Animalising Affliction of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4

<p>This is a detailed investigation into the nature of Nebuchadnezzar's animalising affliction in Daniel 4 and the degree to which he is depicted as actually becoming an animal. PeterAtkins examines two predominant lines of interpretation: either Nebuchadnezzar undergoes a physical metamorphosis of some kind into an animal form; or diverse other readings that specifically preclude or deny an animal transformation of the king. By providing an extensive study of these interpretative opinions alongside innovative assessments of ancient Mesopotamian divine-human-animal boundaries Atkins ultimately demonstrates how neither of these traditional interpretations best reflect the narrative events. <p/> While there have been numerous metamorphic interpretations of Daniel 4 these are largely reliant upon later developments within the textual tradition and are not present in the earliest edition of Nebuchadnezzar's animalising affliction. Atkins' study displays that when Daniel 4 is read in the context of Mesopotamian texts which appear to conceive of the human-animal boundary as being indicated primarily in relation to possession or lack of the divine characteristic of wisdom the affliction represents a far more significant categorical change from human to animal than has hitherto been identified.</p>