ruler, and a husbandman; and all these
came to grief. Ishtar, angry at her rejection, complains to her father,
Anu, and her mother, Anatu, and begs them to avenge her wrong. Anu
creates a divine bull and sends it against Gilgamesh, who, however, with
the aid of his friend Eabani, slays the bull. Ishtar curses Gilgamesh,
but Eabani turns the curse against her.

The seventh tablet recounts how Ishtar descends to the underworld
seeking some better way of attacking the hero. The description of the
Babylonian Sheol is one of the most effective portions of the poem, and
with it George Smith connects a well-known poem which relates the
descent of Ishtar to the underworld. The goddess goes down to the house
of darkness from which there is no exit, and demands admittance of the
keeper; who, however, by command of the queen of the lower world,
requires her to submit to the conditions imposed on all who enter. There
are seven gates, at each of which he removes some portion of her
ornaments and dress. Ishtar, thus unclothed, enters and becomes a
prisoner. Meantime the upper earth has felt her absence. All love and
life has ceased. Yielding to the persuasions of the gods, Ea sends a
messenger to demand the release of the goddess. The latter passes out,
receiving at each gate a portion of her clothing. This story of Ishtar's
love belongs to one of the earliest stages of religious belief. Not only
do the gods appear as under the control of ordinary human passions, but
there is no consciousness of material difference between man and beast.
The Greek parallels are familiar to all. Of these ideas we find no trace
in the later Babylonian and Assyrian literature, and the poem was
doubtless interpreted by the Babylonian sages in allegorical fashion.

In the eighth and ninth tablets the death of Eabani is recorded, and the
grief of Gilgamesh. The latter then wanders forth in search of
Hasisadra, the hero of the Flood-story. After various adventures he
reaches the abode of the divinized man, and from him learns the story of
the Flood, which is given in the eleventh tablet.

This story is almost identical with that of the Book of Genesis. The God
Bel is determined to destroy mankind, and Hasisadra receives directions
from Ea to build a ship, and take into it provisions and goods and
slaves and beasts of the field. The ship is covered with bitumen. The
flood is sent by Shamash (the sun-god). Hasisadra enters the ship and
shuts the door. So dr