pa_ in my presence all the men of
blood have set their faces to me; they have fulfilled the wishes of
_Abdasherah_; and my Lord shall hear the messages of his servant; and ...
men of garrison, for the defence of the royal city. Send the Egyptian
soldiers (_bitati_) ... as there are no Egyptian soldiers it befalls thee,
that the lands ... to the men of blood; since the seizing of the city
_Maar_ ... (274) at the command of _Abdasherah_; and so our limits are the
city of _Gebal_ and the city of _Batruna_;(275) but so not all the lands
are to the men of blood--two chief cities which are (still) to be wrecked
for (us). And they have turned back(276) to take from us ... She has
remained peaceful to the King, and my Lord shall order men of garrison for
his two cities, till the Egyptian soldiers march forth. But everything
fails me, of the food of the land (our teeth have gnawed nothing at all?).
As the heart of a bird fails, seeing the snare, this city has remained.
She is helpless before them ... lamenting. Once more ... they have shut up
my ... it has come to pass ... the lands ... _Abdasherah_, the slave dog
... the lands of the King to himself."

84 B. is much broken; all the cities are taken except _Gebal_ and
_Batruna_, which remain like birds in the snare. But he still "trusts."

12 B. M.--"_Ribadda_ speaks to the King of Lands, of many lands, the great
King the prosperous King. The Lady (Ballath) of Gebal gives power to the
King my Lord. I bow at my Lord's feet--the Sun-God--seven times seven times.
Let the King know! behold! the city _Gebal_ his handmaid, faithful to the
King, has gathered because of the allies who are his foes. And I am ill at
ease: behold the King lets slip from his hand the chief city that is
faithful to him. Let the King smite the lands of those who rob him. Lo! is
not he a faithful servant, her chief who abides in the city of _Gebal_? Do
not you say so to your servant, when there is a mighty fighting against
him of men of blood, and the Gods of the land are (evilly disposed?), and
our sons have been worn out, and our daughters have fled, and there is
weakness in my unhappy land. For our living, my fields gave sustenance,
which no ... secured. For as many as I possess, all my cities which are in
flames, also the foe has overthrown: they submitted to the bloody
soldiers. The city of _Gebal_ with two cities, remains to me; and I am ill
at ease because _Abdasherah_ is marching. The city of _Sigata_ (