The Escape of a Ugariti Slave – KTU 2.90
Al-Raqim (KTU 2.90) is distinguished by being one of the rarest Ugaritic documents that deals with the issue of slavery in the Old Kingdom, as it represents a letter from the queen of Ugarit, whom the text does not name, to her brother (or to a certain noble whom the queen addresses as brother) in which she addresses the escape of the slave who had previously given her a gift. Her brother, in order to join his wife, whom the queen appears to have given her to her brother after the slave married her under the queen’s care. I hope that this text will not disappoint some history enthusiasts who have very rosy perceptions of life in ancient kingdoms.
Thummelkhath of Jarmhad
, my brother, was stoned.
I was vaccinated.
And that you have caused it to stink for you.
What.henna.bunsh.
He.bagti.malice.
What.henna.bunsh.
He circulated his furniture.
Your house. He jumped. He condemned. He came.
And he is taken.hin.bunch.hu.
And his curse is like my angel.
And if he perishes.
And, for that matter, I am the uncle of Malik.
And your uncle,
I would have come without my angel,
Shannan
Translation:
The Queen's Message. To my brother Jermhad, say:
[Regarding] the tablets [which I sent concerning] the servant whom I took [from you]
and then gave to you his wife .
The servant has worked in my field
[but now] the servant has returned with his wife
to your house, and you are [now] his master.
[I told you before]: “Let this servant be taken and delivered to my messengers.”
And he did not move [from his place yet].
I did not inform the king
, but I informed you,
so he delivered him into the hands of my messengers.
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