Amarna letter EA 252

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Amarna letter EA 252. Letter from Labayu (ruler of Shechem) to the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III or his son Akhenaten. 14th century BCE. From Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. British Museum. ME 29844 Amarna letter. Letter from Labayu (ruler of Shechem) to the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III or his son Akhenaten. 14th century BCE. From Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. British Museum.jpg
Amarna letter EA 252. Letter from Labayu (ruler of Shechem) to the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III or his son Akhenaten. 14th century BCE. From Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. British Museum. ME 29844
EA 365, equivalent-sized, rectangular letter to Labaya's letter EA 252.
(very high-resolution expandable photo) Amarna letter mp3h8876.jpg
EA 365, equivalent-sized, rectangular letter to Labaya's letter EA 252.
(very high-resolution expandable photo)

Amarna letter EA 252, titled: Sparing One's Enemies, [1] is a square, mostly flat clay tablet letter written on both sides, and the bottom edge. Each text line was written with a horizontal line scribed below the text line, as well as a vertical left margin-line, (beginning of text at left) scribe line on the obverse of the tablet. The letter contains 14 (15) lines on the obverse, continuing on the bottom tablet edge to conclude at line 31 on the reverse, leaving a small space before the final tablet edge. At least 4 lines from the obverse intrude into the text of the reverse (appearing as upside-down cuneiform into the text of the reverse), actually dividing the reverse into a top half and bottom half, and even creating a natural spacing segue to the reverse's text, and the story.

Contents

Letter EA 252 is authored by Labaya, by the 'Man, city-state' (of) Šakmu (Shechem today), and written to the Pharaoh. The letter is letter one of three letters authored by him, to the Pharaoh. In the current List of Amarna letters by size, it is the smallest clay tablet letter, being only ~3 in tall by ~2 in wide.

The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1350 BC and 20–25 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

Brief letter summary

The topic of the letter is Labaya's defense against other governors of city-states that he is engaged with. A town and statue were taken, and he defends his then follow-up actions of pursuit, to the pharaoh's commissioner. He states: "my parts are eaten/ I'm being slandered". The exact quote is "...he has slandered me, (and/ u), I am slandered-(ši-ir-ti)."

Directly next, an allegory, lines 16–19, follows concerning "a pinched ant-defending itself". Basically, if an ant is attacked, should it just sit quiet, or defend against the "hand of the man" that attacks? Labaya then explains his justification for pursuing the men in warfare (Akkadian nukurtu, nu-KÚR-te, (last syllable most variable in spellings)), [2] and the events to follow.

The letter

EA 252: "Sparing One's Enemies"

EA 252, letter one of three. (Not a linear, line-by-line translation, and English from French.) [3] (Obverse only, Paragraphs I, ~II; about a 3-paragraph letter):

Obverse: (see here: )

(Lines 1-4)--Say to the king, my lord: Message of Lab'ayu, your servant. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord.
(5-9)--As to your having written me,"Guard the men who seized the city;"how am I to guard (such) men? It was in war(nukurtu)the city was seized.
(10-15)--When I had sworn my peaceandwhen I sworethe magnatesworewith methe city, along with my god, was seized. He has slandered me: gl (and)(ši-ir-ti)(I am slandered) before the king, my lord.
(16-22)--Moreover, when an ant is struck....

EA 252, Reverse: (Photo in Rohl [4] )

(16-22)--Moreover, when an ant is struck, does it not fight back and bite the hand of the man that struck it? Howat this timecan I show deference and then another city of mine will be seized?
(23-31)--On the other hand, if you also order,"Fall down beneath them so they can strike you,"I will d<o> (it). I will guard the men that seized the city (and) my god. They arethe despoilersof my father, but I will guard them.-(!) --(complete EA 252, with no lacunae, lines 1-31)

Akkadian text

The Akkadian language text:

English:

(Line 1)--To "King-Lord-mine"
(2)--'speaking'
(3)--'message thus' 1. Labaya, SERVANT-yours
(4)--at feet(s)(pl.) "King-Lord-mine" I bow
(5)--Now, (you) messaged
(6)--to Me: "Guard!
(7)--men who en-sieged (the City)!"
(8)--"How to guard (the) Men, ...
(9)--..in conflict(warfare) en-sieged\ \"sworn" City?"
(10)--"How to swear peace? ..and.. How to swear, "sworn" City?"
(11)--"Commissioner(Man-Great) 'assigned with'-me
(12)--(the) captured, sworn City ! ?"
(13)--And, god(s) 'spoke/heard'
(14)--"(my) parts (are) eaten-mine" \ \ : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) "I AM SLANDERED"
(15)--before "The King", "Lord-Mine"

Akkadian:

(Line 1)--a-na "LUGAL-EN-ia"
(2)---bil-ma
(3)--um-ma I La-aB-A-iYa ARAD-ka
(4)--a-na GÌR.MEŠ "LUGAL-be--ia" am-qú-ut
(5)--i-nu-ma šap-ra-ta
(6)--a-na ia-a-ši ú-ṣur-me
(7)--.MEŠ ša ṣa-ab-tu URU
(8)-- ki-i uṣ-ṣur-ru-na .MEŠ
(9)--i-na nu-KÚR-te ṣa-ab-te at-me URU
(10)--ki it- ša-li-me u ki at-at-me URU
(11)--1. LUGAL.GAL it-ti-ia
(12)--ṣa-ab-ta at-me URU
(13)--ù i-li qa-bi
(14)--qa-ar-ṣí-ia : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) ši-ir-ti
(15)--i-na pa-ni "1. LUGAL-ma" "be-li-ia"

Cuneiform score, Akkadian, English

Cuneiform score (per CDLI, Chicago Digital Library Initiative), [5] and Akkadian, and English.


EA 252, Obverse
Paragraph I, (lines 1-4)
Paragraph II, (lines 5-15),
((Bottom)), (lines 16-17) Amarna letter. Letter from Labayu (ruler of Shechem) to the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III or his son Akhenaten. 14th century BCE. From Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. British Museum.jpg
EA 252, Obverse
Paragraph I, (lines 1-4)
Paragraph II, (lines 5-15),
((Bottom)), (lines 16-17)

Obverse

Paragraph I, (lines 1-4)

1.(P. I of III)-a-na 1=diš ŠÀR bi--ia
___a na 1=diš ŠÀR lu-ia
___To m=male=diš King Lord-mine
2.- -----bil- -----ma( !! )
___qa b û  !!
___speaking  !!
3.um-ma 1=diš La-ab-a-ya ÀRAD-ka
___um ma, 1=diš La-ab-a-ya ÀRAD-ka
___"message thus", m=male=diš Labaya, servant-yours
4.a-na _GÌRI-MEŠ_- (ŠÀR) be--ia am--ut
___a na _GÌRI-MEŠ_- (ŠÀR) lu-ia, ma tu  !
___at (the) feet pl. , (King), Lord-mine, I bow  !


Paragraph II, (lines 5-15)

5.(P. II of III)-i-nu-ma šap-ra-ta
___e ma, šap ār u [6]
___Now(at this time), (you) messaged(wrote):
6.a-na ia-a-ši ú-ṣur-
___a na i ā ši, Quote na ṣār u  !!
___to Me, QuoteEn-Guard  !!
7. _-MEŠ_ ša ṣa-ab-tu _IRI_
___ _-MEŠ_(amēlu) pl. ša ṣa tu _URU_  ? EndQuote
___(the) men pl. which en-sieged (the) town  ? EndQuote

segue
8.ki-i uṣ-ṣur-ru-na _-MEŠ_
___Quote k ī na ṣā r u
___ QuoteHow to guard (the) men pl. ,
9.i-na nu-KÚR-ti7 ṣa-ab-ta at- _IRI_
___i na nu kurtu ṣa tu ta [7] _URU_  ?EndQuote
___ in warfare en-sieged (sworn-to) town  ?EndQuote

segue
10.ki it-mi ša-li- ù ki it- it-ta#-
___ Quote-#2 ta [7] ša mu
___ Quote-#2 How to swear peace
10.6--------------ù ki it- it-ta#- ((IRI))
___-----------------u ta [7] ta# [7] (_URU_)  ?
___----------------- and how "to swear" "sworn-to" (town)  ?
11. 1=(diš)- ------GAL- -----it-ti-ia ( !! )
___ ((that))(ša), 1=(diš)--GAL itti--ia  ?
___ ((that)), (the) m=male=diš -Commissioner (assigned) with-Me  ?
12.ṣa-ab-ta-at- _IRI_
___ṣa tu ta [7] _URU_  ! ?EndQuote
___(the) captured sworn-to _town_  ! ?EndQuote-#2

segue
13.Ù i-li qa-bi
___U, i lu qa  :
___And, (the)-god spoke  :
14.qa-ar-ṣí-ia : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) ši-ir-ti
___Quote qa-ar-ṣí-ia : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) ši-ir-ti
___Quote"My parts are eaten"(intestines, insides)-mine : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) "I am slandered  !"
15.i-na pa-ni-ma be-li-ia
___i na n u(="face") lu-ia  !EndQuote
___"before", (my)-Lord-mine  !EndQuote

Paragraph III, (lines 16-31)

16.(P. III)-Ša-ni-tam ki-i na-am-lu
___Ša ni tam, k ī na m lu [8]
___Furthermore, when ants
17.tu-um-ha-ṣú la-a
___tu-um-ha-ṣú, l ā
___are squeezed,
17.7--------------la-a
___----------------l ā
___----------------(they) do not


Reverse

18.ti--bi-lu ------ ù ta-an-šu-ku
___qa b û  !
___(just)(speak) yell  !
18.5-------------ù ta-an-šu-ku
___----------------u na šā ku [9]  !
___----------------but bite  !
19.-ti __- ša yi-ma-ha--ši
___qātu __ ša mahāṣu  !
___(the) HAND, _MAN_, that attacks  !
20.k ī a-na-ku i-ša-ha-tu
___Quote k ī a ku i-ša-ha-tu
___ QuoteHow (can) I "abide time"
21.ú-ma-an-nu- ù
___ú-ma-an-nu-
___day this ("at this time"),
21.8-------------ù
___----------------u
___---------------- and-(with)
22.ṣa-ab-ta-at- 2-(diš _IRI_-ia
___ṣa t u at-(ta ) [7] 2-(diš_ _URU_-ia ! ?EndQuote
___seizing (of)(sworn) 2 cities-mine ! ?EndQuote

segue
23.Ša-ni-tam šum-ma ti-qa-bu
___Ša ni tam, šum ma qa
___Furthermore, when(if) (you) say
24.ap-pu-na-ma
___ap-pu-na-ma ( n u, ?come face)
___Quote"come forward" ((and))
25.nu-pu-ul-
___na l u [10]  !
___Demolish  !
26.ṭe-ah-ta-mu ù
___ṭe h û u
___approach and
27.ti-ma-ha-ṣú-ka
___ma u,  !
___attack,  !
28. i--<šu>-ú-ṣur-ru-na
29.-meš ša ṣa-ab-tu4 _IRI_ <ù>
___ meš ṣa bātu URU
___(the) men pl. who en-sieged (the) town UnQuote

segue
30.i-li šu-ṣú- [11] a-bi-ia
___i lu, ez ēz u a bu-ia
___[(the) god(s) ((listened))], defilers (of) Father-mine
31.ù ú-ṣur-ru : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) šu-nu
___u, e ru : ( gl Sumer ge23.jpg ) šu nu(=them)  !
___and, I curse them  !

See also

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References

  1. Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 252, Sparing One's Enemies, pp. 305-306.
  2. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh , Glossary, pp. 119-145, nukurtu, p. 135.
  3. Moran 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 252, Sparing One's Enemies, pp. 305-306.
  4. Rohl, 1995. Pharaohs and Kings: A Biblical Quest, p. 208.
  5. EA 252, (Chicago Digital Library Initiative) CDLI page for EA 252
  6. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, šapāru, pp. 55-87, p. 81; English: "to send, to send in writing".
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, tamû, pp. 55-87, p. 73; English: "to swear".
  8. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, namlu, pp. 55-87, p. 73; English: "ants".
  9. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, našāku, pp. 55-87, p. 73; English: "to bite".
  10. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, napālu, pp. 55-87, p. 73; English: "to fall".
  11. Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379, Glossary:Vocabulary, ((instead of "plunderers, raiders, despoilers")), šūšu, pp. 55-87, p. 83; English: "the despoilers of my father".