Preparations for the Journey

Once the city is at peace, Gilgamesh becomes restless. The energy that drove him to wear out his subjects has not gone away; it now wants somewhere to go. He proposes a journey to Enkidu: westward, into the Cedar Forest, to the mountains of Lebanon. They will kill the demon Humbaba whom Enlil has set there as guard; they will cut down the sacred cedars; they will bring fame back to Uruk. We are mortal, he says; what we leave behind us is the only immortality there is.

Enkidu does not want to go. He has been to those mountains in his wild days and he knows what is in them. Humbaba's roar is a flood, his mouth is fire, his breath is death. Whoever goes in does not come out. He tells this to Gilgamesh plainly. The elders of Uruk hear about the plan and call an assembly to dissuade the king. They tell him he is too young; they tell him Humbaba is monstrous. He listens politely and ignores them. The decision is made.

Gilgamesh goes to his mother Ninsun, "the Wild Cow," for blessing. She climbs to the roof of the temple, dresses in her finest robes, makes a sacrifice, and prays to Shamash the sun god to keep her son safe on the road. Then she does something remarkable. She calls Enkidu to her, lays her hand on him, and formally adopts him as a second son: equal to her own. The smiths forge the great weapons — bronze axes weighing two hundred and fifty pounds each, a sword for each man's belt. The two of them shoulder them and walk out of the city. The elders bless them. They turn west.