The War In Phœnicia
Letters from Cities near Gebal
No. 42 B. M.—“This letter is the letter of the city Irkata[207] to the King. O our Lord, thus (says) the city of Irkata, and her men, her (flock? or lords?). At the feet of the King our Lord seven times seven times they bow. To the King our Lord thus (saith) the city of Irkata. Knowing the heart of the King our Lord we have guarded the city of Irkata for him ... Behold the King our Lord orders Abbikha ... he speaks to us thus, O King ... to guard it. The city of Irkata answers ... the man ruling for the King.... ‘It is well. Let us save ... the city of Irkata. It is well to save (a city?) faithful to the King.’ ... Behold many fight ... the people ... are frightened ... Thirty horses and chariots enter the city of Irkata. Lo! has arrived ... a letter of the King as to arriving ... thy land they reach. The men of the city ... (belonging) to the King have made ... to fight with us for the King our Lord. You send your chief to us that he may be our protector. Let the King our Lord hear the message of these his servants, and appoint us provision for his servant, and thou shalt exult over our foes and thou shalt prevail. The message of command of the King thou shalt not deny us. Our destroyer was troubled at the coming of the King's order to us. Mightily he has fought against us, exceeding much.”
128 B.—“To Yankhamu by letter thus (says) Yapaaddu.[208] Why is it spoken? Lo! from the city of Simyra a destruction by Aziru of all the lands, in length from the city of Gebal to the [pg 210] city of Ugariti;[209] and the destruction of this the city Sigata,[210] and of the city Ambi.[211] Behold ... the slave has (broken?) the ships ... in the city Ambi and in the city Sigata, and in all which dispute for the lands with the city of Simyra: and shall we not arise to enter the city Simyra,[212] or what shall we ourselves do? But send this news to your great city (or palace).[213] It is regretted that the ... is unfortunate.”
44 B. M.—This letter seems to be an appeal by the cities of Phœnicia on behalf of Ribadda, the brave King of Gebal, during the time of his resistance to Aziru, which failed because no help was given to him from Egypt, where Aziru was still thought faithful. The spokesman Khaia is perhaps the same Egyptian mentioned in Aziru's letters.
“Thus (saith) our confederacy to the King and the men of Sidon and the men of Beruta (Beirût). Whose are these cities—are not they the King's? Place a chief one chief in the midst of the city, and shall not he judge the ships of the land of the Amorites? and to slay Abdasherah the King shall set him up against them. Does not the King mourn for three cities and the ships of the men of Misi?[214] and you march not to the land of the Amorites, and Abdasherah has gone forth to war; and judge for thine own self, and hear the message of thy faithful servant. Moreover, who has fought as a son for the King—is it not Khaia? Will you gather us ships of men of Misi for the land of the Amorites and to slay Abdasherah? Lo! there is no message as to them and no memorial: they have shut the road—they have closed the way. In order to give passage to the land of Mitana[215] he has left the fleet which he has built. Was not this a plot against me of the men of Arāda?[216] But if behold [pg 211] they are with you, seize the ships of the men of the city of Arāda which they have made in the land of Egypt. Again behold Khaiya laments ... for you do not ... and as for us we ... by the land of the Amorites.”
45 B. M., a broken letter with passages of interest as follows:
“Moreover, now this city of Gula[217] is afflicted. The region behold of the city of Gula is for the King my Lord. Cannot you do what we desire? But he has done as his heart (desired) with all the lands of the King. 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.