Bibliography
Christophe
Vielle
Contributions to journals
Vielle, Christophe, “Matériaux mythiques gaulois et annalistique romaine : éléments antique d'un cycle héroïque celtique”, Études Celtiques 31 (1995): 123–149.
abstract:
[FR] Des matériaux mythiques gaulois ont été consciemment empruntés et transformés par les annalistes romains afin d’être intégrés avantageusement à leur «histoire». Ces matériaux concernent d’une part un héros guerrier correspondant au héros irlandais Cù Chulainn, et auquel sont attachés les mêmes motifs mythiques : les contorsions magiques et l’intervention d’une divinité guerrière sous la forme d’un corvidé. Ils concernent d’autre part un héros chasseur-guerrier assimilable à un loup qui, tel le héros irlandais Finn, décide de l’issue d’un combat «gigantesque » en se rangeant aux côtés d’un des deux camps. Ces matériaux, également attestés par l’iconographie antique, constituent ainsi les plus anciennes attestations narratives d’un cycle héroïque traditionnel celtique, dans son état gaulois, et permettent de mettre en évidence, au sein de ce cycle, des oppositions distinctives entre deux types de héros mythiques, qui relevaient sans doute de deux gestes différentes.
[EN] Gaulish mythological materials and Roman annals : pieces of an old Celtic heroic cycle.
The Roman annalists consciously borrowed, introduced in their pseudo-history, and transformed for their own benefit, Gaulish mythical materials. These materials primarily concern a warrior-hero corresponding to the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, and to whom are attached the same mythical motifs : magical contortions, and the intervention of a war-deity in the shape of a crow. Secondly, they concern a hunter and warrior-hero with wolfish aspects, who, like the Irish hero Finn, decides the outcome of a “gigantic” battle in siding with one of the two parties. These materials, also illustrated in ancient iconography, are the oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic traditional heroic cycle, in its Gaulish state, and allow to discern, in this cycle, some distinctive oppositions between two types of mythical heroes, belonging probably to two different gesta.
[EN] Gaulish mythological materials and Roman annals : pieces of an old Celtic heroic cycle.
The Roman annalists consciously borrowed, introduced in their pseudo-history, and transformed for their own benefit, Gaulish mythical materials. These materials primarily concern a warrior-hero corresponding to the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, and to whom are attached the same mythical motifs : magical contortions, and the intervention of a war-deity in the shape of a crow. Secondly, they concern a hunter and warrior-hero with wolfish aspects, who, like the Irish hero Finn, decides the outcome of a “gigantic” battle in siding with one of the two parties. These materials, also illustrated in ancient iconography, are the oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic traditional heroic cycle, in its Gaulish state, and allow to discern, in this cycle, some distinctive oppositions between two types of mythical heroes, belonging probably to two different gesta.
Persée – Études Celtiques, vol. 31, 1995: <link>
abstract:
[FR] Des matériaux mythiques gaulois ont été consciemment empruntés et transformés par les annalistes romains afin d’être intégrés avantageusement à leur «histoire». Ces matériaux concernent d’une part un héros guerrier correspondant au héros irlandais Cù Chulainn, et auquel sont attachés les mêmes motifs mythiques : les contorsions magiques et l’intervention d’une divinité guerrière sous la forme d’un corvidé. Ils concernent d’autre part un héros chasseur-guerrier assimilable à un loup qui, tel le héros irlandais Finn, décide de l’issue d’un combat «gigantesque » en se rangeant aux côtés d’un des deux camps. Ces matériaux, également attestés par l’iconographie antique, constituent ainsi les plus anciennes attestations narratives d’un cycle héroïque traditionnel celtique, dans son état gaulois, et permettent de mettre en évidence, au sein de ce cycle, des oppositions distinctives entre deux types de héros mythiques, qui relevaient sans doute de deux gestes différentes.
[EN] Gaulish mythological materials and Roman annals : pieces of an old Celtic heroic cycle.
The Roman annalists consciously borrowed, introduced in their pseudo-history, and transformed for their own benefit, Gaulish mythical materials. These materials primarily concern a warrior-hero corresponding to the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, and to whom are attached the same mythical motifs : magical contortions, and the intervention of a war-deity in the shape of a crow. Secondly, they concern a hunter and warrior-hero with wolfish aspects, who, like the Irish hero Finn, decides the outcome of a “gigantic” battle in siding with one of the two parties. These materials, also illustrated in ancient iconography, are the oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic traditional heroic cycle, in its Gaulish state, and allow to discern, in this cycle, some distinctive oppositions between two types of mythical heroes, belonging probably to two different gesta.
[EN] Gaulish mythological materials and Roman annals : pieces of an old Celtic heroic cycle.
The Roman annalists consciously borrowed, introduced in their pseudo-history, and transformed for their own benefit, Gaulish mythical materials. These materials primarily concern a warrior-hero corresponding to the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, and to whom are attached the same mythical motifs : magical contortions, and the intervention of a war-deity in the shape of a crow. Secondly, they concern a hunter and warrior-hero with wolfish aspects, who, like the Irish hero Finn, decides the outcome of a “gigantic” battle in siding with one of the two parties. These materials, also illustrated in ancient iconography, are the oldest narrative attestations of a Celtic traditional heroic cycle, in its Gaulish state, and allow to discern, in this cycle, some distinctive oppositions between two types of mythical heroes, belonging probably to two different gesta.
Contributions to edited collections or authored works
Vielle, Christophe, “The oldest narrative attestations of the Celtic mythical and traditional heroic cycle”, in: James P. Mallory, and Gearóid Stockman (eds), Ulidia: proceedings of the First International Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales, Belfast and Emain Macha, 8–12 April 1994, Belfast: December, 1994. 217–227.
