An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic Part 18

[98] a.s.syrian version, Tablet IX, 1, 8-9.

[99] Tablet VIII, 5, 2-6.

[100] So also Gressmann in Ungnad-Gressmann, _Das Gilgamesch-Epos_, p. 97, regards Enkidu as the older figure.

[101] See Jastrow, _Adam and Eve in Babylonian Literature, AJSL_, Vol. 15, pp. 193-214.

[102] a.s.syrian version, Tablet I, 2, 31-36.

[103] It will be recalled that Enkidu is always spoken of as "born in the field."

[104] Note the repet.i.tion _ibtani_ "created" in line 33 of the "man of Anu" and in line 35 of the offspring of Ninib. The creation of the former is by the "heart," i.e., by the will of Aruru, the creation of the latter is an act of moulding out of clay.

[105] Tablet I, Column 3.

[106] Following as usual the enumeration of lines in Jensen's edition.

[107] An a.n.a.logy does not involve a dependence of one tale upon the other, but merely that both rest on similar traditions, which _may_ have arisen independently.

[108] Note that the name of Eve is not mentioned till after the fall (Genesis 3, 20). Before that she is merely _ishsha_, i.e., "woman," just as in the Babylonian tale the woman who guides Enkidu is _harimtu_, "woman."

[109] "And he drank and became drunk" (Genesis 9, 21).

[110] "His heart became glad and his face shone" (Pennsylvania Tablet, lines 100-101).

[111] That in the combination of this Enkidu with tales of primitive man, inconsistent features should have been introduced, such as the union of Enkidu with the woman as the beginning of a higher life, whereas the presence of a hunter and his father shows that human society was already in existence, is characteristic of folk-tales, which are indifferent to details that may be contradictory to the general setting of the story.

[112] Pennsylvania tablet, lines 102-104.

[113] Line 105.

[114] Tablet I, 1, 9. See also the reference to the wall of Erech as an "old construction" of Gilgamesh, in the inscription of An-Am in the days of Sin-gamil (Hilprecht, _Old Babylonian Inscriptions_, I, No. 26.) Cf IV R2 52, 3, 53.

[115] The invariable designation in the a.s.syrian version as against _Uruk ribitim_, "Erech of the plazas," in the old Babylonian version.

[116] In Ungnad-Gressmann, _Das Gilgamesch-Epos_, p. 123 _seq._

[117] See Jensen, p. 266. Gilgamesh is addressed as "judge," as the one who inspects the divisions of the earth, precisely as Shamash is celebrated. In line 8 of the hymn in question, Gilgamesh is in fact addressed as Shamash.

[118] The darkness is emphasized with each advance in the hero's wanderings (Tablet IX, col. 5).

[119] This tale is again a nature myth, marking the change from the dry to the rainy season. The Deluge is an annual occurrence in the Euphrates Valley through the overflow of the two rivers. Only the ca.n.a.l system, directing the overflow into the fields, changed the curse into a blessing. In contrast to the Deluge, we have in the a.s.syrian creation story the drying up of the primeval waters so that the earth makes its appearance with the change from the rainy to the dry season. The world is created in the spring, according to the Akkadian view which is reflected in the Biblical creation story, as related in the P. doc.u.ment. See Jastrow, _Sumerian and Akkadian Views of Beginnings_ (_JAOS_, Vol 36, p. 295 seq.).

[120] As-am in Sumerian corresponding to the Akkadian Sabatu, which conveys the idea of destruction.

[121] The month is known as the "Mission of Ishtar" in Sumerian, in allusion to another nature myth which describes Ishtar's disappearance from earth and her mission to the lower world.

[122] _Historical Texts_ No. 1. The Sumerian name of the survivor is Zi-u-gid-du or perhaps Zi-u-su-du (cf. King, _Legends of Babylon and Egypt_, p. 65, note 4), signifying "He who lengthened the day of life," i.e., the one of long life, of which Ut-napishtim ("Day of Life") in the a.s.syrian version seems to be an abbreviated Akkadian rendering, with the omission of the verb. So King's view, which is here followed. See also _CT_ XVIII, 30, 9, and Langdon, _Sumerian Epic of Paradise_, p. 90, who, however, enters upon further speculations that are fanciful.

[123] See the translation in Ungnad-Gressmann, _Das Gilgamesch-Epos_, pp. 69, _seq._ and 73.

[124] According to Professor Clay, quite certainly Amurru, just as in the case of Enkidu.

[125] Gressmann in Ungnad-Gressmann, _Das Gilgamesch-Epos_, p. 100 _seq._ touches upon this _motif_, but fails to see the main point that the companions are also twins or at least brothers. Hence such examples as Abraham and Lot, David and Jonathan, Achilles and Patroclus, Eteokles and Polyneikes, are not parallels to Gilgamesh-Enkidu, but belong to the _enlargement_ of the _motif_ so as to include companions who are _not_ regarded as brothers.

[126] Or Romus. See Rendell Harris, l. c., p. 59, note 2.

[127] One might also include the primeval pair Yama-Yami with their equivalents in Iranian mythology (Carnoy, _Iranian Mythology_, p. 294 _seq._).

[128] Becoming, however, a triad and later increased to seven. Cf. Rendell Harris, l. c., p. 32.

[129] I am indebted to my friend, Professor A. J. Carnoy, of the University of Louvain, for having kindly gathered and placed at my disposal material on the "twin-brother" _motif_ from Indo-European sources, supplemental to Rendell Harris' work.

[130] On the other hand, _Uruk matum_ for the district of Erech, i.e., the territory over which the city holds sway, appears in both versions (Pennsylvania tablet, 1. 10 = a.s.syrian version I, 5, 36).

[131] "My likeness" (line 27). It should be noted, however, that lines 32-44 of I, 5, in Jensen's edition are part of a fragment K 9245 (not published, but merely copied by Bezold and Johns, and placed at Jensen's disposal), which may represent a _duplicate_ to I, 6, 23-34, with which it agrees entirely except for one line, viz., line 34 of K 9245 which is not found in column 6, 23-34. If this be correct, then there is lacking after line 31 of column 5, the interpretation of the dream given in the Pennsylvania tablet in lines 17-23.

[132] _ina sap-li-ki_, literally, "below thee," whereas in the old Babylonian version we have _ana si-ri-ka_, "towards thee."

[133] Repeated I, 6, 28.

[134] _ul-tap-rid ki-is-su-su-ma_. The verb is from _paradu_, "violent." For _kissu_, "strong," see _CT_ XVI, 25, 48-49. Langdon (_Gilgamesh Epic_, p. 211, note 5) renders the phrase: "he shook his murderous weapon!!"--another ill.u.s.tration of his haphazard way of translating texts.

[135] Shown by the colophon (Jeremias, _Izdubar-Nimrod_, Plate IV.)

[136] Lines 42-43 must be taken as part of the narrative of the compiler, who tells us that after the woman had informed Enkidu that Gilgamesh already knew of Enkidu's coming through dreams interpreted by Ninsun, Gilgamesh actually set out and encountered Enkidu.

[137] Tablet I, col. 4. See also above, p. 19.

[138] IV, 2, 44-50. The word _ullanum_, (l.43) "once" or "since,"

points to the following being a reference to a former recital, and not an original recital.

[139] Only the lower half (Haupt's edition, p. 82) is preserved.

[140] "The eyes of Enkidu were filled with tears," corresponding to IV, 4, 10.

[141] Unless indeed the number "seven" is a slip for the sign sa. See the commentary to the line.

[142] I.e., paid homage to the meteor.

[143] I.e., the heroes of Erech raised me to my feet, or perhaps in the sense of "supported me."

[144] I.e., Enkidu.

[145] I.e., "thy way of life."

[146] I.e., the man.

[147] I.e., an idiomatic phrase meaning "for all times."