G180 C iv 11a a-a-˹um-ma˺ SV(2) – Exchange of lexemes clarifying the
J c 1 iv 8a a-a-um-ma sense of the phrase.^613
2 iv 4 [ n]u-um-ma
G181 C iv 11a ú-ṣ[i OV(l) – c has the wrong stem vowel for 3ms
J c 1 iv 8a ú-ṣi preterite √waṣû, “to go forth.”
2 iv 4 ú- ṣu
G182 J c 1 iv 9b MU-ár OV(l) – J lacks the ventive suffix.^614
2 iv 6b MU-ra
G183 C iv 13 m]a-ti OV(l) – J has the wrong case vowel for the
J c 1 iv 10 a-ma-tu oblique plural.
2 iv 7a a-mat
G184 C iv 13 J i-˹ba˺-a[n OV – C has CV-VC against CVC in J and c.
c^12 iv 10 iv 7a i-ban-n[i] i-ban-ni
(^) G185 J
c^12 iv 11 iv 7b ù u OV – The conjunction is written as Ù in J.
G186 C iv 14 J ka-lu OV(l) – C has the wrong case vowel for the accusative singular.
1 iv 11 ka-la
(^613) The masculine indefinite demonstrative pronoun (^) ayumma, “this,” in C and J is difficult in this context as
it seems to refer to a feminine noun, napištu, “soul.” A better reading is given in c to which may be restored
the interrogative adverb ayanūma, “where,” which suits the context grammatically and maintains the sense:
ayanūma ūṣi napišti, “from where has life escaped?” The text of C and J is acceptable as it is given in CAD
A 1 237b and A 2 367b: ayumma ūṣi napišti, “has someone escaped with his life?” Even so, in this inter-
pretation the auxiliary verb and possessive pronoun must be supplied in the translation. In fact, c makes the
best sense without demanding too much from the translator, and it is in this regard that this manuscript “has
the better tradition of reading in this line” (A.R. George, 614 Gilgamesh, 891).
The form in c can be read as a ventive in context: izakkara ana quradi Enlil, “he said to the hero Enlil.”
J has essentially the same sense given that it too has the preposition ana before the genitive. The lack of
ultimate vowel in J could be read as a defective ventive, cf. M. Luukko, Neo-Assyrian, 36. Alternatively the
extraneous ultimate vowel carried by the verb in c might be read as a post stress anaptyctic vowel of the
type CVC > CV+CV, cf. M. Luukko, Neo-Assyrian, 105, or as an orthographic peculiarity of the type “CV
for C,” cf. A.R. George, Gilgamesh, 441. See also G1, G226 and G233.