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 TREACHERY
NO. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun Aziru thy 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 servant Aziru. 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 sent Khani,[1] I was resting in the city of Tunip (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 let Khani speak to testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my brethren have prepared to tend (him), and Betilu will 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. Khani will 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
- ↑ An Egyptian name; perhaps to be compared with “han” (“kind”) in Egyptian. An envoy of this name was sent to Dusratta, King of Armenia, by Amenophis III, as an “interpreter” (21 B.).
