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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 10:54:18 GMT -5
Amaethon
The Welsh god of agriculture, son of the goddess Don. He is directly responsible for the war between the deities of the underworld, led by Arawn, and the Children of Don. In the Battle of the Trees (Battle of Cath Godeau) Amaethon's brother Gwydion transformed trees into warriors with whose help the deities of the underworld were defeated. (from: www.pantheon.org/articles/a/amaethon.html)
Also, the modern Welsh name for a farmer is amaethwr and the Welsh word for plowman is amaeth. (from: www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm)
A Celtic god of agriculture in Wales, revered as a great plowman, also associated with husbandry. His name is eponymous with the modern Welsh amaethwr, 'farmer'. He was a member to the Welsh family of the gods of Don, his mother, and the brother of Gwydion. He fought a mythical battle with Arawn, the lord of the underworld, and was responsible for the war between Arawn's underworld gods and the Children of Don. This was precipitated after he stole a dog, lapwing, and roebuck from Arawn. In the Battle of Cath Godeau, or the 'Battle of the Trees', Gwydion transformed trees into warriors with whose help the forces of the underworld were defeated. Amaethon is difficult to equate elsewhere in IE mythology. His nearest Irish equivalent might be Bres, the half-Fomorian tyrant-king of the Dananns who was expelled, resulting in the Second Battle of Moytura between the Dananns led by Lugh and the Fomorians. Bres was one of the few Fomorian survivors, being allowed to live because of his skill and agriculture that he could teach the Dananns. Otherwise, the Don/ Arawn and Danann/ Fomorian battles may recall the same original myth of the battle between the forces of light and dark, summer and winter, civilization and chaos, etc. (http://www.geocities.com/cas111jd/celts/minordeities/celts3.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 10:54:52 GMT -5
Angus Mac Og
(Also called: Aengus, Angus, Anghus, Aonghus, Angus Og)
Also known as "Angus the young", he was considered the Irish god of love. He was a young handsome god that had four birds flying about his head -- some say they symbolize kisses -- who inspired love in all who heard them. He was the son of Dagda and Boann ('the wife of Elcmar').
Once, Aengus was troubled by the dream of a young maiden, He instantly fell in love with her and became love sick. He told his mother Boann and she searched the whole of Ireland for the maiden, but after a year she still had not found the maiden. Then Dagda was called and he searched Ireland for a year, and still did not find the maiden. Finally Bov the Red, king of the Dananns in Munster and Dagda's aide, was called to search and after a year he found the maiden.
Aengus was taken to the lake of the Dragon's Mouth, and there he saw 150 maidens all chained with gold into pairs. He spied her at once and her name was Caer, the daughter of Ethal and Anubal, a prince of the Dananns of Connact. On November first she and all the other maidens are transformed into swans for a year. He was told if he could identify her as a swan he could marry her. On November 1 Aengus went out to the lake and called to his love, and once he had found her he then turned in to a swan himself and joined her. They flew off together singing such a beautiful song that all who heard them fell asleep for three days and nights.
Aengus had a son called, " Diarmuid Ua Duibhne" or Diarmuid of the Love Spot. One night while hunting Diarmuid met a maiden who made a magic love spot appear on his head, and from then on no woman ever looked upon him with out falling in love with him.
His palace was Brugh na Boinne on the River Boyne (modern New Grange).
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/aengus.html)
One of the Tuatha De Danann, name means "young son." He had a harp that made irresistible music, and his kisses turned into birds that carried messages of love.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 10:56:05 GMT -5
Arawn
The Welsh god of the underworld. The god Amaethon stole from him a dog, lapwing and roebuck with led to the Battle of the Trees, in which his forces were defeated. A tale in the Mabinogion relates how he persuaded Pwyll to trade places with him for the span of a year and a day. In this period, Pwyll defeated Arawn's rival for dominion of the underworld Hafgan. Because Pwyll also refrained from sleeping with Arawn's wife, they became close friends.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/arawn.html)
Wales; god of the dead and the underworld Annwn. God of revenge, terror, and the dead.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 10:56:52 GMT -5
Manannan mac Lir
His Welsh equivalent is Manawydan ap Llyr. He is also called Barinthus.
The Irish god of the sea and fertility, who forecasts the weather. He is older than the Tuatha Dé Danann, yet was considered to be one of them. He is the son of Lir and his name means "Manannan Son of the Sea". His wife is Fand and he is the foster-father of many gods, including Lugh. He is the guardian of the Blessed Isles, and the ruler of Mag Mell. Manannan has a ship that follows his command without sails; his cloak makes him invisible; his helmet is made of flames and his sword cannot be turned from its mark. He is described as riding over the sea in a chariot.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/manannan_mac_lir.html)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 10:57:56 GMT -5
Belatu-Cadros
(also known as Belatucadros)
The Celtic god of war and of the destruction of enemies. He was worshipped in Britain, primarily in Wales. His name means "fair shining one". The Romans equated him with their god Mars.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/belatu-cadros.html)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 10:58:44 GMT -5
Bile
Also known as Belenus, Belanos (Gaul), Beli (Briton & Cymru).
The Celtic god of light and healing, "Bel" means "shining one," or in Irish Gaelic, the name "bile" translates to "sacred tree." It is thought that the waters of Danu, the Irish All-Mother goddess, fed the oak and produced their son, The Dagda. As the Welsh Beli, he is the father of Arianrhod by Don.
Patron of sheep and cattle, Bel's festival is Beltane, one of two main Celtic fire festivals. Beltane celebrates the return of life and fertility to the world -- marking the beginning of Summer and the growing season. Taking place on April 30, Beltane also is sometimes referred to as "Cetsamhain" which means "opposite Samhain." The word "Beltaine" literally means "bright" or "brilliant fire," and refers to the bonfire lit by a presiding Druid in honor of Bile.
"Some believe this deity is the equivalent of Belatucadros, the consort of Belisama, another patroness of light, fire, the forge and crafts. Belatucadros, whose name means "fair shining one" or possibly "the fair slayer," is the god of destruction and war and transports the dead to Danu's " divine waters." Celtic deities often reign over seemingly contradictory themes. In the case of Belatucadros, death was simply a pathway to rebirth in the Otherworld, thus linking the two themes together. However, according to Ross's Pagan Celtic Britain, historically the worship of Belatucadros among the Celts was confined only the northwestern region of Britain and has never been associated with the festival of Beltane, healing or with a consort (pg. 235).
It has been suggested that the mythological king, Beli Mawr, in the story of Lludd and Llefelys in The Mabinogion, is a folk memory of this god. In Irish mythology, the great undertakings of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians -- the original supernatural inhabitants of Eiru and their human conquerors, respectively -- began at Beltane. The Milesians were led by Amairgen, son of Mil, in folklore reputed to be the first Druid.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/bile.html)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:07:26 GMT -5
Camulus
Also known as Camulos
A Gaulish war god mentioned by the Romans, who associated them with Mars. He gave his name to the Roman town of Camulodunum (Colchester).
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/camulus.html)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:11:22 GMT -5
Cernunnos
Also known as Hu'Gadarn, Herne.
"The Horned One" is a Celtic god of fertility, life, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was worshipped all over Gaul, and his cult spread into Britain as well. Cernunnos is depicted with the antlers of a stag, sometimes carries a purse filled with coin. The Horned God is born at the winter solstice, marries the goddess at Beltane, and dies at the summer solstice. He alternates with the goddess of the moon in ruling over life and death, continuing the cycle of death, rebirth and reincarnation.
Paleolithic cave paintings found in France that depict a stag standing upright or a man dressed in stag costume seem to indicate that Cernunnos' origins date to those times. Romans sometimes portrayed him with three cranes flying above his head. Known to the Druids as Hu Gadarn. God of the underworld and astral planes. The consort of the great goddess. He was often depicted holding a bag of money, or accompanied by a ram-headed serpent and a stag. Most notably is the famous Gundestrup cauldron discovered in Denmark. (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/cernunnos.html)
Pan-Western European, Opener of the Gates of Life and Death; Herne the Hunter; Cernunnos; Green Man; Lord of the Wild Hunt. The masculine, active side of Nature; Earth Father. His sacred animals were the stag, bull, goat, bear.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgodone.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:13:17 GMT -5
Condatis
A River god of Celtic Britain, personification of water.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/condatis.html)
His sacred sites were wherever two rivers or bodies of water met.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:15:37 GMT -5
Dis Pater
Also known as Dis, Dispater
The Roman ruler of the underworld and fortune, similar to the Greek Hades. Every hundred years, the Ludi Tarentini were celebrated in his honor. The Gauls regarded Dis Pater as their ancestor.
The name is a contraction of the Latin Dives, "the wealthy", Dives Pater, "the wealthy father", or "Fater Wealth". It refers to the wealth of precious stone below the earth.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/d/dis_pater.html)
Continental, Also Dis Pater. Gaulish God, whose name means "the Father," was a primal God of creation who later merged with both Don and Cernunnos, the Horned God. The Gauls all believed themselves to be descended from him.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:18:17 GMT -5
Dylan
Dylan ( "sea" ), a virgin-born son of Arianrhod. He was a sea-creature, and returned to the waves. Much later, he came back upon land and was killed by his own uncle Govannon, who did not know who he was.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/d/dylan.html)
His symbol was a silver fish.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:21:39 GMT -5
Esus
Also known as Hesus.
"Lord" or "Master". A Celtic agricultural deity of the Essuvi (Gaul), who derived their name from him. His cult was associated with the bull (with three skulls) and he is portrayed with one. He is also represented cutting branches from trees with an axe. According to some he was a bloodthirsty god, while other regard him as a god of commerce (similar to Mercury). His consort is Rosmerta.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/e/esus.html)
Breton, Continental, Also Essus. A harvest God worshipped in Brittany, and in Gaul by the people known as the Essuvi.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgodone.htm)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:24:32 GMT -5
Govannon
Also known as Gofannon, Goibniu.
The Welsh smith god, the equivalent of the Irish Goibniu. Govannon is a son of the goddess Don and the brother of Gwydion and Amaethon. He slew the sea god Dylan, not knowing who he was.
(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/govannon.html)
Welsh, God of smiths and metalworkers. The weapons he makes are deadly in their aim, the armor unfailing in its protection.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgodone.htm)
(Irish, Welsh) "Great Smith"; one of a triad of craftsmen with Luchtaine the write and Credne the brazier. Similar to Vulcan. He forged all the Tuatha's weapons; these weapons always hit their mark and every wound inflicted by them was fatal. His ale gave the Tuatha invulnerablity. God of blacksmiths, weapon-makers, jewelry making, brewing, fire, metalworking.
Aside from his craftsmanship, he is known as the provider of the Fled Goibnenn, a Sacred Feast. Associated, among other things, with brew-crafting, he is said to have created a brew which bestowed both immortality in battle, and release from illness and death for the one who imbibed. Note the similarity with the Greco-Roman Hephaestus/Vulcan, a divine smith who was also a brewer. His name survives in Abergavenny (Goibhniu's River).
(http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/deitiesg-h-i.html)
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:31:16 GMT -5
Grannos
Scottish, Anglo-Celtic, Continental, An early continental God of mineral springs whose shrines have been found in the English town of Musselburgh, in Auvergne, France, and near Edinburgh, Scotland.
(http://www.paralumun.com/celticgodone.htm)
(http://www.bifrost.it/Schedario/Gallia/Grannos.html)
the original italian from this website:
Dio guaritore, legato alla luce e alle acque termali, con molti luoghi di culto in tutta la Gallia. Uno dei più famosi era Aquæ Granni [Acquisgrana]. In epoca romana, Grannos venne interpretato come un aspetto locale di Apollo.
my translation:
God of healing, related to light and thermal waters, with many places of religion in all of Gual. One of the most famous was the Aquae Granno (Acquisgrana). In the Roman times, Grannos was interpreted as a local aspect of Apollo.
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Post by sistergoldenhair on Feb 28, 2004 11:35:06 GMT -5
Gwyddno
(Welsh) This one time sea God came down in myth as a monster of faery of the ocean. He had many treasures on his sea floor home, one of which had to be obtained by Culhwch if he wished to have Olwen for his wife.
His world is known as the " drowned kingdom ", and his story may also be one which refers to the intriguing and controversial lost continent of Atlantis.
(http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/deitiesg-h-i.html)
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