The Epic of Gilgamesh
Translated by Maureen Gallery
Kovacs
Electronic Edition by Wolf Carnahan,
I998
Tablet III
The Elders spoke to Gilgamesh,
saying:
"Gilgamesh, do not put your
trust in (just) your vast
strength,
but keep a sharp eye out, make
each blow strike in mark!
'The one who goes on ahead saves
the comrade."
'The one who knows the route
protects his friend.'
Let Enkidu go ahead of you;
he knows the road to the Cedar
Forest,
he has seen fighting, has
experienced battle.
Enkidu will protect the friend,
will keep the comrade safe.
Let his body urge him back to
the wives ())."
"in our Assembly we have
entrusted the King to you (Enkidu),
and on your return you must
entrust the King back to us!"
Gilgamesh spoke to Enkidu,
saying:
"Come on, my friend, let us go
to the Egalmah Temple,
to Ninsun, the Great Queen;
Ninsun is wise, all-knowing.
She will put the advisable path
at our feet."
Taking each other by the hand,
Gilgamesh and Enkidu walked to
the Egalmah ("Great Palace"),
to Ninsun, the Great Queen.
Gilgamesh arose and went to her.
"Ninsun, (even though) I am
extraordinarily strong (!)...
I must now travel a long way to
where Humbaba is,
I must face fighting such as I
have not known,
and I must travel on a road that
I do not know!
Until the time that I go and
return,
until I reach the Cedar Forest,
until I kill Humbaba the
Terrible,
and eradicate from the land
something baneful that Shamash
hates,
intercede with Shamash on my
behalf' (!)
If I kill Humbaba and cut his
Cedar
let there be rejoicing all over
the land ,
and I will erect a monument of
the victory (?) before you!"
The... words of Gilgamesh, her
son,
grieving, Queen Ninsun heard
over and over.
Ninsun went into her living
quarters.
She washed herself with the
purity plant,
she donned a robe worthy of her
body,
she donned jewels worthy of her
chest,
she donned her sash, and put on
her crown.
She sprinkled water from a bowl
onto the ground.
She... and went up to the roof.
She went up to the roof and set
incense in front of Shamash,
.I she offered fragrant
cuttings, and raised her arms to
Shamash.
"Why have you imposed--nay,
inflicted!--a restless heart on
my son, Gilgamesh!
Now you have touched him so that
he wants to travel
a long way to where Humbaba is!
He will face fighting such as he
has not known,
and will travel on a road that
he does not know!
Until he goes away and returns,
until he reaches the Cedar
Forest,
until he kills Humbaba the
Terrible,
and eradicates from the land
something baneful that you hate,
on the day that you see him on
the road(?)
may Aja, the Bride, without fear
remind you,
and command also the Watchmen of
the Night,
the stars, and at night your
father, Sin."
_________________
She banked up the incense and
uttered the ritual words.'
She called to Enkidu and would
give him instructions:
"Enkidu the Mighty, you are not
of my womb,
but now I speak to you along
with the sacred votaries of
Gilgamesh,
the high priestesses, the holy
women, the temple servers."
She laid a pendant(?) on
Enkidu's neck,
the high-priestesses took...
and the "daughters-of-the-gods"
...
"I have taken ... Enkidu...
Enkidu to... Gilgamesh I have
taken."
"Until he goes and returns,
until he reaches the Cedar
Forest,
be it a month ...
be it a year.. ."
[About 11 lines are missing
here, and the placement of the
following fragment is
uncertain.]
... the gate of cedar...
Enkidu ... in the Temple of
Shamash,
(and) Gilgamesh in the Egalmah.
He made an offering of cuttings
...
... the sons of the king(!) ...
[Perhaps some 60 lines are
missing here.]
"Enkidu will protect the friend,
will keep the comrade safe,
Let his body urge him back to
the wives (?).
In our Assembly we have
entrusted the King to you,
and on your return you must
entrust the King back to us!"
Enkidu spoke to Gilgamesh
saying:
"My Friend, turn back!...
The road..."
[The last lines are missing.]