Tablet VII: The Death of Enkidu

"Why, O my friend, do the great gods (now) take counsel together?"

"Of want . . . . since me it is that . . .hath . . . .
And me the fever [hath laid] on my back."

Heard him the Sun-god, and open’d his mouth, and from out of the heavens
(Straightway) he call’d him: "O Enkidu, why dost thou curse the hetaera?
She ’twas who made thee eat bread, for divinity proper: (aye), wine (too),
She made thee drink, (’twas) for royalty proper: a generous mantle
Put on thee, (aye), and for comrade did give to thee Gilgamish splendid.
Now on a couch of great size will he, (thy) friend (and) thy brother
Gilgamish, grant thee to lie, on a handsome couch will he grant thee
Rest, and to sit on a throne of great ease, a throne at (his) left hand,
So that the princes of Hades may kiss thy feet (in their homage);
He, too, will make (all) the people of Erech lament in thy (honour),
Making them mourn thee, (and) damsels (and) heroes constrain to thy service,
[While he himself for thy sake will cause his body to carry
Stains, [(and) will put on] the skin of a lion, and range o’er the desert."

Enkidu [(then) giving ear] to the words of the valiant Shamash
Speaking . . . . . . . . . his wrath was appeased.

" . . . . . . . . . . . may . . . restore to thy place!
[(So, too), may monarchs and princes] and chiefs be with love [for thee] smitten;
[None smite (?)] his breech [in disgust (?); against thee; and for thee may the hero]
Comb out his locks; . . . who would embrace [thee],
Let him his girdle unloose . . . and thy [bed] be azure and golden;
May . . . entreat thee kindly (?), . . . . are heap’d his ishshikku
May the gods make thee enter . . . . . . . . . . .
[Mayst thou] be left as the mother of seven brides . . ."

[Enkidu] . . . woe in his belly . . . sleeping alone,
[Came] in the night [to discover] his heaviness unto his comrade:
"[Friend], (O) a dream I have seen in my night-time: the firmament [roaring],
Echo’d the earth, and I [by myself was standing(?) . . .
[When perceived I a man (?)], (all) dark was his face, [and] was liken 'd
[Unto] . . .his face, . . . [and] his nails like claws of a lion.
Me did he overcome . . . climbing up . . . press’d me down,
Upon me . . . my (?) body . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . like birds my hands: (and) he seized (?) me,
Me did he lead to the Dwelling of Darkness, the home of Irkalla,
Unto the Dwelling from which he who entereth cometh forth never!
(Aye), by the road on the passage whereof there can be no returning,
Unto the Dwelling whose tenants are (ever) bereft of the daylight,
Where for their food is the dust, and the mud is their sustenance: bird-like
Wear they a garment of feathers: and, sitting (there) in the darkness,
Never the light will they see. On the Gate . . . . when I enter’d
On the house (?) . . . . was humbled the crown,
For . . . those who (wore) crowns, who of old ruled over the country,
. . . . of Anu and Enlil ’twas they set the bakemeats,
Set . . . ., cool was the water they served from the skins. When I enter’d
Into (this) House of the Dust, were High Priest and acolyte sitting,
Seer and magician, the priest who the Sea of the great gods anointed,
(Here) sat Etana, Sumuqan; the Queen of the Underworld (also),
Ereshkigal, in whose presence doth bow the Recorder of Hades,
[Belit]-seri, and readeth before her; [she lifted] her head (and) beheld me,
. . . and took this . . . . . . . . . . . . .