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135-657: Cú Chulainn ( / k uː ˈ k ʌ l ɪ n / koo- KUL -in Irish: [kuːˈxʊlˠɪn̠ʲ] ), is an Irish warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology , as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh , who is also his father. His mother is the mortal Deichtine , sister of king Conchobar mac Nessa . Born Sétanta , he gained his better-known name as
270-800: A scholium to Pindar 's Fifth Nemean Ode: "Much weaker in strength than the Minotaur , Theseus fought with it and won using pankration , as he had no knife." Pankration , a martial art that featured in the ancient Olympic Games, means "total power and knowledge", one "associated with gods and heroes ... who conquer by tapping every talent". Emain Macha Navan Fort ( Old Irish : Emain Macha Old Irish pronunciation: [ˈeṽənʲ ˈṽaxə] ; Modern Irish : Eamhain Mhacha Irish pronunciation: [ˌəunʲ ˈwaxə] )
405-420: A baby while his wife Oona baked cakes, some with griddle irons inside, some without. When Cú Chulainn could not bite through his cake (which had an iron in it) but the baby could (Finn's cake had no iron), in amazement Cú Chulainn felt to see how sharp the baby's teeth were, allowing Finn to bite his middle finger off and deprive Cú Chulainn of both his strength and size. Cú Chulainn shows striking similarities to
540-470: A bristle of his hair as it stood up on his scalp with rage. He attacks the army and kills hundreds, building walls of corpses. When his foster father Fergus mac Róich, now in exile in Medb's court, is sent to face him, Cú Chulainn agrees to yield, so long as Fergus agrees to return the favour the next time they meet. Finally, he fights a gruelling three-day duel with his best friend and foster brother, Ferdiad , at
675-420: A building with an attached enclosure for rituals. Finds suggest that at this time the site was occupied by someone of high standing such as a king, chieftain or druid. They include a chape , a finely-decorated pin and the skull of a Barbary monkey , which was likely a pet that was either imported or given as a gift. The structure was rebuilt several times over the following centuries. In the first century BC,
810-462: A challenge. She does this as she wishes revenge upon Cú Chulainn for loving another woman after her. Connla was also trained and almost beat his father in battle, but misses his spear shot on purpose as he finds out Cú Chulainn is his father. However Cú Chulainn hits Connla with his spear, the Gae Bulg, which mortally wounds him. Connla's last words to his father as he dies are that they would have "carried
945-436: A child, after killing Culann 's fierce guard dog in self defence and offering to take its place until a replacement could be reared, hence he became the "Hound ( cú ) of Culann". He was trained in martial arts by Scáthach , who gave him the spear Gáe Bulg . It was prophesied that his great deeds would give him everlasting fame, but that his life would be short. At the age of seventeen he defended Ulster single-handedly against
1080-412: A childlike manner. During classical times, people regarded heroes with the highest esteem and utmost importance, explaining their prominence within epic literature. The appearance of these mortal figures marks a revolution of audiences and writers turning away from immortal gods to mortal mankind, whose heroic moments of glory survive in the memory of their descendants, extending their legacy. Hector
1215-699: A continually flawed personal honor code. The definition of a hero has changed throughout time. Merriam Webster dictionary defines a hero as "a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities". Examples of heroes range from mythological figures, such as Gilgamesh , Achilles and Iphigenia , to historical and modern figures, such as Joan of Arc , Giuseppe Garibaldi , Sophie Scholl , Alvin York , Audie Murphy , and Chuck Yeager , and fictional " superheroes ", including Superman , Supergirl , Spider-Man , Batman , and Captain America . The word hero comes from
1350-436: A curse that caused them to suffer from labour pains, so it becomes Cú Chulainn's job to stop Medb 's army from advancing further. He does this by invoking the right of single combat at fords. He defeats champion after champion in a standoff that lasts for months. Before one combat a beautiful young woman comes to him, claiming to be the daughter of a king, and offers him her love, but he refuses her. The woman reveals herself as
1485-463: A figure-of-eight structure was also built at the eastern site. It was similar to those at the western site and may have been built around the same time as the mound. The larger ring was 30 metres (98 feet) in diameter, the smaller about 20 metres (66 feet). This figure-of-eight structure was then cleared away and replaced by another round wooden structure. It was double-walled, had a central hearth and an eastern entrance. Two graves were found just outside
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#17328594090181620-444: A ford that was named Áth Fhir Diadh ( Ardee , County Louth ) after him. The Ulstermen eventually rouse, one by one at first, and finally en masse . The final battle begins. Cú Chulainn stays on the sidelines, recuperating from his wounds, until he sees Fergus advancing. He enters the fray and confronts Fergus, who keeps his side of the bargain and yields to him, pulling his forces off the field. Connacht's other allies panic and Medb
1755-448: A good son, husband and father, and without darker motives. However, his familial values conflict greatly with his heroic aspirations in the Iliad, as he cannot be both the protector of Troy and a father to his child. Hector is ultimately betrayed by the deities when Athena appears disguised as his ally Deiphobus and convinces him to challenge Achilles, leading to his death at the hands of
1890-466: A hero's sphere include: Propp distinguished between seekers and victim-heroes . A villain could initiate the issue by kidnapping the hero or driving him out; these were victim-heroes. On the other hand, an antagonist could rob the hero, or kidnap someone close to him, or, without the villain's intervention, the hero could realize that he lacked something and set out to find it; these heroes are seekers. Victims may appear in tales with seeker heroes, but
2025-399: A huge timber roundhouse-like structure was built on the same spot. It was 40 metres in diameter and consisted of an outer wall and four inner rings of posts (probably holding up a roof), which circled a huge central pillar. This oak pillar has been dated by dendrochronology to the year 95 BC and could have stood about 13 metres tall. The building had a western entrance, toward
2160-444: A large bank and ditch encircling the hill. The ditch is on the inside , suggesting the earthwork was symbolic rather than defensive. Inside the enclosure two monuments are visible. North-west of centre is an earthen mound 40 metres (130 feet) in diameter and 6 metres (20 feet) high. South-east of centre is the circular impression of a ring-barrow, about 30 metres (98 feet) in diameter. Flint tools and shards of pottery show activity at
2295-570: A local goddess. 'Navan' is an anglicisation of the Irish An Eamhain . The Irish name of Navan Fort is Eamhain Mhacha , from Old Irish: Emain Macha . The second element refers to the goddess Macha, for whom nearby Armagh ( Ard Mhacha ) is also named. However, the overall meaning of the name is unclear. It has been interpreted as "Macha's twins" or "Macha's pair" (possibly referring to the two features on
2430-516: A massive role in the stories of classical heroes. The classical hero's heroic significance stems from battlefield conquests, an inherently dangerous action. The deities in Greek mythology , when interacting with the heroes, often foreshadow the hero's eventual death on the battlefield. Countless heroes and deities go to great lengths to alter their pre-destined fates, but with no success, as none, neither human or immortal can change their prescribed outcomes by
2565-596: A mother figure who gave birth to Cú Chulainn, but whose glory days are behind her. Sheppard 's statue of Cú Chulainn is depicted in Samuel Beckett 's 1938 novel Murphy as a vice to mock the Irish Free State and the attitude of its inhabitants. The story of Cú Chulainn and many other characters from Irish Béaloideas tales such as Fionn mac Cumhaill are still taught as part of the Irish primary school curriculum in both
2700-411: A new wooden structure was built on the same spot. It was a round building attached to a bigger round enclosure, making a figure-of-eight shape, both with eastern entrances. The larger ring of the figure-of-eight was 30 metres (98 feet) in diameter, the smaller about 20 metres (66 feet). The smaller building had a hearth . The structure has been interpreted as a roundhouse with an attached yard or pen, or
2835-430: A place on the coast. Eamhain Mhacha , and its short form An Eamhain , was anglicised as 'Owenmagh', 'Nawan' and eventually 'Navan'. Navan Fort, sometimes called Navan Rath , is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland of Navan. It is on a low hill about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) west of Armagh (at grid ref. area H847 452). The site consists of a circular enclosure 250 metres (820 feet) in diameter, marked by
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#17328594090182970-448: A potion to wipe the whole affair from their memories. (Irish: Aided Con Culainn , also known as Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne ). Medb conspires with Lugaid , son of Cú Roí, Erc , son of Cairbre Nia Fer , and the sons of others Cú Chulainn had killed, to draw him out to his death. His fate is sealed by his breaking of the geasa (taboos) upon him. Cú Chulainn's geasa included a ban against eating dog meat, but in early Ireland there
3105-459: A powerful sleeping potion to keep him from the battle. However, because of Cú Chulainn's great strength, it only puts him to sleep for an hour, and he soon joins the fray. He fights Aífe in single combat, and the two are evenly matched, but Cú Chulainn distracts her by calling out that Aífe's horses and chariot, the things she values most in the world, have fallen off a cliff, and seizes her. With his sword at her throat, he agrees to spare her life on
3240-811: A role above and beyond risk type in determining the ascription of heroic status. Psychologists have also identified the traits of heroes. Elaine Kinsella and her colleagues have identified 12 central traits of heroism, which consist of brave, moral integrity, conviction, courageous, self-sacrifice , protecting, honest, selfless, determined, saves others, inspiring, and helpful. Scott Allison and George Goethals uncovered evidence for "the great eight traits" of heroes consisting of wise, strong, resilient, reliable, charismatic, caring, selfless, and inspiring. These researchers have also identified four primary functions of heroism. Heroes give us wisdom; they enhance us; they provide moral modeling; and they offer protection. An evolutionary psychology explanation for heroic risk-taking
3375-456: A sacred space. It could also have been seen as a way of containing the power of the Otherworld within that space. Dr Richard Warner suggests that the mound was made to be a conduit between this world and the Otherworld. It may be an attempt to replicate an ancient burial mound ( sídhe ), which were believed to be portals to the Otherworld and the homes of ancestral gods. He believes the mound
3510-472: A similar prophecy by Cathbad, Cú Chulainn demands a chariot from Conchobar, and only the king's own chariot withstands him. He sets off on a foray and kills the three sons of Nechtan Scéne , who had boasted they had killed more Ulstermen than there were Ulstermen still living. He returns to Emain Macha in his battle frenzy, and the Ulstermen are afraid he will slaughter them all. Conchobar's wife Mugain leads out
3645-540: A son named Connla , whom Cú Chulainn tragically kills . Cú Chulainn himself is said to have died in battle, binding himself to a standing stone so he can die on his feet. His birth name Sétanta may be linked to a Celtic tribe, the Setantii , who dwelt on the west coast of Celtic Britain . His later name Cú Chulainn , is usually translated " Culann 's hound", and was explained in the tale whereby he stood in for Culann's guard dog. Although cú literally means "hound", it
3780-425: A suitable wife for him, but he will have none but Emer , daughter of Forgall Monach. However, Forgall is opposed to the match. He suggests that Cú Chulainn should train in arms with the renowned warrior-woman Scáthach in the land of Alba ( Scotland ), hoping the ordeal will be too much for him and he will be killed. Cú Chulainn takes up the challenge, travelling to her residence Dún Scáith (Fortress of Shadows) on
3915-411: A superior warrior. Achilles was a Greek hero who was considered the most formidable military fighter in the entire Trojan War and the central character of the Iliad . He was the child of Thetis and Peleus , making him a demi-god . He wielded superhuman strength on the battlefield and was blessed with a close relationship to the deities . Achilles famously refused to fight after his dishonoring at
4050-412: A very close relationship, sharing a bed at times and speaking often and at great length of their love for one another; this has at times led to speculation that the two men were lovers (though this theory is controversial). During his time there, Scáthach faces a battle against Aífe , her rival and in some versions her twin sister. Scáthach, knowing Aífe's prowess, fears for Cú Chulainn's life and gives him
4185-516: Is Lug, a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann , but this time his wife, who gives birth to a son that night, is Deichtine herself. The child is named Sétanta. The nobles of Ulster argue over which of them is to be his foster father, until the wise Morann decides he should be fostered by several of them: Conchobar himself; Sencha mac Ailella , who will teach him judgement and eloquent speech; the wealthy Blaí Briugu , who will protect and provide for him;
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4320-727: Is a fore-tale of the Táin Bó Cúailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley). The name Emain Macha is thus explained as "Macha's twins". The Annals of the Four Masters says that the Three Collas conquered the area in 331 AD, burning Emain Macha and driving the Ulaidh eastwards over the River Bann. Another tradition is that Emain Macha was destroyed by Niall of the Nine Hostages , or his sons, in
4455-926: Is a multibillion-dollar industry that includes comic books, movies, toys, and video games. Superheroes usually possess extraordinary talents and powers that no living human could ever possess. The superhero stories often pit a super villain against the hero, with the hero fighting the crime caused by the super villain. Examples of long-running superheroes include Superman , Wonder Woman , Batman , and Spider-Man . Research indicates that male writers are more likely to make heroines superhuman, whereas female writers tend to make heroines ordinary humans, as well as making their male heroes more powerful than their heroines, possibly due to sex differences in valued traits. Social psychology has begun paying attention to heroes and heroism. Zeno Franco and Philip Zimbardo point out differences between heroism and altruism, and they offer evidence that observer perceptions of unjustified risk play
4590-451: Is an ancient ceremonial monument near Armagh , Northern Ireland . According to tradition it was one of the great royal sites of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland and the capital of the Ulaidh . It is a large circular hilltop enclosure—marked by a bank and ditch —inside which is a circular mound and the remains of a ring barrow . Archeological investigations show that there were once buildings on
4725-479: Is auspicious for, and Cathbad replies that any warrior who takes arms that day will have everlasting fame. Cú Chulainn, though only seven years old, goes to Conchobar and asks for arms. None of the weapons given to him withstand his strength, until Conchobar gives him his own weapons. But when Cathbad sees this he grieves, because he had not finished his prophecy—the warrior who took arms that day would be famous, but his life would be short. Soon afterwards, in response to
4860-423: Is dead he pursues Lugaid. As Lugaid has lost a hand, Conall fights him with one hand tucked into his belt, but he only beats him after his horse takes a bite out of Lugaid's side. He also kills Erc, and takes his head back to Tara , where Erc's sister Achall dies of grief for her brother. Cú Chulainn's appearance is occasionally remarked on in the texts. He is usually described as small, youthful and beardless. He
4995-495: Is dead. Lugaid approaches and cuts off his head, but as he does so the "hero-light" burns around Cú Chulainn and his sword falls from his hand and cuts Lugaid's hand off. The light disappears only after his right hand, his sword arm, is cut from his body. According to the Annals, Cú Chulainn died in the year AD 1. Conall Cernach had sworn that if Cú Chulainn died before him he would avenge him before sunset, and when he hears Cú Chulainn
5130-451: Is doomed because Cú Chulainn is mortal and Fand is a fairy; Cú Chulainn's presence would destroy the fairies. Emer, meanwhile, tries to kill her rival, but when she sees the strength of Fand's love for Cú Chulainn she decides to give him up to her. Fand, touched by Emer's magnanimity, decides to return to her own husband. Manannán shakes his cloak between Cú Chulainn and Fand, ensuring the two will never meet again, and Cú Chulainn and Emer drink
5265-453: Is forced to retreat. At this inopportune moment she gets her period, and although Fergus forms a guard around her, Cú Chulainn breaks through as she is dealing with it and has her at his mercy. However, he spares her because he does not think it right to kill women, and guards her retreat back to Connacht as far as Athlone . The troublemaker Bricriu once incites three heroes, Cú Chulainn, Conall Cernach and Lóegaire Búadach , to compete for
5400-590: Is found in the Hildebrandslied , in which Hildebrand is thought to kill his son, Hadubrand, though the poem's ending is lost. During his time abroad, Cú Chulainn had rescued Derbforgaill, a Scandinavian princess, from being sacrificed to the Fomorians . She falls in love with him, and she and her handmaid come to Ireland in search of him in the form of a pair of swans. Cú Chulainn, not realising who she is, shoots her down with his sling, and then saves her life by sucking
5535-495: Is no perfect solution. Instead, he hopes that gradual realization of humanity's innate motivations, namely death, may help to bring about a better world. Terror Management Theory (TMT) has generated evidence supporting this perspective. Examining the success of resistance fighters on Crete during the Nazi occupation in WWII , author and endurance researcher C. McDougall drew connections to
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5670-575: Is often described as dark: in The Wooing of Emer and Bricriu's Feast he is "a dark, sad man, comeliest of the men of Erin", in The Intoxication of the Ulstermen he is a "little, black-browed man", and in The Phantom Chariot of Cú Chulainn "[h]is hair was thick and black, and smooth as though a cow had licked it... in his head his eyes gleamed swift and grey"; yet the prophetess Fedelm in
5805-422: Is some evidence that the stones came from an older monument in the area, perhaps a passage tomb. The building was then deliberately burnt down before being covered in a mound of earth. It was made up of many soil types, suggesting that soil was brought from surrounding areas. There is archaeological evidence for similar repeated building and burning at Tara and Dún Ailinne . In the first or second century BC,
5940-411: Is that it is a costly signal demonstrating the ability of the hero. It may be seen as one form of altruism for which there are several other evolutionary explanations as well. Roma Chatterji has suggested that the hero or more generally protagonist is first and foremost a symbolic representation of the person who is experiencing the story while reading, listening, or watching; thus the relevance of
6075-457: Is that the monument symbolizes a union of the three main classes of society : druids (the wooden frame), warriors (the stones) and farmers (the soil). The central pillar could also represent the world pillar or world tree linking the sky, the earth and the underworld. The radial pattern of the stone cairn may represent the sun wheel , a symbol associated with Celtic sun or sky deities. Dr Lynn writes: "It seems reasonable to suggest that, in
6210-600: Is the daughter and charioteer of Conchobar mac Nessa , king of Ulster, and accompanies him as he and the nobles of Ulster hunt a flock of magical birds. As snow begins to fall, Ulstermen seek shelter in a nearby house. As the host's wife goes into labour, Deichtine assists in the birth of a baby boy, while a mare gives birth to twin colts. The next morning, the Ulstermen find themselves at the Brug na Bóinde (the Neolithic mound at Newgrange )—the house and its occupants have disappeared, but
6345-525: Is welcome in heaven. The date of the tale is not certain. Cú Chulainn was later reimagined as an evil giant at odds with Fionn mac Cumhaill (or Finn McCool). Unrecorded before the 19th century, the earliest known version was "A Legend of Knockmany" in the 1845 Tales and Sketches ... of the Irish Peasantry by William Carleton . Variants were published in Patrick Kennedy 's Legendary Fictions of
6480-527: The Ancient Greek heroes and a culture of integrated physical self-mastery, training, and mental conditioning that fostered confidence to take action, and made it possible for individuals to accomplish feats of great prowess, even under the harshest of conditions. The skills established an "ability to unleash tremendous resources of strength, endurance, and agility that many people don't realize they already have." McDougall cites examples of heroic acts, including
6615-519: The Greek ἥρως ( hērōs ), "hero" (literally "protector" or "defender"), particularly one such as Heracles with divine ancestry or later given divine honors. Before the decipherment of Linear B the original form of the word was assumed to be * ἥρωϝ- , hērōw- , but the Mycenaean compound ti-ri-se-ro-e demonstrates the absence of -w-. Hero as a name appears in pre-Homeric Greek mythology , wherein Hero
6750-528: The Irish revolutionary period , with elements of Irish mythology adopted in nationalist symbolism. In St. Enda's School , run by revolutionary Patrick Pearse , there was a stained-glass panel of Cú Chulainn. A bronze sculpture of the dying Cú Chulainn by Oliver Sheppard stands in the Dublin General Post Office (GPO) in commemoration of the Easter Rising of 1916. Éamon de Valera unveiled
6885-496: The Morrígan , and in revenge for this slight, she attacks him in various animal forms while he is engaged in combat against Lóch mac Mofemis. As an eel, she trips him in the ford, but he breaks her ribs. As a wolf, she stampedes cattle across the ford, but he blinds her eye with a sling stone. Finally, she appears as a heifer at the head of the stampede, but he breaks her leg with another sling stone. After Cú Chulainn finally defeats Lóch,
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#17328594090187020-511: The Táin Bó Cúailnge describes him as blond. The most elaborate description of his appearance comes later in the Táin : And certainly the youth Cúchulainn mac Sualdaim was handsome as he came to show his form to the armies. You would think he had three distinct heads of hair—brown at the base, blood-red in the middle, and a crown of golden yellow. This hair was settled strikingly into three coils on
7155-719: The Ulster Cycle . According to the Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology , "the [Eamhain Mhacha] of myth and legend is a far grander and mysterious place than archeological excavation supports". Navan Fort is the heart of the larger 'Navan complex', which also includes the ancient sites of Haughey's Fort (an earlier hilltop enclosure), the King's Stables (a manmade ritual pool) and Loughnashade (a natural lake that has yielded votive offerings ). The name Eamhain Mhacha has been interpreted as " Macha 's twins" or "Macha's brooch", referring to
7290-539: The biographies of individuals, as in Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches and History of Frederick the Great . His heroes were not only political and military figures, the founders or topplers of states, but also religious figures, poets, authors, and captains of industry . Explicit defenses of Carlyle's position were rare in the second part of the 20th century. Most in the philosophy of history school contend that
7425-411: The champion's portion at his feast. In every test that is set Cú Chulainn comes out on top, but neither Conall nor Lóegaire will accept the result. Cú Roí mac Dáire of Munster settles it by visiting each in the guise of a hideous churl and challenging them to behead him, then allow him to return and behead them in return. Conall and Lóegaire both behead Cú Roí, who picks up his head and leaves, but when
7560-568: The dilemma of mortality through heroism, by focusing attention mainly on the symbolic self. This symbolic self-focus takes the form of an individual's " immortality project" (or " causa sui project"), which is essentially a symbolic belief-system that ensures that one is believed superior to physical reality. By successfully living under the terms of the immortality project, people feel they can become heroic and, henceforth, part of something eternal; something that will never die as compared to their physical body. This he asserts, in turn, gives people
7695-452: The "Mythic Hero Archetype" was first developed by Lord Raglan in his 1936 book, The Hero, A Study in Tradition, Myth and Drama . It is a set of 22 common traits that he said were shared by many heroes in various cultures, myths, and religions throughout history and worldwide. Raglan argued that the higher the score, the more likely the figure is mythical. The concept of a story archetype of
7830-519: The Carle of Carlisle . Cú Roí, again in disguise, joins the Ulstermen on a raid on Inis Fer Falga (probably the Isle of Man ), in return for his choice of the spoils. They steal treasure, and abduct Blathnát , daughter of the island's king, who loves Cú Chulainn. But when Cú Roí is asked to choose his share, he chooses Blathnát. Cú Chulainn tries to stop him taking her, but Cú Roí cuts his hair and drives him into
7965-853: The Christian notion of an upstanding, perfectly moral hero. For example, Achilles's character-issues of hateful rage lead to merciless slaughter and his overwhelming pride lead to him only joining the Trojan War because he did not want his soldiers to win all of the glory. Classical heroes, regardless of their morality, were placed in religion. In classical antiquity , cults that venerated deified heroes such as Heracles , Perseus , and Achilles played an important role in Ancient Greek religion. These ancient Greek hero cults worshipped heroes from oral epic tradition , with these heroes often bestowing blessings, especially healing ones, on individuals. The concept of
8100-512: The County of Louth named after the village of Louth is in turn named after Cú Chulainn's father the God Lugh. The stories of Cú Chulainn's childhood are told in a flashback sequence in Táin Bó Cúailnge . As a small child, living in his parents' house on Muirthemne Plain, he begs to be allowed to join the boy-troop at Emain Macha. However, he sets off on his own, and when he arrives at Emain he runs onto
8235-468: The Crucified and Risen Christ was fit to bring a new warmth, immediacy, and humanity, to the old motifs of the beloved Tammuz , Adonis , and Osiris cycles." Vladimir Propp , in his analysis of Russian fairy tales , concluded that a fairy tale had only eight dramatis personæ , of which one was the hero, and his analysis has been widely applied to non-Russian folklore. The actions that fall into such
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#17328594090188370-560: The Departure, Initiation, and Return. Within these stages, there are several archetypes that the hero of either gender may follow, including the call to adventure (which they may initially refuse), supernatural aid, proceeding down a road of trials, achieving a realization about themselves (or an apotheosis), and attaining the freedom to live through their quest or journey. Campbell offered examples of stories with similar themes, such as Krishna , Buddha , Apollonius of Tyana , and Jesus . One of
8505-597: The Irish Celts (1866), and republished and brought to a larger audience by W. B. Yeats in Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888), followed by numerous adaptions and variants, many uncredited. The work was included in later collections of 'folk tales' by other editors such as Joseph Jacobs in his Celtic Fairy Tales (1891). In this tale, Cú Chulainn's power was contained in his middle finger. Wishing to defeat Finn, he came to Finn's house, but Finn disguised himself as
8640-567: The Isle of Skye . In the meantime, Forgall offers Emer to Lugaid mac Nóis, a king of Munster , but when he hears that Emer loves Cú Chulainn, Lugaid refuses her hand. Scáthach teaches Cú Chulainn all the arts of war, including the use of the Gáe Bulg , a terrible barbed spear, thrown with the foot, that has to be cut out of its victim. His fellow trainees include Ferdiad , who becomes Cú Chulainn's best friend and foster brother. The two foster brothers share
8775-453: The Morrígan appears to him as an old woman milking a cow, with the same injuries he had given her in her animal forms. She gives him three drinks of milk, and with each drink he blesses her, healing her wounds. After one particularly arduous combat, Cú Chulainn lies severely wounded but is visited by Lug, who tells him he is his father and heals his wounds. When Cú Chulainn wakes up and sees that
8910-504: The Republic and Northern Ireland. Modern literature Hero A hero (feminine: heroine ) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage , or strength . The original hero type of classical epics did such things for the sake of glory and honor . Post-classical and modern heroes, on the other hand, perform great deeds or selfless acts for
9045-508: The armies of queen Medb of Connacht in the famous Táin Bó Cúailnge ("Cattle Raid of Cooley "). He is known for his terrifying battle frenzy ( ríastrad ), in which he becomes an unrecognisable monster who knows neither friend nor foe. He fights from his chariot, driven by his loyal charioteer Láeg and drawn by his horses, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend . Cú Chulainn's wife is Emer , although he has many other lovers. With Aífe he has
9180-447: The beginning of the first century BC, Navan was an otherworld place, the home of the gods and goddesses. It was a Celtic tribe's sanctuary, its capitol, its sacred symbol of sovereignty and cohesion". A recent study used remote sensing (including lidar, photogrammatry, and magnetic gradiometry) to map the site, and found evidence of Iron Age and medieval buildings underground, which co-author Patrick Gleeson says suggests that Navan Fort
9315-532: The betrayal of his lord, grabs Blathnát and leaps off a cliff, killing her and himself. Cú Chulainn has many lovers, but Emer's only jealousy comes when he falls in love with Fand , wife of Manannán mac Lir . Manannán has left her and she has been attacked by three Fomorians who want to control the Irish Sea . Cú Chulainn agrees to help defend her as long as she marries him. She agrees reluctantly, but they fall in love when they meet. Manannán knows their relationship
9450-513: The boy-troop of Emain Macha have attacked the Connacht army and been slaughtered, he has his most spectacular ríastrad yet: The first warp-spasm seized Cúchulainn, and made him into a monstrous thing, hideous and shapeless, unheard of. His shanks and his joints, every knuckle and angle and organ from head to foot, shook like a tree in the flood or a reed in the stream. His body made a furious twist inside his skin, so that his feet and shins switched to
9585-468: The cattle of Geryon and is attacked by a two-headed hound, which he dispatches with a club. Additional Indo-European typological parallels include Lithuanian Velnias, who like Cú Chulainn is the protector of cattle, and Romulus, who is associated with a canine in his youth and is surrounded by a youthful band of warriors (the maccrad in the case of Cú Chulainn). The image of Cú Chulainn is often invoked by Irish nationalists . The Gaelic revival fed into
9720-463: The child and goes to her husband's bed "virgin-whole". She then conceives a son whom she names Sétanta. In the later and better-known version of Compert Con Culainn , Deichtine is Conchobar's sister, and disappears from Emain Macha , the Ulster capital. As in the previous version, the Ulstermen go hunting a flock of magical birds, are overtaken by a snowstorm and seek shelter in a nearby house. Their host
9855-422: The child and the colts remain. Deichtine takes the boy home and begins raising him as her own, but the boy falls ill and dies. The god Lug appears to her and tells her he was their host that night, and that he has put his child in her womb, who is to be called Sétanta. Her pregnancy turns into a scandal as she is betrothed to Sualtam mac Róich, and the Ulstermen suspect Conchobar of being the father, so she aborts
9990-583: The clearly defined anti-hero), with the plot focused on the eventual marriage of these two characters to rich men, revealing character flaws as the story progresses. Even the most sympathetic characters, such as Captain Dobbin, are susceptible to weakness, as he is often narcissistic and melancholic. The larger-than-life hero is a more common feature of fantasy (particularly in comic books and epic fantasy ) than more realist works. However, these larger-than life figures remain prevalent in society. The superhero genre
10125-477: The cleft at the back of his head. Each long loose-flowing strand hung down in shining splendour over his shoulders, deep-gold and beautiful and fine as a thread of gold. A hundred neat red-gold curls shone darkly on his neck, and his head was covered with a hundred crimson threads matted with gems. He had four dimples in each cheek—yellow, green, crimson and blue—and seven bright pupils, eye-jewels, in each kingly eye. Each foot had seven toes and each hand seven fingers,
10260-401: The common good instead of the classical goal of wealth, pride , and fame. The antonym of hero is villain . Other terms associated with the concept of hero may include good guy or white hat . In classical literature , the hero is the main or revered character in heroic epic poetry celebrated through ancient legends of a people, often striving for military conquest and living by
10395-404: The condition that she call off her enmity with Scáthach, and bear him a son. Leaving Aífe pregnant, Cú Chulainn returns from Scotland fully trained, but Forgall still refuses to let him marry Emer. Cú Chulainn storms Forgall's fortress, killing twenty-four of Forgall's men, abducts Emer and steals Forgall's treasure. Forgall himself falls from the ramparts to his death. Conchobar has the " right of
10530-460: The dead, bringing him to the king's presence. St. Patrick agreed, and then the hero appeared, complete with the chariot, and his two horses Liath Macha and Dub-Sainglend, together with his charioteer Loeg. The saint asks if the king is convinced – he replies that the appearance was so short he was not yet sure. The saint responds that God is so powerful that the king would see the hero again. The ghostly hero returns, and this time salutes and addresses
10665-685: The deities. Thus, Heracles's name means "the glory of Hera ", even though he was tormented all his life by Hera, the Queen of the Greek deities. Perhaps the most striking example is the Athenian king Erechtheus , whom Poseidon killed for choosing Athena rather than him as the city's patron deity. When the Athenians worshiped Erechtheus on the Acropolis , they invoked him as Poseidon Erechtheus . Fate , or destiny, plays
10800-588: The enormous hound attacks him, but he kills it in self defence, in one version by smashing it against a standing stone, and in another by driving a sliotar (hurling ball) down its throat with his hurley . Culann is devastated by the loss of his hound, so Sétanta promises he will rear him a replacement, and until it is old enough to do the job, he himself will guard Culann's house. The druid Cathbad announces that his name henceforth will be Cú Chulainn —"Culann's Hound". One day at Emain Macha, Cú Chulainn overhears Cathbad teaching his pupils. One asks him what that day
10935-452: The entrance. This structure was in turn replaced by a ring-barrow: a round mound, usually raised over a burial, surrounded by a ditch and bank. It is believed that the creation of the mound was a ritual act, but its meaning is unclear and there are several theories. The timber building may have been built only as a temporary structure to be burned, or it may have briefly served as a temple before its ritual destruction. Scholars suggest that
11070-548: The epoch of globalization an individual may change the development of the country and of the whole world, so this gives reasons to some scholars to suggest returning to the problem of the role of the hero in history from the viewpoint of modern historical knowledge and using up-to-date methods of historical analysis. Within the frameworks of developing counterfactual history , attempts are made to examine some hypothetical scenarios of historical development. The hero attracts much attention because most of those scenarios are based on
11205-504: The event was a sacrificial offering to the gods and that the structure was symbolically given to the Otherworld by being ritually burned and buried. Dr Chris Lynn has likened it to the ' wicker man ' rite allegedly carried out by the Gauls , in which a large wooden effigy is burned with a living sacrifice inside. It is thought that the huge outer bank and ditch was made to mark out the hilltop as
11340-407: The exaggeration of the role of individual subjects in history. Indeed, Braudel distinguished various time scales, one accorded to the life of an individual, another accorded to the life of a few human generations, and the last one to civilizations , in which geography , economics , and demography play a role considerably more decisive than that of individual subjects. Among noticeable events in
11475-652: The feeling that their lives have meaning, a purpose, and are significant in the grand scheme of things. Another theme running throughout the book is that humanity's traditional "hero-systems", such as religion , are no longer convincing in the age of reason . Science attempts to serve as an immortality project, something that Becker believes it can never do, because it is unable to provide agreeable, absolute meanings to human life. The book states that we need new convincing "illusions" that enable people to feel heroic in ways that are agreeable. Becker, however, does not provide any definitive answer, mainly because he believes that there
11610-602: The first night " over all marriages of his subjects. He is afraid of Cú Chulainn's reaction if he exercises it in this case, but is equally afraid of losing his authority if he does not. Cathbad suggests a solution: Conchobar sleeps with Emer on the night of the wedding, but Cathbad sleeps between them. Eight years later, Connla , Cú Chulainn's son by Aífe, comes to Ireland in search of his father, but Cú Chulainn takes him as an intruder and kills him when he refuses to identify himself. Connla does not identify himself, as his mother Aífe bound him to not identify himself or back down from
11745-432: The flag of Ulster to the gates of Rome and beyond", leaving Cú Chulainn grief-stricken. The story of Cú Chulainn and Connla shows a striking similarity to the legend of Persian hero Rostam who also kills his son Sohrab . Rostam and Cú Chulainn share several other characteristics, including killing a ferocious beast at a very young age, their near invincibility in battle, and the manner of their deaths. Another similar myth
11880-439: The following century. Many other characters from Irish mythology are associated with Emain Macha, including: Until 1985, the site was threatened by the growth of a nearby limestone quarry. Due mostly to the efforts of the activist group Friends of Navan, a public inquiry held that year halted further quarrying, and recommended that Navan be developed for tourism. A visitor centre, featuring artefacts and audio-visual exhibitions,
12015-547: The great man depends on the long series of complex influences which has produced the race in which he appears, and the social state into which that race has slowly grown...[b]efore he can remake his society, his society must make him." Michel Foucault argued in his analysis of societal communication and debate that history was mainly the "science of the sovereign ", until its inversion by the "historical and political popular discourse". The Annales school , led by Lucien Febvre , Marc Bloch , and Fernand Braudel , would contest
12150-608: The ground up to his armpits before escaping, taking Blathnát with him. Like other heroes such as the Biblical Samson , Duryodhana in the Mahabharata and the Welsh Llew Llaw Gyffes , Cú Roí can only be killed in certain contrived circumstances, which vary in different versions of the story. Blathnát discovers how to kill him and betrays him to Cú Chulainn, who does the deed. However, Ferchertne, Cú Roí's poet, enraged at
12285-425: The gullet appeared, his lungs and his liver flapped in his mouth and throat, his lower jaw struck the upper a lion-killing blow, and fiery flakes large as a ram's fleece reached his mouth from his throat... The hair of his head twisted like the tangle of a red thornbush stuck in a gap; if a royal apple tree with all its kingly fruit were shaken above him, scarce an apple would reach the ground but each would be spiked on
12420-532: The hands of Agamemnon, and only returned to the war due to unadulterated rage after Hector killed his beloved companion Patroclus . Achilles was known for uncontrollable rage that defined many of his bloodthirsty actions, such as defiling Hector's corpse by dragging it around the city of Troy. Achilles plays a tragic role in the Iliad brought about by constant de-humanization throughout the epic, having his menis (wrath) overpower his philos (love). Heroes in myth often had close but conflicted relationships with
12555-418: The hero is more and more a problematic concept. In 1848, for example, William Makepeace Thackeray gave Vanity Fair the subtitle, A Novel without a Hero , and imagined a world in which no sympathetic character was to be found. Vanity Fair is a satirical representation of the absence of truly moral heroes in the modern world. The story focuses on the characters, Emmy Sedley and Becky Sharpe (the latter as
12690-516: The hero to the individual relies a great deal on how much similarity there is between them and the character. Chatterji suggested that one reason for the hero-as-self interpretation of stories and myths is the human inability to view the world from any perspective but a personal one. In the Pulitzer Prize -winning book, The Denial of Death , Ernest Becker argues that human civilization is ultimately an elaborate, symbolic defense mechanism against
12825-470: The hilltop, or to Navan Fort and another nearby monument), or as "Macha's brooch " (possibly referring to the shape of the monument). There are tales that try to explain how the name came about. In the second century AD, Greek geographer Ptolemy noted a place called Isamnion somewhere in southeastern Ulster. Some scholars believe this refers to Emain , and Gregory Toner has derived it from Proto-Celtic *isa-mon ("holy mound"). Others believe it refers to
12960-430: The house the women are inside, killing 150 of them. At the age of seventeen, Cú Chulainn single-handedly defends Ulster from the army of Connacht in the Táin Bó Cúailnge . Medb , queen of Connacht, has mounted the invasion to steal the stud bull Donn Cúailnge , Cú Chulainn allows her to take Ulster by surprise because he was with a woman when he should have been watching the border. The men of Ulster were disabled by
13095-403: The knowledge of our mortality, which in turn acts as the emotional and intellectual response to our basic survival mechanism . Becker explains that a basic duality in human life exists between the physical world of objects and a symbolic world of human meaning. Thus, since humanity has a dualistic nature consisting of a physical self and a symbolic self, he asserts that humans are able to transcend
13230-457: The legendary Persian hero Rostam , as well as to the Germanic Lay of Hildebrand and the labours of the Greek epic hero Heracles , suggesting a common Indo-European origin, but lacking in linguistic, anthropological and archaeological material. Cú Chulainn's smiting of the hound with a hurling stick is reminiscent of the tenth labour of Heracles, in which Heracles is charged with stealing
13365-408: The motive forces in history may best be described only with a wider lens than the one that Carlyle used for his portraits. For example, Karl Marx argued that history was determined by the massive social forces at play in " class struggles ", not by the individuals by whom these forces are played out. After Marx, Herbert Spencer wrote at the end of the 19th century: "You must admit that the genesis of
13500-407: The nails with the grip of a hawk's claw or a gryphon's clench. The Siabur-Charpat Con Culaind (or "Demonic Chariot of Cu Chulaind") tells the story of when Saint Patrick was trying to convert King Lóegaire to Christianity . In the tale St. Patrick visited King Loegaire, attempting to convert him to the Christian faith. The king agreed but on a condition: that the saint call up Cu Chulainn from
13635-401: The name is given to him by Ceat mac Mágach . Ceat takes Sédana into fosterage and gives him to his own foster parents, Srían and Gabur, to nurse; they are the parents of Láeg, Cú Chulainn's charioteer, and so the pair grow up together from infancy. The County Louth town of Dundalk has the motto Mé do rug Cú Chulainn cróga ( Irish ) "I gave birth to brave Cú Chulainn". While
13770-423: The name. In another tale, Macha is the fairy wife of Crunnchu . Despite promising not to speak of her, Crunnchu boasts that his wife can outrun the king's horses. The king forces the pregnant Macha to race the horses. She wins, but then gives birth to twins on the finish line. Before dying in childbirth, she curses the Ulstermen to be overcome with the exhaustion of childbirth at the time of their greatest need. This
13905-405: The noble warrior Fergus mac Róich , who will care for him and teach him to protect the weak; the poet Amergin , who will educate him, and his wife Findchóem , who will nurse him. He is brought up in the house of Amergin and Findchóem on Muirthemne Plain in modern County Louth (at the time part of Ulster), alongside their son Conall Cernach . In another version, the child is named Sédana, and
14040-561: The originals but also romanticized some of the tales and omitted most of the more violent content. It was very popular, supported by the Celtic Revival movement. It featured an introduction by her friend William Butler Yeats , who wrote several pieces based on the legend, including the plays On Baile's Strand (1904), The Green Helmet (1910), At the Hawk's Well (1917), The Only Jealousy of Emer (1919) and The Death of Cuchulain (1939), and
14175-453: The playing field without first asking for the boys' protection, being unaware of the custom. The boys take this as a challenge and attack him, but he has a ríastrad (transformative battle frenzy) and beats them single-handed. Conchobar puts a stop to the fight and clears up the misunderstanding, but no sooner has Sétanta put himself under the boys' protection than he chases after them, demanding they put themselves under his protection. Culann
14310-795: The poems Cuchulain's Fight with the Sea (1892) and Cuchulain Comforted (1939), the latter completed two weeks before his death. An tAthair Peadar Ua Laoghaire , a priest from Castlelyons in County Cork, serialised the Táin Bó Cúailnge on a weekly basis in The Cork Examiner between 1900 and 1901 as part of the Gaelic revival . Pádraig Pearse , another revivalist age writer and member of Conradh na Gaeilge mentions Cú Chulainn in his 1912 his Irish language poem Mise Éire where Pearse personifies Ireland as
14445-439: The rear and his heels and calves switched to the front... On his head the temple-sinews stretched to the nape of his neck, each mighty, immense, measureless knob as big as the head of a month-old child... he sucked one eye so deep into his head that a wild crane couldn't probe it onto his cheek out of the depths of his skull; the other eye fell out along his cheek. His mouth weirdly distorted: his cheek peeled back from his jaws until
14580-430: The rising's 50th anniversary. He is also depicted in several murals in nationalist areas of Northern Ireland. An example is the mural painted in 1996 on Lenadoon Avenue, Belfast commemorating Provisional IRA members from the area, which shows Cú Chulainn in the centre. More recently, some Ulster loyalists have also invoked the image of Cú Chulainn, depicting him as an ancient "defender of Ulster" from Irish enemies to
14715-432: The saint, he then turns to the king, confirms it is Cu Chulainn he sees and not some demon, and implores him to believe in the saint and his god. A dialogue between king and ghostly hero takes place, in which the old hero recounts his life, including a poetic telling of his heroic deeds, ending with a request to Patrick to allow him too into heaven – the king is convinced. At the end of this, the saint declares that Cu Chulainn
14850-419: The second he kills Cú Chulainn's horse, Liath Macha , king of horses. With the third he hits Cú Chulainn, mortally wounding him. Cú Chulainn ties himself to a standing stone to die on his feet, facing his enemies. This stone is traditionally identified as Clochafarmore , located near Dundalk . Due to his ferocity even when so near death, it is only when a raven lands on his shoulder that his enemies believe he
14985-426: The setting sun, which suggests it was not a dwelling. A ditch and bank were dug around it. There is evidence that the huge ditch and bank that encircles the hill was dug at about the same time. Not long after it was built, the building was filled with thousands of stones, to a height of nearly 3 metres. This stone cairn was flat-topped and split into wedges, resembling a spoked wheel when seen from above. There
15120-460: The site in the Neolithic (c. 4000 to 2500 BC). In the eighth century BC ( Bronze Age ), a ring of timber poles was raised at the western site, where the high mound now stands. It was 35m in diameter and surrounded by a ring ditch with an eastern entrance. This ditch was 45 metres (148 feet) in diameter, 5 metres (16 feet) wide and 1 metre (3.3 feet) deep. In the fourth century BC ( Iron Age )
15255-572: The site of their combat in the Táin Bó Cúailnge . A sculpture by Martin Heron , entitled "For the Love of Emer", depicting Cú Chulainn balancing on a tilting 20-foot pole, representing the feat of balancing on the butt of a spear he learned from Scáthach , was installed in Armagh in 2010. Augusta, Lady Gregory retold many of the legends of Cú Chulainn in her 1902 book Cuchulain of Muirthemne , which paraphrased
15390-411: The site, including a huge roundhouse -like structure that has been likened to a temple . In a ritual act, this timber structure was filled with stones, deliberately burnt down and then covered with earth to create the mound which stands today. It is believed that Navan was a pagan ceremonial site and was regarded as a sacred space. It features prominently in Irish mythology , especially in the tales of
15525-478: The smith invites Conchobar to a feast at his house. Before going, Conchobar goes to the playing field to watch the boys play hurling . He is so impressed by Sétanta's performance that he asks him to join him at the feast. Sétanta has a game to finish, but promises to follow the king later. But when Culann asks if anyone will be arriving late to the feast, Conchobar forgets about Sétanta, and Culann lets loose his ferocious hound to protect his house. When Sétanta arrives,
15660-563: The south. This is based on Ian Adamson 's widely rejected theory that Cú Chulainn was a Cruthin hero and that they were a non-Celtic people who were at war with the Gaels . He is depicted in a loyalist mural on Highfield Drive, and was formerly depicted in another on the Newtownards Road, Belfast. A statue of Cú Chulainn carrying the body of Fer Diad stands in Ardee , County Louth , traditionally
15795-432: The standard monomythical "hero's quest " that was reputed to be pervasive across all cultures is somewhat controversial. Expounded mainly by Joseph Campbell in his 1949 work The Hero with a Thousand Faces , it illustrates several uniting themes of hero stories that hold similar ideas of what a hero represents despite vastly different cultures and beliefs. The monomyth or Hero's Journey consists of three separate stages:
15930-580: The statue in 1935 as President of the Executive Council (Prime Minister) and described Sheppard's work as "symbolising the dauntless courage and abiding constancy of our people". The statue's image is reproduced on the obverse of 1916 Medal awarded to republican veterans of the rising, the Military Star of the Irish Defence Forces , and the commemorative ten shilling coin issued in 1966 for
16065-538: The stone from her side. Having tasted her blood, he cannot marry her, and gives her to his foster-son Lugaid Riab nDerg . Lugaid goes on to become High King of Ireland , but the Lia Fáil (stone of destiny) fails to cry out when he stands on it, so Cú Chulainn splits it in two with his sword. When Derbforgaill is mutilated by the women of Ulster out of jealousy for her sexual desirability and dies of her wounds, Lugaid dies of grief, and Cú Chulainn avenges them by demolishing
16200-602: The studies of the role of the hero and great man in history one should mention Sidney Hook 's book (1943) The Hero in History . In the second half of the twentieth century such male-focused theory has been contested, among others by feminists writers such as Judith Fetterley in The Resisting Reader (1977) and literary theorist Nancy K. Miller , The Heroine's Text: Readings in the French and English Novel, 1722–1782 . In
16335-442: The suppositions: what would have happened if this or that historical individual had or had not been alive. The word "hero" (or "heroine" in modern times), is sometimes used to describe the protagonist or the romantic interest of a story, a usage which may conflict with the superhuman expectations of heroism. A good example is Anna Karenina , the lead character in the novel of the same title by Leo Tolstoy . In modern literature
16470-462: The tale does not follow them both. The philosopher Hegel gave a central role to the "hero", personalized by Napoleon , as the incarnation of a particular culture's Volksgeist and thus of the general Zeitgeist . Thomas Carlyle 's 1841 work, On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History , also accorded an essential function to heroes and great men in history. Carlyle centered history on
16605-459: The themes he explores is the androgynous hero, who combines male and female traits, such as Bodhisattva: "The first wonder to be noted here is the androgynous character of the Bodhisattva: masculine Avalokiteshvara, feminine Kwan Yin." In his 1968 book, The Masks of God: Occidental Mythology , Campbell writes, "It is clear that, whether accurate or not as to biographical detail, the moving legend of
16740-734: The three powerful Fates . The most characteristic example of this is found in Oedipus Rex . After learning that his son, Oedipus , will end up killing him, the King of Thebes, Laius , takes huge steps to assure his son's death by removing him from the kingdom. When Oedipus encounters his father when his father was unknown to him in a dispute on the road many years later, Oedipus slays him without an afterthought. The lack of recognition enabled Oedipus to slay his father, ironically further binding his father to his fate. Stories of heroism may serve as moral examples . However, classical heroes often did not embody
16875-607: The time comes for him to return they flee. Only Cú Chulainn is brave and honourable enough to submit himself to Cú Roí's axe; Cú Roí spares him and he is declared champion. This beheading challenge appears in later literature, most notably in the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight . Other examples include the 13th century French Life of Caradoc and the English romances The Turke and Gowin , and Sir Gawain and
17010-456: The women of Emain, and they bare their breasts to him. He averts his eyes, and the Ulstermen wrestle him into a barrel of cold water, which explodes from the heat of his body. They put him in a second barrel, which boils, and a third, which warms to a pleasant temperature. In Cú Chulainn's youth he is so beautiful the Ulstermen worry that, without a wife of his own, he will steal their wives and ruin their daughters. They search all over Ireland for
17145-789: The word has a Pre-Greek origin. Hera was a Greek goddess with many attributes, including protection and her worship appears to have similar proto-Indo-European origins. A classical hero is considered to be a " warrior who lives and dies in the pursuit of honor" and asserts their greatness by "the brilliancy and efficiency with which they kill". Each classical hero's life focuses on fighting, which occurs in war or during an epic quest. Classical heroes are commonly semi-divine and extraordinarily gifted, such as Achilles , evolving into heroic characters through their perilous circumstances. While these heroes are incredibly resourceful and skilled, they are often foolhardy, court disaster, risk their followers' lives for trivial matters, and behave arrogantly in
17280-434: Was "an incredibly important religious center and a place of paramount sacral and cultural authority in later prehistory". In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology , Emain Macha is the royal capital of the Ulaidh , the people who gave their name to the province of Ulster . It is the residence of Conchobar mac Nessa , king of Ulster. He is said to have had a warrior training school at Emain. Conchobar's great hall at Emain
17415-521: Was a Trojan prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the Trojan War , which is known primarily through Homer 's Iliad . Hector acted as leader of the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, "killing 31,000 Greek fighters," offers Hyginus. Hector was known not only for his courage, but also for his noble and courtly nature. Indeed, Homer places Hector as peace-loving, thoughtful, as well as bold,
17550-406: Was a powerful general taboo against refusing hospitality , so when an old crone offers him a meal of dog meat, he has no choice but to break his geis . In this way he is spiritually weakened for the fight ahead of him. Lugaid has three magical spears made, and it is prophesied that a king will fall by each of them. With the first he kills Cú Chulainn's charioteer Láeg , king of chariot drivers. With
17685-748: Was a priestess of the goddess Aphrodite , in a myth that has been referred to often in literature. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language , the Proto-Indo-European root is *ser meaning "to protect". According to Eric Partridge in Origins , the Greek word hērōs "is akin to" the Latin seruāre , meaning to safeguard . Partridge concludes, "The basic sense of both Hera and hero would therefore be 'protector'." R. S. P. Beekes rejects an Indo-European derivation and asserts that
17820-466: Was also a common figurative term for a warrior in early Irish literature, thus can also mean "Culann's warrior". Folklorist Dáithí Ó hÓgáin speculated that the second part of the name could come from an old Irish word for a chariot, cul , thus meaning "chariot-warrior". There are a number of versions of the story of Cú Chulainn's miraculous birth . In the earliest version of Compert C(h)on Culainn ("The Conception of Cú Chulainn"), his mother Deichtine
17955-574: Was called by medieval writers in Chraebruad (the red-branched or red-poled edifice), and his royal warriors are named the Red Branch Knights in English translations. Emain Macha is said to have been named after Macha , who is believed to have been a sovereignty goddess of the Ulaidh. One tale says that Macha, queen of the Ulaidh, forced her enemy's sons to dig the great bank-and-ditch after marking it out with her neck- brooch ( eomuin ), hence
18090-405: Was made as a platform on which druids would perform ceremonies and on which kings would be crowned, while drawing power and authority from the gods and ancestors. It is possible that each part of the monument represents something. The stones inside the wooden structure may represent souls in the house of the dead , or the souls of fallen warriors in their equivalent of Valhalla . Another theory
18225-503: Was opened in 1993, but closed in 2001 for lack of funds. It reopened in 2005 after the site was bought by Armagh City and District Council . Other significant prehistoric sites nearby include Haughey's Fort , an earlier Bronze Age hill fort two-thirds of a mile (1 km) to the west; the King's Stables , a manmade pool also dating to the Bronze Age; and Loughnashade , a natural lake which has yielded Iron Age artefacts. Eamhain Mhacha
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