A lends one hundred _GUR_ of dates, fifty _GUR_ of corn, sixty large pots, to B and C two of his slaves, on a partnership. They are to take in common whatever it makes, in town and country. The venture is to last three years. But, in this case, they are to pay interest two minas _per annum_. At the end of the three years, the two slaves returned all. They were given a house for which they paid no rent. (M709) Closely allied with agency is the power of attorney. In the Code(763) a son in his father’s house could not contract, buy or sell, or give on deposit, except by power of attorney empowering him to act for his father. The same was true of the slave. The contemporary documents contain many references to business done by agents on the order of their principals.(764) The Assyrians also make frequent mention of persons acting as _bêl ḳâtâti_, having the power of another’s hands, being in fact allowed to act as their attorney or agent. The king was represented in the law-courts by his agent.(765) Sometimes the agent was called _bêl paḫâti_ of the king’s son.(766) It even seems to be the case that _ḳâtâtu_ acquired the sense of agency, or business, and _bît ḳâtâti_ came to mean a “shop,” or bazaar. In many cases “agency” was expressed by _ša ḳâtâ_, “by the hands of.” Aliens had to act through such an agent.(767) When three men borrow a quantity of straw, one alone sealed the receipt and bond to repay, and was said to be _bêl ḳâtâti ša tibni_, “agent for the straw.”(768) A female slave was sued for property said to be due from her master, in his absence. A free man, perhaps the judge, was _bêl ḳâtâti_ for the woman that her master would take up the case on his return, and undertook to satisfy the suitor, if she could not do so.(769)