Letters from Ascalon
129 B.—“To the Great King my Lord Dagantacala[304] thy servant speaks. Seven times and seven times at the feet of the Great King my Lord I bow. And now behold Dagantacala is thy servant O Great King my Lord. He hears carefully the message of the Great King his Lord ... like my fathers, (and) what my fathers have not done for the Great King I have done for the Great King my Lord. And the Great King my Lord says to me, ‘Listen thou for us to the head man (Ka) thy governor.’[305] I hear this carefully as to the chief governor, and the ruler knows it.”
74 B. M.—This begins with the same salutation from Dagantacala, and continues: “Redeem me from the strong foes, from the hands of men of blood. The chiefs are hiding and the chiefs are flying, and redeem thou me O Great King my Lord. And the son of a dog has ... But thou (art) the Great King my Lord. Come down redeem me, and I shall rejoice because of the Great King my Lord.”
118 B.—From Yadaya of Ascalon, a captain of the horse of the “King—the Sun from Heaven.” The usual salutation is much broken. The letter continues: “Now I shall defend the places of the King that are with me. The strong chiefs who are not foes of the Law (or throne) have cherished [pg 254] greatly the King's Paka. Now both they and I listen to him very exceedingly—to the Paka of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun from the heavens.”
119 B.—From the same Yadaya, chief of the city of Ascalon, with the usual salutation. He is a captain of the horse and the dust of the King's feet. He continues: “The trusty adherent—the chief of the King my Lord, who is sent by the King my Lord—the Sun from heaven—to me, I listen exceeding much to his messages; now I will defend the King's land which is with me.”
121 B.—From the same writer, with the same salutations. “Now the King's land which is with me is defended, and all that the King has sent to me they hear. The decree is very powerful. Who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not listen to the message of the King his Lord, the Son of the Sun?”
122 B.—From Yadia, the captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues: “Now they guard ... my. May the Gods of the King my Lord grant to all his lands not to be confounded. I hear the message of the King my Lord to his Paka. Lo! without resting he has caused the land of the King my Lord to be defended; and now establish O King my Lord one who is in favor in the sight of the Paka of the King my Lord, who is mighty in the sight of the King my Lord. He will work with joy to ... whatever is (proclaimed?) by desire of the King my Lord. Now he will watch the land carefully.”
54 B. M.—From the same Yadaya, captain of the horse, with the usual salutation; it continues: “Now (they watch for a message?) of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun. And now I am sending drink, oil, sheep, oxen, beasts, to meet the soldiers of the King my Lord ... with all for the soldiers of the King my Lord. Who am I—a dog, and shall such a one not hear the messages of the King my Lord the Son of the Sun?”
53 B. M.—The same salutation from Yadaya, captain of horse and “dust of the King's feet.” “Now they guard the land of the King my Lord, and the King's chief city, as has asked the King my Lord—the Sun from Heaven. Behold what the King my Lord has said to his servant—to take arms: I am now sending to the King my Lord thirty bands to carry [pg 255] weapons. Moreover, who am I but a dog, and shall such a one not hear the message of the King my Lord the Sun from Heaven? the Sun—Son of the Sun whom you adore.”
52 B. M. is very similar to [54 B. M.] Yadia watches the land and the city, and is a dog unworthy to hear the King's message; he sends drink (beer, according to one value of the sign—and the Egyptians drank beer)[306] and oxen, and beasts, and (beans?), and all that the King requires for the soldiers.