of etiquette in neglecting
to send any expression of sympathy during a long illness of Burnaburiash.
In spite of many fine words, the usual matrimonial negotiations did not
run smoothly; moreover, attacks were made on travelling messengers, and at
length Napkhuria's avarice forced the Babylonian to measures of
retaliation, and he writes:

"Since ambassadors from thy fathers came to my fathers, they also
have lived on friendly terms. We should continue in the same.
Messengers have now come from thee thrice, but thou hast sent with
them no gift worthy the name. I also shall desist in the same way.
If nothing is denied me I shall deny thee nothing."

Meanwhile, the dear brother in Egypt was continually finding opportunities
to annoy the Babylonian. Assyria was then a small state on the middle
Tigris, in exactly the same relation to the suzerainty of Babylonia as
Canaan was to that of Egypt. Disregarding this fact, Napkhuria sent a very
large quantity of gold to the prince Assurnadinakhi and ostentatiously
received an Assyrian embassy. Burnaburiash, in remonstrating, referred to
the loyal conduct of his father, Kurigalzu, who had answered the
Canaanites with threats when, in an attempted rising against Nimmuria,
they offered to do homage to Kurigalzu.

"Now there are the Assyrians, my vassals. Have not I already
written to thee in regard to them? If thou lovest me they will
gain nothing from thee. Let them depart unsuccessful."

This exhortation seems to have been vain, for a letter of the next
Assyrian king, Assuruballit, speaks of a regular exchange of messengers,
and indicates that the Sutu of the desert--doubtless at the instigation of
the Babylonians--were about to kill every Egyptian who showed himself in
their territory.

A prince of Alashia, who never mentions either his own name or that of the
Egyptian king, wrote short letters, for the most part of a business
character. Alashia probably lay on the Cilician coast. Gold did not tempt
him; he asked modestly for silver in return for copper, for oil, textiles
and manufactured articles in return for wood for building. Thus the
tablets from Alashia are rich in information regarding commercial matters
and questions of public rights. They are of special interest for us, owing
to the fact that one of them contains the first historic mention of the
plague.

"Behold! my brother, I have sent thee five hundred talents of