Agraes
06-30-2006, 10:41
Did Merlin existed? Who was he?
To answer those questions I would like to write a small article. First of all, we did a debate on Arthur in another thread:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48351
Merlin, or Myrddin in Welsh (pronounce something like Merthinn), wasn't linked to Arthur untill the XIIth century and the Vita Merlini of Geoffrey of Monmouth. There is several figures linked to Merlin.
I - Ambrosius Merlinus
This is essentially based on Nennius Historia Brittonum, written in the IXth century. Nennius record the time of Vortigern, who was the Briton king who invited the Jutes of Hengest to assist him against his ennemies. But soon afterwards the Jutes revolted againt him, and his wise men told him to build a fortress in the mountains of Gwynedd. But every night, all the foundations and materials vanished. The wise men told Vortigern to do this:
"You must find a child born without a father, put him to death, and sprinkle with his blood the ground on which the citadel is to be build, or you will never accomplish your purpose."
His messengers find a such child in Glywysing, and bring him to Vortigern. The boy ridiculised the wise men, and advise Vortigern to dig near the foundations. Vortigern's men dig, they found a pool, with two vases. In each vase was a serpent, one white, one red, and they began to struggle. The red one finally won the fight and both disappeared in the pool. The boy told Vortigern the red serpent was representing the Britons, and the white one the Saxons.
And then the king asked the boy who was he, the boy answered:
"I am called Ambrosius (in British Embresguletic)," returned the boy; and in answer to the king's question, "What is your origin?" he replied, "A Roman consul was my father." Then the king assigned him that city, with all the western provinces of Britain; and departing with his wise men to the sinistral district, he arrived in the region named Gueneri, where he built a city which, according to his name, was called Cair Guorthegirn.
Of course this is more or less legend. The text doesn't say anything about Merlin, but this tradition is laterly attributed to him.
Ambrosius Aurelianus and Vortigern are both historical characters of the Vth century. Ambrosius was Vortigern's rival, and killed him and then fought the Germanic invaders successfully. The legend makes him Arthur's uncle, also known as Emrys Gwledig, the brother of Uthyr Pendragon.
Some historians theorised that Ambrosius and 'Merlinus' are the same character, but Ambrosius was a ruler and a warrior, not the mage of the classic arthurian cycle.
Complete text of Historia Brittonum (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/n03.html#45)
However, there is also true historical elements in this tradition:
The ancient hillfort of Cadbury hill
This hillfort, dating from the neolithic age and reoccuped in the post-Roman period, is often believed to be the fortress of Arthur: in the XVIth century, peasants living in this area of Dorset were calling the hillfort "Arthur's Palace". Althought this site was probably the fortress of Cado (Cado's Bury), a Dumnonian king of the VIth century.
One of the notable founds in this site was the skeleton of a young man in foetal position just under one of the walls. Britain was mostly christian, but it appears that some celtic sacrifices rites may have been kept.
http://membres.lycos.fr/paladinceltique/cad3.jpg
Aerial view of Cadbury Hill
More about Cadbury Hill (http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/arthurslife.html#anchor228123)
Dinas Emrys
This is the fortress of Vortigern - and maybe then of Ambrosius (the name means 'the Fortress of Emrys'), in the mountains of Gwynedd, known as the Eryri and today Snowdonia.
http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/emryswell.jpg http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/emryswalls.jpg
Dinas Emrys pool and walls, photos by Jake Livingston and Joseph Boyles
More on Dinas Emrys (http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/others.html#anchor96252)
II - Myrddin Wilt
Myrddin is a mythological figure, a wild man, more than a historical one. Welsh legends makes also him one of the most talented bards of Britain, with Taliesin (the historical bard of Urien Rheged) and Aneirin (presumed autor of 'Y Gododdin').
There are several poems attributed to Myrddin, even if most of them have been written down much more earlier and if it is impossible to know if he was really the original author.
Here some:
Peiryan Vaban (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/peirian.html)
The Dialogue of Myrddin and Taliesin (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc01.html)
The Birch Trees (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc16.html)
The Apple Trees (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc17.html)
Listen, piglet (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc18.html)
The Dialogue Between Myrddin and His Sister Gwenddydd (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/h01.html)
Lament of Myrddin in his grave (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/h02.html)
I have drunk from a bright cup
With fierce and warlike lords;
My name is Myrddin, son of Morvryn.
I have drunk from a goblet
With powerful warlords;
Myrddin is my given name.
Myrddin appears here as a prophet - like Taliesin in his 'Armes Prydein Vawr', the Great Prophecy of Britain. Even if the druidic religion has died out, the bards still kept alive a part of its heritage - such as those prophecies.
To sum up the legend of Myrddin Wilt:
He was the bard of Gwenddoleu, the king of a little kingdom around the Salway region, in the second half of the VIth century. Gwenddoleu was killed during the battle of Arderydd, fighting against his cousin Peredur of Ebrauc (who will give birth to the medieval character of Perceval), allied with Maelgwn Gwynedd and Rhydderch Hael of Alcluyd (Strathclyde). Myrddyn won took Gwenddoleu's golden neck torc and flee to the neighboring forest of Celyddon (the Caledonian forest), living with the beasts. He was then bringed to the court of Rhydderch Hael at Dun Breatann (Dumbarton).
The Story of Myrddin Wilt - XVIth century welsh text (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/myrddin.html)
This tradition of the wild man originated in the celtic mythology, with the gods Cernunnos and Dagda, often displayed with a cudgel that can kill and revive men, or a cauldron that can revive men - the prototype of the Grail. It even has some other references in some other arthurian characters encountered by the Round Table Knights during their quests, in the romans of the XII and XIIIth centuries.
But even nearer, there is the story of the irish Suibhne and the Scottish Lailoken.
Lailoken is even more linked with Myrddin Wilt.
In the Life of St. Kentigern (http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/n&q/myrddin.htm) (XVth century), Lailoken is said to be the man who fled to Celyddon after Arderydd.
Even if the text is very late, it must be remembered that all those texts are refering to an oral tradition that is very ancient, and not to the arthurian romances. Myrddin is also called Lailoken in one of the welsh poems. The main theory would be (like lot of other arthurian legends) the legend of Lailoken originated in northern britain/southern scotland, in the 'Gwyr y Goggled', the Old North composed of Briton kingdoms, then passed to Wales where Lailoken became Myrddin, and then to Cornwall and Brittany (where he is known as Merzhin or Gwinklan in popular tradition), Lailoken may have been a real historic figure, but his legend is pan-britonnic and even pan-celtic.
III - Merlin
The name Merlin appears firstly in Geoffrey of Monmouth Work, in the Vita Merlini and Phropheciae Merlini. Geoffrey did probably mix the legends of Myrddin and Ambrosius. Both legends are associated with prophecies. It is sometimes argued that he did have some sources we can't access anymore, but in this case historians generaly tend to agry on the fact that the medieval character of Merlin is based on 2 different characters, at least.
Why the name Merlin? The latinisation of Myrddin would have been Merdinus, and that's has something to deal with the latin word for sh#t, this is the general argument why Geoffrey choosed Merlinus.
So... from:
http://www.berkshirehistory.com/legends/images/gundestrup.jpg
Cernunnos, celtic horned god, as showed on the Gundestrunp cauldron.
to:
http://magnaars.free.fr/fichiers/matrix/merlin.jpg
Merlin, teacher of Arthur, in the movie Excalibur.
For further reading:
Merlin on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_%28wizard%29)
Arthuriana article on Merlin (http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/n&q/myrddin.htm)
To answer those questions I would like to write a small article. First of all, we did a debate on Arthur in another thread:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48351
Merlin, or Myrddin in Welsh (pronounce something like Merthinn), wasn't linked to Arthur untill the XIIth century and the Vita Merlini of Geoffrey of Monmouth. There is several figures linked to Merlin.
I - Ambrosius Merlinus
This is essentially based on Nennius Historia Brittonum, written in the IXth century. Nennius record the time of Vortigern, who was the Briton king who invited the Jutes of Hengest to assist him against his ennemies. But soon afterwards the Jutes revolted againt him, and his wise men told him to build a fortress in the mountains of Gwynedd. But every night, all the foundations and materials vanished. The wise men told Vortigern to do this:
"You must find a child born without a father, put him to death, and sprinkle with his blood the ground on which the citadel is to be build, or you will never accomplish your purpose."
His messengers find a such child in Glywysing, and bring him to Vortigern. The boy ridiculised the wise men, and advise Vortigern to dig near the foundations. Vortigern's men dig, they found a pool, with two vases. In each vase was a serpent, one white, one red, and they began to struggle. The red one finally won the fight and both disappeared in the pool. The boy told Vortigern the red serpent was representing the Britons, and the white one the Saxons.
And then the king asked the boy who was he, the boy answered:
"I am called Ambrosius (in British Embresguletic)," returned the boy; and in answer to the king's question, "What is your origin?" he replied, "A Roman consul was my father." Then the king assigned him that city, with all the western provinces of Britain; and departing with his wise men to the sinistral district, he arrived in the region named Gueneri, where he built a city which, according to his name, was called Cair Guorthegirn.
Of course this is more or less legend. The text doesn't say anything about Merlin, but this tradition is laterly attributed to him.
Ambrosius Aurelianus and Vortigern are both historical characters of the Vth century. Ambrosius was Vortigern's rival, and killed him and then fought the Germanic invaders successfully. The legend makes him Arthur's uncle, also known as Emrys Gwledig, the brother of Uthyr Pendragon.
Some historians theorised that Ambrosius and 'Merlinus' are the same character, but Ambrosius was a ruler and a warrior, not the mage of the classic arthurian cycle.
Complete text of Historia Brittonum (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/n03.html#45)
However, there is also true historical elements in this tradition:
The ancient hillfort of Cadbury hill
This hillfort, dating from the neolithic age and reoccuped in the post-Roman period, is often believed to be the fortress of Arthur: in the XVIth century, peasants living in this area of Dorset were calling the hillfort "Arthur's Palace". Althought this site was probably the fortress of Cado (Cado's Bury), a Dumnonian king of the VIth century.
One of the notable founds in this site was the skeleton of a young man in foetal position just under one of the walls. Britain was mostly christian, but it appears that some celtic sacrifices rites may have been kept.
http://membres.lycos.fr/paladinceltique/cad3.jpg
Aerial view of Cadbury Hill
More about Cadbury Hill (http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/arthurslife.html#anchor228123)
Dinas Emrys
This is the fortress of Vortigern - and maybe then of Ambrosius (the name means 'the Fortress of Emrys'), in the mountains of Gwynedd, known as the Eryri and today Snowdonia.
http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/emryswell.jpg http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/emryswalls.jpg
Dinas Emrys pool and walls, photos by Jake Livingston and Joseph Boyles
More on Dinas Emrys (http://panther.bsc.edu/~arthur/others.html#anchor96252)
II - Myrddin Wilt
Myrddin is a mythological figure, a wild man, more than a historical one. Welsh legends makes also him one of the most talented bards of Britain, with Taliesin (the historical bard of Urien Rheged) and Aneirin (presumed autor of 'Y Gododdin').
There are several poems attributed to Myrddin, even if most of them have been written down much more earlier and if it is impossible to know if he was really the original author.
Here some:
Peiryan Vaban (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/peirian.html)
The Dialogue of Myrddin and Taliesin (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc01.html)
The Birch Trees (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc16.html)
The Apple Trees (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc17.html)
Listen, piglet (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/bbc18.html)
The Dialogue Between Myrddin and His Sister Gwenddydd (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/h01.html)
Lament of Myrddin in his grave (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/h02.html)
I have drunk from a bright cup
With fierce and warlike lords;
My name is Myrddin, son of Morvryn.
I have drunk from a goblet
With powerful warlords;
Myrddin is my given name.
Myrddin appears here as a prophet - like Taliesin in his 'Armes Prydein Vawr', the Great Prophecy of Britain. Even if the druidic religion has died out, the bards still kept alive a part of its heritage - such as those prophecies.
To sum up the legend of Myrddin Wilt:
He was the bard of Gwenddoleu, the king of a little kingdom around the Salway region, in the second half of the VIth century. Gwenddoleu was killed during the battle of Arderydd, fighting against his cousin Peredur of Ebrauc (who will give birth to the medieval character of Perceval), allied with Maelgwn Gwynedd and Rhydderch Hael of Alcluyd (Strathclyde). Myrddyn won took Gwenddoleu's golden neck torc and flee to the neighboring forest of Celyddon (the Caledonian forest), living with the beasts. He was then bringed to the court of Rhydderch Hael at Dun Breatann (Dumbarton).
The Story of Myrddin Wilt - XVIth century welsh text (http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/myrddin.html)
This tradition of the wild man originated in the celtic mythology, with the gods Cernunnos and Dagda, often displayed with a cudgel that can kill and revive men, or a cauldron that can revive men - the prototype of the Grail. It even has some other references in some other arthurian characters encountered by the Round Table Knights during their quests, in the romans of the XII and XIIIth centuries.
But even nearer, there is the story of the irish Suibhne and the Scottish Lailoken.
Lailoken is even more linked with Myrddin Wilt.
In the Life of St. Kentigern (http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/n&q/myrddin.htm) (XVth century), Lailoken is said to be the man who fled to Celyddon after Arderydd.
Even if the text is very late, it must be remembered that all those texts are refering to an oral tradition that is very ancient, and not to the arthurian romances. Myrddin is also called Lailoken in one of the welsh poems. The main theory would be (like lot of other arthurian legends) the legend of Lailoken originated in northern britain/southern scotland, in the 'Gwyr y Goggled', the Old North composed of Briton kingdoms, then passed to Wales where Lailoken became Myrddin, and then to Cornwall and Brittany (where he is known as Merzhin or Gwinklan in popular tradition), Lailoken may have been a real historic figure, but his legend is pan-britonnic and even pan-celtic.
III - Merlin
The name Merlin appears firstly in Geoffrey of Monmouth Work, in the Vita Merlini and Phropheciae Merlini. Geoffrey did probably mix the legends of Myrddin and Ambrosius. Both legends are associated with prophecies. It is sometimes argued that he did have some sources we can't access anymore, but in this case historians generaly tend to agry on the fact that the medieval character of Merlin is based on 2 different characters, at least.
Why the name Merlin? The latinisation of Myrddin would have been Merdinus, and that's has something to deal with the latin word for sh#t, this is the general argument why Geoffrey choosed Merlinus.
So... from:
http://www.berkshirehistory.com/legends/images/gundestrup.jpg
Cernunnos, celtic horned god, as showed on the Gundestrunp cauldron.
to:
http://magnaars.free.fr/fichiers/matrix/merlin.jpg
Merlin, teacher of Arthur, in the movie Excalibur.
For further reading:
Merlin on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_%28wizard%29)
Arthuriana article on Merlin (http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/n&q/myrddin.htm)