XXIV.

Then I found that the king of the Elamites, Orlahomar, 1960 a pious leader, made an expedition:  in aid of him Am-brafel set forth from Sennar with a great multitude.  Four kings then set out with mighty power to seek 1965 Sodoma and Gomorra, southward from there.  Then was the country of the men by Iordan widely besieged by warriors, the land [was surrounded] by foes.  Many a terrified pale-cheeked maiden would have to go trem- 1970 bling to the embrace of a stranger:  the defenders of the brides and rings would fall, weak with wounds.  Against them with warlike zeal five kings came forth 1975 from the south, with their armies, who wished to rid the city of Sodoma of its foes:  for twelve winters before of necessity they had had to yield tribute and pay indemnity to the men of the north, until the people no longer would enrich the king of the Elamites with 1980 their own treasures, but revolted from him.

In rage the slaughter-hordes came together:  the jav-elins were loud; the dark fowl sang among the flying weapons, the dewy-feathered [raven] looked for the slain. 1985 The warriors rushed on in cohorts with unfaltering cour-age, until the nations’ armies had come together widely, from south and north, protected by their helmets.  There was bitter struggle, exchanges of deadly spears, great 1990 tumult of war, loud din of conflict.  The heroes drew from the sheath with their hands the ring-mailed sword, keen of edge.  Then was booty easy to find for the chieftain who before this was not readily sated with 1995 battle!  The northern men were fatal to the southern men:  the men of Sodoma and Gomorra, dispensers of gold, were bereft of their dear allies at the shield-clash-ing.  They went forth from their homesteads to save 2000 themselves by flight; behind them the youths of the race fell, slain by the sword, [and] their allies [were] cleft with the edge.  The leader of the army of the Elamites had 2005 victory in battle, was master of the battlefield.  The survivors of the weapons fled to seek fastnesses.  The enemy seized upon gold, robbed with devastation the treasure-cities of the people, Sodoma and Gomorra.  Then misery requited the great strongholds; the maidens, 2010 wives, and widows, deprived of friends, departed from their homesteads.  The enemy led out with them from the city of Sodoma, with their spoils, the kinsman of Abraham.

We may now relate this true history further, as to what was the fate of the war-wolves after the battle, 2015 who carried off Loth and the goods of the people, the treasures of the southlanders, [and] exulted in victory.