Title
Parallelism and Analogical Thought in Babylonian Poetry. Case Studies from Ludlul bēl nēmeqi, the Babylonian Theodicy, and the Šamaš Hymn
Abstract
Based on a series of case studies, this paper investigates aspects of the function of parallelism in Babylonian poetry. The focus is on the semantic interconnections created by the juxtaposition of passages sharing similar or contrasting linguistic features. Seen in this light, parallelism reveals itself as much more than the vector for stylistic creativity as which it has mostly been investigated in Assyriology, it is a crucial means for the construction of meaning. The operative principle behind this meaning being analogical reasoning, poetry in these aspects is revealed to draw on the same repertoire of notions that underlies other branches of Mesopotamian erudition, too – the paper explores in particular the comparable case of divination.
Keywords
parallelismanalogical thoughtBabylonian poetryBabylonian divination
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1621234
Appeared in
Title
Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes
Volume
112
Issued
2022
From page
367
To page
394
Date issued
2022
Access rights
Rights statement
Copyright Institut für Orientalistik Wien 2022

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