Part 26 (2/2)

84 B. is much broken; all the cities are taken except _Gebal_ and _Batruna_, which remain like birds in the snare. But he still ”trusts.”

12 B. M.-”_Ribadda_ speaks to the King of Lands, of many lands, the great King the prosperous King. The Lady (Ballath) of Gebal gives power to the King my Lord. I bow at my Lord's feet-the Sun-G.o.d-seven times seven times.

Let the King know! behold! the city _Gebal_ his handmaid, faithful to the King, has gathered because of the allies who are his foes. And I am ill at ease: behold the King lets slip from his hand the chief city that is faithful to him. Let the King smite the lands of those who rob him. Lo! is not he a faithful servant, her chief who abides in the city of _Gebal_? Do not you say so to your servant, when there is a mighty fighting against him of men of blood, and the G.o.ds of the land are (evilly disposed?), and our sons have been worn out, and our daughters have fled, and there is weakness in my unhappy land. For our living, my fields gave sustenance, which no ... secured. For as many as I possess, all my cities which are in flames, also the foe has overthrown: they submitted to the b.l.o.o.d.y soldiers. The city of _Gebal_ with two cities, remains to me; and I am ill at ease because _Abdasherah_ is marching. The city of _Sigata_ (is) his; and he is saying to the chiefs of the city of _Ammia_ (_Amyun_), 'They have slain your chief and you have done like us, and you have rebelled, and you obeyed his order, and they will punish you as men of blood.' And I am ill at ease. Lo! now _Abdasherah_ sends for soldiers. I have remained alone-they will be rejoiced at it, and there is ruin before the city of _Gebal_, if there is no great man to gain me safety from his hands. And the chiefs of the government are expelled from the midst of the lands; and you relinquish all the lands to the men of blood, squandering the wealth of all the lands; and they have torn away sons and daughters n.o.bly born; and (this) while the King is pondering about it, and all the lands have fought for him. And from what they have done to us, behold now thou wilt become naked to their destructions. And so now I am exceedingly afraid.

Behold now there is no great man who wins me salvation from their hands.

As birds that are in the midst of the snares this place has remained. I myself am in the city of _Gebal_. Why is there this overthrow of thy land?

Now I send (complaint?) to the palace (or great city) and you will not hear us. Now this (is) my message. _Amanabba_ is with thee, ask him: he has fled,(277) and he will show the evils that are against me. Let the King hear his servant's message; and he shall establish his servant's life, and his servant shall live, and shall defend the ... with him.”

The remainder of the letter is broken. It asks for advice and information, and for consideration of the memorial. Ribadda's letters increase in pathetic eloquence as the great catastrophe approaches.

56 B., a much-broken letter. They are advancing to take _Gebal_. Money has been given to a certain chief who has turned against _Ribadda_.

62 B., a mere fragment. The enemy are advancing on _Gebal_ with the intention of taking it.

63 B.-This also is much broken. It refers to _Yapaaddu_, to the King's _Paka_ receiving orders, and to the rulers, and contains the statement, ”They have cut off two of my s.h.i.+ps, with my sons (or men) and all that was mine.”

80 B. begins with the usual salutation, and continues: ”Does the King my Lord know? Behold the city of _Gebal_ has gathered, she has gathered those faithful to the King, and very mighty was the battle of the men of blood against me, and there is no rest through the city of _Simyra_. (Defeat has not befallen?) the men of blood, through the King's _Paka_ (chief), whom they cast out from the city of _Simyra_. The chief city is troubled. Now _Pakha_(_mnata_), the King's _Paka_, who (was) in the city of _Simyra_, has sent a message-he has failed. Sixty minas (_mana_)(278) it is that they are asking the city of _Gebal_, from my unhappy land. The battle was waged very mightily against us, and the King is not defended by his fortress.”

81 B.-”To _Rabzabi_(279) ... thus _Ribadda_ thy son.” The letter is much broken. He refers to money, and asks him to complain to the King. He says he is afraid that the freemen are not (faithful?) to the King's governor, if the broken portion may be so understood.

82 B.-”To _Ribadda_ my son thus by letter (says) King _Rabzabi_ thy father. May our G.o.ds prosper thee, prosper thy fortress. Let him ask to know. The sons of our Lord have spoken accordingly. They have spoken of the strife of the chiefs of the city of _Simyra_. (He has vanquished my fears?) of being made to perish by the city of _Simyra_, of our peris.h.i.+ng by these chiefs; and lo! they have allotted decrees, they are creating a memorial. Have I not been bent upon the decrees? and decrees of the King have followed. And unless they have destroyed everything, the King makes sure to show them their master. For the King is imposing decrees. The decrees of the King are saying: 'Why do ye make a waste land to those who are servants of the King? I shall despatch men. I shall send a garrison for the chief city.' I am sending the King's ... to you ... soldiers ...

in ... A gathering they are making of all.”

In spite of his father's zealous a.s.sistance in Egypt, this favorable intention came too late.

76 B.-”From _Riibiddi_ as a letter to the King my Lord: beneath the feet of my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Behold my Lord's message from this (remnant?): from the lands of the despised, and from the chief city of fugitives, they have wandered. To go for us, accordingly I have ordered my s.h.i.+ps to go out from sh.o.r.e (or wall). Lo! _Aziru_ has fought with me. And all the chiefs of the government gathered, hardening their hearts. I have gathered to us their s.h.i.+ps; and as they go to us in haste their abodes are deserted, which are subject (to) this _Amorite_ race; and they have been suddenly destroyed. I am chosen chief of the chiefs of the government. To me accordingly they have subjected everything; and they have removed-on account of the success of the chiefs of my enemies-the silver from the palaces, and all else, on account of his destructions. But the King shall order soldiers for them, and now I shall send to my Lord for soldiers; and soldiers of garrison do not thou ...”

The letter is much broken here. It refers to the son of _Abdasherah_, and to the chief city of the _Giblites_, to his messenger, and to there being no news of soldiers coming. ”You will not (even) glance at us ... and despatch him. The lean soldiers are growling. 'When (is) the King to feed this city? and he thinks evil of her.' Speed your chief to ... her. Why is he not ordered from the palace, being said that soldiers (are to be) sent?

They have destroyed us, and they ravage the lands ... I cause to be sent repeatedly; a message is not returned us for me. They have seized all the lands of the King my Lord; and my Lord has said that they are to repent.

But now behold the soldiers of the land of the _Hitt.i.tes_ have trampled down our papyrus.(280) The chief city of _Gebal_ (has) no food. But counsel the city ... and accordingly I will listen. O King! for the _Misi_ (Delta) men-all of them, you ordered of me presents of the royal gold, because of the sons of _Abdasherah_; and when you ordered me they were subjecting the sons of _Abdasherah_ to the King; and so now it is lawful.”

85 B.-This is a list of various articles, with a broken name, apparently (_Rib_)_adda's_, at the top, including perhaps either presents or his own property sent to Egypt. The tablet is much injured. It appears to mention precious stones and articles of gold, and includes male and female slaves.

_Yazimi_, ”the servant of G.o.d,” with _Abdaddu_, is mentioned near the end.

71 B.-”_Ribadda_ ... to the King my Lord ... at the feet ... seven times and seven times(281) ... I send and I repeat (the message), and you listen not thereto ... The King my Lord shall hear the message, and it explains to the _Paur_ (magnate) ... to the Lords of the Palace, because in vain the soldiers of garrison have hasted to him. And you will remember my ...

Lo! it is not granted to my sons to take root for me, as the prophets have perceived of old; and the race of the foes (will) remain. I being asked am going to those who are free, to _Khamu_ my son, and to my younger brother, who have both left the city of _Gebal_. There was good-fortune for the sons of _Abdasherah_, as to the subjugation of the capital city; behold my brother has commanded, he went out as my envoy. It is no use: the soldiers of the garrison failed with him; and they have defeated me; and so the evil is done; and they make me flee from the city: it is not defended from the power of the enemy. Now I say do not prevent a descent to the Lands of Egypt, and a settlement. And you will help me very much. My great men consent; and the King my Lord will consider. Lo! the G.o.ds of _Gebal_ (be with him) and you will help me very much; and 'It is well' they have said: good are my wishes to the G.o.ds. So now I shall not come down to the presence of the King my Lord. But now my son, a servant of the King my Lord, I am sending to the presence of the King my Lord, and the King shall hear the desire of his faithful servant, and appoint us Egyptian soldiers (_bitati_). And request (has been made) to the King of _Babeli_ (Babylon,(282) an ally of Egypt); but he ... no soldiers of his host ...

in her midst.... Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord ... to come to her.

Behold the entanglement of the chiefs friendly to my (throne?) in the midst of the city. A son of one of the chiefs is a friend in her midst.

The Egyptian soldiers are strong; and they have heard of those who are reaching her; and the city has remained to the King my Lord; and the King my Lord knows that it is against him that they have (cried war?). Now I am going to a town (that) I defend for my Lord, determined in heart, before the King my Lord, that the chief city shall not be given to the sons of Abdasherah. So my brother has fought him: the city is stubborn against the sons of _Abdasherah_. He is not able to leave the town,(283) when there is plenty of silver and gold in her midst in the Temple of G.o.ds, plenty of everything if they take her. O King my Lord what is done to his servant by them is done. But appoint the town of _Buruzizi_(284) for my dwelling. Lo!

_Khamu_ my son (sets forth?) the request in the presence. Behold! this dwelling of the chief city-the town of _Buruzizi_-the sons of _Abdasherah_ have been afraid to smite. Lo! _Khamu_ my son is going to the presence: for the sons of _Abdasherah_ have p.r.i.c.ked against me, and none remains to mourn, O King, for me. And I mourn to the King my Lord. Behold the city of _Gebal_ is a city truly like our eye: there is plenty of all that is royal in her midst: the servants of the chief city were at peace, the chiefs were our well-wishers before time when the King's voice was for all. It is the chief city of the land they have wasted for me-and is none of his.

Will not this desire prevail with the King? Behold thy servant, my son, I am despatching to the presence of the King my Lord; and there shall be ordered him protection of the King by soldiers ... you will come marching to us. For the King my Lord will protect me. And restore thou me to the chief city, and to my house as of old. O King my Lord ... of the King my Lord in her midst; and ... the city from (shame?) ... as ... _Khamu_ ...

till ... shall hear ... their servant ... to her midst ... the soldiers (_bitati_) of the King my Lord; and you will strengthen the soldiers of this place speedily ... the chief city, as I trust; and you will march to the city ... Lo! what he is saying in the presence of the King cannot it be done? O King my Lord ... the chief city of a neighbor (_Gur_); and which has been laid low to the demands of those that hate the same ... it is not just to see what is done to the lands ... the soldiers of the King my Lord; and she trusts the King my Lord.”

This seems to be the last of Ribadda's fifty letters. There is no mention of any return to Gebal, or of victory over the Amorites. We do not know that he got safe to Buruzizi, but can only hope he did. It was too late when his father obtained promise of aid. So energetic a writer would probably have written again if he had been alive to do so. The Amorite letters had blinded the eyes of Amenophis so long that their position was secured. As we shall see also, there were other appeals from every part of the country.

SUBANDI'S LETTERS

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