Friday, 24 November 2006

Ruminations upon Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh mourns Enkidu's death.
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Great wild Nefilim
two-thirds god, one-third man
where are you hurrying off to?

Weary of wisdom,
wits to match, wish to wrestle
with the wildman Enkidu.

Bright white Nefilim
sons of Shamash, suns of heavens
where do you wish to be?

Haloed by darkness
where no one sees, across the seas
of the ferryman Urshanabi.

Fire-wielding Nefilim
who clear the cedars, who crush the adders
what charms do you see?

All-devouring flames
the woman of vines, the maker of wines
the coiling arms of Siduri.

Long-lived Nefilim
bulls of heaven, wild ox heathen
who else compares to Him?

He lives past
the last great flood, the last shed blood
Lord of the ark Utnapishtim.

Well-worded Nefilim
heralds of gloom, harbingers of doom
what of the beast Humbaba?

His remains feed
the shedding tree, the serpent free
where lies Ningizzida.

Great wild Nefilim
who chose haste to taste of pain
for what secrets do you still look?

The flight we took (and forsook)
to regain what was lost in vain
the mighty ruins of Uruk.
wingsofdeath


Gilgamesh and Enkidu together in battle.

Broken statue of Enkidu.



A stone idol of Humbaba, demon guardian of the Cedar Forest.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu slay Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven.

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