Through an extensive series of extracts and accompanying interpretative and contextual essays, this open access volume showcases the expertise in classical learning that flourished in medieval Gaelic Ireland. Providing translations of all excerpts, it situates better known ''antiquity sagas'' in the Middle Irish language, such as Togail Troi ( The Siege of Troy , based on Dares Phrygius), Imtheachta Aeniasa ( The Wanderings of Aeneas , based on Virgil''s Aeneid ), In Cath Catharda ( The Civil War , based on Lucan) and Togail na Tebe ( The Siege of Thebes , based on Statius), within the broader constellation of medieval Irish literature that references and engages with classical antiquity. Included are synchronistic poetry and world chronologies; lesser-known Irish poetry and prose recounting episodes from Graeco-Roman mythography and featuring, for instance, Jason and the Argonauts, Ulysses and Penelope, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, Daedalus and the Minotaur; linguistic and metaphysical tracts; place-name lore; and medieval historiographies of Alexander the Great, Hercules, and warriors of Irish legend recast as classical heroes. Creating access to this body of texts and revealing the marked influences of classical concepts on the imaginative resources of medieval Ireland fills a conspicuous lacuna in our knowledge of classical reception in European literatures. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the European Research Council, grant no. 818366.

Autorentext
Michael Clarke is Established Professor of Classics at the University of Galway, Ireland. Erich Poppe is the former Professor of Celtic Studies at the University of Marburg, Germany.Isabelle Torrance is Professor of Classical Reception and Director of the Centre for Irish Studies at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Inhalt
List of Illustrations
List of Contributors
Acknowledgements
A Guide to Editorial Practices for Middle Irish Texts, Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Culture of the Book and Classical Learning in the Gaelic Middle Ages, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh (University of Cambridge, UK) and Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)

2. The Irish Antiquity Sagas in Context, Ralph O'Connor (University of Aberdeen, UK)

   II. CHRONOLOGY AND CORRELATION

3. The First Fragment of the Annals of Tigernach, Patrick Wadden (Belmont Abbey College, USA)
4. Gilla Cóemáin's Annálad anall uile 'All the annals heretofore...', Peadar Mac Gabhann (Ulster University, UK)

5. Flann Mainistrech's Flaithius Rómán ríge glonn 'The sovereignty of the Romans was a kingship of feats of prowess', Peadar Mac Gabhann (Ulster University, UK)

   III. THE TROJAN WAR

6. Luid Iasón ina luing lóir 'Jason went in his ample ship', Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)
7. Togail Troí 'The Siege of Troy', Recension 1, Brent Miles (University of Toronto, Canada)
8. Togail Troí 'The Siege of Troy', Recension 2 from the Book of Leinster, Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)
9. Togail Troí 'The Siege of Troy', Recension 3, Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)

10. Don Tres Troí 'On the Third Troy', Brent Miles (University of Toronto, Canada)

    IV. ADAPTATION OF LATIN EPIC

11. Togail na Tebe 'The Siege of Thebes', Mariamne Briggs (Independent Scholar, UK)
12. Riss in Mundtuirc 'The Tale of the Necklace', Brent Miles (University of Toronto, Canada)
13. Imtheachta Aeniasa 'The Wanderings of Aeneas', Erich Poppe (University of Marburg, Germany)
14. In Cath Catharda 'The Civil War': The Prologue, Brigid Ehrmantraut (University of Cambridge, UK)
15. In Cath Catharda 'The Civil War': Literary Techniques, Maio Nagashima (University of Cambridge, UK)

16. In Cath Catharda 'The Civil War': The Influence of Scholia, Cillian O'Hogan (University of Toronto, Canada)

    V. MYTHOGRAPHY AND PSEUDOHISTORY

17. 'How Samson Slew the Gesteda', Brigid Ehrmantraut (University of Cambridge, UK)
18. Merugud Uilixis meic Leirtis 'The Wandering of Ulysses son of Laertes', Barbara Hillers (Indiana University, USA)
19. Fingal Chlainne Tanntail 'The Kin-Slaying of the Family of Tantalus', Robert Crampton (Independent Scholar, UK)
20. Sgél in Mínaduir 'The Story of the Minotaur', Barbara Hillers (Indiana University, USA)
21. Scéla Alaxandair 'The Saga of Alexander', Cameron Wachowich (University of Toronto, Canada)

22. Stair Ercuil ocus a Bás 'The History of Hercules and his Death', Gregory R. Darwin (Uppsala University, Sweden)

    VI. WORLD KNOWLEDGE AND INDIGENOUS TRADITION

23. Auraicept na nÉces 'The Scholars' Primer', Nicolai Egjar Engesland (University of Oslo, Norway)
24. Clann Ollaman uaisle Emna 'The nobles of Emain Macha are Ollam's descendants', Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)
25. Cogadh Gáedhel re Gallaibh 'The War of the Irish against the Foreigners', Máire Ní Mhaonaigh (University of Cambridge, UK)
26. Lebor Gabála Érenn 'The Book of Invasions of Ireland', John Carey (University College Cork, Ireland)
27. Dindshenchas Érend 'Knowledge of Ireland's Notable Places': The River Boyne, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh (University of Cambridge, UK)
28. Dindshenchas Érend 'Knowledge of Ireland's Notable Places': The Origins of Tara, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf (University of Cambridge, UK)
29. Suidiugud Tellaig Temra 'The Establishment of Tara's Dominion', Daniel Watson (Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies)

30. Scéla na Esérgi 'Treatise on the Resurrection', Elizabeth Boyle (National University of Ireland Maynooth, Ireland)

    VII. EPILOGUE

31. Classical Reception and Medieval Irish Texts, Isabelle Torrance (Aarhus University, Denmark)

32. Table of the Principal Manuscript Sources Used, Michael Clarke (University of Galway, Ireland)

    Notes
    Bibliography
    Index