Elatha
Encyclopedia
In Irish mythology
, Elatha or Elathan (modern spelling: Ealadha) was a prince of the Fomorians
and the father of Bres
by Eri
of the Tuatha Dé Danann
. The imagery surrounding him (he visits Ériu at night by sea on a silver boat) suggests he may once have been a moon god.
During the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh, Elathan, son of Dalbaech, watched over Dagda
's magic harp, Uaithne
, sometimes called Dur-da-Bla, the Oak of Two Blossoms, and sometimes Coir-cethar-chuin, the Four-Angled Music. He is said to have a sense of humor and a sense of nobility.
Though considered to be the Fomorian father of Eochu Bres, Elatha (Elada) was also the father of the Dagda, Ogma, a son named Delbaeth, and Elloth (the father of Manannan mac Lir) according to the Lebor Gabala Erinn. The mother of these "Tuatha De Danann" chiefs may have been Ethne, the mother of Lug, based on Ogma's often cited matronymic "mac Ethliu." Since Ethne was Fomorian, this means they are all Fomorians. This is rather confusing, but may betray the battle between the two groups as actually being about the new generation of gods displacing the older generation.
Before he left he had given her a ring from his own hand and had bade her give it only to the man whose finger it would fit. Eri brought out the ring and put it on the finger of Bres and it fitted him well. She and Bres and some of their followers then set out of the land of the Fomorians. At long last they came to that faraway land. Elathan the local King saw the ring on Bres’s hand and asked him the whole story and said that Bres was his own son. Elathan then asked Bres what it was that drove him out of his own country and his own kingship. Bres answered truthfully: “Nothing drove me out but my own injustice and my own hardness; I took away their treasures from the people and their jewels and their food itself. And there were never taxes put on them before I was their King. And still I am come to look for fighting men that I may take Ireland by force”. Elathan listened and then bade him go to the chief King of the Fomorians, Balar of the Evil Eye.
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
, Elatha or Elathan (modern spelling: Ealadha) was a prince of the Fomorians
Fomorians
In Irish mythology, the Fomoire are a semi-divine race said to have inhabited Ireland in ancient times. They may have once been believed to be the beings who preceded the gods, similar to the Greek Titans. It has been suggested that they represent the gods of chaos and wild nature, as opposed to...
and the father of Bres
Bres
In Irish mythology, Bres was a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His parents were Prince Elatha of the Fomorians and Eri, daughter of Delbaith. He was an unpopular king, and favoured his Fomorian kin...
by Eri
Eri
Eri can refer to:* Eri , a Japanese feminine given name* Erie International Airport in Erie, Pennsylvania, IATA airport code* Eri, a biblical figure* Eri , the progenitor of the Nri-Igbo* Eri, a type of silk from Assam, India...
of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
. The imagery surrounding him (he visits Ériu at night by sea on a silver boat) suggests he may once have been a moon god.
Overview
Elathan is quoted as being the "The beautiful Miltonic prince of darkness with golden hair". He was the son of Dalbaech and a king of the Fomor, he was father of Bres by Eri, a woman of the Tuatha de Danann. He came to her over the sea in a vessel of silver, himself having the appearance of a young man with yellow hair, wearing clothes of gold and five gold torcs. He was one of the Fomor who took part in the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh.During the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh, Elathan, son of Dalbaech, watched over Dagda
Dagda
The Dagda is an important god of Irish mythology.Dagda can also refer to:*Dagda, Latvia, a city in eastern Latvia*Dagda , an Irish New Age band...
's magic harp, Uaithne
Uaithne
In Irish mythology, Uaithne is the harp which belongs to The Dagda. It is sometimes called Dur da Blá, The Oak of Two Blossoms, and sometimes Coir cethar chuin, the Four Angled Music....
, sometimes called Dur-da-Bla, the Oak of Two Blossoms, and sometimes Coir-cethar-chuin, the Four-Angled Music. He is said to have a sense of humor and a sense of nobility.
Though considered to be the Fomorian father of Eochu Bres, Elatha (Elada) was also the father of the Dagda, Ogma, a son named Delbaeth, and Elloth (the father of Manannan mac Lir) according to the Lebor Gabala Erinn. The mother of these "Tuatha De Danann" chiefs may have been Ethne, the mother of Lug, based on Ogma's often cited matronymic "mac Ethliu." Since Ethne was Fomorian, this means they are all Fomorians. This is rather confusing, but may betray the battle between the two groups as actually being about the new generation of gods displacing the older generation.
Elathan and Bres
She told him that his father was Elathan, one of the Kings of the Fomorians; that he had come to her one time over a level sea in a great vessel that seemed to be of silver; that he himself had the appearance of a young man with yellow hair, his clothes decked with gold and five rings of gold around his neck. She had refused the love of all the young men of her own people, had given him her love and cried when he had left her.Before he left he had given her a ring from his own hand and had bade her give it only to the man whose finger it would fit. Eri brought out the ring and put it on the finger of Bres and it fitted him well. She and Bres and some of their followers then set out of the land of the Fomorians. At long last they came to that faraway land. Elathan the local King saw the ring on Bres’s hand and asked him the whole story and said that Bres was his own son. Elathan then asked Bres what it was that drove him out of his own country and his own kingship. Bres answered truthfully: “Nothing drove me out but my own injustice and my own hardness; I took away their treasures from the people and their jewels and their food itself. And there were never taxes put on them before I was their King. And still I am come to look for fighting men that I may take Ireland by force”. Elathan listened and then bade him go to the chief King of the Fomorians, Balar of the Evil Eye.
Names
These are the names that Elathan has gone by and where that name stems from.- Elatha - Rolleston (author): Myths and Legends of Celtic Race
- Elathan - Squire (author): Mythology of the Celtic People
- Elathan - Lady Gregory (author): Gods and Fighting Men