Epic of Gilgamesh: Tablet X — How Gilgamish Reached Uta-Napishtim · 1 of 4 · tr. R. Campbell Thompson

Tablet X, Section 1a

THE TENTH TABLET.

HOW GILGAMISH REACHED UTA-NAPISHTIM.

.

Dwelt Siduri, the maker of wine .

.

.

.

Wine(?) was her trade, her trade was .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Cover’d she was with a veil and .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

5.

Gilgamish wander’d [towards her] .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Pelts was he wearing .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Flesh of the gods in [his body] possessing, but woe in [his belly], (Aye), and his countenance like to a (man) who hath gone a far journey.

10.

Look’d in the distance the maker of wine, (and) a word in her bosom Quoth she, in thought with herself: "This is one who would ravish (?) [a woman], 15.

Whither doth he advance in .

.

.

?" As soon as the Wine-maker saw him, Barr’d she [her postern], barr’d she her inner door, barr’d she [her chamber(?)].

Straightway did Gilgamish, too, in his turn catch the sound [of her shutting(?)], Lifted his chin, and so did he let [his attention fall on her].

________________________________ Unto her (therefore) did Gilgamish speak, to the Wine-maker saying]: 20.

"Wine-maker, what didst thou see, that [thy postern (now)] thou hast barréd, Barréd thine inner door, [-barréd thy chamber(?)]?

O, I'll smite [thy] portal, [Breaking the bolt] .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Unto him (answer 'd) the Wine-maker, speaking to Gilgamish, (saying): "Why is thy vigour (so) wasted, (or why) is thy countenance sunken, (Why) hath thy spirit a sorrow (?), (or why) hath thy cheerfulness surcease?

35.

(O, but) there's woe in thy belly!

Like one who hath gone a far journey (So) is thy face—(O,) with cold and with heat is thy countenance weather’d, .

.

.

that thou shouldst range over the desert." Gilgamish unto her (answer’d and) spake to the Wine-maker, saying: 40.

"Wine-maker, ’tis not my vigour is wasted, nor countenance sunken, Nor hath my spirit a sorrow (?), (forsooth), nor my cheerfulness surcease, No, ’tis not woe in my belly: nor doth my visage resemble One who hath gone a far journey—nor is my countenance weather'd 45.

Either by cold or by heat .

.

.

that (thus) I range over the desert.

Comrade (and) henchman, who chased the wild ass, the pard of the desert, Comrade (and) henchman, who chased the wild ass, the pard of the desert, Enkidu—we who all haps overcame, ascending the mountains, 50.

Captured the Heavenly Bull, and destroy’d him]: we [o’erthrew Humbaba, He who abode in the Forest of Cedars; we slaughter’d the lions There in the Gates (?) of the mountains (?); with me enduring all hardships, Enkidu, (he was) my comrade—the lions we slaughter’d (together), (Aye), enduring all hardships—and him his fate hath o’ertaken.

(So) did I mourn him six days, (yea), a se’nnight, until unto burial I could consign (?) him .

.

.

.

§ Ask Guru about this passage →

Themes

Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

The passage depicts divine beings (Siduri) and semi-divine heroes (Gilgamesh with 'Flesh of the gods') possessing human forms, emotions, and domestic actions like barring doors and making wine.

All passages →

Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

Siduri is portrayed as an active, responsive divine figure who interacts personally with Gilgamesh, speaking and reacting to his presence rather than remaining abstract.

All passages →

Shamanic Journeypraxis

The living practitioner's deliberate trance-journey into spirit, underworld, or upper realms — Lemminkainen's descent into Tuoni and Wainamoinen's entry into Wipunen's body in the Kalevala, the Siberian shaman's drum-mediated travel, Inuit angakkuq's submarine journey to Sedna, classical katabasis as ritual technique. The practitioner returns with knowledge, songs, lost-words, or a recovered soul. Distinct from psychopomp_journey (which guides the *dead* soul through afterlife realms) and from spiritual_ascent (which is the soul's *upward* return to source); shamanic_journey is the *living* practitioner crossing into ordinarily-inaccessible domains as a worked technique.

The text describes Gilgamesh's physical quest across the desert to reach Uta-Napishtim (the immortal), fitting the structure of a living practitioner crossing into inaccessible domains for knowledge or life.

All passages →

Related passages · 10 parallels

christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 2 (part 3)

“This other will is the sensitivity and conceivability of the primordial will, by means of which that which is nothing finds itself to be something. By so doing the inconceivable causeless will issues by means of that which it has eternally…”

Shared concept: Living God — The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality. (derived)

christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 4, Section 1k

“and all things are moved by a longing for the Beautiful and Good, to accomplish every outward work and form every act of will. And true reasoning will also dare to affirm that even the Creator of all things Himself yearneth after all thing…”

Shared concept: Living God — The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality. (derived)

neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIX

“But neither does the cause [of the energies] of more excellent natures subsist as a certain middle instrument, nor does he who invokes operate through him who prophesies; for to assert these things is impious. And it is much more true to sa…”

Shared concept: Living God — The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality. (derived)

christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 2, Section 1o

“Yet It is a Whole because It includes the true existence of all things, and is Partitive because It contains the principle of separate Individuality whereby Christ possesses a Human Soul distinct from all other human souls, and whereby, too…”

Shared concept: Living God — The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality. (derived)

finnic|The Kalevala|Rune XVII-b

“Wise Wipunen, full of song-charms, Opens wide his mouth and swallows Wainamoinen and his magic, Shoes, and staff, and iron armor. Then outspeaks the wise Wipunen: "Many things before I've eaten, Dined on goat, and sheep, and reindeer, Bear…”

Shared concept: Shamanic Journey — The living practitioner's deliberate trance-journey into spirit, underworld, or upper realms — Lemminkainen's descent into Tuoni and Wainamoinen's entry into Wipunen's body in the Kalevala, the Siberian shaman's drum-mediated travel, Inuit angakkuq's submarine journey to Sedna, classical katabasis as ritual technique. (derived)

platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1r

“But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”

Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)

western_esoteric|The Tarot of the Bohemians (Papus)|Chapter XIV (part 6)

“The second, symbolized by Eye, is the origin of feminine Grace, of Authority. We have seen that Power and Authority find their equilibrium in Love. Each man, a reflected molecule of humanity made in its image, contains in himself an Adam,…”

Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)

neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIV

“Concerning another kind of divination, also, you say as follows: “ Others who are conscious what they are doing in other respects, are divinely inspired according to the phantastic part, some indeed receiving darkness for a cooperator, othe…”

Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)

finnic|The Kalevala|Rune XIII-b

“In this rising generation, That can travel in these snow-shoes, That the right and left can manage." To his back he tied the quiver, Placed the bow upon his shoulder, With both hands he grasped his snow-cane, Speaking meanwhile words as fol…”

western_esoteric|Psychic Self-Defence (Dion Fortune)|14. The Motives Of Psychic Attack. II-d

“Great power-tides are flowing on the Inner Planes, and these are very difficult to handle. If there is going to be astral trouble, it usually blows up for storm at this season. There are also certain meetings which take place on the Astra…”