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An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic

by Morris Jastrow and Albert T. Clay

Length: 40,264 words, about 161 pages, about 3 hours to read

Poetry, History and travel

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The best passages

Pages from the book itself, chosen to make you want to read on. Each opens in the reader at that exact spot.

Col. I.

1Gish sought to interpret the dream;

2Spoke to his mother:

3“My mother, during my night

4I became strong and moved about

5among the heroes;

6And from the starry heaven

7A meteor(?) of Anu fell upon me:

8I bore it and it grew heavy upon me,

9I became weak and its weight I could not endure.

10The land of Erech gathered about it.

11The heroes kissed its feet.1

12It was raised up before me.

13They stood me up.2

14I bore it and carried it to thee.”

15The mother of Gish, who knows all things,

16Spoke to Gish:

17“Some one, O Gish, who like thee

18In the field was born and

19Whom the mountain has reared,

20Thou wilt see (him) and [like a woman(?)] thou wilt rejoice.

21Heroes will kiss his feet.

22Thou wilt spare [him and wilt endeavor]

23To lead him to me.”

24He slept and saw another

25Dream, which he reported to his mother:

26[“My mother,] I have seen another

27[Dream.] My likeness I have seen in the streets

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Col II.

41(means) that he is to be associated with thee.”

42Gish understood the dream.

43[As] Enki[du] was sitting before the woman,

44[Her] loins(?) he embraced, her vagina(?) he opened.

45[Enkidu] forgot the place where he was born.

46Six days and seven nights

47Enkidu continued

48To cohabit with [the courtesan].

49[The woman] opened her [mouth] and

50Spoke to Enkidu:

51“I gaze upon thee, O Enkidu, like a god art thou!

52Why with the cattle

53Dost thou [roam] across the field?

54Come, let me lead thee

55into [Erech] of the plazas,

56to the holy house, the dwelling of Anu,

57O, Enkidu arise, let me conduct thee

58To Eanna, the dwelling of Anu,

59The place [where Gish is, perfect] in vitality.

60And thou [like a wife wilt embrace] him.

61Thou [wilt love him like] thyself.

62Come, arise from the ground

63(that is) cursed.”

64He heard her word and accepted her speech.

65The counsel of the woman

66Entered his heart.

67She stripped off a garment,

68Clothed him with one.

69Another garment

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Col. III.

89He had not been taught.

90The woman opened her mouth and

91Spoke to Enkidu:

92“Eat food, O Enkidu,

93The provender of life!

94Drink wine, the custom of the land!”

95Enkidu ate food

96Till he was satiated.

97Wine he drank,

98Seven goblets.

99His spirit was loosened, he became hilarious.

100His heart became glad and

101His face shone.

102[The barber(?)] removed

103The hair on his body.

104He was anointed with oil.

105He became manlike.

106He put on a garment,

107He was like a man.

108He took his weapon;

109Lions he attacked,

110(so that) the night shepherds could rest.

111He plunged the dagger;

112Lions he overcame.

113The great [shepherds] lay down;

114Enkidu was their protector.

115The strong man,

116The unique hero,

117To [the shepherds(?)] he speaks:

(About five lines missing.)

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10 of the best lines

The life that thou seekest, thou wilt not find.

Introduction.Keep reading from here

Day and night a renewal of jollification!

Introduction.Keep reading from here

Wherever terror is to be faced,

Introduction.Keep reading from here

Thou dost not know what thou proposest to do.

Introduction.Keep reading from here

I loved him as a woman,

Col. I.Keep reading from here

Come, arise from the ground

Col II.Keep reading from here

His spirit was loosened, he became hilarious.

Col. III.Keep reading from here

Gish of whom they speak, let me see!

Col. V.Keep reading from here

Who has ever opposed his weapon?

Col. V.Keep reading from here

May he level the mountain for thy foot!

Col. VI.Keep reading from here

All 25 An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic quotes, with the words around each

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Contents

All 53 parts
  1. Yale Oriental Series. Researches, Volume IV, 3.
  2. On the Basis of Recently Discovered Texts
  3. Prefatory Note
  4. Introduction.
  5. Pennsylvania Tablet
  6. Pennsylvania Tablet.
  7. Transliteration.
  8. Col. I.
  9. Col. II.
  10. Col. III.
  11. Col. IV.
  12. Col. V.
  13. Col. VI.
  14. Translation.
  15. Col. I.
  16. Col II.
  17. Col. III.
  18. Col. IV.
  19. Col. V.
  20. Col. VI.
  21. Commentary on the Pennsylvania Tablet.
  22. Yale Tablet.
  23. Transliteration.
  24. Col. I.
  25. Col. II.
  26. Col. III.
  27. Col. IV.
  28. Col. V.
  29. Col. VI.
  30. L.E.
  31. Translation.
  32. Col. I.
  33. Col. II.
  34. Col. III.
  35. Col. IV.
  36. Col. V.
  37. Col. VI.
  38. L.E.
  39. Corrections to the Text of Langdon’s Edition of the Pennsylvania Tablet.1
  40. Column 1.
  41. Column 2.
  42. Column 3.
  43. Column 4.
  44. Column 5.
  45. Column 6.
  46. Plates
  47. Plate I.
  48. Plate II.
  49. Plate III.
  50. Plate IV.
  51. Plate V.
  52. Plate VI.
  53. Plate VII.

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Text from Project Gutenberg. In the public domain in the USA. The Project Gutenberg License is kept inside the file. Every passage and line on this page is the book's own words, checked against the text.