of Uruk. No one could compare with him in strength, and he brought innumerable troubles to people who turned to the goddess Aruru in order to appease the king of Uruk. And so the goddess Aruru, heeding them, Blinded Enkidu, created a hero "who could curb the fury of Gilgamesh"). His body was covered with wool, he lived among animals, "he knew neither people nor the world." Protecting the animals from the hunters, he aroused their hatred of himself, but they could not do anything with him.

the hunters went to Uruk and fell at the feet of King Gilgamesh, begging to deliver them from the hated enemy. Gilshamesh brought Enkidu to the harlot Shamhat, who later humanized Enkidu, he decided to come to Uruk and fight Gilgamesh. The heroes grabbed in the battle, but they were equal in strength, and Gilgamesh led him to his mother Ninsun, where they fraternized, but Enkidu cries because he has nowhere to apply his strength.

Gilgamesh invites him to go on a campaign against Humbaba - the guardian of the cedar forests in Lebanon, Enkidu tries to dissuade Gilgamesh, telling how dangerous the Humbaba forest and Humbaba itself are, but Gilgamesh convinces Enkidu The elders of Uruk also try to dissuade him, but then they bless and ask Enkidu to take care of the king. Before the campaign, they visit Queen Ninsun, who also worries about her son and makes a sacrifice to the god Shamash.

The heroes are afraid to enter the forest, but Gilgamesh encourages Enkidu, and they enter Humbaba's domain and begin to chop down cedars. The appearance of Humbaba frightens them, but the support of Shamash forces the friends to attack the guardian of the forest and kill him and his seven ray robes.

The goddess Ishtar offers Gilgamesh to become her husband, but he refuses. Angry Ishtar asks Anu to create a bull capable of killing a hero, but Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat the bull with concerted action. Enkidu has a dream that the gods Anu and Enlil want to kill him, although Shamash intercedes for him. Gilgamesh wants to turn to Enlil with a prayer, but Enkidu dissuades him, and he turns to Shamash, cursing the hunter and the harlot Shamhat, but Shamash points out to Enkidu what Shamhat gave him, and he cancels his curse, replacing it with a blessing.

Enkidu falls ill and soon dies. Gilgamesh is sad and orders a statue of his brother to be made. Gilgamesh goes into the desert, on a journey - realizing his mortality after the death of a friend, he is afraid of death. Traveling, he reaches the end of the world, where he meets a scorpion man and tells him about his sadness and that he wants to find Utnapishti, the only person who received immortality (according to some sources - the ancestor of Gilgamesh), and ask him about life and death. The scorpion man says that the path to the country of Dilmun, where the gods settled Utnapishti, which lies through a long cave, is terrible and is not used by people - only the gods walk this path. Gilgamesh is not afraid, and the scorpion man blesses him.

on the second try, he passed the cave and found himself in a beautiful garden of precious stone trees. There he meets the mistress of the gods Siduri, who, frightened, closes herself from him in the house and at first does not believe that Gilgamesh is in front of her, since he is dirty and thin - Gilgamesh has to tell his story. She tries to convince him that immortality is not meant for a person, it is not worth wasting time searching - it is better to enjoy life, but Gilgamesh asks her how to find Utnapishti, and she says that, except for Shamash, no one can cross, and only Urshanabi, a shipbuilder Utnapishti, who has idols in the forest, can help.

Urshanabi helps Gilgamesh get to Utnapishti. Gilgamesh tells him about his grief and asks how Utnapishti managed to become equal to the gods. Utnapishti tells the story of the flood, in which only he survived, and the gods took him to themselves, but for Gilgamesh the gods were not gathered for advice. Utnapishti tells Gilgamesh that there is a flower at the bottom of the ocean that gives eternal youth; he gets it and decides first to test it on the elders of Uruk. But on the way back, the snake steals the flower, and Gilgamesh returns with nothing.

In some interpretations, there is also a continuation in which Gilgamesh meets his brother Enkidu, who came out of the afterlife, and tells about the difficult existence in the world of the dead (for the ancient Sumerians, a rather gloomy idea of ​​the posthumous existence is characteristic, unlike, for example, the Egyptians). After which Gilgamesh resigns himself to the fate of a mortal.

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About everything that has seen

The epic of Gilgamesh, written in the Babylonian literary dialect of the Akkadian language, is the central, most important work of Babylonian-Assyrian (Akkadian) literature.

Songs and legends about Gilgamesh have come down to us written in cuneiform on clay tiles - "tables" in four ancient languages ​​of the Near East - Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite and Hurrian; in addition, references to him were preserved by the Greek writer Elian and the medieval Syrian writer Theodore bar-Konay. The earliest known mention of Gilgamesh is older than 2500 BC. e., at the latest refers to the XI century. n. NS. Sumerian epics-tales of Gilgamesh were formed, probably at the end of the first half of the 3rd millennium BC. e., although the records that have come down to us date back to the XIX-XVIII centuries. BC NS. The first surviving records of the Akkadian poem about Gilgamesh date back to the same time, although in oral form it was probably formed as early as the XXIII-XXII centuries. BC NS. Such an older date of the poem's origin is indicated by its language, somewhat archaic for the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e., and the mistakes of the scribes, indicating that, perhaps, even then they did not clearly understand her in everything. Some images on seals of the XXIII-XXII centuries. BC NS. clearly illustrate not the Sumerian epics, but the Akkadian epic of Gilgamesh.

The oldest, so-called Old Babylonian, version of the Akkadian epic represents a new stage in the artistic development of Mesopotamian literature. This version contains all the main features of the final edition of the epic, but it was much shorter than it; so, it lacked the introduction and conclusion of the later version, as well as the story of the great flood. From the "Old Babylonian" version of the poem, six or seven unconnected passages have come down to us - badly damaged, written in illegible cursive and, at least in one case, with an uncertain student hand. Apparently, a slightly different version is represented by Akkadian fragments found in Megiddo in Palestine and in the capital of the Hittite state - Hattus (now a settlement near the Turkish village of Bogazkoy), as well as fragments of translations into Hittite and Hurrian languages, also found in Bogazkoy; all of them date back to the 15th – 13th centuries. BC NS. This so-called peripheral version was even shorter than the "Old Babylonian" version. The third, "Nineveh" version of the epic was, according to tradition, written "from the mouth" of the Sin-like-unninni, a Uruk exorcist who apparently lived at the end of the 2nd millennium BC. NS. This version is presented by four groups of sources: 1) fragments not younger than the 9th century. BC e., found in the city of Ashur in Assyria; 2) more than one hundred small fragments of the 7th century. BC e., referring to the lists that were once kept in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal in Nineveh; 3) a student's copy of the VII-VIII tables, recorded under dictation with numerous errors in the VII century. BC NS. and originating from a school located in the Assyrian provincial city of Khuzirin (now Sultan-Tepe); 4) fragments of the VI (?) C. BC e., found in the south of Mesopotamia, in Uruk (now Varka).

The "Nineveh" version is textually very close to the "Old Babylonian", but more extensive, and its language is somewhat updated. There are compositional differences. With the "peripheral" version, as far as one can judge, the "Nineveh" textual convergence was much less. There is an assumption that the text of Sin-like-unninni was at the end of the 8th century. BC NS. revised by an Assyrian priest and collector of literary and religious works named Nabuzukup-kenu; in particular, it was suggested that he had the idea to add at the end of the poem the literal translation of the second half of the Sumerian epic "Gilgamesh and the huluppu tree" as the twelfth table.

Due to the lack of a proven, scientifically substantiated consolidated text of the "Nineveh" version of the poem, the translator often had to decide on his own the question of the relative position of individual clay fragments. It should be noted that the reconstruction of some parts of the poem is still an unsolved problem.

The published passages follow the "Nineveh" version of the poem (HB); however, from what has been said above, it is clear that the full text of this version, which in antiquity amounted to about three thousand verses, cannot yet be restored. And other versions have survived only in fragments. The translator filled in the gaps of HB in other versions. If any passage has not been completely preserved in any version, but the gaps between the preserved pieces are small, then the alleged content was completed by the translator in verses. Some of the newest clarifications of the text were not taken into account in the translation.

The Akkadian language is also characterized by tonic versification, which is widespread in Russian; this made it possible, during translation, to try to convey as much as possible the rhythmic moves of the original and, in general, precisely those artistic means used by the ancient author, with a minimum deviation from the literal meaning of each verse.

The text of the preface is given by edition:

Dyakonov M.M., Dyakonov I.M. "Selected translations", M., 1985.

Table I

About the one who has seen to the end of the world, About the one who has known the sea, who crossed all the mountains, About the enemies who conquered with a friend, About the one who has comprehended wisdom, about the one who permeated the Hidden, he saw the secret, He brought us the news of the days before the flood, He went on a long journey, but tired and resigned, The story of the labors was carved in stone, Uruk surrounded the sacred barn of Eana with a wall. - Look at the wall, whose crowns, like a thread, Look at the rampart that knows no likeness, Touch the thresholds that have been lying since ancient times, And enter Eana , Ishtar's dwelling Even the future king will not build such a thing - Go up and walk along the walls of Uruk, Look at the foundation, feel the bricks: Are not its bricks burnt And the walls were not laid by seven wise men?

He is two-thirds a god, one-he is a man, The image of his body is incomparable in appearance,

He raises the wall of Uruk. A violent husband, whose head, like that of a tour, is uplifted, Whose weapon has no equal in battle, - All his comrades are on the drum! The men of Uruk are afraid in the bedrooms: “Gilgamesh will not leave a son to his father! Day and night he rages with flesh: Is it Gilgamesh, the shepherd of the fenced Uruk, Is he the shepherd of the sons of Uruk, Powerful, glorious, who has comprehended everything? Mother Gilgamesh will not leave a virgin Conceived by a hero, betrothed to her husband! " Often their complaint was heard by the gods, the Gods of heaven called the lord of Uruk: “You have created a violent son, whose head, like that of a tour, is uplifted, Whose weapon in battle has no equal, - All his comrades are on the drum, Gilgamesh will not leave sons to the Fathers! Day and night he rages with flesh: Is he the shepherd of the fenced-off Uruk, Is he the shepherd of the sons of Uruk, Powerful, glorious, who has comprehended everything? Mother Gilgamesh will not leave a virgin Conceived by a hero, betrothed to her husband! " Anu often heard their complaint. They called to the great Aruru: “Aruru, you created Gilgamesh, Now create a likeness for him! When his courage compares with Gilgamesh, Let them compete, let Uruk rest. " Aruru, hearing these speeches, Anu's likeness created in her heart Washed Aruru's hands, Plucked off the clay, threw it on the ground, Blinded Enkidu, created a hero. Spawn of midnight, warrior of Ninurta, His whole body is covered with wool, Like a woman, he wears his hair, Locks of hair like thick bread; He knew neither people nor the world, He is dressed like a Sumukan. Together with the gazelles, he eats herbs, Together with the animals, he squeezes to the watering place, Together with the creatures, the heart pleases with water. Man - a hunter-catcher Before the watering place he meets. The first day, and the second, and the third Before the watering place he meets. He saw the hunter - his face changed, He returned home with his cattle, He was frightened, he fell silent, he became numb, In his chest - sorrow, his face was darkened, Longing penetrated his womb, He became a face like a long-distance traveler. The hunter opened his mouth and said, he tells his father: “Father, a certain man who came from the mountains, - His hand is mighty in the whole country, As from a stone from heaven his hands are strong, - He wanders forever in all the mountains, Constantly with the beast crowded to the watering place, Constantly directs steps to the watering place. I'm afraid of him, I dare not approach! I will dig holes - he will fill them up, I will set traps - he will rip them out, The beasts and creatures of the steppe are taking away from my hands, - He does not allow me to work in the steppe! " His father opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to the hunter: “My son, Gilgamesh lives in Uruk, There is none stronger than him, His hand is mighty throughout the country, As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong! Go, turn your face to him, tell him about the power of man. He will give you a harlot - bring her with you. A woman will conquer him, like a mighty husband! When he gives water to the beast at the watering hole, Let her tear off her clothes, reveal her beauty, - Seeing her, he will approach her - The animals that grew with him in the desert will leave him! " He obeyed his father's advice, the Hunter set off to Gilgamesh, He set off, turned his feet to Uruk, Before the face of Gilgamesh he uttered a word. “There is a certain man who appeared from the mountains, His hand is mighty throughout the country, As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong! He wanders forever in all the mountains, Constantly with the beast squeezes to the watering place, Constantly directs steps to the watering place. I'm afraid of him, I dare not approach! I will dig holes - he will fill them up, I will set traps - he will rip them out, The beasts and creatures of the steppe are taking away from my hands, - He does not allow me to work in the steppe! " Gilgamesh tells him, the hunter: “Go, my hunter, bring the harlot Shamkhat with you, When he drinks the animals at the watering hole, Let her tear off her clothes, open her beauty, him in the desert. " The hunter went, Shamkhat took the harlot with him, They set off, set off on the road, On the third day they reached the agreed place. The hunter and the harlot sat in ambush - One day, two days they sit at the watering hole. Animals come, drink at the watering hole, Creatures come, they delight the heart with water, And he, Enkidu, whose homeland is the mountains, Together with the gazelles he eats herbs, Together with the beasts he squeezes to the watering place, Together with the creatures, the heart pleases with water. She saw Shamkhat a savage man, a Husband-exterminator from the depths of the steppe: “Here he is, Shamkhat! Open your bosom, Expose your shame, let your beauty befall! Seeing you, he will come up to you - Do not be embarrassed, take his breath, Open your clothes, let him lie on you! Give him pleasure, the cause of women, - The animals that grew with him in the desert will leave him, He will cling to you with passionate desire. " Shamhat opened her breasts, bared her shame, She was not embarrassed, took his breath, She opened her clothes, and he lay down on top, She gave him pleasure, the cause of women, And he clung to her with passionate desire. Six days have passed, seven days have passed - Enkidu tirelessly knew the harlot. When he was satiated with affection, He turned his face to his beast. Seeing Enkida, the gazelles fled, the Steppe beast avoided his body. Enkidu jumped up, - the muscles weakened, The legs stopped, - and his animals left. Enkidu resigned himself - he, as before, does not run! But he became smarter, deeper understanding, - He returned and sat down at the feet of the harlot, he looks into the face of the harlot, And what the harlot says, his ears are listening. The harlot tells him, Enkidu: “You are beautiful, Enkidu, you are like a god, - Why do you wander with the beast in the steppe? Let me introduce you to the fenced Uruk, To the bright house, the dwelling of Anu, Where Gilgamesh is perfect in strength And, like a tour, it shows its power to people! " She said - these speeches are pleasant to him, His wise heart is looking for a friend. Enkidu speaks to her, the harlot: “Come on, Shamhat, bring me to the holy house of light, the dwelling of Anu, Where Gilgamesh is perfect in strength And, like a tour, shows its power to people. I will call him, I will proudly say, I will scream in the midst of Uruk: I am mighty, I alone change destinies, Who was born in the steppe - his strength is great! " “Let's go, Enkidu, turn our face to Uruk, - Where Gilgamesh is - I truly know: Let's go, Enkidu, to Uruk fenced, Where people are proud of a regal dress, Every day, they celebrate a holiday, Where sounds of cymbals and harps are heard, And the harlots. they are glorious with beauty: They are full of voluptuousness, - they promise joy - They lead the greats from the bed of the night. Enkidu, you do not know life, - I will show Gilgamesh that he is glad to lament. Look at him, look at his face - He is beautiful with courage, male strength, Carries voluptuousness all over his body, He has more power than you, He knows no rest day or night! Enkidu, tame your insolence: Gilgamesh - Shamash Anu loves him, Ellil was enlightened. Before you came here from the mountains, Gilgamesh dreamed of you among Uruk. Gilgamesh got up and interprets the dream, He announces to his mother: “My mother, I saw a dream at night: Heavenly stars appeared to me in him, He fell on me like a stone from heaven. He picked him up - he was stronger than me, I shook him - I can't shake off, the Land of Uruk rose to him, The whole land gathered against him, The people crowded around him, All his men surrounded him, All my comrades kissed his feet. I fell in love with him as I clung to my wife. And I brought him to your feet, but you made him equal to me. " Gilgamesh's mother is wise - she knows everything, - she says to her master, Ninsun is wise, - she knows everything, - she says to Gilgamesh: raised him - he was stronger than you, shook him - and you can't shake him off, I fell in love with him, as you clung to my wife, And you brought him to my feet, I equated him with you - A strong companion will come, the savior of a friend, A hand throughout the country his mighty, As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong, - You will love him, as you clung to your wife, He will be a friend, he will not leave you - This is the interpretation of your sleep. " Gilgamesh tells her, his mother, “My mother, I saw a dream again: In the fenced-off Uruk, the ax fell, and all around were crowded: The edge of Uruk rose to it, The whole edge gathered against it, The people crowd it in a crowd, - I loved him, how he clenched to his wife, And I brought him to your feet, You made him equal to me. " Gilgamesh's mother is wise, - she knows everything, - she tells her son, Ninsun is wise, - she knows everything, - she says to Gilgamesh: “You saw a man in that ax, You will love him, as you clung to your wife, I will equalize him with you - Strong, I said, a companion will come, the Savior of the Friend. Throughout the country his hand is mighty, As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong! "Gilgamesh to her, his mother, says:" If. Ellil commanded - let an adviser arise, May my friend be an advisor to me, I will be an advisor to my friend! "This is how he interpreted his dreams." She told Enkidu Shamhat the dreams of Gilgamesh, and both began to love.

Table II

(At the beginning of the table, the "Nineveh" version is missing - apart from small fragments with cuneiform - about one hundred and thirty-five lines containing the episode, which in the "Old Babylonian version - the so-called" Pennsylvanian table "- is stated as follows:

* „... Enkidu, get up, I will lead you * To the temple of Eane, the dwelling of Anu, * Where Gilgamesh is perfect in deeds. * And you, as yourself, will love him! * Get up off the ground, from the shepherd's bed! “* Heard her word, took her speech, * Women advice sunk into his heart. * She tore the fabric, dressed him with one, * Cloth herself with the second, * Taking the hand, took it, like a child, * To the shepherd's camp, to the cattle corrals. * There the shepherds gathered around them, They whisper, looking at him: “That husband with Gilgamesh is similar in appearance, Shorter in stature, but stronger in bone. That's right, Enkidu, a product of the steppe, Throughout the country his hand is mighty, As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong: * He sucked animal milk! * Enkidu did not know how to eat bread, * He was not trained to drink strong drink. * The harlot opened her mouth, broadcasting to Enkidu: * "Eat bread, Enkidu, - that is characteristic of life. * Drink Sikeru - this is destined for the world!" * His soul leaped, roamed, * His heart rejoiced, his face shone. * He felt his hairy body, * He dusted himself with oil, became like people, * He dressed in clothes, became like a husband. * He took the weapon, fought with the lions - * The shepherds rested at night. * Lvov won and he tamed the wolves - * The great shepherds slept: * Enkidu is their guard, a vigilant husband. The message was brought to Uruk, protected by Gilgamesh:

* Enkidu with the harlot indulged in merriment, * looked up, he sees a man, - * he announces to the harlot: * “Shamhat, bring a man! * Why did he come? I want to know his name! " * She called, the harlot of a man, * He came up and saw him. * “Where are you, oh husband, in a hurry? Why is your trip difficult? " * The man opened his mouth, broadcasting to Enkidu: * “They called me to the resting place, * But the lot of people is submission to the highest! * Loads the city with brick baskets, * The feeding of the city is entrusted to the gulls, * Only the king of the fenced-off Uruk * The marriage peace is open, * Only Gilgamesh, the king of the fenced Uruk, * The marriage peace is open, - * He has a married wife! * So it was; I say: so it will be, * of the Council of Gods is the decision, * Cutting the umbilical cord, so he was judged! " * His face turned pale at the words of the man.

(About five verses are missing.)

* Enkidu is in front, and Shamhat is behind,

Enkidu went out into the street of the fenced-off Uruk: "Name at least thirty mighty ones, - I will fight with them!" He barred the road to marriage. The land of Uruk has risen to him, The whole land has gathered against him, The people are crowding around him, Men have gathered around him, Like weak guys, kissing his feet: "From now on, a wonderful hero has appeared to us!" That night a bed was made for Ishkhara, But a rival appeared to Gilgamesh like a god: Enkidu blocked the door of the marriage chamber with his foot, he did not allow Gilgamesh to enter. They grabbed at the doors of the marriage chamber, They began to beat on the street, on a wide road, - The canopy collapsed, the wall shook. * Knee Gilgamesh to the ground, * He humbled his anger, calmed his heart * When his heart calmed down, Enkidu speaks to Gilgamesh: * "You were the only one who was born to you, * Buffalo of the Fence, Ninsun! * You ascended high above men as your head, * Ellil judged your kingdom over people! "

(From the further text of Table II in the "Nineveh" version, only insignificant passages were again preserved; it is only clear that Gilgamesh brings his friend to his mother Ninsun.)

“Throughout the country his hand is mighty, As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong! Bless him to be my brother! " Gilgamesh's mother opened her mouth, broadcasting to her master, Buffalo Ninsun broadcasting to Gilgamesh: “My son, ………………. Bitter …………………. " Gilgamesh opened his mouth and spoke to his mother: “…………………………………… .. He came up to the door, taught me power.” He bitterly reproached me for my rampage. Enkidu has no mother, no friend, He has never cut his hair loose, He was born in the steppe, no one can compare with him. ... Both friends hugged, sat down next to each other, They took hands like brothers.

* Gilgamesh tilted. face, speaks to Enkidu: * "Why are your eyes filled with tears, * Heart is sad, you sigh bitterly?" Enkidu opened his mouth, broadcasting to Gilgamesh: * "The screams, my friend, tear my throat: * I sit idle, power is lost." Gilgamesh opened his mouth, broadcasting to Enkidu: * “My friend, there are mountains of Lebanon far away, * Those mountains are covered with cedars, * The fierce Humbaba lives in that forest * Let us kill him together, * And all that is evil, we will drive out of the world! * I will chop the cedar, - the mountains overgrown with it, - * I will create an eternal name for myself! " * Enkidu opened his mouth, broadcasting to Gilgamesh: * “Vedomo, my friend, I was in the mountains, * When I wandered with the beast together: * There are ditches in the field around the forest, - * Who will penetrate into the middle of the forest? * Humbaba is a hurricane his voice, * His mouth is a flame, death is a breath! * Why did you want to do this? * The fight in Humbaba's dwelling is unequal! " * Gilgamesh opened his mouth, broadcasting to Enkidu: * "I want to climb the mountain of cedar, * And I wish to enter the forest of Humbaba,

(Two or four verses are missing.)

* I will hang a battle ax on my belt - * You go behind, I will go in front of you! ")) * Enkidu opened his mouth, broadcasting to Gilgamesh: *" How will we go, how will we enter the forest? * God Ver, his keeper, - he is powerful, vigilant, * And Humbaba - Shamash endowed him with strength, * Addu endowed him with courage, * ……………………… .. So that he protected the cedar forest, Ellil entrusted him with fears human. Humbaba is a hurricane his voice, his mouth is a flame, death is a breath! People say - hard and the path to that forest - Who will penetrate into the middle of the forest? So that he protected the cedar forest, Ellil entrusted him with human fears, And whoever enters that forest embraces weakness. " * Gilgamesh opened his mouth, broadcasting to Enkidu: * “Who, my friend, ascended to heaven? * Only the gods with the Sun will remain forever, * And man - his years are numbered, * Whatever he does - all the wind! * You are still afraid of death, * Where is she, the strength of your courage? I will go before you, and you shout to me: “Go, do not be afraid!” * If I fall, I will leave the name: * “Gilgamesh took a fight with the fierce Humbaba!” * But a child was born in my house, - * I ran up to you: “ Tell me, you know everything: * ………………………………. * What did my father and your friend do? “* You will reveal to him my glorious lot! * ………………………………. * And with your speeches you sadden my heart! * I will raise my hand, I will chop the cedar, * I will create an eternal name for myself! * My friend, I will give a duty to the masters: * Let the weapons be poured in front of us. " * They gave a duty to the masters, - * The masters sat down, discussing. * Axes cast large ones, - * They cast axes into three talents; * Daggers cast large ones, - * Blades of two talents, * Thirty minutes projections on the sides of the blades, * Thirty minutes of gold, - the handle of the dagger, - * Gilgamesh and Enkidu carried ten talents each. * Seven locks were removed from the gates of Uruk, * Hearing about that, the people gathered, * Crowded in the street of the fenced Uruk. * Gilgamesh appeared to him, The assembly of the enclosed Uruk sat before him. * Gilgamesh says to them like this: * “Listen, elders of fenced Uruk, * Listen, people of fenced Uruk, * Gilgamesh, what he said: I want to see, * The one whose name scorches the country. * In the cedar forest I want to defeat him, * How powerful I am, the offspring of Uruk, may the world hear! * I will raise my hand, I will chop a cedar, * I will create an eternal name for myself! " * The elders of the fenced-off Uruk * Gilgamesh answer with such a speech: * “You are young, Gilgamesh, and you follow your heart, * You yourself do not know what you are doing! * We have heard - the monstrous image of Humbaba - * Who will reflect his weapon? * There are ditches in the field around the forest, - * Who will penetrate into the middle of the forest? * Humbaba is a hurricane in his voice, * His mouth is a flame, death is a breath! * Why did you want to do this? * The fight in Humbaba's dwelling is unequal! " * Gilgamesh heard the counselors' word, * At a friend he, laughing, looked around: * “Now I’ll tell you, my friend, - * I’m afraid of him, I am very afraid: * I will go with you to the cedar forest, * So that I will not be afraid there - let's kill Humbaba! " * The elders of Uruk speak to Gilgamesh: * “……………………………. * ……………………………. * Let the goddess go with you, let your god keep you, * Let him lead you along the safe path, * Let him return you to the pier of Uruk! " * Before Shamash, Gilgamesh knelt down: * “The word that the elders said, I heard, - * I go, but I raised my hands to Shamash: * Now my life will be preserved, * Return me to the pier of Uruk, * You must stretch your canopy by me! "

(In the "Old Babylonian" version, several destroyed verses follow, from which it can be assumed that Shamash gave an ambiguous answer to the fortune-telling of the heroes.)

* When I heard the prediction - ………. * ………………… he sat up and cried, * Tears ran down Gilgamesh's face. * “I am walking the path where I have not yet walked, * Dear, which my whole land does not know. * If now I am prosperous, * Going on a campaign of my own free will, - * You, O Shamash, I will praise, * I will put your idols on thrones! " * Equipment was laid before him, * Axes, large daggers, * Bow and quiver - they were given to him. * He took an ax, filled his quiver, * He put the Anshan bow on his shoulder, * He tucked the dagger into his belt, - They prepared for the campaign.

(Two obscure lines follow, then two corresponding to the non-extant first line III of the table of the "Nineveh" version.)

Table III

* The elders bless him * On the way to Gilgamesh they give advice: “Gilgamesh, do not rely on your strength, Be calm with your face, strike correctly; The one walking in front saves a companion: Who knew the paths, he saved a friend; Let Enkidu walk before you, - He knows the way to the cedar forest, He saw battles, he knows the battle. Enkidu, take care of your comrade, keep your friend, Carry his body through the ruts in your hands; In the council, we entrust the king to you, As you return, you will entrust us with the king! " Gilgamesh opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to Enkidu: “Come on, my friend, let us go to Egalmakh Before the eyes of Ninsun, the great queen! Ninsun is wise, - she knows everything, - She will establish a reasonable path in our footsteps! " They joined hands with each other, Gilgamesh and Enkidu went to Egalms Before the eyes of Ninsun, the great queen. Gilgamesh entered the tsaritsyn's rest: “I made up my mind, Ninsun, to march, Long road, to where Humbaba, In unknown battle I will fight, In unknown way I will go. Until I walk, and I have not returned, Until I reach the cedar forest, Until the fierce Humbaba is slain by me, And all that is evil, I have not expelled from the world, - Put on clothes worthy of the body, Put the censer to Shamash before you! " These speeches of her son, Gilgamesh, Sadly listened to Ninsun, the queen. Ninsun entered her peace, Wash her body with soapy root, Dressed in robes worthy of a body, Put on a necklace worthy of a breast, Girded with a ribbon, crowned with a tiara Sprinkled clean water on the ground, Ascended the steps, climbed to the roof. Having risen, she performed incense for Shamash. She laid the flour sacrifice and raised her hands in front of Shamash: “Why did you give me Gilgamesh as my sons And put a restless heart in his chest? Now you have touched him, and he will go The long way, to where Humbaba, In the unknown battle he will fight, In the unknown way he will go, While he walks, and did not return back, Until he reaches the cedar forest, Until the fierce Humbaba is slain by him, And all that is evil, that you hate, he did not expel from the world, - On the day when you show him a sign, Let, not fearing you, you Aya-bride So that you entrust him to the guards of the night In the evening hour, when at rest are you going!"

She put out the censer, finished the prayer, Called Enkidu and the message announced: “Mighty Enkidu, not born by me! I declared you dedicated to Gilgamesh Together with the priestesses and maidens doomed to God. On Enkidu's neck she wore a talisman, The wives of God took hands with him, And the daughters of God called him. “I am Enkidu! On the campaign Gilgamesh took me with him! " - "Gilgamesh took Enkidu with him!"

(Two verses are missing.)

".. While he walks, and has not returned, Until he reaches the cedar forest. - Whether a month will pass - I will be with him. A year will pass - I will be with them!"

Table IV

(Only fragments of this table have survived in all versions, the relative position of which is not entirely clear.)

After twenty fields they broke off a slice, After thirty fields they stopped for a halt, They walked fifty in a day, They went six weeks' way - on the third day they reached the Euphrates. A well was dug in front of the Sun, ……………………………… .. Gilgamesh climbed the mountain, looked at the surroundings: “Mountain, bring me a favorable dream!”

(Four obscure lines follow; Enkidu appears to be building a tent for Gilgamesh.)

Gilgamesh rested his chin on his knee, - the Dream attacked him, the destiny of man. In the middle of the night his sleep stopped, He got up, he said to his friend: “My friend, did you not call? Why did I wake up? My friend, I saw a dream today, The dream that I saw is all terrible: Under the cliff of the mountain we stand with you, The mountain fell and crushed us, We …………………………… ... Who is in the steppe was born - he knows wisdom! " He broadcasts to his friend Gilgamesh, the dream interprets to him: “My friend, your dream is beautiful, this dream is precious to us, My friend, the mountain that you saw is not terrible at all: We will grab Humbaba, we will knock him down, And we will throw his corpse to a scandal! In the morning we will hear a good word from Shamash! " After twenty strides they broke off a slice, After thirty strides they stopped for a halt, Fifty passed in a day of strides, They walked six weeks - on the third day they reached ……… .. A well was dug in front of the Sun, …………………………… …. Gilgamesh climbed the mountain, looked at the surroundings: "Mountain, bring me a favorable dream!" ………………………………. In the middle of the night his sleep stopped, He got up, he said to his friend: “My friend, did you not call? Why did I wake up? My friend, the second I saw a dream: * The earth cracked, the earth was empty, the earth was in turmoil, * I grabbed the steppe round, * The earth split from his roar, * The sky was darkened by the raised dust, * Before him I fell on my knee; * But grabbed… .. ……………. * He stretched out his hand, lifted me from the ground, * Satisfied my hunger, gave me water from the fur. " * “God, my friend, to whom we are going, * He is not a tour, but he is not hostile at all; * Tour in your dream is Shamash light, * He gives us a hand in trouble; * The one who gave you water to drink from the fur - * It was your god who honored you, Lugalbanda! * We will accomplish something that has never happened in the world! In the morning we will hear a good word from Shamash! " After twenty fields they broke off a slice, After thirty fields they stopped for a halt, Fifty ones walked in a day of fields - The path of six weeks passed and reached the mountain of Lebanon. A well was dug in front of the Sun, ………………………………. Gilgamesh climbed the mountain, looked at the surroundings: "Mountain, bring me a favorable dream!") Gilgamesh rested his chin on his knee - the Dream attacked him, the destiny of man. In the middle of the night his sleep stopped, He got up, he said to his friend: “My friend, did you not call? Why did I wake up? Didn't you touch me? Why did I start? Hasn't God passed away? Why is my body trembling? My friend, I saw the third dream, The dream that I saw is all terrible! The sky screamed, the earth rumbled, The day died down, darkness came, Lightning sparkled, the flame blazed, The fire flared up, death poured in a shower, - The lightning faded, the flame went out, The heat went down, turned into ash - We will return to the steppe - we need advice! Then Enkidu understood his dream, broadcasting to Gilgamesh:

(Further, about one hundred and twenty verses are missing; isolated passages from which it can be concluded that the heroes may have retreated, but then repeated the journey, during which Gilgamesh. Saw three more dreams.)

(The last? Of the dreams, in which Gilgamesh saw a giant, Enkidu interprets as follows :)

"My friend, this is the interpretation of that dream: Humbaba, - that which is like a giant, - Until the light dawns, we will overcome it, We will win a victory over it, On Humbaba, whom we hate fiercely, We will step on our feet victoriously!"

(However, for some reason, the heroes have no luck, and Gilgamesh again appeals to the god Shamash.)

Before Shamash, a warrior, his tears run: "What did you tell Ninsun in Uruk, Remember, come and hear us!" Gilgamesh, the offspring of the fenced-off Uruk, - Shamash heard his speech from the mouth - Suddenly a call came from the sky: “Hurry, approach him, so that he does not go into the forest, He would not enter the thickets, he would not hide from you! He has not yet put on his seven awful robes, One he put on, and six still taken off. " And they grabbed each other, As if violent tours butt each other: Just one more time he screamed, full of anger, the Guardian of the forests screamed from the thickets of the distant ones, Humbaba, like thunder, screamed from afar! Gilgamesh opened his mouth, he broadcasts, Enkidu: “One is only one, he cannot do anything, We will be strangers here one by one: One will not rise steeper, but two will climb, ……………………………. Three times twisted rope will not break soon, Two lion cubs together - a lion is stronger! "

Enkidu opened his mouth, broadcasting to him, to Gilgamesh: "If you and I descended into the forest, My body will weaken, my hands will be numb." Gilgamesh opened his mouth, he speaks to Enkidu: “My friend, can we really be so pitiful? So many mountains have we already crossed, Will we be afraid of the one that is now in front of us, Before we chop the cedar? My friend, you are well versed in battles, battles are familiar to you, You rubbed yourself with a potion and you are not afraid of death, ……………………………… How a big drum thunders your voice! Let the numbness get off your hands, let the weakness leave your body, Let's join hands, let's go, my friend! Let your heart burn with battle! Forget about death - you will achieve life! A cautious and fearless man, Walking ahead, he would have saved himself and his comrade would have saved, - Far away they would have glorified their name! " So they reached the cedar forest, Ceased their speech and both stood up.

Table V

They stopped at the edge of the forest, they see the height of the Cedars, They see the depths of the forest, Where Humbaba walks, they can't hear the steps: The roads are paved, the path is convenient. They see a mountain of cedars, the abode of the gods, the throne of Irnini. Before the mountain, cedars bear their splendor, Their tone is good, full of joy, Overgrown there with thorns, overgrown with bushes, Cedars grow, oleanders grow. The forest for the whole field is surrounded by ditches, And two-thirds of the ditches are surrounded.

(Next, almost sixty verses are missing. The surviving passages speak of "drawn swords", "poisoned iron", that Humbaba? "Put on" his terrible garments-rays? And the possible "curse of Ellil").

Next is Enkidu's speech: Enkidu opened his mouth, broadcasting to Gilgamesh: “Humbaba ……………………. One - only one, he can not do anything, We will be strangers here alone, One will not rise steeper, but two will climb, ……………………………. Three times twisted rope will not break soon, Two lion cubs together - a lion is stronger! "

(Further, until the end of Table V, the text of the "Nineveh" version was not preserved; judging by a fragment of the Hittite translation of the epic, the heroes began to chop the cedars, but they were frightened by the appearance of Humbaba, but Shamash shouted from the sky so that they would not be afraid, and sent eight winds, with the help of which the heroes defeated Humbaba, Humbaba began to beg for mercy, but Enkidu advised Gilgamesh to spare him. the so-called "Bauer Fragment".)

* Gilgamesh speaks to him, Enkidu: * "When we come to kill Humbaba, * The rays of radiance will disappear in confusion, * The rays of radiance will disappear, the light will be darkened!" * Enkidu broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: * “My friend, catch the bird - the chickens will not leave! * Then we will look for the rays of the radiance, * Like chickens in the grass, they will scatter. * Kill yourself, - and the servants later. " * As Gilgamesh heard his associate's word, - * He raised his battle ax with his hand, * He drew his sword from his belt, - * Gilgamesh struck him in the back of the head, * His friend, Enkidu, struck him in the chest; * On the third blow he fell, * His violent limbs froze, * They struck down the guard, Humbaba, - * The cedars groaned in two fields around: * Together with him, Enkidu killed forests and cedars. * Enkidu defeated the guardian of the forest, * Whose word was honored by Lebanon and Saria, * Peace embraced the high mountains, * Peace embraced the wooded peaks. * He defeated the defenders of the cedar - * Broken rays of Humbaba. * When he killed all seven of them, * A battle net and a dagger of seven talents, - * A load of eight talents, - removed from his body, * He was an Anunnaki dwelling. * Gilgamesh cuts trees, Enkidu twists stumps. * Enkidu broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: * “My friend, Gilgamesh! We killed the cedar, - * Hang a battle ax on the belt, * Bring a drink before Shamash, - * We will deliver the cedars to the bank of the Euphrates. "

Table VI

He washed his body, all his weapons glittered, He threw hair from his forehead onto his back, He parted from the dirty, he dressed clean. As he threw on a cloak and girded his camp, As Gilgamesh crowned himself with a tiara, - The Empress Ishtar raised her eyes to the beauty of Gilgamesh: “Come on, Gilgamesh, be my husband, Give me a gift of maturity of the body! You will only be my husband, I will be my wife! I will prepare for you a golden chariot, With golden wheels, with amber horns, And storms will harness into it - mighty mules. Enter our house in the scent of cedar! How to enter our house you will become, And let the threshold and throne kiss your feet, Let the sovereigns, kings and lords kneel, May the gifts of hills and plains be tribute to you, Your goats are triplets, and the sheep give birth to twins, Let Your donkey of burden catch up mule, Your horses in a chariot may be proud in the run, Under the yoke of your oxen, let them know no equal! " Gilgamesh opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to the Empress Ishtar: “Why do you want me to take you as my wife? I will give you dresses, oil for the body, I will give you meat for food and food, I will feed you with bread worthy of a goddess, I will give you wine, worthy of a queen, I will magnificently decorate your dwelling, I will fill your barns with grain, I will dress your idols in clothes, - But I won't take you as my wife! You are a brazier that goes out in the cold, A black door that does not hold wind and storms, A palace that has collapsed on the hero's head, An elephant that has trampled on his blanket, Resin, which the porter is scalded with, Fur from which the porter is poured, A stove that did not hold back a stone wall, Battering ram, who betrayed the inhabitants to the enemy's land, Sandal, shaking the master's leg! What spouse did you love forever, what glory do you get? Let me list with whom you have fornicated! To the spouse of your youth, Dumuzi, From year to year you judged sobs. You still loved the shepherd bird - You hit him, broke his wings; He lives among the forests and shouts: “My wings!” And you loved the lion, perfect by strength - Seven and seven you dug traps for him. And you loved a horse, a glorious one in battle, - You judged him the whip, the bridle and the whip, You judged him to ride seven courses, You judged him to drink muddy, His mother, Silily, you judged the sobs. And you also loved the shepherd-goat herder, That he constantly carried ash bread for you, Every day he cut the suckers for you; You hit him, turned him into a wolf, - They chase his vault, and the dogs bite his thighs. You loved Ishullana, your father's gardener. That you constantly carried bunches of dates, Decorating your table every day, - You raised your eyes, you approached him: “O my Ishullanu, we will taste your maturity, And, bare hand, touch our bosom! “Ishullanu answers you:“ What did you want from me? What my mother didn’t bake, I didn’t eat. How will I eat the bread of sin and filth? Will the matting be a shelter for me from the cold? “After hearing these speeches, You hit him, turned him into a spider, Set him up in the midst of hard work, - You can't get out of the cobweb, don't go down to the floor. And with me, having fallen in love, you will do the same! " As Ishtar heard these speeches, Ishtar was furious, ascended to heaven, Rising, Ishtar before her father, Anu, weeps, Before Antu, her mother, her tears run: “My father, Gilgamesh shames me, Gilgamesh enumerated my sins, All my sins and all my filthiness. " Anu opened his mouth and said, broadcasting to her, the Empress Ishtar: "Didn't you insult King Gilgamesh, That Gilgamesh listed your sins, All your sins and all your defilements?" Ishtar opened her mouth and said, she tells her father, Anu: “Father, create a Bull for me to kill Gilgamesh in his dwelling, Gilgamesh must pay for the offense! If you do not give me the Bull - I will smite Gilgamesh in his dwelling, I will pave the way into the depths of the underworld, I will raise the dead to devour the living, - Then there will be less living than dead! " Anu opened his mouth and said, broadcasting to her, the Empress Ishtar: “If you want a Bull from me, In the land of Uruk there will be seven years of chaff. You must collect hay for the cattle, You must grow herbs for the steppe beast. " Ishtar opened her mouth and said, she says to her father, Anu: “For cattle I have accumulated hay in Uruk, For the steppe beast I have grown herbs.

As Anu heard these speeches, He respected Her, He created the Bull, …………………………………. Ishtar drove him to Uruk from heaven. When he reached the streets of Uruk, ………………………………. I went down to the Euphrates, drank it in seven gulps - the river dried up. From the breath of the Bull, a pit opened, One hundred men of Uruk fell into it. A hole opened from the second breath. Two hundred of Uruk's husbands fell into it. At the third breath, he began to spit at Enkidu; Jumping, Enkidu grabbed the Bull's horn. ”The Bull spat saliva in his face, Hit him with the entire thickness of his tail. Enkidu opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to Gilgamesh: "My friend, we are proud of our courage, What will we answer to this offense?" “My friend, I saw the Bull's ferocity, But his strength is not dangerous for us. I will rip out his heart, put it in front of Shamash, - I and you - we will kill the Bull, I will stand over his corpse as a sign of victory, I will fill the horns with oil - I will give it to Lugalbanda! By the thickness of his tail, grab you, And I between the horns, between the back of the head and the neck, hit him with a dagger, ……………………………… .. ”. He drove Enkidu, he turned the Bull, He grabbed by the thickness of his tail, ………………………………. And Gilgamesh, as he saw the deed of a brave hero and a faithful friend, - Between the horns, between the back of the head and the neck, he struck the Bull with a dagger. As they killed the Bull, they ripped out his heart, laid him in front of Shamash, Having retired, bowed down before Shamash, Both brothers sat down to rest. Ishtar climbed the wall of the fenced-off Uruk, prostrated in sorrow, cast a curse: “Woe to Gilgamesh! He disgraced me by killing the Bull! " Enkidu heard these speeches of Ishtar, tore out the root of the Bull, threw in her face: "And with you - just to get it, - as with him I would have done, I would have wound his Guts around you!" Ishtar summoned fornicators, harlots and girls, and began to mourn the Bull's Root. And Gilgamesh summoned the masters of all crafts, - The thickness of the horns was praised by the masters. Thirty mines of azure - their casting, With a thickness of two fingers their frame, Six measures of oil that went into both horns, Presented to his god Lugalbanda for anointing, And nailed the horns over his master's bed. They washed their hands in the Euphrates, Embraced, set off, ride the street of Uruk, The crowds of Uruk look at them. Gilgamesh spreads the word to the commoners of Uruk: “Who is beautiful among heroes, Who is proud among husbands? Gilgamesh is handsome among heroes, Enkidu is proud among husbands! The bull goddess whom we banished in anger. Has not reached the fullness of desire on the streets, …………………………… ..! " Gilgamesh made fun in the palace, The heroes fell asleep, they lie on the bed of the night, Enkidu fell asleep and saw a dream, Enkidu rose and interprets the dream: He announces to his friend:

Table VII

“My friend, what are the great gods conferring on?

(The further information is known only from an excerpt from the "Peripheral" version in the Hittite language :)

** Listen to my dream that I saw at night: ** Anu, Ellil and Shamash talked among themselves. ** And Anu Ellilu says: ** “Why did they slay the Bull and Humbaba?” ** Anu said: “It is fitting to die ** The one who stole the cedars from the mountains!” ** Ellil said: “Let Enkidu die, ** But Gilgamesh must not die! "** Shamash answers Ellil the hero: **" Was it not your command that the Bull and Humbaba were killed? ** Should Enkidu now die innocently? "** Ellil was angry at the Shamash-hero: **" That's why you walk in their comrades every day! "** Enkidu lay down before Gilgamesh, ** Tears ran down Gilgamesh's face: ** “Brother, dear brother! Why did they acquit me instead of my brother? "** And again:" Can I really sit with a ghost at the grave entrance? ** Never see your beloved brother with your own eyes? "

(This may also include a fragment of the "Peripheral" version in Akkadian, found at Megiddo in Palestine :)

** ………… ** Enkidu touched his hand, said to Gilgamesh: ** “I did not chop a cedar, I did not kill Humbaba.

* * *

* * *

** In the cedar forest, where the gods live, ** I have not killed a single cedar! "** Gilgamesh awakened from his voice, ** And to the hero he speaks like this: **" This dream is good and auspicious ** Precious and good, although difficult. "

(Apparently, this also includes a passage from the Nineveh version, although, perhaps, it was preceded by a text that was very different from the above-mentioned “Peripheral.” After several heavily destroyed verses from Enkidu's speech there are such verses :)

Enkidu opened his mouth and said, he broadcast to Gilgamesh: “Come on, my friend, let's go and ask Ellil!” They stopped at the entrance to the temple, they saw a wooden door. For Ellilu gave it to Enkidu, Enkidu opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to Gilgamesh: "Because of the wooden door, trouble happened!" There is no understanding in it! For you, I was looking for a tree for twenty fields, Until I saw a long cedar, - That tree had no equal in the world! You are eighteen fathoms high, six fathoms wide, Your bolt, noose and “bolt are twelve cubits long. I made, delivered you, decorated you in Nippur - I would have known the door that such would be the reckoning, What good will you bring me, - I would take an ax, chop it into chips, Tie the raft - and let it float!

Anu and Ishtar have not forgiven me for that! Now, the door - why did I make you? He himself ruined himself with a godly gift! Let the future tsar straighten you, Let God make your doors, Erase my name, write his own, Tear down my door, and put his own! " Hearing his word, he immediately wept hotly, Gilgamesh heard the word of his friend, Enkidu, - his tears ran. Gilgamesh opened his mouth and said, broadcasting to Enkidu: “God gave you a deep reason, wise speech - You are a reasonable man - and you think so strangely! Why, my friend, do you think so strange? Your dream is precious, even though there is a lot of fear in it: Like fly wings, your lips still tremble! There is a lot of fear in him, but this dream is dear: For the living - to yearn is his share, Sleep leaves longing for the living! And now I will pray to the great gods, - Seeking mercy, I will turn to your god: May, the father of the gods, be merciful to Anu, Even Ellil may have mercy, Shamash will have mercy, - I will adorn their idols with gold without counting them! " Shamash heard him, called to him from heaven: “Do not waste, O king, on the idols of gold, - The Word that is said, God will not change, the Word that is said, will not return, will not cancel, The lot that is thrown will not return, will not cancel, - Human destiny passes, - nothing will remain in the world! " At the command of Shamash, Enkidu raised his head, Before Shamash, his tears run: “I pray you, Shamash, because of my hostile fate - About a hunter, a catcher-man, - He did not allow me to reach, which my friend achieved, Let the hunter not reach what his friends have achieved! Let his hands be weak, the income is meager, Let his share decrease in front of you, Let the beast not go into the trap, and go into the crack! Let the hunter not fulfill the wishes of the heart! " He cursed Shamkhat in anger: “Come on, harlot, I will assign you a share, That will not end for ever and ever in the world; I will curse you with a great curse, So that soon that curse would befall you: May you not make yourself at home for joy, May you not fall in love with your walking daughter, May you not introduce girls to the gatherings, Let your beautiful bosom be filled with beer, Let the drunken man vomit your dress on holiday, Let him take away your beautiful beads, Let the potter throw clay after you, Let nothing come to you from the bright share, Pure silver, pride of people and health, Let them not be found in your house, Let them take pleasure from you at the thresholds, Crossroads you will be a dwelling place, Let the wastelands be a night for you, The shadow of the wall will be a dwelling place, Let your feet not know rest, Let the cripple and drunk beat on your cheeks, Let the wife of your faithful husband shout at you, Let the builder not repair your roof, Let the builder settle in the cracks of the walls owls of the desert, Let the guests not come to your feast, ………………………………………. ………………………………………. Let the passage into your bosom be closed with pus, Let the gift be the beggars for the open bosom, - For you pretended to be a spouse to the pure me, And you committed deception over the pure me! " Shamash heard his word, - Suddenly a call came from heaven: “Why, Enkidu, the harlot Shamhat did you curse, That you fed you with bread worthy of God, You gave you drink worthy of a king, You clothed you with great clothes And Gilgamesh gave you a good companion? Now Gilgamesh, both your friend and your brother, Will lay you down on a great bed, On an honorable bed he will lay you down, He will settle you on the left, in a place of rest; The sovereigns of the earth are kissing your feet, He orders the people of Uruk to mourn you, He will entrust the merry people with a mournful rite, And after you he will put on rags, He will put on a lion's skin, and run into the desert. " Enkidu heard the word of Shamash the hero, - His angry heart calmed down, An angry liver calmed down. “Come on, harlot, I will appoint something else: Let the one who left you return to you, Let the sovereigns, kings and masters love you, He who saw you, let him be amazed at you, Let the hero shake his curls for you, The guard will not detain you, but let him untie the belt, Give glass spangles, azure and gold, Let him give you forged earrings, - And for that he will pour grain with a downpour; In the temple of the gods, let the exorcist bring you, For you, let the mother of seven, your spouse, be abandoned! " Pain penetrated into Enkidu's womb, On the bed of the night, where he lay alone. He told his friend all his sorrows: “Listen, my friend! I saw a dream at night - the sky screamed, the earth answered, Only I stand between them Yes, one man - his face is gloomy, He looks like a bird of the storm, His wings are eagle's wings, his claws are eagle's claws, He grabbed my hair, he overcame me , I hit him - like a skipping rope, he jumps, He hit me - healed my wound, But, like a tour, he stepped on me, He squeezed my whole body like a vice. “My friend, save me!” You could not save, You were afraid, could not fight, You only ……………………………………………………………. He touched me, turned me into a bird, Wings, like a bird, put on my shoulders: He looked and took me into the house of darkness, Irkalla's dwelling, Into the house from which he never exits, Into a path that cannot be taken back, Into a house where the living are deprived of light, Where their food is dust and their food is clay, And they are dressed like birds, with the clothes of wings, And they do not see the light, but live in darkness, And the bars and doors are covered with dust! In the House of Ashes, where I entered, I looked - the crowns are humble: I listened, - the crowned heads that in the old days ruled the world, Anu and Ellila are offered fried meat, They put baked bread, cold, made of fur, pour water. In the House of Ashes, where I entered, The priest and the servant live, the sorcerer and the possessed live, The priests of the great gods live, Etana lives, Sumukan lives, Ereshkigal lives, the queen of the earth; Belet-tseri, the maiden-scribe of the earth, kneeling in front of her, holds the Table of Fates, reads in front of her, - Raised her face, saw me: "Death has already taken that person!"

... You and I shared all the work together, - Remember me, my friend, do not forget my deeds! " His friend saw an unexplained dream, When he saw the dream, his strength dried up. Enkidu lies on the bed, The first day, the second day that Enkidu lies on the bed, The third day and the fourth that Enkidu lies on the bed. The fifth, sixth and seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, - Enkidu's ailment became more severe, The eleventh and twelfth days passed - Enkidu rose on his bed, He called Gilgamesh, he broadcasts: “My friend from now on hated me, - When in Uruk we with they were told, I was afraid of battle, and he was to help me; The friend who saved in battle - why did he leave me? You and me - aren't we mortal? "

Table VIII

As soon as the radiance of the morning dawned, Gilgamesh opened his mouth and said: “Enkidu, my friend, your mother is an antelope And onager, your father, you were begotten, Animals raised you with their milk And cattle in the steppe on distant pastures! In the cedar forest, the paths of Enkidu For you, may they cry day and night incessantly, May the elders of the fenced-off Uruk cry, May the one who stretches out his hand after us, May the ledges of the wooded mountains cry, Along which you and I ascended, May weep to weep like a dear mother, Yes they cry with the juice of cypresses and cedars, Among which we made our way with you, May bears cry, hyenas, leopards and tigers, Capricorns and lynxes, lions and tours, Deer and antelopes, cattle and steppe creatures, May the sacred Evlei cry, where we proudly walked along the bank May the bright Euphrates cry, where we drew water for the fur, May the men of the vast fenced-off Uruk cry, May the wives cry that they saw how we killed the Bull, May the farmer of the good city, who glorified your name, cry, May the one who, like the ancients, cry people, he was proud of you, Yes, the one who fed you with bread cries, Yes, the slave who anointed your feet cries, Yes, the slave cries who gave wine to your lips, Yes, the harlot cries, who anointed you with good oil, Yes, she cries into the marriage rest, Got good advice to your spouse ohm, Brothers, let them cry for you like sisters, In sorrow, let them tear hair over you! Like mother and father in his distant pastures, I will cry for Enkidu: Listen to me, men, listen, Listen, elders of the fenced Uruk! I cry about Enkidu, my friend, Like a mourner, I weep bitterly: My powerful ax, my strong stronghold, My faithful dagger, my reliable shield, My festive cloak, my magnificent headdress - The evil demon took it from me! My younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, panthers in the open! Enkidu, my younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, panthers in the open! With whom we, having met together, climbed the mountains, Together grabbing, they killed the Bull, - What kind of dream now possessed you? You have become dark and you cannot hear me! " And he can't raise his head. He touched his heart - it does not beat. He covered his friend's face, like a bride, Himself, like an eagle, he circles over him, Like a lioness, whose lion cubs are in a trap, He rushes menacingly back and forth, Like a tow, he tears his hair, Like filth, tears off his clothes. As soon as the glow of the morning began, Gilgamesh summoned the sculptors, coppersmiths, blacksmiths, stone cutters throughout the country. “My friend, I will make your idol, Which no one did to a friend: A friend's growth and appearance in him will be revealed, - A foot of stone, hair - of azure, Face - of alabaster, of gold - a body.

... Now I, and your friend and your brother, I laid you on a great bed, I laid you down on a bed of honor, I settled you on the left, in a place of rest, The sovereigns of the earth kissed your feet, I told the people of Uruk to mourn you, I entrusted the merry people with a mournful rite And after a friend, I put on rags, I put on a lion's skin, I run into the desert! " As soon as the glow of the morning began ...

As soon as the glow of the morning dawned, Gilgamesh made a figurine of clay, Brought out a large wooden table, He filled a vessel of carnelian with honey, A vessel of azure filled with oil, He decorated the table and brought it out for Shamash.

(Until the end of the table, about fifty verses are missing; their content was the divination of Gilgamesh and the answer of the gods. Probably, it was similar in content to that contained in the "Old Babylonian" version, but not in this place, but in the table that corresponded the later tenth, - in the so-called “Meissner's Table.” Below is the text from it, the first lines represent the translator's speculation.)

Ellil heard his word from the mouth - Suddenly a call came from heaven: “Since ancient times, Gilgamesh, it has been assigned to people: Farmer, plowing the land, gathering crops, Shepherd and hunter with beasts dwells, * Puts on their skins, eats their meat. * You want it, Gilgamesh, which hasn't happened * Since my wind blows the waters. " * Shamash was saddened, he came to him, * He announces to Gilgamesh: * “Gilgamesh, where are you striving? * The life that you are looking for, you will not find! " * Gilgamesh speaks to him, to Shamash the hero: * “After wandering around the world, * Is there enough peace in the land? * Apparently, I slept all these years! * Let the eyes be saturated with sunlight: * The darkness is empty, how much light is needed! * Can a dead person see the sun shine? "

(There are about twenty more verses from this place in the Old Babylonian version to the end of the table.)

Table IX

Gilgamesh about Enkidu, his friend, Weeps bitterly and runs into the desert: “And won't I die like Enkidu? Longing has penetrated into my womb, I fear death and run into the desert. Under the authority of Utnapishti, the son of Ubar-Tutu, I have undertaken the Path, I am walking hastily. When I reached the mountain passes at night, I saw Lvov, and I used to be scared, - Raising the Head, I pray to Sin, And my prayers go to all the gods: As before, save me! " At night he lay down - waking up from sleep, He sees the lions frolic, rejoicing in life. He raised his battle ax with his hand, Drew his sword from his belt, - Like a spear, he fell between them, He struck, plunged, killed and chopped.

He heard of the mountains, whose name is Masha, As soon as he approached these mountains, That the sunrise and sunset are guarded daily, Above they reach the metal of heaven, Below, their chest reaches the underworld, - People-scorpions guard their gates: Their appearance is terrible, their eyes - doom, Their shimmering brilliance plunges the mountains - At the rising and setting of the Sun, they guard the Sun, - As soon as Gilgamesh saw them - Horror and fear darkened his face. Gathered with courage, he went to them. The scorpion man shouted to his wife: "The one who approaches us - the flesh of the gods - his body!" To a scorpio man, his wife replies: "He is two-thirds God, and one-he is a man!" The scorpion man shouted to Gilgamesh, the Descendant of the gods broadcast the word: “Why are you walking the far way, Which way did you reach me, Swam across the rivers, where the crossing is difficult? Why did you come, I want to know, Where your path lies, I want to know! " Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the scorpion man: “My younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, Enkidu, my younger brother, the persecutor of the mountain onagers, the panthers in the open spaces, With whom we met together, climbed the mountains, Together grabbing, They killed the bull, They killed Humbaba in the cedar forest, My friend, whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors, Enkidu, my friend whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors - He was befallen by the fate of a man! Six days passed, seven nights passed, Until worms entered his nose. I was afraid of death, not to find my life: The thought of a hero haunts me! I run a long way in the desert: The thought of Enkidu, a hero, haunts me - I wander a long way in the desert! How can I keep quiet, how can I calm down? My beloved friend has become the earth! Enkidu, my beloved friend, has become the earth! Just like him, and I will not lie down, So as not to stand up forever and ever? Now, scorpion, I met you - Death, that I fear, let me not see! ………………………………………. To Utnapishti, my father, I go hastily, To the one who, having survived, was accepted in the assembly of the gods and found life in him: I will ask him about life and death! " The scorpion man opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to Gilgamesh: “Never, Gilgamesh, there was a road, No one has yet walked in the mountains: He stretches inward for twelve fields: Darkness is thick, no light is visible - When the sun rises, the gate is closed, At sunset The suns open the gates, When the sun sets, they close the gates again, Only Shamash's gods bring out from there, He scorches the living with radiance, - You - how can you go that way? You will go in and you will not go out again! "

Gilgamesh speaks to him, to the scorpio man: “...……………………… .. In the anguish of my flesh, in the sorrow of my heart, And in heat and cold, in darkness and in darkness, In sighs and cry, - forward I'll go! Now open the gates to the mountains for me! " The scorpion man opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to Gilgamesh: “Go, Gilgamesh, on your difficult path, let you pass Masha Mountains, bravely walk through forests and mountains, and return safely! The gates of the mountains are open for you. " Gilgamesh, when he heard this, was obedient to the Scorpio Man, On the road of Shamash he directed his feet. He has already passed the first career - Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see. He has already passed the second mile - Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see. The third trample after passing, he turned back.

(The next missing eighteen verses probably explained why Gilgamesh decided to take his journey through the end of the world again.)

Gathered with courage, he strode forward. He has already passed the fourth mile - Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see, He has already passed the fifth mile - Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see. He has already passed the sixth mile - Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see, Having passed the seventh mile, he listened to the darkness: Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see. Having passed the eighth mile, he shouted into the darkness: Darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see. In the ninth field, he sensed a chill, - The breath of the wind touched his face, - The darkness is thick, no light is visible, Neither forward nor backward can he see, In the tenth field, the exit is close, - But, like ten fields, this field is. In the eleventh career, before dawn dawns, In the twelfth career, the light appeared, He hurried, seeing a grove of stones! Carnelian bears fruit, Hanged in bunches, seemingly pleasant. Lapis lazuli grows foliage - Fruiting too, looks funny.

Gilgamesh, walking through the garden of stones, Ochi lifted up to this miracle.

Table X

Siduri is the mistress of the gods that lives on a cliff by the sea, She lives and treats them with braga: She was given a jug, she was given a golden cup, - Covered with a veil, invisible to people. Gilgamesh approaches her dwelling, Clothed in skin, covered with dust, The flesh of the gods lurks in his body, Longing dwells in his womb, He is like a person walking a long way. The hostess saw him from afar, She speaks to her heart, thinking, she speaks to herself, She keeps the advice with herself: "Probably, this is a violent killer, Who is good to see here?" Seeing him, the hostess closed the doors, Closed the doors, laid the bolt. And he, Gilgamesh, heard that knock, He raised his face and turned to her. Gilgamesh broadcasts to her, to the hostess: “Hostess, what did you see, why did you close the doors, Closed the doors, locked the bolt? I'll hit the door, break the bolts! " ………………………………. The hostess Siduri shouted to Gilgamesh, She spreads the word to the Descendant of the gods: “Why are you walking the long way, Which way did you reach me, Swam across the rivers, where the crossing is difficult? Why did you come, I want to know, Where your path lies, I want to know! " Gilgamesh tells her, the mistress of Siduri: "I am Gilgamesh, who killed the guard of the forest, In the cedar forest, killed Humbaba, Slayed the Bull that came down from the sky, Who killed the lions on the mountain passes." The hostess broadcasts to him, Gilgamesh: “If you are Gilgamesh, who killed the guardian of the forest, In the cedar forest, killed Humbaba, Slayed the Bull that came down from the sky, Who killed the lions on the mountain passes, - Why did your cheeks sink, your head drooped, Sad heart, face faded Longing dwells in your womb, You are like a person walking a long way, Heat and cold have burned your face, And you are looking for a haze, are you running through the desert? " Gilgamesh tells her, the mistress: “How not to sink into my cheeks, my head not to droop, Not to be sad, my face not to fade, Longing cannot penetrate into my womb, I cannot be like a person walking a long way, Heat and cold not burn my forehead? My younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, Enkidu, my younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, With whom we, having met together, climbed the mountains, Together grabbing, They killed the bull, In the cedar forest they killed Humbabu, My friend, whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors, Enkidu, my friend whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors - His fate befell him! For six days, seven nights I cried over him, Without betraying him to the grave, - Will my friend not rise in response to my voice? Until the worms entered his nose! I was afraid of death, I will not find life! Like a robber, I wander in the desert: The word of the hero haunts me - I run on the long road in the desert: The word of Enkidu, the hero, haunts me - I roam the long way in the desert: How can I keep quiet, how can I calm down? My beloved friend has become the earth! Enkidu, my beloved friend, has become the earth! Just like him, and I will not lie down, So as not to stand up forever and ever? * Now, mistress, I met you, - * Death that I fear, let me not see! " The hostess broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: * “Gilgamesh! Where are you going? * The life that you are looking for, you will not find! * The gods, when they created a person, - * They defined death for a person, * - They kept life in their hands. * You, Gilgamesh, feed your stomach, * Day and night, let you be cheerful, * Celebrate the holiday every day, * Play and dance day and night! * May your clothes be light, * Hair is clean, wash yourself with water, * Look how the child holds your hand, * Please your friend with your embraces - * Only this is a man's business! " Gilgamesh broadcasts to her, the hostess: “Now, hostess, where is the way to Utnapishti? What is its sign, - give it to me, Give me a sign of that way: If possible, I will cross the sea, If it is impossible, I will run through the desert! " The hostess broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: “Never, Gilgamesh, there was a crossing, And no one who had been here since ancient times could have crossed by sea - Shamash the hero will cross by sea, - Besides Shamash, who can this? The crossing is difficult, the road is hard, The waters of death are deep, that it is blocked. And what, Gilgamesh, having crossed the sea, - having reached the waters of death, - will you do? Yes, Gilgamesh, Urshanabi, Utnapishti the shipman, He has idols, in the forest he catches a snake; Find him and see him, If possible, cross with him, If not, then turn back. " Gilgamesh, when he heard these speeches, he raised his battle ax with his hand, drew his sword from his belt, between the trees he went deep into the thicket, Like a spear fell between them, Idols broke, in a sudden rampage, he found the magic snake in the middle of the forest, strangled him with his own hands ... When Gilgamesh was satiated with violence, In his chest rage calmed down, He said in his heart: “I cannot find a boat! How can I overcome the waters of death, How can I cross the wide sea? " Gilgamesh kept his rampage, He came out of the forest, went down to the River. On the waters Urshanabi sailed in a boat, He sent the boat to the shore. Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the shipbuilder Urshanabi: * "I am Gilgamesh, this is my name, * That I came from Uruk, the house of Anu, * That I wandered in the mountains by way distant from the rising of the Sun." Urshanabi speaks to him, to Gilgamesh: "Why did your cheeks sink, your head drooped, Your heart is sad, your face has withered, Longing dwells in your womb, You are like a person walking a long way, Your face was scorched by heat and cold, And you are looking for haze, you run through the desert?" Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the shipbuilder Urshanabi: “How not to let my cheeks fall, my head not to droop, Not to be sad in my heart, not to fade in my face, To longing cannot penetrate into my womb, I cannot be like a man walking a long way, Heat and cold cannot burn my forehead, Shouldn't I look for a haze, shouldn't I run through the desert? My younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, Enkidu, my younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, With whom we, having met together, climbed the mountains, Together they seized the Bull, killed the Bull, They killed the mountain lions on the passes In the cedar forest they destroyed Humbaba, My friend, whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors, Enkidu, my friend, whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors - He was befallen by the fate of a man! Six days passed, seven nights passed, Until worms entered his nose. I was afraid of death, I will not find life, The word of the hero haunts me - I run long way in the desert! The word of Enkidu, the hero, haunts me - I wander a long way in the desert: How can I keep quiet, how can I calm down? My beloved friend became earth, Enkidu, my beloved friend, became earth! Just like him, and I will not lie down, So as not to stand up forever and ever? "

(Urshanabi's answer has been omitted, perhaps due to the scribe's negligence.)

Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the shipbuilder Urshanabi: “Now, Urshanabi, where is the way to Utnapishti? What is its sign - you give it to me! Give me a sign of that way: If possible, I will cross by sea, If not, I will run away in the desert! " Urshanabi broadcasts to him, Gilgamesh: * “Those idols, Gilgamesh, were a talisman for me, * So that I would not touch the waters of death; * In your fury you destroyed the idols, - * Without those idols it is difficult to ferry you, Take, Gilgamesh, an ax in your hand, Going deeper into the forest, chop the poles there, One hundred twenty poles fifteen fathoms each, Osmoli, make the blades and bring them to me. " ... Gilgamesh, hearing these speeches, he raised his battle ax with his hand, drew his sword from his belt, went deep into the forest, chopped the poles there, One hundred twenty poles by fifteen yards, - he tarred, made the blades, brought them to him. Gilgamesh and Urshanabi stepped into the boat, Pushed the boat into the waves and sailed on it. The path of six weeks was completed in three days, And Urshanabi entered the waters of death. Urshanabi speaks to him, to Gilgamesh: “Move aside, Gilgamesh, and take the pole, do not touch the water of death with your hand, beware! Second, third and fourth, Gilgamesh, take you, Fifth, sixth and seventh, Gilgamesh, take you, Eighth, ninth and tenth, Gilgamesh, take you, Eleventh and twelfth, Gilgamesh, take you " Gilgamesh, And he untied the girdle of his loins, Gilgamesh took off his clothes, he unfolded it, Like a sail, he lifted it with his hands. Utnapishti saw them from afar, Thinking, he broadcasts to his heart, He keeps the advice with himself: “Why are these idols broken on the boat, And it is not her owner who is sailing on it? The one who comes up is not my man, he is not my man, And I look on the right, and I look on the left, I look at him - and I cannot recognize, I look at him - and I cannot understand, I look at him - and not I know who he is. " ……………………………….

Utnapishti broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: "Why did your cheeks sink, your head drooped, Your heart is sad, your face has withered, Longing dwells in your womb, You are like a person walking a long way, Heat and cold have scorched your brow, And you are looking for haze, running through the desert?" Gilgamesh tells him, the distant Utnapishti: “How not to let my cheeks fall, my head not to droop, Not to be a sad heart, not to fade in my face, To longing cannot penetrate into my womb, I cannot be like a person walking a long way, Heat and cold cannot burn my brow, Shouldn't I look for a haze, shouldn't I run through the desert? My younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, Enkidu, my younger brother, the persecutor of the onager in the steppe, the panthers in the open spaces, With whom we, having met together, climbed the mountains, Together they grabbed the Bull, killed the Bull, In the cedar forest they killed Humbaba On the passes, mountain lions were killed, My friend, whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors, Enkidu, my friend whom I loved so much, With whom we shared all our labors, - His fate befell him! Days and nights I cried over him, Without betraying him to the grave, Until worms entered his nose. I was afraid of death and run in the desert, - The word of the hero haunts me, I wander on the long road in the desert - The word of Enkidu, the hero, haunts me: How can I keep quiet, how can I calm down? My beloved friend became earth, Enkidu, my beloved friend, became earth! Just like him, and I will not lie down, So as not to stand up forever and ever? " Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, the distant Utnapishti: “I, in order to reach the distant Utnapishti: To see the one about whom the legend goes, I wandered for a long time, bypassed all countries, I climbed difficult mountains, I crossed all the seas, I did not satisfy my sweet sleep my eyes, I tormented myself with a continuous vigil, I filled my flesh with longing, Before reaching the mistress of the gods, I took off my clothes, I killed bears, hyenas, lions, leopards and tigers, Deer and chamois, cattle and steppe creatures, I ate their meat, their pleasing his body with his hide; At the sight of me, the hostess locked the doors, I smeared the poles with resin and tar, When I was sailing on the boat, I did not touch the water, - May I find the life I am looking for! " Utnapishti speaks to him, to Gilgamesh: “Why, Gilgamesh, are you filled with longing? Is it because the flesh of gods and people is in your body, Is it because your father and mother created you mortals? Did you know - once was there a chair for the mortal Gilgamesh in the assembly of the gods? Given to him, a mortal, limits: People - like churning, gods - like butter, Men and gods - like chaff and wheat! You hastened with the skin, Gilgamesh, to put on, And that the royal sling, you wear it, - Because - I have no answer for you, There is no word of advice for you! Turn your face, Gilgamesh, to your people: Why does their ruler wear rags? ……………………………… ..

Ardent death does not spare a person: Do we build houses forever? Do we put seals forever? Do brothers share forever? Is hatred in people forever? Does the river carry hollow waters forever? Will the larva turn into a dragonfly forever? The gaze that the gaze of the Sun could bear has not happened since ancient times: The captive and the dead are similar to each other - Do they not show the image of death? Is the ruler a man? When Ellil blesses them, Then the Anunnaki, the great gods, gather, Mamet judges with them: They determined death and life, They did not tell the hour of death, But told: to live alive! "

Table XI

Gilgamesh tells him, distant Utnapishti: “I look at you, Utnapishti, You are not wonderful in stature - you are like me, you, And you yourself are not wonderful - you are like me, you. I'm not afraid to fight with you; Resting, and you lie on your back - Tell me, how you, having survived, were accepted into the assembly of the gods and found life in it? " Utnapishti broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: "I will reveal, Gilgamesh, the secret word And I will tell you the secret of the gods." Shurippak, the city that you know, That lies on the bank of the Euphrates, - This city is ancient, the gods are close to it. The gods of the great flood incline their heart. Their father Anu, Ellil, the hero, their advisor, Their messenger Ninurta, their mirab Ennugi, consulted. Light-eyed Ea swore with them, But he told their word to the hut: “Hut, hut! Wall, wall! Listen, hut! Wall, remember! Shurippak, son of Ubar-Tutu, Take down your dwelling, build a ship, Leave abundance, take care of life, Despise wealth, save your soul! Load all living things on your ship. The ship that you build, Let its outline be four-angled, Equal, let it be width and length, Like the Ocean, cover it with a roof! " I understood and broadcast to Ea, the lord: “That word, lord, that you said to me, I must honor, I will fulfill everything like that. What can I answer to the city - the people and the elders? " Ea opened his mouth and said, To me, his servant, he broadcasts: “And you say this to them:“ I know Ellil hates me, - I will no longer live in your city, I will turn my feet away from Ellil's soil. I will go down to the Ocean, to the lord of Ea! And over you it will rain abundantly, You will learn the secret of birds, the refuge of fish, On earth there will be a rich harvest everywhere, Downpour will pour down in the morning, and at night you will see the Bread rain with your own eyes. As soon as the radiance of the morning began, At my call, the whole region gathered, ………… ……… …………. ………… .. ………… .. …… .. I called all the husbands to duty - The houses were demolished, the fence was destroyed. The child carries the tar, The strong one carries equipment in baskets. In five days I laid the body: A third of a tithe area, a side of one hundred and twenty cubits in height, One hundred and twenty cubits of the edge of its top. I laid the contours, I drew a drawing: I put six decks in the ship, Divided it into seven parts by them, I divided its bottom into nine compartments, I hammered water pegs into it, I chose the steering wheel, packed the equipment. He melted three measures of kira in the furnace; Three measures of resin I poured there, Three measures of oil were brought in by the porters: In addition to the measure of oil that was used for smearing, Two measures of oil were hidden by the helmsman. For the inhabitants of the city, I stabbed the bulls, I cut the sheep daily, With the juice of berries, butter, strong drink, wine and red and white The people watered them like river water, And they feasted like on New Year's Day. I opened the incense and anointed my hands. The ship was ready at sunset. They began to move it - it was heavy, Propped up with stakes from above and below, He plunged into the water by two-thirds. I loaded it with everything that I had, I loaded it with everything that I had silver, I loaded it with everything that I had gold, I loaded it with everything that I had a living creature, I lifted my whole family and my family onto a ship, Steppe cattle and beasts, I raised all the masters. The time was appointed for me by Shamash: "In the morning there will be a downpour, and at night you will see the Bread Rain with your own eyes, - Enter the ship, grind its doors." The appointed time has come: In the morning a downpour gushed, and at night I saw the Bread Rain with my own eyes. I looked at the face of the weather - It was scary to look at the weather. I entered the ship, tarred its doors - For the tarring of the ship to the shipbuilder Puzur-Amurri, I gave his palace as well. As soon as the radiance of the morning began, a black cloud rose from the base of the heavens. Addu thunders in its middle, Shullat and Hanish walk in front of it, They walk, messengers, mountain and plain. Eragal pulls out the pillars of the dam, Ninurta walks, the gallows breaks through, They lit the lighthouses of the Anunnaki, They disturb the earth with their radiance. Because of Addu, the sky grows numb, What was light turned into darkness, The whole earth split like a cup. The first day the South wind is raging, Quickly swooped down, flooding the mountains, Like a war, overtaking the earth. Doesn't see one another; And you can't see people from heaven. The gods of the flood were terrified, They rose, retired to the heavens of Anu, Cuddled like dogs, stretched out outside. Ishtar shouts, as in the throes of childbirth, Lady of the gods, whose voice is beautiful: “Let that day turn into clay, Since in the council of the gods I decided the evil, How did I decide the evil in the council of the gods, I declared war on the death of my people? For whether I myself give birth to people, So that, like a fish people, they fill the sea! “The Anunnaki gods weep with her, The gods have resigned themselves, are in tears, Are crowded together, their lips are dry. The wind walks for six days, seven nights, A storm covers the earth with a flood. At the onset of the seventh Storm with a flood, the war was stopped, Those that fought like an army. The sea calmed down, the hurricane died down - the flood stopped. I opened the vent - the light fell on my face, I looked at the sea - silence came, And all of humanity became clay! The plain became flat as a roof. I fell on my knees, sat down and cry, Tears ran down my face. Began to look out for the coast in the open sea - In twelve fields the island rose. The ship stopped at Mount Nitsir. Mount Nitsir restrained the ship, does not allow it to swing. One day, two days, Mount Nitsir holds the ship, does not allow it to swing. For three days, four days, Mount Nitsir holds the ship, does not allow it to swing. Five and six, Mount Nitsir holds the ship, does not allow it to swing. When the seventh day came, I took out the dove and let it go; Having gone, the pigeon returned back: I could not find a place, flew back. I took out the swallow and let it go; Having set off, the swallow returned back: She did not find a place, flew back. I carried the crow and let it go; The raven, having gone, saw the fall of the water, He did not return; croaks, eats and crap. I went out, I made a sacrifice on four sides, I made incense on the tower of the mountain: Seven and seven I set incense burners, I broke myrtle, reeds and cedar into their cups. The gods smelled a scent, the gods smelled a good scent, the gods, like flies, gathered to the sacrificer. As soon as the mother goddess arrived, she lifted up a large necklace that Anu made for her joy: “O gods! I have an azure stone around my neck - How truly I will not forget, So these days I truly remember, Forever and ever I will not forget them! Let all the gods come to the sacrifice, let Ellil not approach this sacrifice, For he, without thinking, arranged a flood And doomed my people to destruction! “What kind of soul was saved? Not a single person should have survived! "Ninurta opened his mouth and said, He speaks to Ellil, the hero:" Who, if not Ea, builds plans, And Ea knows everything! " to the hero: “You are a hero, a sage among the gods! How, how, without thinking, did you make the flood? On the sinner, lay the sin, Thou shalt lay the blame on the guilty one, - Hold on, may not be destroyed, endure, may not be defeated! What would you do a flood, Better a lion would appear, people would have diminished! What would you do a deluge, Better a wolf would appear, people would have diminished! What would you do a flood, Better hunger would come, ravage the earth! What would you do a flood, Better a pestilence would come, people would be struck! Well, I did not give out the secrets of the great gods - I sent a dream to the Many-wise, and he comprehended the secret of the gods. And now advise him! "Ellil got up, boarded the ship, took me by the hand, led me outside, put my wife on my knees beside us, touched our foreheads, stood between us, blessed us:" Until now Utnapishti was a man, From now on Utnapishti to us, the gods, is like, Let Utnapishti live at the mouth of the rivers, in the distance! “They took me away, settled at the mouth of the rivers. Who would gather the gods for you now, So that you find the life you are looking for? Now, six days and seven nights don't get some sleep! " As soon as he sat down, spread his legs, the Dream breathed on him like the haze of the desert. Utnapishti broadcasts to her, to her friend: “Look at the hero who wants life! Sleep breathed on him like the haze of the desert. " His friend broadcasts to him, distant Utnapishti: “Touch him, let the man wake up! In the same way, let him return calmly, Through the same gates, let him return to his land! " Utnapishti broadcasts to her, to his friend: “The man is lying! He will deceive you: Behold, bake him some bread, put it at the head, And mark the days that he sleeps on the wall. " She baked bread, laid it at the head, and marked the days that he slept on the wall. His first bread fell apart, the second cracked, the third became moldy, the fourth - his crust turned white, the fifth was stale, the sixth was fresh, the seventh - at this time he touched him, and he woke up. Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the distant Utnapishti: "A dream overpowered me for an instant - You touched me, woke me up now." Utnapishti broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: “Get up, Gilgamesh, count the bread, And the days that you slept, you will know: Your first bread fell apart, The second cracked, the third became moldy, The fourth - his crust turned white, The fifth was stale, the sixth was fresh, Seventh - at this time you awoke. " Gilgamesh tells him, distant Utnapishti: “What can I do, Utnapishti, where will I go? The Thief has taken possession of my flesh, Death dwells in my chambers, And wherever I cast my gaze, death is everywhere! " Utnapishti broadcasts to him, to the shipbuilder Urshanabi: “Do not let the pier wait for you, let the ferry forget, Whoever came to the shore, strive for him! The man whom you brought - the rags tied his body, Ruined the skins of the beauty of his limbs. Take, Urshanabi, take him to wash, Let him wash his dress white, Let him throw off his skins - the sea will take them away. Let his body become beautiful, Let him bind his head with a new bandage, Put on his vestments, cover his nakedness. Until he goes to his city, Until he comes along his road, The vestments are not worn out, everything will be new! " Urshanabi took him, took him to wash, Dobela washed his dress, Threw off their skins - the sea took them away, His body became beautiful, He tied his head with a new bandage, He put on his vestments, he covered his nakedness. Until he goes to his city, Until he comes along his road, The vestments are not worn out, everything will be new. Gilgamesh with Urshanabi stepped into the boat, Pushed the boat into the waves and sailed on it. His friend broadcasts to him, distant Utnapishti: "Gilgamesh walked, tired and worked, - What will you give him, so he will return to his country?" And Gilgamesh has already lifted the hook, He sent the boat to the shore. Utnapishti broadcasts to him, to Gilgamesh: “Gilgamesh, you walked, tired and worked, - What can I give you, so you return to your country? I will open, Gilgamesh, the secret word, And I will tell you the secret of the flower: This flower is like a blackthorn at the bottom of the sea, Its thorns, like a rose, will prick your hand. If your hand reaches this flower, - You will always be young. " When Gilgamesh heard this, He opened the lid of the well, Tied heavy stones to his feet, They pulled him deep into the Ocean. He grabbed the flower, pricking his hand; He cut off heavy stones from his feet, Brought him to the shore by the sea. Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the shipbuilder Urshanabi: “Urshanabi, that flower is a famous flower, For through it man attains life. I will bring it to Uruk, fenced off, I will feed my people, I will taste the flower: If an old man grows younger from him, I sing from him - my youth will return ”. After twenty fields they broke off a slice, After thirty fields they stopped for a halt. Gilgamesh saw a reservoir, whose waters are cold, He went down into it, plunged into the water. The flower snake smelled the smell, It rose from the hole, took the flower away, Returning back, shed its skin. Meanwhile Gilgamesh sits and weeps, Tears ran down his cheeks; Addressing the helmsman Urshanabiz “For whom, Urshanabi, did the hands work? For whom does the heart bleed? I myself have not brought good, I have brought good to the earthen lion! For twenty fields now the flower is shaking the abyss, Opening the well, I lost my tools, - I found something that became a sign to me: let me retreat! And I left the boat on the shore! " After twenty fields they broke off a slice, After thirty fields they stopped for a halt, And they arrived in fenced Uruk. Gilgamesh broadcasts to him, to the shipbuilder Urshanabi: "Rise up, Urshanabi, walk along the walls of Uruk, Look at the foundation, feel the bricks - Aren't his bricks burnt And the walls were not laid by seven wise men?"

Table XI. "About everything that has seen" - the story of Gilgamesh. Written down and verified according to the ancient original.

(Later, Table XII was added, which is a translation of the Sumerian epic and is not related to the rest of the story.)

Notes (edit)

1

Uruk is a city in the south of Mesopotamia, on the banks of the Euphrates (now Varca). Gilgamesh is a historical figure, the king of Uruk, who ruled the city around 2600 BC. NS.

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2

Eana is the temple of the sky god Anu and his daughter Ishtar, the main temple of Uruk. In Sumer, temples were usually surrounded by outbuildings where crops from temple estates were kept; these buildings were themselves considered sacred.

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3

Ishtar is the goddess of love, fertility, as well as hunting, war, patroness of culture and Uruk.

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4

“The one walking the long way” is a dead man.

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5

Shamash is the god of the Sun and justice. His rod is a symbol of judicial power.

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6

Ellil is the supreme god.

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7

Humbaba is a giant monster that protects the cedars from people.

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8

Aia - the bride - goddess, friend of Shamash, the sun god.

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9

The Anunnaki are the gods of the earth and the underworld.

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10

Mamet is one of the Anunnaki, the deities of the earth, the goddess who created people.

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About everything that has seen

Table I

Table II

Table III

Table IV

Table V

Table VI

Table VII

Table VIII

Table IX

Table X

Table XI. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The most outstanding work of Babylonian literature is the wonderful "Poem of Gilgamesh", in which the age-old question of the meaning of life and the inevitability of death of a person, even a glorified hero, is raised with great artistic force. The content of this poem in its individual parts dates back to deep Gdumerian antiquity. So, for example, the story of how the shadow of Enkidu, the deceased friend of Gilgamesh, rose from the underworld to the earth and how Gilgamesh asked her about the fate of the dead, was preserved in the ancient Sumerian edition. Another Sumerian poem "Gilgamesh and Agga" describes the struggle between Gilgamesh and Agga, the king of Kish, who laid siege to Uruk. It is quite possible that there was a whole cycle of epic tales of the exploits of Gilgamesh. The names of the main characters - Gilgamesh and Enkidu - are of Sumerian origin. Numerous artistic images of Gilgamesh, as if illustrating individual episodes of the poem, also go back to the Sumerian antiquity. The name of Gilgamesh, the semi-legendary king of Uruk, has been preserved in the lists of the most ancient kings of Sumer. It is possible that one of the editions of this poem was compiled during the 1st Babylonian dynasty, as indicated by the surviving fragment that sharply differs from the later, but most complete Assyrian edition, compiled in Akkadian by the Assyrian cuneiform in the 7th century. BC. for the Nineveh library of king Ashurbanipal. The Poem of Gilgamesh is divided into four main parts: 1) The story of the brutal rule of Gilgamesh in Uruk, the appearance of the second hero, Enkidu, and the friendship of these two heroes; 2) Description of the exploits of Gilgamesh and Enkidu; 3) The story of Gilgamesh's wanderings in search of personal immortality; 4) The final part, containing the conversation of Gilgamesh with the shadow of his deceased friend - Enkidu.

In the introduction to the poem, the author refers to the fact that Gilgamesh himself "inscribed his works on a stone slab," which reflects the author's claim to the historical and real reliability of the events described in the poem. Indeed, some episodes of the poem can be interpreted as distant echoes of historical events, preserved in ancient legends. These are the episodes about the reign of Gilgamesh in Uruk, about the attitude of Gilgamesh to the goddess Ishtar, which indicates the struggle of the royal power with the priesthood. However, the Poem of Gilgamesh also includes some mythological and legendary plots associated with ancient legends about the Flood and the creation of man.

The beginning of the poem tells how Gilgamesh, "two-thirds god and one-third man," reigns in the ancient city of Uruk and cruelly oppresses the people, forcing them to build city walls and temples to the gods. The inhabitants of Uruk complain to the gods about their plight, and the gods, heeding their complaints, create the hero Enkidu, endowed with supernatural strength. Enkidu lives among wild animals, hunts with them and goes to the watering hole. One of the hunters, whom Enkidu prevents from hunting wild beasts, asks for help from Gilgamesh. In an effort to lure this primitive hero to himself, Gilgamesh sends a temple slave to him, who tames Enkidu's wild disposition and leads him to Uruk. Here, both heroes engage in single combat, but those endowed with the same strength cannot defeat each other. Having made friends, both heroes perform their feats together. They head to the cedar forest, home to the powerful Humbaba, "the keeper of the cedar grove."

The goddess Ishtar, seeing the victorious hero, offers him her love. However, the wise and careful Gilgamesh rejects the gifts of the goddess, reminding her of how much grief and suffering she caused to her former lovers:

Have you not doomed Tammuz, the friend of your youth,

Year after year for bitter tears?

Offended by Gilgamesh's refusal, the goddess Ishtar complains about him to her father, the supreme god of the sky, Anu, and asks him to create a heavenly bull that would destroy the obstinate hero. Anu hesitates and does not immediately fulfill her daughter's wish. However, yielding to her urgent requests, he, as can be assumed from the scraps of the damaged text, sends a monstrous bull to Uruk, which kills several hundred people with its destructive breath. But all the same, the heroes kill this terrible monster; their new feat further inflames Ishtar's wrath. The goddess climbs the wall of Uruk and sends curses on Gilgamesh's head. However, the wrath of the goddess does not frighten the brave hero. He summons his people and orders them to take the bull's horns and sacrifice them to their patron god. After a solemn celebration in the royal palace, Enkidu sees a prophetic dream that foreshadows his death. And, indeed, Enkidu becomes terminally ill. He complains to his friend about his fate, which condemns him to an inglorious death on the bed of illness, depriving him of the opportunity to die in an honest fight on the battlefield. Gilgamesh mourns the death of his friend and for the first time feels the breath of the wings of death over him.

Tormented by the fear of death, driven by dying grief, Gilgamesh sets off on a long journey. He directs his path to his ancestor Ut-Napishtim, who received the great gift of immortality from the gods. Gilgamesh is not afraid of the difficulties of the long journey. Neither the lions that guard the gorges of the mountains, nor the fantastic people-scorpions, "whose gaze announces death," nor the Garden of Eden with trees, on which precious stones bloom, nor the goddess Siduri, who calls him to forget about death and surrender to everyone the joys of life. Gilgamesh sails across the “waters of death” on a ship and reaches the monastery in which the immortal Ut-Writehim lives. Striving for immortality, the brave hero tries to find out from his ancestor the secret of eternal life. He tells him: "How did you seek and where did you find eternal life?" Answering Gilgamesh's questions, Ut-Napishtim tells him about the world flood and how the god Ea taught him to build an ark and save himself from the waters of the flood in it, as a result of which Ut-Napishtim and his wife received immortality from the gods. This is an ancient legend about how the gods sent the waters of the flood to the earth to punish people for their sins and how during this gigantic world catastrophe only one person was saved, taking with him into the ark the “seed of all life” (that is, various species of animals and birds), inserted into the text of the poem as a special episode. It is quite possible that this legend reflected the primordial struggle of the Sumerian tribes with the gigantic floods of rivers in southern Mesopotamia, which, flooding the lowlands, threatened with great destruction, but at the same time provided bountiful harvests for the most ancient farmers.

Then Ut-Napishtim reveals the "secret word" to Gilgamesh and advises him to sink to the bottom of the ocean in order to pluck the grass of immortality, the name of which is "the old man becomes young." Gilgamesh retrieves this wonderful herb on his way back to Uruk. But carelessness destroys the hero. Seeing a pond on his way, Gilgamesh plunges into its cool waters. At this time, a snake creeps up and steals the wonderful herb of immortality. The saddened hero, returning to his city of Uruk, asks the gods for the last favor. He wants to see at least the shadow of his deceased friend Enkidu. However, only with great difficulty does Gilgamesh manage to penetrate the secrets of the abode of death. Of all the gods, only one god of wisdom, Ea, gives him decisive help. Ea orders the lord of the underworld, Nergal, to release Enkidu's shadow onto the earth. The poem ends with a final analogue between friends.

Here, for the first time, with the utmost clarity and at the same time with great artistic power and brightness, the idea of ​​the inevitability of death is expressed, to which all people are subject, even those who are ready for any feat in order to overcome the inevitable death, even those in which, according to the apt expression the author of the poem, "two thirds from God and one third from man."

The Poem of Gilgamesh, the main part of which dates back to ancient times, is a kind of cycle of ancient legends. The story, which tells about the exploits of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, about the tragic death of Enkidu and about Gilgamesh's wanderings in search of immortality, is intertwined with a number of ancient religious myths, which are inserted as separate episodes into the general text of the poem. This is a brief fragment of the legend about the creation of man (Enkidu) from clay soaked in the saliva of a god; such is the famous myth of the flood, which tells in detail how the ancient hero Ut-Write, on the advice of the god of wisdom Ea, built an ark, escaping from the waters of the flood, and thus earned eternal life.

The Poem of Gilgamesh occupies a special place in Babylonian literature both in terms of its artistic merit and the originality of the thoughts expressed in it. The thought of the ancient Babylonian poet about the eternal striving of man to cognize the "law of the earth", the mystery of life and death, is clothed in a highly artistic form. The words of the ancient author of the poem are imbued with deep pessimism. The future life is pictured by him as the abode of suffering and sorrow. Even the famous Gilgamesh "mighty, great and wise", despite his divine origin, cannot earn the highest favor from the gods and achieve immortality. Bliss in the afterlife is given only to those who fulfill the commandments of religion, the requirements of the priests, and the rituals of religious worship. This is the main idea of ​​the entire poem, the roots of which undoubtedly go back to folk art, but in which the later ideology of the aristocratic priesthood is largely reflected.

egyptian monotheism god gilgamesh

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Epic of Gilgamesh

About everything that has seen

The epic of Gilgamesh, written in the Babylonian literary dialect of the Akkadian language, is the central, most important work of Babylonian-Assyrian (Akkadian) literature.

Songs and legends about Gilgamesh have come down to us written in cuneiform on clay tiles - "tables" in four ancient languages ​​of the Near East - Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite and Hurrian; in addition, references to him were preserved by the Greek writer Elian and the medieval Syrian writer Theodore bar-Konay. The earliest known mention of Gilgamesh is older than 2500 BC. e., at the latest refers to the XI century. n. NS. Sumerian epics-tales of Gilgamesh were formed, probably at the end of the first half of the 3rd millennium BC. e., although the records that have come down to us date back to the XIX-XVIII centuries. BC NS. The first surviving records of the Akkadian poem about Gilgamesh date back to the same time, although in oral form it was probably formed as early as the XXIII-XXII centuries. BC NS. Such an older date of the poem's origin is indicated by its language, somewhat archaic for the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e., and the mistakes of the scribes, indicating that, perhaps, even then they did not clearly understand her in everything. Some images on seals of the XXIII-XXII centuries. BC NS. clearly illustrate not the Sumerian epics, but the Akkadian epic of Gilgamesh.

The oldest, so-called Old Babylonian, version of the Akkadian epic represents a new stage in the artistic development of Mesopotamian literature. This version contains all the main features of the final edition of the epic, but it was much shorter than it; so, it lacked the introduction and conclusion of the later version, as well as the story of the great flood. From the "Old Babylonian" version of the poem, six or seven unconnected passages have come down to us - badly damaged, written in illegible cursive and, at least in one case, with an uncertain student hand. Apparently, a slightly different version is represented by Akkadian fragments found in Megiddo in Palestine and in the capital of the Hittite state - Hattus (now a settlement near the Turkish village of Bogazkoy), as well as fragments of translations into Hittite and Hurrian languages, also found in Bogazkoy; all of them date back to the 15th – 13th centuries. BC NS. This so-called peripheral version was even shorter than the "Old Babylonian" version. The third, "Nineveh" version of the epic was, according to tradition, written "from the mouth" of the Sin-like-unninni, a Uruk exorcist who apparently lived at the end of the 2nd millennium BC. NS. This version is presented by four groups of sources: 1) fragments not younger than the 9th century. BC e., found in the city of Ashur in Assyria; 2) more than one hundred small fragments of the 7th century. BC e., referring to the lists that were once kept in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal in Nineveh; 3) a student's copy of the VII-VIII tables, recorded under dictation with numerous errors in the VII century. BC NS. and originating from a school located in the Assyrian provincial city of Khuzirin (now Sultan-Tepe); 4) fragments of the VI (?) C. BC e., found in the south of Mesopotamia, in Uruk (now Varka).

The "Nineveh" version is textually very close to the "Old Babylonian", but more extensive, and its language is somewhat updated. There are compositional differences. With the "peripheral" version, as far as one can judge, the "Nineveh" textual convergence was much less. There is an assumption that the text of Sin-like-unninni was at the end of the 8th century. BC NS. revised by an Assyrian priest and collector of literary and religious works named Nabuzukup-kenu; in particular, it was suggested that he had the idea to add at the end of the poem the literal translation of the second half of the Sumerian epic "Gilgamesh and the huluppu tree" as the twelfth table.

Due to the lack of a proven, scientifically substantiated consolidated text of the "Nineveh" version of the poem, the translator often had to decide on his own the question of the relative position of individual clay fragments. It should be noted that the reconstruction of some parts of the poem is still an unsolved problem.

The published passages follow the "Nineveh" version of the poem (HB); however, from what has been said above, it is clear that the full text of this version, which in antiquity amounted to about three thousand verses, cannot yet be restored. And other versions have survived only in fragments. The translator filled in the gaps of HB in other versions. If any passage has not been completely preserved in any version, but the gaps between the preserved pieces are small, then the alleged content was completed by the translator in verses. Some of the newest clarifications of the text were not taken into account in the translation.

The Akkadian language is also characterized by tonic versification, which is widespread in Russian; this made it possible, during translation, to try to convey as much as possible the rhythmic moves of the original and, in general, precisely those artistic means used by the ancient author, with a minimum deviation from the literal meaning of each verse.

The text of the preface is given by edition:

Dyakonov M.M., Dyakonov I.M. "Selected translations", M., 1985.

Table I

About everything that has seen to the end of the world,
About the one who knew the sea, who crossed all the mountains,
About enemies who conquered with a friend,
About the one who comprehended wisdom, about the one who permeated everything
He saw the secret, he knew the secret,
He brought us the message of the days before the flood,
I went on a long journey, but I was tired and resigned,
The story of the labors was carved in stone,
Uruk surrounded by a wall 1
Uruk- a city in the south of Mesopotamia, on the banks of the Euphrates (now Varca). Gilgamesh is a historical figure, the king of Uruk, who ruled the city around 2600 BC. NS.

Eana's Bright Barn 2
Eana- the temple of the sky god Anu and his daughter Ishtar, the main temple of Uruk. In Sumer, temples were usually surrounded by outbuildings where crops from temple estates were kept; these buildings were themselves considered sacred.

Sacred.
Inspect the wall, whose crowns, like a thread,
Look at the shaft, which knows no resemblance,
Touch the ancient rapids
And enter Eana, the abode of Ishtar 3
Ishtar- the goddess of love, fertility, as well as hunting, war, patroness of culture and Uruk.

Even the future king will not build such a thing, -
Climb up and walk the walls of Uruk
Look at the foundation, feel the bricks:
Are its bricks burnt
And the walls were not laid by seven wise men?

He is two-thirds God, one-third he is a man,
His body image is incomparable in appearance,

He raises the wall of Uruk.
A violent husband whose head, like that of a tour, is uplifted,

All his comrades are on the drum!
The men of Uruk are afraid in the bedrooms:
“Gilgamesh will not leave a son to his father!

Is it Gilgamesh, shepherd of the enclosed Uruk,
Is he the shepherd of the sons of Uruk,
Powerful, glorious, comprehending everything?


The gods often heard their complaint,
The gods of heaven called the lord of Uruk:
“You have created a violent son, whose head, like that of a tour, is uplifted,
Whose weapon is unmatched in battle -
All his comrades are on the drum
Gilgamesh will not leave sons to the fathers!
Day and night rampant with flesh:
Is he the shepherd of the enclosed Uruk,
Is he the shepherd of the sons of Uruk,
Powerful, glorious, comprehending everything?
Mother Gilgamesh will not leave a virgin,
Conceived by a hero, betrothed to her husband! "
Anu often heard their complaint.
They called out to the great Arur:
“Aruru, you created Gilgamesh,
Now create a likeness for him!
When courage equals Gilgamesh,
Let them compete, let Uruk rest. "
Aruru, hearing these speeches,
Anu created a likeness in her heart
I washed Aruru's hands
I pinched off the clay, threw it on the ground,
Blinded Enkidu, created a hero.
Spawn of midnight, warrior of Ninurta,
His whole body is covered with wool,
She wears her hair like a woman
Hair strands are thick like bread;
I knew neither people nor the world,
He is dressed like a Sumukan.



Man is a catcher-hunter
Before the watering place he meets him.
The first day, and the second, and the third
Before the watering place he meets him.
The hunter saw - his face changed,
I returned home with my cattle,
Frightened, fell silent, he became numb,
There is sorrow in his chest, his face is darkened,
Longing has penetrated into his womb,
Has become a face similar to the one who walks a long way. 4
“The one walking the long way” is a dead man.

The hunter opened his mouth and says, he tells his father:
“Father, a certain man who came from the mountains, -

As from a stone from heaven his hands are strong, -




I will dig holes - he will fill them,



The father opened his mouth and said, he broadcasts to the hunter:
“My son, Gilgamesh lives in Uruk,
There is no one stronger than him
Throughout the country his hand is mighty,

Go, turn your face to him,
Tell him about the strength of man.
He will give you a harlot - bring her with you.
A woman will conquer him, like a mighty husband!
When he gives water to the beast at the watering hole,

Seeing her, he will approach her -
The beasts that grew with him in the desert will leave him! "
He obeyed his father's advice,
The hunter went to Gilgamesh,
I set off, I turned my feet to Uruk,
In the face of Gilgamesh he spoke a word.
“There is a certain man who came from the mountains,
Throughout the country his hand is mighty,
As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong!
He wanders forever in all the mountains,
Constantly squeezes with the beast to the watering place,
Constantly directs steps to the watering place.
I'm afraid of him, I dare not approach!
I will dig holes - he will fill them,
I'll set traps - he'll rip them out
The beasts and creatures of the steppe are taking away from my hands, -
He does not allow me to work in the steppe! "
Gilgamesh speaks to him, to the hunter:
“Go, my hunter, bring the harlot Shamhat with you,
When he gives water to the animals at the watering hole,
Let her tear off her clothes, reveal her beauty, -
Seeing her, he will approach her -
The beasts that grew with him in the desert will leave him. "
The hunter went, Shamhat took the harlot with him,
Hit the road, hit the road
On the third day we reached the agreed place.
The hunter and the harlot have ambushed -
One day, two days they sit at the watering hole.
Animals come, drink at the watering hole,
Creatures come, they delight the heart with water,
And he, Enkidu, whose homeland is the mountains,
Together with gazelles he eats herbs,
Together with the beasts it squeezes to the watering place,
Together with creatures, the heart pleases with water.
She saw Shamhat a savage man,
Husband-fighter from the depths of the steppe:
“Here he is, Shamkhat! Open your bosom
Bare your disgrace, let your beauty befall!
Seeing you, he will come up to you -
Don't be embarrassed, take his breath
Throw open your clothes, let it fall on you!
Give him pleasure, the cause of women, -
The beasts that grew with him in the wilderness will leave him,
He will cling to you with passionate desire. "
Shamhat opened her breasts, bared her shame,
I was not embarrassed, I took his breath,
She flung open her clothes, and he lay down on top,
I gave him pleasure, the cause of women,
And he clung to her with passionate desire.
Six days have passed, seven days have passed -
Enkidu tirelessly recognized the harlot.
When he was satiated with affection,
He turned his face to his beast.
Seeing Enkidu, the gazelles fled,
The steppe beast avoided his body.
Enkidu jumped up, the muscles weakened,
The legs stopped, and his animals left.
Enkidu resigned himself - he, as before, does not run!
But he became smarter, deeper understanding, -
He returned and sat down at the feet of the harlot,
He looks the harlot in the face,
And what the harlot says - ears listen to him.
The harlot speaks to him, Enkidu:
"You are beautiful, Enkidu, you are like a god, -
Why do you wander with the beast in the steppe?
Let me introduce you to Uruk fenced,
To the bright house, the dwelling of Anu,

And, like a tour, it shows its power to people! "
She said that these speeches are pleasant to him,
His wise heart is looking for a friend.
Enkidu speaks to her, the harlot:
“Come on, Shamkhat, bring me you
To the holy house of light, the dwelling of Anu,
Where Gilgamesh is perfect in strength
And, like a tour, it shows its power to people.
I will call him, I will proudly say,
I will scream in the midst of Uruk: I am mighty,
I'm the only one who changes destinies
Who is born in the steppe - great is his strength! "
“Come, Enkidu, turn your face to Uruk, -
Where Gilgamesh is - I truly know:
Let's go, Enkidu, to Uruk fenced,
Where people are proud of a regal dress,
Every day, they celebrate a holiday,
Where the sounds of cymbals and harps are heard,
And the harlots. glorious for their beauty:
They are full of voluptuousness - they promise joy -
They take the great from the bed of the night.
Enkidu, you know not life -
I’ll show Gilgamesh that I’m glad to groan.
Look at him, look at his face -
He is beautiful in courage, male strength,
Carries voluptuousness all over his body,
He has more power than you,
He knows no rest day or night!
Enkidu, tame your insolence:
Gilgamesh - Shamash loves him 5
Shamash is the god of the Sun and justice. His rod is a symbol of judicial power.

Anu, Ellil 6
Ellil is the supreme god.

Enlightened.
Before you came here from the mountains
Gilgamesh dreamed of you among Uruk.
Gilgamesh stood up and interpreted the dream,
He broadcasts to his mother:
“My mother, I saw a dream at night:
Heavenly stars appeared to me in it,
It fell on me like a stone from the sky.
Raised him - he was stronger than me,
I shook it - I can't shake it off,
The edge of Uruk rose to him,

The people crowd to him,
All the men surrounded him,
All my comrades kissed his feet.
I fell in love with him as I clung to my wife.
And I brought it to your feet,
You equated him with me. "
Gilgamesh's mother is wise - she knows everything - she says to her master,

“He who appeared like the heavenly stars,
That fell on you like a stone from the sky -
You raised him - he was stronger than you,
Shook it - and you can't shake it off,
I fell in love with him, as I clung to my wife,
And you brought it to my feet,
I equated him with you -
A strong companion will come, a friend's savior,
Throughout the country his hand is mighty,
As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong, -
You will love him, as you will clung to your wife,
He will be a friend, he will not leave you -
To your sleep this is the interpretation. "

“My mother, again I saw a dream:
In the fenced-off Uruk, the ax fell, and all around were crowded:
The edge of Uruk rose to him,
The whole region gathered against him,
The people are crowding to him, -
I fell in love with him, as I clung to my wife,
And I brought it to your feet,
You equated him with me. "
Gilgamesh's mother is wise, she knows everything, she says to her son,
Ninsun is wise, she knows everything, she tells Gilgamesh:
“In that ax you saw a man
You will love him, as you will cling to your wife,
I will equal him with you -
Strong, I said, a companion will come, a friend's savior.
Throughout the country his hand is mighty,
As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong! "
Gilgamesh speaks to her, his mother:
"If. Ellil commanded - may an advisor appear,
May my friend be an advisor to me,
Let me be an advisor to my friend! "
This is how he interpreted his dreams. "
She told Enkidu Shamhat the dreams of Gilgamesh, and both began to love.

Table II

(At the beginning of the table, the "Nineveh" version is missing - apart from small fragments with cuneiform - about one hundred and thirty-five lines containing the episode, which in the "Old Babylonian version - the so-called" Pennsylvanian table "- is stated as follows:

* „… Enkidu, get up, I will lead you
* To the temple of Eane, the dwelling of Anu,
* Where Gilgamesh is perfect in deeds.
* And you, as yourself, will love him!
* Get up off the ground, from the shepherd's bed! "
* Heard her word, took speeches,
* Women advice sunk into his heart.
* The fabric tore, dressed him alone,
* I dressed myself with the second cloth,
* Taking the hand, took it, like a child,
* To the shepherd's camp, to the cattle corrals.
* There the shepherds gathered around them,
They whisper, looking at him:
“That husband resembles Gilgamesh in appearance,
Shorter, but stronger in bone.
That is true, Enkidu, a creature of the steppe,
Throughout the country his hand is mighty,
As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong:
* He sucked animal milk! "
* On the bread that was put in front of him,
* Embarrassed, he looks and looks:
* Enkidu did not know how to eat bread,
* I was not trained to drink strong drink.
* The harlot opened her mouth, speaks to Enkidu:
* “Eat bread, Enkidu, it is inherent in life
* Drink Siker - the world is destined! "
* Enkidu ate his bread,
* Seekers he drank seven jugs.
* His soul leaped, roamed,
* His heart was merry, his face shone.
* He felt his hairy body,
* He was dressed with oil, became like people,
* I dressed in clothes, became like my husband.
* He took the weapon, fought with the lions -
* The shepherds rested at night.
* Lvov won and he tamed the wolves -
* Great shepherds slept:
* Enkidu is their guard, a vigilant husband.
The message was brought to Uruk, protected by Gilgamesh:

* Enkidu indulged in mirth with the harlot,
* Raised his gaze, he sees a person, -
* He speaks to the harlot:
* “Shamkhat, bring a person!
* Why did he come? I want to know his name! "
* Clicks, the harlot of a man,
* He came up and saw him.
* “Where are you, oh husband, in a hurry? Why is your trip
difficult?"
* The man opened his mouth, speaks to Enkidu:
* “They called me to the wedding chamber,
* But the lot of people is submission to the highest!
* Loads the city with brick baskets,
* The feeding of the city is entrusted to the gulls,
* Only for the king of the enclosed Uruk
* Marriage rest is open,
* Only to Gilgamesh, king of the enclosed Uruk,
* Marriage peace is open, -
* He has a betrothed wife!
* So it was; I will say: it will be so,
* The Council of the Gods is the decision,
* Cutting the umbilical cord, so he was judged! "
* From the words of a person
his face turned pale.

(About five verses are missing.)

* Enkidu is in front, and Shamhat is behind,

Enkidu went out into the street of the fenced-off Uruk:
"Name at least thirty mighty ones - I will fight with them!"
He barred the road to marriage.
The edge of Uruk rose to him,
The whole region gathered against him,
The people crowd to him,
Men gathered around him,
Like weak guys, they kiss his feet:
"From now on, a wonderful hero has appeared to us!"
A bed was made for Ishkhara that night,
But a rival appeared to Gilgamesh as a god:
Enkidu barred the door to the marriage chamber with his foot,
He did not allow Gilgamesh to enter.
They scrambled at the doors of the marriage chamber,
They began to beat on the street, on a wide road, -
The canopy collapsed, the wall shook.
* Knee Gilgamesh to the ground,
* He humbled his anger, calmed his heart
* When his heart has calmed down, Enkidu speaks to Gilgamesh:
* "The mother gave birth to you alone,
* Buffalo Fencing, Ninsun!
* You have ascended high above the heads of men,
* Ellil judged your kingdom over people! "

(From the further text of Table II in the "Nineveh" version, only insignificant passages were again preserved; it is only clear that Gilgamesh brings his friend to his mother Ninsun.)

“Throughout the country his hand is mighty,
As from a stone from heaven, his hands are strong!
Bless him to be my brother! "
Gilgamesh's mother opened her mouth, speaks to her master,
Buffalo Ninsun speaks to Gilgamesh:
"My son, ……………….
Bitterly …………………. »
Gilgamesh opened his mouth and spoke to his mother:
« ……………………………………..
He came to the door, enlightened me with power "
He bitterly reproached me for my rampage.
Enkidu has neither mother nor friend,
He never cut his loose hair,
He was born in the steppe, no one can compare with him
Enkidu stands, hears his speeches,
Grieved, sat down and cried,
His eyes filled with tears:
Sits idle, power is lost.
Both friends hugged, sat next to each other,
By the hands
undertook as brothers.

* Gilgamesh tilted. the person broadcasting to Enkidu:
* "Why are your eyes filled with tears,
* The heart was saddened, do you sigh bitterly? "
Enkidu opened his mouth and spoke to Gilgamesh:
* "The screams, my friend, are tearing my throat:
* I sit idle, power is lost. "
Gilgamesh opened his mouth and spoke to Enkidu:
* “My friend, there are mountains of Lebanon far away,
* Those mountains are covered with forest with cedars,
* The fierce Humbaba lives in that forest 7
Humbaba is a giant monster that protects the cedars from people.

* Let's kill him together, you and I,
* And we will drive out everything that is evil from the world!
* I will chop a cedar, - they overgrown mountains, -
* I will create an eternal name for myself! "

* "Vedomo, my friend, I was in the mountains,
* When I wandered with the beast together:

* Who will penetrate into the middle of the forest?
* Humbaba - hurricane his voice,
* His mouth is flame, death is breath!



* "I want to climb the mountain of cedar,
* And I wish to enter the forest of Humbaba,

(Two or four verses are missing.)

* I will hang a battle ax on my belt -
* You go behind, I will go in front of you! "))
* Enkidu opened his mouth, broadcasting to Gilgamesh:
* “How will we go, how will we enter the forest?
* God Veer, his keeper, - he is powerful, vigilant,
* And Humbaba - Shamash endowed him with strength,
* Addu gave him courage,
* ………………………..

Ellil entrusted him with human fears.
Humbaba - hurricane his voice,
His lips are flame, death is breath!
People say - hard and the path to that forest -
Who will penetrate the middle of the forest?
So that he protects the cedar forest,
Ellil entrusted him with human fears,
And whoever enters that forest embraces weakness. "
* Gilgamesh opened his mouth, broadcasting to Enkidu:
* “Who, my friend, ascended to heaven?
* Only the gods with the Sun will abide forever,
* A man - his years are numbered,
* Whatever he does, everything is wind!
* You are still afraid of death,
* Where is she, the strength of your courage?
I will go before you, and you shout to me: "Go, do not be afraid!"
* If I fall, I will leave the name:
* "Gilgamesh took up the fight with the ferocious Humbaba!"
* But a child was born in my house, -
* I ran up to you: “Tell me, you know everything:
* ……………………………….
* What has my father and your friend done? "
* You will open to him my glorious lot!
* ……………………………….
* And with your speeches you sadden my heart!

* I will create an eternal name for myself!
* My friend, I will give the masters a duty:
* Let the weapon be poured in front of us. "
* They gave a duty to the masters, -
* The masters sat down, discussing.
* The axes were cast large, -
* They cast axes into three talents;
* The daggers were cast large, -
* Blades of two talents,
* Thirty mines on the sides of the blades,
* Thirty mines of gold, - the hilt of a dagger, -
* Gilgamesh and Enkidu each carried ten talents.
* Seven locks were removed from the gates of Uruk,
* Hearing about that, the people gathered,
* Crowded in the street of fenced Uruk.
* Gilgamesh appeared to him,
The assembly of the enclosed Uruk sat down in front of him.
* Gilgamesh says this to them:
* “Listen, elders of the walled Uruk,
* Listen, people of the walled Uruk,
* Gilgamesh, who said: I want to see,
* The one whose name scorches the country.
* I want to defeat him in the cedar forest,
* How powerful I am, son of Uruk, may the world hear!
* I will raise my hand, I will chop the cedar,
* I will create an eternal name for myself! "
* Elders of Walled Uruk
* Gilgamesh is answered with this speech:
* "You are young, Gilgamesh, and you follow your heart,
* You yourself do not know what you are doing!
* We have heard - the monstrous image of Humbaba, -
* Who will deflect his weapon?
* There are ditches in the field around the forest, -
* Who will penetrate into the middle of the forest?
* Humbaba - hurricane his voice,
* His mouth is flame, death is breath!
* Why did you want to do this?
* The fight in Humbaba's dwelling is unequal! "
* Gilgamesh heard the counselors' word,
* At his friend, he, laughing, looked back:
* “Now I’ll tell you, my friend, -
* I am afraid of him, I am very afraid:
* I will go to the cedar forest with you,
* So that there is not
to be afraid - we will kill Humbaba! "
* The elders of Uruk speak to Gilgamesh:
* «…………………………….
* …………………………….
* May the goddess go with you, may your god keep you,
* Let him lead you on a safe path,
* Let him bring you back to Uruk Marina! "
* Before Shamash, Gilgamesh knelt down:
* “I heard the word that the elders said -
* I go, but I raised my hands to Shamash:
* Now my life be preserved,
* Take me back to Uruk Pier,
* Stretch your canopy over me! "

(In the "Old Babylonian" version, several destroyed verses follow, from which it can be assumed that Shamash gave an ambiguous answer to the fortune-telling of the heroes.)

* When I heard the prediction - ……….
* ………………… he sat down and cried,
* Tears ran down Gilgamesh's face.
* "I am walking a path where I have not yet walked,
* Dear, which my whole region does not know.
* If now I am happy,
* Going on a campaign of your own free will, -
* You, O Shamash, I will praise,
* I will put your idols on thrones! "
* The equipment was laid before him,
* Axes, large daggers,
* Bow and quiver - they were given to him.
* He took an ax, filled his quiver,
* He put an Anshansky bow on his shoulder,
* He tucked the dagger into his belt, -
They prepared for the campaign.

(Two obscure lines follow, then two corresponding to the non-extant first line III of the table of the "Nineveh" version.)