Mesopotamian

Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet VI (Ishtar and the Bull of Heaven): tablet K.3990

Epic of Gilgamesh, Nineveh tablets (7th c. BCE, British Museum),

British Museum K.3990 photograph via eBL + eBL manuscript ATF (L.1.4 SB VI) + R. Campbell Thompson 1928 · Electronic Babylonian Library manuscript transliteration (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Introduction

Tablet VI of the Epic of Gilgamesh (Standard Babylonian version, attributed to Sin-leqi-unninni) as it survives on one physical object: British Museum tablet K.3990 (K.3990 + K.4579 + DT.2 + Rm.578 + Rm-II.197 (joined)), excavated at Nineveh from the library of Ashurbanipal (7th c. BCE). It is manuscript O₁ in A. R. George's 2003 edition. The photograph is the British Museum's, showing the inscribed face(s) and edges; column(s) i, iv, v, vi are preserved (59 lines).

Three criteria are met for every section:

Manuscript scan: the British Museum photograph of K.3990 itself (served by the Electronic Babylonian Library, LMU Munich). Each section names the column and face (obverse = columns i-iii, reverse = columns iv-vi) and the tablet's own line numbers, so the reader can find the lines on the photograph.
Original text: the eBL manuscript-level ATF transliteration of the signs on this tablet (not the composite text). Brackets [ ] mark broken signs, x an illegible sign, # a damaged sign. Superscript numbers are the modern line numbers of George 2003 / eBL.
Public-domain English: R. Campbell Thompson, The Epic of Gilgamish (London, 1928), verbatim, with his marginal line numbers as ^{T n}.

On line numbers. Thompson's 1928 numbering is not George's. For this tablet the correspondence was established one anchor per Thompson marginal number by reading his verse against the Akkadian; sections are cut only at those anchors, so each section's English is the block of Thompson's lines that renders exactly these Akkadian lines. Where the tablet's text begins or ends inside a Thompson block, the whole block is given and the section says so. Thompson's readings reflect the state of knowledge in 1928: modern editions (George 2003; the eBL edition, updated continuously) supersede him and are not public domain, so they are not reproduced here beyond the transliteration of this tablet's signs.

How was this verified? (Provenance)

Manuscript: Epic of Gilgamesh, Nineveh tablets (7th c. BCE, British Museum) — page scan from British Museum K.3990 photograph via eBL + eBL manuscript ATF (L.1.4 SB VI) + R. Campbell Thompson 1928.

Original text: Electronic Babylonian Library manuscript transliteration (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) (public domain).

English translation: R. Campbell Thompson (1928) (public domain).

Verify: The scan image is the physical evidence. The original-language text is verifiable against the scan. The English translation is checkable against the original. Click any Greek, Hebrew, or Latin word for morphological analysis.

Challenge: Submit a correction to contact@theosislibrary.com.

Akkadian (transliteration) / English original and English translation, with manuscript scans.

§SB VI 1-9 · K.3990 col. i (obverse) ll. 1-9 = SB VI 1-9 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 1 to 9 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹im-si [ma-le-š]u₂ ub-bi-ba t[il-le-e-šu]
²u₂-na-s[i!-i]s qim-mat-su e-lu ṣ[e-ri-šu]
³id-di m[a]r-šu-ti-šu₂ it-tal-bi-ša₂ za-ku-ti#-šu₂
⁴a-ṣa-a-ti# it-tah-li-pa-am-ma ra-ki-is a-gu-ha
⁵{d}GIŠ-gi[m₂-ma]š a-ga-šu₂ i-te-pir-am-ma KIMIN
⁶a-na [du]m-qi₂ ša₂ {d}GIŠ-gim₂-maš i-ni it-ta-ši ru-bu-tu₄ {d}15
⁷a[l-k]a {d}GIŠ-gim₂-maš lu-u₂ ha-ʾ-ir at-ta
⁸[in-b]i-ka ia-a-ši qa-a-šu₂ qi₂-šam-m[a]
⁹[a]t-ta lu-u₂ mu-ti-ma ana-ku lu-u₂ a[š₂-ša₂-at-ka]

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

(Gilgamish is removing the stains of combat).

^{T 1}(Now) is he washing his stains, (and) is cleansing his garments in tatters,
Braiding (?) (the locks of) his hair (to descend loose) over his shoulders,
Laying aside his garments besmirchen, (and) donning his clean ones,
Putting on armlets (?), and girding his body about with a baldric,

^{T 5}Gilgamish bindeth his fillet, and girdeth himself with a baldric.

(Ishtar sees him and seeks to wed him).

(Now) Lady Ishtar espieth the beauty of Gilgamish: (saith she),
"Gilgamish, come, be a bridegroom, to me of the fruit (of thy body)
Grant me largesse: (for) my husband shalt be and I'll be thy consort.

§SB VI 10-12 · K.3990 col. i (obverse) ll. 10-12 = SB VI 10-12 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 10 to 14 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹⁰lu-še-eṣ-mid-ka {giš}GIGIR {na₄}ZA.GIN₃ [u₃ KU₃.SIG₁₇]
¹¹ša₂# ma-gar-ru-šu₂ KU₃.SIG₁₇-ma el-m[i-šu₂ x x x x]
¹²[lu]-u₂# ṣa-an-da-ta# UD#-[MEŠ x x x x x]

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 10}O, but I'll furnish a chariot for thee, (all) azure and golden,
Golden its wheel, and its yoke precious stones , each day to be harness'd
Unto great mules: (O), enter our house with the fragrance of cedar.

Thompson's numbered block(s) extend after the lines preserved on this tablet; the whole block is given so that no English line is cut mid-block.

§SB VI 121-139 · K.3990 col. iv (reverse) ll. 1'-20' = SB VI 121-139 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 110 to 146 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹²¹ina# 2#-i# ni#-ip#-š[i-šu x x x x x x x x]
¹²²2 me GURUŠ-ME[Š x x x x x x x] | [x x x]
¹²³i-na šal-ši ni-ip-ši#-š[u₂ x x x x x x x x x]
¹²⁴{d}+en-ki-du₃ im-ta-[qut x x x x]
¹²⁵iš-hi-ṭam-ma {d}+en-k[i-du₃ x x x x x x x]
¹²⁶GU₄.AN.NA ana pa-ni-šu₂ is-s[u-ka x x x x]
¹²⁷ina ku-bur zib-ba-ti-šu₂ [x x x x x x]
¹²⁸{d#}+en-ki-du₃ pa-a-šu₂ DU₃-[uš-ma x x x]
¹²⁹i-[z]ak-ka-ra [x x x x x x]
¹³⁰ib-ri nu-uš-tar-ri-i[h x x x]
¹³¹ki-i ni-ip-pa-l[a x x x x x]
¹³²ib-ri a-ta-ma[r x x x x x x x x x]
¹³³u₃ e-mu-qi₂-[šu₂? x x x x x x x]
¹³⁴lu-us-sah-r[a x x x x x x x x x x x x]
¹³⁹u# [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x]

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 110}[If seven] years of (leer) husks [must needs follow after his onslaught (?)]
[I will for man] gather [corn and increase for the cattle] the fodder."

(Perhaps a small gap.)

(About seven lines are so badly mutilated that little can be gleaned from them except that the fight with the Heavenly Bull is about to take place in Erech. After these [a hundred men] descend [upon the Bull], but with his (fiery) breath [he annihilates them]. Then come two hundred with the same result, and then three hundred more, again to be overcome).

^{T 130}Enkidu girded (?) his middle; (and straightway) Enkidu, leaping,
Seized on the Heavenly Bull by [his] horns, and (headlong) before him
Cast down the Heavenly Bull his full length, . . . .
(Aye), by the thick of his tail.

(Gap of thirteen mutilated lines.)

Thompson's numbered block(s) extend before and after the lines preserved on this tablet; the whole block is given so that no English line is cut mid-block.

§SB VI 152-155 · K.3990 col. v (reverse) ll. 1'-5'-6' = SB VI 152-155 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 155 to 164 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹⁵²[x x x x x x x x a-ru-r]u-ta
¹⁵³[x x x x x x x x u₂-ṭap-pil]-an-ni | [G]U₄.[AN.NA id]-duk
¹⁵⁴[x x x x x x an-na]-a# qa-be₂-e {d#}iš#-tar
¹⁵⁵[x x x i-mi]t-ti GU₄.AN.NA | [ x x x] iṣ-li#

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 155}Unto the Sun they had voided, they sate them down, the two brothers.

(The Frenzy of Ishtar).

(Then) mounted Ishtar (the crest of) the ramparts of Erech, the high-wall’d,
(So) to the roof-top ascended, (and there) gave voice to her wailing;

^{T 160}"Woe unto Gilgamish—he who by killing the Bull of the Heavens,
Made me lament." When Enkidu heard this, the shrieking of Ishtar,
Wrenching the member from out of the Bull, he toss’d (it) before her;

Thompson's numbered block(s) extend before the lines preserved on this tablet; the whole block is given so that no English line is cut mid-block.

§SB VI 156-163 · K.3990 col. v (reverse) ll. 7'-8'-17' = SB VI 156-163 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 165 to 174 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹⁵⁶[x ka-š]i lu-u₂ ak-šu-ud-ki-ma | [ x x ša₂-š]u-ma lu-u₂ e-pu-uš-ki
¹⁵⁷[x x x lu]-u₂ a-lu-la ina a-hi-ki
¹⁵⁸[x x x x] {d}iš-tar ke-ze-re-e-ti | u₃ ha-ri-ma-a-ti
¹⁵⁹[x x] i#-mit-ti ša₂ a-le-e bi-ki-ta iš-kun
¹⁶⁰p[ah-ru-ni]m-ma um-ma-nu kiš-kat₃-te-e ka-li-šu-un
¹⁶¹ku-b[ur] qar-ni-šu₂ i-na-ad-du | DUMU-MEŠ um-ma-ni
¹⁶²30 ma-na.TA.AM₃ {na₄}ZA.GIN₃ ši-pik-ši-na
¹⁶³[2 m]a-na.AM₃ ta-ah-ba-tu-ši-na

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 165}"If I could only have reach’d thee, i’faith, I’d ha’ served thee the same way,
I’d ha’ let dangle his guts on thy flanks (as a girdle about thee)."
Ishtar assembled the girl-devotees, the hetaerae and harlots,
Over the member (torn out) from the Bull she led the lamenting.

(The Triumph of Gilgamish).

^{T 170}Gilgamish call’d to the masters of craft, the artists, (yea), all of them,
That at the size of its horns (all) the guilds of the crafts speak their praises
Each had of azure in weight thirty minas to be as their setting,
Two fingers their . ... ... . . . . . . . . . . .

§SB VI 164-169 · K.3990 col. v (reverse) ll. 18'-23' = SB VI 164-169 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 175 to 179 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹⁶⁴[6] GUR I₃+GIŠ ana ṣi-bit ki-lal-la-an
¹⁶⁵[a-na] piš-ša₂-ti {d}lugal-ban₃-da DINGIR-šu i-qiš
¹⁶⁶[u₂-š]e-rib-ma i-ta#-lal₂# ina ur-ši ha-am-mu-ti-šu₂
¹⁶⁷i#-na pu-rat-ti im-su#-u₂ qa-ti-šu-un
¹⁶⁸ṣab-tu-nim-ma il-la#-ku-n[i]
¹⁶⁹[s]u-qa ša₂ UN[UG{ki} x x x x]

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 175}Both of them held six measures of oil; to his god Lugal-banda
He for (his) unguent devoting, brought in, and (thus) let them hang (there),
(There) in the shrine of his forbears.
(And now) in the River Euphrates
Washing their hands, they start (on their progress) and come (to the city);
(Now) are they striding the highway of Erech, the heroes of Erech

§SB VI 170-174 · K.3990 col. vi (reverse) ll. 1-6 = SB VI 170-174 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 180 to 184 (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹⁷⁰pah-ru UN-MEŠ ša₂ UNUG{ki#} i#-dag#-ga#-l[u-šu-nu-ti]
¹⁷¹{d}GIŠ-gim₂-maš a-na mu-ṭap₃-pi-la ša₂ E₂?#.[GAL?-šu₂?] | a-ma-ta i-zak-[kar]
¹⁷²man-nu-um-ma ba-ni i-na GURUŠ-[MEŠ]
¹⁷³man-nu-um-ma ša₂-ru-uh i-na NIT[A-MEŠ]
¹⁷⁴{d#}GIŠ#-gim₂#-maš# ba#-ni i-na GU[RUŠ-MEŠ]

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 180}Thronging (about them) to see them. (Then) Gilgamish utter’d a riddle
Unto the notables (?):
Who, pr’ythee, is most splendid of heroes,
Who, pr’ythee, is most famous of giants?
Gilgamish—he is most splendid of heroes,

§SB VI 175-183 · K.3990 col. vi (reverse) ll. 7-15 = SB VI 175-183 (George/eBL numbering); English: Thompson ll. 185 to end (Thompson 1928 numbering)

Manuscript

Akkadian · eBL transliteration

¹⁷⁵[{d}GIŠ-gim₂-maš ša₂-ru]-uh i-na N[ITA-MEŠ]
¹⁷⁶[x x x x x n]i-du-u₂ i#-[na x x x]
¹⁷⁷[x x x i-n]a su-qi₂ mu-ṭap₃-p[i-la x x x]
¹⁷⁸[x x x a]-lak-ti ša₂ x [x x x x x]
¹⁷⁹{d#}GIŠ#-gim₂#-maš# ina# E₂.GAL-šu₂ iš-t[a-kan x x x]
¹⁸⁰ṣal-li GURUŠ-MEŠ ina ma-a-a-l[u? x x]
¹⁸¹ṣa-lil {d}+en-ki-du₃ šu-n[a-ta x x x x]
¹⁸²it-be₂-e-ma {d}+en-ki-du₃ šu-n[a-ta x x x]
¹⁸³i-zak-ka-ra a#-[na x x x]

English · R. Campbell Thompson (1928)

^{T 185}[Enkidu—he is most] famous of giants.

(Three mutilated lines follow.)

^{T 190}So in his palace did Gilgamish hold high revel: (thereafter),
(While all) the heroes asleep, on their nightly couches were lying
Enkidu, too, was asleep, and a vision beheld, and (so) coming
Enkidu (now) his dream to reveal: (thus) spake he unto his comrade.

Cite

Source & Cross-References

Source text: British Museum K.3990 photograph via eBL + eBL manuscript ATF (L.1.4 SB VI) + R. Campbell Thompson 1928 — view original
Critical edition: Electronic Babylonian Library manuscript transliteration (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

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