batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l11263-l11391
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l11263-l11391
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER II. THE PERILS OF THE SOUL. / HEINE. / CHAPTER III. KILLING THE GOD.
/ FOOTNOTES; lines 11263-11391
start: '11263'
end: '11391'
translation: 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage consists of footnotes citing sources for Frazer’s comparative
discussion. Several notes contain substantive details about royal selection by
bodily qualities, heirs through sisters’ sons, a Babylonian mock king who was
reportedly put to death after a festival involving masters serving servants, and
a Cambodian temporary king’s family connection with the royal house.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: One note reports that, according to Nicolaus Damascenus, the handsomest and
bravest man could be raised to the throne when the king had no heirs, with heirs
identified as the sons of the king’s sisters.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The same note says other authorities do not mention that limitation concerning
heirs.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The note says that among the Gordioi the fattest man was chosen king.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: The note says that among the Syrakoi the tallest man, or the man with the
longest head, was chosen king.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:5
text: A note on a Babylonian custom identifies a mock king, called ζωγάνης in the
Greek discussion, and argues that he was put to death.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: The Babylonian festival note says Athenaeus’ purpose was to list festivals
at which masters waited on their servants.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:7
text: The same note argues that the relevant Greek execution verb should be translated
as crucified or impaled, not hung.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: The Babylonian note says the custom is not attested before Persian domination
in Babylon by the available authorities, while adding the author’s opinion that
it was probably older.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: A Cambodian note refers to the connection of the temporary king’s family with
the royal house.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Physically selected king or royal candidate
description: A man selected or eligible for kingship because he is described as
handsomest and bravest, fattest, tallest, or having the longest head, depending
on the cited people or source.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Sisters’ sons as heirs
description: The sons of the king’s sisters are identified in one cited account
as the king’s heirs.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Babylonian mock king / ζωγάνης
description: A mock king discussed in connection with a Babylonian festival and
said by Frazer to have been put to death.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Masters at festival
description: Masters are described as waiting on their servants during certain festivals
discussed by Athenaeus.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Servants at festival
description: Servants are described as being waited on by masters during certain
festivals discussed by Athenaeus.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Temporary king’s family in Cambodia
description: A family connected with a temporary king and also with the royal house,
according to the cited Cambodian sources.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Royal candidate chosen by bodily quality
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage names kings chosen by qualities such as bravery, beauty, fatness,
height, or head length.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: Dynastic heirs through the king’s sisters
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage identifies the sons of the king’s sisters as heirs in the cited
account.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: Mock king put to death
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Frazer’s note says the mock king was put to death and discusses the mode
of execution.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: Masters serving servants
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The note describes festivals at which masters waited on their servants.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: Servants temporarily served by masters
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The note describes servants being waited on by masters at the festival.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: Kin group linked to temporary kingship and royal house
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The Cambodian note refers to the temporary king’s family and its connection
with the royal house.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Throne
literal_form: throne
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: Bodily qualification for kingship
literal_form: handsomeness, bravery, fatness, tallness, or long head as stated selection
criteria
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: Crucifixion or impalement as execution image
literal_form: crucified or impaled
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Selection of kings by physical or personal qualities
summary: The passage notes several reported customs in which a king or royal candidate
is selected by traits such as beauty, bravery, fatness, height, or head shape,
with one account limiting succession to cases where no sister’s sons are available
as heirs.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Babylonian mock king and festival inversion
summary: The passage discusses a Babylonian mock king connected with a festival
at which masters served servants, and Frazer argues that the mock king was put
to death, likely by crucifixion or impalement rather than hanging.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Temporary kingship linked to royal family
summary: The Cambodian note points to a connection between the temporary king’s
family and the royal house.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Royal selection by bodily excellence or marked bodily trait
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: The passage reports kings chosen because they are handsomest and bravest,
fattest, tallest, or have the longest head.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage is a footnote summary and does not provide the full ethnographic
or historical context for each named people.
- id: motif:2
label: Temporary or mock king put to death
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The Babylonian note identifies a mock king and argues that he was put to
death, with the mode interpreted as crucifixion or impalement.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage presents Frazer’s argument from ancient sources and philological
interpretation; it is not a full primary narrative.
- id: motif:3
label: Ritual inversion of masters and servants
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The note describes festivals at which masters waited on their servants.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The inversion is mentioned in explaining Athenaeus’ purpose and is not
narrated in detail.
- id: motif:4
label: Temporary kingship tied to royal kinship
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: The Cambodian footnote refers to a temporary king’s family being connected
with the royal house.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: low
cautions: Only a brief bibliographic note is present; the nature of the connection
is not described in this passage.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage juxtaposes multiple reported cases in which kingship is assigned
by exceptional bodily or personal traits, suggesting a recurring comparative pattern
of bodily qualification for royal legitimacy.
claim_level: same_motif
target: Royal selection by physical excellence or bodily distinction across the
Gordioi, Syrakoi, and the account cited from Nicolaus Damascenus
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage is a footnote and does not provide independent details
for each tradition; the comparison is limited to Frazer’s cited summaries.
- id: claim:2
claim: The Babylonian mock king note combines temporary kingship, festival status
inversion, and death of the mock ruler, supporting a cautious comparison to a
sacrificial mock-king pattern.
claim_level: same_function
target: Temporary or mock king sacrificed after ritual elevation
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage reports Frazer’s reconstruction and source criticism rather
than a complete primary account.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 11316-11326 / footnote 778
quote_or_summary: According to Nicolaus Damascenus, the handsomest and bravest man
was raised to the throne only when the king had no heirs, the heirs being his
sisters’ sons; the note also says the Gordioi chose the fattest man as king and
the Syrakoi chose the tallest or longest-headed man.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 11351-11365 / footnote 787
quote_or_summary: Frazer discusses a Babylonian mock king, ζωγάνης, linked to a
festival where masters waited on servants, and argues that the mock king was put
to death.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 11365-11386 / footnote 787
quote_or_summary: Frazer says the custom is not attested before Persian domination
in Babylon by the cited authorities, and that ἐκρέμασαν should be translated “crucified”
or “impaled,” not “hung.”
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt included.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 11388-11391 / footnote 788
quote_or_summary: The Cambodian footnote cites sources for the connection of the
temporary king’s family with the royal house.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 11263-11391
quote_or_summary: Most of the passage consists of bibliographic footnotes citing
comparative sources for preceding discussion in Frazer’s chapters.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is primarily footnotes rather than a continuous mythic narrative.
Motif extraction is based on the substantive content within notes 778, 787, and
788; many other lines are only citations.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only details present in the supplied passage were used. No external source context was added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg__l11263-l11391
passage_sha256=872cb2ea18b9e27b5281821a207de12e70bb5a1672f96571ff5d7c5dfac7ea71