Ninurta-Pāqidāt's Dog Bite, also known as The Tale of the Illiterate Doctor in Nippur,[1] is a text in Akkadiancuneiform, recorded on clay Tablet W 23558 - IM 78552, from the reign of King Marduk-balassu-iqbi of Babylon. It includes one of the earliest examples of scatological humour.
According to its colophon, it was written "for educating apprentice scribes of Uruk," It has garnered much academic attention, since it was first published in 1979 by Antoine Cavigneaux when "the text was not properly understood", from which it can be inferred he did not understand the joke. A certain Ninurta-Pāqidāt, the brother of Ninurta-ša-kunnâ-irammu and nephew of Enlil-Nippuru-ana-ašrišu-ter (both absurd names), of Nippur was bitten by a dog, the symbol of Gula, the goddess of healing.[2] He sought help from Amel-Baba, a priest from Isin, who, after reciting the appropriate anti-rabies incantation:
Incantation (against diseases) of the house of [the god] Ea: Concerning a man whom a snake attacks, or a scorpion attacks, or a rabid dog attacks, and to whom it passes its venom ... (The water) shall be cleansed in his pure tube. Cast the spell into the water! Feed the water to the patient, so that the venom itself can go out (of the body).
Ninurta-Pāqidāt must travel to Nippur to collect his fee. On arrival, he encounters Bēltīya-šarrat-Apsî ("who tends the garden called Abundance of Enlil and sits [at a] plot on Right Street selling vegetables"), the daughter of Ra'im-kini-Marduk, who insists in communicating with him in Sumerian (the language of ancient Nippur many centuries earlier), causing much misunderstanding when he mistakes her for mocking him and is threatened with being driven out of town by an outraged mob of apprentice scribes with their buns (clay practice tablets). Despite the efforts of generations of Assyriologists, such as Erica Reiner ("Why do you cuss me?"), the punch-line remained elusive,[3] until the Sumerian response, en.nu.dúr.me-en, was translated as "O (my) lord, I am a farter," thus identifying the piece as an early exemplar of lavatorial humor.[4]
Referencesedit
^E. Reiner (2003). "The Tale of the Illiterate Doctor in Nippur". NABU (3): 62. note 54.
^Jerrold S. Cooper, Glenn M. Schwartz (1996). Study of the Ancient Near East in the 21st Century: The William Foxwell Albright Centennial Conference. Eisenbrauns. p. 187.
^A. R. George (1993). "Ninurta-Pāqidāt's Dog Bite, and Notes on Other Comic Tales". Iraq. 55: 63–75. doi:10.2307/4200367. JSTOR 4200367. S2CID 192947135.
^I. L. Finkel (1994). "Note 41". Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires: 39.
External linksedit
Ninurta-paqidat's Dog-Bite at eTACT
January 01, 1970
ninurta, pāqidāt, bite, also, known, tale, illiterate, doctor, nippur, text, akkadian, cuneiform, recorded, clay, tablet, 23558, 78552, from, reign, king, marduk, balassu, iqbi, babylon, includes, earliest, examples, scatological, humour, according, colophon, . Ninurta Paqidat s Dog Bite also known as The Tale of the Illiterate Doctor in Nippur 1 is a text in Akkadian cuneiform recorded on clay Tablet W 23558 IM 78552 from the reign of King Marduk balassu iqbi of Babylon It includes one of the earliest examples of scatological humour According to its colophon it was written for educating apprentice scribes of Uruk It has garnered much academic attention since it was first published in 1979 by Antoine Cavigneaux when the text was not properly understood from which it can be inferred he did not understand the joke A certain Ninurta Paqidat the brother of Ninurta sa kunna irammu and nephew of Enlil Nippuru ana asrisu ter both absurd names of Nippur was bitten by a dog the symbol of Gula the goddess of healing 2 He sought help from Amel Baba a priest from Isin who after reciting the appropriate anti rabies incantation Incantation against diseases of the house of the god Ea Concerning a man whom a snake attacks or a scorpion attacks or a rabid dog attacks and to whom it passes its venom The water shall be cleansed in his pure tube Cast the spell into the water Feed the water to the patient so that the venom itself can go out of the body Ninurta Paqidat must travel to Nippur to collect his fee On arrival he encounters Beltiya sarrat Apsi who tends the garden called Abundance of Enlil and sits at a plot on Right Street selling vegetables the daughter of Ra im kini Marduk who insists in communicating with him in Sumerian the language of ancient Nippur many centuries earlier causing much misunderstanding when he mistakes her for mocking him and is threatened with being driven out of town by an outraged mob of apprentice scribes with their buns clay practice tablets Despite the efforts of generations of Assyriologists such as Erica Reiner Why do you cuss me the punch line remained elusive 3 until the Sumerian response en nu dur me en was translated as O my lord I am a farter thus identifying the piece as an early exemplar of lavatorial humor 4 References edit E Reiner 2003 The Tale of the Illiterate Doctor in Nippur NABU 3 62 note 54 Jerrold S Cooper Glenn M Schwartz 1996 Study of the Ancient Near East in the 21st Century The William Foxwell Albright Centennial Conference Eisenbrauns p 187 A R George 1993 Ninurta Paqidat s Dog Bite and Notes on Other Comic Tales Iraq 55 63 75 doi 10 2307 4200367 JSTOR 4200367 S2CID 192947135 I L Finkel 1994 Note 41 Nouvelles Assyriologiques Breves et Utilitaires 39 External links editNinurta paqidat s Dog Bite at eTACT Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ninurta Paqidat 27s Dog Bite amp oldid 1109163574, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
