EPIC OF GILGAMESH TABLETIV
A Mother's Prayer, Journy to the Cedar Forest, An Ominous Wound Columns I - VI - Column I, II
- Ten miles into the march, they stopped to eat,
- After thirty miles, they rested,
- then finished another twenty miles that day.
- Within three days they covered
- what would take others a month and a half to travel.
- They dug for water where
- there appeared to be none
- in the dry desert on their way
- to challenge Humbaba.
- Column III, IV
- 10. Onward ventured Gilgamesh and Enkidu
- And they both knew where danger lurked
- at their first destination.
- As up they climbed upon the final hill,
- they saw a guard put out by Humbaba
- as fierce as any watchdog.
- Gilgamesh pursued first.
- Column V
- Gilgamesh heard shouts from
- Enkidu who said to his companion:
- "Remember promises we made
- 20. in the city where we live. Recall
- the courage and the force
- we vowed to bring upon this mission."
- These words dispelled the fear felt
- in his heart and Gilgamesh in
- return then shouted back:
- "Quick. Grab the guard
- and don't let go.
- Race fearlessly and don't let go.
- Our enemy, Humbaba, has set out seven uniforms
- 30. but has only dressed in one
- so far. So six layers of strength
- are yet unused by him."
- As one mad brute he is enraged,
- bellowing loudly while the foresters warn each other
- what he's like.
- Column VI
- Wounded in combat with the guard they killed,
- Enkidu uses words to say:
- "I lost my strength in this crushed hand when the gate
- slammed shut.
- What shall I do?"
- 40. Then Gilgamesh spoke: "Brother,
- as a man in tears would, you transcend all the rest who've gathered,
- for you can cry and kill
- with equal force.
- Hold my hand in yours,
- and we will not fear what hands like ours can do
- Scream in unison, we will ascend
- to death or love, to say in song what we shall do.
- Our cry will shoot afar so
- 50. this new weakness, awful doubt,
- will pass through you.
- Stay, brother, let us ascend as one."
- Tablet I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII
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