The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-29
SLAB WITH CUNEIFoRM WRITING
Tin the British Museum

full. An American scholar, Prof. Hanpt OIL
Baltimore, has done more than any otner tnh
person to restore the poem, so far as restora-
ton is possible Even the name III tue nero
was until quite recently a matter OF ehtre
uncertainty. The word was always found
written in telegraph style, and the colVnh.
of anything better Recently, however,, the
syllable character has been discovered, AID
the name is now commonly read G.igamesn, u
word which signifies apparently savior or
conSueror. The following analysis aud ex-
tracts Of the poem are ABRIDGED from fio''
Jastrow's work already alluded to: ~.
We are introduced first 70 the ancient tiIy
of Uruk Cor Erech), which apparently Tor
some offense to the gods is suffering ter
rible siege Then N some unknown way
1.-THE text Is here very iragmentary( We see
nrobohiv its conuueror The inhabitants III
despair at the tyranny OF Gllgamesh, aple9!
to the gods, and the creature Eaoanl, Ialt
man and half beast is sent TO save men,
his side are graphically told, and at laft me
monster is seduced by fair woman, o"ha''
sent out by the prince TO allure ml ,,.as
Gilgamesh and Eabani ere np% fast ir'ehuN.
and together the two march Against an tptny
who inhabits ii strange fortress jtnatea IN
a grove of wonderful beauty and shaled uy
great tree. The enemy IS su 10 ,he n VS.
apparently Eabani is made lord OF the u ,s-
tie garden. where he can follow Out ne NJ
stincts of his half animal nature 80
new element is now introduesu, nna r We
bOaNNSNf a
The love OF Gilgamesh There Is a ots o.
curious mystery in the words with wh'en
the hero rejects her advances. 100 mary
lovers have suffered strange III at ner tn no,
Tanuuz a lion, a shepherd, bird CT tho
forest OF the bird he says
Thou didst crush him and break MS F'n'
In the iO' Woods he stands and laments. o. my
pinions.
In revenge for this refusal lsntar stne'
sends upon him savage 9uil' put 'ne wv
and his friend destroy the beast ana o"s"'
mesh offers up his horns as sacr'nce'
Then the gods snatch away baoah'' guy
send sickness upon Gigamosh; and tio He''
In his grief and pain travels atar OH ny
| road beset with fantastical dangers 10 rama
plsht.m, who alone of mankind Is imInori sa.
| He climbs a fearful mountain, Is ierrlee
| across the boisterous sea, and at last meei
| the undying hero face TO face, on!y 70 N.Y. ~
| that death is inevitable and that ne, too
| must ale "But how then hast thou escape'
| death % asks Gilgamesh; ana IN reply lar
| naDisthim tells him the story OF tne nVou ~
| how for its sins his city was buried unle
the water, and only he ana MS wiie, p ~
| warned by a god, saved themselves N
| "six-storied'' boat When the food suoslle
the gods are repentant for the evil they nav
| ,yroueht. and grant him immortal W ihei
striking siogv s N the aood IN the Bible, an
anu ,ne t,anebiv the two accounts are dit
| farant versions OF some ancient tthu elo-
tTtan the waters have diminished me Assy
IAN Noah sends out birds Just as the heore
Noah.
when the seventh day approaehea
/, sent forth a dove
! The dove flew about, -, r.,urned.
nut finding no resting place, fe'eN'
Then I sent forth swallow
THE swallow few about, -a,,rnad.
Ant unding no resting place. re'u'nsu'
. Then / sent forth raven .,n, MAT n
I The raven few OF, anu se0Ns
: ,.art,ously waded in tho mud put oiu ~
: return
7 crs.ussu "a healed OF his sickness q,
! cent nv me undylng hero 70 seer nc ~
= ~ immortality, He hpls me ga ana he
q demon snatehes II rom ~ ,,,,t sill MOTEL
: forced 10 return. neaiea pu'
II Uruk. . - htu wandering fro
y LIt 70 temple lamenting MS nepa, =
8 ssals rsbani. He even strives 70 'a a., :.
~ etate Of his friend In haaes, an s.and /,
h Eabani rise up IKE Tih1 n nm:
I ..rsu me my companion, tell me- my COZ
n p anion' 81 the land which thou hast :
y no nerienced; oh. tail me.
q BUT the sad reply Isl;
3, q 81 can no. tell thee. my friend ! ran not
le thee
d ,,,s strange poem, whose age
y Anu guess, comes 10 an emu
~ Harvard University