the enemies: which
has gone well for the men of blood, and they are gaining them from my
hands, and my destruction is before me. O King my Lord as said the chiefs
who are my foes have done."

From the letters of the King of Tyre which follow (99 B. and 28-31 B. M.)
we see that Zimridi was a weak ruler. His own letter agrees with one from
Ribadda (54 B.) as showing that Sidon fell by treachery, not by war.

LETTERS FROM TYRE

These appear to begin early, before the appearance of Aziru, and show that
the rivalry of Tyre and Sidon was of early origin. None of the letters
mention Tyre except those written by her King.

99 B.--"To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) _Abimelec_(288) thy
servant: seven and seven (times) at the feet of the King my Lord (I bow).
The King my Lord sends (to ask) if I have finished what is doing with me.
I present to the King my Lord 100 ornaments (or 'crowns,' perhaps
'shekels'--_tacilal_); and let the King my Lord give his countenance to his
servant, and let him give the city _Huzu_(289) to his servant--a fountain
to supply water for his drinking: let the King my Lord grant (a chief a
subject?)(290) to guard his town; and let me plead, and let the face of
the King my Lord regard my explanation before the King my Lord. As said
behold let the King my Lord confide in me to defend his city. Lo! the King
of the city of _Sidon_ is taking the people who are my subjects--a chief
who is my inferior (or foe). Let the King give his countenance to his
servant, and let him order his _Paka_ (chief), and let him give the city
of _Huzu_ for waters to his servant, to take trees for our use for the
dwellings. Lo! he has made war: nothing is left. In vain have they
threshed corn if the King of Sidon despoils the King's land. The King of
the city of _Khazura_ (Hazor)(291) is leaving his city, and goes out with
men of blood. Let the King show their borders to the hostile (or inferior)
chiefs. The King's land is vexed by men of blood. Let the King send his
_Paka_ (chief) who is in our land."

29 B. M.--"To the King my Lord, my God, my Sun thus (says) _Abimelec_ thy
servant: seven and seven (times) at the feet of the King my Lord I bow. I
(am) the dust beneath the shoes of the King my Lord my master--the Sun-God
who comes forth in presence of the world from day to day, as the
manifestation of the Sun-God his gracious father: who gives life by his
good word, and gives light to what is obscure: who frees all l