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The Morrígan

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"Morrigan" redirects here. For other uses, seeMorrigan (disambiguation).

The MorríganorMórrígan,also known asMorrígu,is a figure fromIrish mythology.The name isMór-ríoghaninmodern Irishbefore thespelling reform,[1]and it has been translated as "great queen" or "phantom queen".

The Morrígan as a crow

The Morrígan is mainly associated withwarandfate,especially with foretelling doom, death, or victory in battle. In this role she often appears as a crow, thebadb.[2]She incites warriors to battle and can help bring about victory over their enemies. The Morrígan encourages warriors to do brave deeds, strikes fear into their enemies, and is portrayed washing the bloodstained clothes of those fated to die.[3][4]She is most frequently seen as a goddess of battle and war and has also been seen as a manifestation of theearth- and sovereignty-goddess,[5][6]chiefly representing the goddess's role asguardianof the territory and its people.[7][8]

The Morrígan is often described as atrioof individuals, all sisters, called "the three Morrígna".[5][9][10]In mythology membership of the triad is given asBadb,Macha,and the Morrigan, who may be namedAna.[11]It is believed that these were all names for the same goddess.[5][12]In modern sourcesNemainmay also be named as one of the three Morrigan along with Badb and Macha, although her inclusion is unclear.[13]The three Morrígna are also named as sisters of the three land goddessesÉriu,Banba,andFódla.The Morrígan is described as the envious wife ofThe Dagdaand a shape-shifting goddess,[14]while Badb and Nemain are said to be the wives ofNeit.[5]She is associated with thebansheeof later folklore.[5]

Etymology

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There is some disagreement over the meaning of the Morrígan's name.Mormay derive from anIndo-Europeanroot connoting terror, monstrousness,cognatewith theOld Englishmaere(which survives in the modern English word "nightmare" ) and the Scandinavianmaraand theOld East Slavic"mara" ( "nightmare" );[15]whilerígantranslates as "queen".[16][17]This etymological sequence can be reconstructed in theProto-Celtic languageas *Moro-rīganī-s.[18][19]Accordingly,Morríganis often translated as "Phantom Queen".[17]This is the derivation generally favoured in current scholarship.[20]

In theMiddle Irishperiod, the name is often spelledMórríganwith a lengthening diacritic over theo,seemingly intended to mean "Great Queen" (Old Irishmór,"great";[15]this would derive from a hypotheticalProto-Celtic*Māra Rīganī-s).[21]Whitley Stokesbelieved this latter spelling was due to afalse etymologypopular at the time.[22]There have also been attempts by modern writers to link the Morrígan with theWelsh literaryfigureMorgan le Fayfrom theMatter of Britain,in whose namemormay derive from Welsh word for "sea", but the names are derived from different cultures and branches of the Celtic linguistic tree.[15]

Sources

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Glosses and glossaries

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The earliest sources for the Morrígan areglossesin Latin manuscripts and glossaries (collections of glosses). The 8th centuryO'Mulconry's Glossarysays thatMachais one of the threemorrígna.[23]In a 9th-century manuscript containing theVulgateversion of theBook of Isaiah,the wordLamiais used to translate the HebrewLilith.[24]A gloss explains thisnight hagas "a monster in female form, that is, amorrígan."[23]Cormac's Glossary(also 9th century), and a gloss in the later manuscript H.3.18, both explain the plural wordgudemain( "spectres" )[25]with the plural formmorrígna.[23]

Ulster Cycle

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The Morrígan's earliest narrative appearances, in which she is depicted as an individual,[26]are in stories of theUlster Cycle,where she has an ambiguous relationship with the heroCú Chulainn.In theTáin Bó Regamna( "The Cattle Raid of Regamain"), Cú Chulainn encounters the Morrígan, but does not recognise her, as she drives aheiferfrom his territory. In response to this perceived challenge, and his ignorance of her role as a sovereignty figure, he insults her. But before he can attack her she becomes a black bird on a nearby branch. Cú Chulainn now knows who she is, and tells her that had he known before, they would not have parted in enmity. She notes that whatever he had done would have brought him ill luck. To his response that she cannot harm him, she delivers a series of warnings, foretelling a coming battle in which he will be killed. She tells him, "It is at the guarding of thy death that I am; and I shall be."[27]

In theTáin Bó Cúailnge( "The Cattle Raid of Cooley"), QueenMedbofConnachtlaunches an invasion ofUlsterto steal the bullDonn Cuailnge;the Morrígan, likeAlectoof the GreekFuries,appears to the bull in the form of a crow and warns him to flee.[28]Cú Chulainn defends Ulster by fighting a series of single combats at fords against Medb's champions. In between combats, the Morrígan appears to him as a young woman and offers him her love and her aid in the battle, but he rejects her offer. In response, she intervenes in his next combat, first in the form of an eel who trips him, then as a wolf who stampedes cattle across the ford, and finally as a white, red-eared heifer leading the stampede, just as she had warned in their previous encounter. However, Cú Chulainn wounds her in each form and defeats his opponent despite her interference. Later, she appears to him as an old woman bearing the same three wounds that her animal forms had sustained, milking a cow. She gives Cú Chulainn three drinks of milk. He blesses her with each drink, and her wounds are healed.[29][30]He regrets blessing her for the three drinks of milk, which is apparent in the exchange between the Morrígan and Cú Chulainn: "She gave him milk from the third teat, and her leg was healed. 'You told me once,' she said,'that you would never heal me.' 'Had I known it was you,' said Cú Chulainn, 'I never would have.'"[31]As the armies gather for the final battle, she prophesies the bloodshed to come.[32]

In one version of Cú Chulainn's death-tale, as Cú Chulainn rides to meet his enemies, he encounters the Morrígan as ahagwashing his bloody armour in a ford, an omen of his death. Later in the story, mortally wounded, Cú Chulainn ties himself to astanding stonewith his own entrails so he can die upright, and it is only when a crow lands on his shoulder that his enemies believe he is dead.[33]

Mythological Cycle

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The Morrígan also appears in texts of theMythological Cycle.In 12th-century pseudohistorical compilation theLebor Gabála Érenn( "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), she is listed among theTuatha Dé Danannas one of the daughters ofErnmas,granddaughter ofNuada.[11]

The first three daughters of Ernmas are given asÉriu,Banba,andFódla.Their names are synonyms for "Ireland", and they were respectively married toMac Gréine,Mac Cuill,andMac Cécht,the last three Tuatha Dé Danann kings of Ireland. Associated with the land and kingship, they probably represent atriple goddessof sovereignty. Next come Ernmas' other three daughters:Badb,Macha,and the Morrígan. A quatrain describes the three as wealthy, "springs of craftiness", and "sources of bitter fighting". The Morrígu's name is also said to be Anand.[11]According toGeoffrey Keating's 17th-centuryHistory of Ireland,Ériu, Banba, and Fódla worshipped Badb, Macha, and the Morrígan respectively.[34]

The Morrígan also appears in theCath Maige Tuired( "The Battle of Magh Tuireadh").[35]OnSamhain,she keeps a tryst with theDagdabefore the battle against theFomorians.When he meets her, she is washing herself, standing with one foot on either side of the river Unius, nearRiverstown, Co. Sligo.In some sources, she is believed to have created the river. After they have sex, the Morrígan promises to summon the magicians of Ireland to cast spells on behalf of the Tuatha Dé, and to destroy Indech, the Fomorian king, taking from him "the blood of his heart and the kidneys of his valour." Later, we are told, she would bring two handfuls of his blood and deposit them in the same river (however, we are also told later in the text that Indech was killed byOgma).

As battle is about to be joined, the Tuatha Dé leader,Lug,asks each what power they bring to the battle. The Morrígan's reply is difficult to interpret, but involves pursuing, destroying and subduing. When she comes to the battlefield, she chants a poem, and immediately the battle breaks and the Fomorians are driven into the sea. After the battle, she chants another poem celebrating the victory and prophesying the end of the world.[36][37]

In another story, she lures away the bull of a woman named Odras. Odras then follows the Morrígan to theOtherworld,via the cave ofCruachan,which is said to be her "fit abode." When Odras falls asleep, the Morrígan turns her into a pool of water that feeds into theRiver Shannon.[38]In this story, the Morrigan is called the Dagda's envious queen, fierce of mood. She is also called a "shape-shifter" and a cunning raven caller whose pleasure was in mustered hosts.

Nature and role

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The Morrígan is often considered atriple goddess,but this triple nature is ambiguous and inconsistent. These triple appearances are partially due to the Celtic significance ofthreeness.[2]Sometimes she appears as one of three sisters, the daughters ofErnmas:Morrígan,BadbandMacha.[39]Sometimes the trinity consists of Badb, Macha and Anand, collectively known as theMorrígna.Occasionally,NemainorFeaappear in the various combinations. However, the Morrígan can also appear alone,[26]and her name is sometimes used interchangeably with Badb.[36]

The Morrígan is mainly associated with war and fate, and is often interpreted as a "war goddess".W. M. Hennessy'sThe Ancient Irish Goddess of War,written in 1870, was influential in establishing this interpretation.[40]She is said to derive pleasure from mustered hosts.[41]Her role often involves premonitions of a particular warrior's violent death, suggesting a link with thebansheeof later folklore. This connection is further noted byPatricia Lysaght:"In certain areas of Ireland this supernatural being is, in addition to the name banshee, also called thebadhb".[42]Her role was to not only be a symbol of imminent death, but to also influence the outcome of war. Most often, she did this by appearing as a crow flying overhead, and would either inspire fear or courage in the hearts of the warriors. In some cases, she is written to have appeared in visions to those who are destined to die in battle as washing their bloody armor. In this specific role, she is also given the role of foretelling imminent death with a particular emphasis on the individual.[43]There are also a few rare accounts where she would join in the battle itself as a warrior and show her favouritism in a more direct manner.[44]

The Morrígan is also associated with the land and animals, particularly livestock.Máire Herbertargues that "warper seis not a primary aspect of the role of the goddess. "Herbert suggests that" her activities have atutelarycharacter. She oversees the land, its stock and its society. Her shape-shifting is an expression of her affinity with the whole living universe. "[45]Patricia Lysaght notes that theCath Maige Tuireddepicts the Morrígan as "a protectress of her people's interests" and associates her with both war and fertility.[7]According toProinsias Mac Cana,the goddess in Ireland is "primarily concerned with the prosperity of the land: its fertility, its animal life, and (when it is conceived as a political unit) its security against external forces."[12]Likewise,Maria Tymoczkowrites, "The welfare and fertility of a people depend on their security against external aggression," and notes that "warlike action can thus have a protective aspect."[8]It is therefore suggested that the Morrígan is a manifestation of theearth- and sovereignty-goddess,[5][6]chiefly representing the goddess' role as guardian of the territory and its people.[7][8]She can be interpreted as providing political or military aid, or protection to the king—acting as a goddess of sovereignty, not necessarily of war.

It has also been suggested that she was closely linked to thefianna,and that these groups may have been in some way dedicated to her.[46]These were "bands of youthful warrior-hunters, living on the borders of civilized society and indulging in lawless activities for a time before inheriting property and taking their places as members of settled, landed communities."[47]If true, her worship may have resembled that ofPerchtagroups in Germanic areas.[48]

There is aburnt moundsite inCounty Tipperaryknown asFulacht na Mór Ríoghna( "cooking pit of the Mórrígan" ). Thefulachtaísites are found in wild areas, and are usually associated with outsiders such as the fianna, as well as with the hunting of deer. There may be a link with the three mythicalhagswho cook the meal of dogflesh that brings the heroCú Chulainnto his doom. TheDá Chích na Morrígna( "two breasts of the Mórrígan" ), a pair of hills nearBrú na BóinneinCounty Meath,suggest to some a role as atutelary goddess,comparable toAnu,who has her own hills,Dá Chích Anann( "the breasts of Anu" ) inCounty Kerry.Other goddesses known to have similar hills areÁineandGrianofCounty Limerickwho, in addition to a tutelary function, also have solar attributes.

Arthurian legend

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Further information:Morgan le Fay

There have been attempts by some modern researchers and authors of fiction to link the Morrígan with the character of Morgan, the latter often being depicted in the legend as afairyor otherwise supernatural sister ofKing Arthur.Morgan first appears in literature inGeoffrey of Monmouth's12th-centuryVita Merlinias a goddess-like figure in no blood relation to Arthur, whom she takes to her Otherworld style land ofAvalonfollowing his mortal wound in a battle. In some Arthurian texts, such asSir Gawain and the Green Knight,Morgan is portrayed as a hag whose actions set into motion a bloody trail of events that lead the hero into numerous instances of danger. Morgan is also depicted as a seductress, much like the older legends of the Morrígan, and has numerous lovers whom she might even abduct for this purpose (as in some stories ofLancelotandOgier the Dane,among others). The character is frequently depicted as wielding power over others to achieve her own purposes, allowing those actions to play out over time, to the benefit or detriment of other characters.[49]

However, while the creators of the literary character of Morgan may have been somewhat inspired by the much older tales of the goddess, the relationship likely ends there. Scholars such as Rosalind Clark hold that the names are unrelated, the Welsh "Morgan" (Wales being the original source of theMatter of Britain) being derived from root words associated with the sea, while the Irish "Morrígan" has its roots either in a word for "terror" or a word for "greatness".[50]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Dinneen, Patrick S.,ed. (1927). "mór, móir-".Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla: an Irish–English dictionary, being a thesaurus of the words, phrases and idioms of the modern Irish language(New edition, revised and greatly enlarged ed.). Dublin: Irish Texts Society. p. 761.
  2. ^abAldhouse-Green, Miranda (2015).The Celtic Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends.New York: Thames & Hudson. p. 125.ISBN978-0-500-25209-3.
  3. ^Ó hÓgáin 1991.
  4. ^Sessle, Erica J. (1994). "Exploring the Limitations of the Sovereignty Goddess through the Role of Rhiannon".Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium.14:9–13.ISSN1545-0155.JSTOR20557270.
  5. ^abcdefÓ hÓgáin 1991,pp. 307–309.
  6. ^abKoch, John T.Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia.ABC-CLIO, 2006. p.1622
  7. ^abcLysaght, Patricia (1996). "Traditions of the Banshee". In Green, Miranda; Billington, Sandra (eds.).The Concept of the Goddess.Psychology Press. pp. 157–163.
  8. ^abcTymoczko, Maria(1994).The Irish Ulysses.University of California Press. pp. 98–101.
  9. ^Sjoestedt, Marie-Louise(18 September 2000).Celtic Gods and Heroes.Dover Publications. pp. 31–32.ISBN978-0-486-41441-6.
  10. ^Davidson, Hilda Ellis (1988).Myths and symbols in pagan Europe: early Scandinavian and Celtic religions.Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. p. 97.ISBN978-0-8156-2441-7.
  11. ^abcLebor Gabála Érenn §62, 64:"Badb and Macha and Anand... were the three daughters of Ernmas the she-farmer." "Badband Morrigu, whose name was Anand. "
  12. ^abMac Cana, Prionsias (1970). "The Goddesses of the Insular Celts".Celtic Mythology.Hamlyn.
  13. ^MacKillop 1998,pp. 335–336.
  14. ^The Metrical Dindsenchas"Odras" Poem 49
  15. ^abcDIL 1990,pp. 467–468.
  16. ^DIL 1990,p. 507.
  17. ^abJones Celtic Encyclopedia Entry:Morrigan
  18. ^"Proto-Celtic – English wordlist"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 27 September 2007.
  19. ^""nightmare"".EtymologyOnline.
  20. ^Clark 1990.
  21. ^Alexander McBain,An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language,1911:mór,ribhinn
  22. ^Stokes, Whitley(1891). "Notes to" The Second Battle of Moytura "".Études Celtiquesxii.p. 128.
  23. ^abcGulermovich Epstein 1998,pp. 45–51.
  24. ^Isaiah 34:14 "And wild beasts shall meet with hyenas, the satyr shall cry to his fellow; yea, there shall thenight hagalight, and find for herself a resting place. "(Revised Standard Version, emphasis added)
  25. ^DIL 1990,p. 372.
  26. ^abUnknown.Táin Bó Regamna.p. 33.{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)
  27. ^"The Cattle Raid of Regamna",translated by A. H. Leahy, fromHeroic Romances of IrelandVol II, 1906
  28. ^O'Rahilly 1976,p. 152.
  29. ^O'Rahilly 1976,pp. 176–177, 180–182.
  30. ^O'Rahilly, Cecile (ed & trans) (1967).Táin Bó Cualngefrom the Book of Leinster.pp. 193–197.
  31. ^Carson, Ciaran (2007).The Táin: A New Translation of the Táin Bó Cúlailnge.p. 96.
  32. ^O'Rahilly 1976,pp. 229–230.
  33. ^"The Death of Cú Chulainn".Celtic Literature Collective.
  34. ^Keating, Geoffrey. "Book 2 Section 11".The History of Ireland.
  35. ^"The Second Battle of Moytura".Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition.
  36. ^abUnknown. "The Second Battle of Mag Tuired".Cath Maige Tuired.
  37. ^Gray, Elizabeth A. (ed. & trans.) (1982). "167".Cath Maige Tuired: The Second Battle of Mag Tuired.
  38. ^"Odras",fromThe Metrical DindshenchasVol 4,translated by E. Gwynn
  39. ^Macalister, R.A.S. (trans.) (1941).Lebor Gabála Érenn: Book of the Taking of Ireland Part 1-5.Dublin: Irish Texts Society.
  40. ^W. M. Hennessy,"The Ancient Irish Goddess of War",Revue Celtique1, 1870–72, pp. 32–37
  41. ^"Part 49 of The Metrical Dindshenchas".celt.ucc.ie.
  42. ^Lysaght, Patricia (1986).The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger.Roberts Rinehart Publishers. p. 15.ISBN1-57098-138-8.
  43. ^Rolleston, T. W. (1911).Celtic Myths and Legends.New York: Barnes and Noble.ISBN978-0-7607-8335-1.
  44. ^Cotterell, Arthur (2010).The Encyclopedia of Mythology.pp. 102, 152.
  45. ^Herbert, Máire (1996). "Transmutations of an Irish Goddess". In Green, Miranda; Billington, Sandra (eds.).The Concept of the Goddess.Psychology Press. p. 145.
  46. ^Gulermovich Epstein 1998,p. 148.
  47. ^West, Maire. "Aspects ofdíbergin the taleTogail Bruidne Da Derga".Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie.Vol. 49–50. p. 950.
  48. ^Ginzburg, Carlo (1991).Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath.New York: Pantheon Books. pp. 6–7, 91, 101–2, 115 (note 47), 146 (note 62), 193, 182–204, 262, as well as numerous related references throughout Parts Two and Three.ISBN0-394-58163-6.
  49. ^Morgan le Fay in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
  50. ^Clark 1990,pp. 21–23, 208n.5.

References

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