Babylonian religion and mythology . ousdaughter and created the bull in accordance with herwish. The account of the battle between the bull andthe two heroes Ea-bani and Gilgamesh, is very in-complete, but the struggle seems to have been long andfierce, and towards the end of the account we read thatEa-bani seized the bull by the tail so that Gilgameshwas no doubt enabled to slay the monster with hissword. In the accompanying illustration, w7e see Gil-gamesh and Ea-bani each engaged in conflict with abull. The picture may possibly be based upon some BAB. EEL. M l62 THE FIGHT WITH THE BULL. var
Babylonian religion and mythology . ousdaughter and created the bull in accordance with herwish. The account of the battle between the bull andthe two heroes Ea-bani and Gilgamesh, is very in-complete, but the struggle seems to have been long andfierce, and towards the end of the account we read thatEa-bani seized the bull by the tail so that Gilgameshwas no doubt enabled to slay the monster with hissword. In the accompanying illustration, w7e see Gil-gamesh and Ea-bani each engaged in conflict with abull. The picture may possibly be based upon some BAB. EEL. M l62 THE FIGHT WITH THE BULL. variant form of the legend, according to which Ami senttwo divine bulls against Gilgamesh and his it is simpler, however, to regard it as a pictureof the two heroes on a hunting expedition, for onother cylinder-seals they are frequently represented asstruggling with several bulls and lions at the same will be noticed that in the centre of the picture is afir tree growing upon what appears to be a pile of Ea-bani and Gilgamesh in conflict with two bulls. (From a cylinder-seal in theBritish Museum, No. 89,308.) The small half circles, however, which look like stones,are conventional representations of mountains; theengraver intended to convey the impression that thefight with the bulls took place in a well-wooded andmountainous country. The poem next describes the wrath of Ishtar at thedeath of the bull as follows :— Then Ishtar went up on to the wall of strong-walledErech; She mounted to the top and she uttered a curse,(saying), EA-BANI TAUNTS ISHTAR. 163 (Cursed be Gilgamesh, who has provoked me toanger, And has slain the bull from heaven. When Ea-bani heard these words of Ishtar, He tore out the entrails (?) of the bull, And he cast them before her, (crying), As for thee, I will conquer thee, And I will do to thee even as I have done tohim. Thus Ea-bani drew down upon himself the wrath ofIshtar. Then Ishtar assembled the three grades of priestess
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