ave had a weakness for this worthy
brother-in-law and his ingenuous manner of approaching him, and spared
neither presents nor promises; at his death, however, some of the latter
remained unfulfilled. Evidently neighbouring kings heard at length of
Tushratta's financial success and were naturally envious. An extract will
give the reader a more definite notion of this royal correspondence with
its stylisms and turns of thought. The following is taken from Letter
VIII. in the British Museum edition. The long-winded introduction was
already a fixed convention, and occurs in all the letters from whatever
country, but the declaration of affection is peculiar to Tushratta:

"To Nimmuria, the great king, the king of Egypt, my brother, my
brother-in-law; who loves me and whom I love: Tushratta, the great
king, thy (future) father-in-law, king of Mitani; who loves thee
and is thy brother. It is well with me; may it be well with thee,
with thy house, with my sister and thy other wives, with thy sons,
thy chariots, thy horses, thy nobles, thy land, and all that is
thine, may it be well with them indeed! Whereas thy fathers in
their time kept fast friendship with my fathers, thou hast
increased the friendship. Now, therefore, that thou and I are
friends thou hast made it ten times closer than with my father.
May the gods cause our friendship to prosper! May Teshup, the
lord, and Amon ordain it eternally as it now is! I write this to
my brother that he may show me even more love than he showed my
father. Now I ask gold from my brother, and it behoves me to ask
this gold for two causes: in the first place for war equipment (to
be provided later), and secondly, for the dowry (likewise to be
provided). So, then, let my brother send me much gold, without
measure, more than to my father. For in my brother's land gold is
as the dust of the earth. May the gods grant that in the land of
my brother, where already so much gold is, there may be ten times
more in times to come! Certainly the gold that I require will not
trouble my brother's heart, but let him also not grieve my heart.
Therefore let my brother send gold without measure, in great
quantity. And I also will grant all the gifts that my brother
asks. For this land is my brother's land, and this my house is his
house."

All Tushratta's letters are written in this tone with the