Letter from the King of Alashiya, c.1350 BC
Amarna letter EA 38, titledA Brotherly Quarrel,[1] is a letter from the King ofAlashiya (modernCyprus). One identifier of many of theAmarna letters, is the use ofparagraphing. Six paragraphs are in this letter, with much of the letter's reverse – uninscribed.
TheAmarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about1350 BC and 20–25 years later,correspondence. The initialcorpus of letters were found atAkhenaten's cityAkhetaten, in the floor of theBureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.
EA 38:A Brotherly Quarrel
[edit]EA 38, letter number five of seven, fromAlashiya. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation.)[1]
Obverse
- (Lines 1-6)–Say to the king ofEgypt-(Mizri), my brother: Message of the king ofAlashiya, your brother. For me all goes well, and for you may all go well. For your household, your chief wives,1your sons, your horses, your chariots, among your numerous troops, in your country, among your magnates, may all go very well.
- (7-12)–Why, my brother, do you say such a thing to me,"Does my brother not know this?"As far as I am concerned, I have done nothing of the sort. Indeed,2men ofLukki, year by year, seize villages in my own country.
- (13-18)–My brother, you say to me,"Men from your country were with them."My brother, I myself do not know that they were with them. If men from my country were (with them), send (them back) and I will act as I see fit.
- (19-22)–You yourself do not know men from my country.Theywould not do such a thing.3But if men from my country did do this, then you yourself do as you see fit.
- (23-26)–Now, my brother, since you have not sent back my messenger, for thistablet it is the king's brother (as messenger). L[et] him write. Your messengers must tell me what I am to do.4
bottom
- (26)–"to do"4
Reverse
- (lines: 27-30)–Furthermore, which ancestors of yours did such a thin{g} to my ancestors: So no, my brother, do not be concerned. –(complete EA 38, with virtually nolacunae, lines 1-30)
- Amarna letters–phrases and quotations
- List of Amarna letters by size
- Amarna letter EA 5,EA 9,EA 15,EA 19,EA 26,EA 27,EA 35, EA 38
- EA 153,EA 161,EA 288,EA 364,EA 365,EA 367
