It
is evident, therefore, that this is the genuine form of the name in
Sumerian and presumably, therefore, the oldest form. By way of further
confirmation we have in the syllabary above referred to, CT, XVIII,
30, 6-8, three designations of our hero, viz:
dGish-gibil(or b?l)-ga-mesh
_muk-tab-lu_ ("warrior")
_a-lik pa-na_ ("leader")
All three designations are set down as the equivalent of the Sumerian
Esigga imin i.e., "the seven-fold hero."
Of the same general character is the equation in another syllabary:
[51]
Esigga-tuk and its equivalent Gish-tuk = "the one who is
a hero."
Furthermore, the name occurs frequently in "Temple" documents of the Ur
dynasty in the form dGish-bil-ga-mesh [52] with dGish-bil-gi(n)-mesh
as a variant. [53] In a list of deities (_CT_ XXV, 28, K 7659)
we likewise encounter dGish-gibil(or b?l)-ga-mesh, and lastly in a
syllabary we have the equation [54]
dGish-gi-mas-[si?] = dGish-bil-[ga-mesh].
The variant Gish-gibil for Gish-bil may be disposed of readily, in view
of the frequent confusion or interchange of the two signs Bil (Br?nnow
No. 4566) and Gibil or B?l (Br?nnow No. 4642) which has also the value
Gi (Br?nnow 4641), so that we might also read Gish-gi-ga-mesh.
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