Proto-Indo-Europeans
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
- Proto-Indo-Europeans
Only small fragments of Proto-Indo-European poetry may be recovered. What survives of their poetry are stock phrases of two or three words, like undying fame and immortal gods, that are found in diverse ancient sources. These seem to have been standard building blocks for song lyrics.
Inferring chiefly from the Vedas, there would have been sacrificial hymns, creation myths (such as myths of a world tree), and hero tales (the slaying of a serpent or a dragon, *kʷr̥mis by a heroic man or god).
Probably of the greatest importance to the Indo-Europeans themselves were songs extolling great deeds by heroic warriors. In addition to perpetuating their glory (*ḱléwos), such songs would also temper the warriors' behavior, since each needed to consider whether his undying fame would be honorable or shameful. See also bard, fili, skald, rhapsode.
