Izdubar wept for Ea-bani, his friend;
In sorrow he laid himself down in the field.
“I will not die like Ea-bani,
Grief has entered my soul.
I am afraid of death
And lay me down in the field.”
Gilgamish then determines to seek Sit-napishtim and beseech his help to rescue him from disease and death. After various experiences he comes to the mountain Mashu, the sunset mountain, whose gates are guarded by scorpion men. They let him enter and he journeys for twenty-four hours in intense darkness before he emerges into the sunlight and passes by a tree and grove with precious stones for fruit. He then comes to the sea coast, ruled over by a princess Sabitum. She advises him to seek out Arad-Ea, the former pilot of Sit-napishtim, who may possibly carry him across the waters. Arad-Ea consents, builds a boat with the aid of Gilgamish and they set out together. The most difficult part of the voyage is the journey across the “waters of death.” The two finally reach the island home of Sit-napishtim who, at Gilgamish’s request, tells the story of his escape from the flood (as translated from Jeremias[n]):
Sit-napishtim said to him, to Gishduba (Gilgamish),
“I will reveal to thee, Gishduba, something hidden.
And a secret of the gods will I tell thee.