Gilgameš and the bull of heaven

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 319 sections

head
A version of unknown provenance, supplemented from Nibru mss.
v1.A.1
šul !-ka šul ⌈me3⌉-[ka en-du-ni ga-an-dug4]
I will sing the song of the man of battle, the man of battle. I will sing the song of Lord Gilgameš, the man of battle, I will sing the song of him with the well-proportioned limbs, the man of battle. I will sing the song of the mighty …… lord, the man of battle.
v1.A.2
en {d}gilgameš2 [šul me3-ka en-du-ni ga-an-dug4]
v1.A.3
a2-⌈ur2 sag9⌉-sag9 šul me3-⌈ka⌉ [en-du-ni ga-an-dug4]
v1.A.4
en TUR ⌈kalag⌉-kalag-ga šul me3-ka en-⌈du⌉-[ni ga-an-dug4]
v1.A.5
en {na4}su11 ku10-[ku10 šul me3-ka en-du-ni ga-an-dug4]
I will sing the song of the lord with the very black beard, the man of battle. I will sing the song of …… athletic strength, the man of battle. …… the king, the man ……; my king ……, my lord …… garden ……. …… courtyard, …… ĝipar; …… his mother who bore him spoke to the lord: My king …… in the river, my lord …… your garden.(2 lines unclear) (unknown no. of lines missing)
v1.A.6
ĝešpu2 lirum [X] X [… šul me3-ka en-du-ni ga-an-dug4]
v1.A.7
lugal ! ? X […]
v1.A.8
lugal-ĝu10 X X X […]
v1.A.9
en-ĝu10 {ĝiš}⌈kiri6 {ĝiš}?-?⌉-[lum …]
v1.A.10
kisal X X [X] ? X […]
v1.A.11
⌈?-?⌉ […]
v1.A.A
[X X (X)] en-e ama ugu-ni gu3 mu-[na-de2]
v1.A.B
[lugal-ĝu10] id2-da ed3 NI saḫar šu X […]
v1.A.C
[en-ĝu10] {ĝiš}kiri6-zu ed3 NI X […]
v1.A.D
[…] ⌈?-?⌉ BURU14-ni […]
v1.A.E
[…] X ⌈IM⌉ X […]
gap
(unknown no. of lines missing)
v1.B.1
[…] X X […]
In the great courtyard, without there being any combat, a man ……. She perceived the canopy, the canopy ……, holy Inana perceived the canopy, from the palace of the abzu, she perceived the canopy ……:
v1.B.2
[X X] ⌈NE⌉ kisal X […]
v1.B.3
[kisal] ⌈maḫ⌉-a me3 nu-me-a ⌈lu2⌉ […]
v1.B.4
[X X] e2-la2-e e2-la2-e igi mu-un-[…]
v1.B.5
⌈kug⌉ {d}inana-ke4 e2-la2-e ⌈igi mu-un⌉-[…]
v1.B.6
e2-gal abzu-ta e2-la2-? […] igi mu-un-ba-[…]
v1.B.7
am-ĝu10 lu2-ĝu10 ME.EN.NE.EN šu nu-ri-bar-re
My wild bull, my …… man, I shall not let you go! Lord Gilgameš, my wild bull, my …… man, I shall not let you go! I shall not let you go to dispense justice in the E-ana! I shall not let you go to pronounce verdicts in my holy ĝipar! I shall not let you go to dispense justice in the E-ana beloved by An! Gilgameš, may you be ……, may you be ……!
v1.B.8
en {d}gilgameš2 am-ĝu10 lu2-ĝu10 NE šu nu-ri-bar-re
v1.B.9
e2-an-na-ka di kud-de3 šu nu-ri-bar-re
v1.B.10
ĝi6-par4 kug-ĝa2 ka-aš bar-re šu nu-ri-bar-re
v1.B.11
e2-an-na an-ne2 ki aĝ2 di kud-de3 šu nu-ri-bar-re
v1.B.12
{d}gilgameš2 za-e u3-NE ḫe2-me-en za-e ? ḫe2-?
v1.B.13
niĝ2-ba {d}inana ĝi6-par4-zu-še3 nam-ba-ni-ku4-ku4
(Gilgameš speaks:) I shall certainly not try to take over the portion of Inana in your ĝipar. Ninegala will not …… because of my valorous strength. But Inana, lady, don't you block my way, either! My wish is to catch (?) mountain bulls, to fill the cow-pens. I wish to catch (?) mountain sheep, to fill the sheepfolds. I wish to …… silver and cornelian.
v1.B.14
{d}nin-e2-gal a2 nam-ur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4-eš2 nam-bi-?-X
v1.B.15
{d}inana ? e-sir2-ĝu10 za-e nam-ba-<ni>-in-TAR
v1.B.16
gud kur-ra ga-an-dug4 tur3-ba [ga]-⌈am3⌉-mi-ib-si
v1.B.17
udu kur-ra ga-an-dug4 amaš-ba [ga]-⌈am3⌉-mi-ib-si
v1.B.18
kug {na4}gug ?-ĝar i-sur-sur-me-eš ? ? ? ?-X-X
v1.B.19
[in]-nin9-e gu3 ba-an-de2 KA-ni ba-an-pa-an
The queen spoke with a snort; Inana spoke with a snort: …… say to you. …… say to you. ……, Gilgameš. (7 lines fragmentary)
v1.B.20
[{d}inana-ke4] ⌈gu3 ba⌉-[de2] KA-ni ba-an-pa-an
v1.B.21
[…] X NE ? ? za-e ? i-ra-an-dug4
v1.B.22
[…] X NE ? ? za-ra ma-ra-an-dug4
v1.B.23
[…] X-gin7 nu-? {d}gilgameš2
v1.B.24
[…] X [X] X X
v1.B.25
[…] ⌈?⌉ [X] X
v1.B.26
[…] X X ? ? X X X X NE
v1.B.27
[…] ? X tug2-da-a
v1.B.28
[…] ⌈?⌉ ib-ta-ni-in-ĝar
v1.B.29
X […]
v1.B.30
X […]
v1.B.31
⌈šag4-?⌉ […]
(An speaks:) Its entrails (?)……. Its hide ……. Its blood ……. (1 line fragmentary) Inana, it will muddy the waters; it will …… cowpats. My one beloved by An, …….
v1.B.32
kuš-bi […]
v1.B.33
uš2-bi X X […]
v1.B.34
[…] ⌈bi2-?⌉-[…]
v1.B.35
{d}inana-ke4 a ši-im-lu-lu šurum i3-X [X (X)]
v1.B.36
an-ne2 ki aĝ2-ĝu10 SU na-ba-[…]
v1.B.37
gi-dur im-ma-ni-in-dab5 ⌈an⌉ […]
He let her hold the leash; An ……. My child, who does it belong to? My child, what use would it be? It will stir up the waters, it will leave …… cowpats ……! If the great bull is let loose, …… Unug! If the great bull is let loose against Gilgameš, …… Unug! I will not give her that which bears my own name.
v1.B.38
lu2-tur-ĝu10 a-ba-kam a-na-[aš]-am3 a ši-lu3-lu3-e ? X šurum […]
v1.B.39
gud gal šu bar-⌈ra⌉ unug{ki}-ga X […]
v1.B.40
gud gal {d}gilgameš2 šu bar-ra unug{ki} ba9-?
v1.B.41
mu ni2-ĝa2 nu-mu-na-ab-ze2-ĝe26
v1.B.42
a ši-im-lu3-lu3-e šurum gur4-gur4-re
(Inana speaks:) Maybe it will muddy the waters, and will leave gigantic cowpats -- but let my father give me the Bull of Heaven, so I can kill the lord, so I can kill the lord, so I can kill the lord, Lord Gilgameš!
v1.B.43
a-a-ĝu10 gud an-na ḫa-ma-ze2-eĝ3-⌈e⌉ […]
v1.B.44
en ga-mu-un-ug5-ga en ga-mu-un-ug5-ga
v1.B.45
en {d}gilgameš2 en ga-mu-un-ug5-ga
v1.B.46
an gal-e kug {d}inana-ke4 mu-na-ni-ib2-gi-?
Great An replied to holy Inana: My child, the Bull of Heaven would not have any pasture, as its pasture is on the horizon. Maiden Inana, the Bull of Heaven can only graze where the sun rises. So I cannot give the Bull of Heaven to you!
v1.B.47
lu2-tur-ĝu10 gud an-na u2-gu7-bi in-nu an-ur2-ra u2-gu7-bi-im
v1.B.48
ki-sikil {d}inana gud an-na ki {d}utu e3-a-še3 u2 im-da-gu7-e
v1.B.49
za-e gud an-na nu-mu-e-da-ab-ze2-eĝ3-en
v1.B.50
kug {d}inana-ke4 ⌈?⌉ mu-na-ni-ib2-gi-gi
Holy Inana replied to him: I shall shout, and make my voice reach heaven and earth!
v1.B.51
ĝe26-e gu3 ba-de2-e-en an ki-še3 a-ba-da-te
v1.B.52
ni2 ba-da-an-te ni2 ba-da-an-te
He was frightened, he was frightened. …… was frightened of Inana. Great An replied to holy Inana: I shall give her the Bull of Heaven. She made her voice reach heaven ……, she made her voice reach earth; she made her voice reach heaven ……, she made her voice reach earth. It covered them like a woollen garment, it was spread over them like a linen garment. …… who could speak to her? …… who could speak to her? …… gave …….
v1.B.52A
X inana ni2 ba-da-an-te
v1.B.53
an gal kug {d}inana-ke4 mu-na-ni-ib2-gi-⌈gi⌉
v1.B.54
gud an-na ḫu-mu-na-ab-ze2-ĝe26
v1.B.a
[…] gu3 an-e ba-te gu3 ki-še3 ba-te
v1.B.b
[…] X X gu3 an-e ba-te gu3 ki-še3 ba-te
v1.B.c
[… tug2]-⌈gin7⌉ im-mi-in-dul gada-gin7 im-mi-in-bur2
v1.B.d
[…] X a-ba-a in-na-an-⌈?⌉ in-na-an-⌈?⌉
v1.B.e
[… a]-⌈ba⌉-a in-na-an-dug4
v1.B.f
[…] šum2
v1.B.55
ki-sikil {d}⌈inana⌉ nam-nitaḫ-gin7 saman za-gin3-na šu ba-ni-in-du8
In masculine fashion, the maiden Inana grasped it by the lapis-lazuli tether. Holy Inana brought the Bull of Heaven out down . At Unug, the Bull devoured the pasture, and drank the water of the river in great slurps. With each slurp it used up one mile of the river, but its thirst was not satisfied. It devoured the pasture and stripped the land bare. It broke up the palm trees of Unug, as it bent them to fit them into its mouth. When it was standing, the Bull submerged Unug. The aura the name of the Bull of Heaven submerged Kulaba.
v1.B.56
kug {d}inana-⌈?⌉ gud an-na an-ta-e3 im-ta-an-ed3
v1.B.57
gud unug{ki}-ga-ke4 u2 mu-gu7-e
v1.B.58
id2 a-ĝi6 uru16 lu-a a i3-na8-na8
v1.B.59
⌈id2⌉ a-ĝi6 uru16 lu-a gaba ? dannana-ta ib2-sa2 šag4-bi nu-si-si
v1.B.60
u2 mu-un-gu7-e ki im-sig9-ge
v1.B.61
{ĝiš}ĝišnimbar unug{ki}-ga al-kud-de3 ka-bi-še3 i3-gur-gur
v1.B.62
gud gub-ba unug{ki}-e im-si
v1.B.63
gud an-na ni2-a-ni mu-ni kul-aba4{ki} im-si
v1.B.64
nar-a-ni […]
His musician ……. As he looked up ……, leaning (?) …… (1 line unclear) Then Lord Gilgameš …… his musician. Gilgameš …… his musician Lugal-gabaĝal. My musician, tune your strings, …… give me a drink, ……. …… bronze …… in your hand ……. His musician ……. …… replied to Lugal-gabaĝal, Lugal-gabaĝal, tune your strings; I wish to have a drink! (Lugal-gabaĝal answers:) …… drink, that is why nothing of yours is important. …… replied to Lugal-gabaĝal. (3 lines unclear) …… drink, lord ……. …… drink, lord ……. (7 lines missing or unclear) …… Unug …….
v1.B.65
igi il2-a-ni […]
v1.B.66
gam-gam-ma-ni […]
v1.B.67
NI ⌈? ?⌉ ? […]
v1.B.67A
ud-ba ⌈?⌉ [{d}gilgameš2 …] ⌈nar⌉-[a-ni …]
v1.B.A
{d}gilgameš2 nar-a-ni lugal-⌈gaba⌉-ĝal2 ⌈?-?⌉-[…]
v1.B.B
nar-ĝu10 sa-zu si-bi2-⌈ib⌉ […] naĝ-i3 […]
v1.B.C
zabar šu-za […] X NI X […]
v1.B.D
nar-a-⌈ni⌉ […] ⌈X⌉ […]
v1.B.E
[…] [lugal]-⌈gaba⌉-ĝal2 […] X X mu-na-ni-ib-gi4-gi4
v1.B.F
[…] [lugal-gaba]-⌈ĝal2⌉ sa-zu si-ni-ib a ga-an-na8-na8-an
v1.B.G
[…] X naĝ-a inim-bi-še3 niĝ2-nam-me-zu nu-ĝal2

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL), Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. Copyright holders: Jeremy Black, Graham Cunningham, Jarle Ebeling, Esther Flückiger-Hawker, Eleanor Robson, Jon Taylor and Gábor Zólyomi. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Source.