Re: Indo-Iranian *H2rt�- (was Sanskrit Rta)

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "A." <xthanex@...> wrote:

>
> Aside from trying to lay to rest this religious obsession of mine, I
> am curious because I was thinking of the Greek Goddess Arete (Goddess
> of virtue, morality, excellence) and how similar the name seems to
> Arta.
> I may be way off base but IF Arete were a cognate of Rta I would
> think this would be unexpected; because it would imply that the PIE
> *H2rt�- was already carrying some sense of "Divine Moral Standard"
> (or some such concotion) *prior* to the split of the European and
> Indo-Iranian branches.
> IF it were a cognate another possibility would be that Arete was a
> result of Scythian (perhaps Thracian?) influence upon the Greeks.
>
> Any thoughts, suggestions, corrections, or advice you can offer?
>
> Sincerely,
> Aydan

*********
Arete features in a single myth told by the Sophist Prodicus,
where she and Kakia appear to Herakles, each offering her way of life.
Clearly she is a personification of Virtue, and I would be very
surprised if she existed much before Prodicus (if at all). The word
does derive from the root you are interested in, but if there are
Goddesses in other cultures with a similar name and function, I'd
guess parallel development rather than I.-E. inheritance.
Dan