86 B., a much-broken letter, supposed to be from Ribadda, mentions Batruna and Ambi.[257] Toward the end it reads continuously: “The King of the land of the Hittites behold is ... to the sons of Abdasherah, for he hastens to despatch soldiers of the royal ... and the neighboring places have joined: the lands of the King my Lord are made a desert, which the dogs bring to naught: they have mourned. If Neboyapiza fears the King my Lord will he not march on them, if the King my Lord will speak to the great man of the chief city—to the great man of the chief city of Cumidi[258] (Kamid) ... to march to join ... to me...”
41 B. begins with the usual salutation from Ribadda. “Behold I am a faithful servant of the Sun-King, and I confess that my messages have been sad for the King, as you own. The King my Lord shall hear the messages of his faithful servant, and Buri is sending out in the direction of the city Simyra and Hadar ... has marched against you, and they have beaten us, and they have brought us low. (These foes?) are destroying in my sight, and I was ready (to go out?) with the Paka to keep watch in the presence of the chiefs of the governments. And my Lord shall hear the news. Now [pg 226] Aziru the son of Abdasherah is marching with his brethren from[259] the city Gebal: and despatch Egyptian soldiers (bitati), and thou shalt march against him and smite him—the land is the King's land; and since one has talked thus and you have not moved, the city of Simyra has been lost. The King my Lord shall hear the news of his faithful servant. There is no money to buy me horses, all is finished, we have been spoiled. Give me thirty (companies—tapal?) of horse with chariots ... men ... there is none of this with me ... not a horse ...”
22 B. M.—“To Amanabba[260] ... as a letter, thus says this Ribadda thy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet. The God Amen and Baalath of Gebal have established your power in the presence of the King my Lord. To what purpose is thy messenger with me to go to the King your Lord? And may I indeed expect horses and chariots to be ordered of thee? Will not you fortify the city? And this is heard by your message, and I am sincere, but the covenant is mocked and no soldiers are heard of with it. And they have routed the ... The city of Batruna (Batrûn) is his; and bloody soldiers and chariots have established themselves in the midst of the city, and I had lain in wait for them outside the great pass of the city of Gebal[261] ... to the King my Lord ... with thee the soldiers of the prefect ... chariots and ... here with ...”
45 B. begins with the usual salutation, and continues: “The King my Lord will be sad. Why will you not send him to me? Behold I have no ruler over my fugitives. The city of Simyra they have (shut up?); all have turned on me: and two chiefs of the land of Egypt, who travelled from the palace, went not forth. No man has travelled to the King who might carry my letter to the palace. Now these two chiefs brought us letters [pg 227] for the King, and the two have not gone forth, as being now afraid, and (refusing?) to my face ... I send to the palace (or capital), and Azru (Aziru?) is laying snares, gathering soldiers: has not Abdasherah marched with whatever he had? As I am told they will send friendly messages to my Lord, but thou wilt say ‘Why do ye send friendly messages to me when you refuse my message?’[262]
“I have been afraid of the snare. Azaru (is) like ... Lo! I am strong through the King ... The sons of Abdasherah—the slave dog—have pretended that the cities of the governments of the King are given to them—our cities. The fortress has not opened to Aziru ... O King as to their cities are they not subject to them? From the city Simyra, to the city Ullaza, the city Sapi[263] ... chariots ... land of Egypt ... from their hands for me. So now I am despatching this chief: he has left: do I not send to the King? Now the two chiefs of the land of Egypt, they whom you sent us remain with me, and have not gone out, since no soldiers are (intended for?) me, and ... the lands for the men of blood. And since the King's heart altogether has forgotten my Egyptian soldiers (bitati) I send to Yankhamu and to Biri. They have taken those that were with the governors. Lo! may the land of the Amorites become (their) conquest. The corn which they have threshed for me has been stored up, a part of the whole with my ... and one part with me; and ... the King will order ... we ... all whatever breathes; (it is not right to shut them up?) for the King; he is not coming to him: the chief must help himself to what was ordered to be stored up for the King. The King shall order a memorial as to the innocence of his servant. And as to the produce of the city O King there is none at all with me; all is finished from being distributed for (my own subsistence?). But as to this chief, the King will order him as I trust, and will give us men of garrison for ... to guard his faithful servant and his chief city, and the men of Nubia who are with us, as those who are your foes (exult?). Moreover behold (much to say?) ... Thinking this, I shall send to the palace for a garrison—men of Nubia ... The [pg 228] King will ... men of garrison ... of the land of Nubia for its guarding, you will not ... this city to the men of blood.”
51 B.—The ordinary salutation: the letter goes on in an eloquent strain: “The storm (or a tumult) has burst forth. Let the King behold the city of Simyra. Lo! the city of Simyra has remained as a bird caught in the snare: so her ... is left to the city of Simyra. The sons of Abdasherah by their devices, and the men of the city of Arāda (Arvad) by their hostility have made her wroth, and a fleet has sped ... in the sight of Yankhamu ... men of the city ... they have seized, and ... Lo! the men of the city Arvad searched for the coming forth of the Egyptian soldiers (bitati); Abdasherah is with them, has he not marched? and their ships are set against the reinforcements from the Land of Egypt. So now there is no navigation. Let them make haste. Now they have seized the city Ullaza (Kefr Khullis) and all whatsoever Abdasherah has ... to the chiefs. And lo! we ... and the ships of the men of Misi (the Delta?)[264] have been broken, with whatsoever was theirs. And as for me they went not up to fight for the mastery of the city of Simyra. Yapaaddu has fought on my side, against whosoever was not faithful (or constant). They have trodden me down ... So now in sight of Zabandi[265] and of Ibikhaza also, I have (joined?) myself to Yankhamu; and you will know their (good opinion?) of my faithfulness: as to what he thinks of my zeal make him confess, so he will (make it known?). He has fought for me and lo! they are wasting the city Ullaza (to make an end thereof?).”
The back of this long letter is unfortunately quite destroyed. The final sentences are on the edge, the tablet being of considerable thickness:
“I have desired peace (like?) a faithful servant of the King. The men of Egypt, expelled from this city of our neighbor, are with me; and there is no ... for them to eat. Yapaaddu has not granted my servants this ... this poor country; but we have been swift to help the city Simyra ... [pg 229] they have gone up to fight the ships (of the city) of Arāda (Arvad) ... (it was grievous?) ... Riib ...”
55 B.—A much-broken letter appears to refer to a message from the King being seized, and that 300 men poured out and burned a city. It speaks of a Paka and of Egyptian soldiers, and of the city Beruti (Beirût) and of Abdasherah's forces.
16 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus says Ribadda thy servant, the dust of thy feet. I bow seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord. And will not my Lord hear the message of thy servant? Men of the city of Gebal, and my family; and a wife whom I loved, they have taken away after the son of Abdasherah; and we have made a gathering; we have searched; and I cannot hear a word spoken about them. I am sending to the King my Lord, and once more, despatch thou men of garrison, men of war, for thy servant; and will you not defend the city of the King my Lord? But news has not arrived from the King my Lord for his servant. But he will be generous; he will remember me; and the advice (I speak) comes from my heart. The region near (us) Ammunira[266] has traversed throughout, and I went to him, for he gave assistance. And I myself searched for my family, but it has been made to vanish from my sight; and the King my Lord shall counsel his servant. Lo! the ally is zealous; and he has decreed a gathering of the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) of the King my Lord; and the King my Lord will counsel his servant. If there is no wish to be kind on the part of the King my Lord, I myself am helpless; and the King has no servants. Moreover, my son and my wife have been subjected to a man who sins against the King.”[267]