Chapter 05 · 2000 – 1600 BCE
Old Babylonian
Hammurabi, the Epic of Gilgamesh, mathematics.
~1800 BCE · CBS 15092 — University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 053
In plain English
The readable portion opens mid-speech, with Enkidu advising Gilgamesh: if you're going into the mountains, the sun-god Utu has to hear about it from us first — the mountains, especially the cedar-felling grounds, are Utu's jurisdiction. So Gilgamesh takes a white goat kid, hugs a second kid to his chest as a sacrificial gift, raises a holy staff to his nose in the gesture of prayer, and calls out to Utu: 'I'm going to enter the mountains — stand by me! I'm going to enter the mountains of felled cedar — stand by me!' The lines before and after this passage are lost to breakage.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(Beginning broken) 1. "[... if today you are going to] enter [the mountains ...], 2. [...] youthful Utu should [know about it from us]. 3. [...] the decisions concerning [the mountains are Utu's business]; 4. the decisions concerning [the mountains] of felled cedar are youthful Utu's — Utu should know about it from us." 5. [Then] Gilgamesh took hold of a white kid; 6. he clasped [a brown] kid, a sacrificial offering, [to his breast]; 7. [in his hand] he held the holy staff before his nose, 8. as he spoke to [Utu of heaven]: 9. "[Utu, I am going to] enter [the mountains] — [be my] helper! 10. [I am going to] enter [the mountains of felled cedar — be my helper!]" (Remainder broken)”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · IM 058497 — National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
CDLI Literary 000365, ex. 058
In plain English
Gilgamesh swears an oath: 'By the life of my own mother Ninsun and my father, holy Lugalbanda! Am I to end up back dozing on my mother's lap?' And he says it a second time: 'By my mother Ninsun and my father Lugalbanda — whether that being is human or a god, I will not turn my steps back to the city; I have set them toward the mountains and there they stay.' His loyal servant, trying to calm him down and make life seem worth keeping, answers his master: 'My lord, you haven't seen that creature, so nothing grips your heart. But I have seen him — and my heart is gripped with fear.' The opening line of the extract is too broken to read.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. [...] he set [...] toward [...] 2. [By the life of] my own mother, divine [Nin]sun(?), and my [father], holy Lugal[banda]! 3. May I [become again(?)] as if slumbering in wonder(?) on the lap of my own mother Ninsun. 4. For a [second] time he indeed said it to him: 5. By the life of my own mother Ninsun and my [father(?)], holy Lugalbanda! 6. Whether he be a [hu]man, whether he be known(?), whether he be a god [...], 7. my steps that I have set toward the mountains I shall not set back toward the city! 8. The faithful slave, who would soothe(?), who makes life seem sweet, 9. answered his master: 10. My [lord], you — you have not seen that man; your heart has not been seized (with dread). 11. But [I] — I have seen that man; my heart has been seized (with dread)!”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · IM 058335 — National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
CDLI Literary 000561, ex. 004
In plain English
Only three lines can still be read. The speaker complains that a lump of earth soaked in water has thrown dust into his eyes. Then come two grim images: a dog tearing at a dead body, its chest heaving as it feeds; and a great dragon that has struck down and killed — but the line breaks off there, and the rest of the tablet is lost.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“obverse (fragment, three lines preserved): [A cl]od that has been bathed in water — dust has come into my eyes. A dog, when it gnaws a corpse, its chest heaves up. The great dragon (ušumgal), having smitten heads (i.e. having slain) [...] (remainder broken)”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · OIM A30297 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
CDLI Literary 000578, ex. 002
In plain English
Tell my brothers this message from Ilaba-tah-lugalĝa: The trip we're on is dragging out — the king, our rightful king, keeps pushing forward, and one leg of the journey just gets added to the next. We won't be able to check in on our mother. (A damaged line seems to voice a worry about the folks in our home neighborhood.) So please: send me one sila of salt, one sila of gazi-spice, and a šagadu-garment — get a courier to bring them. This journey of ours is long. It's urgent!
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Say to my [brothers]: this is what Ilaba-tah-lugalĝa says: The journey we are going on is long, and the true king, our king, [has pressed on(?)] ... journey [has been added] to journey. We will not be able to ask after our mother. May the day not set upon our neighborhood ... deceitfully(?). 1 sila of salt, 1 [sila of gazi-spice], 1 šagadu-garment — have a courier bring (them) back to me! Our journey is long. It is urgent!”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · CBS 15079 — University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
CDLI Literary 000584, ex. 003
In plain English
A memo to Lugal-ibila from Inim-Inanna: Don't let your Sumerian slide! This is the second time I've had to send someone to you about using the language properly. And that boy who sits in front of you — do not let him leave the school. What's more, don't let anyone fool you with excuses. If he tells you, 'I just want to go see my father,' don't buy it: until you and I have compared notes on the agreed signal, I will keep sending a man to check on you. The last lines are broken away.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Say to Lugal-ibila: this is what Inim-Inanna says: Do not neglect the Sumerian language! (lit. "do not let your neck fall away from Sumerian") For the second time I am sending someone to you concerning the correct (use of the) language. The youngster who sits before you — do not let him go out of the tablet-house (school)! And furthermore, let no one deceive you with lies. Should he say to you, "Let me go to his (i.e. my) father," until I and you have exchanged word about the agreed sign, [I will keep] sending a man to you. [...] (remainder broken)”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-07-12/v7-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
Dedication of a statue (of Shulgi?) by Ishme-Dagan (Ishme-Dagan S)
“For Enlil, whose statements are powerful, the profoundly far-sighted knowledgeable judge, who issues decisions, whose utterances are immutable, who places the ...... in his hands -- Icme-Dagan, the mighty man with muscles and body of a lion, the strong awe-inspiring youth who alone is august, the lord whose sweet name is invoked in all the lands, under whose rule the living creatures multiply, makes the black-headed people, its settled people who were entrusted to him for protection, proceed with the firstling-offerings of the land. He does not ...... in his good palace. Then Icme-Dagan the…”
Source: ETCSL c.2.5.4.19: Dedication of a statue (of Shulgi?) by Ishme-Dagan (Ishme-Dagan S). Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Robson, E. & Zólyomi, G. (eds.), The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.2.5.4.19
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
Dumuzid and Enkimdu
“"Maiden, the cattle-pen ......; maiden Inana, the sheepfold ....... ...... bending in the furrows. Inana, let me stroll with you; ...... the emmer ....... Young lady, let me ......." "I am a woman and I won't do that, I won't! I am a star ......, and I won't! I won't be the wife of a shepherd!" Her brother, the warrior youth Utu, said to holy Inana: "My sister, let the shepherd marry you! Maiden Inana, why are you unwilling? His butter is good, his milk is good (2 mss. have instead: He of good butter, he of good milk) -- all the work of the shepherd's hands is splendid. Inana, let Dumuzid…”
Source: ETCSL c.4.08.33: Dumuzid and Enkimdu. Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Robson, E. & Zólyomi, G. (eds.), The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.4.08.33
Read the full tablet entry~1800 BCE · Multiple manuscripts across collections; see ETCSL bibliography for witnesses
Dumuzid and Geshtin-ana
“A small demon opened his mouth and said to the big demon, "Come on, let's go to the lap of holy Inana". The demons entered Unug and seized holy Inana. "Come on, Inana, go on that journey which is yours alone -- descend to the underworld. Go to the place which you have coveted -- descend to the netherworld. Go to the dwelling of Ereckigal -- descend to the underworld. Don't put on your holy ma garment, the pala dress of ladyship -- descend to the underworld. Remove the holy headdress, that splendid ornament, from your head -- descend to the underworld. Don't enhance your apperance with a wig -- descend to the underworld. Don't adorn your feet with ...... -- descend to the underworld. When you descend, ......."”
Source: ETCSL c.1.4.1.1: Dumuzid and Geshtin-ana. Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Robson, E. & Zólyomi, G. (eds.), The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.1.4.1.1
Read the full tablet entry