View source for Elatha

{{Short description|Irish mythological character}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2007}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Irish
| name = Elatha
| image = 
| member_of = [[Fomorians]]
| god_of = 
| abode = 
| battles = [[Cath Maige Tuired|Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh]]
| weapons = 
| artifacts = 
| parents = [[Delbaeth]]
| siblings = 
| consorts = [[Ériu|Eri]], [[Ethniu]], [[Étaín|Etain]]
| children = [[the Dagda]], Fiacha, Delbáeth, [[Ogma]], Allód, [[Bres]]
}}

In [[Irish mythology]], '''Elatha''', '''Elotha''',<ref name=":0">[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T300011/text021.html ''The Second Battle of Moytura'']</ref> '''Elier'''<ref>[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T300011/text094.html ''The Second Battle of Moytura'' Section 94]</ref> or '''Elada''' (modern spelling: '''Ealadha''') was a king of the [[Fomorians]] and the father of [[Bres]] by [[Ériu]] of the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]], as well as Delbaeth, [[Ogma]], Elloth (another name for Lir the father of [[Manannán mac Lir]]), and the [[Dagda]] by an unnamed mother.<ref>[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T100028/index.html ''The Irish Version of the Historia Britonum Nennius'', "Of the Conquest of Eri as Recorded by Nennius" Historia 8]</ref><ref>''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]'' [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html#55 §64] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715225248/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html#55#55 |date=2010-07-15 }}</ref> The imagery surrounding him suggests he may be associated with sources of light and illumination, such as [[solar deity|the sun]].<ref>''Ériu'', Volume 14. Royal Irish Academy, 1946. p.27</ref>
<!--  Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Fitzpatrick-Eri.JPG|thumb|'Bres and Elathan' by Jim Fitzpatrick]] -->

==Overview==

Elatha is described as being the "beautiful Miltonic prince of darkness with golden hair".  He was the son of [[Delbaeth]] and a king of the [[Fomorians|Fomor]], and he was the father of [[Bres]] by [[Ériu|Eriu]], a woman of the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]].<ref>{{cite web| last=Rees | first=Alwyn D. | author-link=Alwyn D. Rees | last2=Rees | first2=Brinley | author2-link=Brinley Rees | url = https://archive.org/stream/celticheritagean00rees#page/32/mode/2up| title = Celtic heritage : ancient tradition in Ireland and Wales}}</ref> He came to her over the sea in a vessel of silver, himself having the appearance of a young man with yellow hair, wearing clothes of gold and five gold [[torc]]s.  He was one of the [[Formorians|Fomor]] who took part in the [[Cath Maige Tuired|Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh]].

During the [[Cath Maige Tuired|Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh]], Elatha watched over his son [[the Dagda]]'s magic harp, [[Uaithne]], sometimes called Dur-da-Bla, "the Oak of Two Blossoms," and sometimes Coir-cethar-chuin, "the Four-Angled Music." He is said to have a sense of humor and a sense of nobility.

Though considered to be the [[Fomorian]] father of [[Bres|Eochu Bres]], Elatha (Elada) was also the father of [[the Dagda]], [[Ogma]], a son named [[Delbaeth]], and Elloth, elsewhere known as [[Lir]] (the father of [[Manannan mac Lir]]) according to the ''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]].''  The mother of these [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] chiefs may have been [[Ethniu|Ethne]], the mother of [[Lugh|Lug]], based on [[Ogma|Ogma']] often cited matronymic "mac Ethliu."  Since Ethne was Fomorian, this means they are all Fomorians.  This is rather confusing, but may portray the battle between the two groups as actually being about the new generation of gods displacing the older generation.

==Elatha and Bres==

''She told him that his father was Elatha, one of the Kings of the Fomorians; that he had come to her one time over a level sea in a great vessel that seemed to be of silver; that he himself had the appearance of a young man with yellow hair, his clothes decked with gold and five rings of gold around his neck. She had refused the love of all the young men of her own people, had given him her love and cried when he had left her.''<ref name=":0" />

Before he left he had given her a ring from his own hand and had bade her give it only to the man whose finger it would fit. [[Ériu|Eri]] brought out the ring and put it on the finger of [[Bres]] and it fit him well. She and [[Bres]] and some of their followers then set out of the land of the [[Fomorians]]. At long last they came to that faraway land. Elatha the local King saw the ring on [[Bres]]’ hand and asked him the whole story and said that [[Bres]] was his own son. Elatha then asked [[Bres]] what it was that drove him out of his own country and his own kingship. [[Bres]] answered truthfully: “Nothing drove me out but my own injustice and my own hardness; I took away their treasures from the people and their jewels and their food itself. And there were never taxes put on them before I was their King. And still I am come to look for fighting men that I may take Ireland by force”. Elatha listened but refused his aid, urging Bres to earn the kingship by justice. However, he also bade him go to the chief King of the [[Fomorians]], [[Balor|Balar of the Evil Eye]].<ref name=":0" />

==Names==
These are the names that Elatha has gone by and where that name stems from.

* '''Elatha''' - [[T. W. Rolleston]]: ''Myths and Legends of Celtic Race''
* '''Elathan''' - [[Charles Squire]]: ''Mythology of the Celtic People''
* '''Elathan''' - [[Lady Gregory]]: ''Gods and Fighting Men''

''Elathan'' is used incorrectly by Squire and Lady Gregory, as ''Elathan'' is the genitive case of Elatha and means 'of Elatha'.

According to Lady Gregory the etymology of ''Elatha''  is "art" or "knowledge" in the bardic sense.<ref>Lady Gregory, ''Gods and Fighting Men''</ref> The name Elathan could also mean "(he) of the art" the '''''n''''' is justified in this case. This could explain why Ogma (inventor of the ogham script) is son of Elatha(n) (bardic knowledge). Elatha is called "glory of weapons" and "a wolf of division against men of plunder" in the [[Lebor Gabála Érenn]].<ref>''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]'' [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html#55 §64] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715225248/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html#55#55 |date=2010-07-15 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/1/4/4/6/14465/14465.txt 'Gods and Fighting Men: The Story of the Tuatha de Danann and of the Fianna of Ireland' by Lady Gregory, 1905]
* [http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Kings&Queens/Fomorian/Kings/Elatha/Page1.htm Shee-Eire: Elatha] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911100002/http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic%26Mythology/Kings%26Queens/Fomorian/Kings/Elatha/Page1.htm |date=11 September 2007 }}
* [http://www.bifrost.it/CELTI/Schedario2/ElathaMacDelbaeth.html Schedario]

{{Celtic mythology (Mythological)}}

[[Category:Fomorians]]
[[Category:Irish gods]]