"I am thy father's born brother, thou art my nephew;
quarrels shall not wax great between us, nor anger
grow: may God forbid that! But we are blood-re-
lations: between us shall nothing be except, most fit-1905
tingly, long-enduring love. Now bethink thee, Loth,
that about our borders dwell mighty men, powerful
peoples with lords and vassals, the Cananite and Feretite
nations, with energetic warriors: their landed property1910
will not make any more room for us. Therefore shall
we remove our differences from this place and seek
broader dwelling-places for ourselves: I speak what is
best for us both, son of Aron, a true saying. I leave1915
the choice to thee, dear friend. Ponder with thyself
and consider in thy heart in which direction thou wilt
take thy departure, go forth with thy herds: now I have
yielded thee the choice!"
Then Loth left him to seek land by the Iordan, fertile1920
country: it was refreshed with waters and enriched with
fruits, bright with rivers, and like to the earthly par-
adise of God, until God the Saviour because of men's1925
sins gave Sodoma and Gomorra to destruction, to the
dark flames. So the son of Aron chose his dwelling-
place there, a settlement in the city of Sodoma, and
brought[24] thither all his possessions, rings and private1930
property from Bethlem, goods, and wrought gold. For
many years thereafter he dwelt by the Iordan: fair
dwelling-places were there, but vicious men also, hateful
to the Lord. The people of Sodoma were bold in sin,1935
shameful in their deeds: they brought upon themselves
eternal woe. Loth would never adopt the customs of
the country, but he always eschewed the habits of this
people, [their] evil and sin, even though he had to live1940
in their land, and kept himself pure, virtuous, and pa-
tient, even in this nation, just as if—mindful of [his
Lord's] teaching—he did not know what these people
were doing.
Abraham dwelt by the habitations of the Cananites:1945
the King of the Angels, Lord of mankind, held him under
his protection, with abundance of good things and
worldly treasures, love and joy; therefore the races of1950
men, children of baptism, sing his praise widely under
the clouds. Pious and prudent, he freely obeyed the
Lord in his land as long as he enjoyed the heritage:
never need a defenceless human being ever become in
any way a terrified and fearful man before the Lord,1955
if he will always, until his departure from life, thank
Him heedfully in speech and in heart, by word and deed,
with wise mind after every favor.[25]
XXIV.
Then I found that the king of the Elamites, Orlahomar,1960
a pious leader, made an expedition: in aid of him Am-
brafel set forth from Sennar with a great multitude.
Four kings then set out with mighty power to seek1965
Sodoma and Gomorra, southward from there. Then was
the country of the men by Iordan widely besieged by
warriors, the land [was surrounded] by foes. Many
a terrified pale-cheeked maiden would have to go trem-1970
bling to the embrace of a stranger: the defenders of
the brides and rings would fall, weak with wounds.
Against them with warlike zeal five kings came forth1975
from the south, with their armies, who wished to rid
the city of Sodoma of its foes: for twelve winters before
of necessity they had had to yield tribute and pay
indemnity to the men of the north, until the people
no longer would enrich the king of the Elamites with1980
their own treasures, but revolted from him.
In rage the slaughter-hordes came together: the jav-
elins were loud; the dark fowl sang among the flying
weapons, the dewy-feathered [raven] looked for the slain.1985
The warriors rushed on in cohorts with unfaltering cour-
age, until the nations' armies had come together widely,
from south and north, protected by their helmets. There
was bitter struggle, exchanges of deadly spears, great1990
tumult of war, loud din of conflict. The heroes drew
from the sheath with their hands the ring-mailed sword,
keen of edge. Then was booty easy to find for the
chieftain who before this was not readily sated with1995
battle! The northern men were fatal to the southern
men: the men of Sodoma and Gomorra, dispensers of
gold, were bereft of their dear allies at the shield-clash-
ing. They went forth from their homesteads to save2000
themselves by flight; behind them the youths of the race
fell, slain by the sword, [and] their allies [were] cleft with
the edge. The leader of the army of the Elamites had2005
victory in battle, was master of the battlefield. The
survivors of the weapons fled to seek fastnesses. The
enemy seized upon gold, robbed with devastation the
treasure-cities of the people, Sodoma and Gomorra. Then
misery requited the great strongholds; the maidens,2010
wives, and widows, deprived of friends, departed from
their homesteads. The enemy led out with them from
the city of Sodoma, with their spoils, the kinsman of
Abraham.
We may now relate this true history further, as to
what was the fate of the war-wolves after the battle,2015
who carried off Loth and the goods of the people, the
treasures of the southlanders, [and] exulted in victory.
A warrior, a survivor of the sword who was spared
in battle, escaped from them suddenly, to seek Abraham:2020
he reported to the Ebrew chieftain the outcome of the
fray,—the people of Sodoma sorely stricken, the nation's
wealth, and Loth's situation. Thereupon Abraham re-
ported the evil tidings to his friends; the steadfast hero2025
requested aid of his favorite companions, Aner, Mamre,
and thirdly Escol, saying that it would be gall to his
heart and bitterest grief if his nephew should have to2030
suffer slavery: bade the warriors famed in battle think of
some plan so that his dear kinsman might be freed, the
hero with his bride. In reply the three brothers, famed
in war, with great readiness assuaged his grief by their2035
hardy words, and pledged their troth to Abraham that
they would avenge his injury upon his foes, with him,
or else fall in battle.
Then the holy man bade his companions take their2040
weapons: he found there 318 spear-bearing warriors,
loyal to their ruler, of whom he knew that every one
could well support the tawny linden-shield in an onset.2045
So Abraham set out with the three chieftains who had
just pledged their troth to him, and the band of their
followers. He wished to rescue his kinsman at least,
Loth, from suffering.[26] These warriors were famous:
they bore their shields forth boldly on the march. The2050
war-wolves, [meanwhile], had nearly reached their
camping-place: then the prudent man, the son of Thare,
spoke to his war-leaders in these words, (great was his
need!), that they[27] should advance on the enemy in two2055
divisions with grim conflict and hard swordplay: said,
[further], that the Holy Lord Everlasting might easily
give him success in the spear-fight.