Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

liminal combat at a ford

liminal_combat_at_a_ford

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

  • The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge XVIII / HERE NOW IS TOLD THE MISTHROW AT BELACH EOIN. / HERE NOW FOLLOWETH THE DISGUISING OF TAMON / HERE NOW COMETH THE HEAD-PLACE OF FERCHU; lines 10737-10825 confidence: medium

    Ferdiad asks which weapons to use; Cuchulain grants him choice until nightfall because Ferdiad first reached the ford; Ferdiad chooses straight-cut throwing-spears with flax cords, and both take hard shields.

    The duel takes place at the ford of combat; opponents meet in the middle of the ford and send remedies and provisions across it.

    read in the book