Cú Chulainn

that the figure known as the ‘Gaulish Mercury ’ and the later Germanic figure of Odin (and his cognates) not only have a common ancestry, but that the latter may have been in origin the former.1 While it has generally been accepted that Julius Caesar’s description of this ‘Gaulish Mercury’2 is probably the figure known as Lugus in continental inscriptions, cognate to Lug in Ireland and Lleu as well as Llewellys in Wales (Carey 2002, 99-126; Koch 1991, 25), and keeping in mind Bernhard Maier’s caveats on the matter (Maier 1996, 127-135), I would like to suggest that perhaps Lugus is one among many possibilities—both identified and unknown—for a deity with some of the characteristics of Caesar’s ‘Gaulish Mercury’. An exploration of several of the above-mentioned figures is necessary before proceeding further into this analysis. While there is not the space at present to do justice to the many facets of Hermes/ Mercury or Odin in their various cultural manifestations, a few noteworthy ...

Here is revisited Dumézil’s theory about the battle fury linked
to the legends of the Irish hero Cú Chulainn and one of the Horatii roman triplets. According to him, both legends show rites of passage, as it is proved by the comparison with the one performed in the sacred cannibal dance of the Canadian Kwakiutl Tribe. After a detailed review of the evidence, it is
concluded that Cú Chulainn shows, in fact, three kinds of fury, one related to the initation trance, and two others as varieties of true battle fury. Only the  rst one can be twined with the Kwakiutl rite, while the young Horatius’ story has no relation with this phenomenon and must be explained as a legal and
etiologic legend.

KEYWORDS: Battle fury. Berserksgangr. Ríastrad. Initiation rite. Cú Chulainn. Horatii and Curiatii. Tigillum Sororium. Cannibal dance. Native American Kwakiutl Tribe.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Furia guerrera. Berserksgangr. Ríastrad. Rito iniciático. Cú Chulainn. Horacios y Curiacios. Tigillum Sororium. Danza caníbal. Tribu amerindia kwagul.

Michael Enright, in his study Lady with a Mead Cup, intriguingly hypothesized that the figure known as the ‘Gaulish Mercury’ and the later Germanic figure of Odin (and his cognates) not only have a common ancestry, but that the latter may have been in origin the former.1 While it has generally been accepted that Julius Caesar’s description of this ‘Gaulish Mercury’2 is probably the figure known as Lugus in continental inscriptions, cognate to Lug in Ireland and Lleu as well as Llewellys in Wales (Carey 2002, 99-126; Koch 1991, 25), and keeping in mind Bernhard Maier’s caveats on the matter (Maier 1996, 127-135), I would like to suggest that perhaps Lugus is one among many possibilities—both identified and unknown—for a deity with some of the characteristics of Caesar’s ‘Gaulish Mercury’. An exploration of several of the above-mentioned figures is necessary before proceeding further into this analysis. While there is not the space at present to do justice to the many facets of Hermes...

First two pages of my article. For more, please refer to the printed issue of the journal.
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Medieval heroic narratives are studded with heterogeneous references to motifs and elements suggesting a familiarity of the knight with the Otherworld. In the present paper, the author intends to explore the articulations of this connection in Old French chansons de geste and romance, by comparing them with similar occurrences in Celtic and Germanic heroic literature and in Middle Latin visionary texts. This analysis aims to highlight how the magic and spiritual attributes of the knight in 12th and 13th century texts compose the model of an otherworldly hero, capable to move across the symbolic and physical boundaries of the human.

The raven and crow have been associated with death in a variety of cultures, primarily due to their deep-black feathering and scavenger diet. In Scandinavia and Ireland the corvid was often paired with a supernatural patron, Valkyries and the Morrígan respectively. These supernatural patrons shared - and/or facilitated - the corvid's role as symbol of death, prophet and mentor of the hero, and were known to take up the shape of a corvid besides. The first part of this thesis is dedicated to exploring the similar function of the corvid in the Irish and Norse texts, while the second part discusses the corvid as a sine qua non, as it has an interesting foil in the corr ('crane, heron'). The corr is likewise associated with battle and prophecy, and its connection to the Irish hero Finn mac Cumaill may be indicative of a mentorship alike to that of the Morrígan and Cú Chulainn

Ravens have been linked to death in a variety of cultures due to their black feathering and scavenger diet. In Scandinavia and Ireland the corvid was often paired with a supernatural patron, who shared the corvid's role as symbol of death, prophet and mentor of the hero, and were known to take up the bird’s shape besides. The first part of this thesis is dedicated to the similar function of the corvid in the Irish and Norse texts, while the second part discusses the corvid as a sine qua non.

Women in Early Irish Literature have been of growing interest for scholars throughout the years, yet Scáthach has received little attention to date. For such a key character in Cú Chulainn’s training, Scáthach remains as a shadow left to uncover. Due to her ambiguous nature and the persisting difficulties of dealing with complex manuscript traditions, she has been labelled as a war goddess. Through literary analysis and a relevant selection of tales, this character will be demystified, providing a better understanding of the narratives she takes part in. From Early Medieval to Early Modern Sources, I will explore versions of Tochmarc Emire, Verba Scáthaige, Oileamhain Con Cualainn, Aided Óenfir Aife and episodes from Táin bó Cúailgne . Scáthach is represented in multiple roles as a mother, a teacher, a warrior and a seer. Her influence on Cú Chulainn’s life is unquestionable, but her own voice can be faint and ambiguous. However, by building connections through these tales and the several representations of Scáthach, the shadow will become clearer.