The fourteenth-century B.C.E. Baal Cycle is one of the most important extra-Biblical sources for West Semitic religion in ancient times, and it ends with a really terrific fight scene. The protagonist Baal (Master) has already fought and defeated Yamm (the Sea) and built his temple/palace on Mount Zaphon after getting permission from the head god, El. He is is forced to die by Mot (Death), but subsequently rises from the underworld, fights with Mot, and defeats him. (N.B.: This is mōt with a long o, not like Mr. Mot.) Baal and Mot fight until Shapsh (the Sun) breaks up the fight and tells Mot he cannot hope to win against Baal, whereupon Mot concedes defeat. (Actually, this isn’t the best fight scene in the story, but Anat’s fight with Mot will have to wait for another day.)
Text is from KTU 1.6 (tablet 6 col. 6), transcription from SBL (Parker et al., eds.), 1997, 162–163, with a few emendations and suppositions.
| [].bn.ilm.mt. | And Mot, the divine, said: |
| p[h]n.aḫym.ytn.bʿl.spuy. | ‘See, Baal surrendered my brothers as my food, |
| bnm.umy.klyy. | The sons of my mother for my devouring!’ |
| yṯb.ʿm.bʿl.șpn. | He turns to Baal atop Mount Zaphon, |
| yšu.gh.wyșḥ. | And with raised voice, he bellows: |
| aḫym.ytnt.bʿl.spuy. | ‘Baal! You surrendered my brothers as my food, |
| knm.umy.kl.yy. | The sons of my mother for my devouring!’ |
| ytʿn.kgmrm. | They face each other down like two hippos— |
| mt.ʿz.bʿl.ʿz. | Mot the fierce, Baal the fierce. |
| yngḥn.krumm. | They gore each other like twin buffalo— |
| mt.ʿz.bʿl.ʿz. | Mot the fierce, Baal the fierce. |
| ynṯkn.bṯnm. | They bite each other like twin snakes— |
| mt.ʿz.bʿl.ʿz. | Mot the fierce, Baal the fierce. |
| ymṣḫn.klsmm. | They claw at each other like charging beasts— |
| mt.ql.bʿl.ql. | Mot falls. Baal falls. |
| ʿln.špš.tṣḥ.lmt. | High above, Shapsh proclaims to Mot: |
| šmʿ.mʿ.lbn.ilm.mt. | ‘Listen up, Mot, the divine: |
| ik.tmt[ḫ]s.ʿm.aliyn.bʿl. | How can you compete against mightiest Baal? |
| ik.al.yšm[ʿ]k[.ṯ]r.il.abk. | How will your father, El the bull, hear you? |
| l.ysʿ.alt.ṯbtk. | Surely he will take away your throne’s foundation, |
| lyhpk.ksa.mlkk. | Surely he will overturn the seat of your kingship, |
| lyṯbr.ḫṭ.mṯpṭk. | Surely he will break the staff of your dominion.’ |
| yru.bnilm.<.m>t. | Mot the divine is terrified, |
| ṯtʿ.y.dd.il.ǵzr[.] | The favourite of El, the hero, is afraid. |
| yʿr.mt.bqlh. | Mot trembles at her voice, |
| y[šu.gh.wyṣḥ]. | He raises his voice and says in response: |
| bʿl.yṯṯbn[.lksi.]mlkh. | ‘Let Baal take his seat on the royal throne, |
| l[nḫt.lkḥṯ.]drkth[.] | On the resting place, the seat of his rule.’ |
