United States or Nauru ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Gilgamesh addresses Parnapishtim from the ship, recounts his deeds, among which we distinguish the killing of a panther, of Alû, of the divine bull, and of Khumbaba. The death of Eabani is also dwelt upon, and then Gilgamesh pleads with Parnapishtim, tells him of the long, difficult way that he has traveled, and of all that he has encountered on the road.
Ea means to say that he did not interfere with the divine decree. He simply told Parnapishtim to build a ship, leaving to the latter to divine the reason. Ea, it is true, tells Parnapishtim of Bel's hatred, but he does not reveal the secret of the gods.
It embodies a recollection of a rain-storm that once visited a city, causing a general destruction, but from which Parnapishtim and his family miraculously escaped. The main purport of the tale is not to emphasize this miracle, but the far greater one that, after having been saved from the catastrophe, Parnapishtim should also have been granted immortal life.
And after thou hast crossed the waters of death, what wilt thou do?" Sabitum then tells Gilgamesh that there is one possibility of his accomplishing his task. If Ardi-Ea, the ferryman of Parnapishtim, will take Gilgamesh across, well and good; if not, he must abandon all hope.
Instead of bringing on a deluge, Let pestilence come and waste the land. Ea then confesses that through his instigation Parnapishtim was saved. While I did not reveal the decision of the great gods, I sent Adra-Khasis a dream which told him of the decision of the gods. It is a misconception to regard this answer of the god as equivocal.
Difficult lands I passed through, All seas I crossed. Parnapishtim thereupon addresses Gilgamesh, showing him how impossible it is for any mortal to escape death. Determine death and life. No one knows the days of death.
The latter were aware only of the intended destruction of a single place, Shurippak. At this moment Bel approaches. He does not deny his deed, but is enraged that the planned destruction should not have been complete, since Parnapishtim and his household have escaped. As Bel approached And saw the ship, he was enraged, Filled with anger against the gods the Igigi.
An apparent exception to the rule, according to which all mankind eventually comes to Aralû, is formed by Parnapishtim and his wife, who dwell in a place vaguely described as 'distant, situated at the 'confluence of the streams. The place, as was pointed out in a previous chapter, lies in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf, and, since it can only be reached by water, the natural conclusion is that it is an island.
Thanks to the labors of Haupt, the numerous fragments of it representing several copies, have been pieced together so as to form an almost complete text. In reply to Gilgamesh's queries, Parnapishtim spoke to Gilgamesh: "I will tell thee, Gilgamesh, the secret story, And the secret of the gods I will tell thee.
Its sad fate would naturally have impressed itself upon the memory of the people, and given rise to legends precisely as the disappearance of Sodom or of the destruction of the tribes of Ad and Thamud gave rise to fantastic stories among Hebrews and Arabs respectively. Ea, not content with the general warning, sends a special message to Parnapishtim, one of the inhabitants of Shurippak.
Word Of The Day