Mitra-Varuna - An Essay on Two Indo-European Representations of Sovereignty
Derek Coltman author Georges Dumezil author Stuart Elden author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:HAU Society Of Ethnographic Theory
Publishing:15th Nov '24
£20.00
This title is due to be published on 15th November, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A classic text that develops one prong of Dumezil's tripartite hypothesis of Indo-European tribes: the sacred sovereign.
Georges Dumezil's fascination with the myths and histories of India, Rome, Scandinavia, and the Celts yielded an idea that became his most influential scholarly legacy: the tripartite hypothesis, which divides Indo-European societal functions into three classes: the sacred sovereign, the warrior, and the producer. Mitra-Varuna, originally published in 1940, concentrates on the first function, that of sovereignty. Dumezil identifies two types of rulers, the first judicial and worldly, the second divine and supernatural. These figures, both priestly, are oppositional but complementary. The title nods to these roles, referring to the gods Mitra, a rational mediator, and Varuna, an awesome religious figure.
Stuart Elden's critical edition, based on the 1988 English translation by Derek Coltman, identifies variations between the first and second French editions and completes-and in places corrects-Dumezil's references. The editor's detailed introduction situates Mitra-Varuna within Dumezil's career, outlines how his treatment of its themes developed over time, and relates the book to the political controversy around his ideas. Two new appendices contain passages that did not appear in the second French edition.
ISBN: 9781912808977
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
164 pages