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The Aqhat Text Translation by Dr. H.H.P.

Dressler

Then Dnil, the Rp Man, Then, behold, the Hero, the Harnamites Man. Girded the god ate (the mighty one), Girded the son of Qds drank; With his robe he went up and he lay down, With his garment he (also) spent the night.

Behold, the (first) day and the second Girded the god Dnil, Girded the god ate, Girded he drank, the son of Qds; The Third, the forth day Girded the god Dnil, Girded the god ate Girded he drank, the son of Qds; The fifth, the sixth day Girded the god Dnil, Girded the god ate, Girded he drank, the son of Qds; With his robe, Dnil, With his robe he went up and lay down, With his garment he also spent the night.

Lo! On the seventh day Baal, indeed, approached in his compassion For the destitution of Dnil, the Rps Man, For the mourning of the Hero, the Harnamites Man, Who had no son like his brother(s), And no offspring like his friends: Because he does not have a son like his brothers, And an offspring like his friends, Girded the god ate, Girded he drank, the son of Qds.

Then there will be his son in (his) house, (His) offspring in (the midst of) his mansion: Erecting the stela of his ancestral spirit, In the shrine the emblem of his tribe; Causing his incense to go forth from/on the earth, The lament(s) for him / of his shrine from / on the ground.

Hitting the jaws of his scorners, Driving away those who wrong him; Gripping his hand in drunkenness, Carrying him when he is full of wine; Giving (him) his slices ( of meat ) in the temple of Baal, And his portions in the gods temple; Plastering his roof when ( there is ) mud, Washing his garment(s) when (there is ) dirt.

El grasped a cup with his hand; He blessed Dnil, the Rp-Man,

He favored the Hero, the Harnamites Man: Desire will be renewed, (O) Dnil, Rp-Man, Energy-(O) Hero, the Harnamites Man!

As he departed he passionately desired intercourse. He mounted her bed and embraced (her). In the kissing of his wife he burnt, In his caresses she burnt and conceived. Pregnant is the Ardour of Dnil, the Rp-Man. At the coming of El he rejoiced (lit. the face rejoiced), And above, (his) forehead shone, He opened his mouth (lit. he parted (his) barrier and laughed. (His) feet he placed on a footstool, He lifted up his voice and shouted: I myself can sit down and rest indeed, And my breath shall rest in my breast; For a son will be born to me like my brothers, And an offspring like my friends.

Dnil had arrived at his house, Dnil had reached his mansion: The Ktrt had entered into his house, The daughters of Hll, the Providers. Then, behold the Hero, the Harnamites Man, Had slaughtered an ox for the Ktrt, He had fed the Ktrt and had given them drink, The daughters of Hll, the Providers.

Behold, a day and a second one He had fed the Ktrt and had given them drink, The daughters of Hll, the Providers. A third, a fourth day He fed the Ktrt and have given them drink, The daughters of Hll, the Providers. A fifth, a sixth day He had fed the Ktrt and had given them drink, The daughters of Hll, the Providers.

But on the seventh day The Ktrt had departed from his house, The daughters of Hll, the providers, Having released the delightful bed of embraces, The beautiful bed of penetrations. Dnil sat down to count her months: A month arrived and a second one, They went away, the third and fourth month; Months arrived, the fifth and sixth, They went away, the seventh and the eight month, Months arrived, the ninth and the tenth month

I myself shall carry the bow, As a gift I shall bring the arc. And behold, he was retained (lit. captured) for days. Then Dnil, the Rp-Man,

Then, behold, the Hero, the Harnamites Man, Arose (and) sat down in front of the gate Among the notables who were (assembled) on the threshing floor. They judged the case of the widow, They tried the lawsuit of the orphan.

When he lifted up his eyes, he saw: From a thousand fields, ten thousand acres, The coming of Ktrt he indeed perceived, (And) he perceived the approach of Hss. Behold, He carried the bow, Behold, he brought the arc.

Then Dnil, the Rp-Man, Then the Hero, the Harnamites Man, Loudly to his wife he shouted indeed: Listen, oh lady Dnty: Prepare a lamb from the flock For the appetite of the Ktr-w-Hss For the hunger of Hyn, the Artisan! Give to eat, give to drink to the god, Regale (him), do him honours, The lord of all the magnificent Hkpt!

The lady Dnty obeyed. She prepared a lamb from the flock For the appetite of Ktr-w-Hss, For the hunger of Hyn, the Artisan. When Ktr-w-Hss arrived, He presented to the hand of Dnil the bow. He left the arc on his knees.

When the lady Dnty Had given to eat, to drink to the god, He regaled (him), had done him the honors, To the lord of all the magnificent Hkpt, (Then) Ktr departed for his tent, Hyn departed for his tabernacles.

Then Dnil, the Rp-Man, Then the Hero, the Harnamites Man, He gathered up the bow from (his) knees, He called out to Aqhat: The firstling of your hunting, o my son, The firstling of your hunting, behold, you must sacrifice! A (game-) banquet in your house you must prepare

The gods ate, they drank, And they were supplied with sucklings, With a salted knife they cut up a fatling. They drank chalices of wine, From a golden goblet the vintage. chalice(s) From the clouds -

the sea(?) They/she drank again must - wine, (cultivated?) -

From (her) wrap? ? ? When she lifted up her eyes, (then) she saw ? - (from his string)? (like lightning)? ? ? ?

(She desired/The curve of )? The bow, (the product of)? ? (Its shape/stave)? Was like a serpent, (Precious/it coiled up)? On the earth she broke his cup [On the ground his vessel]; She lifted up her voice and cried: Listen now, o Aqhat, Hero! Ask for silver and I shall give (it) to you; Gold and I shall grant (it) to you; But give your bow to me, Verily give your arc to Ybmt Limm!

But the Hero Aqhat replied: Magnificent are the ash-trees in the Lebanon, Magnificent are the sinews on the wild oxen, Magnificent are the horns on the mountain goats, The tendons on the hocks of a bull. Magnificent in the vast reed-beds are the canes! Give (them) to Ktr-w-Hss, He will make a bow for her, An arc for Ybmt Limm!

And the Virgin Anat replied: Ask for life, oh Hero Aqhat! Ask for life and I will give (it) to you, For immortality and I will grant (it) to you, I shall make you count the years with Baal, With the deity you shall count the months.

But the Hero Aqhat replied: Do not lie, o Virgin, For to a hero your lies are despicable! A mortal, ultimately, what does he receive? What does he receive, a mortal, afterwards? A (glass) bowl of fluid clay will be poured on (my) head, Oil over my scalp! Because the death of all I shall die,

Because I myself, as a mortal (or, surely), shall die. Also something else I shall tell you: Bow(s) they are for warriors Ha! Shall damsels go hunting?

Then Anat laughed aloud, But in (her) heart she planned a plan: Pay attention to me, oh Hero Aqhat, Pay attention to me for you, indeed, are like the Rp-men! I will not meet you on the path of transgression, I shall not approach you in the path of arrogance, I shall forgive you (lit. let it fall of you) rather than destroy you, Oh (you) charming one, (you) sapient one of men!

She moved (her) feet quickly and the ground rocked. Then, verily, she turned (lit. ; gave her face) Toward El, (toward) the confluence of the (two) rivers, (Towards) the midst of the channels of the deeps. She entered the pavilion of El, She went into the abode of the King, The most glorious Father. At the feet of El she embraced (them) and fell down, She bent down and honored him.

She slandered the Hero Aqhat, She railed against the child of Dnil, the Rp-Man. Then the Virgin Anat answered, She lifted up her voice and cried: Him / A word ? Aqhat ? ? And the Virgin Anat replied: -- Oh El - - Do not rejoice - If/behold With the strength of my long arm I will overpower you;

Behold, your scalp, I shall make to run with blood, The grey hairs of your beard with gore. Then you can beg Aqhat that he may set you free, The son of Dnil, that he may rescue you From the hand of the Virgin anat! But Ltpn, the spirited god, replied: I know you, o arrogant daughter, to your house! You must grasp what is in your liver, You must put down what is in your breast! He will certainly be destroyed who hinders you! The Virgin Anat departed. Then, verily, she turned (lit. gave (her) face) To the Hero Aqhat From a thousand fields, ten thousand acres.

And the Virgin Anat laughed, She lifted up her voice and cried: Listen, please, o Hero Aqhat! Come, o brother, and I myself will ? Your meat will satisfy (me?) ? My fruit The lady am I ? ? One half For you, she will go on a hunt ? I will teach (you) the bow (?), o Hero Aqhat, I shall instruct you (in) the hunt ? ? (to?) the city Ablm, Ablm, the city of his Highness Yrh,, Because great is his city, ? His city. ? ? ? ? ? ? He will break ? ? (gory bites?) ? ? The virgin Anat For all ? The Virgin Anat departed, She turned to Ytpn, the Drunken Officer. She lifted up her voice and cried: May Ytpn pay attention and listen! Aqhat is in the city of Ablm, Ablm, the city of his Highness Jrh. Indeed, he shall not renew (himself) The waning moon (lit. in his left horn); (before, When) he waxes (lit. arrives at his right horn`), we must cut off his scalp with a knife. And Ytpn, the drunken Officer, replied: listen, oh Virgin Anat! You (yourself) shall slay him (for) his bow, (For) his arc you shall certainly finish him off. In the presence of the charming one, the Hero, Place a bull and a falling. I will remain in the tent And I will prune the little boy! But the Virgin Anat replied: :Pay attention, Ytpn, and (this is) my word to you: I will place you like a vulture in my wrap, Like a hawk in my pouch. When Aqhat sits down to a meal, (And) the son of Dnil to a feast, Vultures will hover above him, A flock of hawks will watch (him). Among the vultures I shall hover.

I myself shall leave you beside Aqhat. Hit him twice (over) the scalp, Thrice over (his) ear. Pour out (his) blood like a (water) scooper, Like the wind his breath shall escape, Like a puff his energy, Like a vapour from his nose! From the fury (lit. anger) of his destruction I myself shall not revive (him)! She took Ytpn, the Drunken Officer, She placed him like a vulture in her wrap, Like a hawk in her pouch. When Aqhat sat down to a meal, The son of Dnil to a feast, Vultures hovered above him, A flock of hawks watched him. Among the vultures Anat hovered. Beside Aqhat she left him. He hit him twice (over) his scalp, Thrice over (his) ear. He poured out his blood like a scooper, Like a slaughterer (down) to his knees. Like the wind his breath escaped, Like a puff his energy, Like a vapour from his nose. The Virgin Anat, When her officer destroyed the Hero, When he overpowered Aqhat, Then wept over the son of Dnil: Your arrogance I myself considered When for your bow I slew you, For your arc! You did not give your bow, (Nor) to me your arc! And the (two) flyers disappeared with his bow. (Pertaining to the epic) of Aqht (And they approached/offered?) ? ? (into the waters?) (She railed/fell?) ? ? ? ? The bow ? ? ? ? ? The Virgin Anat (She sat down/turned?) ? ? ? His hands collected a band, The fingers broke the lyre; Like oil was the bowl of his mouth, His teeth gripped and he ate. From there the mighty dogs craved greedily And the two strong ones desiredHis attackers caused Aqhat (or, they attacked him, the Prince Aqhat). He replied extremely excitedly; :Be ashamed like Els snake in the enclosure! O dogs, I slew him for his transgression When for his bow I slew him, For his arc I did not let him live. Moreover, his bow he did not give to me,

And in (his) death enemies robbed/stripped him. (Now) the fruit of the summer will fail, The ear in its husk! Then Dnil, the Rp-Man,, Then, behold, the Hero, the Harnamites Man, Arose (and) sat down in front of the gate Among the notables who were (assembled) on the threshing floor. They judged the case of the widows, They tried the lawsuit of the orphan. Then Dnil lifted up his eyes, then he saw: From a thousand fields, ten thousand acres, The coming of a flock of hawks. When she lifted up her eyes, then Pgt saw Them on the threshing floor. The fruit of the summer will dry up, The fruit of the vineyard will wilt, wither. Over the house of her father Vultures hovered, A flock of hawks watched. Pgt wept in the heart (lit.), She shed tears in the liver (lit.). Dnil, the Rp-Man, tore (his) vestment, The Hero, the Harnamites Man, (his) robe. When Dnil, the Rp-Man, Prayed for clouds in the heat, For the vigor of rain: May the clouds rain in the summer, May the dew fall on the fruit!:, (Then) for seven years Baal failed, For eight the Rider of the Clouds: Without dew, without rain, Without the up-reaching of the deeps, Without the delightful voice of Baal. When Dnil, the Rp-Man, had torn (his) vestment, The Hero, The Harnamites Man, (his) robe, He loudly called to his daughter: Listen, Pgt, Water-carrier, Dew-collector for the barley, Weather-Expert (lit. who knows the course of the stars), Bridle the ass, Saddle the stallion! Put my bridle-gear of silver on, My saddle of gold! Pgt, the Water-carrier, The Dew-Collector for the Barley, The Weather-Expert obeyed, So she bridled the ass, So she saddled the stallion; So she helped her father up, She placed him on the back of the ass, On the decorated back of the stallion.

He approached it, he rode around his dried-up field, A shoot he saw among the plants. The shoot he gathered up and kissed (it): I shall free/calm/adorn the shoot myself! May the shoot grow in the dried-up field, May it grow among the thirsty plants! May the hand of the Hero Aqhat harvest you, May it put you into the midst of the barn! He approached it, rode around his scorched field. He saw an ear (of corn) on the scorched field, An ear (of corn) he saw among the withered grain. He gathered up the ear and kissed (it): I shall calm the ear (of corn) myself! May the ear grow in the scorched firld, May it grow among the thirsty withered grain! May the hand of the Hero Aqhat harvest you, May it put you into the middle of the barn! (As soon as) the utterance had gone from his mouth, From his lips his words, When she lifted up her eyes, then she saw: It was not. Who came, (But) a young man came forth from a mandrake, He verily continued to come forth: He was struck twice on (his) scalp, Three times on his ears. Then the temples of his head were bandaged, On (his) temple was a bandage ?.(his) skull was beaten; And verily his blood poured forth Like quarter-shekels. (They) She moved forward, (they) she cried: (It is) by the hand of Spn if (there is) power, (It is) by the hand of Spn if (there is) victory! He confirmed (?) (the death ? ) (?) : I will bring you a message, o Dnil (?) The head (was crushed ? By ? ) The Virgin Anat caused His breath to depart like the wind, Like a puff (his) energy, Like a vapour from his nose! She arrived, lifted up her voice and cried: Listen, o Dnil, the Rp-Man, Dead is the Hero Aqhat. The Virgin Anat has caused His breath to escape like the wind, his energy like a puff, Like a vapour from his nose. (lit. With them) their feet shook, Above their faces perspired, Behind, (their) tendons broke, The joints of their sinews tottered, Weakened were those of their backs. They lifted up their voices and cried: ?.. ?.. ?..

? When he lifted up his eyes, then he saw, He recognized the vultures, the flocks of hawks. He lifted up his voice and cried: May Baal break the wings of the vultures, May Baal break the pinions of them! May they fall down at my feet! I shall rip open their (lit. livers) insides and I shall look: If there are the remains, If there are the bones, (Then) I shall lament and bury him, I shall place (him) in the magnificent tomb into the earth! (As soon as) the utterance had gone from (his) mouth, From his lips his words, Baal broke the wings of the vultures, Baal broke their pinions. They fell down at his feet. He ripped open their insides (lit. livers) and looked: There were no remains, there were no bones. He lifted up his voice and cried: May Baal rebuild the wings of the vultures, May he rebuild their pinions! Vultures, escape and fly away! When he lifted up his eyes, then he saw, He recognized Hrgb, the Father of vultures. He lifted up his voice and cried: May Baal break the wings of Hrgb, May Baal break his pinions! And he shall fall down at my feet! I shall rip open his insides (his liver, lit) and look: If there are remains, If there are bones, I shall lament and bury hism, I shall place (him) in the magnificent tomb into the earth. (As soon as) (his) utterance had gone from his mouth, From his lips his words, (Then) Baal broke the wings of Hrgb, Baal broke his pinions, And he fell down at his feet. He ripped open his insides (lit. his liver) and looked: There were no remains, there were no bones. He lifted up his voice and cried: May Baal rebuild the wings of Hrgb, May Baal rebuild his pinions! Hrgb, may he escape and fly away! When he lifted up his eyes, then he saw, He recognized Sml, the Mother of vultures. He lifted up his voice and cried: May Baal break the wings of Sml, May Baal break her pinions! She shall fall down at my feet! I shall rip open her insides (lit. liver) and look: If there are remains, If there are bones, I shall lament and bury him, I shall place him in the magnificent tomb into the earth.

(As soon as his) utterance had gone from his mouth, From his lips his words, (Then) Baal broke the wings of Sml, Baal broke her pinions, She fell down at his feet. He ripped open her insides (lit. liver) and looked: There were remains, there were bones! And he took a jar for Aqhat, He emptied the female vulture, He lamented and buried his son, He buried him with the howling of his lament. Then he lifted up his voice and cried: May Baal break the wings of the vultures, May Baal break their pinions, If they fly over the tomb of my son, (If) they disturb him in his departure! Qr-Mym, against you, he reviled, Woe against you, oh Qr-Mym, For in your vicinity the Hero Aqhat was slain! Be always a stranger in the sanctuary! Depart, o Anat, for all eternity, Now and for ever and ever! The weapon of her hand has fixed my progeny! He arrived at Mrrt-Tgll-Bnr. He lifted up his voice and cried: Woe against you, oh Mrrt-Tgll_Bnr, For in your vicinity the Hero Aqhat was slain! Your roots (lit.) in the land shall not grow up, Your head (lit.) shall bow down by the power of your uprooter (lit.)! Depart, oh Anat, for all eternity, Now and for ever and ever, (For) the weapon of her hand has fixed my progeny! He arrived at the city of Ablm, Ablm, the city of the Prince Yrh. He lifted up his voice and cried: woe against you, oh city of Ablm, For in your vicinity the Hero Aqhat was slain! Baal shall cause blindness to pour fourth from now on! <Depart, o Anat,> for all eternity, From now and for ever and ever! The weapon of her hand has fixed my progeny! Dnil arrived at his house, Dnil reached his mansion. The weeping women entered (into his house), The wailing women his mansion, The skin-slashers his residence (or, village), They wept for the Hero Aqhat, They she tears for the child of Dnil, the Rp-Man, From days to months, From months to yearsFor (lit. until) seven years They lamented for the Hero Aqhat, They shed tears for the child of Dnil, the Rp-Man.

But in the seventh year Dnil, the Rp-Man, replied, The Hero, the Harnamites Man, answered; He lifted up his voice and cried: Depart from my house, o weeping women. From my mansion, o wailing women, From my residence (village), o skin-slashers! Then he offered (a) sacrifice(s) to the gods, He caused the smoke-offering(s) of balsam (pleasant odors) to ascend, The Harnimites smoke offering among showers of rain(?). ? ? ? And Pgt, who had carried the water, answered: (My) Father has offered (a) sacrifice(s) to the gods, He has caused a smoke-offering of balsam (pleasant-odors) to ascend, The Harnamites smoke-offering among rain-showers. (Now) o bless me (that) I may go being favored! I shall slay the slayer of my brother, I shall make an end of him who made an end of my kinsman!

And Dnil, the Rp-Man, answered: :? Pgt, the water-carrier, Dew-collector for the barley, The weather-expert (Lit. one who knows the course of the stars), ? You shall slay the slayer of your brother, You shall finish off him who finished off your kinsman!

A basin she dipped into the sea. She washed herself with the water; She rouged herself with the husks of y; Its fragrance filled a thousand fields (Lit. which a thousand fields is it fragrance) On that same day she prepared herself: She put on the garment of a warrior, She placed a dagger into her garment/sheath, A knife she placed into her pouch, And over the top she put on the garment of a woman.

At the rising of the magnificent luminary, Sps, Pgt departed for the place of the estate [of Ytpn], At the setting of the magnificent luminary, Sps, Pgt arrived at the tents. A message, o Ytpn, I bring: Will you hire me?, (then) I will come into (your) tents. A message, o Ytpn, I bring: Will you hire me?, (then) I will come into your domed tent, Will you pay me? (then) I will come into (your)tents. And Ytpn, the Drunken Officer, replied: Receive (her) and may she drink wine with me! May you take a cup from my hand, A goblet from my right hand,

Pgt took and drank with him. She took a cup from his hand, A goblet from his right hand. And Ytpn, the Drunken Officer, replied: May our god(s) drink from the wine, (Our) god who is in the tent, who own the domed tent! The hand that slew the Hero Aqhat, Will slay a thousand foes! It will certainly scatter the scions from the tents! Pgt was like a rock, Her heart was like a serpent. He caused to lock her in/keep her back; twice she drank that mixture; It caused (her) to cry out. And behold, know (that) he will return to tell (it).

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