Legend of Etana

iconChapter - 3

1The eagle looked at him....
2He said [ ] to Etana,
3You are Etana, king of the wild beasts,
4 You are Etana, [ ] among (?) birds.
5 Bring me up from this pit
6 Give me [ ] your hand,
7 ..... [ ],
4I will sing your praises for all time".
5Etana said to the eagle these words:
6If I save your life, [ ]
11 If I bring you up from the pit,
12 From that moment we must be ..........
7[ ] to me [ ]
14 From sunrise till [ ]
8..... [ ]
16 I will grant you the plant of life".
9When Etana heard this,
10He filled the front of the pit with [ ]
11Next he threw in.... [ ]
12He kept throwing in [ ] in front of him,
13The eagle.... from the pit
14As for him, he flapped his wings,
15A first time and a second time... the eagle in the pit,
16As for him, he flapped his wings .....
17A third time and a fourth time... [the eagle ... in? The pit
18As for him, he flapped his wings
19A fifth and a sixth time....
20(fragmentary lines, then gap)
21He took him by the hand in his seventh month in the pit,
22In the eighth month he brought him over the edge of his pit,
23The eagle took food like a ravening lion,
24He gained strength.
25The eagle made ready to speak and said to Etana,
26My friend! Let us be friends, you and I!
35 Ask of me whatever you desire and I shall give it to you .
27Etana made ready to speak and said to the eagle:
28My eyes..... open up what is hidden.
38 (gap)
39 Etana and the eagle become friends. Etana has dreams, which he relates to the eage.
40 [ ] above
41 [ ] at my feet
42 The eagle made Etana understand the dream,
43 [ ] seated before him,
44 [ ] your dream is propitious,
29 [ ] burden is brought,
46 They will give [ ]
30 You have done [ ] of the people
48 You will seize... in your hand,
31 The sacred bond [ ] above
50 [ ] at your feet."
32Etana said to him, to the eagle.
33 My friend, I saw a second dream,
53 [ ] reeds [ ] in the house,
34In all [ ], the whole land,
35 They heaped up loads of them in piles,
56 [ ] enemies, they were wicked serpents,
36 [ ] were coming before me,
58 [ ] they were kneeling before me".
37The eagle made Etana understand the dream
38[ ] seated bore him
39[ ] your dream is propitious