Gilgamesh, trans Benjamin Foster. Norton Critical
Edition, 2nd ed., 2019.
Ta1let V
IThe fri,mlU ure fimnd ndmtNnJl the Ut(tndrout /"res, a,.,,d thr pullu ,if
I Jumhub�, •1.-. Rt.uttdint•-1
They Slood 1h,•re, marvelinii ut the fore<I,
Th,·y g,.,,..d at the height nf the cedArs.
They l!"'·"d •t th<, way into I h,· fon,ol.
Wh,,r� I hombub• would walk, 11 J>Ulh wa, mode,
Straight wt-re the WD)'� and eos�· the litOin�.
They hcheld the ccd•r mount•ln, dwl'lling of the god,, sacred
to tl\c �ndJ,·•s I rninu.
On the �lopts ot' that mountain, the- cedar bon� its abundum.-,•,
Agrt•eoblc wa, it, shade, fu I] of plcasur<>s.
Tht- uncl,�r�row• h wus lunJ,Clt•d, lht• forest dt•n!ie,
Ccd�rs ttnd ln-t�sam [grt!w] :co close togt-thrr, there we" no \\'ft)'
in amon� tht!m.
The cedar� :tttnl out �hoou for u lcuttul',
Th,· cypr<,ss ( branches] for two,thirds of• lea11ue.
The ccdur wa• doppled six1y cuhit< high with l'XUdttlion,
The resin (oo,ed] out, drihbllnri down Ill«:, roindrop•,
h !lowed 11111 •<> th,., ,lltch,•s had lo carry it away.
Throuiihou, the forell birdlife we, chirpinR,
I ... I onswerinR each other In rhytl\mlc din,
The cicod11 ••l•c.J " ,hrlll choru•,
I , • . J wa. sinKlng, [ . , . ) was pjping,
A rigt>on ,vaii cooing, a turtledove answerin�.
The forest wo, joyou• with the lcry) of the stork,
Th., for<.·st WKS la,i,hly joyous with the francnlin's (lilt].
Mother monkey• kepi up their calls, baby monkey• chlrruptd.
Liko a band of mu,icions and drumm•r<,
They re,ou1>dcd •II day luni1 in I he presem·e of Humbaho.
As the ccdur (ca•IJ it. •hadow,
Uil 111amcsh wus beset by lfearf.
Stiffness seized hi� :.rm�.
Then numbness befell hi• legs,
EnkLdu mRdl' I<'U.d)· lo spt.•ak, irnyinK to ( ;i]Kam�sh;
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'I'm: E t' lc; 01, G1u,AMC'!i1t
�- Th•y gamf •C ch, hei�hc of the oedurs. l'hi• woll relict" ,u�!l".C• how
the- poet mM)' li1:tovt! v;iuuliled rht ' '-=cdar muuolain.
Let's tto into the forest,
On with 11, le1', rul,c our challcnii<•!
[J,. tit, .,,,.,1, ch•r fi,llu"'·'• Gilg•nmh offer• bruw ,. .,,d, of enoourug,­
metd '" Enkidu, whcred.o,; il ii he who Ls l<>rri}it',J, noi hi"frjend,l
Gil l\'lm••h made n•ody to •peak, ••ying to Enkidu,
Why, my friend. ore we trembling like weakling,,
We, who ,·rnssed all the mountain,?
ISi11n• will •t•1>carJ b,fore u,.
I further alon11I we will <cc som<• lljlht.
!My friend i, a ,etcran) of ,·ombat,
One who has cxperknced I baukl i• not ufraid of ,lea th,
['iou have •p•ll<'ted yuurs,lf with i,,nre], you ""' not nfraid
���
[Get your hluod up, like\ an oracle, work yourself lnw u trunC<',
[Your hull le ,•ry should boom lik<' • drum I I
[Gel I he <liffncs< out of your arms, driv<? the numbness
from) your legs,
[TAke hold of me, my friend, let u, . .. [.
[Your thoughts ,hould focu• on battleI!
L,iupl
l\.Veupons Ql du� ft'ad>, th.t- two friend., "dvotu.•.e, 1
Thereupon, ,word• r ' . ' l
And from 1he «obhards I •.. J
Axes 1ouchecl wich Ith,• whetsron<-).
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••
Ha1chci. and s<>urd• I .. ,
Om, lufter th., uther . , . J
They crept forward I ... ]
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TAlJLETV
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,.
[The see..,. ,ltifts to Hu,..l,abo, u,-ho •videnlly Js unc:erlain olx,u1 "'• h,,,,.,'
i+detlt,J
Humb•ba de[ha1eJ with him,,lf, sayln�J:
No ••cllwr of cedar! h.. com,·,
No ls•eker of typress] has come,
Why are th.- [bird•I 1•crturhed?
Why"'" my very own jbir<i• ofarmed)r
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l.11<1pl
)·
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[
How could I ... l
I ... J in my very bed?
Surely IJn[lil , .. J
In 11oodwill I ...]
If I •boll be the one to die [ , .. J
Moy Bnlil curse [the on• who kills me]!
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[Moanwhik, linkidu i$ enr.uuragin11 Gilga....,�.)
Enki,lu mode rc..dy lo •peak, [sayinic lo Gil.1tame•hl:
My friend, Humbab� I ... J
My friend, one is one [but two ure double],
Though nne be wcok, I wo ltugether "" strongl,
If one cannot scale o slippery ,lope, two lean do it together).
A three-,trund rope
stronger when doubled),
Two cubs are /•trong,rf than • mi 11h1y lion.
JI•
l�pl
My friend, a,ide from the winds of Sham•sh, [whal have we)?
Behind him i<" wliirlwind, [in fro11t of him o bl•stJ.
Speak to Shama1h, that he give [you his thirteen winds]!
_: llgamcsh lool<e<l ur, [weeplnK before Sh•m••hl,
"acing the <un's radian,:e, lhis rears flowed down) .
(Forgot nntJ that day, 0 Shomo,h, I put my trult in you,
.. Stand hym, now I,,.)
[Pro1cc1J GilRamesh, scion of L;ruk1
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Tw: E.,,c: <w G11.<iA:\olr.s11
Sh�mash heurd what he suid 1
Stral�htaway a w11rni� rry lc•ll<•d vu< to him l'rom h;,.venl:
Hurr)', confr<mt him, do not 1et him RO off lint<>
the li,r,stl,
Uo not let him entor th• thicket nor i ... l!
He ha, not donned l•llJ nfhi• ,e, ..-n ff,arsomel cloaks.'
One ht.· has �m. six he hai \eft uff.
They I• .. J
They churged forwurd like wild bull, ( ... J
He let out a hluvJeu"lling cry f ... I,
The gullrdian of' th� fol'<"f-t wits "hricking aloud,
I ... I
llunihabtt "'"' roarin� like thunder
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IR•Pl
(t\, ,his pt,itH, it, a durruz,:,ed pi:uiPl(i', Gi�m�·xh unexp«.•�dt, mc-,,ficm
ihut Uumbab'1 It"' "hHdrfln, Somer 11(.•niQ-ns give Huml)t'{ba sewn sons, a.-.
in rhi.r tobl.d. liHi 14H, 1'lih,lflgh in rh� .'iun,uiuH po,-tn "GilR'tttre.d• aHd
tfou:awai" lint 27). th< tn<m5h'!r �)·S he• lives plune.l
Gil�•m-,,h mut!e reutly w sp,ak. sayinl( lo Enkidu:
•• u
M)· friend, huve 001 fllumb.1h;1 and his wire(,) ... f
Jlnve they nt•I pwducctl 1s.v«n! chiltl..,n,
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· lkcn tht! hcm>c� ./indll1' ,n�,, ll1,emba/M, he r1r,t>t:3· 111 he &(mll!d,1n,< o.f n
:o.'nr,b, disd,,,inhtg ah, 1''tetppt·horn Eulttdu, who"' he ridict1llf1'' (IS u m�e.t
and• replil1. Cifk,a,n,.,J, 1/w,,i /,u, U<Y>Nd 1/11>"1</,,..I
I lumh•b• made re;,,fy to •peak, ...yinx to Cil11.um,•sh:
Let foolr, Gilgamesh. tii1k.c u,h:icc rrmn u yokd•man!
Wh)· ha,:e you mAde )'uur wxy here?
Comu now, E1,kidu, <mall-fry, who <lo<'• nol know hi,
fo1her,
Sp�wn of u 1ur1 h: nr torcoiH<.�, who :,uckt'J nu m�UhE'r' :t milk!
J us.,.J to tt'.r. rt>tJ wh�n )'(JU �1tr-e )'nunf(�·r bur would nut go
neur you.
fllad I killed the lik..•s of) yuu, would I h•vc lilied my belly?
·•�
I. lt\ onr uld t•rr�.i•m.} lvml1o11h11 h:11 ,c-.,t·n m11111it· .i,:.n ,-.�ntt, Ill ,,tlu:r .,cr,�11n� iw-.·,•11 dorclol
radlaft('-tt.. IIJ,id U1
othcn M'ff'Ct ,r.bw•. � p.
N.
n. 4.
1·A1J1.1rrV
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4. Myfriend Jlmnball(l"sfearurcs }:mW Cl-'<!r '""'c eerie. Th,·,;,· d(•pwnit:
.f•ces show how Mt!IOl>Otamian� imoGincd l lumhith:,,
(Why] hove )'OU bmu11ht Gil1t:om,••h lu mt• with ,·vil int,·nt.
And taken a �tond there. Jike �ome- forl'iKn fot�?
I thoul<I •l••h ih,, throat ,md neck or Ciill('lmo,h,
I shouid let ilyin(l insct·ts, n·n•uminf( t·uiitlt.·�, nnd \•ulturl.°'�
feed on hi• sh!
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\. My friend. Humbttha'� foaturci. ha,•4! �town c"·er more ec.•dt'.
• We 1trod� up to him likt.• h(:ro•:s to von•1uish him,
':. Yet my fe"rful heart doc• not ,·aim itself ,111kkly,
IO!i
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,. 1llga1nl!'sh mm.J... n.'udy to sp<:ak. �••ring to Enkidu:
Enkidu Uf'Jles IJitt) mJ. q4411tf "R hi� brm:e 1t.·utd�· «t Vrult a>td seeking
ro '" his rew/•.,..I
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Tim F.P1<..
01-
Gu.f...,,11,m�u
Enki,lu m;1de rt'�td) · tu spt!llk, �ayjnJ,t lo c;il�am<•�h:
Wlty, my frkml, do y ou talk I ik-, " "'e oklin�?
I luw youpul c l You moko me ill.
Now, my friend, this ho• drng11•d Ion lon11 eno ugh .
]
The time hus com e to lif1 thi, copper from the m old.
WIii you take another h our tu bluw the bellows,
An hour mor e lo l(.'l it c oo lf
To l•um:h • fl ood w e.1pun, to widd • lush?
Uctreot n ol a l'ool. \'OU must m1L turn h::ick.
11.,·I y o ur eye• >e<' �11 le t y ou r blow strike ·hum ,•!
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th: lm>k c1 prisom:r whene\'t•r he couM.J
lie mimlf ul of y ou r god, 1.ugalhandu,
Those dream� vou hud, onl ' urtl"r the oth, .' r, �n.: mm•
di�11r to yo u.·
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IH,.mbab• ,..;den1ly ,h,.,..., hux, mck, al th, h•rr,e.,. J
(;il11 amc sh advanced, h,,c dinl! hi, frie ml's odvic e.
The ninth huuld,:r hur1l,•d duwn. the m ountain expl o ded, Ml
into d u st.
lie sprang lik e a lion,
Whil,• Enkidu rushe d forw.ord, lik e • hody�uard.
• thcv ::noil(.'ll tl u mhab� 1 in •ht• fort!itt.
Thc n
1 lis <ry l\ilod the for<·sl,
Th ey ,.,.,k huld ol' his dircrul radian«,-,
H umhaha r o•n·d. for hi• parl, • choll cn11-e:
I will lil't thom up so hi�h. I will l(n up lo heave n!
I will ,m ite I ho <'ar th so hKrJ. 1h,,y will g o duwn to the
w;Hery d<.·,·p!
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He Uft<.•J lht•m up toward ht H
� \'cn, hut hl•g1-·cn �\>A!li too
fur nw�ll,
I It � smote t he t•ar th, but .1 hou ldt.'r sh>od in his wa�.,
I �n •ht• cm»bai with HmnWb", tlu- valf,,y oJ Lcbanan j,,. fm·m,•J b)' thefr
drding/c,i.]
Al lhdr hcd• the earth split aporl,
Aii1 th�)' l.'irdt�J, the r anpss or 1.ehanon \\·er,� s undcrt•d!
2, ltnct lUI tl mm, • rron1 •• fr11J1,11wnt kni,w n ont)· In (;,,,m; ,n 1r11n\l11th,n; 1•n• 11ri11. inal
w111cl• :,n• .c1t\UI)· unp, ,1>11..h,•l .
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TAnr.er V
Tin: whit• clouds turm,d hlH(:k,
Dl•alh r1-1it1t�d down like u "·Hpor upon thctn.
Shatnnsh raifn•d the gn·al wind� a1itcdnsl lJumb,lh�.
South wind, north wind, l"�Hl winJ, Wl'St wind, mouning wh1d,
Bla�tinJ,( win,t, l�i�hin� winJ, <.·ontrur)' \\'ir"I, dusr 5'orm.
l>emon \v[nd, frcczi ni;t wind, storm \.\•imJ, whirl -.-.·ind:
Th., thirtt-en wind• ruse up ,md Hun,babas foe<' wus durken,d,
Ht• coulcJ nut ,:hargt- forw,ard, h<' l'uuld not rt.'treat.
Then Gil,zum•sh', wc�pons dd'•ated Humbubu,
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r1-1umb1,bu h11,:,sfor /,;.,, l•fe, uppc,diHS U) (.'il,1'ume,h's .mperfor sen1ibiJi,;e.J
and nob!, hi,1h,
Gilgam"h ;, willing In ''I''"" / lumwba, witlo no furch.,,
f
mcn,fon o. •h<' ull"�cd eii· l that Sham(u#J hnle5, hul Enlidt, ur,ees him to
clre d..d.l
Humbubu hcKRcd for llfo, saying to Gilgamesh,
You w,•rc once "<'.hild, Gilgamesh, you hod " "101h,'r who
lu,n.• you,
You Uh! th<· off,pring [of lh<· wild cow :\in•unl,
[You 1trt·w up to l' ulfil 11 the oracle nf Shama•h, lord of th•
mount.iin:
"Gili,i::um,·sh. sdon of Uryk� is lo ht! k•n�"
0 ( �ilp;1\n1,,.sh, a dcnd num cannot [scr\-·<.· �, master I.
A Ii•lni; l•la,•f'] i• lproli1able] for hi• ma.lE'r,
0 GHwim�'.sh. sp�trt' nl)' lift:! You will be mtt�fl'r, where\ .'l.°'r
lam.
Let m<.� dwelt hcrL· lo Sl'fVl' you ih • hl· ct!dar for�s�,
Si:ty howc\.'Cr ln�ny trt-e,. I wiU lt•cp them for)'""•
I wiU k�('J1 l'\'t'rllrc.•cn, t..'��,lar� and cy11r,•�!j,
T�II. fuU-grown lrc:-1.·:., the.• pride of your p.i]ace.
Enkidu madr n·udy to •peak, S8flng In Gilgan1t•,h;
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My fri�nd! Do not li.c,•n to wbat 1-!umbah• l•"Y•I .
[Do not h,�J J his mtreatil's!
u,,p]
(,¥:f,.mbaba i, .,,wu�;ni: 10 Enki,I..[
You knu"\' Eht• Jore of in)· forest, tht> lore: of evcr)'·thinH,,
And you undentund nfl l hov� to st-ty.
I mii!ht huv� lil'1«I you up, danitlt·d you from a 1wlg at thf'
entranc,· to my fore�t,
l•, I miQht have let f!y1 nJ,C inst-l'ts. !icrti�ming ttagle�, onJ
vulture" feed on �·our Hesh.
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·111r. El'1<: ot-' (;,u:.\\1ESH
Now 1h,·n, Enkidu, I mcr,:yl i, up to yuu,
Tell Gilgam,·•h 10 •1>urc my lif,·!
r E,,lt.rdu urges GUg,uttt<ih lo c«rry out ,heir misdon u�· srWH as ,wssihfr..
b,jor, linlil ond 1h, och,r Rod, I••"• ,ifl1.I
Enkidu mode reody lo speak. saying lo ( ;iil!"mesh:
My friend! llumbaha i• i;uardlon of 1hc forest [uf ,·cdn ..],
Finish him off for thi, kill, put him out of exiotencc.
Humhuba i< guanlion of I h,· fore<I [of cedarsl,
Fini,h him off for 1fte kill. put him out of cxi,t,·nn•,
Before llnlil the fori,must one h<ors of 1ftlsl
Tht' 1 gl'l·atJ �od• will b«•ome an11ry with us,
F.nlil in �ippur, Shama,h [in Lars,i ... I,
Eslabli•h [your reputation! for all lime:
''Gilgamesh, who slow Humhnh•."
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IHumb•b,, pmy, ,,, Shama,h, saying lh«I h, never fell Ju.,111, U> the )<>Ufl/1
Enkidu •rul had xuurdod tltcfi,ml w,1/. H, s,eks lo '1<,w Enkidu identifJ.
u•idt him, b(lth of th-Ein• fM,rtntlP.'$.." u11J rt,ised it1 the wild.]
When llumh11 h• hcurd [whnl llnkiJu ,aid],
If umhabu lluok"d up, w•eping hcl'orc Shmnash],
ll'adnic tftc •un's radi"n"·· hi• tours llowcJ down]:
!Mttpl
While Enkidu Illy sleeping with his ,mimals. I mudc no cry
u�,1in"t him,
The
ul' I.chanon, whlrn produ,·e I he cedar.. hod not
h<,cn [despoiled].
Yo11, 0 Sham3"h, arc n1y king und my Jud11, c�
I knew no modtc.•r who 1,orc me, 1 lmi�w no fathc.•r who
hro1111,hl m,· up.
Tftc mountain bur<· n><, and yuu brou�nt me up!
�ow, Enkidu 1 mcn:y i'i u1') to you.
T•II Gil lt''"''"ft to ,p:ire my lilt:!
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Enkidu mud,· l'<'ndy to speak, soyinii to Gi111,um,•sh:
My rriend! Humbaba is MUurdian of I he fore.i
1.,1· ocd•r.J,
Finish him off for the kill, 1•ut him out of .,.;.1,•nce.
l lumbah:, i• gu•rdi•n of 1h,• forcsl [of ced:inl,
Finish him off for th< L.ill, put him 1ml of exi<1enco,
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TAUL.lff V
11.-fort• Enlil 1hc for.:,no,1 "'" hc•r. of 1bi,l
Tht• hirc•IJ gud• will b-,,·ume an11ry with u,,
Enlil in Nippur, Shomash lin J.orsa ... 1F.,tabli,h lyour ropulalionl for all tim•,
"Gil11am,·sh, whu slew Humbnl>u,"
When Humhoha hear<! [what Enkidu said],
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[.1rup]
[Jlioli:i;H,t he f)( drmtned, lf14tt)baba t.'Krscs thetti.]
.'\,lay they never [ ... I,
.\.1.ay the p11ir of them nc\.'ct r<.•ach old agct
_..lay Enkidu ha"'' rton� 10 bury him hu1 Gll gamcshl
Enkidu made ready lo spt'ak, soying lo Gilgame•h:
My l'ricn,I. T s_p<,ak to yuu, b111 you du nut heed me I ... l
So Ion�•• th,• curse I ... I
I ... ] from hi, mouth!
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[A" old t.V!l"!iiun t.•cmtuin� ,fwJolfowluR exchange belwccn Gilgamcdt and
Enkidu (.•,,nc;e,,.nini: the h
. '\'t. 'n direful mdkmces of Humbaba, jn ahas t>cr­
.skm cu11t'd ',?lt,rit•.,," whcrcaJ the standard vcnian pmcccd.� dtrccrly w
line 219 bt!loM-', Anatherlcdc t.icrsinn t,uuts Jjnes 211-IN. In altar t•cNjon,
H"mbaba �'" seven ,o,u whom ,he her,ic, lill. /,,olou•, lit1• 24H, r,rhap
a dlff,,..,n1 fo,.,,mla1io11 �f 1hi, •l'i".le.)
Gilgamesh .,aid to Enkidu:
NO\\' ffl)' friend, Jet us jitO on to \•ictOT}'!
The glorin arc csc•ping inlo 1h..- forest,
The p;lories ore e,,·apin� and their britthtnes• is l<lclin11 into
the p;loom.
m
Enkidu sHi,l 10 Gili:om«h:
My friend, catch th• bird ,md where will ih chicks go?
Let UA �curch out lht- Klorfos later.
They will run uroumJ in 1hc wood, like chick,.
• (11....,1"'1,o disd•it1s Et1kiJu •• • meniul mther thoH u u>omo,.]
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·1\u� Et>tc: or Gcu<AMESU
[Humhaha) h-,Hrd lwhot t:;nkidu sui,IJ,
Humhuha looll,·d up, [weeping before Sharnash),
l'u<'inl( the ,un·, radiance, [hi• tc,irs flowed down]:
l!vcn if you di.I ,·nme into [the fores!], Enkidu,
In the moment ol" combat (you just udvise Gill(llmc,b].
for llghlin� i• lnutl whet household .,,,-ants Idol.
Will you sit I h,·n· like a ,h..-pherd in l"mnl nl" him,
And, lik..- an undcrlin11:, [wail for his ,·ommnnd]?
,,.
ICil.i:om,sh kills 1/i,mboba.l
(GJlgarm:shl heeded his friend', word,.
l k• dn•w oul th.(' �word at hit �id<.�.
c:il l!"m••h l•mut<' hlml in the necll,
Enk IJu I ... I until h.- drew ,,ut lti, lung•.
Sprin11ing [th,· lrt1�th of hisI body,
lie plucked lc<"lh rr,m, hi, heud as" lrophy.
Ma ..es of I ... I fell on I h,· mountain,
l\fosS<·s of I ... l fell on the m,,unh,it>,
( ... l
H,, slru,·k l,im, I Juml,;,b" 1 h,• �unrdian, down le> th,· JI.round.
llis bloo,I [ ... l
1-'or two ka�Ut�s th(! c<.•durl'! lwl'fl' sputh,'rc.•d "•ith hi!. blood I.
H" killed the l11luric-s] with him.
.uo
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';. lfe .dn,.c:k him, Humbub"' lht> ,l(Uurdiun. dnwn to the grmmJ. Thi!C
�<·<·ot• frun1 u bronn• bowl 5hows this cpts-ode.