[blackiris2009]

Tablet 2: The taming of Enkidu; his fight and friendship with Gilgamesh; the proposed journey to the Forest of Cedar

Enkidu and Shamhat have coupled for 6 days and 7 nights. The shepherds in their camp teach him how to tend flocks, and give him bread to eat, ale to drink, and clothes. He is also cleaned up and shorn by a barber.
A man tells him of an upcoming wedding banquet. Gilgamesh will make his customary claim to the first night with the bride, which makes Enkidu angry. Enkidu enters the city of Uruk and the people recognize his similarity to Gilgamesh. As Enkidu enters the city, Gilgamesh is about to exert his claim to the bride's first night. Infuriated, Enkidu stands in front of the door of the marital chamber and blocks Gilgamesh's way. They fight furiously until Gilgamesh wins out; the two embrace and become devoted friends. Gilgamesh introduces Enkidu to his mother. Enkidu, who is an orphan and has no brother, weeps.
Gilgamesh proposes a quest (seemingly out of the blue): they are to journey to the great Forest of Cedar and cut down all the cedar trees (or a single great cedar). To do this, they will need to kill its guardian, the great demon Humbaba, created by Enlil (ruler of earth and men) to terrify men away. Enkidu knows about Humbaba from his days running wild in the forest, and fears him ("his voice is the Deluge, his speech is fire, and his breath is death"--he is second in fearfulness only to Adad, the Storm god). He tries in vain to convince Gilgamesh not to undertake this folly. Gilgamesh says "as for man, [his days] are numbered, whatever he may do, it is but wind". Enkidu reluctantly consents, and they forge great hatchets, axes, and daggers for the fight.
Gilgamesh announces to the crowd and the elders of Uruk his plans to cut down the cedar and win an eternal name for himself. They will all celebrate on his return. Enkidu asks the elders to stop Gilgamesh, who also fail to sway him.

Tablet 3: Preparations for the journey to the Forest of Cedar

The elders of the city protest Gilgamesh's endeavor, but agree reluctantly. They place his life in Enkidu's hands. Gilgamesh goes to ask his mother's blessing. She laments her son's fate in a prayer to Shamash (the sun-god and patron of travelers), asking why he had put such a restless spirit in her son and asking him for his protection, for his path to be well lit, for him to send winds against Humbaba, etc. She hopes that Gilgamesh will someday be made a god. Ninsun also adopts Enkidu as her son, and asks him to guard Gilgamesh's life.
Enkidu and Gilgamesh perform rituals to aid a safe journey. Gilgamesh instructs the officers in how to run the city in his absence. They again advise him to keep Enkidu out in front.
In panic, Enkidu again tries to convince Gilgamesh not to undertake this journey, but Gilgamesh is confident of success.

Tablet 4: Journey to the Forest of Cedar

The journey to the cedar forest takes 1 1/2 months, 50 leagues a day. On every 3rd day, they pitch camp and dig a well [an oasis]. Gilgamesh climbs to a mountain top and prays to Shamash to bring him a dream, and Enkidu makes a House of the Dream God to encourage these dreams. He guards the doorway to the house as Gilgamesh dreams. Shamash sends Gilgamesh prophetic dreams in the middle of the night. After each dream, Gilgamesh awakens sensing that a god has gone by. These dreams all seem ominous, but are given favorable interpretations by Enkidu:
(1) The first is only partially preserved and deals with a mountain that falls...
(2) In the second, Gilgamesh dreams that a mountain threw him down, but a man saves him--Enkidu says the mountain is not Humbaba.
(3) Gilgamesh dreams of the earth rumbling, a storm, darkness, lightning, fire... Enkidu interprets that the battle draws near, that they will see radiant auras of Humbaba, that Lugalbanda (Gilgamesh's father) will help him lock horns like a bull with Humbaba.
(4) Gilgamesh has seen a Thunderbird (Anzu, a lion-headed eagle or flying stallion) in the sky with mouth of fire, its breath death, as well as a man... Enkidu explains the man was Shamash and that they will bind the wings of the Thunderbird.
(5) Gilgamesh dreams of a bull he takes hold of and a [man] who gives him water. Enkidu says the bull represents Shamash who will aid them in their time of peril, and the man with water was Lugalbanda.
Near the entrance to the Forest of Cedar, Gilgamesh begins to cry with fear. Shamash calls to him, ordering him to hurry and enter the forest while Humbaba is not wearing all 7 cloaks of his armor [auras], but only one. Enkidu loses his courage and wants to withdraw, but Gilgamesh encourages him onward. Humbaba bellows. [They may begin fighting Humbaba here--a large part of the tablet is missing.]

Tablet 5: Combat with Humbaba

Gilgamesh and Enkidu admire the beautiful Forest of Cedar and the Mountain of Cedar where the gods and goddesses have their secret abode and throne. Enkidu encourages Gilgamesh. Hearing their sounds, Humbaba comes roaring up to them and warns them threateningly. Gilgamesh is fearful and considers retreating, but Enkidu encourages him to confront Humbaba head on. The fight begins. Shamash sends violent winds against Humbaba, and the men get the upper hand. Humbaba pleads for his life, offers Gilgamesh all his trees, but Enkidu insists that Gilgamesh kill him to establish his fame, even though the gods will be angry. Humbaba mockingly asks if Gilgamesh the king takes orders from his servant, and asks Enkidu to request his life be spared. Humbaba curses Enkidu, foretelling that Enkidu will not grow old. Gilgamesh draws his dirk and smites Humbaba in the neck, cutting off his head. The mountains quake and tremble. [Some of the following is from the older Old Babylonian version.] Gilgamesh also slays all 7 of Humbaba's auras. Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down some of the trees of the cedar forest and in particular the tallest of the cedar trees, to make a great cedar gate for the city of Uruk. They build a raft out of the cedar and float down the Euphrates river to their city, bringing Humbaba's head.

Ta