A day in the life of a Celtic Druid - Philip Freeman
-
0:08 - 0:13As the sun rises on a
fall morning in 55 BCE, -
0:13 - 0:17Camma lays two pigeons on the altar
at the center of her village. -
0:17 - 0:21She offers a prayer to Matrona
mother goddess of the Earth, -
0:21 - 0:24and Lugus chief of the gods.
-
0:24 - 0:26Then, she wrings the birds’ necks
-
0:26 - 0:31and cuts them open to examine their
entrails for divine messages. -
0:31 - 0:33Camma is a druid.
-
0:33 - 0:35This means she conducts religious rites,
-
0:35 - 0:39but she also serves as a judge, healer,
and scholar, -
0:39 - 0:43teaching children and mediating conflict
between Celtic tribes. -
0:43 - 0:46She began her studies as a child,
-
0:46 - 0:50memorizing the countless details
necessary to perform her many roles, -
0:50 - 0:55since the druids’ knowledge is considered
too sacred to record in writing. -
0:55 - 0:59Like many druids, she spent years
studying in Britain. -
0:59 - 1:02Now, she is a resident Druid
of the Veneti tribe -
1:02 - 1:05in a small farming village near the
western coast of Gaul, -
1:05 - 1:08in what is now France.
-
1:08 - 1:11Since returning to Gaul, she has received
many offers of marriage– -
1:11 - 1:16but she has decided to devote herself
to her work, at least for now. -
1:16 - 1:19This morning, the omens are troubling.
-
1:19 - 1:23They tell of war and strife, as they often
have in recent months. -
1:23 - 1:25A neighboring tribe, the Redones,
-
1:25 - 1:31have raided their village and stolen
cattle in broad daylight twice this fall. -
1:31 - 1:34The children have gathered around
to watch her work. -
1:34 - 1:37Camma plays her lyre and sings to them.
-
1:37 - 1:41She weaves stories of the powerful kings
who once ruled their land – -
1:41 - 1:45brave warriors who were slain naked
in combat but who will be reborn, -
1:45 - 1:48as will all the Celts.
-
1:48 - 1:50When the children go off
to help in the fields, -
1:50 - 1:55Camma heads across the village to visit
an old woman with an eye infection. -
1:55 - 1:57On the way to the old woman’s hut,
-
1:57 - 2:00she passes men salting pigs for the
winter food supply -
2:00 - 2:03and women weaving clothing from dyed wool.
-
2:03 - 2:06She delivers a remedy for the injured eye–
-
2:06 - 2:09it’s made from mistletoe,
a sacred healing plant, -
2:09 - 2:11but deadly if used incorrectly.
-
2:11 - 2:15From there, Camma visits the chieftain
to discuss the omens. -
2:15 - 2:19She convinces him to go and talk through
their problems with their neighbors. -
2:19 - 2:21Accompanied by several warriors,
-
2:21 - 2:23they head through the forest and demand
a meeting -
2:23 - 2:26outside the Redones’ village walls.
-
2:26 - 2:28The Redones’ representatives bring
their own druid, -
2:28 - 2:32who Camma recognizes from the annual
gathering in central Gaul -
2:32 - 2:34where head druids are elected.
-
2:34 - 2:38The chieftains immediately begin to argue
and threaten each other. -
2:38 - 2:42Camma steps between the opposing sides
to stop them from fighting— -
2:42 - 2:44they must honor her authority.
-
2:44 - 2:49Finally, the Redones agree to pay
Camma’s tribe several cattle. -
2:49 - 2:54In spite of this resolution, Camma still
feels uneasy on the long walk home. -
2:54 - 2:59As they approach the village walls,
a bright streak shoots across the sky— -
2:59 - 3:02another omen, but of what?
-
3:02 - 3:06Back home, Camma sits among the elders
for her evening meal of porridge, -
3:06 - 3:09a bit of meat, and a cup of wine.
-
3:09 - 3:13While they were out during the day,
an intercepted parchment arrived. -
3:13 - 3:16Camma recognizes the writing immediately.
-
3:16 - 3:19Although the druids are forbidden from
recording their knowledge, -
3:19 - 3:24she and many other young druids
can read Latin. -
3:24 - 3:28From the message, she learns that the
Romans are drawing closer to their lands. -
3:28 - 3:33Some of the elders say that the tribe
should flee to the nearby hills and hide, -
3:33 - 3:38but Camma counsels them to trust
in the gods and remain in their home. -
3:38 - 3:40Privately, she has her doubts.
-
3:40 - 3:44Should the Romans reach them,
her power to help might be limited. -
3:44 - 3:46Unlike the other Celtic tribes,
-
3:46 - 3:50Roman legions have no regard for
the druids’ sacred role as peacemakers. -
3:50 - 3:52Before going to bed,
-
3:52 - 3:55she observes the course of the planets
and consults her charts, -
3:55 - 3:59trying to make sense of the
meteor she saw earlier. -
3:59 - 4:04The signs are converging on a larger
threat than their neighbors.
- Title:
- A day in the life of a Celtic Druid - Philip Freeman
- Speaker:
- Philip Freeman
- Description:
-
View full lesson:
A day in the life of a Druid
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 04:09
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Tara Ahmadinejad edited English subtitles for A day in the life of a Celtic Druid |