EPIC OF GILGAMESH TABLET V
A Dream of Battle, Humbaba Slain Columns I, III, IV, VI - Column I
- Gilgamesh and Enkidu froze and stared into the woods'
- great depth and height. When they spied
- Humbaba's path, they found the opening toward
- straight passage. Then they were able to find and see
- the home of the gods, the paradise of Ishtar's other self,
- called Imini-most-attra'ctive.
- All beauty true is ever there
- where gods do dwell, where there is
- cool shade and harmony and
- 10. sweet-odored food to match their mood.
- Column III
- Then Gilgamesh envisioned yet again
- another dream
- high up in the hills where boulders crashed.
- Again Enkidu said to his brother,
- as he unraveled this dreary story for his king:
- "Brother, your song is a fine omen.
- This dream will make you well.
- Brother, that vision you saw is rich
- 20. for on that mountain top
- we can capture Humbaba and
- hurl his earthly form from
- towering cliffs through sky to
- earth, making his shape
- as flat and wide as it is round and high."
- "Mountain, mountain in the sky,
- Break the god and make him die."
- Column IV
- Mountain-on-high then sent the myth into Enkidu's sleep,
- and a chill from the high winds forced him to rest,
- 30. since he was blown around as grain is on open field.
- Curled up in a ball, Gilgamesh rested
- in blessed sleep, the best of friends at the worst of times.
- But by the moon's half way course, he rose
- and then began to speak:
- "Brother, if you made no noise, what sound woke me?
- If you didn't jostle me, what shook my body?
- There was no god nearby, so why am I so stunned?
- Brother, I've had a third vision in sleep
- and I am deeply frightened to recall it all.
- 40. Sky screamed. And Mother Earth moaned.
- Sun went out of light and blackest night
- enveloped the heavens.
- Then came flashes of lightning, source of fire.
- Storm clouds raced nearby and swept all life away
- from out of the sky above our heads.
- Brightness dissolved, light evaporated;
- cinders turned to ash.
- When we leave the mountain, this is what we will remember."
- When Enkidu learned this myth as told,
- 50. he replied to Gilgamesh:
- "Shamash, your god, creates a great attraction
- for both of us. Shamash now approves
- of this attack upon Humbaba. Take the sign
- as some divine dream to urge us on."
- Shamash himself said such words to Gilgamesh
- as if in prayer:
- "Do not balk now, favored one.
- Brace yourself for battle and proceed."
- Heavenly winds blasted down from out of the sky
- 60. about and all around Humbaba. From east and
- west, with sand and grain, they blew him
- back and forth. His giant self became
- fatigued. His awesome strength dwindled.
- Not even his great right foot could step away in flight.
- So in this way, by Shamash's intervention,
- Humbaba-the-awful beast was brought so low.
- Column VI
- The dying beast called out for mercy once
- and part of what he said could still be heard over the howling winds:
- "Please, Gilgamesh! Have mercy on me, wounded.
- 70. I shall freely give you all the lumber of my mighty realm
- and work for you both day and night."
- It was Enkidu then who shouted louder
- than the beast and with his words he
- urged a swift conclusion:
- "Kill the beast now, Gilgamesh. Show
- no weak or silly mercy toward so sly a foe."
- Taking his companionís mean advice, Gilgamesh
- swiftly cut the beast, splattering blood upon
- his cloak and sandals then. Soiled by this
- 80. violent conflict, the friends began their
- journey back to Uruk's towering walls
- expecting now to be received as heroes who
- had fought and won a legendary battle.
- Tablet I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII
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