EPIC OF GILGAMESH
Tablet 2
Enkidu is gradually introduced to civilization by living for a time with a group of shepherds, who
teach him how to tend flocks, how to eat, how to speak properly, and how to wear clothes. Enkidu
then enters the city of Uruk during a great celebration. Gilgamesh, as the king, claims the right to have sexual intercourse first with every new bride on the day of her wedding; as Enkidu enters the
city, Gilgamesh is about to claim that right. Infuriated at this abuse, Enkidu stands in front of the door of the marital chamber and blocks Gilgamesh's way. They fight furiously until Gilgamesh wins the upper hand; Enkidu concedes Gilgamesh's superiority and the two embrace and become
devoted friends. Both Enkidu and Gilgamesh gradually weaken and grow lazy living in the city, so Gilgamesh
proposes a great adventure: they are to journey to the great Cedar Forest in southern Iran and cut
down all the cedar trees. To do this, they will need to kill the Guardian of the Cedar Forest, the
great demon, Humbaba the Terrible. Enkidu knows about Humbaba from his days running wild in the forest; he tries in vain to convince Gilgamesh not to undertake this folly.
Tablet 3 - [Most of tablet three doesn't exist]
The elders of the city protest Gilgamesh's endeavor, but agree reluctantly. They place the life of
the king in the hands of Enkidu, whom they insist shall take the forward position in the battle with
Humbaba. Gilgamesh's mother laments her son's fate in a prayer to the sun-god, Shamash, asking
that god why he put a restless heart in the breast of her son. Shamash promises her that he will
watch out for Gilgamesh's life. Ramat-Ninsun, too, commands Enkidu to guard the life of the king
and to take the forward position in the battle with Humbaba. In panic, Enkidu again tries to
convince Gilgamesh not to undertake this journey, but Gilgamesh is confident of success.
Tablet 4
Tablet four tells the story of the journey to the cedar forest. On each day of the six day journey,
Gilgamesh prays to Shamash; in response to these prayers, Shamash sends Gilgamesh oracular
dreams during the night. These dreams are all ominous: The first is not preserved. In the second,
Gilgamesh dreams that he wrestles a great bull that splits the ground with his breath. Enkidu
interprets the dream for Gilgamesh; the dream means that Shamash, the bull, will protect Gilgamesh.
In the third, Gilgamesh dreams: The skies roared with thunder and the earth heaved,
Then came darkness and a stillness like death.
Lightening smashed the ground and fires blazed out;
Death flooded from the skies.
When the heat died and the fires went out,
The plains had turned to ash.
Enkidu's interpretation is missing here, but like the other dreams, it is assumed he puts a positive
spin on the dream. The fourth dream is missing, but Enkidu again tells Gilgamesh that the dream
portends success in the upcoming battle. The fifth dream is also missing. At the entrance to the Cedar Forest, Gilgamesh begins to quake with fear; he prays to Shamash, reminding him that he had promised Ninsun that he would be safe. Shamash calls down from
heaven, ordering him to enter the forest because Humbaba is not wearing all his armor. The demon
Humbaba wears seven coats of armor, but now he is only wearing one so he is particularly
vulnerable. Enkidu loses his courage and turns back; Gilgamesh falls on him and they have a great
fight. Hearing the crash of their fighting, Humbaba comes stalking out of the Cedar Forest to
challenge the intruders. A large part of the tablet is missing here. On the one part of the tablet still
remaining, Gilgamesh convinces Enkidu that they should stand to-gether against the demon.
