Siduri directed him to , the boatman of the dead. Urshanabi agreed to ferry him across the Waters of Death—but only if Gilgamesh cut three hundred punting poles, since any touch of those waters killed instantly.
Gilgamesh drove his sword through Humbaba's neck. The mountains wept resin. The cedar trees swayed in grief. They cut down the tallest tree for Uruk's gate, and they sailed home on the Euphrates with Humbaba's head as a trophy. Ishtar, goddess of love and war, saw Gilgamesh gleaming with cedar resin and glory. She climbed the walls of Uruk, adorned in jewels, and called to him: "Come, Gilgamesh, be my lover. Give me your fruit. I will give you a chariot of lapis lazuli and a house of sweet-smelling reeds." epic of gilgamesh full version
Ishtar screamed in fury. She ran to heaven, to her father Anu. "Father, make the Bull of Heaven! If you do not, I will break the doors of the underworld and let the dead outnumber the living!" Siduri directed him to , the boatman of the dead
"I will kill Humbaba," Gilgamesh said, "and carve my name on the mountains." The mountains wept resin
Enkidu woke in tears. "I am cursed—not for the bull, but because I told you to kill Humbaba." Enkidu sickened. For twelve days he lay on his mat, cursing the harlot Shamhat who had brought him to the city. But Shamash spoke to him: "Why curse Shamhat? She gave you a feast of human bread and the wine of human love. She gave you Gilgamesh, your brother."
Ishtar gathered her temple prostitutes. "Wail for the Bull of Heaven!" she cried.