be greatly honoured and exalted to
high rank.

The two heroes became close friends, and when the narrative becomes
clear again, they are found to be setting forth to wage war against
Chumbaba,[208] the King of Elam. Their journey was long and perilous.
In time they entered a thick forest, and wondered greatly at the
numerous and lofty cedars. They saw the great road which the king had
caused to be made, the high mountain, and the temple of the god.
Beautiful were the trees about the mountain, and there were many shady
retreats that were fragrant and alluring.

At this point the narrative breaks off, for the tablet is mutilated.
When it is resumed a reference is made to "the head of Chumbaba", who
has apparently been slain by the heroes. Erech was thus freed from the
oppression of its fierce enemy.

Gilgamesh and Ea-bani appear to have become prosperous and happy. But
in the hour of triumph a shadow falls. Gilgamesh is robed in royal
splendour and wears his dazzling crown. He is admired by all men, but
suddenly it becomes known that the goddess Ishtar has been stricken
with love for him. She "loved him with that love which was his doom".
Those who are loved by celestials or demons become, in folk tales,
melancholy wanderers and "night wailers". The "wretched wight" in
Keats' "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" is a typical example.

O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge is withered from the lake
And no birds sing.

* * * * *

I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful--a faery's child;
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.

* * * * *

She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild and manna dew;
And sure in language strange she said,
"I love thee true".

Having kissed her lover to sleep, the fairy woman vanished. The
"knight" then saw in a dream the ghosts of knights and warriors, her
previous victims, who warned him of his fate.

I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gaped wide;
And I awoke and found me here
On the cold hill's side.

The goddess Ishtar appeared as "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" before
Gilgamesh and addressed him tenderly, saying: "Come, O Gilgamesh, and
be my consort. Gift thy strength unto me. Be thou my husband and I
will be thy bride. Thou shalt have a chariot