Thanks for the interesting string of connections! Various triplets come to my mind. One is the Indo-European hero called Trita ('Third') in Indo-Aryan branch. He was the third of three brothers and killed a tricephalous creature called Thraetona, who was dragon-like and using fire. Trita has the epithet Aptya in the Vedas which means 'watery' so there seems to be a fire-water duality alongside the triplicity. In Rome the story was turned into a legend about the three brothers Horatii fighting the three Curiatii. Two brothers were killed but the remaining one killed all three enemies.
Of course, the elephant in the Rome when it comes to IE triplets is Georges Dumézil. He saw three classes everywhere, much to the annoyance of British scholars (young Mary Beard went ballistic about it). This was based on the Medieval ideal of the three classes (oratores, bellatores, laboratores) and the Vedic varna system (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya). He may be exaggerating his threesomes (one of his examples is Paris' choice between the three goddesses) but there is enough parallelism in his work to show that this was a significant part of Indo-European ideology.
The warrior dance of the Salii (tripudium, parallel verbal formation to the Greek tripod) is also very interesting and has to do with ritual auguries (birds seems to have three supports when they land and peck) and probably the three cosmic steps of Vishnu.
Great work brother! As an interesting side note, seeing the notification for this post was a synchronicity for me. A little while earlier I was reflecting on the Valknut symbol.
Well, Myths and Mysteries also commented something similar, noting that a scholar named Dumezil saw threes in everything and was bit of a joke because of this. However, if 1 and 2 are true, which I will not deny, this still wouldn’t change any of the things we can find concerning the number three. There are triads/triumvirates/trinities in various IE mythologies, and three does seem to pop up all over the place.
But yeah, fair observations which I can’t deny. It is not unique to IE and not all IE myths contain important triads.
Thanks for the interesting string of connections! Various triplets come to my mind. One is the Indo-European hero called Trita ('Third') in Indo-Aryan branch. He was the third of three brothers and killed a tricephalous creature called Thraetona, who was dragon-like and using fire. Trita has the epithet Aptya in the Vedas which means 'watery' so there seems to be a fire-water duality alongside the triplicity. In Rome the story was turned into a legend about the three brothers Horatii fighting the three Curiatii. Two brothers were killed but the remaining one killed all three enemies.
Of course, the elephant in the Rome when it comes to IE triplets is Georges Dumézil. He saw three classes everywhere, much to the annoyance of British scholars (young Mary Beard went ballistic about it). This was based on the Medieval ideal of the three classes (oratores, bellatores, laboratores) and the Vedic varna system (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya). He may be exaggerating his threesomes (one of his examples is Paris' choice between the three goddesses) but there is enough parallelism in his work to show that this was a significant part of Indo-European ideology.
The warrior dance of the Salii (tripudium, parallel verbal formation to the Greek tripod) is also very interesting and has to do with ritual auguries (birds seems to have three supports when they land and peck) and probably the three cosmic steps of Vishnu.
I appreciate the further elucidation! A lot that you mention is new to me. Thanks for the comment, Myths.
Great work brother! As an interesting side note, seeing the notification for this post was a synchronicity for me. A little while earlier I was reflecting on the Valknut symbol.
Thanks!
Ah! The Valknut! I knew I was forgetting something.
Not to seem like a debooooonker but I've read somewhere (can't remember where) that this 'tripartite Indo-European' schema is:
(1) not unique to the Aryans;
(2) not found among *all* Aryan peoples
I mean so what but there ya go what say you?
I’ve been deboooonked!
Well, Myths and Mysteries also commented something similar, noting that a scholar named Dumezil saw threes in everything and was bit of a joke because of this. However, if 1 and 2 are true, which I will not deny, this still wouldn’t change any of the things we can find concerning the number three. There are triads/triumvirates/trinities in various IE mythologies, and three does seem to pop up all over the place.
But yeah, fair observations which I can’t deny. It is not unique to IE and not all IE myths contain important triads.
Aha right it was something about Dumezil sperging out on the confirmation bias.
Yeah it's really a point of no consequence; specifics don't invalidate the general.