Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet I — The Tyranny of Gilgamish and the Creation of Enkidu · 3 of 6 · tr. R. Campbell Thompson
Tablet I, Section 1c
"Gilgamish [dwelleth] in Erech, [my son, whom no one] hath vanquish’d, [(Nay, but) ’tis his strength is greatest (the length and breadth) of the country] [Like to a double of Anu's own self], his strength is [enormous], [Go, set] thy face [towards Erech: and when he hears of] a monster, [He will say 'Go, O hunter, a courtesan-girl, a hetaera] 20.
Take [with thee] .
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like a strong one; [When he the cattle shall gather again] to the place of (their) drinking, [So shall she put off] her [mantle] (the charm of) her beauty [revealing]; [(Then) shall he spy her, and (sooth) will embrace her, (and thenceforth) his cattle, [Which in] his very own deserts [were rear’d], will (straightway) deny him.'" .
25.
Unto the rede of his father the hunter [hath hearken’d, (and straightway)] He will away [unto Gilgamish] .
Taking the road towards Erech Turn’d he [his steps, and to] Gilgamish [came, his speech thus addressing]: (Saying): "There is a great fellow [come forth from out of the mountains], 30.
[(O, but) his strength] is the greatest, (the length and breadth) of the country, Like to a double of Anu's own self [his strength] is enormous, [Ever (?)] he rangeth at large o’er the mountains, (and) ever with cattle [Grazeth on herbage, (and)] ever [he setteth] his foot to the water, 35.
So that I fear to approach [him] .
The pits which I [myself] hollow’d (With mine own hands) hath he fill’d in (again, and) the traps of my [setting] Torn up, (and) out of my clutches hath holpen escape (all) the cattle, Beasts [of the desert]: to work at my fieldcraft he will not allow me." 40.
Gilgamish unto him, unto the hunter made answer (in this wise): "Go, (good) my hunter, take with thee a courtesan-girl, a hetaera, When he the cattle shall [gather] again to the place of (their) drinking, So shall she put off her mantle, (the charm of her) beauty [revealing], 45.
(Then) shall he spy her, and (sooth) will embrace her, (and thenceforth) his cattle Which in his very own deserts were rear’d will (straightway) deny him.
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Forth went the hunter, took with him a courtesan-girl, a hetaera, (So) did they start on their travels, went forth on their journey (together), (Aye), at the term of three days arrived at the pleasaunce appointed.
Sate they down in their ambush (?), the hunter and the hetaera, 50.
One day, two days they sat by the place where (the beasts) drank (their) water.
(Then) at last came the cattle to take their fill in their drinking.
Thither the animals came that their hearts might delight in the water, (Aye), there was Enkidu also, he whom the mountains had gender’d, E’en with gazelles did he pasture on herbage, along with the cattle 5.
§ Ask Guru about this passage →Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
Divine beings are compared to humans (Anu's likeness) and engage in human-like planning and speech.
All passages →Divine Providencetheology
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
The passage describes the divine decision to create Enkidu specifically to counter Gilgamesh's tyranny, illustrating active divine ordering of human affairs.
All passages →Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
The gods are portrayed as dynamic agents who create beings and issue instructions to intervene in the world.
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