The Story of Druidism In comprising this paper, I had to read several books and text edition dependable to reward a sense of who the Druids were and where they came from. This was non an clear assess because in that respect is so much that is not kn admit. They did not keep records; they were a non-literate tribe and or solelyy taught their religion to their disciples. Depending on the author and his/her belief, you get a different opinion. Hence, because of this, I elevate identified the tarradiddle, legend and folklore of the Druids into ii groups; the Classical belief and the wild-eyed belief. The Classical being the more reality based experience of the Druids and the Romantic being the amorousized understanding of the Druids. However, before we surface bill to the fore roughly who they were, I destinyed to give an overview of where they came from and their timeline. AN oer prospect It is theme that the Druids eldest surfaced around the third spot Celsius B.C. This is not kn bear for certain(predicate) and is speculated from what little information that we pack on them from separate scholars and chroniclers. Our most informative sources ? Strabo, Diodorus Siculua and Julius Caesar- which were all piece in the mid(prenominal) or late jump carbon BC. However, we puke squeeze the literary prove for Druidism back more or lesswhat further, inasmuch as all these historians undoubtedly drew on a single anterior source, Posidonius, a Greek philosopher from Syria, who flourished around the beginning(a) century BC. that now the earliest literature to calculate forcetion Druids whitethorn have been the de disrupt of Timaeus, a Greek historian who lived in the mid-Fourth to mid-third century BC, and who was employ as an authority by m all later chroniclers, including Diodorus. (Green, pg 14). this instant there was actually another(prenominal) accounts that trace Druidism back crimson earlier in history ? bac k as earlier as sixth or fifth century BC. ! However, the Druids themselves were not custodyti championd but they were cl azoic identified with. Hecataeus of Miletus spoke of them, followed by the groovy fifth-century historian Herodotus. Although these early writers did not mention the Druids specifically, they were clearly intumesce established by at least the second century BC in order for their brotherhood to have come by dint of such(prenominal) hump by the time Caesar and his peers encountered them. (Green, pg 14). in that respect is some historical leaven that Druids may have originated in Britain. However, there is similarly evidence of them in Ireland and Gaul as vigorous. Caesar tells us that Druidism first started in Britain, and the Druids of Gaul used to go to Britain to assure famous schools and sanctuaries.  (DRUIDS, pg 1) So who were the Druids? Depending whether you believe the clearical version or the romantic version, Druids were considered umteen things. They were the philosophe rs/theologians, the teachers/educators, the priest, the settle/lawyers, the astronomers and seers into the future day, and they were the informants to the King and settled disputes and took dissever in public and individual(a) forfeits. They had powers to flatten spells, could read dreams and had better powers. It is similarly alleged that they were in cooking for over 20 years before they were rightfully claimed a Druid. The Celtic reciprocation derouyd (from de or di, God, and rhoud or rhouid, accosting) signifies ?Interpreter of the gods, or atomic number 53 who speaks from the gods. fit to others the word druid comes from the h atomic number 53st-to-goodness Irish word drui, meaning well-read and wydd meaning mistletoe, or the Greek word drus for oak tree- channelize. (Bonwick, scallywag 46 and Piggott, page 106). The Druids were judgement to be priest or philosophers that worshiped, not in temples, but in the depths of the forest. They also thought to design human commit and received messages from the! gods. check to Julius Caesar, the Druids were held very mettlesome in society. They were held as spunky as the noblemen. Caesar and his contemporaries stage the Druids as enjoying highly high status within Gallic society, of a wander akin to the equites (knights), who were the highest nobility below the tribal chief magistrate or king. (Green, pg 10) ? Throughout Gaul there atomic number 18 ii leveles of men of some dignity and importance¦.One of the two classes is that of the Druids, the other that of the Knights. (Caesar, Gallic fight VI, 13-14) In some ways, it good deal be said that the Druids had even more power than that of the king. fit in to Professor David Greene, the Druids ?could travel freely throughout tribes. The literary class¦ by virtue of its sacred office, could pass freely through the iron curtain which separated the tribes from one another. (Piggott, pg 50) THE CLASSICAL moot Going back to who the Druids were, again, depending on who the information is coming from, you atomic number 18 going to get different recollections. severally scholar had their own opinion regarding the Druids. What is very striking is the rest between the comments do by writers of the first century BC and those of the first century AD. Caesar, Strabo and Diodorus project a positive, active form of the Druids engaged in official capacities as judges, teachers and presiders over rite matters, including sacrifice. But if we meditate the testimony of Tacitus, Lucan, Pliny and Pomponius Mela, all of whom wrote in the first century AD, we find new notes creeping in: the tie-up of Druids with obscure, hidden places such as forests, and more pejorative, emotive descriptions of attack rites and practicing put-on. (Green, pg 14) Druids as philosophers, theologians and scientists: ?¦the Druids, in addition o natural ism, field of operations also good philosophy. The Druids be considered the most righteous of men¦ (Strabo, Geog raphy IV, 4, 4) It was believed that the Druids were! coarse philosophers. They too, like Plato, were in search of the truth. They were considered master of wisdom as Pmponius Mela called them. In addition, perhaps the most evoke fact regarding their philosophy was their beliefs and directions concerning the destiny of the soul and the nature of its future state. They believed that the soul was unending and when you died, your soul is passed on to someone or something else. They were believed to study things secret and sublime and tried to explain the high mysteries of nature. (Green, pg 50) Druids are also believed to have studied astrology and appeared to be confidential advisors to the chiefs and kings as to lucky and unlucky days. They would also send word the warriors of the tribe regarding when to sharpshoot their enemy. They studied the stars; cloud patterns; songs of birds; and shape of tree roots. This may be how they could predict obnubilate and rain. They were also associated with displace up the Col igny calendar. The astronomic observations of the Druids had one very practical figure ? that of mathematical calendrical calculations. (Green, pg 50) Druids as judges and lawyers: They were considered the most just of all menÂ. Strabo tell us the following: ?The Druids are considered the most just of men, and on this account they are entrusted with the decision, not only of private disputes, but of public disputes as well; so that, in former times, they even arbitrated cases of war and make the opponents stop when they were about to line up for battle, and the murder cases in particular were glum over to them for decision. (Strabo, Geography, IV, 4, 4) They had the authority to settle disputes and no one would go against their judgment. In addition, it is also told that they were in precaution of carrying out the sentence. This would allow throw awayning them from sacrifices, which to the Gauls was worst than death. ?The Druids are implicated with the worship o f the gods, witness after public and private sacrifi! ce, and set forth religious matters¦.When a private person ¦disobeys their ruling they ban them from¦sacrifices. This is their harshest penalty. (Caesar, Gallic War VI, 13) The Druids offered human sacrifices for those who were gravely sick or in danger of death in battle.
Huge wicker images were filled with sprightliness men and then burned; although the Druids favored to sacrifice criminals, they would guide innocent victims if necessary. (Druid Encyclopaedia Britannica). Druids as Teachers/Educators above all, Druids were known as the educators of the nobility. However, their teachings could not be written, but quite had to be intimate by sum total. Oral teaching and learning by heart of mnemonic verses was again part of the ancient tradition of non-literate societies from Ireland, where the early laws were preserved ?by the pin memory of the ancients, the transmission from one ear to another, the chanting of the poets. (Piggott, page 113). This may account for wherefore Druids had to have training in their respective field for 20 years. THE ROMANTIC VIEW The romantic view of the Druids is perhaps the most interesting. We believe that most of the folklore regarding them may have come from the Bards of their time. It is also believed that the classical writers could have magnify their powers. The view of a Druid was one that could cast spells; had healing powers; could speak with the otherworldÂ; practiced magic and witchery; were seers into the future; were prophets and oracles and had divine powers. A combination of priest, prophet and astrologers, Druids were believed to posses enigmatical abilities, which were highly prized by k! ings, as well as spells, which were greatly feared by enemies. (Time animateness Books, pg 27) They were thought to carry a magic wand that could turn community into animals and could affect the weather by ¦causing snow storms, fog and even showers of blood and fire. They could revoke a persons memory of any particular event by concocting a drink of forgetfulnessÂ, and they could rescue great victories on the theatre of operations by dramatis personae spells over entire opposing spikeies, by erecting a so-called druids fence that protected their own men, and by creating a magic cloak that rendered a warrior invisible. (Time manner Books, pg 28) It is stated that the Druids did this by standing on one leg, with an arm outstretched and one eye closed, mimicking the posture of a heron. (Time Life Books, pg 28) They used mistletoe as a healing cistron and to aid in fertility. One story told is about the sacrifice of bulls. It is believed that the Druids climb oak trees and with a golden sickle rationalise down mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloak. They are then told to push the bulls into a blazing fire and they drink the mistletoe. This is believed to acquit fertility to the tribes cattle. in that respect are several famous stories about mystical Druids. There is the legendary Irish queen Medb of Connacht, Merlin, the Morrigan who appears to Cu Chulainn, the story of Deirdre and Conchobar ? regarding the Druid Cathbadh and many more from the Tuatha De Danann, just to name a few. CONCLUSION In conclusion, regardless whether the Druids could do magic or were just familiar philosophers, they are recited in history as very uncommon people of their time. Druidism is still practiced straight off in many parts of the world. Druidism is considered a very tranquil religion. Their teachings and principles are derived from ancient Druidism, founded on reason and sound morality. (Isaac Bonewit, joined antediluvian Order of Dr uids) References used J. Bonwick, Irish Druids a! nd Old Irish Religions, freshly York: Dorsett Press (1986) Miranda J. Green, The World of the Druids, New York: Thames and Hudson (1997) Time-Life Books, What Life Was like Among Druids and high up Kings, Virginia: Time Life Inc (1998) Stuart Piggott, The Druids, New York & Washington: Frederick A. Praeger (1968) Bards, Ovates and DruidsÂ, at: http://druidry.org Druids, psychiatric hospital and OverviewÂ, at: http://www.celt.net Druid Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, at: http://www.search.eb.com Celtic DruidismÂ, at: http://www.neopagan.net If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:
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