THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

THE STORY OF THE FLOOD

‘You know the city Shurrupak, it stands on the banks of Euphrates? That city grew old and the gods that were in it 

were old. There was Anu,-lord of the firmament, their father, and warrior Enlil their counsellor, Ninurta the helper, and 

Ennugi watcher over canals; and with them also was Ea. In those days the world teemed, the people multiplied, the world 

bellowed like a wild bull, and the great god was aroused by the clamour. Enlil heard the clamour and he said to the gods in 

council, "The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel." So the gods agreed 

to exterminate mankind. Enlil did this, but Ea because of his oath warned me in a dream. He whispered their words to my 

house of reeds, "Reed-house, reed-house! Wall, O wall, hearken reed-house, wall reflect; O man of Shurrupak, son of 

Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save 

your soul alive. Tear down your house, I say, and build a boat. These are the measurements of the barque as you shall 

build her: let hex beam equal her length, let her deck be roofed like the vault that covers the abyss; then take up into the 

boat the seed of all living creatures." 

‘When I had understood I said to my lord, 

"Behold, what you have commanded I will honour 

and perform, but how shall I answer the people, the 

city, the elders?" Then Ea opened his mouth and said 

to me, his servant, "Tell them this: I have learnt that 

Enlil is wrathful against me, I dare no longer walk in 

his land nor live in his city; I will go down to the 

Gulf to dwell with Ea my lord. But on you he will 

rain down abundance, rare fish and shy wild-fowl, a 

rich harvest-tide. In the evening the rider of the storm 

will bring you wheat in torrents." 

‘In the first light of dawn all my household 

gathered round me, the children brought pitch and 

the men whatever was necessary. On the fifth day I 

laid the keel and the ribs, then I made fast the 

planking. The ground-space was one acre, each side 

of the deck measured one hundred and twenty cubits, 

making a square. I built six decks below, seven in all, 

I divided them into nine sections with bulkheads 

between. I drove in wedges where needed, I saw to 

the punt poles, and laid in supplies. The carriers