e land?) Behold I am despatching two men to the
city of _Simyra_, and all the men of its chief have gathered in order to
consult as to messages to the King, who will know why you hear from us
your chiefs. Good is the letter they have brought us, and the letter which
the messengers of the King have uttered to us.(228) Through the
pretensions of this dog the King's heart has been grieved with men, and
... has been unrighteously set up, devising in their hearts ... and ...
(your chief?). I go against the men of blood from the city _Simyra_ ... to
keep ... and whatsoever I have been commanded. And let the King ... the
news of his servant. I have despatched ten chiefs of the Land of
_Nubia_,(229) twenty chiefs of the Land of Egypt, as a guard to the King.
Sun-God and Lord thy servant is faithful to thee."

73 B.--"To the King ... thus says _Ribadda_ thy servant, the footstool of
the feet of the Sun-God my Lord. Seven times and seven times at his feet I
bow. Grievous it is to say what, in the sight of the King, he has done--the
dog _Abdasherah._ Behold what has befallen the lands of the King on
account of him; and he cried peace to the land, and now behold what has
befallen the city of _Simyra_--a station of my Lord, a fortress ... and
they spoil our fortress ... and the cries of the place ... a violent man
and a dog."

The next message is too broken to read, but refers to the city of _Gebal_.
The letter continues:

"Will not the King order his _Paka_ to pronounce judgment? and let him
guard the chief city of my Lord, and order me as I (say), and let my Lord
the Sun set free the lands, and truly my lord shall order the wicked men
all of them to go out. I present my memorial in the sight of my Lord, but
this dog has not taken any of thy Gods. Prosperity has fled which abode in
_Gebal_, which city of _Gebal_ was as a city very friendly to the King. It
is grievous. Behold I have associated _Abdbaal_ the prefect with _Ben
Khia_ (or _Ben Tobia_) a man of (war?); but despatch thou him to thy
servant..."

57 B.--The salutation as usual mentions Baalath of Gebal. "Why shall the
King my Lord send to me? The best indeed trembles, of those who watch for
him against my foes, and of my freemen. What shall defend me if the King
will not defend his servant?... if the King will order for us chiefs of
the Land of Egypt, and of the Land of _Nubia_, and horses, by the hand of
this my chief as I hope, and preservation for the servants of the