.--"To the King ... my Lord thus says _Ammunira_ thy servant, the
dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven times I
bow. I hear the message of the letter, and what is thereby commanded to me
O King my Lord. And I hear (the precept?) of the message of the scribe of
my Lord, and my heart is eager, and my eyes are enlightened exceedingly.
Now I have watched much, and have caused the city of _Burutu_ to be
fortified for the King my Lord, until the coming of the Egyptian soldiers
(_bitati_) of the King my Lord. As to the chief of the city of _Gebal_ who
is in trouble together with me, now they defend him till there shall be
counsel of the King to his servant. The King my Lord is shown the grief of
one's brother, which troubles us both. From the city of Gebal, lo! the
sons of _Ribaadda_ who is in trouble with me, are subjected to chiefs who
are sinners to the King, who (are) from the land of the _Amorites_. Now I
have caused them to haste with my horses and with my chariots and with all
who are with me, to meet the soldiers (_bitati_) of the King my Lord. At
the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven times I bow."

Ammunira was Ribadda's friend (see 16 B. M.), and his letter agrees with
Ribadda's: clearly, therefore, the seizure of Ribadda's sons comes
historically before the loss of Beirut, Mearah, and Sidon (54 B., 75 B.).

LETTER FROM SIDON

90 B.--"To the King my Lord my God my Sun--the King my Lord(287)--by letter
thus _Zimridi_, the Governor of the city of Sidon (_Ziduna_): at the feet
of the King my Lord my God my Sun--the King my Lord--seven times and seven
times I bow. Does not the King my Lord know? Lo! the city of _Sidon_ has
gathered. I am gathering, O King my Lord, all who are faithful to my hands
(power). And lo! I hear the message of the King my Lord. Behold, he causes
it to be sent to his servant, and my heart rejoices, and my head is
raised, and my eyes are enlightened; my ears hear the message of the King
my Lord; and know O King I have proclaimed in presence of the Egyptian
soldiers (_bitati_) of the King my Lord, I have proclaimed all, as the
King my Lord has spoken; and know O King my Lord lo! mighty has been the
battle against me: all ... who are faithful to the King in ... it has come
to pass, and the chiefs ... sons, and are faithful to the King ... and her
chief who goes out in the presence of the King's Egyptian soldiers
(_bitati_). The greatest of the fortresses deserts to