The Religion of the Ancient Celts Part 2

[42] Isidore, _Etymol._ ix. 2, 103; Rh[^y]s, _CB_ 242-243; Caesar, v. 14; Nicholson, _ZCP_ in. 332.

[43] Tacitus, _Agric._ ii.

[44] If _Celtae_ is from _qelo_, "to raise," it may mean "the lofty,"

just as many savages call themselves "the men," _par excellence_.

Rh[^y]s derives it from _qel_, "to slay," and gives it the sense of "warriors." See Holder, _s.v._; Stokes, _US_ 83. _Galatae_ is from _gala_ (Irish _gal_), "bravery." Hence perhaps "warriors."

[45] "Galli" may be connected with "Galatae," but D'Arbois denies this.

For all these t.i.tles see his _PH_ ii. 396 ff.

[46] Livy, v. 31 f.; D'Arbois, _PH_ ii. 304, 391.

[47] Strabo, iv. 10. 3; Caesar, i. 31, vii. 4; _Frag. Hist. Graec._ i.

437.

[48] Caesar, ii. 4.

[49] Strabo, xii. 5. 1.

[50] Polybius, ii. 22.

[51] Caesar, i. 2, 1-3.

[52] On the subject of Celtic unity see Jullian, "Du patriotisme gaulois," _RC_ xxiii. 373.

CHAPTER III.

THE G.o.dS OF GAUL AND THE CONTINENTAL CELTS.

The pa.s.sage in which Caesar sums up the Gaulish pantheon runs: "They worship chiefly the G.o.d Mercury; of him there are many symbols, and they regard him as the inventor of all the arts, as the guide of travellers, and as possessing great influence over bargains and commerce. After him they worship Apollo and Mars, Juppiter and Minerva. About these they hold much the same beliefs as other nations. Apollo heals diseases, Minerva teaches the elements of industry and the arts, Juppiter rules over the heavens, Mars directs war.... All the Gauls a.s.sert that they are descended from Dispater, their progenitor."[53]

As will be seen in this chapter, the Gauls had many other G.o.ds than these, while the Roman G.o.ds, by whose names Caesar calls the Celtic divinities, probably only approximately corresponded to them in functions. As the Greeks called by the names of their own G.o.ds those of Egypt, Persia, and Babylonia, so the Romans identified Greek, Teutonic, and Celtic G.o.ds with theirs. The identification was seldom complete, and often extended only to one particular function or attribute. But, as in Gaul, it was often part of a state policy, and there the fusion of cults was intended to break the power of the Druids. The Gauls seem to have adopted Roman civilisation easily, and to have acquiesced in the process of a.s.similation of their divinities to those of their conquerors. Hence we have thousands of inscriptions in which a G.o.d is called by the name of the Roman deity to whom he was a.s.similated and by his own Celtic name--Jupiter Taranis, Apollo Grannus, etc. Or sometimes to the name of the Roman G.o.d is added a descriptive Celtic epithet or a word derived from a Celtic place-name. Again, since Augustus reinstated the cult of the Lares, with himself as chief Lar, the epithet Augustus was given to all G.o.ds to whom the character of the Lares could be ascribed, e.g.

Belenos Augustus. Cults of local G.o.ds became cults of the genius of the place, coupled with the genius of the emperor. In some cases, however, the native name stands alone. The process was aided by art. Celtic G.o.ds are represented after Greco-Roman or Greco-Egyptian models. Sometimes these carry a native divine symbol, or, in a few cases, the type is purely native, e.g. that of Cernunnos. Thus the native paganism was largely transformed before Christianity appeared in Gaul. Many Roman G.o.ds were worshipped as such, not only by the Romans in Gaul, but by the Gauls, and we find there also traces of the Oriental cults affected by the Romans.[54]

There were probably in Gaul many local G.o.ds, tribal or otherwise, of roads and commerce, of the arts, of healing, etc., who, bearing different names, might easily be identified with each other or with Roman G.o.ds. Caesar's Mercury, Mars, Minerva, etc., probably include many local Minervas, Mars, and Mercuries. There may, however, have been a few great G.o.ds common to all Gaul, universally worshipped, besides the numerous local G.o.ds, some of whom may have been adopted from the aborigines. An examination of the divine names in Holder's _Altceltischer Sprachschatz_ will show how numerous the local G.o.ds of the continental Celts must have been. Professor Anwyl reckons that 270 G.o.ds are mentioned once on inscriptions, 24 twice, 11 thrice, 10 four times, 3 five times, 2 seven times, 4 fifteen times, 1 nineteen times (Grannos), and 1 thirty-nine times (Belenos).[55]

The G.o.d or G.o.ds identified with Mercury were very popular in Gaul, as Caesar's words and the witness of place-names derived from the Roman name of the G.o.d show. These had probably supplanted earlier names derived from those of the corresponding native G.o.ds. Many temples of the G.o.d existed, especially in the region of the Allobrogi, and bronze statuettes of him have been found in abundance. Pliny also describes a colossal statue designed for the Arverni who had a great temple of the G.o.d on the Puy de Dome.[56] Mercury was not necessarily the chief G.o.d, and at times, e.g. in war, the native war-G.o.ds would be prominent. The native names of the G.o.ds a.s.similated to Mercury are many in number; in some cases they are epithets, derived from the names of places where a local "Mercury" was worshipped, in others they are derived from some function of the G.o.ds.[57] One of these t.i.tles is Artaios, perhaps cognate with Irish _art_, "G.o.d," or connected with _artos_, "bear."

Professor Rh[^y]s, however, finds its cognate in Welsh _ar_, "ploughed land," as if one of the G.o.d's functions connected him with agriculture.[58] This is supported by another inscription to Mercurius Cultor at Wurtemberg. Local G.o.ds of agriculture must thus have been a.s.similated to Mercury. A G.o.d Moccus, "swine," was also identified with Mercury, and the swine was a frequent representative of the corn-spirit or of vegetation divinities in Europe. The flesh of the animal was often mixed with the seed corn or buried in the fields to promote fertility.

The swine had been a sacred animal among the Celts, but had apparently become an anthropomorphic G.o.d of fertility, Moccus, a.s.similated to Mercury, perhaps because the Greek Hermes caused fertility in flocks and herds. Such a G.o.d was one of a cla.s.s whose importance was great among the Celts as an agricultural people.

Commerce, much developed among the settled Gauls, gave rise to a G.o.d or G.o.ds who guarded roads over which merchants travelled, and boundaries where their transactions took place. Hence we have an inscription from Yorkshire, "To the G.o.d who invented roads and paths," while another local G.o.d of roads, equated with Mercury, was Cimiacinus.[59]

Another G.o.d, Ogmios, a native G.o.d of speech, who draws men by chains fastened to the tip of his tongue, is identified in Lucian with Heracles, and is identical with the Goidelic Ogma.[60] Eloquence and speech are important matters among primitive peoples, and this G.o.d has more likeness to Mercury as a culture-G.o.d than to Heracles, Greek writers speaking of eloquence as binding men with the chains of Hermes.

Several local G.o.ds, of agriculture, commerce, and culture, were thus identified with Mercury, and the Celtic Mercury was sometimes worshipped on hilltops, one of the epithets of the G.o.d, Dumias, being connected with the Celtic word for hill or mound. Irish G.o.ds were also a.s.sociated with mounds.

Many local G.o.ds were identified with Apollo both in his capacity of G.o.d of healing and also that of G.o.d of light.[61] The two functions are not incompatible, and this is suggested by the name Grannos, G.o.d of thermal springs both in Britain and on the Continent. The name is connected with a root which gives words meaning "burning," "shining," etc., and from which comes also Irish _grian_, "sun." The G.o.d is still remembered in a chant sung round bonfires in Auvergne. A sheaf of corn is set on fire, and called "Granno mio," while the people sing, "Granno, my friend; Granno, my father; Granno, my mother."[62] Another G.o.d of thermal springs was Borvo, Bormo, or Borma.n.u.s, whose name is derived from _borvo_, whence Welsh _berw_, "boiling," and is evidently connected with the bubbling of the springs.[63] Votive tablets inscribed Grannos or Borvo show that the offerers desired healing for themselves or others.

The name Belenos found over a wide area, but mainly in Aquileia, comes from _belo-s_, bright, and probably means "the shining one." It is thus the name of a Celtic sun-G.o.d, equated with Apollo in that character. If he is the Belinus referred to by Geoffrey of Monmouth,[64] his cult must have extended into Britain from the Continent, and he is often mentioned by cla.s.sical writers, while much later Ausonius speaks of his priest in Gaul.[65] Many place and personal names point to the popularity of his cult, and inscriptions show that he, too, was a G.o.d of health and of healing-springs. The plant _Belinuntia_ was called after him and venerated for its healing powers.[66] The sun-G.o.d's functions of light and fertility easily pa.s.sed over into those of health-giving, as our study of Celtic festivals will show.

A G.o.d with the name Maponos, connected with words denoting "youthfulness," is found in England and Gaul, equated with Apollo, who himself is called _Bonus Puer_ in a Dacian inscription. Another G.o.d Mogons or Mogounos, whose name is derived from _Mago_, "to increase,"

and suggests the idea of youthful strength, may be a form of the sun-G.o.d, though some evidence points to his having been a sky-G.o.d.[67]

The Celtic Apollo is referred to by cla.s.sical writers. Diodorus speaks of his circular temple in an island of the Hyperboreans, adorned with votive offerings. The kings of the city where the temple stood, and its overseers, were called "Boreads," and every nineteenth year the G.o.d appeared dancing in the sky at the spring equinox.[68] The identifications of the temple with Stonehenge and of the Boreads with the Bards are quite hypothetical. Apollonius says that the Celts regarded the waters of Erida.n.u.s as due to the tears of Apollo--probably a native myth attributing the creation of springs and rivers to the tears of a G.o.d, equated by the Greeks with Apollo.[69] The Celtic sun-G.o.d, as has been seen, was a G.o.d of healing springs.

Some sixty names or t.i.tles of Celtic war-G.o.ds are known, generally equated with Mars.[70] These were probably local tribal divinities regarded as leading their worshippers to battle. Some of the names show that these G.o.ds were thought of as mighty warriors, e.g. Caturix, "battle-king," Belatu-Cadros--a common name in Britain--perhaps meaning "comely in slaughter,"[71] and Albiorix, "world-king."[72] Another name, Rigisamus, from _rix_ and _samus_, "like to," gives the idea of "king-like."[73]

Toutatis, Totatis, and Tutatis are found in inscriptions from Seckau, York, and Old Carlisle, and may be identified with Lucan's Teutates, who with Taranis and Esus mentioned by him, is regarded as one of three pan-Celtic G.o.ds.[74] Had this been the case we should have expected to find many more inscriptions to them. The scholiast on Lucan identifies Teutates now with Mars, now with Mercury. His name is connected with _teuta_, "tribe," and he is thus a tribal war-G.o.d, regarded as the embodiment of the tribe in its warlike capacity.

Neton, a war-G.o.d of the Accetani, has a name connected with Irish _nia_, "warrior," and may be equated with the Irish war-G.o.d Net. Another G.o.d, Camulos, known from British and continental inscriptions, and figured on British coins with warlike emblems, has perhaps some connection with c.u.mal, father of Fionn, though it is uncertain whether c.u.mal was an Irish divinity.[75]

Another G.o.d equated with Mars is the Gaulish Braciaca, G.o.d of malt.

According to cla.s.sical writers, the Celts were drunken race, and besides importing quant.i.ties of wine, they made their own native drinks, e.g.

[Greek: chourmi], the Irish _cuirm_, and _braccat_, both made from malt (_braich_).[76] These words, with the Gaulish _brace_, "spelt,"[77] are connected with the name of this G.o.d, who was a divine personification of the substance from which the drink was made which produced, according to primitive ideas, the divine frenzy of intoxication. It is not clear why Mars should have been equated with this G.o.d.

Caesar says that the Celtic Juppiter governed heaven. A G.o.d who carries a wheel, probably a sun-G.o.d, and another, a G.o.d of thunder, called Taranis, seem to have been equated with Juppiter. The sun-G.o.d with the wheel was not equated with Apollo, who seems to have represented Celtic sun-G.o.ds only in so far as they were also G.o.ds of healing. In some cases the G.o.d with the wheel carries also a thunderbolt, and on some altars, dedicated to Juppiter, both a wheel and a thunderbolt are figured. Many races have symbolised the sun as a circle or wheel, and an old Roman G.o.d, Summa.n.u.s, probably a sun-G.o.d, later a.s.similated to Juppiter, had as his emblem a wheel. The Celts had the same symbolism, and used the wheel symbol as an amulet,[78] while at the midsummer festivals blazing wheels, symbolising the sun, were rolled down a slope. Possibly the G.o.d carries a thunderbolt because the Celts, like other races, believed that lightning was a spark from the sun.

Three divinities have claims to be the G.o.d whom Caesar calls Dispater--a G.o.d with a hammer, a crouching G.o.d called Cernunnos, and a G.o.d called Esus or Silva.n.u.s. Possibly the native Dispater was differently envisaged in different districts, so that these would be local forms of one G.o.d.

1. The G.o.d Taranis mentioned by Lucan is probably the Taranoos and Taranucnos of inscriptions, sometimes equated with Juppiter.[79] These names are connected with Celtic words for "thunder"; hence Taranis is a thunder-G.o.d. The scholiasts on Lucan identify him now with Juppiter, now with Dispater. This latter identification is supported by many who regard the G.o.d with the hammer as at once Taranis and Dispater, though it cannot be proved that the G.o.d with the hammer is Taranis. On one inscription the hammer-G.o.d is called Sucellos; hence we may regard Taranis as a distinct deity, a thunder-G.o.d, equated with Juppiter, and possibly represented by the Taran of the Welsh tale of _Kulhwych_.[80]

Primitive men, whose only weapon and tool was a stone axe or hammer, must have regarded it as a symbol of force, then of supernatural force, hence of divinity. It is represented on remains of the Stone Age, and the axe was a divine symbol to the Mycenaeans, a hieroglyph of Neter to the Egyptians, and a worshipful object to Polynesians and Chaldeans. The cult of axe or hammer may have been widespread, and to the Celts, as to many other peoples, it was a divine symbol. Thus it does not necessarily denote a thunderbolt, but rather power and might, and possibly, as the tool which shaped things, creative might. The Celts made _ex voto_ hammers of lead, or used axe-heads as amulets, or figured them on altars and coins, and they also placed the hammer in the hand of a G.o.d.[81]

The G.o.d with the hammer is a gracious bearded figure, clad in Gaulish dress, and he carries also a cup. His plastic type is derived from that of the Alexandrian Serapis, ruler of the underworld, and that of Hades-Pluto.[82] His emblems, especially that of the hammer, are also those of the Pluto of the Etruscans, with whom the Celts had been in contact.[83] He is thus a Celtic Dispater, an underworld G.o.d, possibly at one time an Earth-G.o.d and certainly a G.o.d of fertility, and ancestor of the Celtic folk. In some cases, like Serapis, he carries a _modius_ on his head, and this, like the cup, is an emblem of chthonian G.o.ds, and a symbol of the fertility of the soil. The G.o.d being benevolent, his hammer, like the tool with which man forms so many things, could only be a symbol of creative force.[84] As an ancestor of the Celts, the G.o.d is naturally represented in Celtic dress. In one bas-relief he is called Sucellos, and has a consort, Nantosvelta.[85] Various meanings have been a.s.signed to "Sucellos," but it probably denotes the G.o.d's power of striking with the hammer. M. D'Arbois hence regards him as a G.o.d of blight and death, like Balor.[86] But though this Celtic Dispater was a G.o.d of the dead who lived on in the underworld, he was not necessarily a destructive G.o.d. The underworld G.o.d was the G.o.d from whom or from whose kingdom men came forth, and he was also a G.o.d of fertility. To this we shall return.

2. A bearded G.o.d, probably squatting, with horns from each of which hangs a torque, is represented on an altar found at Paris.[87] He is called Cernunnos, perhaps "the horned," from _cerna_, "horn," and a whole group of nameless G.o.ds, with similar or additional attributes, have affinities with him.

(a) A bronze statuette from Autun represents a similar figure, probably horned, who presents a torque to two ram's-headed serpents. Fixed above his ears are two small heads.[88] On a monument from Vandoeuvres is a squatting horned G.o.d, pressing a sack. Two genii stand beside him on a serpent, while one of them holds a torque.[89]

(b) Another squatting horned figure with a torque occurs on an altar from Reims. He presses a bag, from which grain escapes, and on it an ox and stag are feeding. A rat is represented on the pediment above, and on either side stand Apollo and Mercury.[90] On the altar of Saintes is a squatting but headless G.o.d with torque and purse. Beside him is a G.o.ddess with a cornucopia, and a smaller divinity with a cornucopia and an apple. A similar squatting figure, supported by male and female deities, is represented on the other side of the altar.[91] On the altar of Beaune are three figures, one horned with a cornucopia, another three-headed, holding a basket.[92] Three figures, one female and two male, are found on the Dennevy altar. One G.o.d is three-faced, the other has a cornucopia, which he offers to a serpent.[93]

(c) Another image represents a three-faced G.o.d, holding a serpent with a ram's head.[94]

(d) Above a seated G.o.d and G.o.ddess on an altar from Malmaison is a block carved to represent three faces. To be compared with these are seven steles from Reims, each with a triple face but only one pair of eyes.

Above some of these is a ram's head. On an eighth stele the heads are separated.[95]

Cernunnos may thus have been regarded as a three-headed, horned, squatting G.o.d, with a torque and ram's-headed serpent. But a horned G.o.d is sometimes a member of a triad, perhaps representing myths in which Cernunnos was a.s.sociated with other G.o.ds. The three-headed G.o.d may be the same as the horned G.o.d, though on the Beaune altar they are distinct. The various representations are linked together, but it is not certain that all are varying types of one G.o.d. Horns, torque, horned snake, or even the triple head may have been symbols pertaining to more than one G.o.d, though generally a.s.sociated with Cernunnos.

The squatting att.i.tude of the G.o.d has been differently explained, and its affinities regarded now as Buddhist, now as Greco-Egyptian.[96] But if the G.o.d is a Dispater, and the ancestral G.o.d of the Celts, it is natural, as M. Mowat points out, to represent him in the typical att.i.tude of the Gauls when sitting, since they did not use seats.[97]

While the horns were probably symbols of power and worn also by chiefs on their helmets,[98] they may also show that the G.o.d was an anthropomorphic form of an earlier animal G.o.d, like the wolf-skin of other G.o.ds. Hence also horned animals would be regarded as symbols of the G.o.d, and this may account for their presence on the Reims monument.

Animals are sometimes represented beside the divinities who were their anthropomorphic forms.[99] Similarly the ram's-headed serpent points to animal worship. But its presence with three-headed and horned G.o.ds is enigmatic, though, as will be seen later, it may have been connected with a cult of the dead, while the serpent was a chthonian animal.[100]

These G.o.ds were G.o.ds of fertility and of the underworld of the dead.

While the bag or purse (interchangeable with the cornucopia) was a symbol of Mercury, it was also a symbol of Pluto, and this may point to the fact that the G.o.ds who bear it had the same character as Pluto. The significance of the torque is also doubtful, but the Gauls offered torques to the G.o.ds, and they may have been regarded as vehicles of the warrior's strength which pa.s.sed from him to the G.o.d to whom the victor presented it.

Though many attempts have been made to prove the non-Celtic origin of the three-headed divinities or of their images,[101] there is no reason why the conception should not be Celtic, based on some myth now lost to us. The Celts had a cult of human heads, and fixed them up on their houses in order to obtain the protection of the ghost. Bodies or heads of dead warriors had a protective influence on their land or tribe, and myth told how the head of the G.o.d Bran saved his country from invasion.