Re: Cymerians?

From: tgpedersen@...
Message: 7003
Date: 2001-04-05

--- In cybalist@..., "Joesph S Crary" <pva@...> wrote:
> Here is the referrence to the Cimmeri in Homer
>
>
> HOMER THE ODYSSEY
>
> BOOK 11
>
> [Chapter]
> autar epei rh' epi nêa katêlthomen* êde thalassan, nêa
> men ar pamprôton erussamen eis* hala dian, en d' histon
> tithemestha kai histia nêi melainêi, en de ta mêla* labontes
> ebêsamen*,an de kai autoi bainomen achnumenoi* thaleron kata dakru
> cheontes. hêmin d'au katopisthe neos kuanoprôiroio ikmenon
> ouron hiei plêsistion, esthlon hetairon,Kirkê* euplokamos,
> deinê theos audêessa. hêmeis d' hopla* hekasta
> ponêsamenoi* kata nêa hêmetha: tên d' anemos te
> kubernêtês t' ithune. tês de panêmeriês* tetath'
> histia pontoporousês:duseto t'êelios skioônto te pasai
> aguiai.
>
> hê d' es peirath' hikane bathurroou Ôkeanoio**. entha de
> Kimmeriôn* andrôn dêmos te polis te*, êeri kai nephelêi
> kekalummenoi*: oude pot' autous êelios phaethôn kataderketai*
> aktinessin, outh' hopot'an steichêisi pros ouranon asteroenta,
> outh' hot' an aps epi gaian ap' ouranothen* protrapêtai, all' epi
> nux oloê tetatai deiloisi brotoisi+. nêa men enth' elthontes
> ekelsamen, ek de ta mêla heilometh': autoi d' aute para rhoon
> Ôkeanoio êiomen, ophr' es chôron* aphikometh', hon phrase*
> Kirkê.
>
> Rendering
> Then, after this we went down to shore [to set] the ship to sea,
> [and] here we drug her along the ground [and] to briny stream,
[and]
> there to plant [a] mast and [spread] her [big] black sail, then
board
> [as] goats in step then ourselves [in] grieving stride, [and]
freshly
> fallen tears. Good mates, then [a] favored [gust] from behind
filled
> afresh the sail and stirred direct her dark blue prow, [sent by]
> Kirke the fair-haired dreaded god that speaks with human voice,
then
> by plan [that] all would suffer pain and toil, the ship sunk down,
> that [only] wind and helm [could made] the route.
>
> Then, every day the sail stretched out to [make] the sea race by,
to
> outstrip the shadow of the sun [and speed] the entire route. Then
by
> these efforts [we] came to the wave-fill ocean stream [and] then to
> the Kimmerion [a] people, country, and town wrapped in a fog that
> never parts to lets the sun's shine to look down, to beam, nor
> budge when starry heaven come around, neither when [it rises] from
> the ground, nor when urged on falls back down. Likewise here pushed
> in deathly darkness cower mortal men bound aboard a ship [thus]
> driven, then as goats [are] grasped in hand, again we [are yanked]
> aside the ocean's flow, in order to come aground, and this it was
> as
> Kirke [had] foretold.
>
> Traditional Rendering
> Then, when we had got down to the sea shore we drew our ship into
the
> water and got her mast and sails into her; we also put the sheep on
> board and took our places, weeping and in great distress of mind.
> Circe, that great and cunning goddess, sent us a fair wind that
blew
> dead aft and stayed steadily with us keeping our sails all the time
> well filled; so we did whatever wanted doing to the ship's gear and
> let her go as the wind and helmsman headed her.
>
> All day long her sails were full as she held her course over the
sea,
> but when the sun went down and darkness was over all the earth, we
> got into the deep waters of the river Okeanos, where lie the dêmos
> and city of the Cimmerians who live enshrouded in mist and darkness
> which the rays of the sun never pierce neither at his rising nor as
> he goes down again out of the heavens, but the poor wretches live
in
> one long melancholy night. When we got there we beached the ship,
> took the sheep out of her, and went along by the waters of Okeanos
> till we came to the place of which Circe had told us.
>
>
> I'll get back to you on your questions
>
>
> Joseph

At least you (or rather the classical authors you have quoted) have
convinced me. If (part of) the Cimmerians ended up in Himmerland that
would explain also how the Gundestrup cauldron got there (perhaps it
was hidden later from invading Danes?).

www.unc.edu/courses/art111/celtic/catalogue/Gundestrup/kauldron.html

www.himmerland.dk/museumscenteraars_eng.htm

Torsten