Out I went, into the world, but there was none better, none whom he, Gilgamesh, could not best.

And so, with his arms, he returned to Uruk. But in their houses, the men of Uruk muttered:

'Gilgamesh, noisy Gilgamesh! Arrogant Gilgamesh!'

All young men gone - Defeated by Gilgamesh, and no son was left to his father.

All young girls made women by Gilgamesh

His lusts are such, and no virgin left to her lover!

Not the daughter of a warrior,

Nor the wife of a nobleman!

Yet he is king and should be

The people's careful shepherd.

He is king and should be

Shepherd of the city.

He is wise, he is handsome, he is firm as a rock.

In heaven the gods heard

Heard the lament of the people,

And the gods cried out to the Great God, higher king of Uruk:

'Strong as a wild bull is this Gilgamesh

So he was made by Aruru, the godess

None there is who can - not one

None who can survivea him in fighting.

No son left to his father.

Gilgamesh, he takes them all, and is he

He the king? Shepherd of the people?

No virgin left to her lover, For he lusts strongly!

No, nor the wife of the nobleman!

The Great God heard this, then

To the Goddess of Creation, Aruru -

Cried all the gods:

'You created this Gilgamesh! Well, create him his equal!

Let him look as into mirrors - Give a second self to him, yes;

Rushing winds meet rushing winds!

Let them flow heart to heart against -

Give them each other to fight,

 Leaving Uruk in peace!'

So the Goddess of Creation took and formed in her mind

This image, and there it was conceived -

in her mind, and it was made of material

That composes the Great God,

He of the Firmament.

She then plunged her hands down into water and pinched off a little clay. She let it drop in the wilderness

Thus the noble Enkidu was made. For this was he the very strength of Ninurta, the God of War, was his form, rough bodied, long hair,

His hair waved like corn filaments -

Yes, like the hair of that goddess

Who is the corn, she , Nisaba. Matted hair was all over his body, like the skins of the cattle.

Yes, like the body of that god.

Who is the cattle, he, Samugan.

This Enkidu was innocent of mankind.

He knew not the cultivated land.

Enkidu was in the hills

With the gazelles -

They jostled each other

With all the herds

He too loved the water-hole.

But one day by a water hole

A trapper met him

Yes, face to face,

Because the herds of wild game

Had strayed into his territory.

On three days face to face -

Each day the trapper wa terrified,

Frozen stiff with fear.

With his game he went home,

Unable to speak, numb with fright.

The trapper's face altered, new -

A long journey does that to one,

Gives a new visage upon returning -

The trapper, his heart all awe, told his father:

'Father, what a man! No other like him! He comes from the hills, strongest alive!

A star in heaven his strength,

Of the star essense of An, the Sky Father

Over the hills with the beasts

Eating grass

Ranges across all your land,

Goes to the wells.

I fear him, stay far away.

He fills in my pits

Tears up my game traps

Helps the beasts escape;

Now all the game slips away -

Through my fingers.'

His father opened his mouth,

Told the son, the trapper:

'My son, in Uruk lives Gilgamesh.

None can withstand him,

None has surpassed him,

As a star in heaven his strength

Of the star-essence of An, the Sky Father.

Go to Uruk, find Gilgamesh

Praise the wild man's strength ask for a temple hierodule from the Temple of Love,

Such a child of pleasure;

Bring her and let her power fo woman

Subdue this wild man.

When he goes to the wells,

He will embrace the priestess

And the wild beasts will reject him.'

To Uruk the trapper went

And said to Gilgamesh:

'Like no other, wild,

Roaming in the pastures,

A star in heaven his strength

Of the star-essence of An, the Sky Father.

I am afraid, stay far away; he helps the beasts escape

Fills in my pits

Tears up my game traps.'

Gilgamesh said:

'Trapper, return,

Take a priestess, child of pleasure -

When he goes to the wells

He will embrace the priestess

And the wild beasts will reject him.'

Then returned with the hierodule

And three days to the drinking hole,

There sat down

Hierodule facing the trapper,

Waiting for the game.

First day, nothing.

Second day, nothing.

Third day, yes.

The herds came to drink, and Enkidu -

Glad for the water were the small wild beasts,

And Enkidu was glad for the water -

He of the gazelles and wild grass,

Born in the hills.

The priestess saw this man

Wild from the hills.

'There, woman,'the trapper,

'Bare your breasts now;

This is he,

Have no shame, delay not,

Welcome his love,

Let him see you naked,

Let him possess your body.

As he approaches, take off your clothes,

Lie with him, teach him,

The savage, your art of woman,

For as he loves you, then

The wild beasts, his companions,

They will reject him.'

She had no shame for this,

Made herself naked

Welcomed his eagerness

Incited him to love,

Taught the woman's art.

Six days, seven nights,

That time lying together,

Enkidu had forgotten his home

Had forgotten the hills

After that time he was satisfied.

Then he went back to the wild beasts -

But the gazelles saw him and ran,

The wild beasts saw him and ran.

Enkidu would follow, but weak,

His strength gone through woman;

Wisdom was in him,

Thoughts in his hear - a man's.

So he returned to the priestess.

At her feet he listened intently

'You have wisdom, Enkidu.

Now you are as a god.

Why the beasts? Why the hills?

Come to Uruk of the strong walls

To Inanna's Temple of Love,

And to the Eanna,

Where the Sky God An can be found.

Gilgamesh is there, strong,

Raging like a wild bull, over all

Is his strength.'

Favourably as he speaks, he hears her words.

He comes to know his own heart

And his desire to find a friend.

He tells her, the priestess:

'Take me, girl, to the sacred pure

Dwelling of Love and Sky God's house

Where lives Gilgamesh of perfect strength,

He who rages like a bull over all,

And I will summon him forth and challenge him

And I will shout in Uruk:

"I am the mightiest!

Yes, I can change the order of what is!

Anyone born on the steppe is mighty and has strength"'

'Then let us go that he may see your face

And I will show you Gilgamesh, for I know well where he is.

Come Enkidu, to Uruk of ramparts,

Where all are dressed for festival,

Where each day is a festival,

Where there are boys,

Where there are girls,

Deliciously ripe and perfumed,

Who drive the great ones from their fretted couches

To you, Enkidu, of joy in life

I will show Gilgamesh of joy in life

See him, see his face

Radiant is his manhood, of full-bodied vigour

His body ripe with beauty in every part.

So exceeding you in strength,

Needing no sleep by day or by night.

Restrain you folly, Enkidu.

Gilgamesh - Shamash the Sun is proud,

Also An, the God of Firmament,

Also valiant Enlil, his son,

And Enki, his son also -

All have given wisdom.

Before you come from the open plains

Gilgamesh will have dreamed of it.'

And so Gilgamesh rose from his bed

And to his mother, in revealing dreams, said:

'Mother, I saw in a dream last night

That there were stars in heaven

And a star descended upon me like unto

The essence of An, the Sky God.

I tried to lift it up, but it was too heavy for me,

I tried to move it, but it would not be moved.

The land of Uruk was around it,

The land was placed roud about it.

All the people were pressing towards it.

All the nobles also came round it,

And all my friends kissed its feet.

I was drawn towards it as to a woman

And I laid it at your feet

And you said it was my equal.'

She, the Wise, the Custodian of Knowledge,

Says to her lord -

She, Ninsun, Custodian of Knowledge,

Says to Gilgamesh:

'Your equal was a star of heaven

Which descended upon you like unto

The essence of An who his the God of the Firmament

You tried to lift it but it would not be moved

And I called it your equal, comparing it to you.

You were drawn to it as to a woman.

The meaning of this

Is of a strong friend who saves his companion

He is the strongest of the land; he has strength.

As a star in heaven his strength,

The strength of An of the Firmament and his host.

So that you are drawn to him overwhelmingly.

And this means he will never forsake you.

Such is your dream.'

Gilgamesh says again to his mother:

'Mother, another dream

In Uruk of the ramparts lay an axe -

All were gathered around it,

Uruk-land was standing round about it.

The people pressed towards it;

I laid it at your feet.

I was drawn to it as to a woman.

For you called it my equal.'

She, the Wise Custodian of Knowledge, says to her son -

'The axe is a man

You were drawn to it as to a woman

For I called it your equal

And it was to rival you.

This means a strong friend standing by his friend

He is the strongest of the land; he has strength.

The essence of An of the Firmament, is his,

So strong is he.'

Gilgamesh then spoke to his mother

'Now according to the word of God Enli

Let a counsellor and friend come to me

That I may acquire a companion

And to him I shall be friend and counsellor also.'

And as Gilgamesh revealed his dream

The girl was speaking to Enkidu

As they sat together.

Go Back

For six days and seven nights

Enkidu made love to that girl

And the girl said to him

She said to Enkidu:

'When I look at you, Enkidu,

You seem to be like a god.

Why the wild beasts?

Whe the roaming over the steppe?

Come with me,

Come to ramparted Uruk.

There the holy temple of Eanna

Where the Great God An lives,

Come with me, Enkidu, to the holy dwelling

To the temple, Sky God's house,

For Gilgamesh of may deeds lives there.

You are so like him.

You will love him as yourself,

Rise up from the earth,

Come to a shepherd's bed!'

There came upon his heart

The truth of what she said.

He heard her words

And they were good.

She divided her clothing in two,

One garment for him,

One for her

Holding his hand she led him

Led him like a child.

And they came to the hut of the shepherds

Which is in the sheepfold.

All the shepherds gathered round him,

Pressed round him, were drawn to him

Thronged round the wild man.

Of her instruction the priestess is proud,

This is a man who is like Gilgamesh in form,

Taller he is in form,

He was born in the mountains,

And like the star-essence of the Sky Father An, his strength is more powerful.

And Enkidu sat at their table

That he might eat of their produce.

But he knew the milf of wild creatures,

Which he sucked in the wilds.

Theshppherds placed thier own food before him, and

He choked, he looked,

He stared at it, at them,

Enkidu knows nothing of this,

He knows not eating food,

What is this drink? This strong drink?

He has not been taught it.

Bread was set before him - he knows it not.

Beer was set before him - he knows it not.

Enkidu did not eat bread,

He squeezed his eyes together, stared,

The girl then spoke:

She said to Enkidu:

'Enkidu, eat that food.

It is our de in life.

Drink this strong drink.

It is what is done here.'

So Enkidu ate the food,

Ate until he was full.

He drank that strong drink

Seven cups of it (1).

(A fragment of about 1,400 BCE published by Gernot Wilhelm gives a slightly different account of the preceding:)

The priestess said to him, said to Enkidu:

'You are exquisite Enkidu!

Why do you run to and fro with the beasts of the steppe?

You are like a god in your nature

Who is there like you among men?'

Again the priestess said to him, said to Enkidu:

'Come, Enkidu! Let us go to the place of the sheepfold (2)'.

She drew out a single garment

And he clothed himself.

Leading him, she held his hand,

And like a god was his countenance.

She led him to the place of the sheepfold,

The shepherds/people were gathered together,

And the people spoke amongst themselves:

'Look how he resembles Gilgamesh in his appearance!

He is small in size but extremely strong in his bony frame.

As soon as he was born in the mountains,

He was in thehabit of sucking the milk of animals.'

They set bread before him

He examined it and was puzzled by the bread.

They set beer before him.

He creased his eyes together and gazed at it;

He was puzzled by the beer.

The priestess said to him,

Said to Enkidu:

'Eat the bread, Enkidu,

That you will be worthy of godliness!

Drink the fine beer,

That you will be worthy of kingship!'

Enkidu ate the bread,

He drank the fine beer (3),

And indeed seven jugs of it (4).

(We now return to the main version of the text)

He felt so free, he felt so happy

He rejoiced so in his heart!

His face became radiant.

He rubbed all the shaggy growth,

The hair of his body.

He annointed himself with oil

And thus he became a man.

He donned clothing -

Look! He is like a man!

He takes up his weapon,

He attacks the lions

So the shepherds might have peace at night.

He caught wolves,

He captured lions,

And the chief cattlemen could rest.

Enkidu was their watchman,

A man of strength,

An unparalled hero!

To the shepherds he said:

'I am a man now.

I can eat bread at the table,

I can drink strong drink.

But I have the strength of he who roams the steppe.

I am stronger than you.

No one is stronger.

You see I catch wolves,

You see I capture lions.

Because of me the shepherds can rest at night,

Because of me the chief catlemen can lie down.

I am become the king of the sheepfold.'

And Enkidu sat at the table,

He ate the food

He drank the strong drink

He felt good in his heart.

He made merry

Then he looked up

And saw a man

He told the girl:

'Girl, bring the man.

Why is he here?

I must know his name!'

The girl called the man,

Went to him, said to himL

'Sir, where are you going?

Why have you taken this, your difficult course?'

The man spoke, spoke to Enkidu:

'Into the people's special place,,

Their very own meeting-house,

Even into it has he intruded!

Set aside rules and laws for wedlock!

On the city he heaped shame!

Strange practices he has imposed

Upon a city helpless to resist.

For the king of ramparted Uruk

Has altered the unaltered way,

Abused, changed the practices.

Any new bride from the people is his;

Gilgamesh, king of ramparted Uruk,

He may mate with any new bride.

Before the lawful husband may have her.

The gods have ordained this

In their wisdom, by their will.

It was so decreed from the moment of birth

When his umbilical cord was cut out.'

At the mans's words

The face of Enkidu paled.

Fury grew within his heart,

His eyes became fightful to look upon

Enkidu spoke his anger,

Said to the man:

'This cannot contine to be!

I will go to ramparted Uruk.

I will meet Gilgamesh

I will bring his excesses to an end!'

Enkidu set out for Uruk

Enkidu walked in front

The girl walked behind

When he entered ramparted Uruk

The people thronged round him

When he stopped in the street,

In Uruk of the ramparts,

Saying of him:

'He is like Gilgamesh in form!

He is smaller in size

But stronger in bone.

He is a match for Gilgamesh!

He is the strongest of the steppe, strength is his,

Milk of wild creatures

He once sucked.

There will be endless clash of arms in Uruk!'

The nobles rejoiced:

'Here is a hero

For all who are honourable!

To match divine Gilgamesh

Here is his equal!'

Now for the Goddess of Love

Is the bed made ready

Of the evening, ready to receive

Gilgamesh for his pleasures.

Now he is coming along

But Enkidu appears in the street

And bars his way

To Gilgamesh is opposed

The might of Enkidu

The divine Gilgamesh is face to face

With his equal, Enkidu of the steppes.

The king of ramparted Uruk

Sees his equal, who has strength,

Smaller in size, but stronger of bone

Like unto Gilgamesh to the hair.

Gilgamesh sees his shaggy growth -

On the steppe the grass

Sprouts in as much abundance

Gilgamesh drew himself up

And stood before him

In the market-place of the land

Was there they met,

And Enkidu blocked the gate

With his foot and

Would not let Gilgamesh enter

They they grappled their belts and wrestled like champions

Rushing wind meets rushing wind,

Heart to heart against -

Holding fast like bulls.

They shattered absolutely the doorpost of the holy gate

And the wall shook with this fateful act.

The doorway of the house of the family

Where the bride awaited Gilgamesh,

There they struggled.

They fought in the street,

They battled in the market.

But in the end,

Brought Enkidu to the earth,

His own foot still on the ground,

And won the contest.

His anger vanished

He turned away

But when he turned away

Enkidu said to him

Spoke to Gilgamesh:

'As one single and unique

Your mother bore you

She the wild cow of the steerfolds,

She, Ninsun the Wise, she the Strong

You are raised above all men

You are king of the people by decree

Of Enlil, son of the Great God An!'

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