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British Museum.
(Click to enlarge)
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The Man-Scorpion opened his mouth and said,
speaking to Gilgamesh, 'No man born of woman has done what you have asked,
no mortal man has gone into the mountain; the length of it is twelve
leagues of darkness; in it there is no light, but the heart is oppressed
with darkness. From the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun there
is no light.'
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Gilgamesh said, 'Although I
should
go in sorrow and in pain, with sighing and with weeping, still 1 must go.
Open the gate of the mountain.' And the Man-Scorpion said, 'Go, Gilgamesh,
I permit you to pass through the mountain of Mashu
and
through the high ranges; may your feet carry you safely home. The gate of
the mountain is open.
When Gilgamesh heard this he did as the Man-Scorpion
had said, he followed the sun's road to his rising, through the mountain.
When he had gone one league the darkness became thick around him, for
there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.
After two leagues the darkness was thick and there was no light, he could
see nothing ahead and nothing behind him. After three leagues the darkness
was thick, and there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing
behind him. After four leagues the darkness was thick and there was no
light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him. At the end of
five leagues the darkness was thick and there was no light, he could see
nothing ahead and nothing behind him. At the end of six leagues the
darkness was thick and there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and
nothing behind him. When he had gone seven leagues the darkness was thick
and there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.
When he had gone eight leagues Gilgamesh gave a great cry, for the
darkness was thick and he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.
After nine leagues he felt the north wind on his face, but the darkness
was thick and there was no light, he could see nothing ahead and nothing
behind him. After ten leagues the end was near. After eleven leagues the
dawn light appeared. At the end of twelve leagues the sun streamed out.
1.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by N. K. Sanders,
Penguin
Books Ltd., London, 1960
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