St. Patrick's Breastplate

[Aelfarh]

Hello!

I hope you can help with this, I was reading the St. Patrick's Breastplate; and some ideas came to my mind to make an adaptation, may be to be used in a ritual or just as a protective prayer. So I write a few sentences and really want to translate it to Irish... so, any help will be appreciated.

May the Tir na nÓg (or the Other world) mists surround me and protect me
Be with me!
Before me and behind me
Within, beneath and above me
To my right and to my left

So that, which came to me with light, love and truth may find me
So that, which came to me with harm, hate or any negative way,
get lost into the mists forever, and never find it's way to me.

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On the same topic, about St. Patrick's Breastplate, the first verses

Atomriug indiu

niurt tríun
togairm Tríndóite
cretim treodatad
foísitin oendatad
i nDúilemon dáil.

I find a translation which states that means

I bind myself today
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

First I wish to know if the translation is accurate.... then, my question arise. Does Trindóite (which I suppose is trinity, as the modern Irish Tríonóide) refers only to the Christian concept of Trinity (I know that in that context it is), or could be used as a generic trinity... I was thinking that may be the three realms (Talam, Muir, Nem) could be seen as a trinity of which the universe is conformed.

I hope, and adaptation of this ancient incantation will be not seen as a disrespect of the ancient text, I just want to figure out something which contains the spirit of the poem, in a more general way, and not only with the Christian point of view; that is also very inspiring as it is.

Thank you in advance

[Beith]

Hi Aelfarh,

I'd have to think about the first bit of your request because for me it's hard to make a 1:1 translation because of the difference in idiom in Irish and English. I'll have a think about it and come back on it another time.

On the second part, re: the first verse of the Lorica Atom-riug indiu ~ "St Patrick's Breastplate" the English translation below isn't quite accurate line by line, but a little stylistic. I haven't seen that one before, where did it come from?

The verse reads as follows line by line,

Atom-riug indiu
neurt tréun
togairm Trindóite
cretim tréodatad
foísitin óendatad
i nDúleman dáil.

I bind myself today
with mighty strength
Invocation of the Trinity
Belief in the Threeness
Avowal of the Oneness
In the assembly of the creator

Notes:
Atom-riug can be "I bind myself" or "I gird myself" (1st singular of verb ad-rig with a 1st person singular pronoun) but is sometimes translated as "I raise myself" /"I arise" due to confusion/analogy with the verb at-reig (to rise), both of which with an infixed pronoun are atom-riug.

Tréodatad is genitive (possessive) of tréodatu "Threeness"
Óendatad is genitive of óendatu "Oneness" or perhaps "Unitas"
Dúleman is genitive of Dúilem "Creator", a word related to Dúil 'element', 'created thing'
Dáil is 'assembly', 'meeting', 'court', etc. and here probably most often translated as "in the presence [of the Creator]".

Does Trindóite (which I suppose is trinity, as the modern Irish Tríonóide) refers only to the Christian concept of Trinity (I know that in that context it is), or could be used as a generic trinity... I was thinking that may be the three realms (Talam, Muir, Nem) could be seen as a trinity of which the universe is conformed.

I think both concepts are present in the lorica. Trindóite in the Christian sense of Trinity as a borrowed word into Irish and the concept of "threeness" as expressed by tréodatad. The notions of Threeness are indeed as you say,found commonly in Irish (and other) celtic lore in the division of realms into three - land, sea, sky; the use of triadic teachings, the threefold death, etc. Likewise "Oneness" or "Unitas" representing the divine principle from which all things emanate, or the "Universal self" or "soul" -a concept echoed in Amergin's song where he expresses himself in all things in the incantation with a series of "I am" statements.

This Lorica dates to circa early 8th century in terms of written language in the manuscripts in which it is found, so its authorship in terms of written example, is within the Christian period; but it has elements that appear to be very ancient, pre-Christian in origin and possibly borrowed from a Druidic incantation for protection on a journey, or invocation of the magical mist "Féth fia" - a spell of invisibility practiced by the druids.

The alternative name for this Lorica in Irish is Fáeth Fiada "The Deer's Cry" which seems to be a confusion of the terminology for the magical mist of concealment used by the Druids, and the legend behind this lorica, that it was uttered by Patrick to change himself and his followers to the shape of deer, to avoid ambush on their way to Tara, thus concealing themselves magically, giving them safe passage on their journey.

Very strong pagan elements are seen in the fourth verse where the sky, sun, moon, fire, lightning, wind, sea and earth are invoked for their powers and likewise invocation of the directions is seen in verse seven. To me it is clearly a pagan incantation that has been adapted into Christian Patrician legend and overlain with Christian imagery but the underlying pagan content is clear.

Best wishes
Beith

[Aelfarh]

Thanks a lot Beith, every time I read you I learn something new

I'll search for further information about the "Féth fia" sound very interesting, and actually related with my idea.

and the translation I get is from this page which claim to be a translation by Cecil Frances Alexander (1823–1895).

[Beith]

You're welcome Aelfarh. Glad to be of help.

Re: the translation - I took a look at it and parts of it are broadly correct if a little stylized and parts of it are moreso "poetic licence" on the part of the translator.

Is there something in particular you are looking into or wish to explore further? I'm not sure I can help you with accessible reference information but would be glad to if I can (I'm guessing this is where you were going with the "mist of Tír na nÓg" in your prayer form above? )

Beith

[Aelfarh]

Hiyah Beith ...

Yes, if fact that's some kind of the idea behind it, to invoque the mist of the otherworld as protection from the bad things and allowance of the good things.

I find on the Carmichael's Carmina Gadelica an incantation that speaks of a therm, which I think will be the scotish gaelic correspondance, if I'm rigth

FATH-FITH

Fath-fith
Will I make on thee,
By Mary of the augury,
By Bride of the corslet,
From sheep, from ram,
From goat, from buck,
From fox, from wolf,
From sow, from boar,
From dog, from cat,
From hipped-bear,
From wilderness-dog,
From watchful 'scan,'
From cow, from horse,
From bull, from heifer,
From daughter, from son,
From the birds of the air,
From the creeping things of the earth,
From the fishes of the sea,
From the imps of the storm.

My edition of the CG is in english only, so I can't post the Scotich Gelic correspondance (the one with gaelic and english is so expeeensive).

This is quite exciting!!

[Beith]

Indeed it probably does refer to it Aelfarh, the name is right, but do you have any context information? ie. is that charm or potentiation of the Féth fia from CG referenced at all in CG? (source, use, reason for?). I haven't got a copy of CG so I've no idea how (or if at all) any contextual information is given. It would be interesting indeed to know whether there is folklore surrounding this charm as quoted? I must try to follow that up. Maybe Mwyalchen or someone here more familiar with the volumes of the CG will be able to answer that.

Ad interim, can you cite which volume of CG you are looking at? I understand that CG volumes i, ii, iii contain mainly incantations & charms and CG iv also contains a lot of animal incantations; so if you could tell us which volume, page number or item number the above Fith Fath and if there is any reference info on the incantation itself such as attribution to a named source, locale or information about it? That would be great if so! If not, I will chase it up if I can.

Thanks indeed for posting it!
Beith

ps. do any of the charms/incantations/prose pieces before or after the "Fath Fith" in CG relate to it in terms of subject matter, expression or explanation?

[Aelfarh]

Hi Beith

Yes, the reference is on the incantations section, and the number is 133, on my edition (1992, edited by CJ moore, from Floris Books) which according to the concordance table at the end of the book, corresponds to the original edition Volume II, 22

The "neightbour" incantations are "Charm for sprain" and "Charm of the lasting life" (did you see why I get confused about incantation and charm?)

About the context, on the notes, it says this:

Fath-fith and fith-fath are interchangeable terms and indiscriminately used. They are applied to the occult power which rendered a person invisible to mortal eyes and which transformed one object into another. Men and women were made invisible, or men were transformed into horses, bulls, or stags, while women were transformed into cats, hares, or hinds. These transmutations were sometimes voluntary, sometimes involuntary. The fith-fath was especially serviceable to hunters, warriors, and travellers, rendering them invisible or unrecognisable to enemies and to animals....

Then tells the story of Fionn and Ossian... very interesting also.

I have made a google search and find it in gaelic

FATH fith
Ni mi ort,
Le Muire na frithe,
Le Bride na brot,
Bho chire, bho ruta,
Bho mhise, bho bhoc,
Bho shionn, ’s bho mhac-tire,
Bho chrain, ’s bho thorc,
Bho chu, ’s bho chat,
Bho mhaghan masaich,
Bho chu fasaich,
Bho scan foirir,
Bho bho, bho mharc,
Bho tharbh, bho earc,
Bho mhurn, bho mhac,
Bho iantaidh an adhar,
Bho shnagaidh na talmha,
Bho iasgaidh na mara,
’S bho shiantaidh na gailbhe

[Aelfarh]

I have found another one that I think it's related to the topic ... (of trinity)

The Three who are over me
The Three who are below me,
The Three who are above me here,
The Three who are above me yonder,
The Three who are in the earth,
The Three who are in the air,
The Three who are in the heavens,
The Three who are in the great pouring sea.

Carmina Gadelica 245 (Prayers of protection) corresponding to V3,93 ; no contextual information given

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I find the on the internet the scotish gaelic as:

An Teòr tha os mo chionn,
An Teòr tha os mo bhonn,
An Teòr tha os mo bhos,
An Teòr tha os mo thall;
An Teòr a tha san talamh,
An Teòr a tha san adhar,
An Teòr a tha sna flathas,
An Teòr a tha sa mhuir mhóir bhòrcaich.

[Beith]

super Aelfarh! Thank you for that! It's great that you found it in Scots Gaelic too as one can see the metrics of it and the end word rhymes. I wonder if this is in the original or a little "polished". Does it give an attributed source person or island?
I know Carmichael did that for some of his collected pieces but not for all of them. I would think from the flow of it and word rhymes it's probably original but I'm just speculating. I enjoyed reading it very much. (would you mind pm'ing me/mailing me the "Charm for long life" so I can compare it with an Irish Lorica? I have to get my hands on the CG at some point. [I thought when I read your post wondering about the differences of charms and incantations you were probably reading Carmichael!]

Re: Féth Fia, it goes under several versions of the name in Gaelic.

Interesting about the animals forms to which males and females changed isn't it? The male forms are all sovereignty beasts - horse, bull, stag; and I see some concordance with the female forms in Irish lore too - hares and hinds being popular shifted animal forms of women. eg. The mother of Oisín pronounced 'Usheen' and sometimes written Ossian) was shape-shifted to a hind and Oisín itself means "little deer". Hares are common forms believed to be taken by old women out to do harm such as milk stealing - something very relevant to Bealtaine and so hares seen on Bealtaine morn were feared and thought to be shifted forms of persons wishing to charm away with milk. There are lots of legends about hares seen sucking milk from the cattle who are shot and injured by the farmer, and when he follows the trail of blood it leads to the house of an old woman in the village, whose leg is injured in the same place that the hare was wounded.
In Irish mythology, the shift to another creature is often brought about through a spell and striking the person with a druidic wand of hazel wood. It is not always voluntary (eg. Étain was shifted to a 'jewelled fly' by Fuamach the jealous wife of Midir; Sadb mother of Oisín was shifted to a hind by a "dark druid", the Children of Lír were shifted to the form of swans for 900 years by their step-mother Aoife, jealous of her husband's love for his children). Other animal forms referred to in Irish myth are that of pigs, bulls, eels, sea-monsters, birds, werewolves, etc. Sometimes the shift is voluntary for concealment (eg. Cían, son of Cainte, father of Lúgh and his brothers shift to magical pigs and join a wild herd, to escape persecution by the sons of Tuireann who shift to hounds to find them out), the Túatha Dé Danann are renowned for shape-shifting - the Badb - the "battle crow" form of the Mór-rigan and furies Macha, Badb, Nemain, Fea is well known. The bird-men of the Síde of Síd Brí Leith feature in the tale of Togail Bruidne Dá Derga ("The Destruction of Da Derga's hostel).

The magic mist of concealment is mentioned several times in myth tales, including the famous tale of the invasion of Ireland by the Milesian Celts, where after landing in Ireland and making their way to Temair (Tara), a deal is brokered by Amergin that the sons of Mil must go out again from Ireland and if they can put to shore, they can claim the land. They do so and in the meantime, the druids raise a druidic storm and conceal the island of Ireland in magical mists, preventing the Milesians from seeing it and throwing them off course. The storm rages against their ship until Amergin utters his incantation of invocation of the spirif of Ireland to calm the waters and allow the ships to dock.

Also in battle, the mists of concealment are used - to hide lakes and rivers whilst putting a druidic charm of thirst on the opposing army to weaken them and prevent them from gaining access to sustaining water; to change the form of leaves and twigs to that of phantom soldiers to trick Cú Chulainn, to conceal a druid or to change the visible form to that of another guise. Indeed the "palaces" of the síde are believedly under a means of concealment to hide them from mortal eyes, though they may be accessed from time to time and there are many accounts of those who have accidentally wandered into Otherworld territory.

In folklore, there are various other means of concealment of a person through diabolical rites and through the harvest of special seeds from plants growing in a specific location under certain conditions. Another form of concealment is known as "fairy glamour" in English here. It is the trickery or spell craft that is placed by síde-folk to on various objects or places to fool mortals and play nasty tricks to conceal from them, an exit from a field, a building, to conjure "gold" from leaves, such that it changes back in the morning and of course the very famous and mysterious Changelings....fairy creatures who assume the likeness of someone carried off into the fairy world by the sídhe.

yours disappearing into the mists!

Beith

[Aelfarh]

Thank you for the information about Féth Fia, I remeber well what you told me about the Changelings

It's interesting how this shape shifting into animals is present all over the world.

In Mexican precolumbian lore, there is also an interesting figure about it. The lore says that when we are born, there's an animal who take us in fostering, spiritually; and protect us and guide us (the totemic image present in a lot of countries), for example a women with a beutiful voice for singing has a zenzontle as her protector. There's the mention in some Nauatl poems about the zenzontle (Mockingbird) as the bird of the 4,000 voices.

Usually the protective animal guide us in dreams, or visions. But not everybody has that kind of relationship, sometime the relationship is stronger. The wizards/priests/shamans of the indigenous people, could change into their protective animal; and the ones who could do it, were called Nahual (pronounced na-wal) It's interesting the ethymology, since Nahual or Nahualli means "the one who goes deeper or the one who understand" that has the same roots of Nahuatilli, "research, to know" and of course the roots of the aztec language itself, who it's called Náhuatl, which means "understable".

The Nahuals could use their associated animals to improve some of their characteristics, as to have the sight of a hawk, the smell of a wolf, etc. but the most powerful ones, could change into their animals. And could in that form go around this world and the Other world. The shape shifting could be use as a protective charm, to travel to the other world, to spy the enemies, or to make some kind harm to somebody. There are a lot of legends of people who said they killed an animal and in the morning a dead human being was there instead of the animal.

There are two versions about this metamorphosis, one says that the Nahual just disapear and then incarnates in an existing animal; the other says that the body of the human beign remains in his house and then his spirit take the form of the animal; how ever if the animal is killed, the body and soul will be reunited again.

The powers of a Nahual may came directly from the gods. All the gods were shape shifters; the most common ones Tezcatlipoca (god of war and death), who change into a jaguar or a wolf; Huitzilopoxtli (a solar god associated with enlightment and war), who change into a hummingbird... and the most impresive Quetzalcoatl who can change into some kind of dragon, or feather serpent. Actually the name of most of the gods reflects their animal.

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Returning to the Celtic Incantations. The last one I mention I find it specially interesting, not only because it's in the section of protective prayers, and follows the same structure, the first verses are upon directions and the last ones about the elements, which seems to be recurrent theme. That is also present in St. Patrick's breastplate, but also remainds me at the moment of the oath by king Conchobar on the Cattle-Raid of Cooley (Táin Bó Cúalnge)

Romór bic in nuall sa, bar Conchobar, dáig nem uasaind & talam ísaind & muir immaind immá cuard. Acht munu thaéth in firmiment cona frossaib retland bar dunadgnuis in talman, ná mono mae in talam assa thalamchumscugud, ná mono thí inn fairge eithrech ochorgorm for tulmoing in bethad, dober-sa cach bó & cach ben díb ca lias & ca machad, co aitte & co adbái fadessin ar m-buaid chatha & chomlaind & chomraic.

Since the prayer on the CG, adress to "the three" not the trinity... specially these verses

The Three who are in the earth,
The Three who are in the air,
The Three who are in the heavens,
The Three who are in the great pouring sea.

Make me think that the unamed three on which the incantation is refered, are the three realms, rather than the Holy Trinity, since, as I understand the dúile (is it dúile or dúil, the correct spelling?) are part of the realms (and viceversa) but the Christian concept is more ethereal...the Father always in heaven, the Holy Spirit in the form of the transforming fire (and fire is not even mention) and the Son either in Heavern or Earth as human being... don't you think? or maybe I'm assumign too much.

[Beith]

Hi Aelfarh,

Thanks for the very interesting pre-Colombian Mexican lore above, regarding the Nahualli and shape-shifting or 'borrowing' the spirit of the animals to enhance powers or change form. It is interesting indeed how all cultures have legends of people who can change or have been changed to animals. I have heard of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, but not of the other two God forms, so it's very nice to have some mythos and religion from another distant part of the world. Thank you for sharing it.

Returning to the Celtic Incantations. The last one I mention I find it specially interesting, not only because it's in the section of protective prayers, and follows the same structure, the first verses are upon directions and the last ones about the elements, which seems to be recurrent theme

Do you mean incantation 245 ? This one:
An Teòr tha os mo chionn,
An Teòr tha os mo bhonn,
An Teòr tha os mo bhos,
An Teòr tha os mo thall;
An Teòr a tha san talamh,
An Teòr a tha san adhar,
An Teòr a tha sna flathas,
An Teòr a tha sa mhuir mhóir bhòrcaich

It wouldn't fit a Lorica pattern because because it does not contain the elements of invocation of God/Saints/Elements, supplication for protection of various parts of the body,etc but it does contain the elements of cosmology of land, sea, sky. I would think that the mention of "The Three" is more related to the Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy spirit than three realms, bearing in mind that the period of collection of such charms still in use, was mid 19th century - about 1860s onwards, in highly and long time Christianized island communities. However the realms do feature in that prayer/incantation by mention of the "three in the earth/the air/the heaven/the great pouring sea" in the last four lines.
Whereas incantation 134 "Seun a bheatha bhuan" has more features in common with a lorica, in respect of the following:

(1) its invocation of protection by God
(2) invocation of protection by Saint Michael
(3) invocation of protection by Christ
(4) use of directional & positional references
(5) protection for various parts of the body,
(6) protection from drowning and wounding, and from the "wiles of women" (the "spells of women" or "a company of women" are phrases found in other loricae)

These are patterns common in Lorica prayers of protection when going on a journey/for long life etc. However it doesn't have the invocation of the elements themselves nor invocation of God as Unitas or the Trinity, nor the invocation of ranks of saints and angels (although this may be in a "slimmed down form" above when invoking the archangel, St Michael) so while it doesn't fit the full Lorica pattern it appears to have portions of it.

Re: The reference from Táin Bó Cuailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) - Celtic World End View
{This is from the Book of Leinster version of the Táín BC Lines 4041-7) on line here at the CELT project
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G301035/index.html

‘Romór bic in núall sa,’ bar Conchobor, ‘dáig nem úasaind & talam ísaind & muir immaind immácúaird, acht munu tháeth in firmimint cona frossaib rétland bar dunadgnúis in talman ná mono máe in talam assa thalamchumscugud ná
4045] mono thí inn fairge eithrech ochorgorm for tulmoing in bethad, dobér-sa cach bó & cach ben díb cá lias & cá machad, co'aitte & co'adbai fadessin ar mbúaid chatha & chomlaind & chomraic.

This is a very good example of the eschatological (world end) view of the Celts - the falling of the skies, the overflowing of the seas, the destruction of land (makes you wonder when you see what is happening in parts of the world today doesn't it? ). The dissolution of boundaries between Sky (nem), Land (talam) and Sea (muir), heralds the destruction of the world in the Celtic cosmological view.

Above, King Conchobhair Mac Nessa is making an oath to restore peace to Ulster having heard of the carrying off of women and children and cattle in the Táin (Cattle raid). He swears "by the sky above, the earth below and the sea around us" that unless the heaven with copious stars falls to the ground or the earth is destroyed by earthquakes or the blue0edged sea overflows the surface of the world, he will return each cow to its byre (cowshed) and each woman to her fold (home) and each boy to his fosterfather" after winning victory in battle against opponents.

Likewise this is echoed in another piece a few lines above it (lines 3896-3898 Book of Leinster version of Táin Bó Cúalnge)where Cú Chulainn's father, Súaltam, hears how his son is single-handedly defending Ulster and being harried by the 27 sons of Calatain Dána he wonders:

"In nem maides ná in muir thráges ná in talam condascara ná inn é búadrugud mo meic-sea so ac comrac ra écomlund for Táin Bó Cúalnge?"

"Is it the sky that is destroyed or the sea that is overflowing or the ground that is torn apart or is it the distressed cry of my son fighting against unequal numbers on the Cattle raid of Cooley?"

This transgression of the boundaries of the three realms features commonly in celtic mythology from insular and continental areas and represents the destruction of the cosmic order, a cataclysmic world-end.

best wishes
Beith