Yaṣradatas the Bitch God

 People who are familiar with the story of Faustus, know how awfully hard it is to resist temptation. When one’s desires are laid bare before you, given the veneer of goodness before your eyes, it can be hard not to eat out of a satanic hand. Now it is funny what vision occurred for me tonight, given my thoughts the evening before. I was mulling over the offerings of the Demon-God Yahweh. On the service he seemed to offer things I was desirous of. The love of the most beautiful women I can imagine, boundless knowledge and limitless power. I wondered, then, whether in my corrupted state I could resist his gifts, since I see that his gifts are not mere empty promises; he awards his chosen servants with such gifts as they desire, at least, on the surface. Perhaps, for me to sell myself to such a God he must present himself in a way familiar to me, to conceal his true divine nature. He would spin great poetry about the grace of his countenance and the magnificent of his whatever, and being in awe of the turn of the phrase so masterful as to not be of Mankind, I should accept him as my god on the spot.

However, what I found about myself is I am not so easily tempted, and unable to be deceived by any facade. There was this bitch-god you see, Yaṣradatas. (I’m not even certain if that’s the real name he gave me, that’s how I did not heed him.) He indeed, like a voice of a lord proclaimed his name before me, and recited panegyric lyric poetry praising himself. That should be the first clue of Yahweh’s hand in creating such a vision; only a shameless god would resort to praising himself. He then spoke of how he was mentioned in the bible, a monologue he shared with MOST HOLY BAAL. However, Baal spoke wistfully about his portrayal, and made a few jokes on the matter, while this Yaṣradatas claimed with great pride, quotations from the bible that simply do not exist. Now as I was dazed from entering the vision state, and always desirous to meet a friendly deity, to mark another deity I have read of as one I met in real life, and I had not properly heard his name (or it was obscured), not to mention the frequent solar imagery, I considered he may be the Akkadian sun-god Shamash. Anyone who has ever read the Epic of Gilgamesh would know that Shamash is a most benevolent and human-aiding god. He then spelled out his name for me, including the s with the dot under it that is used in latin alphabets to indicate the semitic letter Ṣade.

     This name was very familiar to me; it struck me as similar to the name of Yaṣdaṭa, the wily brother of Biridiya, king of Megiddo, mentioned in the El-Amarna Tablets. I did not recognize the name as being of any deity known from Canaan or elsewhere, but it should be said that there are countless gods that the ancients would have known and worshiped, of whom no literary or artistic reference had survived, either by obscurity or by simple chance. Realizing he may be such an unknown god, I did not write off what he would say, but I gave ear to it, attempting to memorize his little poem along with the beautiful possibly Hurrian or Semitic name.

And as such, he proceeded to avail me of his potential gifts, should I merely worship him and do his bidding. I saw a vision where I was a husband to two women, one my current and beloved wife, Fatima, the second my desired one, whose name I should remove for the sake of her privacy and security. Now the both of them were utterly devoted to me, lying on different levels of a bunk bed, with me free to pass freely between the two at will. And the second promise was made visible to me. To my second, newer wife I was the father of her daughter, beautiful, clever, and witty, taking the best traits of both her mother and perhaps of me, the father. It was something I have been desirous of for many years, to have my own worthy child. 

The second vision began, and I was in a room with my 4 grandparents. My grandmothers, Lorna and Sarah, and my late grandfathers, Richard and Morty. I admit I wept at the feet of my grandmother seeing my deceased grandfathers, especially since I was unable to be at Morty’s side at the end, as I was with my wife in Morocco. And the two grandfathers became one, and gave me a hug of such warmth it made me fill with joy. Filled with gratitude for the feeling, I asked Yaṣradatas to reveal his true face to me. And he showed me a vision that almost ruined the game for him. It was a vision full of cosmic nonsense and cheap editing tricks. And when it came time to settle on a face, he refused to show it clearly, refusing to show a human face, almost mocking my art by showing a clay face as if I was ever under the idolatrous assumption my figures were true gods. 

The final offering I was tempted by was the most alluring of all. I had thought a lot on previous nights on the greatest gift the gods can bestow on a man. It was a book, which I call The Encyclopedia of the History of All Time. It is a magical volume, which contains a detailed summary of the entire history of the universe, from the beginning with the big bang, to the end with the gradual heat death of the universe. This impossibly long and impossibly valuable book offers the gift of true prophecy, true knowledge about the most significant events of past, present and future. Understanding my hunger for knowledge, Yaṣradatas offered me a final gift; secret knowledge that would allow me to make important scientific discoveries.

After offering the final gift, he took me through a sanitary room, into a back door with a window looking into the room I just passed through. Inside there was a man and a woman, passionately making love, perhaps to inspire jealousy in me and wish them harm, for what he would now do. He began to fill the room I was watching with microwave radiation and high powered lasers, and I was made to watch how the hapless couple was suffering and convulsing. Their room, he said, was at 1000 degrees. I could feel the sweltering heat even through the insulated wall and window. He spoke with such pride at this, as to make it clear that I would suffer like them if I rejected him. But watching others suffer would not intimidate me. I don’t fear evil done to myself, but will stand with those who suffer evil against their adversaries, such is my hatred for such punishments. It became clear that his final mistake had steeled in my mind what I should have already known. This is no benevolent, eccentric and unknown deity. This is Yahweh himself. And as a devotee of MOST HOLY BAAL, I knew what evil this demon is capable of. Noticing I recognized him for who he really is, he challenged me to a game. He would himself, alongside his loyal angels, throw glass jars at me to deflect back at him. I found this game enjoyable, even though the god put me in a purposeful handicap; I was made far slower and weaker than I am in real life, like I was moving through viscous syrup. But he soon tired of me beating him, and he had his angelic servants break the jars, and send the jagged pieces flying at me at speeds it would be impossible in my current state to dodge. I took many sharp pieces of glass to the leg and shoulder, and I will confess the pain was real yet it did not deter me. I ripped a piece from my leg, and brandishing it like a sword I attacked the pathetic god who stood to my left, thinking I could do nothing to him. I actually exclaimed that he was a bitch, and before I dealt him a blow he released me from my vision. The coward could only offer lies and empty promises, and had no manly resolve like MOST HOLY BAAL.

And as awake as I always am after any vision, I resolved to record what occurred so I may keep it for posterity. 

Written 1:23 AM, 03/22/2021, Monday

My Vision of Yahweh, Baal and Anat, 1/11/2019

VISION OF TODAY

                I found myself sitting in the pews of a church in Missouri, where the preacher was lecturing about some obscure verse of the Bible. He then mentioned Abraham, and how GREAT he was for being willing to “Sacrifice his son, his only son, to God”. Then he mentioned that god prevented Abraham from killing his son, because human sacrifice was abhorrent to God, unlike the false gods and devils of the Canaanites. I got a little pissed, and I mentioned I knew the bible too; there is a story about a man named Jephthah in the book of Judges that promised to sacrifice the first thing to greet him as he returned home; if only God made him win the battle. Lo and behold, his daughter greeted him, but he honored his promise and sacrificed her to Yahweh, who did nothing to stop it. Stating this fact got two old men in the congregation very mad at me; they chased me with their guns and their cars. I managed to get home to Tucson, to my mother’s house, where I tried to lock all the doors meticulously, even though I found I had gone half blind. But the front door I already locked came undone, and it became too small even to close. Then at that moment, the old man came, ready to ram his car into me in the door way. But my Father rescued me in his car. We were driving speedily towards his house, which isn’t really so far from my Mom’s house, but I realized God/Yahweh was trying to destroy us. He sent cats, dogs, and birds to get hit by my dad’s car. I explained the situation to him, and he believed. Yahweh sent a car with RICHARD DAWKINS in it to block my dad but my dad still somehow made it around, It was like my dad was possessed by Baal. We were momentarily distracted by a sign for Poco and Moms, which is arguably the best restaurant in Tucson, where we both wanted to stop but still we kept going. Finally I was shouting “Fuck you God, Fuck you Yahweh, Praise Mighty Baal, Praise Mighty Hadad!” This really angered Yahweh, and he turned the road into a burning sun that me and my father fell into. The pain was intense, but by invoking Baal, I removed the pain and heat, and cursed Yahweh some more and gave him the finger. This really angered him. He said, “for this slight I will destroy three groups of people; I will kill you and your entire family, I will kill all of your friends and followers, and I will kill anyone who dares worship Baal”. Then he put me in a room, and sent my Father, then Mother, then elderly Bubbe to attack me and break my spirits. But Baal kept me strong. He protected me, and broke his deceitful charm on them. Baal rescued me, and took me to my mom’s back yard, where he and ‘Anat were standing with a violet sky crossed with thunder and lightning. Anat, in her rough yet beautiful voice chanted a spell in Ugarit that put me under hers and Baal’s protection. Then she returned my to my wife in Morocco, where I was living. I woke my wife to tell her about my vision, but she didn’t think anything of it.

The Baal Cycle

Ba'al Hadad

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 intercede 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 favors 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 Ilu. She came before the Divine Council, and spoke of Her plan to the Gods Her children.

Ba’al 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 Ba’al. He sent His two messengers to the court of Ilu:

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 Ilu do not fall,
Do not prostrate Yourselves before the Convocation of the Assembly,
But declare Your information!
And say to The Bull, My father, Ilu,
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 Ba’al 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 Ba’al stood up by Ilu.

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.

Ba’al 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 their lordships.

Ilu

After, there arrive the messengers of Yam,
The emissaries of Judge Nahar.
At the feet of Ilu 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, Ilu:
"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 Ba’al and His partisans,
Dagon's Son, so that I may inherit His gold!'"

And the Bull, His father, Ilu, replies:
"Ba’al is Thy slave, O Yam!
Ba’al 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 Ba’al is infuriated.
A knife He takes in the hand
A dagger in the right hand.
To smite the lads He flourishes it.
‘Anat seizes 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 Ba’al is infuriated. He spares the lives of the messengers; He sends Them back to Their master. He instructs Them to give His information: Ba’al 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 is given forth
Like a mountain under the throne of Prince Yam.

And Kothar wa Khasis declared:
"Did I not tell Thee, O Prince Ba’al,
Nor declare, O Rider of Clouds?
'Lo, Thine enemies, O Ba’al,
Lo, Thine enemies wilt Thou smite
Lo, Thou wilt van quash 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 Ba’al
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 Ba’al
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 Ba’al
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 Ba’al
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.
Ba’al drags and poises Yam
Destroys Judge Nahar.

By Name, Astarte rebukes:
"Shame, O Aliyan Ba’al,
Shame, O Rider of the Clouds!
For Prince Yam is Our captive
For Judge River is Our captive."

And there went out Ba’al,
Verily ashamed is Aliyan Ba’al
And Prince Yam is, indeed, dead.
So let Ba’al reign!

Ba’al is now King of the Gods. Lord of the Mountain of Zapan. But Ba’al has no palace like the other Gods. He speaks His word to Kothar wa Khasis:

"There are the dwelling of Ilu,
The shelter of His sons.
The dwelling of Lady Athirat 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 The wide world.

Also, something else I'll tell Thee.
Go to!
Beseech Lady Athirat of the Sea,
Entreat the Creatress of Gods!"

The Skilled One goes up to the billows.
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 wa Khassis goes to the Lady Athirat 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.
Athirat sees Ba’al's going,
Yea the going of the Virgin ‘Anat,
The tread of the Progenitress of Heroes.

Lady Athirat of the Sea

After Aliyan Ba’al came,
And came the Virgin ‘Anat,
They besought Lady Athirat of the Sea.
Yea entreated the Creatress of the Gods.
And Lady Athirat of the Sea replied:
"How can Ye beseech Lady Athirat 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 ‘Anat replied:
"We do beseech Lady Athirat 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."

Athirat 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 wa 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 wa Amrar embraces;
He sets Athirat 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 ‘Anat,
And Ba’al departs for the heights of Zapan.

Then She sets face toward Ilu,
At the sources of the Two Rivers,
In the midst of the streams of the Two Deeps.
She enters the abode of Ilu,
And comes into the domicile of the King, Father Shunem.
At the feet of Ilu She bows and falls,
She prostrates Herself and honors Him.

As soon as Ilu 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 Athirat 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 Ilu moves Thee,
Yea the affection of The Bull arouses Thee!"

And Lady Athirat of the Sea replies:
"Thy word, Ilu, is wise;
Thou art wise unto eternity;
Lucky life is Thy word.
Our king is Aliyan Ba’al,
Out judge, and none is above Him.
Let both of Us drain His chalice;
Both of Us drain His cup!"

Loudly Bull-Ilu, Her father, shouts,
King Ilu who brought Her into being;
There shout Athirat and Her sons,
The Goddess and the band of Her brood:
"Lo there is no house unto Ba’al like the Gods.
Not a court like the sons of Athirat:
The dwelling of Ilu,
The shelter of His sons.
The dwelling of Lady Athirat 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 The wide world."

And the God of Mercy replied:
"Am I to act as a lackey of Athirat?
Am I to act like the holder of a trowel?
If the handmaid of Athirat will make the bricks
A house shall be built for Ba’al like the Gods.
Yea a court like the sons of Athirat."

And Lady Athirat of the Sea replied:
"Thou art great, O Ilu,
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.
Ba’al 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 Ba’al:
'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 ‘Anat rejoices.
She jumps with the feet
And leaves the earth.
Then She sets face toward the Lord of Zapan's crest
By the thousand acres,
Yea the myriad hectares.
The Virgin ‘Anat laughs.
She lifts Her voice
And shouts:
"Be informed, Ba’al!
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 Ba’al rejoices.
The mountains bring Him much silver,
The mines bring Him precious stones.

Kothar wa Khasis is sent.
After Kothar wa 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 Ba’al,
Until They have eaten
And drunk.

And Aliyan Ba’al 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 Zapan!
A thousand acres the house is to comprise,
A myriad hectares, the palace!"

And Kothar wa Khasis declares:
"Hear, O Aliyan Ba’al!
Percieve, O Rider of Clouds!
I shall surIluy put a window in the house,
A casement in the midst of the palace!"

And Aliyan Ba’al 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 Ilu's beloved Yam Nahar!"
The Lord reviles and spits.

And Kothar wa Khasis replies:
"Thou wilt return, Ba’al, to My word."

Of ceders His house is to be built,
Of bricks is His palace to be erected.
He goes to Lebanon 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 Ba’al rejoices.
"My house have I built of silver.
My palace of gold have I made."

His house, Ba’al prepares.
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 Athirat.
He caused the sheep 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 Ba’al goes on to take possession of many earthly cities. Sixty-six, Seventy-Seven towns He took. Eighty, Ninety is the total number of cities that fall to the possession of Mighty Hadad. Thus Ba’al returned to His home as Lord of all the World.

As Ba’al went into the midst of the house
Aliyan Ba’al 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 wa Khasis."

Kothar wa Khasis laughed.
He lifts His voice
And shouts:
"Did I not tell Thee, O Aliyan Ba’al,
That Thou wouldst return, Ba’al, to My word?
Let a casement be opened in the house,
A window in the midst of the palace!"

Ba’al opened the clouds with rain,
His holy voice He gives forth in the heavens.

The enemies of Ba’al seize the forests,
The foes of Hadad, the fringes of the mountain.
And Aliyan Ba’al declares:
"Enemies of Hadad, why do Ye invade?
Why do Ye invade the arsenal of Our defense?"
Weeping, Ba’al returns to His house:
"Whether king
Or commander
Be invested with sovereignty over the land,
Respects I shall not send to Mot,
Nor greetings to Ilu's beloved, the Hero!"

Mot 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 Ba’al 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 among 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 Mot,
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 Ilu's darling, Mot.
By the thousand acres,
Yea the myriad hectares
At the feet of Mot bow and fall.
Prostrate Yourselves and honor Him!
And say to the God Mot,
Declare to Ilu's beloved, the Hero:

And Ba’al speaks His word to His lads. He sent His message to Mot. The Lord Hadad refused to pay tribute to the Beloved of Ilu. Mot is infuriated, and sent His word back to Ba’al. He declared that, because Ba’al had destroyed the Serpent Lotan, He would exact revenge by devouring Ba’al. The messengers of Ba’al informs Ba’al that Mot would open His mouth wide.

"A lip to earth,
A lip to heaven,
And a tounge to the stars
So that Ba’al 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 Ba’al fears Him,
The Rider of the Clouds dreads Him.
"Depart! Speak to the God Mot.
Declare to Ilu's BIluoved, the Hero:
The message of Aliyan Ba’al,
The word of Aliy the Warrior:
'Hail, O God Mot!
Thy slave am I,
Yea Thine forever.'"

The Gods depart and do not sit.
Then They set face toward the God Mot.
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 Ba’al
The word of Aliyan the Warrior!
"Hail, O God Mot!
Thy slave am I,
Yea Thine forever!"

The God Mot is glad. Ba’al will be delivered unto Him, and the fertility of the land will die with Him. Ba’al feasts His last meal, and Mot 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 Ba’al hearkens.
He loves a heifer in Deber,
A young cow in the fields of Shekelmemet.
He lies with Her seventy-seven times,
Yea, eighty-eight times,
So that She conceives
And bears Moshe.

Ba’al is found dead there in the fiIluds of Shekelmemet, in the land of Deber. The news reaches the ears of Ilu, 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:
"Ba’al is dead!
Woe to the people of Dagon's son!
Woe to the multitudes of Athar-Ba’al!
I shall go down into the earth."

Also ‘Anat goes
And treads every mountain to the midst of the Earth.
Every hill to the midst of the fiIluds.
She comes to the goodness of the land of Deber,
The beauty of the fiIluds of Shekelmemet.
She comes upon Ba’al prostrate on the earth.

For clothing She is covered with a doubled cloak.
The mountain in mourning 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.
"Ba’al is dead!
Woe to the people of Dagon's son!
Woe to the multitudes of Athar-Ba’al!
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 Ba’al on to Me!"

The Torch of the Gods, Shapash, hearkens.
She lifts Aliyan Ba’al,
On the shoulders of ‘Anat She places Him,
She raises Him into the heights of Zapan.
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 Ba’al.
She sacrifices seventy oxen
As an offering for Aliyan Ba’al.
She sacrifices seventy head of small cattle
As an offering for Aliyan Ba’al.
She sacrifices seventy deer
As an offering for Aliyan Ba’al.
She sacrifices seventy wild goats
As an offering for Aliyan Ba’al.
She sacrifices seventy asses
As an offering for Aliyan Ba’al.

Then She sets face toward Ilu
At the sources of the Two Rivers,
In the midst of the streams of the Two Deeps.
She enters the abode of Ilu,
Goes into the domicile of the King, Father Shunem.
At the feet of Ilu She bends and falls,
Prostrates Herself and honors Him.
She lifts Her voice
And shouts:
"Let Athirat and Her sons rejoice,
The Goddess and the band of Her brood!
For dead is Aliyan Ba’al,
For Perished is the Prince, Lord of Earth!"

Aloud cries Ilu to Athirat of the Sea:
"Hear, O Lady Athirat of the Sea!
Give one of Thy sons that I may make Him king!"

And Lady Athirat 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 Ba’al,
Nor wield a spear against Dagon's son."

When the parley is finished,
Lady Athirat 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 Zapan
That He may sit on the throne of Aliyan Ba’al.
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 Zapan!"
Ashtar the Terrible goes down,
Goes down from the throne of Aliyan Ba’al,
That He may rule over all the grand earth.

‘Anat goes now to face Mot, the Darling of Ilu, 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 ‘Anat toward Ba’al.
She seizes Mot, in ripping His garment.
She closes in on Him, in tearing His clothes.
She lifts Her voice
And shouts:
"Come, Mot, yiIlud My brother!"

And the God Mot replies:
"What does Thou ask, O Virgin ‘Anat?
I is going,
And roaming
Every mountain to the midst of the earth,
Every hill to the midst of the fields.
A soul is missing among 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 Shekelmemet.
I met Aliyan Ba’al;
I made Him like a lamb in My mouth.
Like a kid in My jaws is He crushed."

The Torch of the Gods, Shapash, glows,
The heavens stop on account of the God Mot.
A day, two days pass.
From days to months.

The maiden ‘Anat 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 ‘Anat toward Ba’al.
She seizes the God Mot.
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 Ilu, Father Shunem, declares of the lost God Ba’al:

"For perished is the Prince, Lord of Earth.
And if Aliyan Ba’al 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 Ba’al 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 Ba’al is alive,
For the Prince, Lord of Earth, exists."
Aloud shouts Ilu to the Virgin ‘Anat:
"Hear, O Virgin ‘Anat,
Say to the Torch of the Gods, Shapash:
'Over the furrows of the fiIluds, O Shapash,
Over the furrows of the fiIluds let Ilu set Thee.
As for the Lord of the Plowed Furrows,
Where is Aliyan Ba’al?
Where is the Prince, Lord of Earth?'"

The Virgin ‘Anat departs.
Then She sets face toward the Torch of the Gods, Shapash.
She lifts Her voice
And shouts:
"The message of Bull-Ilu, 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 Ilu set Thee!
As for the Lord of the Furrows of His plowing,
Where is Aliyan Ba’al?
Where is the Prince, Lord of Earth?'"

And the Torch of the Gods, Shapash, replies:
"I shall seek Aliyan Ba’al!"

And the Virgin ‘Anat answers:
"As for Me, tis not I, O Shapash!
As for Me, tis not I, but Ilu summons Thee!
May the Gods guard Thee in Sheol!"

Shapash descends into the underworld. She enters the realm of Sheol. Upon Her return to the world above, She carries Great Ba’al with Her. Ba’al goes into the heights of Zapan. He confronts Mot, the Hero.

Ba’al seizes the son of Athirat.
The great one He smites on the shoulder.
The tyrant He smites with a stick.
Mot is vanquished,
Reaches earth.

Ba’al 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 Mot addresses Himself to Aliyan Ba’al.
He lifts His voice
And shouts:
"Because of Thee, O Ba’al, 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 fields.
Because of Thee, experienced being sown in the sea."

Thereupon Mot threatens to destroy Ba’al in revenge. He threatens to take the kingship of Ba’al. Ba’al expels Him, drives Him out of the heights of Zapan. Mot vows His revenge upon Ba’al:

"And lo, as a brother of Yam Thou art made, Ba’al is given
As retribution for the destroyed sons of My mother!"

He returns to the Lord of the heights of Zapan,
He lifts His voice
And shouts:
"A brother of Yam Thou art made, O Ba’al!
As retribution for the destroyed sons of My mother!"

They shake each other like Gemar-beasts,
Mot is strong, Ba’al is strong.
They gore each other like buffaloes,
Mot is strong, Ba’al is strong.
They bite like serpents,
Mot is strong, Ba’al is strong.
They kick like racing beasts,
Mot is down, Ba’al is down.

Up comes Shapash.
She cries to Mot:
"Hear, O God Mot!
How canst Thou fight with Aliyan Ba’al?
How will Bull-Ilu, 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 Mot is afraid,
Ilu's Beloved, the Hero, is frightened.
Mot is roused from His prostration.

The God of Sterility submits to Ba’al. He concedes the kingship to the Lord of Earth. Ba’al returns to the Heights of Zapan, but ‘Anat does not go with Him. She turns Her anger to the enemies of Ba’al. To those who were fickle against Ba’al in His trials. The attacks mankind.

Like the fruit of seven daughters,
The scent of kids and anhb-animals,
Both gates of ‘Anat's house.

And the lads chance upon the Lady of the Mountain.
And lo, ‘Anat 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, ‘Anat reaches Her house,
Yea the Goddess enters Her palace,
But is not satisfied.
She had smitten in the valley,
Fought between the two cities.

'Anat

She hurls chairs at the troops,
Hurling tables at the soldiers,
Footstools at the heroes.
Much She smites and looks,
Fights and views.
‘Anat gluts Her liver with laughter.
Her heart is filled with joy,
For ‘Anat'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 ‘Anat washes Her hands,
The Progenitress of Heroes, Her fingers.
She ishes Her hands in the blood of soldiery,
Her fingers in the gore of troops.

Arranging portions by the chairs,
Tables by the tables,
Footstools She arranges by the footstools.
She gathers water and washes
With dew of heaven,
Fat of earth,
Rain of the Rider of Clouds,
The dew that the heavens pour,
The rain that the stars pour.
The anhb-animals leap by the thousand acres,
The zuh-fish in the sea, by the myriads of hectares.

The Cosmology and Generations of Sakkun-Yaton (Sanchuniathon)

COSMOLOGY

In the beginning, there was windy air, Arapel, and a chaos, turbid and black as the pit, Ba’ad, for there was not yet light. These were unbounded, and for many eternities destitute of form.  As the mingling of wind and chaos condensed, there was brought forth Teshuqah, desire, that forced creation to begin. This caused stars to light. The chaos did not know its own creation, but became enamored of its own principles, and a cloudy mud, Mowt, was made. The mud became dense, and floated in the shining light of the stars, hardened by the weight of its own principles. It became heavy and dense, and cooled on the outside but fiery inside. By the collision of icy stones from the chaos, water came to the worlds. The water putrefied, and it sprung forth the germ of creation, the beginning of life.  These were animals without sensation, formed in the shape of an egg, the Zapashamim, who are also called the watchers of heaven. The heavens and suns fed the Zapashamim, who watched and fed, and they multiplied to be more numerous than grains of sand. Their descendants would be the intelligent animals.

When the air of the suns sent forth their light upon the earths, its fiery influence on the sea and the earth produced wind, clouds, and great defluxions and torrents of heavenly waters. And when the waters were thus separated, the heavens were dashed this way and that by the heat of the sun, thunder and lightning were produced. Lightning struck the putrefaction where the Zapashamim dwelt, and the aforementioned intelligent animals were aroused into existence. They moved in the sea, and in time, upon the earth, as male and female.

As for these things, were they not recounted by Tautu and Sakkunyaton, and proven by the wise men and learned scholars since?

GENERATIONS

   Of the wind Qolpiakka, and his wife Ba’au, which is interpreted Night, were begotten two mortal men, Ulom andKadmon so called: and Ulom discovered food from trees.

   The immediate descendants of these were called Qen and Qenat, and they dwelt in Phœnicia: and when there were great droughts they stretched forth their hands to heaven towards the Sun; for him they supposed to be God, the only lord of heaven, calling him Baal-Shamin, which in the Phœnician dialect signifies Lord of Heaven, but among the Greeks is equivalent to Zeus.

   Afterwards by Qen the son of Ulom and Kadmon were begotten mortal children, whose names were Ur,Esh, and holy Lehobah. These found out the method of producing fire by rubbing pieces of wood against each other, and taught men the use thereof.

   These begat sons of vast bulk and height, whose names were conferred upon the mountains which they occupied: thus, from them Zapan, and Libnan, and Antilibnan and Brathu received their names.

   Memrum and Hupsuran were the issue of these men by connection with their mothers; the women of those times, without shame, having intercourse with any men whom they might chance to meet. Hupsuran inhabited Tyre: and he invented huts constructed of reeds and rushes, and the papyrus. And he fell into enmity with his brother Ushu, who was the inventor of clothing for the body which he made of the skins of the wild beasts which he could catch. And when there were violent storms of rain and wind, the trees about Tyre being rubbed against each other, took fire, and all the forest in the neighborhood was consumed. And Ushu having taken a tree, and broken off its boughs, was the first who dared to venture on the sea. And he consecrated two pillars to Fire and Wind, and worshiped them, and poured out upon them the blood of the wild beasts he took in hunting: and when these men were dead, those that remained consecrated to them rods, and worshiped the pillars, and held anniversary feasts in honor of them.

   And in times long subsequent to these; were born of the race of Hupsurans, Agrayu and Haliyu, the inventors of the arts of hunting and fishing, from whom huntsmen and fishermen derive their names.

   Of these were begotten two brothers who discovered iron, and the forging thereof. One of these called Kothar, exercised himself in words, and charms and divinations; and he invented the hook, and the bait, and the fishing-line, and boats of a light construction; he was the first of all men that sailed. Wherefore he was worshipped after his death as a God, under the name of Kothar-wa-Khassis. And it is said that his brothers invented the art of building walls with bricks.

   Afterwards, of this race were born two youths, one of whom was called Mohandu, and the other was called Gayanu Napshu. These discovered the method of mingling stubble with the loam of bricks, and of baking them in the sun; they were also the inventors of tiling.

   By these were begotten others, of whom one was named Agru, the other Agruwaru Agrotu, of whom in Phœnicia there was a statue held in the highest veneration, and a temple drawn by yokes of oxen: and at Byblus he is called, by way of eminence, the greatest of the Gods. These added to the houses, courts and porticos and crypts: husbandmen, and such as hunt with dogs, derive their origin from these: they are called also Aletæ, and Titans.

   From these were descended Amun and Mago, who taught men to construct villages and tend flocks.

   By these men were begotten Misor and Sadiq Resheph, that is, Well-freed and Just: and they found out the use of salt.

   From Misor descended Tautu, who invented the writing of the first letters: him the Egyptians called Thoor, the Alexandrians Thoyth, and the Greeks Hermes. But from Resheph descended the Qabirim: these (he says) first built a ship complete.

   From these descended others; who were the discoverers of medicinal herbs, and of the cure of poisons and of charms.

   Contemporary with these was one called El’abu Eliyanu,  (the most high); and his wife named Beruth, and they dwelt about Byblus.

   By these was begotten Shamuma (Heaven); so that from him that element, which is over us, by reason of its excellent beauty is named heaven: and he had a sister of the same parents, and she was called Arsa (Earth), and by reason of her beauty the earth was called by the same name.

   Eliyanu, the father of these, having been killed in a conflict with wild beasts, was consecrated, and his children offered libations and sacrifices unto him.

   But Shamuma, succeeding to the kingdom of his father, contracted a marriage with his sister Arsa, and had by her four sons, Ilu, and Betulu, and Dagon, which signifies Grain, and Atlas.

  But by other wives Shamuma had much issue; at which Arsa, being vexed and jealous of Shamuma, reproached him so that they parted from each other: nevertheless Shamuma returned to her, again by force whenever he thought proper, and having laid with her, again departed: he attempted also to kill the children whom he had by her; but Arsa often defended herself with the assistance of auxiliary powers.

   But when Ilu arrived at man's estate, acting by the advice and with the assistance of Kothar, who was his secretary, he opposed himself to his father Shamuma, that he might avenge the indignities which had been offered to his mother.

   And to Ilu were born children, Allani and Anat; the former of whom died a virgin; but, by the advice of Anat and Kothar, Ilu made a scimitar and a spear of iron. Then Hermes addressed the allies of Ilu with magic words, and wrought in them a keen desire to make war against Shamuma in behalf of Arsa. And Ilu having thus overcome Shamuma in battle, drove him from his kingdom, and succeeded him in the imperial power. In the battle was taken a well-beloved concubine of Shamuma who was pregnant; and Ilu bestowed her in marriage upon Dagon, and, whilst she was with him, she was delivered of the child which she had conceived by Shamuma, and called his name Hadad.

   After these events Ilu surrounded his habitation with a wall, and founded Byblos, the first city of Phœnicia. Afterwards Ilu having conceived a suspicion of his own brother Atlas, by the advice of Kothar, threw him into a deep cavern in the earth, and buried him.

   At this time the descendants of the Qabirim having built some light and other more complete ships, put to sea; and being cast away over against Mount Zapan, there consecrated a temple.

   But the auxiliaries of Ilu were called Elohim. And ILu, having a son called Sadid, dispatched him with his own sword, because he held him in suspicion, and with his own hand deprived his child of life. And in like manner he cut off the head of his own daughter, so that all the gods were astonished at the disposition of Ilu.

   But in process of time, whilst Shamuma was still in banishment, he sent his daughter Athirat, being a virgin, with two other of her sisters, Rahmay and Elat, to cut off Ilu by treachery; but Ilu took the damsels, and married them notwithstanding they were his own sisters. When Shamuma understood this, he sent Aymar-Rimnat and Marat with other auxiliaries to make war against Ilu: but Ilu gained the affections of these also, and detained them with himself. Moreover, the god Shamuma devised Baetyls, contriving stones that moved as having life.

   And by Athirat, Ilu had seven daughters called Kathirat; by Rahmay also he had seven sons, the youngest of whom was consecrated from his birth; also by Elat he had daughters, such as Ashtart; and by Athirat again he had two other sons, Putu and Habibu.

   To Resheph, who was called the just, one of the Kathirat bare Eshmun: and to Ilu there were born also in Peraya three sons, Ilu bearing the same name with his father, and Baal Hammon, and Nebo.

   Contemporary with these were Yam Nahar,  from  Yam Nahar descended Sidon, who by the excellence of her singing first invented the hymns of odes or praises.

   But to Hadad was born three daughters, Pidray, Arsay, and Tallay, and Melqart, who is also called Heracles.

   Shamuma then made war against Yam-Nahar, but afterwards relinquishing the attack he attached himself to Hadad, when Hadad invaded Yam: but Yam put him to flight, and Hadad vowed a sacrifice for his escape.

   In the thirty-second year of his power and reign, Ilu, having laid an ambuscade for his father Shamuma in a certain place situated in the middle of the earth, when he had got him into his hands dismembered him over against the fountains and rivers. There Shamuma was consecrated, and his spirit was separated, and the blood of his parts flowed into the fountains and the waters of the rivers; and the place, which was the scene of this transaction, is shewed even to this day.

But Ashtart called the greatest, and Hadad who is entitled the king of gods, reigned over the country by the consent of Ilu: and Ashtart put upon her head, as the mark of her sovereignty, a bull's head: and travelling about the habitable world, she found a star falling through the air, which she took up, and consecrated in the holy island of Tyre: and the Phœnicians say that Ashtart is the same as Aphrodite.

   Moreover, Ilu visiting the different regions of habitable world, gave to his daughter Anat the kingdom of Attica: and when there happened a plague with a great mortality, Ilu offered up his only begotten son as a sacrifice to his father Shamuma, and circumcised himself, and compelled his allies to do the same: and not long afterwards he consecrated after his death another of his sons, called Mot, whom he had by Rahmay; this Mot the Phœnicians esteem the same as Death and Pluto.

   After these things, Ilu gave the city of Byblus to the goddess Baalat, which is Dione, and Beirut to Yam, and to the Qabirim who were husbandmen and fishermen: and they consecrated the remains of at Beirut.

   But before these things the god Tautu, having portrayed Shamuma, represented also the countenances of the gods Ilu, and Dagon, and the sacred characters of the elements. He contrived also for Ilu the ensign of his royal power, having four eyes in the parts before and in the parts behind, two of them closing as in sleep; and upon the shoulders four wings, two in the act of flying, and two reposing as at rest. And the symbol was, that Ilu whilst he slept was watching, and reposed whilst he was awake. And in like manner with respect to the wings, that he was flying whilst he rested, yet rested whilst he flew. But for the other gods there were two wings only to each upon his shoulders, to intimate that they flew under the control of Ilu; and there were also two wings upon the head, the one as a symbol of the intellectual part, the mind, and the other for the senses.

   And Ilu visiting the country of the south, gave all Egypt to the god Tautu, that it might be his kingdom.

   These things, says he, the Qabirim, the seven sons of Resheph, and their eighth brother Eshmun, first of all set down in the records in obedience to the commands of the god Tautu.

   All these things the son of Thabiyanu, the first Hierophant of all among the Phœnicians, allegorized and mixed up with the occurrences and accidents of nature and the world, and delivered to the priests and prophets, the superintendents of the mysteries: and they, perceiving the rage for these allegories increase, delivered them to their successors, and to foreigners: of whom one was Isir, the inventor of the three letters, the brother of Kana’an who is called the first Phœnician.