Description: "Georges Dumezil explored texts and histories from India, Iran, Rome, Scandinavia and the Celts, and showed how a comparative approach could reveal similarities and differences between quite diverse sources. This work resulted in his influential tripartite hypothesis, which divided functions in these societies between the sacred sovereign, the warrior and producers. The first major statements of this idea were contained in two books: Mythe et dieux des Germains (1939) and Mitra-Varuna (1940). Mitra-Varuna concentrates on the first function, that of sovereignty. The present critical edition provides notes of the variations between the first and second French editions and completes, and in places corrects, Dumezil's references. A detailed Introduction situates the book within Dumezil's career, outlines how his treatment of its themes developed over time, and shows how it relates to the political controversy around his ideas. This edition has a new Introduction by Stuart Elden and two Appendices containing passages not featured in the first French edition"-- Provided by publisher.
Brief description: Derek Coltman's translations from French include novels by Violette Leduc, Robert Merle and Ismail Kadare, nonfiction by Mircea Eliade, Jean Piaget, and Alain Touraine, and Dumézil's From Myth to Fiction: The Saga of Hadingus (University of Chicago Press).