| Gilgamesh and Enkidu against Huwawa |
pp. 39-44 |
Tablet V. The Combat with Humbaba
After admiring the mountain dense-grown with cedar, the heroes draw their weapons and creep into the forest. Humbaba confronts them, and accuses Enkidu of treachery. Enkidu urges swift action. Gilgamesh and Humbaba fight, and Shamash sends the thirteen winds to blind Humbaba and win victory for his protege. Humbaba pleads for his life. Enkidu again urges haste, telling Gilgamesh to kill Humbaba before the gods find out. Humbaba curses the heroes, who promptly kill him and begin felling cedar in the sacred groves. From one especially magnificent cedar Enkidu vows to make a great door to adorn the temple of the god Enlil.
They stood there marvelling at the forest,
gazing at the lofty cedars,
gazing at forest's entrance -
where Humbaba came and went there was a track.
The path was straight and the way well trodden. (V 5)
They saw the Mountain of Cedar, seat of gods and goddesses' throne.
[ On the] face of the mountain the cedar proffered its abundance,
its shade was sweet and full of delight.
[Thick] tangled was the thorn, the forest a shrouding canopy,
. . . cedar, ballukku-trees . . . . . . (V 10)
* * *
After a lacuna intervenes, the text continues, though it is not completely recovered:
At once the dirks . . . . . .; (V 53)
and from the scabbards . . . . . .
The axes were smeared . . . . . .; (V 55)
hatchet [and] dirk in . . . . . .
One . . . . . . . . . . . .;
they stole into . . . . . . . . . . . .
Humbaba . . . . . . . . . . . . (V 59)
* * *
Gilgamesh [opened his mouth to speak,] (V 65)
[saying to Enkidu:]
'What, [my friend,] . . . . . .
* * *
'[For] Enlil . . . . . . . . . '
Enkidu [opened] his mouth [to speak,] (V 70)
[saying to Gilgamesh:]
'My [friend], Humbaba . . . . . . . . .;
one-to-one . . . . . . . . .
'[Two] garments, however, . . . . . .;
even a glacis-slope two [climbing can conquer.]
Two . . . . . . . . . . . .
a three-ply rope [is not easily broken.] (V 75)
'[Even] a mighty lion two cubs [can overcome.]'
A fragment of this conversation is also preserved on a second Old Babylonian tablet from Tell Harmal (Ha2):
'We have come to a place where a man shouldn't go . . .;
let us set our weapons in the gate of Humbaba!'
. . . [Enkidu] declared to his friend:
'A tempest's onslaught is [ferocious Humbaba!]
[Like] the god of the storm he will trample us down.'
When the text of Tablet V resumes, the heroes are face to face with the forest's guardian:
Humbaba opened his mouth to speak, (V 85)
saying to Gilgamesh:
'Let fools take counsel, Gilgamesh, with the rude and brutish!
Why have you come here into my presence?
'Come, Enkidu, you spawn of a fish, who knew no father,
hatch ling of terrapin and turtle, who sucked no mother's milk!
In your youth I watched you, but near you I went not,
would your . . . have filled my belly? (V 90)
'[Now] in treachery you bring before me Gilgamesh,
and stand there, Enkidu, like a warlike stranger!
I will slit the throat and gullet of Gilgamesh,
I will feed his flesh to the locust bird, ravening eagle and vulture!'
Gilgamesh opened his mouth to speak, saying to Enkidu: (V 95)
'My friend, Humbaba's features have changed!
Though boldly we came up to his lair to defeat him,
yet my heart will not quickly . . .'
Enkidu opened his mouth to speak,
saying to Gilgamesh:
'Why, my friend, [do you] speak like a weakling? (V 100)
With your spineless words you [make] me despondent.
'Now, my friend, but one is [our task,]
the copper is already pouring into the mould!
To stoke the furnace for an hour? To . . . the coals for an hour?
To send the Deluge is to crack the whip! (V 105)
'[Don't] draw back, don't make a retreat!
. . . . . . make your blow mighty!' (V 107)
* * *
He smote the ground and . . . faced him head on. (V 132)
At the heels of their feet the earth burst asunder,
they shattered, as they whirled, Mounts Sirion and Lebanon.
Black became the clouds of white, (V 135)
raining down on them death like a mist.
Shamash roused against Humbaba the mighty gale-winds:
South Wind, North Wind, East Wind and West Wind,
Blast, Counterblast, Typhoon, Hurricane and Tempest,
Devil-Wind, Frost-Wind, Gale and Tornado: (V 140)
there rose thirteen winds and the face of Humbaba darkened –
he could not charge forwards, he could not kick backwards –
the weapons of Gilgamesh then reached Humbaba.
In a plea for his life said Humbaba to Gilgamesh:
'You are so young, Gilgamesh, your mother just bore you, (V 145)
but indeed you are the offspring of [Wild-Cow Ninsun!]
By Shamash's command the mountains you flattened,
o offshoot sprung from Uruk' s midst, Gilgamesh the king!
' . . .; Gilgamesh, a dead man cannot . . .;
. . . alive for his lord. . . . . . (V 150)
Spare my life, 0 Gilgamesh, . . . . . .;
let me dwell here for you in [the Forest of Cedar!]
'Trees as many as you command . . . . . .;
I will guard you myrtle, . . . . . .
timber to be the pride of [your] palace!' (V 155)
Enkidu opened his mouth to speak,
[saying to Gilgamesh:]
'Do not listen, my [friend,] to Humbaba's words,
[ignore] his supplications . . . . . .' (V 158)
* * *
[Humbaba opened his mouth to speak,] (V 174)
[saying to Enkidu:]
'You are experienced in the ways of my forest, the ways . . .; (V 175)
also you know all the arts of speech.
I should have picked you up and hanged you from a sapling at the
way into the forest,
I should have fed your flesh to the locust bird, ravening eagle and vulture.
'Now, Enkidu, [my] release lies with you:
tell Gilgamesh to spare me my life!' (V 180)
Enkidu opened his mouth to speak,
saying to Gilgamesh:
'My friend, Humbaba who guards the Forest of [Cedar:]
finish him, slay him, do away with his power!
Humbaba who guards the Forest [of Cedar:] (V 185)
finish him, slay him, do away with his power,
before Enlil the foremost hears what we do!
The [great] gods will take against us in anger,
Enlil in Nippur, Shamash in [Larsa] . . .;
Establish for ever [a fame] that endures,
how Gilgamesh [slew ferocious] Humbaba!'
Humbaba heard [what Enkidu was saying,]
he [lifted] his head and . . .
* * *
[Humbaba opened his mouth to speak,] (V 190)
[saying to Enkidu:]
. . . You sit before [him] like a shepherd, (V 236)
like his hireling [doing his bidding.]
Now, Enkidu, [my release] lies with you . . .;
tell Gilgamesh to [spare] me my life!'
Enkidu opened his mouth to speak, (V 240)
saying [to Gilgamesh:]
'My friend, Humbaba who guards the Forest [of Cedar –]
[finish him,] slay him, [do away with his power,]
before [Enlil] the foremost hears what we do!
The [great] gods will take against us in anger,
Enlil in Nippur, Shamash in [Larsa] . . .
Establish for ever [a fame] that endures,
how Gilgamesh slew [ferocious] Humbaba!' (V 245)
Humbaba heard . . . and . . . [bitterly cursed them:]
* * *
'May the pair of them not grow old, (V 256)
besides Gilgamesh his friend, none shall bury Enkidu!'
Enkidu opened his mouth to speak,
saying to Gilgamesh:
'My friend, I speak to you but you do not hear me!
While the curses . . . . . . . . .; (V 260)
[let those curses return] to his mouth.'
[Gilgamesh heard the words] of his friend,
he drew forth [the dirk at] his side.
Gilgamesh [smote him] in the neck,
Enkidu . . . while he pulled out the lungs. (V 265)
[ . . . ] . . . springing up,
* * *
[from] the head he took the tusks as booty.
[Rain] in plenty fell on the mountain,
. . . in plenty fell on the mountain. (V 269)
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