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The Reparations Cycle
DICTIONARY
by Llachlan
(updated 7 February 1999)
This is getting to be a blast, One minute I'm writing a love story, the next re-writing the Fall of Atlantis and Gaelic history. Calliope is definitely getting an extra couple of offerings this moon. Hold on though, you ain't seen nothing yet. Second Chances is finished but if you plan on reading further I wouldn't throw away your dictionary just yet.
Thanks to those of you who read this, and please let me know if I'm on the right track (or the wrong one too!), sometimes it's hard to write in a vacuum. Don't make me beg.
Siochain and thanks for reading.
Note: The following descriptions of Gods/Characters are historical ones, I have adapted these to fit into my story, I thought you might enjoy seeing where the ideas came from. I have endeavored to present a viable alternate mythology.
Definitions:
Aine: (Joy, Ardent) Goddess of love and fertility, later known as Irish Faeiry Queen.
Apollo: Artemis' twin, historically his cult replaced hers and he became associated with the sun and moon, surviving well into the advent of male dominated christianity. I wondered where she went and how he got stuck pulling double duty.
Artemis: The Huntress, Amazonian Moon-goddess, twin to Apollo. Worshiped also as Diana, usually presented as chaste and virginal. She-Bear most popular of her animal forms and later ties into the Arturian myth. (Can you guess where I'm going with that)
Atland: (Atlantis) an island according to ancient myth sunk beneath the ocean west of Gibraltar.
Ard-rian o'mo chroi: High Queen of My Heart. chroi o'mo chroi: heart of my heart - used to a soulmate. Also, cariad o'ngharaid - "heart of hearts" used to one's true mate.
Awen: the muse or sacred gift of inspiration as used by the bards, also the personified spirit or internal colour of feeling.
Amerin: Aura, sometimes confused with Awen. Each person has a distinct pattern and feeling to their amerin.
Bardaugh: of or pertaining to a bard's formal use of her gifts; the divine or spirit induced part of a bard.
Beannacht: Capitalized a formal benediction, lowercase a Gaelic salutation.
Braud: brother
Bres: Irish God of fertility and argriculture. Son of Elatha, a prince of Formori and the Goddess Eriu.
Brighid: "Fiery Arrow." Pronounced "Breet" with a long e, short form would sound like Brie. Irish-Celtic Goddess of healing and fertility, patroness of smiths, poets and doctors. February 1 (Imbolc) is her festival.
Cairbre: (Strong man) Dannan Druid and Patron of Bards.
Coire ainsec: "the undry caldron of guestship", the obligation, in law to provide hospitality, shelter or sanctuary to any who claim it.
Dagda: Irish Celtic God of the Earth and Father God, husband to the Morrigan.
Danu: (DAH-nu) also called Dana, she is the mother Goddess of Ireland. It is from her that the Tuatha de Danaan (People of Danu) take their name. Considered to be the mother of Dagda
Draoichtas: generic term for the body of arcane knowledge and skills practiced by Cairbre and Aine's people.
Eireann: Ireland
Eraic: blood price - payment exacted for a murder or other capital crime by the kin of the victim. Rape is a capital crime.
Fir Bolg: the native inhabitants of Ireland at the time of the sinking of Atland. Included the Milesians, but not the Faery.
Formori: a race of demonic giants parallel to the titans of greek mythology. Resided in Connacht.
Fragarach: "The Answerer", another name for the Cliamh Solais. One of the chief treasures Atland.
Hecate: Greek Goddess of home and hearth.
Methryn: the term for one's second mother or mother by choosing, also "Mathra". In a society dominated by female to female pairings, I thought that a legal, commonplace term for the non birth parent would be in wide use. It should be in our society too.
Mo'charra: "my friend", "soul friend" - used in the vocative.
Morrigan: (or Morrigu) Also called the Great Queen and Queen of Ghosts, the Morrigan is a war Goddess. A triple aspected diety, she can take the form of a raven, an old hag or a beatuiful young woman. Appears to those who would die in battle as "the washer at the ford."
Muirthemne: The part of Co. Louth bordering the sea, between the Boyne and Dundalk.
Sidhe: "Shee" usually People of the Sidhe. The Shining Ones. A race of possibly divine or immortal beings, Alain Midna is their King. Dwell in barrows. Also believed by some to be the spirits of the dead. (referred to as Faeiry in this story)
Tuatha de Danaan: early matriarchal settlers of Ireland, later confused with the Faeiry. "In Erin of old there dwelt a mighty race, taller than Roman spears." More than mortal, they were worshipped as gods by the Irish. These Gods had perfected the use of magic. From the legends we learn that these were deities of learning, magical skills, arts and crafts. Their origins are shrouded in mystery, but conventional wisdom associates them in some form with Atlantis
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