Riastarthae essays

Riastarthae essays Early Irish war culture, animal symbolism, and mating Then his riastarthae came upon him. You would have thought that every hair was being driven into his head. You would have thought that a spark of fire was on every hair. He closed one eye until it was no wider than the eye of a needle; he opened the other until it was as big as a wooden bowl. He barred his teeth from jaw to ear, and he opened his mouth until the gullet was visible. The warriors moon rose from his head. This excerpt, from The Boyhood Deeds of C Chulaind, describes C Chulainds war spasm/war anger (riastarthae) which is a perfect example of a mythic Celtic warrior. Many (if not all) of the early Irish myths and sagas revolve around a warrior culture theme. Celtic warriors were often from the middle/upper class and being a warrior meant being heroic. The Celtic warrior culture lived for war; everything had to be larger than life. Ritual was a large part of life and boasting of victories was on the top of the list. Fighting amongst warriors was an important part of life and many warriors were reckless due to their glorification of bravery. The Celtic warriors were known by sight and description by their dress and chariot. Many warriors used little armor and often opted to fight naked. Swords were as long as 2.5 meters and large oval shields were used as the only source of protection. The Celtic warrior was a head hunter. After a battle the severed head would be displayed within their temple, and sometimes submerged in a vat of wine. Animal symbolism can be related to the warrior culture. Flocks of birds are sometimes seen flying above a warrior and charioteer. The birds represent a warriors prowess by method of capture, prophetic knowledge, bloodshed, and skill. The chariot is pulled by two horses which are vibrantly described in stories. The horses represent fertility, prosperity, and ...