Epic of Gilgamesh

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Tablet I

He who has seen everything, I will make known (?) to the lands.

I will teach (?) about him who experienced all things … alike,

Anu granted him the totality of knowledge of all.

He saw the Secret, discovered the Hidden,

he brought information of (the time) before the Flood.

He went on a distant journey, pushing himself to exhaustion,

but then was brought to peace.

He carved on a stone stela all of his toils,

and built the wall of Uruk-Haven,

the wall of the sacred Eanna Temple, the holy sanctuary.

Look at its wall which gleams like copper (?),

inspect its inner wall, the likes of which no one can equal!

Take hold of the threshold stone—it dates from ancient times!

Go close to the Eanna Temple, the residence of Ishtar,

such as no later king or man ever equaled!

Go up on the wall of Uruk and walk around,

examine its foundation, inspect its brickwork thoroughly.

Is not (even the core of) the brick structure made of kiln-fired brick,

and did not the Seven Sages themselves lay out its...