Amarna letters–phrases and quotations
Encyclopedia
Amarna letters–phrases and quotations is an article for the 1350 BC Amarna letters
, the correspondence
to the pharaohs of Egypt
.
Of the 382 Amarna letters, many are direct in describing the conditions of the author in their local regions. Many authors/letters are requesting aid of the pharaoh's army forces in relation to the overtaking of lands by external forces-the Hittites
for example, or the external forces of the attacking Hapiru who are capturing cities and changing allegiances.
. An example is EA 153, (EA is for 'el Amarna
'). EA 153, entitled: "Ships on hold", from Abi-Milku
of Tyre is a short, 20-line letter. Lines 6-8, and 9-11 are parallel phrases, each ending with "...before the troops of the king, my lord."-('before', then line 8, line 11). Both sentences are identical, and repetitive, with only the subject statement changing.
The entire corpus
of Amarna letters has many standard phrases. It also has some phrases, and quotations used only once. Some are parable
s: (EA 252: "...when an ant is pinched (struck), does it not fight back and bite the hand of the man that struck it?"....)
Amarna letters
The Amarna letters are an archive of correspondence on clay tablets, mostly diplomatic, between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru during the New Kingdom...
, the correspondence
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
to the pharaohs of Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
.
Of the 382 Amarna letters, many are direct in describing the conditions of the author in their local regions. Many authors/letters are requesting aid of the pharaoh's army forces in relation to the overtaking of lands by external forces-the Hittites
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
for example, or the external forces of the attacking Hapiru who are capturing cities and changing allegiances.
The quotes and phrases
A small number of the Amarna letters are in the class of poetryPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. An example is EA 153, (EA is for 'el Amarna
Amarna
Amarna is an extensive Egyptian archaeological site that represents the remains of the capital city newly–established and built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten of the late Eighteenth Dynasty , and abandoned shortly afterwards...
'). EA 153, entitled: "Ships on hold", from Abi-Milku
Abi-Milku
Abi-Milku was the only mayor/ruler of Tyre, Lebanon , during the period of the Amarna letters correspondence .He is the author of ten letters , EA 146-155 ....
of Tyre is a short, 20-line letter. Lines 6-8, and 9-11 are parallel phrases, each ending with "...before the troops of the king, my lord."-('before', then line 8, line 11). Both sentences are identical, and repetitive, with only the subject statement changing.
The entire corpus
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
of Amarna letters has many standard phrases. It also has some phrases, and quotations used only once. Some are parable
Parable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
s: (EA 252: "...when an ant is pinched (struck), does it not fight back and bite the hand of the man that struck it?"....)
Bird in a Cage
- A bird in a cage (Trap)—Rib-HaddaRib-HaddaRib-Hadda was king of Byblos during the mid fourteenth century BCE. He is the author of some sixty of the Amarna letters all to Akhenaten...
subcorpus of letters. (Rib-Hadda was trapped in Gubla-(ByblosByblosByblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
), unable to move freely.)
"A brick may move.."
- A brickBrickA brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
may move from under its partner, still I will not move from under the feet of the king, my lord.—Used in letters EA 266, 292, and 296. EA 292 by Adda-danuAdda-danuAdda-danu was the 'mayor' of the city/city-state of Gazru- of the Amarna letters period, 1350-1335 BC. 'Adda' is the name of the Northwest Semitic god Hadad, and Adda-danu translates as: "Hadad Judge"...
of GazruGezerGezer was a Canaanite city-state and biblical town in ancient Israel. Tel Gezer , an archaeological site midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is now an Israeli national park....
.
"For the lack of a cultivator.."
- "For the lack of a cultivator, my field is like a woman without a husband."—Rib-Hadda letter EA 75
"Hale like the Sun..."
- "And know that the King-(pharaoh) is Hale like the SunReRe, bre, moré is an interjection common to Cypriot Greek, the languages of the Balkans, Turkish, and Venetian, with its "locus... more in the Greek world than elsewhere". It is used in colloquial speech to gain someone's attention, add emphasis, insult, or express surprise or astonishment, like...
in the Sky. For his troops and his chariotChariotThe chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
s in multitude all goes very well...."—See: EndarutaEndarutaEndaruta was the ruler of Achshaph-, in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence. Endaruta was the author of EA 223, , of the letters. He is only referenced in two other letters EA 366 and 367, but EA 367, entitled: "From the Pharaoh to a vassal" is addressed to Endaruta, with instructions...
, for the Short Form; See: MilkiluMilkiluMilkilu, and more properly Milk-ilu, or Milku-ilu, with an alternate version of Ili-Milku-, was the mayor/ruler of Gazru- of the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence...
, for a Long Form. Also found in EA 99: entitled: "From the PharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
to a vassal". (with addressee damaged)
"I looked this way, and I looked..."
- "I looked this way, and I looked that way, and there was no light. Then I looked towards the king, my lord, and there was light."—EA 266 by Tagi (Ginti mayor)Tagi (Ginti mayor)Tagi was the ruler/mayor of ancient Ginti–, of the 14th century BC Amarna letters. Tagi's name is a Hurrian hypocoristicon for the word beautiful....
; EA 296 by Yahtiru.
"May the Lady of Gubla.."
- "May the Lady of Gubla grant power to the king, my lord."—varieties of the phrase in the Rib-HaddaRib-HaddaRib-Hadda was king of Byblos during the mid fourteenth century BCE. He is the author of some sixty of the Amarna letters all to Akhenaten...
letters
a pot held in pledge
- a pot held in pledge—The Pot of a Debt. EA 292 by Adda-danuAdda-danuAdda-danu was the 'mayor' of the city/city-state of Gazru- of the Amarna letters period, 1350-1335 BC. 'Adda' is the name of the Northwest Semitic god Hadad, and Adda-danu translates as: "Hadad Judge"...
of GazruGezerGezer was a Canaanite city-state and biblical town in ancient Israel. Tel Gezer , an archaeological site midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is now an Israeli national park....
.
7 times and 7 times again
- 7 times and 7 times—Over and over again
- 7 times plus 7—EA 189, See: "EtakkamaEtakkamaEtakkama, as a common name, but also, Aitukama, Atakama, Etakama, and Itakama is the name for the 'mayor' of Qidšu, of the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence....
of Kadesh"(title)-(Qidšu)
I fall ... 7 times and 7..."on the back and on the stomach"
- I fall, at the feet, ... 7 times and 7 times, "on the back and on the stomach"—EA 316, by Pu-Ba'luPu-Ba'luPu-Ba'lu, was ruler/mayor of Yursa, , of the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence. His name translates in Akkadian as: "word/mouth Baal", the 'Spokesman Baal' , .Pu-Ba'lu of Yursa is the author of three letters to pharaoh...
, and used in numerous letters to pharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
. See: Commissioner: TahmaššiTahmaššiTahmašši, or Takhmašši, and also known by his hypocoristicon or pet name: Tahmaya, or Atahmaya was an Egyptian official to pharaoh in the 1350 BC Amarna letters correspondence...
.
when an ant is struck..
- "...when an ant is pinched (struck), does it not fight back and bite the hand of the man that struck it?"—A phrase used by Labayu defending his actions of overtaking cities, EA 252. Title: "Sparing one's enemies".