In our not so distant pasts there existed a stratified society, one divided by blood divined by the status of your birth.
The Indian caste system carried on the remnants of this division of society for millennia, slowing changing over-time. Far back in recorded history there existed the monolithic system of society of the Aryans during the early Vedic period with the society consisting of arya, meaning noble, free, and likewise being an endonym for people, vs the Dasa, meaning slave or outsider, or even an-Arya, quite literally non- Aryans, the name for all people outside the tribe. This has slowly morphed into the larger four division system of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The Dalits, meaning untouchables, are the literal outcasts of society, those outside of the caste system.
From these modern and ancient divisions we can see that a society consists of a closely connected inner group, with all outsiders being outside of society. I will elaborate on the distinction of stranger and outsider more in the next post, so for now, we shall leave it at this simple insider outsider distinction.
Before the spread of the Vedic peoples south through Eurasia down into the Iranian plateau and the Indian subcontinent, there existed a tripartite division of society, one that can be attested to through the various reconstructions of words and through the daughter languages and societies that sprang forth from her long history.
The original division included the Arya, the noble, who ruled over the tribe. This was followed the kóryos, the warband, who were the sword and shield of the ruling class. This was ultimately followed by the ḱommoynis, the commoners or what is held in common. The Aryans ruled with golden crowns and pectorals, the kóryos cut with swords of bronze and the ḱommoynis tilled the fields and lead the cattle with blood and sweat. The slave has always been considered an outsider to the society, as they were only ever those who were conquered, and never truly became integrated within the whole.
The most famous example of the tripartite system that most men of today’s age are familiar with is the tripartite system within Plato’s book the Republc, whereby Socrates speaks of the ideal society consisting of the rulers, the warriors, and the various artisans and laborers. This was ultimately modeled after Spartan society in which the tripartite division of society had been revived through the legendary Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus.
Plato likewise divides the soul into three parts, namely Logos, the aspect of reason, thumos, the aspect of the spirited, lastly eros, the aspect of desires. These three divisions are meant to reflect the rulers, the warriors, and the laborers as reason, high spirited, and desirous. So too shall the old ways of the Indo-European society be viewed.
The various daughter languages and societies of the Indo-Europeans have kept alive these thoughts and images of the noble ruler, the strong warrior, and the working commoner for thousands of years. Even our words for the good, the moral, as well as the bad or the immoral ultimately derive from this tripartite division of society. The Aryans were noble, free, rulers, and everything great. The commoners were desirous, dependent, ruled, and even lowsy, which is derivative of louse, meaning covered in lice.
The more you look at your modern world, and the deeper you dive into your ancient ancestoral past, the more of your world you shall see covered in the colors of the tripartite division of society. Think of the words for good and bad, the noble and ignoble, and their roots. Look deep into what you see as virtuous, meaning the qualities that make a man, and you shall see the warrior-kings of old. Look deep into yourself and you shall see what it is you want to become.
Other men would shy away from ideas of class or blood. Perhaps those men would even shun the history itself and turn away from such things. I however do not wish to embrace and reimbue the past, nor do I wish to ignore it. I have come bearing with me the truth of history and wish to learn from our ancient past. The topics that are forbidden are what I shall come to you and show, so that we may all learn. As always brothers, I am here with you in the abyss.
There is also the functional trinity of priests, warriors and merchants, reflecting different types of power. A king should embody all of these through divine appointment and status, wielding authority backed by loyal armies, and directing great wealth as well as controlling coinage and taxation.