Race Jackson writes “Sizes in ancient texts sometimes used hyperbole e.g. "as many as the grains of sand on the shore" is a typical example. But also a factor in ancient languages is that they used homonyms just as the English language does, and distinguished differences from context. (Example: "row" has several meanings in English, I can think of 3 immediately and there may be more.)”

Very interesting post, both on the subject of hyperbole and homonyms. Here from The Story of Sukurru, tablet from around 2500 BC:

“Of the proverbial ass and the other-worldly basket, her divine voice counting, counting the grains of sand.” Line 14

The proverbial donkey or ass (ANŠE) counting grains of sand is of Sumerian origin. I had figured it to be both a reference to the voice of the physical working donkey carrying baskets, but perhaps also cosmology. It may refer to the two stars, the Aseli or donkeys, that appear in the constellation of Cancer next to a cluster of stars known as the ‘Beehive cluster’ or the ‘Manger’. It’s reasonable to suggest that they annoyingly count the uncountable bees.

Greek mythology is directly sourced from Sumerian, and Silenus himself appears in The Story of Sukurru:

“Then look, the donkey, Silenus' mount, brays loudly, and emits untimely blasts from its throat. Ovid, The Fasti.”

As for the truth of the numbers, I have spent considerably more than Audrey's alleged five minutes on the mention of them in this and one other literary text from Mesopotamia. There are quite a few different symbols that concern measurements, and the subject is too dense for me to comment - perhaps ever, she will be pleased to hear. In the meantime, I would appreciate that she stop referrring to me so scathingly as an expert. I have specialised in the most ancient Sumerian symbols and their meaning in the context of a long, completed, and coherent translation. When she can say the same, it will still be sad for her to feel the need to be so insulting. My ego does not exceed my achievement, far from it. I'm humbled by the importance of The Story of Sukurru, and sincerely want whoever wrote it to take their rightful place in our history. I apologise for using your post to express this.

Madeleine