Druids, The
Peter Berresford Ellis
Number of quotes: 9
Book ID: 212 Page: 53/54
Section: 5D
The Druids officiate at the worship of the gods, regulate public and private sacrifices, and give rulings on all religious questions. Large numbers of young men flock to them for instruction, and they are held in great honour by the people. They act as judges in practically all disputes, whether between tribes or between individuals; when any crime is committed or a murder takes place, or a dispute arises about an inheritance or a boundary, it is they who adjudicate the matter and appoint the compensation to be paid and received by the parties concerned. Any individual or tribe failing to accept their award is banned from taking part in sacrifice - the heaviest punishment that can be inflicted upon a Gaul. Those who are under such a ban are regarded as impious criminals. Everyone shuns them and avoids going near or speaking to them, for fear of taking some harm by contact with what is unclean; if they appear as plaintiffs, justice is denied them, and they are excluded from a share in any honour.
Quote ID: 5220
Time Periods: ?
Book ID: 212 Page: 54/55
Section: 5D
As the social position of the Druids, Caesar informs us that:The Druids are exempt from military service and do not pay taxes like other citizens. These important privileges are naturally attractive; many present themselves of their own accord to become students of Druidism, and others are sent by their parents and relatives.
Quote ID: 5221
Time Periods: ?
Book ID: 212 Page: 80
Section: 2E2
The male Druids in Irish sources had a tonsure. It seems obvious that the Druids of Britain also had a similar form of haircut although it is not specifically stated.. . . .
When Christianity took hold among the Celts, this Druidic tonsure was preserved and became the tonsure of the Celtic Christian religieux, although in Ferfesa O’Mulchonry’s glossary (Annales Rioghachta Eireann), the name of the tonsure became berrad mog or the tonsura civilis. The most explicit description of the tonsure is given in Ceolfrid’s letter to Naiton, king of the Picts, who describes it as shaven at the front of the head, on a line from ear to ear, with the hair growing at the back. Of course, later Celtic Christian writers did not claim a Druidic origin for this tonsure arguing it was the tonsure of St. John.
Quote ID: 5222
Time Periods: 07
Book ID: 212 Page: 86/87
Section: 2E5
Thomas Pennant in his Tour in Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides in 1769 (1771) noticed an oak tree on this island of Inis Maree into whose trunk nails and coins were driven as ‘offerings’. Further, local people took oaths in St Maree’s name. Spence believes that Mourie or Maree was ‘an earlier divinity’. He overlooks the name of the celebrated Druid of Dairbre (Valentia in Kerry), whose name was Mug Ruith (Mow-rih). As we have seen , Mug Ruith , sometimes given as Magh Ruith, was originally a solar deity who was euphemized into a Druid.
Quote ID: 5223
Time Periods: 37
Book ID: 212 Page: 112
Section: 2B1
The name of Ireland herself, Eire, is the name of one of the triune goddesses; her sisters being Banba and Fotla. Each goddess asked the Milesians to remember her by naming Ireland after her. Banba and Fotla were often used as synonyms, particularly in poetry, for Ireland. But the Druid, Amairgen, promised the goddess Eire that the children of Gael would use her name as the principle name of the country.PJ: Three in one.
Quote ID: 5224
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 212 Page: 128
Section: 2B1
As in the Greek world, so among the Celts, who saw homo sapiens as body, soul and spirit; the world they inhabited as earth, sea and air; the divisions of nature as animal, vegetable and mineral; the cardinal colours as red, yellow and blue and so forth. Three was the number of all things. Most of their gods were three personalities in one. Combinations of the figure three occur often in Celtic tales such as nine (three times three) and thirty-three.Ireland itself is represented in the female triune goddess - Eire, Banba and Fotla. There were three Celtic craft gods - Goibhniu, Luchta and Creidhne. The goddess of fertility, of smiths and of healing and poetry, even The Dagda himself were worshipped in triune form. The most famous war goddess was the Morrigan, sometimes Morrigu, ‘great queen’, and she also appears interchangeable as Macha, Badb, and Nemain. She embodies all that is perverse and horrible among the supernatural powers.
Mother symbols were also worshipped in triple form; in Gaul the title matres or matronae was used, because the dedications on the monuments survive only in Latin. Mother Earth was the symbol of fertility and figures with children, baskets of fruit and horns of plenty are found all over the Celtic world. From Vertault in Burgundy comes a triple mother goddess sculpture with a baby held by one while the other holds a towel.
Christianity later adopted this triune godship (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) - not from Judaic culture, to which it is alien, but from the Greek interpretation aided by the concepts of early Christian Fathers. The Gaulish Celt, Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, (c.AD 315-c.367) is regarded as one of the first native Celts to become an outstanding philosophical force in the Christian movement. And his great work was De Trinitate, defining the concept of the Holy Trinity, which is now so integral to Christian belief.
Diogenes Laertius observed that the Druids taught in the form of Triads. This is confirmed by the literary traditions of both Ireland and Wales.
PJ: Three in one.
Quote ID: 5226
Time Periods: 07
Book ID: 212 Page: 142
Section: 2E2
The troscad in ancient times was the effective means of someone of lesser social position compelling justice from someone of higher social position. Thus Druids could fast against a king, or even a man or woman in the lower order of society could fast against their chieftain.
Quote ID: 5227
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 212 Page: 177
Section: 2E6
What is interesting is that Virgil (Publius Verilius Maro - 70 - 19 BC) in his Aeneid presents some ideas about a life after death which bear a strong resemblance to the Celtic belief. This is put into perspective when we realize that Virgil was born at Andes, near Mantua, in Cisalpine Gaul, and was of a Celtic family. His works show his intense love of his native land and Dr. Rankin has commented: ‘We need not deny Celtic influences in the background of Virgil’s life.’ Therefore Virgil grew up with a knowledge of the Celtic culture which still existed all around him.
Quote ID: 5228
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 212 Page: 208
Section: 2E4
Frank O’Connor, who also believed the author was Siadhal Mac Feradach, translated the verse as follows:To go to Rome -
Is little profit, endless pain;
The Master that you see in Rome,
You find at home, or seek in vain.
Quote ID: 5229
Time Periods: 7
End of quotes