Part 23 (2/2)
My Lord (know) the men who are his foes ... And lo! now the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_ ... with pride rebels against his G.o.ds. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_: he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city of _Katna_, _Aziru_ expels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the city _Katna_. My Lord truly they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and truly they give gold. My Lord-Sun G.o.d, my fathers'
G.o.d(133)-the men have made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold-O Sun G.o.d of my fathers-the King of the _Hitt.i.tes_ makes them march. And know of them, my Lord-may the G.o.ds make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear. And lo! perchance the Sun G.o.d of my fathers will turn his heart toward me. My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or t.i.the of gold?) be given him, as we have purposed for the Sun G.o.d of my fathers. As has been said they have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner-the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)-is out of sight of the Sun G.o.d.”
37 B. M.-”To King _Annumuria_, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says) _Akizzi_ thy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord, now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord.
And behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold now ... the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_ ... sends forth ...
and the heart of ... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_. And as for me ... the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_. As for me I am with the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_.”
This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak of _Aidugama_,(134)the Hitt.i.te King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things-enumerated, but not intelligible-including, perhaps, s.h.i.+ps or boats, and dwellings; and it mentions _Neboyapiza_. It then continues:
”My Lord: _Teuiatti_ of the city of _Lapana_,(135) and _Arzuia_ of the city _Ruhizzi_,(136) minister before _Aidugama_; but this land is the land of the dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the land of _Marha.s.se_, and the King of the land of _Ni_, and the King of the land of _Zinzaar_,(137) and the King of the land of _Canaan_. And all of these are kings under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord-chiefs who are servants. As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch the _bitati_(138) soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my Lord _Arzuia_ of the city _Ruhizzi_, and _Teuiatti_ of the city _Lapana_, dwelt in the land of _Huba_,(139) and _Dasru_ dwelt in the land _Amma_,(140) and truly my Lord has known them. Behold the land of _Hobah_ was at peace my Lord in the days of this government. They will be subject to _Aidugama_.
Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land of _Hobah_. My Lord, as said, the city _Timasgi_,(141) in the land of _Hobah_, is without sin at thy feet; and aid thou the city _Katna_ which is without sin at thy feet. It has been feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain (our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of the _bitati_ soldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this my land, and they shall ... in the city _Katna_.”
96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, from _Neboyapiza_(142) to the King of Egypt, ends as follows:
”Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will name.”
142 B.-”To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and they will devour me-_Neboyapiza_: we abide before thy face, my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the city _Gidisi_.(143) And my fortresses (say) 'Speed us avengers.' I make ready, and (because that?) the _Pakas_(144) of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler consider that (_Neboyapiza_) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people.
And behold _Neboyapiza_ has sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the men of blood are from the land _Ammusi_,(145) and (part) from the land of _Hubi_, and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a G.o.d(146) and a Sun in my sight, and restore the strongholds holds to the King my Lord from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”
It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important town _c.u.midi_, now _Kamid_, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the capital of the surrounding district.
189 B. is much broken. It is from _Arzana_, chief of the city _Khazi_.(147) He speaks of an attack on _Tusulti_, by b.l.o.o.d.y soldiers fighting against the place, and perhaps of the city _Bel Gidda_ (Baal Gad),(148) and mentions a _Paka_, or Egyptian official, called _Aman Khatbi_, named after the Egyptian G.o.d Amen. The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian general, and are attacking _Khazi_, his city. They had already taken _Maguzi_,(149) and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.
43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:
”... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the King entirely. _Biridasia_ perceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has secretly pa.s.sed beyond my city _Maramma_;(150) and the great pa.s.s is open behind me. And he is marching chariots from the city _Astarti_,(151) and commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the city _Buzruna_;(152) and the King of the city of _Khalavunni_(153) has made promises to him: both have fought with _Biridasia_ against me. Wickedly they vex us. I have marched our kinsmen-the people of _Neboyapiza_-but his success never fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the city _Dimasca_ (Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; and _Arzaiaia_ is marching to the city _Gizza_,(154) and _Azi_ (_ru_) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the city _Saddu_(155) declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land of _Gizza_. _Arzaiaia_ with _Biridasia_ afflicts the land (which is wretched? or _Abitu_), and the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will guard the town of _c.u.midi_ (Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ... the men of the wretched land” (or of the land _Abitu_).
152 B.-”... thus _Ara_ (_ga?_) chief of the city _c.u.midi_(156) (Kamid) ...
at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of his _Pakas_ (chiefs) as to me, a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?).
But never a horse and never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my Lord; and closely allied(157) is his servant; and to explain this I am despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord deign to hear me.”
46 B. M.-”At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow.
Behold what this our saying tells, as to the land _Am_ (Ham) the fortresses of the King my Lord. A man named _Eda_ ... has arisen, a chief of the land _Cinza_ east of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_, to take the fortresses of the King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my G.o.d my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”
125 B.-”To the King my Lord thus _Arzaiaia_, chief of the city _Mikhiza_.(158) At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to meet the Egyptian (_bitati_) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to meet the general (_Paka_) with (all the infantry?) ...
all who have marched to overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the Egyptian (_bitati_) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (_Paka_). As for me, do I not order all to ...
after them? Behold they have been speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of the King my Lord.”
126 B.-The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).
75 B. M.-A short letter from _Dasru_ to say he has heard the King's message. He lived in the land of _Ham_ (37 B. M.).
127 B. M.-The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is of good omen.
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