Primary Source Response #1

Excerpts, The Epic of Gilgamesh, c. 1800 BC

Gllgamesh King in Uruk

I will proclaim to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh. This was the man to whom all things

were known; this was the king who knew the countries of the world. He was wise, he saw

mysteries and knew secret things, he brought us a tale of the days before the flood. He went

on a long journey, was weary, worn-out with labor, returning he rested, he engraved on a

stone the whole story.

When the gods created Gilgamesh they gave him a perfect body. Shamash the

glorious sun endowed him with beauty, Adad the god of the storm endowed him with

courage, the great gods made his beauty perfect, surpassing an others, terrifying like a

great wild bull. Two thirds they made him god and one third man.

In Uruk he built walls, a great rampart, and the temple of blessed Eanna for the god

of the firmament Anu, and for lshtar the goddess of love. Look at it still today: the outer

wall where the cornice runs, it shines with the brilliance of copper; and the inner wall, it

has no equal. Touch the threshold, it is ancient. Approach Eanna the dwelling of Ishtar, our

lady of love and war, the like of which no latter-day king, no man alive can equal. Climb

upon the wall of Uruk; walk along it, I say; regard the foundation terrace and examine the

masonry: is it not burnt brick and good? The seven sages laid the foundations.

The Coming of Enkidu

Gilgamesh went abroad in the world, but me with none who could withstand his arms till

he came to Uruk. But the men of Uruk muttered in their houses, “Gilgamesh sounds the

tocsin [bell] for his amusement, his arrogance has no bounds by day or night. No son is left

with his father, for Gilgamesh takes them all, even the children; yet the king should be a

shepherd for his people. His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior’s

daughter nor the wife of the noble; yet this is the shepherd of the city, wise, comely, and

resolute.”

The gods heard their lament, the gods of heaven cried to the Lord of Uruk, to Anu

the god of Uruk: “A goddess made him, strong as a saveage bull, none can withstand his

arms. No son is left with his father, for Gilgamesh takes them all; and is this the king, the

shepherd of his people? His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior’s

daughter nor the wife of the noble.” When Anu had heard their lamentation the gods cried

to Aruru, the goddess of creation, “You made him, O Aruru, now create his equal; let it be as

like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart. Let them

contend together and leave Uruk in quiet."

So the goddess conceived an image in her mind, and it was of the stuff of Anu of the

firmament. She dipped her hand in water and pinched off clay, she let it fall in the

wilderness, and noble Enkidu was created. There was virtue in him of the god of war, of

Ninurta himself. His body was rough, he had long hair like a woman's; it waved like the hair

of Nisaba, the goddess of corn. His body was covered with matted hair like Samuqan's, the

god of cattle. He was innocent of mankind; he knew nothing of the cultivated land.

Enkidu ate grass in the hills with the gazelle and lurked with wild beasts at the

water-holes; he had joy of the water with the herds of wild game. But there was a trapper

who met him one day face to face at the drinking-hole, for the wild game had entered his

territory. On three days he met him face to face, and the trapper was frozen with fear. He

went back to his house with the game that he had caught, and he was dumb, benumbed

with terror. His face was altered like that of one who had made a long journey. With awe in

his heart he spoke to his father: "Father, there is a man, unlike any other, who comes down

from the hills. He is the strongest in the world, he is like an immortal from heaven. He

ranges over the hills with wild beasts and eats grass; he ranges through your land and

comes down to the wells. I am afraid and dare not go near him. He fills in the pits which I

dig and tears up my traps set for the game; he helps the beasts to escape and now they slip

through my fingers."

His father opened his mouth and said to the trapper, “My son, in Uruk lives

Gilgamesh; no one has ever prevailed against him, he is strong as a star from heaven. Go to

Uruk, find Gilgamesh, extol the strength of this wild man. Ask him to give you a harlot, a

wanton from the temple of love; return with her, and let her woman's power overpower

this man. When next he comes down to drink at the wells she will be there, stripped naked;

and when he sees her beckoning he will embrace her, and then the wild beasts will reject

him."

So the trapper set out on his journey to Uruk and addressed himself to Gilgamesh

saying, ''A man unlike any other is roaming now in the pastures; he is as strong as a star

from heaven and I am afraid to approach him. He helps the wild game to escape; he fills in

my pits and pulls up my traps." Gilgamesh said, "Trapper, go back, take with you a harlot, a

child of pleasure. At the drinking-hole she will strip, and when he sees her beckoning he

will embrace her and the game of the wilderness will surely reject him."

Now the trapper returned, taking the harlot with him. After a three day’s journey

they came to the drinking-hole, and there they sat down; the harlot and the trapper sat

facing one another and waited for the game to come. Forth first day and for the second day

the two sat waiting, but on the third day the herds came; they came down to drink and

Enkidu was with them. The small wild creatures of the plains were glad of the water, and

Enkidu with them, who ate grass with the gazelle and was born in the hills; and she saw

him, the savage man, come from far-off in the hills. The trapper spoke to her: “There he is.

Now, woman, make your breasts bare, have no shame, do not delay but welcome his love.

Let him see you naked, let him possess your body. When he comes near uncover

yourself and lie with him; teach him, the savage man, your woman's art, for when he

murmurs love to you the wild beasts that shared his life in the hills will reject him.”

She was not ashamed to take him, she made herself naked and welcomed his

eagerness; as he lay on her murmuring love she taught him the woman's art. For six days

and seven nights they lay together, for Enkidu had forgotten his home in the hills; but when

he was satisfied he went back to the wild beasts. Then, when the gazelle saw him, they

bolted away; when the wild creatures saw him they fled. Enkidu would have followed, but

his body was bound as though with a cord, his knees gave way when he started to run, his

swiftness was gone. And now the wild creatures had all fled away; Enkidu was grown weak,

for wisdom was in him, and the thoughts of a man were in his heart. So he returned and sat

down at the woman's feet, and listened intently to what she said. “You are wise, Enkidu,

and now you have become like a god. Why do you want to run wild with the beasts in the

hills? Come with me. I will take you to strong-walled Uruk, to the blessed temple of Ishtar

and of Anu, of love and of heaven: there Gilgamesh lives, who is very strong, and like a wild

bull he lords it over men.”

When she had spoken Enkidu was pleased; he longed for a comrade, for one who

would understand his heart. “Come, woman, and take me temple, to the house of Anu and

of Ishtar, and to the place where Gilgamesh lords it over the people. I will challenge him

boldly, I will cry out aloud in Uruk, 'I am the strongest here, I have come to change the old

order, I am he who was born in the hills, I am he who is strongest of all.’”

She said, "Let us go, and let him see your face. I know where Gilgamesh is in great

Uruk. O Enkidu, there all the people ae in their gorgeous robes, every day is holiday, the

young men and girls are wonderful to see. How sweet they smell! All the great ones are

roused from their beds. O Enkidu, you who love life, I will show you Gilgamesh, a man of

many moods; you shall look at him well in his radiant manhood. His body is perfect in

strength and maturity; he never rests by night or day. He is stronger than you, so leave

your boasting. Shamash the glorious sun has given favors to Gilgamesh, and Anu of the

heavens, and Enlil, and Ea the wise has given him deep understanding. I tell you, even

before you have left the wilderness, Gilgamesh will know in his dreams that you are

coming.”