Omen 38.18'
Frank Simons, 2021, "Šumma ālu, Omen 38.18", Nicla De Zorzi et al., Bestiarium Mesopotamicum, 2018-2021; accessed 10/08/2026 1:30 a.m. at tieromina.acdh-dev.oeaw.ac.at/omens/Omen-38-18-/tei
| ↓ 38.18' Score | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copy Text |
|
|
|
PHILOLOGICAL COMMENTARY
In If a City 2, 284, Ex(2), Ex(3), and Ex(5), all of the above lines are placed as *38.29'. Collation has demonstrated that K 06315+ 2' and BM 30427 6 duplicate K 03726+ ii 49, which preserves omen 38.17'. See the comment to 38.17'.
Note that 38.17'-18' parallels 38.79'-80': in both passages, an animal is first associated with a man's lap and then stings him. This is perhaps due to an understanding that the sāmānu 'blister beetle' and ṣāṣiru 'gadfly' were taxonomically similar. See Simons forthcoming.
For a possible explanation of the positive meaning of this omen, see the commentary to 38.15.
