Indo-European linguistics and classical philology
S. К. Egorova. V. V. Emelianov. Magnus eques (Hor. Epod. 4.15–16). On the History of Sumerian (m)uzug: Orthography, Semantics and Etymology of the Word (pp. 282–289)
Author
S. К. Egorova. V. V. Emelianov (Saint Petersburg State University Saint Petersburg State University)
Keywords\n lex Roscia theatralis, Horace’s Epode 4 Sumerian, Sumerian words in Akkadian, Akkadian words in Sumerian, Semitic words in Sumerian, semantics, etymology
Pages\n 282–289
Summary\n
The author suggests to interpret sedilibusque in primis (Hor. Epod. 4,15) not as “in the first fourteen rows for equites”, but as “in the very firstrow”, which would correspond to other examples of the provoking behaviorof the stock-figure described in the poem. As the first row of the theatre is occupied usually by the persons in authority, the ex-slave is called ironicallymagnus eques. We consider the word (m)uzug of unknown origin, which is found in Sumerian literary texts since the XXII century BC. It means the ritual impurity of man and does not have an exact translation. This paper provides a hypothesis of its original meaning and etymology. Attention is also given to the literary and mythological contexts associated with the peculiarities of its writing and usage.Ideographic versions show in most cases the same meaning, i.e. ‘eating/ theft of a (charmed) plant’. Probably in these spellings hint at the plot ofthe poem “Enki and Ninhursaga” exists. According to Sumerian literarytexts (hymns and proverbs), the general sense of Sumerian word (m)uzugmust be ‘(smth. or smbd.) spoiled, rotten, damaged’. As for the etymologyof this word, we suggest the following transformation: Adj. masīc (Ar.), ma/usku (Akk.) ‘bad, ugly, rotten’ < (Ar.) masaca ‘to transform smbd. or smth. into a worse, or more foul, or more ugly, shape’, (Akk. OB) masācu, masāku ‘to be bad, rotten, ugly, have a bad reputation’ > (Sum.) (m)uzug ‘to be rotten, to be defiled as a result of abuse of a virgin’ > > (Akk.) musukku ‘menstruating woman; woman isolated after birth; person under a taboo’.
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