The Religion of the Ancient CeltsMacCulloch, J. A. (John Arnott)
Religion
The Religion of the Ancient Celts
MacCulloch, J. A. (John Arnott)
Celts -- Religion; Mythology, Celtic
The children of Dôn, the equivalent of Danu, and probably like her, a
goddess of fertility, are Gwydion, Gilvæthwy, Amæthon, Govannon, and
Arianrhod, with her sons, Dylan and Llew.[362] These correspond,
therefore, in part to the Tuatha Déa, though the only members of the
group who bear names similar to the Irish gods are Govannon (= Goibniu)
and possibly Llew (= Lug). Gwydion as a culture-god corresponds to Ogma.
In the _Triads_ Beli is called father of Arianrhod,[363] and assuming
that this Arianrhod is identical with the daughter of Dôn, Professor
Rh[^y]s regards Beli as husband of Dôn. But the identification is far
from certain, and the theory built upon it that Beli is one with the
Irish Bile, and that both are lords of a dark underworld, has already
been found precarious.[364] In later belief Dôn was associated with the
stars, the constellation Cassiopeia being called her court. She is
described as "wise" in a _Taliesin_ poem.[365]
This group of divinities is met with mainly in the _Mabinogi_ of Math,
which turns upon Gilvæthwy's illicit love of Math's "foot-holder"
Goewin. To assist him in his _amour_, Gwydion, by a magical trick,
procures for Math from the court of Pryderi certain swine sent him by
Arawn, king of Annwfn. In the battle which follows when the trick is
discovered, Gwydion slays Pryderi by enchantment. Math now discovers
that Gilvæthwy has seduced Goewin, and transforms him and Gwydion
successively into deer, swine, and wolves. Restored to human form,
Gwydion proposes that Arianrhod should be Math's foot-holder, but Math
by a magic test discovers that she is not a virgin. She bears two sons,
Dylan, fostered by Math, and another whom Gwydion nurtures and for whom
he afterwards by a trick obtains a name from Arianrhod, who had sworn
never to name him. The name is Llew Llaw Gyffes, "Lion of the Sure
Hand." By magic, Math and Gwydion form a wife for Llew out of flowers.
She is called Blodeuwedd, and later, at the instigation of a lover,
Gronw, she discovers how Llew can be killed. Gronw attacks and wounds
him, and he flies off as an eagle. Gwydion seeks for Llew, discovers
him, and retransforms him to human shape. Then he changes Blodeuwedd
into an owl, and slays Gronw.[366] Several independent tales have gone
to the formation of this _Mabinogi_, but we are concerned here merely
with the light it may throw on the divine characters who figure in it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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