Myths & Legends of the Celtic RaceRolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race
Rolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)
Celts -- Religion; Mythology, Celtic
carry on the Celtic tradition and language, are in some respects so
different from those of the Celts of classical history and the Celts who
produced the literature and art of ancient Ireland, and in others so
strikingly similar. To take a physical characteristic alone, the more
Celtic districts of the British Islands are at present marked by darkness
of complexion, hair, &c. They are not very dark, but they are darker than
the rest of the kingdom.(6) But the true Celts were certainly fair. Even
the Irish Celts of the twelfth century are described by Giraldus
Cambrensis as a fair race.
*Golden Age of the Celts*
But we are anticipating, and must return to the period of the origins of
Celtic history. As astronomers have discerned the existence of an unknown
planet by the perturbations which it has caused in the courses of those
already under direct observation, so we can discern in the fifth and
fourth centuries before Christ the presence of a great power and of mighty
movements going on behind a veil which will never be lifted now. This was
the Golden Age of Celtdom in Continental Europe. During this period the
Celts waged three great and successful wars, which had no little influence
on the course of South European history. About 500 B.C. they conquered
Spain from the Carthaginians. A century later we find them engaged in the
conquest of Northern Italy from the Etruscans. They settled in large
numbers in the territory afterwards known as Cisalpine Gaul, where many
names, such as _Mediolanum_ (Milan), _Addua_ (Adda), _Viro-dunum_
(Verduno), and perhaps _Cremona_ (_creamh_, garlic),(7) testify still to
their occupation. They left a greater memorial in the chief of Latin
poets, whose name, Vergil, appears to bear evidence of his Celtic
ancestry.(8) Towards the end of the fourth century they overran Pannonia,
conquering the Illyrians.
*Alliances with the Greeks*
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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