Math fab Mathonwy
Math fab Mathonwy [ maːθ vaːb ma'θonwi ] ("Math, the son of Mathonwys") is the title of the fourth branch of the Mabinogi in Welsh mythology . The narrative is included in both Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch ("The White Book of Rhydderch") and Llyfr Coch Hergest ("The Red Book of Hergest").
Content and people involved
- see Math , Gwydyon, and Llew Llaw Gyffes
King Math of Gwynedd avenges the rape of his virgin ankle-holder Goewin by his nephews Gwydyon and Gilfaethwy by turning them into animals. The crime occurred while he was going to war with Pryderi of Dyfed . He marries Goewin, later pardons his nephews and is looking for a new foot holder. His niece Arianrhod , however, is no longer a virgin, but gives birth to Dylan Eil Ton and Llew Llaw Gyffes. While Dylan is escaping into the sea, Arianrhod casts a curse on Llew ( Irish geis , Cymrian cynnedyf ) that he may not marry a human woman. So Math and Gwydyon create a fictional character from flowers, Blodeuwedd , who marries Llew, but soon afterwards betrays him with Goronwy . The two adulterers want to murder Llew, but Llew is able to escape to the Nantlle Valley and then with the help of Gwydyon kills his rival with his own poison lance.
See also
literature
- Helmut Birkhan : Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. 2nd, corrected and enlarged edition. 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 .
- Bernhard Maier: The legend book of the Welsh Celts. The four branches of the Mabinogi . Dtv Munich, April 1999, ISBN 3-423-12628-0 .
- Ingeborg Clarus : Celtic Myths. Man and his otherworld. Walter, Düsseldorf et al. 1991, ISBN 3-530-70014-2 , pp. 290 ff. (2nd edition. Patmos, Düsseldorf 2003, ISBN 3-491-69109-5 ).