Bress

This article explains the legendary figure Bress , the German politician is explained under Ute Bress , the Canadian violinist and composer under Hyman Bress .

Bress , also Bres [ bʴrʴes ], is a legendary figure from the Celtic mythology of Ireland , who is assigned to the formors . Its real name is Eochu .

mythology

Eochu is in Lebor Gabala Eirenn ("The Book of the Lands of Ireland") the son of the formor king Elatha and the Túatha Dé Danann -Princess Eriu (the embodiment of Ireland). He gets his second name Bress ("the beautiful one") from his father, who prophesies that everything beautiful in Ireland will have to compete with Bress in the future. After the first battle of Cath Maige Tuired , in which King Nuada loses a hand and is therefore no longer allowed to rule, he becomes the new king of the Túatha Dé Danann. However, under his stingy and unjust rule, the country withered. He loses the throne through a magical satire ( Glám dícenn ) by Bard Coirpre :

No dish quickly in the bowl,

No cow's milk from which a calf grows

No place for a man in the dark of night

No payment for the storytellers crowd:

May that be the prosperity under Bress!

May Bress not prosper!

Bress has to flee to his father's people in Lochlann . With the help of Balor from the Evil Eye, he tries to regain his rule, but is defeated by the Túatha Dé Danann with the Fomors in the second battle of Mag Tuired. According to various variations of the legend, he is later sentenced either to drink spoiled milk, which kills him, or he can save his life by telling Lugh which day is the cheapest to till the fields (it is Tuesday). It is therefore sometimes attributed to the fertility gods.

Bress is also sometimes referred to as Brigid's husband and Ruadan's father .

See also

• List of Celtic gods and legendary figures
• Myths and legends from Ireland

literature

• Helmut Birkhan : Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1997, ISBN 3-7001-2609-3 .
• Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 .
• RA Stewart Macalister (Ed.): Lebor Gabála Érenn, The book of the taking of Ireland. Published for the Irish Texts Society by the Educational Council of Ireland, Dublin 1938.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Bernhard Maier: Lexicon of the Celtic religion and culture . P. 52.
2. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 942.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Pp. 501, 505.
4. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 575.