The Tell Amarna Tablets

The Tell Amarna TabletsTranslated by C. R. Conder, D.C.L., LL.D., M.R.A.S.[pg 191]The Hittite Invasion Of DamascusNo. 36 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria127(Amenophis III) Son of the Sun, my Lord thus (says) this thy servantAkizzi.128Seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord in these my lands I am afraid. Mayst thou protect one who is thy servant under the yoke of my Lord. From the yoke of my Lord I do not rebel. Lo! there is fear of my foes. The people of this thy servant are under thy yoke: this country is among thy lands: the cityKatna129is thy city: I am on the side of my Lord's rule (yoke). Lo! the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's government have received corn and drink, oxen and beasts (oil and honey?), meeting the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's dominion (coming?) to me. And now let my Lord ask the great men of his dominion. My Lord, all lands tremble before thy soldiers and thy chariots. If these lands are under the dominion of my Lord's land, and they are seizing them, let him order his soldiers and his chariots this year, and let him take the land ofMarhasse,130the whole of it, to the yoke of my Lord, when—my Lord—the soldiers of the slaves131are132... For six days ago he went out into the land ofHu(ba), and trulyAziruis sending them, and if in this year my Lord does not send out the soldiers and the chariots of his government ... to meetAziru(and) make him flee ... all will rebel ... My Lord, know him. My Lord (know) the men who are[pg 192]his foes ... And lo! now the King of the land of theHittites... with pride rebels against his gods. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of theHittites: he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city ofKatna,Aziruexpels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the cityKatna. My Lord truly they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and truly they give gold. My Lord—Sun God, my fathers' god133—the men have made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold—O Sun God of my fathers—the King of theHittitesmakes them march. And know of them, my Lord—may the gods make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear. And lo! perchance the Sun God of my fathers will turn his heart toward me. My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or tithe of gold?) be given him, as we have purposed for the Sun God of my fathers. As has been said they have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner—the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)—is out of sight of the Sun God.”37 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says)Akizzithy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord, now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord. And behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold now ... the King of the land of theHittites... sends forth ... and the heart of ... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites. And as for me ... the King of the land of theHittites. As for me I am with the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites.”[pg 193]This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak ofAidugama,134the Hittite King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things—enumerated, but not intelligible—including, perhaps, ships or boats, and dwellings; and it mentionsNeboyapiza. It then continues:“My Lord:Teuiattiof the city ofLapana,135andArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi,136minister beforeAidugama; but this land is the land of the dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the land ofMarhasse, and the King of the land ofNi, and the King of the land ofZinzaar,137and the King of the land ofCanaan. And all of these are kings under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord—chiefs who are servants. As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch thebitati138soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my LordArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi, andTeuiattiof the cityLapana, dwelt in the land ofHuba,139andDasrudwelt in the landAmma,140and truly my Lord has known them. Behold the land ofHobahwas at peace my Lord in the days of this government. They will be[pg 194]subject toAidugama. Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land ofHobah. My Lord, as said, the cityTimasgi,141in the land ofHobah, is without sin at thy feet; and aid thou the cityKatnawhich is without sin at thy feet. It has been feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain (our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of thebitatisoldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this my land, and they shall ... in the cityKatna.”96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, fromNeboyapiza142to the King of Egypt, ends as follows:“Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will name.”142 B.—“To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and they will devour me—Neboyapiza: we abide before thy face, my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the cityGidisi.143And my fortresses (say)‘Speed us avengers.’I make ready, and (because that?) thePakas144of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler consider that (Neboyapiza) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people. And beholdNeboyapizahas sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the men of blood are from the landAmmusi,145and (part) from the land ofHubi, and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a God146and a Sun in my sight, and restore the strongholds[pg 195]holds to the King my Lord from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important townCumidi, nowKamid, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the capital of the surrounding district.189 B. is much broken. It is fromArzana, chief of the cityKhazi.147He speaks of an attack onTusulti, by bloody soldiers fighting against the place, and perhaps of the cityBel Gidda(Baal Gad),148and mentions aPaka, or Egyptian official, calledAman Khatbi, named after the Egyptian god Amen. The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian general, and are attackingKhazi, his city. They had already takenMaguzi,149and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:“... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the King entirely.Biridasiaperceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has secretly passed beyond my cityMaramma;150and the great pass is open behind me. And he is marching chariots from the cityAstarti,151and commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the cityBuzruna;152and the King of the[pg 196]city ofKhalavunni153has made promises to him: both have fought withBiridasiaagainst me. Wickedly they vex us. I have marched our kinsmen—the people ofNeboyapiza—but his success never fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the cityDimasca(Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; andArzaiaiais marching to the cityGizza,154andAzi(ru) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the citySaddu155declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land ofGizza.ArzaiaiawithBiridasiaafflicts the land (which is wretched? orAbitu), and the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will guard the town ofCumidi(Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ... the men of the wretched land”(or of the landAbitu).152 B.—“... thusAra(ga?) chief of the cityCumidi156(Kamid) ... at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of hisPakas(chiefs) as to me, a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?). But never a horse and never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my Lord; and closely allied157is his servant; and to explain this I am despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord deign to hear me.”46 B. M.—“At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow. Behold what this our saying tells, as to[pg 197]the landAm(Ham) the fortresses of the King my Lord. A man namedEda... has arisen, a chief of the landCinzaeast of the land of theHittites, to take the fortresses of the King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my God my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”125 B.—“To the King my Lord thusArzaiaia, chief of the cityMikhiza.158At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to meet the general (Paka) with (all the infantry?) ... all who have marched to overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (Paka). As for me, do I not order all to ... after them? Behold they have been speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of the King my Lord.”126 B.—The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).75 B. M.—A short letter fromDasruto say he has heard the King's message. He lived in the land ofHam(37 B. M.).127 B. M.—The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is of good omen.171 B.—“A message and information from the servant of the King my Lord my God.... And behold what the chief ofSimyrahas done to my brethren of the city ofTubakhi;159and he marches to waste the fortresses of the King my Lord my God my Sun ... the land of theAmorites. He has wearied out our chiefs. The fortresses of the King my Lord my God ... are for men of blood. And now strong is the god of the King my Lord my God my Sun; and the city ofTubakhigoes forth to war, and I have stirred up my brethren,[pg 198]and I guard the city ofTubakhifor the King my Lord my God my Sun. And behold this city ofTubakhiis the city of the plains of my fathers.”132 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Artabania, chief of the cityZiribasani160thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Behold a message to me to speed to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers. And who am I but a dog only, and shall I not march? Behold me, with my soldiers and my chariots meeting the Egyptian soldiers at the place of which the King my Lord speaks.”78 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus the chief of the cityGubbu161thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun (permit?) that seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, and now I with my soldiers and my chariots meet the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place you march to.”64 B. M.—“ToYankhamu162my Lord by letter thusMuu-tadduthy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet as this says, announcing that the enemy is hastening speedily as—my Lord—was announced to the King of the cityBikhisi163from friends164of his Lord. Let the King my Lord speed: let the King my Lord fly: for the foe is wasting in the cityBikhisithis two months, there is none ... On account of (Bibelu?) having told me this one has asked then ... until by the arrival ofAnamarut(Amenophis IV)165the city of[pg 199]Ashtorethis occupied.166Behold they have destroyed all the fortresses of neighboring lands: the cityUdumu,167the cityAduri,168the cityAraru,169the cityMeis(pa?),170the cityMacdalim,171the cityKhini.172I announced that they had taken the cityZaar.173They are fighting this city, the cityYabisi.174Moreover, fearing the force against me, I am watching it till you arrive. One has come from your way to the cityBikhisi,175and he has made us hear the news.”134 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thusAbdmelecthe chief of this citySaskhi176thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord ... on my face seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, accordingly I with my soldiers and my chariots (am) meeting the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place to which you will march.”143 B.—“To the King our Lord thus (says)Addubayaand thus alsoBetili. At the feet of our Lord we bow. Peace indeed to the face of our Lord. And (as is fit?) from the lands of our Lord, much they salute. O our Lord, will not you settle everything in your heart? Will not you harden your heart as to this combat O our Lord? But their intention is clear—to make war on the stations, as in our country they do not follow after thee.Lupackhallu177has removed the soldiers of theHittites; they will go against the cities of the land of Ham (Am) and fromAtadumithey will (take?) them. And let our Lord know, since we hear thatZitana178the Phœnician (Kharu) has deserted, who will march. And nine chiefs of the soldiers of the government are with us, who march, and the message is unfavorable: a gathering in the land they have made; and they will arrive from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash).[pg 200]But I causeBetilito send against this (foe). Thus we wage war against them. And my trusty messenger I cause to be sent to your presence, as said; for you to return an order whether we shall do so or whether not. ToRabanandAbdbaal, toRabanaandRabzidduthus: behold to all of you be peace indeed, and will not you harden your hearts, and will not you settle all in your hearts, and do what is fitting from your places? Much peace; and to (the people?) peace be increased.”91 B.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the cityGebal179(and) thusRabikhar(‘the Lord of Phœnicia’) thy servant. At the feet of my Lord the Sun seven times I bow. Do not be angry, O King my Lord, with the city ofGebal(Gubla) thy handmaid—a city of the King from of old, obeying what the King commands as toAziru, and it did as he wished. BeholdAziruslewAdunu, Lord of the land ofAmmia,180and the King of the land ofArdata,181and has slain the great men, and has taken their cities for himself. The citySimyrais his. Of the cities of the King only the cityGebalescapes for the King. Behold the citySimyrais subjected. He has smitten the cityUllaza.182The captains of both have gone into exile. Behold this sinAziruwrought. Sinful are his strivings against her ... he has smitten all the lands ofHam(Am), lands of the King; and now he has despatched his men to destroy all the lands ofHam; and the King of the land of theHittites, and the king of the land ofNereb(Nariba)183(have made?) the land conquered land.”From these letters we learn clearly that the Mongol kings near the Euphrates (and, as appears later, in Armenia) were leagued with the Hittites of Mer'ash in the extreme north of Syria, and of Kadesh on the Orontes, and were supported by the Amorites of the northern Lebanon and by some of the Phœnicians; that the enemy marched south, a distance of 300 miles, taking all the towns in the Baalbek Valley, reaching Damascus by the gorge of the Barada River, and advancing into the land of Ham—in Bashan—where all the chief towns[pg 201]fell. This serves to make clear the treachery of Aziru's letters which follow. The Amorite advance on the Phœnician coast was contemporary, and extended to Tyre. It appears, however, that the Amorites were a Semitic people, while the names of the Hittites are Mongolic.The Amorite TreacheryNo. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my SunAziruthy servant; and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow.”The letter is much broken, but promises he will never rebel, and says he is sincere. He desires land of the King (at Simyra), and says the men of the government are friendly, but that the city of Simyra is to be made promptly to fulfil its engagements.35 B. M.—“To the Great King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this thy servantAziru. Seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and (from my youth?) in the presence of the King my Lord, and I fulfil all my orders to the sight of my Lord. And what they who are my (agents?) shall say to my Lord as to the chiefs who are faithful, in the sight of the King my Lord, will not you hear me speak, I who am thy servant sincere as long as I live? But when the King my Lord sentKhani,184I was resting in the city ofTunip(Tennib) and there was no knowledge behold of his arriving. Whereupon he gave notice, and coming after him also, have I not reached him? And letKhanispeak to testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my brethren have prepared to tend (him), andBetiluwill send to his presence oxen and beasts and fowls: his food and his drink will be provided. I shall give horses and beasts for his journey; and may the King my Lord hear my messages, with my assurances in the presence of the King my Lord.Khaniwill march much cared for in my sight, he accompanies me as my comrade, like my father; and lo! my Lord says,‘You turn away from the[pg 202]appearance of Khani.’Thus thy Gods and the Sun-God truly had known if I did not stay in the city ofTunip. Moreover because of the intention to set in order the city of Simyra, the King my Lord has sent word (and) the Kings of the land ofMarshasse(Mer'ash) have been foes to me. They have marched on my cities: they have observed the desire ofKhatib,185and has not he promised them? lo! hastily he has promised them. And truly my Lord has known that half of the possessions that the King my Lord has givenKhatibtakes: the tribute, and the gold and the silver that the King my Lord has given me; andKhatibtakes all the tribute; and truly my Lord has known. Moreover as against my Lord the King's having said,‘Why dost thou yield service to the messenger of the King of the land of theHittites, and dost not yield service to my messenger?’this region is the land of my Lord, he establishes me in it, with men of government. Let a messenger of my Lord come, and all that I speak of in the sight of my Lord let me give. Tin and ships, men186and weapons, and trees let me give.”40 B.—“ToDudu187my Lord my father thus (says)Aziruyour son your servant: at the feet of my father I bow. Lo! letDudusend the wishes of my Lord ... and I ... Moreover behold thou shalt not reject (me) my father, and whatever are the wishes ofDudumy father, send, and will not I ... Behold thou art my father and my Lord: I am thy son: the land of the Amorites is your land; and my house is your house.188Say what you wish and I will truly perform your wishes.”The latter part is broken, but states that he will not rebel against the wishes of the King or those of Dudu.38 B.—“ToDudumy Lord my father thusAziruthy servant. At my lord's feet I bow.Khatibwill march, and has carefully followed the messages (or orders) of the King my Lord before (he goes); and what is good increases; and I have been gladdened very much; and my brethren, men serving the King my Lord, and men who are servants ofDudumy Lord. They had feared exceedingly. Behold he will march, to command for the King my Lord with me. From the[pg 203]orders of my Lord my God and my Sun, and from the orders ofDudumy Lord, I will never depart. My Lord nowKhatibgoes forth with me, and also he will march to strengthen me. My Lord, the King of the land of theHittiteswill march from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash), and has he not boasted to meet me? and the King of theHittiteswill rebel, and behold I andKhatibwill march. Let the King my Lord hear my messages. I have feared without the countenance of the King my Lord, and without the countenance ofDudu; and now (my Gods and my messenger189). And truly these are my brethren—Duduand the great men of the King my Lord; and truly I will march; and since ODuduboth the King my Lord and the chiefs thus are ready, everything againstAziruis forgiven which has been unfavorable for my God,190and for us. And now I andKhatibhave appeared servants of the King. Truly thou knowestDudu, behold I go forth mightily.”31 B.—“ToKhai191my brother thus (says) this thy brotherAziru. With thee (be) peace indeed, and from the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord there is much safety. Whoever (is) against it the promise remains, in sight of the King my Lord; being formerly promised it remains. I and my sons and my brethren are all servants of the King: it is good for me. Now I andKhatibwill both march, behold, with speed. OKhai, as among you truly it is known, lo! I have been troubled. From the orders of my Lord there is no rebellion, nor from your orders. I am a servant of my Lord. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells in the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash) and I have feared his appearance. They who are in the West lands192have armed. He gathers; and while the city ofTunipis unoccupied, he dwells two swift marches from the city. And I have been afraid of his appearance; and contrary to messages of promise he goes forth to his rebellions. But now we shall both march, I andKhatib, with speed.”32 B. repeats the preceding—perhaps to another correspondent: it mentionsDudu, and says:“I have been afraid of[pg 204]this rebel son of a dog, and I have been troubled. Now he has sent a message from the Western land—the land of my Lord: they will both march together, and I have been afraid for my Lord's land.”33 B., much broken at the top, refers to the existing promise or treaty, and continues:“I cause the land of my Lord to be guarded, and my countenance is toward the men who are servants of the King my Lord in peace. My Lord now I andKhatibare made friends,193and let my Lord know behold I have ... in haste. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells ... and I have been afraid ... have armed ... of the land ... my Lord I remain quietly ... in the West land ... King my Lord to defend his land ... and now behold in the land ofMarhassehe dwells—two swift marches from the city ofTunip; and I fear his wastings. Let the city ofTunipbe defended: my Lord is a shield to men who serve him; mayst thou hear what is said and my sons will ... forever.”39 B., broken at the top.“I have strengthened this ... I have strengthened this wall in front of the mouth of the great pass,194and my Lord's fortress. And let my Lord hear as to the servants of his servant—thy servantAziru: they will keep watch: strife surrounds us: I trust there will be an expedition; and let us watch the lands of the King our Lord. Moreover toDudumy Lord. Hear the message of the King of the land ofMarhasseto me. They said:‘Your father195what gold has this King of Egypt given him, and what has his Lord promised him out of the Land of Egypt; and all the lands, and all the soldier slaves they have fought against?’(thus) they said ... toAziru... out of the Land of Egypt, and behold the slaves come round from the Land of ...Ni196: they have rebelled; and I repeat that thirty chiefs push on against me ... land of Egypt he remains ... my Lord toAziru... soldiers ...Marhasse.”[pg 205]34 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) thisAziruthy servant: seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. Now what you wish is desirable. Sun God my Lord I am thy servant forever; and my sons serve thee.... Now two men ... I have commanded as envoys ... what he says ... and let him rule ... in the land of the Amorites.”34a B.—The salutation of the usual type is here injured. The letter continues:“My Lord my God my Sun, I am thy servant and my sons and my brethren, to serve the King my Lord forever. Now all my Lord's wishes, and what he causes to be despatched, duly ... the King my Lord having despatched. Now eight chiefs who are great, and many (decrees?) we ... all of which ... from ... the King my Lord ... And the Kings of the Land ofMarhassewill follow with ... and are these not promised (or leagued) to the citySimyrathese thirty years? I turn me to the citySimyra. My Lord I am thy servant forever, and a King of men who are friends; will not my (agents?) ... my Lord (wilt not thou hear?). And the King is my Lord my God and my Sun: let him send his messenger with my messenger, and let them go up who serve the King ...”36 B.—“To the King ... thusAziru: seven times and seven times at ... of my God and Sun. Behold truly thou hast known this, O King my Lord; behold I am thy servant forever; from my Lord's commands I never rebel: my Lord from of old (it has been) thus. I am kind to the men who are servants of my King; but the chiefs of the citySimyrahave not kept faith righteously with us; and behold neither one nor all are with us: my Lord the King did not you cause to be asked? The King my Lord has known that the chiefs are sinful; and why ask,‘What does he contend for?’I say nay ...”From these letters by Aziru, we must conclude either that he was a great liar or that he was induced to change sides later. The other correspondents seem to have believed that he had long deceived the King of Egypt; but, in the end, his invasion of Phœnicia—perhaps cloaked by pretences of hostility to the Hittite league—caused him, as we shall see, to be proclaimed a rebel. The quarrel with Simyra may have been due to his[pg 206]being pushed south, out of his dominions, but is here said to be due to a Phœnician league with his foes. It does not appear who Khatib was. Perhaps the name was Hittite,197and he may have been the Prince of Hamath or of Emesa. The following letter from Aziru's father, Abdasherah, belongs to a later period of the war, when Ullaza and all the cities north of Gebal had been conquered by the Amorites. It is couched in the same insidious language; and the letters of Ribadda, which follow, show that Amenophis was not open to conviction for a long time, though warned by his true friends. The proclamation is still later, after the attack on Sidon, and may fitly conclude the Amorite correspondence.97 B.—“To the King my Son my Lord thusAbdasratu198thy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Behold I am the King's servant, and a dog who is his neighbor (or his‘friend’?); and all the land of the Amorites is his. I often said toPakhanati199myPaka(Egyptian resident),‘Let him gather soldiers to defend the people of this King.’Now all (cursed?) as King, the King of the Phœnician (Kharri) soldiers ...Kharri: the King shall ask if I do not guard the city ofSimyra(and) the cityUllaza. Lo myPakais in her: I proclaim the Sun-King; and I have (given orders?) to obey. The citySimyrais a neighbor,200and all the lands are the King's—my Sun, my Lord; I watch for him: and I know that the King my Lord is very glorious; andPakhanatimyPakais established to judge therein.”Copy of a Proclamation against Aziru, sent to Egypt by Khanni, when sent again to Syria92 B.—“To the Chief of the Amorite city by letter thus (says) your Lord. A chief of the city ofGebalhas said thus[pg 207]in his petition:‘Send him away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my chief city.’201And I have heard this and much beside which they have said to me as I now speak to say.“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus),‘I am thy servant as all former guardians202who have been in this city.’And you do well to say thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is),‘Send him away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’And in the cityZituna(Sidon) he abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and, though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King, how is his cutting off lawful in the sight of the King your Lord? Thus this ruler beseeches me,‘Let a supplicant be protected, for he is disputing my chief city with me.’And if you do as is asserted, and not according to all the messages that I send against these things, you are hindering the King traitorously. So will be understood all that has been said.“And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city ofCiidsa(Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites); devising hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so, why dost thou so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he is on his side? But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you respect the orders to yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the messages you formerly made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them. But thou art not on the side of the King thy Lord.“Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through (your burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou dost service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to interceding with the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make God my witness; and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of war (will be) in your midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and as many as are with thee.[pg 208]“But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of Canaan.203So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the King my Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this) contumacy in the sight of the King thy Lord is vain.“And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is difficult for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King at whose commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus truly is ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of the King thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let him not delay at all.“And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has the King commanded me—Khanni—a second time a messenger of the King. Truly it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house. Behold now I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou shalt bind them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by the King thy Lord to name the men who are foes of the King in the letter from Khanni the King's messenger; and once more I am obeying the King thy Lord; and thou shalt not leave one among them. A chain of bronze exceeding heavy shall shackle their feet. Behold the men thou shalt fetch to the King thy Lord.Sarruwith all his sons;Tuia;Lieiawith all his sons:Pisyari204with all his sons: the son-in-law ofManiawith all his sons, with his wives, the women of his household: the chief ofPabaha,205whose wickedness is abhorred, who made the trumpet to be blown:Dasarti: Paluma: Numahe—a fugitive in the land of the Amorites.“And knowest thou not that the glory of the King is as the Sun in heaven; his soldiers and his chariots are many. From the shore lands to the land of Gutium,206from the rising of the[pg 209]Sun to the going down of the same, there is much salutation.”The attack on Sidon was thus apparently the fact which opened the eyes of Amenophis. It appears to have preceded the final success, when the wealthy city of Gebal was taken by Aziru.

The Tell Amarna TabletsTranslated by C. R. Conder, D.C.L., LL.D., M.R.A.S.[pg 191]The Hittite Invasion Of DamascusNo. 36 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria127(Amenophis III) Son of the Sun, my Lord thus (says) this thy servantAkizzi.128Seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord in these my lands I am afraid. Mayst thou protect one who is thy servant under the yoke of my Lord. From the yoke of my Lord I do not rebel. Lo! there is fear of my foes. The people of this thy servant are under thy yoke: this country is among thy lands: the cityKatna129is thy city: I am on the side of my Lord's rule (yoke). Lo! the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's government have received corn and drink, oxen and beasts (oil and honey?), meeting the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's dominion (coming?) to me. And now let my Lord ask the great men of his dominion. My Lord, all lands tremble before thy soldiers and thy chariots. If these lands are under the dominion of my Lord's land, and they are seizing them, let him order his soldiers and his chariots this year, and let him take the land ofMarhasse,130the whole of it, to the yoke of my Lord, when—my Lord—the soldiers of the slaves131are132... For six days ago he went out into the land ofHu(ba), and trulyAziruis sending them, and if in this year my Lord does not send out the soldiers and the chariots of his government ... to meetAziru(and) make him flee ... all will rebel ... My Lord, know him. My Lord (know) the men who are[pg 192]his foes ... And lo! now the King of the land of theHittites... with pride rebels against his gods. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of theHittites: he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city ofKatna,Aziruexpels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the cityKatna. My Lord truly they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and truly they give gold. My Lord—Sun God, my fathers' god133—the men have made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold—O Sun God of my fathers—the King of theHittitesmakes them march. And know of them, my Lord—may the gods make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear. And lo! perchance the Sun God of my fathers will turn his heart toward me. My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or tithe of gold?) be given him, as we have purposed for the Sun God of my fathers. As has been said they have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner—the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)—is out of sight of the Sun God.”37 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says)Akizzithy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord, now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord. And behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold now ... the King of the land of theHittites... sends forth ... and the heart of ... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites. And as for me ... the King of the land of theHittites. As for me I am with the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites.”[pg 193]This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak ofAidugama,134the Hittite King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things—enumerated, but not intelligible—including, perhaps, ships or boats, and dwellings; and it mentionsNeboyapiza. It then continues:“My Lord:Teuiattiof the city ofLapana,135andArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi,136minister beforeAidugama; but this land is the land of the dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the land ofMarhasse, and the King of the land ofNi, and the King of the land ofZinzaar,137and the King of the land ofCanaan. And all of these are kings under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord—chiefs who are servants. As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch thebitati138soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my LordArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi, andTeuiattiof the cityLapana, dwelt in the land ofHuba,139andDasrudwelt in the landAmma,140and truly my Lord has known them. Behold the land ofHobahwas at peace my Lord in the days of this government. They will be[pg 194]subject toAidugama. Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land ofHobah. My Lord, as said, the cityTimasgi,141in the land ofHobah, is without sin at thy feet; and aid thou the cityKatnawhich is without sin at thy feet. It has been feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain (our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of thebitatisoldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this my land, and they shall ... in the cityKatna.”96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, fromNeboyapiza142to the King of Egypt, ends as follows:“Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will name.”142 B.—“To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and they will devour me—Neboyapiza: we abide before thy face, my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the cityGidisi.143And my fortresses (say)‘Speed us avengers.’I make ready, and (because that?) thePakas144of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler consider that (Neboyapiza) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people. And beholdNeboyapizahas sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the men of blood are from the landAmmusi,145and (part) from the land ofHubi, and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a God146and a Sun in my sight, and restore the strongholds[pg 195]holds to the King my Lord from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important townCumidi, nowKamid, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the capital of the surrounding district.189 B. is much broken. It is fromArzana, chief of the cityKhazi.147He speaks of an attack onTusulti, by bloody soldiers fighting against the place, and perhaps of the cityBel Gidda(Baal Gad),148and mentions aPaka, or Egyptian official, calledAman Khatbi, named after the Egyptian god Amen. The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian general, and are attackingKhazi, his city. They had already takenMaguzi,149and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:“... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the King entirely.Biridasiaperceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has secretly passed beyond my cityMaramma;150and the great pass is open behind me. And he is marching chariots from the cityAstarti,151and commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the cityBuzruna;152and the King of the[pg 196]city ofKhalavunni153has made promises to him: both have fought withBiridasiaagainst me. Wickedly they vex us. I have marched our kinsmen—the people ofNeboyapiza—but his success never fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the cityDimasca(Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; andArzaiaiais marching to the cityGizza,154andAzi(ru) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the citySaddu155declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land ofGizza.ArzaiaiawithBiridasiaafflicts the land (which is wretched? orAbitu), and the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will guard the town ofCumidi(Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ... the men of the wretched land”(or of the landAbitu).152 B.—“... thusAra(ga?) chief of the cityCumidi156(Kamid) ... at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of hisPakas(chiefs) as to me, a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?). But never a horse and never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my Lord; and closely allied157is his servant; and to explain this I am despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord deign to hear me.”46 B. M.—“At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow. Behold what this our saying tells, as to[pg 197]the landAm(Ham) the fortresses of the King my Lord. A man namedEda... has arisen, a chief of the landCinzaeast of the land of theHittites, to take the fortresses of the King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my God my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”125 B.—“To the King my Lord thusArzaiaia, chief of the cityMikhiza.158At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to meet the general (Paka) with (all the infantry?) ... all who have marched to overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (Paka). As for me, do I not order all to ... after them? Behold they have been speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of the King my Lord.”126 B.—The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).75 B. M.—A short letter fromDasruto say he has heard the King's message. He lived in the land ofHam(37 B. M.).127 B. M.—The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is of good omen.171 B.—“A message and information from the servant of the King my Lord my God.... And behold what the chief ofSimyrahas done to my brethren of the city ofTubakhi;159and he marches to waste the fortresses of the King my Lord my God my Sun ... the land of theAmorites. He has wearied out our chiefs. The fortresses of the King my Lord my God ... are for men of blood. And now strong is the god of the King my Lord my God my Sun; and the city ofTubakhigoes forth to war, and I have stirred up my brethren,[pg 198]and I guard the city ofTubakhifor the King my Lord my God my Sun. And behold this city ofTubakhiis the city of the plains of my fathers.”132 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Artabania, chief of the cityZiribasani160thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Behold a message to me to speed to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers. And who am I but a dog only, and shall I not march? Behold me, with my soldiers and my chariots meeting the Egyptian soldiers at the place of which the King my Lord speaks.”78 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus the chief of the cityGubbu161thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun (permit?) that seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, and now I with my soldiers and my chariots meet the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place you march to.”64 B. M.—“ToYankhamu162my Lord by letter thusMuu-tadduthy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet as this says, announcing that the enemy is hastening speedily as—my Lord—was announced to the King of the cityBikhisi163from friends164of his Lord. Let the King my Lord speed: let the King my Lord fly: for the foe is wasting in the cityBikhisithis two months, there is none ... On account of (Bibelu?) having told me this one has asked then ... until by the arrival ofAnamarut(Amenophis IV)165the city of[pg 199]Ashtorethis occupied.166Behold they have destroyed all the fortresses of neighboring lands: the cityUdumu,167the cityAduri,168the cityAraru,169the cityMeis(pa?),170the cityMacdalim,171the cityKhini.172I announced that they had taken the cityZaar.173They are fighting this city, the cityYabisi.174Moreover, fearing the force against me, I am watching it till you arrive. One has come from your way to the cityBikhisi,175and he has made us hear the news.”134 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thusAbdmelecthe chief of this citySaskhi176thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord ... on my face seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, accordingly I with my soldiers and my chariots (am) meeting the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place to which you will march.”143 B.—“To the King our Lord thus (says)Addubayaand thus alsoBetili. At the feet of our Lord we bow. Peace indeed to the face of our Lord. And (as is fit?) from the lands of our Lord, much they salute. O our Lord, will not you settle everything in your heart? Will not you harden your heart as to this combat O our Lord? But their intention is clear—to make war on the stations, as in our country they do not follow after thee.Lupackhallu177has removed the soldiers of theHittites; they will go against the cities of the land of Ham (Am) and fromAtadumithey will (take?) them. And let our Lord know, since we hear thatZitana178the Phœnician (Kharu) has deserted, who will march. And nine chiefs of the soldiers of the government are with us, who march, and the message is unfavorable: a gathering in the land they have made; and they will arrive from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash).[pg 200]But I causeBetilito send against this (foe). Thus we wage war against them. And my trusty messenger I cause to be sent to your presence, as said; for you to return an order whether we shall do so or whether not. ToRabanandAbdbaal, toRabanaandRabzidduthus: behold to all of you be peace indeed, and will not you harden your hearts, and will not you settle all in your hearts, and do what is fitting from your places? Much peace; and to (the people?) peace be increased.”91 B.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the cityGebal179(and) thusRabikhar(‘the Lord of Phœnicia’) thy servant. At the feet of my Lord the Sun seven times I bow. Do not be angry, O King my Lord, with the city ofGebal(Gubla) thy handmaid—a city of the King from of old, obeying what the King commands as toAziru, and it did as he wished. BeholdAziruslewAdunu, Lord of the land ofAmmia,180and the King of the land ofArdata,181and has slain the great men, and has taken their cities for himself. The citySimyrais his. Of the cities of the King only the cityGebalescapes for the King. Behold the citySimyrais subjected. He has smitten the cityUllaza.182The captains of both have gone into exile. Behold this sinAziruwrought. Sinful are his strivings against her ... he has smitten all the lands ofHam(Am), lands of the King; and now he has despatched his men to destroy all the lands ofHam; and the King of the land of theHittites, and the king of the land ofNereb(Nariba)183(have made?) the land conquered land.”From these letters we learn clearly that the Mongol kings near the Euphrates (and, as appears later, in Armenia) were leagued with the Hittites of Mer'ash in the extreme north of Syria, and of Kadesh on the Orontes, and were supported by the Amorites of the northern Lebanon and by some of the Phœnicians; that the enemy marched south, a distance of 300 miles, taking all the towns in the Baalbek Valley, reaching Damascus by the gorge of the Barada River, and advancing into the land of Ham—in Bashan—where all the chief towns[pg 201]fell. This serves to make clear the treachery of Aziru's letters which follow. The Amorite advance on the Phœnician coast was contemporary, and extended to Tyre. It appears, however, that the Amorites were a Semitic people, while the names of the Hittites are Mongolic.The Amorite TreacheryNo. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my SunAziruthy servant; and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow.”The letter is much broken, but promises he will never rebel, and says he is sincere. He desires land of the King (at Simyra), and says the men of the government are friendly, but that the city of Simyra is to be made promptly to fulfil its engagements.35 B. M.—“To the Great King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this thy servantAziru. Seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and (from my youth?) in the presence of the King my Lord, and I fulfil all my orders to the sight of my Lord. And what they who are my (agents?) shall say to my Lord as to the chiefs who are faithful, in the sight of the King my Lord, will not you hear me speak, I who am thy servant sincere as long as I live? But when the King my Lord sentKhani,184I was resting in the city ofTunip(Tennib) and there was no knowledge behold of his arriving. Whereupon he gave notice, and coming after him also, have I not reached him? And letKhanispeak to testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my brethren have prepared to tend (him), andBetiluwill send to his presence oxen and beasts and fowls: his food and his drink will be provided. I shall give horses and beasts for his journey; and may the King my Lord hear my messages, with my assurances in the presence of the King my Lord.Khaniwill march much cared for in my sight, he accompanies me as my comrade, like my father; and lo! my Lord says,‘You turn away from the[pg 202]appearance of Khani.’Thus thy Gods and the Sun-God truly had known if I did not stay in the city ofTunip. Moreover because of the intention to set in order the city of Simyra, the King my Lord has sent word (and) the Kings of the land ofMarshasse(Mer'ash) have been foes to me. They have marched on my cities: they have observed the desire ofKhatib,185and has not he promised them? lo! hastily he has promised them. And truly my Lord has known that half of the possessions that the King my Lord has givenKhatibtakes: the tribute, and the gold and the silver that the King my Lord has given me; andKhatibtakes all the tribute; and truly my Lord has known. Moreover as against my Lord the King's having said,‘Why dost thou yield service to the messenger of the King of the land of theHittites, and dost not yield service to my messenger?’this region is the land of my Lord, he establishes me in it, with men of government. Let a messenger of my Lord come, and all that I speak of in the sight of my Lord let me give. Tin and ships, men186and weapons, and trees let me give.”40 B.—“ToDudu187my Lord my father thus (says)Aziruyour son your servant: at the feet of my father I bow. Lo! letDudusend the wishes of my Lord ... and I ... Moreover behold thou shalt not reject (me) my father, and whatever are the wishes ofDudumy father, send, and will not I ... Behold thou art my father and my Lord: I am thy son: the land of the Amorites is your land; and my house is your house.188Say what you wish and I will truly perform your wishes.”The latter part is broken, but states that he will not rebel against the wishes of the King or those of Dudu.38 B.—“ToDudumy Lord my father thusAziruthy servant. At my lord's feet I bow.Khatibwill march, and has carefully followed the messages (or orders) of the King my Lord before (he goes); and what is good increases; and I have been gladdened very much; and my brethren, men serving the King my Lord, and men who are servants ofDudumy Lord. They had feared exceedingly. Behold he will march, to command for the King my Lord with me. From the[pg 203]orders of my Lord my God and my Sun, and from the orders ofDudumy Lord, I will never depart. My Lord nowKhatibgoes forth with me, and also he will march to strengthen me. My Lord, the King of the land of theHittiteswill march from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash), and has he not boasted to meet me? and the King of theHittiteswill rebel, and behold I andKhatibwill march. Let the King my Lord hear my messages. I have feared without the countenance of the King my Lord, and without the countenance ofDudu; and now (my Gods and my messenger189). And truly these are my brethren—Duduand the great men of the King my Lord; and truly I will march; and since ODuduboth the King my Lord and the chiefs thus are ready, everything againstAziruis forgiven which has been unfavorable for my God,190and for us. And now I andKhatibhave appeared servants of the King. Truly thou knowestDudu, behold I go forth mightily.”31 B.—“ToKhai191my brother thus (says) this thy brotherAziru. With thee (be) peace indeed, and from the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord there is much safety. Whoever (is) against it the promise remains, in sight of the King my Lord; being formerly promised it remains. I and my sons and my brethren are all servants of the King: it is good for me. Now I andKhatibwill both march, behold, with speed. OKhai, as among you truly it is known, lo! I have been troubled. From the orders of my Lord there is no rebellion, nor from your orders. I am a servant of my Lord. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells in the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash) and I have feared his appearance. They who are in the West lands192have armed. He gathers; and while the city ofTunipis unoccupied, he dwells two swift marches from the city. And I have been afraid of his appearance; and contrary to messages of promise he goes forth to his rebellions. But now we shall both march, I andKhatib, with speed.”32 B. repeats the preceding—perhaps to another correspondent: it mentionsDudu, and says:“I have been afraid of[pg 204]this rebel son of a dog, and I have been troubled. Now he has sent a message from the Western land—the land of my Lord: they will both march together, and I have been afraid for my Lord's land.”33 B., much broken at the top, refers to the existing promise or treaty, and continues:“I cause the land of my Lord to be guarded, and my countenance is toward the men who are servants of the King my Lord in peace. My Lord now I andKhatibare made friends,193and let my Lord know behold I have ... in haste. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells ... and I have been afraid ... have armed ... of the land ... my Lord I remain quietly ... in the West land ... King my Lord to defend his land ... and now behold in the land ofMarhassehe dwells—two swift marches from the city ofTunip; and I fear his wastings. Let the city ofTunipbe defended: my Lord is a shield to men who serve him; mayst thou hear what is said and my sons will ... forever.”39 B., broken at the top.“I have strengthened this ... I have strengthened this wall in front of the mouth of the great pass,194and my Lord's fortress. And let my Lord hear as to the servants of his servant—thy servantAziru: they will keep watch: strife surrounds us: I trust there will be an expedition; and let us watch the lands of the King our Lord. Moreover toDudumy Lord. Hear the message of the King of the land ofMarhasseto me. They said:‘Your father195what gold has this King of Egypt given him, and what has his Lord promised him out of the Land of Egypt; and all the lands, and all the soldier slaves they have fought against?’(thus) they said ... toAziru... out of the Land of Egypt, and behold the slaves come round from the Land of ...Ni196: they have rebelled; and I repeat that thirty chiefs push on against me ... land of Egypt he remains ... my Lord toAziru... soldiers ...Marhasse.”[pg 205]34 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) thisAziruthy servant: seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. Now what you wish is desirable. Sun God my Lord I am thy servant forever; and my sons serve thee.... Now two men ... I have commanded as envoys ... what he says ... and let him rule ... in the land of the Amorites.”34a B.—The salutation of the usual type is here injured. The letter continues:“My Lord my God my Sun, I am thy servant and my sons and my brethren, to serve the King my Lord forever. Now all my Lord's wishes, and what he causes to be despatched, duly ... the King my Lord having despatched. Now eight chiefs who are great, and many (decrees?) we ... all of which ... from ... the King my Lord ... And the Kings of the Land ofMarhassewill follow with ... and are these not promised (or leagued) to the citySimyrathese thirty years? I turn me to the citySimyra. My Lord I am thy servant forever, and a King of men who are friends; will not my (agents?) ... my Lord (wilt not thou hear?). And the King is my Lord my God and my Sun: let him send his messenger with my messenger, and let them go up who serve the King ...”36 B.—“To the King ... thusAziru: seven times and seven times at ... of my God and Sun. Behold truly thou hast known this, O King my Lord; behold I am thy servant forever; from my Lord's commands I never rebel: my Lord from of old (it has been) thus. I am kind to the men who are servants of my King; but the chiefs of the citySimyrahave not kept faith righteously with us; and behold neither one nor all are with us: my Lord the King did not you cause to be asked? The King my Lord has known that the chiefs are sinful; and why ask,‘What does he contend for?’I say nay ...”From these letters by Aziru, we must conclude either that he was a great liar or that he was induced to change sides later. The other correspondents seem to have believed that he had long deceived the King of Egypt; but, in the end, his invasion of Phœnicia—perhaps cloaked by pretences of hostility to the Hittite league—caused him, as we shall see, to be proclaimed a rebel. The quarrel with Simyra may have been due to his[pg 206]being pushed south, out of his dominions, but is here said to be due to a Phœnician league with his foes. It does not appear who Khatib was. Perhaps the name was Hittite,197and he may have been the Prince of Hamath or of Emesa. The following letter from Aziru's father, Abdasherah, belongs to a later period of the war, when Ullaza and all the cities north of Gebal had been conquered by the Amorites. It is couched in the same insidious language; and the letters of Ribadda, which follow, show that Amenophis was not open to conviction for a long time, though warned by his true friends. The proclamation is still later, after the attack on Sidon, and may fitly conclude the Amorite correspondence.97 B.—“To the King my Son my Lord thusAbdasratu198thy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Behold I am the King's servant, and a dog who is his neighbor (or his‘friend’?); and all the land of the Amorites is his. I often said toPakhanati199myPaka(Egyptian resident),‘Let him gather soldiers to defend the people of this King.’Now all (cursed?) as King, the King of the Phœnician (Kharri) soldiers ...Kharri: the King shall ask if I do not guard the city ofSimyra(and) the cityUllaza. Lo myPakais in her: I proclaim the Sun-King; and I have (given orders?) to obey. The citySimyrais a neighbor,200and all the lands are the King's—my Sun, my Lord; I watch for him: and I know that the King my Lord is very glorious; andPakhanatimyPakais established to judge therein.”Copy of a Proclamation against Aziru, sent to Egypt by Khanni, when sent again to Syria92 B.—“To the Chief of the Amorite city by letter thus (says) your Lord. A chief of the city ofGebalhas said thus[pg 207]in his petition:‘Send him away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my chief city.’201And I have heard this and much beside which they have said to me as I now speak to say.“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus),‘I am thy servant as all former guardians202who have been in this city.’And you do well to say thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is),‘Send him away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’And in the cityZituna(Sidon) he abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and, though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King, how is his cutting off lawful in the sight of the King your Lord? Thus this ruler beseeches me,‘Let a supplicant be protected, for he is disputing my chief city with me.’And if you do as is asserted, and not according to all the messages that I send against these things, you are hindering the King traitorously. So will be understood all that has been said.“And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city ofCiidsa(Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites); devising hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so, why dost thou so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he is on his side? But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you respect the orders to yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the messages you formerly made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them. But thou art not on the side of the King thy Lord.“Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through (your burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou dost service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to interceding with the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make God my witness; and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of war (will be) in your midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and as many as are with thee.[pg 208]“But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of Canaan.203So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the King my Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this) contumacy in the sight of the King thy Lord is vain.“And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is difficult for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King at whose commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus truly is ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of the King thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let him not delay at all.“And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has the King commanded me—Khanni—a second time a messenger of the King. Truly it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house. Behold now I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou shalt bind them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by the King thy Lord to name the men who are foes of the King in the letter from Khanni the King's messenger; and once more I am obeying the King thy Lord; and thou shalt not leave one among them. A chain of bronze exceeding heavy shall shackle their feet. Behold the men thou shalt fetch to the King thy Lord.Sarruwith all his sons;Tuia;Lieiawith all his sons:Pisyari204with all his sons: the son-in-law ofManiawith all his sons, with his wives, the women of his household: the chief ofPabaha,205whose wickedness is abhorred, who made the trumpet to be blown:Dasarti: Paluma: Numahe—a fugitive in the land of the Amorites.“And knowest thou not that the glory of the King is as the Sun in heaven; his soldiers and his chariots are many. From the shore lands to the land of Gutium,206from the rising of the[pg 209]Sun to the going down of the same, there is much salutation.”The attack on Sidon was thus apparently the fact which opened the eyes of Amenophis. It appears to have preceded the final success, when the wealthy city of Gebal was taken by Aziru.

The Tell Amarna TabletsTranslated by C. R. Conder, D.C.L., LL.D., M.R.A.S.[pg 191]The Hittite Invasion Of DamascusNo. 36 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria127(Amenophis III) Son of the Sun, my Lord thus (says) this thy servantAkizzi.128Seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord in these my lands I am afraid. Mayst thou protect one who is thy servant under the yoke of my Lord. From the yoke of my Lord I do not rebel. Lo! there is fear of my foes. The people of this thy servant are under thy yoke: this country is among thy lands: the cityKatna129is thy city: I am on the side of my Lord's rule (yoke). Lo! the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's government have received corn and drink, oxen and beasts (oil and honey?), meeting the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's dominion (coming?) to me. And now let my Lord ask the great men of his dominion. My Lord, all lands tremble before thy soldiers and thy chariots. If these lands are under the dominion of my Lord's land, and they are seizing them, let him order his soldiers and his chariots this year, and let him take the land ofMarhasse,130the whole of it, to the yoke of my Lord, when—my Lord—the soldiers of the slaves131are132... For six days ago he went out into the land ofHu(ba), and trulyAziruis sending them, and if in this year my Lord does not send out the soldiers and the chariots of his government ... to meetAziru(and) make him flee ... all will rebel ... My Lord, know him. My Lord (know) the men who are[pg 192]his foes ... And lo! now the King of the land of theHittites... with pride rebels against his gods. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of theHittites: he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city ofKatna,Aziruexpels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the cityKatna. My Lord truly they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and truly they give gold. My Lord—Sun God, my fathers' god133—the men have made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold—O Sun God of my fathers—the King of theHittitesmakes them march. And know of them, my Lord—may the gods make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear. And lo! perchance the Sun God of my fathers will turn his heart toward me. My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or tithe of gold?) be given him, as we have purposed for the Sun God of my fathers. As has been said they have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner—the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)—is out of sight of the Sun God.”37 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says)Akizzithy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord, now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord. And behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold now ... the King of the land of theHittites... sends forth ... and the heart of ... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites. And as for me ... the King of the land of theHittites. As for me I am with the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites.”[pg 193]This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak ofAidugama,134the Hittite King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things—enumerated, but not intelligible—including, perhaps, ships or boats, and dwellings; and it mentionsNeboyapiza. It then continues:“My Lord:Teuiattiof the city ofLapana,135andArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi,136minister beforeAidugama; but this land is the land of the dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the land ofMarhasse, and the King of the land ofNi, and the King of the land ofZinzaar,137and the King of the land ofCanaan. And all of these are kings under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord—chiefs who are servants. As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch thebitati138soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my LordArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi, andTeuiattiof the cityLapana, dwelt in the land ofHuba,139andDasrudwelt in the landAmma,140and truly my Lord has known them. Behold the land ofHobahwas at peace my Lord in the days of this government. They will be[pg 194]subject toAidugama. Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land ofHobah. My Lord, as said, the cityTimasgi,141in the land ofHobah, is without sin at thy feet; and aid thou the cityKatnawhich is without sin at thy feet. It has been feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain (our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of thebitatisoldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this my land, and they shall ... in the cityKatna.”96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, fromNeboyapiza142to the King of Egypt, ends as follows:“Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will name.”142 B.—“To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and they will devour me—Neboyapiza: we abide before thy face, my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the cityGidisi.143And my fortresses (say)‘Speed us avengers.’I make ready, and (because that?) thePakas144of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler consider that (Neboyapiza) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people. And beholdNeboyapizahas sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the men of blood are from the landAmmusi,145and (part) from the land ofHubi, and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a God146and a Sun in my sight, and restore the strongholds[pg 195]holds to the King my Lord from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important townCumidi, nowKamid, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the capital of the surrounding district.189 B. is much broken. It is fromArzana, chief of the cityKhazi.147He speaks of an attack onTusulti, by bloody soldiers fighting against the place, and perhaps of the cityBel Gidda(Baal Gad),148and mentions aPaka, or Egyptian official, calledAman Khatbi, named after the Egyptian god Amen. The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian general, and are attackingKhazi, his city. They had already takenMaguzi,149and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:“... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the King entirely.Biridasiaperceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has secretly passed beyond my cityMaramma;150and the great pass is open behind me. And he is marching chariots from the cityAstarti,151and commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the cityBuzruna;152and the King of the[pg 196]city ofKhalavunni153has made promises to him: both have fought withBiridasiaagainst me. Wickedly they vex us. I have marched our kinsmen—the people ofNeboyapiza—but his success never fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the cityDimasca(Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; andArzaiaiais marching to the cityGizza,154andAzi(ru) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the citySaddu155declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land ofGizza.ArzaiaiawithBiridasiaafflicts the land (which is wretched? orAbitu), and the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will guard the town ofCumidi(Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ... the men of the wretched land”(or of the landAbitu).152 B.—“... thusAra(ga?) chief of the cityCumidi156(Kamid) ... at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of hisPakas(chiefs) as to me, a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?). But never a horse and never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my Lord; and closely allied157is his servant; and to explain this I am despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord deign to hear me.”46 B. M.—“At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow. Behold what this our saying tells, as to[pg 197]the landAm(Ham) the fortresses of the King my Lord. A man namedEda... has arisen, a chief of the landCinzaeast of the land of theHittites, to take the fortresses of the King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my God my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”125 B.—“To the King my Lord thusArzaiaia, chief of the cityMikhiza.158At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to meet the general (Paka) with (all the infantry?) ... all who have marched to overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (Paka). As for me, do I not order all to ... after them? Behold they have been speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of the King my Lord.”126 B.—The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).75 B. M.—A short letter fromDasruto say he has heard the King's message. He lived in the land ofHam(37 B. M.).127 B. M.—The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is of good omen.171 B.—“A message and information from the servant of the King my Lord my God.... And behold what the chief ofSimyrahas done to my brethren of the city ofTubakhi;159and he marches to waste the fortresses of the King my Lord my God my Sun ... the land of theAmorites. He has wearied out our chiefs. The fortresses of the King my Lord my God ... are for men of blood. And now strong is the god of the King my Lord my God my Sun; and the city ofTubakhigoes forth to war, and I have stirred up my brethren,[pg 198]and I guard the city ofTubakhifor the King my Lord my God my Sun. And behold this city ofTubakhiis the city of the plains of my fathers.”132 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Artabania, chief of the cityZiribasani160thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Behold a message to me to speed to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers. And who am I but a dog only, and shall I not march? Behold me, with my soldiers and my chariots meeting the Egyptian soldiers at the place of which the King my Lord speaks.”78 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus the chief of the cityGubbu161thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun (permit?) that seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, and now I with my soldiers and my chariots meet the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place you march to.”64 B. M.—“ToYankhamu162my Lord by letter thusMuu-tadduthy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet as this says, announcing that the enemy is hastening speedily as—my Lord—was announced to the King of the cityBikhisi163from friends164of his Lord. Let the King my Lord speed: let the King my Lord fly: for the foe is wasting in the cityBikhisithis two months, there is none ... On account of (Bibelu?) having told me this one has asked then ... until by the arrival ofAnamarut(Amenophis IV)165the city of[pg 199]Ashtorethis occupied.166Behold they have destroyed all the fortresses of neighboring lands: the cityUdumu,167the cityAduri,168the cityAraru,169the cityMeis(pa?),170the cityMacdalim,171the cityKhini.172I announced that they had taken the cityZaar.173They are fighting this city, the cityYabisi.174Moreover, fearing the force against me, I am watching it till you arrive. One has come from your way to the cityBikhisi,175and he has made us hear the news.”134 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thusAbdmelecthe chief of this citySaskhi176thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord ... on my face seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, accordingly I with my soldiers and my chariots (am) meeting the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place to which you will march.”143 B.—“To the King our Lord thus (says)Addubayaand thus alsoBetili. At the feet of our Lord we bow. Peace indeed to the face of our Lord. And (as is fit?) from the lands of our Lord, much they salute. O our Lord, will not you settle everything in your heart? Will not you harden your heart as to this combat O our Lord? But their intention is clear—to make war on the stations, as in our country they do not follow after thee.Lupackhallu177has removed the soldiers of theHittites; they will go against the cities of the land of Ham (Am) and fromAtadumithey will (take?) them. And let our Lord know, since we hear thatZitana178the Phœnician (Kharu) has deserted, who will march. And nine chiefs of the soldiers of the government are with us, who march, and the message is unfavorable: a gathering in the land they have made; and they will arrive from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash).[pg 200]But I causeBetilito send against this (foe). Thus we wage war against them. And my trusty messenger I cause to be sent to your presence, as said; for you to return an order whether we shall do so or whether not. ToRabanandAbdbaal, toRabanaandRabzidduthus: behold to all of you be peace indeed, and will not you harden your hearts, and will not you settle all in your hearts, and do what is fitting from your places? Much peace; and to (the people?) peace be increased.”91 B.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the cityGebal179(and) thusRabikhar(‘the Lord of Phœnicia’) thy servant. At the feet of my Lord the Sun seven times I bow. Do not be angry, O King my Lord, with the city ofGebal(Gubla) thy handmaid—a city of the King from of old, obeying what the King commands as toAziru, and it did as he wished. BeholdAziruslewAdunu, Lord of the land ofAmmia,180and the King of the land ofArdata,181and has slain the great men, and has taken their cities for himself. The citySimyrais his. Of the cities of the King only the cityGebalescapes for the King. Behold the citySimyrais subjected. He has smitten the cityUllaza.182The captains of both have gone into exile. Behold this sinAziruwrought. Sinful are his strivings against her ... he has smitten all the lands ofHam(Am), lands of the King; and now he has despatched his men to destroy all the lands ofHam; and the King of the land of theHittites, and the king of the land ofNereb(Nariba)183(have made?) the land conquered land.”From these letters we learn clearly that the Mongol kings near the Euphrates (and, as appears later, in Armenia) were leagued with the Hittites of Mer'ash in the extreme north of Syria, and of Kadesh on the Orontes, and were supported by the Amorites of the northern Lebanon and by some of the Phœnicians; that the enemy marched south, a distance of 300 miles, taking all the towns in the Baalbek Valley, reaching Damascus by the gorge of the Barada River, and advancing into the land of Ham—in Bashan—where all the chief towns[pg 201]fell. This serves to make clear the treachery of Aziru's letters which follow. The Amorite advance on the Phœnician coast was contemporary, and extended to Tyre. It appears, however, that the Amorites were a Semitic people, while the names of the Hittites are Mongolic.The Amorite TreacheryNo. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my SunAziruthy servant; and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow.”The letter is much broken, but promises he will never rebel, and says he is sincere. He desires land of the King (at Simyra), and says the men of the government are friendly, but that the city of Simyra is to be made promptly to fulfil its engagements.35 B. M.—“To the Great King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this thy servantAziru. Seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and (from my youth?) in the presence of the King my Lord, and I fulfil all my orders to the sight of my Lord. And what they who are my (agents?) shall say to my Lord as to the chiefs who are faithful, in the sight of the King my Lord, will not you hear me speak, I who am thy servant sincere as long as I live? But when the King my Lord sentKhani,184I was resting in the city ofTunip(Tennib) and there was no knowledge behold of his arriving. Whereupon he gave notice, and coming after him also, have I not reached him? And letKhanispeak to testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my brethren have prepared to tend (him), andBetiluwill send to his presence oxen and beasts and fowls: his food and his drink will be provided. I shall give horses and beasts for his journey; and may the King my Lord hear my messages, with my assurances in the presence of the King my Lord.Khaniwill march much cared for in my sight, he accompanies me as my comrade, like my father; and lo! my Lord says,‘You turn away from the[pg 202]appearance of Khani.’Thus thy Gods and the Sun-God truly had known if I did not stay in the city ofTunip. Moreover because of the intention to set in order the city of Simyra, the King my Lord has sent word (and) the Kings of the land ofMarshasse(Mer'ash) have been foes to me. They have marched on my cities: they have observed the desire ofKhatib,185and has not he promised them? lo! hastily he has promised them. And truly my Lord has known that half of the possessions that the King my Lord has givenKhatibtakes: the tribute, and the gold and the silver that the King my Lord has given me; andKhatibtakes all the tribute; and truly my Lord has known. Moreover as against my Lord the King's having said,‘Why dost thou yield service to the messenger of the King of the land of theHittites, and dost not yield service to my messenger?’this region is the land of my Lord, he establishes me in it, with men of government. Let a messenger of my Lord come, and all that I speak of in the sight of my Lord let me give. Tin and ships, men186and weapons, and trees let me give.”40 B.—“ToDudu187my Lord my father thus (says)Aziruyour son your servant: at the feet of my father I bow. Lo! letDudusend the wishes of my Lord ... and I ... Moreover behold thou shalt not reject (me) my father, and whatever are the wishes ofDudumy father, send, and will not I ... Behold thou art my father and my Lord: I am thy son: the land of the Amorites is your land; and my house is your house.188Say what you wish and I will truly perform your wishes.”The latter part is broken, but states that he will not rebel against the wishes of the King or those of Dudu.38 B.—“ToDudumy Lord my father thusAziruthy servant. At my lord's feet I bow.Khatibwill march, and has carefully followed the messages (or orders) of the King my Lord before (he goes); and what is good increases; and I have been gladdened very much; and my brethren, men serving the King my Lord, and men who are servants ofDudumy Lord. They had feared exceedingly. Behold he will march, to command for the King my Lord with me. From the[pg 203]orders of my Lord my God and my Sun, and from the orders ofDudumy Lord, I will never depart. My Lord nowKhatibgoes forth with me, and also he will march to strengthen me. My Lord, the King of the land of theHittiteswill march from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash), and has he not boasted to meet me? and the King of theHittiteswill rebel, and behold I andKhatibwill march. Let the King my Lord hear my messages. I have feared without the countenance of the King my Lord, and without the countenance ofDudu; and now (my Gods and my messenger189). And truly these are my brethren—Duduand the great men of the King my Lord; and truly I will march; and since ODuduboth the King my Lord and the chiefs thus are ready, everything againstAziruis forgiven which has been unfavorable for my God,190and for us. And now I andKhatibhave appeared servants of the King. Truly thou knowestDudu, behold I go forth mightily.”31 B.—“ToKhai191my brother thus (says) this thy brotherAziru. With thee (be) peace indeed, and from the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord there is much safety. Whoever (is) against it the promise remains, in sight of the King my Lord; being formerly promised it remains. I and my sons and my brethren are all servants of the King: it is good for me. Now I andKhatibwill both march, behold, with speed. OKhai, as among you truly it is known, lo! I have been troubled. From the orders of my Lord there is no rebellion, nor from your orders. I am a servant of my Lord. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells in the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash) and I have feared his appearance. They who are in the West lands192have armed. He gathers; and while the city ofTunipis unoccupied, he dwells two swift marches from the city. And I have been afraid of his appearance; and contrary to messages of promise he goes forth to his rebellions. But now we shall both march, I andKhatib, with speed.”32 B. repeats the preceding—perhaps to another correspondent: it mentionsDudu, and says:“I have been afraid of[pg 204]this rebel son of a dog, and I have been troubled. Now he has sent a message from the Western land—the land of my Lord: they will both march together, and I have been afraid for my Lord's land.”33 B., much broken at the top, refers to the existing promise or treaty, and continues:“I cause the land of my Lord to be guarded, and my countenance is toward the men who are servants of the King my Lord in peace. My Lord now I andKhatibare made friends,193and let my Lord know behold I have ... in haste. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells ... and I have been afraid ... have armed ... of the land ... my Lord I remain quietly ... in the West land ... King my Lord to defend his land ... and now behold in the land ofMarhassehe dwells—two swift marches from the city ofTunip; and I fear his wastings. Let the city ofTunipbe defended: my Lord is a shield to men who serve him; mayst thou hear what is said and my sons will ... forever.”39 B., broken at the top.“I have strengthened this ... I have strengthened this wall in front of the mouth of the great pass,194and my Lord's fortress. And let my Lord hear as to the servants of his servant—thy servantAziru: they will keep watch: strife surrounds us: I trust there will be an expedition; and let us watch the lands of the King our Lord. Moreover toDudumy Lord. Hear the message of the King of the land ofMarhasseto me. They said:‘Your father195what gold has this King of Egypt given him, and what has his Lord promised him out of the Land of Egypt; and all the lands, and all the soldier slaves they have fought against?’(thus) they said ... toAziru... out of the Land of Egypt, and behold the slaves come round from the Land of ...Ni196: they have rebelled; and I repeat that thirty chiefs push on against me ... land of Egypt he remains ... my Lord toAziru... soldiers ...Marhasse.”[pg 205]34 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) thisAziruthy servant: seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. Now what you wish is desirable. Sun God my Lord I am thy servant forever; and my sons serve thee.... Now two men ... I have commanded as envoys ... what he says ... and let him rule ... in the land of the Amorites.”34a B.—The salutation of the usual type is here injured. The letter continues:“My Lord my God my Sun, I am thy servant and my sons and my brethren, to serve the King my Lord forever. Now all my Lord's wishes, and what he causes to be despatched, duly ... the King my Lord having despatched. Now eight chiefs who are great, and many (decrees?) we ... all of which ... from ... the King my Lord ... And the Kings of the Land ofMarhassewill follow with ... and are these not promised (or leagued) to the citySimyrathese thirty years? I turn me to the citySimyra. My Lord I am thy servant forever, and a King of men who are friends; will not my (agents?) ... my Lord (wilt not thou hear?). And the King is my Lord my God and my Sun: let him send his messenger with my messenger, and let them go up who serve the King ...”36 B.—“To the King ... thusAziru: seven times and seven times at ... of my God and Sun. Behold truly thou hast known this, O King my Lord; behold I am thy servant forever; from my Lord's commands I never rebel: my Lord from of old (it has been) thus. I am kind to the men who are servants of my King; but the chiefs of the citySimyrahave not kept faith righteously with us; and behold neither one nor all are with us: my Lord the King did not you cause to be asked? The King my Lord has known that the chiefs are sinful; and why ask,‘What does he contend for?’I say nay ...”From these letters by Aziru, we must conclude either that he was a great liar or that he was induced to change sides later. The other correspondents seem to have believed that he had long deceived the King of Egypt; but, in the end, his invasion of Phœnicia—perhaps cloaked by pretences of hostility to the Hittite league—caused him, as we shall see, to be proclaimed a rebel. The quarrel with Simyra may have been due to his[pg 206]being pushed south, out of his dominions, but is here said to be due to a Phœnician league with his foes. It does not appear who Khatib was. Perhaps the name was Hittite,197and he may have been the Prince of Hamath or of Emesa. The following letter from Aziru's father, Abdasherah, belongs to a later period of the war, when Ullaza and all the cities north of Gebal had been conquered by the Amorites. It is couched in the same insidious language; and the letters of Ribadda, which follow, show that Amenophis was not open to conviction for a long time, though warned by his true friends. The proclamation is still later, after the attack on Sidon, and may fitly conclude the Amorite correspondence.97 B.—“To the King my Son my Lord thusAbdasratu198thy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Behold I am the King's servant, and a dog who is his neighbor (or his‘friend’?); and all the land of the Amorites is his. I often said toPakhanati199myPaka(Egyptian resident),‘Let him gather soldiers to defend the people of this King.’Now all (cursed?) as King, the King of the Phœnician (Kharri) soldiers ...Kharri: the King shall ask if I do not guard the city ofSimyra(and) the cityUllaza. Lo myPakais in her: I proclaim the Sun-King; and I have (given orders?) to obey. The citySimyrais a neighbor,200and all the lands are the King's—my Sun, my Lord; I watch for him: and I know that the King my Lord is very glorious; andPakhanatimyPakais established to judge therein.”Copy of a Proclamation against Aziru, sent to Egypt by Khanni, when sent again to Syria92 B.—“To the Chief of the Amorite city by letter thus (says) your Lord. A chief of the city ofGebalhas said thus[pg 207]in his petition:‘Send him away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my chief city.’201And I have heard this and much beside which they have said to me as I now speak to say.“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus),‘I am thy servant as all former guardians202who have been in this city.’And you do well to say thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is),‘Send him away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’And in the cityZituna(Sidon) he abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and, though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King, how is his cutting off lawful in the sight of the King your Lord? Thus this ruler beseeches me,‘Let a supplicant be protected, for he is disputing my chief city with me.’And if you do as is asserted, and not according to all the messages that I send against these things, you are hindering the King traitorously. So will be understood all that has been said.“And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city ofCiidsa(Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites); devising hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so, why dost thou so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he is on his side? But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you respect the orders to yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the messages you formerly made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them. But thou art not on the side of the King thy Lord.“Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through (your burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou dost service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to interceding with the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make God my witness; and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of war (will be) in your midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and as many as are with thee.[pg 208]“But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of Canaan.203So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the King my Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this) contumacy in the sight of the King thy Lord is vain.“And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is difficult for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King at whose commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus truly is ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of the King thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let him not delay at all.“And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has the King commanded me—Khanni—a second time a messenger of the King. Truly it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house. Behold now I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou shalt bind them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by the King thy Lord to name the men who are foes of the King in the letter from Khanni the King's messenger; and once more I am obeying the King thy Lord; and thou shalt not leave one among them. A chain of bronze exceeding heavy shall shackle their feet. Behold the men thou shalt fetch to the King thy Lord.Sarruwith all his sons;Tuia;Lieiawith all his sons:Pisyari204with all his sons: the son-in-law ofManiawith all his sons, with his wives, the women of his household: the chief ofPabaha,205whose wickedness is abhorred, who made the trumpet to be blown:Dasarti: Paluma: Numahe—a fugitive in the land of the Amorites.“And knowest thou not that the glory of the King is as the Sun in heaven; his soldiers and his chariots are many. From the shore lands to the land of Gutium,206from the rising of the[pg 209]Sun to the going down of the same, there is much salutation.”The attack on Sidon was thus apparently the fact which opened the eyes of Amenophis. It appears to have preceded the final success, when the wealthy city of Gebal was taken by Aziru.

The Hittite Invasion Of DamascusNo. 36 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria127(Amenophis III) Son of the Sun, my Lord thus (says) this thy servantAkizzi.128Seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord in these my lands I am afraid. Mayst thou protect one who is thy servant under the yoke of my Lord. From the yoke of my Lord I do not rebel. Lo! there is fear of my foes. The people of this thy servant are under thy yoke: this country is among thy lands: the cityKatna129is thy city: I am on the side of my Lord's rule (yoke). Lo! the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's government have received corn and drink, oxen and beasts (oil and honey?), meeting the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's dominion (coming?) to me. And now let my Lord ask the great men of his dominion. My Lord, all lands tremble before thy soldiers and thy chariots. If these lands are under the dominion of my Lord's land, and they are seizing them, let him order his soldiers and his chariots this year, and let him take the land ofMarhasse,130the whole of it, to the yoke of my Lord, when—my Lord—the soldiers of the slaves131are132... For six days ago he went out into the land ofHu(ba), and trulyAziruis sending them, and if in this year my Lord does not send out the soldiers and the chariots of his government ... to meetAziru(and) make him flee ... all will rebel ... My Lord, know him. My Lord (know) the men who are[pg 192]his foes ... And lo! now the King of the land of theHittites... with pride rebels against his gods. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of theHittites: he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city ofKatna,Aziruexpels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the cityKatna. My Lord truly they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and truly they give gold. My Lord—Sun God, my fathers' god133—the men have made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold—O Sun God of my fathers—the King of theHittitesmakes them march. And know of them, my Lord—may the gods make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear. And lo! perchance the Sun God of my fathers will turn his heart toward me. My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or tithe of gold?) be given him, as we have purposed for the Sun God of my fathers. As has been said they have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner—the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)—is out of sight of the Sun God.”37 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says)Akizzithy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord, now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord. And behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold now ... the King of the land of theHittites... sends forth ... and the heart of ... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites. And as for me ... the King of the land of theHittites. As for me I am with the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites.”[pg 193]This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak ofAidugama,134the Hittite King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things—enumerated, but not intelligible—including, perhaps, ships or boats, and dwellings; and it mentionsNeboyapiza. It then continues:“My Lord:Teuiattiof the city ofLapana,135andArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi,136minister beforeAidugama; but this land is the land of the dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the land ofMarhasse, and the King of the land ofNi, and the King of the land ofZinzaar,137and the King of the land ofCanaan. And all of these are kings under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord—chiefs who are servants. As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch thebitati138soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my LordArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi, andTeuiattiof the cityLapana, dwelt in the land ofHuba,139andDasrudwelt in the landAmma,140and truly my Lord has known them. Behold the land ofHobahwas at peace my Lord in the days of this government. They will be[pg 194]subject toAidugama. Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land ofHobah. My Lord, as said, the cityTimasgi,141in the land ofHobah, is without sin at thy feet; and aid thou the cityKatnawhich is without sin at thy feet. It has been feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain (our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of thebitatisoldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this my land, and they shall ... in the cityKatna.”96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, fromNeboyapiza142to the King of Egypt, ends as follows:“Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will name.”142 B.—“To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and they will devour me—Neboyapiza: we abide before thy face, my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the cityGidisi.143And my fortresses (say)‘Speed us avengers.’I make ready, and (because that?) thePakas144of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler consider that (Neboyapiza) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people. And beholdNeboyapizahas sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the men of blood are from the landAmmusi,145and (part) from the land ofHubi, and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a God146and a Sun in my sight, and restore the strongholds[pg 195]holds to the King my Lord from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important townCumidi, nowKamid, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the capital of the surrounding district.189 B. is much broken. It is fromArzana, chief of the cityKhazi.147He speaks of an attack onTusulti, by bloody soldiers fighting against the place, and perhaps of the cityBel Gidda(Baal Gad),148and mentions aPaka, or Egyptian official, calledAman Khatbi, named after the Egyptian god Amen. The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian general, and are attackingKhazi, his city. They had already takenMaguzi,149and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:“... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the King entirely.Biridasiaperceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has secretly passed beyond my cityMaramma;150and the great pass is open behind me. And he is marching chariots from the cityAstarti,151and commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the cityBuzruna;152and the King of the[pg 196]city ofKhalavunni153has made promises to him: both have fought withBiridasiaagainst me. Wickedly they vex us. I have marched our kinsmen—the people ofNeboyapiza—but his success never fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the cityDimasca(Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; andArzaiaiais marching to the cityGizza,154andAzi(ru) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the citySaddu155declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land ofGizza.ArzaiaiawithBiridasiaafflicts the land (which is wretched? orAbitu), and the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will guard the town ofCumidi(Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ... the men of the wretched land”(or of the landAbitu).152 B.—“... thusAra(ga?) chief of the cityCumidi156(Kamid) ... at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of hisPakas(chiefs) as to me, a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?). But never a horse and never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my Lord; and closely allied157is his servant; and to explain this I am despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord deign to hear me.”46 B. M.—“At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow. Behold what this our saying tells, as to[pg 197]the landAm(Ham) the fortresses of the King my Lord. A man namedEda... has arisen, a chief of the landCinzaeast of the land of theHittites, to take the fortresses of the King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my God my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”125 B.—“To the King my Lord thusArzaiaia, chief of the cityMikhiza.158At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to meet the general (Paka) with (all the infantry?) ... all who have marched to overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (Paka). As for me, do I not order all to ... after them? Behold they have been speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of the King my Lord.”126 B.—The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).75 B. M.—A short letter fromDasruto say he has heard the King's message. He lived in the land ofHam(37 B. M.).127 B. M.—The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is of good omen.171 B.—“A message and information from the servant of the King my Lord my God.... And behold what the chief ofSimyrahas done to my brethren of the city ofTubakhi;159and he marches to waste the fortresses of the King my Lord my God my Sun ... the land of theAmorites. He has wearied out our chiefs. The fortresses of the King my Lord my God ... are for men of blood. And now strong is the god of the King my Lord my God my Sun; and the city ofTubakhigoes forth to war, and I have stirred up my brethren,[pg 198]and I guard the city ofTubakhifor the King my Lord my God my Sun. And behold this city ofTubakhiis the city of the plains of my fathers.”132 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Artabania, chief of the cityZiribasani160thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Behold a message to me to speed to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers. And who am I but a dog only, and shall I not march? Behold me, with my soldiers and my chariots meeting the Egyptian soldiers at the place of which the King my Lord speaks.”78 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus the chief of the cityGubbu161thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun (permit?) that seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, and now I with my soldiers and my chariots meet the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place you march to.”64 B. M.—“ToYankhamu162my Lord by letter thusMuu-tadduthy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet as this says, announcing that the enemy is hastening speedily as—my Lord—was announced to the King of the cityBikhisi163from friends164of his Lord. Let the King my Lord speed: let the King my Lord fly: for the foe is wasting in the cityBikhisithis two months, there is none ... On account of (Bibelu?) having told me this one has asked then ... until by the arrival ofAnamarut(Amenophis IV)165the city of[pg 199]Ashtorethis occupied.166Behold they have destroyed all the fortresses of neighboring lands: the cityUdumu,167the cityAduri,168the cityAraru,169the cityMeis(pa?),170the cityMacdalim,171the cityKhini.172I announced that they had taken the cityZaar.173They are fighting this city, the cityYabisi.174Moreover, fearing the force against me, I am watching it till you arrive. One has come from your way to the cityBikhisi,175and he has made us hear the news.”134 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thusAbdmelecthe chief of this citySaskhi176thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord ... on my face seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, accordingly I with my soldiers and my chariots (am) meeting the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place to which you will march.”143 B.—“To the King our Lord thus (says)Addubayaand thus alsoBetili. At the feet of our Lord we bow. Peace indeed to the face of our Lord. And (as is fit?) from the lands of our Lord, much they salute. O our Lord, will not you settle everything in your heart? Will not you harden your heart as to this combat O our Lord? But their intention is clear—to make war on the stations, as in our country they do not follow after thee.Lupackhallu177has removed the soldiers of theHittites; they will go against the cities of the land of Ham (Am) and fromAtadumithey will (take?) them. And let our Lord know, since we hear thatZitana178the Phœnician (Kharu) has deserted, who will march. And nine chiefs of the soldiers of the government are with us, who march, and the message is unfavorable: a gathering in the land they have made; and they will arrive from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash).[pg 200]But I causeBetilito send against this (foe). Thus we wage war against them. And my trusty messenger I cause to be sent to your presence, as said; for you to return an order whether we shall do so or whether not. ToRabanandAbdbaal, toRabanaandRabzidduthus: behold to all of you be peace indeed, and will not you harden your hearts, and will not you settle all in your hearts, and do what is fitting from your places? Much peace; and to (the people?) peace be increased.”91 B.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the cityGebal179(and) thusRabikhar(‘the Lord of Phœnicia’) thy servant. At the feet of my Lord the Sun seven times I bow. Do not be angry, O King my Lord, with the city ofGebal(Gubla) thy handmaid—a city of the King from of old, obeying what the King commands as toAziru, and it did as he wished. BeholdAziruslewAdunu, Lord of the land ofAmmia,180and the King of the land ofArdata,181and has slain the great men, and has taken their cities for himself. The citySimyrais his. Of the cities of the King only the cityGebalescapes for the King. Behold the citySimyrais subjected. He has smitten the cityUllaza.182The captains of both have gone into exile. Behold this sinAziruwrought. Sinful are his strivings against her ... he has smitten all the lands ofHam(Am), lands of the King; and now he has despatched his men to destroy all the lands ofHam; and the King of the land of theHittites, and the king of the land ofNereb(Nariba)183(have made?) the land conquered land.”From these letters we learn clearly that the Mongol kings near the Euphrates (and, as appears later, in Armenia) were leagued with the Hittites of Mer'ash in the extreme north of Syria, and of Kadesh on the Orontes, and were supported by the Amorites of the northern Lebanon and by some of the Phœnicians; that the enemy marched south, a distance of 300 miles, taking all the towns in the Baalbek Valley, reaching Damascus by the gorge of the Barada River, and advancing into the land of Ham—in Bashan—where all the chief towns[pg 201]fell. This serves to make clear the treachery of Aziru's letters which follow. The Amorite advance on the Phœnician coast was contemporary, and extended to Tyre. It appears, however, that the Amorites were a Semitic people, while the names of the Hittites are Mongolic.

No. 36 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria127(Amenophis III) Son of the Sun, my Lord thus (says) this thy servantAkizzi.128Seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord in these my lands I am afraid. Mayst thou protect one who is thy servant under the yoke of my Lord. From the yoke of my Lord I do not rebel. Lo! there is fear of my foes. The people of this thy servant are under thy yoke: this country is among thy lands: the cityKatna129is thy city: I am on the side of my Lord's rule (yoke). Lo! the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's government have received corn and drink, oxen and beasts (oil and honey?), meeting the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's dominion (coming?) to me. And now let my Lord ask the great men of his dominion. My Lord, all lands tremble before thy soldiers and thy chariots. If these lands are under the dominion of my Lord's land, and they are seizing them, let him order his soldiers and his chariots this year, and let him take the land ofMarhasse,130the whole of it, to the yoke of my Lord, when—my Lord—the soldiers of the slaves131are132... For six days ago he went out into the land ofHu(ba), and trulyAziruis sending them, and if in this year my Lord does not send out the soldiers and the chariots of his government ... to meetAziru(and) make him flee ... all will rebel ... My Lord, know him. My Lord (know) the men who are[pg 192]his foes ... And lo! now the King of the land of theHittites... with pride rebels against his gods. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of theHittites: he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city ofKatna,Aziruexpels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the cityKatna. My Lord truly they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and truly they give gold. My Lord—Sun God, my fathers' god133—the men have made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold—O Sun God of my fathers—the King of theHittitesmakes them march. And know of them, my Lord—may the gods make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear. And lo! perchance the Sun God of my fathers will turn his heart toward me. My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or tithe of gold?) be given him, as we have purposed for the Sun God of my fathers. As has been said they have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner—the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)—is out of sight of the Sun God.”

37 B. M.—“To KingAnnumuria, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says)Akizzithy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord, now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord. And behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold now ... the King of the land of theHittites... sends forth ... and the heart of ... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites. And as for me ... the King of the land of theHittites. As for me I am with the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of the King of the land of theHittites.”

This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak ofAidugama,134the Hittite King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things—enumerated, but not intelligible—including, perhaps, ships or boats, and dwellings; and it mentionsNeboyapiza. It then continues:

“My Lord:Teuiattiof the city ofLapana,135andArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi,136minister beforeAidugama; but this land is the land of the dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the land ofMarhasse, and the King of the land ofNi, and the King of the land ofZinzaar,137and the King of the land ofCanaan. And all of these are kings under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord—chiefs who are servants. As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch thebitati138soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my LordArzuiaof the cityRuhizzi, andTeuiattiof the cityLapana, dwelt in the land ofHuba,139andDasrudwelt in the landAmma,140and truly my Lord has known them. Behold the land ofHobahwas at peace my Lord in the days of this government. They will be[pg 194]subject toAidugama. Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land ofHobah. My Lord, as said, the cityTimasgi,141in the land ofHobah, is without sin at thy feet; and aid thou the cityKatnawhich is without sin at thy feet. It has been feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain (our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of thebitatisoldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this my land, and they shall ... in the cityKatna.”

96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, fromNeboyapiza142to the King of Egypt, ends as follows:

“Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will name.”

142 B.—“To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and they will devour me—Neboyapiza: we abide before thy face, my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the cityGidisi.143And my fortresses (say)‘Speed us avengers.’I make ready, and (because that?) thePakas144of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler consider that (Neboyapiza) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people. And beholdNeboyapizahas sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the men of blood are from the landAmmusi,145and (part) from the land ofHubi, and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a God146and a Sun in my sight, and restore the strongholds[pg 195]holds to the King my Lord from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”

It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important townCumidi, nowKamid, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the capital of the surrounding district.

189 B. is much broken. It is fromArzana, chief of the cityKhazi.147He speaks of an attack onTusulti, by bloody soldiers fighting against the place, and perhaps of the cityBel Gidda(Baal Gad),148and mentions aPaka, or Egyptian official, calledAman Khatbi, named after the Egyptian god Amen. The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian general, and are attackingKhazi, his city. They had already takenMaguzi,149and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.

43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:

“... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the King entirely.Biridasiaperceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has secretly passed beyond my cityMaramma;150and the great pass is open behind me. And he is marching chariots from the cityAstarti,151and commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the cityBuzruna;152and the King of the[pg 196]city ofKhalavunni153has made promises to him: both have fought withBiridasiaagainst me. Wickedly they vex us. I have marched our kinsmen—the people ofNeboyapiza—but his success never fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the cityDimasca(Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; andArzaiaiais marching to the cityGizza,154andAzi(ru) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the citySaddu155declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land ofGizza.ArzaiaiawithBiridasiaafflicts the land (which is wretched? orAbitu), and the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will guard the town ofCumidi(Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ... the men of the wretched land”(or of the landAbitu).

152 B.—“... thusAra(ga?) chief of the cityCumidi156(Kamid) ... at the feet of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of hisPakas(chiefs) as to me, a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?). But never a horse and never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my Lord; and closely allied157is his servant; and to explain this I am despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord deign to hear me.”

46 B. M.—“At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow. Behold what this our saying tells, as to[pg 197]the landAm(Ham) the fortresses of the King my Lord. A man namedEda... has arisen, a chief of the landCinzaeast of the land of theHittites, to take the fortresses of the King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my God my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”

125 B.—“To the King my Lord thusArzaiaia, chief of the cityMikhiza.158At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to meet the general (Paka) with (all the infantry?) ... all who have marched to overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (Paka). As for me, do I not order all to ... after them? Behold they have been speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of the King my Lord.”

126 B.—The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).

75 B. M.—A short letter fromDasruto say he has heard the King's message. He lived in the land ofHam(37 B. M.).

127 B. M.—The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is of good omen.

171 B.—“A message and information from the servant of the King my Lord my God.... And behold what the chief ofSimyrahas done to my brethren of the city ofTubakhi;159and he marches to waste the fortresses of the King my Lord my God my Sun ... the land of theAmorites. He has wearied out our chiefs. The fortresses of the King my Lord my God ... are for men of blood. And now strong is the god of the King my Lord my God my Sun; and the city ofTubakhigoes forth to war, and I have stirred up my brethren,[pg 198]and I guard the city ofTubakhifor the King my Lord my God my Sun. And behold this city ofTubakhiis the city of the plains of my fathers.”

132 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says)Artabania, chief of the cityZiribasani160thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Behold a message to me to speed to meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers. And who am I but a dog only, and shall I not march? Behold me, with my soldiers and my chariots meeting the Egyptian soldiers at the place of which the King my Lord speaks.”

78 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus the chief of the cityGubbu161thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun (permit?) that seven times, on my face, seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, and now I with my soldiers and my chariots meet the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place you march to.”

64 B. M.—“ToYankhamu162my Lord by letter thusMuu-tadduthy servant. I bow at my Lord's feet as this says, announcing that the enemy is hastening speedily as—my Lord—was announced to the King of the cityBikhisi163from friends164of his Lord. Let the King my Lord speed: let the King my Lord fly: for the foe is wasting in the cityBikhisithis two months, there is none ... On account of (Bibelu?) having told me this one has asked then ... until by the arrival ofAnamarut(Amenophis IV)165the city of[pg 199]Ashtorethis occupied.166Behold they have destroyed all the fortresses of neighboring lands: the cityUdumu,167the cityAduri,168the cityAraru,169the cityMeis(pa?),170the cityMacdalim,171the cityKhini.172I announced that they had taken the cityZaar.173They are fighting this city, the cityYabisi.174Moreover, fearing the force against me, I am watching it till you arrive. One has come from your way to the cityBikhisi,175and he has made us hear the news.”

134 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thusAbdmelecthe chief of this citySaskhi176thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord ... on my face seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers, accordingly I with my soldiers and my chariots (am) meeting the soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place to which you will march.”

143 B.—“To the King our Lord thus (says)Addubayaand thus alsoBetili. At the feet of our Lord we bow. Peace indeed to the face of our Lord. And (as is fit?) from the lands of our Lord, much they salute. O our Lord, will not you settle everything in your heart? Will not you harden your heart as to this combat O our Lord? But their intention is clear—to make war on the stations, as in our country they do not follow after thee.Lupackhallu177has removed the soldiers of theHittites; they will go against the cities of the land of Ham (Am) and fromAtadumithey will (take?) them. And let our Lord know, since we hear thatZitana178the Phœnician (Kharu) has deserted, who will march. And nine chiefs of the soldiers of the government are with us, who march, and the message is unfavorable: a gathering in the land they have made; and they will arrive from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash).[pg 200]But I causeBetilito send against this (foe). Thus we wage war against them. And my trusty messenger I cause to be sent to your presence, as said; for you to return an order whether we shall do so or whether not. ToRabanandAbdbaal, toRabanaandRabzidduthus: behold to all of you be peace indeed, and will not you harden your hearts, and will not you settle all in your hearts, and do what is fitting from your places? Much peace; and to (the people?) peace be increased.”

91 B.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the cityGebal179(and) thusRabikhar(‘the Lord of Phœnicia’) thy servant. At the feet of my Lord the Sun seven times I bow. Do not be angry, O King my Lord, with the city ofGebal(Gubla) thy handmaid—a city of the King from of old, obeying what the King commands as toAziru, and it did as he wished. BeholdAziruslewAdunu, Lord of the land ofAmmia,180and the King of the land ofArdata,181and has slain the great men, and has taken their cities for himself. The citySimyrais his. Of the cities of the King only the cityGebalescapes for the King. Behold the citySimyrais subjected. He has smitten the cityUllaza.182The captains of both have gone into exile. Behold this sinAziruwrought. Sinful are his strivings against her ... he has smitten all the lands ofHam(Am), lands of the King; and now he has despatched his men to destroy all the lands ofHam; and the King of the land of theHittites, and the king of the land ofNereb(Nariba)183(have made?) the land conquered land.”

From these letters we learn clearly that the Mongol kings near the Euphrates (and, as appears later, in Armenia) were leagued with the Hittites of Mer'ash in the extreme north of Syria, and of Kadesh on the Orontes, and were supported by the Amorites of the northern Lebanon and by some of the Phœnicians; that the enemy marched south, a distance of 300 miles, taking all the towns in the Baalbek Valley, reaching Damascus by the gorge of the Barada River, and advancing into the land of Ham—in Bashan—where all the chief towns[pg 201]fell. This serves to make clear the treachery of Aziru's letters which follow. The Amorite advance on the Phœnician coast was contemporary, and extended to Tyre. It appears, however, that the Amorites were a Semitic people, while the names of the Hittites are Mongolic.

The Amorite TreacheryNo. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my SunAziruthy servant; and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow.”The letter is much broken, but promises he will never rebel, and says he is sincere. He desires land of the King (at Simyra), and says the men of the government are friendly, but that the city of Simyra is to be made promptly to fulfil its engagements.35 B. M.—“To the Great King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this thy servantAziru. Seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and (from my youth?) in the presence of the King my Lord, and I fulfil all my orders to the sight of my Lord. And what they who are my (agents?) shall say to my Lord as to the chiefs who are faithful, in the sight of the King my Lord, will not you hear me speak, I who am thy servant sincere as long as I live? But when the King my Lord sentKhani,184I was resting in the city ofTunip(Tennib) and there was no knowledge behold of his arriving. Whereupon he gave notice, and coming after him also, have I not reached him? And letKhanispeak to testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my brethren have prepared to tend (him), andBetiluwill send to his presence oxen and beasts and fowls: his food and his drink will be provided. I shall give horses and beasts for his journey; and may the King my Lord hear my messages, with my assurances in the presence of the King my Lord.Khaniwill march much cared for in my sight, he accompanies me as my comrade, like my father; and lo! my Lord says,‘You turn away from the[pg 202]appearance of Khani.’Thus thy Gods and the Sun-God truly had known if I did not stay in the city ofTunip. Moreover because of the intention to set in order the city of Simyra, the King my Lord has sent word (and) the Kings of the land ofMarshasse(Mer'ash) have been foes to me. They have marched on my cities: they have observed the desire ofKhatib,185and has not he promised them? lo! hastily he has promised them. And truly my Lord has known that half of the possessions that the King my Lord has givenKhatibtakes: the tribute, and the gold and the silver that the King my Lord has given me; andKhatibtakes all the tribute; and truly my Lord has known. Moreover as against my Lord the King's having said,‘Why dost thou yield service to the messenger of the King of the land of theHittites, and dost not yield service to my messenger?’this region is the land of my Lord, he establishes me in it, with men of government. Let a messenger of my Lord come, and all that I speak of in the sight of my Lord let me give. Tin and ships, men186and weapons, and trees let me give.”40 B.—“ToDudu187my Lord my father thus (says)Aziruyour son your servant: at the feet of my father I bow. Lo! letDudusend the wishes of my Lord ... and I ... Moreover behold thou shalt not reject (me) my father, and whatever are the wishes ofDudumy father, send, and will not I ... Behold thou art my father and my Lord: I am thy son: the land of the Amorites is your land; and my house is your house.188Say what you wish and I will truly perform your wishes.”The latter part is broken, but states that he will not rebel against the wishes of the King or those of Dudu.38 B.—“ToDudumy Lord my father thusAziruthy servant. At my lord's feet I bow.Khatibwill march, and has carefully followed the messages (or orders) of the King my Lord before (he goes); and what is good increases; and I have been gladdened very much; and my brethren, men serving the King my Lord, and men who are servants ofDudumy Lord. They had feared exceedingly. Behold he will march, to command for the King my Lord with me. From the[pg 203]orders of my Lord my God and my Sun, and from the orders ofDudumy Lord, I will never depart. My Lord nowKhatibgoes forth with me, and also he will march to strengthen me. My Lord, the King of the land of theHittiteswill march from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash), and has he not boasted to meet me? and the King of theHittiteswill rebel, and behold I andKhatibwill march. Let the King my Lord hear my messages. I have feared without the countenance of the King my Lord, and without the countenance ofDudu; and now (my Gods and my messenger189). And truly these are my brethren—Duduand the great men of the King my Lord; and truly I will march; and since ODuduboth the King my Lord and the chiefs thus are ready, everything againstAziruis forgiven which has been unfavorable for my God,190and for us. And now I andKhatibhave appeared servants of the King. Truly thou knowestDudu, behold I go forth mightily.”31 B.—“ToKhai191my brother thus (says) this thy brotherAziru. With thee (be) peace indeed, and from the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord there is much safety. Whoever (is) against it the promise remains, in sight of the King my Lord; being formerly promised it remains. I and my sons and my brethren are all servants of the King: it is good for me. Now I andKhatibwill both march, behold, with speed. OKhai, as among you truly it is known, lo! I have been troubled. From the orders of my Lord there is no rebellion, nor from your orders. I am a servant of my Lord. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells in the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash) and I have feared his appearance. They who are in the West lands192have armed. He gathers; and while the city ofTunipis unoccupied, he dwells two swift marches from the city. And I have been afraid of his appearance; and contrary to messages of promise he goes forth to his rebellions. But now we shall both march, I andKhatib, with speed.”32 B. repeats the preceding—perhaps to another correspondent: it mentionsDudu, and says:“I have been afraid of[pg 204]this rebel son of a dog, and I have been troubled. Now he has sent a message from the Western land—the land of my Lord: they will both march together, and I have been afraid for my Lord's land.”33 B., much broken at the top, refers to the existing promise or treaty, and continues:“I cause the land of my Lord to be guarded, and my countenance is toward the men who are servants of the King my Lord in peace. My Lord now I andKhatibare made friends,193and let my Lord know behold I have ... in haste. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells ... and I have been afraid ... have armed ... of the land ... my Lord I remain quietly ... in the West land ... King my Lord to defend his land ... and now behold in the land ofMarhassehe dwells—two swift marches from the city ofTunip; and I fear his wastings. Let the city ofTunipbe defended: my Lord is a shield to men who serve him; mayst thou hear what is said and my sons will ... forever.”39 B., broken at the top.“I have strengthened this ... I have strengthened this wall in front of the mouth of the great pass,194and my Lord's fortress. And let my Lord hear as to the servants of his servant—thy servantAziru: they will keep watch: strife surrounds us: I trust there will be an expedition; and let us watch the lands of the King our Lord. Moreover toDudumy Lord. Hear the message of the King of the land ofMarhasseto me. They said:‘Your father195what gold has this King of Egypt given him, and what has his Lord promised him out of the Land of Egypt; and all the lands, and all the soldier slaves they have fought against?’(thus) they said ... toAziru... out of the Land of Egypt, and behold the slaves come round from the Land of ...Ni196: they have rebelled; and I repeat that thirty chiefs push on against me ... land of Egypt he remains ... my Lord toAziru... soldiers ...Marhasse.”[pg 205]34 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) thisAziruthy servant: seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. Now what you wish is desirable. Sun God my Lord I am thy servant forever; and my sons serve thee.... Now two men ... I have commanded as envoys ... what he says ... and let him rule ... in the land of the Amorites.”34a B.—The salutation of the usual type is here injured. The letter continues:“My Lord my God my Sun, I am thy servant and my sons and my brethren, to serve the King my Lord forever. Now all my Lord's wishes, and what he causes to be despatched, duly ... the King my Lord having despatched. Now eight chiefs who are great, and many (decrees?) we ... all of which ... from ... the King my Lord ... And the Kings of the Land ofMarhassewill follow with ... and are these not promised (or leagued) to the citySimyrathese thirty years? I turn me to the citySimyra. My Lord I am thy servant forever, and a King of men who are friends; will not my (agents?) ... my Lord (wilt not thou hear?). And the King is my Lord my God and my Sun: let him send his messenger with my messenger, and let them go up who serve the King ...”36 B.—“To the King ... thusAziru: seven times and seven times at ... of my God and Sun. Behold truly thou hast known this, O King my Lord; behold I am thy servant forever; from my Lord's commands I never rebel: my Lord from of old (it has been) thus. I am kind to the men who are servants of my King; but the chiefs of the citySimyrahave not kept faith righteously with us; and behold neither one nor all are with us: my Lord the King did not you cause to be asked? The King my Lord has known that the chiefs are sinful; and why ask,‘What does he contend for?’I say nay ...”From these letters by Aziru, we must conclude either that he was a great liar or that he was induced to change sides later. The other correspondents seem to have believed that he had long deceived the King of Egypt; but, in the end, his invasion of Phœnicia—perhaps cloaked by pretences of hostility to the Hittite league—caused him, as we shall see, to be proclaimed a rebel. The quarrel with Simyra may have been due to his[pg 206]being pushed south, out of his dominions, but is here said to be due to a Phœnician league with his foes. It does not appear who Khatib was. Perhaps the name was Hittite,197and he may have been the Prince of Hamath or of Emesa. The following letter from Aziru's father, Abdasherah, belongs to a later period of the war, when Ullaza and all the cities north of Gebal had been conquered by the Amorites. It is couched in the same insidious language; and the letters of Ribadda, which follow, show that Amenophis was not open to conviction for a long time, though warned by his true friends. The proclamation is still later, after the attack on Sidon, and may fitly conclude the Amorite correspondence.97 B.—“To the King my Son my Lord thusAbdasratu198thy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Behold I am the King's servant, and a dog who is his neighbor (or his‘friend’?); and all the land of the Amorites is his. I often said toPakhanati199myPaka(Egyptian resident),‘Let him gather soldiers to defend the people of this King.’Now all (cursed?) as King, the King of the Phœnician (Kharri) soldiers ...Kharri: the King shall ask if I do not guard the city ofSimyra(and) the cityUllaza. Lo myPakais in her: I proclaim the Sun-King; and I have (given orders?) to obey. The citySimyrais a neighbor,200and all the lands are the King's—my Sun, my Lord; I watch for him: and I know that the King my Lord is very glorious; andPakhanatimyPakais established to judge therein.”Copy of a Proclamation against Aziru, sent to Egypt by Khanni, when sent again to Syria92 B.—“To the Chief of the Amorite city by letter thus (says) your Lord. A chief of the city ofGebalhas said thus[pg 207]in his petition:‘Send him away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my chief city.’201And I have heard this and much beside which they have said to me as I now speak to say.“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus),‘I am thy servant as all former guardians202who have been in this city.’And you do well to say thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is),‘Send him away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’And in the cityZituna(Sidon) he abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and, though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King, how is his cutting off lawful in the sight of the King your Lord? Thus this ruler beseeches me,‘Let a supplicant be protected, for he is disputing my chief city with me.’And if you do as is asserted, and not according to all the messages that I send against these things, you are hindering the King traitorously. So will be understood all that has been said.“And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city ofCiidsa(Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites); devising hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so, why dost thou so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he is on his side? But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you respect the orders to yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the messages you formerly made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them. But thou art not on the side of the King thy Lord.“Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through (your burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou dost service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to interceding with the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make God my witness; and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of war (will be) in your midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and as many as are with thee.[pg 208]“But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of Canaan.203So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the King my Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this) contumacy in the sight of the King thy Lord is vain.“And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is difficult for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King at whose commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus truly is ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of the King thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let him not delay at all.“And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has the King commanded me—Khanni—a second time a messenger of the King. Truly it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house. Behold now I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou shalt bind them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by the King thy Lord to name the men who are foes of the King in the letter from Khanni the King's messenger; and once more I am obeying the King thy Lord; and thou shalt not leave one among them. A chain of bronze exceeding heavy shall shackle their feet. Behold the men thou shalt fetch to the King thy Lord.Sarruwith all his sons;Tuia;Lieiawith all his sons:Pisyari204with all his sons: the son-in-law ofManiawith all his sons, with his wives, the women of his household: the chief ofPabaha,205whose wickedness is abhorred, who made the trumpet to be blown:Dasarti: Paluma: Numahe—a fugitive in the land of the Amorites.“And knowest thou not that the glory of the King is as the Sun in heaven; his soldiers and his chariots are many. From the shore lands to the land of Gutium,206from the rising of the[pg 209]Sun to the going down of the same, there is much salutation.”The attack on Sidon was thus apparently the fact which opened the eyes of Amenophis. It appears to have preceded the final success, when the wealthy city of Gebal was taken by Aziru.

No. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my SunAziruthy servant; and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow.”The letter is much broken, but promises he will never rebel, and says he is sincere. He desires land of the King (at Simyra), and says the men of the government are friendly, but that the city of Simyra is to be made promptly to fulfil its engagements.

35 B. M.—“To the Great King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this thy servantAziru. Seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and (from my youth?) in the presence of the King my Lord, and I fulfil all my orders to the sight of my Lord. And what they who are my (agents?) shall say to my Lord as to the chiefs who are faithful, in the sight of the King my Lord, will not you hear me speak, I who am thy servant sincere as long as I live? But when the King my Lord sentKhani,184I was resting in the city ofTunip(Tennib) and there was no knowledge behold of his arriving. Whereupon he gave notice, and coming after him also, have I not reached him? And letKhanispeak to testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my brethren have prepared to tend (him), andBetiluwill send to his presence oxen and beasts and fowls: his food and his drink will be provided. I shall give horses and beasts for his journey; and may the King my Lord hear my messages, with my assurances in the presence of the King my Lord.Khaniwill march much cared for in my sight, he accompanies me as my comrade, like my father; and lo! my Lord says,‘You turn away from the[pg 202]appearance of Khani.’Thus thy Gods and the Sun-God truly had known if I did not stay in the city ofTunip. Moreover because of the intention to set in order the city of Simyra, the King my Lord has sent word (and) the Kings of the land ofMarshasse(Mer'ash) have been foes to me. They have marched on my cities: they have observed the desire ofKhatib,185and has not he promised them? lo! hastily he has promised them. And truly my Lord has known that half of the possessions that the King my Lord has givenKhatibtakes: the tribute, and the gold and the silver that the King my Lord has given me; andKhatibtakes all the tribute; and truly my Lord has known. Moreover as against my Lord the King's having said,‘Why dost thou yield service to the messenger of the King of the land of theHittites, and dost not yield service to my messenger?’this region is the land of my Lord, he establishes me in it, with men of government. Let a messenger of my Lord come, and all that I speak of in the sight of my Lord let me give. Tin and ships, men186and weapons, and trees let me give.”

40 B.—“ToDudu187my Lord my father thus (says)Aziruyour son your servant: at the feet of my father I bow. Lo! letDudusend the wishes of my Lord ... and I ... Moreover behold thou shalt not reject (me) my father, and whatever are the wishes ofDudumy father, send, and will not I ... Behold thou art my father and my Lord: I am thy son: the land of the Amorites is your land; and my house is your house.188Say what you wish and I will truly perform your wishes.”The latter part is broken, but states that he will not rebel against the wishes of the King or those of Dudu.

38 B.—“ToDudumy Lord my father thusAziruthy servant. At my lord's feet I bow.Khatibwill march, and has carefully followed the messages (or orders) of the King my Lord before (he goes); and what is good increases; and I have been gladdened very much; and my brethren, men serving the King my Lord, and men who are servants ofDudumy Lord. They had feared exceedingly. Behold he will march, to command for the King my Lord with me. From the[pg 203]orders of my Lord my God and my Sun, and from the orders ofDudumy Lord, I will never depart. My Lord nowKhatibgoes forth with me, and also he will march to strengthen me. My Lord, the King of the land of theHittiteswill march from the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash), and has he not boasted to meet me? and the King of theHittiteswill rebel, and behold I andKhatibwill march. Let the King my Lord hear my messages. I have feared without the countenance of the King my Lord, and without the countenance ofDudu; and now (my Gods and my messenger189). And truly these are my brethren—Duduand the great men of the King my Lord; and truly I will march; and since ODuduboth the King my Lord and the chiefs thus are ready, everything againstAziruis forgiven which has been unfavorable for my God,190and for us. And now I andKhatibhave appeared servants of the King. Truly thou knowestDudu, behold I go forth mightily.”

31 B.—“ToKhai191my brother thus (says) this thy brotherAziru. With thee (be) peace indeed, and from the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord there is much safety. Whoever (is) against it the promise remains, in sight of the King my Lord; being formerly promised it remains. I and my sons and my brethren are all servants of the King: it is good for me. Now I andKhatibwill both march, behold, with speed. OKhai, as among you truly it is known, lo! I have been troubled. From the orders of my Lord there is no rebellion, nor from your orders. I am a servant of my Lord. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells in the land ofMarhasse(Mer'ash) and I have feared his appearance. They who are in the West lands192have armed. He gathers; and while the city ofTunipis unoccupied, he dwells two swift marches from the city. And I have been afraid of his appearance; and contrary to messages of promise he goes forth to his rebellions. But now we shall both march, I andKhatib, with speed.”

32 B. repeats the preceding—perhaps to another correspondent: it mentionsDudu, and says:“I have been afraid of[pg 204]this rebel son of a dog, and I have been troubled. Now he has sent a message from the Western land—the land of my Lord: they will both march together, and I have been afraid for my Lord's land.”

33 B., much broken at the top, refers to the existing promise or treaty, and continues:“I cause the land of my Lord to be guarded, and my countenance is toward the men who are servants of the King my Lord in peace. My Lord now I andKhatibare made friends,193and let my Lord know behold I have ... in haste. The King of the land of theHittitesdwells ... and I have been afraid ... have armed ... of the land ... my Lord I remain quietly ... in the West land ... King my Lord to defend his land ... and now behold in the land ofMarhassehe dwells—two swift marches from the city ofTunip; and I fear his wastings. Let the city ofTunipbe defended: my Lord is a shield to men who serve him; mayst thou hear what is said and my sons will ... forever.”

39 B., broken at the top.“I have strengthened this ... I have strengthened this wall in front of the mouth of the great pass,194and my Lord's fortress. And let my Lord hear as to the servants of his servant—thy servantAziru: they will keep watch: strife surrounds us: I trust there will be an expedition; and let us watch the lands of the King our Lord. Moreover toDudumy Lord. Hear the message of the King of the land ofMarhasseto me. They said:‘Your father195what gold has this King of Egypt given him, and what has his Lord promised him out of the Land of Egypt; and all the lands, and all the soldier slaves they have fought against?’(thus) they said ... toAziru... out of the Land of Egypt, and behold the slaves come round from the Land of ...Ni196: they have rebelled; and I repeat that thirty chiefs push on against me ... land of Egypt he remains ... my Lord toAziru... soldiers ...Marhasse.”

34 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) thisAziruthy servant: seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. Now what you wish is desirable. Sun God my Lord I am thy servant forever; and my sons serve thee.... Now two men ... I have commanded as envoys ... what he says ... and let him rule ... in the land of the Amorites.”

34a B.—The salutation of the usual type is here injured. The letter continues:“My Lord my God my Sun, I am thy servant and my sons and my brethren, to serve the King my Lord forever. Now all my Lord's wishes, and what he causes to be despatched, duly ... the King my Lord having despatched. Now eight chiefs who are great, and many (decrees?) we ... all of which ... from ... the King my Lord ... And the Kings of the Land ofMarhassewill follow with ... and are these not promised (or leagued) to the citySimyrathese thirty years? I turn me to the citySimyra. My Lord I am thy servant forever, and a King of men who are friends; will not my (agents?) ... my Lord (wilt not thou hear?). And the King is my Lord my God and my Sun: let him send his messenger with my messenger, and let them go up who serve the King ...”

36 B.—“To the King ... thusAziru: seven times and seven times at ... of my God and Sun. Behold truly thou hast known this, O King my Lord; behold I am thy servant forever; from my Lord's commands I never rebel: my Lord from of old (it has been) thus. I am kind to the men who are servants of my King; but the chiefs of the citySimyrahave not kept faith righteously with us; and behold neither one nor all are with us: my Lord the King did not you cause to be asked? The King my Lord has known that the chiefs are sinful; and why ask,‘What does he contend for?’I say nay ...”

From these letters by Aziru, we must conclude either that he was a great liar or that he was induced to change sides later. The other correspondents seem to have believed that he had long deceived the King of Egypt; but, in the end, his invasion of Phœnicia—perhaps cloaked by pretences of hostility to the Hittite league—caused him, as we shall see, to be proclaimed a rebel. The quarrel with Simyra may have been due to his[pg 206]being pushed south, out of his dominions, but is here said to be due to a Phœnician league with his foes. It does not appear who Khatib was. Perhaps the name was Hittite,197and he may have been the Prince of Hamath or of Emesa. The following letter from Aziru's father, Abdasherah, belongs to a later period of the war, when Ullaza and all the cities north of Gebal had been conquered by the Amorites. It is couched in the same insidious language; and the letters of Ribadda, which follow, show that Amenophis was not open to conviction for a long time, though warned by his true friends. The proclamation is still later, after the attack on Sidon, and may fitly conclude the Amorite correspondence.

97 B.—“To the King my Son my Lord thusAbdasratu198thy servant, the dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven times I bow. Behold I am the King's servant, and a dog who is his neighbor (or his‘friend’?); and all the land of the Amorites is his. I often said toPakhanati199myPaka(Egyptian resident),‘Let him gather soldiers to defend the people of this King.’Now all (cursed?) as King, the King of the Phœnician (Kharri) soldiers ...Kharri: the King shall ask if I do not guard the city ofSimyra(and) the cityUllaza. Lo myPakais in her: I proclaim the Sun-King; and I have (given orders?) to obey. The citySimyrais a neighbor,200and all the lands are the King's—my Sun, my Lord; I watch for him: and I know that the King my Lord is very glorious; andPakhanatimyPakais established to judge therein.”

Copy of a Proclamation against Aziru, sent to Egypt by Khanni, when sent again to Syria

92 B.—“To the Chief of the Amorite city by letter thus (says) your Lord. A chief of the city ofGebalhas said thus[pg 207]in his petition:‘Send him away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my chief city.’201And I have heard this and much beside which they have said to me as I now speak to say.

“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus),‘I am thy servant as all former guardians202who have been in this city.’And you do well to say thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is),‘Send him away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’And in the cityZituna(Sidon) he abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and, though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King, how is his cutting off lawful in the sight of the King your Lord? Thus this ruler beseeches me,‘Let a supplicant be protected, for he is disputing my chief city with me.’And if you do as is asserted, and not according to all the messages that I send against these things, you are hindering the King traitorously. So will be understood all that has been said.

“And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city ofCiidsa(Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites); devising hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so, why dost thou so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he is on his side? But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you respect the orders to yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the messages you formerly made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them. But thou art not on the side of the King thy Lord.

“Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through (your burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou dost service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to interceding with the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make God my witness; and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of war (will be) in your midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and as many as are with thee.

“But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of Canaan.203So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the King my Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this) contumacy in the sight of the King thy Lord is vain.

“And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is difficult for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King at whose commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus truly is ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of the King thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let him not delay at all.

“And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has the King commanded me—Khanni—a second time a messenger of the King. Truly it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house. Behold now I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou shalt bind them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by the King thy Lord to name the men who are foes of the King in the letter from Khanni the King's messenger; and once more I am obeying the King thy Lord; and thou shalt not leave one among them. A chain of bronze exceeding heavy shall shackle their feet. Behold the men thou shalt fetch to the King thy Lord.Sarruwith all his sons;Tuia;Lieiawith all his sons:Pisyari204with all his sons: the son-in-law ofManiawith all his sons, with his wives, the women of his household: the chief ofPabaha,205whose wickedness is abhorred, who made the trumpet to be blown:Dasarti: Paluma: Numahe—a fugitive in the land of the Amorites.

“And knowest thou not that the glory of the King is as the Sun in heaven; his soldiers and his chariots are many. From the shore lands to the land of Gutium,206from the rising of the[pg 209]Sun to the going down of the same, there is much salutation.”

The attack on Sidon was thus apparently the fact which opened the eyes of Amenophis. It appears to have preceded the final success, when the wealthy city of Gebal was taken by Aziru.

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