By repeating the facts of the dream as Nebuchadnezzar had previously narrated them, Daniel assured the king that he understood the dream exactly and was therefore interpreting it accurately. Nebuchadnezzar would have to leave his present place in society and would live in the open air with "beasts" (animals) of the field. Moreover, he would behave as an animal himself, even eating grass. Zoanthropy is a form of mental illness that causes such behavior. With it a person imagines himself or herself to be an animal. Perhaps this is what God used to afflict Nebuchadnezzar. [1] Another possibility is that the king suffered from boanthropy. With this illness a person thinks himself or herself to be an ox (cf. Daniel 5:21). His or her outer behavior is irrational, but the inner consciousness remains virtually unchanged. [2] This may account for the statement that at the end of his affliction Nebuchadnezzar "raised his eyes toward heaven" (i.e, repented, Daniel 4:34). R. K. Harrison recorded his personal observation of a mental patient with boanthropy who demonstrated exactly the symptoms described of Nebuchadnezzar. [3] Joyce Baldwin quoted a consulting psychiatrist who witnessed a similar case. [4][source]