Weekly Deity: Taranis

The Celtic god Taranis was god of thunder and wheels.  He was worshiped throughout Gaul, Briton, the Rhinelands, and the Danube regions.

Attributes

This deity was often conceptualized as a man in his prime, much along the same lines of a Roman or Greek god.  He was shown as a bearded man, most likely naked, holding a thunderbolt in one hand and a wheel in the other.

Mythology

I was unable to find actual myths associated with Taranis, but I did find some background information on him that explains a few of his features.  Apparently, the chariot wheel in Celtic mythology was associated with the sun-, sky-, or thunder-god.  The wheel is representative of the wheel of the year, which had eight divisions, and of the eight festivals (known as Sabbats today).

Taranis is often paralleled with other deities, such as Thor, Jupiter, Zeus, Tarhun, Ambisagrus, and the Cyclopes Brontes.  Brontes was also associated with the wheel, but the other deities do not necessarily carry the same association.

The name and function of Taranis was recorded by the Roman poet Lucan (39 AD- 65 AD).  Lucan claimed in Pharsalia that Taranis was part of a sacred triad along with Esus and Toutatis, and was a god to whom human sacrificial offerings were made, apparently via drowning or burning.  Whether those accounts are true or not are unknown, as Lucan was observing from the outside.  Sacred triads of male figures are unusual, but not entirely unheard-of.

Light and Dark Sides

Based off the associations with some of the other gods, it is possible that Taranis was something of a justice-enforcer as well as the god of thunder.  Zeus and Jupiter were both deities in charge of dispensing certain forms of justice, while Thor is a protective deity.  While it is unknown if worship of Taranis involved those aspects of personality, it is a logical assumption that can be employed.

The idea of the sacred triad would take more research, but seeing as how that record comes from a Roman poet who, by all accounts, never actually visited Gaul or Briton but stayed in Italy all his short life.  When considering the function and personality of Taranis, I would actually discard the assertion that he’s part of a sacred triad, as there is no real evidence that supports this for any of the three deities involved.

Since there is such a lack of material to clearly describe Taranis’ personality, I would say to simply treat him with respect and be mindful of the role which we do know he played: thunder-god, a mighty deity who rules the storms, and who is associated with the eight-spoke wheel.

Weekly Deity: Arawn

A rather prominent figure in Welsh mythology, Arawn is responsible for chasing down lost souls with his hounds and is the (early) king of the Otherworld.

Attributes

Usually seen with grey hounds, and could be riding a white horse.  Nothing else is associated with him except for the colors associated with the Otherworld: white, grey, and sometimes black.

Mythology

Arawn was the first king of the Celtic Otherworld, but later was superseded in the myths by Gwyn ap Nudd.  The Hounds of Arawn could be seen riding through the skies in any season but summer.  The Hounds chase wandering spirits back to the Otherworld, Annwn (pronounce roughly “ah-noon”).

Arawn was instrumental in elevating the status of the mortal Pwyll, Lord of Dyfed (prnounced roughly “doo-ved”).  The two met when Pwyll chased away Arawn’s hounds bringing down a stag and sent his own hounds on the stag.  Arawn was understandably rather offended, and as payment as Pwyll to trade places with him for one year and defeat Arawn’s enemy Hafgan.  Pwyll agreed, and wore Arawn’s likeness and ruled over Annwn for a year, while Arawn wore Pwyll’s likeness and ruled Dyfed.

At the end of the year, Pwyll had defeated Hafgan.  Arawn and Pwyll became good friends not only for Pwyll’s victory, but because Pwyll had slept chastely next to Arawn’s wife the entire year (Pwyll was not yet married, so Arawn had no like temptation).  Pwyll was happy because his realm had never flourished so well as it had under the care of Arawn.  When Pwyll returned, he gained the name of Pwyll Pen Annwn, and is considered a lord of the Otherworld.

Arawn’s wife is not named, and it’s not known if they had any children.  What is known is that the friendship between Annwn and Dyfed continued long after Pwyll’s death.

Light and Dark Sides

Although there is a pretty good description of Arawn and his personality, it’s difficult to say exactly where he falls on the spectrum.  I’d say he’s a very grey character.  He brings back the souls that get lost or wander and returns them to their place in Annwn.  In that respect, he and his hounds are guiders of the soul, a psychopomp.  He could also be considered a god of death.

Since he is the king of the Otherworld, there is a great deal of mystery and magic associated with Arawn.  The Otherworld is a strange and mysterious place–clearly seen in its name, the Other World.  It is Other, and therefore unknowable.  Arawn, as lord of that realm, would carry many of those same qualities with him.  He is Other himself, a guider of souls but also the unknowable mystery of the soul, if that makes sense.

Weekly Deity: Nantosuelta

Nantosuelta and Sucellus. Nantosuelta is on the left.

Celtic (Gallic) goddess of earth, fire, nature, and fertility.  Nantosuelta was worshiped in ancient Gaul and Brythonic areas.  Her name means “winding river” or alternatively “sun-warmed valley”.  She is the consort of Sucellus.

Attributes

One of the ancient Gaulish peoples, the Mediomatrici, portrayed Nantosuelta as holding a small house or dovecote on a pole.  The raven is her symbol, which suggests a connection to the dead or the underworld.  In one relief, Nantosuelta holds a patera, or a broad ritual dish that was used for drinking during a ritual, and tips the contents of the patera onto an altar.  In an English relief, Nantosuelta is shown with apples instead of a patera.  Other attributes include a pot or a beehive.

Mythology

Nantosuelta is the consort to Sucellus, a god of the forests, agriculture, and alcoholic drinks.  It’s possible he was also considered a creator god, but this isn’t confirmed.  No children or other familial connections are given for either deity in the Gallic mythos.

Because of the raven and the probable connection with the underworld, one theory of her function in the cosmology was that of a psychopomp–a guide for souls to the underworld (for those familiar with Greek myth, think Hermes).  The alternative interpretation of her name would support the psychopomp function as well, since the netherworld was considered to be a sun-drenched realm.

Her other function would likely have been that of a home/hearth goddess and a goddess of fertility or nature.  The house/dovecote she carries indicates her status as a hearth goddess, and the apples indicate a connection to fertility (apples are considered the fruit of life).  The connection with bees and beehives could also be a connection to fertility, but certainly a connection with nature.  Primarily she is considered to be a hearth/home goddess with the side functions of nature/fertility and psychopomp.

Light and Dark Sides

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any actual myths about this goddess.  Therefore, her “personality” can only be guessed at.  But judging from her functions, I would place her on the Light side of the scale.  The fertility aspect and the hearth/home aspect make me think she was considered something of a mother goddess, the kind of deity that is linked with nature and new life and growth.  The raven, however, gives her an added dimension in the form of leading souls to the netherworld.  Unlike Greek Hermes, who was also a psychopomp, Nantosuelta doesn’t seem to have a mischievous side to her, nor the darkness of Hekate (also something of a psychopomp), but since we have no myths it’s difficult to say whether she would have had those more negative associations or not.

Still, the fertility and home aspects place her firmly on the Light scale, and even the duties as guider of souls help place her there.  There is nothing Dark about leading souls to the netherworld except that she is required to go to the netherworld.

If working with Nantosuelta, you should probably emphasize her primary aspects of a hearth and fertility goddess, and secondarily acknowledge the psychopomp aspect.

Weekly Deity: Ecne

Ecne was a Celtic god.  He was one of the Tuatha de Danann and the god of wisdom/knowledge.

Attributes

It is unknown what Ecne looks like.  I couldn’t find this information written or in an image.

Mythology

According to Celtic lore, Ecne was the son of three brothers, each his father: Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba.  These three brothers were the sons of the goddess Brighid and god Tuireann.  There is some debate, however, about whether the three brothers were born of Brighid or another goddess, Danand, who was the daughter of Tuireann.  Regardless, their father seems set to be Tuireann.  The three sons are often considered to be the three gods of dan, or knowledge.  Thus Ecne is the son of knowledge.

Ecne’s fathers are also notable because they killed Cian, the father of Lugh.

Unfortunately, Ecne does not appear to have his own myths that would tell us what his personality is supposed to be like.

Light and Dark Sides

Because Ecne has no legends of his own, nor does he seem to be a player in other myths, we don’t know what his Light or Dark sides are like.  We can only guess that he would be a Light deity since he is a god of wisdom, and in general wisdom is placed on the Light side of the scale.  Wisdom itself is neither good nor bad, but a tool, so lacking any further information we could say Ecne is a neutral deity, which may be closer to his personality anyway.

Weekly Deity: Rhiannon

Rhiannon is a major goddess in the Welsh/Celtic pantheon.  Not only is she the wife and mother of important mythological figures, but is a great deity in her own right.  She is primarily the goddess of horses but also seems to be a mother goddess of inspiration, the moon, and magic.

Attributes

Often Rhiannon was shown riding a horse and either naked or dressed in finery.  She also had three sacred birds that she was often pictured with as well.  When pictured riding a horse, she looks a great deal like Epona, a related deity who was also a horse goddess, but who may have played a less important role in her culture than did Rhiannon in her own.

Mythology

The main tale of Rhiannon and her kin comes from the Mabinogi, the main record of Welsh tales.  Her name means “Great Queen,” or in some translations, just “queen.”  The most commonly used translation, however, is “Great Queen.”  Her name could also be translated as meaning “daughter of Annwfn (“Ah-noo-vin”–the otherworld)”, but her name would have to be derived from the Welsh “Rhian Annwfn” for that to be true.

In the story, Rhiannon meets Pwyll (pronounced “Poo-ill”) when she is out riding.  He sees her while out hunting with his men, and sends his men to chase her, but all fail to catch her Otherworldly steed.  After three days, Pwyll chases her himself.  When he came no closer to catching her than his men had, he called out for her to stop, and she did.  They finally meet and Rhiannon tells him that she loved him and not the man her father, Hyfaidd Hen, would have her marry, Gwawl (pronounced roughly as “Goo-ah-ull”).  Rhiannon and Pwyll made a promise, to marry each other.  She then told him that in a year if he would come to the court of her father, there would be a feast for them both.

A year later, Pwyll gathers a hundred horsemen to his side and travels to the court of Hyfaidd Hen, there to celebrate his engagement with Rhiannon.  Gwawl then enters and greets Pwyll, saying he has business with the lord.  Pwyll tells him that anything he asks he will grant.  Gwawl, of course, asks for Rhiannon’s hand, the feast, and the wedding preparations.  Pwyll is oathbound to grant it, and Rhiannon creates a plan.  A year from that day she would lay with Gwawl and seal their betrothal, and on that day Pwyll would have to bring the small magical bag Rhiannon gave to him.  Pwyll and Gwawl listen to their respective instructions and a year later, Pwyll tricks Gwawl into the magical bag.  He then tricks Gwawl’s own men into striking the bag a blow, injuring Gwawl enough to make him relent and give up Rhiannon.  Thus Pwyll wins Rhiannon from Gwawl and they were married.

Rhiannon became a queen, since Pwyll was Prince of Dyfed and Lord of Annwfn. In the third year of their reign, she bears a son, Pryderi.  However, on the night of his birth, he disappeared while Rhiannon slept.  Her six handmaids, fearful of being blamed for Pryderi’s disappearance because they also slept, framed Rhiannon for killing her son by using a puppy’s blood and smearing it over Rhiannon’s face and hands.  They swore Rhiannon killed Pryderi and Rhiannon was punished.  She was made to stand in the court of Arberth for seven years at the horse block and tell her story to all she thought would not know it, and offer to carry all those who would allow it on her back up to the court.  Few allowed it, but thus she spent her time.

Meantime, a nobleman and his wife, by some means of magic, found the boy in their home after a storm one night.  Not knowing who the boy belonged to, they took him in and cared for him.  For four years he was raised with the nobleman until the nobleman heard rumors of Rhiannon and her fate.  He put the pieces together and at once he and his wife decided to return the boy to his parents.  The nobleman and his company traveled to Pwyll’s court, where they met Rhiannon, who offered all the company the story and the carrying.  All refused, and instead took her to the court with them.  There it was revealed the truth.  Rhiannon was freed from her punishment and her good name restored, and Pwyll and Rhiannon got their son Pryderi back.

In a later myth, Pwyll has died and Rhiannon marries Manawydan, son of Llyr and friend of Pryderi.

Light Side

Rhiannon is a clever goddess who is able to finds ways to make her life her own and resist the marriage plan of her father and make up for the hastiness of Pwyll’s offer to Gwawl.  She was a mother not only to her son, but to her people, as many ancient societies considered the king and queen to be father and mother of the land and people.  The punishment she endured for falsely killing her son in the end only showed her to be a figure of great strength, endurance, and honor, as well as a compassionate woman with a deep understanding of people.  She knew her handmaids lied to protect themselves, but also knew that until her son was returned, she could not prove the handmaids’ story false.  Rhiannon is mostly a Light character with a great many positive characteristics.

Dark Side

I would say that part of Rhiannon’s Dark side is her stubbornness, but stubbornness can also be a positive quality.  Other than that one minor quality, I can’t think of another Dark aspect to Rhiannon.  She doesn’t dole out undue punishments, nor does it seem that she wishes harm on others despite their treatment of her.  All in all, she seems very positive and Light.