Fedelm (sometimes spelled Feidelm; modern Fidelma) is a female prophet and fili, or learned poet, in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. She appears in the great epic Táin Bó Cuailnge, in which she foretells the armies of Medb and Ailill mac Máta will face against the Ulaid and their greatest champion, Cú Chulainn. A prophetess of the same name appears in another tale, which associates her with Cú Chulainn.
Fedelm appears in the opening scene of the Táin Bó Cuailnge, preserved in Recension I.[1] Intent on an invasion of Ulster, Queen Medb and Ailill mac Máta, the rulers of Connacht, have mustered a large army from all four provinces of Ireland. Just when they set out, they are met on the road by Fedelm, a young woman of blonde hair and beautiful appearance, who is armed, carries a weaver's beam and rides in a chariot.[2] She identifies herself as a banfhili (female poet) from Connacht and claims to have come from Alba, where she had learnt the art of prophecy to the extent that she could now boast the skill of imbas forosnai, or all-encompassing illuminating knowledge.[3] It has been suggested that Fedelm may have received her training from the warrior woman Scáthach, Cú Chulainn's martial arts teacher in Alba and herself a prophetess.[4] Asked by Medb, who addresses her as prophetess (banfháith), to foretell the future of the army, Fedelm predicts carnage. Medb refuses to accept it, since the Ulstermen had been recently overcome by a mysterious condition which had debilitated them completely. However, Fedelm repeats her prophecy and in a poetic description of the bloody encounters to follow, named Cú Chulainn as their most terrifying opponent.[5]
Name and other appearancesEdit
The name "Fedelm" matches the character's role in the Táin Bó Cuailnge, as it appears to mean "prophetess" and to derive from the proto-Celtic stem wēd- / wid- "to know, to see". She has been compared to Veleda, the prophetess described by Tacitus.[6] The name is not uncommon; the Táin and other texts name a daughter of Conchobar mac NessaFedelm Noíchrothach.[1] It is probably related to the common male name "Fedlimid".[1]
Though the name is not unique, it is not impossible that the Fedelm of the Táin is the same character as the Fedelm Foltcháin ("of the Lovely Hair") who appears in a brief and difficult Irish text known as Fedelm and Cú Chulainn or Ces Ulad ("The Affliction of the Ulstermen").[1] The transmitted text, preserved only in the 16th-century (London, British Library, Harley MS 5280), is imperfect and the translations attempted by Vernam Hull and John Carey therefore differ on a number of counts. It tells that one day (before the invasion), Cú Chulainn and his charioteer Láeg come to the River Boyne to learn imbas (as Carey translates) or to obtain "riches" (Hull). The search for imbas would be appropriate as in early Irish narrative, the banks of rivers could serve as liminal places subject to the risk of flooding and in a positive sense, to the attainment of poetic wisdom.[7] The text Immacallam in Dá Thuarad, for instance, states that "the bank of a body of water was a place where knowledge was always revealed for poets".[7]
On the opposite bank stands Fedelm and her husband Elcmaire, who notice the intruders and their chariot laden with items of fidchell and búanbach and with Cú Chulainn's catch of birds. When Cú Chulainn manages to catch a speckled salmon with his spear, Elcmaire goes into the ford and flings a pillar stone towards the chariot, but Cú Chulainn cuts off both his thumbs and both his big toes. Fedelm then utters the prophecy (Hull has "promised") that she would appear naked to the Ulstermen and become Cú Chulainn's lover. This she does after a year and a day. The text ends by suggesting that her appearance to the Ulstermen is what caused their aforesaid debility.[8] This explanation of the Debility of the Ulstermen differs considerably from that given by Noinden Ulad and related texts.
Fedelm's name and a connection with the Boyne also occur in the second, Middle Irish recension of the Tochmarc Emire. When Cú Chulainn travels southwards to woo Emer, he comes across the so-called "Marrow (Smir) of the woman Fedelm", explained as another name for the River Boyne. The origin of the name is not explained, however, and the accompanying mythological story focuses on the drowning of Boann instead.[9]
Táin Bó Cuailnge (Recension I), ed. Cecile O'Rahilly, Táin Bó Cúailnge Recension I. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Dublin, 1976.
Cú Chulainn and Fedelm (also Ces Ulad), ed. Kuno Meyer, "Mitteilungen aus irischen Handschriften (Fortsetzung)." ZCP 8 (1912): p. 120; tr. Vernam Hull, "Ces Ulad." ZCP 29 (1962–64); tr. John Carey, The Celtic Heroic Age, ed. J.T. Koch and J. Carey. 3d ed. Andover et al., 2000. pp. 67–8.
Tochmarc Emire (Recension II), ed. A.G. van Hamel (1933). Compert Con Culainn and Other Stories. Mediaeval and Modern Irish Series 3. Dublin: DIAS.; tr. Kuno Meyer (1888). "The Wooing of Emer". Archaeological Review. 1: 68–75, 150–5, 231–5, 298–307.
Secondary sourcesEdit
Bernhardt-House, Phillip A. (2009). "Warriors, Words, and Wood: Oral and Literary Wisdom in the Exploits of Irish Mythological Warriors". Studia Celtica Fennica. 6: 5–19.
Koch, John T. (2006). "Fedelm". In Koch, John T. (ed.). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Denver, and Oxford: ABC-CLIO. pp. 736–7.
Koch, John T. (2006). "Imbas forosnai". In Koch, John T. (ed.). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Denver, and Oxford: ABC-CLIO. p. 958.
Further readingEdit
Sayers, William. "Old Irish Fert, 'Tie-pole', Fertas 'Swingletree', and the Seeress Fedelm." Études Celtiques 21 (1984): 171–83.
Enright, Michael J. Lady with a Mead Cup. Ritual, Prophecy and Lordship in the European Warband from La Tène to the Viking Age. Dublin, 1996.
October 26, 2023
fedelm, given, name, irish, name, daughter, conchobar, nessa, ulster, cycle, noíchrothach, sometimes, spelled, feidelm, modern, fidelma, female, prophet, fili, learned, poet, ulster, cycle, irish, mythology, appears, great, epic, táin, cuailnge, which, foretel. For the given name see Fedelm Irish name For the daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle see Fedelm Noichrothach Fedelm sometimes spelled Feidelm modern Fidelma is a female prophet and fili or learned poet in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology She appears in the great epic Tain Bo Cuailnge in which she foretells the armies of Medb and Ailill mac Mata will face against the Ulaid and their greatest champion Cu Chulainn A prophetess of the same name appears in another tale which associates her with Cu Chulainn Contents 1 Tain Bo Cuailnge 2 Name and other appearances 3 References 4 Sources 4 1 Primary sources 4 2 Secondary sources 5 Further readingTain Bo Cuailnge EditFedelm appears in the opening scene of the Tain Bo Cuailnge preserved in Recension I 1 Intent on an invasion of Ulster Queen Medb and Ailill mac Mata the rulers of Connacht have mustered a large army from all four provinces of Ireland Just when they set out they are met on the road by Fedelm a young woman of blonde hair and beautiful appearance who is armed carries a weaver s beam and rides in a chariot 2 She identifies herself as a banfhili female poet from Connacht and claims to have come from Alba where she had learnt the art of prophecy to the extent that she could now boast the skill of imbas forosnai or all encompassing illuminating knowledge 3 It has been suggested that Fedelm may have received her training from the warrior woman Scathach Cu Chulainn s martial arts teacher in Alba and herself a prophetess 4 Asked by Medb who addresses her as prophetess banfhaith to foretell the future of the army Fedelm predicts carnage Medb refuses to accept it since the Ulstermen had been recently overcome by a mysterious condition which had debilitated them completely However Fedelm repeats her prophecy and in a poetic description of the bloody encounters to follow named Cu Chulainn as their most terrifying opponent 5 Name and other appearances EditThe name Fedelm matches the character s role in the Tain Bo Cuailnge as it appears to mean prophetess and to derive from the proto Celtic stem wed wid to know to see She has been compared to Veleda the prophetess described by Tacitus 6 The name is not uncommon the Tain and other texts name a daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa Fedelm Noichrothach 1 It is probably related to the common male name Fedlimid 1 Though the name is not unique it is not impossible that the Fedelm of the Tain is the same character as the Fedelm Foltchain of the Lovely Hair who appears in a brief and difficult Irish text known as Fedelm and Cu Chulainn or Ces Ulad The Affliction of the Ulstermen 1 The transmitted text preserved only in the 16th century London British Library Harley MS 5280 is imperfect and the translations attempted by Vernam Hull and John Carey therefore differ on a number of counts It tells that one day before the invasion Cu Chulainn and his charioteer Laeg come to the River Boyne to learn imbas as Carey translates or to obtain riches Hull The search for imbas would be appropriate as in early Irish narrative the banks of rivers could serve as liminal places subject to the risk of flooding and in a positive sense to the attainment of poetic wisdom 7 The text Immacallam in Da Thuarad for instance states that the bank of a body of water was a place where knowledge was always revealed for poets 7 On the opposite bank stands Fedelm and her husband Elcmaire who notice the intruders and their chariot laden with items of fidchell and buanbach and with Cu Chulainn s catch of birds When Cu Chulainn manages to catch a speckled salmon with his spear Elcmaire goes into the ford and flings a pillar stone towards the chariot but Cu Chulainn cuts off both his thumbs and both his big toes Fedelm then utters the prophecy Hull has promised that she would appear naked to the Ulstermen and become Cu Chulainn s lover This she does after a year and a day The text ends by suggesting that her appearance to the Ulstermen is what caused their aforesaid debility 8 This explanation of the Debility of the Ulstermen differs considerably from that given by Noinden Ulad and related texts Fedelm s name and a connection with the Boyne also occur in the second Middle Irish recension of the Tochmarc Emire When Cu Chulainn travels southwards to woo Emer he comes across the so called Marrow Smir of the woman Fedelm explained as another name for the River Boyne The origin of the name is not explained however and the accompanying mythological story focuses on the drowning of Boann instead 9 References Edit a b c d Koch Fedelm Tain Bo Cualnge Recension 1 Koch Imbas forosnai Bernhardt House Warriors words and wood p 8 Tain Bo Cualnge Recension I CELT The Corpus of Electronic Texts 2001 Retrieved 24 September 2009 Koch Fedelm See further Enright Lady with a Mead cup a b Bernardt House Warriors words and wood pp 10 11 Cu Chulainn and Fedelm ed Meyer tr Carey Tochmarc Emire Recension II Sources EditPrimary sources Edit Tain Bo Cuailnge Recension I ed Cecile O Rahilly Tain Bo Cuailnge Recension I Dublin Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Dublin 1976 Cu Chulainn and Fedelm also Ces Ulad ed Kuno Meyer Mitteilungen aus irischen Handschriften Fortsetzung ZCP 8 1912 p 120 tr Vernam Hull Ces Ulad ZCP 29 1962 64 tr John Carey The Celtic Heroic Age ed J T Koch and J Carey 3d ed Andover et al 2000 pp 67 8 Tochmarc Emire Recension II ed A G van Hamel 1933 Compert Con Culainn and Other Stories Mediaeval and Modern Irish Series 3 Dublin DIAS tr Kuno Meyer 1888 The Wooing of Emer Archaeological Review 1 68 75 150 5 231 5 298 307 Secondary sources Edit Bernhardt House Phillip A 2009 Warriors Words and Wood Oral and Literary Wisdom in the Exploits of Irish Mythological Warriors Studia Celtica Fennica 6 5 19 Koch John T 2006 Fedelm In Koch John T ed Celtic Culture A Historical Encyclopedia Santa Barbara Denver and Oxford ABC CLIO pp 736 7 Koch John T 2006 Imbas forosnai In Koch John T ed Celtic Culture A Historical Encyclopedia Santa Barbara Denver and Oxford ABC CLIO p 958 Further reading EditSayers William Old Irish Fert Tie pole Fertas Swingletree and the Seeress Fedelm Etudes Celtiques 21 1984 171 83 Enright Michael J Lady with a Mead Cup Ritual Prophecy and Lordship in the European Warband from La Tene to the Viking Age Dublin 1996 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fedelm amp oldid 1157862148, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
