Part 25 (1/2)

Behold this sin which _Aziru_ ... with the King; (he has slain) the King of the land of _Ammiya_(218) and (the King of _Ar_) _data_: and the King of the Land of _Ni_ ... (has slain?) a _Paka_ ('chief') of the King my Lord ... and the King knows his faithful servant, and he has despatched a garrison from his city, thirty men and fifty chariots, to the city of _Gebal_. I have been right. He had turned, O King, his heart from everything that _Aziru_ orders him. For everything that he orders, the messages are unanswered. But every governor of the King he has ordered to be slain. I am forgotten. Behold _Aziru_ has cursed the King my Lord.”

158 B.-The greater part of this letter is too broken to read, but refers to Abdasherah, and appears to be written to Yankhamu. The city of _Simyra_ is mentioned, and the city _Arpad_,(219) and the palace or fortress of the former, with certain men therein. The soldiers of a city _Sekhlali_ are also noticed, but it is not clear where this place is to be sought.

RIBADDA'S LETTERS FROM GEBAL

47 B.-”_Ribadda_(220) of the city of _Gebal_(221) (Gubla) to his Lord the King of many lands, the prosperous King. Baalath of Gebal she hath given power to the King my Lord. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun seven times seven times I bow. Behold this ... it will grieve me ... our city ... my foes ... the chief ... watches O King ... no men of garrison ...

were given to the King's chiefs, or preservation by the King against him, and this I (say) is not defended, and the King has not preserved me; and being angry _Pakhura_ has gathered and has despatched men of the land _Umuti_ (Hamath).(222) They have slain a chief servant; and three chiefs (he has bound?) without appeal to the land of Egypt; and he has made gifts seducing the city against me; and woe to the place, she has become ungrateful: the city which was not base in old times is base to us. But the King shall hear the message of his servant and you shall give orders to the chiefs. Do not you ... this sin they do? ... my destruction is before me, and is it not my order that chiefs in the sight of the King should ... my destruction. Behold now since I shall gather to ... and (perchance I shall repel this?).”

46 B.-The salutation, as in the preceding letter, is peculiar to Ribadda.

”Lo! the King is sending to me _Irimaia_(223): maybe, he will arrive to gladden us from before thee: he has not come before me. The King sends to me the most distinguished of thy great men, the chiefest of the city of the King that thou hast, who shall defend me ... mighty before my foes ...

Now they will make a government: the city they rule shall be smitten like as (is smitten?) a dog, and none that breathes shall be left behind him, for what they have done to us. I am laid waste (by foes?) by men of blood: thus on account of this slave there was no help from the King for me.

(But?) my free men of the lands have fought for me. If the heart of the King is toward the guarding of his city, and of his servant, thou wilt order men to guard, and thou shalt defend the city, thou shalt guard my ... made prosperous ...”

18 B. M.-The salutation as in the first letter (47 B.). ”Again behold thy faithful city of _Gebal_. _Abdasherah_ was coming out against me aforetime and I sent to thy father who ordered soldiers of the King (_bitati_) to speed, and I went up over all his land. No allies marched to _Abdasherah_.

But behold this: _Aziru_ has chosen all the men of blood and has said to them: 'If the city of _Gebal_ is not ... he has come ..., then _Yankhamu_ is with thee, and ... if I am not obedient to his wishes. Thou art deceived ... _Abdasherah_ has marched without stopping to ... but he has watched the city of the King his Lord obediently. So now as to _Paia_ ...

and is it not heard from the messages of _Kha_ ... their father, as he desires ... This _Khaib_ gave to the city _Simyra_. Lo! I lament that the King is not able to do this (for) the _Paka_ (general) when behold it has been asked. And _Bikhura_ has not marched from the city _c.u.midi_ (Kamid).

I have been friends with all the men of thy Government ... Lo whereas I was upright to the King ... and he makes no sign (to me?) Despatch soldiers: thou shalt march with every ... Five thousand men and 3,000 ...

fifty chariots, 1,000 ... the _bitati_ soldiers, and cause (them) to take captive ... the land.' ”

13 B. M.-The usual salutation, as given in the first letter. ”Does the King know? Behold _Aziru_ has fought my chiefs, and has taken twelve of my chiefs, and has insisted on receiving at our expense fifty talents; and the chiefs whom I despatched to the city _Simyra_ he has caused to be seized in the city. Both the city _Beruta_ (Beirut) and the city _Ziduna_ (Sidon) are sending s.h.i.+ps to the city _Simyra_. All who are in the land of the _Amorites_ have gathered themselves. I am to be attacked; and behold this: _Yapaaddu_ has fought for me with _Aziru_, but afterward behold he was entangled in the midst of the enemy when my s.h.i.+ps were taken. And the King sees as to his city and his servant, and I need men to save the rebellion of this land if you will not come up to save from the hands of my enemies (or destroyers). Send me back a message, and know the deed that they have done. Now as they send to thee concerning the city _Simyra_ he now marches. But (give?) me soldiers for ... and these shall deliver her ... they have tried but ... now.”

61 B.-The usual salutation precedes, here much broken. ”Does the King my Lord know? Lo! we know that he has fought mightily. Lo! they tell of us in thy presence what the city _Simyra_ has done to the King. Know O King boldly marching they have contrived to seize her-the sons of _Abdasherah_, and (there is) none who lives to carry the message to the King. But counsel now thy faithful servant. I say also the whole of the fortress they have destroyed ... I sent to the King ... of advice as to the city _Simyra_. As a bird in the midst of the net she has remained. The siege of the usurpers is exceeding strong, and the messenger who from...”

The letter is much broken. It refers to Yapaaddu and to his own faithfulness to the _Pakas_ (”chiefs”) of the King. He also appears to refer to the King destroying the Amorites, and goes on:

”The ruins perchance he will a.s.sign to his servant; and he has been constant and is upright against this thing-to subdue all the King's (provinces?). He has lost all the cities which ... this has befallen to ... and from the destruction ... against me none who ... them. The two or three that have held fast are turning round. But he hears his faithful servant's message, and a servant who has been constant in all labor, and his handmaid the city of _Gebal_ (is) the only one that holds fast for me.

The evils of this deed are equally thine, but I am broken in pieces.

Henceforth _Aziru_ is the foe of _Yapaaddu_. They have marched; and (there is) news that they have been cruel in their ravages against me. They rest not: they desire the evil of all that are with me. So they have waxed strong, powerful against me (a servant) faithful to the King from of old ... Moreover, behold I am a faithful servant: this evil is wrought me: behold this message: lo! I am the dust of the King's feet. Behold thy father did not wring, did not smite the lands of his rulers (_Khazani_) and the G.o.ds established him-the Sun G.o.d, the G.o.d ... and Baalath of Gebal. But the sons of _Abdasherah_ have destroyed from ... us the throne of thy father's house, and ... to take the King's lands for themselves.

They have joined the King of the land of _Mitana_,(224) and the King of the land of _Casi_(225) and the King of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_ ... the King will order soldiers (_bitati_). _Yankhamu_ with the ... of my poor land ... The _Paka_ of the city _c.u.midi_ ... and they have marched ...

_Gebal_ ... to a faithful servant.”

83 B.-A much broken fragment, referring to the taking of Simyra, appears to belong to this period.

43 B.-”_Ribadda_ speaks to the King of many lands. At the feet (of my Lord) seven times and seven times I bow (a servant) forever. Lo! the city of _Gebal_ is his place-the Sun-G.o.d revered by many lands. Lo! I am the footstool at the feet of the King my Lord; I am also his faithful servant.

Now as to the city _Simyra_ the sword of these fellows(226) has risen very strong against her and against me. And so now the destruction of the city of _Simyra_ is at her gates. She has bowed down before them and they have conquered her power.

”To what purpose have they sent here to _Ribadda_ a letter (saying) thus: 'Peace to the palace from its brethren before _Simyra_.' Me! they have fought against me _for five years_, and thus they have sent to my Lord. As for me not (to be forgotten is?) _Yapahaddu_ not to be forgotten is _Zimridi_.(227) All the fortresses they have ruined ... there was no cause of strife with the city of _Simyra_...” The next pa.s.sage is much damaged.

”And as said to what purpose have they sent a letter to _Ribadda_? In the sight of the King my Lord they have feigned to please me, they have pretended to please me, and now they proclaim peace. Truly thus behold it is with me. Let me learn the intention of my Lord, and will not he order _Yankhamu_ with the _Paka_, _Yankhamu_ joined beside the King my Lord, to lay waste? From before the chiefs of the _Hitt.i.te_ chief men have fled and all the chiefs are afraid thereat. May it please my Lord also shall not he be (degraded?) who was thy commander of the horse with thy servant, to move the chiefs when we two went forth to the wars of the King my Lord, to occupy my cities which I name before my Lord. Know my Lord when they went forth with the ally he has left your soldiers fighting hard, and all have been slain.”

52 B.-The ordinary salutation. The letter is much damaged. It states that the land of _Mitana_ had formerly fought against the King's enemies; that the sons of the dog _Abdasherah_ destroy the cities and the corn, and attack the governors, and had demanded fifty talents. It appears that Yankhamu has arrived, and has known the chief whom the King had established. Apparently a written letter has been sent ”to the Amorite land for them to swallow.” He continues: ”Behold I am a faithful servant of the King, and there was none was like me a servant, before this man lied to the King of the Land of Egypt. But they have mastered the lands of our home.” They have slain Egyptians, he continues, and have done something (the verb is lost) to the temples of the G.o.ds of _Gebal_; they have carried off a chief and shed his blood. He finally mentions his son _Khamu_.

25 B. M., a short letter with the usual salutation. He requests soldiers to guard the lands for the rulers, which have been torn in pieces. The King sends no messages about himself to the writer or to _Yankhamu_. The governor's men have gathered to fight (for the _Khar_ or Phnicians?).

42 B. begins with the usual salutation given in the first letter. ”Having just heard the chiefs from the presence of the King it is fit that I send back a messenger (or message). Behold O Sun descending from heaven, the Sons of _Abdasherah_ are wasting (shamefully?), as among them there is not one of the horses of the King or chariots, and the chiefs have devised evil-a rebellious race. And a chief is here with us of the Amorite country, with a written message from the allies which is with me. They have demanded what is shameful. Hereby is spoken a friendly message in the presence of the King-the Sun G.o.d. As for me I am thy faithful servant, and the news which is known, and which I hear, I send to the King my Lord.

(What are they but dogs trembling?) in the presence of the Egyptian soldiers (_bitati_) of the King-the Sun G.o.d. I sent to your father and he ... 'to my servant ... soldiers' ... they have not marched ...

_Abdasherah_ ... the chiefs of this government ... their faces against him. So now they have joined ... But the _Misi_ men (Egyptians) ... have brought us, with speed, corn ... So now not without favor ... I have become a great man, behold: strong and powerful in their sight we have been made. But mighty and rebellious to the King is this power. (His land does not intend to help the land?) Behold I am despatching two men to the city of _Simyra_, and all the men of its chief have gathered in order to consult as to messages to the King, who will know why you hear from us your chiefs. Good is the letter they have brought us, and the letter which the messengers of the King have uttered to us.(228) Through the pretensions of this dog the King's heart has been grieved with men, and ... has been unrighteously set up, devising in their hearts ... and ...

(your chief?). I go against the men of blood from the city _Simyra_ ... to keep ... and whatsoever I have been commanded. And let the King ... the news of his servant. I have despatched ten chiefs of the Land of _Nubia_,(229) twenty chiefs of the Land of Egypt, as a guard to the King.

Sun-G.o.d and Lord thy servant is faithful to thee.”