Knowledge is a gift from the Gods

Warriors, craftsmen, bards, were all part of their specific "corporate" and would not start their activities without pleading inspiration, assistance and protection of the ruling deities of their particular craft. Knowledge is a gift from the Gods, which are its source and its use is done with the permission and assistance provided by the deities. Thus, the traditional exercise of any profession, any technique, would have a religious component underlying basics. Invoking deities require a specific rite. The set is the domain of the rites of the Druids. It is in need of divine intervention that Druidism found its way to project itself to any activity.

To Celt fans it's all about Druidism ... Every generalization is always inaccurate. The Druids were not unanimous ("every unanimity is stupid"). Without any doubt, it was that Druidism was in service to the kings and represented the "stablishment" of Celtic laws. But there were also in the margins of Druidism and tolerated by this, other independent services. I cite as an example the worship of Crom Cruach ("Bloody Crescent") in Ireland at the time of christianization, and the group of women (quoted by the greek Strabon) who inhabited the island at the mouth of the Loire, a Dionysian cult devotees. These cults were Celtic, but not Druidic. It is also worth remembering that the Celts dominated regions such as Iberia and Galatia, Asia Minor, where there is the lowest record of the existence of druids (which does not mean they did not existed). Not much left to have some kind of religion, as the name of one of the kings was Deiotaurus Galatians, or "Divine Bull", indicating the sacredness of this animal.

Even among the Celts who were in the region where they practiced Druidism and listened to the teachings of the Druids, they were not the exclusive intermediary between men and gods. The gods could show anyone they wanted at the time and under the aspect they wanted: a ray, an animal, a tree, a source, any object, its main feature was the ability to morph. Anyone could get in touch with the gods through prayer, anyone who had sufficient knowledge could perform spells, the responsible for most tribal rites was the king, semi-divine character united in marriage with the goddess of the earth, being present only in the Druids large communal rites (such as feasts of the times).

Indeed, the role of the Druids with the kings were the same of those experts who are called by the modern governments to express their views on questions of law, economics, science or whatever. The Druids were the counselors of kings and provided this service using their personal knowledge, clairvoyance and divination. Their magical abilities would be used in the administration of justice, to cure diseases and war. We must always remember that the Druids were not priests, they did not preach to a congregation of believers. Their lessons were limited to their apprentices. The people, they would pay the same services as the royalty (counseling, justice and magic) a remuneration. Yes, the Druids were paid, though not necessarily in money, after all they had families that needed to be sustained. And to be a druid, it seems, was a very profitable profession.


Text by Bellovesos Isarnos / | \