Abstract
MR. HOCART has already written an interesting work on the evolution of kingship; and here he deals further with the subject. Starting from the primitive man's desire to control Nature for his own benefit, as expressed in a ritual that mimics or prefigures the fulfilment of his wishes, he finds the prototype of the king in the leader of the ceremonies?the choregus, as we may say. Not very explicitly, since he prefers not to enter into the psychology of symbolism, he supposes the protagonist to become somehow identified with his objective, namely, Nature and all that it yields in support of human life; while, by a like process of identification, he is made equivalent to the cult-object as represented by animal, tree, victim, idol and so on. It is explained that “the essential thing in worship is not reverence but identity”; so that killing the king in solemn sacrifice is all in the day's work.
Kings and Councillors:
an Essay in the Comparative Anatomy of Human Society. By A. M. Hocart. (Egyptian University Collection of Works published by the Faculty of Arts, No. 12.) Pp. 306. (Cairo: Egyptian University; London: Luzac and Co., 1936.) 4s. 6d.
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M., R. Kings and Councillors. Nature 139, 653 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/139653a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/139653a0