Dian Cecht

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Dian Cecht [ dʼian kʼeːxt ], also Diancécht , is a legendary figure from the mythological cycle of the Celtic mythology of Ireland .

mythology

Dian Cecht is considered the son of Easar Breac and Danu in Lebor Gabala Eirenn , the father of the brothers Miach , Cian and Goibniu and the sisters Airmed and Etan. He is also said to be Abhcan's great-grandfather . He is the chief healer of the Túatha Dé Danann .

Thanks to his healing skills, he can help in many ways. When Midir loses one of his eyes due to a stab with a hazel stick, Dian Cecht replaces it. He also made a silver replacement hand for Nuada in three times nine days after Nuada lost his right hand in the battle of Mag Tuired . However, when (in a later version) Miach, the son of Dian Cecht, manages to get a real hand of flesh and blood for Nuada, and Nuada can return to the royal throne through his - now restored - integrity, Dian Cecht kills his Son of jealousy.

Dian Cecht dips warriors who were wounded or fallen in battle in his source of life ( tipra sláine ), which he tends with his daughter Airmed, and heals or awakens them to new life. This spring is filled in by Octriallach , the son of the Fomori king Indech , and thus made unusable.

Dian Cecht is also considered to be the author of the legal text Bretha Crólige , which deals with the payment of fines for injuries.

reception

On a parchment from the 8th / 9th centuries Century of the St. Galleer manuscript 1395 ( St. Gallen Abbey Library ) a monk who knew about healing called the name Dian Cechts:

I trust in the ointment that Diancécht left to his people [meaning the Túatha Dé Danann] so that whatever comes next may be healed.

A legal text from the 8th century on the duty to heal the wounded is entitled: The Decisions of Diancécht .

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 673.
  2. ^ Ingeborg Clarus: Celtic myths. Man and his otherworld. P. 78.
  3. ↑ a b Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 627.
  4. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 476 f.