Humbaba

Humbaba in Mesopotamian mythology is the name of the giant, guardian of the cedar forest in the epic of Gilgamesh. Zad Moultaka who is intensely interested in this epic has isolated this passage to make it a frightening and funny work. The forest is home to the den of the gods that must be protected from demons. Gilgamesh and Enkidu face it victoriously.

Humbaba after the epic of Gilgamesh
translation by Jean Bottéro

The sleep that pours over the men, fell on Gilgamesh.
At midnight he woke up suddenly and told his friend:
“Shamash tomorrow we will learn good news! »(Ter)
After two hundred kilometers they ate
after two hundred kilometers they ate a piece
then after three hundred others they bivouacked.
Thus in a whole day they made five hundred kilometers.
In front of Shamash they dug a well
they poured flour to burn for the god
and expressed themselves thus:
“Mountain bring me a dream,
promise of happiness, bring me a dream. ”
Enkidu performed the magic ritual for Gilgamesh.
As a flurry passed and went away,
he made him lie down and shut him up in an enchanted circle.

After two hundred kilometers they ate
after two hundred kilometers they ate a piece
then after three hundred others they bivouacked.
Thus in a whole day they made five hundred kilometers.
In front of Shamash they dug a well,
they poured flour to burn for the god
and expressed themselves thus.

The sleep that pours on men,
fell on Gilgamesh.
After two hundred kilometers they ate
in a day they made five hundred kilometers
then after three days
they reached the Cedar Mountain.
In front of Shamash flowed her tears
“What in Uruk you told Ninsuna
remember you! help me! hear me! ”
Shamash heard the words and immediately
from heaven he gave him a cry of alarm:
“Heels him quickly to prevent him
to regain his lair and hide himself there,
he has not yet put on his Seven Enchanted Mantles:
he only wears one when he has left six. ”

So hand in hand like a buffalo
they threw themselves forward a first time,
Humbaba uttered a terrible cry