" The preceding line would then
be completed as follows:
_[it-ti-lu]-nim-ma na-kidmes_ [ra-bu-tum]
(or perhaps only _it-ti-lu-ma_, since the _nim_ is not certain) and
would correspond to line 113 of the Pennsylvania tablet. Inasmuch
as the writing on the tiny fragment is very much blurred, it is
quite possible that in line 2 we must read _sib-ba-ri_ (instead
of _bar-ba-ri_), which would furnish a parallel to line 111 of the
Pennsylvania tablet. The difference between Bar and Sib is slight,
and the one sign might easily be mistaken for the other in the case
of close writing. The continuation of line 2 of the fragment would
then correspond to line 112 of the Pennsylvania tablet, while line 1
of the fragment might be completed _[re-e]-u-ti(?) s? [mu-si-a-tim]_,
though this is by no means certain.
The break at the close of column 3 (about 5 lines) and the top
of column 4 (about 8 lines) is a most serious interruption in the
narrative, and makes it difficult to pick up the thread where the
tablet again becomes readable. We cannot be certain whether the "strong
man, the unique hero" who addresses some one (lines 115-117) is Enkidu
or Gish or some other personage, but presumably Gish is meant.
Pages:
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