tain the life which thou seekest?
Come, go to sleep!' Six days and seven nights he is as a man whose
strength appears suspended, for sleep has fallen upon him like a blast
of wind. Shamashnapishtim spoke to his wife: 'Behold this man who asks
for life, and upon whom sleep has fallen like a blast of wind.' The wife
answers Shamashnapishtim, the man of distant lands: 'Cast a spell upon
him, this man, and he will eat of the magic broth; and the road by which
he has come, he will retrace it in health of body; and the great gate
through which he has come forth, he will return by it to his country.'
Shamashnapishtim spoke to his wife: 'The misfortunes of this man
distress thee: very well, cook the broth, and place it by his head.'
And while Gilgames still slept on board his vessel, the material for the
broth was gathered; on the second day it was picked, on the third it was
steeped, on the fourth Shamashnapishtim prepared his pot, on the fifth
he put into it 'Senility,' on the sixth the broth was cooked, on the
seventh he cast his spell suddenly on his man, and the latter consumed
the broth. Then Gilgames spoke to Shamashnapishtim, the inhabitant of
distant lands: 'I hesitated, slumber laid hold of me; thou hast cast a
spell upon me, thou hast given me the broth.'" The effect would not have
been lasting, if other ceremonies had not followed in addition to this
spell from the sorcerer's kitchen: Gilgames after this preparation could
now land upon the shore of the happy island and purify himself there.
Shamashnapishtim confided this business to his mariner Arad-Ea: "'The
man whom thou hast brought, his body is covered with ulcers, the leprous
scabs have spoiled the beauty of his body. Take him, Arad-Ea, lead him
to the place of purification, let him wash his ulcers white as snow in
the water, let him get rid of his scabs, and let the sea bear them away
so that at length his body may appear healthy. He will then change
the fillet which binds his brows, and the loin-cloth which hides his
nakedness: until he returns to his country, until he reaches the end of
his journey, let him by no means put off the loin-cloth, however ragged;
then only shall he have always a clean one.' Then Arad-Ea took him and
conducted him to the place of purification: he washed his ulcers white
as snow in the water, he got rid of his scabs, and the sea carried them
away, so that at length his body appeared healthy. He changed the fillet
which bound his brow