An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh EpicJastrow, Morris
General
An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic
Jastrow, Morris
Epic poetry, Assyro-Babylonian
In concluding this study of the two recently discovered tablets of
the old Babylonian version of the Gilgamesh Epic which has brought us
several steps further in the interpretation and in our understanding
of the method of composition of the most notable literary production
of ancient Babylonia, it will be proper to consider the _literary_
relationship of the old Babylonian to the Assyrian version.
We have already referred to the different form in which the names
of the chief figures appear in the old Babylonian version, dGish as
against dGish-gì(n)-mash, dEn-ki-du as against dEn-ki-dú, Hu-wa-wa
as against Hu(m)-ba-ba. Erech appears as _Uruk ribîtim_, "Erech of
the Plazas," as against _Uruk supûri_, "walled Erech" (or "Erech
within the walls"), in the Assyrian version. [130] These variations
point to an _independent_ recension for the Assyrian revision; and
this conclusion is confirmed by a comparison of parallel passages in
our two tablets with the Assyrian version, for such parallels rarely
extend to verbal agreements in details, and, moreover, show that the
Assyrian version has been elaborated.
Beginning with the Pennsylvania tablet, column I is covered in the
Assyrian version by tablet I, 5, 25, to 6, 33, though, as pointed out
above, in the Assyrian version we have the anticipation of the dreams
of Gilgamesh and their interpretation through their recital to Enkidu
by his female companion, whereas in the old Babylonian version we
have the dreams _directly_ given in a conversation between Gilgamesh
and his mother. In the anticipation, there would naturally be some
omissions. So lines 4-5 and 12-13 of the Pennsylvania tablet do not
appear in the Assyrian version, but in their place is a line (I, 5,
35), to be restored to
"[I saw him and like] a woman I fell in love with him."
which occurs in the old Babylonian version only in connection with
the second dream. The point is of importance as showing that in the
Babylonian version the first dream lays stress upon the omen of
the falling meteor, as symbolizing the coming of Enkidu, whereas
the second dream more specifically reveals Enkidu as a man, [131]
of whom Gilgamesh is instantly enamored. Strikingly variant lines,
though conveying the same idea, are frequent. Thus line 14 of the
Babylonian version reads
"I bore it and carried it to thee"
and appears in the Assyrian version (I, 5, 35_b_ supplied from 6, 26)
"I threw it (or him) at thy feet" [132]
with an additional line in elaboration
"Thou didst bring him into contact with me" [133]
which anticipates the speech of the mother
(Line 41 = Assyrian version I, 6, 33).
Line 10 of the Pennsylvania tablet has _pa-hi-ir_ as against _iz-za-az_
I, 5, 31.
Line 8 has _ik-ta-bi-it_ as against _da-an_ in the Assyrian version I,
5, 29.
More significant is the variant to line 9
"I became weak and its weight I could not bear"
as against I, 5, 30.
"Its strength was overpowering, [134] and I could not endure
its weight."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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