Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI (the Flood): tablet K.7752

^{T 70}Two shar of grease stow’d away; (yea), beeves for the . . . I slaughter’d,
Each day lambs did I slay: mead, beer, oil, wine, too, the workmen
[Drank] as though they were water , and made a great feast like the New Year,
(Five mutilated lines "I added salve for the hand(s)," "the vessel was finish’d . . . Shamash the great." "was difficult," " . . ? I caused to bring above and below," "two-thirds of it"):

^{T 80}[All I possess’d I] laded aboard her; the silver I laded
All I possess'd; gold, all I possess’d I laded aboard her,
All I possess’d of the seed of all living [I laded aboard] her.
Into the ship I embark’d all my kindred and family (with me),

^{T 85}Cattle (and) beasts of the field (and) all handicraftsmen embarking.
(Then) decreed Shamash the hour: " . . . . (?)
Shall in the night let a plentiful rainfall(?) pour down . . . .
(Then) do thou enter the vessel, and (straightway) shut down thy hatchway."

^{T 90}Came (then) that hour (appointed), . . . . . . (?)
Did in the night let a plentiful rainfall(?) pour down . . . . (?)
View’d I the aspect of day: to look on the day bore a horror,
(Wherefore) I enter’d the vessel, and (straightway) shut down my hatchway,
(So, too) to shut down the vessel to Puzur-Amurri (?), the boatman,

^{T 95}Did I deliver the poop (of the ship), besides its equipment.
(Then), when something of dawn had appear’d, from out the horizon
Rose a cloud darkling; (lo), Adad (the storm-god) was rumbling within it,

^{T 100}Nabu and Sharru were leading the vanguard, and coming as heralds
Over the hills and the levels: (then) Irragal wrench’d out the bollards;
Havoc Ninurta let loose as he came, th’ Anunnaki their torches

^{T 105}Brandish’d, and shrivell’d the land with their flames; desolation from Adad
Stretch’d to (high) Heaven, (and) all that was bright was turn’d into darkness.

(Four lines mutilated "the land like . . .," "for one day the st[orm] . . ., " "fiercely blew . . . . " "like a battle . . . ").

Nor could a brother distinguish his brother; from heaven were mortals
Not to be spied. O, were stricken with terror the gods at the Deluge,
Fleeing, they rose to the Heaven of Anu, and crouch’d in the outskirts,

^{T 115}Cow 'ring like curs were the gods (while) like to a woman in travail
Ishtar did cry, she shrieking aloud, (e’en) the sweet-spoken Lady
(She of the gods): 'May that day turn to dust, because I spake evil

^{T 120}(There) in th’ Assemblage of Gods! O, how could I utter (such) evil
(There) in the Assemblage of Gods, (so) to blot out my people, ordaining
Havoc! Sooth, then, am I to give birth, unto (these) mine own people
Only to glut (with their bodies) the Sea as though they were fish-spawn?'

^{T 125}Gods—Anunnaki—wept with her, the gods were sitting (all) humbled,
(Aye), in (their) weeping, (and) closed were their lips amid(?)]the Assemblage.
Six days, a  se’nnight the hurricane, deluge, (and) tempest continued
Sweeping the land: when the seventh day came, were quelléd the warfare,

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.

^{T 120}(There) in th’ Assemblage of Gods! O, how could I utter (such) evil
(There) in the Assemblage of Gods, (so) to blot out my people, ordaining
Havoc! Sooth, then, am I to give birth, unto (these) mine own people
Only to glut (with their bodies) the Sea as though they were fish-spawn?'

^{T 125}Gods—Anunnaki—wept with her, the gods were sitting (all) humbled,
(Aye), in (their) weeping, (and) closed were their lips amid(?)]the Assemblage.
Six days, a  se’nnight the hurricane, deluge, (and) tempest continued
Sweeping the land: when the seventh day came, were quelléd the warfare,

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.

^{T 130}Tempest (and) deluge which like to an army embattail’d were fighting.
Lull’d was the sea, (all) spent was the gale, assuaged was the deluge,
(So) did I look on the day; (lo), sound was (all) still’d; and all human
Back to (its) clay was return’d, and fen was level with roof-tree.

^{T 135}(Then) I open’d a hatchway, and down on my cheek stream’d the sunlight,
Bowing myself, I sat weeping, my tears o’er my cheek(s) overflowing,
Into the distance I gazed, to the furthest bounds of the Ocean,

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.

^{T 210}(Yea), to his wife: "(How) the troubles of mortals do trouble thee also!
Bake then his flour (and) put at his head, but the time he is sleeping
On the house-wall do thou mark it. " (So straightway) she (did so), his flour
Baked she (and) set at his head, but the time he was sleeping she noted

^{T 215}On the house-wall. (So), first was collected his flour, (then) secondly sifted,
Thirdly, ’twas moisten’d, and fourthly she kneaded his dough, and so fifthly
Leaven she added, and sixthly ’twas baked; (then) seventh—he touch’d him,
All on a sudden, and (so from his slumber) awoke the (great) fellow!
Gilgamish unto him spake, (yea) to Uta-Napishtim the Distant:

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.

^{T 220}"(Tell me), I pr’ythee (?), was 't thou, who when sleep was shower’d upon me
All on a sudden didst touch me, and (straightway) rouse me (from slumber)?"
Uta-Napishtim to Gilgamish [spake, (yea), unto him spake he]:
"Gilgamish, told was the tale of thy meal . . . and (then) did I wake thee:

^{T 225}['One'—was collected] thy flour: [(then) 'two']—it was sifted; (and) 'thirdly'—
Moisten’d: (and) 'fourthly'—she kneaded thy dough [(and) 'fifthly'] the leaven
Added: (and) 'sixthly'—’twas baked: [(and) 'seventh'] —’twas I on a sudden
Touch’d thee and thou didst awake." To Uta-Napishtim, the Distant,

^{T 230}Gilgamish answer'd: "O, [how] shall I act, (or) where shall I hie me,
Uta-Napishtim? A Robber  (from me) hath ravish’d my [courage,]
Death [in] my bed-chamber broodeth, and Death is wherever I [listen] ."
[Spake] to [him, (yea),] to the boatman Ur-Shanabi Uta-Napishtim:

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.

^{T 230}Gilgamish answer'd: "O, [how] shall I act, (or) where shall I hie me,
Uta-Napishtim? A Robber  (from me) hath ravish’d my [courage,]
Death [in] my bed-chamber broodeth, and Death is wherever I [listen] ."
[Spake] to [him, (yea),] to the boatman Ur-Shanabi Uta-Napishtim:

^{T 235}"’Tis thou, Ur-Shanabi . . . the crossing, will hate thee,
(Sooth), to all those who come to its marge, doth its marge set a limit:
(This) man for whom thou wert guide—are stains to cover his body,
Or shall a skin hide the grace of his limbs? Ur-Shanabi, take him,

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.

^{T 240}Lead him to where he may bathe, that he wash off his stains in the water
(White) as the snow: let him cast off his pelt(s) that the sea may remove (them);
Fair let his body appear: of his head be the fillet renewéd,
Let him, as clothes for his nakedness, garb himself in a mantle,

^{T 245}Such that, or ever he come to his city, and finish his journey,
No (sign of) age shall the mantle betray, but preserve (all) its freshness."
Wherefore Ur-Shanabi took him, and where he might bathe did he lead him,
Washing his stains in the [water] like snow, his pelt(s), [too], discarding,

^{T 250}So that the sea might bear them away; (and) his body appearéd
Fair; [of] his head he [the fillet] renewed, and himself in a mantle
Garb’d, as the clothes for his nakedness, [such that or ever his city
Reach he], or ever he finish his journey, [the mantle betray not

^{T 255}Age, but] preserve [(all) its freshness].
(So) into their vessel embarkéd
Gilgamish, (aye), and Ur-Shanabi, launching (their) craft [on the billow],
They themselves riding aboard (her).

(The magic gift of restored youth).

To Uta-Napishtim, the Distant ,
Spake (then) his wife: "Came Gilgamish (hither) aweary with rowing,

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.

^{T 280}(Erech), the high-wall’d, and give it to eat [unto . . . .].
'Greybeard-who-turneth-to-man-in-his-prime' is its name and I'll eat it
I myself, that again I may come to my youthful condition."

(The Quest ends in Tragedy).

Broke they their fast at the fortieth hour: at the sixtieth rested.

^{T 285}Gilgamish spied out a pool of cool water, (and) therein descending
Bathed in the water. (But here was) a serpent who snuff’d the plant's fragrance,
Darted he up [from the water (?)], and snatch’d the plant, uttering malison

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.

^{T 290}As he drew back. Then Gilgamish sate him, (and) burst into weeping.
Over his cheeks flow’d his tears: to the boatman Ur -Shanabi [spake he(?)]
"(Pr’ythee), [for] whom have toiléd mine arms, O Ur-Shanabi, (tell me),

^{T 295}(Pr’ythee), for whom hath my heart's blood been spent? (yea), not for mine own self,
Have I the guerdon achieved; (no), ’tis for an earth-lion (only)
Have I the guerdon secured—(and) now at the fortieth hour
(Such an) one reiveth (it)—O, when I open’d the sluice and . . .ed the attachment,
(Aye), I noted the sign (?) which to me was vouchsafed as a warning,

^{T 300}Would I had turn’d and abandon’d the boat at the marge (of the ocean)!"
Broke they their fast at the fortieth hour: at the sixtieth rested,
(So in the end) to the middle of Erech, the high-wall’d, arrivéd.

(The Pride of the Architect).

Gilgamish spake to him, (yea), to the boatman Ur-Shanabi (this wise):
"Do thou, Ur-Shanabi, go up and walk on the ramparts of Erech,
Look on its base, and take heed of its bricks, if its bricks be not kiln-burnt,

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.