Lebor Gabála Érenn
The Lebor Gabála Érenn [' l ʴ efore gəva ː la ' e ː r ʴ eN ] (" The Book of the revenue of Ireland ," " The Book of acquisitions of land in Ireland ," neuirisch Leabhar Gabhála Éireann ) is probably in the 9th century arisen and compiled in the 11th century compilation in Irish language medium of different stories and poems that tell a mythical history of Ireland. The Lebor is narrated in two different versions, first in the Lebor Laignech ( "The Book of Leinster " ) and in the Leabhar Mór Leacain ( " The Big Book of Lecan ").
Work history
The Lebor Gabála Érenn based on a combination of biblical narratives, fragments of ancient authors, local traditions and many learned inventions. It is also known as the Book of Invasions and based inter alia on the following books:
- Augustine, De Civitate Dei, 413-426
- Orosius, Historiae adversum Pagano, 417
- Eusebius of Caesarea, Chronicon, Latin translation Temporum liber, 379
- Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, 7th century
The aim of the authors was to connect local historical traditions with the Bible and the World chronicles. He falls back on very heterogeneous materials which could partly date back to the 7th century. So an early version already in the Lebor Dromma Snechta ( "The Book of Druim Snechta " ) was adopted. The Book of Invasions was, among others, by Geoffrey Keating for his Foras Feasa ar Éirinn ( " knowledge base on Ireland ", usually abbreviated "History of Ireland " ) and by the authors of Annala Ríoghdhachta Éireann ( " Annals of the Four Masters " ) used as a source.
The novel describes the succession of settlements or conquest of the island, mostly to distinguish six stages: First came Cessair, then Partholon and Nemed, the Firbolg, the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians finally, which are called as the actual ancestors of the Irish Gaels. In the form of Euhemerism these figures pre-Christian mythology should be presented as historical people. Until the late 17th century, the Lebor Gabála Érenn was viewed as a historical reality, but then more and more classified as historical misrepresentation.