Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

30 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race
[44]
vigorous, independent, fiery-hearted women, like Maeve, Grania,
Findabair, Deirdre, and the historic Boadicea, who figure in the
myths and in the history of the British Islands.
Rice Holmes on the Gauls
The following passage from Dr. Rice Holmes' “Cæsar's
Conquest of Gaul” may be taken as an admirable summary of
the social physiognomy of that part of Celtica a little before the
time of the Christian era, and it corresponds closely to all that is
known of the native Irish civilisation:
“The Gallic peoples had risen far above the condition of
savages; and the Celticans of the interior, many of whom had
already fallen under Roman influence, had attained a certain
degree of civilisation, and even of luxury. Their trousers,
from which the province took its name of Gallia Bracata,
and their many-coloured tartan skirts and cloaks excited the
astonishment of their conquerors. The chiefs wore rings
and bracelets and necklaces of gold; and when these tall, fairhaired
warriors rode forth to battle, with their helmets wrought
in the shape of some fierce beast's head, and surmounted by
nodding plumes, their chain armour, their long bucklers and
their huge clanking swords, they made a splendid show.
Walled towns or large villages, the strongholds of the various
tribes, were conspicuous on numerous hills. The plains were
dotted by scores of oper hamlets. The houses, built of timber
and wickerwork, were large and well thatched. The fields
in summer were yellow with corn. Roads ran from town to
town. Rude bridges spanned the rivers; and barges laden with
merchandise floated along them. Ships clumsy indeed but
larger than any that were seen on the Mediterranean, braved
the storms of the Bay of Biscay and carried cargoes between
the ports of Brittany and the coast of Britain. Tolls were
exacted on the goods which were transported on the great
waterways; and it was from the farming of these dues that the
nobles derived a large part of their wealth. Every tribe had its
coinage; and the knowledge of writing in Greek and Roman