A request for gold (Correspondence)

A request for gold

The king of Babylon asks the king of Egypt for gold

EA 7

Burnaburiash, king of Babylon

Akhenaten, king of Egypt

CDLI

Say to Akhenaten, Great King, the king of Egypt, on behalf of Burnaburiash, Great King, the king of Babylon, your brother: I and my house, my horses and my chariots, my notables and my land, we are well. May well-being reign over my brother and his house, his horses and his cars, his notables and his land.

From the day on which the envoy of my brother arrived before me, my body has not been well, and his envoy has never eaten or drunk before me. See, if you question your envoy, he cannot tell you that my body is not well, [...]

I vented my anger with my brother with the following words: Should my brother not know that I am ill? Why has he not supported my head? Why has he not worried and sent his messengers? The envoy of my brother has spoken thus: The way is not short, so that your brother can find out and send you greetings. The passage is long to your brother. Who can inform him, so that he sends a greeting to you quickly? He next spoke thus: Question your messenger if the passage is not long [...] As I asked my messenger, and he said that the way was long, no longer make I my brother the object of my anger.

As one has said that in the land of my brother there is everything, and that my brother lacks nothing, of everything there is also in my land, and I lack nothing. For a long time, we have had good relations between us kings, and we exchange greetings. These relations between us must remain [...]

Only four mina of beautiful lapis lazuli have I sent to my brother as a gift, and also five teams of horses. When the times are good, I will send with my future messengers many beautiful gifts, and anything that my brother wishes, he can write [...]

I have started an undertaking, and for this reason I write to my brother. My brother should send me much gold, that I need for my work. But the gold that my brother sends me, do not leave it to some official. Let the eyes of my brother inspect it, and let my brother seal it and send it! Because as far as the previous gold is concerned, which my brother did not inspect personally, but which was sealed and sent by an official of my brother, of the forty mina which I put in the furnace, there was barely anything of value left.

And with regards to Salmu, my envoy, twice has his caravan been plundered. Once it was plundered by Biriazama, and his other caravan by Pamahu, a governor of a land that belongs to you. And this matter, my brother, you must put right! When my envoy appears before my brother, then let also appear Salmu. His [...] has to be returned to him, and the damages have to be made good.