The Golden Bough. A Study in Magic and Religion. Part 3. The Dying God


Read by Leon Harvey

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The fourth volume in Frazer's seminal 12 volume set on anthropology and traditional systems of belief. With this third part of The Golden Bough we take up the question, why had the King of the Wood at Nemi regularly to perish by the hand of his successor? Topics investigated include the practice and intention of human sacrifice, the mortality of gods, the regular killing of divine kings and spirits, and the superstitions surrounding the succession of the soul. - Summary by Leon Harvey (9 hr 29 min)

Chapters

PREFACE 3:13 Read by Leon Harvey
I. THE MORTALITY OF THE GODS. Mortality of Savage Gods, Mortality of Greek Gods… 11:35 Read by Leon Harvey
II. THE KILLING OF THE DIVINE KING. Part I. PREFERENCE FOR A VIOLENT DEATH. Hu… 10:25 Read by Leon Harvey
II. PART 2. KINGS KILLED WHEN THEIR STRENGTH FAILS. Divine kings put to death, … 1:09:04 Read by Leon Harvey
II PART 3. KINGS KILLED AT THE END OF A FIXED TERM. Suicide of the kings of Qui… 26:22 Read by Leon Harvey
II PART 4. Octennial Tenure of the Kingship, Spartan kings liable to be deposed… 1:01:55 Read by Leon Harvey
II PART 5. FUNERAL GAMES. Tradition of the funeral origin of the great Greek ga… 55:21 Read by Leon Harvey
III. THE SLAYING OF THE KING IN LEGEND. Story of Lancelot and the proffered kin… 29:56 Read by Leon Harvey
IV. THE SUPPLY OF KINGS. Traces in legend of a custom of compelling men to acce… 28:22 Read by Leon Harvey
V. TEMPORARY KINGS. Annual abdication of kings and their places temporarily fil… 22:34 Read by Leon Harvey
VI.SACRIFICE OF THE KING'S SON. Temporary kings sometimes related by blood to t… 1:08:59 Read by Leon Harvey
VII. SUCCESSION TO THE SOUL. Tendency of a custom of regicide to extinguish a r… 16:18 Read by Leon Harvey
VIII. PART 1. THE KILLING OF THE TREE SPIRIT. PART 1. The Whitsuntide Mummers. … 1:11:33 Read by Leon Harvey
VIII. PART 2. PART 5. Sawing the Old Woman,Sawing the Old Woman at Mid-Lent in … 1:04:16 Read by Leon Harvey
NOTE A Chinese Indifference to Death. NOTE B Swinging as a Magical Rite. ADDENDA 29:20 Read by Leon Harvey