We possess many love-songs of the old Egyptians, but a genuine
love-letter had not heretofore been found. Some years ago in
Chaldea there was a love-letter found, written on clay. Tho the
letter has much formality for such a missive, the reader can
feel the tenderness that lies between its lines. The document
was produced, we should say, in the year 2200 B.C., and
was found in Sippara, the Biblical Sepharvani. Apparently the
lady lived there, while her beloved was a resident of Babylon.
The letter reads:
“To the lady, Kasbuya (little ewe) says Gimil Marduk (the
favorite of Merodach) this: May the sun god of Marduk afford you
eternal life. I write wishing that I may know how your health
is. Oh, send me a message about it. I live in Babylon and have
not seen you, and for this reason I am very anxious. Send me a
message that will tell me when you will come to me, so that I
may be happy. Come in Marchesvan. May you live long for my sake.”
(1915)