Motif
heroic single combat decides battle momentum
heroic_single_combat_decides_battle_momentum
A motif of the Sacred Combat and Ritual Warfare family, within the sub-family Champion Combat and Duel. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
celtic irish
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Gods and Fighting Men CHAPTER II. CAEL AND CREDHE / CHAPTER III. CONN CRITHER / CHAPTER IV. GLAS, SON OF BREMEN / CHAPTER V. THE HELP OF THE MEN OF DEA; lines 7362-7455 confidence: high
Taistellach, one of Finn's messengers, refuses to leave until fighting; he challenges the ships, fights Coimhleathan, and beheads him in the sea.
Named champions fight in sequence: Taistellach kills Coimhleathan, Lir and Abarthach are matched against the Dog-Head and Cat-Head kings, and the deaths of the two kings cause their people to flee.
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