Indo-European Poetry and Myth

first word, for instance RV 1. 146. 1 trimu ̄rdha ̄ ́nam ̇ saptáras ́mim ̇ gr ̇ n ̇ ̄sı ̇ e ánu ̄nam Agním, ‘the three-headed, s ...

vocative, the other appended in the nominative with the copula ca or τε (both from *kwe): RV 1. 2. 5, 4. 47. 3 Va ̄ ́yav Índras ...

development may take the form of one or more relative clauses, giving a characteristic structure:^5 s ́ám ̇ sa ̄ maha ̄m Índ ́ a ...

sallayaskan siu ̄nas kuis sallis, utar kue ̄dani dassu, ‘who controllest all lands, whom they constantly praise, who art greater ...

peoples are not victorious’; 2. 16. 2 yásma ̄d Índra ̄d br ̇ hatáh ̇ kím ̇ caném r ̇ té, ‘great Indra, without whom nothing’; 7. ...

From thee the victorious singer is born, Agni, from thee heroes who defeat the foe;^9 Vais ́va ̄nara, do thou bring us desirable ...

‘Fortunate is he whom the Muses love’ (Hes. Th. 96 f., cf. Hymn. Dem. 486 f.). ‘When men arm themselves for battle and slaughter ...

reference: RV 10. 72. 1 deva ̄ ́na ̄m ̇ nú vayám ̇ ja ̄ ́na ̄ | prá voca ̄ma vipanyáya ̄, ‘the gods’ births we will now tell for ...

Of course several mythical events could be mentioned within the compass of one poem. If the poet chose to organize them into a s ...

9 Thou didst put to sleep Cumuri and Dhuni, smash the Dasyu, assist Dabhı ̄ti; even the (old man) with a stick found gold: this ...

$ Zρφναν μολο ́ ντα παι  δ, εAτε ∆ιο ́  νιν εAπω | εAτ, ,Αμφιτρ3ωνο jνιν | 0μνη  σαι στεφα ́ νωμα μο ́ χθων δι, ε1λογα θ ...

with ‘me’ or ‘my prayer’: RV 1. 184. 2 s ́rutám me... nara ̄, ‘hear me, heroes’; 5; 6. 4. 7 máhi nah ̇ s ́rós ̇ i Agne, ‘h ...

‘Look on us’ Less common than ‘hear’, but still documented on a wide front, is the appeal to the god to direct his gaze at those ...

the axe, prayed ‘Come, Sanda, and let the Innarawantes come with you... Come and eat, and we will take the oath.’^21 A couple of ...

‘hear’ and ‘come’ are closely associated, just as, for instance, in RV 5. 74. 6 nu ̄ ́ s ́rutám ma, a ̄ ́ gatam, ‘now hear me, c ...

sám ̇ hí dr ́ ̇ ks ̇ ase, ‘so mayest thou (Su ̄ rya) appear together with Indra’. Similarly in the Ga ̄tha ̄s: Y. 28. 6 Vo h u ̄ ...

leaping in brightness from afar onto the forestays of firm-thwarted ships’ (Alc. 34. 7–10). The priest or singer does not know w ...

she sits with draped or walks with upright leg to aid her friends, or like a bold commander she reconnoitres the Phlegraean plai ...

desired rather than specific ones needed in some special situation. In some texts it is simply ‘give us blessings’: RV 4. 33. 11 ...

as “destroyer”]... destroy them (ollye) as you do destroy’; Aesch. Sept. 146 κα? σ3, Λ3κει, Eναξ, Λ3κειο γνου στρατ;ι δαRωι, ‘ ...