インド＝ヨーロッパ語族比較神話学の試み : 戦闘と滅び

"Part One: In the Indian epics, the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyana, the heroes (the Pāndavas and Rāma) represent two aspects of heroic elements (fighting and wandering) simultaneously, whereas these two aspects are represented separately in Greek epics by Achilleus and Odysseus. Nevertheless, the two Indian epics and two Greek epics show remarkable similarities, which can only be explained by a common origin. Further evidence of a common origin in the epic heritage can be provided by an episode in the Mahābhārata called the story of Nala (Nalopākyānam) that shows structural similarities to the Odyssey. Common origin of the Iliad and the Mahābhārata being generally accepted, similarities with Indian epics could be also detected in the case of the Odyssey, especially with the Nalopākyānam. Thus we can assume a common origin for the two Indian epics (and an episode in one of them) and two Greek epics. These epics (and an episode) developed further thereafter but still show traces of a common origin.Part Two: The concept of cyclical ages seems to be shared among the Indo-Europeans. The first is the Golden Age, then gradually the condition becomes worse, and finally the worst comes. In this last stage, the world perishes first by fire and then by water. Following this, the world is renewed and another cycle from the Golden Age resumes. This concept is definitely observable in Ancient India, Scandinavia, and Ancient Iran. Some traces of this also remain among the Greeks and the Romans. Perhaps the message of the myth is that although disasters caused by fire and water are unavoidable, still they are also the beginning of a new period of the Golden Age.The following two papers are Japanese translations of two papers in English concerning Indo-European comparative mythology. I do not claim that the ideas in them are original. They are rather my personal summaries of what I have learned and understood recently about the results of Indo-European comparative mythology established by such scholars as G. Dumézil, S. Wikander, C. Watkins, B. Lincoln, and many others.Part One, titled "Comparative Epic Literature" was presented at the 12th Annual International Conference on Comparative Mythology "Myths of the Earth and Humankind: Ecology and the End of the World" held at Tohoku University in Sendai on June 1-4, 2018, and Part Two, titled "How the End and the Renewal were envisioned among the Indo-Europeans" was presented at the Tohoku Forum for Creativity Thematic Programs, Geologic Stabilization and Adaptations in Northeast Asia, Workshop 1 Natural Disaster and Religion/Mythology, held on June 5, 2018.I would like to thank all the participants for their pertinent criticisms and encouraging suggestions.第一部：インドの叙事詩『マハーバーラタ』と『ラーマーヤナ』の英雄たち（パーンダヴァ五兄弟、ラーマ王）は英雄の二つの側面（戦士と放浪者）を同時に体現している。これに対して、ギリシアの叙事詩においては二つの側面はアキレウスとオデュッセウスという二人の英雄がそれぞれ担っている。しかしながら、インドとギリシアの叙事詩群には極めて細部に至るモチーフの一致が認められ、これは共通の叙事詩からの発展・分化の結果であると考えざるを得ない。さらにまた、『マハーバーラタ』中の一エピソードである「ナラ王物語」にも『オデュッセイア』との顕著な構造的対応が指摘されている。これまでも『マハーバーラタ』と『イーリアス』の共通起源については一般的に承認されてきているが、インド叙事詩との共通要素が『オデュッセイア』においても認められるとなれば、インドの『マハーバーラタ』、『ラーマーヤナ』、「ナラ王物語」とギリシアの『イーリアス』、『オデュッセイア』はすべてインド＝ヨーロッパ語族が拡散する以前の時代に遡る原叙事詩型に由来すると考えるべきとなろう。第二部：時代の循環サイクルの概念はインド＝ヨーロッパ語族に共有されていたらしい。第一の時代は黄金時代であり、その後は次第に悪い状態となり、最後が最も悪くなる。この最後の時代に世界はまず火災によって、ついで大水によって滅びる。しかしその後、世界は再生し、新たな時代の循環サイクルが黄金時代から始まる。こうした概念はインドとイランと北欧ゲルマンにおいて確実に認められる。またその痕跡はギリシアとローマにも認められる。おそらくこの神話のメッセージは、火災や大水による大災害は不可避であるけれども、それはまた新しい繁栄の時代の始まりでもあるというものだったのだろう。