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4 - Orpheus’ Cosmic Names

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2023

Jacobo Myerston
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego
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Summary

This chapter examines the Derveni papyrus and compares its hermeneutics to exegetic techniques found in cuneiform texts. The analysis shows that the anonymous author of the papyrus operates with semantic and theological models that align with ideas expressed in Akkadian texts, particularly those ideas relating to theonyms and the evolution of the cosmos. As in some Assyrian and Babylonian texts, the author makes use of hermeneutic techniques that heavily rely on morphological analysis aiming to prove that divine names have a unified referent. This referent is a polyonymous cosmic god, Nous (Mind), which has the same characteristics of the Babylonian gods Ninurta and Marduk when represented as universalizing divinities of multiple names.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • Orpheus’ Cosmic Names
  • Jacobo Myerston, University of California, San Diego
  • Book: Language and Cosmos in Greece and Mesopotamia
  • Online publication: 16 May 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009289962.005
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  • Orpheus’ Cosmic Names
  • Jacobo Myerston, University of California, San Diego
  • Book: Language and Cosmos in Greece and Mesopotamia
  • Online publication: 16 May 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009289962.005
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Orpheus’ Cosmic Names
  • Jacobo Myerston, University of California, San Diego
  • Book: Language and Cosmos in Greece and Mesopotamia
  • Online publication: 16 May 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009289962.005
Available formats
×