[From http://www.phoenicia.org/ethnlang.html]



Baal (Hadad) is regularly denominated "the son of Dagan," although Dagan (biblical Dagon) does not appear as an actor in the mythological texts. Baal also bears the titles "Rider of the Clouds," "Almighty," and "Lord of the Earth." He is the god of the thunderstorm, the most vigorous and aggressive of the gods, the one on whom mortals most immediately depend. Baal resides on Mount Zaphon, north of Ugarit, and is usually depicted holding a thunderbolt. He is the protagonist of a cycle of myths from Ugarit. These tell of a challenge from Yamm ("Sea"), to which Baal responds. Armed with magical weapons made by the craftsman god, Kothar, Baal manages to overcome Yamm. Another major episode is instigated by Baal's lack of a house. With the assistance of Asherah and Anath, Baal gets El's approval to build a house; Kothar accomplishes the construction; and Baal celebrates by inviting the gods to a feast. The other major story concerns Baal's relations with Mot ("Death"), whom he initially defies, but to whom he eventually succumbs. The attempt to find a god adequate to assume Baal's role fails. Anath disposes of Mot, and then El learns in a dream that Baal is again alive. Mot also reappears, and he and Baal fight until the sun goddess warns Mot of the consequences. There is apparently a final definition of their respective spheres of influence.

After Baal is swallowed up by Mot, his sister Anath, called "the Maiden," longs for him like a mother. She finds Baal and buries him. She then defeats Mot and disposes of his body as if it were grain, grinding him up and scattering him over land and sea. Elsewhere in the text Anath refers to her victories over various monstrous enemies in single combat, and she is depicted in scenes of bloody slaughter. She is the "villain" of the tale of Aqhat, also from Ugarit. In this story the gods grant the childless Danel a son, Aqhat, on whom Danel confers a bow made by the craftsman god, Kothar. Anath offers Aqhat riches and immortality in exchange for the bow, but Aqhat refuses her offers. After bullying El into letting her have her way with Aqhat, she proceeds, with the aid of her henchman Yutpan, to have Aqhat killed. Danel performs various rites to try to remove the consequent blight on the land, until he is informed of his son's murder. He then seeks his remains and buries him, curses the towns closest to the site of the murder, and mourns for seven years, after which he gives his blessing to his daughter's proposed mission to avenge Aqhat's death. She sets out and comes to the camp of Yutpan, where the two of them start drinking--at which point the preserved portion of the tale ends. Anath is often associated with Athtart (later Hebrew Ashtoreth, Greek Astarte). Both are renowned for their beauty, and both are closely associated with Baal.

Another group of gods play important subordinate roles in the myths. The sun goddess, Shapash, "Light of the Gods," helps Anath in her retrieval of the dead Baal and intervenes in the final conflict between Baal and Mot. The craftsman god, known as both Kothar ("Skilled") and Hasis ("Clever"), makes the weapons with which Baal disposes of Yamm and builds the palace for Baal. He is the source of Aqhat's bow, coveted by Anath. The Kathirat are goddesses of marriage and pregnancy, who appear before the conception of Aqhat and in a brief myth about the marriage of Yarikh ("Moon") and his Mesopotamian consort Nikkal. Shahar and Shalim are the gods of dawn and dusk, whose conception and birth are recounted in a liturgical myth.

While the great cycle of narratives about Baal from Ugarit in its present form is clearly a literary work rather than a myth, it is doubtlessly composed of religiously significant mythic material. It depicts the prevailing order of things as the result of struggles among the gods--successive bids for power in which Yamm and Mot are confined to their present bounds and Baal and Anath (associated with fertility and military prowess, respectively) prevail. Having descended into the underworld and survived Death, Baal embodies the assertiveness and continuity of life.

It is the official documents of religious practice--god lists, sacrificial lists, and temple rituals, as well as the inscribed monuments--that disclose most directly the gods favored by the authorities of the time. While virtually all the gods of the myths are Semitic in name, the gods of the cult are much more diverse.

Baal Cycle Text

Now Mighty Baal, son of Dagon, desired the kingship of the Gods. He contended with Prince Yam-Nahar, the Son of El. But Kindly El, Father Shunem, decided the case in favour of His son; He gave the kingship to Prince Yam. He gave the power to Judge Nahar.

Fearsome Yam came to rule the Gods with an iron fist. He caused Them to labor and toil under His reign. They cried unto Their mother, Asherah, Lady of the Sea. They convinced Her to confront Yam, to interceed in Their behalf.

Asherah went into the presence of Prince Yam. She came before Judge Nahar. She begged that He release His grip upon the Gods Her sons. But Mighty Yam declined Her request. She offered favours to the Tyrant. But Powerful Nahar softened not His heart. Finally, Kindly Asherah, who loves Her children, offered Herself to the God of the Sea. She offered Her own body to the Lord of Rivers.

Yam-Nahar agreed to this, and Asherah returned to the Source of the Two Rivers. She went home to the court of El. She came before the Divine Council, and spoke of Her plan to the Gods Her children.

Baal was infuriated by Her speech. He was angered at the Gods who would allow such a plot. He would not consent to surrendering Great Asherah to the Tyrant Yam-Nahar. He swore to the Gods that He would destroy Prince Yam. He would lay to rest the tyranny of Judge Nahar.

Yam-Nahar was made aware of the words of Baal. He sent His two messengers to the court of El:

"Depart Lads!

Do not sit!

Then Ye shall surely set face

Toward the Convocation of the Assembly

In the midst of the mountain of Night.

At the feet of El do not fall,

Do not prostrate Yourselves before the Convocation of the Assembly,

But declare Your information!

And say to The Bull, My father, El,

Declare to the Convocation of the Assembly:

'The message of Yam, Your Lord,

Of Your master Judge River:

Give up, O Gods, Him whom You harbor,

Him whom the multitude harbor!

Give up Baal and His partisans,

Dagon's Son, so that I may inherit His gold!'"

The lads depart

They do not Sit.

Then They set face

Toward the Mountain of Night,

Toward the Convocation of the Assembly.

The Gods had not even sat down,

The Deities to dine,

When Baal stood up by El.

As soon as the Gods saw Them,

Saw the messengers of Yam

The emissaries of Judge Nahar,

The Gods lowered Their heads upon Their knees.

Yea, upon the thrones of Their lordships.

Baal rebukes Them:

"Why, O Gods, have Ye lowered

Your heads on top of Your knees,

Yea, upon the thrones of Your lordships?

Let a pair of Gods read the tablets of the messengers of Yam,

Of the emissaries of Judge Nahar!

O Gods, lift up Your heads

From the top of Your knees

Yea, from the thrones of Your lordships!

And I shall answer

The messengers of Yam

The emissaries of Judge Nahar!"

The Gods lift Their heads

From the top of Their knees

Yea, from the thrones of thier lordships.

After there arrive the messengers of Yam,

The emissaries of JudgeNahar.

At the feet of El They do not fall,

They do not prostrate Themselves before the Convocation of the Assembly.

Arise, for They declare Their information.

A fire, two fires!

He sees a burnished sword!

They say to The Bull, His father, El:

"The message of Yam, Your lord,

Of Your master, Judge Nahar:

'Give up, O Gods, Him whom Ye harbor,

Him whom the multitudes harbor!

Give up Baal and His partisans,

Dagon's Son, so that I may inherit His gold!'"

And The Bull, His father, El, replies:

"Baal is Thy slave, O Yam!

Baal is Thy slave O Yam!

Dagon's Son is Thy captive!

He will bring Thy tribute like the Gods.

Like the Deities, Thy gift!"

But Prince Baal was infuriated.

A knife He takes in the hand

A dagger in the right hand.

To smite the lads He flourishes it.

Anath siezes His right hand,

Astarte seizes His left hand:

"How canst Thou smite the messengers of Yam?

The emissaries of Judge Nahar?

They have merely brought the words of Yam-Nahar.

Word of Their Lord and Master."

But Prince Baal is infuriated. He spares the lives of the messengers; He sends Them back to Their master. He instructs Them to give His information: Baal will not bow to Prince Yam. He will not be the slave of Judge Nahar. He declares once more that He shall slay the Tyrant lord of the Gods.

"To the earth let Our mighty one fall!

Yea, to dust Our strong one!"

From His mouth the word had not yet gone forth,

Nor from His lips, His utterance.

And His voice was given forth

Like a mountain under the throne of Prince Yam.

And Kothar-u-Khasis declared:

"Did I not tell Thee, O Prince Baal,

Nor declare, O Rider of Clouds?

'Lo, Thine enemies, O Baal,

Lo, Thine enemies wilt Thou smite

Lo, Thou wilt van quish Thy foes.

Thou wilt take Thine eternal kingdom;

Thine everlasting sovereignty!'"

Kothar brings down two clubs

And proclaims Their Names.

"Thy Name, even Thine, is Yagrush!

Yagrush, expel Yam

Expel Yam from His throne

Nahar from the seat of His sovereignty!

Thou shalt swoop from the hands of Baal

Like an Eagle from His fingers!

Strike the shoulders of Prince Yam

Twixt the hands of Judge Nahar!"

The club swoops from the hands of Baal

Like an eagle from His fingers.

It strikes the shoulders of Prince Yam,

Twixt the hands of Judge Nahar.

Yam is strong;

He is not vanquished,

His joints do not fail,

Nor His frame collapse.

Kothar brings down a second club,

And proclaims His Name.

"Thy Name, even Thine, is Aymur!

Aymur, drive Yam,

Drive Yam from His throne!

Nahar from His seat of His sovereignty!

Thou shalt swoop from the hands of Baal

Like an Eagle from His fingers!

Strike the head of Prince Yam

Twixt the eyes of Judge Nahar!

Let Yam sink

And fall to the earth!"

And the club swoops from the hands of Baal

Like an eagle from His fingers.

It strikes the head of Prince Yam,

Twixt the eyes of Judge Nahar.

Yam sinks,

Falls to the earth.

His joints fail

His frame collapses.

Baal drags and poises Yam

Destroys Judge Nahar.

By Name, Astarte rebukes:

"Shmae, O Aliyan Baal,

Shame, O Rider of the Clouds!

For Prince Yam was Our captive

For Judge River was Our captive."

And there went out Baal,

Verily ashamed is Aliyan Baal

And Prince Yam is, indeed, dead.

So let Baal reign!

Baal was now King of the Gods. Lord of the Mountain of Saphon. But Baal had no palace like the other Gods. He speaks His word to Kothat-u-Khasis:

"There are the dwelling of El,

The shelter of His sons.

The dwelling of Lady Asherah of the Sea,

The dwelling of the renowned brides.

The dwelling of Pidray, girl of Light,

The shelter of Tallay, girl of rain,

The dwelling of Arsay, girl of Yaabdar.

Also, something else I'll tell Thee.

Go to!

Beseech Lady Asherah of the Sea,

Entreat the Creatress of Gods!"

The Skilled One goes up to the bellows.

In the hands of Khasis are the tongs.

He pours silver,

He casts gold.

He pours silver by thousands of shekels,

Gold He pours by myriads.

A glorious crown studded with silver,

Adorned with red gold.

A glorious throne,

A dais above a glorious footstool,

Which glisters in purity.

Glorious shoes of reception,

Thereover He brings them gold.

A glorious table that is full.

A glorious bowl, fine work of Kamares,

Set like the realm of Yam,

In which there are buffaloes by myriads.

Kothar-u-Kasis goes to the Lady Asherah of the Sea, Mother of the Seventy Gods. He offers these gifts unto Her.

He adorns Her with the covering of Her flesh.

She tears Her clothing.

On the second day

He adorns Her in the two rivers.

She sets a pot on the fire

A vessel on top of the coals.

She propitiates The Bull, God of Mercy,

Entreats the Creator of Creatures.

On lifting Her eyes

She sees.

Asherah sees Baal's going,

Yea the going of the Virgin Anath,

The tread of the Progenitress of Heroes.

After Aliyan Baal came,

And came the Virgin Anath,

They besought Lady Asherah of the Sea.

Yea entreated the Creatress of the Gods.

And Lady Asherah of the Sea replied:

"How can Ye beseech Lady Asherah of the Sea,

Yea entreat the Creatress of the Gods?

Have Ye besought The Bull, God of Mercy,

Or entreated the Creator of Creatures?

And the Virgin Anath replied:

"We do beseech Lady Asherah of the Sea.

We entreat the Creatress of Gods.

The Gods eat and drink,

And those that suck the breast quaff

With a keen knife

A slice of fatling.

They drink wine from a goblet,

From a cup of gold, the blood of vines."

Asherah of the Sea declares:

"Saddle an ass,

Hitch a donkey!

Put on a harness of silver,

Trappings of gold.

Prepare the harness of My jennies!

Qadish-u-Amrar hearkens.

He saddles an ass

Hitches a donkey.

Put on a harness of silver,

Trappings of gold.

Prepares the harness of Her jennies!

Qadish-u-Amrar embraces;

He sets Asherah on the back of the ass,

On the beautiful back of the donkey.

Qadish begins to light the way,

Even Amrar like a star.

Forward goes the Virgin Anath,

And Baal departs for the heights of Saphon.

Then She sets face toward El,

At the sources of the Two Rivers,

In the midst of the streams of the Two Deeps.

She enters the abode of El,

And comes into the domicile of the King, Father Shunem.

At the feet of El She bows and falls,

She prostrates Herself and honors Him.

As soon as El sees Her,

He cracks a smile and laughs.

His feet He sets on the footstool,

And twiddles His fingers.

He lifts His voice

And shouts:

"Why has Lady Asherah of the Sea come?

Why came the Creatress of Gods?

Art Thou hungry?

Then have a morsel!

Or art Thou thirsty?

Then have a drink!

Eat!

Or drink!

Eat bread from the tables!

Drink wine from the goblets!

From a cup of gold, the blood of vines!

If the love of El moves Thee,

Yea the affection of The Bull arouses Thee!"

And Lady Asherah of the Sea replies:

"Thy word, El, is wise;

Thou art wise unto eternity;

Lucky life is Thy word.

Our king is Aliyan Baal,

Out judge, and none is above Him.

Let both of Us drain His chalice;

Both of Us drain His cup!"

Loudly Bull-El, Her father, shouts,

King El who brought Her into being;

There shout Asherah and Her sons,

The Goddess and the band of Her brood:

"Lo there is no house unto Baal like the Gods.

Not a court like the sons of Asherah:

The dwelling of El,

The shelter of His sons.

The dwelling of Lady Asherah of the Sea,

The dwelling of the renowned brides.

The dwelling of Pidray, girl of Light.

The shelter of Tallay, girl of rain.

The dwelling of Arsay, girl of Yaabdar."

And the God of Mercy replied:

"Am I to act as a lackey of Asherah?

Am I to act like the holder of a trowel?

If the handmaid of Asherah will make the bricks

A house shall be built for Baal like the Gods.

Yea a court like the sons of Asherah."

And Lady Asherah of the Sea replied:

"Thou art great, O El,

Thou are verily wise!

The gray of Thy beard hath verily instructed Thee!

Here are pectorals of gold for Thy breast.

Lo, also it is the time of His rain.

Baal sets the season,

And gives forth His voice from the clouds.

He flashes lightning to the earth.

As a house of cedars let Him complete it,

Or a house of bricks let Him erect it!

Let it be told to Aliyan Baal:

'The mountains will bring Thee much silver.

The hills, the choicest of gold;

The mines will bring Thee precious stones,

And build a house of silver and gold.

A house of lapis gems!'"

The Virgin Anath rejoices.

She jumps with the feet

And leaves the earth.

Then She sets face toward the Lord of Saphon's crest

By the thousand acres,

Yea the myriad hectares.

The Virgin Anath laughs.

She lifts Her voice

And shouts:

"Be informed, Baal!

Thy news I bring!

A house shall be built for Thee as for Thy brothers,

Even as a court as for Thy kin!

The mountains will bring Thee much silver.

The hills, the choicest of gold;

The mines will bring Thee precious stones,

And build a house of silver and gold.

A house of lapis gems!"

Aliyan Baal rejoices.

The mountains bring Him much silver,

The mines bring Him precious stones.

Kothar-u-Khasis is sent.

After Kothar-u-Khasis arrived,

He sets an ox in front of Him.

A fatling directly before Him.

A chair is placed,

And He is seated

At the right of Aliyan Baal,

Until They have eaten

And drunk.

And Aliyan Baal declares:

"Hurry, let a house be built.

Hurry, let a palace be erected!

Hurry, let a house be built.

Hurry, let a palace be erected

In the midst of the heights of Saphon!

A thousand acres the house is to comprise,

A myriad hectares, the palace!"

And Kothar-u-Khasis declares:

"Hear, O Aliyan Baal!

Percieve, O Rider of Clouds!

I shall surely put a window in the house,

A casement in the midst of the palace!"

And Aliyan Baal replies:

"Do not put a window in the house,

A casement in the midst of the palace!

Let not Pidray, girl of Light,

Nor Tallay, girl of rain,

Be seen by El's beloved Yam Nahar!"

The Lord reviles and spits.

And Kothar-u-Khasis replies:

"Thou wilt return, Baal, to My word."

Of ceders His house is to be built,

Of bricks is His palace to be erected.

He goes to Lebabob and it's trees,

To Syria and the choicest of it's cedars.

Lo, Lebanon and it's trees,

Syria and it's cedars.

Fire is set on the house,

Flame on the palace.

Behold a day and a second,

The fire eats into the house,

The flame into the palace.

A fifth, a sixth day,

The fire eats into the house,

The flame in the midst of the palace.

Behold, on the seventh day,

The fire departs from the house,

The flame from the palace.

Silver turns from blocks,

Gold is turned from bricks.

Aliyan Baal rejoices.

"My house have I built of silver.

My palace of gold have I made."

His house, Baal prepairs.

Hadad prepares the housewarming of His palace.

He slaughters great and small cattle

He fells oxen and ram-fatlings.

Yearling calves,

Little lambs and kids.

He called His brothers into His house.

His kinsmen into the midst of His palace.

He called the Seventy sons of Asherah.

He caused the shep Gods to drink wine.

He caused the ewe Goddesses to drink wine.

He cause the bull Gods to drink wine.

He caused the cow Goddesses to drink wine.

He caused the throne Gods to drink wine.

He caused the chair Goddesses to drink wine.

He caused the jar Gods to drink wine.

He caused the jug Goddesses to drink wine.

Until the Gods had eaten and drunk,

And the sucklings quaffed

With a keen knife

A slice of fatling.

They drink wine from a goblet,

From a cup of gold, the blood of vines.

Lord Baal went on to take possesion of many earthly cities. Sixty-six, Seventy-Seven towns He took. Eighty, Ninety was the total number of cities that fell to the posession of Mighty Hadad. Thus Baal returned to His home as Lord of all the World.

As Baal went into the midst of the house

Aliyan Baal declared:

"I would install, Kothar, son of the Sea,

Yea Kothar, son of the assembly!

Let a casement be opened in the house;

A window in the midst of the palace,

And let the clouds be opened with rain

On the opening of Kothar-u-Khasis."

Kothar-u-Khasis laughed.

He lifts His voice

And shouts:

"Did I not tell Thee, O Aliyan Baal,

That Thou wouldst return, Baal, to My word?

Let a casement be opened in the house,

A window in the midst of the palace!"

Baal opened the clouds with rain,

His holy voice He gives forth in the heavens.

The enemies of Baal seize the forests,

The foes of Hadad, the fringes of the mountain.

And Aliyan Baal declares:

"Enemies of Hadad, why do Ye invade?

Why do Ye invade the arsenal of Our defense?"

Weeping, Baal returns to His house:

"Whether king

Or commander

Be invested with sovereignty over the land,

Respects I shall not send to Mavet,

Nor greetings to El's beloved, the Hero!"

Mavet calls from His throat,

The Beloved meditates in His inwards:

"I alone am He who will rule over the Gods.

Yea command Gods and men.

Even dominate the multitudes of the earth."

Aloud Baal cries to His lads:

"Look, Gupan and Ugar, sons of Galmat,

Errand lads, sons of Zalmat

The lofty and distinguished!

Then surely set face

Toward the mountain of Tergezz,

Toward the mountain of Shermeg,

Toward the furrow of the thriving of the earth.

Lift the mountain on the hands,

The hill on top of the palms,

And go down into to nether-reaches of the earth

So that You will be counted amoung those who go down into the earth!

Then shall Ye set face

Toward His city, Hemry.

Lo, the throne on which He sits

In the midst of the land of His inheritance

And the guards of the defense of the Gods.

Do not draw near the God Mavet,

Lest He make You like a lamb in His mouth,

Like a kid in His jaws Ye be crushed!

The Torch of the Gods, Shapash, burns;

The heavens halt on account of El's darling, Mavet.

By the thousand acres,

Yea the myriad hectares

At the feet of Mavet bow and fall.

Prostrate Yourselves and honor Him!

And say to the God Mavet,

Declare to El's beloved, the Hero:

And Baal spoke His word to His lads. He sent His message to Mavet. The Lord Hadad refused to pay tribute to the Beloved of El. Mavet was enfuriated, and sent His word back to Baal. He declared that, because Baal had destroyed the Serpent Lotan, He would exact revenge by devouring Baal. The messengers of Baal informed Baal that Mavet would open His mouth wide.

"A lip to earth,

A lip to heaven,

And a tounge to the stars

So that Baal may enter His inwards,

Yea, descend into His mouth

As scorched is the olive,

The produce of the Earth,

And the fruit of the Trees."

Aliyan Baal fears Him,

The Rider of the Clouds dreads Him.

"Depart! Speak to the God Mavet.

Declare to El's Beloved, the Hero:

The message of Aliyan Baal,

The word of Aliy the Warrior:

'Hail, O God Mavet!

Thy slave am I,

Yea Thine forever.'"

The Gods depart and do not sit.

Then They set face toward the God Mavet.

Toward His city, Hemry.

Behold it is the throne of His sitting,

Yea the land of His inheritance!

They lift Their voices

And shout:

"The message of Aliyan Baal

The word of Aliy the Warrior!

"Hail, O God Mavet!

Thy slave am I,

Yea Thine forever!"

The God Mavet is glad. Baal will be delivered unto Him, and the fertility of the land will die with Him. Baal feasts His last meal, and Mavet commands Him:

"I shall put Him in the grave of the Gods of the earth.

And Thou, take Thy clouds,

Thy wind, Thy storm, Thy rains!

With Thee Thy seven lads,

Thine eight swine.

With Thee, Pidray, girl of Light,

With Thee, Tallay, girl of rain.

Then Thy face shalt Thou set toward the mountain of Kenkeny.

Lift the mountain on the hands,

The hill on top of the palms,

And go down to the nether reaches of the earth

So that Thou mayest be counted amoung those who do down into the earth,

And all may know that Thou art dead!"

Aliyan Baal hearkens.

He loves a heifer in Deber,

A young cow in the fields of Shechelmemet.

He lies with Her seventy-seven times,

Yea, eighty-eight times,

So that She conceives

And bears Moshe.

Baal was found dead there in the fields of Shechelmemet, in the land of Deber. The news reaches the ears of El, Father of Shunem:

Thereupon the God of Mercy

Goes down from the throne,

Sits on the footstool,

And from the footstool sits on the earth.

He pours the ashes of grief on His head,

The dust of wallowing on His pate.

For clothing, He is covered with a doubled cloak.

He roams the mountain in mourning,

Yea through the forest in grief.

He cuts cheek and chin,

He lacerates His forearms.

He plows His chest like a garden;

Like a vale He lacerates His back.

He lifts His voice

And shouts:

"Baal is dead!

Woe to the people of Dagon's son!

Woe to the multitudes of Athar-Baal!

I shall go down into the earth."

Also Anath goes

And treads every mountain to the midst of the Earth.

Every hill to the midst of the fields.

She comes to the goodness of the land of Deber,

The beauty of the fields of Shechelmemet.

She comes upon Baal prostrate on the earth.

For clothing She is covered with a doubled cloak.

The mountain in mournig She roams.

In grief, through the forest.

She cuts cheek and chin.

She lacerates Her forearms.

She plows lake a garden Her chest,

Like a vale She lacerates the back.

"Baal is dead!

Woe to the people of Dagon's son!

Woe to the multitudes of Athar-Baal!

Let us go down into the earth."

With Her goes down the Torch of the Gods, Shapash.

Until She is sated with weeping,

She drinks tears like wine.

Aloud She cries to the Torch of the Gods, Shapash:

"Load Aliyan Baal on to Me!"

The Torch of the Gods, Shapash, hearkens.

She lifts Aliyan Baal,

On the shoulders of Anath She places Him,

She raises Him into the heights of Saphon.

She weeps for Him and buries Him.

She puts Him in the grave of the Gods of the earth.

She sacrifices seventy buffaloes

As an offering for Aliyan Baal.

She sacrifices seventy oxen

As an offering for Aliyan Baal.

She sacrifices seventy head of small cattle

As an offering for Aliyan Baal.

She sacrifices seventy deer

As an offering for Aliyan Baal.

She sacrifices seventy wild goats

As an offering for Aliyan Baal.

She sacrifices seventy asses

As an offering for Aliyan Baal.

Then She sets face toward El

At the sources of the Two Rivers,

In the midst of the streams of the Two Deeps.

She enters the abode of El,

Goes into the domicile of the King, Father Shunem.

At the feet of El She bends and falls,

Prostrates Herself and honors Him.

She lifts Her voice

And shouts:

"Let Asherah and Her sons rejoice,

The Goddess and the band of Her brood!

For dead is Aliyan Baal,

For Perished is the Prince, Lord of Earth!"

Aloud cries El to Asherah of the Sea:

"Hear, O Lady Asherah of the Sea!

Give one of Thy sons that I may make Him king!"

And Lady Asherah of the Sea replies:

"Let Us make king one who knows how to govern!"

And the God of Mercy declares:

"One feeble of frame will not vie with Baal,

Nor wield a spear against Dagon's son."

When the parley is finished,

Lady Asherah of the Sea declares:

"Let Us make Ashtar the Terrible king!

Let Ashtar the Terrible reign!"

Thereupon Ashtar the Terrible

Goes into the heights of Saphon

That He may sit on the throne of Aliyan Baal.

His feet do not reach the footstool,

Nor does His head reach it's top.

And Ashtar the Terrible says:

"I cannot rule in the heights of Saphon!"

Ashtar the Terrible goes down,

Goes down from the throne of Aliyan Baal,

That He may rule over all the grand earth.

Anath goes now to face Mavet, the Darling of El, the Hero.

As with the heart of a cow toward her calf,

As with the heart of an ete toward her lamb,

So is the heart of Anath toward Baal.

She seizes Mavet, in ripping His garment.

She closes in on Him, in tearing His clothes.

She lifts Her voice

And shouts:

"Come, Mavet, yield My brother!"

And the God Mavet replies:

"What does Thou ask, O Virgin Anath?

I was going,

And roaming

Every mountain to the midst of the earth,

Every hill to the midst of the fields.

A soul was missing amoung men,

A soul of the multitudes of the earth.

I arrived at the goodness of the land of Debar,

The beauty of the fields of Shechelmemet.

I met Aliyan Baal;

I made Him like a lamb in My mouth.

Like a kid in My jaws was He crushed."

The Torch of the Gods, Shapash, glows,

The heavens stop on account of the God Mavet.

A day, two days pass.

From days to months.

The maiden Anath meets Him.

As with the heart of a cow toward her calf,

As with the heart of an ete toward her lamb,

So is the heart of Anath toward Baal.

She siezes the God Mavet.

With a sword She cleaves Him,

With a pitchfork She winnows Him,

With a fire She burns Him,

In the millstones She grinds Him,

In the fields She plants Him,

So that the birds do not eat His flesh,

Nor the fowl destroy His portion.

Flesh calls to flesh.

The Great El, Father Shunem, declares of the lost God Baal:

"For perished is the Prince, Lord of Earth.

And if Aliyan Baal is alive,

And if the Prince, Lord of Earth, exists,

In a dream of the God of Mercy,

In a vision of the Creator of Creatures,

Let the heavens rain oil,

The wadies run with honey,

That I may know that Aliyan Baal is alive,

That the Prince, Lord of Earth, exists."

In a dream of the God of Mercy,

In a vision of the Creator of Creatures,

The heavens rain oil,

The wadies run with honey,

The God of Mercy rejoices.

His feet He sets on the footstool.

He cracks a smile and laughs.

He lifts His voice

And shouts:

"Let Me sit and rest,

And let My soul repose in My breast.

For Aliyan Baal is alive,

For the Prince, Lord of Earth, exists."

Aloud shouts El to the Virgin Anath:

"Hear, O Virgin Anath,

Say to the Torch of the Gods, Shapash:

'Over the furrows of the fields, O Shapash,

Over the furrows of the fields let El set Thee.

As for the Lord of the Plowed Furrows,

Where is Aliyan Baal?

Where is the Prince, Lord of Earth?'"

The Virgin Anath departs.

Then She sets face toward the Torch of the Gods, Shapash.

She lifts Her voice

And shouts:

"The message of Bull-El, Thy father,

The word of the God of Mercy, Thy begetter:

'Over the furrows of the fields, O Shapash,

Over the furrows of the fields let El set Thee!

As for the Lord of the Furrows of His plowing,

Where is Aliyan Baal?

Where is the Prince, Lord of Earth?'"

And the Torch of the Gods, Shapash, replies:

"I shall seek Aliyan Baal!"

And the Virgin Anath answers:

"As for Me, tis not I, O Shapash!

As for Me, tis not I, but El summons Thee!

May the Gods guard Thee in Sheol!"

Shapash descends into the underworld. She enters the relm of Sheol. Upon Her return to the world above, She carries Great Baal with Her. Ball goes into the heights of Saphon. He confronts Mavet, the Hero.

Baal seizes the son of Asherah.

The great one He smites on the shoulder.

The tyrant He smites with a stick.

Mavet is vanquished,

Reaches earth.

Baal returns to the throne of His kingship,

Dagon's son to the seat of His sovereignty.

From days to months,

From months to years,

Lo in the seventh year.

And the God Mavet addresses Himself to Aliyan Baal.

He lifts His voice

And shouts:

"Because of Thee, O Baal, I have experienced humiliation.

Because of Thee, experienced scattering by the sword.

Because of Thee, experienced burning in the fire.

Because of Thee, experienced grinding in the millstones.

Because of Thee, experienced winnowing by the pitchfork.

Because of Thee, experienced being planted in the feilds.

Because of Thee, experienced being sown in the sea."

Thereupon Mavet threatens to destroy Baal in revenge. He threatens to take the kingship of Baal. Baal expels Him, drives Him out of the heights of Saphon. Mavet vows His revenge eupon Baal:

"And lo, as a brother of Yam Thou art made, Baal is given

As retribution for the destroyed sons of My mother!"

He returns to the Lord of the heights of Saphon,

He lifts His voice

And shouts:

"A brother of Yam Thou art made, O Baal!

As retribution for the destroyed sons of My mother!"

They shake each other like Gemar-beasts,

Mavet is strong, Baal is strong.

They gore each other like buffaloes,

Mavet is strong, Baal is strong.

They bite like serpents,

Mavet is strong, Baal is strong.

They kick like racing beasts,

Mavet is down, Ball is down.

Up comes Shapash.

She cries to Mavet:

"Hear, O God Mavet!

How canst Thou fight with Aliyan Baal?

How will Bull-El, Thy father, not hear Thee?

Will He not remove the supports of Thy throne?

Nor upset the seat of Thy kingship?

Nor break the scepter of Thy rule?"

The Got Mavet is afraid,

El's Beloved, the Hero, is frightened.

Mavet is roused from His prstration.

The God of Sterility submits to Baal. He conceeds the kingship to the Lord of Earth. Baal returns to the Heights of Saphon, but Anath does not go with Him. She turns Her anger to the enemies of Baal. To those who were fickle against Baal in His trials. The attacks mankind.

Like the fruit of seven daughters,

The scent of kids and anhb-animals,

Both gates of Anath's house.

And the lads chance upon the Lady of the Mountain.

And lo, Anath smites in the valley,

Fighting between the two cities.

She smites the people of the seashore,

Destroys mankind of the sunrise.

Under Her are heads like vultures.

Over Her are hands like locusts,

Like thorns, the hands of troops.

She piles up heads on Her back,

She ties up hands in Her bundle.

Knee-deep She plunges in the blood of soldiery,

Up to the neck in the gore of troops.

With a stick She drives out foes,

Against the flank She draws Her bow.

And lo, Anath reaches Her house,

Yea the Goddess enters Her palace,

But is not satisfied.

She had smitten in the valley,

Fought between the two cities.

She hurls chairs at the troops,

Hurling tables at the soldiers,

Footstools at the heroes.

Much She smites and looks,

Fights and views.

Anath gluts Her liver with laughter.

Her heart is filled with joy,

For Anath's hand is victory.

For knee-deep She plunges in the blood of soldiery,

Up to the neck in the gore of troops.

Until She is sated She smites in the house,

Fights between the two tables,

Shedding the blood of soldiery.

Pouring the oil of peace from a bowl,

The Virgin Anath washes Her hands,

The Progenitress of Heroes, Her fingers.

She washes Her hands in the blood of soldiery,

Her fingers in the gore of troops.