The Druids were the Priests - Magicians - of the Celtic people.

They were
Priests and Prietesses. Although since Christian times Druids have been identified as
wizards and soothsayers, in pre-Christian Celtic society they formed an intellectual
class comprising philosophers, judges, educators, historians, doctors, seers,
astronomers, and astrologers. The earliest surviving Classical references to Druids
date to the 2nd century B.C.
The word "Druidae" is of Celtic origin. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder (Gaius
Plinius Secundus, 23/24-79 A.D.) believed it to be a cognate with the Greek work
"drus," meaning "an oak." "Dru-wid" combines the word roots "oak" and "knowledge"
("wid" means "to know" or "to see" - as in the Sanskrit "vid"). The oak (together with
the rowan and hazel) was an important sacred tree to the Druids. In the Celtic social
system, Druid was a title given to learned men and women possessing "oak
knowledge" (or "oak wisdom").
The Druids emerged from the ancient Celtic tribes, at a time when the people had to
live close to nature to survive. By the light of the storyteller's fire, and with the play of
the harp, the Druids dreamed magic for their people. In the deep woods they would
gather, bringing together their mysticism and philosophy, their insight and learning.
Their spirit emerged from the the tides of the sea, the light of the sun, the wind in the
Oak, the cry of the deer. In this way, they created an institution that inspired,
frightened, and uplifted their world.
Druids filled the roles of judge, doctor, diviner, mage, mystic, and clerical scholar -
they were the religious intelligensia of their culture.
To become a Druid, students assembled in large groups for instruction and training,
for a period of up to twenty years.
The mythologies describe Druids who were capable of many magical powers such as
divination & prophesy, control of the weather, healing, levitation, and shapechanging
themselves into the forms of animals.

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Their education was so rigourous that at the end of it they were virtually walking
encycopaedias. A good word for them would seem to be "priests", yet I am reluctant
to use it for two reasons: The Romans never used it, and because Druids didn't
minister to congregations as priests do.
Rather, they had a clientele, like a lawyer, a consultant, a mystic, or a shaman would
have.
Caesar and his historians never referred to them as priests, but perhaps they could
not recognise them as priests since the Roman priesthood, officiating over an
essentially political religion, were primarily teachers and judges, with less emphasis
on being seers or diviners, whereas the Druids appeared to have both legal and
magical powers and responsabilities.
Some scholars have argued that Druids originally belonged to a pre-Celtic ('non-
Aryan') population in Britain and Ireland (from where they spread to Gaul), noting that
there is no trace of Druidism among Celts elsewhere - in Cisalpine Italy, Spain, or
Galatia (modern Turkey). Others, however, believe that Druids were an indigenous
Celtic intelligentsia to be found among all Celtic peoples, but were known by other
names.
With the revival of interest in the Druids in later times, the question of what they
looked like has been largely a matter of imagination. Early representations tended to
show them dressed in vaguely classical garb. Aylett Sammes, in his Britannia Antiqua
Illustrata (1676), shows a Druid barefoot dressed in a knee-length tunic and a
hooded cloak. He holds a staff in one hand and in the other a book and a sprig of
mistletoe. A bag or scrip hangs from his belt.
The main sources we have on what Druids did are the teachings and writings of
Roman historians, such data as archeological remains can provide, and mythological
literature recorded by monks in the eighth through twelfth century. Also, analogies
can be drawn between the Celts and such Indo-European cultures that existed
around the same time and had the same level of cultural achievement, such as the
Hindu people.
Archaeology is an excellent resource for the study of celtic history. Scientists have
uncovered the remains of votive offerings to the Gods in lake bottoms, bogs, and
"votive pits" (a narrow hole dug deep in the ground in which votive offerings are
buried), which tell us about Celtic religion. There are also the remains of celtic
fortresses, habitations, temples, jewelry and tools. These remains speak to us not of

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events and people in Celtic history, but what life was like, what their technological
capeability was, what food they ate, what crafts and trades they practiced, what
products they made and traded (which in turn tells us about their economy), and
where they travelled and how they got there. These facts about Celtic social life are
an important element for understanding Druidism, because it is necessary to
understand the whole culture in which Druidism was situated.
The Roman historians are another important source, though they wrote on the Celts
from their own points of view; Julius Caesar, for example, was in the process of
conquering Gaul (what is now France; a variant of Gaelic is still spoken in Brittany)
and therefore would have written a highly prejudiced account. Posidonius was trying
to fit the Druids into his own Stoic philosphy. There is also an attempt to cast the old
Celts in the role of the innocent and wise noble savage, uncorrupted by civilisation
and close to nature, as in the case of the writer Tacitus. Romans are usually under
stood as "hostile witnesses", but they are the only eyewitnesses that we have.
Nevertheless they were often impressed by the Druids' grasp of mathematical and
astronomical skill. One Roman author, Diogenes, placed the Druids on a list of the
ancient world's wisest philosophers; a list which included the Magi of Persia, the
Chaldeans (the priesthood of the Babylonians) and the Gymnosophists (an Hindu
sect which preceded the Yogis), all of whom were selected for their skill in
mathematics, physics, logic, and philosophy.
One of the problems with studying Druidism academically is that the Druids were the
subject of a number of persecutions and conquests, not only by the Romans, but also
by Norsemen, Normans, Saxons, and Christians. Much Druidic wisdom was
censored, evolved into something unrecognisable, or just plain lost; although it is true
that the Romans never invaded Ireland, so that country became a haven for Druidic
learning for a while.
A modern person seeking the Druid's path must attempt to reconstruct the wisdom
based on some or all of the sources discussed above. Yet in doing so, one discovers
that despite the enormous amount of cultural data presumed lost, the truly Celtic
disposition of the sources remains strong and clear. Much Druidic magic also can be
found in the writings of contemporary Irish and Scottish artists. The Irish Literary
Revival, with such authors as William Butler Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory, and
James Joyce, is one of this author's favourite expressions of Celtic spirit.
- Chris Witcombe

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 Sammes's drawing was subsequently copied and modified by
William Stukeley who shortened his beard, removed the
mistletoe, turned the bag at his side into a sort of bottle or
gourd, and placed an axe-head in his belt.
Besides observing that the name 'Druid' is derived from
"oak", it was Pliny the Elder, in his Naturalis Historia (XVI,
95), who associates the Druids with mistletoe and oak
groves: "The Druids...hold nothing more sacred than the
mistletoe and the tree on which it grows provided it is an oak. They choose the oak to
form groves, and they do not perform any religious rites without its foliage..." Pliny
also describes how the Druids used a "gold pruning hook" or "sickle" to gather the
mistletoe.
"Anything growing on those trees [oaks] they regard as sent from heaven and a sign
that this tree has been chosen by the gods themselves. Mistletoe is, however, very
rarely found, and when found, it is gathered with great ceremony and especially on
the sixth day of the moon... They prepare a ritual sacrifice and feast under the tree,
and lead up two white bulls whose horns are bound for the first time on this occasion.
A priest attired in a white vestment ascends the tree and with a golden pruning hook
cuts the mistletoe which is caught in a white cloth. Then next they sacrifice the
victims praying that the gods will make their gifts propitious to those to whom they
have given it. They believe that if given in drink the mistletoe will give fecundity to any
barren animal, and that it is predominant against all poisons."

Druizii si lumea lor enigmatica

Teodor Vargolici

In noua sa carte, Druizii si lumea lor enigmatica, aparuta la prestigioasa Editura Saeculum
I.O., eruditul om de cultura Dan Grigorescu abordeaza o problematica extrem de interesanta,

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din sfera cercetarilor referitoare la Europa arhaica din spatiul apusean, ale carei marturii
istorice s-au perpetuat de-a lungul secolelor, pana in contemporaneitate. Preocuparile sale in
acest domeniu se circumscriu in primul rand in formatia sa esentiala, de anglist, dar cu o larga
deschidere spre literatura universala, si, dupa cum insusi marturiseste, primele initieri dateaza
de peste o jumatate de secol, din anii studentiei, cand profesorul Virgiliu Stefanescu-
Draganesti ii reunea pe studentii sai, de doua ori pe saptamana, in cadrul unui cerc de studii
consacrate creatiei literare a celtilor si a anglo-saxonilor. In acea vreme, de limitare pana la
anularea contactelor stiintifice cu Occidentul, accesul la cele mai noi contributii asupra
civilizatiei si culturii celtice era practic irealizabil. Prin nobila sa misiune universitara si
culturala in SUA, apoi prin stradanii personale, Dan Grigorescu a izbutit sa acumuleze un
numar important de surse bibliografice axate pe aceste probleme, pe care le-a fructificat atat
in noua sa carte, cat si in cele anterioare, Civilizatii enigmatice din Nordul Americii si
Pietrele din Stonehenge tac. Urmarind sursele bibliografice indicate cu probitate si rigoare
stiintifica in subsolul paginilor, am dedus ca, pana acum, la noi nu s-a scris nimic despre locul
pe care druizii il ocupa in lumea de odinioara a celtilor. Asadar, un merit esential al lucrarii lui
Dan Grigorescu, Druizii si lumea lor enigmatica, consta in faptul ca reprezinta prima ampla
sinteza consacrata acestei probleme, bazata pe o temeinica documentare, realizata la un
superior nivel stiintific, interesand deopotriva pe specialisti si pe cititorii obisnuiti, dornici sa
cunoasca tainele istoriei.

Propunandu-si sa prezinte lumea enigmatica a druizilor, Dan Grigorescu s-a aflat in fata unei
situatii extrem de dificile, datorita faptului ca opiniile formulate pana acum sunt
contradictorii. Pornind de la scrierile invatatilor din antichitatea greco-romana, Posidonius din
Rhodos, Iuliu Caesar, Strabon, Tacit, Diodoms, Siculus, Pomponius Mela, Cicero, Lucan,
Dion Chrisostomul, Pliniu cel Batran, pana la cele ale cercetatorilor din perioada
contemporana, Anne Ross (Druids), Richard Toullain (La religion des Celtes), Miranda J.
Green (The World of the Druids), Stuart Piggott (The Druids), T.D. Kendrick (The Druids)
si altii, Dan Grigorescu a supus opiniile acestora unor confruntari echilibrate, obiective, fara a
da verdicte categorice, dar neezitand sa emita si puncte de vedere personale, sa incline spre
unele asertiuni pe care le considera mai judicioase si mai convingatoare. O prima constatare
este ca civilizatia celtilor era civilizatia unor populatii stabile, si nu a unor nomazi, druizii
aflandu-se pe treapta cea mai inalta a societatii celtice care vietuia in Irlanda, Tara Galilor,
Insulele Britanice, Bretania franceza, Scotia. "Cand au fost intalniti prima data - releva Dan
Grigorescu - druizii faceau parte din structura Galiei celtice". Majoritatea druizilor

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"proveneau din nobilimea Galiei, a Irlandei, a Tarii Galilor, a Britaniei". La modul ipotetic, se
arata ca Pliniu cel Batran "aduce marturii ce par sa sugereze ca druismul si-a avut obarsia in
Britania si ca, de acolo, s-a raspandit in tinuturile de pe Continent si in Irlanda." Cu prudenta,
Dan Grigorescu expune toate probele, atragand mereu atentia asupra caracterului lor
contradictoriu, care amplifica enigma druizilor. Istoricii si filosofii din antichitatea greco-
romana au vorbit despre druizi "ca despre o clasa de oameni invatati, filosofi si teologi".
Pomponius Mela, in secolul I d.Chr., ii numea "invatatori de intelepciune", afirmand despre ei
"ca stiau forma si dimensiunile universului, miscarile cerului si ale stelelor, vointa zeilor." La
fel sustinea si Caesar. Se stiu putine lucruri despre invataturile care nu priveau chestiunile
religioase, precizeaza Dan Grigorescu, "dar aproape de la toti cei care au scris despre druizi
aflam ca in centrul doctrinei lor morale statea convingerea ca sufletul e nemuritor; Caesar
spunea ca ei isi invata discipolii ca, dupa moarte, sufletul trece de la unul la altul. Si
Strabon vorbea despre credinta lor potrivit careia sufletul omenesc, la fel ca si universul, nu
poate fi nimicit. Primii scriitori consemneaza, simplu, ca druizii credeau in nemurirea
sufletului, pe cand cei de mai tarziu ca aceasta nemurire inseamna metempsihoza." Druizii,
releva Dan Grigorescu, acordau o mare atentie si astronomiei. Pentru ei, "astronomia avea,
inainte de toate, un rost practic: pe observatiile sale se sprijinea calculul matematic care
determina fixarea calendarului. Celtii - aflam de la Caesar si Pliniu - masurau timpul in
functie de fazele lunii. Istoricul crestin Hyppolitus din Roma (m. in 235) spunea ca druizii
vedeau viitorul folosindu-se de procedeele pitagoreice de calcul. Informatie plauzibila, de
vreme ce se stie foarte bine ca, inca din secolul al VII-lea i.Chr., mai multe asezari grecesti
fusesera intemeiate in sudul Galiei; cercetarile arheologice au scos la iveala dovezi
substantiale ale legaturilor dintre lumea mediteraneana si cea celtica din aceeasi perioada
indepartata.

Textele din antichitate contin insa si informatii in totala opozitie cu cele de mai sus. Unele,
remarca Dan Grigorescu, "se refera la niste vrajitoribarbari si despotici, celebrand, in
dumbravi ferite de privirile celorlalti membrii a tribului, ritualuri salbatice, intemeiate pe
fioroase sacrificii umane". Admitand ca sacrificiile umane si animale erau practicate de celti,
Dan Grigorescu nu indreptateste totusi reactia romanilor fata de druidieni: "Reactie cel putin
ciudata, de vreme ce sacrificiile - deopotriva umane si animale - se practicau si in alte foarte
multe locuri in lumea pre-crestina. E adevarat ca romanii renuntasera la ritualurile sacrificiale
cu cateva secole inainte de a fi patruns pe pamanturile celtilor; dar, in afara cumplitelor lupte
dintre gladiatori, se delectau, in circ, cu privelistea prizonierilor sfasiati de lei sau de alte fiare,

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ceea ce nu era neaparat semnul unei atitudini mai omenoase." Cea mai importanta consecinta
a influentei gandirii grecesti asupra druizilor a fost credinta lor in nemurirea sufletului. Unii
scriitori legau aceasta credinta de transmigratia sufletelor din filosofia pitagoreica. Insa Dan
Grigorescu nu impartaseste intru totul aceasta opinie, "pentru ca Pitagora sustinea ca sufletul
uman poate migra in orice trup viu, de om sau de orice alta vietuitoare, pe cand - dupa cum
aflam de la diferiti comentatori din vechime - druizii credeau ca el trece doar intr-un corp
omenesc."

Din multitudinea de probleme privitoare la lumea druizilor, pe care Dan Grigorescu le discuta
in remarcabila sa exegeza, asupra carora nu putem insista in spatiul limitat al acestei cronici,
un interes deosebit prezinta cele referitoare la druizi ca eroi literari. Datele despre celtii din
Galia sunt oferite de autori greci sau romani, pe cand cele despre irlandezi si druizii lor sunt
marturii directe si, deci, mai credibile. Cercetatorii si editorii documentelor literare medievale
de sorginte irlandeza au acordat o atentie speciala "stiintei druizilor de a profetiza viitorul,
puterilor lor magice si, mai rar, religiei lor. Ceea ce e explicabil: majoritatea textelor provin
din perioada crestina, cand teologia druidica era privita ca un sistem pagan, primejdios pentru
credinciosii noii religii. In acelasi timp, insa, irlandezii erau mandri de insusirile supranaturale
ale stramosilor lor, recunoscute si de straini; acreditarea druizilor cu aceste calitati e o
trasatura comuna tuturor textelor vechi". Una dintre personalitatile de seama ale
crestinismului irlandez a caror viata a fost repovestita intr-un amestec bizar de elemente
crestine si druidice e Sfanta Brigit, care a trait prin secolul al V-lea si care s-a aflat printre
fondatorii monahismului din tara ei. In 1630, noteaza Dan Grigorescu, la Manastirea Lisgoole
din comitatul Fermanagh, un calugar franciscan, Michael O'Clery, a compilat, din mai multe
manuscrise din secolul al XII-lea, o carte cunoscuta sub titlul Cartea invaziilor, care
povesteste istoria omenirii de la Adam si Eva pana la cucerirea Irlandei. Cele mai
semnificative informatii furnizate de aceste surse arhaice se refera la druizi. Un alt ciclu,
Ramura rosie, povesteste ispravile eroilor din Ulster. Cea mai cunoscuta piesa a ciclului, The
Tin B, e un poem epic, scris, probabil, in secolul al VII-lea sau al VIII-lea. Pe Continent,
druizii au devenit un motiv de mandrie nationala. Pentru francezi, ei simbolizau glorioasa
istorie a galilor, in 1532 Jean le Fvre scriind Les fleurs et antiquitez des Gaules, o il est
trait des anciens philosophes Gaulois appelez Druides. In Germania, Esaias Pufendorf a
scris, in 1650, o Dissertatio de Druidibus. In 1724, William Stukeley publica Itinerarium
Curiosum, in care punea laolalta monumentele neolitice si movilele funerare din Epoca
Bronzului pe seama druizilor. In finalul fundamentalei sale exegeze comparatiste, Dan

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Grigorescu subliniaza contributia lui Mircea Eliade la stabilirea originii indo-europene a
druidismului: "Carturarul roman reuseste sa puna in evidenta stravechile radacini ale religiilor
indo-europenilor. Ni se infatiseaza, astfel, o imagine mult mai clara - sprijinita pe exemple
atestate de arheologie si de textele foarte vechi - decat cea oferita de partizanii teoriei potrivit
careia druidismul fusese preluat de celti, deopotriva de cei de pe Continent si de cei insulari,
de la misteriosii locuitori ai Britaniei pre-celtice. Intr-adevar, ce altceva poate indreptati o
asemenea ipoteza in afara unor aluzii fragmentare la un asemenea proces de asimilare despre
obarsiile caruia nu se cunoaste aproape nimic? Poate ca unor concluzii de felul celor
formulate de cercetatorii culturilor indo-europene le lipseste ispititoarea vibratie romantica pe
care o transmite lumea enigmatica a Britaniei de dinainte de celti, a Britaniei care a ridicat
monumentul de la Stonehenge, nici astazi explicat in chip satisfacator de cercetatorii
preistoriei si ai proto-istoriei acestor locuri. Dar datele pe care le pune in lumina comparatia
intre aspectele diverselor traditii mitice si religioase de pe imensul teritoriu dintre Himalaya si
Atlantic stabilesc cu rigoare semnificatiile asemanarilor dintre simbolurile mistice sau dintre
episoadele legendelor si basmelor, reducand la minimum pericolul simplelor coincidente.
Concluzia potrivit careia enigmatica religie a celtilor apartine vastei civilizatii indo-europene
e astazi acceptata de aproape toti specialistii".

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