The death of Gilgamesh

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

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A version from Nibru

SEGMENT A

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...... hero ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. He of well-proportioned limbs ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. He who ...... wickedness has lain down and is never to rise again. The young man ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. He who was perfect in ...... and feats of strength has lain down and is never to rise again. ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. The lord of Kulaba has lain down and is never to rise again. He who spoke most wisely has lain down and is never to rise again. The plunderer (?) of many countries has lain down and is never to rise again. He who climbed the mountains has lain down and is never to rise again. He has lain down on his death-bed and is never to rise again. He has lain down on a couch of sighs and is never to rise again.

Unable to stand up, unable to sit down, he laments. Unable to eat, unable to drink, he laments. Held fast by the door-bolt of Namtar, he is unable to rise. Like a fish ......, he ...... ill. Like a gazelle caught in a trap, he ...... couch. Namtar, with no hands or feet ......, Namtar .......

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...... great mountains ......

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SEGMENT B

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For six days, he ...... ill. ...... on his skin like resin. Lord Gilgamec ...... ill. ...... Unug and Kulaba. ...... the words spoken .......

Then lord Gilgamec ...... lay down (?) on the death-bed. The king ...... sleep. ...... his dream ....... ...... assembly .......

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SEGMENT C

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"...... you will be accounted a god. ...... render verdicts. ...... will be as weighty as ...... of Dumuzid."

...... Gilgamec .......

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...... lord of Kulaba, ...... hero of the pristine mountain, ...... handiwork of the gods,

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...... of Ninsumun, ...... Lugalbanda, ...... lord Nudimmud,

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SEGMENT D

"...... having travelled all the roads that there are, having fetched ...... from its ......, having killed ......, you set up ...... for future days ....... Having founded ......, you reached ....... Having brought down the old ...... forgotten forever and ......, he (?) carried out correctly ....... ...... the flood ...... the settlements of the Land."

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SEGMENT E

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Sisig (a god of dreams), the son of Utu, will provide light for him in the nether world, the place of darkness. When a funerary statue is made in honour of someone, whoever they may be, for future days, mighty youths and ...... will form (?) a semicircle at the door-jambs and perform wrestling and feats of strength before them (?). In the month Nenejar, at the festival of the ghosts, no light will be provided before them without him (i.e. Gilgamec)."

"Oh Gilgamec! Enlil, the Great Mountain, the father of gods, has made kingship your destiny, but not eternal life -- lord Gilgamec, this is how to interpret (?) ...... the dream. The ...... and ...... of life should not make you feel sad, should not make you despair, should not make you feel depressed. You must have been told that this is what the bane of being human involves. You must have been told that this is what the cutting of your umbilical cord involved. The darkest day of humans awaits you now. The solitary place of humans awaits you now. The unstoppable flood-wave awaits you now. The unavoidable battle awaits you now. The unequal struggle awaits you now. The skirmish from which there is no escape awaits you now. But you should not go to the underworld with heart knotted in anger. May ...... before Utu. ...... palm-fibre .......

"Go ahead ......

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SEGMENT F

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...... Enkidu, your young comrade.

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...... is lying alone. ...... is lying alone. ...... the king .......

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...... will come to you. ...... will come to you. ...... will come to you. ...... will come to you. ...... will come to you. ...... will come to you. ...... will come to you. "
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SEGMENT G

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...... Gilgamec ......

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...... they answered him. ...... he weeps. Why is ...... made ......? ...... Nintud has not given birth yet.

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"The birds of the sky ...... cannot escape. The fish of the deep water cannot see ....... Having spread his net, the young fisherman will catch you (?). Who has ever seen anyone who could ascend ...... from (?) the ...... of the nether world? No king has ever been destined a fate like yours. Who ...... anyone among mankind, whoever they may be, ...... like you? ...... the governorship of the nether world. You ...... your ghost ...... pass judgments ....... "

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SEGMENT H

Kulaba ....... As Unug rose ......, as Kulaba rose ....... Within the first month ......, it was not five or ten days before they ...... the Euphrates. ...... its shells. Then, as in the bed of the Euphrates, the earth cracked dry. ...... was built from stone. ...... was built from stone. ...... were hard diorite. ...... its latches were hard stone. ...... were cast in gold. ...... heavy blocks of stone. ...... heavy blocks of stone. ...... brought in ....... ...... for future days.

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...... should not find ....... ...... Gilgamec ...... has established in .......

His beloved .......

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SEGMENT I

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...... opened .......

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...... of lord Gilgamec ....... ...... scratched the nose for him, ...... pulled out their hair for him.

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Another version from Nibru

(probably the final section of another version)

His beloved wife, his beloved children, his beloved favourite and junior wife, his beloved musician, cup-bearer and ......, his beloved barber, his beloved ......, his beloved palace retainers and servants and his beloved objects were laid down in their places as if ...... in the purified (?) palace in the middle of Unug.

Gilgamec, the son of Ninsumun, set out their audience-gifts for Ereckigala. He set out their gifts for Namtar. He set out their surprises for Dimpikug. He set out their presents for Neti. He set out their presents for Ninjiczida and Dumuzid. He ...... the audience-gifts for Enki, Ninki, Enmul, Ninmul, Endulkuga, Nindulkuga, Enindacurima, Nindacurima, Enmu-utula, Enmencara, the maternal and paternal ancestors of Enlil; for Cul-pa-ed, the lord of the table, for Sumugan and Ninhursaja, for the Anuna gods of the Holy Mound, for the Great Princes of the Holy Mound, for the dead en priests, the dead lagar priests, the dead lumah priests, the dead nindijir priestesses, and the dead gudu, the linen-clad and ...... priests.

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He set out their presents for .......

...... lie down ...... Ninsumun ....... Gilgamec, the son of Ninsumun, ...... poured water .......
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...... scratched the nose for him. The people ...... of his city ...... will not ...... anymore. They spread out (?) their ...... in the dust.

Then the young lord, lord Gilgamec, who never ceases to ...... for the ...... of Enlil -- Gilgamec, the son of Ninsumun, ...... offshoot ......; no king who could match him has ever been born,

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Gilgamec, lord of Kulaba, it is sweet to praise you!

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A version from Me-Turan

SEGMENT A

The great wild bull has lain down and is never to rise again. Lord Gilgamec has lain down and is never to rise again. He who was unique in ...... has lain down and is never to rise again. The hero fitted out with a shoulder-belt has lain down and is never to rise again. He who was unique in strength has lain down and is never to rise again. He who diminished wickedness has lain down and is never to rise again. He who spoke most wisely has lain down and is never to rise again. The plunderer (?) of many countries has lain down and is never to rise again. He who knew how to climb the mountains has lain down and is never to rise again. The lord of Kulaba has lain down and is never to rise again. He has lain down on his death-bed and is never to rise again. He has lain down on a couch of sighs and is never to rise again.

Unable to stand up, unable to sit down, he laments. Unable to eat, unable to drink, he laments. Held fast by the door-bolt of Namtar, he is unable to rise. Like a ...... fish ...... in a cistern, he ...... ill. Like a captured gazelle buck, he ...... couch. Namtar with no hands or feet, who ...... one by night,

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SEGMENT B

(The sequence of Segments B, C, D, and E is uncertain)

Then the young lord, lord Gilgamec,

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SEGMENT C

(The sequence of Segments B, C, D, and E is uncertain)

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Then the young lord, lord Gilgamec,

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SEGMENT D

(The sequence of Segments B, C, D, and E is uncertain)

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SEGMENT E

(The sequence of Segments B, C, D, and E is uncertain)

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Gilgamec ......

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SEGMENT F

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Then the young lord, lord Gilgamec, lay down on his death-bed.

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After lord Gilgamec had arrived at the assembly, the pre-eminent place of the gods, they said to lord Gilgamec concerning him: "As regards your case: after having travelled all the roads that there are, having fetched cedar, the unique tree, from its mountains, having killed Huwawa in his forest, you set up many stelae for future days, for days to come. Having founded many temples of the gods, you reached Zi-ud-sura in his dwelling place (1 ms. has instead: place). Having brought down to the Land the divine powers of Sumer, which at that time were forgotten forever, the orders, and the rituals, he (?) carried out correctly the rites of hand washing and mouth washing .......

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Enlil's advice was given to Enki. Enki answered An and Enlil: "In those days, in those distant days, in those nights, in those distant nights, in those years, in those distant years, after the assembly had made the Flood sweep over to destroy the seed of mankind, among us I was the only one who was for life (?), and so he remained alive (?) -- Zi-ud-sura, although (?) a human being, remained alive (?). Then you made me swear by heaven and by earth, and ...... that no human will be allowed to live forever (?) any more. Now, as we look at Gilgamec, could not he escape because of his mother?"

(Another god speaks:) "Let Gilgamec as a ghost, below among the dead, be the governor of the nether world. Let him be pre-eminent among the ghosts, so that he will pass judgments and render verdicts, and what he says will be as weighty as the words of Ninjiczida and Dumuzid."

Then the young lord Gilgamec became depressed because of (?) all mankind. "You should not despair, you should not feel depressed.

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Mighty youths and ...... a semicircle .......

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"Go ahead to the place where the Anuna gods, the great gods, sit at the funerary offerings, to the place where the en priests lie, to where the lagar priests lie, to where the lumah priests and the nindijir priestesses lie, to where the gudu priests lie, to where the linen-clad priests lie, to where the nindijir priestesses lie, to where the ...... lie, to the place where your father, your grandfather, your mother, your sisters, your ......, to where your precious friend, your companion, your friend Enkidu, your young comrade, and the governors appointed by the king to the Great City are, to the place where the sergeants of the army lie, to where the captains of the troops lie,

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From the house of ......, the ...... will come to meet you. Your jewel will come to meet you, your precious one will come to meet you. The elders of your city will come to meet you. You should not despair, you should not feel depressed."

"He will now be counted among the Anuna gods. He will be counted a companion of the (1 ms. adds: great) gods. ...... the governor of the nether world. He will pass judgments and render verdicts, and what he says will be as weighty as the words of Ninjiczida and Dumuzid."

And then the young lord, lord Gilgamec, woke up ....... ...... his eyes, ....... ...... a dream ......! ...... a dream ......!

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"Am I to become again as I were ...... on the lap of my own mother Ninsumun? ...... who makes the great mountains tremble (?). Namtar with no hands or feet takes away ......."

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Lord Nudimmud made (?) him see a dream: After lord Gilgamec had arrived at the assembly, the pre-eminent place of the gods, they said to lord Gilgamec concerning him: "As regards your case: after having travelled all the roads that there are, having fetched cedar, the unique tree, from its mountains, having killed Huwawa in his forest, you set up many stelae for future days ....... Having founded many temples of the gods,

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Having brought down to the Land the divine powers of Sumer, which at that time were forgotten forever, the orders, and the rituals, he (?) carried out correctly the rites of hand washing and mouth washing. ...... the settlements of the countries."

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...... Gilgamec ....... Enlil's advice was given to Enki. Enki answered An and Enlil: "In those days, in those distant days, in those nights, in those distant nights, in those years, in those distant years, after the assembly had made the Flood sweep over to destroy the seed of mankind ......, among us I was the only one who was for life (?). He remained alive (?); Zi-ud-sura alone, although (?) a human being, remained alive (?). Then you made me swear by heaven and by earth, and I swore that no human will be allowed to live forever (?) any more. Now, as we look at Gilgamec, could not he escape because of his mother?"

(Another god speaks:) "Let Gilgamec as a ghost, below among the dead, be the governor of the nether world. Let him be pre-eminent among the ghosts, so that he will pass judgments and render verdicts, and what he says will be as weighty as the words of Ninjiczida and Dumuzid."

Then the young lord, lord Gilgamec, became depressed because of (?) all mankind. "You should not despair, you should not feel depressed.

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Mighty youths and ...... a semicircle ....... Without him (i.e. Gilgamec)....... Sisig (a god of dreams), the son of Utu, will provide light for him in the place of darkness.

"You must have been told (?) that this is what your being (?) a human involves. You must have been told (?) that this is what the cutting of your umbilical cord involved. The darkest day of humans awaits you now. The solitary place of humans awaits you now. The unstoppable flood-wave awaits you now. The unequal struggle awaits you now. The unavoidable battle awaits you now. The evil (?) from which there is no escape awaits you now. But you should not go to the underworld with heart knotted in anger. May it be ...... before Utu. Let it be unravelled like palm-fibre and peeled (?) like garlic.

"Go ahead to the place where the Anuna gods, the great gods, sit at the funerary offerings, to the place where the en priests lie, to where the lagar priests lie, to where the lumah priests and the nindijir priestesses lie, to where the gudu priests lie, to where the linen-clad priests lie, to where the nindijir priestesses lie, to where the ...... lie, to the place where your father, your grandfather, your mother, your sisters, your ......, to where your precious friend, your companion, your friend Enkidu, your young comrade, and the governors appointed by the king to the Great City are, to the place where the sergeants of the army lie, to where the captains of the troops lie. ...... the Great City Arali ......

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"From the house of the sisters, the sisters will come to meet you. From the house of ......, ...... will come to meet you. Your jewel will come to meet you, your precious one will come to met you. The elders of your city will come to meet you. You should not despair, you should not feel depressed."

"He ...... the Anuna gods. He will be counted a companion of the great gods.

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SEGMENT G

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SEGMENT H

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His architect (?) designed his tomb like ....... His god Enki showed him where the solution of the dream lies by ....... No one but the ...... of the king could solve the vision.

The lord imposed a levy on his city. The herald made the horn signal sound in all the lands: " Unug, arise! Open up the Euphrates! Kulaba, arise! Divert the waters of the Euphrates!" Unug's levy was a flood, Kulaba's levy was a clouded sky. Meanwhile not even the first month had passed (1 ms. has instead: ......), it was not five or ten days before they had opened up the Euphrates and diverted its high water. Utu looked at its shells with admiration. Then as soon as the water in the bed of the Euphrates had receded, his tomb was built there from stone. Its walls were built from stone. Its door leaves were installed in the sockets (?) of the entrance. Its bolt and thresholds were hard stone. Its door-pivots were hard stone. They installed its gold beams. Heavy block of stone were moved to ....... ...... was covered with a thick layer of (1 ms. has instead: was covered (?) with) dark soil. ...... for future days.

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...... who are searching for it should not find its precinct (?). He set up a solid house in the middle of Unug.

His beloved wife, his beloved children, his beloved favourite and junior wife,

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SEGMENT I

...... Gilgamec ......

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...... entered, ...... its entrance. ...... opened up the Euphrates, ...... its water.

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Then the young lord, lord Gilgamec,

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SEGMENT J

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...... Gilgamec ......

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SEGMENT K

...... to the city ....... ...... smeared with dust .......

...... lord Gilgamec despaired and felt depressed. For all the people, whoever they may be, funerary statues are made for future days, and set aside in the temples of the gods. Their names, once uttered, do not sink into oblivion. Aruru, the older sister of Enlil, provides them with offspring for that purpose (?). Their statues are made for future days and they are mentioned in the Land. Ereckigala, mother of Ninazu, it is sweet to praise you!

Gilgamesh and the Bull of Heaven

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

ETCSL Home Page

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A version of unknown provenance, supplemented from Nippur mss.

Segment A

I will sing the song of the man of battle, the man of battle. I will sing the song of lord Gilgamec, the man of battle, I will sing the song of him with the well-proportioned limbs, the man of battle. I will sing the song of the mighty ...... lord, the man of battle.

I will sing the song of the lord with the very black beard, the man of battle. I will sing the song of ...... athletic strength, the man of battle. ...... the king, the man ......; my king ......, my lord ...... garden ....... ...... courtyard, ...... jipar; (1 ms. has instead: ...... his mother who bore him spoke to the lord: "My king ...... in the river, my lord ...... your garden."

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Segment B

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In the great courtyard, without there being any combat, a man ....... She perceived the canopy, the canopy ......, holy Inana perceived the canopy, from the palace of the abzu, she perceived the canopy ......:

"My wild bull, my ...... man, I shall not let you go! Lord Gilgamec, my wild bull, my ...... man, I shall not let you go! I shall not let you go to dispense justice in the E-ana! I shall not let you go to pronounce verdicts in my holy jipar! I shall not let you go to dispense justice in the E-ana beloved by An! Gilgamec, may you be ......, may you be ......!"

( Gilgamec speaks:) "I shall certainly not try to take over the portion of Inana in your jipar. Ninegal will not ...... because of my valorous strength. But Inana, lady, don't you block my way, either! My wish is to catch (?) mountain bulls, to fill the cow-pens. I wish to catch (?) mountain sheep, to fill the sheepfolds. I wish to ...... silver and cornelian."

The queen spoke with a snort; Inana spoke with a snort: "...... say to you. ...... say to you. ......, Gilgamec."

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( An speaks:) "Its entrails (?)....... Its hide ....... Its blood ......."

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" Inana, it will muddy the waters; it will ...... cowpats. My one beloved by An, ......."

He let her hold the leash. An ....... "My child, who does it belong to?" (1 ms. has instead: "My child, what use would it be?") "It will stir up the waters, it will leave ...... cowpats ......! If the great bull is let loose, ...... Unug! If the great bull is let loose against Gilgamec, ...... Unug! I will not give her that which bears my own name."

( Inana speaks:) "Maybe it will muddy the waters, and will leave gigantic cowpats -- but let my father give me the Bull of Heaven, so I can kill the lord, so I can kill the lord, so I can kill the lord, lord Gilgamec!"

Great An replied to holy Inana: "My child, the Bull of Heaven would not have any pasture, as its pasture is on the horizon. Maiden Inana, the Bull of Heaven can only graze where the sun rises. So I cannot give the Bull of Heaven to you!"

Holy Inana replied to him: "I shall shout, and make my voice reach heaven and earth!"

He was frightened, he was frightened. (1 ms. adds here: ...... was frightened of Inana.) Great An replied to holy Inana: "I shall give her the Bull of Heaven." (instead of approx. lines 52-54, 1 ms. has: She made her voice reach heaven ......, she made her voice reach earth; she made her voice reach heaven ......, she made her voice reach earth. It covered them like a woollen garment, it was spread over them like a linen garment. ...... who could speak to her? ...... who could speak to her? ...... gave .......)

In masculine fashion, the maiden Inana grasped it by the lapis-lazuli tether. Holy Inana brought the Bull of Heaven out (1 ms. has instead: down). At Unug, the Bull devoured the pasture, and drank the water of the river in great slurps. With each slurp it used up one mile of the river, but its thirst was not satisfied. It devoured the pasture and stripped the land bare. It broke up the palm trees of Unug, as it bent them to fit them into its mouth. When it was standing, the Bull submerged Unug. The very presence (1 ms. has instead: the name) of the Bull of Heaven submerged Kulaba.

His musician ....... As he looked up ......, leaning (?) ......

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(1 ms. has instead: Then lord Gilgamec ...... his musician.) (a second ms. has instead: Gilgamec ...... his musician Lugal-gabajal. "My musician, tune your strings, ...... give me a drink, ....... ...... bronze ...... in your hand ....... His musician .......") (a third ms. has instead: ...... replied to Lugal-gabajal, " Lugal-gabajal, tune your strings; I wish to have a drink!" ( Lugal-gabajal answers:) "...... drink, that is why nothing of yours is important." ...... replied to Lugal-gabajal.) (instead of approx. lines 64-67, a fourth ms. has:

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...... drink, lord ....... ...... drink, lord .......

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...... Unug .......)

Lord Gilgamec ....... Inana ...... the Bull of Heaven. At Unug, the Bull ......, and drank the water of the river in great slurps. With each slurp it used up one mile of the river, but its thirst was not satisfied. It devoured the pasture and stripped the land bare. (1 ms. adds here: His lady ....... Gilgamec ...... said, "My mother ......, my sister ......, will ...... the cattle to their tethering stakes, will ...... the sheep to their tethering stakes, will ...... to their tethering stakes." Gilgamec ......, "Bull of Heaven, you, yes you, ......; you, yes you -- you do not ......." Gilgamec .......)

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"They will throw your corpse in the deserted streets, and throw your intestines in the broad square. They will send your carcass to the knacker's, and I shall share out your meat in baskets to the widows' sons who are citizens of my city ....... I shall make flasks of your two horns for pouring fine oil to Inana in E-ana."

Inana watched from the top of the ramparts. The Bull bellowed in the dust, and Gilgamec walked (?) at its head as Enkidu climbed up the rope of its ....... Their fellow-citizens came along ....... It covered them with dust, like a young calf unused to the yoke. Enkidu stood behind the Bull and went round ....... (1 ms. has instead: He put ...... and seized its tail.) He spoke to his master Gilgamec:

"Ho! magnificent one, extending your staff of office, born of noble lineage, splendour of the gods, furious bull standing ready for battle, who is respected as the great lord Gilgamec of Unug! Your mother was truly skilled in bearing children, and your nurse was truly skilled in suckling her charges! (1 ms. adds: Lord born of noble lineage, ......) Do not fear -- the warrior without strength ...... himself (?). There where the road is straight ....... ...... axe ....... "

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A version from Me-Turan

Segment A

I will sing the song of the man of battle, the man of battle. I will sing the song of lord Gilgamec, the man of battle, I will sing the song of the lord with the very black beard, the man of battle. I will sing the song of him with the well-proportioned limbs, the man of battle. I will sing the song of him in his prime (?), the man of battle. I will sing the song of him who batters the wicked, the man of battle. The king, the lord, having ...... as his mother who bore him ......, wishing to wash (?) in the river.

My lord, entering the garden planted with junipers, as you set to work; the lord, coming from the jipar, sheared the wool of the fleecy sheep ......; ...... he sat down ....... The king ...... bending ...... with the oar; the prince covered ...... with the oar, as if it was of flourishing reed. You covered their wicked ones, as if ......, with water. He gave ...... to his mother who bore him. In the wide courtyard ......, Gilgamec .......

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In the great courtyard .......

Then ...... the canopy ....... Holy Inana perceived the canopy, from the palace of the abzu, she perceived the canopy:

"My wild bull, my man, I shall not let you ......! Gilgamec, I shall not let you ......! I shall not let you dispense justice in my E-ana! I shall not let you pronounce verdicts in my holy jipar! I shall not let you dispense justice in the E-ana beloved by An! Gilgamec, may you ......, may I ......."

The king ...... these words, the king ...... to his mother who bore him. Gilgamec ...... to Ninsun ......: "O mother who bore me, how ......! By the door of the great gate ...... From the crenellations of the wall ......: "My wild bull, my man, I shall not let you go ......! Gilgamec, I shall not let you go ......! You dispensed justice in my E-ana -- I shall not let you go! You pronounced verdicts in my holy jipar -- I shall not let you go, in his beloved ...... E-ana!"

When he had spoken thus to the mother who bore him, the mother who bore him replied to Gilgamec:

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Segment B

Holy Inana ....... An ....... ...... the bond of heaven. An ...... to holy Inana: "My child, ......." Inana replied .......:

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Segment C

It is uncertain if this segment belongs here

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Segment D

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"My musician, Lugal-gabajar, perform your song, tune your strings! Give me beer to drink! Fill my bronze jug again! ......" Lugal-gabajar replied to his master, Gilgamec: "My master, you may eat, and you may drink -- but as for me, how does this matter concern me?"

To defeat the Bull, ......, Gilgamec, to defeat the Bull, ....... ...... his harness of fifty (text: five-sixths) minas. ...... his sword weighing seven talents and thirty minas. ...... his battle axe. "My mother who bore me ......."

His sister ....... His mother who bore him ...... Pectur, his little sister ....... Gilgamec ...... "My mother who bore me, in the house (?) of Enki (?) ....... Pectur, the little sister, ......, will bring back the cattle to their tethering stakes ......, will bring back the sheep to their tethering stakes ......."

"Bull of Heaven, you -- you, ......, yes, you! You crush them ......, and I crush them ....... If you crush them, ...... They shall consign your hide to the streets ....... They shall consign your intestines to the broad square ....... The widows' sons of my city shall each take their share of your meat in baskets. They shall consign your carcass to the knacker's, and I shall turn your two horns into flasks for pouring fine oil to Inana in E-ana."

The Bull ...... in the dust. Gilgamec ...... and Enkidu ....... Their fellow-citizens ....... ...... with dust, like a young calf unused to the yoke. Enkidu stood by (?) the Bull's head and spoke to Gilgamec:

"Ho! magnificent one, extending your staff of office, born of noble lineage, splendour of the gods, furious-hearted bull, standing ready for battle, warrior, ...... your hand ....... The people ......, the people ......."

When Enkidu had spoken thus to Gilgamec, Gilgamec himself smote its skull with his axe weighing seven talents. The Bull reared up so high, so high that it overbalanced. It spattered like rain, it spread itself out like the harvested crop.

The king took his knife in his hand, just as if he were a master chef. He hit Inana with a haunch, he made her flee away like a pigeon, and demolished those ramparts. Standing by (?) the Bull's head, the king wept bitter tears: "Just as I can destroy you, so shall I do the same to her (?)."

As he spoke, he consigned its hide to the streets, he consigned its intestines to the broad square, and the widows' sons of his city each took their share of its meat in baskets. He consigned its carcass to the knacker's, and turned its two horns into flasks for pouring fine oil to Inana in E-ana.
For the death of the Bull of Heaven: holy Inana, it is sweet to praise you!

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Fragment of an earlier version from Nippur, dating to the Third Dynasty of Ur

Segment A

unknown number of lines missing

Seed of the jipar (= Gilgamec?) ......; he sat on the ......; that which was in the marsh, my king, to bend that which was in the marsh with the oar, the lord covered it with water with the oar, as if they were flourishing reeds. That which exceeded, as if it was a reed (?) ......, he covered with water. In the wide courtyard ...... of the temple of Inana Gilgamec .......

My king, entering the garden of junipers, as you set to work, the seed of the jipar ...... the sheep of the queen (?) ...... sheared (?) the wool; he sat on the ....... He leant (?) over the marsh; my king leant (?) over the marsh; he bent it with the oar.

The lord covered it with water as if they were flourishing reeds; that which exceeded, as if it was a reed (?) ......, he covered it with water.

unknown number of lines missing

Segment B

I (?) shall not try to take over the portion of Inana in the jipar; ...... shall not cover my valiant arm with a garment (?)!

Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana

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SEGMENT A

Brickwork rising out from the pristine mountain (on the edge of ms. C: of the shining plain) -- Kulaba, city which reaches from heaven to earth; Unug, whose fame like the rainbow reaches up to the sky, a multicoloured sheen, as the new moon standing in the heavens.

Built in magnificence with all the great powers, lustrous mount founded on a favourable day, like moonlight coming up over the land, like bright sunlight radiating over the land, the rear cow and ...... cow coming forth in abundance: all this is Unug, the glory of which reaches the highland and its radiance, genuine refined silver, covers Aratta like a garment, is spread over it like linen.

At that time the day was lord, the night was sovereign, and Utu was king. Now the name of the lord of Aratta's minister was minister Ansiga-ria. The name of the minister of Enmerkar, the lord of Kulaba, was Namena-tuma. He with the ...... lord, he with the ...... prince; he with the...... lord, he with the...... prince; he with the ...... lord, he with the ...... prince; he with the man born to be a god; he with a man manifest as a god, with the lord of Unug, the lord of Kulaba -- En-suhgir-ana, the lord of Aratta, is to make a contest with him, saying first to the messenger concerning Unug:

"Let him submit to me, let him bear my yoke. If he submits to me, indeed submits to me, then as for him and me -- he may dwell with Inana in the E-jar, but I dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta; he may lie with her on the splendid bed, but I lie in sweet slumber with her on the adorned bed, he may see dreams with Inana at night, but I converse with Inana awake. He may feed the geese with barley, but I will definitely not feed the geese with barley. I will ...... the geese's eggs in a basket and ...... their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the large ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the land who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese." This is what he said to Enmerkar.

The messenger runs like a wild ram and flies like a falcon. He leaves in the morning and returns already at dusk, like small birds at dawn, he ...... over the open country, like small birds at midnight, he hides himself in the interior of the mountains. Like a throw-stick, he stands at the side. Like a perfect donkey of Cakkan, he runs over (1 ms. has instead: cuts through) the mountains, he dashes like a large, powerful donkey. A slim donkey, eager to run, he rushes forth. A lion in the field at dawn, he lets out roars; like a wolf which has seized a lamb, he runs quickly. The small places he has reached, he fills with ...... for him; the large places he has reached, he ...... boundary (?).

He entered the presence of the lord in his holy jipar (1 ms. has instead: in his most holy place). (1 ms. adds the line: He entered the presence of Enmerkar in his most holy place.) "My king has sent me to you. The lord of Aratta, En-suhgir-ana, has sent me to you." (some mss. add the lines: "What does your king have to tell me, what does he have to add me? What does En-suhgir-ana have to tell me, what does he have to add me?" "This is what my king said, what he added, this is what En-suhgir-ana said, what he added. ") "This is what my king says: "Let him submit to me, let him bear my yoke. If he submits to me, indeed submits to me, then as for him and I -- he may dwell with Inana in the E-jar, but I dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta; he may lie with her on the splendid bed, but I lie in sweet slumber with her on the adorned bed, he may see dreams with Inana at night, but I converse with Inana awake. He may feed the geese with barley, but I will definitely not feed the geese with barley. I will ...... the geese's eggs in a basket and ...... their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the large ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the land who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese.""

The lord of Unug ...... he is their ......, he is their rudder. ...... he is the neck-stock which clamps down upon them, ...... to the place of its foundation. He is their falcon which flies in the sky, he is their bird-net. The brickwork of the great temple of Aratta ....... ...... in Aratta ...... great ....... ...... bring (?) .......

He patted it like a lump of clay, he examined it like a clay-tablet: "He may dwell with Inana in the E-zagin of Aratta, but I dwell with her ...... as her earthly companion (?). He may lie with her in sweet slumber on the adorned bed, but I lie on Inana's splendid bed strewn with pure plants. Its back is an ug lion, its front is a pirij lion. The ug lion chases the pirij lion, the pirij lion chases the ug lion. As the ug lion chases the pirij lion and the pirij lion chases the ug lion, the day does not dawn, the night does not pass. I accompany Inana for a journey of 15 leagues and yet Utu the sun-god cannot see my holy crown, when she enters my holy jipar. Enlil has given (?) me the true crown and sceptre. Ninurta, the son of Enlil, held me on his lap as the frame holds the water-skin. Aruru, the sister of Enlil, extended her right breast to me, extended her left breast to me. When I go up to the great shrine, the mistress screeches like an Anzud chick, and other times when I go there, even though she is not a duckling, she shrieks like one. She ...... from the city of her birth. No city was made to be so well-built as the city of Unug (?). It is Unug where Inana dwells and as regards Aratta, what does it have to do with this? It is brick-built Kulaba where she lives, and as regards the mount of the lustrous me, what can it do about this? For five or ten years she will definitely not go to Aratta. Since the great holy lady of the E-ana took counsel with me (?) about whether to go also to Aratta, since she let me know (1 ms. has instead: told me) about this matter, I know that she will not go to Aratta. He who has nothing shall not feed the geese with barley, but I will feed the geese with barley. I will ...... the geese's eggs in a basket and ...... their goslings. The small ones into my pot, the old ones into my kettle, and the rulers of the Land (some mss. has instead: of Sumer) who submitted will consume, together with me, what remains from the geese."

The messenger of Enmerkar reached En-suhgir-ana, reached his holy jipar, his most holy place, the most holy place where he was sitting, its ....... En-suhgir-ana asked for instructions, he searched for an answer. He summoned the icib priests, the lumah priests, the gudu priests, and girsiga attendants who dwell in the jipar and took counsel with them. "What shall I say to him? What shall I say to him? What shall I say to the lord of Unug, the lord of Kulaba? His bull stood up to fight my bull and the bull of Unug has defeated it. His man has been struggling with my man and the man of Unug has defeated him. His warrior (?) has been struggling with my warrior (?) and the warrior (?) of Unug ...... him."

The convened assembly answered him straightforwardly: "It was you who first sent a boastful (?) message to Unug for Enmerkar. You cannot hold back (?) Enmerkar, you have to hold back (?) yourself. Calm down; your heart will prompt you to achieve nothing, as far as can be known (?)." "If my city becomes a ruin mound, then I will be a potsherd of it, but I will never submit to the lord of Unug, the lord of Kulaba."

A sorcerer whose skill was that of a man of Hamazu, Ur-jirnuna, whose skill was that of a man of Hamazu, who came over to Aratta after Hamazu had been destroyed, practiced (?) sorcery in the inner chamber at the E-jipar. He said to minister Ansiga-ria: "My lord, why is it that the great fathers of the city, the founders in earlier times (?), do not ......, do not give advice. I will make Unug dig canals. I will make Unug submit to the shrine of Aratta. After the word of Unug ...... , I will make the territories from below to above, from the sea to the cedar mountain, from above to the mountain of the aromatic cedars, submit to my great army. Let Unug bring its own goods by boat, let it tie up boats as a transport flotilla towards the E-zagin of Aratta." The minister Ansiga-ria rose up in his city , he .......

...... Ansiga-ria ......, if only ....... "My lord, why is it that the great fathers of the city, the founders in earlier times (?), do not ......, do not give advice. I will make Unug dig canals. I will make Unug submit to the shrine of Aratta. After the word of Unug ......, I will make the territories from below to above, from the sea to the cedar mountain, from above to the mountain of the aromatic cedars, submit to my great army. Let Unug bring its own goods by boat, let it tie up boats as a transport flotilla towards the E-zagin of Aratta."

This made the lord extremely happy, so he gave five minas of gold to him, he gave five minas of silver to him. He promised him that he would be allotted fine food to eat, he promised him that he would be allotted fine drink to drink. "When their men are taken captive, your life ...... happiness (?) in your hand (?) prosperity (?)", he promised to him.

The sorcerer, farmer of the best seeds, directed his steps towards Erec, the city of Nisaba, and reached the animal pen, the house where the cows live. The cow trembled with fear at him in the animal pen. He made the cow speak so that it conversed with him as if it were a human being: "Cow, who will eat your butter? Who will drink your milk?" "My butter will be eaten by Nisaba, my milk will be drunk by Nisaba. My cheese, skilfully produced bright crown, was made fitting for the great dining hall, the dining hall of Nisaba. Until my butter is delivered from the holy animal pen, until my milk is delivered from the holy byre, the steadfast wild cow Nisaba, the first-born of Enlil, will not impose any levy on the people." "Cow, your butter to your shining horn; your milk to your back." So the cow's butter was ...... to its shining horn; its milk was ...... to its back .......

He reached the holy byre, the byre of Nisaba. The goat trembled with fear at him in the byre. He made the goat speak so that it conversed with him as if it were a human being. "Goat, who will eat your butter? Who will drink your milk?" "My butter will be eaten by Nisaba, my milk will be drunk by Nisaba. My cheese, skilfully produced bright crown, was made fitting for the great dining hall, the dining hall of Nisaba. Until my butter is delivered from the holy animal pen, until my milk is delivered from the holy byre, the steadfast wild cow Nisaba, the first-born of Enlil, will not impose any levy on the people." "Goat, your butter to your shining horn, your milk to your back." So the goat's butter was ...... to its shining horn; its milk was made to depart to its back.

On that day the animal pen and the byre were turned into a house of silence; they were dealt a disaster. There was no milk in the udder of the cow, the day darkened for the calf, its young calf was hungry and wept bitterly. There was no milk in the udder of the goat; the day darkened for the kid. The kid and its goat lay starving, its life ....... The cow spoke bitterly to its calf; The goat ...... to its kid. The holy churn was empty, ...... was hungry, ...... lay starving.

On that day the animal pen and the byre were turned into a house of silence; they were dealt a disaster. The cow-herd dropped his staff from his hand: he was shocked. The shepherd hung the crook at his side and wept bitterly. The shepherd boy did not enter (?) the byre and animal pen, but took another way; the milk carrier did not sing loudly, but took another road. The cow-herd and shepherd of Nisaba, sons born of the same mother, were brought up in the animal pen and byre. The name of the first one was Mac-gula, the name of the second one was Ur-edina. At the great gate, facing sunrise, the place marvelled at by the land, both of them crouched in the debris and appealed to Utu for help : "The sorcerer from Aratta entered the animal pen. He made the milk scarce, so the young calves could not get any. In the animal pen and the byre he caused distress; he made the butter and milk scarce (1 ms. has instead: ...... diminished ......, ...... he made the milk of the goat scarce). He threw its ......, ...... was dealt a disaster."

...... approached. ...... caused damage (?)....... ...... turned toward Erec. ...... the Euphrates ...... the river of the gods. She made her way to the city whose destiny was decreed by An and Enlil ....... Wise Woman Sajburu ...... hand ...... for him.

Both of them threw fish spawn (?) into the river. The sorcerer made a giant carp come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. Wise Woman Sajburu, however, made an eagle come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. The eagle seized the giant carp and fled to the mountains (1 ms. has instead: The eagle seized the giant carp out of the waves and went up to the sky).

A second time they threw fish spawn (?) into the river. The sorcerer made a ewe and its lamb come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. Wise Woman Sajburu, however, made a wolf come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. The wolf seized the ewe and its lamb and dragged it to the wide desert.

A third time they threw fish spawn (?) into the river. The sorcerer made a cow and its calf come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. Wise Woman Sajburu, however, made a lion come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. The lion seized the cow and its calf and took (some mss. have instead: dragged) them to the reed beds.

A fourth time they threw fish spawn (?) into the river. The sorcerer made an ibex and a wild sheep come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. Wise Woman Sajburu, however, made a mountain leopard come out (1 ms. has instead: arise) from the water. The leopard seized the ibex and the wild sheep and took them to the mountains.

A fifth time they threw fish spawn (?) into the river. The sorcerer made a gazelle kid come out from the water. Wise Woman Sajburu, however, made a tiger and a ......-lion come out from the water. The tiger and the ......-lion seized the gazelle kid and took (1 ms. has instead: dragged) them to the forest. What happened made the face of the sorcerer darkened, made his mind confused.

Wise Woman Sajburu said to him: "Sorcerer, you do have magical powers, but where is your sense? How on earth could you think of going to do sorcery at Erec, which is the city of Nisaba, a city whose destiny was decreed by An and Enlil, the primeval city, the beloved city of Ninlil?"

The sorcerer answered her: "I went there without knowing all about this. I acknowledge your superiority -- please do not be bitter." He pleaded, he prayed to her: "Set me free, my sister; set me free. Let me go in peace to my city. Let me return safely to Aratta, the mount of the lustrous me. I will make known (1 ms. has instead: declare) your greatness in all the lands. I will sing your praise in Aratta, the mount of the lustrous me."

Wise Woman Sajburu answered to him: "You have caused distress in the animal pen and the byre; you have made the butter and milk scarce there. You have removed the lunch-table, the morning- and evening-table. You have cut off butter and milk from the evening meal of the great dining hall, ......... distress ...... . Your sin that butter and milk ...... cannot be forgiven. Nanna the king ...... the byre ...... milk; ...... established that it was a capital offence and I am not pardoning your life." Wise Woman Sajburu ...... her decision about the sorcerer in the assembly (?). She threw her prisoner from the bank of the Euphrates. She seized from him his life-force and then returned to her city, Erec.

Having heard this matter, En-suhgir-ana sent a man to Enmerkar: "You are the beloved lord of Inana, you alone are exalted. Inana has truly chosen you for her holy lap, you are her beloved. From the west to the east, you are the great lord, and I am only second to you; From the moment of conception I was not your equal, you are the older brother. I cannot match you ever."

In the contest between Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana, Enmerkar proved superior to En-suhgir-ana. Nisaba, be praised!

SEGMENT B

3 lines unclear

The sorcerer ....... Ur-jirnuna ....... The sorcerer ...... minister Ansiga-ria.

1 line unclear

Gilgamesh and Aga

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Envoys of Aga, the son of En-me-barage-si, came from Kic to Gilgamec in Unug. Gilgamec presented the issue before the elders of his city, carefully choosing his words: "There are wells to be finished, many wells of the Land yet to be finished; there are shallow wells of the Land yet to be finished, there are wells to deepen and hoisting gear to be completed. We should not submit to the house of Kic! Should we not smite it with weapons? (2 mss. have instead: Let us smite it with weapons!)"

In the convened assembly, his city's elders answered Gilgamec: "There are indeed wells to be finished, many wells of the Land yet to be finished; there are shallow wells of the Land yet to be finished, there are wells to deepen and hoisting gear to be completed. So we should submit to the house of Kic. We should not smite it with weapons! (1 ms. has instead: So should we not submit to the house of Kic? Should we smite it with weapons?)"

Gilgamec, the lord of Kulaba, placing his trust in Inana, did not take seriously the advice of his city's elders. Gilgamec (1 ms. adds: , the lord of Kulaba,) presented the issue again, this time before the able-bodied men of his city, carefully choosing his words: "There are wells to be finished, many wells of the Land yet to be finished; there are shallow wells of the Land yet to be finished, there are wells to deepen and hoisting gear to be completed. Never before have you submitted to the house of Kic. Should you not smite it with weapons? (1 ms. has instead: We should not submit to the house of Kic. We should smite it with weapons!)"

In the convened assembly, his city's able-bodied men answered Gilgamec: ""Standing on duty and sitting in attendance, escorting the king's son, and forever grasping the donkey's reins -- who has that much breath?", as the saying goes. You old men should not submit to the house of Kic! Should we young men not smite it with weapons?

"The great gods created the structure of Unug, the handiwork of the gods, and of E-ana, the house lowered down from heaven. You watch over the great rampart, the rampart which An founded (1 ms. has instead: its great rampart, a cloudbank resting on the earth), the majestic residence which An established. You are its king and warrior, an exuberant person, a prince beloved of An. When Aga comes, what terror he will experience! That army is small, and scattered at the rear. Its men will be incapable of confronting us."

Then Gilgamec, the lord of Kulaba, rejoiced at the advice of his city's able-bodied men and his spirit brightened. He addressed his servant Enkidu: "On this account let the weaponry and arms of battle be made ready. Let the battle mace return to your side. May they create a great terror and radiance. When he comes, my great fearsomeness will overwhelm him. His reasoning will become confused and his judgment disarrayed."

Not five, not ten days had passed when Aga, the son of En-me-barage-si, laid siege to Unug with his men. Unug's reasoning became confused. Gilgamec, the lord of Kulaba, addressed its warriors: " My warriors shall have the choice. (2 mss. have instead: My warriors, choose!) Let someone with courage volunteer "I shall go to Aga" (1 ms. has instead: , and I will send him to Aga)."

Birhur-tura, his royal guard, spoke in admiration to his king: " (2 mss. add: My king,) I shall go (1 ms. has instead: go prancing (?)) to Aga so that his reasoning will become confused and his judgment disarrayed."

Birhur-tura went out through the city gate. As soon as Birhur-tura went out through the city gate, they captured him at the gate's entrance, and then beat Birhur-tura's entire length. He came into the presence of Aga and then spoke to Aga. Before he had finished speaking, an officer of Unug climbed up on the rampart and leaned out over the rampart. Aga saw him and then spoke to Birhur-tura: "Slave, is that man your king?"

"That man is not my king! Were that man my king, were that his angry brow, were those his bison eyes, were that his lapis lazuli beard, were those his elegant fingers, would he not cast down multitudes, would he not raise up multitudes, would multitudes not be smeared with dust, would not all the nations be overwhelmed, would not the land's canal-mouths be filled with silt, would not the barges' prows be broken, and would he not take Aga, the king of Kic, captive in the midst of his army?"

They hit him, they struck him. They beat Birhur-tura's entire length. Gilgamec climbed up on the rampart after the officer of Unug. His radiance overwhelmed Kulaba's young and old. He armed Unug's able-bodied men with battle maces and stationed them on the causeway at the city gate's door. Only Enkidu went out through the city gate. Gilgamec leaned out over the rampart. Looking up, Aga saw him: "Slave, is that man your king?"

"That man is indeed my king." It was just as he had said: Gilgamec cast down multitudes, he raised up multitudes, multitudes were smeared with dust, all the nations were overwhelmed, the land's canal-mouths were filled with silt, the barges' prows were broken, and he took Aga, the king of Kic, captive in the midst of his army. (1 ms. adds 1 line: Unug's able-bodied men ...... that army.)

Gilgamec, the lord of Kulaba, spoke to (1 ms. has instead: approached close to) Aga: " Aga my overseer, Aga my lieutenant, (1 ms. adds 1 line: Aga my governor, Aga my commander,) Aga my military commander! Aga gave me breath, Aga gave me life: Aga took a fugitive into his embrace, Aga provided the fleeing bird with grain."

(The able-bodied men acclaim Gilgamec:) "You watch over Unug, the handiwork of the gods, the great rampart, the rampart which An founded, the majestic residence which An established. You are its king and warrior, an exuberant person, a prince beloved of An." (Gilgamec addresses Aga:) "Before Utu, your former kindness is hereby repaid to you.'" (the other ms. has instead: "I watch over Unug, the handiwork of the gods, its great rampart, a cloudbank resting on the earth, its majestic residence which An established. The city will repay the kindness shown to me. Before Utu, your former kindness is hereby repaid to you.") He set Aga free to go to Kic.

O Gilgamec, lord of Kulaba, praising you is sweet.