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2019, Devotions of the Celtic Tribe

Abstract

At first glance, the polytheistic pantheons of the Indo-Europeans, and in particular those of the Celts, seem desperately encumbered and confused. This is just an outsider’s impression. Gods were not just ranked according to their importance or for pre-eminence, but again, according to function, essence and nature, and were seen as projections of the personal triune Godhead. That there is an ethical ranking order here made according to gender, quality, and number, is not to be questioned. The prototype for this multiplication of godly entities originates well within the original construct of the common Indo-European pantheon. It was theologized that from the three manifestations of the Supreme Being, separate entities were declined as spirit projections and emitted in sets of three. This complex indexing of gods could not have been conceptualized without the work of theologians and philosophers druids, who were called diuiciacoi and adgnatioi in the Old Celtic sacred nomenclature. Let it also be said, that the devotions of the third social function were varied and were expressed according to the various cults and lines of discipline. Therefore, the gods of other related peoples could be indexed in preference according to the rankings of the Roman pantheon, which, according to Caesar’s list, went as follows: Mercury, Apollo, Mars, Jupiter, and Minerva. All other deities are but manifestations or hypostases of these entities.

Figures (15)

By M. Boutet, Drummondville, Québec, 2019 Meyrick, Samuel Rush and Smith, Charles Hamilton. The Costume of the Original In habitants of the British Islands, published and printed for Howlett and Brimmer, T. M Lean (1821).

When looking into the early genealogies of these mythical characters it quickly becomes apparent that they function along specific hierarchal lines and lineages belonging to the Indo-European trifunctional model. Most often, these come to a dead-end with mythological events such as wars of titans and gods, or end time cataclysms such as the Deluge. Before one of these events, the people of Bith said to be the son of Noah, land on the coast of Ireland to escape this universal flood. This is exactly where the Irish myth becomes muddled with the Biblical Deluge account. This mix-up is the result of a re- writing by Christian commentators in order to have the older mythological theme conform to the Biblical story. In other Indo-European stories of the Deluge, as found in the Vedic texts, it was Manu who escaped the flood by boat and resettled his people. We know through compared myths, that Manu, or Mannus for the Teutons, is identifiable to the Celtic and Hellenic Belos. Henceforth, Noah = Bilé.

Artaios and Rosmerta holding giant cornucopias along with a mead-cup and a bread basket. Gallo-Roman stele found at Vitteaux and kept at the museum of Saint- Germain-en-Laye, musée d'Archéologie Nationale et Domaine national de Saint- Germain-en-Laye.

Forest of the Druids, colored engraving after a drawing by Villeneuve for the Théatre Royal Italien 4 Paris (1835), Paris, Bibliothéque de l’Opéra.

Stele from the Alter of Reims depicting Cennunos, Apollo and Mercury, a photo of th (Musée Saint-Remi, Reims.

The Welsh Genealogy of Godly Hypostases

Julius Caesar’s short list of the Gallic pantheon with possible Irish and Welsh equivalents

Gallo-Roman Roman high-relief sculpture of the goddess of the home Nantosuelta. Alter of Sarrebourg, Moselle, France.

Mercury with two ravens and a dog, high-relief stele, from Corgoloin, the village of Moux, Burgundy, France. Photo: Cl. Fr. Perrodin, from the Musée archéologique de Dijon. Partholon and Nemedh make for opposing pairs, one martial and the other one mystic. Or as Dumézil would have it, Nemedh represents the first social function while Partholon, the second. That is, what Plutarch terms as Zeus and Cronus. This implies that the Irish Dagda, as a cognate of Zeus, is the druid god and Nemedh, his hypostasis. The Welsh parallel examples are Arawn for warriors and Pwyll for druids. This force Plutarch to conclude that: “the royal and divine element is all by itself, pure and unalloyed.”

Statuette of the Gallo-Roman Mars, in Les bronzes antiques de Paris by Velay, Philippe, et al., Paris, éditions Paris-Musées, 1989. Even before the time of Caesar, agglomeration of all of the kingd important commemoration was that no such celebrations were as Diodorus reports, Lugdunum was the larger oms of independent Gaul. Therefore, if an held at Tailltinn, there is no reason to believe held in Gaul in the vicinity of Lyon. The Guyonvarc’hs, when looking at the Welsh, Breton, and French, names for the August festival noticed that in t hese respective languages it was called: Gwyl Awst, Gouel Eost, and Goule aoust. All from the Celto-Roman Ueilia/Vigilia Augusti. It seems that, after the by the imperial cult of Rome in conquest, these summer games were replaced honor of Caesar Augustus and renamed Concilium Galliarum or Counci of the Gauls.

The Vettonians, when they visited the camp of the Romans for the first time, upon seeing some of the officers promenading up and down the streets merely for the sake of walking around, supposed they were crazy and proceeded to lead the way for them to the tents, thinking they should either remain quietly seated or else be fighting. 2° God with a Lyra, Exposition de Bibracte, photo J.F. Bradu. The Cult of Apollo

The stele of Natalis and Regtilla from des Bolards necropolis of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Photo from P.-A. Lamy, Musée de Nuits-Saint-Georges, France. Another important goddess of Antiquity was Nemetona. As her name suggests, she was the tutelary goddess of the Nemeton, the sacred grove. The Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend was called Viviane in French, and Nimué in Breton. Nimué is from the later Gallic Nimida, which meant “the shrine, the sanctuary.” The Irish battle Fury, Nemain, is of the same etymology. Her name is attested in many epigraphic finds from Germany to Britain where she is coupled with Mars Rigonemetis and Mars Loucetius. A variant of her name was Nemetara, “most sacred.”

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References (48)

1. Exsera, "out of age, out of the prime of life;" exsaro, "cut;"
2. Eula, "science, wisdom;"
3. Delua, "form, shape appearance." The Three Supports Defined 11
4. Andia < Andios, "great and superior;" Andeuotados, "the superior support;" for Fothad Canann < Uotados Connonos, "the support of intelligence, knowledge, and cunning."
5. Trendia < Trenodios, "great strength, tremendous;" Trenouotados, the strong, vigorous support; for Fothad Airgthech < Uotados Argantacos, "the silver support."
6. Candios, "clear, candid, quasi-luminous;" Candouotados, the candid and clear support," for Fothad Cairpthech < Uotados Carpantacos, the structured, carpentered support," and/or, > Fothad Dolus < Uotados Doluas, "the support of the rule of conduct, the appearance to withhold." Artaios and Rosmerta holding giant cornucopias along with a mead-cup and a bread basket. Gallo-Roman stele found at Vitteaux and kept at the museum of Saint- Germain-en-Laye, musée d'Archéologie Nationale et Domaine national de Saint- Germain-en-Laye.
7. Gaulish Deities Mercury: Lugus / Artaios + Rosmerta / Artio Mars: Ogmios / Loucetios / Uisucios + Nemetona / Uisuia Apollo: Grannos / Belenos / Maponos + Sirona Jupiter: Taranis / Sucellos / Esus + Nantosuelta Vulcan: Gobnios / Ucuetis + Bergusia Minerva: Epona / Rigantona + Belenos Atepomaros Irish Deities Mercury: Lugh / Manannan mac Lir + Dechtiré / Fand Mars: Ogma + Etain, the mother Apollo: Dian Cécht + Etain, the daughter; Alias Oenghus mac Óc + Caer Ibormaith Jupiter: Dagda / Eochaid / Ruadh Rofessa + Morrigù / Boand / Etain (mother) Vulcan: Goibniu + Brigit Minerva: Morrigan / Morrigù + Ruadh Rofessa Welsh Deities Mercury: Llew / Mnawyddan + Blodeuwedd Mars: Owain + Luned Apollo: Mabon / Pryderi + Cicva Jupiter: Bêli Mawr / Urien / Bran + Dôn / Modron Vulcan: Gofannon + ? Minerva: Morgane / Rhiannon / Arianrhod + Pwyll Gallo-Roman Roman high-relief sculpture of the goddess of the home Nantosuelta. Alter of Sarrebourg, Moselle, France. Epithets of the Gods in British and Gallo-Roman Epigraphy Mercury: Alaunus < Alaunos, "brilliant, reflective, mirroring;" Alisanus < Alisanos, "steeped, cliff-like;" Arvernorix < Aruernorixs, "king of the Arvenii," Aruernos, "of excellence, excelling;" Gebrinius < Gebrinios, "of frost, the frosty;" Magniocus < Magniocos < Macniacos, "the stony, stonely;" Toutatis, Teutatis, "ethnic, national, tribal, agent;" Medrus < Medros, "joyous, merry." Mars: Budenicus < Budenicos, "of the army, soldier;" Buxenus < Buxenos, "of wood, woody;" Cemenelus < Cemenelos, Cemenellos, "of the summit, lofty;" Condatis, "the confluence, reunion, meeting;" Loucetius < Loucetios, "the light bearer;" Matunus < Matunos, "bear cub;" Rigonemetis, "of the royal sanctuary;" Rudianus < Rudianos, "the red, ruddy;" Rudiobos, "reddish, reddened, ruddy;" Veraudinus < Ueraudinos, "the small of the over-privileged lord;" Vorocius < Uorocios, "advanced, foremost." Hercules: Andossus < Andossos, "unvanquished;" Ilunnus < Illunnos, "one of many;" Magusanus < Magusanos, "the very great," connoting: "helpful;" Saegon, "searcher;" neuter nominative epithet.
8. Apollo: Abellio, Abelio < abellia, aballia, wild apple orchard, connoting abolos, abulos, "chief;" cf. Greek Apóllōn, Latinized as Apollo, Hittite, Appaliunaš. Atepomarus < Atepomaros, "responding, responding well;" Belenus < Belenos, "the bright, brilliant;" Cunomaglus < Cunomaglos, "bold prince," connoting "kennel lad;" Grannus < Grannos, "beaming, beardy;" Moritasgus < Moritasgos, "navigator, sea pilot;" Vindonnus < Uindonnos, "flashing, dazzling;" Virotutis < Uirotutis, "philanthropist." Jupiter: Accionis, Beissirissos, beissos < bessos, wildish, savage + irissos, "ultra, from beyond;" Brixianus < Brixianos, "the overbearing, the prevalent, force, or power:" Ladicus < Ladicos, "executioner;" Poenius < Poenicos, "of the summit, of the acme;" Uxellinus < Uxellinos / uxellonos, "high dignitary." Saturn: Areianus < Areianos, "watchman;" Nycturus < Nucturos, "nocturnal, night guard." Goddesses: Beissirissa, the feminine of Beissirissos;
9. Dea Alouna < Deva Alouna < Deua Alouna, the goddess of reflected light;
10. Inciona < Iacciona, "healthy, of good vitality;" Matres Comedovae < Matres Comedouai, "commensal mothers;" Sena, "dean priestess." Topological deities: Arduinna, "the slope, the steep," titular goddess of the Arden mountains;
11. Bergusia, "of the mountain;" Biviae, Latin for "byways;" an epithet of the titular goddess of roads. Ialonus < Ialonos / Ialona, "of the clearing, glade;" Icovellauna < Icouellauna, "excellent water," a goddess of wells;
12. Griselicae < Matres Griselicai, "mothers of gravel pits;" Matres Nemausicae < Matres Nemausicai, "mothers of the sky;" Natosuelta, "swirling in vales;" Telo, "spring, fountain," titular goddess of Tolosa, Toulon in the Dordogne. Vintius < Uintios, "of the hill, hill dweller;" Religion, painting by Charles Sprague Pearce (1851-1914). Photo by Carol Highsmith (1946-), public domain, Library of Congress.
13. Diodorus, Library of History, 5.31.
14. Julius Caesar in Gallic War Commentaries, Book VI, chapter 13, p337.
15. Strabo, Geography, Book IV, chapter 4, p. 245.
16. Econnes / Ecconai, the plural of Ecco / Eccona, from the Proto-Celtic root aego, "nearing, haunting, common priest, country priest."
17. Gutton, He who is invoked as a divine entity, that is, Gutton Uxellimon, the supreme being, or supreme deity.
18. Fomorii / Fomoire < Uomorioi, "submarine, subaquatic;" a category of dysfunctional deities who oppose the gods and mingle with them.
19. Imbolc < Ambiuolcaia, "lustrations;" in connotation: ambi-uolca, "surrounding the wolf-bitch."
20. Imradud < ambirateia, "meditation;" often translated as meaning "thought, mind," in modern English.
21. Strabo, Geography, Book III, Chapter, Section 16, p. 109.
22. Lucan in Pharsalia, Book I, verses19 to 20.
23. After the Death of Fothad Canann, Reicne Fothaid Canainne, translated by Kuno Meyer, H 3.
24. & B. IV. 2, Todd Lecture Series 16.
25. Annals of the Four Masters, The Age of the World, year 3066, pp. 12-13.
26. The Second Battle of Moytura, Whitley Stokes translation, Section I, p. 59.
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28. Plutarch, in Morals, The Face of the Moon, Section 26, p. 185.
29. Plutarch, Moralia, Concerning the Face Which Appears in the Face in the Moon, Chapter 26, p. 182-89.
30. Strabo, Geography, Book IV, Chapter 4, p. 245.
31. Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Book IV, Chapter 3. 2.
32. Diodorus, Library of History, Book V, Section 34, p. 191.
33. Diodorus, Book III, Chapter, section 16, p. 109.
34. Diodorus, Library of History, 4. 56. 4, translated by Oldfather.
35. Strabo, Geography, Book IV, chapter 4.6, p. 249.
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44. Lucan. Pharsalia, The Civil War, Books, I-X, translated by James D. Duff, publishers: William Heinemann Ltd, London, and Harvard University Press, Harvard, Massachusetts, 1928.
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48. Sterckx, Claude, Manuel élémentaire pour servir à l'étude de la Civilisation Celtique, p. 89. Author's translation from French.