Indo-European Myth 2:
Standard Set 1: Basic Myths
The Rg-Veda offers us the tale of Purusha, the first being, who was sacrificially dismembered. The Purusha-hymn, Rg-Veda 10.90, asks what the portions were and what was formed from the dismembered bits. From Purusha’s mouth came priests. From his arms were created warriors. His thighs became the common folk. Finally, his feet became the serfs. The castes of society, the fabric of the social order, were engendered by the sacrificed form of Purusha. Bruce Lincoln, in his essay “The Indo-European Myth of Creation,” identifies this tale of Purusha as “the basic mythologem of the creation of the world from the body of a primordial being” (Lincoln, 123). When we compare this tale to the above myth of Ymir, we immediately see the resemblance. However, where Ymir’s parts became the physical cosmos, Purusha is transformed into the human order. Both of these stories are concerned with the imposition of order on a previously existing non-order, or chaos, brought about by sacrifice.
2. Describe the image of the Otherworld and/or afterlife in three different IE cultures. How may these images impact your understanding of your own afterlife beliefs and those of Neo-Pagans in general? (400 words min.)
The Eyrbyggja Saga describes the fate of Thorstein Codbiter, son of Thorolf. Thorstein was a fisherman who set to sea one night to fish. He and his entire crew were drowned during their excursion. Before it was possible for word of the fishermen’s demise to reach the village, a man walking past the mound of Helgafell, the chosen holy place of Thorolf, saw lights coming from within the mound. Pausing, he overheard Thorstein being welcomed into the mound and invited to take the seat across from his father. This tale shows that, in parts of Iceland at least, the dead were believed to dwell in the mountains, or the holy hills of their family.
However, finding a coherent or consistent idea about the fate of the soul upon death is difficult since there seem to be many options. Norse Lore tells us that of the battle-slain, Freyja will chose those fallen she wishes to accompany her in her hall and Odin receives the rest. Once in Odin’s hall of Valhalla, the slain will feast and fight to entertain themselves. Those who die of old age or sickness go to Hel’s Hall in the underworld. Of course there are also tales of reincarnation, so not everyone stays dead in Norse belief.
The Celtic notion of the Otherworld is primarily sea-based. Some tales tell of the dead existing out at sea, on islands or realms just beneath the waves, in a happy and relaxed place (Adelman). Other sources tell of the soul passing through the House of Donn to reach the Otherworld (Rees & Rees, 97).
In Greek religion, the otherworld, Tartarus, is a vast and sprawling realm ruled by Hades. Walter Burkert, in Greek Religion, discusses a description of the house of Hades from a Hipponion-Vibo Valentia text dating from around 400 b.c.e.. It is described as having a spring to the right which cools the descending souls. Nearby grows a cypress. There is also a lake of recollection guarded by being who challenges each passersby (Burkert, 293). The tale of Orpheus and Eurydice also offers us glimpses of this realm. There is a fierce three-headed, snake-haired dog guarding the entrance, crowds of ghosts, deep and steep passages, a river across which one must be transported by a ferryman, and heroes suffering their eternal punishments (ie: Sisyphus, Tantalus, Ixion, etc.) (Bulfinch, 187). In contrast to the otherwise bleak-sounding Tartarus are the green and lush Happy Fields of Elysium. Jaan Puhvel, in Comparative Mythology, draws a comparison between the odd juxtaposition of the subterranean, yet lush Elysium fields to the also subterranean yet lush enclosure of vara in Vedic tradition (Puhvel, 108).
My own notion of the afterlife is as convoluted and fractured as one might expect a view to be that is influenced loosely by all of the above, though I largely hold no concept of the afterlife and lean toward the notion that our physical selves decay and that is that. I am interested in this life and have little interest in what may or may not happen after. I do not believe I am typical of the majority of Neopagans. In my experience, Neopagans widely believe in reincarnation though in a predominantly Hindu/Buddhist manner. The afterlife is a positive place, a place of peace in which one may rest and rejuvenate before returning to this world.
3. Describe the raiding of cattle by warriors (or divine reflexes of this action) in two cultures. How does this theme reflect the culture of the ancient Indo-European peoples, and is this theme relevant to modern Pagans? (300 words min.)
Bruce Lincoln, in his article The Indo-European Cattle Raiding Myth, presents a number of cultural variants of what appears to be a proto-Indo-European myth of the hero, Trito (meaning “third”), fighting and slaying a serpent-related foe and claiming the monster’s cattle as a prize (Lincoln, 43).
The Indian text, the Rg Veda, relates a tale of Indra slaying the three-headed, seven-bridled one after which Trita drives off the cattle. Lincoln explains in dense detail how most scholars agree that Indra is a later addition to the tale and Trita is likely the original hero (Lincoln, 46).
Hesiod recounts the Greek tale of Herakles and Geryon. Geryon slays Orthos and Eurytion and steals their cattle. Herakles then kills Geryon and wins the cattle for himself. Geryon in this account is the original cattle thief, and Herakles is the third opponent Geryon faces. Lincoln posits that it is possible the original name of the hero in this tale was Third and that Herakles was a later addition (Lincoln, 56). He is firm that the signature elements of the tale are the original theft and that Geryon is the third opponent faced by the hero.
The Roman iteration of tale, found written by no less than three authors (Ovid, Vergil, and Propertius), features Hercules and his opponent, Cacus. Each of the three authors emphasizes the number three in different ways during the battle between Hercules and Cacus. In Ovid’s version the club with which Hercules slays Cacus has three nodes. Virgil states that Hercules ran three times around the mountain in which Cacus’ cave was located. In Propertius’ version Hercules strikes Cacus with his club three times. Lincoln explains that the three authors were obviously not quoting one another or another common source (Lincoln, 57). Instead, they are each intent on emphasizing the third-ness of the battle as the important feature resulting in the monster’s death. Cacus is also emphatically not a native.
In Death, War, and Sacrifice, Lincoln clearly synthesizes the myriad myths and condenses it down to the central elements: power and wealth (Lincoln, 11). The cattle are initially stolen through deceit, trickery, and/or concealment. In the inevitable battle, Third slays the monster who is clearly Other, non-native and/or serpentine. As a result of that triumph, the cattle are restored to their rightful owners. The raiding aspect is performed in a straight-forward and honorable manner which is starkly contrasted to the dishonorable and unworthy machinations of the foreign, snakey bad guy.
This theme is not particularly relevant to modern pagans outside of mythic interest. I would argue that our larger culture, as inheritors of the IE worldview, finds this theme very relevant. The cows (oil, cultural treasures, etc) are ours by divine decree and we are justified in using force to retrieve them from whoever may happen to be in possession of them.
4. Describe instances of "freeing" or "winning" the waters in two different IE cultures. How can this theme be used to reinforce our current practices and cosmology? (300 words min.)
The River Boyne offers us a fascinating, if violent, tale of waters being freed. Nechtan was keeper of a well which only he and his cupbearers could safely approach. Anyone besides Nechtan or his cupbearers who dared come near the well would suffer terribly; their eyes would burst due to a submerged, protective heat/light source. Boand, Nechtan’s wife, disregarded the imprecation and drew near to the well. Thrice she circled the well, each time earning a mighty wave. The waves crashed over her, each inflicting damage;one cutting her thigh, one her hand, and the final wave claiming an eye. After receiving such injury, Boand ran away from the well, chased by the enraged waters. She met a watery end, drowned by the waters. The waters that had chased her became the Boyne River. They dove under the ground, reemerging to form the world’s greatest rivers and eventually returning to Nechtan’s mound (Puhvel, 279).
There is an Avestan tale which offers an alternative origin for the rivers of the world. There existed the Xvarenah, “the luminous and fiery hallmark of the duly elected king” (Puhvel, 278). As factions fought over the Xvarenah, it fled the conflict and headed toward Lake Vourukasa. There Apam Napat (whose name translates to “Offspring of the Waters” [Puhvel, 65]) seized it and hid it beneath the waters of the mythical lake. At this point, Ahuramazda proclaimed that whoever could get the Xvarenah would receive, “sacerdotal, pastoral,and martial rewards” (Puhvel, 278). A Turanian attempted to reach the prize by diving, naked, into the lake. Repulsed by his foreign blood, the Xvarenah avoided him. Each time the Xvarenah moved away, a surge of water went out from the lake. Those surges formed all the rivers of the world, one of which, the Haetumant, held the Xvarenah and somehow, defying all logic, emptied back into Lake Vourukasa (Puhvel, 279).
How do these two tales reinforce our ADF practices and cosmology? I rather hope they don’t. In each of the above tales the waters rise and are ultimately freed out of a murderous or xenophobic impulse. The fire in the water is attempting to avoid being grasped or claimed by someone deemed unworthy. The resultant flooding, producing rivers which would become the lifeblood of a thriving land, were an accidental boon to mankind.
An early step in our ADF Core Order of Liturgy is that of Purification. The Core Order Tutorial states “ADF has never been overly concerned about ritual purity. One reason is our mission of providing public, inclusive ritual. Our rites would quickly become exclusive if we decided to bar people in mourning or women following childbirth, to take just two examples. This attitude is consistent with a general trend in world religions today, where old rules of purity are de-emphasized in favor of a more inclusive approach.” Nevertheless, IE religion clearly had strong views about purity and being worthy of approaching the primal waters. Hopefully, when we ritually purify ourselves, we become worthy of approaching the sacred waters, thus avoiding death or dismemberment.
5. Show two examples in one IE culture of a deity engaging in actions that are unethical or unvirtuous, and speculate on why the deities sometimes engage in this type of behavior. (min. 100 words per example)
The Roman gods are a randy, deceitful, petty lot. Let us look at the story of poor Io, a lovely girl who had the bad luck to catch Jupiter’s eye. As he flirted with her, he shrouded them from his wife’s sight with clouds. Ever jealous, Juno mistrusted the clouds and dispersed them. Just in time to avoid detection, Jupiter turned innocent Io into a cow. Juno praised the cow’s beauty and asked to be given her as a gift. A request Jupiter granted. Now chattel, Io was guarded by Argus, unable to speak words of entreaty or to even greet her family. She resorted to drawing her name in the dust, allowing her father to recognize her. Feeling some sort of pity and wishing for Io to escape her constant watcher, Jupiter sent Mercury to kill Argus. Enraged by Argus’ murder, Juno tormented Io causing her to be chased by biting gadflies across the world until, at last, Jupiter promised to never look on Io again. Only then was she returned to her human form (Bulfinch, 28-31). Why did Jupiter behave in this shameful manner? He sought to avoid the wrath of his wife. He acted impulsively and later felt some small bit of remorse over the pain his actions were causing Io.
Jupiter was a right jerk. As philanderers go, he was as loathsome as they come. But his wife is no prize either. Her jealousy seems boundless. Let us look at the story of poor Callisto, a lovely girl who had the bad luck to catch Jupiter’s eye. Juno, green-eyed and enraged, threatened to take away, “that beauty with which you have captivated my husband” (Bulfinch, 32). Juno then transformed Callisto into a bear. As anyone could predict, a hunter soon threatened the bear (Callisto lingered around her home and would not go into the forest), but Jupiter intervened in time to save the life of the innocent girl his lechery doomed to an ursine life. His notion of “saving” her was odd though. He cast Callisto, and the hunter, into the stars to become constellations (the Great and Little Bears). Juno lost her mind and went to her foster-parents, Oceanus and Tethys, the oceanic powers, and demanded that the Great and Little Bears never have the pleasure of sinking beneath the waves like all the other stars (Bulfinch, 31-33). Why did Juno behave in this cruel manner? She was repeatedly enraged by her husband’s adultery. While she upheld her end of their marriage vows, he ignored them over and over. Juno was not content to ignore his behavior and punished his mistresses as a way of punishing Jupiter.
In my ethical paradigm, both adultery and insane jealousy are unvirtuous behaviors. However, the Romans loved to see their gods behave in ways that were recognizable. There is clearly a notion of gods that are limited at work here. The Roman gods were not considered infallible, not seen as paragons of virtue. Rather, they made mistakes and had flaws that, were they human, could well have been fatal.
6. Explain the monomyth (aka "hero cycle") and show how it applies to a single hero from the IE culture of your choice. (150 words min.)
Joseph Campbell, in his work Hero with a Thousand Faces, outlines the seventeen stages of the monomyth. The monomyth is what Campbell asserts is the underlying proto-story of all heroes, though not all heros undergo all seventeen stages. The seventeen stages he divides into three broad sections of the hero’s journey; Departure, Initiation, and Return. At its simplest level that journey is thus: the hero is called to adventure and given initial aid, he then must pass out of the known and comfortable world into an unknown landscape in which he does not know the rules. This is Departure (Campbell, 41-74).
The hero must face series of challenges, some which he may well fail. He may be tempted to abandon his quest. Ultimately he must face his nemesis and reflect upon the nature of that conflict to win his prize. This is Initiation (Campbell, 81-148).
After facing his dragon and winning his prize, the hero is transformed and may not wish to return to mundane world. He may have to escape with his prize. He may be rescued or forced to return to the world to share his hard-won boon. The hero must then struggle to find the balance between his transformed self, and the ordinary world he must now inhabit. This is Return (Campbell, 167-205).
All page numbers refer to Tolkien unless otherwise noted.
Standard Set 2: Applications
At the center of the worlds, I remember Ymir
Carved by the cosmic cow, Ymir of the Rime
Begetter of Buri, Ymir First Father
Cruelly cut by Odin Vili, Ve
Pulled into pieces by Odin, Vili, Ve
Made into Midgard by Odin, Vili Ve
Heaven’s Dome, Ymir, your skull
Salty seas, Ymir, your blood
Stones of the Earth, Ymir, your bones
At the center of the worlds, I remember Ymir
Carved by the cosmic cow, Ymir of the Rime
Home of the folk, First Father Ymir
2. Using your answer to question 4 above (winning the waters), create a piece for use in ritual that describes the winning of the waters. (no min. word count)
Waters defend us and waters you ward us
Flow fast beneath our feet
Secure in your precincts, preserve us
Beyond the light of our fire, wolves circle
Beyond the light of our fire, strangers howl
Beyond the light of our fire, foes gather
Rise waters rise to push back our foes
Rise waters rise to strike at the stranger
Rise waters rise to wash away the wolves
Outsiders be warned, our waters are strong
Outsiders be warned, our waters are swift
Outsiders be warned, our waters defend us
Works Cited:
Adelmann, John "Fox". "The Ancient Celtic Otherworld." Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF). ADF, n.d. Web. 22 Oct 2013. <https://www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/otherworld.html>.
Bulfinch, Thomas. Bulfinch's Mythology. New York: Avenel, 1978. Print.
Burkert, Walter. "Bacchic Hopes for an Afterlife." Greek Religion. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1985. Print.
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. 3rd ed. Novato: New World Library, 2008. Print.
Ellis, Hilda R. The Road to Hel: A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature. New York; Cambridge University Press. 1943. Print
Lincoln, Bruce. Death, War, and Sacrifice: Studies in Ideology and Practice. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1991. Print.
Lincoln, Bruce. "The Indo-european Cattle-Raiding Myth." History of Religions Vol. 16, No.1 (1976): Pp. 42-65. Print.
Lincoln, Bruce. "The Indo-European Myth of Creation." History of Religions. 1 Nov. 1975: 121-145. Print.
Puhvel, Jaan. Comparative Mythology. Baltimore; John’s Hopkins University Press, 1987. Print.
Rees, Alwyn & Brinley Rees. Celtic Heritage. New York; Thames & Hudson, Inc., 1978. Print.
Step Two: Purification. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2015, from https://www.adf.org/members/training/dedicant-path/articles/coortutorial/step-two.html
Sturluson, S., & Byock, J. (2005). The Prose Edda. New York, London, Toronto: Penguin Books. Kindle file.
Tolkien, J. R. R.. The Hobbit. Revised ed. Ballantine Books, 1982. Print.
Winn, Shan M. M.. Heaven, Heroes, and Happiness: The Indo-European Roots of Western Ideology. Lanham: U of America, 1995. Print.
Standard Set 1: Basic Myths
- Describe and compare how the cosmos is created through sacrifice in two different IE cultures. (150 words min. each culture)
The Rg-Veda offers us the tale of Purusha, the first being, who was sacrificially dismembered. The Purusha-hymn, Rg-Veda 10.90, asks what the portions were and what was formed from the dismembered bits. From Purusha’s mouth came priests. From his arms were created warriors. His thighs became the common folk. Finally, his feet became the serfs. The castes of society, the fabric of the social order, were engendered by the sacrificed form of Purusha. Bruce Lincoln, in his essay “The Indo-European Myth of Creation,” identifies this tale of Purusha as “the basic mythologem of the creation of the world from the body of a primordial being” (Lincoln, 123). When we compare this tale to the above myth of Ymir, we immediately see the resemblance. However, where Ymir’s parts became the physical cosmos, Purusha is transformed into the human order. Both of these stories are concerned with the imposition of order on a previously existing non-order, or chaos, brought about by sacrifice.
2. Describe the image of the Otherworld and/or afterlife in three different IE cultures. How may these images impact your understanding of your own afterlife beliefs and those of Neo-Pagans in general? (400 words min.)
The Eyrbyggja Saga describes the fate of Thorstein Codbiter, son of Thorolf. Thorstein was a fisherman who set to sea one night to fish. He and his entire crew were drowned during their excursion. Before it was possible for word of the fishermen’s demise to reach the village, a man walking past the mound of Helgafell, the chosen holy place of Thorolf, saw lights coming from within the mound. Pausing, he overheard Thorstein being welcomed into the mound and invited to take the seat across from his father. This tale shows that, in parts of Iceland at least, the dead were believed to dwell in the mountains, or the holy hills of their family.
However, finding a coherent or consistent idea about the fate of the soul upon death is difficult since there seem to be many options. Norse Lore tells us that of the battle-slain, Freyja will chose those fallen she wishes to accompany her in her hall and Odin receives the rest. Once in Odin’s hall of Valhalla, the slain will feast and fight to entertain themselves. Those who die of old age or sickness go to Hel’s Hall in the underworld. Of course there are also tales of reincarnation, so not everyone stays dead in Norse belief.
The Celtic notion of the Otherworld is primarily sea-based. Some tales tell of the dead existing out at sea, on islands or realms just beneath the waves, in a happy and relaxed place (Adelman). Other sources tell of the soul passing through the House of Donn to reach the Otherworld (Rees & Rees, 97).
In Greek religion, the otherworld, Tartarus, is a vast and sprawling realm ruled by Hades. Walter Burkert, in Greek Religion, discusses a description of the house of Hades from a Hipponion-Vibo Valentia text dating from around 400 b.c.e.. It is described as having a spring to the right which cools the descending souls. Nearby grows a cypress. There is also a lake of recollection guarded by being who challenges each passersby (Burkert, 293). The tale of Orpheus and Eurydice also offers us glimpses of this realm. There is a fierce three-headed, snake-haired dog guarding the entrance, crowds of ghosts, deep and steep passages, a river across which one must be transported by a ferryman, and heroes suffering their eternal punishments (ie: Sisyphus, Tantalus, Ixion, etc.) (Bulfinch, 187). In contrast to the otherwise bleak-sounding Tartarus are the green and lush Happy Fields of Elysium. Jaan Puhvel, in Comparative Mythology, draws a comparison between the odd juxtaposition of the subterranean, yet lush Elysium fields to the also subterranean yet lush enclosure of vara in Vedic tradition (Puhvel, 108).
My own notion of the afterlife is as convoluted and fractured as one might expect a view to be that is influenced loosely by all of the above, though I largely hold no concept of the afterlife and lean toward the notion that our physical selves decay and that is that. I am interested in this life and have little interest in what may or may not happen after. I do not believe I am typical of the majority of Neopagans. In my experience, Neopagans widely believe in reincarnation though in a predominantly Hindu/Buddhist manner. The afterlife is a positive place, a place of peace in which one may rest and rejuvenate before returning to this world.
3. Describe the raiding of cattle by warriors (or divine reflexes of this action) in two cultures. How does this theme reflect the culture of the ancient Indo-European peoples, and is this theme relevant to modern Pagans? (300 words min.)
Bruce Lincoln, in his article The Indo-European Cattle Raiding Myth, presents a number of cultural variants of what appears to be a proto-Indo-European myth of the hero, Trito (meaning “third”), fighting and slaying a serpent-related foe and claiming the monster’s cattle as a prize (Lincoln, 43).
The Indian text, the Rg Veda, relates a tale of Indra slaying the three-headed, seven-bridled one after which Trita drives off the cattle. Lincoln explains in dense detail how most scholars agree that Indra is a later addition to the tale and Trita is likely the original hero (Lincoln, 46).
Hesiod recounts the Greek tale of Herakles and Geryon. Geryon slays Orthos and Eurytion and steals their cattle. Herakles then kills Geryon and wins the cattle for himself. Geryon in this account is the original cattle thief, and Herakles is the third opponent Geryon faces. Lincoln posits that it is possible the original name of the hero in this tale was Third and that Herakles was a later addition (Lincoln, 56). He is firm that the signature elements of the tale are the original theft and that Geryon is the third opponent faced by the hero.
The Roman iteration of tale, found written by no less than three authors (Ovid, Vergil, and Propertius), features Hercules and his opponent, Cacus. Each of the three authors emphasizes the number three in different ways during the battle between Hercules and Cacus. In Ovid’s version the club with which Hercules slays Cacus has three nodes. Virgil states that Hercules ran three times around the mountain in which Cacus’ cave was located. In Propertius’ version Hercules strikes Cacus with his club three times. Lincoln explains that the three authors were obviously not quoting one another or another common source (Lincoln, 57). Instead, they are each intent on emphasizing the third-ness of the battle as the important feature resulting in the monster’s death. Cacus is also emphatically not a native.
In Death, War, and Sacrifice, Lincoln clearly synthesizes the myriad myths and condenses it down to the central elements: power and wealth (Lincoln, 11). The cattle are initially stolen through deceit, trickery, and/or concealment. In the inevitable battle, Third slays the monster who is clearly Other, non-native and/or serpentine. As a result of that triumph, the cattle are restored to their rightful owners. The raiding aspect is performed in a straight-forward and honorable manner which is starkly contrasted to the dishonorable and unworthy machinations of the foreign, snakey bad guy.
This theme is not particularly relevant to modern pagans outside of mythic interest. I would argue that our larger culture, as inheritors of the IE worldview, finds this theme very relevant. The cows (oil, cultural treasures, etc) are ours by divine decree and we are justified in using force to retrieve them from whoever may happen to be in possession of them.
4. Describe instances of "freeing" or "winning" the waters in two different IE cultures. How can this theme be used to reinforce our current practices and cosmology? (300 words min.)
The River Boyne offers us a fascinating, if violent, tale of waters being freed. Nechtan was keeper of a well which only he and his cupbearers could safely approach. Anyone besides Nechtan or his cupbearers who dared come near the well would suffer terribly; their eyes would burst due to a submerged, protective heat/light source. Boand, Nechtan’s wife, disregarded the imprecation and drew near to the well. Thrice she circled the well, each time earning a mighty wave. The waves crashed over her, each inflicting damage;one cutting her thigh, one her hand, and the final wave claiming an eye. After receiving such injury, Boand ran away from the well, chased by the enraged waters. She met a watery end, drowned by the waters. The waters that had chased her became the Boyne River. They dove under the ground, reemerging to form the world’s greatest rivers and eventually returning to Nechtan’s mound (Puhvel, 279).
There is an Avestan tale which offers an alternative origin for the rivers of the world. There existed the Xvarenah, “the luminous and fiery hallmark of the duly elected king” (Puhvel, 278). As factions fought over the Xvarenah, it fled the conflict and headed toward Lake Vourukasa. There Apam Napat (whose name translates to “Offspring of the Waters” [Puhvel, 65]) seized it and hid it beneath the waters of the mythical lake. At this point, Ahuramazda proclaimed that whoever could get the Xvarenah would receive, “sacerdotal, pastoral,and martial rewards” (Puhvel, 278). A Turanian attempted to reach the prize by diving, naked, into the lake. Repulsed by his foreign blood, the Xvarenah avoided him. Each time the Xvarenah moved away, a surge of water went out from the lake. Those surges formed all the rivers of the world, one of which, the Haetumant, held the Xvarenah and somehow, defying all logic, emptied back into Lake Vourukasa (Puhvel, 279).
How do these two tales reinforce our ADF practices and cosmology? I rather hope they don’t. In each of the above tales the waters rise and are ultimately freed out of a murderous or xenophobic impulse. The fire in the water is attempting to avoid being grasped or claimed by someone deemed unworthy. The resultant flooding, producing rivers which would become the lifeblood of a thriving land, were an accidental boon to mankind.
An early step in our ADF Core Order of Liturgy is that of Purification. The Core Order Tutorial states “ADF has never been overly concerned about ritual purity. One reason is our mission of providing public, inclusive ritual. Our rites would quickly become exclusive if we decided to bar people in mourning or women following childbirth, to take just two examples. This attitude is consistent with a general trend in world religions today, where old rules of purity are de-emphasized in favor of a more inclusive approach.” Nevertheless, IE religion clearly had strong views about purity and being worthy of approaching the primal waters. Hopefully, when we ritually purify ourselves, we become worthy of approaching the sacred waters, thus avoiding death or dismemberment.
5. Show two examples in one IE culture of a deity engaging in actions that are unethical or unvirtuous, and speculate on why the deities sometimes engage in this type of behavior. (min. 100 words per example)
The Roman gods are a randy, deceitful, petty lot. Let us look at the story of poor Io, a lovely girl who had the bad luck to catch Jupiter’s eye. As he flirted with her, he shrouded them from his wife’s sight with clouds. Ever jealous, Juno mistrusted the clouds and dispersed them. Just in time to avoid detection, Jupiter turned innocent Io into a cow. Juno praised the cow’s beauty and asked to be given her as a gift. A request Jupiter granted. Now chattel, Io was guarded by Argus, unable to speak words of entreaty or to even greet her family. She resorted to drawing her name in the dust, allowing her father to recognize her. Feeling some sort of pity and wishing for Io to escape her constant watcher, Jupiter sent Mercury to kill Argus. Enraged by Argus’ murder, Juno tormented Io causing her to be chased by biting gadflies across the world until, at last, Jupiter promised to never look on Io again. Only then was she returned to her human form (Bulfinch, 28-31). Why did Jupiter behave in this shameful manner? He sought to avoid the wrath of his wife. He acted impulsively and later felt some small bit of remorse over the pain his actions were causing Io.
Jupiter was a right jerk. As philanderers go, he was as loathsome as they come. But his wife is no prize either. Her jealousy seems boundless. Let us look at the story of poor Callisto, a lovely girl who had the bad luck to catch Jupiter’s eye. Juno, green-eyed and enraged, threatened to take away, “that beauty with which you have captivated my husband” (Bulfinch, 32). Juno then transformed Callisto into a bear. As anyone could predict, a hunter soon threatened the bear (Callisto lingered around her home and would not go into the forest), but Jupiter intervened in time to save the life of the innocent girl his lechery doomed to an ursine life. His notion of “saving” her was odd though. He cast Callisto, and the hunter, into the stars to become constellations (the Great and Little Bears). Juno lost her mind and went to her foster-parents, Oceanus and Tethys, the oceanic powers, and demanded that the Great and Little Bears never have the pleasure of sinking beneath the waves like all the other stars (Bulfinch, 31-33). Why did Juno behave in this cruel manner? She was repeatedly enraged by her husband’s adultery. While she upheld her end of their marriage vows, he ignored them over and over. Juno was not content to ignore his behavior and punished his mistresses as a way of punishing Jupiter.
In my ethical paradigm, both adultery and insane jealousy are unvirtuous behaviors. However, the Romans loved to see their gods behave in ways that were recognizable. There is clearly a notion of gods that are limited at work here. The Roman gods were not considered infallible, not seen as paragons of virtue. Rather, they made mistakes and had flaws that, were they human, could well have been fatal.
6. Explain the monomyth (aka "hero cycle") and show how it applies to a single hero from the IE culture of your choice. (150 words min.)
Joseph Campbell, in his work Hero with a Thousand Faces, outlines the seventeen stages of the monomyth. The monomyth is what Campbell asserts is the underlying proto-story of all heroes, though not all heros undergo all seventeen stages. The seventeen stages he divides into three broad sections of the hero’s journey; Departure, Initiation, and Return. At its simplest level that journey is thus: the hero is called to adventure and given initial aid, he then must pass out of the known and comfortable world into an unknown landscape in which he does not know the rules. This is Departure (Campbell, 41-74).
The hero must face series of challenges, some which he may well fail. He may be tempted to abandon his quest. Ultimately he must face his nemesis and reflect upon the nature of that conflict to win his prize. This is Initiation (Campbell, 81-148).
After facing his dragon and winning his prize, the hero is transformed and may not wish to return to mundane world. He may have to escape with his prize. He may be rescued or forced to return to the world to share his hard-won boon. The hero must then struggle to find the balance between his transformed self, and the ordinary world he must now inhabit. This is Return (Campbell, 167-205).
All page numbers refer to Tolkien unless otherwise noted.
- Departure:
- The Call- Gandalf meets Bilbo on the road and says, “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging…” (4)
- Refusal of the Call- Bilbo says to Gandalf, “We don’t want any adventures here, thank you!” (5)
- Supernatural Aid- The day following the above refusal, thirteen dwarves and Gandalf, a wizard, come to Bilbo’s house (7-11).
- Crossing the First Threshold- Bilbo allows Gandalf to hurry him off to his early meeting, at the Green Dragon Inn, with the dwarves. From there, Bilbo sets off on his journey, albeit in a rather confused, hurried, and not altogether enthusiastic manner (30).
- Belly of the Whale- Bilbo passes out of the hobbit-lands and into “lands where people spoke strangely, and sang songs Bilbo had never heard before” (31). The company passes then further into the Lone-lands “where there were no people left, no inns, and the roads grew steadily worse” (31).
- Initiation:
- Road of Trials-Caught by trolls (34-42), Assisted and armed by Elrond (51-54), captured by goblins (59-64), riddle challenge of Gollum/finding a ring of invisibility (72-87), chased and treed by wargs/rescued by eagles ( 98- 109), crossing a perilous river of sleep (141-145), attacked by giant spiders (156-160), captured by elves (170-184)
- Meeting the Goddess- not an element in The Hobbit.
- Woman as Temptress- In Lake Town the company are quite comfortable. For some time they remain in town, dining, and sleeping in comfortable beds (188-200). One can assume how much Bilbo would like to have stayed. When the company sets out for the Lonely Mountain, “the only person thoroughly unhappy was Bilbo” (200).
- Atonement with Father- Confrontation with Smaug (220-225) who is literally a wealth-hoarding dragon.
- Apotheosis- when the Company is stuck inside the Lonely Mountain (232-235) Bilbo has time to reflect on his choices and current circumstances.
- Ultimate Boon- Bilbo finds the Arkenstone, and keeps it for himself (235). Truly though, the hard-won prize is more Bilbo’s personal transformation than the shiny gem.
- Return:
- Refusal of Return- Not really a refusal, but the Company intend to stay in the mountain and reclaim it for the dwarves, Bilbo’s plans are not quite clear.
- The Magic Flight- with Smaug dead, the mountain is besieged with those who want to claim his treasure (265), the Battle of Five Armies (279-285)
- Rescue from Without- Bilbo is knocked unconscious in the Battle of Five Armies (285). When the Battle ends, Gandalf sends people out to find Bilbo (287). Gandalf then escorts Bilbo back home (300).
- Crossing the Return Threshold- Once home, Bilbo finds that his friends, neighbors, and relations are auctioning off his home and possessions. Bilbo must resort to buying back many of his own possessions (301).
- Master of Two Worlds- though forever altered by his adventure, and not entirely accepted by his community, Bilbo find his peace. “He was in fact held by all the hobbits of the neighborhood to be ‘queer’. . . I am sorry to say he did not mind. He was quite content” (302).
- Freedom to Live- Bilbo is comfortable in his new life, even takes to writing his memoir and poetry. When old friends from his adventure come to visit and share news of what came to pass, he accepts it all as an interesting story (303).
Standard Set 2: Applications
- Using your answer to question 1 above (cosmos creation), create a piece for use in ritual that describes the process of cosmos creation through sacrifice. (no min. word count)
At the center of the worlds, I remember Ymir
Carved by the cosmic cow, Ymir of the Rime
Begetter of Buri, Ymir First Father
Cruelly cut by Odin Vili, Ve
Pulled into pieces by Odin, Vili, Ve
Made into Midgard by Odin, Vili Ve
Heaven’s Dome, Ymir, your skull
Salty seas, Ymir, your blood
Stones of the Earth, Ymir, your bones
At the center of the worlds, I remember Ymir
Carved by the cosmic cow, Ymir of the Rime
Home of the folk, First Father Ymir
2. Using your answer to question 4 above (winning the waters), create a piece for use in ritual that describes the winning of the waters. (no min. word count)
Waters defend us and waters you ward us
Flow fast beneath our feet
Secure in your precincts, preserve us
Beyond the light of our fire, wolves circle
Beyond the light of our fire, strangers howl
Beyond the light of our fire, foes gather
Rise waters rise to push back our foes
Rise waters rise to strike at the stranger
Rise waters rise to wash away the wolves
Outsiders be warned, our waters are strong
Outsiders be warned, our waters are swift
Outsiders be warned, our waters defend us
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