Talk:Belenus
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I'm not sure how to proceed here. Belenus is a Continental Celtic/Gaulish deity. He is not attested in Ireland or Wales, nor is Belenus the same as Bile, though it is possible Belenus is a related or cognate figure with Welsh Beli Mawr, they are not the same, nor do they have the same myths or attributes, so to speak
In Irish the figure Bile is not the same, even etymologically/linguistically, with the sacred tree, the Bile.
There is possibly a linguistic relationship between Belenus, and Beltaine, in that scholars think Bel- may mean "bright," and hence "sacred."
But We Don't Know. See MacKillip Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, s.v. Belenus, Bile, Beli Mawr, Beltaine; Proinsias MacCana s.v. Beltaine, Rachel Bromwich Triodd Ynys Prydain s.v. Beli Mawr. --DigitalMedievalist ---
I've rewritten some of the entry following your comments, but I've left in the reference to Britain - MacKillop mentions a shrine in Inveresk, Scotland. --Nicknack009 08:49, 15 Mar 2005 (UTC)
- The only relevant inscription at Inveresk that I can find mentions Apollo Grannus, not Apollo Belenus. There are inscriptions to Bellinus (sic) in Lancashire and County Durham, though. Q·L·1968 ☿ 23:58, 3 October 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Water associations
Why is this article in the category for sea and river gods? Not that I question the categorization--I have no knowledge of the subject--but the reason should be explained in the article. Katherine Tredwell 00:26, 23 July 2007 (UTC)
Both Beli and Balor were considered to be of the Formorian race (ie water giants). Beli, from what I can tell so far, can either be seen as an elaboration of "Bel" or related to Bel through the name "Balor." Though there is nothing on line linking "baleygr" (the etymology for balor) to "bolgios" - in can be inferred due to the link between bolgios and both beli and balor. The cattle link probably came from the fact that there is a different norse beli.
BALOR - balor=(orig) baleful eye, flaming eye, crimson eye, (later) evil eye, venomous eye, (later) the one eyed, the bright one; - / - beli (from) belgios, bolgios (from) balor (from) baleyg (from) baleygr (from) bal eygr=blaze eye, eye of fire, flaming eyed, fiery eyed, flame eyed, flaming eyed, furnace eyed, blazing eye, feeble eye, the struck looking, the burning eye, one with flaming eyes, with eyes blazing, in the blazing eye, (later) odin’s epithet, god of sunlight; - / - baleyg=flame eye, fiery eyed, the burning eye, with eyes blazing, the flaming eyed, flame eyed one, one with flaming eyes; - / - belgios, bolgios (from) bolg ios=(orig) lightning, he of the lightning, (later) white, shining, bright; - / - balor=(orig) fomorian sea giant king with glance that kills, (later) irish god of death and the underworld;
- (bolg) - bolg(Ir)=(orig) stomach, belly, tummy, womb, (later) bag, sack, leather bag;
- (bolg) – bolg(celt)=(orig) lightning, spear, (later) luminous, shine, flashing;
- (bel/bal) - bel=(orig) to shine, to be bright, (later) fire, flame, (later) bright, brightness, shining, brilliant, light, glitter, splendour, radiant, burning bright, fortunate, good, (later) the bright one, the shining one; - / - beli (wlsh) (from) bel (OI) (from) bael (OE) (from) bal (ON)=(orig) fire, great fire, flame, blaze, (later) bonfire, (later) pyre, funeral pile; - /- bael=fire, flame, blaze, bonfire, funeral pyre, bonfire; - / - beli=bright, brightness, shining, white, (later) the bright one, the bright and shining one, (symbols) horse, wheel; - /- bel=celtic sun god of light, fire, prosperity, healing, purification, agriculture and springtime, purification, healing, fire and light, represents spring’s returning warmth, lustful youth, patron of sheep and cattle; - / - beli=welsh sun god, celtic god of fire and light who is honoured on may first; /// beli=leader of the norse barking giants, brother of gerda, loved gerda’s husband frey who killed him with a stag horn; see Gerda; - / - beli=(orig) bellowing, moaning, howler, storm, (later) the stag; - / - beli (ON) (from) belja (ON)=(orig) to bellow, to roar, to shout, to moo, (later) bellowing animal, cow;
- (eage/ops) - eage, ege=(orig) eye, (later) aperture, hole, eye of the needle; - / - eage, ege (OE) (from) eygr (ON) (from) auga (ON) (from) ouga (OHG) (from) oculus (L) (from) ops (grk) (from) akshi (skrit)=the eye, the number two; - / - opsis (from) ops=eye, face, voice, resemblance, appearance of …; - / - opsis=(orig) face, (later) sight, view, vision, opinion, appearance, likeness, resembling, having the appearancee of … ; - / - auga, ouga, oculus=eye, the eye; - / - eygr=eyed, having eyes of a certain kind, having one or both eyes turned out, with fine eyes, with large eyes, (later) eyed; - / - ege=awe, fear, terror, dread, overawing influence; - / - ege (OE) (from) agi (ON) (from) opis (grk)=silent, awe inspiring, watchful; - / - agi=awe, terror, uproar, turbulence, discipline, constraint;- / - ophic=pertaining to serpents; - / - ophic (from) ophis, ophios=(orig) serpent, snake, (later) sly, cunning, malicious, artful; —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.77.37.48 (talk) 19:56, 25 February 2008 (UTC)