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  "work": {
    "slug": "epic-of-gilgamesh",
    "name": "Epic of Gilgamesh"
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  "chapter": {
    "num": 4,
    "slug": "04-the-second-tablet-of-the-meeting-of-gilgamish-and-enkidu",
    "title": "The Second Tablet: Of the Meeting of Gilgamish and Enkidu",
    "of": 14,
    "words": 1099,
    "text": "## The Second Tablet: Of the Meeting of Gilgamish and Enkidu\n\n\n\n#### THE SECOND TABLET\n\n##### OF THE MEETING OF GILGAMISH AND ENKIDU.\n\n 1*Column II*.\n\n2.                          While Gilgamish (thus) is the vision revealing\nEnkidu sitteth before the hetaera, and she [displaying 2 her] bosom,\n5.Shewing [her beauty (?)], the place of his birth he 3 forgetteth.\n                                         (So) Enkidu dallied\n(Thus) for six days, seven nights, with the courtesan-girl in his mating.\n10.Broke into [speech] then, the nymph, and (thus) unto Enkidu spake she:\n\"(Yea, as) I view thee, (e’en) like a god, O Enkidu, shalt be,\nWhy with the beasts (of the field) dost thou (ever) range over the desert?\n15.Up, for I'll lead thee to [Erech] broad-marketed, (aye), to the Temple\nSacred, the dwelling of Anu—O Enkidu, come, that I guide thee,\nUnto E-Anna, the dwelling of Anu, where [Gilgamish] (liveth),\n20.(He), the supreme of creation; and thou, aye, thou wilt [embrace him]\nLike [to a woman], (and e’en) [as] thyself thou shalt [love him].\n                                         O, rouse thee\nUp from the ground—’tis a shepherd's bed 4 (only).\"\n                                         Her utterance heard he,\n25.Welcomed her rede: the advice of the woman struck home in his bosom.\nShe one garment took off wherewith she might clothe him: the other 5\n30.She herself wore, (and so) taking her hand like a brother 6 she led him\n(Thus) to the booths(?) of the shepherds, the place of the sheepfolds. The shepherds\n35.Gather]d at sight of him 7\n\n(*Gap of four or five lines*.)\n\n\n*Column III*.\n\n(*How the Hetaera schooled Enkidu*).\n\nHe (in the past) of the milk of the wild things to suck was accustom’d!\n5.Bread which she set before him he broke, but he gazed and he stared:\nEnkidu bread did not know how to eat, nor had he the knowledge\nMead how to quaff!\n10.                    (Then) the woman made answer, to Enkidu speaking,\n\"Enkidu, taste of the bread, (for) of life ’tis; (forsooth), the essential,\nDrink thou, (too), of the mead, ’tis the wonted use of the country.\"\n15.Enkidu ate of the bread, (aye, ate) until he was gorged,\nDrank of the mead seven bumpers; his spirits rose, (and), exultant,\n20.Glad was his heart, and cheerful his face: [himself(?)] was he rubbing,\n25.Oil on the hair of his body anointed: and (thus) became human.\nDonn’d he a garment to be like a man 1, (and) taking his weapon,\n30.Hunted the lions, which harried the shepherds o’ nights: and the jackals\nCaught he. (So) he, having mastered the lions, the shepherds slept soundly 2.\n35.Enkidu—(he) was their warden—(becometh) a man of full vigour.\n(Now) is one of the heroes speaking to [Gilgamish(?)] . . . .\n\n(*About thirteen lines are missing, a gap in which a sinister figure has evidently appeared, sent evidently by Gilgamish to learn the meaning of the arrival of the strangers in Erech. Enkidu sees him and speaks*).\n\n*Column IV*.\n\n10.(Then while) he pleasured, he lifted his eyes, (and), observing the fellow,\nSpake he unto the woman: \"O doxy, bring me (this) fellow,\n15.Why hath he come? I would know his intention.\"\n                                        The woman the fellow\nCall’d that he come to him, that he might see him: \"O, why art thou seeking,\nSir? (Pray), which is the way to thy rest-house?\"\n20.                                        The man spake, addressing\nEnkidu: \"You to the House of Community 3 [Gilgamish calleth],\n(This is) the custom of men, and a homage (too) to the great ones:\n\n\n25.Come, then, and heap up the offerings such as are due to the city,\nCome, on behalf of the common weal bring in the food of the city.\n(’Tis) for the king of broad-marketed Erech to look on thy greeting,\n30.Gilgamish, king of broad-marketed Erech to look on thy greeting;\nFirst doth he mate with the woman allotted by fate, and then after\nSpeak by the counsel of god, and so from the shape of the omens 1\n(Utter the rede of) his destiny.\"\n                                        (So) at the words of the fellow\nWent they before him.\n\n(*Gap of about nine lines*).\n\n*Column V*.\n\n(*The Entry of Enkidu into Erech*).\n\n7.[Enkidu] going [in front], with the courtesan coming behind him,\n10.Enter’d broad-marketed Erech; the populace gather’d behind him,\n(Then), as he stopp’d in the street of broad-marketed Erech, the people\n15.Thronging, behind him exclaim’d \"Of a truth, like to Gilgamish is he,\nShorter in stature a trifle, [his] composition is stronger.\n20.. . . . . . . [(once)] like a [weakling] baby he *suck’d* the milk of the wild things!\nEver the bread-cakes in Erech give glorious (climax) to manhood!\n25.He a (mere) savage becometh a hero of proper appearance,\n(Now) unto Gilgamish, god-like, his composition is equal.\"\n\n(*How Enkidu fought with Gilgamish for the Hetaera*).\n\n30.Strewn is the couch for the love-rites, 2 and Gilgamish (now) in the night-time\nCometh to sleep, to delight in the woman 3: (but) [Enkidu], coming\n35.(There) in the highway, doth block up the passage to Gilgamish, [threat’ning]\nHe with his strength . . . . .\n\n(*Gap of seven or eight lines*).\n\n*Column VI*.\n\n6.Gilgamish . . . behind him . . . . . . . . . .\n10.Burgeon’d [his rage], (and) he rush’d to [attack] him: they met in the highway.\nEnkidu barr’d up the door with his foot, (and) to Gilgamish entry—\n\n\n15.Would not concede: they grappled and snorted(?) like bulls, (and) the threshold\nShatter’d: the (very) wall quiver’d as Gilgamish 1, Enkidu grappled,\n20.Snorting(?) like bulls, (and) the threshold they shatter’d, the (very) wall quiver'd.\n\n(*The Birth of Friendship*).\n\n25.Gilgamish bent his leg to the ground: (so) his fury abated,\n(Aye, and) his ardour 2 was quell’d: so soon as was quelled his ardour,\n30.Enkidu (thus) unto Gilgamish spake: \"(Of a truth), did thy mother\nBear thee as one, and one only: (that choicest) cow of the steer-folds,\n35.Nin-sun 3 exalted thy head above heroes, and Enlil hath dower'd\nThee with the kingship o’er men.\"\n\n#### Footnotes\n\n16:1 Old Babylonian Version.\n\n16:2 *Urtammu*?\n\n16:3 Lit. \"Enkidu.\"\n\n16:4 Read *ma-a*-[*a*]-*lum*.?\n\n16:5 Text adds \"garment.\"\n\n16:6 BAR.\n\n16:7 Read *i-na* [*be*]-*ri-shu* [*ip*]-*hu-ru* *ri-ia-u*.\n\n17:1 Or \"bridegroom.\"\n\n17:2 Use of *rabutum* \"greatness.\" It has no meaning if it is applied as an epithet to the shepherds.\n\n17:3 The common meeting place of the men of the town, as sometimes in Arab villages to this day.\n\n18:1 I have used a euphemism here. From *l*. 1 to *l*. 29 the text is very difficult.\n\n18:2 Lit. \"for Ishhara,\" the goddess of love.\n\n18:3 Lit. \"her.\"\n\n19:1 Lit. \"and.\"\n\n19:2 Or perhaps \"rage, or valour,\" lit. \"breast.\"\n\n19:3 The mother of Gilgamish.",
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}