Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

Single combat ending in beheading

single_combat_ending_in_beheading

A motif of the Sacred Combat and Ritual Warfare family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

2 occurrences

2 traditions

celtic (1) · hindu (1)


celtic

  • Cuchulain of Muirthemne THE WEDDING OF MAINE MORGOR / CONCHUBAR'S VISION 163 / DEATHOFGERG 165 / THE FIGHT AT RATH INI 167; lines 7036-7119 confidence: high

    Fabric Fiacail comes to the threshold, destroys men, fights Maine shield-to-shield until after midnight, wounds him three times, and is beheaded by Maine.

    Maine and Fabric fight shield against shield until after midnight; Fabric wounds Maine three times, and Maine strikes off Fabric's head.

    read in the book

hindu

  • The Ramayan of Valmiki Canto XLII. The Sally. / Canto XLIII. The Single Combats. / Canto XLIV. The Night. / Canto L. The Broken Spell.; lines 52764-52908 confidence: high

    The giant leader rains arrows, kills Vánars, and the dispirited Vánar hosts flee to Angad for protection.

    Angad and the giant leader fight through successive weapons and bodily combat before Angad cuts off the giant’s head.

    read in the book