Beside the sea she lives, the woman of the vine, the maker, of wine; Siduri sits in the garden at the edge of the sea,
with the golden bowl and the golden vats that the gods gave her. She is covered with a veil; and where she sits she sees
Gilgamesh coming towards her, wearing skins, the flesh of the gods in his body, but despair in his heart, and his face like
the face of one who has made a long journey. She looked, and as she scanned the distance she said in her own heart,
‘Surely this is some felon; where is he going now? And she barred her gate against him with the cross-bar and shot home
the bolt. But Gilgamesh, hearing the sound of the bolt, threw up his head and lodged his foot in the gate; he called to her,
‘Young woman, maker of wine, why do you bolt your door; what did you see that made you bar your gate? 1 will break in
your door and burst in your gate, for I am Gilgamesh who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven, I killed the watchman of
the cedar forest, I overthrew Humbaba who lived in the forest, and I killed the lions in the passes of the mountain.'

Then Siduri said to him, ’If you are that Gilgamesh who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven, who killed the
watchman of the cedar forest, who overthrew Humbaba that lived in the forest, and killed the lions in the passes of the
mountain, why are your cheeks so starved and why is your face so drawn? Why is despair in your heart and your face like
the face of one who has made a long journey? Yes, why is your face burned from heat and cold, and why do you come
here wandering over the pastures in search of the wind?

Gilgamesh answered her, ‘And why should not my cheeks be starved and my face drawn? Despair is in my heart and
my face is the face of one who has made a long journey, it was burned with heat and with cold. Why should I not wander
over the pastures in search of the wind? My friend, my younger brother, he who hunted the wild ass of the wilderness and
the panther of the plains, nay friend, my younger brother who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven and overthrew
Humbaba in the cedar forest, my friend who was very dear to me and who endured dangers beside me, Enkidu my
brother, whom I laved, the end of mortality has overtaken him. I wept far him seven days and nights till the worm fastened
on him. Because of my brother I am afraid of death, because of my brother I stray through the wilderness and cannot rest.
But now, young woman, maker of wine, since I have seen your face do not let me see the face of death which I dread so
much.'

She answered, ‘Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for which you are looking.
When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping. As for you, Gilgamesh,
fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be
fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife happy in your embrace; for
this too is the lot of man.'

But Gilgamesh said to Siduri, the young woman, ‘How can I be silent, how can 1 rest, when Enkidu whom 1 love is
dust, and I too shall die and be laid in the earth. You live by the sea-shore and look into the heart of it; young woman, tell
me now, which is the way to Utnapishtim, the son of Ubara-Tutu? What directions are there for the passage; give me, oh,
give me directions. I will cross the Ocean if it is possible; if it is not I will wander still farther in the wilderness.' The wine-
maker said to him, 'Gilgamesh, there is no crossing the Ocean; whoever has come, since the days of old, has not been able
to pass that sea. The Sun in his glory crosses the Ocean, but who beside Shamash has ever crossed it? The place and the
passage are difficult, and the waters of death are deep which flow between. Gilgamesh, how will you cross the Ocean?
When you come to the waters of death what will you do? But Gilgamesh, down in the woods you will find Urshanabi, the
ferryman of Utnapishtim; with him are the holy things, the things of stone. He is fashioning the serpent prow of the boat.
Look at him well, and if it is possible, perhaps you will cross the waters with him; but if it is not possible, then you must
go back.'

When Gilgamesh heard this he was seized with anger. He took his axe in his hand, and his dagger from his belt. He
crept forward and he fell on them like a javelin. Then he went into the forest and sat down. Urshanabi saw the dagger flash
and heard the axe, and he beat his head, for Gilgamesh had shattered the tackle of the boat in his rage. Urshanabi said to
him, ‘Tell me, what is your name? I am Urshanabi, the ferryman of Utnapishtim the Faraway." He replied to him,
‘Gilgamesh is my name, I am from Uruk, from the house of Anu.' Then Urshanabi said to him, ‘Why are your cheeks so
starved and your face drawn? Why is despair in your heart and your face like the face of one who has made a long
journey; yes, why is your face burned with heat and with cold, and why do you come here wandering over the pastures in
search of the wind?

Gilgamesh said to him, ‘Why should not my cheeks be starved and my face drawn? Despair is in my heart, and my
face is the face of one who has made a long journey. I was burned with heat and with cold. Why should I not wander over
the pastures? My friend, my younger brother who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven, and overthrew Humbaba in the
cedar forest, my friend who was very dear to me, and who endured dangers beside me, Enkidu my brother whom I loved,
the end of mortality has overtaken him. I wept for him seven days and nights till the worm fastened on him. Because of
my brother I am afraid of death, because of my brother I stray through the wilderness. His fate lies heavy upon me. How

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can I be silent, how can I rest? He is dust and I too shall die and be laid in the earth for ever. I am afraid of death, therefore,
Urshanabi, tell me which is the road to Utnapishtim? If it is possible I will cross the waters of death; if not I will wander
still farther through the wilderness.'

Urshanabi said to him, ‘Gilgamesh, your own hands have prevented you from crossing the Ocean; when you
destroyed the tackle of the boat you destroyed its safety.' Then the two of them talked it over and Gilgamesh said, ‘Why
are you so angry with me, Urshanabi, for you yourself cross the sea by day and night, at all seasons you cross it'
‘Gilgamesh, those things you destroyed, their property is to carry me over the water, to prevent the waters of death from
touching me. It was for this reason that I preserved them, but you have destroyed them, and the urnu snakes with them.
But now, go into the forest, Gilgamesh; with your axe cut poles, one hundred and twenty, cut them sixty cubits long, paint
them with bitumen, set on them ferrules and bring them back.'

When Gilgamesh heard this he went into the forest, he cut poles one hundred and twenty; he cut them sixty cubits
long, he painted them with bitumen, he set on them ferrules, and he brought them to Urshanabi. Then they boarded the
boat, Gilgamesh and Urshanabi together, launching it out on the waves of Ocean. For three days they ran on as it were a
journey of a month and fifteen days, and at last Urshanabi brought the boat to the waters of death: Then Urshanabi said to
Gilgamesh, ‘Press on, take a pole and thrust it in, but do not let your hands touch the waters. Gilgamesh, take a second
pole, take a third, take a fourth pole. Now, Gilgamesh, take a fifth, take a sixth and seventh pole. Gilgamesh, take an
eighth, and ninth, a tenth pole. Gilgamesh, take an eleventh, take a twelfth pole.' After one hundred and twenty thrusts
Gilgamesh had used the last pole. Then he stripped himself, he held up his arms for a mast and his covering for a sail. So
Urshanabi the ferryman brought Gilgamesh to Utnapishtim, whom they call the Faraway, who lives in Dihnun at the place
of the sun's transit, eastward of the mountain. To him alone of men the gods had given everlasting life.

Now Utnapishtim, where he lay at ease, looked into the distance and he said in his heart, musing to himself, ‘Why
does the boat sail here without tackle and mast; why are the sacred stones destroyed, and why does the master not sail
the boat? That man who comes is none of mine; where I look I see a man whose body is covered with skins of beasts.
Who is this who walks up the shore behind Urshanabi, for surely he is no man of mine? So Utnapishtim looked at him and
said, ‘What is your name, you who come here wearing the skins of beasts, with your cheeks starved and your face drawn?
Where are you hurrying to now? For what reason have you made this great journey, crossing "the seas whose passage is
difficult? Tell me the reason for your coming.’

He replied, ’Gilgamesh is my name. I am from Uruk, from the house of Anu.’ Then Utnapishtim said to him, ‘If you
are Gilgamesh, why are your cheeks so starved and your face drawn? Why is despair in your heart and your face like the
face of one who has made a long journey? Yes, why is your face burned with heat and cold; and why do you come here,
wandering over the wilderness in search of the wind?

Gilgamesh said to him, ‘Why should not my cheeks be starved and my face drawn? Despair is in my heart and my
face is the face of one who has made a long journey. It was burned with heat and with cold. Why should I not wander over
the pastures? My friend, my younger brother who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven and overthrew Humbaba in the
cedar forest, my friend who was very dear to me and endured dangers beside me, Enkidu, my brother whom I loved, the
end of mortality has overtaken him. I wept for him seven days and nights till the worm fastened on him. Because of my
brother I am afraid of death; because of my brother I stray through the wilderness. His fate lies heavy upon me. How can I
be silent, how can I rest? He is dust and I shall die also and be laid in the . earth for ever.’ Again Gilgamesh said, speaking
to Utnapishtim, ‘It is to see Utnapishtim whom we call the Faraway that I have come this journey. For. this 1 have
wandered over the world, I have crossed many difficult ranges, I have crossed the seas, I have wearied myself with
travelling; my joints are aching, and I have lost acquaintance with sleep which is sweet. My clothes were worn out before
I came to the house of Siduri. I have killed the bear and hyena, the lion and panther, the tiger, the stag and the ibex, all
sorts of wild game and the small creatures of the pastures. I ate their flesh and I wore their skins; and that was how I came
to the gate of the young woman, the maker of wine, who barred her gate of pitch and bitumen against me. But from her I
had news of the journey; so then I came to Urshanabi the ferryman, and with him I crossed over the waters of death. Oh,
father Utnapishtim, you who have entered the assembly of the gods, I wish to question you concerning the living and the
dead, how shall I find the life for which I am searching?

Utnapishtim said, ‘There is no permanence. Do we build a house to stand for ever, do we seal a contract to hold for
all time? Do brothers divide an inheritance to keep for ever, does the flood-time of rivers endure? It is only the nymph of
the dragon-fly who sheds her larva and sees the sun in his glory. From the days of old there is no permanence. The
sleeping and the dead, how alike they are, they are like a painted death. What is there between the master and the servant
when both have fulfilled their doom? When the Anunnaki, the judges, come together, and Mammetun the mother of
destinies, together they decree the fates of men. Life and death they allot but the day of death they do not disclose.’

Then Gilgamesh said to Utnapishtim the Faraway, ‘I look at you now, Utnapishtim, and your appearance is no
different from mine; there is nothing strange in your features. I thought I should find- you like a hero prepared for battle,
but you he here taking your ease on your back. Tell me truly, how was it that you came to enter the company of the gods

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh

and to possess everlasting life?' Utnapishtim said to Gilgamesh, ‘I will reveal to you a mystery, I will tell you a secret of
the gods.'

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh

5

THE STORY OF THE FLOOD

‘You know the city Shurrupak, it stands on the banks of Euphrates? That city grew old and the gods that were in it
were old. There was Anu,-lord of the firmament, their father, and warrior Enlil their counsellor, Ninurta the helper, and
Ennugi watcher over canals; and with them also was Ea. In those days the world teemed, the people multiplied, the world
bellowed like a wild bull, and the great god was aroused by the clamour. Enlil heard the clamour and he said to the gods in
council, "The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel." So the gods agreed
to exterminate mankind. Enlil did this, but Ea because of his oath warned me in a dream. He whispered their words to my
house of reeds, "Reed-house, reed-house! Wall, O wall, hearken reed-house, wall reflect; O man of Shurrupak, son of
Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save
your soul alive. Tear down your house, I say, and build a boat. These are the measurements of the barque as you shall
build her: let hex beam equal her length, let her deck be roofed like the vault that covers the abyss; then take up into the
boat the seed of all living creatures."

‘When 1 had understood I said to my lord,

"Behold, what you have commanded I will honour
and perform, but how shall I answer the people, the
city, the elders?" Then Ea opened his mouth and said
to me, his servant, "Tell them this: I have learnt that
Enlil is wrathful against me, I dare no longer walk in
his land nor live in his city; I will go down to the
Gulf to dwell with Ea my lord. But on you he will
rain down abundance, rare fish and shy wild-fowl, a
rich harvest-tide. In the evening the rider of the storm
will bring you wheat in torrents."

‘In the first light of dawn all my household
gathered round me, the children brought pitch and
the men whatever was necessary. On the fifth day I
laid the keel and the ribs, then I made fast the
planking. The ground-space was one acre, each side
of the deck measured one hundred and twenty cubits,
making a square. I built six decks below, seven in all,

I divided them into nine sections with bulkheads
between. I drove in wedges where needed, I saw to
the punt poles, and laid in supplies. The carriers
brought oil in baskets, I poured pitch into the furnace
and asphalt and oil; more oil was consumed in
caulking, and more again the master of the boat took
into his stores. I slaughtered bullocks for the people
and every day I killed sheep. I gave the shipwrights
wine to drink as though it were river water, raw wine
and red wine and oil and white wine. There was
feasting then as -there is at the time of the New Year's festival; I myself anointed my head. On the seventh day the boat
was complete.

-’Then was the launching full of difficulty; there was shifting of ballast above and below till two thirds was
submerged. I loaded into her all that 1 had of gold and of living things, my family, my kin, the beast of the field both wild
and tame, and all the craftsmen. I sent them on board, for the time that Shamash had ordained was already fulfilled
when he said, "in the evening, when the rider of the storm sends down the destroying rain, enter the boat and batten
her down." The time was fulfilled, the evening came, the rider of the storm sent down the rain. I looked out at the
weather and it was terrible, so I too boarded the boat and battened her down. All was now complete, the battening
and the caulking; so I handed the tiller to Puzur-Amurri the steersman, with the navigation and the care of the whole
boat.

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh

‘With the first light of dawn a black cloud came from the horizon; it thundered within where Adad, lord of the
storm was riding. In front over hill and plain Shullat and Hanish, heralds of the storm, led on. Then the gods of the
abyss rose up; Nergal pulled out the dams of the nether waters, Ninurta the war-lord threw down the dykes, and the
seven judges of hell, the Annunaki, raised their torches, lighting the land with their livid flame. A stupor of despair
went up to heaven when the god of the storm turned daylight to darkness, when he smashed the land like a cup. One
whole day the tempest raged, gathering fury as .it went, it poured over the people like the tides of battle; a imam
could not see his brother nor the people be seen from heaven. Even the gods were terrified at the flood, they fled to
the highest heaven, the firmament of Ann; they crouched against the walls, cowering like curs. Then Ishtar the
sweet-voiced Queen of Heaven cried out like a woman in travail: "Alas the days -of old are turned to dust because I
commanded evil; why did I command thus evil in the council of all the gods? I commanded wars to destroy the
people, but are they not my people, for I brought them forth? Now like the spawn of fish they float in the ocean."
The great gods of heaven and of hell wept, they covered their mouths.

‘For six days and six nights the winds blew, torrent and tempest and flood overwhelmed the world, tempest
and flood raged together like warring hosts. When the seventh day dawned the storm from the south subsided, the
sea grew calm, the, flood was stilled; I looked at the face of the world and there was silence, all mankind was turned
to clay. The surface of the sea stretched as flat as a roof-top; 1 opened a hatch and the light fell on my face. Then I
bowed low, I sat down and I wept, the tears streamed down my face, for on every side was the waste of water. I
looked for land in vain, but fourteen leagues distant there appeared a mountain, and there the boat grounded; on the
mountain of Nisir the boat held fast, she held fast and did not budge. One day she held, and -a second day on the
mountain of Nisir she held fast and did not budge. A third day, and a fourth day she held fast on the mountain and
did not budge; a fifth day and a sixth day she held fast on the mountain. When the seventh day dawned I loosed a
dove and let her go. She flew away, but finding no resting-place she returned. Then I loosed a swallow, and she flew
away but finding no resting-place she returned. I loosed a raven, she saw that the waters had retreated, she ate, she
flew around, she cawed, and she did not come back. Then I threw everything open to the four winds, I made a
sacrifice and poured out a libation on the mountain top. Seven and again seven cauldrons I set up on their stands, I
heaped up wood and cane and cedar and myrtle. When the gods smelled the sweet savour, they gathered like flies
over the sacrifice. Then, at last, Ishtar also came, she lifted her necklace with the jewels of heaven that once Anu
had made to please her. "O you gods here present, by the lapis lazuli round my neck I shall remember these days as I
remember the jewels of my throat; these last days I shall not forget. Let all the gods gather round the sacrifice, except
Enlil. He shall not approach this offering, for without reflection he brought the flood; he consigned my people to
destruction."

‘When Enlil had come, when he saw the boat, he was wrath and swelled with anger at the gods, the host of heaven,
"Has any of these mortals escaped? Not one was to have survived the destruction." Then the god of the wells and canals
Ninurta opened his mouth and said to the warrior Enlil, "Who is there of the gods that can devise without Ea? It is Ea
alone who knows all things." Then Ea opened his mouth and spoke to warrior Enlil, "Wisest of gods, hero Enlil, how
could you so senselessly bring down the flood?

Lay upon the sinner his sin,

Lay upon the transgressor his transgression,

Punish him a little when he breaks loose,

Do not drive him too hard or he perishes,

Would that a lion had ravaged mankind
Rather than the f loud,

Would that a wolf had ravaged mankind
Rather than the flood,

Would that famine had wasted the world
Rather than the flood,

Would that pestilence had wasted mankind
Rather than the flood.

It was not I that revealed the secret of the gods; the wise man learned it in a dream. Now take your counsel
what shall be done with him."

‘Then Enlil went up into the boat, he took me by the hand and my wife and made us enter the boat and kneel down
on either side, he standing between us. He touched our foreheads to bless us saying, "In time past Utnapishtim was a
mortal man; henceforth he and his wife shall live in the distance at the mouth of the rivers." Thus it was that the gods took
me and placed me here to live in the distance, at the mouth of the rivers.'

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh

6

THE RETURN

UTNAPISHTIM said, ‘As for you, Gilgamesh, who will assemble the gods for your sake, so that you may find that
life for which you are searching? But if you wish, come and put into the test: only prevail against sleep for six days and
seven nights.' But while Gilgamesh sat there resting on his haunches, a mist of sleep like soft wool teased from the fleece
drifted over him, and Utnapishtim said to his wife, ‘Look at him now, the strong man who would have everlasting life,
even now the mists of sleep are drifting over him.' His wife replied, ‘Touch the man to wake him, so that he may return to
his own land in peace, going back through the gate by which he came.' Utnapishtim said to his wife, ‘All men are
deceivers, even you he will attempt to deceive; therefore bake loaves of bread, each day one loaf, and put it beside his
head; and make a mark on the wall to number the days he has slept.'

So she baked loaves of bread, each day one loaf, and put it beside his head, and she marked on the wall the days that
he slept; and there came a day when the first loaf was hard, the second loaf was like leather, the third was soggy, the crust
of the fourth had mould, the fifth was mildewed, the sixth was fresh, and the seventh was still on the embers. Then
Utnapishtim touched him and he woke. Gilgamesh said to Utnapishtim the Faraway, T hardly slept when you touched and
roused me.' But Utnapishtim said, ‘Count these loaves and leam how many days you slept, for your first is hard, your
second like leather, your third is soggy, the crust of your fourth has mould, your fifth is mildewed, your sixth is fresh and
your seventh was still over the glowing embers when I touched and woke you.' Gilgamesh said, ‘What shall I do, O
Utnapishtim, where shall I go? Already the thief in the night has hold of my limbs, death inhabits my room; wherever my
foot rests, there I find death.'

Then Utnapishtim spoke to Urshanabi the ferryman: ‘Woe to you Urshanabi, now and for ever more you have
become hateful to this harbourage; it is not for you, nor for you are the crossings of this sea. Go now, banished from the
shore. But this man before whom you walked, bringing him here, whose body is covered with foulness and the grace of
whose limbs has been spoiled by wild skins, take him to the washing-place. There he shall wash his long hair clean as
snow in the water, he shall throve off his skins and let the sea carry them away, and the beauty of his body shall be shown,
the fillet on his forehead shall be renewed, and he shall be given clothes to cover his nakedness. Till he reaches his own
city and his journey is accomplished, these clothes will show no sign of age, they will wear like a new garment.' So
Urshanabi took Gilgamesh and led him to the washing-place, he washed his long hair as clean as snow in the water, he
threw off his skins, which the sea carried away, and showed the beauty of his body. He renewed the fillet on his
forehead, and to cover his nakedness gave him clothes which would show no sign of age, but would war like a new
garment till he reached his own city, and his journey was accomplished.

Then Gilgamesh and Urshanabi launched the boat on to the water and boarded it, and they made ready to sail away;
but the wife of Utnapishtim the Faraway said to him, 'Gilgamesh came here wearied out, he is worn out; what will you
give him to carry him back to his own country? So Utnapishtim spoke, and Gilgamesh took a pole and brought the boat in
to the bank. 'Gilgamesh, you came here a man wearied out, you have worn yourself out; what shall I give you to carry
you back to your own country? Gilgamesh, I shall reveal a secret thing, it is a mystery of the gods that I am telling you.
There is a plant that grows under the water, it has a prickle like a thorn, like a rose; it will wound your hands, but if you
succeed in taking it, then your hands will hold that which restores his lost youth to a man:

When Gilgamesh heard this he opened the sluices so that a sweet water current might carry him out to the deepest
channel; he tied heavy stones to his feet and they dragged him down to the water-bed. There he saw the plant growing;;
although it pricked him he took it in his hands; then he cut the heavy stones from his feet, and the sea carried him and
threw him on to the shore. Gilgamesh said to Urshanabi the ferryman, 'Come here, and see this marvellous plant. By its
virtue a man may win back all his former strength. I will take it to Uruk of the strong walls; there I will give it to the old
men to eat. Its name shall be "The Old Men Are Young Again"; and at last I shall eat it myself and have back all my lost
youth.’ So Gilgamesh returned by the gate through which he had come, Gilgamesh and Urshanabi went together. They
travelled their twenty leagues and then they broke their fast; after thirty leagues they stopped for the night.

Gilgamesh saw a well of cool water and he went down and bathed; but deep in the pool there was lying a serpent,
and the serpent sensed the sweetness of the flower. It rose out of the water and snatched it away, and immediately it
sloughed its skin and returned to the well. Then Gilgamesh sat down and wept, the tears ran down his face, and he took the
hand of Urshanabi; ‘O Urshanabi, was it for this that I toiled with my hands, is it for this I have wrung out my heart's
blood? For myself I have gained nothing; not I, but the beast of the earth has joy of it now. Already the stream has carried

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh

it twenty leagues back to the channels where I found it. I found a sign and now I have lost it. Let us leave the boat on the
bank and go.'

After twenty leagues they broke their fast, after thirty leagues they stopped for the night; in three days they had
walked as much as a journey of a month and fifteen days. When the journey was accomplished they arrived at Umk, the
strong-walled city. Gilgamesh spoke to him, to Urshanabi the ferryman, ‘Urshanabi, climb up on to the wall of Umk,
inspect its foundation terrace, and examine well the brickwork; see if it is not of burnt bricks; and did not the seven wise
men lay these foundations? One third of the whole is city, one third is garden, and one third is field, with the precinct of
the goddess Ishtar. These parts and the precinct are all Umk'

This too was the work of Gilgamesh, 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 a long journey, was weary, worn out
with labour, and returning engraved on a stone the whole story.

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh

7

THE DEATH OF GILGAMESH

THE destiny was fulfilled which the father of the gods, Enlil of the mountain, had decreed for Gilgamesh: ‘In
nether-earth the darkness will show him a light: of mankind, all that are known, none will leave a monument for
generations to come to compare with his. The heroes, the wise men, like the new moon have their waxing and
waning. Men will say, "Who has ever ruled with might and with power like him?" As in the dark month, the month
of shadows, so without him there is no light. O Gilgamesh, this was the meaning of your dream. You were given
the kingship, such was your destiny, everlasting life was not your destiny. Because of this do not be sad at heart, do
not be grieved or oppressed; he has given you power to bind and to loose, to be the darkness and the light of
mankind. He has given unexampled supremacy over the people, victory in battle from which no fugitive returns, in
forays and assaults from which there is no going back. But do not abuse this power, deal justly with your servants in
the palace, deal justly before the face of the Sun.'

The king has laid himself down and will not rise again,

The Lord of Kullab will not rise again;

He overcame evil, he will not come again;

Though he was strong of arm he will not rise again;

He had wisdom and a comely face, he will not come again;

He is gone into the mountain, he will not come again;

On the bed of fate he lies, he will not rise again,

Front the couch of many colours he will not come again.

The people of the city, great and small, are not silent; they lift up, the lament, all men of flesh and blood lift up
the lament. Fate has spoken; like a hooked fish he lies stretched on the bed, like a gazelle that is caught in a noose.
Inhuman Namtar is heavy upon him, Namtar that has neither hand nor foot, that drinks no water and eats no meat.

For Gilgamesh, son of Ninsun, they weighed out their offerings; his dear wife, his son, his concubine, his mu-
sicians, his jester, and all his household; his servants, his stewards, all who lived in the palace weighed out their
offerings for Gilgamesh the son of Ninsun, the heart of Uruk. They weighed out their offerings to Ereshkigal, the
Queen of Death, and to all the gods of the dead. To Namtar, who is fate, they weighed out the offering. Bread for
Ned the Keeper of the Gate, bread for Ningizzida the god of the serpent, the lord of the Tree of Life; for Dumuzi
also, the young shepherd, for Enki and Ninki, for Endukugga and Nindukugga, for Enmul and Nimnul, all the
ancestral gods, forbears of Enlil. A feast for Shulpae the god of feasting. For Samuqan, god of the herds, for die
mother Ninhursag, and the gods of creation in the place of creation, for the host of heaven, priest and priestess
weighed out the offering of the dead.

Gilgamesh, the son of Ninsun, lies in the tomb. At the place of offerings he weighed the bread-offering, at the
place of libation he poured out the wine. In those days the lord Gilgamesh departed, the son of Ninsun, the kung,
peerless, without an equal among men, who did not neglect Enlil his master. O Gilgamesh, lord of Kullab, great is
thy praise.