A note on ki-ma LI-i-im (Gilgamesh P 218, 224).

• Author: Hamori, Esther J.

The words is-sa-ab-tu-ma ki-ma LI-i-im i-lu-du occur twice (the second time as is-sa-ab-tu-u-ma) in the depiction of the fight between Gilgamesh and Enkidu in column vi of the Pennsylvania tablet. The two verbs are clear: issabtuma, "they seized [one another], grappled," and iludu, "they bent." The phrase between these verbs has generated much debate. There are two common views regarding ki-ma LI-i-im, which diverge only in regard to the meaning of the second word. According to both interpretations, ki-ma is understood as the comparative "like," and LI-i-im as the noun to which Gilgamesh and Enkidu are compared, in one case a bull, and in the other an expert wrestler. Both of these translations are problematic. I propose instead that kima be understood in its prepositional sense meaning "in order," with the infinitive of the verb le'um, "to overpower."

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Early translations took the phrase ki-ma LI-i-im to refer to the image of a bull, as many recent translations still do. George translates, "They grappled each other, bending their backs like a bull." (2) Tournay and Shaffer write, "Ils s'empoignerent et, comme des taureaux, ils s'arc-bouterent," and Huehnergard offers a note to his transliteration of the text, specifying that the word should be read as lum, "bull." (3) Speiser has, "They grappled each other holding fast like bulls." (4) Von Soden's image was different: Gilgamesh and Enkidu "gingen in die Knie wie Stiere." (5) Langdon had offered, "They grappled with each other, goring like an ox." (6)

The reading of li/e-i-im as "bull" is difficult. The form *lim would be (genitive) singular, while the subject and surrounding verbs are plural. If the meaning intended were that Gilgamesh and Enkidu grappled like bulls (reading the phrase issabtuma kima *lim) or bent like bulls (kima *lim iludu), one would except a plural noun, rather than the singular, "like a bull." Even among the range of translations cited above, each attempting to make sense of the comparison in a different way, there is none that makes sense of the mismatched singular and plurals.

George attempts to solve this problem through the poetic rendering, "They grappled each other, bending their backs like a bull." He suggests that the image is of an ox with its legs bent in combat, reflecting the importance of keeping a low center of gravity in wrestling. (7) The implication is that both men are keeping their legs bent (necessarily, given the plural verb). In this case as well, the comparison should be to "bulls." George makes the best of the unexpected form *lim, but any comparison to a singular "bull" remains awkward.

George compares this passage to the image of a bull in OB [Harmal.sub.1] 6.(8) At the outset, it should be noted that the relevant verb in OB [Harmnal.sub.1] 6 has been partially reconstructed. George reconstructs the verb ladum in this line, as others have as well, to portray Gillgamesh bending or leaning before a bull (i-na pa-ni-su a-na-ku.-al.-tu-ud). (9) Even assuming that this reconstruction is correct, the images in the two texts are quite different. In OB [Harmnal.sub.1], Gilgamesh describes to Enkidu an ominous dream that he has before the two attack Huwawa. In his dream...