will order soldiers (bitati). Yankhamu with the . . . of my poor land . . . The Paka of the city Cumidi . . . and they have marched . . . Gebal . . . to a faithful servant.”
83 B.—A much broken fragment, referring to the taking of Simyra, appears to belong to this period.
43 B.—“Ribadda speaks to the King of many lands. At the feet (of my Lord) seven times and seven times I bow (a servant) forever. Lo! the city of Gebal is his place—the Sun-God revered by many lands. Lo! I am the footstool at the feet of the King my Lord; I am also his faithful servant. Now as to the city Simyra the sword of these fellows[1] has risen very strong against her and against me. And so now the destruction of the city of Simyra is at her gates. She has bowed down before them and they have conquered her power.
“To what purpose have they sent here to Ribadda a letter (saying )thus: ‘Peace to the palace from its brethren before Simyra.’ Me! they have fought against me for five years, and thus they have sent to my Lord. As for me not (to be forgotten is?) Yapahaddu not to be forgotten is Zimridi.[2] All the fortresses they have ruined . . . there was no cause of strife with the city of Simyra . . .” The next passage is much damaged. “And as said to what purpose have they sent a letter to Ribadda? In the sight of the King my Lord they have feigned to please me, they have pretended to please me, and now they proclaim peace. Truly thus behold it is with me. Let me learn the intention of my Lord, and will not he order Yankhamu with the Paka, Yankhamu joined beside the King my Lord, to lay waste? From before the chiefs of the Hittite chief men have fled and all the chiefs are afraid thereat. May it please my Lord also shall not he be (degraded?) who was thy commander of the horse with thy servant, to move the chiefs when we two went forth to the wars of the King my Lord, to occupy my cities which I name before my Lord. Know my Lord when they went forth with the
- ↑ Literally “boys.” It seems often in these letters to be used as the word “weled” (“a boy”) is still used in Syria to mean “a fellow,” applied often to very old men.
- ↑ This letter shows that the war lasted several years, over which the Gebal letters (written by three or four different scribes) extend; that the attack on Sidon preceded the taking of Gebal;and that Ribadda was not deceived by Amorite promises, knowing their co-operation with their Mongol allies of Armenia and the Hittite country.
