Part 3: Ba'al Asks For And Gets His Palace

For this part of the myth, i have compared the transliterations of de Moor and Driver, with translations by Cassuto, Coogan, de Moor, Gaster, Ginsberg, and Driver as ed. by J. C. L. Gibson

For bibliographic information, see Sources.

4
II AB

Gordon: 51

Col. i

(ca. 20 lines)

  1. Yet/But groaning/alas! he indeed cries out to the Bull
    ALT: Convey this word: "Hearken, O Bull (Ga)
    ALT: cries loudly does The Bull (C)
  2. `El his/her father, to `El the king
  3. who installed/appointed/created him, [possible pun]
  4. he cries out to/Cries does (C) `Ath-
  5. irat and her sons, to/does (C) `Elat, the Goddess,
  6. and the company of her kinsfolk:
  7. ' "But, see there is not a house for Ba'al
  8. like the gods, no court
  9. like the sons/children of `Athirat.
  10. The dwelling/abode of `El, shelter for
  11. his son; the dwelling/abode of Lady
  12. `Athirat of the sea, the dwelling/abode
  13. of the brides noble/perfect/beautiful/bewitching" '
  14. the dwelling/abode of Pidraya bat `Ar, Flashing Brightningette daughter of Light/Mist,
  15. the shelter of Talaya bat Rabb, Dewie daughter of Rain,
  16. the dwelling/abode of `Artsaya bat Ya'abdar, Earthie daughter of the wide/broad [Flood/ Flow/ Expanse/ Field]
  17. And one more thing//something more
  18. I would tell ye: Make ready, I beseech ye//Just try doing
  19. a present/gifts for//homage to Lady `Athirat of the Sea
  20. a gift/presents for//obeisance to the Creatress/Progenitress of the Gods
  21. Hayani the Clever One does go up to the bellows
  22. in the hands of Khasis are the tongs
  23. he smelts/melts/casts silver, he plates//pours/beats/ hammers out
  24. gold, he smelts/melts/casts silver
  25. a thousand bars/into thousands of pieces/by the thousand fold, gold he smelts/casts/hammers out
  26. into ten thousands of pieces/bars/by the myriads
  27. he smelts/melts/casts a .chym./canopy (C) and a couch,
  28. a divine dias fit for a god [from/weighing/worth] twice ten thousand pieces
  29. a divine dias [cast in/coated with/decorated with] silver
  30. overlaid/coated with a layer/film of gold
  31. a divine seat/a throne fit for a god with a rest/cushion
  32. at its back/resting on top/above, a divine footstool fit for a god
  33. whose ... was .../dprsh`a . bzr/spread over with a mat,
  34. divine sandals, possessors of thongs/straps
    ALT: a couch fit for a god with a . . . , (Gi/Ga)
  35. which he furnished on top with gold
  36. a divine table fit for a god whose surface he does fill
  37. with (rhytons in the shapes of) creeping species/all manner of game from
  38. the depths/foundations of the earth
  39. a divine bowl/dish fit for a god whose handle is [(shaped) as (in)//like small cattle/sheep of] Amurru
  40. and whose appearance is as the land of ym`an
    ALT: Stelae/with a base shaped -like the wild beasts of/as in- Yam'am,
  41. where are wild-oxen by the ten thousands/myriads."

Col. ii

(ca. 16 lines lost)
COMMENTARY:
Ginsberg: The first lines perhaps show `Athirat presenting an offering of fish to `El.
Gaster: 'Anat first disposes of the monster Yam by chasing him back into the sea.
  1. on a stone [-----]
  2. she does grasp her spindle in her hand,
  3. the spindle she held high in her right hand;
  4. she carries/tears off [her garments/robe/Its skin (Gi]), the covering of the flesh,
  5. she carries/throws/flings [her robe/its vestment (Gi)] into the sea, her/its two/both
  6. [garments/skins (Gi)] into the rivers;
  7. She does place a khupatar-pot on the fire,
  8. a khubrush-vessel upon/over the coals,
  9. she propitiates/implores Bull `El, Compassionate/Kindly/Benign,
  10. Does obeisance to/entreats the Creator of Creatures.
  11. When/Then she lifts/raises her eyes and she beholds
  12. the coming/advance/approach of BaŽal, `Athirat
  13. surely sights the coming/advance/approach of Maiden
  14. 'Anat, the speedy approach/advent of Yabamat, the sister-in-law/Mistress,
  15. Li`imim, of the Peoples. Then at that her feet
  16. stamp/stumble/shake/start to tap, behind/roundabout her loins/back/hips
  17. is as though/seems as if (about to) burst/crack/shatter/ break, above her face sweats,
  18. she bends/convulses/trembles/starts to shake - the joints of her loins/hips/backside,
  19. the muscles of/become weak/quivers - her back/spine.
    [the standard reaction of a female character to an unexpected visit]
  20. She lifts up her voice and cries: How/Why has arrived/is come// What brings hither
  21. Mightiest Ba'al?
  22. And what brings hither/how is it that/why arrived has Maiden
  23. 'Anat? Are my smiters the smiters of/Have my enemies killed/come to smite // Slain each other have (Gi)
    Them that would smite me I surely smite! Perchance, raised a rebellion have (Ga)
  24. my sons/children; or make an end of/have they finished off /destroyed one another have (Gi)/a revolt have (Ga) - the company
  25. of my kinsfolk?" But when as soon as the coverings/work/gleam of silver `Athirat
  26. catches sight of, the coverings/work/ handiwork/gleam of silver and the coatings/shine
  27. of gold, rejoice does Lady `Athirat
  28. of the Sea. Surely to her servitor she cries aloud:
  29. Look on/at the marvelous gifts/craftsmanship, even [-----]
    "Now attend, thou, Deft One, yea, give heed, (Gi/Ga)
  30. o thou Fisherman of Lady `Athirat of the Sea.
  31. Take a net in thy hand, Qadash,
  32. a large one/seine/mesh in/on thy two hands, Amrur;
  33. into/against the darling/Beloved of/will `El, Yahm
  34. the Deep, - of `El/the god of [-----]
  35. into/against Nahar/the Ruler of the Streams, - the god of/ will `El [-----]
  36. Mightiest Ba'al [-----]
  37. Maiden 'Anat [-----]
  38. what [-----]
  39. and you [-----]
  40. `Athirat [-----]
  41. in [-----]
  42. not [-----]
  43. the king [-----]
  44. of [-----]
  45. [-----]
  46. aloud [-----]
  47. he [-----]
Ginsberg: only the beginnings of 37-47 preserved, and no connected sense is recoverable.

[Gaster extrapolates from Ezekiel 32: 2-6
]:
say unto Yam, to [Tannin, Dragon in the seas,
thou belchest with thy snortings
And muddiest the waters with thy thrashing
and foulest the sweet streams.
But I have spread my net over thee;
and hauled thee up in my mesh.
I will cast thee upon the land;
out on the fields will I fling thee.
And I will make all the fowl of the air to settle on thee,
and sate all the beasts of the earth on thee.
And I will place thy flesh upon the hills,
and fill the dales with thy sinews;
and I will water the earth with what exudes from thee,
and the waddies shall be replenished with thy blood.]

Col. iii

(ca. 12 lines)

  1. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ]dn
  2. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ]dd
  3. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ]n . kb
  4. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ] let him not escape
  5. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ] thy foundation
  6. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ] for evermore/all generations
  7. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ] . . . thee/thy and . . .
  8. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ] o god, possessor of kingship/ who hath (now) become king of the gods (?) (Ga).
  9. Replies/Answers Mightiest Ba'al,
  10. responds/up starts the Rider on the Clouds,
  11. [ - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - ] they stood up/Lo, he takes his stand/"Here they go (Ga) and abased/insulting me//cries defiance (Gi),
  12. One/He arose/stands erect//There they go (Ga) and spat/ spits upon/at//reviling (Ga) me in the midst of
  13. the assembly of the sons of the gods//divine beings/gods.
    Set/placed is/has been
  14. [ - - - - - - ]/abomination/filth/muck on/upon my table, disgrace/filth/bilge
  15. in/from the cup I drink/from which I drank/am I made to drink/of drinking.
  16. Trul two (kinds of) feasts Ba'al hates/ abhors, three
  17. Rider on the clouds a feast
  18. of shame/shamefulness and a feast of
  19. meanness/baseness/degradation/lechery and a feast - where debauched are/of lewdness of/with wanton
  20. handmaids/women; for/ Yet/ But therein/herein/here there is shameful conduct indeed seen/flagrant shamefulness/shameful behavior/handmaids' lewdness!"
  21. and therein/herein/here there is debauchery/lewdness of handmaids/wanton women."
  22. After this does/has arrive(d)//goes Mightiest Ba'al;
  23. does arrive/also goes Maiden ŽAnat;
  24. (as) they/she importune/do homage to/give gifts to/start to entreat Lady `Athirat of the sea,
  25. Entreat/Obeisance to/give presents to/to sue for the grace of the Creatress /Progenitress of the gods.
  26. /But says/Thereupon answers Lady `Athirat of the sea:
  27. "How (come)/Why would/do ye importune/entreat/homage/ give gifts to Lady
  28. `Athirat of the sea, sue for the grace of/entreat/obeisance to/presents to
  29. the Creatress/Progenitress of the gods? Have ye importuned/ entreated/done homage to/given gifts to
  30. the Bull `El Compassionate/Kindly/Benign, or/and sued for the grace of/ entreated//obeisance/ presents to
  31. the Creator of Creatures?" And/But answers/replies
  32. Maiden 'Anat: "We will importune/do homage to thee/give gifts to/would first entreat
  33. our/the Mother Lady `Athirat of the sea,
  34. will entreat/sue for the grace of/obeisance to/presents to the Creatress/Progenitress of the gods;
  35. thereafter we will entreat/sue for the grace of him."
  36. [ - - - - - - - ]/[ the Father of] (Ga) Mightiest Ba'al
  37. [ - - - - - - - ]/[Then answers] (Ga) Lady `Athirat of the sea
  38. [ - - - - - - - ]/"Hearken (Ga) Maiden 'Anat
  39. while eat and drink,
  40. do the gods, and they are supplied with a suckling
  41. of the teat; with a sharp knife/blade they do carve/cut up
  42. a fatling; they drink flagons/goblets of wine
  43. and from cups of gold the blood of trees.
(gap of 7 lines)
Rest of column badly damaged
.
COMMENTARY:
Ginsberg: It is clear that `Athirat makes a feast for her visitors, and it may be inferred that they urge her to intercede for Ba'al with `El, as she does in the next column.

Col. iv

Ginsberg says some 10 lines missing; according to Driver and Gibson, about 12 lines missing.

  1. ...the Bull `El our father. Then up speaks/Loudly doth cry Lady
  2. `Athirat of the sea: "Listen/Hear, thou, Qadash, Holy-
  3. wa-Amrur, and Most Blessed One, Fisherman of Lady
  4. `Athirat of the Sea! Saddle a he-ass/donkey,
  5. Harness a donkey/jackass/foal, put on it trappings/reins/halters of
  6. silver, a housing/bridle/reins of gold,
  7. Make ready/Put/Fasten the [trappings/reins/halters] of/to/on my/thy she-asse(s)."
  8. Qadash-wa-Amrur/Holy-and-Blessed hears/obeys.
  9. He saddles a he-ass/donkey, harnesses a donkey/jackass/foal.
  10. does put on (it)//attaches a [harness/trappings/reins/halters] of silver,
  11. [trappings/a housing/bridle/reins] golden/of gold,
  12. does make ready/puts/fastens the trappings/reins/halters of/to/on her/his/the she-asse(s).
  13. Qodesh-wa-Amrur puts his arms around her
  14. and then sets `Athirat on the back of the ass/donkey,
  15. On the easiest part of the/beautiful/splendid/gaily trapped - back of the donkey/foal/jackass.
  16. Qadash, the Holy One takes a torch (G/D)/proceeds to lead/ begins to lead/blazes the trail,
  17. Amrur, the Most Blessed One (goes ahead) like a star in the front/ guiding star/ (lode)star;
  18. behind comes/follows her/goes on foot, the Maiden 'Anat,
  19. And/While/But/As Ba'al does departs/leaves for Heights of Tsaphon, the North.
  20. Then, indeed, straightaway she turns her face
  21. Towards `El at the Source of the Two Rivers/Floods/Streams,
  22. in the midst of the springs/headwaters of the Two Oceans Double Deeps.
  23. She penetrates the mountain/field//opens the tent of `El and enters
  24. the massif/pleasance/pavilion/shrine of the King, Father Shunem/of years/time.
  25. at the feet of `El she bows down and does homage,
  26. Prostrates herself and does honor/reverence to him.
  27. Behold! surely/As soon as/When `El espies/sees/catches sight of - her,
  28. He opens (wide)/parts the/his mouth/jaws/passage of his throat and laughs.
  29. His feet upon the footstool he puts, and doth dance/twiddle/snap with excitement
  30. his fingers. He lifts up his voice and cries:
  31. "How/Why has arrived/is come hither Lady `Athirat of the Sea?
  32. [How/Why has//What moves to] come the Creatress/ Progenitress of the Gods?
  33. Art thou (become) very hungry or faint/forespent//having journeyed afar (G/D);
  34. Or art thou/surely very thirsty/parched and ... //having traveled all night (G/D)?
  35. Eat, pray, (yea,)/come then, drink. Eat
  36. from the tables bread/food; Drink
  37. from the goblets wine, from cups of gold
  38. blood of vines. Or does/See, affection/love for/of `El the King
  39. move/stir/excite thee? Love/affection of the Bull arouse thee?"
  40. And/But/Then answers/replies/up speaks Lady `Athirat of the Sea:
  41. "Thy decree, (O) `El, is wise: thy wisdom/portion
  42. is everlasting/eternal. A life of good fortune/luck
  43. is thy decree. Our king is Mightiest Ba'al,
  44. our judge/sovereign/ruler and none over/above him/higher.
  45. We two/all of us would/must bear his chalice/gift (Gi);
    Our . . . to whom we bring . . . in tribute; Ga
  46. we two/all of us would/must bear his cup/purse (Gi),
    our . . . to whom we bring . . . in tribute; Ga
  47. [(Yet) groaning] /But alas! he indeed cries out to//shouts loudly (C)/Hearken thou (Ga) the Bull `El his father,
  48. (To) `El the King who [installed//begot//brought/didst call into being] him/her; he/they cries out shout/ Hearken
  49. to/unto `Athirat and her children/sons, to `Elat/the Goddess and her company
  50. of her kinsfolk: "But/Look/See, there is not a house for/has Ba'al
  51. like the gods, no court like the sons/children of `Athirat.
  52. The dwelling/abode/home of `El, the shelter of his son.
  53. The dwelling/abode/home of Lady `Athirat of the Sea,
  54. the dwelling/abode/home of the brides noble/perfect/ beautiful/ bewitching:
  55. The dwelling/abode/home of Pidraya bat `Ar, Flishing Brightningette daughter of Light/Mist,
  56. The shelter of Talaya bat Rabb, Dewie daughter of Rain,
  57. the dwelling/abode/home of `Artsaya bat Ya'abdar, Earthie daughter of the Broad/Wide [Flow/Flood/Expanse/Field]"
  58. Then answers/replies Kindly `El the Compassionate/Benign:
  59. "So am I a slave/servant, a lackey/attendant/henchman of `Athirat ?
  60. So am I a slave/servant to handle/hold a trowel/[blocks] (Gi),
  61. Or is a slave-girl/handmaid `Athirat to mould/ make/ lay (Ga)
  62. the bricks? Let a house be built for Ba'al (continued in col. v)

Col. v

  1. like/as have the gods, And a court/precinct like the sons/ children of `Athirat"
  2. And answers/replies Lady `Athirat of the Sea:
  3. "Thou art great, O `El, thou art indeed truly wise,
  4. the gray hairs of thy beard indeed instruct thee,
  5. [-----] to/in thy breast.
  6. And moreover a time/season for/of his rain
  7. will Ba'al appoint/observe/be able to furnish; in the time/season for [his barque to appear in/with the tempest//wadis in flood (C)];
  8. And [will give forth/sound/for the sounding of] his voice (i.e., peal his thunder) in/from the clouds,
  9. For him to release/flash//flashing/his gleam darting to the earth his/as lightnings!
  10. A house of cedar? He may/Let him complete/burn/ perfect it;
  11. Or a house of bricks? He may/Let him construct/ remove/carry hither it/them
  12. Let it indeed be told/the word be conveyed/be commanded to Mightiest Puissant Ba'al:
  13. "Call/Summon a caravan/crew/weeds (Gi) to/into thy mansion/ house,
  14. building wares/wagon train/gang/herbs (Gi) in the midst of thy palace;
  15. the rocks/mountains shall yield/bring thee much/ abundance silver,
  16. the hills the choicest/treasure/abundance of gold;
  17. they shall yield/bring thee the noblest of gems/god's grandeur aplenty (Gi)/the camels will bring thee jewels (C)/ let the tall trees (??) yield thee logs (??) (Ga);
  18. So build (thou) a mansion/house of silver and gold,
  19. a mansion/house of purest/most pure/brilliant (stones/gems and) lapis lazuli."
  20. Rejoice does Maiden 'Anat; She plants/stamps/taps vehemently
  21. her foot and [so quake does/leaves (C)] the earth/ on the ground (Ga).
  22. Then straightaway she turns her face
  23. toward Ba'al in the Heights of Tsaphon, the North,
  24. a thousand fields, ten thousand tracts.
  25. Laugh does Maiden 'Anat, She lifts up
  26. her voice and cries: "Be gladdened/of good cheer// Receive, Ba'al!
  27. glad tidings/good news/tidings of cheer I bring/have brought thee. (There) will be built for thee
  28. a house like thy brothers/brethren, and a court/precinct
  29. like thy kindred. Call/ Summon a caravan/weeds (Gi)/a crew (Ga)
  30. into thy mansion/house, building wares/herbs (Gi)/a wagon train (C)/a gang (Ga) into the midst of
  31. thy palace. The rocks/mountains shall/will yield/bring thee
  32. much/abundance of silver, the hills the choicest/a treasure/ abundance of
  33. gold; So/And build (thou) a mansion/house of silver
  34. and gold, a mansion/house of purest/most pure/brilliant (stones/gems
  35. (and)) lapis lazuli." Rejoice does Mightiest
  36. Ba'al. He calls/summons a caravan/weeds (Gi)/a caravan (C)/a crew (Ga) into his mansion/ house,
  37. building wares (G/D)/Herbs (Gi)/a wagon train (C)/a gang (Ga) in the midst of his palace.
  38. The rocks/mountains yield/do bring him much silver,
  39. the hills the choicest/fine//treasure/abundance of gold;
  40. they/the camels (C) yield/bring him - jewels (C)/the noblest of gems (G/D)/god's grandeur aplenty (Gi)/the tall trees (??) yield logs (??). (Ga).
  41. (Then) He [summons/sends for/sends messengers to] Kothar-wa-Khasis.
    Coogan: A note to the reader of the tablet to repeat a formulaic passage (now lost) describing the journey of Ba'al's messengers to Kothar-wa-Khasis, their delivery of the message, and Kothar's journey to Ba'al.
    Gaster: The scribe has accidentally omitted a passage describing how the divine architect was summoned to the banquet. Realizing the omission, he inserts a note reading:
  42. And again recite: "When the two pages/servitors
  43. were sent/bring the message. . ."
    Unfortunately, however, he does not furnish the text of that passage.
  44. Then after this does arrive Kothar-wa-Khasis,
  45. They do set an ox before him, a fatling
  46. too in front of him at his disposal; Is placed/brought (in position)//They made ready a chair/seat
  47. and he is seated. On/at the right hand of Mightiest
  48. BaŽal. So the gods do eat and drink.
  49. And/Then speaks/exclaims Mightiest Ba'al,
  50. "[-----] depart, Responds/Says the Rider of/on the Clouds: "Kothar-wa-Khasis,
  51. Hasten/Quickly/Hurry, a mansion/house surely build,
  52. Hasten/Quickly/Hurry raise (up)/erect/let be upreared a palace.
  53. Hasten/Quickly/Hurry the mansion let be built/uprear,
  54. Hasten/Quickly/Hurry let be raised/builded the palace
  55. in the midst of the Heights of Tsaphon, the North.
  56. a thousand fields let cover/extend the house/mansion,
  57. ten thousand/myriad tracts the palace."
  58. And answers Kothar-wa-Khasis:
  59. "Hear/Hark/Hearken/Listen, O Mightiest Ba'al,
  60. Consider/give heed/pay attention/Mark thou, O Rider on the Clouds:
  61. Shall I not put a lattice/casement in the mansion/ house,
  62. a window in the midst of the palace."
  63. But answers/replies Mightiest Ba'al:
  64. "Do not put/make a lattice/casement in the mansion/house,
  65. a window in the midst of the palace."

(ca. 3 lines missing)

Col. vi

  1. And answers/replies Kothar-wa-Khasis:
  2. "Thou wilt recall/come back to/be converted to, Ba'al, my words."
  3. And repeat his speech does/Again, speaks/Yea, again and again keeps saying Kothar-wa-Khasis:
  4. "Hear/Hark/Hearken, I pray/beseech/implore thee, O Mightiest Ba'al!
  5. Shall I not put/make a lattice/casement in the mansion/house,
  6. a window in the midst of the palace."
  7. But answers/replies Mightiest Ba'al:
  8. "Do not put/make a lattice/casement in the mansion/house,
  9. a window in the midst of the palace."
  10. Let not be seen/Lest escape/depart Pidraya daughter of `Ar,
  11. lest/or [-----]//be espied/abducted Talaya daughter of Rabb
  12. lest/by/Whereupon [-----] the darling/Beloved of `El, Yam"
  13. [-----] did abase me (D/G)/cried defiance (Gi)/[will make sport of me] (Ga), (and) spat/did spit upon me
  14. [-----] And/But answers/replies Kothar-wa-
  15. Khasis: "Thou wilt come back to/recall/yet be converted to, Ba'al, my words."
  16. Quickly his mansion/house is built,
  17. Quickly is raised/erected/the uprearing of his palace.
  18. Men go to/They [bring] from Lebanon (and) its trees/for (its) wood/timber,
  19. To/From Siriyon (and/for) its choicest/precious cedars.
  20. They do [-----] Lebanon (and/for) its trees/timbers
  21. (To) Siriyon (and/for) its choicest/precious/finest cedars.
  22. Fire is set/placed in the mansion/ house,
  23. the flames in the palace.
  24. Behold/Lo, a day and a second, eat/feed/consume/devour does
  25. the fire in/on the mansion/house, the flames
  26. consume/in/on the palace. A third, a fourth day,
  27. eat/feed/consume/devour does the fire in/on the mansion/ house,
  28. the flames consume/in the palace.
  29. A fifth, a sixth day, eat/feed/consume/devour does
  30. the fire in/on the mansion/house, the flames
  31. in the midst of/consume the palace. There, on the seventh day,
  32. The fire departs from/dies down in the mansion/ house,
  33. the flames from/die down in the palace.
  34. The silver has turned into plates/ingots/blocks, the gold
  35. has been turned bricks. Rejoice does
  36. Mightiest Ba'al: "I have built my house/mansion
  37. of silver, my palace, indeed, of
  38. gold." Makes/Prepares for//installs in//Puts his house/ mansion does BaŽal
  39. in order/preparations/the installations;
    Hadad [does put in order/preparations makes] for/within //installs the installations of
  40. his palace. He does slay oxen
  41. and sheep/ neat and small cattle, He does fell bulls and
  42. [fatted rams/fatlings, rams and] calves that were
  43. yearlings; skipping/he strangled (C) lambs and kids.
  44. He does call/invited/summons his brothers into his mansion, his kindred
  45. into the midst of his palace; He does call/invite/summon
  46. the seventy children of `Athirat.
  47. He does supply/regale/sate the -he-lamb gods/gods with he-lamb- and with wine,
  48. He does supply/regale/sate the -ewe-lamb goddesses/ goddesses with ewes and- with wine,
  49. He does supply/regale/sate the -bull-gods/gods with oxen/ bulls and- with wine,
  50. He does supply/regale/sate the -cow goddesses/goddesses with cows and- with wine.
  51. He does supply/regale/sate the -throne gods/gods with seats and- with wine,
  52. He does supply/regale/sate the -chair goddesses/goddesses with thrones and- with wine,
  53. He does supply/regale/sate the gods with jars/ewers of wine,
  54. He does supply/regale/sate the goddesses with pitchers/ beakers of wine
  55. While/So/Continuously eat and drink do the gods.
  56. And they are supplied/sated with a suckling of the teat/ suckling breast,
  57. with/by a sharp/milch knife they do carve a tender/breast of fatling;
  58. They drink flagons of wine,
  59. the blood of vines from cups of gold.
  60. [-----] n
  61. [-----] t
  62. [-----] th
  63. [-----] n
  64. [-----] k

(ca. 1 line missing, say Driver/Gibson; some 9-10 lines missing, says Ginsberg)

Col. vii

(ca. 1 line missing, say Driver/Gibson; according to Ginsburg, the first 8 lines are very defective; )

COMMENTARY
Ginsberg: `El's Beloved Yam-see above, vi 12-figures in lines 3-4. Since Ba'al's misgivings about a window are thereupon dispelled-15 ff.-perhaps Yam is here given his quietus.
Gaster: Ba'al now administers the coup de grace to the vanquished Yam, in order to remove a potential threat to his daughters and to ensure his own sovereignty.
Gibson: It is hardly likely that these few lines describe, as some suppose, the final stage in the defeat of Yam; more probably we have a statement celebrating that triumph spoken at the feast by Ba'al himself or by one of the other gods present.

  1. [-----] lapis-lazuli [-----]
  2. [-----] mightiest Ba'al
  3. [-----]/smites the darling beloved of `El,
  4. Yahm [-----] on the top of his skull.
  5. The gods do withdraw from the rock (D/G)
  6. like [-----] the gods from Tsaphon, the North (D/G)
    ALT: 5. While the gods are making merry on the Mountain (Ga)
    6. while the gods are regaling themselves in the North, (Ga)
  7. He does march from city to city
  8. He does turn from town to town
  9. Six and sixty towns he takes,
  10. Seventy-seven towns;
  11. Eighty Ba'al does [-----],
  12. Ninety Ba'al does [-----] sack.
  13. Forthwith return does Ba'al into the midst of
  14. the house, and speaks/says Mightiest
  15. Ba'al: "I will put it in, Kothar, this very
  16. day; Kothar, this very moment/hour.
  17. Let be opened a window in the mansion,
  18. A lattice/casement in the midst of the palace.
  19. And I'll open a rift in the clouds,
  20. According to the word of Kothar-wa-Khasis!"
  21. Kothar-wa-Khasis laughs,
  22. He lifts up his voice and cries:
  23. "Did I not say to thee,
  24. O Mightiest Ba'al, "Thou wouldst come back, Ba'al,
  25. to my word." He opens a window
  26. in the mansion, a lattice/casement
  27. in the midst of the palace, he opens,
  28. does Ba'al, a rift in the clouds.
  29. Ba'al gives forth his holy voice,
  30. Ba'al repeatedly discharges the issue of his lips.
  31. His holy voice does quake/shake/convulse the earth,
  32. at the issue of his lips, the rocks/mountains,
  33. Peoples afar off were dismayed
  34. a. the peoples of the East;
    ALT: A-tremble/quiver are East and west, (Gi/Ga);
    34b. the high places of the earth
  35. shake/rock/reel. The foes/enemies of Ba'al cling/take/flee to
  36. the forest/woods, the enemies of Hadad to the hollows/ sides
  37. of the rock/mountains. And speaks Mightiest
  38. Ba'al: "Foes/enemies of Hadad, why are you dismayed/ quaking?
  39. Why do you quake/are you dismayed at the weapons of Demaron/assailers of the Valiant One (C)?"
  40. The eye of Ba'al outstrips/seeks out/guides/anticipates his hand
  41. When the cedar is brandished/swings in his right hand.
  42. Forthwith Ba'al does sit and dwell in his house.
[continued in part 4: The Battle of Ba'al and Mot]
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