The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Poem and Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian by Penguin Classics

The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Poem and Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian by Penguin Classics

Author:Penguin Classics
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241289907
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2016-06-02T00:00:00+00:00


11 ‘Then all of a sudden nothing is there!’

‘The abducted and the dead, how alike is their lot!

But never was drawn the likeness of Death,

never in the land did the dead greet a man.

‘The Anunnaki, the great gods, held an assembly,

X 320 Mammitum, maker of destiny, fixed fates with them:

both Death and Life they have established,

but the day of Death they do not disclose.’

Tablet XI. Immortality Denied

Gilgamesh asks Uta-napishti how he gained eternal life, and hears how Uta-napishti survived the Deluge and was given immortality by the gods as a result. Uta-napishti suggests Gilgamesh go without sleep for a week. Gilgamesh fails the test and realizes in despair that if he cannot beat Sleep he has no hope of conquering Death. Uta-napishti commands his ferryman to have Gilgamesh bathe and dress himself in more kingly garments, and to escort him back to Uruk. Uta-napishti’s wife counsels him to give the departing hero the customary present for his journey. Uta-napishti tells Gilgamesh how, deep under the sea, a plant-like coral grows that has the property of rejuvenation. Gilgamesh dives to the sea-bed and retrieves it. He and Ur-shanabi leave for Uruk. Stopping at a welcoming pool, Gilgamesh bathes in its water, and a snake seizes on his inattention to steal the precious ‘plant’. Knowing that he will never rediscover the exact spot where he dived, Gilgamesh realizes at last that all his labours have been in vain. His hopes are destroyed: it would have been better not to have met Uta-napishti at all. He and Ur-shanabi arrive in Uruk, where, with words that echo the prologue, Gilgamesh shows the ferryman the walls that will be his enduring monument.

Said Gilgamesh to him, to Uta-napishti the Distant:

‘I look at you, Uta-napishti:

your form is no different, you are just like me,

you are not any different, you are just like me.

XI 5 ‘I was fully intent on making you fight,

but now in your presence my hand is stayed.

How was it you stood with the gods in assembly?

How did you find the life eternal?’

Said Uta-napishti to him, to Gilgamesh:

‘Let me disclose, O Gilgamesh, a matter most secret,

XI 10 to you I will tell a mystery of gods.

‘The town of Shuruppak, a city well known to you,

which stands on the banks of the river Euphrates:

this city was old – the gods once were in it –

when the great gods decided to send down the Deluge.

XI 15 ‘Their father Anu swore on oath,

and their counsellor, the hero Enlil,

their chamberlain, the god Ninurta,

and their sheriff, the god Ennugi.

‘Princely Ea swore with them also,

XI 20 repeating their words to a fence made of reed:

“O fence of reed! O wall of brick!

Hear this, O fence! Pay heed, O wall!

‘ “O man of Shuruppak, son of Ubar-Tutu,

demolish the house, and build a boat!

XI 25 Abandon wealth, and seek survival!

Spurn property, save life!

Take on board the boat all living things’ seed!

‘ “The boat you will build,

her dimensions all shall be equal:

XI 30 her length and breadth shall be the same,

cover her with a roof, like the Ocean Below.



Download



Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.
Popular ebooks
Whisky: Malt Whiskies of Scotland (Collins Little Books) by dominic roskrow(56013)
What's Done in Darkness by Kayla Perrin(26590)
The Fifty Shades Trilogy & Grey by E L James(19077)
Shot Through the Heart: DI Grace Fisher 2 by Isabelle Grey(19057)
Shot Through the Heart by Mercy Celeste(18935)
Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf, Vol. 10 by Isuna Hasekura and Jyuu Ayakura(17109)
Python GUI Applications using PyQt5 : The hands-on guide to build apps with Python by Verdugo Leire(16984)
Peren F. Statistics for Business and Economics...Essential Formulas 3ed 2025 by Unknown(16872)
Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf, Vol. 03 by Isuna Hasekura and Jyuu Ayakura & Jyuu Ayakura(16822)
Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf, Vol. 01 by Isuna Hasekura and Jyuu Ayakura & Jyuu Ayakura(16443)
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson(14352)
The 3rd Cycle of the Betrayed Series Collection: Extremely Controversial Historical Thrillers (Betrayed Series Boxed set) by McCray Carolyn(14128)
Stepbrother Stories 2 - 21 Taboo Story Collection (Brother Sister Stepbrother Stepsister Taboo Pseudo Incest Family Virgin Creampie Pregnant Forced Pregnancy Breeding) by Roxi Harding(13619)
Scorched Earth by Nick Kyme(12767)
Drei Generationen auf dem Jakobsweg by Stein Pia(10964)
Suna by Ziefle Pia(10888)
Scythe by Neal Shusterman(10334)
International Relations from the Global South; Worlds of Difference; First Edition by Arlene B. Tickner & Karen Smith(9520)
Successful Proposal Strategies for Small Businesses: Using Knowledge Management ot Win Govenment, Private Sector, and International Contracts 3rd Edition by Robert Frey(9366)
The Ultimate Python Exercise Book: 700 Practical Exercises for Beginners with Quiz Questions by Copy(9232)