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Lugalbanda in the mountain cave

Sumerian literature (ETCSL) · 1 - Narrative and mythological compositions · 512 sections

1. A.1

   [ud ul an ki-ta ba9-ra2-a-ba]

   When in ancient days heaven was separated from earth, when in ancient days that which was fitting ……, when after the ancient harvests …… barley was eaten (?), when boundaries were laid out and borders were fixed, when boundary-stones were placed and inscribed with names, when dykes and canals were purified, when …… wells were dug straight down; when the bed of the Euphrates, the plenteous river of Unug, was opened up, when ……, when ……, when holy An removed ……, when the offices of en and king were famously exercised at Unug, when the sceptre and staff of Kulaba were held high in battle -- in battle, Inana's game; when the black-headed were blessed with long life, in their settled ways and in their ……, when they presented the mountain goats with pounding hooves and the mountain stags beautiful with their antlers to Enmerkar son of Utu --

2. A.2

   […] ⌈ul⌉-e suḫ10 ⌈keše2⌉-[da …]

3. A.3

   […] ⌈?⌉ buru14 ul-e še ⌈KA×X⌉-[(X)]-a-ba

4. A.4

   [… in] ⌈ba⌉-dub-ba ki ba-sur-ra-a-ba

5. A.5

   [(X) na] ⌈ba⌉-du3-a-ba mu ba-sar-ra-a-ba

6. A.6

   [(X)] ⌈eg2⌉ pa5-re šu-luḫ ak-a-ba

7. A.7

   [(X)] ⌈AD⌉-gin7 X pu2 si sa2-sa2-a-ba

8. A.8

   [{id2}]⌈buranuna⌉ id2 ⌈ḫe2⌉-ĝal2-la unug{ki}-ga-⌈ke4⌉ [ki] ⌈in⌉-dar-ra-a-ba

9. A.9

   [(X) X] NUN ? TAB du3-a-ba

10. A.10

    [(X) X] ⌈ḫa⌉-la UL TAB ĝar-ra-ba

11. A.11

    [(X) X] an kug-ga-ke4 in-ze-ze-ra-a-ba

12. A.12

    X [nam]-⌈en⌉ nam-lugal-la-ke4 unug{ki}-ga-ke4 [(X) pa] e3 bi2-in-ak

13. A.13

    ? ⌈?⌉ kul-aba4{ki}-ke4 ⌈me3⌉ saĝ il2-ba

14. A.14

    me3 ešemen {d}inana-ke4

15. A.15

    saĝ gig2 zi su3-ud-⌈ba⌉ mi-ni-ib-dug3-ge-eš-ba

16. A.16

    in-di3-in-di3-ba ⌈zag-eš⌉-zag-eš-ba

17. A.17

    maš2 kur-ra umbin kiĝ2-kiĝ2-ba

18. A.18

    taraḫ kur-ra aškud sag9-sag9-ba

19. A.19

    en-me-er-kar2 dumu {d}utu-ra mu-na-šum2-mu-uš-ba

20. A.20

    ud-ba lugal-e iri{ki}-še3 {ĝiš}mi-tum na-ĝa2-ĝa2

    -- now at that time the king set his mace towards the city, Enmerkar son of Utu prepared an …… expedition against Aratta, the mountain of the holy divine powers. He was going to set off to destroy the rebel land; the lord began a mobilization of his city. The herald made the horn signal sound in all the lands. Now levied Unug took the field with the wise king, indeed levied Kulaba followed Enmerkar. Unug's levy was a flood, Kulaba's levy was a clouded sky. As they covered the ground like heavy fog, the dense dust whirled up by them reached up to heaven. As if to rooks on the best seed, rising up, he called to the people. Each one gave his fellow the sign.

21. A.21

    en-me-er-kar2 dumu {d}utu-ra

22. A.22

    aratta{ki} kur me sikil-la-še3 ḫar-ra-an zu na-an-ĝa2-ĝa2

23. A.23

    !-bal gul-gul-de3 na-an-ĝen

24. A.24

    en-⌈e iri⌉-a-ni zig3-ga14 ba-ni-ĝar

25. A.25

    niĝir kur-kur-ra si gu3 ba-ni-ra

26. A.26

    unug[{ki}] zig3-ga lugal zu ba-ra-ed2-e

27. A.27

    kul-aba4{ki} zig3-ga en-me-kar2-ra ḫe2-us2-e

28. A.28

    unug{ki} zig3-ga-bi a-ma-<ru>-kam

29. A.29

    kul-aba4{ki} zig3-ga-bi an dungu ĝar-ra

30. A.30

    muru9-gin7 ki ḫe2-us2-sa-ba

31. A.31

    ⌈?⌉ peš-peš-bi an-e mu-un-ši-ib-us2

32. A.32

    buru4-dugud{mušen} numun saĝ-še3 zi-zi-i-gin7

33. A.33

    lu2-ulu3 zu-ne na-an-ni-pad3-de3

34. A.34

    šeš šeš-a-ne ĝiškim na-an-ĝa2-ĝa2

35. A.35

    ⌈lugal⌉-bi saĝ-ba du-a-ni

    Their king went at their head, to go at the …… of the army. Enmerkar went at their head, to go at the …… of the army. (2 lines unclear) …… gu-nida emmer-grain to grow abundantly. When took away the whole of Kulaba, like sheep they bent over at the slope of the mountains, …… at the edge of the hills they ran forward like wild bulls. He sought …… at the side -- they recognised the way. He sought …….

36. A.36

    X X X erin2-na-ka di-dam

37. A.37

    ⌈en⌉-[me-er-kar2] ⌈saĝ-ba⌉ du-a-ni

38. A.38

    ⌈lu2⌉ […]-⌈ka⌉ di-dam

39. A.39

    ⌈?⌉ X X X […] ⌈?-sig10⌉-ga-ke4

40. A.40

    ḫur-saĝ SUG nunuz gu2 ⌈?⌉-gun3-e

41. A.41

    gu2-nida-e gu2 me-er-me-er-re-da

42. A.42

    zid-du šag4 kuš2-u3 {d}en-lil2-la2-ke4

43. A.43

    kul-aba4{ki} niĝin2-na-bi im-ma-an-kar-eš-ba

44. A.44

    [X] ⌈kur⌉-ra-ke4 ?-gin7 ba-an-gur-ru-uš

45. A.45

    [X X] ⌈zig3-?⌉ gaba ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4 am-gin7 dub3 bi2-in-ĝal2-⌈le⌉

46. A.46

    [X X] zag-še3 i3-kiĝ2-e ḫar-ra-an i3-zu-ne

47. A.47

    [X X X] X i3-kiĝ2-e ud 5-am3 ba-zal

    Five days passed. On they sixth day they bathed. …… on the seventh day they entered the mountains. When they had crossed over on the paths -- an enormous flood billowing upstream into a lagoon …… , riding on a storm, Utu's son, the good bright metal, stepped down from heaven to the great earth. His head shines with brilliance, the barbed arrows flash past him like lightning; at his side the bronze pointed axe of his emblem shines for him, he strides forward keenly with the pointed axe, like a dog set on consuming a corpse.

48. A.48

    [ud 6-kam-ma]-ka a mu-un-⌈tu5-tu5⌉-uš

49. A.49

    X [X X] ud 7-kam-ma kur-ra ba-an-sun5-ne-eš

50. A.50

    in-di3-in-di3-a bal-bal-⌈e⌉-da-bi

51. A.51

    a-ĝi6 uru16 ambar BULUG gaba gabu2 ru-ru-gu2

52. A.52

    en-bi ulu3-a u5-a-ni

53. A.53

    dumu {d}utu kug-me-a zid

54. A.54

    an-ta ki gal-la gub-ba-am3

55. A.55

    niĝ2 babbar2-ra saĝ mu-na-mu2-mu2

56. A.56

    ti zu2 nim-gin7 mu-na-ĝir2-ĝir2-re

57. A.57

    ⌈a2⌉-na dur10-gag zabar-ra urin-na mu-na-mul-lu

58. A.58

    dur10-gag-ta ur ad6 gu7-a-gin7 galam mu-na-ta-e3

59. A.59

    ud-bi-a 7 ḫe2-na-me-eš 7 ḫe2-na-me-eš

    At that time there were seven, there were seven -- the young ones, born in Kulaba, were seven. The goddess Uraš had borne these seven, the Wild Cow had nourished them with milk. They were heroes, living in Sumer, they were princely in their prime. They had been brought up eating at the god An's table. These seven were the overseers for those that are subordinate to overseers, were the captains for those that are subordinate to captains were the generals for those that are subordinate to generals. They were overseers of 300 men, 300 men each; they were captains of 600 men, 600 men each; they were generals of seven šar (25,200) of soldiers, 25,200 soldiers each. They stood at the service of the lord as his élite troops.

60. A.60

    di4-di4-la2 peš-tur-ZI kul-aba4{ki} 7 ḫe2-na-me-eš

61. A.61

    7-be2-ne {d}uraš-e tud-da immal2 ga gu7-me-eš

62. A.62

    ur-saĝ-me-eš ki-en-gi-ra se12-me-eš a-la-ba nun-na-me-eš

63. A.63

    {ĝiš}banšur an-na-ke4 a2 e3-a-me-eš

64. A.64

    7-be2-ne ugula-a-ke4-eš ugula-a-me-eš

65. A.65

    nu-banda3-a-ke4-eš nu-banda3-a-me-eš

66. A.66

    šagina-a-ke4-eš šagina-a-me-eš

67. A.67

    ugula lu2 300 300-ta-a-me-eš

68. A.68

    nu-banda3 lu2 600 600-ta-a-me-eš

69. A.69

    šagina erin2 3600-3600-3600-3600-3600-3600-3600 7-ta-me-eš

70. A.70

    en-ra zu2 keše2 igi bar-ra-ka-na mu-na-sug2-sug2-ge-eš

71. A.71

    lugal-ban3-da 8-kam-ma-ne-ne

    Lugalbanda, the eighth of them, …… was washed in water. In awed silence he went forward, …… he marched with the troops. When they had covered half the way, covered half the way, a sickness befell him there, 'head sickness' befell him. He jerked like a snake dragged by its head with a reed; his mouth bit the dust, like a gazelle caught in a snare. No longer could his hands return the hand grip, no longer could he lift his feet high. Neither king nor contingents could help him. In the great mountains, crowded together like a dustcloud over the ground, they said: Let them bring him to Unug. But they did not know how they could bring him. Let them bring him to Kulaba. But they did not know how they could bring him. As his teeth chattered (?) in the cold places of the mountains, they brought him to a warm place there.

72. A.72

    ERIN2+KISIM5 ? a luḫ-luḫ-ḫa-bi

73. A.73

    sig9 dug4-dug4-ga-bi ba-ra-ab-e3

74. A.74

    ĝiš tag-ga lugal-la-ke4 ba-da-ab-du8 uĝ3-da ba-da-ĝen

75. A.75

    kaskal mu-un-sa9 kaskal mu-un-sa9

76. A.76

    ki-bi-a tur5-ra mu-na-te saĝ gig mu-na-te

77. A.77

    muš saĝ-bi gi ? ra-gin7 e-ne dag i3-si-il-e

78. A.78

    maš-da3 ĝiš-bur2-ra dab5-ba-gin7 ka saḫar-ra bi2-us2

79. A.79

    šu-ni dab5-ba nu-mu-da-an-gi4-gi4

80. A.80

    ĝiri3-ni gu2-ba nu-mu-da-an-ĝa2-ĝa2

81. A.81

    lugal zig3-ga šu nu-mu-na-an-ĝal2

82. A.82

    kur gal-e muru9-e ki ḫe2-us2-sa-a-ba

83. A.83

    unug{ki} ḫe2-en-tum2-mu-de3 tum2-mu nu-ub-zu

84. A.84

    kul-aba4{ki} ḫe2-en-⌈tum2-mu⌉-de3 tum2-⌈mu⌉ [la]-ba-ni-zu-zu

85. A.85

    kur-ra ki sed4-bi zu2 ⌈ĝal2⌉ X X

86. A.86

    ki kum2-ma-⌈bi i3-tum4-tum4⌉ [X (X)]

87. A.87

    a-ra-aḫ ⌈MA⌉ […] ? ? ⌈?⌉ [X X]

    …… a storehouse, they made him an arbour like a bird's nest. …… dates, figs and various sorts of cheese; they put sweetmeats suitable for the sick to eat, in baskets of dates, and they made him a home. They set out for him the various fats of the cowpen, the sheepfold's fresh cheese, butter ……, . Directly in front of the table they arranged for him beer for drinking, mixed with date syrup and rolls …… with butter. Provisions poured into leather buckets, provisions all put into leather bags -- his brothers and friends, like a boat unloading from the harvest-place, placed stores by his head in the mountain cave. They …… water in their leather waterskins. Dark beer, alcoholic drink, light emmer beer, wine for drinking which is pleasant to the taste, they distributed by his head in the mountain cave as on a stand for waterskins. They prepared for him incense resin, …… resin, aromatic resin, ligidba resin and first-class resin on pot-stands in the deep hole; they suspended them by his head in the mountain cave. They pushed into place at his head his axe whose metal was tin, imported from the Zubi mountains. They wrapped up by his chest his dagger of iron imported from the Gig (Black) mountains. His eyes -- irrigation ditches, because they are flooding with water -- holy Lugalbanda kept open, directed towards this. The outer door of his lips -- overflowing like holy Utu -- he did not open to his brothers. When they lifted his neck, there was no breath there any longer. His brothers, his friends took counsel with one another:

88. A.88

    niĝ2-barag2 gud3-gin7 ⌈mu⌉-na-sig10-⌈ge⌉-[ne]

89. A.89

    zu2-lum {ĝiš}peš3 ga-ar3-ga-ar3-ra […]

90. A.90

    ninda ku7-ku7 niĝ2 lu2 tur5-ra i3-gu7-⌈u3⌉-ne

91. A.91

    kid-da zu2-lum-ma-ka e2 ba-ni-in-du3-du3-uš

92. A.92

    i3 ḫi-a tur3-ra ga-ar3 luḫ-ḫa amaš-a

93. A.93

    i3 nunuz-te nunuz-te-a šeĝ6-ĝa2

94. A.94

    {ĝiš}banšur ki kug ki kal-kal-la-aš sig10-ge5-gin7 mu-na-ab-gub-bu-ne

95. A.95

    {kaš}dida naĝ lal3 zu2-lum-ma-ta šar2-ra

96. A.96

    ku-bu-ul-lum i3-nun-ta E.KU KU.ERIN2

97. A.97

    igi {ĝiš}banšur-ra-ka si ba-ni-in-sa2-sa2-e-eš

98. A.98

    {kuš}maš-li-um-e niĝ2-si-sa2-e

99. A.99

    {kuš}a-ĝa2-la2-e niĝ2 sa2 dug4-dug4-ga

100. A.100

     šeš-a-ne-ne gu5-li-ne-ne

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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.