Gilgamesh barred the seven gates of great-girded Uruk. He called to the people and they gathered as he took his throne to speak, pressing in to hear his words.
“Hear me, elders of great-girded Uruk. I must trek to the Cedar Forest guarded by fierce, monstrous Humbaba, and there conquer him. There, in the towering vastness, I shall slay the monster and fell The Tree he guards, so that I might be famed in men’s minds forever.”
He then turned to the young men of Uruk and declared:
“Warriors, companions who have fought with me in the front ranks, hear my pledge.
“I shall seek Humbaba, he who is most feared.
“I shall tread the path untrodden.
“I shall face the terror unmet.
“Bless my leaving, so that I might return from the Cedar Forest to stand before you victorious. Once again shall we celebrate the Coming Year in the streets of great-girded Uruk, to the strum of the lyre and the beat of the drum.”
Enkidu stood, tears in his eyes.
“Elders of Uruk, beg the king not go to the Cedar Forest to face Humbaba, whose roar is like thunder, his breath fire, his jaws death, who can hear the faintest rustling of the leaves in his terrible realm. What man can defeat he who the Earth God set there to ward off men?”
The elders bowed to the king and said, “You are young strong-hearted and hot-blooded. Why embark on such a foolish hunt? The terrors of Humbaba—of the Cedar Forest—are well known to us. How does it fall to you to be undaunted where even gods fear to tread?”
Gilgamesh listened.
Gilgamesh laughed.
Gilgamesh rose from his throne undaunted.
Looking to Enkidu, he said, “True friend, does your courage return?
“Are you still held back by your fear of dying?
“Enkidu, accompany me to the forge and bid the smiths make us weapons worthy of our might.”
Enkidu stood in long anticipating silence.
At last, with a nod, he agreed.
Gilgamesh took his hand.
Notes
The singular Tree is this author’s rendering, who takes the passage of ‘the tree’ as a diminishment and objectification of The Tree or The Truth, supposing this aspect to be represented in the later Garden of Eden of Genesis, and to refer to man’s primal origins.
