Gilgamesh, Sumerian Cycle: Gilgamesh and the Land of Living

The tale of the poem "Gilgamesh and the Land of the Living" is obviously the counterpart of the cedar-forest episode of the Babylonian "Epic of Gilgamesh". But when the two versions are put side by side for a comparison, they are found to have only the bare skeleton of the story in common. In both versions Gilgamesh decides to journey to the cedar forest; he is accompanied by Enkidu; he seeks and obtains the protection of the sun-god; they arrive at their destination; the cedar is felled; Huwawa is killed. But the two versions vary greatly in detail, arrangement, and emphasis. For example, in the Sumerian poem, Gilgamesh is accompanied not only by Enkidu but also by a party of fifty Erechites, while in the Babylonian version he is accompanied by Enkidu alone. Again, in the Sumerian poem, no reference is made to the council of elders of the city of Erech, which plays so prominent a role in the Semitic version.

Gilgamesh and the Land of the Living.
Four-column Nippur tablet held in Museum of Ancient Orient in Istanbul.

The story is pieced together from 14 tablets and fragments, and last published in 1950 in Ancient Near Eastern Texts (edited by James Pritchard). As yet only the first 174 lines of the poem have been recovered. Even so, the poem is recognizable as a literary creation which must have had a profound emotional and aesthetic appeal to its highly credulous Sumerian audience. Its motivating theme, man's anxiety about death and its sublimation in the notion of an immortal name, has a universal significance that lends it high poetic value. Its plot structure reveals a careful and imaginative selection of such details as are essential to its predominantly poignant mood. Stylistically, the poet obtains a fitting rhythmic effect by his skillful use of varied patterns of repetition and parallelism. All in all, this poem is one of the finest Sumerian literary works as yet uncovered.

Gilgamesh and the Land of Living.
Tablet fragments from Nippur, held in Museum of Ancient Orient.

The Contents are as follows:

The "lord" Gilgamesh, realizing that, like all mortals, he must die sooner or later, is determined at least to "raise up a name" for himself before he meets his destined end. He therefore sets his heart on journeying to the far-distant "Land of the Living", with the probable intention of felling its cedars and bringing them to Erech. He informs his loyal servant and constant companion, Enkidu, of his proposed undertaking. Enkidu advises him first to acquaint the sun-god Utu with his plan, for it is Utu who has charge of the cedar land.

Acting on this advice, Gilgamesh brings offerings to Utu and pleads for his support of the contemplated journey to the "Land of the Living". At first Utu seems skeptical of Gilgamesh's qualifications, but Gilgamesh repeats his plea in more persuasive language. Utu takes pity on him and decides to help him - probably by immobilizing the seven vicious demons personifying the destructive weather phenomena that might menace Gilgamesh in his journey across the mountains between Erech and the "Land of the Living". Overjoyed, Gilgamesh gathers fifty volunteers from Erech - unattached men who have neither "house" nor "mother" and who are ready to follow him in whatever he does. After he has had weapons of bronze and wood prepared for himself and his companions, they cross the seven mountains with the help of Utu.

Just what happens immediately after the crossing of the last of the seven mountains is not clear, since the relevant passage is poorly preserved. When the text becomes intelligible again, we find that Gilgamesh has fallen into a heavy sleep from which he is awakened only after considerable time and effort. Thoroughly aroused by this delay, he swears by his mother Ninsun and his father Lugalbanda that he will enter the "Land of the Living" and will brook no interference from either man or god. Enkidu pleads with him to turn back, for the guardian of the cedars is the fearful monster Huwawa, whose destructive attack none may withstand. But Gilgamesh will have none of this caution. Convinced that with Enkidu's help no harm can befall either of them, he bids his servant to put away fear and go forward with him.

The monster Huwawa, spying them from his cedar house, makes frantic but apparently vain efforts to drive off Gilgamesh and his adventurous band. Following a break of some lines, we learn that Gilgamesh, after cutting down seven trees, has probably come to Huwawa's inner chamber. Strangely enough, at the very first, and seemingly very light, attack by Gilgamesh, Huwawa is overcome with fright. He utters a prayer to the sun-god Utu, and adjures Gilgamesh not to kill him. Gilgamesh would like to act the generous victor, and, in riddle-like phrases, suggests to Enkidu that Huwawa be set free. But Enkidu is fearful of the consequences and advises against such unwise action. Following Huwawa's indignant criticism of Enkidu's ungenerous attitude, our two heroes cut off Huwawa's neck. They then seem to bring his corpse before Enlil and Ninlil. But what follows is altogether uncertain, for after several fragmentary lines, the available material comes to an end.

Here is the literal translation of the more intelligible portions of the poem:

The lord, toward the Land of the Living set his mind'
The lord, Gilgamesh, toward the Land of the Living set his mind,
He says to his servant Enkidu:
"O Enkidu, not (yet) have brick and stamp brought forth the fated end,
I would enter the 'land', I would set my name,
In its places where the names have been raised up, I would raise up my name,
In its places where the names have not been raised up, I would raise up the names of the gods."
His servant Enkidu answers him:
"O my master, if you would enter the 'land', inform Utu,
Inform Utu, the hero Utu-
The 'land', it is Utu's charge,
The land of the cut-down cedar, it is the hero Utu's charge-
Inform Utu."
Gilgamesh laid his hands on an all-white kid,
A brown kid, an offering, he pressed to his breast,
In his hand he placed the silver staff of his...,
He says to Utu of heaven:
"O Utu, I would enter the 'land', be my ally,
I would enter the land of the cut-down cedar, be my ally."
Utu of heaven answers him:
"True you are..., but what are you to the 'land'?"
"O Utu, a word I would speak to you, to my word your ear,
I would have it reach you, give ear to it.
In my city man dies, oppressed is the heart,
Man perishes, heavy is the heart,
I peered over the wall,
Saw the dead bodies... floating in the river;
As for me, I too will be served thus; verily 'tis so.
Man, the tallest, cannot reach to heaven,
Man, the widest, cannot cover the earth.
Not (yet) have brick and stamp brought forth the fated end,
I would enter the 'land', I would set up my name,
In its places where the names have been raised up, I would raise up my name,
In its places where the names have not been raised up, I would raise up the names of the gods."
Utu accepted his tears as an offering,
Like a man of mercy, he showed him mercy,
The seven heroes, the sons of one mother, ...,
He brings into the mountain caves.
Who felled the cedar, acted joyfully,
The lord Gilgamesh acted joyfully,
In his city, as one man, he ...,
"Who has a house, to his house! Who has a mother, to his mother!
Let single males who would do as I (do), fifty, stand at my side."
Who had a house, to his house; who had a mother, to his mother,
Single males who would do as he (did), fifty, stood at his side.
To the house of the smiths he directed his step,
The ..., the ...-ax, his "Might of Heroism" he caused to be cast there.
To the ...garden of the plain he directed his step,
The ...-tree, the willow, the apple-tree, the box-tree, the ...-tree he felled there.
The "sons" of his city who accompanied him placed them in their hands.

The next 15 lines are fragmentary, but we learn that Gilgamesh, after crossing the seven mountains, has fallen asleep, and someone is waking him, thus:

He touches him, he rises not,
He speaks to him, he answers not.
"Who are lying, who are lying,
O Gilgamesh, lord, son of Kullab, how long will you lie?
The 'land' has become dark, the shadows have spread over it,
Dusk has brought forth its light,
Utu has gone with lifted head to the bosom of his mother, Ningal,
O Gilgamesh, how long will you lie?
Let not the sons of your city who have accompanied you,
Stand waiting for you at the foot of the mountain,
Let not your mother who gave birth to you be driven off to the 'square' of the city."
He gave heed,
With his "word of heroism" he covered himself like a garment,
His garment of thirty shekels which he carried in his hand he wrapped about his breast,
Like a bull he stood on the "great earth",
He put his mouth to the ground, his teeth shook.
"By the life of Ninsun, my mother who gave birth to me, of pure Lugalbanda, my father,
May I become as one who sits to be wondered at on the knee of Ninsun, my mother who gave birth to me."
A second time moreover he says to him:
"By the life of Ninsun, my mother who gave birth to me, of pure Lugalbanda, my father
Until I will have killed that 'man', if he be a man, until I will have killed him, if he be a god,
My step directed to the 'land', I shall not direct to the city."
The faithful servant pleaded, ...d life,
He answers his master:
"O my master, you who have not seen that 'man', are not terror-stricken,
I who have seen that 'man' am terror-stricken.
The warrior, his teeth are the teeth of a dragon,
His face is the face of a lion,
His ...is the onrushing floodwater,
From his forehead which devours trees and reeds, none escape.
O my master, journey you to the 'land', I will journey to the city,
I will tell your mother of your glory, let her shout,
I will tell her of your ensuing death, let her shed bitter tears."
"For me another will not die, the loaded boat will not sink,
The three-ply cloth will not be cut,
The ...will not be overwhelmed,
House and hut, fire will not destroy.
Do you help me (and) I will help you, what can happen to us? ...
Come, let us go forward, we will cast eyes upon him,
If we go forward,
(And) there be fear, there be fear, turn it back,
There be terror, there be terror, turn it back,
In your ..., come, let us go forward."
When they had not yet come within a distance of 1200 feet,
Huwawa ...d his cedar house,
Fastened his eye upon him, the eye of death,
Nodded his head to him, shook his head at him, ...
He (Gilgamesh) himself uprooted the first tree,
The "sons" of his city who accompanied him
Cut down its crown, bundle it,
Lay it at the foot of the mountain.
After he himself had finished off the seventh, he approached his chamber,
Turned upon the "snake of the wine-quay" in his wall,
Like one pressing a kiss he slapped his cheek.
Huwawa, (his) teeth shook, ...his hand trembled,
"I would say a word to you ...,
(O Utu), a mother who gave birth to me I know not, a father who reared me I know not,
In the 'land' you gave birth to me, you raised me."
He adjured Gilgamesh by the life of heaven, life of earth, life of the nether world,
Took him by the hand, brought him to ...
Then did the heart of Gilgamesh take pity on the ...,
He says to his servant Enkidu:
"O Enkidu, let the caught bird go (back) to its place,
Let the caught man return to the bosom of his mother."
Enkidu answers Gilgamesh:
"The tallest who has not judgement,
Namtar (demon of death) will devour, Namtar who knows no distinctions.
If the caught bird goes (back) to its place,
If the caught man returns to the bosom of his mother,
You will not return to the city of the mother who gave birth to you."
Huwawa says to Enkidu:
"Against me, O Enkidu, you have spoken evil to him,
O hired man ...you have spoken evil to him."
When he had thus spoken,
They cut off his neck;
Placed upon him ...,
Brought him before Enlil and Ninlil ...

Here the text breaks off.