Royal Letters

Royal LettersDusratta's LettersNo. 9 B. M.—“ToNeb-mat-ra(Amenophis III) King ofEgyptmy brother, by letter, thusTuseratta365King ofMitani366thy brother. I am at peace. Peace be to thee; toGilukhipamy sister be peace. To thy house, thy wives, thy sons, thy lords, thy terrible army, thy horses, thy chariots, and in thy land, be much peace. Since I have sat on my father's throne, and have conquered. But (Pirkhi?) made a lawless command in my land, and smote his Lord; and because of these things, they have striven to right me, with who so loved us well; and because my land submitted to this lawless order I was not afraid, but the chiefs who supportedArtasu-maramy brother, with all that were theirs, I slew. As thou wast well with my father, and because of these things, I send this. I say to you, as my brother hears, and will rejoice; my father loved thee, and thou therefore didst love my father; and my father, as he saw this, gave thee my sister; and now ... as thou wast with my father. When my brother saw these things, he brought all those in the land of theHittitesas foes to my land; andRimmonmy Lord gave them to my hand; and I slew him among them, so that not one returned to his land.367Now I have sent thee a chariot with two horses, a young man and a young woman, of the spoil of the land of theHittites. I have sent thee, as a present to my brother, five chariots, and five yoke of horses; and as a present toGilukhipa368my sister, I have sent her (trinkets?) of gold, a pair of gold earrings, and ... of gold, and goodly stones, each(?). NowGilia, a prudent man, andTunipripi369I send to my brother; speedily let him reply to me; so I shall hear my brother's salutation, and shall rejoice. Let my brother wish[pg 280]me well; and let my brother send envoys: so my brother's salutation shall come to me, and I shall hear.”37022 B.—The salutation calls Amenophis III his“kinsman,”but does not name his sister.“Manimy brother's envoy has come to honor me: to take my brother's wife the Queen ofEgypt;371and I received the letter that came: I learned the declaration of his (order?). My heart has been much gladdened by my brother's message, as my brother will see; and it rejoiced that day exceeding much: that day and night they made (rejoicings?).“And, my brother, all the message thatManicame to bring has been performed. This same year behold, my brother, I will ... his wife, the Queen ofEgypt, and I will send ... hence forth the land ofKhanirabbeand the land ofEgypt. And because of these things thatManihas spoken, I send back, my brother,GiliaandManiwith speed, to ... these things; and let not my brother blame them ... as to delay in being despatched; for there was no delay to ... for my brother's wife; and lo! delay is.... In the sixth month I have sentGiliamy envoy, andManimy brother's envoy: I will send my brother's wife to my brother. So mayIstarthe Lady of Ladies my Goddess, andAmanu372my brother's God, give peace ... I have sent to my brother; and my brother as ... increased his (love?) very much, and ... as the heart of my brother was satisfied; and ... (for our children?) my brother ... more than before ... I have despatchedKhai, my brother, trusting his ... and I give the letter to his hands ... and let him bear his message ... I have sent ... going to my brother ... my brother, are not his soldiers...”The next five lines referring to the wife are too broken to read. The back of the tablet continues:“... which my brother sent ... all that my brother has caused to be collected ... in presence of all of them they have been (given?) us ... all these things, beyond expectation thereof, and the gold ... which they have paid—and he has indeed lavished very much[pg 281]... them, any or all these things; was not the gold ... They say‘In the land ofEgyptthere is plenty more gold for thee my brother, because he loves thee very much ... and will love (and being so?) is not there, behold, anything needful, anything beside, from the land of Egypt in addition? So send to me, accordingly, him by whom these are given, and there shall be no lack.’Thus indeed (said) I‘As to anything (further?) do not I say to your faces—He loves me, and my land, exceeding much, does this King ofEgypt?’“And my brother has taken me to his heart: all is as my heart desired; and is it not understood; when he sends shall not I hasten me for my brother: shall not I increase in longing toward my brother: as my brother does also?Mani, my brother's envoy, has brought my brother's ... which was withMani. I have honored their ... and I have honored them very much. NowManiwill take this; and my brother we direct him to ... how I have received from him very much: he will tell my brother this, and my brother will hear what we have done (as I have sent list of gifts of this and that, and he shall not refuse it?).“And may my brother send untold gold; and may my father's power increase with me, as my brother has increased my favor, as my brother has cherished me much, in the sight of my country, in the sight of the whole of my brethren. MayRimmonandAmanuappoint that my brother's wishes be ever fulfilled; and for myself, my brother, that my wishes may be fulfilled, as men whom the Sun-God loves. And so now the Gods shall indeed decree for us this prayer, ... we shall join as friends forever.“For my brother's present I have sent to my brother a (double-edged weapon?) ... and (?) of emeralds, and pure gold ... enclosed in a box, and ... of alabaster, and pure gold, for a box ...”21 B.—“ToAmenophis III, the Great King, King ofEgypt, my brother, my kinsman373whom I love, and who loves me, by[pg 282]letter thusDusratta, the Great King, King ofMitani, thy brother, thy kinsman who also loves thee. I am at peace, etc.“To my brother whom I love I have given his young wife.374May the Sun-God andIstar... her face. As my brother desires: may ... and may my brother rejoice, in the day when ... the Sun-God and the God ... giving joy to my noble brother, ... let them grant it to be ... and may my brother ... forever.“Manimy brother's envoy, andKhani375my brother's interpreter, as you cause them to be sent, plenty of (provisions?) I shall give them ... them much; as they performed their orders I made all the people protect them. If they do not may my Gods, and my brother's Gods, guard them. Now I have sentNahramaniwho is careful in my brother's affairs, and I have sent (an ornament?) of precious stones—of precious stones and gold, as a present to my brother; and may my brother be granted to live a hundred years.”8 B. M.—The salutation is the same as before, but the writer's name is spelt“Tusratta”instead ofDusratta. The letter is the best preserved in the whole collection.“Since your forefathers were friendly with my forefathers, thou therefore wast very greatly friendly with my father. So you love me: we are zealous friends. Ten times more you increase it than to my father. The heavenly Gods shall decree that we shall be friends. MayRimmonmy God, andAmanu, so pronounce, even forever.“And so my brother sentManihis envoy. Thus indeed my brother (said)‘Does not my brother's heart desire that thy daughter (be) the wife of my young son376—as a princess ofEgypt’and I spoke as to my intention about it; and my brother desiring that she should be made ready forMani, and to show her, so he beheld her, and praised her much. And may they lead her in peace into the land of my brother. MayIstarandAmanumake her agreeable to my brother's heart.“Gilia, my envoy, set forth my brother's message before[pg 283]me. So I heard and it was very good; and so I rejoiced very much. Thus truly I say‘This is thus arranged between us so that we may be zealous friends.’Now with firm faith forever let us be friends.“So I shall send to my brother, and I say thus myself, so let us be much more friendly; and do not you respond to us? And I say thus, that my brother has enriched me ten times more than my father.“And I have asked much gold of my brother: so he has given me more than to my father. My brother indeed sent to me; and to my father you sent much gold: much (merchandise?) of gold; and besides all the gold you sent him you have sent me bricks of gold (lavished?) like copper.“I sentGilia(humbly?) to my brother, and asked for gold. Thus indeed I (said)‘Truly my brother has given me more than to my father, and may he send me untold gold.’“May my brother send me more than to my father; and now I say thus to my brother: the (loan?) that my grandfather made, so I may (say), as (one thinking little of wealth?) he made it for thee; and now as regards (what) I say, the gold that my brother shall send, let him send it when he likes.“Lo my brother has sent the gold saying‘It is due to you,’But no. No more was due; and he had satisfied the account; and when he had satisfied the account I was glad thereof exceedingly; and whatever my brother sends I have been very glad thereof.“Now behold I sent to my brother—and may my brother extend his kindness to me more than to my father; now I asked gold of my brother, and whatever gold I asked of my brother, he has sent the double of what was asked. One (sum) for the (loan?), and a second of good-will.“And may my brother send me untold gold; and may he send me more than to my father; and so may the Gods decree, that much more gold beside be in my brother's land, as there now is in my brother's land; and ten times more than there now is, may it increase.377And let not my brother refuse the gold that I ask by my brother's wish; and, as for me, let me not refuse my brother's wish; and may my brother send me[pg 284]very much gold uncounted; and whatever my brother needs let him send and take. Let me return the gift that my brother desires for his household. This land is my brother's land, and this house is my brother's house.“Now I sendGiliamy envoy to my brother. Let him not refuse him. Let him speedily command him: let him send him away. So hearing my brother's salutation let me rejoice exceeding much. Let me ever hear my brother's salutation. And these messages that we send, let my GodRimmonandAmanudecree that they may arrive through their mercy. And as now it is prayed therefor, so we are friends; and as now so forever may we be friends.“Now as to the gifts for my brother: I have sent as my brother's gifts a quantity of solid gold, and precious stones: (its value?) includes the amount of twenty precious stones, and nineteen pieces of gold. The weight of precious stones and gold remaining includes the amount of forty-two precious stones and twenty pieces of goldZuzasof Istar: (this is) the weight of precious stones and gold remaining; and ten yoke of horses, and ten chariots, with all that belongs to them, and thirty female slaves.”27 B.—This is the longest letter in the collection, including six lines in Aramaic, and 512 lines in Dusratta's native language (see“Journal Royal Asiatic Society,”October, 1892, for my translation). The important passages of the letter appear to me to read as follows, and the meaning is confirmed by statements in other letters by this writer concerning his daughter's marriage. The letter was addressed to Amenophis III, and sent by the same two envoys,ManiandGilias,378already noticed.“Giliasthe envoy, who takes the messages is ordered to utter it, his duty being to go out, because Amenophis III the Egyptian (ally?) rules a far off land, and I rule in the cityIkhibin379the city of the GodSimigis380the paternal deity.“To proceed: asManimy brother's envoy says, it is understood that my brother is very desirous that it should be speedily completed.[pg 285]“Brother, I gladly empower the envoy to take back this woman, whomManisays my brother commanded him to bring, when he was ordered as an envoy.“Understanding that my brother desires now to take her home, is it not necessary, understanding this decision to be preferred; as twenty-three months have gone by, is not her taking home to be hastened? My Court having decided to accept, and being satisfied as well as my wife, and resolved to accept the agreement; and the girl being heartily pleased—how happy she is words cannot tell—the decision is from the Gods, brother, for me the decision is from the mighty Gods, my brother. Surely you know whether I do not desire that she should be so brilliantly exalted, the girl being so fortunately (married): surely you know that I shall be glad.“Proclaim thou for me that whatever people ofKhalci,381west of theMinyan382country—whatever people ofKhalciI have conquered, are made subject.“I being the great chief of the power of the land of theHittitestaking to me, my brother, all the people that are conquered. Let it extend to the city ofHarran383and let the land possessed by no king be taxed.“My son-in-law being married in the city of Thebes in presence of the image of the deity.”“Is it not thus thatDusrattadwelling afar arranges the marriage ofTadukhipa384—Dusrattathe favored (friend?) from the Minyan land, consenting to the wish ofAmenophis IIIthe Egyptian (friend) that the son ofAmenophis IIIbe so married to her, in the presence of the image of the deity.”As this letter is written in what is called by scholars an“unknown[pg 286]language,”these renderings may be questioned. The dialect appears, however, to be closely related to the Akkadian and to other Mongol dialects of western Asia, and to be also the same used (B. 10) by the Hittites.10 B. M.—Written, as the Egyptian docket at the bottom of the tablet on the back states, in the thirty-sixth year of Amenophis III which appears to have been probably the last of his reign.“To Amenophis III King of Egypt my brother, my kinsman whom I love, and who loves me, by letter thusDusrattaKing ofMitaniwho loves thee, thy kinsman. I am at peace. Peace be to thee, to thy house, to the womanTachikhipamy daughter to the wife thou lovest be peace.385To thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy army, to thy land, and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace.“Thus (I say)IstarofNineveh, the lady of the lands, is kind of heart to the land ofEgypt. In the land that I love do not they walk after her?386Do not they cry aloud to her? Now behold it has brought thee prosperity.“Now from the time of my father they have besoughtIstarin her land for thy prosperity; and, as of old so now, it continues. They honor her.“And now may my brother receive of her ten times more than before. Let my brother receive with joy: let it be hastened for him: let it endure.“Istaris the Lady of Heaven my brother, and as for me let me be guarded by her for a hundred years; and may great joy be given. Let it be granted by her that I may not fail; and as you desire may it (befall?).“Is notIstarmy God, and has not she (prospered?) my brother (or been with my brother?).”24 B.—The second longest of Dusratta's letters, 185 lines in all, is unfortunately very much damaged, as it is perhaps the most important, giving as it does historical information extending over three generations, during which the kings of Egypt and of Mitani were allied by marriage.“To ...ya387my kinsman, whom I love and who loves[pg 287]me ... the great King (King of)Mitanithy kinsman who loves thee. I am at peace ... to the LadyTeie... toTadukhipamy daughter thy wife be peace, to ... be peace. To thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy ... and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace ... ofAmenophis IIIthy father he sent to me; he explained ... of all that he sent there was no message at all that I ... to your father as to what he sent to me; andTeiethe chief wife ofAmenophis IIIyour mother knew all of them. All these have been seen byTeieyour mother ... the messages that your father caused to be addressed to me.“... and ten times more than withAmenophis IIIyour father caused him to tell me whatsoever wish ... and whatever message I spoke, faithfully in the same day ... he himself did not turn away his heart from any message ... but faithfully in the same day he caused it to be done.“... the father ofAmenophis IIIsent toSitatama388my grandfather, and ... a daughter. He sent to my grandfather five or six times, and he was not given her, when ... he sent; and at length he was given her.Amenophis IIIyour father sent (humbly?) toSut(tarna)my father ... and so for my father's daughter, my own sister, his heart was desirous; and five (or six) times he ... her: when he had sent five or six times at length he was given her. SoAmenophis III... sent to me, and so desired a daughter389and I ... I said in ... of his envoy‘Thus I say I have (sworn?) to give her: by our wish ... to take, and the ... which he has known: and she is a sister so it is lawful;’and I give ...Amenophis IIIthy (father's) ... if these are not truths ... heaven and earth bear witness ... to give her; and[pg 288]Khai390the envoy of my brother ... to the (Queen?) and toAmenophis IIII sent with her ... in three months with the greatest speed ... and the gold ... truly was not ... which I sent.“When you favored a daughter, and so (sent for) her, and asAmenophis IIIyour father knew her ... I rejoiced being exceeding glad, and he said‘My brother, is not it thy wish thus to give the handmaid’; and he made public agreement with this his land, in presence of my envoy ... so men ... when they beheld; and I received from him; andAmenophis IIIestablished us ... for the future; and so receiving ... I was made great; and in the cities which forTadukhipa... in all of them he made us dwell as conquerors,391and among the envoys who went down ... none thatGilia... the gold of one (limzu) was given by weight. Truly toAmenophis IIIforTadukhipait was given; andTadukhipa... was given ... and ... my envoysAmenophis IIIwith ... I received; there was no one ...Amenophis IIIsentNizikhis envoy ... myself; and he ... (refusing?) to my face the ... of gold ... the gold which ... ofGiliaand ... he established us ... my envoys ... to be despatched ... he did not cease to (deny?) ... and ... he took her... I was not able to refuse to please him ... he sent this to me ... they sent was wonderful, and then ...Amenophis IIIyour father in every message ... the lord of the place to protect her. Did not he order all these as I say ... do not I say thatTeie392... has known ... andTeieis your mother, ask her if, among the messages that I spake, there is one message which is not vindicated by her, as to these (messages) toAmenophis IIIyour father ... if toAmenophis IIIyour father brotherhood was made by me: if it was said byAmenophis IIIyour father‘If at all (there is) gold that ... in the land ofKhani RabbeI will despatch it; and order thou thus the ... do[pg 289]not I desire to cause it to be sent’: the ... bore what was ordered to be given ofAmenophis IIIyour father; andAmenophis IIIsaid to me‘... the treasures of gold ... all that my ... desires is sent ... and ... to do this I have sent to thee’... there byAmenophis IIIwith a message. Never was there a message without a reply. I never refused any of the messages.“(And when)Amenophis IIIwas obliged to be taken to his fate, and they told (me) ... I tore my cheeks, and I mourned on that same day; I sat (in the dust?); I (took) no food or water that same day; and I was grieved ... I said‘Let me perish myself from earth, and from my ... and that he loved me God knows, and he was loved’(and because of) these things we are cast down in our hearts.”“... to me the eldest son ofAmenophis IIIby his wifeTeie... was made, and I said‘Has notAmenophis IIIdied ... the eldest son of his chief wifeTeie(is) in his stead ... shall not we be sent news ... from her abode as of old.’“... I say thusAmenophis IVis my brother whom we shall love in our hearts ... the son ofAmenophis IIImore than his father, because ofTeiehis mother, who was the wife ... as she desires a message to the presence ofAmenophis IV(Abkhuriya) the son ofAmenophis IIIher husband. I (rejoice) very exceeding much that we shall be friends“(As they have sent me this message?) As they have ordered it,Giliasis humbly (sent?) ... they have sentMani(as an envoy?), and treasures of woods (or trees) my brother has sent, and gold ... without gold and without...”The next passage is too broken to read, but refers to the continuance of friendship since the time of the ancestors of both kings, and for the future. The back of the tablet is very much broken, the whole of one paragraph, and the greater part of the next, which refers toTeieas the mother ofAmenophis IVbeing destroyed. It continues:“... the message of your mother which toGilias... He has desired a message to be despatched and (as he desires) ... have not I sent my envoys, and have[pg 290]not I ... (and it is not my fault?) and the treasures ... which he asked of him I have caused to be given, not being desired ... my envoys four years since you393...”Eight lines are here almost entirely destroyed, referring to some speedy message, and to the former king, with a reference to certain persons, including the“father ofTeie(your elders?) with me,”with professions of friendship. The end of the paragraph (lines 40, 41) contains the words,“as thus he set us up over all her many lands ... all the lands are all hers in his sight.”394The next paragraph continues:“... the (treasures?) of gold (allowed to be despatched?) previously byAmenophis III... he has sent. Lo! very exceedingly my brother has desired that treasures ... to us; and much of his gold ... very exceedingly my brother ... as intending for me ... whatever among ... and your father; was not he given by me; and lo! now let my brother see that I was not at all ... to your father: the treasures that he desired were given, and lo! ... I am sending back my message: there shall be nothing done to cause the heart to turn away ... all the messages ...Teiehas been a witness, andTeieyour mother ... plenty. Lo! I asked your father, and did not your father grant me? and ... let this gold be given, and let not my brother's heart ... let him not turn from my ... when the (loan?) ... was not made, and what had ...“... LetGiliaknow this day what my brother's heart desires. I have made Gilia travel ... thus I have made my brother's envoys to obey him, travelling with speed. If ever, my brother, my envoys ... if ever I send my envoys ... (the fault is not mine?) ... I have sentManiandGiliato my brother as before. If at all by my brother my envoys to him, and if by us they shall be received, I also shall so hasten him ... Lo! as regards messages from my brother, which he makes about anything as to my brother's intentions ... thence; and on the throne of his father he sits this day; and let me do my brother's will.[pg 291]“I say thus, my brother, have not I sent my envoys, and much in their keeping which is for thee; and my brother let ... which is for thee.Mazipalali395my envoy is the paternal uncle ofGiliaand for ... my brother I have sent him, and my brother am not I (the surer?) asGiliais not ... And the other envoy whom I shall send to my brother is the brother ofGiliathe son of his mother396... I sent him. So my brother have not I despatched him speedily without stopping, and, my brother, as to my wishes that I wish (it is not my fault?) and because of these things did not I sendGilia... for security, and for all this am not I the surer.“Mazipalaliwhom I shall send to my brother is the uncle ofGilia; and the treasures (allowed to be despatched?) ... and plenty of untold gold of the (loan?) which I desire from my brother let my brother give ... and let him not refuse; and with my brother gold in addition ... ten times more may it increase to me exceedingly ... let these things be ordered; andMani(with) my envoy my brother ... let be given of my brother; and let him sendGiliato me; and ... and all the news about my brother's mother that they shall speak, and (especially?) let me (hear?) ... that they did. And lo! as before I sent not to thee my brother, so let him ... me. Let not my brother ... and to my brother's pleasure ... and I meditate a message of consolation for my brother.“Let bothArtessupa397and ... thus relate in my brother's land this thing. I have been sent (under escort?) ...Mani(brought?) before me all my wicked slaves, who have dwelt inEgypt, and I examined them398as to ... and they said ... and I said before them‘Why is your insolence so great?’... So they put them in chains, and ... one of my ... one from my city who has angered the land ... and another ... did not I slay because of these things? My brother, did not he say ... was not I wroth? Behold my brother they were[pg 292]wicked ... and ... my brother it was necessary and now let me (afflict them?).“As to a present for my brother. My brother's presents (are)—a (weight?) of solid gold from the landRis Burkhis, a weapon with a stone head399... of precious stone ... (an ornament?) for the hands of precious stones, one part of gold: three cloths: three ... three ... (with fastenings?) of gold, ... of refined bronze (or copper) ... two ...“As a present forTeieyour mother an (ornament?) for the hands of precious stones ... earrings ... two cloths.“As a present for (Tadukhipa) my (daughter) an ornament for the hands ... earrings ... two cloths.”23 B.—The salutation is the same as in the last, being addressed toAmenophis IV, toTeieand toTadukhipa.“Manimy brother's envoy (has come) to (me). I have heard. I liked much the gifts that my brother ... I saw, and I rejoiced very much. My brother utters this message and (says)‘As with my fatherAmenophis IIIyou were friends, now behold this day be friends with me thy brother. You will continue to be kind,’and I have not delayed ... with my brother. Lo! ten times more than to your father I will be a friend.“And your fatherAmenophis IIIspoke this message in his letter (by your ...)Mani,‘Continue thou the friendship,’400and when my brotherAmenophis IIIsaid this, lo! what I had sent was nothing at all, and my brother shall not consider it anything. And I do not send this present, which behold I have sent to thee, as desiring to cause you to send; but (humbly?) whatever my brother desires to be given to his wife, they shall be made to take away. They shall see her,401and I will send ten times as much.“And the treasures of gold (allowed to be despatched?) one treasure for me, and another treasure as the treasure ofTadukhipamy daughter, lo! I asked of Amenophis III your[pg 293]father. And your father said‘Send for the gold that (remains to be remitted?) let the (rest) be given, and the precious stones that are to be given thee, and the gold, because we have increased the gift, which is marvellous with treasure to be given to you.’And the gold of the treasures all my envoys who were in the land ofEgyptbeheld with their eyes; and your father lavishly increased the treasures in presence of my envoys. He welcomed them on their way; he maintained them! and lavishly expended the ... on my envoys. They gazed, and so truly they beheld with their eyes his favor poured out.“And more gold beside, which was marvellous, which he sent to me, he piled up; and he said to my envoys‘Behold the treasures, and behold the gold in plenty, and the possessions which are marvellous,402which I shall send to my brother: behold them also with your eyes.’And my envoys beheld with their eyes.“But now, my brother, the treasures remitted, which your father sent, you shall not send, but the woods (or trees) have been received.403You are sending the possessions that your father sent to me. You shall not send them, but shall store them up very much.“And thinking of all that one has known, how I rejoiced because of my brother, none ever brought salutation from him at any time, my brother, but the same day return was made to him.“AndKhamassimy brother's envoy he sent (humbly?) to my presence, and (humbly?) he spoke my brother's message: I heard and then I said‘As I was friends withAmenophis IIIthy father, lo! now ten times more withAmenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) shall I be great friends.’So then I said toKhamassiyour envoy.“And lo! my brother: the treasures of gold to be remitted you shall not send; and there (shall be) respite of gifts which your father spoke of sending. It is desired that my brother shall not send them.“Lo! my brother, the treasures of gold which I asked of your father I may say that half of them will be carried off (or stolen) ... The lands are at strife404...”[pg 294]The rest of this letter, including all the back, is too much broken to be read. It appears to go on to speak of“destruction”and to refer to a state of disturbance. It mentions the envoyKhamassi, and says,“Of what he has brought the fourth part has been robbed.”On the backGiliais mentioned with gold, and relations between the writer and Amenophis III. He refers again to the message from Amenophis IV and toTeiehis mother; and invokesRimmonandAmanu. The words“unless they are conquered”seem also to occur. This letter contained altogether 113 lines of writing.26 B.—A list of presents. On the back, at the bottom of the left hand column, is the statement,“These are the things carried by the female slaves, all those things whichDusrattaKing ofMitanigave toAmenophis IIIhis brother, his kinsman, when he sent his daughterTadukhipato the land of Egypt, to Amenophis III for marriage, he gave all these that day.”The list is a very long and difficult one. It begins with two horses, and a chariot plated with gold and silver, and adorned with precious stones. The harness of the horses was adorned in like manner. Two camel litters appear to be next noticed, and apparently variegated garments worked with gold, and embroidered zones and shawls. These are followed by lists of precious stones, and a horse's saddle adorned with gold eagles.405A necklace of solid gold and gems, a bracelet of iron gilt,406an anklet of solid gold, and other gold objects follow; and apparently cloths, and silver objects, and vases of copper or bronze. An object of jade or jasper (Yaspu), and leaves of gold, are noticed (both jade and leaves of gold have actually been found in the oldest ruins at Troy), the former being perhaps noticed as coming fromElam, by trade with central Asia, where jade was found. Five gems of“stone of the great light”(perhaps diamonds) follow, with ornaments for the head and feet, and a number of bronze objects, and harness for chariots. Boxes of strong wood to contain treasures follow next, and apparently a collar with disks and carved lions, objects of silver and gold and strong wood, bronze ornaments[pg 295]for horses. The last noticed objects may be written tablets, including some on the ritual of the gods.25 B.—A list similar to the last, perhaps part of the same inventory, as it includes women's ornaments. The tablet is much injured. The objects noticed include an earring with gems, and others of gold, with a large number of precious stones, a necklace with 122 gems set in gold, including“green stones”; bracelets and anklets of solid gold with jewels: an umbrella adorned with gold: boxes to hold treasures, and numerous objects of silver: horns of the wild bull, and wooden objects adorned with gold: cups of gold adorned with gems: other bracelets and anklets of gold with pendants and stars of jewels: a pair of gold earrings with pendants and stars of precious stones: silver anklets for women, and earrings with gold pendants. In each case the weight of gold and the numbers of the gems are stated.These inventories of Tadukhipa's marriage outfit show how far advanced was the civilization of western Asia in the fourteenth centuryb.c., and indicate not only the native wealth of gold, silver, copper, and bronze, from Asia Minor and the Caucasus, but also a trade which brought jade from central Asia. The art of the age is similar to that of the objects found at Troy and Mycenæ, and represented on the Egyptian bas-reliefs, which give pictures of the tribute from Phœnicia. From other tablets in the collection we obtain similar information, including the use of ivory, as also from the records of tribute to Thothmes III in 1600b.c.11 B. M.—“To ... Princess of the Land ofEgypt407thusDusrattaKing ofMitani. I am at peace: Peace be to thee.... Peace be to thy son; peace be toTadukhipathy daughter-in-law. To thy land and to all that is thine be much, much peace.“Thou hast known of me how I lovedAmenophis IIIthy husband, andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband how he loved me. As forAmenophis IIIthy husband he heard what I said; andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband, sent messages to me; and what he said to thee my ... bothManihas known, and thou ... hast known all of[pg 296]these things—the messages we zealously uttered. There was nothing thus that he has not known of them.“Now you said toGilia,‘Say to your Lord,Amenophis IIIwas friends with your father, and why should his favor be less than to your father? Nay, indeed, what he shall send to our place shall not ... will not you hasten to ... your friendship withAmenophis III... making it greater; and assure him ... that you will gladly send ...’“... to your husband friendship ... so now ... your son, ten times more ... and the messages....“... why from ... our good faith, and ... is given to me ... thus I ...Amenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) ... and now behold ... to give isnot....“... when by your desire I ... and to the presence ofAmenophis IV... and you wished thus ... do not desire, and ... the treasures of gold to be remitted, letAmenophis IVreceive. (There is nothing, indeed, he may not desire?) that is not ... ten times more than his father let him increase in friendship toward me, and in power.”“... you yourself, your envoys, with the envoys ofAmenophis IV, with ... let them be sent toYunimy wife,408for what is wished; and the envoys ofYunimy wife let them be sent to (thee) as to what is wished.“Now as to thy present ... a goodly stone, also (a coronet?) and a ... of stones.”It seems clear from this letter, and from24 B., thatTeie(orThi) the Queen of Egypt, was related to Dusratta, but it is not clear that she was his sister.Gilukhipa, the sister whom he names, is known from Egyptian sources to have been the daughter ofSuttarna, Dusratta's father, and she came to Egypt with 317 ladies in her train.It is also to be remarked that Dusratta invokes the Egyptian godAmenboth when writing to Amenophis III and also when writing to Amenophis IV, so that there does not appear to have been any change of religion in Egypt during the reign of the[pg 297]latter—at least, at the time when he wrote.Amenophis III also married at least one Babylonian princess, as will appear in the letters that follow.Rimmon Nirari's Letter30 B.—“To the Sun God the King my Lord the King of Egypt, thusRimmon-Nirari409thy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet. Lo!Manakhbiya(Thothmes IV) made my father King ... to rule in the Land ofMarkhasse(orNukhasse), and established men to dwell with him; and as the King of ... was disputing for the kingdom, which has been made ... which he established for him ... he gave him...”About twenty lines of the letter are here destroyed; the broken lines below continue thus:“And lo! my Lord ... and the King of the land of theHittiteswhy ... my Lord the letters ... and fearing ... and lo! the King ofEgypt... and now my Lord against ... and to the hands ... to our Lord ... thy Lord in the years that may come.... Do not scorn, since the land was faithful in service to the King my Lord. And if God commands my Lord to go forth, let my Lord also send a chief, to be sent up to him with his soldiers and with his chariots.”[pg 298]Callimmasin's Letters1 B.—“ToAmenophis IIIthe King ofEgyptby letter thus(Cal)limmasin410the King ofCarandunias(Babylonia) thy brother. I am at peace. To thee, to thy house, thy wives, thy land, thy chariots, thy horses, thy ... be much peace.“Because of the youngest of my daughters, whom you send to wed,Irtabiwhom you remember, they took this message. My father formerly sent a message. You collected many soldiers, you approved his message, and you sent making a present to my father.“Now I send thee this envoy. In the sixth year you seek for this, and in the sixth year you send thirtymanahsof gold (instead of?) silver for my present. I return the same gold.Casiyour envoy has known its (value?) which he has seen. I send thy envoy well instructed as to our opinion. For I followed ... and the present that he is instructed to ... is thirtymanahsof gold, which you ... a gift of alliance.”The rest is too broken to read. It mentions five women sent, and ten wooden chariots—the latter as presents. The next letter is from Egypt. Either a copy or an original never sent.4111 B. M.—“ToCallimmasinKing ofCaranduniasmy brother, by letter thusAmenophis IIIthe great King, the King ofEgyptthy brother. There is peace to my region. To thy region be peace: to thy house, to thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy horses, to thy chariots, and in thy hands be much peace. I am at peace. There is much peace to my house, to my wives, to my sons, to my Lords, my horses, my chariots, my army; and in my lands there is much peace.“Now I heard the message you sent about her to me. Thus it was,‘Now you ask my daughter as your wife, but my sister whom my father gave thee, being good to you, has any seen her whether she has lived or whether she has died?’This is the message that you send in your letter. But did you ever send as your envoy, one who has known your sister, and who has spoken with her, and understood her? And let one speak with her. The chiefs you send are useless, your envoyZakarais one who is a chief(?). There is not one among them related to[pg 299]your father, and ... concerning this my envoy is with thee, and has spoken to her ... her heart ... concerning this, and she has given ... to her mother. And lo! you send this,‘You spoke to my envoys, and they gathered your wives: a lady appeared before you (saying) thus, Behold your queen who is brought out before you all. But my envoys knew her not (to be) my sister.’Now satisfy yourself as to what you thus send,‘My envoys knew her not,’and you say,‘Who was it that was recognized by her?’Why do not you send as your envoy one who shall tell you a true message as to the salutation from your sister, I pray you? And you said that they disputed as to her appearance. But you can see her with the King. And lo! you send thus,‘Who was the princess—a daughter of one who was a native, or was she one of the land of (my neighbors?), or was she the daughter of the Land ofKhani Rabbatu, or the princess of the Land ofUgarit, that my envoys so saw, and who was it that spoke to them to satisfy that nothing wrong was done?’And does not your message say all this? But if she has died—your sister, and I am concealing, as you pretend, her ... in former times, which we ... the GodAmanu... (I rejoice that the wife I love?) ... she has been made queen ... I deny that ... beyond all the wives ... that the Kings ofEgypt... in the land ofEgypt. And lo! you send thus‘Both my daughters ... as wives of the Kings of the land ofCarandunias.’But if the ... of my envoys is friendly, and they have said‘With these things our Lord has sent us, as a present, to satisfy thee concerning thy message: the princess salutes the Kings, and all her friends your daughters.’Take thou possession from him of whatever is with them, and send me a letter, and arrange with thy sister who is with me, and make sure of everything; and I have sent to thee an overseer, so to make known to your daughters, in order to perceive the evil that they teach you. And lo! you send‘The messages that my father has left, do not these messages of his say concerning this, that he established alliance between us?’This is the message you send. Now you and I have fulfilled the alliance, and the portion is before your envoys as they will say in your presence. Is not all to be given by us to her who (is) to come to the land of Egypt (whom) they shall bring before[pg 300]me? And (choose?) one of them. (Now) I have sent silver, gold, unguents, cloths, all whatsoever the land can give, and the overseer will say what is the value of that which he has brought—every gift to be weighed to you, that my envoy is to give. And we have been shamed by the evils that they speak. They have refuted the abominations—the evil things that they told you of us. And I was grieved when they ... us all these things. For is it not of their deceit that they told you thus? And I appointed them not to ... them about this. And lo! you send thus, you say thus to my envoys,‘There are no soldiers of my Lord, and is not (a young girl?) to be given them?’This is thy message:‘Thy envoys said for thee that none are going forth. It might be done safely if there were soldiers, if there be none it is impossible to arrange for us what I am asked by him. If there are soldiers I grant it you, if there are horses I grant you this.’This reason your envoy made use of with us, who put me to shame—the evil man whom you sent. I pray thee if they feared to be slain, and lamented evils when she went out, lo! all was in your hands. Thus let my chariots be granted from among the chariots of the ruling chiefs: do not you regard them as a possession? You can send them wherever you please. Are not they all a possession? Are not there, I pray you also, chariots, are not there I pray you horses with me? Demand all my horses: the chariots behold you shall send to meet you at the stations. As for me you shall send me the girl, and send out one to lead (her) to me.”

Royal LettersDusratta's LettersNo. 9 B. M.—“ToNeb-mat-ra(Amenophis III) King ofEgyptmy brother, by letter, thusTuseratta365King ofMitani366thy brother. I am at peace. Peace be to thee; toGilukhipamy sister be peace. To thy house, thy wives, thy sons, thy lords, thy terrible army, thy horses, thy chariots, and in thy land, be much peace. Since I have sat on my father's throne, and have conquered. But (Pirkhi?) made a lawless command in my land, and smote his Lord; and because of these things, they have striven to right me, with who so loved us well; and because my land submitted to this lawless order I was not afraid, but the chiefs who supportedArtasu-maramy brother, with all that were theirs, I slew. As thou wast well with my father, and because of these things, I send this. I say to you, as my brother hears, and will rejoice; my father loved thee, and thou therefore didst love my father; and my father, as he saw this, gave thee my sister; and now ... as thou wast with my father. When my brother saw these things, he brought all those in the land of theHittitesas foes to my land; andRimmonmy Lord gave them to my hand; and I slew him among them, so that not one returned to his land.367Now I have sent thee a chariot with two horses, a young man and a young woman, of the spoil of the land of theHittites. I have sent thee, as a present to my brother, five chariots, and five yoke of horses; and as a present toGilukhipa368my sister, I have sent her (trinkets?) of gold, a pair of gold earrings, and ... of gold, and goodly stones, each(?). NowGilia, a prudent man, andTunipripi369I send to my brother; speedily let him reply to me; so I shall hear my brother's salutation, and shall rejoice. Let my brother wish[pg 280]me well; and let my brother send envoys: so my brother's salutation shall come to me, and I shall hear.”37022 B.—The salutation calls Amenophis III his“kinsman,”but does not name his sister.“Manimy brother's envoy has come to honor me: to take my brother's wife the Queen ofEgypt;371and I received the letter that came: I learned the declaration of his (order?). My heart has been much gladdened by my brother's message, as my brother will see; and it rejoiced that day exceeding much: that day and night they made (rejoicings?).“And, my brother, all the message thatManicame to bring has been performed. This same year behold, my brother, I will ... his wife, the Queen ofEgypt, and I will send ... hence forth the land ofKhanirabbeand the land ofEgypt. And because of these things thatManihas spoken, I send back, my brother,GiliaandManiwith speed, to ... these things; and let not my brother blame them ... as to delay in being despatched; for there was no delay to ... for my brother's wife; and lo! delay is.... In the sixth month I have sentGiliamy envoy, andManimy brother's envoy: I will send my brother's wife to my brother. So mayIstarthe Lady of Ladies my Goddess, andAmanu372my brother's God, give peace ... I have sent to my brother; and my brother as ... increased his (love?) very much, and ... as the heart of my brother was satisfied; and ... (for our children?) my brother ... more than before ... I have despatchedKhai, my brother, trusting his ... and I give the letter to his hands ... and let him bear his message ... I have sent ... going to my brother ... my brother, are not his soldiers...”The next five lines referring to the wife are too broken to read. The back of the tablet continues:“... which my brother sent ... all that my brother has caused to be collected ... in presence of all of them they have been (given?) us ... all these things, beyond expectation thereof, and the gold ... which they have paid—and he has indeed lavished very much[pg 281]... them, any or all these things; was not the gold ... They say‘In the land ofEgyptthere is plenty more gold for thee my brother, because he loves thee very much ... and will love (and being so?) is not there, behold, anything needful, anything beside, from the land of Egypt in addition? So send to me, accordingly, him by whom these are given, and there shall be no lack.’Thus indeed (said) I‘As to anything (further?) do not I say to your faces—He loves me, and my land, exceeding much, does this King ofEgypt?’“And my brother has taken me to his heart: all is as my heart desired; and is it not understood; when he sends shall not I hasten me for my brother: shall not I increase in longing toward my brother: as my brother does also?Mani, my brother's envoy, has brought my brother's ... which was withMani. I have honored their ... and I have honored them very much. NowManiwill take this; and my brother we direct him to ... how I have received from him very much: he will tell my brother this, and my brother will hear what we have done (as I have sent list of gifts of this and that, and he shall not refuse it?).“And may my brother send untold gold; and may my father's power increase with me, as my brother has increased my favor, as my brother has cherished me much, in the sight of my country, in the sight of the whole of my brethren. MayRimmonandAmanuappoint that my brother's wishes be ever fulfilled; and for myself, my brother, that my wishes may be fulfilled, as men whom the Sun-God loves. And so now the Gods shall indeed decree for us this prayer, ... we shall join as friends forever.“For my brother's present I have sent to my brother a (double-edged weapon?) ... and (?) of emeralds, and pure gold ... enclosed in a box, and ... of alabaster, and pure gold, for a box ...”21 B.—“ToAmenophis III, the Great King, King ofEgypt, my brother, my kinsman373whom I love, and who loves me, by[pg 282]letter thusDusratta, the Great King, King ofMitani, thy brother, thy kinsman who also loves thee. I am at peace, etc.“To my brother whom I love I have given his young wife.374May the Sun-God andIstar... her face. As my brother desires: may ... and may my brother rejoice, in the day when ... the Sun-God and the God ... giving joy to my noble brother, ... let them grant it to be ... and may my brother ... forever.“Manimy brother's envoy, andKhani375my brother's interpreter, as you cause them to be sent, plenty of (provisions?) I shall give them ... them much; as they performed their orders I made all the people protect them. If they do not may my Gods, and my brother's Gods, guard them. Now I have sentNahramaniwho is careful in my brother's affairs, and I have sent (an ornament?) of precious stones—of precious stones and gold, as a present to my brother; and may my brother be granted to live a hundred years.”8 B. M.—The salutation is the same as before, but the writer's name is spelt“Tusratta”instead ofDusratta. The letter is the best preserved in the whole collection.“Since your forefathers were friendly with my forefathers, thou therefore wast very greatly friendly with my father. So you love me: we are zealous friends. Ten times more you increase it than to my father. The heavenly Gods shall decree that we shall be friends. MayRimmonmy God, andAmanu, so pronounce, even forever.“And so my brother sentManihis envoy. Thus indeed my brother (said)‘Does not my brother's heart desire that thy daughter (be) the wife of my young son376—as a princess ofEgypt’and I spoke as to my intention about it; and my brother desiring that she should be made ready forMani, and to show her, so he beheld her, and praised her much. And may they lead her in peace into the land of my brother. MayIstarandAmanumake her agreeable to my brother's heart.“Gilia, my envoy, set forth my brother's message before[pg 283]me. So I heard and it was very good; and so I rejoiced very much. Thus truly I say‘This is thus arranged between us so that we may be zealous friends.’Now with firm faith forever let us be friends.“So I shall send to my brother, and I say thus myself, so let us be much more friendly; and do not you respond to us? And I say thus, that my brother has enriched me ten times more than my father.“And I have asked much gold of my brother: so he has given me more than to my father. My brother indeed sent to me; and to my father you sent much gold: much (merchandise?) of gold; and besides all the gold you sent him you have sent me bricks of gold (lavished?) like copper.“I sentGilia(humbly?) to my brother, and asked for gold. Thus indeed I (said)‘Truly my brother has given me more than to my father, and may he send me untold gold.’“May my brother send me more than to my father; and now I say thus to my brother: the (loan?) that my grandfather made, so I may (say), as (one thinking little of wealth?) he made it for thee; and now as regards (what) I say, the gold that my brother shall send, let him send it when he likes.“Lo my brother has sent the gold saying‘It is due to you,’But no. No more was due; and he had satisfied the account; and when he had satisfied the account I was glad thereof exceedingly; and whatever my brother sends I have been very glad thereof.“Now behold I sent to my brother—and may my brother extend his kindness to me more than to my father; now I asked gold of my brother, and whatever gold I asked of my brother, he has sent the double of what was asked. One (sum) for the (loan?), and a second of good-will.“And may my brother send me untold gold; and may he send me more than to my father; and so may the Gods decree, that much more gold beside be in my brother's land, as there now is in my brother's land; and ten times more than there now is, may it increase.377And let not my brother refuse the gold that I ask by my brother's wish; and, as for me, let me not refuse my brother's wish; and may my brother send me[pg 284]very much gold uncounted; and whatever my brother needs let him send and take. Let me return the gift that my brother desires for his household. This land is my brother's land, and this house is my brother's house.“Now I sendGiliamy envoy to my brother. Let him not refuse him. Let him speedily command him: let him send him away. So hearing my brother's salutation let me rejoice exceeding much. Let me ever hear my brother's salutation. And these messages that we send, let my GodRimmonandAmanudecree that they may arrive through their mercy. And as now it is prayed therefor, so we are friends; and as now so forever may we be friends.“Now as to the gifts for my brother: I have sent as my brother's gifts a quantity of solid gold, and precious stones: (its value?) includes the amount of twenty precious stones, and nineteen pieces of gold. The weight of precious stones and gold remaining includes the amount of forty-two precious stones and twenty pieces of goldZuzasof Istar: (this is) the weight of precious stones and gold remaining; and ten yoke of horses, and ten chariots, with all that belongs to them, and thirty female slaves.”27 B.—This is the longest letter in the collection, including six lines in Aramaic, and 512 lines in Dusratta's native language (see“Journal Royal Asiatic Society,”October, 1892, for my translation). The important passages of the letter appear to me to read as follows, and the meaning is confirmed by statements in other letters by this writer concerning his daughter's marriage. The letter was addressed to Amenophis III, and sent by the same two envoys,ManiandGilias,378already noticed.“Giliasthe envoy, who takes the messages is ordered to utter it, his duty being to go out, because Amenophis III the Egyptian (ally?) rules a far off land, and I rule in the cityIkhibin379the city of the GodSimigis380the paternal deity.“To proceed: asManimy brother's envoy says, it is understood that my brother is very desirous that it should be speedily completed.[pg 285]“Brother, I gladly empower the envoy to take back this woman, whomManisays my brother commanded him to bring, when he was ordered as an envoy.“Understanding that my brother desires now to take her home, is it not necessary, understanding this decision to be preferred; as twenty-three months have gone by, is not her taking home to be hastened? My Court having decided to accept, and being satisfied as well as my wife, and resolved to accept the agreement; and the girl being heartily pleased—how happy she is words cannot tell—the decision is from the Gods, brother, for me the decision is from the mighty Gods, my brother. Surely you know whether I do not desire that she should be so brilliantly exalted, the girl being so fortunately (married): surely you know that I shall be glad.“Proclaim thou for me that whatever people ofKhalci,381west of theMinyan382country—whatever people ofKhalciI have conquered, are made subject.“I being the great chief of the power of the land of theHittitestaking to me, my brother, all the people that are conquered. Let it extend to the city ofHarran383and let the land possessed by no king be taxed.“My son-in-law being married in the city of Thebes in presence of the image of the deity.”“Is it not thus thatDusrattadwelling afar arranges the marriage ofTadukhipa384—Dusrattathe favored (friend?) from the Minyan land, consenting to the wish ofAmenophis IIIthe Egyptian (friend) that the son ofAmenophis IIIbe so married to her, in the presence of the image of the deity.”As this letter is written in what is called by scholars an“unknown[pg 286]language,”these renderings may be questioned. The dialect appears, however, to be closely related to the Akkadian and to other Mongol dialects of western Asia, and to be also the same used (B. 10) by the Hittites.10 B. M.—Written, as the Egyptian docket at the bottom of the tablet on the back states, in the thirty-sixth year of Amenophis III which appears to have been probably the last of his reign.“To Amenophis III King of Egypt my brother, my kinsman whom I love, and who loves me, by letter thusDusrattaKing ofMitaniwho loves thee, thy kinsman. I am at peace. Peace be to thee, to thy house, to the womanTachikhipamy daughter to the wife thou lovest be peace.385To thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy army, to thy land, and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace.“Thus (I say)IstarofNineveh, the lady of the lands, is kind of heart to the land ofEgypt. In the land that I love do not they walk after her?386Do not they cry aloud to her? Now behold it has brought thee prosperity.“Now from the time of my father they have besoughtIstarin her land for thy prosperity; and, as of old so now, it continues. They honor her.“And now may my brother receive of her ten times more than before. Let my brother receive with joy: let it be hastened for him: let it endure.“Istaris the Lady of Heaven my brother, and as for me let me be guarded by her for a hundred years; and may great joy be given. Let it be granted by her that I may not fail; and as you desire may it (befall?).“Is notIstarmy God, and has not she (prospered?) my brother (or been with my brother?).”24 B.—The second longest of Dusratta's letters, 185 lines in all, is unfortunately very much damaged, as it is perhaps the most important, giving as it does historical information extending over three generations, during which the kings of Egypt and of Mitani were allied by marriage.“To ...ya387my kinsman, whom I love and who loves[pg 287]me ... the great King (King of)Mitanithy kinsman who loves thee. I am at peace ... to the LadyTeie... toTadukhipamy daughter thy wife be peace, to ... be peace. To thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy ... and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace ... ofAmenophis IIIthy father he sent to me; he explained ... of all that he sent there was no message at all that I ... to your father as to what he sent to me; andTeiethe chief wife ofAmenophis IIIyour mother knew all of them. All these have been seen byTeieyour mother ... the messages that your father caused to be addressed to me.“... and ten times more than withAmenophis IIIyour father caused him to tell me whatsoever wish ... and whatever message I spoke, faithfully in the same day ... he himself did not turn away his heart from any message ... but faithfully in the same day he caused it to be done.“... the father ofAmenophis IIIsent toSitatama388my grandfather, and ... a daughter. He sent to my grandfather five or six times, and he was not given her, when ... he sent; and at length he was given her.Amenophis IIIyour father sent (humbly?) toSut(tarna)my father ... and so for my father's daughter, my own sister, his heart was desirous; and five (or six) times he ... her: when he had sent five or six times at length he was given her. SoAmenophis III... sent to me, and so desired a daughter389and I ... I said in ... of his envoy‘Thus I say I have (sworn?) to give her: by our wish ... to take, and the ... which he has known: and she is a sister so it is lawful;’and I give ...Amenophis IIIthy (father's) ... if these are not truths ... heaven and earth bear witness ... to give her; and[pg 288]Khai390the envoy of my brother ... to the (Queen?) and toAmenophis IIII sent with her ... in three months with the greatest speed ... and the gold ... truly was not ... which I sent.“When you favored a daughter, and so (sent for) her, and asAmenophis IIIyour father knew her ... I rejoiced being exceeding glad, and he said‘My brother, is not it thy wish thus to give the handmaid’; and he made public agreement with this his land, in presence of my envoy ... so men ... when they beheld; and I received from him; andAmenophis IIIestablished us ... for the future; and so receiving ... I was made great; and in the cities which forTadukhipa... in all of them he made us dwell as conquerors,391and among the envoys who went down ... none thatGilia... the gold of one (limzu) was given by weight. Truly toAmenophis IIIforTadukhipait was given; andTadukhipa... was given ... and ... my envoysAmenophis IIIwith ... I received; there was no one ...Amenophis IIIsentNizikhis envoy ... myself; and he ... (refusing?) to my face the ... of gold ... the gold which ... ofGiliaand ... he established us ... my envoys ... to be despatched ... he did not cease to (deny?) ... and ... he took her... I was not able to refuse to please him ... he sent this to me ... they sent was wonderful, and then ...Amenophis IIIyour father in every message ... the lord of the place to protect her. Did not he order all these as I say ... do not I say thatTeie392... has known ... andTeieis your mother, ask her if, among the messages that I spake, there is one message which is not vindicated by her, as to these (messages) toAmenophis IIIyour father ... if toAmenophis IIIyour father brotherhood was made by me: if it was said byAmenophis IIIyour father‘If at all (there is) gold that ... in the land ofKhani RabbeI will despatch it; and order thou thus the ... do[pg 289]not I desire to cause it to be sent’: the ... bore what was ordered to be given ofAmenophis IIIyour father; andAmenophis IIIsaid to me‘... the treasures of gold ... all that my ... desires is sent ... and ... to do this I have sent to thee’... there byAmenophis IIIwith a message. Never was there a message without a reply. I never refused any of the messages.“(And when)Amenophis IIIwas obliged to be taken to his fate, and they told (me) ... I tore my cheeks, and I mourned on that same day; I sat (in the dust?); I (took) no food or water that same day; and I was grieved ... I said‘Let me perish myself from earth, and from my ... and that he loved me God knows, and he was loved’(and because of) these things we are cast down in our hearts.”“... to me the eldest son ofAmenophis IIIby his wifeTeie... was made, and I said‘Has notAmenophis IIIdied ... the eldest son of his chief wifeTeie(is) in his stead ... shall not we be sent news ... from her abode as of old.’“... I say thusAmenophis IVis my brother whom we shall love in our hearts ... the son ofAmenophis IIImore than his father, because ofTeiehis mother, who was the wife ... as she desires a message to the presence ofAmenophis IV(Abkhuriya) the son ofAmenophis IIIher husband. I (rejoice) very exceeding much that we shall be friends“(As they have sent me this message?) As they have ordered it,Giliasis humbly (sent?) ... they have sentMani(as an envoy?), and treasures of woods (or trees) my brother has sent, and gold ... without gold and without...”The next passage is too broken to read, but refers to the continuance of friendship since the time of the ancestors of both kings, and for the future. The back of the tablet is very much broken, the whole of one paragraph, and the greater part of the next, which refers toTeieas the mother ofAmenophis IVbeing destroyed. It continues:“... the message of your mother which toGilias... He has desired a message to be despatched and (as he desires) ... have not I sent my envoys, and have[pg 290]not I ... (and it is not my fault?) and the treasures ... which he asked of him I have caused to be given, not being desired ... my envoys four years since you393...”Eight lines are here almost entirely destroyed, referring to some speedy message, and to the former king, with a reference to certain persons, including the“father ofTeie(your elders?) with me,”with professions of friendship. The end of the paragraph (lines 40, 41) contains the words,“as thus he set us up over all her many lands ... all the lands are all hers in his sight.”394The next paragraph continues:“... the (treasures?) of gold (allowed to be despatched?) previously byAmenophis III... he has sent. Lo! very exceedingly my brother has desired that treasures ... to us; and much of his gold ... very exceedingly my brother ... as intending for me ... whatever among ... and your father; was not he given by me; and lo! now let my brother see that I was not at all ... to your father: the treasures that he desired were given, and lo! ... I am sending back my message: there shall be nothing done to cause the heart to turn away ... all the messages ...Teiehas been a witness, andTeieyour mother ... plenty. Lo! I asked your father, and did not your father grant me? and ... let this gold be given, and let not my brother's heart ... let him not turn from my ... when the (loan?) ... was not made, and what had ...“... LetGiliaknow this day what my brother's heart desires. I have made Gilia travel ... thus I have made my brother's envoys to obey him, travelling with speed. If ever, my brother, my envoys ... if ever I send my envoys ... (the fault is not mine?) ... I have sentManiandGiliato my brother as before. If at all by my brother my envoys to him, and if by us they shall be received, I also shall so hasten him ... Lo! as regards messages from my brother, which he makes about anything as to my brother's intentions ... thence; and on the throne of his father he sits this day; and let me do my brother's will.[pg 291]“I say thus, my brother, have not I sent my envoys, and much in their keeping which is for thee; and my brother let ... which is for thee.Mazipalali395my envoy is the paternal uncle ofGiliaand for ... my brother I have sent him, and my brother am not I (the surer?) asGiliais not ... And the other envoy whom I shall send to my brother is the brother ofGiliathe son of his mother396... I sent him. So my brother have not I despatched him speedily without stopping, and, my brother, as to my wishes that I wish (it is not my fault?) and because of these things did not I sendGilia... for security, and for all this am not I the surer.“Mazipalaliwhom I shall send to my brother is the uncle ofGilia; and the treasures (allowed to be despatched?) ... and plenty of untold gold of the (loan?) which I desire from my brother let my brother give ... and let him not refuse; and with my brother gold in addition ... ten times more may it increase to me exceedingly ... let these things be ordered; andMani(with) my envoy my brother ... let be given of my brother; and let him sendGiliato me; and ... and all the news about my brother's mother that they shall speak, and (especially?) let me (hear?) ... that they did. And lo! as before I sent not to thee my brother, so let him ... me. Let not my brother ... and to my brother's pleasure ... and I meditate a message of consolation for my brother.“Let bothArtessupa397and ... thus relate in my brother's land this thing. I have been sent (under escort?) ...Mani(brought?) before me all my wicked slaves, who have dwelt inEgypt, and I examined them398as to ... and they said ... and I said before them‘Why is your insolence so great?’... So they put them in chains, and ... one of my ... one from my city who has angered the land ... and another ... did not I slay because of these things? My brother, did not he say ... was not I wroth? Behold my brother they were[pg 292]wicked ... and ... my brother it was necessary and now let me (afflict them?).“As to a present for my brother. My brother's presents (are)—a (weight?) of solid gold from the landRis Burkhis, a weapon with a stone head399... of precious stone ... (an ornament?) for the hands of precious stones, one part of gold: three cloths: three ... three ... (with fastenings?) of gold, ... of refined bronze (or copper) ... two ...“As a present forTeieyour mother an (ornament?) for the hands of precious stones ... earrings ... two cloths.“As a present for (Tadukhipa) my (daughter) an ornament for the hands ... earrings ... two cloths.”23 B.—The salutation is the same as in the last, being addressed toAmenophis IV, toTeieand toTadukhipa.“Manimy brother's envoy (has come) to (me). I have heard. I liked much the gifts that my brother ... I saw, and I rejoiced very much. My brother utters this message and (says)‘As with my fatherAmenophis IIIyou were friends, now behold this day be friends with me thy brother. You will continue to be kind,’and I have not delayed ... with my brother. Lo! ten times more than to your father I will be a friend.“And your fatherAmenophis IIIspoke this message in his letter (by your ...)Mani,‘Continue thou the friendship,’400and when my brotherAmenophis IIIsaid this, lo! what I had sent was nothing at all, and my brother shall not consider it anything. And I do not send this present, which behold I have sent to thee, as desiring to cause you to send; but (humbly?) whatever my brother desires to be given to his wife, they shall be made to take away. They shall see her,401and I will send ten times as much.“And the treasures of gold (allowed to be despatched?) one treasure for me, and another treasure as the treasure ofTadukhipamy daughter, lo! I asked of Amenophis III your[pg 293]father. And your father said‘Send for the gold that (remains to be remitted?) let the (rest) be given, and the precious stones that are to be given thee, and the gold, because we have increased the gift, which is marvellous with treasure to be given to you.’And the gold of the treasures all my envoys who were in the land ofEgyptbeheld with their eyes; and your father lavishly increased the treasures in presence of my envoys. He welcomed them on their way; he maintained them! and lavishly expended the ... on my envoys. They gazed, and so truly they beheld with their eyes his favor poured out.“And more gold beside, which was marvellous, which he sent to me, he piled up; and he said to my envoys‘Behold the treasures, and behold the gold in plenty, and the possessions which are marvellous,402which I shall send to my brother: behold them also with your eyes.’And my envoys beheld with their eyes.“But now, my brother, the treasures remitted, which your father sent, you shall not send, but the woods (or trees) have been received.403You are sending the possessions that your father sent to me. You shall not send them, but shall store them up very much.“And thinking of all that one has known, how I rejoiced because of my brother, none ever brought salutation from him at any time, my brother, but the same day return was made to him.“AndKhamassimy brother's envoy he sent (humbly?) to my presence, and (humbly?) he spoke my brother's message: I heard and then I said‘As I was friends withAmenophis IIIthy father, lo! now ten times more withAmenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) shall I be great friends.’So then I said toKhamassiyour envoy.“And lo! my brother: the treasures of gold to be remitted you shall not send; and there (shall be) respite of gifts which your father spoke of sending. It is desired that my brother shall not send them.“Lo! my brother, the treasures of gold which I asked of your father I may say that half of them will be carried off (or stolen) ... The lands are at strife404...”[pg 294]The rest of this letter, including all the back, is too much broken to be read. It appears to go on to speak of“destruction”and to refer to a state of disturbance. It mentions the envoyKhamassi, and says,“Of what he has brought the fourth part has been robbed.”On the backGiliais mentioned with gold, and relations between the writer and Amenophis III. He refers again to the message from Amenophis IV and toTeiehis mother; and invokesRimmonandAmanu. The words“unless they are conquered”seem also to occur. This letter contained altogether 113 lines of writing.26 B.—A list of presents. On the back, at the bottom of the left hand column, is the statement,“These are the things carried by the female slaves, all those things whichDusrattaKing ofMitanigave toAmenophis IIIhis brother, his kinsman, when he sent his daughterTadukhipato the land of Egypt, to Amenophis III for marriage, he gave all these that day.”The list is a very long and difficult one. It begins with two horses, and a chariot plated with gold and silver, and adorned with precious stones. The harness of the horses was adorned in like manner. Two camel litters appear to be next noticed, and apparently variegated garments worked with gold, and embroidered zones and shawls. These are followed by lists of precious stones, and a horse's saddle adorned with gold eagles.405A necklace of solid gold and gems, a bracelet of iron gilt,406an anklet of solid gold, and other gold objects follow; and apparently cloths, and silver objects, and vases of copper or bronze. An object of jade or jasper (Yaspu), and leaves of gold, are noticed (both jade and leaves of gold have actually been found in the oldest ruins at Troy), the former being perhaps noticed as coming fromElam, by trade with central Asia, where jade was found. Five gems of“stone of the great light”(perhaps diamonds) follow, with ornaments for the head and feet, and a number of bronze objects, and harness for chariots. Boxes of strong wood to contain treasures follow next, and apparently a collar with disks and carved lions, objects of silver and gold and strong wood, bronze ornaments[pg 295]for horses. The last noticed objects may be written tablets, including some on the ritual of the gods.25 B.—A list similar to the last, perhaps part of the same inventory, as it includes women's ornaments. The tablet is much injured. The objects noticed include an earring with gems, and others of gold, with a large number of precious stones, a necklace with 122 gems set in gold, including“green stones”; bracelets and anklets of solid gold with jewels: an umbrella adorned with gold: boxes to hold treasures, and numerous objects of silver: horns of the wild bull, and wooden objects adorned with gold: cups of gold adorned with gems: other bracelets and anklets of gold with pendants and stars of jewels: a pair of gold earrings with pendants and stars of precious stones: silver anklets for women, and earrings with gold pendants. In each case the weight of gold and the numbers of the gems are stated.These inventories of Tadukhipa's marriage outfit show how far advanced was the civilization of western Asia in the fourteenth centuryb.c., and indicate not only the native wealth of gold, silver, copper, and bronze, from Asia Minor and the Caucasus, but also a trade which brought jade from central Asia. The art of the age is similar to that of the objects found at Troy and Mycenæ, and represented on the Egyptian bas-reliefs, which give pictures of the tribute from Phœnicia. From other tablets in the collection we obtain similar information, including the use of ivory, as also from the records of tribute to Thothmes III in 1600b.c.11 B. M.—“To ... Princess of the Land ofEgypt407thusDusrattaKing ofMitani. I am at peace: Peace be to thee.... Peace be to thy son; peace be toTadukhipathy daughter-in-law. To thy land and to all that is thine be much, much peace.“Thou hast known of me how I lovedAmenophis IIIthy husband, andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband how he loved me. As forAmenophis IIIthy husband he heard what I said; andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband, sent messages to me; and what he said to thee my ... bothManihas known, and thou ... hast known all of[pg 296]these things—the messages we zealously uttered. There was nothing thus that he has not known of them.“Now you said toGilia,‘Say to your Lord,Amenophis IIIwas friends with your father, and why should his favor be less than to your father? Nay, indeed, what he shall send to our place shall not ... will not you hasten to ... your friendship withAmenophis III... making it greater; and assure him ... that you will gladly send ...’“... to your husband friendship ... so now ... your son, ten times more ... and the messages....“... why from ... our good faith, and ... is given to me ... thus I ...Amenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) ... and now behold ... to give isnot....“... when by your desire I ... and to the presence ofAmenophis IV... and you wished thus ... do not desire, and ... the treasures of gold to be remitted, letAmenophis IVreceive. (There is nothing, indeed, he may not desire?) that is not ... ten times more than his father let him increase in friendship toward me, and in power.”“... you yourself, your envoys, with the envoys ofAmenophis IV, with ... let them be sent toYunimy wife,408for what is wished; and the envoys ofYunimy wife let them be sent to (thee) as to what is wished.“Now as to thy present ... a goodly stone, also (a coronet?) and a ... of stones.”It seems clear from this letter, and from24 B., thatTeie(orThi) the Queen of Egypt, was related to Dusratta, but it is not clear that she was his sister.Gilukhipa, the sister whom he names, is known from Egyptian sources to have been the daughter ofSuttarna, Dusratta's father, and she came to Egypt with 317 ladies in her train.It is also to be remarked that Dusratta invokes the Egyptian godAmenboth when writing to Amenophis III and also when writing to Amenophis IV, so that there does not appear to have been any change of religion in Egypt during the reign of the[pg 297]latter—at least, at the time when he wrote.Amenophis III also married at least one Babylonian princess, as will appear in the letters that follow.Rimmon Nirari's Letter30 B.—“To the Sun God the King my Lord the King of Egypt, thusRimmon-Nirari409thy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet. Lo!Manakhbiya(Thothmes IV) made my father King ... to rule in the Land ofMarkhasse(orNukhasse), and established men to dwell with him; and as the King of ... was disputing for the kingdom, which has been made ... which he established for him ... he gave him...”About twenty lines of the letter are here destroyed; the broken lines below continue thus:“And lo! my Lord ... and the King of the land of theHittiteswhy ... my Lord the letters ... and fearing ... and lo! the King ofEgypt... and now my Lord against ... and to the hands ... to our Lord ... thy Lord in the years that may come.... Do not scorn, since the land was faithful in service to the King my Lord. And if God commands my Lord to go forth, let my Lord also send a chief, to be sent up to him with his soldiers and with his chariots.”[pg 298]Callimmasin's Letters1 B.—“ToAmenophis IIIthe King ofEgyptby letter thus(Cal)limmasin410the King ofCarandunias(Babylonia) thy brother. I am at peace. To thee, to thy house, thy wives, thy land, thy chariots, thy horses, thy ... be much peace.“Because of the youngest of my daughters, whom you send to wed,Irtabiwhom you remember, they took this message. My father formerly sent a message. You collected many soldiers, you approved his message, and you sent making a present to my father.“Now I send thee this envoy. In the sixth year you seek for this, and in the sixth year you send thirtymanahsof gold (instead of?) silver for my present. I return the same gold.Casiyour envoy has known its (value?) which he has seen. I send thy envoy well instructed as to our opinion. For I followed ... and the present that he is instructed to ... is thirtymanahsof gold, which you ... a gift of alliance.”The rest is too broken to read. It mentions five women sent, and ten wooden chariots—the latter as presents. The next letter is from Egypt. Either a copy or an original never sent.4111 B. M.—“ToCallimmasinKing ofCaranduniasmy brother, by letter thusAmenophis IIIthe great King, the King ofEgyptthy brother. There is peace to my region. To thy region be peace: to thy house, to thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy horses, to thy chariots, and in thy hands be much peace. I am at peace. There is much peace to my house, to my wives, to my sons, to my Lords, my horses, my chariots, my army; and in my lands there is much peace.“Now I heard the message you sent about her to me. Thus it was,‘Now you ask my daughter as your wife, but my sister whom my father gave thee, being good to you, has any seen her whether she has lived or whether she has died?’This is the message that you send in your letter. But did you ever send as your envoy, one who has known your sister, and who has spoken with her, and understood her? And let one speak with her. The chiefs you send are useless, your envoyZakarais one who is a chief(?). There is not one among them related to[pg 299]your father, and ... concerning this my envoy is with thee, and has spoken to her ... her heart ... concerning this, and she has given ... to her mother. And lo! you send this,‘You spoke to my envoys, and they gathered your wives: a lady appeared before you (saying) thus, Behold your queen who is brought out before you all. But my envoys knew her not (to be) my sister.’Now satisfy yourself as to what you thus send,‘My envoys knew her not,’and you say,‘Who was it that was recognized by her?’Why do not you send as your envoy one who shall tell you a true message as to the salutation from your sister, I pray you? And you said that they disputed as to her appearance. But you can see her with the King. And lo! you send thus,‘Who was the princess—a daughter of one who was a native, or was she one of the land of (my neighbors?), or was she the daughter of the Land ofKhani Rabbatu, or the princess of the Land ofUgarit, that my envoys so saw, and who was it that spoke to them to satisfy that nothing wrong was done?’And does not your message say all this? But if she has died—your sister, and I am concealing, as you pretend, her ... in former times, which we ... the GodAmanu... (I rejoice that the wife I love?) ... she has been made queen ... I deny that ... beyond all the wives ... that the Kings ofEgypt... in the land ofEgypt. And lo! you send thus‘Both my daughters ... as wives of the Kings of the land ofCarandunias.’But if the ... of my envoys is friendly, and they have said‘With these things our Lord has sent us, as a present, to satisfy thee concerning thy message: the princess salutes the Kings, and all her friends your daughters.’Take thou possession from him of whatever is with them, and send me a letter, and arrange with thy sister who is with me, and make sure of everything; and I have sent to thee an overseer, so to make known to your daughters, in order to perceive the evil that they teach you. And lo! you send‘The messages that my father has left, do not these messages of his say concerning this, that he established alliance between us?’This is the message you send. Now you and I have fulfilled the alliance, and the portion is before your envoys as they will say in your presence. Is not all to be given by us to her who (is) to come to the land of Egypt (whom) they shall bring before[pg 300]me? And (choose?) one of them. (Now) I have sent silver, gold, unguents, cloths, all whatsoever the land can give, and the overseer will say what is the value of that which he has brought—every gift to be weighed to you, that my envoy is to give. And we have been shamed by the evils that they speak. They have refuted the abominations—the evil things that they told you of us. And I was grieved when they ... us all these things. For is it not of their deceit that they told you thus? And I appointed them not to ... them about this. And lo! you send thus, you say thus to my envoys,‘There are no soldiers of my Lord, and is not (a young girl?) to be given them?’This is thy message:‘Thy envoys said for thee that none are going forth. It might be done safely if there were soldiers, if there be none it is impossible to arrange for us what I am asked by him. If there are soldiers I grant it you, if there are horses I grant you this.’This reason your envoy made use of with us, who put me to shame—the evil man whom you sent. I pray thee if they feared to be slain, and lamented evils when she went out, lo! all was in your hands. Thus let my chariots be granted from among the chariots of the ruling chiefs: do not you regard them as a possession? You can send them wherever you please. Are not they all a possession? Are not there, I pray you also, chariots, are not there I pray you horses with me? Demand all my horses: the chariots behold you shall send to meet you at the stations. As for me you shall send me the girl, and send out one to lead (her) to me.”

Royal LettersDusratta's LettersNo. 9 B. M.—“ToNeb-mat-ra(Amenophis III) King ofEgyptmy brother, by letter, thusTuseratta365King ofMitani366thy brother. I am at peace. Peace be to thee; toGilukhipamy sister be peace. To thy house, thy wives, thy sons, thy lords, thy terrible army, thy horses, thy chariots, and in thy land, be much peace. Since I have sat on my father's throne, and have conquered. But (Pirkhi?) made a lawless command in my land, and smote his Lord; and because of these things, they have striven to right me, with who so loved us well; and because my land submitted to this lawless order I was not afraid, but the chiefs who supportedArtasu-maramy brother, with all that were theirs, I slew. As thou wast well with my father, and because of these things, I send this. I say to you, as my brother hears, and will rejoice; my father loved thee, and thou therefore didst love my father; and my father, as he saw this, gave thee my sister; and now ... as thou wast with my father. When my brother saw these things, he brought all those in the land of theHittitesas foes to my land; andRimmonmy Lord gave them to my hand; and I slew him among them, so that not one returned to his land.367Now I have sent thee a chariot with two horses, a young man and a young woman, of the spoil of the land of theHittites. I have sent thee, as a present to my brother, five chariots, and five yoke of horses; and as a present toGilukhipa368my sister, I have sent her (trinkets?) of gold, a pair of gold earrings, and ... of gold, and goodly stones, each(?). NowGilia, a prudent man, andTunipripi369I send to my brother; speedily let him reply to me; so I shall hear my brother's salutation, and shall rejoice. Let my brother wish[pg 280]me well; and let my brother send envoys: so my brother's salutation shall come to me, and I shall hear.”37022 B.—The salutation calls Amenophis III his“kinsman,”but does not name his sister.“Manimy brother's envoy has come to honor me: to take my brother's wife the Queen ofEgypt;371and I received the letter that came: I learned the declaration of his (order?). My heart has been much gladdened by my brother's message, as my brother will see; and it rejoiced that day exceeding much: that day and night they made (rejoicings?).“And, my brother, all the message thatManicame to bring has been performed. This same year behold, my brother, I will ... his wife, the Queen ofEgypt, and I will send ... hence forth the land ofKhanirabbeand the land ofEgypt. And because of these things thatManihas spoken, I send back, my brother,GiliaandManiwith speed, to ... these things; and let not my brother blame them ... as to delay in being despatched; for there was no delay to ... for my brother's wife; and lo! delay is.... In the sixth month I have sentGiliamy envoy, andManimy brother's envoy: I will send my brother's wife to my brother. So mayIstarthe Lady of Ladies my Goddess, andAmanu372my brother's God, give peace ... I have sent to my brother; and my brother as ... increased his (love?) very much, and ... as the heart of my brother was satisfied; and ... (for our children?) my brother ... more than before ... I have despatchedKhai, my brother, trusting his ... and I give the letter to his hands ... and let him bear his message ... I have sent ... going to my brother ... my brother, are not his soldiers...”The next five lines referring to the wife are too broken to read. The back of the tablet continues:“... which my brother sent ... all that my brother has caused to be collected ... in presence of all of them they have been (given?) us ... all these things, beyond expectation thereof, and the gold ... which they have paid—and he has indeed lavished very much[pg 281]... them, any or all these things; was not the gold ... They say‘In the land ofEgyptthere is plenty more gold for thee my brother, because he loves thee very much ... and will love (and being so?) is not there, behold, anything needful, anything beside, from the land of Egypt in addition? So send to me, accordingly, him by whom these are given, and there shall be no lack.’Thus indeed (said) I‘As to anything (further?) do not I say to your faces—He loves me, and my land, exceeding much, does this King ofEgypt?’“And my brother has taken me to his heart: all is as my heart desired; and is it not understood; when he sends shall not I hasten me for my brother: shall not I increase in longing toward my brother: as my brother does also?Mani, my brother's envoy, has brought my brother's ... which was withMani. I have honored their ... and I have honored them very much. NowManiwill take this; and my brother we direct him to ... how I have received from him very much: he will tell my brother this, and my brother will hear what we have done (as I have sent list of gifts of this and that, and he shall not refuse it?).“And may my brother send untold gold; and may my father's power increase with me, as my brother has increased my favor, as my brother has cherished me much, in the sight of my country, in the sight of the whole of my brethren. MayRimmonandAmanuappoint that my brother's wishes be ever fulfilled; and for myself, my brother, that my wishes may be fulfilled, as men whom the Sun-God loves. And so now the Gods shall indeed decree for us this prayer, ... we shall join as friends forever.“For my brother's present I have sent to my brother a (double-edged weapon?) ... and (?) of emeralds, and pure gold ... enclosed in a box, and ... of alabaster, and pure gold, for a box ...”21 B.—“ToAmenophis III, the Great King, King ofEgypt, my brother, my kinsman373whom I love, and who loves me, by[pg 282]letter thusDusratta, the Great King, King ofMitani, thy brother, thy kinsman who also loves thee. I am at peace, etc.“To my brother whom I love I have given his young wife.374May the Sun-God andIstar... her face. As my brother desires: may ... and may my brother rejoice, in the day when ... the Sun-God and the God ... giving joy to my noble brother, ... let them grant it to be ... and may my brother ... forever.“Manimy brother's envoy, andKhani375my brother's interpreter, as you cause them to be sent, plenty of (provisions?) I shall give them ... them much; as they performed their orders I made all the people protect them. If they do not may my Gods, and my brother's Gods, guard them. Now I have sentNahramaniwho is careful in my brother's affairs, and I have sent (an ornament?) of precious stones—of precious stones and gold, as a present to my brother; and may my brother be granted to live a hundred years.”8 B. M.—The salutation is the same as before, but the writer's name is spelt“Tusratta”instead ofDusratta. The letter is the best preserved in the whole collection.“Since your forefathers were friendly with my forefathers, thou therefore wast very greatly friendly with my father. So you love me: we are zealous friends. Ten times more you increase it than to my father. The heavenly Gods shall decree that we shall be friends. MayRimmonmy God, andAmanu, so pronounce, even forever.“And so my brother sentManihis envoy. Thus indeed my brother (said)‘Does not my brother's heart desire that thy daughter (be) the wife of my young son376—as a princess ofEgypt’and I spoke as to my intention about it; and my brother desiring that she should be made ready forMani, and to show her, so he beheld her, and praised her much. And may they lead her in peace into the land of my brother. MayIstarandAmanumake her agreeable to my brother's heart.“Gilia, my envoy, set forth my brother's message before[pg 283]me. So I heard and it was very good; and so I rejoiced very much. Thus truly I say‘This is thus arranged between us so that we may be zealous friends.’Now with firm faith forever let us be friends.“So I shall send to my brother, and I say thus myself, so let us be much more friendly; and do not you respond to us? And I say thus, that my brother has enriched me ten times more than my father.“And I have asked much gold of my brother: so he has given me more than to my father. My brother indeed sent to me; and to my father you sent much gold: much (merchandise?) of gold; and besides all the gold you sent him you have sent me bricks of gold (lavished?) like copper.“I sentGilia(humbly?) to my brother, and asked for gold. Thus indeed I (said)‘Truly my brother has given me more than to my father, and may he send me untold gold.’“May my brother send me more than to my father; and now I say thus to my brother: the (loan?) that my grandfather made, so I may (say), as (one thinking little of wealth?) he made it for thee; and now as regards (what) I say, the gold that my brother shall send, let him send it when he likes.“Lo my brother has sent the gold saying‘It is due to you,’But no. No more was due; and he had satisfied the account; and when he had satisfied the account I was glad thereof exceedingly; and whatever my brother sends I have been very glad thereof.“Now behold I sent to my brother—and may my brother extend his kindness to me more than to my father; now I asked gold of my brother, and whatever gold I asked of my brother, he has sent the double of what was asked. One (sum) for the (loan?), and a second of good-will.“And may my brother send me untold gold; and may he send me more than to my father; and so may the Gods decree, that much more gold beside be in my brother's land, as there now is in my brother's land; and ten times more than there now is, may it increase.377And let not my brother refuse the gold that I ask by my brother's wish; and, as for me, let me not refuse my brother's wish; and may my brother send me[pg 284]very much gold uncounted; and whatever my brother needs let him send and take. Let me return the gift that my brother desires for his household. This land is my brother's land, and this house is my brother's house.“Now I sendGiliamy envoy to my brother. Let him not refuse him. Let him speedily command him: let him send him away. So hearing my brother's salutation let me rejoice exceeding much. Let me ever hear my brother's salutation. And these messages that we send, let my GodRimmonandAmanudecree that they may arrive through their mercy. And as now it is prayed therefor, so we are friends; and as now so forever may we be friends.“Now as to the gifts for my brother: I have sent as my brother's gifts a quantity of solid gold, and precious stones: (its value?) includes the amount of twenty precious stones, and nineteen pieces of gold. The weight of precious stones and gold remaining includes the amount of forty-two precious stones and twenty pieces of goldZuzasof Istar: (this is) the weight of precious stones and gold remaining; and ten yoke of horses, and ten chariots, with all that belongs to them, and thirty female slaves.”27 B.—This is the longest letter in the collection, including six lines in Aramaic, and 512 lines in Dusratta's native language (see“Journal Royal Asiatic Society,”October, 1892, for my translation). The important passages of the letter appear to me to read as follows, and the meaning is confirmed by statements in other letters by this writer concerning his daughter's marriage. The letter was addressed to Amenophis III, and sent by the same two envoys,ManiandGilias,378already noticed.“Giliasthe envoy, who takes the messages is ordered to utter it, his duty being to go out, because Amenophis III the Egyptian (ally?) rules a far off land, and I rule in the cityIkhibin379the city of the GodSimigis380the paternal deity.“To proceed: asManimy brother's envoy says, it is understood that my brother is very desirous that it should be speedily completed.[pg 285]“Brother, I gladly empower the envoy to take back this woman, whomManisays my brother commanded him to bring, when he was ordered as an envoy.“Understanding that my brother desires now to take her home, is it not necessary, understanding this decision to be preferred; as twenty-three months have gone by, is not her taking home to be hastened? My Court having decided to accept, and being satisfied as well as my wife, and resolved to accept the agreement; and the girl being heartily pleased—how happy she is words cannot tell—the decision is from the Gods, brother, for me the decision is from the mighty Gods, my brother. Surely you know whether I do not desire that she should be so brilliantly exalted, the girl being so fortunately (married): surely you know that I shall be glad.“Proclaim thou for me that whatever people ofKhalci,381west of theMinyan382country—whatever people ofKhalciI have conquered, are made subject.“I being the great chief of the power of the land of theHittitestaking to me, my brother, all the people that are conquered. Let it extend to the city ofHarran383and let the land possessed by no king be taxed.“My son-in-law being married in the city of Thebes in presence of the image of the deity.”“Is it not thus thatDusrattadwelling afar arranges the marriage ofTadukhipa384—Dusrattathe favored (friend?) from the Minyan land, consenting to the wish ofAmenophis IIIthe Egyptian (friend) that the son ofAmenophis IIIbe so married to her, in the presence of the image of the deity.”As this letter is written in what is called by scholars an“unknown[pg 286]language,”these renderings may be questioned. The dialect appears, however, to be closely related to the Akkadian and to other Mongol dialects of western Asia, and to be also the same used (B. 10) by the Hittites.10 B. M.—Written, as the Egyptian docket at the bottom of the tablet on the back states, in the thirty-sixth year of Amenophis III which appears to have been probably the last of his reign.“To Amenophis III King of Egypt my brother, my kinsman whom I love, and who loves me, by letter thusDusrattaKing ofMitaniwho loves thee, thy kinsman. I am at peace. Peace be to thee, to thy house, to the womanTachikhipamy daughter to the wife thou lovest be peace.385To thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy army, to thy land, and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace.“Thus (I say)IstarofNineveh, the lady of the lands, is kind of heart to the land ofEgypt. In the land that I love do not they walk after her?386Do not they cry aloud to her? Now behold it has brought thee prosperity.“Now from the time of my father they have besoughtIstarin her land for thy prosperity; and, as of old so now, it continues. They honor her.“And now may my brother receive of her ten times more than before. Let my brother receive with joy: let it be hastened for him: let it endure.“Istaris the Lady of Heaven my brother, and as for me let me be guarded by her for a hundred years; and may great joy be given. Let it be granted by her that I may not fail; and as you desire may it (befall?).“Is notIstarmy God, and has not she (prospered?) my brother (or been with my brother?).”24 B.—The second longest of Dusratta's letters, 185 lines in all, is unfortunately very much damaged, as it is perhaps the most important, giving as it does historical information extending over three generations, during which the kings of Egypt and of Mitani were allied by marriage.“To ...ya387my kinsman, whom I love and who loves[pg 287]me ... the great King (King of)Mitanithy kinsman who loves thee. I am at peace ... to the LadyTeie... toTadukhipamy daughter thy wife be peace, to ... be peace. To thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy ... and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace ... ofAmenophis IIIthy father he sent to me; he explained ... of all that he sent there was no message at all that I ... to your father as to what he sent to me; andTeiethe chief wife ofAmenophis IIIyour mother knew all of them. All these have been seen byTeieyour mother ... the messages that your father caused to be addressed to me.“... and ten times more than withAmenophis IIIyour father caused him to tell me whatsoever wish ... and whatever message I spoke, faithfully in the same day ... he himself did not turn away his heart from any message ... but faithfully in the same day he caused it to be done.“... the father ofAmenophis IIIsent toSitatama388my grandfather, and ... a daughter. He sent to my grandfather five or six times, and he was not given her, when ... he sent; and at length he was given her.Amenophis IIIyour father sent (humbly?) toSut(tarna)my father ... and so for my father's daughter, my own sister, his heart was desirous; and five (or six) times he ... her: when he had sent five or six times at length he was given her. SoAmenophis III... sent to me, and so desired a daughter389and I ... I said in ... of his envoy‘Thus I say I have (sworn?) to give her: by our wish ... to take, and the ... which he has known: and she is a sister so it is lawful;’and I give ...Amenophis IIIthy (father's) ... if these are not truths ... heaven and earth bear witness ... to give her; and[pg 288]Khai390the envoy of my brother ... to the (Queen?) and toAmenophis IIII sent with her ... in three months with the greatest speed ... and the gold ... truly was not ... which I sent.“When you favored a daughter, and so (sent for) her, and asAmenophis IIIyour father knew her ... I rejoiced being exceeding glad, and he said‘My brother, is not it thy wish thus to give the handmaid’; and he made public agreement with this his land, in presence of my envoy ... so men ... when they beheld; and I received from him; andAmenophis IIIestablished us ... for the future; and so receiving ... I was made great; and in the cities which forTadukhipa... in all of them he made us dwell as conquerors,391and among the envoys who went down ... none thatGilia... the gold of one (limzu) was given by weight. Truly toAmenophis IIIforTadukhipait was given; andTadukhipa... was given ... and ... my envoysAmenophis IIIwith ... I received; there was no one ...Amenophis IIIsentNizikhis envoy ... myself; and he ... (refusing?) to my face the ... of gold ... the gold which ... ofGiliaand ... he established us ... my envoys ... to be despatched ... he did not cease to (deny?) ... and ... he took her... I was not able to refuse to please him ... he sent this to me ... they sent was wonderful, and then ...Amenophis IIIyour father in every message ... the lord of the place to protect her. Did not he order all these as I say ... do not I say thatTeie392... has known ... andTeieis your mother, ask her if, among the messages that I spake, there is one message which is not vindicated by her, as to these (messages) toAmenophis IIIyour father ... if toAmenophis IIIyour father brotherhood was made by me: if it was said byAmenophis IIIyour father‘If at all (there is) gold that ... in the land ofKhani RabbeI will despatch it; and order thou thus the ... do[pg 289]not I desire to cause it to be sent’: the ... bore what was ordered to be given ofAmenophis IIIyour father; andAmenophis IIIsaid to me‘... the treasures of gold ... all that my ... desires is sent ... and ... to do this I have sent to thee’... there byAmenophis IIIwith a message. Never was there a message without a reply. I never refused any of the messages.“(And when)Amenophis IIIwas obliged to be taken to his fate, and they told (me) ... I tore my cheeks, and I mourned on that same day; I sat (in the dust?); I (took) no food or water that same day; and I was grieved ... I said‘Let me perish myself from earth, and from my ... and that he loved me God knows, and he was loved’(and because of) these things we are cast down in our hearts.”“... to me the eldest son ofAmenophis IIIby his wifeTeie... was made, and I said‘Has notAmenophis IIIdied ... the eldest son of his chief wifeTeie(is) in his stead ... shall not we be sent news ... from her abode as of old.’“... I say thusAmenophis IVis my brother whom we shall love in our hearts ... the son ofAmenophis IIImore than his father, because ofTeiehis mother, who was the wife ... as she desires a message to the presence ofAmenophis IV(Abkhuriya) the son ofAmenophis IIIher husband. I (rejoice) very exceeding much that we shall be friends“(As they have sent me this message?) As they have ordered it,Giliasis humbly (sent?) ... they have sentMani(as an envoy?), and treasures of woods (or trees) my brother has sent, and gold ... without gold and without...”The next passage is too broken to read, but refers to the continuance of friendship since the time of the ancestors of both kings, and for the future. The back of the tablet is very much broken, the whole of one paragraph, and the greater part of the next, which refers toTeieas the mother ofAmenophis IVbeing destroyed. It continues:“... the message of your mother which toGilias... He has desired a message to be despatched and (as he desires) ... have not I sent my envoys, and have[pg 290]not I ... (and it is not my fault?) and the treasures ... which he asked of him I have caused to be given, not being desired ... my envoys four years since you393...”Eight lines are here almost entirely destroyed, referring to some speedy message, and to the former king, with a reference to certain persons, including the“father ofTeie(your elders?) with me,”with professions of friendship. The end of the paragraph (lines 40, 41) contains the words,“as thus he set us up over all her many lands ... all the lands are all hers in his sight.”394The next paragraph continues:“... the (treasures?) of gold (allowed to be despatched?) previously byAmenophis III... he has sent. Lo! very exceedingly my brother has desired that treasures ... to us; and much of his gold ... very exceedingly my brother ... as intending for me ... whatever among ... and your father; was not he given by me; and lo! now let my brother see that I was not at all ... to your father: the treasures that he desired were given, and lo! ... I am sending back my message: there shall be nothing done to cause the heart to turn away ... all the messages ...Teiehas been a witness, andTeieyour mother ... plenty. Lo! I asked your father, and did not your father grant me? and ... let this gold be given, and let not my brother's heart ... let him not turn from my ... when the (loan?) ... was not made, and what had ...“... LetGiliaknow this day what my brother's heart desires. I have made Gilia travel ... thus I have made my brother's envoys to obey him, travelling with speed. If ever, my brother, my envoys ... if ever I send my envoys ... (the fault is not mine?) ... I have sentManiandGiliato my brother as before. If at all by my brother my envoys to him, and if by us they shall be received, I also shall so hasten him ... Lo! as regards messages from my brother, which he makes about anything as to my brother's intentions ... thence; and on the throne of his father he sits this day; and let me do my brother's will.[pg 291]“I say thus, my brother, have not I sent my envoys, and much in their keeping which is for thee; and my brother let ... which is for thee.Mazipalali395my envoy is the paternal uncle ofGiliaand for ... my brother I have sent him, and my brother am not I (the surer?) asGiliais not ... And the other envoy whom I shall send to my brother is the brother ofGiliathe son of his mother396... I sent him. So my brother have not I despatched him speedily without stopping, and, my brother, as to my wishes that I wish (it is not my fault?) and because of these things did not I sendGilia... for security, and for all this am not I the surer.“Mazipalaliwhom I shall send to my brother is the uncle ofGilia; and the treasures (allowed to be despatched?) ... and plenty of untold gold of the (loan?) which I desire from my brother let my brother give ... and let him not refuse; and with my brother gold in addition ... ten times more may it increase to me exceedingly ... let these things be ordered; andMani(with) my envoy my brother ... let be given of my brother; and let him sendGiliato me; and ... and all the news about my brother's mother that they shall speak, and (especially?) let me (hear?) ... that they did. And lo! as before I sent not to thee my brother, so let him ... me. Let not my brother ... and to my brother's pleasure ... and I meditate a message of consolation for my brother.“Let bothArtessupa397and ... thus relate in my brother's land this thing. I have been sent (under escort?) ...Mani(brought?) before me all my wicked slaves, who have dwelt inEgypt, and I examined them398as to ... and they said ... and I said before them‘Why is your insolence so great?’... So they put them in chains, and ... one of my ... one from my city who has angered the land ... and another ... did not I slay because of these things? My brother, did not he say ... was not I wroth? Behold my brother they were[pg 292]wicked ... and ... my brother it was necessary and now let me (afflict them?).“As to a present for my brother. My brother's presents (are)—a (weight?) of solid gold from the landRis Burkhis, a weapon with a stone head399... of precious stone ... (an ornament?) for the hands of precious stones, one part of gold: three cloths: three ... three ... (with fastenings?) of gold, ... of refined bronze (or copper) ... two ...“As a present forTeieyour mother an (ornament?) for the hands of precious stones ... earrings ... two cloths.“As a present for (Tadukhipa) my (daughter) an ornament for the hands ... earrings ... two cloths.”23 B.—The salutation is the same as in the last, being addressed toAmenophis IV, toTeieand toTadukhipa.“Manimy brother's envoy (has come) to (me). I have heard. I liked much the gifts that my brother ... I saw, and I rejoiced very much. My brother utters this message and (says)‘As with my fatherAmenophis IIIyou were friends, now behold this day be friends with me thy brother. You will continue to be kind,’and I have not delayed ... with my brother. Lo! ten times more than to your father I will be a friend.“And your fatherAmenophis IIIspoke this message in his letter (by your ...)Mani,‘Continue thou the friendship,’400and when my brotherAmenophis IIIsaid this, lo! what I had sent was nothing at all, and my brother shall not consider it anything. And I do not send this present, which behold I have sent to thee, as desiring to cause you to send; but (humbly?) whatever my brother desires to be given to his wife, they shall be made to take away. They shall see her,401and I will send ten times as much.“And the treasures of gold (allowed to be despatched?) one treasure for me, and another treasure as the treasure ofTadukhipamy daughter, lo! I asked of Amenophis III your[pg 293]father. And your father said‘Send for the gold that (remains to be remitted?) let the (rest) be given, and the precious stones that are to be given thee, and the gold, because we have increased the gift, which is marvellous with treasure to be given to you.’And the gold of the treasures all my envoys who were in the land ofEgyptbeheld with their eyes; and your father lavishly increased the treasures in presence of my envoys. He welcomed them on their way; he maintained them! and lavishly expended the ... on my envoys. They gazed, and so truly they beheld with their eyes his favor poured out.“And more gold beside, which was marvellous, which he sent to me, he piled up; and he said to my envoys‘Behold the treasures, and behold the gold in plenty, and the possessions which are marvellous,402which I shall send to my brother: behold them also with your eyes.’And my envoys beheld with their eyes.“But now, my brother, the treasures remitted, which your father sent, you shall not send, but the woods (or trees) have been received.403You are sending the possessions that your father sent to me. You shall not send them, but shall store them up very much.“And thinking of all that one has known, how I rejoiced because of my brother, none ever brought salutation from him at any time, my brother, but the same day return was made to him.“AndKhamassimy brother's envoy he sent (humbly?) to my presence, and (humbly?) he spoke my brother's message: I heard and then I said‘As I was friends withAmenophis IIIthy father, lo! now ten times more withAmenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) shall I be great friends.’So then I said toKhamassiyour envoy.“And lo! my brother: the treasures of gold to be remitted you shall not send; and there (shall be) respite of gifts which your father spoke of sending. It is desired that my brother shall not send them.“Lo! my brother, the treasures of gold which I asked of your father I may say that half of them will be carried off (or stolen) ... The lands are at strife404...”[pg 294]The rest of this letter, including all the back, is too much broken to be read. It appears to go on to speak of“destruction”and to refer to a state of disturbance. It mentions the envoyKhamassi, and says,“Of what he has brought the fourth part has been robbed.”On the backGiliais mentioned with gold, and relations between the writer and Amenophis III. He refers again to the message from Amenophis IV and toTeiehis mother; and invokesRimmonandAmanu. The words“unless they are conquered”seem also to occur. This letter contained altogether 113 lines of writing.26 B.—A list of presents. On the back, at the bottom of the left hand column, is the statement,“These are the things carried by the female slaves, all those things whichDusrattaKing ofMitanigave toAmenophis IIIhis brother, his kinsman, when he sent his daughterTadukhipato the land of Egypt, to Amenophis III for marriage, he gave all these that day.”The list is a very long and difficult one. It begins with two horses, and a chariot plated with gold and silver, and adorned with precious stones. The harness of the horses was adorned in like manner. Two camel litters appear to be next noticed, and apparently variegated garments worked with gold, and embroidered zones and shawls. These are followed by lists of precious stones, and a horse's saddle adorned with gold eagles.405A necklace of solid gold and gems, a bracelet of iron gilt,406an anklet of solid gold, and other gold objects follow; and apparently cloths, and silver objects, and vases of copper or bronze. An object of jade or jasper (Yaspu), and leaves of gold, are noticed (both jade and leaves of gold have actually been found in the oldest ruins at Troy), the former being perhaps noticed as coming fromElam, by trade with central Asia, where jade was found. Five gems of“stone of the great light”(perhaps diamonds) follow, with ornaments for the head and feet, and a number of bronze objects, and harness for chariots. Boxes of strong wood to contain treasures follow next, and apparently a collar with disks and carved lions, objects of silver and gold and strong wood, bronze ornaments[pg 295]for horses. The last noticed objects may be written tablets, including some on the ritual of the gods.25 B.—A list similar to the last, perhaps part of the same inventory, as it includes women's ornaments. The tablet is much injured. The objects noticed include an earring with gems, and others of gold, with a large number of precious stones, a necklace with 122 gems set in gold, including“green stones”; bracelets and anklets of solid gold with jewels: an umbrella adorned with gold: boxes to hold treasures, and numerous objects of silver: horns of the wild bull, and wooden objects adorned with gold: cups of gold adorned with gems: other bracelets and anklets of gold with pendants and stars of jewels: a pair of gold earrings with pendants and stars of precious stones: silver anklets for women, and earrings with gold pendants. In each case the weight of gold and the numbers of the gems are stated.These inventories of Tadukhipa's marriage outfit show how far advanced was the civilization of western Asia in the fourteenth centuryb.c., and indicate not only the native wealth of gold, silver, copper, and bronze, from Asia Minor and the Caucasus, but also a trade which brought jade from central Asia. The art of the age is similar to that of the objects found at Troy and Mycenæ, and represented on the Egyptian bas-reliefs, which give pictures of the tribute from Phœnicia. From other tablets in the collection we obtain similar information, including the use of ivory, as also from the records of tribute to Thothmes III in 1600b.c.11 B. M.—“To ... Princess of the Land ofEgypt407thusDusrattaKing ofMitani. I am at peace: Peace be to thee.... Peace be to thy son; peace be toTadukhipathy daughter-in-law. To thy land and to all that is thine be much, much peace.“Thou hast known of me how I lovedAmenophis IIIthy husband, andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband how he loved me. As forAmenophis IIIthy husband he heard what I said; andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband, sent messages to me; and what he said to thee my ... bothManihas known, and thou ... hast known all of[pg 296]these things—the messages we zealously uttered. There was nothing thus that he has not known of them.“Now you said toGilia,‘Say to your Lord,Amenophis IIIwas friends with your father, and why should his favor be less than to your father? Nay, indeed, what he shall send to our place shall not ... will not you hasten to ... your friendship withAmenophis III... making it greater; and assure him ... that you will gladly send ...’“... to your husband friendship ... so now ... your son, ten times more ... and the messages....“... why from ... our good faith, and ... is given to me ... thus I ...Amenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) ... and now behold ... to give isnot....“... when by your desire I ... and to the presence ofAmenophis IV... and you wished thus ... do not desire, and ... the treasures of gold to be remitted, letAmenophis IVreceive. (There is nothing, indeed, he may not desire?) that is not ... ten times more than his father let him increase in friendship toward me, and in power.”“... you yourself, your envoys, with the envoys ofAmenophis IV, with ... let them be sent toYunimy wife,408for what is wished; and the envoys ofYunimy wife let them be sent to (thee) as to what is wished.“Now as to thy present ... a goodly stone, also (a coronet?) and a ... of stones.”It seems clear from this letter, and from24 B., thatTeie(orThi) the Queen of Egypt, was related to Dusratta, but it is not clear that she was his sister.Gilukhipa, the sister whom he names, is known from Egyptian sources to have been the daughter ofSuttarna, Dusratta's father, and she came to Egypt with 317 ladies in her train.It is also to be remarked that Dusratta invokes the Egyptian godAmenboth when writing to Amenophis III and also when writing to Amenophis IV, so that there does not appear to have been any change of religion in Egypt during the reign of the[pg 297]latter—at least, at the time when he wrote.Amenophis III also married at least one Babylonian princess, as will appear in the letters that follow.Rimmon Nirari's Letter30 B.—“To the Sun God the King my Lord the King of Egypt, thusRimmon-Nirari409thy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet. Lo!Manakhbiya(Thothmes IV) made my father King ... to rule in the Land ofMarkhasse(orNukhasse), and established men to dwell with him; and as the King of ... was disputing for the kingdom, which has been made ... which he established for him ... he gave him...”About twenty lines of the letter are here destroyed; the broken lines below continue thus:“And lo! my Lord ... and the King of the land of theHittiteswhy ... my Lord the letters ... and fearing ... and lo! the King ofEgypt... and now my Lord against ... and to the hands ... to our Lord ... thy Lord in the years that may come.... Do not scorn, since the land was faithful in service to the King my Lord. And if God commands my Lord to go forth, let my Lord also send a chief, to be sent up to him with his soldiers and with his chariots.”[pg 298]Callimmasin's Letters1 B.—“ToAmenophis IIIthe King ofEgyptby letter thus(Cal)limmasin410the King ofCarandunias(Babylonia) thy brother. I am at peace. To thee, to thy house, thy wives, thy land, thy chariots, thy horses, thy ... be much peace.“Because of the youngest of my daughters, whom you send to wed,Irtabiwhom you remember, they took this message. My father formerly sent a message. You collected many soldiers, you approved his message, and you sent making a present to my father.“Now I send thee this envoy. In the sixth year you seek for this, and in the sixth year you send thirtymanahsof gold (instead of?) silver for my present. I return the same gold.Casiyour envoy has known its (value?) which he has seen. I send thy envoy well instructed as to our opinion. For I followed ... and the present that he is instructed to ... is thirtymanahsof gold, which you ... a gift of alliance.”The rest is too broken to read. It mentions five women sent, and ten wooden chariots—the latter as presents. The next letter is from Egypt. Either a copy or an original never sent.4111 B. M.—“ToCallimmasinKing ofCaranduniasmy brother, by letter thusAmenophis IIIthe great King, the King ofEgyptthy brother. There is peace to my region. To thy region be peace: to thy house, to thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy horses, to thy chariots, and in thy hands be much peace. I am at peace. There is much peace to my house, to my wives, to my sons, to my Lords, my horses, my chariots, my army; and in my lands there is much peace.“Now I heard the message you sent about her to me. Thus it was,‘Now you ask my daughter as your wife, but my sister whom my father gave thee, being good to you, has any seen her whether she has lived or whether she has died?’This is the message that you send in your letter. But did you ever send as your envoy, one who has known your sister, and who has spoken with her, and understood her? And let one speak with her. The chiefs you send are useless, your envoyZakarais one who is a chief(?). There is not one among them related to[pg 299]your father, and ... concerning this my envoy is with thee, and has spoken to her ... her heart ... concerning this, and she has given ... to her mother. And lo! you send this,‘You spoke to my envoys, and they gathered your wives: a lady appeared before you (saying) thus, Behold your queen who is brought out before you all. But my envoys knew her not (to be) my sister.’Now satisfy yourself as to what you thus send,‘My envoys knew her not,’and you say,‘Who was it that was recognized by her?’Why do not you send as your envoy one who shall tell you a true message as to the salutation from your sister, I pray you? And you said that they disputed as to her appearance. But you can see her with the King. And lo! you send thus,‘Who was the princess—a daughter of one who was a native, or was she one of the land of (my neighbors?), or was she the daughter of the Land ofKhani Rabbatu, or the princess of the Land ofUgarit, that my envoys so saw, and who was it that spoke to them to satisfy that nothing wrong was done?’And does not your message say all this? But if she has died—your sister, and I am concealing, as you pretend, her ... in former times, which we ... the GodAmanu... (I rejoice that the wife I love?) ... she has been made queen ... I deny that ... beyond all the wives ... that the Kings ofEgypt... in the land ofEgypt. And lo! you send thus‘Both my daughters ... as wives of the Kings of the land ofCarandunias.’But if the ... of my envoys is friendly, and they have said‘With these things our Lord has sent us, as a present, to satisfy thee concerning thy message: the princess salutes the Kings, and all her friends your daughters.’Take thou possession from him of whatever is with them, and send me a letter, and arrange with thy sister who is with me, and make sure of everything; and I have sent to thee an overseer, so to make known to your daughters, in order to perceive the evil that they teach you. And lo! you send‘The messages that my father has left, do not these messages of his say concerning this, that he established alliance between us?’This is the message you send. Now you and I have fulfilled the alliance, and the portion is before your envoys as they will say in your presence. Is not all to be given by us to her who (is) to come to the land of Egypt (whom) they shall bring before[pg 300]me? And (choose?) one of them. (Now) I have sent silver, gold, unguents, cloths, all whatsoever the land can give, and the overseer will say what is the value of that which he has brought—every gift to be weighed to you, that my envoy is to give. And we have been shamed by the evils that they speak. They have refuted the abominations—the evil things that they told you of us. And I was grieved when they ... us all these things. For is it not of their deceit that they told you thus? And I appointed them not to ... them about this. And lo! you send thus, you say thus to my envoys,‘There are no soldiers of my Lord, and is not (a young girl?) to be given them?’This is thy message:‘Thy envoys said for thee that none are going forth. It might be done safely if there were soldiers, if there be none it is impossible to arrange for us what I am asked by him. If there are soldiers I grant it you, if there are horses I grant you this.’This reason your envoy made use of with us, who put me to shame—the evil man whom you sent. I pray thee if they feared to be slain, and lamented evils when she went out, lo! all was in your hands. Thus let my chariots be granted from among the chariots of the ruling chiefs: do not you regard them as a possession? You can send them wherever you please. Are not they all a possession? Are not there, I pray you also, chariots, are not there I pray you horses with me? Demand all my horses: the chariots behold you shall send to meet you at the stations. As for me you shall send me the girl, and send out one to lead (her) to me.”

Royal LettersDusratta's LettersNo. 9 B. M.—“ToNeb-mat-ra(Amenophis III) King ofEgyptmy brother, by letter, thusTuseratta365King ofMitani366thy brother. I am at peace. Peace be to thee; toGilukhipamy sister be peace. To thy house, thy wives, thy sons, thy lords, thy terrible army, thy horses, thy chariots, and in thy land, be much peace. Since I have sat on my father's throne, and have conquered. But (Pirkhi?) made a lawless command in my land, and smote his Lord; and because of these things, they have striven to right me, with who so loved us well; and because my land submitted to this lawless order I was not afraid, but the chiefs who supportedArtasu-maramy brother, with all that were theirs, I slew. As thou wast well with my father, and because of these things, I send this. I say to you, as my brother hears, and will rejoice; my father loved thee, and thou therefore didst love my father; and my father, as he saw this, gave thee my sister; and now ... as thou wast with my father. When my brother saw these things, he brought all those in the land of theHittitesas foes to my land; andRimmonmy Lord gave them to my hand; and I slew him among them, so that not one returned to his land.367Now I have sent thee a chariot with two horses, a young man and a young woman, of the spoil of the land of theHittites. I have sent thee, as a present to my brother, five chariots, and five yoke of horses; and as a present toGilukhipa368my sister, I have sent her (trinkets?) of gold, a pair of gold earrings, and ... of gold, and goodly stones, each(?). NowGilia, a prudent man, andTunipripi369I send to my brother; speedily let him reply to me; so I shall hear my brother's salutation, and shall rejoice. Let my brother wish[pg 280]me well; and let my brother send envoys: so my brother's salutation shall come to me, and I shall hear.”37022 B.—The salutation calls Amenophis III his“kinsman,”but does not name his sister.“Manimy brother's envoy has come to honor me: to take my brother's wife the Queen ofEgypt;371and I received the letter that came: I learned the declaration of his (order?). My heart has been much gladdened by my brother's message, as my brother will see; and it rejoiced that day exceeding much: that day and night they made (rejoicings?).“And, my brother, all the message thatManicame to bring has been performed. This same year behold, my brother, I will ... his wife, the Queen ofEgypt, and I will send ... hence forth the land ofKhanirabbeand the land ofEgypt. And because of these things thatManihas spoken, I send back, my brother,GiliaandManiwith speed, to ... these things; and let not my brother blame them ... as to delay in being despatched; for there was no delay to ... for my brother's wife; and lo! delay is.... In the sixth month I have sentGiliamy envoy, andManimy brother's envoy: I will send my brother's wife to my brother. So mayIstarthe Lady of Ladies my Goddess, andAmanu372my brother's God, give peace ... I have sent to my brother; and my brother as ... increased his (love?) very much, and ... as the heart of my brother was satisfied; and ... (for our children?) my brother ... more than before ... I have despatchedKhai, my brother, trusting his ... and I give the letter to his hands ... and let him bear his message ... I have sent ... going to my brother ... my brother, are not his soldiers...”The next five lines referring to the wife are too broken to read. The back of the tablet continues:“... which my brother sent ... all that my brother has caused to be collected ... in presence of all of them they have been (given?) us ... all these things, beyond expectation thereof, and the gold ... which they have paid—and he has indeed lavished very much[pg 281]... them, any or all these things; was not the gold ... They say‘In the land ofEgyptthere is plenty more gold for thee my brother, because he loves thee very much ... and will love (and being so?) is not there, behold, anything needful, anything beside, from the land of Egypt in addition? So send to me, accordingly, him by whom these are given, and there shall be no lack.’Thus indeed (said) I‘As to anything (further?) do not I say to your faces—He loves me, and my land, exceeding much, does this King ofEgypt?’“And my brother has taken me to his heart: all is as my heart desired; and is it not understood; when he sends shall not I hasten me for my brother: shall not I increase in longing toward my brother: as my brother does also?Mani, my brother's envoy, has brought my brother's ... which was withMani. I have honored their ... and I have honored them very much. NowManiwill take this; and my brother we direct him to ... how I have received from him very much: he will tell my brother this, and my brother will hear what we have done (as I have sent list of gifts of this and that, and he shall not refuse it?).“And may my brother send untold gold; and may my father's power increase with me, as my brother has increased my favor, as my brother has cherished me much, in the sight of my country, in the sight of the whole of my brethren. MayRimmonandAmanuappoint that my brother's wishes be ever fulfilled; and for myself, my brother, that my wishes may be fulfilled, as men whom the Sun-God loves. And so now the Gods shall indeed decree for us this prayer, ... we shall join as friends forever.“For my brother's present I have sent to my brother a (double-edged weapon?) ... and (?) of emeralds, and pure gold ... enclosed in a box, and ... of alabaster, and pure gold, for a box ...”21 B.—“ToAmenophis III, the Great King, King ofEgypt, my brother, my kinsman373whom I love, and who loves me, by[pg 282]letter thusDusratta, the Great King, King ofMitani, thy brother, thy kinsman who also loves thee. I am at peace, etc.“To my brother whom I love I have given his young wife.374May the Sun-God andIstar... her face. As my brother desires: may ... and may my brother rejoice, in the day when ... the Sun-God and the God ... giving joy to my noble brother, ... let them grant it to be ... and may my brother ... forever.“Manimy brother's envoy, andKhani375my brother's interpreter, as you cause them to be sent, plenty of (provisions?) I shall give them ... them much; as they performed their orders I made all the people protect them. If they do not may my Gods, and my brother's Gods, guard them. Now I have sentNahramaniwho is careful in my brother's affairs, and I have sent (an ornament?) of precious stones—of precious stones and gold, as a present to my brother; and may my brother be granted to live a hundred years.”8 B. M.—The salutation is the same as before, but the writer's name is spelt“Tusratta”instead ofDusratta. The letter is the best preserved in the whole collection.“Since your forefathers were friendly with my forefathers, thou therefore wast very greatly friendly with my father. So you love me: we are zealous friends. Ten times more you increase it than to my father. The heavenly Gods shall decree that we shall be friends. MayRimmonmy God, andAmanu, so pronounce, even forever.“And so my brother sentManihis envoy. Thus indeed my brother (said)‘Does not my brother's heart desire that thy daughter (be) the wife of my young son376—as a princess ofEgypt’and I spoke as to my intention about it; and my brother desiring that she should be made ready forMani, and to show her, so he beheld her, and praised her much. And may they lead her in peace into the land of my brother. MayIstarandAmanumake her agreeable to my brother's heart.“Gilia, my envoy, set forth my brother's message before[pg 283]me. So I heard and it was very good; and so I rejoiced very much. Thus truly I say‘This is thus arranged between us so that we may be zealous friends.’Now with firm faith forever let us be friends.“So I shall send to my brother, and I say thus myself, so let us be much more friendly; and do not you respond to us? And I say thus, that my brother has enriched me ten times more than my father.“And I have asked much gold of my brother: so he has given me more than to my father. My brother indeed sent to me; and to my father you sent much gold: much (merchandise?) of gold; and besides all the gold you sent him you have sent me bricks of gold (lavished?) like copper.“I sentGilia(humbly?) to my brother, and asked for gold. Thus indeed I (said)‘Truly my brother has given me more than to my father, and may he send me untold gold.’“May my brother send me more than to my father; and now I say thus to my brother: the (loan?) that my grandfather made, so I may (say), as (one thinking little of wealth?) he made it for thee; and now as regards (what) I say, the gold that my brother shall send, let him send it when he likes.“Lo my brother has sent the gold saying‘It is due to you,’But no. No more was due; and he had satisfied the account; and when he had satisfied the account I was glad thereof exceedingly; and whatever my brother sends I have been very glad thereof.“Now behold I sent to my brother—and may my brother extend his kindness to me more than to my father; now I asked gold of my brother, and whatever gold I asked of my brother, he has sent the double of what was asked. One (sum) for the (loan?), and a second of good-will.“And may my brother send me untold gold; and may he send me more than to my father; and so may the Gods decree, that much more gold beside be in my brother's land, as there now is in my brother's land; and ten times more than there now is, may it increase.377And let not my brother refuse the gold that I ask by my brother's wish; and, as for me, let me not refuse my brother's wish; and may my brother send me[pg 284]very much gold uncounted; and whatever my brother needs let him send and take. Let me return the gift that my brother desires for his household. This land is my brother's land, and this house is my brother's house.“Now I sendGiliamy envoy to my brother. Let him not refuse him. Let him speedily command him: let him send him away. So hearing my brother's salutation let me rejoice exceeding much. Let me ever hear my brother's salutation. And these messages that we send, let my GodRimmonandAmanudecree that they may arrive through their mercy. And as now it is prayed therefor, so we are friends; and as now so forever may we be friends.“Now as to the gifts for my brother: I have sent as my brother's gifts a quantity of solid gold, and precious stones: (its value?) includes the amount of twenty precious stones, and nineteen pieces of gold. The weight of precious stones and gold remaining includes the amount of forty-two precious stones and twenty pieces of goldZuzasof Istar: (this is) the weight of precious stones and gold remaining; and ten yoke of horses, and ten chariots, with all that belongs to them, and thirty female slaves.”27 B.—This is the longest letter in the collection, including six lines in Aramaic, and 512 lines in Dusratta's native language (see“Journal Royal Asiatic Society,”October, 1892, for my translation). The important passages of the letter appear to me to read as follows, and the meaning is confirmed by statements in other letters by this writer concerning his daughter's marriage. The letter was addressed to Amenophis III, and sent by the same two envoys,ManiandGilias,378already noticed.“Giliasthe envoy, who takes the messages is ordered to utter it, his duty being to go out, because Amenophis III the Egyptian (ally?) rules a far off land, and I rule in the cityIkhibin379the city of the GodSimigis380the paternal deity.“To proceed: asManimy brother's envoy says, it is understood that my brother is very desirous that it should be speedily completed.[pg 285]“Brother, I gladly empower the envoy to take back this woman, whomManisays my brother commanded him to bring, when he was ordered as an envoy.“Understanding that my brother desires now to take her home, is it not necessary, understanding this decision to be preferred; as twenty-three months have gone by, is not her taking home to be hastened? My Court having decided to accept, and being satisfied as well as my wife, and resolved to accept the agreement; and the girl being heartily pleased—how happy she is words cannot tell—the decision is from the Gods, brother, for me the decision is from the mighty Gods, my brother. Surely you know whether I do not desire that she should be so brilliantly exalted, the girl being so fortunately (married): surely you know that I shall be glad.“Proclaim thou for me that whatever people ofKhalci,381west of theMinyan382country—whatever people ofKhalciI have conquered, are made subject.“I being the great chief of the power of the land of theHittitestaking to me, my brother, all the people that are conquered. Let it extend to the city ofHarran383and let the land possessed by no king be taxed.“My son-in-law being married in the city of Thebes in presence of the image of the deity.”“Is it not thus thatDusrattadwelling afar arranges the marriage ofTadukhipa384—Dusrattathe favored (friend?) from the Minyan land, consenting to the wish ofAmenophis IIIthe Egyptian (friend) that the son ofAmenophis IIIbe so married to her, in the presence of the image of the deity.”As this letter is written in what is called by scholars an“unknown[pg 286]language,”these renderings may be questioned. The dialect appears, however, to be closely related to the Akkadian and to other Mongol dialects of western Asia, and to be also the same used (B. 10) by the Hittites.10 B. M.—Written, as the Egyptian docket at the bottom of the tablet on the back states, in the thirty-sixth year of Amenophis III which appears to have been probably the last of his reign.“To Amenophis III King of Egypt my brother, my kinsman whom I love, and who loves me, by letter thusDusrattaKing ofMitaniwho loves thee, thy kinsman. I am at peace. Peace be to thee, to thy house, to the womanTachikhipamy daughter to the wife thou lovest be peace.385To thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy army, to thy land, and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace.“Thus (I say)IstarofNineveh, the lady of the lands, is kind of heart to the land ofEgypt. In the land that I love do not they walk after her?386Do not they cry aloud to her? Now behold it has brought thee prosperity.“Now from the time of my father they have besoughtIstarin her land for thy prosperity; and, as of old so now, it continues. They honor her.“And now may my brother receive of her ten times more than before. Let my brother receive with joy: let it be hastened for him: let it endure.“Istaris the Lady of Heaven my brother, and as for me let me be guarded by her for a hundred years; and may great joy be given. Let it be granted by her that I may not fail; and as you desire may it (befall?).“Is notIstarmy God, and has not she (prospered?) my brother (or been with my brother?).”24 B.—The second longest of Dusratta's letters, 185 lines in all, is unfortunately very much damaged, as it is perhaps the most important, giving as it does historical information extending over three generations, during which the kings of Egypt and of Mitani were allied by marriage.“To ...ya387my kinsman, whom I love and who loves[pg 287]me ... the great King (King of)Mitanithy kinsman who loves thee. I am at peace ... to the LadyTeie... toTadukhipamy daughter thy wife be peace, to ... be peace. To thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy ... and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace ... ofAmenophis IIIthy father he sent to me; he explained ... of all that he sent there was no message at all that I ... to your father as to what he sent to me; andTeiethe chief wife ofAmenophis IIIyour mother knew all of them. All these have been seen byTeieyour mother ... the messages that your father caused to be addressed to me.“... and ten times more than withAmenophis IIIyour father caused him to tell me whatsoever wish ... and whatever message I spoke, faithfully in the same day ... he himself did not turn away his heart from any message ... but faithfully in the same day he caused it to be done.“... the father ofAmenophis IIIsent toSitatama388my grandfather, and ... a daughter. He sent to my grandfather five or six times, and he was not given her, when ... he sent; and at length he was given her.Amenophis IIIyour father sent (humbly?) toSut(tarna)my father ... and so for my father's daughter, my own sister, his heart was desirous; and five (or six) times he ... her: when he had sent five or six times at length he was given her. SoAmenophis III... sent to me, and so desired a daughter389and I ... I said in ... of his envoy‘Thus I say I have (sworn?) to give her: by our wish ... to take, and the ... which he has known: and she is a sister so it is lawful;’and I give ...Amenophis IIIthy (father's) ... if these are not truths ... heaven and earth bear witness ... to give her; and[pg 288]Khai390the envoy of my brother ... to the (Queen?) and toAmenophis IIII sent with her ... in three months with the greatest speed ... and the gold ... truly was not ... which I sent.“When you favored a daughter, and so (sent for) her, and asAmenophis IIIyour father knew her ... I rejoiced being exceeding glad, and he said‘My brother, is not it thy wish thus to give the handmaid’; and he made public agreement with this his land, in presence of my envoy ... so men ... when they beheld; and I received from him; andAmenophis IIIestablished us ... for the future; and so receiving ... I was made great; and in the cities which forTadukhipa... in all of them he made us dwell as conquerors,391and among the envoys who went down ... none thatGilia... the gold of one (limzu) was given by weight. Truly toAmenophis IIIforTadukhipait was given; andTadukhipa... was given ... and ... my envoysAmenophis IIIwith ... I received; there was no one ...Amenophis IIIsentNizikhis envoy ... myself; and he ... (refusing?) to my face the ... of gold ... the gold which ... ofGiliaand ... he established us ... my envoys ... to be despatched ... he did not cease to (deny?) ... and ... he took her... I was not able to refuse to please him ... he sent this to me ... they sent was wonderful, and then ...Amenophis IIIyour father in every message ... the lord of the place to protect her. Did not he order all these as I say ... do not I say thatTeie392... has known ... andTeieis your mother, ask her if, among the messages that I spake, there is one message which is not vindicated by her, as to these (messages) toAmenophis IIIyour father ... if toAmenophis IIIyour father brotherhood was made by me: if it was said byAmenophis IIIyour father‘If at all (there is) gold that ... in the land ofKhani RabbeI will despatch it; and order thou thus the ... do[pg 289]not I desire to cause it to be sent’: the ... bore what was ordered to be given ofAmenophis IIIyour father; andAmenophis IIIsaid to me‘... the treasures of gold ... all that my ... desires is sent ... and ... to do this I have sent to thee’... there byAmenophis IIIwith a message. Never was there a message without a reply. I never refused any of the messages.“(And when)Amenophis IIIwas obliged to be taken to his fate, and they told (me) ... I tore my cheeks, and I mourned on that same day; I sat (in the dust?); I (took) no food or water that same day; and I was grieved ... I said‘Let me perish myself from earth, and from my ... and that he loved me God knows, and he was loved’(and because of) these things we are cast down in our hearts.”“... to me the eldest son ofAmenophis IIIby his wifeTeie... was made, and I said‘Has notAmenophis IIIdied ... the eldest son of his chief wifeTeie(is) in his stead ... shall not we be sent news ... from her abode as of old.’“... I say thusAmenophis IVis my brother whom we shall love in our hearts ... the son ofAmenophis IIImore than his father, because ofTeiehis mother, who was the wife ... as she desires a message to the presence ofAmenophis IV(Abkhuriya) the son ofAmenophis IIIher husband. I (rejoice) very exceeding much that we shall be friends“(As they have sent me this message?) As they have ordered it,Giliasis humbly (sent?) ... they have sentMani(as an envoy?), and treasures of woods (or trees) my brother has sent, and gold ... without gold and without...”The next passage is too broken to read, but refers to the continuance of friendship since the time of the ancestors of both kings, and for the future. The back of the tablet is very much broken, the whole of one paragraph, and the greater part of the next, which refers toTeieas the mother ofAmenophis IVbeing destroyed. It continues:“... the message of your mother which toGilias... He has desired a message to be despatched and (as he desires) ... have not I sent my envoys, and have[pg 290]not I ... (and it is not my fault?) and the treasures ... which he asked of him I have caused to be given, not being desired ... my envoys four years since you393...”Eight lines are here almost entirely destroyed, referring to some speedy message, and to the former king, with a reference to certain persons, including the“father ofTeie(your elders?) with me,”with professions of friendship. The end of the paragraph (lines 40, 41) contains the words,“as thus he set us up over all her many lands ... all the lands are all hers in his sight.”394The next paragraph continues:“... the (treasures?) of gold (allowed to be despatched?) previously byAmenophis III... he has sent. Lo! very exceedingly my brother has desired that treasures ... to us; and much of his gold ... very exceedingly my brother ... as intending for me ... whatever among ... and your father; was not he given by me; and lo! now let my brother see that I was not at all ... to your father: the treasures that he desired were given, and lo! ... I am sending back my message: there shall be nothing done to cause the heart to turn away ... all the messages ...Teiehas been a witness, andTeieyour mother ... plenty. Lo! I asked your father, and did not your father grant me? and ... let this gold be given, and let not my brother's heart ... let him not turn from my ... when the (loan?) ... was not made, and what had ...“... LetGiliaknow this day what my brother's heart desires. I have made Gilia travel ... thus I have made my brother's envoys to obey him, travelling with speed. If ever, my brother, my envoys ... if ever I send my envoys ... (the fault is not mine?) ... I have sentManiandGiliato my brother as before. If at all by my brother my envoys to him, and if by us they shall be received, I also shall so hasten him ... Lo! as regards messages from my brother, which he makes about anything as to my brother's intentions ... thence; and on the throne of his father he sits this day; and let me do my brother's will.[pg 291]“I say thus, my brother, have not I sent my envoys, and much in their keeping which is for thee; and my brother let ... which is for thee.Mazipalali395my envoy is the paternal uncle ofGiliaand for ... my brother I have sent him, and my brother am not I (the surer?) asGiliais not ... And the other envoy whom I shall send to my brother is the brother ofGiliathe son of his mother396... I sent him. So my brother have not I despatched him speedily without stopping, and, my brother, as to my wishes that I wish (it is not my fault?) and because of these things did not I sendGilia... for security, and for all this am not I the surer.“Mazipalaliwhom I shall send to my brother is the uncle ofGilia; and the treasures (allowed to be despatched?) ... and plenty of untold gold of the (loan?) which I desire from my brother let my brother give ... and let him not refuse; and with my brother gold in addition ... ten times more may it increase to me exceedingly ... let these things be ordered; andMani(with) my envoy my brother ... let be given of my brother; and let him sendGiliato me; and ... and all the news about my brother's mother that they shall speak, and (especially?) let me (hear?) ... that they did. And lo! as before I sent not to thee my brother, so let him ... me. Let not my brother ... and to my brother's pleasure ... and I meditate a message of consolation for my brother.“Let bothArtessupa397and ... thus relate in my brother's land this thing. I have been sent (under escort?) ...Mani(brought?) before me all my wicked slaves, who have dwelt inEgypt, and I examined them398as to ... and they said ... and I said before them‘Why is your insolence so great?’... So they put them in chains, and ... one of my ... one from my city who has angered the land ... and another ... did not I slay because of these things? My brother, did not he say ... was not I wroth? Behold my brother they were[pg 292]wicked ... and ... my brother it was necessary and now let me (afflict them?).“As to a present for my brother. My brother's presents (are)—a (weight?) of solid gold from the landRis Burkhis, a weapon with a stone head399... of precious stone ... (an ornament?) for the hands of precious stones, one part of gold: three cloths: three ... three ... (with fastenings?) of gold, ... of refined bronze (or copper) ... two ...“As a present forTeieyour mother an (ornament?) for the hands of precious stones ... earrings ... two cloths.“As a present for (Tadukhipa) my (daughter) an ornament for the hands ... earrings ... two cloths.”23 B.—The salutation is the same as in the last, being addressed toAmenophis IV, toTeieand toTadukhipa.“Manimy brother's envoy (has come) to (me). I have heard. I liked much the gifts that my brother ... I saw, and I rejoiced very much. My brother utters this message and (says)‘As with my fatherAmenophis IIIyou were friends, now behold this day be friends with me thy brother. You will continue to be kind,’and I have not delayed ... with my brother. Lo! ten times more than to your father I will be a friend.“And your fatherAmenophis IIIspoke this message in his letter (by your ...)Mani,‘Continue thou the friendship,’400and when my brotherAmenophis IIIsaid this, lo! what I had sent was nothing at all, and my brother shall not consider it anything. And I do not send this present, which behold I have sent to thee, as desiring to cause you to send; but (humbly?) whatever my brother desires to be given to his wife, they shall be made to take away. They shall see her,401and I will send ten times as much.“And the treasures of gold (allowed to be despatched?) one treasure for me, and another treasure as the treasure ofTadukhipamy daughter, lo! I asked of Amenophis III your[pg 293]father. And your father said‘Send for the gold that (remains to be remitted?) let the (rest) be given, and the precious stones that are to be given thee, and the gold, because we have increased the gift, which is marvellous with treasure to be given to you.’And the gold of the treasures all my envoys who were in the land ofEgyptbeheld with their eyes; and your father lavishly increased the treasures in presence of my envoys. He welcomed them on their way; he maintained them! and lavishly expended the ... on my envoys. They gazed, and so truly they beheld with their eyes his favor poured out.“And more gold beside, which was marvellous, which he sent to me, he piled up; and he said to my envoys‘Behold the treasures, and behold the gold in plenty, and the possessions which are marvellous,402which I shall send to my brother: behold them also with your eyes.’And my envoys beheld with their eyes.“But now, my brother, the treasures remitted, which your father sent, you shall not send, but the woods (or trees) have been received.403You are sending the possessions that your father sent to me. You shall not send them, but shall store them up very much.“And thinking of all that one has known, how I rejoiced because of my brother, none ever brought salutation from him at any time, my brother, but the same day return was made to him.“AndKhamassimy brother's envoy he sent (humbly?) to my presence, and (humbly?) he spoke my brother's message: I heard and then I said‘As I was friends withAmenophis IIIthy father, lo! now ten times more withAmenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) shall I be great friends.’So then I said toKhamassiyour envoy.“And lo! my brother: the treasures of gold to be remitted you shall not send; and there (shall be) respite of gifts which your father spoke of sending. It is desired that my brother shall not send them.“Lo! my brother, the treasures of gold which I asked of your father I may say that half of them will be carried off (or stolen) ... The lands are at strife404...”[pg 294]The rest of this letter, including all the back, is too much broken to be read. It appears to go on to speak of“destruction”and to refer to a state of disturbance. It mentions the envoyKhamassi, and says,“Of what he has brought the fourth part has been robbed.”On the backGiliais mentioned with gold, and relations between the writer and Amenophis III. He refers again to the message from Amenophis IV and toTeiehis mother; and invokesRimmonandAmanu. The words“unless they are conquered”seem also to occur. This letter contained altogether 113 lines of writing.26 B.—A list of presents. On the back, at the bottom of the left hand column, is the statement,“These are the things carried by the female slaves, all those things whichDusrattaKing ofMitanigave toAmenophis IIIhis brother, his kinsman, when he sent his daughterTadukhipato the land of Egypt, to Amenophis III for marriage, he gave all these that day.”The list is a very long and difficult one. It begins with two horses, and a chariot plated with gold and silver, and adorned with precious stones. The harness of the horses was adorned in like manner. Two camel litters appear to be next noticed, and apparently variegated garments worked with gold, and embroidered zones and shawls. These are followed by lists of precious stones, and a horse's saddle adorned with gold eagles.405A necklace of solid gold and gems, a bracelet of iron gilt,406an anklet of solid gold, and other gold objects follow; and apparently cloths, and silver objects, and vases of copper or bronze. An object of jade or jasper (Yaspu), and leaves of gold, are noticed (both jade and leaves of gold have actually been found in the oldest ruins at Troy), the former being perhaps noticed as coming fromElam, by trade with central Asia, where jade was found. Five gems of“stone of the great light”(perhaps diamonds) follow, with ornaments for the head and feet, and a number of bronze objects, and harness for chariots. Boxes of strong wood to contain treasures follow next, and apparently a collar with disks and carved lions, objects of silver and gold and strong wood, bronze ornaments[pg 295]for horses. The last noticed objects may be written tablets, including some on the ritual of the gods.25 B.—A list similar to the last, perhaps part of the same inventory, as it includes women's ornaments. The tablet is much injured. The objects noticed include an earring with gems, and others of gold, with a large number of precious stones, a necklace with 122 gems set in gold, including“green stones”; bracelets and anklets of solid gold with jewels: an umbrella adorned with gold: boxes to hold treasures, and numerous objects of silver: horns of the wild bull, and wooden objects adorned with gold: cups of gold adorned with gems: other bracelets and anklets of gold with pendants and stars of jewels: a pair of gold earrings with pendants and stars of precious stones: silver anklets for women, and earrings with gold pendants. In each case the weight of gold and the numbers of the gems are stated.These inventories of Tadukhipa's marriage outfit show how far advanced was the civilization of western Asia in the fourteenth centuryb.c., and indicate not only the native wealth of gold, silver, copper, and bronze, from Asia Minor and the Caucasus, but also a trade which brought jade from central Asia. The art of the age is similar to that of the objects found at Troy and Mycenæ, and represented on the Egyptian bas-reliefs, which give pictures of the tribute from Phœnicia. From other tablets in the collection we obtain similar information, including the use of ivory, as also from the records of tribute to Thothmes III in 1600b.c.11 B. M.—“To ... Princess of the Land ofEgypt407thusDusrattaKing ofMitani. I am at peace: Peace be to thee.... Peace be to thy son; peace be toTadukhipathy daughter-in-law. To thy land and to all that is thine be much, much peace.“Thou hast known of me how I lovedAmenophis IIIthy husband, andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband how he loved me. As forAmenophis IIIthy husband he heard what I said; andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband, sent messages to me; and what he said to thee my ... bothManihas known, and thou ... hast known all of[pg 296]these things—the messages we zealously uttered. There was nothing thus that he has not known of them.“Now you said toGilia,‘Say to your Lord,Amenophis IIIwas friends with your father, and why should his favor be less than to your father? Nay, indeed, what he shall send to our place shall not ... will not you hasten to ... your friendship withAmenophis III... making it greater; and assure him ... that you will gladly send ...’“... to your husband friendship ... so now ... your son, ten times more ... and the messages....“... why from ... our good faith, and ... is given to me ... thus I ...Amenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) ... and now behold ... to give isnot....“... when by your desire I ... and to the presence ofAmenophis IV... and you wished thus ... do not desire, and ... the treasures of gold to be remitted, letAmenophis IVreceive. (There is nothing, indeed, he may not desire?) that is not ... ten times more than his father let him increase in friendship toward me, and in power.”“... you yourself, your envoys, with the envoys ofAmenophis IV, with ... let them be sent toYunimy wife,408for what is wished; and the envoys ofYunimy wife let them be sent to (thee) as to what is wished.“Now as to thy present ... a goodly stone, also (a coronet?) and a ... of stones.”It seems clear from this letter, and from24 B., thatTeie(orThi) the Queen of Egypt, was related to Dusratta, but it is not clear that she was his sister.Gilukhipa, the sister whom he names, is known from Egyptian sources to have been the daughter ofSuttarna, Dusratta's father, and she came to Egypt with 317 ladies in her train.It is also to be remarked that Dusratta invokes the Egyptian godAmenboth when writing to Amenophis III and also when writing to Amenophis IV, so that there does not appear to have been any change of religion in Egypt during the reign of the[pg 297]latter—at least, at the time when he wrote.Amenophis III also married at least one Babylonian princess, as will appear in the letters that follow.Rimmon Nirari's Letter30 B.—“To the Sun God the King my Lord the King of Egypt, thusRimmon-Nirari409thy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet. Lo!Manakhbiya(Thothmes IV) made my father King ... to rule in the Land ofMarkhasse(orNukhasse), and established men to dwell with him; and as the King of ... was disputing for the kingdom, which has been made ... which he established for him ... he gave him...”About twenty lines of the letter are here destroyed; the broken lines below continue thus:“And lo! my Lord ... and the King of the land of theHittiteswhy ... my Lord the letters ... and fearing ... and lo! the King ofEgypt... and now my Lord against ... and to the hands ... to our Lord ... thy Lord in the years that may come.... Do not scorn, since the land was faithful in service to the King my Lord. And if God commands my Lord to go forth, let my Lord also send a chief, to be sent up to him with his soldiers and with his chariots.”[pg 298]Callimmasin's Letters1 B.—“ToAmenophis IIIthe King ofEgyptby letter thus(Cal)limmasin410the King ofCarandunias(Babylonia) thy brother. I am at peace. To thee, to thy house, thy wives, thy land, thy chariots, thy horses, thy ... be much peace.“Because of the youngest of my daughters, whom you send to wed,Irtabiwhom you remember, they took this message. My father formerly sent a message. You collected many soldiers, you approved his message, and you sent making a present to my father.“Now I send thee this envoy. In the sixth year you seek for this, and in the sixth year you send thirtymanahsof gold (instead of?) silver for my present. I return the same gold.Casiyour envoy has known its (value?) which he has seen. I send thy envoy well instructed as to our opinion. For I followed ... and the present that he is instructed to ... is thirtymanahsof gold, which you ... a gift of alliance.”The rest is too broken to read. It mentions five women sent, and ten wooden chariots—the latter as presents. The next letter is from Egypt. Either a copy or an original never sent.4111 B. M.—“ToCallimmasinKing ofCaranduniasmy brother, by letter thusAmenophis IIIthe great King, the King ofEgyptthy brother. There is peace to my region. To thy region be peace: to thy house, to thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy horses, to thy chariots, and in thy hands be much peace. I am at peace. There is much peace to my house, to my wives, to my sons, to my Lords, my horses, my chariots, my army; and in my lands there is much peace.“Now I heard the message you sent about her to me. Thus it was,‘Now you ask my daughter as your wife, but my sister whom my father gave thee, being good to you, has any seen her whether she has lived or whether she has died?’This is the message that you send in your letter. But did you ever send as your envoy, one who has known your sister, and who has spoken with her, and understood her? And let one speak with her. The chiefs you send are useless, your envoyZakarais one who is a chief(?). There is not one among them related to[pg 299]your father, and ... concerning this my envoy is with thee, and has spoken to her ... her heart ... concerning this, and she has given ... to her mother. And lo! you send this,‘You spoke to my envoys, and they gathered your wives: a lady appeared before you (saying) thus, Behold your queen who is brought out before you all. But my envoys knew her not (to be) my sister.’Now satisfy yourself as to what you thus send,‘My envoys knew her not,’and you say,‘Who was it that was recognized by her?’Why do not you send as your envoy one who shall tell you a true message as to the salutation from your sister, I pray you? And you said that they disputed as to her appearance. But you can see her with the King. And lo! you send thus,‘Who was the princess—a daughter of one who was a native, or was she one of the land of (my neighbors?), or was she the daughter of the Land ofKhani Rabbatu, or the princess of the Land ofUgarit, that my envoys so saw, and who was it that spoke to them to satisfy that nothing wrong was done?’And does not your message say all this? But if she has died—your sister, and I am concealing, as you pretend, her ... in former times, which we ... the GodAmanu... (I rejoice that the wife I love?) ... she has been made queen ... I deny that ... beyond all the wives ... that the Kings ofEgypt... in the land ofEgypt. And lo! you send thus‘Both my daughters ... as wives of the Kings of the land ofCarandunias.’But if the ... of my envoys is friendly, and they have said‘With these things our Lord has sent us, as a present, to satisfy thee concerning thy message: the princess salutes the Kings, and all her friends your daughters.’Take thou possession from him of whatever is with them, and send me a letter, and arrange with thy sister who is with me, and make sure of everything; and I have sent to thee an overseer, so to make known to your daughters, in order to perceive the evil that they teach you. And lo! you send‘The messages that my father has left, do not these messages of his say concerning this, that he established alliance between us?’This is the message you send. Now you and I have fulfilled the alliance, and the portion is before your envoys as they will say in your presence. Is not all to be given by us to her who (is) to come to the land of Egypt (whom) they shall bring before[pg 300]me? And (choose?) one of them. (Now) I have sent silver, gold, unguents, cloths, all whatsoever the land can give, and the overseer will say what is the value of that which he has brought—every gift to be weighed to you, that my envoy is to give. And we have been shamed by the evils that they speak. They have refuted the abominations—the evil things that they told you of us. And I was grieved when they ... us all these things. For is it not of their deceit that they told you thus? And I appointed them not to ... them about this. And lo! you send thus, you say thus to my envoys,‘There are no soldiers of my Lord, and is not (a young girl?) to be given them?’This is thy message:‘Thy envoys said for thee that none are going forth. It might be done safely if there were soldiers, if there be none it is impossible to arrange for us what I am asked by him. If there are soldiers I grant it you, if there are horses I grant you this.’This reason your envoy made use of with us, who put me to shame—the evil man whom you sent. I pray thee if they feared to be slain, and lamented evils when she went out, lo! all was in your hands. Thus let my chariots be granted from among the chariots of the ruling chiefs: do not you regard them as a possession? You can send them wherever you please. Are not they all a possession? Are not there, I pray you also, chariots, are not there I pray you horses with me? Demand all my horses: the chariots behold you shall send to meet you at the stations. As for me you shall send me the girl, and send out one to lead (her) to me.”

Dusratta's Letters

No. 9 B. M.—“ToNeb-mat-ra(Amenophis III) King ofEgyptmy brother, by letter, thusTuseratta365King ofMitani366thy brother. I am at peace. Peace be to thee; toGilukhipamy sister be peace. To thy house, thy wives, thy sons, thy lords, thy terrible army, thy horses, thy chariots, and in thy land, be much peace. Since I have sat on my father's throne, and have conquered. But (Pirkhi?) made a lawless command in my land, and smote his Lord; and because of these things, they have striven to right me, with who so loved us well; and because my land submitted to this lawless order I was not afraid, but the chiefs who supportedArtasu-maramy brother, with all that were theirs, I slew. As thou wast well with my father, and because of these things, I send this. I say to you, as my brother hears, and will rejoice; my father loved thee, and thou therefore didst love my father; and my father, as he saw this, gave thee my sister; and now ... as thou wast with my father. When my brother saw these things, he brought all those in the land of theHittitesas foes to my land; andRimmonmy Lord gave them to my hand; and I slew him among them, so that not one returned to his land.367Now I have sent thee a chariot with two horses, a young man and a young woman, of the spoil of the land of theHittites. I have sent thee, as a present to my brother, five chariots, and five yoke of horses; and as a present toGilukhipa368my sister, I have sent her (trinkets?) of gold, a pair of gold earrings, and ... of gold, and goodly stones, each(?). NowGilia, a prudent man, andTunipripi369I send to my brother; speedily let him reply to me; so I shall hear my brother's salutation, and shall rejoice. Let my brother wish[pg 280]me well; and let my brother send envoys: so my brother's salutation shall come to me, and I shall hear.”370

22 B.—The salutation calls Amenophis III his“kinsman,”but does not name his sister.

“Manimy brother's envoy has come to honor me: to take my brother's wife the Queen ofEgypt;371and I received the letter that came: I learned the declaration of his (order?). My heart has been much gladdened by my brother's message, as my brother will see; and it rejoiced that day exceeding much: that day and night they made (rejoicings?).

“And, my brother, all the message thatManicame to bring has been performed. This same year behold, my brother, I will ... his wife, the Queen ofEgypt, and I will send ... hence forth the land ofKhanirabbeand the land ofEgypt. And because of these things thatManihas spoken, I send back, my brother,GiliaandManiwith speed, to ... these things; and let not my brother blame them ... as to delay in being despatched; for there was no delay to ... for my brother's wife; and lo! delay is.... In the sixth month I have sentGiliamy envoy, andManimy brother's envoy: I will send my brother's wife to my brother. So mayIstarthe Lady of Ladies my Goddess, andAmanu372my brother's God, give peace ... I have sent to my brother; and my brother as ... increased his (love?) very much, and ... as the heart of my brother was satisfied; and ... (for our children?) my brother ... more than before ... I have despatchedKhai, my brother, trusting his ... and I give the letter to his hands ... and let him bear his message ... I have sent ... going to my brother ... my brother, are not his soldiers...”

The next five lines referring to the wife are too broken to read. The back of the tablet continues:

“... which my brother sent ... all that my brother has caused to be collected ... in presence of all of them they have been (given?) us ... all these things, beyond expectation thereof, and the gold ... which they have paid—and he has indeed lavished very much[pg 281]... them, any or all these things; was not the gold ... They say‘In the land ofEgyptthere is plenty more gold for thee my brother, because he loves thee very much ... and will love (and being so?) is not there, behold, anything needful, anything beside, from the land of Egypt in addition? So send to me, accordingly, him by whom these are given, and there shall be no lack.’Thus indeed (said) I‘As to anything (further?) do not I say to your faces—He loves me, and my land, exceeding much, does this King ofEgypt?’

“And my brother has taken me to his heart: all is as my heart desired; and is it not understood; when he sends shall not I hasten me for my brother: shall not I increase in longing toward my brother: as my brother does also?Mani, my brother's envoy, has brought my brother's ... which was withMani. I have honored their ... and I have honored them very much. NowManiwill take this; and my brother we direct him to ... how I have received from him very much: he will tell my brother this, and my brother will hear what we have done (as I have sent list of gifts of this and that, and he shall not refuse it?).

“And may my brother send untold gold; and may my father's power increase with me, as my brother has increased my favor, as my brother has cherished me much, in the sight of my country, in the sight of the whole of my brethren. MayRimmonandAmanuappoint that my brother's wishes be ever fulfilled; and for myself, my brother, that my wishes may be fulfilled, as men whom the Sun-God loves. And so now the Gods shall indeed decree for us this prayer, ... we shall join as friends forever.

“For my brother's present I have sent to my brother a (double-edged weapon?) ... and (?) of emeralds, and pure gold ... enclosed in a box, and ... of alabaster, and pure gold, for a box ...”

21 B.—“ToAmenophis III, the Great King, King ofEgypt, my brother, my kinsman373whom I love, and who loves me, by[pg 282]letter thusDusratta, the Great King, King ofMitani, thy brother, thy kinsman who also loves thee. I am at peace, etc.

“To my brother whom I love I have given his young wife.374May the Sun-God andIstar... her face. As my brother desires: may ... and may my brother rejoice, in the day when ... the Sun-God and the God ... giving joy to my noble brother, ... let them grant it to be ... and may my brother ... forever.

“Manimy brother's envoy, andKhani375my brother's interpreter, as you cause them to be sent, plenty of (provisions?) I shall give them ... them much; as they performed their orders I made all the people protect them. If they do not may my Gods, and my brother's Gods, guard them. Now I have sentNahramaniwho is careful in my brother's affairs, and I have sent (an ornament?) of precious stones—of precious stones and gold, as a present to my brother; and may my brother be granted to live a hundred years.”

8 B. M.—The salutation is the same as before, but the writer's name is spelt“Tusratta”instead ofDusratta. The letter is the best preserved in the whole collection.

“Since your forefathers were friendly with my forefathers, thou therefore wast very greatly friendly with my father. So you love me: we are zealous friends. Ten times more you increase it than to my father. The heavenly Gods shall decree that we shall be friends. MayRimmonmy God, andAmanu, so pronounce, even forever.

“And so my brother sentManihis envoy. Thus indeed my brother (said)‘Does not my brother's heart desire that thy daughter (be) the wife of my young son376—as a princess ofEgypt’and I spoke as to my intention about it; and my brother desiring that she should be made ready forMani, and to show her, so he beheld her, and praised her much. And may they lead her in peace into the land of my brother. MayIstarandAmanumake her agreeable to my brother's heart.

“Gilia, my envoy, set forth my brother's message before[pg 283]me. So I heard and it was very good; and so I rejoiced very much. Thus truly I say‘This is thus arranged between us so that we may be zealous friends.’Now with firm faith forever let us be friends.

“So I shall send to my brother, and I say thus myself, so let us be much more friendly; and do not you respond to us? And I say thus, that my brother has enriched me ten times more than my father.

“And I have asked much gold of my brother: so he has given me more than to my father. My brother indeed sent to me; and to my father you sent much gold: much (merchandise?) of gold; and besides all the gold you sent him you have sent me bricks of gold (lavished?) like copper.

“I sentGilia(humbly?) to my brother, and asked for gold. Thus indeed I (said)‘Truly my brother has given me more than to my father, and may he send me untold gold.’

“May my brother send me more than to my father; and now I say thus to my brother: the (loan?) that my grandfather made, so I may (say), as (one thinking little of wealth?) he made it for thee; and now as regards (what) I say, the gold that my brother shall send, let him send it when he likes.

“Lo my brother has sent the gold saying‘It is due to you,’But no. No more was due; and he had satisfied the account; and when he had satisfied the account I was glad thereof exceedingly; and whatever my brother sends I have been very glad thereof.

“Now behold I sent to my brother—and may my brother extend his kindness to me more than to my father; now I asked gold of my brother, and whatever gold I asked of my brother, he has sent the double of what was asked. One (sum) for the (loan?), and a second of good-will.

“And may my brother send me untold gold; and may he send me more than to my father; and so may the Gods decree, that much more gold beside be in my brother's land, as there now is in my brother's land; and ten times more than there now is, may it increase.377And let not my brother refuse the gold that I ask by my brother's wish; and, as for me, let me not refuse my brother's wish; and may my brother send me[pg 284]very much gold uncounted; and whatever my brother needs let him send and take. Let me return the gift that my brother desires for his household. This land is my brother's land, and this house is my brother's house.

“Now I sendGiliamy envoy to my brother. Let him not refuse him. Let him speedily command him: let him send him away. So hearing my brother's salutation let me rejoice exceeding much. Let me ever hear my brother's salutation. And these messages that we send, let my GodRimmonandAmanudecree that they may arrive through their mercy. And as now it is prayed therefor, so we are friends; and as now so forever may we be friends.

“Now as to the gifts for my brother: I have sent as my brother's gifts a quantity of solid gold, and precious stones: (its value?) includes the amount of twenty precious stones, and nineteen pieces of gold. The weight of precious stones and gold remaining includes the amount of forty-two precious stones and twenty pieces of goldZuzasof Istar: (this is) the weight of precious stones and gold remaining; and ten yoke of horses, and ten chariots, with all that belongs to them, and thirty female slaves.”

27 B.—This is the longest letter in the collection, including six lines in Aramaic, and 512 lines in Dusratta's native language (see“Journal Royal Asiatic Society,”October, 1892, for my translation). The important passages of the letter appear to me to read as follows, and the meaning is confirmed by statements in other letters by this writer concerning his daughter's marriage. The letter was addressed to Amenophis III, and sent by the same two envoys,ManiandGilias,378already noticed.

“Giliasthe envoy, who takes the messages is ordered to utter it, his duty being to go out, because Amenophis III the Egyptian (ally?) rules a far off land, and I rule in the cityIkhibin379the city of the GodSimigis380the paternal deity.

“To proceed: asManimy brother's envoy says, it is understood that my brother is very desirous that it should be speedily completed.

“Brother, I gladly empower the envoy to take back this woman, whomManisays my brother commanded him to bring, when he was ordered as an envoy.

“Understanding that my brother desires now to take her home, is it not necessary, understanding this decision to be preferred; as twenty-three months have gone by, is not her taking home to be hastened? My Court having decided to accept, and being satisfied as well as my wife, and resolved to accept the agreement; and the girl being heartily pleased—how happy she is words cannot tell—the decision is from the Gods, brother, for me the decision is from the mighty Gods, my brother. Surely you know whether I do not desire that she should be so brilliantly exalted, the girl being so fortunately (married): surely you know that I shall be glad.

“Proclaim thou for me that whatever people ofKhalci,381west of theMinyan382country—whatever people ofKhalciI have conquered, are made subject.

“I being the great chief of the power of the land of theHittitestaking to me, my brother, all the people that are conquered. Let it extend to the city ofHarran383and let the land possessed by no king be taxed.

“My son-in-law being married in the city of Thebes in presence of the image of the deity.”

“Is it not thus thatDusrattadwelling afar arranges the marriage ofTadukhipa384—Dusrattathe favored (friend?) from the Minyan land, consenting to the wish ofAmenophis IIIthe Egyptian (friend) that the son ofAmenophis IIIbe so married to her, in the presence of the image of the deity.”

As this letter is written in what is called by scholars an“unknown[pg 286]language,”these renderings may be questioned. The dialect appears, however, to be closely related to the Akkadian and to other Mongol dialects of western Asia, and to be also the same used (B. 10) by the Hittites.

10 B. M.—Written, as the Egyptian docket at the bottom of the tablet on the back states, in the thirty-sixth year of Amenophis III which appears to have been probably the last of his reign.

“To Amenophis III King of Egypt my brother, my kinsman whom I love, and who loves me, by letter thusDusrattaKing ofMitaniwho loves thee, thy kinsman. I am at peace. Peace be to thee, to thy house, to the womanTachikhipamy daughter to the wife thou lovest be peace.385To thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy army, to thy land, and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace.

“Thus (I say)IstarofNineveh, the lady of the lands, is kind of heart to the land ofEgypt. In the land that I love do not they walk after her?386Do not they cry aloud to her? Now behold it has brought thee prosperity.

“Now from the time of my father they have besoughtIstarin her land for thy prosperity; and, as of old so now, it continues. They honor her.

“And now may my brother receive of her ten times more than before. Let my brother receive with joy: let it be hastened for him: let it endure.

“Istaris the Lady of Heaven my brother, and as for me let me be guarded by her for a hundred years; and may great joy be given. Let it be granted by her that I may not fail; and as you desire may it (befall?).

“Is notIstarmy God, and has not she (prospered?) my brother (or been with my brother?).”

24 B.—The second longest of Dusratta's letters, 185 lines in all, is unfortunately very much damaged, as it is perhaps the most important, giving as it does historical information extending over three generations, during which the kings of Egypt and of Mitani were allied by marriage.

“To ...ya387my kinsman, whom I love and who loves[pg 287]me ... the great King (King of)Mitanithy kinsman who loves thee. I am at peace ... to the LadyTeie... toTadukhipamy daughter thy wife be peace, to ... be peace. To thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy chariots, to thy horses, to thy ... and to all that is thine, be much, much, much peace ... ofAmenophis IIIthy father he sent to me; he explained ... of all that he sent there was no message at all that I ... to your father as to what he sent to me; andTeiethe chief wife ofAmenophis IIIyour mother knew all of them. All these have been seen byTeieyour mother ... the messages that your father caused to be addressed to me.

“... and ten times more than withAmenophis IIIyour father caused him to tell me whatsoever wish ... and whatever message I spoke, faithfully in the same day ... he himself did not turn away his heart from any message ... but faithfully in the same day he caused it to be done.

“... the father ofAmenophis IIIsent toSitatama388my grandfather, and ... a daughter. He sent to my grandfather five or six times, and he was not given her, when ... he sent; and at length he was given her.Amenophis IIIyour father sent (humbly?) toSut(tarna)my father ... and so for my father's daughter, my own sister, his heart was desirous; and five (or six) times he ... her: when he had sent five or six times at length he was given her. SoAmenophis III... sent to me, and so desired a daughter389and I ... I said in ... of his envoy‘Thus I say I have (sworn?) to give her: by our wish ... to take, and the ... which he has known: and she is a sister so it is lawful;’and I give ...Amenophis IIIthy (father's) ... if these are not truths ... heaven and earth bear witness ... to give her; and[pg 288]Khai390the envoy of my brother ... to the (Queen?) and toAmenophis IIII sent with her ... in three months with the greatest speed ... and the gold ... truly was not ... which I sent.

“When you favored a daughter, and so (sent for) her, and asAmenophis IIIyour father knew her ... I rejoiced being exceeding glad, and he said‘My brother, is not it thy wish thus to give the handmaid’; and he made public agreement with this his land, in presence of my envoy ... so men ... when they beheld; and I received from him; andAmenophis IIIestablished us ... for the future; and so receiving ... I was made great; and in the cities which forTadukhipa... in all of them he made us dwell as conquerors,391and among the envoys who went down ... none thatGilia... the gold of one (limzu) was given by weight. Truly toAmenophis IIIforTadukhipait was given; andTadukhipa... was given ... and ... my envoysAmenophis IIIwith ... I received; there was no one ...Amenophis IIIsentNizikhis envoy ... myself; and he ... (refusing?) to my face the ... of gold ... the gold which ... ofGiliaand ... he established us ... my envoys ... to be despatched ... he did not cease to (deny?) ... and ... he took her... I was not able to refuse to please him ... he sent this to me ... they sent was wonderful, and then ...Amenophis IIIyour father in every message ... the lord of the place to protect her. Did not he order all these as I say ... do not I say thatTeie392... has known ... andTeieis your mother, ask her if, among the messages that I spake, there is one message which is not vindicated by her, as to these (messages) toAmenophis IIIyour father ... if toAmenophis IIIyour father brotherhood was made by me: if it was said byAmenophis IIIyour father‘If at all (there is) gold that ... in the land ofKhani RabbeI will despatch it; and order thou thus the ... do[pg 289]not I desire to cause it to be sent’: the ... bore what was ordered to be given ofAmenophis IIIyour father; andAmenophis IIIsaid to me‘... the treasures of gold ... all that my ... desires is sent ... and ... to do this I have sent to thee’... there byAmenophis IIIwith a message. Never was there a message without a reply. I never refused any of the messages.

“(And when)Amenophis IIIwas obliged to be taken to his fate, and they told (me) ... I tore my cheeks, and I mourned on that same day; I sat (in the dust?); I (took) no food or water that same day; and I was grieved ... I said‘Let me perish myself from earth, and from my ... and that he loved me God knows, and he was loved’(and because of) these things we are cast down in our hearts.”

“... to me the eldest son ofAmenophis IIIby his wifeTeie... was made, and I said‘Has notAmenophis IIIdied ... the eldest son of his chief wifeTeie(is) in his stead ... shall not we be sent news ... from her abode as of old.’

“... I say thusAmenophis IVis my brother whom we shall love in our hearts ... the son ofAmenophis IIImore than his father, because ofTeiehis mother, who was the wife ... as she desires a message to the presence ofAmenophis IV(Abkhuriya) the son ofAmenophis IIIher husband. I (rejoice) very exceeding much that we shall be friends

“(As they have sent me this message?) As they have ordered it,Giliasis humbly (sent?) ... they have sentMani(as an envoy?), and treasures of woods (or trees) my brother has sent, and gold ... without gold and without...”

The next passage is too broken to read, but refers to the continuance of friendship since the time of the ancestors of both kings, and for the future. The back of the tablet is very much broken, the whole of one paragraph, and the greater part of the next, which refers toTeieas the mother ofAmenophis IVbeing destroyed. It continues:

“... the message of your mother which toGilias... He has desired a message to be despatched and (as he desires) ... have not I sent my envoys, and have[pg 290]not I ... (and it is not my fault?) and the treasures ... which he asked of him I have caused to be given, not being desired ... my envoys four years since you393...”

Eight lines are here almost entirely destroyed, referring to some speedy message, and to the former king, with a reference to certain persons, including the“father ofTeie(your elders?) with me,”with professions of friendship. The end of the paragraph (lines 40, 41) contains the words,“as thus he set us up over all her many lands ... all the lands are all hers in his sight.”394The next paragraph continues:

“... the (treasures?) of gold (allowed to be despatched?) previously byAmenophis III... he has sent. Lo! very exceedingly my brother has desired that treasures ... to us; and much of his gold ... very exceedingly my brother ... as intending for me ... whatever among ... and your father; was not he given by me; and lo! now let my brother see that I was not at all ... to your father: the treasures that he desired were given, and lo! ... I am sending back my message: there shall be nothing done to cause the heart to turn away ... all the messages ...Teiehas been a witness, andTeieyour mother ... plenty. Lo! I asked your father, and did not your father grant me? and ... let this gold be given, and let not my brother's heart ... let him not turn from my ... when the (loan?) ... was not made, and what had ...

“... LetGiliaknow this day what my brother's heart desires. I have made Gilia travel ... thus I have made my brother's envoys to obey him, travelling with speed. If ever, my brother, my envoys ... if ever I send my envoys ... (the fault is not mine?) ... I have sentManiandGiliato my brother as before. If at all by my brother my envoys to him, and if by us they shall be received, I also shall so hasten him ... Lo! as regards messages from my brother, which he makes about anything as to my brother's intentions ... thence; and on the throne of his father he sits this day; and let me do my brother's will.

“I say thus, my brother, have not I sent my envoys, and much in their keeping which is for thee; and my brother let ... which is for thee.Mazipalali395my envoy is the paternal uncle ofGiliaand for ... my brother I have sent him, and my brother am not I (the surer?) asGiliais not ... And the other envoy whom I shall send to my brother is the brother ofGiliathe son of his mother396... I sent him. So my brother have not I despatched him speedily without stopping, and, my brother, as to my wishes that I wish (it is not my fault?) and because of these things did not I sendGilia... for security, and for all this am not I the surer.

“Mazipalaliwhom I shall send to my brother is the uncle ofGilia; and the treasures (allowed to be despatched?) ... and plenty of untold gold of the (loan?) which I desire from my brother let my brother give ... and let him not refuse; and with my brother gold in addition ... ten times more may it increase to me exceedingly ... let these things be ordered; andMani(with) my envoy my brother ... let be given of my brother; and let him sendGiliato me; and ... and all the news about my brother's mother that they shall speak, and (especially?) let me (hear?) ... that they did. And lo! as before I sent not to thee my brother, so let him ... me. Let not my brother ... and to my brother's pleasure ... and I meditate a message of consolation for my brother.

“Let bothArtessupa397and ... thus relate in my brother's land this thing. I have been sent (under escort?) ...Mani(brought?) before me all my wicked slaves, who have dwelt inEgypt, and I examined them398as to ... and they said ... and I said before them‘Why is your insolence so great?’... So they put them in chains, and ... one of my ... one from my city who has angered the land ... and another ... did not I slay because of these things? My brother, did not he say ... was not I wroth? Behold my brother they were[pg 292]wicked ... and ... my brother it was necessary and now let me (afflict them?).

“As to a present for my brother. My brother's presents (are)—a (weight?) of solid gold from the landRis Burkhis, a weapon with a stone head399... of precious stone ... (an ornament?) for the hands of precious stones, one part of gold: three cloths: three ... three ... (with fastenings?) of gold, ... of refined bronze (or copper) ... two ...

“As a present forTeieyour mother an (ornament?) for the hands of precious stones ... earrings ... two cloths.

“As a present for (Tadukhipa) my (daughter) an ornament for the hands ... earrings ... two cloths.”

23 B.—The salutation is the same as in the last, being addressed toAmenophis IV, toTeieand toTadukhipa.

“Manimy brother's envoy (has come) to (me). I have heard. I liked much the gifts that my brother ... I saw, and I rejoiced very much. My brother utters this message and (says)‘As with my fatherAmenophis IIIyou were friends, now behold this day be friends with me thy brother. You will continue to be kind,’and I have not delayed ... with my brother. Lo! ten times more than to your father I will be a friend.

“And your fatherAmenophis IIIspoke this message in his letter (by your ...)Mani,‘Continue thou the friendship,’400and when my brotherAmenophis IIIsaid this, lo! what I had sent was nothing at all, and my brother shall not consider it anything. And I do not send this present, which behold I have sent to thee, as desiring to cause you to send; but (humbly?) whatever my brother desires to be given to his wife, they shall be made to take away. They shall see her,401and I will send ten times as much.

“And the treasures of gold (allowed to be despatched?) one treasure for me, and another treasure as the treasure ofTadukhipamy daughter, lo! I asked of Amenophis III your[pg 293]father. And your father said‘Send for the gold that (remains to be remitted?) let the (rest) be given, and the precious stones that are to be given thee, and the gold, because we have increased the gift, which is marvellous with treasure to be given to you.’And the gold of the treasures all my envoys who were in the land ofEgyptbeheld with their eyes; and your father lavishly increased the treasures in presence of my envoys. He welcomed them on their way; he maintained them! and lavishly expended the ... on my envoys. They gazed, and so truly they beheld with their eyes his favor poured out.

“And more gold beside, which was marvellous, which he sent to me, he piled up; and he said to my envoys‘Behold the treasures, and behold the gold in plenty, and the possessions which are marvellous,402which I shall send to my brother: behold them also with your eyes.’And my envoys beheld with their eyes.

“But now, my brother, the treasures remitted, which your father sent, you shall not send, but the woods (or trees) have been received.403You are sending the possessions that your father sent to me. You shall not send them, but shall store them up very much.

“And thinking of all that one has known, how I rejoiced because of my brother, none ever brought salutation from him at any time, my brother, but the same day return was made to him.

“AndKhamassimy brother's envoy he sent (humbly?) to my presence, and (humbly?) he spoke my brother's message: I heard and then I said‘As I was friends withAmenophis IIIthy father, lo! now ten times more withAmenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) shall I be great friends.’So then I said toKhamassiyour envoy.

“And lo! my brother: the treasures of gold to be remitted you shall not send; and there (shall be) respite of gifts which your father spoke of sending. It is desired that my brother shall not send them.

“Lo! my brother, the treasures of gold which I asked of your father I may say that half of them will be carried off (or stolen) ... The lands are at strife404...”

The rest of this letter, including all the back, is too much broken to be read. It appears to go on to speak of“destruction”and to refer to a state of disturbance. It mentions the envoyKhamassi, and says,“Of what he has brought the fourth part has been robbed.”On the backGiliais mentioned with gold, and relations between the writer and Amenophis III. He refers again to the message from Amenophis IV and toTeiehis mother; and invokesRimmonandAmanu. The words“unless they are conquered”seem also to occur. This letter contained altogether 113 lines of writing.

26 B.—A list of presents. On the back, at the bottom of the left hand column, is the statement,“These are the things carried by the female slaves, all those things whichDusrattaKing ofMitanigave toAmenophis IIIhis brother, his kinsman, when he sent his daughterTadukhipato the land of Egypt, to Amenophis III for marriage, he gave all these that day.”

The list is a very long and difficult one. It begins with two horses, and a chariot plated with gold and silver, and adorned with precious stones. The harness of the horses was adorned in like manner. Two camel litters appear to be next noticed, and apparently variegated garments worked with gold, and embroidered zones and shawls. These are followed by lists of precious stones, and a horse's saddle adorned with gold eagles.405A necklace of solid gold and gems, a bracelet of iron gilt,406an anklet of solid gold, and other gold objects follow; and apparently cloths, and silver objects, and vases of copper or bronze. An object of jade or jasper (Yaspu), and leaves of gold, are noticed (both jade and leaves of gold have actually been found in the oldest ruins at Troy), the former being perhaps noticed as coming fromElam, by trade with central Asia, where jade was found. Five gems of“stone of the great light”(perhaps diamonds) follow, with ornaments for the head and feet, and a number of bronze objects, and harness for chariots. Boxes of strong wood to contain treasures follow next, and apparently a collar with disks and carved lions, objects of silver and gold and strong wood, bronze ornaments[pg 295]for horses. The last noticed objects may be written tablets, including some on the ritual of the gods.

25 B.—A list similar to the last, perhaps part of the same inventory, as it includes women's ornaments. The tablet is much injured. The objects noticed include an earring with gems, and others of gold, with a large number of precious stones, a necklace with 122 gems set in gold, including“green stones”; bracelets and anklets of solid gold with jewels: an umbrella adorned with gold: boxes to hold treasures, and numerous objects of silver: horns of the wild bull, and wooden objects adorned with gold: cups of gold adorned with gems: other bracelets and anklets of gold with pendants and stars of jewels: a pair of gold earrings with pendants and stars of precious stones: silver anklets for women, and earrings with gold pendants. In each case the weight of gold and the numbers of the gems are stated.

These inventories of Tadukhipa's marriage outfit show how far advanced was the civilization of western Asia in the fourteenth centuryb.c., and indicate not only the native wealth of gold, silver, copper, and bronze, from Asia Minor and the Caucasus, but also a trade which brought jade from central Asia. The art of the age is similar to that of the objects found at Troy and Mycenæ, and represented on the Egyptian bas-reliefs, which give pictures of the tribute from Phœnicia. From other tablets in the collection we obtain similar information, including the use of ivory, as also from the records of tribute to Thothmes III in 1600b.c.

11 B. M.—“To ... Princess of the Land ofEgypt407thusDusrattaKing ofMitani. I am at peace: Peace be to thee.... Peace be to thy son; peace be toTadukhipathy daughter-in-law. To thy land and to all that is thine be much, much peace.

“Thou hast known of me how I lovedAmenophis IIIthy husband, andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband how he loved me. As forAmenophis IIIthy husband he heard what I said; andAmenophis IIIbecause he was thy husband, sent messages to me; and what he said to thee my ... bothManihas known, and thou ... hast known all of[pg 296]these things—the messages we zealously uttered. There was nothing thus that he has not known of them.

“Now you said toGilia,‘Say to your Lord,Amenophis IIIwas friends with your father, and why should his favor be less than to your father? Nay, indeed, what he shall send to our place shall not ... will not you hasten to ... your friendship withAmenophis III... making it greater; and assure him ... that you will gladly send ...’

“... to your husband friendship ... so now ... your son, ten times more ... and the messages....

“... why from ... our good faith, and ... is given to me ... thus I ...Amenophis IV(Nabkhuriya) ... and now behold ... to give isnot....

“... when by your desire I ... and to the presence ofAmenophis IV... and you wished thus ... do not desire, and ... the treasures of gold to be remitted, letAmenophis IVreceive. (There is nothing, indeed, he may not desire?) that is not ... ten times more than his father let him increase in friendship toward me, and in power.”

“... you yourself, your envoys, with the envoys ofAmenophis IV, with ... let them be sent toYunimy wife,408for what is wished; and the envoys ofYunimy wife let them be sent to (thee) as to what is wished.

“Now as to thy present ... a goodly stone, also (a coronet?) and a ... of stones.”

It seems clear from this letter, and from24 B., thatTeie(orThi) the Queen of Egypt, was related to Dusratta, but it is not clear that she was his sister.Gilukhipa, the sister whom he names, is known from Egyptian sources to have been the daughter ofSuttarna, Dusratta's father, and she came to Egypt with 317 ladies in her train.

It is also to be remarked that Dusratta invokes the Egyptian godAmenboth when writing to Amenophis III and also when writing to Amenophis IV, so that there does not appear to have been any change of religion in Egypt during the reign of the[pg 297]latter—at least, at the time when he wrote.

Amenophis III also married at least one Babylonian princess, as will appear in the letters that follow.

Rimmon Nirari's Letter

30 B.—“To the Sun God the King my Lord the King of Egypt, thusRimmon-Nirari409thy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet. Lo!Manakhbiya(Thothmes IV) made my father King ... to rule in the Land ofMarkhasse(orNukhasse), and established men to dwell with him; and as the King of ... was disputing for the kingdom, which has been made ... which he established for him ... he gave him...”

About twenty lines of the letter are here destroyed; the broken lines below continue thus:

“And lo! my Lord ... and the King of the land of theHittiteswhy ... my Lord the letters ... and fearing ... and lo! the King ofEgypt... and now my Lord against ... and to the hands ... to our Lord ... thy Lord in the years that may come.... Do not scorn, since the land was faithful in service to the King my Lord. And if God commands my Lord to go forth, let my Lord also send a chief, to be sent up to him with his soldiers and with his chariots.”

Callimmasin's Letters

1 B.—“ToAmenophis IIIthe King ofEgyptby letter thus(Cal)limmasin410the King ofCarandunias(Babylonia) thy brother. I am at peace. To thee, to thy house, thy wives, thy land, thy chariots, thy horses, thy ... be much peace.

“Because of the youngest of my daughters, whom you send to wed,Irtabiwhom you remember, they took this message. My father formerly sent a message. You collected many soldiers, you approved his message, and you sent making a present to my father.

“Now I send thee this envoy. In the sixth year you seek for this, and in the sixth year you send thirtymanahsof gold (instead of?) silver for my present. I return the same gold.Casiyour envoy has known its (value?) which he has seen. I send thy envoy well instructed as to our opinion. For I followed ... and the present that he is instructed to ... is thirtymanahsof gold, which you ... a gift of alliance.”

The rest is too broken to read. It mentions five women sent, and ten wooden chariots—the latter as presents. The next letter is from Egypt. Either a copy or an original never sent.411

1 B. M.—“ToCallimmasinKing ofCaranduniasmy brother, by letter thusAmenophis IIIthe great King, the King ofEgyptthy brother. There is peace to my region. To thy region be peace: to thy house, to thy wives, to thy sons, to thy Lords, to thy horses, to thy chariots, and in thy hands be much peace. I am at peace. There is much peace to my house, to my wives, to my sons, to my Lords, my horses, my chariots, my army; and in my lands there is much peace.

“Now I heard the message you sent about her to me. Thus it was,‘Now you ask my daughter as your wife, but my sister whom my father gave thee, being good to you, has any seen her whether she has lived or whether she has died?’This is the message that you send in your letter. But did you ever send as your envoy, one who has known your sister, and who has spoken with her, and understood her? And let one speak with her. The chiefs you send are useless, your envoyZakarais one who is a chief(?). There is not one among them related to[pg 299]your father, and ... concerning this my envoy is with thee, and has spoken to her ... her heart ... concerning this, and she has given ... to her mother. And lo! you send this,‘You spoke to my envoys, and they gathered your wives: a lady appeared before you (saying) thus, Behold your queen who is brought out before you all. But my envoys knew her not (to be) my sister.’Now satisfy yourself as to what you thus send,‘My envoys knew her not,’and you say,‘Who was it that was recognized by her?’Why do not you send as your envoy one who shall tell you a true message as to the salutation from your sister, I pray you? And you said that they disputed as to her appearance. But you can see her with the King. And lo! you send thus,‘Who was the princess—a daughter of one who was a native, or was she one of the land of (my neighbors?), or was she the daughter of the Land ofKhani Rabbatu, or the princess of the Land ofUgarit, that my envoys so saw, and who was it that spoke to them to satisfy that nothing wrong was done?’And does not your message say all this? But if she has died—your sister, and I am concealing, as you pretend, her ... in former times, which we ... the GodAmanu... (I rejoice that the wife I love?) ... she has been made queen ... I deny that ... beyond all the wives ... that the Kings ofEgypt... in the land ofEgypt. And lo! you send thus‘Both my daughters ... as wives of the Kings of the land ofCarandunias.’But if the ... of my envoys is friendly, and they have said‘With these things our Lord has sent us, as a present, to satisfy thee concerning thy message: the princess salutes the Kings, and all her friends your daughters.’Take thou possession from him of whatever is with them, and send me a letter, and arrange with thy sister who is with me, and make sure of everything; and I have sent to thee an overseer, so to make known to your daughters, in order to perceive the evil that they teach you. And lo! you send‘The messages that my father has left, do not these messages of his say concerning this, that he established alliance between us?’This is the message you send. Now you and I have fulfilled the alliance, and the portion is before your envoys as they will say in your presence. Is not all to be given by us to her who (is) to come to the land of Egypt (whom) they shall bring before[pg 300]me? And (choose?) one of them. (Now) I have sent silver, gold, unguents, cloths, all whatsoever the land can give, and the overseer will say what is the value of that which he has brought—every gift to be weighed to you, that my envoy is to give. And we have been shamed by the evils that they speak. They have refuted the abominations—the evil things that they told you of us. And I was grieved when they ... us all these things. For is it not of their deceit that they told you thus? And I appointed them not to ... them about this. And lo! you send thus, you say thus to my envoys,‘There are no soldiers of my Lord, and is not (a young girl?) to be given them?’This is thy message:‘Thy envoys said for thee that none are going forth. It might be done safely if there were soldiers, if there be none it is impossible to arrange for us what I am asked by him. If there are soldiers I grant it you, if there are horses I grant you this.’This reason your envoy made use of with us, who put me to shame—the evil man whom you sent. I pray thee if they feared to be slain, and lamented evils when she went out, lo! all was in your hands. Thus let my chariots be granted from among the chariots of the ruling chiefs: do not you regard them as a possession? You can send them wherever you please. Are not they all a possession? Are not there, I pray you also, chariots, are not there I pray you horses with me? Demand all my horses: the chariots behold you shall send to meet you at the stations. As for me you shall send me the girl, and send out one to lead (her) to me.”

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