The Ugaritic Epic of the Storm-God, Newly Translated from the Cuneiform Tablets · First Edition (2026)
[Your haste,] [your speed,] [your rush!] [To] me let your feet
[run,] [to me] [let] your legs [hasten,]
[toward] [the mountain,] Mount Ks. [Set] your [mes]sage, and place it
upon the summit of your descent(?).
[Of l]apis lazuli —
[let him l]ift up in the midst of
[...] a captive.
There the two of them died(?).
[His] [thro]at, and the sigh(?) —
[the crafts]men made ready upon the earth,
[...] the heights(?) made ready.
They pass on.
[Ret]urn, your gods(?) —
there is none among them(?) in the thousandfold court.
[At] [the f]eet of Anat
[he bowed] [and] [fell,] [he pros]trated himself, and he
[honored her.] [He lifted] [his voice] [and] [cr]ied: 'Message
[of Bull] [El] [your father,] [word] [of the K]indly One your begetter:
[Set] [in] [the earth] [wa]r; place in the du[st]
[love;] [pour] [peace] into the heart of the earth,
[calm] [into] [the heart] [of the fie]lds. Your haste,
[your speed,] [your rush!] [To me] [let] your [fe]et run,
[to me] [let] [your le]gs [hasten,] toward the mountain
in your hand(?) . . . the scribe(?)
[your] right hand(?) —
[...]
[...]
'[Kap]tor is the throne [where he sits,] [Memphis] [the land] [of his heritage] —
across a thousand fields, ten thou[sand acres.] [At] [the feet] [of Kothar]
bow and fall, pro[strate yourselves] [and] [honor] [him,]
and say to Koth[ar-and-Hasis,] [repeat] [to] [Hayyin]
of the deft ha[nds:] ['Message] [of Bull] [El] [the Father,]
word of the Kindly O[ne] [your] [begetter:]
. . . Kothar, my son(?) —
set a shelter(?) . . .
make ready, among the peaks, a dwel[ling.]
Your haste, your speed, your ru[sh!] [To me] [let your feet] [run,]
to me let your legs hasten, [toward] [the mountain,]
Mount Ks. For a wo[rd] [I have,] [and I will tell you] —
a matter, and I will repeat it to you: [a word] [of tree] [and] [a whisper] [of stone,]
the converse of heaven with [earth,] [of the deeps] [with the stars] —
a word that people do not kn[ow,] [that the] [multitudes of the] [earth] [do not understand.]
Come, and I myself will reve[al it.]'
And Kothar-and-Hasis answered: '[Go,] [go,] [attendants] [of the gods!]
You two may linger, but I am off — [I have set out] [for Kaptor.]
Kaptor is far away, O gods; Memph[is] [is far,] [O divinities] —
two lengths beneath [the springs] [of the earth,] [three] [spans]
of the caverns.' Then indeed he se[t] [his face] [toward the Kindly One,]
El the Compassionate, toward the mounta[in,] [Mount] [Ks.]
He came to the tent of E[l] [and] [entered] [the dwelling] [of the King,]
the Father of Years. At [the feet] [of El] [he bowed] [and] [fell,]
he prostrated himself [and] [honored him.]
Bull El [his] fa[ther spoke:]
'Quickly let a h[ouse be built,] [quickly] [let a palace be raised]
in the midst of . . .
a son(?) . . .
[...]
[the hei]ghts of Sa[pan.]
Aloud he cried to the . . .
to those far off . . .
El cried: 'Sit at the fe[ast!]
. . . the shame of the everlasting one(?) . . .
O gods, the house of your lord . . .
who surely will not go quickly through the la[nd,]
through the dust of destruction . . .
Drink was poured(?); a second time he ga[ve] — [a cup] [in one hand,]
a flagon in both hands . . .
Like grain(?), like gravel they were gathered up.
El guards(?) his son. The Bull —
and the Kindly One, El the Compas[sionate,] spoke:
'The name of my son is Yaw, O goddess' —
and he proclaimed the name: Sea.
They answered, the ones who feed us(?):
'You are lord: proclaim it!'
'I am the Kindly One, El [the Compassionate:]
upon my hands I have procl[aimed] —
your name is Beloved of E[l.]
A house of my silver, which is —
take it from the hand of Mightiest B[aal,]
for he has despised me.
Drive him from the th[rone] [of his kingship,] [from] [the resting place,] [from] [the seat]
of his dominion. Chase [him out!]
But if, then, you do not —
he will strike you like . . .'
El held a sacrifice:
he proclaimed to [his] so[ns] —
he slaughtered great oxe[n] [and] [sheep] [too,] [he felled]
bulls and fa[tling rams,] [calves] [a year old,]
lambs — a th[rong] [of kids.]
[...]
[And] [a day,] [t]wo days
[passed by;] [there came(?)] the appetite —
[Had]du(?) . . . we press upon him(?) —
on Sapan,
[...] the wick(?) at the spring —
[...] as soon as he sees(?):
'[Surely,] surely I know
that they would bind me(?) —
[Bull] [El,] that you would tie me
[...] the stones held fast(?)
. . . and the mountain, my loins(?) —
[you] [have grown insolent(?),] . . . the back(?) —
all of it guards his loins(?).'
. . . And a day, two days
[passed by;] [a mon]th arrived(?); the appetite —
. . . Haddu — we press upon him(?) —
your . . . on Sapan,
[...] the hollow(?) of the doe —
at the springs he sees(?):
'Surely I know
that they would bind me — Bull El —
that you would tie me between the stones.
They held fast; enter(?) —
[and] the mountain, my loins. You have grown insolent(?) —
you shall enter into . . .
. . . you shall not swell, you shall not force open
his back(?) to the earth.'
[...]
[...]
'. . . return . . . [...]
You will rise up against . . . [...]
Mightiest Baal . . . [...]
your dominion . . . you will rule(?) [...]
On your head may Ayyamur . . . [...]
Judge River smash [...]
your head — may Athtart-Name-of-[Baal] [smash] your [crown!] —
the shepherd's staff(?); may you fall at the bor[der . . .]'
— the Father of Years. The two women he to[ok . . .]
Messengers Yam sent out: [. . .]
[In] joy upon joy the two flew through the heav[ens:]
'. . . the breaking of their nostrils(?)! Depart, la[ds;] [do not] [sit down.] [Then] [your faces]
you must set toward the Gathered Assembly, in the mi[dst of] [Mount] [Lalu.] [At] [the feet] [of El]
do not fall, do not prostrate yourselves before the Assembly [of the Council.] [Standing,] [speak] [your speech,]
repeat what you know. And say to Bull, the Father of the go[ds — El;] [repeat] [to] [the Gathered]
Assembly: "Message of Yam your lord, of your master, Ju[dge] [River:]
Give up, O gods, the one you are hiding, the one the multitude is hiding! Give up Ba[al] [and] [his attendants,]
the son of Dagan, that I may inherit his gold!"' The lads departed; they did not sit down. Th[en] [their faces]
they set toward the midst of Mount Lalu, toward the Gathered Assembly. Now the gods were sitting to ea[t,]
the sons of the Holy One were at the meal — and Baal stood attending upon El. As soon as
the gods saw them — saw the messengers of Yam, the embassy of Judge [River] —
the gods lowered their heads to the tops of their knees, down onto the thrones of
their lordship. Baal rebuked them: 'Why, O gods, have you lowered your heads
so, to the tops of your knees, and onto the thrones of your lordship? As one,
O gods, answer the tablets of the messengers of Yam, of the embassy of Judge River!
Lift up your heads, O gods, from the tops of your knees, from the thrones of
your lordship — and I myself will answer the messengers of Yam, the embassy of Judge River.'
The gods lifted their heads from the tops of their knees, from the thrones of their lordship.
Afterward the messengers of Yam arrived, the embassy of Judge River. At the feet of El
they did not fall; they did not prostrate themselves before the Gathered Assembly. Standing, they spoke
[and repea]ted what they knew — like a fire, two fires they appeared; their tongue a whetted sword.
They said their speech(?) to Bull his father, El: 'Message of Yam your lord,
[of] your [mas]ter, Judge River: Give up, O gods, the one you are hiding, the one the
[multitu]de is hiding! Give up Baal and his attendants, the son of Dagan, that I may inherit his gold!'
[And] Bull his father, El, [answ]ered: 'Baal is your slave, O Yam! Baal is your slave,
[O River!] The son of Dagan is your captive. He shall bring you tribute like the gods —
[...] he shall bring, like the sons of the Holy One, your offerings.' Then Prince Baal grew furious.
[He seiz]ed a striking-weapon in his hand, a smiter in his right hand; at the lads he swu[ng it.]
[...] Anat seized his right hand(?) — Athtart seized his left: 'How [could you stri]ke
[the em]bassy of Judge River, the messenger . . .?' He embraced(?) [. . .]
[. . .] the messenger — between the shoulders! The word of his lord, and . . . [. . .]
[. . .] Then Prince Baal grew furious. The terraces in the vi[neyards . . .]
[. . .] the messengers of Yam, the embassy of Judge Riv[er . . .]
[. . .] 'I myself say to Yam your lord, [your] mas[ter,] [Judge]
[River:] [. . .] Hear the word of the Annihilator — Haddu . . . Yam [. . .]
[. . .] . . . you will bow down(?) . . . [. . .]
[...]
. . . [...]
. . . [...]
the midst of . . . [...]
. . . drawn out(?) . . . [...]
and Baal [...]
How . . . [...]
and . . . [...]
'I will strike . . . [...]
the king . . .
I have sent . . . [...]
the life(?) [...]
Baal [...]
and [...]
Bull [...]
. . . [...]
Koth[ar(?) . . .]
the kin[g(?) . . .]
. . . [...]
. . . lord(?) . . .
'. . . [Kapt]or is far away, O g[ods;] [Memphis] [is far]
[for the divinities] — [two] [lengths] [beneath] [the springs] [of the earth,] [three] [spans] [of the caverns.]'
Then he set his face toward El at the springs of the [two rivers,] [amid] [the channels] [of the two deeps.]
[He came to] the mound of E[l] and entered the [dwe]lling of the King, [the Father] [of Years.] [At] [the feet] [of El]
[he bowed] and fell, [he pr]ostrat[ed himself] and hono[red him.] [Afterw]ard [. . .]
. . . Kothar-and-Ha[sis:] 'Depart! Build the house of Yam, [rai]se the palace of Judge Ri[ver!]
. . . [Ri]ver, in the midst of . . . Depart, Kothar and [Hasis:] you shall [b]uild the house of Prince Yam,
. . . the pala[ce] [for] [Judge] River, in the midst of the sp[rings(?)] [of Yam(?)] . . .
[Quickly] let his [hou]se be buil[t,] [qui]ckly let [his] [pala]ce be rai[sed] — [a thousand] [fields] shall the house cover,
[ten thousand] acres the palace!' . . . Yam(?) — a house amid the lads(?) — for the field . . . of the days(?) —
[Baal(?)] in the sea, day by day(?) he will die(?) — the face of Athtar stood forth, who . . .
. . . burning(?), and . . . a fire I will set . . ., a fire . . .
. . . they were carried down(?), brought . . . he went down . . . there is no son —
. . . the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, lifted her voice and c[ried:] ['He]ar, pray:
. . . Bull El your father [will ex]act vengeance before Prince Yam, before [Ju]dge River!
[How] indeed would Bull El your father hear you? Surely he will pull up the [su]pport of your seat, surely he will [overturn]
[the throne of] your kingship, surely he will break the scepter of your rule!' And Athta[r] answered: '. . . of me(?) —
Bull El my father [has ta]ken from me(?). I myself have no house [like] the gods, no court [like the sons]
[of the Ho]ly One. All alone I will go down into our two throats(?). The Kotharat will wash me(?). [Let him si]t in [the house]
[of Prince] Yam, in the palace of Judge Rive[r.] Bull El his father will exact vengeance be[fore] [Pr]ince Ya[m,]
[before] [Judge] [River.] Am I king, [or] am I not king? But no wife is mine, li[ke]
[the gods . . .] Prince Yam will [remain sea]ted(?), Judge River —
[. . .] he will send me(?). And Athtar answered:
[. . .] . . .
[. . . my ha]nd(?) shook, I wilted(?) . . .
[. . .] 'While there is li[fe] in me, I will surely drive him out. Even so I sai[d it:]
[. . .] and in the sea is rest(?), surely he will perish in the sea; in the double breast(?) — whatever(?) —
[. . .] River . . . they devour(?). There with two swords I will finish it(?); I will kiss(?) —
to the earth let our strong one fall, [in] both temples; into the dust, our mighty one!'
Scarcely had the word left [his] mouth, his utterance his lips — scarcely had she given voice — when he sank
beneath the throne of Prince Yam. And Kothar-and-Hasis spoke: 'Did I not tell
you, O Prince Baal — did I not repeat it, O Rider of the Clouds? Now your enemy,
O Baal — now your enemy you will strike, now you will destroy your foe!
You will take your everlasting kingship, your dominion for ever and ever!'
Kothar brought down a double mace, and he proclaimed its names: 'Your name — yours — is
Yagrush, "Driver." Yagrush: drive out Yam! Drive Yam from his throne,
River from the seat of his dominion! Leap from Baal's hand like an ea-
gle from his fingers! Strike the shoulders of Prince Yam, between the arms of
[Jud]ge River!' The mace leapt from Baal's hand, like an eagle
from his fingers; it struck the shoulders of Prince Yam, between the arms of Judge
River. Yam was strong — he did not sink; his joints did not buckle; his frame
did not collapse. Kothar brought down a double mace, and he proclaimed its names:
'Your name — yours — is Ayyamur, "Expeller." Ayyamur: expel Yam! Expel Yam
from his throne, River from the seat of his dominion! Leap
from Baal's hand like an eagle from his fingers! Strike the sku-
ll of Prince Yam, between the eyes of Judge River! Let Yam collapse
and fall to the earth!' And the mace leapt from Baal's hand,
like an eagle from his fingers; it struck the skull of Prince
Yam, between the eyes of Judge River. Yam collapsed and fell
to the earth; his joints buckled and his frame gave way.
Baal dragged him off and set to rending Yam; he was finishing off Judge River —
when by name Athtart rebuked him: 'Be ashamed, O Mightiest B[aal!]
Be ashamed, O Rider of the Clouds! For Pri[nce] [Yam] was our captive; [for]
Judge River was our captive.' And he went out . . . [. . .]
And Mightiest Baal was ashamed(?), and . . . [. . .]
'Yam is surely dead! Baal shall be ki[ng(?) . . .]
heat(?), surely, and . . . [. . .]'
He answered: 'Yam is surely dead! [. . .]
surely . . .' And [she(?)] answ[ered: . . .]
'O Baal . . . them(?) [. . .]
surely . . . set(?) [. . .]
on his head [. . .]
his enemies . . . [. . .]
between his eyes(?) [. . .]
[...]
'Do not stray from the hand of . . . [. . .]'
Then Radman(?), servant of Migh[tiest]
Baal, waited on Prince Baal,
lord of the earth. He rose, laid the table,
and gave him to eat:
he cut a breast-portion before him,
with a salted knife
a slice of fatling. He stood ready,
served, and gave him drink;
he put a cup in his hand,
a flagon in both his hands —
a great vessel, mighty to look on,
a beaker fit for the men of heaven; a holy cup
no woman may see, a flagon
no goddess may set eye upon. A thousand
jars he took from the new wine —
ten thousand he blended into his mixture.
He rose, chanted, and sang —
cymbals in the hands of the singer, sweet of voice —
the goodly hero sang, sweet of voice,
about Baal on the summits of
Sapan. Baal beheld
his daughters: he gazed on Pidray,
Daughter of Light, and then on Tallay,
Da[ughter] of Rain. Pidray knew(?) . . .
. . . truly the [hon]ored brides(?) —
[. . .] and . . .
[. . .] . . .
. . . [. . .] . . . [. . .]
Henna, seven maids' worth; the scent of coriander
and of murex — the doors(?) were shut,
the gates of Anat's house — and she met the lads
at the foot of the mountain. And look: Anat fought
in the valley; she battled between the
two towns. She struck down the people of the sea-shore;
she silenced the folk of the sunrise.
Beneath her, heads like clods;
above her, hands like locusts — like a swarm(?)
of grasshoppers(?), the warriors' hands. She bound
heads about her back; she strapped
palms at her belt. Knee-deep she waded
in the blood of soldiery; up to the thighs in the gore
of warriors. With a staff she drove out
the greybeards(?); with her bow-stave, the townsfolk(?).
And look: Anat came to her house;
the goddess made her way down to her palace —
and she was not sated with her fighting in the valley,
her battling between the two towns. She arranged
chairs for the soldiery, arranged tables
for the hosts, footstools for the warriors.
Hard she fought, and looked on;
she battled, and gazed. Anat's
liver swelled with laughter; her heart filled
with joy — Anat's liver
with triumph — as knee-deep she waded in the blood
of soldiery, thigh-deep in the gore of warriors,
until she was sated with fighting in the house,
with battling between the tables. Wiped away
from the house was the soldiers' blood; oil of
peace was poured from a bowl. She washed her hands — the Vir-
gin Anat — her fingers, the Sister-in-law of Peoples:
[she w]ashed her hands of the soldiers' blood,
her fingers of the warriors' gore.
Chair back to chair, table
to table she restored; footstools she returned to footstools.
She drew water and washed —
dew of heaven, oil of earth, showers of
the Rider of the Clouds; the dew the heavens poured on her,
[the sh]owers the stars poured out for her.
She beautified herself with murex whose [issue] [comes from a thousand] [fields]
in the se[a . . .]
[. . .] . . . [. . .]
[. . .] She set a lyre(?)
to her breast, a song for the love of Mightiest
Baal — the love of Pidray, Daughter of Light,
the affection of Tallay, Daughter of Rain, the love of Arsay,
Daughter of the Wide World. Like lads,
then, enter: at the feet of Anat bow
and fall, prostrate yourselves, honor her,
and say to the Virgin Anat,
repeat to the Sister-in-law of Peoples:
'Message of Mightiest Baal, word
of the Mightiest of Warriors: Set in the earth
war no more; place in the dust love;
pour peace into the heart of the earth,
calm into the heart of the fields.
Your haste, your speed, your rush!
To me let your feet run, to me
let your legs hasten. For a word
I have, and I will tell you —
a matter, and I will repeat it to you: a word
of tree and a whisper of stone,
the converse of heaven with earth,
of the deeps with the stars.
I understand lightning the heavens do not know —
a word people do not know, and the earth's
multitudes do not understand. Come, and I
will reveal it, in the midst of my mountain, divine Sapan,
in the holy place, on the mount of my heritage,
in the fair place, on the hill of victory.'
As soon as Anat saw the two gods — at that her feet
stamped; behind, her back as if breaking;
above, her face ran sweat; the joints of
her back convulsed, the muscles(?) of her spine. She lifted
her voice and cried: 'How is it Gapn-and-Ugar have come?
What enemy has risen against Baal — what foe
against the Rider of the Clouds? Did I not strike down the Beloved
of El — Yam? Did I not finish off River, the great god?
Did I not muzzle Tunnan the dragon? I bound him fast(?).
I struck down the twisting serpent —
Shalyat, the tyrant of seven heads.
I struck down the Beloved of the gods — Arsh(?);
I destroyed the calf of El, Atik.
I struck down the Bitch of the gods — Fire;
I finished off the daughter of El, Flame. I did battle for the silver —
I took possession of the gold — of him who would drive Baal
from the heights of Sapan — who would flush him like a bird from
his lordship(?), drive him from the throne of his kingship,
from the resting place, from the seat of his dominion.
What enemy has risen against Baal — what foe against the Rider of the Clouds?'
The lads answered; they gave answer: 'No enemy has risen
against Baal, no foe against the Rider of the Clouds!
Message of Mightiest Baal, word of the Mightiest
of Warriors: Set in the earth war no more;
place in the dust love; pour peace
into the heart of the earth, calm into the heart of the fields.
Your haste, your speed, your rush! To me let your feet
[ru]n, to me let your legs hasten.
[For] [a word] I have, and I will tell it — a matter,
[and I will repeat it to you:] [a wo]rd of tree and a whisper of
[stone] — a wo[rd] [people] [do not kn]ow, [and] the earth's [multi]tudes
do not [understand;] the conv[erse] [of the heavens] [with the ea]rth,
of the deeps wi[th] [the stars.] [I understand] [lightning]
the he[avens] do not kn[ow.] [Come,] and I
will rev[eal it,] [in] [the mi]dst of my [mou]ntain, divine Sapan,
in the ho[ly place,] on the mount of my [he]ritage.'
And the Virg[in] [A]nat an[sw]ered — the Si[ster-in-law] of Peoples replied:
'I myself will set
[in] [the ear]th war no more; I will place in the dust
love; I will pour pe[ace] into the heart of the earth,
ca[lm] into the hea[rt] [of the fi]elds. Let Baal set
his thunderbolts(?) in [the heavens;] let [the Rider] [of the Cl]ouds kindle
his horns(?) of lightning. I will set
in the earth war no more;
I will place in the dust love; I will pour
peace into the heart of the earth, calm
into the heart of the fi[el]ds. And a second word
I will say: Go, go, attendants of the gods!
You two may linger, but I am off.
Ughar is a distance for the gods — Inbub
is far for the divinities: two lengths
beneath the springs of the earth, three spans of the caverns.'
Then indeed she set her face toward Baal
on the heights of Sapan — across a thousand fields, ten thousand acres.
The coming of his sister Baal saw — the approach
of his father's kinswoman. He sent the women from his presence.
He set an ox before her, a fatling right before
her face. She drew water and washed —
dew of heaven, oil of earth; the dew of the heav[ens] [pou]red on her,
the showers the stars poured out for her;
she beautified herself with murex whose issue comes from a thousand fields
in the s[ea . . .]
'A house [for] [Baal] [like the gods'] — [a court]
like the sons of A[thirat's!] [The dwelling] [of El] — [the shelter]
of his sons; the dwel[ling] [of Lady] [Athirat] [of the Sea] —
the dwelling of Pidr[ay,] [Daughter of Light;] [the shelter]
of Tallay, Daughter of Rain; [the dwelling] [of Arsay,]
Daughter of the Wide World; [the dwelling] [of the] honored [brides!]'
And the [Virgin] [Anat] answered:
'Bull El [my father] will heed me —
he will heed me, or against him [I will turn(?)!]'
'[. . .] I will drag him like a lamb to the ground;
[I will make] his gray hair [run] with blood, the gray of his beard
[with gore] — . . . unless he gives Baal a house like the gods',
[a cou]rt like the sons of Athirat's!' She sta[mped] her feet
[and] the earth [shook.] The[n] [she set] her [fa]ce
[toward El] at the springs of the two river[s,] [ami]d the ch[ann]els
of [the two dee]ps. She came to the mound of E[l] and entered
[the dwel]ling of the K[in]g, the Father [of Years] — the vault(?)
she [en]tered, the tent of the Creator and Lord of the go[ds.]
Her voice Bull [E]l her father heard. E[l] an[swer]ed
from the seven cha[mb]ers, [from] the [ei]ght [enclo]sures:
. . . aloud . . . [. . .]
'The eye of . . . [. . .]
above . . . [. . .]
at the feet of the la[d]s [. . .]'
. . . greatly the lord(?) . . . the flock(?) . . .
— the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, [glow]ing hot,
the heavens hanging faint in the ha[nd] [of the son of the gods,] [Mo]t —
and the Virgin An[at] answered: '[The building] of houses,
O El! — the building of [your] house[s:] do n[ot] [re]joice in it;
do not rejoice in the raising of [your] [pa]lace!
Or else I will seize them with my right hand — . . . Baal(?) —
by my great long arm(?). I will smash [. . .]
your skull; I will make your gray hair run [with blood,]
the gray of your beard with gore!'
El answered from the seven chamb[ers,] from the eight
enclosures: 'I kn[ow you,] daughter — how furious you are:
among goddesses there is no sc[or]n like yours. What do you desire,
O Virgin Anat?' And the Virgin Anat [ans]wered:
'Your decree, El, is wise — wise
unto everlasting; a life of good fortune, your decree.
Our king is Mightiest Baal — our judge,
and there is none above him! Together let us
carry his chalice; together let us carry his cup!'
Groaning, Bull El his father indeed cries out — El
the King who established him; Athirat cries out,
and her sons — the goddess, and the band of her kin:
'So Baal has no house like the gods',
no court like the so[ns] of Athirat's! The dwelling of El
is the shelter of [his] so[ns;] [the dwe]lling of Lady Athirat
of the Sea is the dwelling of [Pidr]ay, Daughter of Light,
[the shelter] of Tallay, [Daughter of] Rain, the dwelling
[of Arsay,] [Daughter of the Wi]de World — the dwelling
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[...]
[. . .] the [ea]rth
[. . .]
'How shall we present a gift to Lady Athirat
of the [Se]a — a present to the Creatress of the gods? —
that she may give a house to Baal like the
gods', a court like the sons of
Athirat's.' Aloud to his lads
Baal cried: 'Look, Gapn-
and-Ugar, sons of gloom —
the day's kinsmen(?), sons of darkness —
lofty, first in rank, wings of [reckoning(?)] —
scorching are the bonds of
the clouds beneath . . .
the birds . . . [se]t(?)
the bird's rage(?) [upon] your [he]ad —
the lightnings between your eyes.
They shall die(?) . . . a thousand
fields(?) in the sea — ten thousand
[acr]es in the two rivers:
[cr]oss Byblos, cross
Qa'al, cross the isles of
the face of heaven. Press on(?),
O fisherman of Athirat!
Go, O Qadesh-Amrar!
Then indeed you shall set
your faces toward Egypt-of-the-god(?) —
all of it divine: Kaptor
the throne where he sits, Memphis
the land of his heritage —
across a thousand fields, ten thousand
acres. At the feet of Kothar
bow and fall, prostrate
yourselves and honor him,
and say to Kothar-
and-Hasis, repeat to Ha-
yyin of the deft hands:
'Mess[age] of Migh[tiest] [Baal,]
wo[rd] [of the Mightiest] [of Warriors:] . . .'
[...]
[. . .]
[...]
[Groaning,] he [indeed cri]es out — Bull
[El his father,] [E]l the King
[who established him;] [he cri]es out to Athi-
[rat] [and] [her sons,] the goddess
[and] [the band] [of] her [kin:]
['So] [Baal has] [no house]
[like the gods',] [no] [court]
[like] [the sons] of Athira[t's!]
The dwe[lli]ng of El is the shelter of
his sons; the dwelling of Lady
Athirat of the Sea is the dwelling of
the honored brides —
the dwelling of Pidray, Daughter of Light,
the shelter of Tallay, Daughter of Rain,
the dwelling of Arsay, Daughter of the Wide World.'
And a second word
I will say to you: prepare, pray,
a gift for Lady Athirat of the Sea,
a present for the Creatress of the gods.'
Hayyin went up to the bellows;
in the hands of Hasis were the tongs.
He cast silver, he pou-
red out gold; he cast silver
by the thousands, gold he cast
by the ten-thousands.
He cast a canopy(?) and a bedstead(?) —
a divine dais of twenty-thousand weight,
a divine dais coated in silver,
glistening with a film of gold;
a divine seat with its resting-
place in fine metal; a divine foot-
stool spread over with electrum;
divine sandals with straps,
over which he worked gold;
a divine table filled
with figures — creatures of
the foundations of the earth;
a divine bowl shaped like a lamb(?),
fashioned like the beasts of Yaman(?),
on which wild oxen teem by the ten-thousands.
[. . .] . . . [. . .]
to the stone(?) . . .
She grasped her spindle [in her hand,]
the whorl-spindle in her right hand.
Her garment, the covering of her flesh,
she stripped off — her clothing, into the sea;
her double garment, into the two rivers.
She set a cauldron on the fire,
a pot upon the coals,
and courted(?) Bull El the Compassionate —
paid homage to the Creator of Creatures.
Lifting her eyes, she saw them:
the coming of Baal Athirat
surely saw — the coming of the Virgin
Anat, the approach of the Sister-in-law
[of Peoples.] At that her feet
[stamped;] [behi]nd, her back as if
[breaking;] [above,] her [fa]ce ran sweat;
the joints of her [ba]ck convulsed,
the muscles(?) of [her] spine.
She lifted her voice and cried: 'How is it
Mightiest Baal has come?
How is it the Vir[g]in Anat
has come? Are they my strikers — the [str]ikers of
my sons, the [destroyers] of the [ba]nd of
my kin?' [The gleam] of silver Athirat
surely saw — the gleam of silver and the shine
of gold — and Lady Ath[irat] of the Sea
rejoiced. Aloud to her lad she [cried:]
'Look, O Skillful One — fisher of the [Sea,]
fisherman of Lady Athira[t] [of the Sea:]
take a net in your hand — . . .
a great one upon both hands —
into the Beloved of El, Y[am] —
into Yam of El, the . . . [Ri]-
ver of El . . .
Mightiest [Baal] —
the Virgin [Anat] —
what . . .
and you . . .
Athira[t] . . .
in . . .
without(?) . . .
the king . . .
which . . .
in . . .
the winepress(?) —
[...]
[. . .] . . .
[. . .] . . . mourns(?)
[. . .] [the Be]loved
[. . .] . . . like(?)
[. . .] let him not flee
[. . .] your foundation(?) —
[. . .] and for generation after generation,
[. . .] your life, and the breath(?) that . . .
[. . .] the gods, who is king(?).
Mightiest Baal sa[t] enthroned;
the Rider of the Clouds took his stand(?).
He rose, took position, and jeered at me;
he stood up and spat(?) at me in the midst of
the assembly of the sons of the gods: 'Fil-
th has been set on my table — a disgrace
in the cup I drink from!
For two feasts Baal hates — three,
the Rider of the Clouds: a feast of
shame, a feast of
strife, and a feast of the whispering
of serving-girls. For in it shame is plainly seen,
and in it is the whispering of serving-girls.'
Afterward Mightiest Baal arrived;
the Virgin Anat arrived.
They pressed gifts on Lady Athirat of the Sea,
presents on the Creatress of the gods.
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'Why do you press gifts on Lady
Athirat of the Sea — presents on
the Creatress of the gods? Have you given your gift
to Bull El the Compassionate — or presents
to the Creator of Creatures?' And the Vir-
gin Anat answered: 'We press gifts
on you, Lady Athirat of the Sea —
[pre]sents on the Creatress of the gods;
[after]ward we will press our gift on him too.'
[. . .] Mightiest Baal —
[. . .] Lady Athirat of the Sea —
[. . .] the Virgin Anat —
[. . . the gods] [a]te and drank,
[and were sup]plied with a suckling
[breast-cut;] [with a] [sa]lted [knife,] a slice
[of fatling.] [They drank] wine from flagons —
[and from] [cups of] [gold,] the [blo]od of vines.
[. . .] . . .
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[. . .] . . .
[. . .]
[. . .] above(?)
[. . .] . . .
Bull [El] [our father(?).'] [And] [Lady] Athira[t] [of the Sea] [answered:]
['Hear,] [O Qadesh-]
and-Amra[r,] [fisherman] [of Lady]
Athirat of the Sea: [saddle] [the donkey,]
harness the stallion; se[t on] [the trappings] [of]
silver, the golden [bridle(?);]
prepare the trappings of [my] she-ass!'
Qadesh-and-Amrar obeyed:
he saddled the donkey, harnessed the stallion,
set on the trappings of silver,
the golden bridle(?);
he prepared the trappings of her she-ass.
Qadesh-and-Amrar embraced her
and set Athirat on the donkey's back,
on the splendid place of the stallion's back.
Qadesh took hold of a torch(?);
Amrar went like a star before her —
behind came the Virgin Anat,
while Baal made off for the heights of Sapan.
Then indeed she set her face
toward El at the springs of the two rivers,
amid the channels of the two deeps.
She came to the mound of El and entered
the dwelling of the King, the Father of Years.
At the feet of El she bowed and fell,
prostrated herself and honored him.
As soon as El saw her,
he parted his jaws(?) and laughed;
his feet he set on the footstool, and he twirled
his fingers. He lifted his voice and cr[ied:]
'How is it Lady Athira[t] [of the S]ea has come?
How has the Creatress of the g[ods] arrived?
Are you truly hungry, having wan[dered far(?)] —
or truly thirsty, having pres[sed on(?) through the night(?)?]
Eat — or drink! E[at]
bread from the tables; drink
wine from the flagons — from a cup of gold,
the blood of vines. Or does the love(?) of El the King
stir you — the affection of the Bull arouse you?'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'Your decree, El, is wise — wise
unto everlasting; a life of good fortune,
your decree. Our king is Mightiest Baal —
our judge, and there is none above him!
Together let us ca[rr]y his cha[lice;]
together let us carry his cup!'
[Groan]ing, Bull El his father indeed cries out —
[E]l the King who established him; Athirat cries out,
and her sons — the goddess, and the band of
her kin: 'So Baal has no house
like the gods', no court like the sons of Athirat's!
The dwelling of El is the shelter of his sons;
the dwelling of Lady Athirat of the Sea
is the dwelling of the honored brides —
the dwelling of Pidray, Daughter of Light,
the shelter of Tallay, Daughter of Rain,
the dwelling of Arsay, Daughter of the Wide World.'
And the Kindly One, El the Compassionate, answered:
'Am I a slave, then — an attendant of Athirat?
Am I a slave, to take up the trowel(?) —
or Athirat a serving-girl, to mold
the bricks? A house shall be built for Baal
like the gods', a court like the sons of Athirat's!'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'You are great, O El — you are truly wise;
the gray of your beard truly instructs you,
the soft hairs(?) that fall to your breast.
So now, too — the season of his rain
may Baal appoint, the season of the chariot(?) in the storm,
and the giving of his voice from the clouds —
his loosing of lightnings to the earth.
A house of cedars — let him complete it!
Or a house of bricks — let him raise it up!
Let it be told to Mightiest Baal:
Summon a caravan into your house,
wares into the midst of your palace.
The mountains shall bring you silver in plenty,
the hills the choicest gold;
the noblest of gems they shall bring you —
and build a house of silver and gold,
a house of purest lapis lazuli!'
The Virgin Anat rejoiced. She stamped
her feet and the earth shook.
Then indeed she set her face
toward Baal on the heights of Sapan —
across a thousand fields, ten thousand acres.
The Virgin Anat laughed; she lifted
her voice and cried: 'Receive good news, Baal!
Good news I bring you: a house
shall be given you like your brothers', a court
like your kinsmen's! Summon a caravan
into your house, wares into the midst of
your palace. The mountains shall bring you
silver in plenty, the hills the choicest
gold — and build a house of silver
and gold, a house of purest
lapis lazuli!' Mightiest Baal
rejoiced. He summoned a caravan into his house,
wares into the midst of his palace.
The mountains brought him silver in plenty,
the hills the choicest gold;
the noblest of gems they brought him.
He sent to Kothar-and-Hasis —
(now return to the recital: 'When the lads
are sent . . .') —
Afterward Kothar-and-Hasis arrived.
He set an ox before him, a fatling
right before his face. A throne was placed,
and he was seated at the right hand of Mightiest
Baal — until [the gods] had eaten and drunk.
[And] Migh[tiest] [Baal] answered:
'[Quickly,] [de]part, K[othar-and-Hasis:]
quickly, let a house [be bu]il[t;]
quickly raise a pa[lace.]
Quickly let a house be bui[lt;]
quickly let the mansi[on(?)] be raised
amid the crags of Sapan.
A thousand fields let the house seize,
ten thousand acres the palace!'
And Kothar-and-Hasis answered:
'Hear, O Mightiest Baal —
understand, O Rider of the Clouds:
shall I not set a casement in the hou[se,]
a window within the palace?'
And Mightiest Baal answered:
'Do not set a casement in the h[ouse,]
[a wind]ow within the pal[ace!]'
And Koth[ar-and-Ha]sis answered:
'You will come back, Baal, to [my word.]'
Kothar-and-Hasis repeated his speech:
'Hear, pray, O Migh[ti]est Baal:
shall I not set a case[ment] in the house,
a window within the [pal]ace?'
And Migh[tiest] Baal answered:
'Do not set a ca[semen]t in the house,
a windo[w] wi[thin] the [pa]lace,
lest [Pidra]y, Daughter of Light, sli[p out(?)] —
lest . . . [Talla]y, Daughter of Rain —
[lest(?)] the [Belo]ved of El, Yam,
[. . .] revile me and spit(?) . . .'
[. . .] And Kothar-
[and-Hasis] answered: 'You will come back, Baal, to my word.'
[The gods(?)] built his house;
[they] raised his palace.
They [we]nt to Lebanon for its timber,
to [Si]ryon for its choicest cedar —
yes, [Le]banon for its timber,
Siryon for its choicest cedar.
Fire was set in the house,
flame in the palace.
Look: a day and a second, the fire
ate into the house, the flame
into the palace; a third and a fourth day,
the [fi]re ate into the house,
the flame into the palace;
a fifth and a sixth day, the fire ate
[into] the house, the flame
with[in] the [pa]lace. Then look:
on the seventh d[ay,] the fire withdrew
from the house, the fla[m]e from the palace —
the silver had turned to sheets, the gold
was turned to bricks! Mightiest
Baal rejoiced: 'My house I have built
of silver; my palace
of gold!' The furnishings of [his] house [Ba]al
made ready; Haddu made ready the [furni]shings
of his palace. He slaughtered great oxen [and]
sheep too; he felled bulls [and]
fatling rams, calves a
year old, lambs — a throng of k[i]ds.
He summoned his brothers into his house, his kin
into the midst of his palace; he summoned
the seventy sons of Athirat.
He supplied the gods with rams — and wine;
he supplied the goddesses with ewes — [and wine;]
he supplied the gods with oxen — and wi[ne;]
he supplied the goddesses with cows — [and wine;]
he supplied the gods with seats — and wine;
he supplied the goddesses with thrones;
he supplied the gods with jars of wine;
he supplied the goddesses with pitchers.
Until the gods had eaten and drunk,
and were supplied with a suckling breast-cut,
with a salted knife, a sli[ce] [of fat]-
ling. They drank [wi]ne from flag[ons] —
[from] a cup of gold, the bl[ood] [of vines.]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .]
[. . .] lapis lazu[li] [. . .]
[. . .] Mightiest Baal —
. . . [into] the midst of the Beloved of El,
Yam; [. . . down] upon the crown of his skull —
the god [Haddu(?)] on the far height, in the mountain,
as . . . the gods on Sapan.
He passed from [ci]ty to city;
he turned from to[wn] to town.
Sixty-six cities he seized,
seventy-seven towns —
eighty, Baal str[uck;]
ninety, Baal drove ou[t.]
Then Baal [ent]ered the house — Baal, into the midst of
the house — and Mightiest Baal
spoke: 'I will install it, Kothar, this very(?)
day — Kothar, this very hour:
let a window be opened in the house,
a casement within the pala-
ce; yes, let a rift be [o]pened in the clouds,
according to the word of Kothar-and-Hasis!'
Kothar-and-Hasis laughed;
he lifted his voice and cried:
'Did I not tell you, O Migh-
tiest Baal? You would come back, Baal,
to my word.' He opened a win-
dow in the house, a casement
within the palace. Baal opened
a rift in the clouds.
His holy voice Baal gave forth;
Baal repeated the is[sue] of his lips —
his ho[ly] voice — and the earth quaked;
the issue of his [li]ps, and the mountains shook(?).
The ancient . . . [. . .] —
the high places of the ear[th]
tottered. The enemies of Baal seized
the forests; the haters of Haddu, the flanks of
the mountain. And Mightiest Baal
spoke: 'Enemies of Haddu, why do you tremble?
Why tremble at the weapon(?) of the Defender?'
The eye of Baal went ahead of his hand,
when the cedar-shaft swung in his right hand.
So Baal took his seat in his house:
'King am I — or no king? —
over the earth is my dominion established!
I will send no tribute-runner to the son of
the gods, Mot — no herald to the Beloved
of El, the Hero. Let Mot call
in his throat(?); let the Beloved brood
in his inmost self(?): I alone am he who is ki-
ng over the gods — who truly fattens
gods and men, who sat-
[isf]ies the multitudes of the earth!' Aloud to his l-
[ad]s Baal indeed cried: 'Look,
[Gapn]-and-Ugar, sons of gloom —
[the day's kins]men(?), sons of darkness, lof-
[ty,] [first in ra]nk, wings of reckoning(?) —
[scorching] [are the bonds] in the clouds
[. . .] beneath
[. . .] . . .
[. . .] . . .
'Then indeed set your faces
toward Mount Targhuzizza,
toward Mount Tharumagi,
toward the twin mounds that bar the underworld.
Lift the mountain onto your two hands,
the wooded hill onto your two palms,
and go down into the house of "freedom" —
into the underworld. Be counted among
those who go down into the earth.
Then indeed set
your faces toward his city,
the Miry Place: a pit is the throne
where he sits; filth, the land of
his heritage. But be on guard,
attendants of the gods: do not
draw near the son of the gods,
Mot, lest he make you ready
like a lamb in his mouth —
lest, like a kid in the crushing of
his gullet, the two of you be carried off.
The Lamp of the gods, Shapshu,
glowing hot, the heavens
hanging faint in the hand of the Belov-
ed of the gods — of Mot. Across a thou-
sand fields, ten thousand ac-
res, at the feet of Mot
bow and fall;
prostrate yourselves and ho-
nor him. And say
to the son of the gods, Mot;
repeat to the Beloved of
El, the Hero: "Message of
Mightiest Baal,
[wor]d of the Mightiest of War-
[riors:] My house I have built —
[of silver;] [I have raised]
[my palace] [of gold!] . . .
[. . .] my brothers(?) —
[. . .] my brothers(?) —
[. . .] my [hou]se —
[. . .] [in the mi]dst —
[. . .] I summoned(?) —
[. . .] Mot —
[. . .] [the s]on of the gods —
[. . .] [he fa]ttens(?) . . . the hand(?) —
[. . .] [the He]ro —
[. . .] [Gapn]-and-Ugar —
[. . .] . . .
[Written by] [Ilimilku] [the of]ficiant(?) of Niqmaddu, king of Ugarit.
'When you struck down Litan, the fleeing serpent —
when you finished off the twisting serpent,
the tyrant of seven heads —
the heavens will wither and go slack like the folds
of your robe: I myself will devour you in fistfuls(?) —
gobbets(?), forearms and all(?). Down you will surely go
into the throat of the son of the gods, Mot — into the go-
rge of the Beloved of El, the Hero.'
The gods departed; they did not sit down. Then
indeed they set their faces toward Baal
on the heights of Sapan. And Ga-
pn-and-Ugar spoke: 'Message of the son of the gods,
Mot — word of the Beloved of the son of El,
the Hero: My appetite is the appetite of the lion
of the wasteland — or the craving of the whale(?)
in the sea; or it goes to the pool, hunting
wild oxen — to the spring, after the herds(?) of deer.
Or truly, truly my appetite devours
in heaps; truly I eat in double
handfuls — yes, seven
portions are mine on the platter, and my cup mixes
a whole river! Invite me, Baal, with
my brothers; summon me, Haddu, with my kin —
to eat food with my brothers,
and to drink wine with [my] brothe[rs.]
Have you forgotten, Baal, that I can surely [pie]rce you
. . . [. . .] . . . — that when you struck down
[Litan,] [the] [fle]eing [serpent,] finished off
[the twisting] [serpent,] the tyrant
[of seven] [hea]ds, the heavens withered
[and went slack] [like the folds] [of] your [robe?]'
[. . .] . . .
'[A lip] [to] [the ea]rth, a lip to the heavens —
[he stretches] a tongue to the stars! Baal must enter
his belly — go down into his mouth,
scorched as the olive is scorched, as the produce of the earth, as the fruit of
the trees.' Mightiest Baal feared him;
the Rider of the Clouds dreaded him.
'Depart! Say to the son of the gods, Mot;
repeat to the Beloved of El, the Hero:
Message of Mightiest Baal, word of the Mightiest of
Warriors: Hail, O son of the gods, Mot!
Your slave am I — yours forever.'
The gods departed; they did not sit down. Then
indeed they set their faces toward the son of the gods, Mot,
toward his city, the Miry Place: a pit, the throne
where he sits; filth, the land of his heritage. They lifted
their voices and cried: 'Message of Mightiest
Baal, word of the Mightiest of Warriors:
Hail, O son of the gods, Mot! Your slave am I,
yours forever.' The son of the gods, Mot, rejoiced;
[he lifted] his voice and cried: 'How shall he invite me —
[Baal] [. . .] shall he honor me(?) — Haddu
[. . .] my war(?) —
[. . .] . . . cut off(?) —
[. . .] my joy(?) —
[. . .] depart . . .
[. . .] . . .
[. . .] . . . [. . .]
the [br]oad seat . . . [. . .]
the great seat . . . [. . .]
. . . the earth . . . [. . .]
she made ready(?), finished(?) [. . .]
it shall belong to the son of . . . [. . .]
which is for the son of . . . [. . .]
. . . like the star[s . . .]
'For Mot I cry ou[t . . .]
the Beloved, in the mid[st of . . .]
let me not be set in . . . [. . .]
I will overturn you to(?) . . . [. . .]
there(?) — and go . . . [. . .]
and go, O gods [. . .]
the favor of the gods [. . .]
an abundance(?) — plen[ty(?) . . .]
an abundance(?) — plent[y(?) . . .]
For Mot I cry [out . . .]
the Beloved, in the midst of [. . .]
and go, O gods [. . .]
and say to the s[on of . . .]
with plenty of floc[ks . . .]
plenty of flocks and [. . .]
a great abundance(?) [. . .]
For Mot I cr[y out . . .]
the Beloved, in the mi[dst of . . .]
there — and go [. . .]
. . . go [. . .]
. . . E[l(?) . . .]
like [. . .]
[...]
. . . your field [. . .]
and to the request(?) [. . .]
a hundred . . . the womb(?) [. . .]
you shall claim the ear[th(?) . . .]
He lifted his voice [and] [cried:]
'Where then is Ba[al . . .?]
Where is Haddu, who [. . .?]'
Let Ba[al] appear(?) [. . .]
on the eighth . . . [. . .]
let him draw near . . . [. . .]
the food of [my] hun[t(?) . . .]
— until [the gods] had eaten [and drunk,]
and were supplied with a suck[ling] [breast-cut;]
with a salted [knife,] [a slice] [of fatling.]
They drank [wine] from fla[gons] —
from a cup of go[ld,] [the blood] [of vines;]
a cup of silver [they filled,]
a flagon [. . .]
and they poured again [. . .]
new wine went up(?) [. . .]
the house of El . . . [. . .]
upon the girding(?) of [. . .]
Who will be sent to(?) [. . .]
Send . . . [. . .]
they incite(?) [. . .]
the scorner(?) . . . [. . .]
[. . .] Mightiest
[Baal] [. . .] the robe of your yoke(?) —
[. . .] your right hand — the chains(?) —
[. . .] the life of a calf —
[. . . my(?)] [so]n: I will set him in the cavern of
the gods of the underworld. And you — take
your clouds, your wind, your team(?),
your rains; with you, your seven
lads, your eight boar-warriors(?);
with you, Pidray, Daughter of Light;
with you, Tallay, Daughter of Rain. Then
set your face toward Mount
Kankaniya: lift the mountain onto your two hands,
the wooded hill onto your two palms, and go down
into the house of "freedom" — the underworld. Be counted among those
who go down into the earth, and the gods will know
that you have died.' Mightiest Baal obeyed.
He loved a heifer in the pasture-land — a cow
in the fields of the Realm-of-Death's-Shore(?). He lay
with her seventy-seven times;
she let him mou[nt] eighty-eight times;
and she [conce]ived(?) and bore him a boy(?).
. . . [Ba]al clothed him
with [his] ro[be(?) . . .] his . . . as a gift(?) —
[his] righ[t hand(?) . . .] . . . to his breast —
. . . [. . .]
[They came to] [the mound] [of El] and entered
[the dwelling] [of the King,] [the Father] of Years.
[They lifted] [their voices] [and cri]ed: 'We circled
[to] the [ed]ges(?) of the ea[rth,] to the limits of
the watery deep; we came
to the pleasant place, the pasture-land —
to the lovely fields of the Realm-of-Death's-Shore.
We came upon Baal, fallen to the ear-
th: dead is Mightiest Baal!
Perished is the Prince, lord of the earth!'
Then the Kindly One, El
the Compassionate, came down from his throne — he sat
on the footstool; and from the footstool he sat
on the ground. He poured the ash(?) of
mourning on his head, the dust of grovelling
on his skull; for clothing he covered himself
with a girded loincloth. His skin with a stone
he scored — with a flint(?) double-blade(?); in the woods(?)
he cut cheeks and chin;
he furrowed the length(?) of his arm; he plowed
his chest like a garden — like a valley he furrowed
his back. He lifted his voice and cried:
'Baal is dead! What of the people of the son of
Dagan? What of the multitudes? After
Baal I would go down into the earth.' Anat too
went walking and hunting — every mountain
to the heart of the earth, every hill
to the [he]art of the fields. She came to the pleasant place,
[the earth's] pasture-land — to the lovely fields
[of the Realm-of-Death's]-Shore; she ca[me] upon Baal, fal[len]
[to] [the ea]rth. [For clothing] she covered herself with a gir[ded loincloth.]
'. . . to Baal.'
Her skin with a stone she scored — with a flint(?) double-blade(?); [in the woods(?)]
she cut cheeks and chin; she fu[rrow]ed
the length(?) of her arm; she plowed her chest like a garden —
like a valley she furrowed her back:
'Baal is dead! What of the people of the son of Dagan?
What of the multitudes? After Baal let us go down
into the earth.' With her went down the Lamp of
the gods, Shapshu. When she was sated with weep-
ing — drinking tears like wine — aloud
she cried to the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu:
'Load Mightiest Baal, pray, upon me.'
The Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, obeyed:
she lifted Mightiest Baal onto the shoulders of
Anat — she set him there indeed — and carried him up
into the crags of Sapan. She wept for him
and buried him; she laid him in the cavern of
the gods of the underworld. She slaughtered seventy
wild oxen as a funeral offering(?) for Mightiest
Baal; she slaughtered seventy great oxen
[as] a funeral offering for Mightiest Baal;
[she slau]ghtered seventy sheep
[as] a [fun]eral offering for Mightiest Baal;
[she slau]ghtered seventy deer
[as] [a funeral offering] for Mightiest Baal;
[she slaughtered] [se]venty mountain-goats
[as] [a funeral offering] for [Migh]tiest Baal;
[she slaughtered] [seventy] [ro]ebucks
[as] [a funeral off]ering for Mightiest Baal.
[In] her [cl]an(?) she set(?) her . . . — An[at,]
[the] hero's(?) [ves]sel(?), sister-in-law of the gods.
[The]n indeed she set her face toward
[E]l at the springs of the two rivers, amid
the channels of the two deeps. She came to the mound of
El and entered the dwelling of
the King, the Father of Years. At the feet of
El she bowed and fell,
prostrated herself and honored him.
She lifted her voice and cried: 'Now let Athirat
rejoice, and her sons — the goddess and the band of
her kin! For dead is Mightiest
Baal; perished is the Prince, lord of
the earth!' Aloud El cried
to Lady Athirat of the Sea: 'Hear,
O Lady Athira[t] of the Sea: give
one of your sons and I will make him king.'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'Shall we not make king one who knows — who understands?'
And the Kindly One, El the Compassion-
ate, answered: 'One frail of frame cannot race
with Baal — cannot handle the lance
with the son of Dagan — when they clash(?).'
And Lady Athirat of the Sea answered:
'Then let us make king Athtar the Terrible!
Let Athtar the Terrible be king!'
Thereupon Athtar the Terrible
went up into the crags of Sapan;
he sat on the seat of Mightiest
Baal. His feet did not reach
the footstool; his head did not reach
its top. And Athtar the Terrible spoke:
'I cannot be king in the crags of Sapan.'
Athtar the Terrible came down — came down
from the seat of Mightiest Baal,
and became king over the earth, god of the whole of it —
[. . .] they drew(?) in barrels(?),
[. . .] [they] drew(?) in casks(?).
. . . [. . .]
and . . . [. . .]
When she [was broken(?) . . .]
when she fell(?) . . . [A day,] [two days]
passed by, and the wo[mb-kind one,] [Anat,]
sought him — like the heart of a co[w]
for her calf, like the heart of a ewe
for her lamb: so the heart of An[at]
for Baal. She seized Mot
by the hem of his garment; she gripped [him]
by the edge of his cloak. She lifted her voice and [cri]-
ed: 'You, Mot! — give up my brother!'
And the son of the gods, Mot, answered: 'What
do you ask of me, O Virgin Anat?
I myself went walking and hunting — every
mountain to the heart of the earth, every hill
to the heart of the fields. My appetite lacked
the children of men — my appetite, the multitudes of
the earth. I came to the pleasant place, the earth's
pasture-land — the lovely fields of the Realm-of-Death's-Shore.
I myself came upon Mightiest Baal:
I made him ready like a lamb in my mouth;
like a kid in the crushing of my gullet he was carried off.
The Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, glowing hot,
the heavens hanging faint in the hand of the son of the gods, Mot.'
A day, two days passed — the days
turned to months. The womb-kind one, Anat, sought him —
like the heart of a cow for her calf, like the heart of
a ewe for her lamb: so the heart of
Anat for Baal. She seized
the son of the gods, Mot: with a sword
she split him; with a sieve she winnowed
him; with fire she burned him;
with millstones she ground him; in a field
she sowed him. His flesh, indeed, the birds
ate; his limbs, indeed, the spar-
rows consumed — flesh crying out to flesh.
'For perished is the Pri[nce,] [lord] [of the earth] —
but if Mi[ghtiest] [Baal] lives,
and if the Prince, lord [of the earth,] exists —
in a dream of the Kindly One, El the Compassionate,
in a vision of the Creator of Creatures,
let the heavens rain down oil,
the wadis run with honey:
then I will know that Mightiest Baal lives —
that the Prince, lord of the earth, exists.'
In a dream of the Kindly One, El the Compassionate,
in a vision of the Creator of Creatures,
the heavens rained down oil,
the wadis ran with honey.
The Kindly One, El the Compassionate, rejoiced:
his feet he set on the footstool;
he parted his jaws(?) and laughed.
He lifted his voice and cried:
'I will sit, and I will rest,
and my soul will rest within my breast —
for Mightiest Baal lives!
For the Prince, lord of the earth, exists!'
Aloud El cried to the Virgin
Anat: 'Hear, O Virgin Anat:
say to the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu:
'Parched are the furrows of the fields, O Shapshu —
parched are the furrows of the fields; may El restore them(?)!
Baal has neglected the furrows of the plowland.
Where is Mightiest Baal?
Where is the Prince, lord of the earth?'
The Virgin Anat set out.
Then indeed she set her face
toward the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu.
She lifted her voice and cried:
'Message of Bull El your father,
word of the Kindly One your begetter:
Parched are the furrows of the fields, O Shapshu —
parched are the furrows of the fields; may E[l] restore them(?)!
Baal has neglected the furrows of his plowland.
Where is Mightiest Baal?
Where is the Prince, lord of the earth?'
And the Lamp of the gods, Shapshu, answered:
'Pour sparkling wine from its goblet(?);
let the kinsfolk(?) bring a wreath(?) —
and I will seek Mightiest Baal.'
And the Virgin Anat answered:
'Wherever you go, O Shapshu —
wherever you go, may El gua[rd] [you;]
may they guard you in pea[ce . . .]'
. . . [. . .]
the circuit(?) [. . .]
. . . [. . .]
. . . [. . .]
[...]
Baal seized the sons of Athirat:
the great ones he struck with a blade(?) —
the wave-like ones(?) he struck with a mace —
the small ones he dragged to the ground.
Then Baal [took his seat] on the throne of his kingship,
on the [res]ting place, the seat of his dominion.
The [d]ays turned to months, the months
to years — unti[l,] in the seventh
year, the son of the gods, Mot, returned
to Mightiest Baal. He lifted
his voice and cried: 'Because of you, Baal,
I have seen humiliation. Because of you I have seen
winnowing with the sword; because of you
I have seen burning with fire;
because of you [I have seen] [grin]ding with mill-
stones; be[cause of you] I have seen [win]nowing with the sieve;
because of you I have seen collapse(?)
in the fields; because of you I have seen
sowing in the sea. Give one
of your brothers, that I may devour him — and the fury
I bear will turn back. If
you do not give one of your brothers —
then look: I will make an end(?) . . .
. . . I will devour the [children of men;]
I will devour the multitu[des of the earth!]'
And one(?) fell . . . [. . .]
. . . [. . .]
. . . [. . .]
. . . [. . .]
[...]
[. . .] he [dr]ove him out;
[. . .] he [ex]pelled him;
[. . . like] [a bi]rd from
[his lordship(?).] [He gave(?)] his [broth]er(?) —
[. . .] Mot —
[. . .] the Annihilator of Peoples —
[. . .] the son of the gods, Mot —
[. . .] his seven lads.
[And] the son of the gods, Mot, spoke:
'Look — it was my own brothers Baal gave
for my eating, the sons of my own mother
for my consuming!' He returned to Baal on the crags of
Sapan; he lifted(?) his voice and cried:
'My own brothers, Baal, you gave
for my eating — the sons of my own mother
for my consuming!' They eyed each other like fighters(?) —
Mot was strong; Baal was strong. They gored
like wild oxen — Mot was strong; Baal
was strong. They bit like serpents —
Mot was strong; Baal was strong. They dragged(?)
like racers(?) — Mot fell;
Baal fell — on top of him. Shapshu
cried out to Mot: 'Hear, pray,
O son of the gods, Mot: how can you do bat-
tle with Mightiest Baal?
How, then, would Bull El your father hear you?
Surely he will pull up the support of
your seat — surely he will overturn the throne of your kingship,
surely he will break the scepter of your rule!'
The son of the gods, Mot, was afraid; terrified was the Be-
loved of El, the Hero. Mot started(?)
at her voice. He lift[ed] [his voice] [and cried:]
'Let Baal be enthroned [on] [the throne of]
his kingship, on the re[sting place,] [the seat of]
his dominion!' [. . .]
[. . .] the domi[nion(?) . . .]
for ever and e[ver(?).] Look, [. . .]
[. . .] years(?) [. . .]
[. . .] [El] the Compassionate —
[. . .] the goblet(?)(?) —
[. . .] without weariness(?) —
[. . .] you shall surely go —
you shall surely eat the bread of offering(?) — fresh [me]at(?);
you shall surely drink the wine of oblation,
the wine of homage. Shapshu —
the shades(?) are under you;
Shapshu — the divine dead are under you;
the gods are your company — look, the dead
are your company. Kothar is your comrade,
and Hasis your familiar:
in the sea are Arsh and the dragon —
let Kothar-and-Hasis drive them off(?);
let Kothar-and-Hasis cast them out(?)!
Written by Ilimilku the Shubanite,
student of Attanu the Diviner, chief of
the priests, chief of the shepherds,
officiant(?) of Niqmaddu, king of Ugarit,
lord of Yargub, master of Tharuman.