The Second Tablet: Of the Meeting of Gilgamish and Enkidu

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Tablet II — Gilgamesh and Enkidu wrestle and become friends

The harlot Shamhat civilises Enkidu through six days and seven nights; he learns the ways of men. Coming to Uruk, he wrestles Gilgamesh at the city gate. Neither overcomes the other; they recognize equals and become inseparable friends.

Source context

Theme: first encounter and bonding of Gilgamesh and Enkidu as the meeting of two complementary soul-types at the threshold of ego-descent
Soul-faculty: Sentient Soul

Steiner

GA 233, 1923-12-26Steiner identifies Eabani (Enkidu) as a personality who descended relatively late from a planetary existence and whose nature complemented the more earth-bound Gilgamesh, making their meeting the central occult fact of the epic.
GA 233, 1923-12-26Steiner treats Gilgamesh as retaining characteristics of earlier humanity while Eabani brings faculties from cosmic spheres, so their union dramatises the working-together of two distinct streams of evolving ego-consciousness.
GA 233, 1923-12-27Steiner recapitulates the picture of these two personalities — Gilgamesh and Eabani — and shows how their relation in the ancient world illuminates the transition from cosmic to personal modes of consciousness.

Cross-tradition

Vedantic concept of the two birds (Mundaka / Shvetashvatara Upanishad)The image of two inseparable companions on the same tree — one acting, one witnessing — offers a cross-tradition congruence with the dyadic structure of Gilgamesh and Enkidu as active and contemplative soul-principles brought into conjunction.
Platonic doctrine of the divided soul (Phaedrus)Plato's charioteer myth, in which a higher and a lower horse must be brought into accord, displays cross-tradition congruence with the narrative logic of the wild-natured Enkidu being tamed and elevated through friendship with the civilised Gilgamesh.

THE SECOND TABLET

OF THE MEETING OF GILGAMISH AND ENKIDU.

1Column II.

2While Gilgamish (thus) is the vision revealing
Enkidu sitteth before the hetaera, and she [displaying 2 her] bosom, 5.Shewing [her beauty (?)], the place of his birth he 3 forgetteth. (So) Enkidu dallied (Thus) for six days, seven nights, with the courtesan-girl in his mating. 10.Broke into [speech] then, the nymph, and (thus) unto Enkidu spake she: "(Yea, as) I view thee, (e’en) like a god, O Enkidu, shalt be, Why with the beasts (of the field) dost thou (ever) range over the desert? 15.Up, for I'll lead thee to [Erech] broad-marketed, (aye), to the Temple Sacred, the dwelling of Anu—O Enkidu, come, that I guide thee, Unto E-Anna, the dwelling of Anu, where [Gilgamish] (liveth), 20.(He), the supreme of creation; and thou, aye, thou wilt [embrace him] Like [to a woman], (and e’en) [as] thyself thou shalt [love him]. O, rouse thee Up from the ground—’tis a shepherd's bed 4 (only)." Her utterance heard he, 25.Welcomed her rede: the advice of the woman struck home in his bosom. She one garment took off wherewith she might clothe him: the other 5 30.She herself wore, (and so) taking her hand like a brother 6 she led him (Thus) to the booths(?) of the shepherds, the place of the sheepfolds. The shepherds 35.Gather]d at sight of him 7 (*Gap of four or five lines*.) *Column III*. (*How the Hetaera schooled Enkidu*). He (in the past) of the milk of the wild things to suck was accustom’d! 5.Bread which she set before him he broke, but he gazed and he stared: Enkidu bread did not know how to eat, nor had he the knowledge Mead how to quaff!

10(Then) the woman made answer, to Enkidu speaking,
"Enkidu, taste of the bread, (for) of life ’tis; (forsooth), the essential, Drink thou, (too), of the mead, ’tis the wonted use of the country." 15.Enkidu ate of the bread, (aye, ate) until he was gorged, Drank of the mead seven bumpers; his spirits rose, (and), exultant, 20.Glad was his heart, and cheerful his face: [himself(?)] was he rubbing, 25.Oil on the hair of his body anointed: and (thus) became human. Donn’d he a garment to be like a man 1, (and) taking his weapon, 30.Hunted the lions, which harried the shepherds o’ nights: and the jackals Caught he. (So) he, having mastered the lions, the shepherds slept soundly 2. 35.Enkidu—(he) was their warden—(becometh) a man of full vigour. (Now) is one of the heroes speaking to [Gilgamish(?)] . . . . (*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*). *Column IV*. 10.(Then while) he pleasured, he lifted his eyes, (and), observing the fellow, Spake he unto the woman: "O doxy, bring me (this) fellow, 15.Why hath he come? I would know his intention." The woman the fellow Call’d that he come to him, that he might see him: "O, why art thou seeking, Sir? (Pray), which is the way to thy rest-house?"

20The man spake, addressing
Enkidu: "You to the House of Community 3 [Gilgamish calleth], (This is) the custom of men, and a homage (too) to the great ones: 25.Come, then, and heap up the offerings such as are due to the city, Come, on behalf of the common weal bring in the food of the city. (’Tis) for the king of broad-marketed Erech to look on thy greeting, 30.Gilgamish, king of broad-marketed Erech to look on thy greeting; First doth he mate with the woman allotted by fate, and then after Speak by the counsel of god, and so from the shape of the omens 1 (Utter the rede of) his destiny." (So) at the words of the fellow Went they before him. (*Gap of about nine lines*). *Column V*. (*The Entry of Enkidu into Erech*). 7.[Enkidu] going [in front], with the courtesan coming behind him, 10.Enter’d broad-marketed Erech; the populace gather’d behind him, (Then), as he stopp’d in the street of broad-marketed Erech, the people 15.Thronging, behind him exclaim’d "Of a truth, like to Gilgamish is he, Shorter in stature a trifle, [his] composition is stronger. 20.. . . . . . . [(once)] like a [weakling] baby he *suck’d* the milk of the wild things! Ever the bread-cakes in Erech give glorious (climax) to manhood! 25.He a (mere) savage becometh a hero of proper appearance, (Now) unto Gilgamish, god-like, his composition is equal." (*How Enkidu fought with Gilgamish for the Hetaera*). 30.Strewn is the couch for the love-rites, 2 and Gilgamish (now) in the night-time Cometh to sleep, to delight in the woman 3: (but) [Enkidu], coming 35.(There) in the highway, doth block up the passage to Gilgamish, [threat’ning] He with his strength . . . . . (*Gap of seven or eight lines*). *Column VI*. 6.Gilgamish . . . behind him . . . . . . . . . . 10.Burgeon’d [his rage], (and) he rush’d to [attack] him: they met in the highway. Enkidu barr’d up the door with his foot, (and) to Gilgamish entry— 15.Would not concede: they grappled and snorted(?) like bulls, (and) the threshold Shatter’d: the (very) wall quiver’d as Gilgamish 1, Enkidu grappled, 20.Snorting(?) like bulls, (and) the threshold they shatter’d, the (very) wall quiver'd. (*The Birth of Friendship*). 25.Gilgamish bent his leg to the ground: (so) his fury abated, (Aye, and) his ardour 2 was quell’d: so soon as was quelled his ardour, 30.Enkidu (thus) unto Gilgamish spake: "(Of a truth), did thy mother Bear thee as one, and one only: (that choicest) cow of the steer-folds, 35.Nin-sun 3 exalted thy head above heroes, and Enlil hath dower'd Thee with the kingship o’er men."