Epic Of — Gilgamesh Full Version

Gilgamesh drove his sword through Humbaba's neck. The mountains wept resin. The cedar trees swayed in grief. They cut down the tallest tree for Uruk's gate, and they sailed home on the Euphrates with Humbaba's head as a trophy. Ishtar, goddess of love and war, saw Gilgamesh gleaming with cedar resin and glory. She climbed the walls of Uruk, adorned in jewels, and called to him: "Come, Gilgamesh, be my lover. Give me your fruit. I will give you a chariot of lapis lazuli and a house of sweet-smelling reeds."

Enkidu woke in tears. "I am cursed—not for the bull, but because I told you to kill Humbaba." Enkidu sickened. For twelve days he lay on his mat, cursing the harlot Shamhat who had brought him to the city. But Shamash spoke to him: "Why curse Shamhat? She gave you a feast of human bread and the wine of human love. She gave you Gilgamesh, your brother." epic of gilgamesh full version

That night, Enkidu dreamed. He saw the gods in council. Anu spoke: "One of them must die for killing Humbaba and the Bull." Enlil said, "Let Enkidu die, not Gilgamesh." Shamash argued, but the judgment stood. Gilgamesh drove his sword through Humbaba's neck

They kissed. They clasped hands. And Gilgamesh found his equal. Now restless again, Gilgamesh proposed a death-defying journey: to the Cedar Forest , home of the demon Humbaba , whose roar was the flood, whose mouth was fire, whose breath was death. The elders of Uruk wept. "You are too young to die, King." They cut down the tallest tree for Uruk's

They did not turn. Gilgamesh struck first, but Humbaba swatted him aside. Enkidu lunged. Shamash from heaven sent the eight winds—North, South, East, West, the Whirlwind, the Tempest, the Evil Wind, the Hurricane—to pin Humbaba down. The demon could not move.

Gilgamesh screamed. He ordered a statue of Enkidu made from precious stone—head of lapis lazuli, body of gold. He gave Enkidu's grave-goods beyond measure: a mace, a bow, a cup, a dagger. And then he did something no king had done before.

Prologue: The Walls of Uruk Look upon Uruk-the-Sheepfold, the city of high-walled ramparts. Climb the layered brick stairs and touch the foundation terrace, whose kiln-fired clay gleams like copper. Examine the cedar threshold, whose massive beams were hewn from distant mountains. No later king, not even the mightiest, could match such work.