The oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic mythical and traditional heroic cycle
(1994) First International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales — Location: Belfast (8.April.1994)
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- Abstract
- The Roman annalists consciously borrowed, introduced in their pseudo-history, and transformed for their own benefit, Gaulish mythical materials. These materials primarily concern a warrior-hero corresponding to the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, and to whom are attached the same mythical motifs : magical contortions, and the intervention of a war-deity in the shape of a crow. Secondly, they concern a hunter and warrior-hero with wolfish aspects, who, like the Irish hero Finn, decides the outcome of a “gigantic” battle in siding with one of the two parties. These materials, also illustrated in ancient iconography, are the oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic traditional heroic cycle, in its Gaulish state, and allow to discern, in this cycle, some distinctive oppositions between two types of mythical heroes,belonging probably to two different gesta.
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Citations
Vielle, C. (1994). The oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic mythical and traditional heroic cycle. In Jim Mallory & Gerard Stockman éd. (ed.), Ulidia: Proceedings of the First International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales, Belfast and Emain Macha, 8-12 April 1994 (p. p. 217-227). December Publications. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/266382