Filial Duties in the Ugaritic Epic of Danilu and Aqhatu

Abstract

The list of filial duties from the Aqhatu story constitutes a passage unique to the literature of the ancient Near East, emphasized in the epic by its fourfold repetition in close proximity. This is why the list has attracted much attention of scholars, who are particularly interested in the wisdom nature of the list, the ancestor worship in Ugarit and in the Ancient East, the family ritual and the responsibilities of children towards their parents, as well as the Sitz im Leben of the list, considered by some to be part of a larger and independent work, which has been included in the Aqhatu story because of loose connections with the topic of son and heir. As the current translation and interpretation efforts seem insufficient, the article proposes a new translation and a new attempt to highlight the meaning and the context of both individual duties and the entire list.