Chapter III: Part 3

Coming to the Yale tablet, the few passages in which a comparison may be instituted with the fourth tablet of the Assyrian version, to which in a general way it must correspond, are not sufficient to warrant any conclusions, beyond the confirmation of the literary independence of the Assyrian version. The section comprised within lines 72-89, where Enkidu's grief at his friend's decision to fight Huwawa is described [140], and he makes confession of his own physical exhaustion, _may_ correspond to Tablet IV, column 4, of the Assyrian version. This would fit in with the beginning of the reverse, the first two lines of which (136-137) correspond to column 5 of the fourth tablet of the Assyrian version, with a variation "seven-fold fear" [141] as against "fear of men" in the Assyrian version. If lines 138-139 (in column 4) of the Yale tablet correspond to line 7 of column 5 of Tablet IV of the Assyrian version, we would again have an illustration of the elaboration of the later version by the addition of lines 3-6. But beyond this we have merely the comparison of the description of Huwawa

"Whose roar is a flood, whose mouth is fire, and whose breath is death"

which occurs twice in the Yale tablet (lines 110-111 and 196-197), with the same phrase in the Assyrian version Tablet IV, 5, 3--but here, as just pointed out, with an elaboration.

Practically, therefore, the entire Yale tablet represents an addition to our knowledge of the Huwawa episode, and until we are fortunate enough to discover more fragments of the fourth tablet of the Assyrian version, we must content ourselves with the conclusions reached from a comparison of the Pennsylvania tablet with the parallels in the Assyrian version.

It may be noted as a general point of resemblance in the exterior form of the old Babylonian and Assyrian versions that both were inscribed on tablets containing six columns, three on the obverse and three on the reverse; and that the length of the tablets--an average of 40 to 50 lines--was about the same, thus revealing in the external form a conventiona1 size for the tablets in the older period, which was carried over into later times.

PENNSYLVANIA TABLET

The 240 lines of the six columns of the text are enumerated in succession, with an indication on the margin where a new column begins. This method, followed also in the case of the Yale tablet, seems preferable to Langdon's breaking up of the text into Obverse and Reverse, with a separate enumeration for each of the six columns. In order, however, to facilitate a comparison with Langdon's edition, a table is added:

Obverse Col. I, 1 = Line 1 of our text. ,, I, 5 = ,, 5 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 10 = ,, 10 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 15 = ,, 15 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 20 = ,, 20 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 25 = ,, 25 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 30 = ,, 30 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 35 = ,, 35 ,, ,, ,, Col. II, 1 = Line 41 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 5 = ,, 45 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 10 = ,, 50 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 15 = ,, 55 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 20 = ,, 60 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 25 = ,, 65 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 30 = ,, 70 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 35 = ,, 75 ,, ,, ,, Col. III, 1 = Line 81 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 5 = ,, 85 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 10 = ,, 90 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 15 = ,, 95 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 26 = ,, 100 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 25 = ,, 105 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 30 = ,, 110 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 35 = ,, 115 ,, ,, ,,

Reverse Col. I, 1 (= Col. IV) = Line 131 of our text. ,, I, 5 = ,, 135 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 10 = ,, 140 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 15 = ,, 145 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 20 = ,, 150 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 25 = ,, 155 ,, ,, ,, ,, I, 30 = ,, 160 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 1 (= Col. V) = Line 171 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 5 = ,, 175 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 10 = ,, 180 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 15 = ,, 185 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 20 = ,, 190 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 25 = ,, 195 ,, ,, ,, ,, II, 30 = ,, 200 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 1 (= Col. VI) = Line 208 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 5 = ,, 212 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 10 = ,, 217 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 15 = ,, 222 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 20 = ,, 227 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 25 = ,, 232 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 30 = ,, 237 ,, ,, ,, ,, III, 33 = ,, 240 ,, ,, ,,

PENNSYLVANIA TABLET.

TRANSLITERATION.

Col. I.

it-bi-e-ma dGis sú-na-tam i-pa-ás-sar iz-za-kàr-am a-na um-mi-sú um-mi i-na sá-at mu-si-ti-ia sá-am-ha-ku-ma at-ta-na-al-la-ak i-na bi-ri-it it-lu-tim ib-ba-sú-nim-ma ka-ka-bu sá-ma-i [ki]-is-rù sá A-nim im-ku-ut a-na si-ri-ia ás-si-sú-ma ik-ta-bi-it e-li-ia ú-ni-is-sú-ma nu-us-sá-sú ú-ul il-ti-'i Urukki ma-tum pa-hi-ir e-li-sú it-lu-tum ú-na-sá-ku si-pi-sú ú-um-mi-id-ma pu-ti i-mi-du ia-ti ás-si-a-sú-ma ab-ba-la-ás-sú a-na si-ri-ki um-mi dGis mu-di-a-at ka-la-ma iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGis mi-in-di dGis sá ki-ma ka-ti i-na si-ri i-wa-li-id-ma ú-ra-ab-bi-sú sá-du-ú ta-mar-sú-ma [kima Sal(?)] ta-ha-du at-ta it-lu-tum ú-na-sá-ku si-pi-sú tí-it-ti-ra-ás-[sú tu-ut]-tu-ú-ma ta-tar-ra-[as-su] a-na si-[ri]-ia [us]-ti-nim-ma i-ta-mar sá-ni-tam [sú-na]-ta i-ta-wa-a-am a-na um-mi-sú [um-mi] a-ta-mar sá-ni-tam [sú-na-tu a-ta]-mar e-mi-a i-na su-ki-im [sá Uruk]ki ri-bi-tim ha-as-si-nu na-di-i-ma e-li-sú pa-ah-ru ha-as-si-nu-um-ma sá-ni bu-nu-sú a-mur-sú-ma ah-ta-du a-na-ku a-ra-am-sú-ma ki-ma ás-sá-tim a-ha-ab-bu-ub el-sú el-ki-sú-ma ás-ta-ka-an-sú a-na a-hi-ia um-mi dGis mu-da-at [ka]-la-ma [iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGis] [dGis sá ta-mu-ru amêlu] [ta-ha-ab-bu-ub ki-ma ás-sá-tim el-sú]

Col. II.

ás-sum us-[ta]-ma-ha-ru it-ti-ka dGis sú-na-tam i-pa-sar dEn-ki-[du wa]-si-ib ma-har ha-ri-im-tim ur-[sá ir]-ha-mu di-da-sá(?) ip-tí-[e] [dEn-ki]-du im-ta-si a-sar i-wa-al-du ûm, 6 ù 7 mu-si-a-tim dEn-[ki-du] ti-bi-i-ma sá-[am-ka-ta] ir-hi ha-[ri-im-tum pa-a]-sá i-pu-sá-am-ma iz-za-[kàr-am] a-na dEn-ki-du a-na-tal-ka dEn-ki-du ki-ma ili ta-ba-ás-si am-mi-nim it-ti na-ma-ás-te-e ta-at-ta-[na-al]-ak si-ra-am al-kam lu-úr-di-ka a-na libbi [Urukki] ri-bi-tim a-na bît [el]-lim mu-sá-bi sá A-nim dEn-ki-du ti-bi lu-ru-ka a-na Ê-[an]-na mu-sá-bi sá A-nim a-sar [dGis gi]-it-ma-[lu] ne-pi-si-tim ù at-[ta] ki-[ma Sal ta-ha]-bu-[ub]-sú ta-[ra-am-sú ki-ma] ra-ma-an-ka al-ka ti-ba i-[na] ga-ag-ga-ri ma-a-ag-ri-i-im is-me a-wa-as-sa im-ta-har ga-ba-sá mi-il-[kum] sá assatim im-ta-ku-ut a-na libbi-sú is-hu-ut li-ib-sá-am is-ti-nam ú-la-ab-bi-is-sú li-ib-[sá-am] sá-ni-a-am si-i it-ta-al-ba-ás sa-ab-tat ga-as-su ki-ma [ili] i-ri-id-di-sú a-na gu-up-ri sá-ri-i-im a-sar tar-ba-si-im i-na [ás]-ri-sú [im]-hu-ruri-ia-ú [ù sú-u dEn-ki-du i-lit-ta-sú sá-du-um-ma] [it-ti sabâti-ma ik-ka-la sam-ma] [it-ti bu-lim mas-ka-a i-sat-ti] [it-ti na-ma-ás-te-e mê i-tab lib-ba-sú]

(Perhaps one additional line missing.)

Col. III.

si-iz-ba sá na-ma-ás-te-e i-te-en-ni-ik a-ka-lam is-ku-nu ma-har-sú ib-tí-ik-ma i-na-at-tal ù ip-pa-al-la-as ú-ul i-di dEn-ki-du aklam a-na a-ka-lim sikaram a-na sá-te-e-im la-a lum-mu-ud ha-ri-im-tum pi-sá i-pu-sá-am-ma iz-za-kàr-am a-na dEn-ki-du a-ku-ul ak-lam dEn-ki-du zi-ma-at ba-la-ti-im sikaram si-ti si-im-ti ma-ti i-ku-ul a-ak-lam dEn-ki-du a-di si-bi-e-sú sikaram is-ti-a-am 7 as-sa-am-mi-im it-tap-sar kab-ta-tum i-na-an-gu i-li-is libba-sú-ma pa-nu-sú [it]-tam-ru ul-tap-pi-it [lùSÚ]-I sú-hu-ra-am pa-ga-ar-sú sá-am-nam ip-ta-sá-ás-ma a-we-li-is i-we il-ba-ás li-ib-sá-am ki-ma mu-ti i-ba-ás-si il-ki ka-ak-ka-sú la-bi ú-gi-ir-ri us-sa-ak-pu re'ûti mu-si-a-tim ut-tap-pi-is sib-ba-ri la-bi uk-ta-si-id it-ti-[lu] na-ki-[di-e] ra-bu-tum dEn-ki-du ma-as-sa-ar-sú-nu a-we-lum gis-ru-um is-te-en it-lum a-na [na-ki-di-e(?) i]-za-ak-ki-ir

(About five lines missing.)

Col. IV.

(About eight lines missing.)

i-ip-pu-us ul-sa-am is-si-ma i-ni-i-sú i-ta-mar a-we-lam iz-za-kàr-am a-na harimtim sá-am-ka-at uk-ki-si a-we-lam a-na mi-nim il-li-kam zi-ki-ir-sú lu-us-sú ha-ri-im-tum is-ta-si a-we-lam i-ba-us-su-um-ma i-ta-mar-sú e-di-il e-es ta-hi-[il-la]-am lim-nu a-la-ku ma-na-ah-[ti]-ka e-pi-sú i-pu-sá-am-ma iz-za-kàr-am a-na dEn-[ki-du] bi-ti-is e-mu-tim ik ...... si-ma-a-at ni-si-i-ma tu-a-(?)-ar e-lu-tim a-na âli(?) dup-sak-ki-i e-si-en uk-la-at âli(?) e-mi-sa a-a-ha-tim a-na sarri sá Urukki ri-bi-tim pi-ti pu-uk episi(-si) a-na ha-a-a-ri a-na dGis sarri sá Urukki ri-bi-tim pi-ti pu-uk episi(-si) a-na ha-a-a-ri ás-sa-at si-ma-tim i-ra-ah-hi sú-ú pa-na-nu-um-ma mu-uk wa-ar-ka-nu i-na mi-il-ki sá ili ga-bi-ma i-na bi-ti-ik a-bu-un-na-ti-sú si-ma-as-su a-na zi-ik-ri it-li-im i-ri-ku pa-nu-sú

(About three lines missing.)

Col. V.

(About six lines missing.)

i-il-la-ak [dEn-ki-du i-na pa-ni] u-sá-am-ka-at [wa]-ar-ki-sú i-ru-ub-ma a-na libbi Urukki ri-bi-tim ip-hur um-ma-nu-um i-na si-ri-sú iz-zi-za-am-ma i-na su-ki-im sá Urukki ri-bi-tim pa-ah-ra-a-ma ni-sú i-ta-wa-a i-na si-ri-sú a-na salam dGis ma-si-il pi-it-tam la-nam sá-pi-il si-ma .... [sá-ki-i pu]-uk-ku-ul ............. i-pa-ka-du i-[na mâti da-an e-mu]-ki i-wa si-iz-ba sá na-ma-as-te-e i-te-en-ni-ik ka-a-a-na i-na [libbi] Urukki kak-ki-a-tum it-lu-tum ú-te-el-li-lu sá-ki-in ur-sá-nu a-na itli sá i-sá-ru zi-mu-sú a-na dGis ki-ma i-li-im sá-ki-is-sum me-ih-rù a-na dIs-ha-ra ma-a-a-lum na-di-i-ma dGis it-[ti-il-ma wa-ar-ka-tim] i-na mu-si in-ni-[ib-bi]-it i-na-ag-sá-am-ma it-ta-[zi-iz dEn-ki-du] i-na sûkim ip-ta-ra-[as a-la]-ak-tam sá dGis [a-na e-pi-is] da-na-ni-is-sú

(About three lines missing.)

Col. VI.

(About four lines missing.)

sar(?)-ha dGis ... i-na si-ri-[sú il-li-ka-am dEn-ki-du] i-ha-an-ni-ib [pi-ir-ta-sú] it-bi-ma [il-li-ik] a-na pa-ni-sú it-tam-ha-ru i-na ri-bi-tum ma-ti dEn-ki-du ba-ba-am ip-ta-ri-ik i-na si-pi-sú dGis e-ri-ba-am ú-ul id-di-in is-sa-ab-tu-ma ki-ma li-i-im i-lu-du zi-ip-pa-am 'i-bu-tu i-ga-rum ir-tu-tu dGis ù dEn-ki-du is-sa-ab-tu-ú-ma ki-ma li-i-im i-lu-du zi-ip-pa-am 'i-bu-tu i-ga-rum ir-tu-tú ik-mi-is-ma dGis i-na ga-ag-ga-ri si-ip-sú ip-si-ih uz-za-sú-ma i-ni-ih i-ra-as-su is-tu i-ra-su i-ni-hu dEn-ki-du a-na sá-si-im iz-za-kàr-am a-na dGis ki-ma is-te-en-ma um-ma-ka ú-li-id-ka ri-im-tum sá su-pu-ri dNin-sun-na ul-lu e-li mu-ti ri-es-ka sar-ru-tú sá ni-si i-si-im-kum dEn-lil duppu 2 kam-ma sú-tu-ur e-li ..................... 4 sú-si

TRANSLATION.

Col. I.

Gish sought to interpret the dream; Spoke to his mother: "My mother, during my night I became strong and moved about among the heroes; And from the starry heaven A meteor(?) of Anu fell upon me: I bore it and it grew heavy upon me, I became weak and its weight I could not endure. The land of Erech gathered about it. The heroes kissed its feet. [142] It was raised up before me. They stood me up. [143] I bore it and carried it to thee." The mother of Gish, who knows all things, Spoke to Gish: "Some one, O Gish, who like thee In the field was born and Whom the mountain has reared, Thou wilt see (him) and [like a woman(?)] thou wilt rejoice. Heroes will kiss his feet. Thou wilt spare [him and wilt endeavor] To lead him to me." He slept and saw another Dream, which he reported to his mother: ["My mother,] I have seen another [Dream.] My likeness I have seen in the streets [Of Erech] of the plazas. An axe was brandished, and They gathered about him; And the axe made him angry. I saw him and I rejoiced, I loved him as a woman, I embraced him. I took him and regarded him As my brother." The mother of Gish, who knows all things, [Spoke to Gish]: ["O Gish, the man whom thou sawest,] [Whom thou didst embrace like a woman].

Col II.

(means) that he is to be associated with thee." Gish understood the dream. [As] Enki[du] was sitting before the woman, [Her] loins(?) he embraced, her vagina(?) he opened. [Enkidu] forgot the place where he was born. Six days and seven nights Enkidu continued To cohabit with [the courtesan]. [The woman] opened her [mouth] and Spoke to Enkidu: "I gaze upon thee, O Enkidu, like a god art thou! Why with the cattle Dost thou [roam] across the field? Come, let me lead thee into [Erech] of the plazas, to the holy house, the dwelling of Anu, O, Enkidu arise, let me conduct thee To Eanna, the dwelling of Anu, The place [where Gish is, perfect] in vitality. And thou [like a wife wilt embrace] him. Thou [wilt love him like] thyself. Come, arise from the ground (that is) cursed." He heard her word and accepted her speech. The counsel of the woman Entered his heart. She stripped off a garment, Clothed him with one. Another garment She kept on herself. She took hold of his hand. Like [a god(?)] she brought him To the fertile meadow, The place of the sheepfolds. In that place they received food; [For he, Enkidu, whose birthplace was the mountain,] [With the gazelles he was accustomed to eat herbs,] [With the cattle to drink water,] [With the water beings he was happy.]

(Perhaps one additional line missing.)

Col. III.

Milk of the cattle He was accustomed to suck. Food they placed before him, He broke (it) off and looked And gazed. Enkidu had not known To eat food. To drink wine He had not been taught. The woman opened her mouth and Spoke to Enkidu: "Eat food, O Enkidu, The provender of life! Drink wine, the custom of the land!" Enkidu ate food Till he was satiated. Wine he drank, Seven goblets. His spirit was loosened, he became hilarious. His heart became glad and His face shone. [The barber(?)] removed The hair on his body. He was anointed with oil. He became manlike. He put on a garment, He was like a man. He took his weapon; Lions he attacked, (so that) the night shepherds could rest. He plunged the dagger; Lions he overcame. The great [shepherds] lay down; Enkidu was their protector. The strong man, The unique hero, To [the shepherds(?)] he speaks:

(About five lines missing.)

Col. IV.

(About eight lines missing.)

Making merry. He lifted up his eyes, He sees the man. He spoke to the woman: "O, courtesan, lure on the man. Why has he come to me? His name I will destroy." The woman called to the man Who approaches to him [144] and he beholds him. "Away! why dost thou [quake(?)] Evil is the course of thy activity." [145] Then he [146] opened his mouth and Spoke to Enkidu: "[To have (?)] a family home Is the destiny of men, and The prerogative(?) of the nobles. For the city(?) load the workbaskets! Food supply for the city lay to one side! For the King of Erech of the plazas, Open the hymen(?), perform the marriage act! For Gish, the King of Erech of the plazas, Open the hymen(?), Perform the marriage act! With the legitimate wife one should cohabit. So before, As well as in the future. [147] By the decree pronounced by a god, From the cutting of his umbilical cord (Such) is his fate." At the speech of the hero His face grew pale.

(About three lines missing.)

Col. V.

(About six lines missing.)

[Enkidu] went [in front], And the courtesan behind him. He entered into Erech of the plazas. The people gathered about him. As he stood in the streets Of Erech of the plazas, The men gathered, Saying in regard to him: "Like the form of Gish he has suddenly become; shorter in stature. [In his structure high(?)], powerful, .......... overseeing(?) In the land strong of power has he become. Milk of cattle He was accustomed to suck." Steadily(?) in Erech ..... The heroes rejoiced. He became a leader. To the hero of fine appearance, To Gish, like a god, He became a rival to him. [148] For Ishhara a couch Was stretched, and Gish [lay down, and afterwards(?)] In the night he fled. He approaches and [Enkidu stood] in the streets. He blocked the path of Gish. At the exhibit of his power,

(About three lines missing.)

Col. VI.

(About four lines missing.)

Strong(?) ... Gish Against him [Enkidu proceeded], [His hair] luxuriant. He started [to go] Towards him. They met in the plaza of the district. Enkidu blocked the gate With his foot, Not permitting Gish to enter. They seized (each other), like oxen, They fought. The threshold they demolished; The wall they impaired. Gish and Enkidu Seized (each other). Like oxen they fought. The threshold they demolished; The wall they impaired. Gish bent His foot to the ground, [149] His wrath was appeased, His breast was quieted. When his breast was quieted, Enkidu to him Spoke, to Gish: "As a unique one, thy mother bore thee. The wild cow of the stall, [150] Ninsun, Has exalted thy head above men. Kingship over men Enlil has decreed for thee. Second tablet, enlarged beyond [the original(?)]. 240 lines.

COMMENTARY ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TABLET.

Line 1. The verb _tibû_ with _pasâru_ expresses the aim of Gish to secure an interpretation for his dream. This disposes of Langdon's note 1 on page 211 of his edition, in which he also erroneously speaks of our text as "late." _Pasâru_ is not a variant of _zakâru_. Both verbs occur just as here in the Assyrian version I, 5, 25.

Line 3. _ina sât musitia_, "in this my night," i.e., in the course of this night of mine. A curious way of putting it, but the expression occurs also in the Assyrian version, e.g., I, 5, 26 (parallel passage to ours) and II, 4a, 14. In the Yale tablet we find, similarly, _mu-si-it-ka_ (l. 262), "thy night," i.e., "at night to thee."

Line 5. Before Langdon put down the strange statement of Gish "wandering about in the midst of omens" (misreading _id-da-tim _ for _it-lu-tim_), he might have asked himself the question, what it could possibly mean. How can one walk among omens?

Line 6. _ka-ka-bu sá-ma-i_ must be taken as a compound term for "starry heaven." The parallel passage in the Assyrian version (Tablet I, 5, 27) has the ideograph for star, with the plural sign as a variant. Literally, therefore, "The starry heaven (or "the stars in heaven") was there," etc. Langdon's note 2 on page 211 rests on an erroneous reading.

Line 7. _kisru sá Anim_, "mass of Anu," appears to be the designation of a meteor, which might well be described as a "mass" coming from Anu, i.e., from the god of heaven who becomes the personification of the heavens in general. In the Assyrian version (I, 5, 28) we have _kima ki-is-rù_, i.e., "something like a mass of heaven." Note also I, 3, 16, where in a description of Gilgamesh, his strength is said to be "strong like a mass (i.e., a meteor) of heaven."

Line 9. For _nussasu ûl iltê_ we have a parallel in the Hebrew phrase NLE'ETIY NS' (Isaiah 1, 14).

Line 10. _Uruk mâtum_, as the designation for the district of Erech, occurs in the Assyrian version, e.g., I, 5, 31, and IV, 2, 38; also to be supplied, I, 6, 23.

For _pahir_ the parallel in the Assyrian version has _iz-za-az_ (I, 5, 31), but VI, 197, we find _pah-ru_ and _pah-ra_.

Line 17. _mi-in-di_ does not mean "truly" as Langdon translates, but "some one." It occurs also in the Assyrian version X, 1, 13, _mi-in-di-e ma-an-nu-u_, "this is some one who," etc.

Line 18. Cf. Assyrian version I, 5, 3, and IV, 4, 7, _ina siri âlid_--both passages referring to Enkidu.

Line 21. Cf. Assyrian version II, 3b, 38, with _malkê_, "kings," as a synonym of _itlutum_.

Line 23. _ta-tar-ra-as-sú_ from _tarâsu_, "direct," "guide," etc.

Line 24. I take _us-ti-nim-ma_ as III, 2, from _isênu_ (YOSEN), the verb underlying _sittu_, "sleep," and _suttu_, "dream."

Line 26. Cf. Assyrian version I, 6, 21--a complete parallel.

Line 28. _Uruk ri-bi-tim_, the standing phrase in both tablets of the old Babylonian version, for which in the Assyrian version we have _Uruk su-pu-ri_. The former term suggests the "broad space" outside of the city or the "common" in a village community, while _supûri_, "enclosed," would refer to the city within the walls. Dr. W. F. Albright (in a private communication) suggests "Erech of the plazas" as a suitable translation for _Uruk ribîtim_. A third term, _Uruk mâtum_ (see above, note to line 10), though designating rather the district of which Erech was the capital, appears to be used as a synonym to _Uruk ribîtim_, as may be concluded from the phrase _i-na ri-bi-tum ma-ti_ (l. 214 of the Pennsylvania tablet), which clearly means the "plaza" of the city. One naturally thinks of REHOBOT `IYR in Genesis 10, 11--the equivalent of Babylonian _ri-bi-tu âli_--which can hardly be the name of a city. It appears to be a gloss, as is HIY' HO`IYR HAGEDOLOH at the end of v. 12. The latter gloss is misplaced, since it clearly describes "Nineveh," mentioned in v. 11. Inasmuch as REHOBOT `IYR immediately follows the mention of Nineveh, it seems simplest to take the phrase as designating the "outside" or "suburbs" of the city, a complete parallel, therefore, to _ri-bi-tu mâti_ in our text. Nineveh, together with the "suburbs," forms the "great city." _Uruk ribîtim_ is, therefore, a designation for "greater Erech," proper to a capital city, which by its gradual growth would take in more than its original confines. "Erech of the plazas" must have come to be used as a honorific designation of this important center as early as 2000 B. C., whereas later, perhaps because of its decline, the epithet no longer seemed appropriate and was replaced by the more modest designation of "walled Erech," with an allusion to the tradition which ascribed the building of the wall of the city to Gilgamesh. At all events, all three expressions, "Erech of the plazas," "Erech walled" and "Erech land," are to be regarded as synonymous. The position once held by Erech follows also from its ideographic designation (Brünnow No. 4796) by the sign "house" with a "gunufied" extension, which conveys the idea of Unu = _subtu_, or "dwelling" _par excellence_. The pronunciation Unug or Unuk (see the gloss _u-nu-uk_, VR 23, 8a), composed of _unu_, "dwelling," and _ki_, "place," is hardly to be regarded as older than Uruk, which is to be resolved into _uru_, "city," and _ki_, "place," but rather as a play upon the name, both Unu + ki and Uru + ki conveying the same idea of _the_ city or _the_ dwelling place _par excellence_. As the seat of the second oldest dynasty according to Babylonian traditions (see Poebel's list in _Historical and Grammatical Texts_ No. 2), Erech no doubt was regarded as having been at one time "the city," i.e., the capital of the entire Euphrates Valley.

Line 31. A difficult line for which Langdon proposes the translation: "Another axe seemed his visage"!!--which may be picturesque, but hardly a description befitting a hero. How can a man's face seem to be an axe? Langdon attaches _sá-ni_ in the sense of "second" to the preceding word "axe," whereas _sanî bunusu_, "change of his countenance" or "his countenance being changed," is to be taken as a phrase to convey the idea of "being disturbed," "displeased" or "angry." The phrase is of the same kind as the well-known _sunnu têmu_, "changing of reason," to denote "insanity." See the passages in Muss-Arnolt, _Assyrian Dictionary_, pp. 355 and 1068. In Hebrew, too, we have the same two phrases, e.g., VAYESANOV 'ETTA`EMOV (I Sam. 21, 14 = Ps. 34, 1), "and he changed his reason," i.e., feigned insanity and MESANEH PONOYV (Job 14, 20), "changing his face," to indicate a radical alteration in the frame of mind. There is a still closer parallel in Biblical Aramaic: Dan. 3, 19, "The form of his visage was changed," meaning "he was enraged." Fortunately, the same phrase occurs also in the Yale tablet (l. 192), _sá-nu-ú bu-nu-sú_, in a connection which leaves no doubt that the aroused fury of the tyrant Huwawa is described by it:

"Huwawa heard and his face was changed"

precisely, therefore, as we should say--following Biblical usage--"his countenance fell." Cf. also the phrase _pânusu arpu_, "his countenance was darkened" (Assyrian version I, 2, 48), to express "anger." The line, therefore, in the Pennsylvania tablet must describe Enkidu's anger. With the brandishing of the axe the hero's anger was also stirred up. The touch was added to prepare us for the continuation in which Gish describes how, despite this (or perhaps just because of it), Enkidu seemed so attractive that Gish instantly fell in love with him. May perhaps the emphatic form _hasinumma_ (line 31) against _hasinu_ (line 29) have been used to indicate "The axe it was," or "because of the axe?" It would be worth while to examine other texts of the Hammurabi period with a view of determining the scope in the use and meaning of the emphatic _ma_ when added to a substantive.

Line 32. The combination _amur ù ahtadu_ occurs also in the El-Amarna Letters, No. 18, 12.

Line 34. In view of the common Hebrew, Syriac and Arabic Hobab "to love," it seems preferable to read here, as in the other passages in the Assyrian versions (I, 4, 15; 4, 35; 6, 27, etc.), _a-ha-ab-bu-ub_, _ah-bu-ub_, _ih-bu-bu_, etc. (instead of with _p_), and to render "embrace."

Lines 38-40, completing the column, may be supplied from the Assyrian version I, 6, 30-32, in conjunction with lines 33-34 of our text. The beginning of line 32 in Jensen's version is therefore to be filled out _[ta-ra-am-sú ki]-i_.

Line 43. The restoration at the beginning of this line

_En-ki-[du wa]-si-ib ma-har ha-ri-im-tim_

enables us to restore also the beginning of the second tablet of the Assyrian version (cf. the colophon of the fragment 81, 7-27, 93, in Jeremias, _Izdubar-Nimrod_, plate IV = Jensen, p. 134),

_[d_En-ki-du wa-si-ib] ma-har-sá.

Line 44. The restoration of this line is largely conjectural, based on the supposition that its contents correspond in a general way to I, 4, 16, of the Assyrian version. The reading _di-da_ is quite certain, as is also _ip-ti-[e]_; and since both words occur in the line of the Assyrian version in question, it is tempting to supply at the beginning _ur-[sá]_ = "her loins" (cf. Holma, _Namen der Körperteile_, etc., p. 101), which is likewise found in the same line of the Assyrian version. At all events the line describes the fascination exercised upon Enkidu by the woman's bodily charms, which make him forget everything else.

Lines 46-47 form a parallel to I, 4, 21, of the Assyrian version. The form _samkatu_, "courtesan," is constant in the old Babylonian version (ll. 135 and 172), as against _samhatu_ in the Assyrian version (I, 3, 19, 40, 45; 4, 16), which also uses the plural _sam-ha-a-ti_ (II, 3b, 40). The interchange between _h_ and _k_ is not without precedent (cf. Meissner, _Altbabylonisches Privatrecht_, page 107, note 2, and more particularly Chiera, _List of Personal Names_, page 37).

In view of the evidence, set forth in the Introduction, for the assumption that the Enkidu story has been combined with a tale of the evolution of primitive man to civilized life, it is reasonable to suggest that in the original Enkidu story the female companion was called _samkatu_, "courtesan," whereas in the tale of the primitive man, which was transferred to Enkidu, the associate was _harimtu_, a "woman," just as in the Genesis tale, the companion of Adam is simply called _ishshâ_, "woman." Note that in the Assyrian parallel (Tablet I, 4, 26) we have two readings, _ir-hi_ (imperf.) and a variant _i-ri-hi_ (present). The former is the better reading, as our tablet shows.

Lines 49-59 run parallel to the Assyrian version I, 4, 33-38, with slight variations which have been discussed above, p. 58, and from which we may conclude that the Assyrian version represents an independent redaction. Since in our tablet we have presumably the repetition of what may have been in part at least set forth in the first tablet of the old Babylonian version, we must not press the parallelism with the first tablet of the Assyrian version too far; but it is noticeable nevertheless (1) that our tablet contains lines 57-58 which are not represented in the Assyrian version, and (2) that the second speech of the "woman" beginning, line 62, with _al-ka_, "come" (just as the first speech, line 54), is likewise not found in the first tablet of the Assyrian version; which on the other hand contains a line (39) not in the Babylonian version, besides the detailed answer of Enkidu (I 4, 42-5, 5). Line 6, which reads "Enkidu and the woman went (_il-li-ku_) to walled Erech," is also not found in the second tablet of the old Babylonian version.

Line 63. For _magrû_, "accursed," see the frequent use in Astrological texts (Jastrow, _Religion Babyloniens und Assyriens_ II, page 450, note 2). Langdon, by his strange error in separating _ma-a-ag-ri-im_ into two words _ma-a-ak_ and _ri-i-im_, with a still stranger rendering: "unto the place yonder of the shepherds!!", naturally misses the point of this important speech.

Line 64 corresponds to I, 4, 40, of the Assyrian version, which has an additional line, leading to the answer of Enkidu. From here on, our tablet furnishes material not represented in the Assyrian version, but which was no doubt included in the second tablet of that version of which we have only a few fragments.

Line 70 must be interpreted as indicating that the woman kept one garment for herself. _Ittalbas_ would accordingly mean, "she kept on." The female dress appears to have consisted of an upper and a lower garment.

Line 72. The restoration "like a god" is favored by line 51, where Enkidu is likened to a god, and is further confirmed by l. 190.

Line 73. _gupru_ is identical with _gu-up-ri_ (Thompson, _Reports of the Magicians and Astrologers_, etc., 223 rev. 2 and 223a rev. 8), and must be correlated to _gipâru_ (Muss-Arnolt, _Assyrian Dictionary_, p. 229a), "planted field," "meadow," and the like. Thompson's translation "men" (as though a synonym of _gabru_) is to be corrected accordingly.

Line 74. There is nothing missing between _a-sar_ and _tar-ba-si-im_.

Line 75. _ri-ia-ú_, which Langdon renders "shepherd," is the equivalent of the Arabic _ri'y_ and Hebrew RE`IY "pasturage," "fodder." We have usually the feminine form _ri-i-tu_ (Muss-Arnolt, _Assyrian Dictionary_, p. 990b). The break at the end of the second column is not serious. Evidently Enkidu, still accustomed to live like an animal, is first led to the sheepfolds, and this suggests a repetition of the description of his former life. Of the four or five lines missing, we may conjecturally restore four, on the basis of the Assyrian version, Tablet I, 4, 2-5, or I, 2, 39-41. This would then join on well to the beginning of column 3.

Line 81. Both here and in l. 52 our text has _na-ma-ás-te-e_, as against _nam-mas-si-i_ in the Assyrian version, e.g., Tablet I, 2, 41; 4, 5, etc.,--the feminine form, therefore, as against the masculine. Langdon's note 3 on page 213 is misleading. In astrological texts we also find _nam-mas-te_; e.g., Thompson, _Reports of the Magicians and Astrologers_, etc., No. 200, Obv. 2.

Line 93. _zi-ma-at_ (for _simat_) _ba-la-ti-im_ is not "conformity of life" as Langdon renders, but that which "belongs to life" like _si-mat pag-ri-sá_, "belonging to her body," in the Assyrian version III, 2a, 3 (Jensen, page 146). "Food," says the woman, "is the staff of life."

Line 94. Langdon's strange rendering "of the conditions and fate of the land" rests upon an erroneous reading (see the corrections, Appendix I), which is the more inexcusable because in line 97 the same ideogram, Kàs = _sikaru_, "wine," occurs, and is correctly rendered by him. _Simti mâti_ is not the "fate of the land," but the "fixed custom of the land."

Line 98. _as-sa-mi-im_ (plural of _assamu_), which Langdon takes as an adverb in the sense of "times," is a well-known word for a large "goblet," which occurs in Incantation texts, e.g., _CT_ XVI, 24, obv. 1, 19, _mê a-sa-am-mi-e sú-puk_, "pour out goblets of water." Line 18 of the passage shoves that _asammu_ is a Sumerian loan word.

Line 99. _it-tap-sar_, I, 2, from _pasâru_, "loosen." In combination with _kabtatum_ (from _kabitatum_, yielding two forms: _kabtatum_, by elision of _i_, and _kabittu_, by elision of _a_), "liver," _pasâru_ has the force of becoming cheerful. Cf. _ka-bit-ta-ki lip-pa-sir_ (_ZA_ V., p. 67, line 14).

Line 100, note the customary combination of "liver" (_kabtatum_) and "heart" (_libbu_) for "disposition" and "mind," just as in the standing phrase in penitential prayers: "May thy liver be appeased, thy heart be quieted."

Line 102. The restoration [lùSÚ]-I = _gallabu_ "barber" (Delitzsch, _Sumer. Glossar_, p. 267) was suggested to me by Dr. H. F. Lutz. The ideographic writing "raising the hand" is interesting as recalling the gesture of shaving or cutting. Cf. a reference to a barber in Lutz, _Early Babylonian Letters from Larsa_, No. 109, 6.

Line 103. Langdon has correctly rendered _suhuru_ as "hair," and has seen that we have here a loan-word from the Sumerian Suhur = _kimmatu_, "hair," according to the Syllabary Sb 357 (cf. Delitzsch, _Sumer. Glossar._, p. 253). For _kimmatu_, "hair," more specifically hair of the head and face, see Holma, _Namen der Körperteile_, page 3. The same sign Suhur or Suh (Brünnow No. 8615), with Lal, i.e., "hanging hair," designates the "beard" (_ziknu_, cf. Brünnow, No. 8620, and Holma, l. c., p. 36), and it is interesting to note that we have _suhuru_ (introduced as a loan-word) for the barbershop, according to II R, 21, 27c (= _CT_ XII, 41).

Ê suhur(ra) (i.e., house of the hair) = _sú-hu-ru_.

In view of all this, we may regard as assured Holma's conjecture to read _sú-[hur-ma-sú]_ in the list 93074 obv. (_MVAG_ 1904, p. 203; and Holma, _Beiträge z. Assyr. Lexikon_, p. 36), as the Akkadian equivalent to Suhur-Mas-Ha and the name of a fish, so called because it appeared to have a double "beard" (cf. Holma, _Namen der Körperteile_). One is tempted, furthermore, to see in the difficult word SKYRH (Isaiah 7, 20) a loan-word from our _suhuru_, and to take the words 'ETHORO'S VESA`AR HORAGELAYIM "the head and hair of the feet" (euphemistic for the hair around the privates), as an explanatory gloss to the rare word Skyrh for "hair" of the body in general--just as in the passage in the Pennsylvania tablet. The verse in Isaiah would then read, "The Lord on that day will shave with the razor the hair (HSKYRH), and even the beard will be removed." The rest of the verse would represent a series of explanatory glosses: (a) "Beyond the river" (i.e., Assyria), a gloss to YEGALAH (b) "with the king of Assyria," a gloss to BETA`AR "with a razor;" and (c) "the hair of the head and hair of the feet," a gloss to HSKYRH. For "hair of the feet" we have an interesting equivalent in Babylonian _su-hur_ (and _sú-hu-ur_) _sêpi_ (_CT_ XII, 41, 23-24 c-d). Cf. also Boissier, _Documents Assyriens relatifs aux Présages_, p. 258, 4-5. The Babylonian phrase is like the Hebrew one to be interpreted as a euphemism for the hair around the male or female organ. To be sure, the change from H to K in HSKYRH constitutes an objection, but not a serious one in the case of a loan-word, which would aim to give the _pronunciation_ of the original word, rather than the correct etymological equivalent. The writing with aspirated K fulfills this condition. (Cf. _samkatum_ and _samhatum_, above p. 73). The passage in Isaiah being a reference to Assyria, the prophet might be tempted to use a foreign word to make his point more emphatic. To take HSKYRH as "hired," as has hitherto been done, and to translate "with a hired razor," is not only to suppose a very wooden metaphor, but is grammatically difficult, since HSKYRH would be a feminine adjective attached to a masculine substantive.

Coming back to our passage in the Pennsylvania tablet, it is to be noted that Enkidu is described as covered "all over his body with hair" (Assyrian version, Tablet I, 2, 36) like an animal. To convert him into a civilized man, the hair is removed.

Line 107. _mutu_ does not mean "husband" here, as Langdon supposes, but must be taken as in l. 238 in the more general sense of "man," for which there is good evidence.

Line 109. _la-bi_ (plural form) are "lions"--not "panthers" as Langdon has it. The verb _ú-gi-ir-ri_ is from _gâru_, "to attack." Langdon by separating _ú_ from _gi-ir-ri_ gets a totally wrong and indeed absurd meaning. See the corrections in the Appendix. He takes the sign _ú_ for the copula (!!) which of course is impossible.

Line 110. Read _us-sa-ak-pu_, III, 1, of _sakâpu_, which is frequently used for "lying down" and is in fact a synonym of _salâlu_. See Muss-Arnolt, _Assyrian Dictionary_, page 758a. The original has very clearly Síb (= _rê'u_, "shepherd") with the plural sign. The "shepherds of the night," who could now rest since Enkidu had killed the lions, are of course the shepherds who were accustomed to watch the flocks during the night.

Line 111. _ut-tap-pi-is_ is II, 2, _napâsu_, "to make a hole," hence "to plunge" in connection with a weapon. _Sib-ba-ri_ is, of course, not "mountain goats," as Langdon renders, but a by-form to _sibbiru_, "stick," and designates some special weapon. Since on seal cylinders depicting Enkidu killing lions and other animals the hero is armed with a dagger, this is presumably the weapon _sibbaru_.

Line 113. Langdon's translation is again out of the question and purely fanciful. The traces favor the restoration _na-ki-[di-e]_, "shepherds," and since the line appears to be a parallel to line 110, I venture to suggest at the beginning _[it-ti]-lu_ from _na'âlu_, "lie down"--a synonym, therefore, to _sakâpu_ in line 110. The shepherds can sleep quietly after Enkidu has become the "guardian" of the flocks. In the Assyrian version (tablet II, 3a, 4) Enkidu is called a _na-kid_, "shepherd," and in the preceding line we likewise have lùNa-Kid with the plural sign, i.e., "shepherds." This would point to _nakidu_ being a Sumerian loan-word, unless it is _vice versa_, a word that has gone over into the Sumerian from Akkadian. Is perhaps the fragment in question (K 8574) in the Assyrian version (Haupt's ed. No. 25) the _parallel_ to our passage? If in line 4 of this fragment we could read _sú_ for _sa_, i.e., _na-kid-sú-nu_, "their shepherd, we would have a parallel to line 114 of the Pennsylvania tablet, with _na-kid_ as a synonym to _massaru_, "protector." The preceding line would then be completed as follows:

_[it-ti-lu]-nim-ma na-kidmes_ [ra-bu-tum]

(or perhaps only _it-ti-lu-ma_, since the _nim_ is not certain) and would correspond to line 113 of the Pennsylvania tablet. Inasmuch as the writing on the tiny fragment is very much blurred, it is quite possible that in line 2 we must read _sib-ba-ri_ (instead of _bar-ba-ri_), which would furnish a parallel to line 111 of the Pennsylvania tablet. The difference between Bar and Sib is slight, and the one sign might easily be mistaken for the other in the case of close writing. The continuation of line 2 of the fragment would then correspond to line 112 of the Pennsylvania tablet, while line 1 of the fragment might be completed _[re-e]-u-ti(?) sá [mu-si-a-tim]_, though this is by no means certain.

The break at the close of column 3 (about 5 lines) and the top of column 4 (about 8 lines) is a most serious interruption in the narrative, and makes it difficult to pick up the thread where the tablet again becomes readable. We cannot be certain whether the "strong man, the unique hero" who addresses some one (lines 115-117) is Enkidu or Gish or some other personage, but presumably Gish is meant. In the Assyrian version, Tablet I, 3, 2 and 29, we find Gilgamesh described as the "unique hero" and in l. 234 of the Pennsylvania tablet Gish is called "unique," while again, in the Assyrian version, Tablet I, 2, 15 and 26, he is designated as _gasru_ as in our text. Assuming this, whom does he address? Perhaps the shepherds? In either case he receives an answer that rejoices him. If the fragment of the Assyrian version (K 8574) above discussed is the equivalent to the close of column 3 of the Pennsylvania tablet, we may go one step further, and with some measure of assurance assume that Gish is told of Enkidu's exploits and that the latter is approaching Erech. This pleases Gish, but Enkidu when he sees Gish(?) is stirred to anger and wants to annihilate him. At this point, the "man" (who is probably Gish, though the possibility of a third personage must be admitted) intervenes and in a long speech sets forth the destiny and higher aims of mankind. The contrast between Enkidu and Gish (or the third party) is that between the primitive savage and the civilized being. The contrast is put in the form of an opposition between the two. The primitive man is the stronger and wishes to destroy the one whom he regards as a natural foe and rival. On the other hand, the one who stands on a higher plane wants to lift his fellow up. The whole of column 4, therefore, forms part of the lesson attached to the story of Enkidu, who, identified with man in a primitive stage, is made the medium of illustrating how the higher plane is reached through the guiding influences of the woman's hold on man, an influence exercised, to be sure, with the help of her bodily charms.

Line 135. _uk-ki-si_ (imperative form) does not mean "take away," as Langdon (who entirely misses the point of the whole passage) renders, but on the contrary, "lure him on," "entrap him," and the like. The verb occurs also in the Yale tablet, ll. 183 and 186.

Line 137. Langdon's note to _lu-us-sú_ had better be passed over in silence. The form is II. 1, from _esû_, "destroy."

Line 139. Since the man whom the woman calls approaches Enkidu, the subject of both verbs is the man, and the object is Enkidu; i.e., therefore, "The man approaches Enkidu and beholds him."

Line 140. Langdon's interpretation of this line again is purely fanciful. _E-di-il_ cannot, of course, be a "phonetic variant" of _edir_; and certainly the line does not describe the state of mind of the woman. Lines 140-141 are to be taken as an expression of amazement at Enkidu's appearance. The first word appears to be an imperative in the sense of "Be off," "Away," from _dâlu_, "move, roam." The second word _e-es_, "why," occurs with the same verb _dâlu_ in the Meissner fragment: _e-es ta-da-al_ (column 3, 1), "why dost thou roam about?" The verb at the end of the line may perhaps be completed to _ta-hi-il-la-am_. The last sign appears to be _am_, but may be _ma_, in which case we should have to complete simply _ta-hi-il-ma_. _Tahîl_ would be the second person present of _hîlu_. Cf. _i-hi-il_, frequently in astrological texts, e.g., Virolleaud, _Adad_ No. 3, lines 21 and 33.

Line 141. The reading _lim-nu_ at the beginning, instead of Langdon's _mi-nu_, is quite certain, as is also _ma-na-ah-ti-ka_ instead of what Langdon proposes, which gives no sense whatever. _Manahtu_ in the sense of the "toil" and "activity of life" (like `OMOL throughout the Book of Ecclesiastes) occurs in the introductory lines to the Assyrian version of the Epic I, 1, 8, _ka-lu ma-na-ah-ti-[su]_, "all of his toil," i.e., all of his career.

Line 142. The subject of the verb cannot be the woman, as Langdon supposes, for the text in that case, e.g., line 49, would have said _pi-sá_ ("her mouth") not _pi-sú_ ("his mouth"). The long speech, detailing the function and destiny of civilized man, is placed in the mouth of the man who meets Enkidu.

In the Introduction it has been pointed out that lines 149 and 151 of the speech appear to be due to later modifications of the speech designed to connect the episode with Gish. Assuming this to be the case, the speech sets forth the following five distinct aims of human life: (1) establishing a home (line 144), (2) work (line 147), (3) storing up resources (line 148), (4) marriage (line 150), (5) monogamy (line 154); all of which is put down as established for all time by divine decree (lines 155-157), and as man's fate from his birth (lines 158-159).

Line 144. _bi-ti-is e-mu-ti_ is for _bîti sá e-mu-ti_, just as _kab-lu-us Ti-a-ma-ti_ (Assyrian Creation Myth, IV, 65) stands for _kablu sá Tiamti_. Cf. _bît e-mu-ti_ (Assyrian version, IV, 2, 46 and 48). The end of the line is lost beyond recovery, but the general sense is clear.

Line 146. _tu-a-ar_ is a possible reading. It may be the construct of _tu-a-ru_, of frequent occurrence in legal texts and having some such meaning as "right," "claim" or "prerogative." See the passages given by Muss-Arnolt, _Assyrian Dictionary_, p. 1139b.

Line 148. The reading _uk-la-at_, "food," and then in the wider sense "food supply," "provisions," is quite certain. The fourth sign looks like the one for "city." _E-mi-sa_ may stand for _e-mid-sa_, "place it." The general sense of the line, at all events, is clear, as giving the advice to gather resources. It fits in with the Babylonian outlook on life to regard work and wealth as the fruits of work and as a proper purpose in life.

Line 150 (repeated lines 152-153) is a puzzling line. To render _piti pûk epsi_ (or _episi_), as Langdon proposes, "open, addressing thy speech," is philologically and in every other respect inadmissible. The word _pu-uk_ (which Langdon takes for "thy mouth"!!) can, of course, be nothing but the construct form of _pukku_, which occurs in the Assyrian version in the sense of "net" (_pu-uk-ku_ I, 2, 9 and 21, and also in the colophon to the eleventh tablet furnishing the beginning of the twelfth tablet (Haupt's edition No. 56), as well as in column 2, 29, and column 3, 6, of this twelfth tablet). In the two last named passages _pukku_ is a synonym of _mekû_, which from the general meaning of "enclosure" comes to be a euphemistic expression for the female organ. So, for example, in the Assyrian Creation Myth, Tablet IV, 66 (synonym of _kablu_, "waist," etc.). See Holma, _Namen der Körperteile_, page 158. Our word _pukku_ must be taken in this same sense as a designation of the female organ--perhaps more specifically the "hymen" as the "net," though the womb in general might also be designated as a "net" or "enclosure." _Kak-(si)_ is no doubt to be read _epsi_, as Langdon correctly saw; or perhaps better, _episi_. An expression like _ip-si-sú lul-la-a_ (Assyrian version, I, 4, 13; also line 19, _i-pu-us-su-ma lul-la-a_), with the explanation _sipir zinnisti_, "the work of woman" (i.e., after the fashion of woman), shows that _epêsu_ is used in connection with the sexual act. The phrase _pitî pûk episi a-na ha-a-a-ri_, literally "open the net, perform the act for marriage," therefore designates the fulfillment of the marriage act, and the line is intended to point to marriage with the accompanying sexual intercourse as one of the duties of man. While the general meaning is thus clear, the introduction of Gish is puzzling, except on the supposition that lines 149 and 151 represent later additions to connect the speech, detailing the advance to civilized life, with the hero. See above, p. 45 _seq._

Line 154. _assat simâtim_ is the "legitimate wife," and the line inculcates monogamy as against promiscuous sexual intercourse. We know that monogamy was the rule in Babylonia, though a man could in addition to the wife recognized as the legalized spouse take a concubine, or his wife could give her husband a slave as a concubine. Even in that case, according to the Hammurabi Code, §§145-146, the wife retained her status. The Code throughout assumes that a man has only _one_ wife--the _assat simâtim_ of our text. The phrase "so" (or "that") before "as afterwards" is to be taken as an idiomatic expression--"so it was and so it should be for all times"--somewhat like the phrase _mahriam ù arkiam_, "for all times," in legal documents (_CT_ VIII, 38c, 22-23). For the use of _mûk_ see Behrens, _Assyrisch-Babylonische Briefe_, p. 3.

Line 158. _i-na bi-ti-ik a-bu-un-na-ti-sú_. Another puzzling line, for which Langdon proposes "in the work of his presence," which is as obscure as the original. In a note he says that _apunnâti_ means "nostrils," which is certainly wrong. There has been considerable discussion about this term (see Holma, _Namen der Körperteile_, pages 150 and 157), the meaning of which has been advanced by Christian's discussion in _OLZ_ 1914, p. 397. From this it appears that it must designate a part of the body which could acquire a wider significance so as to be used as a synonym for "totality," since it appears in a list of equivalent for Dur = _nap-ha-ru_, "totality," _ka-lu-ma_, "all," _a-bu-un-na-tum e-si-im-tum_, "bony structure," and _kul-la-tum_, "totality" (_CT_ XII, 10, 7-10). Christian shows that it may be the "navel," which could well acquire a wider significance for the body in general; but we may go a step further and specify the "umbilical cord" (tentatively suggested also by Christian) as the primary meaning, then the "navel," and from this the "body" in general. The structure of the umbilical cord as a series of strands would account for designating it by a plural form _abunnâti_, as also for the fact that one could speak of a right and left side of the _appunnâti_. To distinguish between the "umbilical cord" and the "navel," the ideograph Dur (the common meaning of which is _riksu_, "bond" [Delitzsch, _Sumer. Glossar._, p. 150]), was used for the former, while for the latter Li Dur was employed, though the reading in Akkadian in both cases was the same. The expression "with (or at) the cutting of his umbilical cord" would mean, therefore, "from his birth"--since the cutting of the cord which united the child with the mother marks the beginning of the separate life. Lines 158-159, therefore, in concluding the address to Enkidu, emphasize in a picturesque way that what has been set forth is man's fate for which he has been destined from birth. [See now Albright's remarks on _abunnatu_ in the Revue d'Assyriologie 16, pp. 173-175, with whose conclusion, however, that it means primarily "backbone" and then "stature," I cannot agree.]

In the break of about three lines at the bottom of column 4, and of about six at the beginning of column 5, there must have been set forth the effect of the address on Enkidu and the indication of his readiness to accept the advice; as in a former passage (line 64), Enkidu showed himself willing to follow the woman. At all events the two now proceed to the heart of the city. Enkidu is in front and the woman behind him. The scene up to this point must have taken place outside of Erech--in the suburbs or approaches to the city, where the meadows and the sheepfolds were situated.

Line 174. _um-ma-nu-um_ are not the "artisans," as Langdon supposes, but the "people" of Erech, just as in the Assyrian version, Tablet IV, 1, 40, where the word occurs in connection with _i-dip-pi-ir_, which is perhaps to be taken as a synonym of _pahâru_, "gather;" so also _i-dip-pir_ (Tablet I, 2, 40) "gathers with the flock."

Lines 180-182 must have contained the description of Enkidu's resemblance to Gish, but the lines are too mutilated to permit of any certain restoration. See the corrections (Appendix) for a suggested reading for the end of line 181.

Line 183 can be restored with considerable probability on the basis of the Assyrian version, Tablet I, 3, 3 and 30, where Enkidu is described as one "whose power is strong in the land."

Lines 186-187. The puzzling word, to be read apparently _kak-ki-a-tum_, can hardly mean "weapons," as Langdon proposes. In that case we should expect _kakkê_; and, moreover, to so render gives no sense, especially since the verb _ú-te-el-li-lu_ is without much question to be rendered "rejoiced," and not "purified." _Kakkiatum_--if this be the correct reading--may be a designation of Erech like _ribîtim_.

Lines 188-189 are again entirely misunderstood by Langdon, owing to erroneous readings. See the corrections in the Appendix.

Line 190. _i-li-im_ in this line is used like Hebrew Elohîm, "God."

Line 191. _sakissum_ = _sakin-sum_, as correctly explained by Langdon.

Line 192. With this line a new episode begins which, owing to the gap at the beginning of column 6, is somewhat obscure. The episode leads to the hostile encounter between Gish and Enkidu. It is referred to in column 2 of the fourth tablet of the Assyrian version. Lines 35-50--all that is preserved of this column--form in part a parallel to columns 5-6 of the Pennsylvania tablet, but in much briefer form, since what on the Pennsylvania tablet is the incident itself is on the fourth tablet of the Assyrian version merely a repeated summary of the relationship between the two heroes, leading up to the expedition against Hu(m)baba. Lines 38-40 of column 2 of the Assyrian version correspond to lines 174-177 of the Pennsylvania tablet, and lines 44-50 to lines 192-221. It would seem that Gish proceeds stealthily at night to go to the goddess Ishhara, who lies on a couch in the _bît êmuti_ , the "family house" Assyrian version, Tablet IV, 2. 46-48). He encounters Enkidu in the street, and the latter blocks Gish's path, puts his foot in the gate leading to the house where the goddess is, and thus prevents Gish from entering. Thereupon the two have a fierce encounter in which Gish is worsted. The meaning of the episode itself is not clear. Does Enkidu propose to deprive Gish, here viewed as a god (cf. line 190 of the Pennsylvania tablet = Assyrian version, Tablet I, 4, 45, "like a god"), of his spouse, the goddess Ishhara--another form of Ishtar? Or are the two heroes, the one a counterpart of the other, contesting for the possession of a goddess? Is it in this scene that Enkidu becomes the "rival" (_me-ih-rù_, line 191 of the Pennsylvania tablet) of the divine Gish? We must content ourself with having obtained through the Pennsylvania tablet a clearer indication of the occasion of the fight between the two heroes, and leave the further explanation of the episode till a fortunate chance may throw additional light upon it. There is perhaps a reference to the episode in the Assyrian version, Tablet II, 3b, 35-36.

Line 196. For _i-na-ag-sá-am_ (from _nagâsu_), Langdon proposes the purely fanciful "embracing her in sleep," whereas it clearly means "he approaches." Cf. Muss-Arnolt, _Assyrian Dictionary_, page 645a.