Chapter XX
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THE DRUIDS.
In the burial rites, which in Ireland consisted of a lament, sacrifices, and raising a stone inscribed with ogams over the grave, Druids took part. The Druid Dergdamsa pronounced a discourse over the Ossianic hero Mag-neid, buried him with his arms, and chanted a rune. The ogam inscription would also be of Druidic composition, and as no sacrifice was complete without the intervention of Druids, they must also have assisted at the lavish sacrifices which occurred at Celtic funerals.
Since the Druids were an organised priesthood, with powers of teaching and of magic implicitly believed in by the folk, possessing the key of the other-world, and dominating the whole field of religion, it is easy to see how much veneration must have been paid them. Connoting this with the influence of the Roman Church in Celtic regions and the power of the Protestant minister in the Highlands and in Wales, some have thought that there is an innate tendency in the Celt to be priest-ridden. If this be true, we can only say, "the people wish to have it so, and the priests—pagan, papist, or protestant—bear rule through their means!"
Thus a close examination of the position and functions of the Druids explains away two popular misconceptions. They were not possessed of any recondite and esoteric wisdom. And the culling of mistletoe instead of being the most important, was but a subordinate part of their functions.
The existence of such priestesses and divineresses over the Celtic area is to be explained by our hypothesis that many Celtic divinities were at first female and served by women, who were possessed of the tribal lore. Later, men assumed their functions, and hence arose the great priesthoods, but conservatism sporadically retained such female cults and priestesses, some goddesses being still served by women—the Galatian Artemis, or the goddesses of Gaul, with their female servants. Time also brought its revenges, for when paganism passed away, much of its folk-ritual and magic remained, practised by wise women or witches, who for generations had as much power over ignorant minds as the Christian priesthood. The fact that Cæsar and Tacitus speak of Germanic but not of Celtic priestesses, can hardly, in face of these scattered notices, be taken as a proof that women had no priestly rôle in Celtic religion. If they had not, that religion would be unique in the world's history.
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · Footnote 1002: (return) Pliny, HN xvi. 249.Note 2 · Footnote 1003: (return) D'Arbois, Les Druides, 85, following Thurneysen.Note 3 · Footnote 1004: (return) D'Arbois, op. cit. 12 f.; Deloche, Revue des Deux Mondes, xxxiv. 466; Desjardins, Geog. de la Gaule Romaine, ii. 518Note 4 · Footnote 1005: (return) Cæsar, vi. 13.Note 5 · Footnote 1006: (return) Pliny, HN xxx. 1.Note 6 · Footnote 1007: (return) Rh[^y]s, CB4 69 f.Note 7 · Footnote 1008: (return) Gomme, Ethnol. in Folk-lore, 58, Village Community, 104.Note 8 · Footnote 1009: (return) Sergi, The Mediterranean Race, 295.Note 9 · Footnote 1010: (return) Reinach, "L'Art plastique en Gaule et le Druidisme," RC xiii. 189.Note 10 · Footnote 1011: (return) Holmes, Cæsar's Conquest of Gaul, 15; Dottin, 270.Note 11 · Footnote 1012: (return) Diog. Laert. i. 1; Livy xxiii. 24.Note 12 · Footnote 1013: (return) Desjardins, op. cit. ii. 519; but cf. Holmes, 535.Note 13 · Footnote 1014: (return) Gutuatros is perhaps from gutu-, "voice" (Holder, i. 2046; but see Loth, RC xxviii. 120). The existence of the gutuaNote 14 · Footnote 1015: (return) D'Arbois, Les Druides, 2 f., Les Celtes, 32.Note 15 · Footnote 1016: (return) Ausonius, Professor. v. 7, xi. 24.Note 16 · Footnote 1017: (return) Lucan, iii. 424; Livy, xxiii. 24.Note 17 · Footnote 1018: (return) Diod. Sic. v. 31; Strabo, iv. 4. 4; Timagenes apud Amm. Marc. xv. 9.Note 18 · Footnote 1019: (return) Cicero, de Div. i. 41. 90; Tac. Hist. iv. 54.Note 19 · Footnote 1020: (return) Phars. i. 449 f.Note 20 · Footnote 1021: (return) HN xxx. i.Note 21 · Footnote 1022: (return) Filid, sing. File, is from velo, "I see" (Stokes, US 277).Note 22 · Footnote 1023: (return) Fáthi is cognate with Vates.Note 23 · Footnote 1024: (return) In Wales there had been Druids as there were Bards, but all trace of the second class is lost. Long after the DruidsNote 24 · Footnote 1025: (return) For these views see Dottin, 295; Holmes, 17; Bertrand, 192-193, 268-269.Note 25 · Footnote 1026: (return) Diog. Laert. i. proem. 1. For other references see Cæsar, vi. 13, 14; Strabo, iv. 4. 4; Amm. Marc. xv. 9; Diod. Sic,Note 26 · Footnote 1027: (return) Suet. Claud. 25; Mela, iii. 2.Note 27 · Footnote 1028: (return) Pliny, xxx. 1.Note 28 · Footnote 1029: (return) D'Arbois, Les Druides, 77.Note 29 · Footnote 1030: (return) Diod. Sic. v. 31. 4.Note 30 · Footnote 1031: (return) See Cicero, de Div. i. 41.Note 31 · Footnote 1032: (return) Diod. Sic. v. 28; Amm. Marc. xv. 9; Hippolytus, Refut. Hær. i. 22.Note 32 · Footnote 1033: (return) Amm. Marc. xv. 9.Note 33 · Footnote 1034: (return) Cæsar, vi. 14.Note 34 · Footnote 1035: (return) Diog. Laert. 6. Celtic enthusiasts see in this triple maxim something akin to the Welsh triads, which they claim to Note 35 · Footnote 1036: (return) Bertrand, 280.Note 36 · Footnote 1037: (return) Cæsar, vi. 13.Note 37 · Footnote 1038: (return) Trip. Life, ii. 325, i. 52, ii. 402; IT i. 373; RC xxvi. 33. The title rig-file, "king poet," sometimes occurs.Note 38 · Footnote 1039: (return) Cæsar, vi. 14.Note 39 · Footnote 1040: (return) Cæsar, vi. 13; Strabo, iv. 4. 4.Note 40 · Footnote 1041: (return) Strabo, xii. 5. 2.Note 41 · Footnote 1042: (return) Their judicial powers were taken from them because their speech had become obscure. Perhaps they gave their judgmentNote 42 · Footnote 1043: (return) Diod. Sic. v. 31. 5.Note 43 · Footnote 1044: (return) Cæsar, vii. 33.Note 44 · Footnote 1045: (return) IT i. 213; D'Arbois, v. 186.Note 45 · Footnote 1046: (return) Dio, Orat. xlix.Note 46 · Footnote 1047: (return) LL 93.Note 47 · Footnote 1048: (return) Ancient Laws of Ireland, i. 22.Note 48 · Footnote 1049: (return) Cæsar, vi. 13, 14; Windisch, Táin, line 1070 f.; IT i. 325; Arch. Rev. i. 74; Trip. Life, 99; cf. O'Curry, MC ii. 20Note 49 · Footnote 1050: (return) Cæsar, vi. 14; Strabo, iv. 4. 4.Note 50 · Footnote 1051: (return) Trip. Life, 284.Note 51 · Footnote 1052: (return) Lucan, i. 451.Note 52 · Footnote 1053: (return) Diod. v. 31. 4; cf. Cæsar, vi. 13, 16; Strabo, iv. 4. 5.Note 53 · Footnote 1054: (return) See p. 248, supra.Note 54 · Footnote 1055: (return) RC xiv. 29; Miss Hull, 4, 23, 141; IT iii. 392, 423; Stokes, Félire, Intro. 23.Note 55 · Footnote 1056: (return) Loth, i. 56.Note 56 · Footnote 1057: (return) See my art. "Baptism (Ethnic)" in Hastings' Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, ii. 367 f.Note 57 · Footnote 1058: (return) Carmichael, Carm. Gadel. i. 115.Note 58 · Footnote 1059: (return) See p. 206, supra.Note 59 · Footnote 1060: (return) IT i. 215.Note 60 · Footnote 1061: (return) O'Curry, MS. Mat. 221, 641.Note 61 · Footnote 1062: (return) RC xvi. 34.Note 62 · Footnote 1063: (return) Pliny, HN xvi. 45; Trip. Life, ii. 325; Strabo, iv. 275.Note 63 · Footnote 1064: (return) RC xxii. 285; O'Curry, MC ii. 215.Note 64 · Footnote 1065: (return) Reeves' ed. of Adamnan's Life of S. Col. 237; Todd, S. Patrick, 455; Joyce, SH i. 234. For the relation of the DruidNote 65 · Footnote 1066: (return) See Hyde, Lit. Hist. of Ireland, 88; Joyce, SH i. 239.Note 66 · Footnote 1067: (return) Cæsar, vi. 14, ii. 10.Note 67 · Footnote 1068: (return) Suetonius, Claud. 25.Note 68 · Footnote 1069: (return) Pliny HN xxx. 1; Suet. Claud. 25.Note 69 · Footnote 1070: (return) de Cæsaribus, 4, "famosæ superstitiones"; cf. p. 328, infra.Note 70 · Footnote 1071: (return) Mela, iii. 2.Note 71 · Footnote 1072: (return) Mommsen, Rom. Gesch. v. 94.Note 72 · Footnote 1073: (return) Bloch (Lavisse), Hist. de France, i. 2, 176 f., 391 f.; Duruy, "Comment périt l'institution Druidique," Rev. Arch. xNote 73 · Footnote 1074: (return) Les Druides, 73.Note 74 · Footnote 1075: (return) Phars. i. 453, "Ye Druids, after arms were laid aside, sought once again your barbarous ceremonials.... In remote foNote 75 · Footnote 1076: (return) Mela, iii. 2.Note 76 · Footnote 1077: (return) Tacit. iii. 43.Note 77 · Footnote 1078: (return) Ibid. iv. 54.Note 78 · Footnote 1079: (return) Ausonius, Prof. v. 12, xi. 17.Note 79 · Footnote 1080: (return) Nennius, 40. In the Irish version they are called "Druids." See p. 238, supra.Note 80 · Footnote 1081: (return) Pliny, xxx. 1.Note 81 · Footnote 1082: (return) Adamnan, Vita S. Col., i. 37. ii. 35, etc.; Reeves' Adamnan, 247 f.; Stokes, Three Homilies, 24 f.; Antient Laws of Note 82 · Footnote 1083: (return) Lampridius, Alex. Sev. 60; Vopiscus, Numerienus, 14, Aurelianus, 44.Note 83 · Footnote 1084: (return) Windisch, Táin, 31, 221; cf. Meyer, Contributions to Irish Lexicog. 176 Joyce, SH i. 238.Note 84 · Footnote 1085: (return) IT i. 56.Note 85 · Footnote 1086: (return) Solinus, 35; Tac. Ann. xiv. 30.Note 86 · Footnote 1087: (return) RC xv. 326, xvi. 34, 277; Windisch, Táin, 331. In LL 75b we hear of "three Druids and three Druidesses."Note 87 · Footnote 1088: (return) See p. 69, supra; Keating, 331.Note 88 · Footnote 1089: (return) Jullian, 100; Holder, s.v. "Thucolis."Note 89 · Footnote 1090: (return) Plutarch, Vir. mul. 20.Note 90 · Footnote 1091: (return) Mela, iii. 6; Strabo, iv. 4. 6.Note 91 · Footnote 1092: (return) Reinach, RC xviii. 1 f. The fact that the rites were called Dionysiac is no reason for denying the fact that some orNote 92 · Pliny thought that the name "Druid" was a Greek appellation derived from the Druidic cult of the oak ([Greek: drus]).1002 The word, however,Note 93 · M. D'Arbois and others, accepting Cæsar's dictum that "the system (of Druidism) is thought to have been devised in Britain, and brought thenNote 94 · Cæsar merely says, "it is thought (existimatur) that Druidism came to Gaul from Britain."1005 It was a pious opinion, perhaps his own, or onNote 95 · Other writers—Sir John Rh[^y]s, Sir G.L. Gomme, and M. Reinach—support on different grounds the theory that the Druids were a pre-Celtic priNote 96 · Sir G.L. Gomme supports the theory that the Druids were a pre-Celtic priesthood, because, in his opinion, much of their belief in magic as wNote 97 · M. Reinach, as we have seen, thinks that the Celts had no images, because these were prohibited by their priests. This prohibition was pre-CNote 98 · Other writers argue that we do not find Druids existing in the Danube region, in Cisalpine territory, nor in Transalpine Gaul, "outside the Note 99 · The theory of the non-Celtic origin of the Druids assumes that the Celts had no priests, or that these were effaced by the Druids. The CeltsNote 100 · Our supposition that the gutuatri were a class of Druids is supported by classical evidence, which tends to show that the Druids were a greaNote 101 · On the whole this agrees with what is met with in Ireland, where the Druids, though appearing in the texts mainly as magicians, were also prNote 102 · We may thus conclude that the Druids were a purely Celtic priesthood, belonging both to the Goidelic and Gaulish branches of the Celts. The Note 103 · The Druids are first referred to by pseudo-Aristotle and Sotion in the second century B.C., the reference being preserved by Diogenes LaertiNote 104 · The vague idea that the Druids were philosophers was repeated parrot-like by writer after writer, who regarded barbaric races as Rousseau anNote 105 · Classical sentiment also found a connection between the Druidic and Pythagorean systems, the Druids being regarded as conforming to the doctNote 106 · The Druids, like the priests of all religions, doubtless sought after such knowledge as was open to them, but this does not imply that they Note 107 · The idea that the Druids taught a secret doctrine—monotheism, pantheism, or the like—is unsupported by evidence. Doubtless they communicatedNote 108 · In Gaul, and to some extent in Ireland, the Druids formed a priestly corporation—a fact which helped classical observers to suppose that theNote 109 · The Druids of Gaul assembled annually in a central spot, and there settled disputes, because they were regarded as the most just of men.1040Note 110 · Diodorus describes the Druids exhorting combatants to peace, and taming them like wild beasts by enchantment.1043 This suggests interferenceNote 111 · Dio Chrysostom alleges that kings were ministers of the Druids, and could do nothing without them.1046 This agrees on the whole with the witNote 112 · That political power must have been enhanced by their position as teachers, and it is safe to say that submission to their powers was inculcNote 113 · In religious affairs the Druids were supreme, since they alone "knew the gods and divinities of heaven."1052 They superintended and arrangedNote 114 · Name-giving and a species of baptism were performed by the Druids or on their initiative. Many examples of this occur in Irish texts, thus oNote 115 · Pliny's words, "the Druids and that race of prophets and doctors", suggest that the medical art may have been in the hands of a special clasNote 116 · Still more important were the magical powers of the Druids—giving or withholding sunshine or rain, causing storms, making women and cattle fNote 117 · The Druids, both in Gaul (at the mistletoe rite) and in Ireland, were dressed in white, but Strabo speaks of their scarlet and gold embroideNote 118 · Some writers have tried to draw a distinction between the Druids of Gaul and of Ireland, especially in the matter of their priestly functionNote 119 · In Gaul the Roman power broke the sway of the Druids, aided perhaps by the spread of Christianity, but it was Christianity alone which routeNote 120 · Probably more effective was the policy begun by Augustus. Magistrates were inaugurated and acted as judges, thus ousting the Druids, and natNote 121 · M. D'Arbois maintains that, as a result of persecution, the Druids retired to the depths of the forests, and continued to teach there in secNote 122 · The insular Druids opposed the legions in Southern Britain, and in Mona in 62 A.D. they made a last stand with the warriors against the RomaNote 123 · Classical writers speak of Dryades or "Druidesses" in the third century. One of them predicted his approaching death to Alexander Severus, a