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Three Sons and the Architecture of Society 9:04 As the story of the three sons unfolds, we move from the origins of the land to the origins of the social order itself. The Scythians, like many Indo—European peoples, organized their world into three distinct categories. This wasn't just a way to group people; it was a cosmic template. Whether you look at the sons of Targī̆tavah—Lipoxais, Arpoxais, and Kolaxais—or the sons of the "Heracles" figure—Agathyrsos, Gelōnos, and Skythēs—the message is the same: the world is a tripartite structure, and everyone has a place within it.
9:41 Let's look at the first set of brothers. Their names all end with the suffix "-xais," which comes from the Old Iranian word *xšaya*, meaning "ruler." This tells us right away that we are talking about the foundation of royal authority. Lipoxais, the eldest, has a name that likely means "King of Radiance" or "King of the Sun." He is associated with the heavens and the priestly class. In Indo—Iranian tradition, the color white is the symbol of the clergy, and we see this reflected in the myth recorded by Valerius Flaccus, where the character representing this lineage is born with white hair and wears a priestly headband. This is the class responsible for maintaining the relationship with the gods—the ones who understand the fire of Tabiti.
10:29 Then there’s the middle brother, Arpoxais. His name translates to "King of the Skillful" or "King of the Airspace." He is the progenitor of the Katiaroi and the Traspies—the farmers and the horse—breeders. This is the third estate—the people who produce the wealth of the nation. In the myths, this class is often split in two—one group focused on cattle and the other on horses. This perfectly mirrors the reality of life on the steppe, where managing livestock was the backbone of the economy. This class represents the middle layer of the cosmos—the air and the lightning—bridging the gap between the divine heavens and the solid earth.
11:14 Finally, we have the youngest brother, Kolaxais. His name carries meanings like "Thunderer King" or "Blacksmith King." He is the ancestor of the Paralatai—the Royal Scythians, the warrior—aristocracy. He is the one who ultimately secures the golden objects from the sky. In the story, when the gold falls to the earth, it is flaming hot. When the two older brothers approach it, the heat drives them back. But when Kolaxais approaches, the flames die down, and he is able to carry the treasures home. This is a classic "youngest brother" motif—the one who is chosen by the divine because of his unique fitness for rule.
11:57 This tripartite division—priests, warriors, and producers—is a foundational concept that the Scythians shared with the Vedic Indians and the Zoroastrian Iranians. In India, it’s the *varna* system of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. In the Avestan tradition, Zarathustra’s three sons are said to be the heads of these same three classes. The Scythian myth takes this abstract social theory and turns it into a family tree. It suggests that every member of society is literally a cousin to everyone else, all descended from the same original man, yet destined for different roles by divine decree.
12:35 The beauty of this system is that it creates a sense of "primordial unity" that was lost and then restored. Targī̆tavah, the first man, represents that initial unity. When he has three sons, the world fragments into different classes and tribes. But when Kolaxais wins the golden objects, he reintegrates those fragments. As the king, he isn't just a member of the warrior class—he transcends all classes. He becomes the chief priest, the chief warrior, and the chief farmer all at once. He is the incarnation of the entire society. This is why the Scythian kings were so sacred—they were the living link that held the three layers of the universe together.