The Element Encyclopedia of the Celts. Rodney Castleden
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Название: The Element Encyclopedia of the Celts
Автор: Rodney Castleden
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Историческая литература
isbn: 9780007519439
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King Edward III identified himself as Arthur’s successor when he contemplated re-establishing the Round Table as an order of chivalry. In the end, in 1348, he founded the Order of the Garter instead, but still in imitation of King Arthur’s order of Round Table knights.
ARVERNI
An Iron Age Gaulish tribe, with its main center at Gergovia: a hillfort on a plateau in the Puy-de-Dome. In the second century BC, under King Luernios, they were the most powerful tribe in Gaul. Luernios was known for scattering gold and silver coins to his followers from his chariot. When his son Bituitus was defeated by the Romans in 121 BC, the power of the Arverni was diminished and the Aedui and Sequani became the leading tribes in Gaul. The Arverni were able to negotiate a peace treaty with the Romans that preserved their independence, though in the end they lost territory. No more kings are mentioned.
ATREBATES
An Iron Age British tribe in central southern England. Their territory occupied the modern counties of West Sussex, West Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, and north-east Wiltshire.
The Atrebates in England had strong ties with the Atrebates of north-west Gaul, where Commius was king under Julius Caesar. When Commius fled from Gaul, he went across the Channel to join the British Atrebates; and it was there that he had his new coins struck.
BARDS
A class of poets, like the minstrels of the Middle Ages, specializing in popular and non-religious subjects. They were distinct from ovates or vates, a class of priest with a focus on composing and performing prophetic poetry. Bards had a particular and recognized place in society.
Posidonius describes an incident involving a bard:
When at length he fixed a day for the ending of the feast, one of their barbarian poets arrived too late. The poet met Luernius [or Luernios, King of the Arverni] and composed a song magnifying his greatness and deploring his own late arrival. Luernius was delighted and asked for a bag of gold and threw it to the poet who ran beside his chariot. The poet picked it up and sang another song saying that the very tracks made by his chariot on the ground gave gold and blessings to mankind.
The bards also had a public role in disseminating myths and genealogies amongst the ordinary people. There were different grades of bard, the lowest of which was the novice, or Mabinog.
BARINTHUS
The Navigator, also known as Barrfind and Barrindus, who guided Merlin and Taliesin on their voyage to the Otherworld with the wounded Arthur; Barinthus was the ferryman of the dead.
Barinthus also accompanied Ternoc on a voyage to the Land of Promise and reported his experience to Brendan.
BARRFIND
See Barinthus.
BARRINDUS
See Barinthus.
BATTERSEA SHIELD
See Art.
BELLOVACI
An Iron Age Gaulish tribe with its capital at Beauvais. The Bellovaci intended to expand their territory and Julius Caesar saw this as a threat to his plan to control the whole of Gaul. He confronted the Bellovaci under their leader Correus. They were taken by surprise, but Caesar was intimidated by the size of the enemy force. At first there were only skirmishes and the Bellovaci retreated into their camp. When Correus attempted an ambush of Roman troops, the Bellovaci were defeated and Correus himself was killed. Caesar treated the Bellovaci leniently, as a result of the intercession of Diviciacus.
BENIGNUS OF ARMAGH
Pupil and successor of St. Patrick in 468.
BERACHUS
Berachus of Kilbarry in Roscommon was a pupil of Dagaeus and lived in the sixth century. He acquired Kilberry from a “minister” by a miracle, and was prosecuted by a royal wizard who claimed inheritance by hereditary law (See Magicians). The case was referred to Aedan, King of Dal Riada, who passed it on to Aed Dubh of Brefni and Aedh of Tethba. The wizard was struck dumb and fled; he was later killed. An attempt by the wizard’s heirs to set fire to the monastery was thwarted by a miracle.
Aedan granted Berachus a fort to use as a monastery at Aberfoyle, commanding the northern road from Loch Lomond to the upper Forth: the only route usable by Dal Riada armies to reach the southern Picts without violating Alcluith territory. The site was of enormous strategic value to the kings of Dal Riada, so granting it implies a great favor from Aedan, who must have thought highly of Berachus.
BERNACUS
See Brynach.
BEUNO
Welsh saint, son of Bugi, and born in the kingdom of Powys. He studied under Tangusius at Caerwent during the old age of King Ynyr Gwent and was granted Berriew near Welshpool by Mawn, son of Brochmail, King of Powys. He heard Saxons shouting “Ker Gia,” apparently calling to their hunting dogs, but perhaps abusing the Welsh. After this, he withdrew westward, staying with Tyssilio at Meifod. He founded a church, but was later expelled by the sons of Selyf, son of Kynan.
One of his miracles was replacing the head of Teuyth’s daughter Wenefred, after it was severed by a nobleman whose advances she had spurned. Wenefred lived to a great age as an abbess, patroness of Holywell, Flint.
Beuno also brought back to life the daughter of Ynyr Gwent, who had been murdered by her husband, an artisan from Aberffraw who had been employed at the court of Caerwent. Her brother Idon came to Caernarvon to reclaim her dowry. He also decapitated the murderous husband, but Beuno again replaced the head.
BITUITUS
See СКАЧАТЬ