THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

THE RETURN

UTNAPISHTIM said, ‘As for you, Gilgamesh, who will assemble the gods for your sake, so that you may find that 

life for which you are searching? But if you wish, come and put into the test: only prevail against sleep for six days and 

seven nights.' But while Gilgamesh sat there resting on his haunches, a mist of sleep like soft wool teased from the fleece 

drifted over him, and Utnapishtim said to his wife, ‘Look at him now, the strong man who would have everlasting life, 

even now the mists of sleep are drifting over him.' His wife replied, ‘Touch the man to wake him, so that he may return to 

his own land in peace, going back through the gate by which he came.' Utnapishtim said to his wife, ‘All men are 

deceivers, even you he will attempt to deceive; therefore bake loaves of bread, each day one loaf, and put it beside his 

head; and make a mark on the wall to number the days he has slept.' 

So she baked loaves of bread, each day one loaf, and put it beside his head, and she marked on the wall the days that 

he slept; and there came a day when the first loaf was hard, the second loaf was like leather, the third was soggy, the crust 

of the fourth had mould, the fifth was mildewed, the sixth was fresh, and the seventh was still on the embers. Then 

Utnapishtim touched him and he woke. Gilgamesh said to Utnapishtim the Faraway, ‘I hardly slept when you touched and 

roused me.' But Utnapishtim said, ‘Count these loaves and learn how many days you slept, for your first is hard, your 

second like leather, your third is soggy, the crust of your fourth has mould, your fifth is mildewed, your sixth is fresh and 

your seventh was still over the glowing embers when I touched and woke you.' Gilgamesh said, ‘What shall I do, O 

Utnapishtim, where shall I go? Already the thief in the night has hold of my limbs, death inhabits my room; wherever my 

foot rests, there I find death.' 

Then Utnapishtim spoke to Urshanabi the ferryman: ‘Woe to you Urshanabi, now and for ever more you have 

become hateful to this harbourage; it is not for you, nor for you are the crossings of this sea. Go now, banished from the 

shore. But this man before whom you walked, bringing him here, whose body is covered with foulness and the grace of 

whose limbs has been spoiled by wild skins, take him to the washing-place. There he shall wash his long hair clean as 

snow in the water, he shall throve off his skins and let the sea carry them away, and the beauty of his body shall be shown, 

the fillet on his forehead shall be renewed, and he shall be given clothes to cover his nakedness. Till he reaches his own 

city and his journey is accomplished, these clothes will show no sign of age, they will wear like a new garment.' So 

Urshanabi took Gilgamesh and led him to the washing-place, he washed his long hair as clean as snow in the water, he 

threw off his skins, which the sea carried away, and showed the beauty of his body. He renewed the fillet on his