of gold and lapis lazuli
with golden wheels and gem-adorned. Thy steeds shall be fair and white
and powerful. Into my dwelling thou shalt come amidst the fragrant
cedars. Every king and every prince will bow down before thee, O
Gilgamesh, to kiss thy feet, and all people will become subject unto
thee."

Gilgamesh feared the fate which would attend him as the lover of
Ishtar, and made answer saying: "To what husband hast thou ever
remained faithful? Each year Tammuz, the lover of thy youth, is caused
by thee to weep. Thou didst love the Allala bird and then broke his
wings, and he moans in the woods crying, 'O my wings!' Thou didst love
the lion and then snared him. Thou didst love the horse, and then laid
harness on him and made him gallop half a hundred miles so that he
suffered great distress, and thou didst oppress his mother Silili.
Thou didst love a shepherd who sacrificed kids unto thee, and then
thou didst smite him so that he became a jackal (or leopard); his own
herd boy drove him away and his dogs rent him in pieces. Thou didst
love Ishullanu, the gardener of Anu, who made offerings unto thee, and
then smote him so that he was unable to move. Alas! if thou wouldst
love me, my fate would be like unto the fates of those on whom thou
hast laid affliction."

Ishtar's heart was filled with wrath when she heard the words which
Gilgamesh had spoken, and she prevailed upon her father Anu to create
a fierce bull which she sent against the lord of Erech.

This monster, however, was slain by Gilgamesh[209] and Ea-bani, but
their triumph was shortlived. Ishtar cursed Gilgamesh. Ea-bani then
defied her and threatened to deal with her as he had dealt with the
bull, with the result that he was cursed by the goddess also.

Gilgamesh dedicated the horns of the bull to Shamash and returned with
his friend to Erech, where they were received with great rejoicings. A
festival was held, and afterwards the heroes lay down to sleep. Then
Ea-bani dreamt a dream of ill omen. He met his death soon afterwards,
apparently in a battle, and Gilgamesh lamented over him. From the
surviving fragments of the narrative it would appear that Gilgamesh
resolved to undertake a journey, for he had been stricken by disease.
He wept and cried out, "Oh! let me not die like Ea-bani, for death is
fearful. I will seek the aid of mine ancestor, Pir-napishtim"--the
Babylonian Noah, who was believed to be dwelling on an island which
corresponds to the Gr