Literary Translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: The Quest of a Mortal King and the Ladder of the Soul (29,000 characters)

Literary Translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh: The Quest of a Mortal King and the Ladder of the Soul

1. Introduction to the Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest heroic story of humanity, originating in the land of ancient Mesopotamia. Its roots trace back to Sumerian legends, and it was later inscribed in cuneiform on clay tablets in the Akkadian language. This epic is not merely a tale of a king's adventures. It is a record of a universal journey of the soul that explores friendship and loss, the fear of a mortal fate, and the meaning of a "finite life."

While many myths speak of the genealogies of gods and the creation of the world, this book centers on the anguish and growth of a single "human." The depth of its questioning transcends thousands of years and still resonates quietly in the hearts of those of us living in the modern age.

1.1. Characters

The world of the story is woven by many gods, humans, and supernatural beings.

Narrator: A nameless bard. One who conveys the achievements and anguish of the great King of Uruk to future generations.

Protagonist: Gilgamesh
King of Uruk. A demigod born of a goddess mother. It is said that his strength was unparalleled and his appearance was like the sun. The story begins with his wild, youthful days.

Friend: Enkidu
A wild man created from clay by the gods as a counterpart to Gilgamesh. While there is no direct description in the story that the two are identical, he is a being who can truly be called "another Gilgamesh," matching the king in both strength and soul. He is the embodiment of nature itself and can be said to be the other half of Gilgamesh's soul.

Humans

Sage: Utnapishtim
A person who survived the Great Flood and was granted eternal life by the gods. The Mesopotamian flood tradition shows clear similarities to the story of Noah in the Old Testament, and Utnapishtim is considered a precursor in that lineage. He shows Gilgamesh the impossibility of physical immortality and the truth he must face.

Guide: Shamhat
A woman belonging to the temple (original term: harimtu). By "accepting" Enkidu, she is the symbol of "civilization" that leads the beast to become human [Note 4].

Wise Woman: Siduri
The mistress of a tavern at the edge of the world. She preaches to Gilgamesh, who seeks immortality, about the happiness appropriate for a human being.

Ferryman: Urshanabi
The boatman who crosses the Sea of Death. He leads Gilgamesh to Utnapishtim and is also a witness to the journey, returning to Uruk with the king at the end of the story.

Gods

Ninsun: The goddess who is Gilgamesh's mother. She prays to the sun god Shamash for the safety of her son's journey.

Anu: The sky god who is the father of the gods. He listens to Ishtar's plea and sends the Bull of Heaven to Uruk.

Enlil: The god of the atmosphere, considered the most powerful among the gods. He is harsh toward humans and is the one who caused the Great Flood.

Ea: The god who governs water and wisdom. He is favorable toward humanity and often saves humans from the plans of other gods [Note 7].

Shamash: The sun god who governs justice and oracles. He protects and assists Gilgamesh on his journey.

Ishtar: The goddess of love, beauty, war, and fertility. She is enraged when Gilgamesh rejects her marriage proposal [Note 5].

Supernatural Beings

Guardian: Humbaba
: A terrifying monster appointed by Enlil, the god of the atmosphere, as the guardian of the sacred Cedar Forest.

Divine Beast: Bull of Heaven
: A sacred bull sent from heaven by the goddess Ishtar to take revenge on Gilgamesh.

Gatekeepers: Scorpion-men
: A pair of gatekeepers who guard the gates of Mount Mashu at the ends of the world. They show Gilgamesh the path of his trial.

Symbol: Snake
: A symbol of "rebirth and eternity" due to its repeated molting. It plays a crucial role at the end of the story.

1.2. Authors, Narrators, and the Formation of the Story

There is no single author for the Epic of Gilgamesh like there is for Homer. It is best understood as a long process where two major currents merged to form this story.

The first current is the oral tradition. In societies without writing or with limited literacy, oral transmission was not merely a means of conveying stories. It was a sacred duty to pass on the community's cosmology, history, laws, and wisdom from generation to generation. The storytellers were not just entertainers but "living books" who carried the memory of the community within themselves, and they were required to undergo rigorous training and dedication to maintain the accuracy of that memory. The archetypal heroic tales and myths were passed down in this way from the Sumerian era.

The second current is the creation by scribes. In ancient Mesopotamia, the act of carving characters onto clay tablets was a sacred task permitted only to highly educated professional classes, such as priests and scribes serving in temples. They did not simply transcribe oral traditions. They performed highly sophisticated editorial and creative work, selecting from multiple traditions, adding theological reflection, and giving the story a consistent theme and philosophical depth. It is impossible to deny the possibility that inspiration akin to a "revelation" from the gods was at work there.

The Sumerian stories that serve as the prototypes for the epic are thought to have been established around 2100 BCE, and the "Standard Babylonian Version" in Akkadian that we know today is believed to have been finalized at the end of the second millennium BCE (roughly 1300–1000 BCE). The name of Sin-leqi-unninni, who is said to be the compiler, appears in the colophon.

In this way, by fusing the living tradition passed down through human memory and voice with the refinement of the scribes' wisdom, the Epic of Gilgamesh attained its immortal form.

1.3. Ideological Relationship with the Sumerian Code of Laws

In exploring the ideological background of the Epic of Gilgamesh, its relationship with the **Code of Ur-Nammu (c. 2100 BCE)**, which is even older than the later Code of Hammurabi (c. 18th century BCE), is extremely important. While there is no direct textual citation between the two, they stand on a common ideological foundation regarding "how a king should be."

The epic depicts the inner journey of a king. It is a story of spiritual growth in which Gilgamesh, who was a tyrant, realizes through the suffering of his friend's death that a king's duty is to protect his people and accomplish great deeds (the city walls) that will remain for posterity.

On the other hand, the Code of Ur-Nammu shows the outward expression of a king's duty. This, the world's oldest surviving code of laws, is not merely a law of barbaric retaliation. Its prologue is inscribed with the noble philosophy that King Ur-Nammu was called by the gods to "establish justice in the land, so that the orphan would not fall prey to the wealthy, and the widow would not fall prey to the powerful..."

Unlike the later "eye for an eye" law of talion, its provisions were surprisingly rational and moderate, focusing on monetary compensation for damages.

[Sample Clauses from the Code of Ur-Nammu]

As shown, it is clear that a highly sophisticated social system already existed, with principles such as monetary compensation for personal injury and regulations established to maintain the social order.

The epic and the code of law, one as a narrative and the other as a set of regulations, each express in their own way the same ideological foundation: "The role of a king is not the display of personal authority, but a sacred duty to bring order and justice to society."

1.4. Synopsis

The story begins with the reign of the young King Gilgamesh. Enkidu, a wild man created as his rival, eventually meets Gilgamesh and, after a fierce battle, becomes his closest friend. Although their figures are contrasted as wild man and king, the story suggests that because Enkidu was created as an equal to Gilgamesh, they were twins in soul, or like reflections in a mirror. Together, they join forces to defeat Humbaba, the guardian of the Cedar Forest, and the Bull of Heaven, reaching the pinnacle of heroic glory.

However, their actions incur the wrath of the gods, and Enkidu loses his life. Faced with the death of his dear friend, Gilgamesh is tormented by the fear of death for the first time and sets out on a lonely journey to the ends of the earth in search of eternal life.

After much hardship, he meets Utnapishtim, the sage who survived the Great Flood, but realizes that physical immortality cannot be attained. The episode of the Great Flood told by Utnapishtim is known for its striking similarity to the story of Noah's Ark in the Old Testament. While they share common elements such as divine warning, the building of an ark, the salvation of family and animals, landing on a mountain, and releasing birds to find dry land, there are differences in the causes of the flood (the whims of the gods or their anger at the noise of humanity) and the fact that the protagonist is granted immortality by the gods.

Finally, Gilgamesh obtains a plant of rejuvenation, but it is eaten by a snake, and he returns to his home city of Uruk in despair. Then, gazing at the walls he built, he quietly accepts that while humans are destined to die, their great achievements remain, and he becomes a true king.

2. The Ideological Depths of the Epic of Gilgamesh: From Stone to Water, and the Transformation of the Soul

【From the Author: On the Interpretation of this Chapter—An Invitation to Creative Exploration】

The interpretation developed in this chapter is based on the author's own exploratory hypothesis that "narratives throughout human history may share a common symbology that transcends culture and era."

As part of an effort to verify this hypothesis, this is an experimental attempt to apply the symbolic system used by the 20th-century mystic Maurice Nicoll in his interpretation of the Christian Bible to this work, the oldest story in human history.

Therefore, the analysis in this paper has no direct academic basis and is intended to be read purely as a creative endeavor or literary fiction. I hope that you, the reader, will join me as a witness to this intellectual adventure.

The story depicted in this epic can be read metaphorically, resonating deeply with the ladder of human consciousness transformation—"Stone to Water to Wine"—as shown in Nicoll's biblical interpretation.

First Ladder: The Stone Stage
The consciousness of the young Gilgamesh is external, literal, and inflexible. Symbolically representing this stage are the magnificent walls of Uruk he built, and above all, the fact that this story itself is handed down to us as stone monuments (clay tablets). Just as the Ten Commandments were given to Moses inscribed on stone tablets, this may suggest that truth first needed to be established as an immutable, external, and literal "law."
In the story, the absolute power he wields becomes an irreversible decree for the people, and its truth does not accept others. Even his friendship with Enkidu was a quest for immortal achievements to be left for posterity.

Second Ladder: The Water Stage
Faced with the death of his friend, he learns of his own finiteness for the first time and is forced into an inner journey. His journey begins with the tears he sheds and continues with the trial of crossing the sea of death. In symbolic reading, unless explicitly implying a higher meaning such as "living water," "water" signifies the stage of trial characterized by "conflict, friction, and suffering for transformation." Gilgamesh's journey was truly a process of immersing himself in this "water as conflict."

Third Ladder: The Offered "Wine," and its Rejection
At the end of his journey, at the edge of the world, he meets the tavern keeperSiduri. The words she offers can be read as a kind of prophecy and as the first symbol of wine in the story. Her advice as the mistress of wine to "hold a feast of celebration every day" condenses human joy—the family table, festivals, and the intoxication and comfort brought by wine. It is a symbol of the earthly, concrete happiness that mortal humans can enjoy.
However, Gilgamesh could not accept these words at that time. This is because his quest had not yet escaped the mindset of a more fundamental stage, seeking the absolute and the eternal. He did not seek the finite "wine" that could be touched by hand, but continued to seek the "living water" as a concept, as something infinite.

The True "Water Stage" and its Conclusion
He ties stones to his feet of his own will and dives into the deep water. This was a rite of passage to discard his rigid ego and surrender himself completely to the living truth. The "plant of rejuvenation" he obtains there was the greatest treasure he could reach on this journey.
However, the story ends with the loss of even this treasure.

3. On Translation Policy

This translation is not a literal translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh, but an artistic attempt to "re-create" its spirit within the dignified, classical literary tone of Japanese literature. The goal is to express the rawness and lyricism of the original text, as well as the odyssey of the hero's soul, in a unique style.

In translating, I have prioritized conciseness and rhythm, using only historically accurate classical grammar and vocabulary such as "-ki," "-nu," "-beshi," and "-nari."

4. Epic of Gilgamesh: Classical Literary Translation (All Twelve Tablets)

[Tablet I]

Speak of Gilgamesh, he who saw the abyss. He was the king who laid the foundations of the land.
He knew all things and saw all phenomena. He saw what was hidden and opened what was secret. He brought news of the days before the Great Flood, and having returned from a long journey, he was weary and found peace. He carved all his hardships onto a stone stele.
It was he who built the walls of Uruk. Behold the holy Eanna precinct (temple and treasury). Its outer wall shines like copper, and its inner wall has no equal.
Gilgamesh was glorious from birth. Two-thirds of him is god, and one-third is man.
Yet his strength was like a wild bull, and he strode through the streets of Uruk. He drove the young men to war and took daughters from their fathers. The cries of the people reached heaven.
The gods complained to Anu, the lord of heaven: "There is no one to equal Gilgamesh. He follows his own desires."
Anu commanded Aruru, the goddess of creation: "Create his double. One with the heart of a storm. Let two storms fight each other and bring silence to Uruk."
Aruru heard the words of the gods, kneaded clay with water, and created Enkidu. A warrior of the wilderness. His body was covered in thick hair, and his hair was long like a woman's. He ate grass with the beasts and gathered at the watering holes with the beasts. He had not yet known humanity.

[Tablet II]

The hunter saw the form of Enkidu and was struck with fear. The traps were broken, and the beasts escaped.
The hunter told his father: "That wild man has surpassed my strength." His father replied: "Go to Uruk and tell Gilgamesh. Send the temple woman Shamhat to seduce him."
Gilgamesh said to the hunter: "Take Shamhat with you. When she seduces him, the herds of beasts will shun him."
Shamhat found Enkidu and took off her clothes. Enkidu was upon her for six days and seven nights. After he was satisfied, he looked back at the herds of beasts, but the beasts saw him and ran away.
Enkidu grew weak and fell to his knees. Yet wisdom was born in his heart, and he became a man.
Shamhat said to him: "You are as wise as a god. Why do you run through the fields with the beasts? Come, I will lead you to Uruk. To Gilgamesh. He possesses the strength of a wild bull."
Enkidu heard her words, desired a friend, and decided to meet Gilgamesh.
In Uruk, Gilgamesh had a dream. A star fell from heaven, and an axe lay in the streets. He loved it and asked his mother, Ninsun, to interpret the dream.
His mother replied: "The star and the axe are your strong friend. The one who will save you will soon arrive."
Enkidu entered Uruk, and his strength became known in the streets.
Gilgamesh tried to enter the house of the wedding. Enkidu stood at the doorway and blocked the path.
The two forces clashed violently at the doorway. The walls shook, and the doorposts shattered. Gilgamesh bent his knee, and his anger subsided.
He said to Enkidu: "You are the friend my mother spoke of." The two embraced, and friendship was established there.

[Tablet III]

Gilgamesh said to Enkidu: "My strength has withered in Uruk. I will go to the Cedar Forest and make my name immortal. I will strike down the evil Humbaba and cut off the evil of this land."
Enkidu replied with tears: "Humbaba's voice is a flood, his mouth is fire, and his breath is death. How can you challenge him?"
Gilgamesh said: "My friend, man is mortal. But my name shall remain forever. I go for the sake of my name and for your descendants."
The elders of Uruk lamented and said: "O King, you are young. Do not rely on your own strength. Humbaba is not to be underestimated."
Gilgamesh did not heed their words.
His mother Ninsun climbed to the roof and prayed to the sun god Shamash: "Why did you give my son a restless heart? Now he goes on a long journey. Protect him until the day he meets Humbaba."
She called Enkidu and said: "Though you are not my child, from today you are my foster son. Protect my child."
The two heroes, weapons in hand, departed from the gates of Uruk.

[Tablet IV]

The two traveled twenty leagues and ate their rations, then traveled thirty leagues and made camp.
Gilgamesh climbed a mountain and prayed for a dream. The mountain gave him a dream.
A mountain collapsed and caught him. But a beautiful figure appeared, pulled him from under the rubble, and gave him water. Gilgamesh found peace.
Enkidu interpreted the dream: "My friend, that dream is a good omen. It shows that we will capture Humbaba."
Again, Gilgamesh had a dream. He fought a wild bull and was thrown to the ground. But someone gave him water.
Enkidu said: "My friend, that person is the god Shamash. He will help us."
The journey continued, and they reached the entrance to the Cedar Forest.

[Tablet V]

They stood on the edge of the green mountain and gazed at the Cedar Forest. The path was straight and magnificent.
Humbaba, the guardian of the forest, his voice was like thunder.
Gilgamesh trembled with fear. Enkidu encouraged him: "My friend, if we go together, there is nothing to fear."
Shamash sent winds from heaven. The great wind, the north wind, the storm, the icy wind. (Though there are variations in the texts) The eight winds struck Humbaba's face, and he could neither advance nor retreat.
Humbaba surrendered and begged for his life: "Gilgamesh, forgive me. I will become your servant. I will give you the trees of this forest."
Enkidu said to Gilgamesh: "Do not believe his words. Do not show mercy."
Gilgamesh raised his axe, Enkidu drew his sword, and they beheaded Humbaba.
The forest was wrapped in silence, and they cut down the tallest cedar and floated it down the Euphrates River.

[Tablet VI]

Gilgamesh washed himself and donned his royal robes. The goddess Ishtar was captivated by his beauty.
She said to Gilgamesh: "Come, be my husband. I will give you a chariot of lapis lazuli and gold."
Gilgamesh replied: "Your love is as fickle as the wind. The shepherd you loved became a wolf, and the gardener became a spider. I cannot be your husband."
Ishtar was enraged by his words and complained to her father Anu in heaven: "Gilgamesh has insulted me. Create the Bull of Heaven and destroy him."
Anu said: "The Bull of Heaven will bring seven years of chaff to Uruk." Ishtar said: "I have prepared grain for the people."
Anu created the Bull of Heaven and released it upon Uruk. With its snorting, a great pit opened in the earth, and many young men fell and died [Note 9].
Enkidu grabbed the bull's horns, and Gilgamesh thrust his sword into its heart.
They killed the Bull of Heaven and offered its heart to Shamash.
Ishtar stood on the walls of Uruk and screamed a curse. Enkidu cut off the bull's right thigh and threw it in her face: "I would do the same to you."

(A turning point in the story)
[Tablet VII]

Enkidu had a dream. The gods gathered and held council. Anu, Enlil, Shamash.
Enlil said: "Because they killed Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, one of them must die." Shamash defended Gilgamesh, but Enlil decreed that Enkidu must die.
Enkidu lay on his sickbed and cursed his fate. He cursed the door of the Cedar Forest, he cursed the hunter, and he cursed the woman Shamhat who had made him a man.
But Shamash spoke to him from heaven: "Shamhat gave you beautiful food and made the great Gilgamesh your friend. He will mourn for you deeply after you die."
Enkidu's heart found peace, he lifted the curse on Shamhat, and gave her a blessing.
He said to Gilgamesh: "My friend, I do not die in disgrace. Blessed is he who dies on the battlefield. I die of sickness."
After twelve days, Enkidu breathed his last.

[Tablet VIII]

At dawn, Gilgamesh called out to his friend. But Enkidu did not answer.
He touched his friend's chest, but the heart did not beat.
He covered his friend's face with a veil, roared like a lion, paced around his friend, tore at his own hair, and ripped his beautiful clothes.
Dawn came again. Gilgamesh proclaimed throughout the land: "Mourn for Enkidu. My friend, the wild donkey, the leopard of the mountains. My right arm, my sword, my shield. He has died. I mourn him deeply."
He had a statue of his friend made of gold and lapis lazuli, gathered the craftsmen of the land, and built a magnificent tomb.

[Tablet IX]

Gilgamesh wandered the wilderness and wept for his friend Enkidu.
"Am I not also to die? Will I not become a clod of earth like Enkidu? Fear is in my belly. I fear death and run through the wilderness. I hasten my way to Utnapishtim."
He reached the mountains of Mashu. The mountains guard the sunrise and sunset. Scorpion-men guarded the gate.
The scorpion-man saw Gilgamesh and said: "His body is divine, but his heart is filled with suffering."
Gilgamesh told the purpose of his journey: "Because of the death of my friend, I fear death. I seek to know the path to eternal life."
The scorpion-man said: "Go, Gilgamesh. But the path is darkness. There is no light."
He traveled the path of the sun. Through twelve leagues of darkness. He ran, and ran, and ran, until he reached the end of the darkness.

[Tablet X]

Passing through the darkness, he reached the garden of light. It was a land where trees of jewels grew.
The tavern keeper Siduri saw him and closed the door. For his appearance was wild and filled with sorrow.
Gilgamesh knocked on the door and told his story: "I am Gilgamesh. The one who defeated Humbaba and killed the Bull of Heaven. My friend, Enkidu, has died. I fear death."
Siduri said to him: "Gilgamesh, you will not find the life you seek. When the gods created man, they allotted death to man and kept life in their own hands. You should fill your belly and enjoy yourself day and night. Hold a feast of celebration every day. This is the duty of man."
Gilgamesh did not listen: "Show me the way to Utnapishtim."
Siduri replied: "There is the Sea of Death. Only the ferryman Urshanabi can cross it."
Gilgamesh found Urshanabi and, in his anger, smashed the 'things of stone' understood to be the sailing equipment.
Urshanabi said: "You have destroyed the means to cross yourself."
Yet, Gilgamesh made one hundred and twenty poles, crossed the Sea of Death, and finally reached Utnapishtim.

[The Eleventh Tablet]

Utnapishtim looks at Gilgamesh and says, "Why are your cheeks so gaunt and your heart so sorrowful?"
Gilgamesh tells of his friend's death and his own journey.
Utnapishtim replies, "Gilgamesh, there is nothing eternal. Man is destined to die."
Gilgamesh asks, "You are a man like me, yet how did you join the assembly of the gods and attain eternal life?"
Utnapishtim begins to speak: "Gilgamesh, I will reveal to you a hidden thing. I will tell you the secret of the gods.
Once, the gods decided to bring a flood upon the land of Shuruppak. However, the god Ea turned to the reed hut and leaked the secret: 'Reed hut, listen. Wall, understand. Tear down your house and build a boat. Forsake your possessions and save your life.'
I followed his words, built a boat, and took my family and the seeds of all living things aboard.
The storm came, covering the earth for six days and seven nights. On the seventh day, when I opened the window, all things had returned to clay.
I landed on Mount Nimush (Nisir) and released a dove, but it returned, finding no place to land. I released a swallow, but it also returned. I released a raven, and it ate, flew off, and did not return.
I offered sacrifices to the gods. The god Enlil was angry to see me, but the god Ea rebuked him.
Enlil took my wife and me by the hand, blessed us, and granted us eternal life."
Utnapishtim says to Gilgamesh, "Now, who will gather the gods for your sake? First, try to go without sleep for six days and seven nights."
As soon as Gilgamesh sits down, he is enveloped in a mist of sleep.
Utnapishtim says to his wife, "Look, even the strong cannot overcome sleep. Bake daily bread and mark the days he sleeps."
On the seventh day, Gilgamesh wakes up. Seeing the seven loaves of bread, he realizes his defeat.
He laments, "Where should I go? The god of death has seized my limbs."
Utnapishtim, pitying him, reveals a secret as he leaves: "At the bottom of the sea, there is a plant like a thorn. That plant will make you young again."
Gilgamesh ties stones to his feet, dives into the deep sea, and obtains the plant.
He says to Urshanabi, "I will take this back to Uruk, give it to an old man, and eat it myself."
On the way, there is a spring of cold water. Gilgamesh bathes in it.
A snake, catching the scent of the plant, appears quietly and eats it. As soon as the snake finishes eating the plant, it sheds its old skin.
Gilgamesh sits down on the spot and cries, "For whose sake was my hardship? Was it for the snake?"
He returns to Uruk, stands on the city walls, and says to Urshanabi, "Look at these walls. Look at their foundations. This is what a man should leave behind."

[The Twelfth Tablet]

(It is widely held that this tablet is a later addition.)
Gilgamesh says to Enkidu, "If I break the laws of the underworld for your sake, will you tell me the laws of the underworld?"
He seeks to retrieve his own pukku and mikku that have fallen into the underworld.
Enkidu's spirit appears from a hole in the underworld, but his body is like a shadow.
Gilgamesh asks, "My friend, tell me the laws of the underworld."
Enkidu replies, "I cannot tell you. If I tell you, you will sit down and weep."
Gilgamesh says, "I will sit down and weep, but tell me."
Enkidu says, "My body is like an old garment eaten by worms. It is filled with dust."
He speaks of the gloom of the underworld, the fortune of those who died in battle, and the misery of those who died without descendants.
Hearing these words, Gilgamesh bows his head to the ground and continues to lament deeply that day.

5. [Questions for the Seeker]

What if the ending of this story was not the "defeat of loss" that we think it is?
What if, behind the superficial ending of the story, a further ladder was symbolically indicated?

Here, the final question remains.

At the end of the world, Gilgamesh was offered the first "wine" by the wise woman Siduri.
However, he rejected it.

He dove into the deep water with his own strength and obtained the greatest treasure.
And then he bathed in the spring.
Meanwhile, the snake ate the plant.

In symbolism, unless spoken of in the special sense of "living water," "water" can signify the stage of "conflict."
What if this final bath was a depiction of the last "conflict" that his "mortal body" was still undergoing?

And what if that snake was not merely a thief from the outside, but a symbol of another essence that had separated from his "mortal body"?

At that moment, what really happened in this scene?
Was it "loss"? Or was it "separation" and "fulfillment"?

Did Gilgamesh truly suffer defeat?

On its surface, this story tells us of a defeat, like "soft food" that anyone can digest immediately. However, its inner meaning is not revealed in simple words.
Like the walls of Uruk that Gilgamesh finally reached, it lies quietly before us as a hard "stone."

Seeker.
Will you just shed tears before that stone?
Or will you chew it with your own questions and touch the true meaning of that "wine" which the king once rejected?

The Epic of Gilgamesh does not tell us a comfortable ending.
Perhaps it is simply asking us quietly whether or not we are true seekers.

6. [Notes]

[Note 1] Eanna: The temple precinct in the city of Uruk dedicated to the sky god Anu and the goddess Ishtar.
[Note 2] Beru: An ancient Mesopotamian unit. Originally a time unit of "double hour" (approx. 2 hours), and while there are various theories regarding distance conversion, it is generally estimated to be about 10-12 km.
[Note 3] Ishtar: One of the most important goddesses in Mesopotamia, presiding over love, beauty, war, and fertility.
[Note 4] Shamhat's title: The translation of the original term (harimtu) is debated among researchers, and it is translated as "priestess," "courtesan," or "temple prostitute."
[Note 5] Inanna's Descent to the Underworld: Ishtar is identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna. "Inanna's Descent to the Underworld" is told as a descent for control of the underworld, and in the process of returning, her husband Dumuzi is sent to the underworld as a substitute. This is an important story that resonates with the theme of this epic: the finiteness of humans (or gods) in the face of the power of death.
[Note 6] Utnapishtim: Means "he who found life." In the story, he is also called "the distant one." A figure considered to be the precursor to the "Noah" of the Old Testament.
[Note 7] Ea: The god of water and wisdom. Identified with the Sumerian god Enki. He is favorable to humanity and often saves humans from the plans of other gods.
[Note 8] Pukku and mikku: The original terms are pukku and mikku. While it is unclear what they specifically were, they are thought to be tools symbolizing kingship, such as a drum and drumstick, or a hoop and stick.
[Note 9] Victims of the Bull of Heaven: The number of people in the text and the number of years of famine warned by Anu (such as "seven years") vary depending on the variants of the standard version.
[Note 10] Gin = Shekel (the same silver weight unit). This manuscript uses the notation "gin." Reference: In research conventions, 1 gin is considered to be approx. 8.3g, but there are various theories. This text does not use conversions.

7. Appendix

7.1. Appendix 1: Literary Translation (with furigana)

[Tablet I]
Speak of Gilgamesh, the man who saw the abyss. He was the king who laid the foundations of the land.
He knew all things and saw all phenomena. He saw what was hidden and opened what was kept secret. He brought news of the days before the Great Flood, and having returned from a long journey, he was weary and found rest. He carved all his hardships onto a stone monument.
It was he who built the walls of Uruk. Behold the holy Eanna precinct (the temple and treasury). Its outer wall shines like copper, and its inner wall has no equal.
Gilgamesh was glorious from the moment of his birth. Two-thirds of him was god, and one-third was human.
Yet his strength was like that of a wild bull, and he strode through the streets of Uruk. He drove the young men to war and took daughters away from their fathers. The lamentations of the people reached the heavens.
The gods complained to Anu, the Lord of Heaven. "There is no one who can rival Gilgamesh. He acts according to his own desires."
Anu commanded Aruru, the goddess of creation, "Create a double of him. One who possesses the heart of a storm. Let the two storms fight each other and bring silence to Uruk."
Aruru heard the words of the gods, kneaded clay with water, and created Enkidu. He was a warrior of the wilderness. His body was covered in thick hair, and his hair was long like a woman's. He grazed on grass with the beasts and gathered at the watering holes with the beasts. He did not yet know humanity.

[Tablet II]
The hunter saw the figure of Enkidu and trembled with fear. The traps were broken, and the beasts ran away.
The hunter told his father, "That wild man exceeds my strength." The father replied, "Go to Uruk and tell Gilgamesh. Send the temple woman Shamhat to seduce him."
Gilgamesh said to the hunter, "Take Shamhat with you. When she seduces him, the herds of beasts will loathe him."
Shamhat found Enkidu and took off her clothes. Enkidu was with her for six days and seven nights. After he was satisfied, he looked back at the herds of beasts, but the beasts saw him and ran away.
Enkidu grew weak and fell to his knees. However, wisdom was born in his heart, and he became human.
Shamhat said to him, "You are as wise as a god. Why do you run through the fields with the beasts? Come, I will lead you to Uruk. To Gilgamesh. He possesses the strength of a wild bull."
Enkidu heard her words, desired a friend, and decided to meet Gilgamesh.
In Uruk, Gilgamesh had a dream. A star fell from the sky, and an axe lay in the streets. He loved it and asked his mother, Ninsun, to interpret the dream.
His mother replied, "The star and the axe are your strong friends. The one who will save you will soon come."
Enkidu entered Uruk, and his strength became known throughout the streets.
Gilgamesh was about to enter the house of a wedding. Enkidu stood at the doorway and blocked the path.
The two forces grappled fiercely at the doorway. The walls shook, and the doorposts shattered. Gilgamesh bent his knee, and his anger subsided.
He turned to Enkidu and said, "You are the friend my mother spoke of." The two embraced, and their friendship was formed.

[Tablet III]
Gilgamesh said to Enkidu, "My strength is withering in Uruk. I will go to the Cedar Forest and make my name immortal. I will strike down the evil Humbaba and cut off the evil of this land."
Enkidu replied with tears, "Humbaba's voice is a flood, his mouth is fire, and his breath is death. How can you challenge him?"
Gilgamesh said, "My friend, humans are destined to die. But my name will remain forever. I go for the sake of my name and for your descendants."
The elders of Uruk lamented and said, "O King, you are young. Do not rely on your own strength. Humbaba is not to be underestimated."
Gilgamesh did not heed their words.
His mother, Ninsun, climbed to the roof and prayed to the sun god Shamash, "Why did you give my son a heart that cannot rest? Now he goes on a long journey. Please protect him until the day he meets Humbaba."
She called Enkidu and said, "Though you are not my child, from today you are my foster son. Protect my child."
The two heroes, weapons in hand, departed from the gates of Uruk.

[Tablet IV]
The two traveled, advancing twenty leagues to eat their rations and thirty leagues to make camp.
Gilgamesh climbed a mountain and asked for a dream. The mountain gave him a dream.
A mountain collapsed and caught him. However, a beautiful figure appeared, pulled him from under the rubble, and gave him water. Gilgamesh found peace.
Enkidu interpreted the dream, "My friend, that dream is a good omen. It shows that we will capture Humbaba."
Again, Gilgamesh had a dream. He fought a wild bull and was thrown to the ground. However, someone gave him water.
Enkidu said, "My friend, that person is the god Shamash. He will help us."
The journey continued, and they reached the entrance to the Cedar Forest.

[Tablet V]
They stood on the green mountainside and gazed at the Cedar Forest. The path was straight and magnificent.
Humbaba, the guardian of the forest, had a voice like thunder.
Gilgamesh trembled with fear. Enkidu encouraged him, "My friend, if we proceed together, there is nothing to fear."
Shamash sent winds from the heavens. A great wind, a north wind, a storm, an icy wind. (Though there are variations in the texts) eight winds struck Humbaba's face, and he could neither advance nor retreat.
Humbaba surrendered and begged for his life, "Gilgamesh, forgive me. I will become your servant. I will give you the trees of this forest."
Enkidu said to Gilgamesh, "Do not believe his words. Do not show him mercy."
Gilgamesh raised his axe, Enkidu drew his sword, and they beheaded Humbaba.
The forest was wrapped in silence, and they cut down the tallest cedar and floated it down the Euphrates River.

[Tablet VI]
Gilgamesh washed his body and donned his royal robes. The goddess Ishtar was captivated by his beauty.
She said to Gilgamesh, "Come, be my husband. I will give you a chariot of lapis lazuli and gold."
Gilgamesh replied, "Your love is as fickle as the wind. The shepherd you loved became a wolf, and the gardener became a spider. I cannot be your husband."
Ishtar was enraged by his words and complained to her father, Anu, the god of heaven. "Gilgamesh has insulted me. Create the Bull of Heaven and destroy him."
Anu said, "The Bull of Heaven will bring seven years of famine to Uruk." Ishtar replied, "I have prepared grain for the people."
Anu created the Bull of Heaven and released it upon Uruk. With its snorting, great pits opened in the earth, and many young men fell in and died.
Enkidu grabbed the bull's horns, and Gilgamesh plunged his sword into its heart.
They killed the Bull of Heaven and offered its heart to Shamash.
Ishtar stood on the walls of Uruk and screamed a curse. Enkidu cut off the bull's right thigh and threw it in her face, saying, "I will do the same to you."

[Tablet VII]
Enkidu had a dream. The gods gathered and held a council. Anu, Enlil, and Shamash.
Enlil said, "Because they killed Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, one of them must die." Shamash defended Gilgamesh, but Enlil decreed that Enkidu must die.
Enkidu lay on his sickbed and cursed his fate. He cursed the door of the Cedar Forest, he cursed the hunter, and he cursed the woman Shamhat who had made him human.
But Shamash spoke to him from the heavens, "Shamhat gave you delicious food and made the great Gilgamesh your friend. He will mourn you deeply after you die."
Enkidu's heart found peace, he lifted the curse on Shamhat, and gave her a blessing.
He said to Gilgamesh, "My friend, I do not die in dishonor. Those who die on the battlefield are fortunate. I die of sickness."
Twelve days later, Enkidu breathed his last.

[Tablet VIII]
At dawn, Gilgamesh called out to his friend. But Enkidu did not answer.
He touched his friend's chest, but the heart did not move.
He covered his friend's face with a veil, roared like a lion, paced around his friend, tore at his own hair, and ripped his beautiful clothes.
Dawn came again. Gilgamesh proclaimed throughout the land, "Mourn for Enkidu. My friend, the wild donkey, the leopard of the mountains. My right arm, my sword, my shield. He has died. I mourn him deeply."
He had a statue of his friend made of gold and lapis lazuli, gathered the craftsmen of the land, and built a magnificent tomb.

[Tablet IX]
Gilgamesh wandered the wilderness, weeping for his friend Enkidu.
"Am I not also going to die? Will I not turn into dust like Enkidu? Fear is in my belly. I fear death and run through the wilderness. I hasten on my way to Utnapishtim."
He reached the mountains of Mashu. The mountains guard the sunrise and the sunset. Scorpion-men guarded the gate.
The scorpion-man saw Gilgamesh and said, "His body is divine, but his heart is filled with suffering."
Gilgamesh told him the purpose of his journey, "Because of the death of my friend, I fear death. I wish to know the path to eternal life."
The scorpion-man said, "Go, Gilgamesh. But the path is darkness. There is no light."
He walked the path of the sun. Through twelve leagues of darkness. He ran, and ran, and ran, until he reached the end of the darkness.

[Tablet X]
Emerging from the darkness, he reached the garden of light. It was a land where trees of jewels grew thick.
Siduri, the tavern keeper, saw him and closed the door. His appearance was wild and filled with sorrow.
Gilgamesh knocked on the door and told his story, "I am Gilgamesh. The one who defeated Humbaba and killed the Bull of Heaven. My friend, Enkidu, has died. I fear death."
Siduri said to him, "Gilgamesh, the life you seek will not be found. When the gods created humans, they allotted death to humans and kept life in their own hands. You should fill your belly and enjoy yourself day and night. Hold a feast of celebration every day. This is the duty of a human."
Gilgamesh did not listen. "Tell me the way to Utnapishtim."
Siduri replied, "There is the Sea of Death. Only the ferryman Urshanabi can cross it."
Gilgamesh found Urshanabi and, in his anger, smashed the "stone things" interpreted as navigational equipment.
Urshanabi said, "You have destroyed the means to cross yourself."
However, Gilgamesh made one hundred and twenty poles, crossed the Sea of Death, and finally reached Utnapishtim.

[Tablet XI]
Utnapishtim saw Gilgamesh and said, "Why are your cheeks gaunt and your heart sad?"
Gilgamesh told him of his friend's death and his own journey.
Utnapishtim replied, "Gilgamesh, there is nothing permanent. Humans are destined to die."
Gilgamesh asked, "You are a human like me, but how did you join the assembly of the gods and obtain eternal life?"
Utnapishtim began to speak, "Gilgamesh, I will reveal to you a hidden matter. I will tell you the secret of the gods."
Once, the gods decided to bring a flood to the land of Shuruppak. But the god Ea whispered the secret to the reed wall, 'Reed wall, listen. Wall, understand. Tear down your house and build a boat. Abandon your possessions and keep your life alive.'
I followed his words, built a boat, and took my family and the seeds of all living things on board.
The storm came and covered the earth for six days and seven nights. On the seventh day, when I opened the window, all things had returned to clay.
I landed on Mount Nimush (Nisir), and when I released a dove, it returned because there was no place to land. I released a swallow, and it also returned. I released a raven, and it flew off, ate, and did not return.
I offered a sacrifice to the gods. The god Enlil saw me and was angry, but the god Ea rebuked him.
Enlil took my hand and my wife's hand, blessed us, and gave us eternal life."
Utnapishtim said to Gilgamesh, "Now, who will gather the gods for your sake? First, try to go without sleeping for six days and seven nights."
As soon as Gilgamesh sat down, he was wrapped in a fog of sleep.
Utnapishtim said to his wife, "Look, even the strong cannot overcome sleep. Bake daily bread and mark the number of days he sleeps."
On the seventh day, Gilgamesh awoke. Seeing the seven loaves of bread, he knew his defeat.
He lamented, "Where should I go? The god of death has gripped my limbs."
Utnapishtim pitied him and revealed a secret as he was leaving, "At the bottom of the sea, there is a plant like a thorn. That plant will make you young again."
Gilgamesh tied stones to his feet, dove into the deep sea, and obtained the plant.
He said to Urshanabi, "I will take this back to Uruk, give it to an old man, and eat it myself."
On the way, there was a spring of cold water. Gilgamesh took a bath.
A snake smelled the scent of the plant, appeared quietly, and ate the plant. When the snake finished eating the plant, it shed its old skin.
Gilgamesh sat down on the spot and wept, "For whom was my hardship? Was it for the snake?"
He returned to Uruk, stood on the walls, and said to Urshanabi, "Look at these walls. Their foundations. This is what humans should leave behind."

[Tablet XII]
(It is a prevailing view that this tablet is a later addition)
Gilgamesh said to Enkidu, "If I break the laws of the underworld for your sake, will you tell me the laws of the underworld?"
He tried to retrieve his own pukku and mikku that had fallen into the underworld.
Enkidu's spirit appeared from a hole in the underworld. But his body was like a shadow.
Gilgamesh asked, "My friend, tell me the laws of the underworld."
Enkidu replied, "I cannot tell you. If I tell you, you will sit down and weep."
Gilgamesh said, "I will sit down and weep. But tell me."
Enkidu said, "My body is like an old garment eaten by worms. It is filled with dust."
He spoke of the gloom of the underworld, the happiness of those who died in battle, and the misery of those who died without descendants.
Gilgamesh heard his words, bowed his head to the ground, and continued to mourn deeply that day.

7.2. Appendix 2: Modern Translation

[Tablet I]
Let us speak of Gilgamesh, the man who peered into the abyss. He is the king who built the foundations of this country.
He knew all things and saw through everything. He found what was hidden and revealed what was kept secret. He brought knowledge of the era before the Great Flood, and having returned from a long journey, he was exhausted and found peace. And he carved all his hardships onto a stone monument.
It was he who built the walls of Uruk. Behold the holy Eanna precinct (the temple and treasury). Its outer wall shines like copper, and its inner wall is magnificent beyond compare.
Gilgamesh was wrapped in glory from the moment of his birth. Two-thirds of him was god, and one-third was human.
However, his strength was like a raging wild bull, and he walked around the streets of Uruk as if he owned them. He forced young men into battle and took daughters away from their fathers. The lamentations of the people reached the gods in heaven.
The gods complained to the god Anu, the Lord of Heaven. "There is no one who can rival Gilgamesh. He acts according to his own desires."
Anu commanded Aruru, the goddess of creation, "Create a double of him. One who possesses the heart of a storm. By having two storms fight each other, you will bring silence to the city of Uruk."
Aruru heard the words of the gods, kneaded clay with water, and created Enkidu. He was a warrior of the wilderness. His body was covered in hard hair, and his hair was long like a woman's. He ate grass with the beasts and gathered at the watering holes with the beasts. He did not yet know about humans.

[Tablet II]
A hunter saw the figure of Enkidu and trembled with fear. The traps he had set were broken, and the beasts ran away.
The hunter complained to his father, "That wild man is beyond my control." His father advised, "Go to Uruk and tell King Gilgamesh. Then have him send Shamhat, the woman of the temple, to seduce him."
Gilgamesh said to the hunter, "Take Shamhat with you. If she seduces him, the herds of beasts will abandon him."
When Shamhat found Enkidu, she took off her clothes. Enkidu spent six days and seven nights with her. After he was satisfied, he looked back toward the herds of beasts, but the beasts saw him having become human and ran away.
Enkidu lost his strength and fell to his knees. However, wisdom was born in his heart, and he became human.
Shamhat said to him, "You are as wise as a god. Why do you run through the fields with the beasts? Come, let us go to Uruk together. To King Gilgamesh, who possesses the strength of a wild bull."
Enkidu heard her words, desired a friend, and decided to meet Gilgamesh.
Around that time in Uruk, Gilgamesh was having a dream. It was a dream where a star fell from the sky and an axe fell by the roadside. He loved it deeply and asked his mother, the goddess Ninsun, for the meaning of the dream.
His mother replied, "Both the star and the axe represent your strong friend. The one who will save you will soon appear."
Enkidu entered Uruk, and his strength soon became known throughout the city.
When Gilgamesh was about to enter a house for a wedding ceremony, Enkidu stood in the doorway and blocked the path.
The two forces collided fiercely in the doorway. The walls shook, and the doorposts shattered. Finally, Gilgamesh fell to his knees, and his anger subsided.
He said to Enkidu, "You are the friend my mother spoke of." The two embraced, and a friendship was born.

[Tablet III]
Gilgamesh said to Enkidu, "My strength is going to waste inside the city of Uruk. I want to go to the Cedar Forest and make my name immortal. I will strike down the evil Humbaba and cut off the evil from this land."
Enkidu replied with tears, "Humbaba's voice is a flood, his mouth is fire, and his breath is death itself. How can you challenge him?"
Gilgamesh said, "My friend, humans are destined to die. But my name will remain forever. I go for the sake of my fame, and for your descendants."
The elders of Uruk lamented and said, "O King, you are still young. You must not overconfidently rely on your own strength. Humbaba is not an opponent to be underestimated."
However, Gilgamesh did not listen to their words.
His mother, Ninsun, climbed to the roof of the palace and prayed to the sun god Shamash, "Why did you give my son a heart that cannot rest? Now he is about to go on a long journey. Please protect him until the day he meets Humbaba."
She called Enkidu and asked, "Though you are not my child, from today you are my foster son. Please, protect my child."
The two heroes took up their weapons and departed from the gates of Uruk.

[Tablet IV]
The journey of the two continued. They advanced twenty leagues to eat a meal, and thirty leagues to make camp.
Gilgamesh climbed a mountain and prayed to be granted a dream. Then, the mountain gave him a dream.
It was a dream where a mountain collapsed and caught him. However, a beautiful figure appeared, pulled him from under the rubble, and gave him water. Gilgamesh's heart was at peace.
Enkidu interpreted the dream, "My friend, that dream is a good omen. It shows that we will capture Humbaba."
Again, Gilgamesh had a dream. He fought a wild bull and was thrown to the ground. However, someone appeared and gave him water.
Enkidu said, "My friend, that person is the god Shamash. He will help us."
The journey continued, and they finally arrived at the entrance to the Cedar Forest.

[Tablet V]
They stood on the green mountainside and gazed at the Cedar Forest. The path continued straight ahead, a magnificent sight.
The voice of Humbaba, the guardian of the forest, was like thunder.
Gilgamesh trembled with fear. Enkidu encouraged him, "My friend, if we proceed together, there is nothing to fear."
The sun god Shamash sent winds from the heavens. A great wind, a north wind, a storm, an icy wind. (Though there are variations in the texts) eight winds struck Humbaba's face, and he could neither advance nor retreat.
Humbaba surrendered and begged for his life, "Gilgamesh, please forgive me. I will become your servant. I will give you all the trees of this forest."
Enkidu said to Gilgamesh, "You must not believe his words. You must not show him mercy."
Gilgamesh raised his axe, Enkidu drew his sword, and the two beheaded Humbaba.
The forest was wrapped in silence, and they cut down the tallest cedar tree and floated it down to the Euphrates River.

[Tablet VI]
Gilgamesh washed his body and donned his royal robes. The goddess Ishtar was captivated by his shining beauty.
She said to Gilgamesh, "Come, be my husband. I will give you a chariot of lapis lazuli and gold."
Gilgamesh replied, "Your love is as fickle as the wind. The shepherd you loved became a wolf, and the gardener became a spider, did they not? I cannot be your husband."
Ishtar was enraged by his words and complained to her father, the god Anu. "Gilgamesh has insulted me. Create the Bull of Heaven and destroy him."
Anu said, "If I release the Bull of Heaven, the city of Uruk will be struck by seven years of 'husk years' (poor harvests)." Ishtar replied, "I have prepared enough grain for the people."
Anu created the Bull of Heaven and released it upon Uruk. With its snorting, great pits opened in the earth, and many young men fell in and died.
Enkidu grabbed the bull's horns, and Gilgamesh plunged his sword into its heart.
They killed the Bull of Heaven and offered its heart to the sun god Shamash.
Ishtar stood on the walls of Uruk and screamed a curse. Then Enkidu cut off the bull's right thigh and threw it in her face, saying, "Shall I do the same to you as I did to this bull?"

[Tablet VII]
Enkidu had a dream. The gods had gathered and were holding a council. The god Anu, the god Enlil, and the god Shamash were there.
The god Enlil said, "Because they killed Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, one of them must die." The god Shamash defended Gilgamesh, but the god Enlil decided that Enkidu must die.
Enkidu lay on his sickbed and cursed his own fate. He cursed the door of the Cedar Forest, he cursed the hunter, and he cursed the woman Shamhat who had made him human.
However, the god Shamash spoke to him from the heavens, "Shamhat gave you delicious food and made the great Gilgamesh your friend, did she not? He will mourn and grieve deeply after you die."
Enkidu's heart found peace, he lifted the curse on Shamhat, and gave her a blessing.
He said to Gilgamesh, "My friend, I do not die in dishonor. Those who die on the battlefield are happy. But I die of sickness."
Twelve days later, Enkidu breathed his last.

[The Eighth Tablet]
At daybreak, Gilgamesh called out to his friend. But Enkidu did not answer.
When he touched his friend's chest, the heart was not beating.
He covered his friend's face with a veil, roared like a lion, paced around his friend, tore at his own hair, and rent his beautiful garments.
When day broke again, Gilgamesh proclaimed throughout the land, "Mourn for Enkidu. My friend, the wild ass, the leopard of the mountains. My right arm, my sword, my shield. He is dead. I mourn him deeply."
He fashioned a statue of his friend out of gold and lapis lazuli, gathered the craftsmen of the land, and built a magnificent tomb.

[The Ninth Tablet]
Gilgamesh wandered the wilderness, weeping for his friend Enkidu.
"Shall I not also die? Shall I not become like Enkidu, turned to dust? Fear is in my belly. I fear death, and I run through the wilderness. I am hastening on the path to the wise man Utnapishtim."
He arrived at the mountain of Mashu. The mountain guards the sunrise and the sunset. Scorpion-men stood guard at its gate.
The scorpion-man looked at Gilgamesh and said, "His body is that of a god, but his heart is filled with anguish."
Gilgamesh told him the purpose of his journey. "Because of the death of my friend, I have come to fear death. I wish to know the path that leads to eternal life."
The scorpion-man said, "Go, Gilgamesh. But the path is darkness. There is no light."
He traveled the path that the sun takes during the night. Through twelve leagues of darkness. He ran desperately, and finally reached the end of the darkness.

[The Tenth Tablet]
Emerging from the darkness, he came to a garden of light. It was a place where trees of jewels grew thick.
Siduri, the tavern keeper, saw his wild and sorrowful appearance and closed her door.
Gilgamesh knocked on the door and told her his story. "I am Gilgamesh. The one who defeated Humbaba and killed the Bull of Heaven. My friend, Enkidu, is dead. I fear death."
Siduri said to him, "Gilgamesh, the life you seek you will not find. When the gods created mankind, they allotted death to man and kept life for themselves. You, fill your belly, and enjoy yourself day and night. Hold a feast of celebration every day. This is the duty of man."
Gilgamesh did not listen. "Tell me the way to Utnapishtim."
Siduri replied, "There is the Sea of Death. Only the ferryman Urshanabi can cross it."
When Gilgamesh found Urshanabi, in his anger, he smashed the 'things of stone' that were understood to be the tools for navigating the boat.
Urshanabi said, "You have destroyed the very tools needed to cross the sea yourself."
However, Gilgamesh made 120 poles, crossed the Sea of Death, and finally arrived at the place of Utnapishtim.

[The Eleventh Tablet]
Utnapishtim looked at Gilgamesh and said, "Why are your cheeks gaunt and your heart sunk in sorrow?"
Gilgamesh told him of his friend's death and his own journey.
Utnapishtim replied, "Gilgamesh, nothing lasts forever. Man is destined to die."
Gilgamesh asked, "You are a human like me, yet how did you join the company of the gods and gain eternal life?"
Utnapishtim began to speak. "Gilgamesh, I will reveal to you a hidden matter. I will tell you the secret of the gods.
Once, the gods decided to bring a great flood to the land of Shuruppak. But the god Ea leaked the secret to a reed hut. 'Reed hut, listen. Wall, understand. Destroy your house and build a boat. Forsake your possessions and save your life.'
I followed those words, built a boat, and took my family and the seeds of all living things aboard.
The storm came and covered the earth for six days and seven nights. On the seventh day, when I opened the window, everything had returned to clay.
The boat ran aground on Mount Nimush (Nisir). I released a dove, but it returned as it had no place to land. I released a swallow, but it also returned. I released a raven, and it found food, flew about, and did not return.
I offered sacrifices to the gods. The god Enlil was angry when he saw me, but the god Ea calmed him.
Enlil took my hand and my wife's hand, blessed us, and gave us eternal life."
Utnapishtim said to Gilgamesh, "Now, who will gather the gods for your sake? First, try going without sleep for six days and seven nights."
As soon as Gilgamesh sat down, he was enveloped in a mist of sleep.
Utnapishtim said to his wife, "Look, even the strongest cannot overcome sleep. Bake bread every day and record the number of days he has slept."
On the seventh day, Gilgamesh awoke. Seeing the seven loaves of bread, he knew his defeat.
He lamented, "Where should I go? The god of death has seized my limbs."
Utnapishtim took pity on him and, as he was leaving, revealed a secret. "At the bottom of the sea, there is a plant like a thorn. That plant will make you young again."
Gilgamesh tied stones to his feet, dove into the deep sea, and obtained the plant.
He said to Urshanabi, "I will take this back to Uruk, give it to the elders, and eat it myself."
On the way, there was a spring of cool water. Gilgamesh bathed there.
A snake smelled the scent of the plant, appeared quietly, and ate it. When the snake finished eating the plant, it shed its old skin.
Gilgamesh sat down and wept. "For whom was my toil? Was it for the snake?"
He returned to Uruk, stood upon the city walls, and said to Urshanabi, "Look at these walls. Look at their foundations. This is what a man should leave behind."

[The Twelfth Tablet]
(It is widely held that this tablet is a later addition.)
Gilgamesh said to Enkidu, "If I break the laws of the underworld for your sake, will you tell me the laws of the underworld?"
He tried to retrieve his pukku and mikku (symbols of kingship) that had fallen into the underworld.
The spirit of Enkidu appeared from a hole in the underworld. But his body was like a shadow.
Gilgamesh asked, "My friend, tell me the laws of the underworld."
Enkidu replied, "I cannot tell you. If I tell you, you will sit down and weep."
Gilgamesh said, "I do not care if I have to sit down and weep. Just tell me."
Enkidu said, "My body is like an old garment eaten by worms. It is filled with dust."
He spoke of the gloomy state of the underworld, the happiness of those who died on the battlefield, and the misery of those who died without descendants.
Hearing these words, Gilgamesh bowed his head to the ground and continued to mourn deeply for the rest of the day.

[Notes]
This story was created as an homage, respect, and inspiration to the following book.

Meetings with Remarkable Men
G. I. Gurdjieff