Commencing on Valentine’s Day 2020, an anniversary marking five years of weekly contributions to Classical Inquiries, this article initiates a series of reflections on Comparative Mythology, drawing inspiration from the “Esquisses de mythologie” of Georges Dumézil. Dumézil, a towering figure in the field, produced one hundred such mythological sketches across four volumes, starting with Apollon sonore in 1982. Receiving an inscribed copy of this first volume remains a cherished memory, a gift from a mentor who profoundly supported the comparative mythological endeavors of a close colleague in Paris. This inaugural piece in a new series echoes the spirit of Dumézil’s work, using the lens of comparative mythology to explore enduring themes in myth and epic traditions. Just as a previous Valentine’s reflection highlighted the convergence of academic and personal paths through Dumézil’s influence, this new series begins by revisiting a central figure in his sketches: the god Apollo.
Dumézil’s inscription on the front page of Apollon sonore, a testament to his influence on comparative mythology studies.
In his later reflections, compiled in the 1986 printing of Mythe et épopée I, Dumézil encapsulated the core of his arguments regarding Greek mythology as a comparative point for broader Indo-European mythological reconstructions. Specifically, he pointed to the initial sketches in Apollon sonore, which focused on Apollo’s prominent role within the Homeric Iliad and the Homeric Hymn to Apollo. The central question posed was how Apollo aligns with, or diverges from, the Indo-European model of “myth and epic” meticulously reconstructed in Dumézil’s seminal three-volume Mythe et épopée. In embarking on this series of comments on comparative mythology, this exploration similarly commences with the figure of Apollo, examining his significance through a comparative lens.
While acknowledging points of divergence from Dumézil’s interpretations, particularly in forthcoming discussions, this initial exploration of comparative mythology emphasizes areas of convergence, focusing on insights gleaned from Esquisses 1 through 8 of Apollon sonore. These early sketches offer general observations concerning the comparative evidence found within Homeric poetry, specifically the Homeric Hymn to Apollo and the Iliad and Odyssey, as they relate to “myth and epic”. Dumézil highlights the resonant voice of Apollo, delivering oracular pronouncements, drawing parallels to the authoritative divine voices found in the Indic Vedas and other related forms of verbal art. This resonance underscores the power of comparative mythology to illuminate shared patterns across seemingly disparate cultures.
The Chryselephantine cult statue of Apollo at Delphi, circa 550 BCE, embodying the god’s revered status in ancient Greek mythology.
Building upon previous work on Apollo, notably in The Best of the Achaeans, which Dumézil references in Apollon sonore, another significant point of convergence emerges in Apollon sonore. Here, Dumézil considers the antagonism between Apollo and Achilles, the central hero of the Iliad, within the framework of their respective relationships with Zeus, the supreme cosmic deity. This dynamic offers a rich vein for comparative mythology analysis. Future articles will delve deeper into the interpretation of this antagonism, proposing a parallelism where Apollo, as a son of Zeus, is perpetually distinct from his father’s cosmic sovereignty, while Achilles embodies a kind of ultimate son figure that Zeus never possessed. As previously argued, mythic traditions, exemplified by Pindar’s Isthmian 8, hint at Achilles’ potential to surpass Zeus, contingent only on his mother Thetis, a cosmic goddess, having been mated with a god rather than the mortal Peleus.
From Dumézil’s perspective, such a parallelism might suggest a non-Indo-European origin for both Apollo and Achilles. However, through the lens of comparative mythology, a different interpretation arises. Subsequent explorations will argue for an underlying Indo-European structure within these Homeric narratives and other related examples of “myth and epic,” demonstrating the enduring relevance of Indo-European frameworks in understanding classical mythology.
Despite these differing interpretations, a profound appreciation for Dumézil’s meticulous engagement with Homeric poetry, particularly the Iliad, remains. His close readings reveal a deep immersion in the epic text, echoing the sentiment of a celebrated French poet, alluded to in Apollon sonore:
Conseil: en trois jours ou en vingt-quatre, chaque année, relire l’Iliade pour le plaisir, sans lui poser de questions.
This advice, attributed to Pierre de Ronsard, encapsulates the value of repeated engagement with foundational texts like the Iliad. Dumézil’s work in comparative mythology exemplifies this principle, demonstrating the rewards of close textual analysis in uncovering deeper mythological structures and cross-cultural connections. This series will continue to explore these connections, building upon the groundwork laid by Dumézil and further enriching the field of comparative mythology.
Bibliography
Dumézil, G. 1968, reprinted 1986. Mythe et épopée I. L’idéologie des trois fonctions dans les épopées des peuples indo-européennes. Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1971, 2nd edition 1986. Mythe et épopée II. Types épiques indo-européens: un héros, un sorcier, un roi. Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1973, 2nd edition 1978, 3rd edition 1981. Mythe et épopée III. Histoires romaines. Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1975. Fêtes romaines d’été et d’automne, suivi de dix questions romaines. Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1980. Camillus: A Study of Indo-European Religion as Roman History. Translated by A. Aranowicz and J. Bryson. Edited and with introduction by U. Strutynski. Berkeley and Los Angeles. = Part 2 of Mythe et épopée III = Dumézil 1973, plus Appendices 1 and 2 of Dumézil 1973, plus Appendices 3 and 4 of Dumézil 1975.
Dumézil, G. 1982. Apollon sonore et autres essais. Vingt-cinq esquisses de mythologie. Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1983. La Courtisane et les seigneurs colorés et autres essais. Vingt-cinq esquisses de mythologie (26–50). Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1983b. The Stakes of the Warrior. Translated by D. Weeks. Edited, with an Introduction, by J. Puhvel. Berkeley and Los Angeles. = Part 1 of Mythe et épopée II = Dumézil 1971.
Dumézil, G. 1985. L’oubli de l’homme et l’honneur des dieux, et autres essais. Vingt-cinq esquisses de mythologie (51–75). Paris.
Dumézil, G. 1986. The Plight of the Sorcerer. Translated by D. Weeks and others. Edited by J. Puhvel and D. Weeks. Introduction by D. Weeks. Berkeley and Los Angeles. = Part 2 of Mythe et épopée II = Dumézil 1971.
Dumézil, G. 1994. Le roman des jumeaux et autres essais. Vingt-cinq esquisses de mythologie (76–100). Edited by J. H. Grisward, with preface at pp. 9–15. Paris.
Dumézil, G. [1995.] Mythe et épopée I, II, III. New combined and corrected edition of the original three volumes, with original paginations retained in the inner margins. Preface by J. H. Grisward, pp. 7–30. Paris.
Nagy, G. 1979/1999. The Best of the Achaeans: Concepts of the Hero in Archaic Greek Poetry. Baltimore. Revised ed. with new introduction 1999. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_Nagy.Best_of_the_Achaeans.1999.
Nagy, G. 1981. “Essai sur Georges Dumézil et l’étude de l’épopée grecque.” In Cahiers “Pour un temps”: Georges Dumézil, ed. J. Bonnet et al., 137–145. Aix-en-Provence. Rewritten as part of Chapter 1 in Nagy 1990b.
Nagy, G. 1990. Greek Mythology and Poetics. Ithaca, NY. Revised paperback edition 1992. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_Nagy.Greek_Mythology_and_Poetics.1990.
See also the dynamic Bibliography for Comments on Comparative Mythology.
