Lugalbanda in the mountain cave

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

A.299
⌈lal3⌉ zu2-lum-ma niĝ2 ku7-ku7-da ḫi-li ba-ni-in-du8-du8
A.300
am su4 am sig7 am si guru3-guru3
A brown wild bull, a fine-looking wild bull, a wild bull tossing its horns, a wild bull in hunger (?), resting, seeking with its voice the brown wild bulls of the hills, the pure place -- in this way it was chewing aromatic šimgig as if it were barley, it was grinding up the wood of the cypress as if it were esparto grass, it was sniffing with its nose at the foliage of the šenu shrub as if it were grass. It was drinking the water of the rolling rivers, it was belching from ilinnuš, the pure plant of the mountains. While the brown wild bulls, the wild bulls of the mountains, were browsing about among the plants, Lugalbanda captured this one in his ambush (?). He uprooted a juniper tree of the mountains and stripped its branches. With a knife holy Lugalbanda trimmed its roots, which were like the long rushes of the field. He tethered the brown wild bull, the wild bull of the mountains, to it with a halter.
A.301
am šag4-sig-ga nam-a-a ak
A.302
am su4-su4 ḫur-saĝ ki sikil-la !-bi kiĝ2-ĝa2
A.303
u3 ur5-re šim-gig še-am3 i3-tukur2-re
A.304
ĝiš ḫa-šu-ur2-ra {u2}numun2-bur i3-ma5-ma5
A.305
pa {ĝiš}še-nu {u2}KI.KAL-gin7 u2 giri17-ba mu-un-si-im-me
A.306
a id2 ḫal-ḫal-la-ka i-im-na8-na8-de3
A.307
{u2}i-li-in-nu-uš u2 sikil kur-ra-ka bu-lu-uḫ3 mu-un-si-il-si-il-le
A.308
am su4 am kur-ra u2-a sub2-ba-bi
A.309
1(DIŠ)-am3 ⌈?⌉-ba-na im-ma-ra-an-dab5
A.310
{ĝiš}še-du10 kur-ra ur2-ba mi-ni-in-bur12-bur12 pa-ba mi-ni-in-suḫ-suḫ
A.311
{ĝiš}i-ri9-na-bi {u2}A.NUMUN2 gid2-da a-šag4-ga-ke4
A.312
kug {d}lugal-ban3-da ĝiri2-ta ba-ra-an-šab
A.313
am su4 am kur-ra saman-e bi2-in-la2
A.314
maš2 su4 maš2-ud5 ⌈maš2-?⌉-la2 maš2-sa-keše2-keše2-sa maš2-gu2-e3-gu2-e3
A brown goat and a buck-goat -- flea-bitten goats, lousy goats, fatty (?) goats -- in this way they were chewing aromatic šimgig as if it were barley, they were grinding up the wood of the cypress as if it were esparto grass, they were sniffing with their noses at the foliage of the šenu shrub as if it were grass. They were drinking the water of the rolling rivers, they were belching from ilinnuš, the pure plant of the mountains. While the brown goats and the buck-goats were browsing about among the plants, Lugalbanda captured these two in his ambush (?). He uprooted a juniper tree of the mountains and stripped its branches. With a knife holy Lugalbanda cut off its roots, which were like the long rushes of the field. With chains he fettered the brown goat and the buck-goat, both the goats. ……, he piled up …….
A.315
u3 ur5-re šim-gig še-am3 i3-tukur2-re
A.316
ĝiš ḫa-šu-ur2-ra {u2}numun2-bur-gin7 i3-ma5-ma5
A.317
pa {ĝiš}še-nu {u2}KI.KAL-gin7 u2 giri17-⌈ba⌉ mu-un-sim-me
A.318
a id2 ḫal-ḫal-la-ka i-im-na8-na8-ne
A.319
{u2}i-li-in-nu-uš u2 sikil kur-ra-ka bu-⌈lu-uḫ3⌉ mu-un-si-il-si-il-le
A.320
maš2 su4 [maš2]-⌈ud5⌉ u2-a sub2-[ba]-bi
A.321
2-am3 [dub3-ba]-na im-ma-ra-an-dab5
A.322
<{ĝiš}še-du10 kur-ra ur2-ba mi-ni-in-bur12-bur12 pa-ba mi-ni-in-suḫ-suḫ>
A.323
{ĝiš}i-ri9-na-bi {u2}A.NUMUN2 gid2-da a-šag4-ga-ke4
A.324
kug {d}lugal-ban3-da ĝiri2-ta ba-ra-an-šab
A.325
maš2 su4 maš2-ud5 maš2 2-a-bi ḪAR-GAM-še3 bi2-in-[la2]
A.325A
[…] ⌈BI ?⌉ X […]
A.325B
[…]-uš im-ta-an-dub
A.326
1(DIŠ)-a-ni lu2 igi niĝin nu-mu-un-da-ab-bar-re
He was alone and, even to his sharp eyes, there was not a single person to be seen. Sleep overcame -- sleep, the country of oppression; it is like a towering flood, like a hand demolishing a brick wall, a hand raised high, a foot raised high; covering like syrup that which is in front of it, overflowing like syrup onto that which is in front of it; it knows no overseer, knows no captain, yet it is overpowering for the hero. And , sleep finally overcame Lugalbanda. He laid down ilinnuš, pure herb of the mountains, as a couch, he spread out a zulumḫi garment, he unfolded there a white linen sheet. There being no …… room for bathing, he made do with that place. The king lay down not to sleep, he lay down to dream -- not turning back at the door of the dream, not turning back at the door-pivot. To the liar it talks in lies, to the truthful it speaks truth. It can make one man happy, it can make another man sing, but it is the closed tablet-basket of the gods. It is the beautiful bedchamber of Ninlil, it is the counsellor of Inana. The multiplier of mankind, the voice of one not alive -- Zangara, the god of dreams, himself like a bull, bellowed at Lugalbanda. Like the calf of a cow he lowed:
A.327
lugal-ra u3-sa2-ge sa2 nam-ga-mu-ni-ib-dug4
A.328
u3-sa2-ge kur nam-gu2-ka3-ke4
A.329
ku-kur galam-ma-gin7 šu e2-ĝar8-gin7 gul-la
A.330
šu-bi galam-am3 ĝiri3-bi galam-am3
A.331
niĝ2 igi-bi-ta lal3 šu2-šu2-e
A.332
igi-bi-ta ⌈lal3⌉ dirig-dirig-ga-e
A.333
ugula nu-zu-e nu-banda3 nu-zu-e
A.334
niĝ2 ur-saĝ-ra a2-ĝal2-la2-e
A.335
{ĝiš}da-ḫa-ša {d}nin-ka-si-ka-ke4
A.336
{d}lugal-ban3-da u3-sa2-ge sa2 nam-ga-mu-ni-ib-dug4
A.337
{u2}i-li-in-nu-uš u2 sikil kur-ra-ka ki-nu2 ĝar-še3 mu-un-ĝar
A.338
{tug2}zulumḫi-e mu-un-barag2 gada babbar bi2-in-bur2
A.339
e2 ur5-ra a tu5-tu5 nu-ĝal2-la ki-bi-še3 sa2 im-dug4
A.340
lugal u3-sa2-ge la-ba-an-nu2-a ma-mu2-de3 ba-nu2
A.341
ma-mu2-da {ĝiš}ig-e nu-gi4-e za-ra nu-gi4-e
A.342
lul-da lul di-da zid-da zid di-dam
A.343
lu2 ḫul2-ḫul2-le-de3 lu2 šir3-šir3-re-de3
A.344
{gi}pisaĝ kad5 diĝir-re-e-ne-kam
A.345
unu2 igi sag9 {d}nin-lil2-la2-kam
A.346
ad gi4-gi4 {d}inana-kam
A.347
ga-bi2-ib2-lu-lu nam-lu2-ulu3-ka gu3 lu2 nu-til3-la
A.348
{d}za-an-gar3-ra diĝir ma-⌈mu2-da⌉-ke4
A.349
{d}lugal-ban3-da ni2-te-ni gud-⌈gin7⌉ […]-⌈ša4⌉
A.350
amar ab2-šilam-ma-gin7 gu3 nun ⌈im-me⌉
A.351
am su4-e ĝa2-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ra-ab-⌈šum⌉-[…]
Who will slaughter (?) a brown wild bull for me? Who will make its fat melt for me? He shall take my axe whose metal is tin, he shall wield my dagger which is of iron. Like an athlete I shall let him bring away the brown wild bull, the wild bull of the mountains, I shall let him like a wrestler make it submit. Its strength will leave it. When he offers it before the rising sun, let him heap up like barleycorns the heads of the brown goat and the buck-goat, both the goats; when he has poured out their blood in the pit -- let their smell waft out in the desert so that the alert snakes of the mountains will sniff it.
A.352
i3-udu-bi ĝa2-a-ra a-ba-a ma-ra-ab-zal-X-e
A.353
{urud}ḫa-zi-in-ĝa2 kug-bi nagga šu im-⌈ma⌉-[(X)]-⌈ti⌉
A.354
ĝiri2 ur2-ra-ĝa2 an-bar-sug4-am3 im-ma-da-X [X]
A.355
am su4 am kur-ra-ke4 lu2-ĝešpu2-gin7 ga-am3-[ma-DU.DU] ⌈lu2⌉-lirum-⌈gin7⌉ ga-am3-ši-gam-gam
A.356
lipiš-bi ḫe2-em-ta-ab-zig3 {d}utu e3-a-ra u3-mu-na-ĝar
A.357
maš2 su4 maš2-ud5 maš2 2-a-bi saĝ-du-bi še-gin7 um-⌈ta-a⌉-dub
A.358
uš2-bi si-dug4-ga um-ma-ni-in-de2-de2
A.359
ir edin-na DU.DU-a-bi
A.360
muš ul4 kur-ra-ke4 si-im ḫe2-em-ši-ak-de3
A.361
{d}lugal-ban3-da i-im-zig3 ma-mu2-da im-bu-!-uḫ3 u3-sa2-ga-am3
Lugalbanda awoke -- it was a dream. He shivered -- it was sleep. He rubbed his eyes, he was overawed. He took his axe whose metal was tin, he wielded his dagger which was of iron. Like an athlete he brought away the brown wild bull, the wild bull of the mountains, like a wrestler he made it submit. Its strength left it. He offered it before the rising sun. He heaped up like barleycorns the heads of the brown goat and the buck-goat, both of the goats. He poured out their blood in the pit so that their smell wafted out in the desert. The alert snakes of the mountains sniffed it.
A.362
igi-ni šu bi2-in-kiĝ2 niĝ2-me-ĝar sug4-ga-am3
A.363
{urud}ḫa-zi-in-na-ni kug-bi nagga šu im-ma-an-ti
A.364
ĝiri2 ur2-ra-ka-ni an-bar-sug4-am3 im-ma-da-?
A.365
am su4 am kur-ra-ke4 lu2-ĝešpu2-gin7 im-ma-DU.DU lu2-lirum-ma-gin7 im-ma-ši-gam
A.366
lipiš-bi im-ta-an-zig3 {d}utu e3-a-ra mu-na-an-ĝar
A.367
maš2 su4 maš2-ud5 maš2 2-a-bi saĝ-du-bi še-gin7 im-ta-an-dub
A.368
uš2-bi si-dug4-ga im-ma-ni-in-de2-de2
A.369
ir-bi edin-na DU.DU-a-bi
A.370
muš ul4 kur-ra-ke4 si-im im-ši-ak-de3
A.371
{d}utu nam-ta-e3-aš X […]
As the sun was rising ……, Lugalbanda, invoking the name of Enlil, made An, Enlil, Enki and Ninḫursaĝa sit down to a banquet at the pit, at the place in the mountains which he had prepared. The banquet was set, the libations were poured -- dark beer, alcoholic drink, light emmer beer, wine for drinking which is pleasant to the taste. Over the plain he poured cool water as a libation. He put the knife to the flesh of the brown goats, and he roasted the dark livers there. He let their smoke rise there, like incense put on the fire. As if Dumuzid had brought in the good savours of the cattle pen, so An, Enlil, Enki and Ninḫursaĝa consumed the best part of the food prepared by Lugalbanda. Like the shining place of pure strength, the holy altar of Suen, ……. On top of the altar of Utu and the altar of Suen ……, he decorated the two altars with the lapis lazuli …… of Inana. Suen ……. He bathed the a-an-kar. When he had bathed the ……, he set out all the cakes properly.
A.372
lugal-ban3-da mu {d}en-lil2-le zi […]
A.373
an {d}en-lil2 <{d}en-ki> {d}nin-ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4
A.374
si-dug4-ta ĝišbun-na im-ma-ni-in-dur2-ru
A.375
kur-ra ki ĝar-ra mu-un-ak-a mu-un-LU-[…]
A.376
ĝišbun ba-ni-in-ĝar ne-saĝ ba-ni-in-de2
A.377
kaš gig2 kurun ziz2 babbar
A.378
ĝeštin na8-na8 gu2-me-ze2 dug3-ga
A.379
edin-na a sed4 ki-še3 im-ma-ni-in-de2-de2
A.380
uzu maš2 su4-ke4 ĝiri2 bi2-in-ak
A.381
ur5 niĝ2 gig2 izi im-mi-ni-in-si
A.382
na-izi sig9-ga-gin7 i-bi2-⌈bi⌉ bi2-in-mu2
A.383
i-gi4-in-zu {d}dumu-zid ir dug3-⌈ga⌉ amaš-a kur9-ra-a
A.384
niĝ2 šu dug4-ga lugal-ban3-da
A.385
an {d}en-lil2 {d}en-ki {d}nin-ḫur-saĝ-ĝa2-ke4 dug3-ga-bi mu-un-gu7-uš
A.386
a2 sikil-la ki dadag-ga-bi
A.387
barag {d}suen-na kug-gin7 mi-ni-in-ri
A.388
⌈barag⌉ {d}utu barag {d}suen-na-ka igi-nim-še3 ba-du3
A.389
barag 2-a-bi KA ⌈?⌉ za-gin3 {d}inana-ka še-er-ka-an ba-ni-in-dug4
A.390
{d}suen-e ĜIŠ DA ŠU KA NI
A.391
a2-an-kar2 a ?-an-tu5-tu5
A.392
iri an-na a tu5-a-ni
A.393
gu2-en gug2-ga-ka me-te-aš bi2-ib-ĝar
A.394
X X ⌈zi {d}?-? a-a diĝir-re-e-ne an-da-ak-ak-eš⌉
They make …… Enki, father of the gods; they are ……, they ……; like a string of figs dripping with lusciousness, they hang their arms. They are gazelles of Suen running in flight, they are the fine smooth cloths of Ninlil, they are the helpers of Iškur; they pile up flax, they pile up barley; they are wild animals on the rampage, they descend like a storm on a rebel land hated by Suen, indeed they descend like a storm. They lie up during all the long day, and during the short night they enter …… houses (?); during the long day, during the short night they lie in beds ……, they give ……. At dead of night they ……, in the breeze …… swallows of Utu; they enter into house after house, they peer into street after street, they are talkers, they are repliers to talkers, seeking words with a mother, replying to a great lady; they nestle at the bedside, they smite ……, when the black …… are stolen, they leave …… the doors and tables of humans, they change ……, they tie the door-pivots together. The hero who ……, Utu who ……, the heroic youth Utu of the good word (2 lines unclear) the incantation …… of the youth Utu, which the Anuna, the great gods, do not know, from that time ……, (3 lines unclear)
A.395
an ĝal2 taka4-a X ⌈mu-un-dab5-ba NAM SU BAR⌉ DUR SAR in-ĝal2-le-eš
A.396
X X BU MAŠ DUR SAR-gin7 saĝ ⌈?⌉ mu-ni-in-?-?-?

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.