Ethics of a Celtic Warrior<bR>
                 Robert Barton<p>

                     Ethics are the principles of proper behavior, and some system of ethics 
                 or morality is taught in every culture, society and religion. Those of us who 
                 are modern Celtic Reconstructionists often try to base a large portion of our 
                 personal ethics on the ethical code of our ancestors. We can examine general 
                 ethical principles and practices by study of a variety of sources, from 
                 general folktales and the mythos system to the oldest recorded laws of these 
                 people.<P>
                     What we see emerging from these laws and tales is a system very concerned 
                 with the balance and maintenance of societal and spiritual contracts. Another 
                 very important aspect of this system is responsibility for ones own actions 
                 and decisions. When the balance has been upset in a social contract, the laws 
                 are used to return the situation to a state of balance rather than to punish. 
                 Unlike the legal systems of the Middle East which were often structured to 
                 seek retribution and to punish.<P>
                     There is, however, at least one source in which a set of basic rules for 
                 proper ethical conduct is set forth in a clear and concise treatise designed 
                 for that purpose alone. Attributed, like so many other lessons, to the great, 
                 third century Irish king, Cormac mac Art as his instructions to his son, they 
                 are simple and easy to understand. Clear enough for a child, yet 
                 comprehensive enough for a king this one text may be the single best Celtic 
                 source for the learning of practical Pagan Celtic ethical behavior. Any 
                 person interested in following a Pagan Warrior spiritual path should spend 
                 time in regular study of this story.<P> 
                     Partially given here below, this tale is so clear that it has no need of 
                 theoretical explanation or long-winded moral interpretation. It only needs 
                 simple examination, for it contains a clarity that is heard even seventeen 
                 centuries removed from the speaking.<P> 

                     "O Cormac, grandson of Conn. What habits were with you in your youth?" 
                 asked Cairbre.<bR>
                     "Not hard." Said Cormac
                     "I was a listener in a wood...a gazer at stars...unseeing among 
                 secrets...silent in the wilds...conversational among many...mild in the 
                 mead-hall ... fierce in battle ... gentle to allies ... healer to the ill ... 
                 weak toward the feeble ... strong toward the powerful.
                 I was not close lest I become burdensome ... arrogant though I was wise...a 
                 promiser though I was with wealth ... boastful though I was with skill ... 
                 venturesome though I was with swiftness.
                 I would not speak ill of the absent ... deride the aged in my youth ... 
                 reproach, I would praise ... ask, but I would give.<P>
                     "Through these habits will the young become old and kingly warriors."
                 "O Cormac grandson of Conn, what is good for me?" asked Cairbre.<br> 
                 "Not hard." Said Cormac<br>
                 "Do not deride the aged when you have youth ... the poor when you have wealth 
                 ... the lame when you are swift ... the blind though you have sight ... the 
                 ill when you have strength ... the dull when you are clever ... the foolish 
                 though you are with wisdom."
                 "Be no too wise ... too foolish ... too conceited ... too diffident ... too 
                 haughty ... too humble ... too talkative ... too silent ... too harsh ... too 
                 feeble."
                 "If you are too wise, they expect much ... too foolish, you will be deceived 
                 ... too conceited, you will be vexing ... too humble, you will be without 
                 honour ... too talkative, you will not be heard ... too silent, you will not 
                 be regarded ... too harsh, you will be broken ... too feeble, you will be 
                 crushed."<p>
                     "O Cormac, what is the worst thing that you have seen?" said Cairbre.<bR> 
                     "Not hard" said Cormac.<bR> "The faces of foes in the rout of battle"
                     "O Cormac, what is the sweetest thing that you have heard?" asked Cairbre.
                     "Not hard" said Cormac."The shout of triumph after victory, praise after 
                 wages, the invitation to the pillow of a lady."<P>

                     There is quite a bit more to this story, some of which was obviously 
                 added in later to reflect the new religion. But the above section appears to 
                 be consistent and without additions. This story has been used to train 
                 warriors in Ireland for centuries. For the sake of brevity, I have removed 
                 repetitive phrases, but the original conversation is given in a very formal 
                 form. I invite you to look at the various translations and examinations of 
                 this story that are available.<P>

                     "Selections From Ancient Irish Poetry" translated by Kuno Meyer, pg. 
                 105-6, Constable & Company, London. 1911<bR>
                     "The Story of the Irish Race" Seumas macManus, pg. 50-1, Devin-Adair 
                 Company, Old Greenwich<P>
<A HREF="https://maol.tripod.com/index-2.html">HOME</a><br>


  
   
<!-- \/ starthtml -->
<html>
 <head>
   <!-- The block of META tags is required by Homepage Studio  -->
   <!-- to identify this file as created by Freeform Editor.   -->
   <!-- Please do not remove them, but feel free to append     -->
   <!-- them with your personal data below. Meta tags help     -->
   <!-- search engines identify the content of your page.       -->
   <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
   <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="enter keywords here">
   <META NAME="description" CONTENT="enter a description here">
   <META NAME="author" CONTENT="enter your name here">
   <META NAME="generator" CONTENT="FreeFormEditor 1.0">
   <TITLE></TITLE>
 </head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" link="#0000EE" vlink="#551A8B"><!--'"</title></head>-->

<script type="text/javascript">
//OwnerIQ
var __oiq_pct = 50;
if( __oiq_pct>=100 || Math.floor(Math.random()*100/(100-__oiq_pct)) > 0 ) {
var _oiqq = _oiqq || [];
_oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageBrand','Lycos']);
_oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageCat','Internet > Websites']);
_oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageLifecycle','Intend']);
_oiqq.push(['oiq_doTag']);
(function() {
var oiq = document.createElement('script'); oiq.type = 'text/javascript'; oiq.async = true;
oiq.src = document.location.protocol + '//px.owneriq.net/stas/s/lycosn.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(oiq, s);
})();
}
//Google Analytics
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount','UA-21402695-19']);
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName','tripod.com']);
_gaq.push(['_setCustomVar',1,'member_name','maol',3]);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
//Lycos Init
function getReferrer() {
var all= this.document.cookie;
if (all== '') return false;
var cookie_name = 'REFERRER=';
var start = all.lastIndexOf(cookie_name);
if (start == -1) return false;
start += cookie_name.length;
var end = all.indexOf(';', start);
if (end == -1) end = all.length;
return all.substring(start, end);
}
function getQuery() {
var rfr = getReferrer();
if (rfr == '') return false;
var q = extractQuery(rfr, 'yahoo.com', 'p=');
if (q) return q;
q = extractQuery(rfr, '', 'q=');
return q ? q : "";
}
function extractQuery(full, site, q_param) {
var start = full.lastIndexOf(site);
if (start == -1) return false;
start = full.lastIndexOf(q_param);
if (start == -1) return false;
start += q_param.length;
var end = full.indexOf('&', start);
if (end == -1) end = full.length;
return unescape(full.substring(start, end)).split(" ").join("+");
}
function generateHref(atag, template){
atag.href=template.replace('_MYURL_', window.location.href.replace('http://', '')).replace('_MYTITLE_','Check%20out%20this%20Tripod%20Member%20site!'); 
}
var lycos_ad = Array();
var lycos_onload_timer;
var cm_role = "live";
var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com";
var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded";
var tripod_member_name = "maol";
var tripod_member_page = "maol/barton1.html";
var tripod_ratings_hash = "1714071124:50c7821ff2228094d0fa666c6e0a8b71";

var lycos_ad_category = {"dmoz":"sports\/martial_arts","ontarget":"&CAT=sports%20and%20recreation","find_what":"jewellry__"};

var lycos_ad_remote_addr = "209.202.244.9";
var lycos_ad_www_server = "www.tripod.lycos.com";
var lycos_ad_track_small = "";
var lycos_ad_track_served = "";
var lycos_search_query = getQuery();
</script>

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script>

<script type='text/javascript'>
 var googletag = googletag || {};
 googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || [];
 (function() {
   var gads = document.createElement('script');
   gads.async = true;
   gads.type = 'text/javascript';
   var useSSL = 'https:' == document.location.protocol;
   gads.src = (useSSL ? 'https:' : 'http:') +
     '//www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js';
   var node = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
   node.parentNode.insertBefore(gads, node);
 })();
</script>

<script type='text/javascript'>
 googletag.cmd.push(function() {
   googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_300X250_dfp', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-0').addService(googletag.pubads());
   googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_above_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-1').addService(googletag.pubads());
   googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_below_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-2').addService(googletag.pubads());
   googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();
   googletag.enableServices();
 });
</script>


<script type="text/javascript"> 
(function(isV)
{
    if( !isV )
    {
        return;
    }
    var adMgr = new AdManager();
    var lycos_prod_set = adMgr.chooseProductSet();
    var slots = ["leaderboard", "leaderboard2", "toolbar_image", "toolbar_text", "smallbox", "top_promo", "footer2", "slider"];
    var adCat = this.lycos_ad_category;
    adMgr.setForcedParam('page', (adCat && adCat.dmoz) ? adCat.dmoz : 'member');
    if (this.lycos_search_query)
    {
        adMgr.setForcedParam("keyword", this.lycos_search_query);
    } 
    else if(adCat && adCat.find_what)
    {
        adMgr.setForcedParam('keyword', adCat.find_what);
    }
    
    for (var s in slots)
    {
        var slot = slots[s];
        if (adMgr.isSlotAvailable(slot))
        {
            this.lycos_ad[slot] = adMgr.getSlot(slot);
        }
    }

    adMgr.renderHeader();
    adMgr.renderFooter();
}((function() {

var w = 0, h = 0, minimumThreshold = 300;

if (top == self)
{
    return true;
}
if (typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number' )
{
    w = window.innerWidth;
    h = window.innerHeight;
}
else if (document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.documentElement.clientHeight))
{
    w = document.documentElement.clientWidth;
    h = document.documentElement.clientHeight;
}
else if (document.body && (document.body.clientWidth || document.body.clientHeight))
{
    w = document.body.clientWidth;
    h = document.body.clientHeight;
}
return ((w > minimumThreshold) && (h > minimumThreshold));
}())));




window.onload = function()
{
    var f = document.getElementById("FooterAd");
    var b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0];
    b.appendChild(f);
    f.style.display = "block";
    document.getElementById('lycosFooterAdiFrame').src = '/adm/ad/footerAd.iframe.html';
    


    
    // DOM Inj Ad
    (function(isTrellix)
    {
        var e = document.createElement('iframe');
        e.style.border = '0';
        e.style.margin = 0;
        e.style.display = 'block';
        e.style.cssFloat = 'right';
        e.style.height = '254px';
        e.style.overflow = 'hidden';
        e.style.padding = 0;
        e.style.width = '300px';


        var isBlokedByDomain = function( href )
        {
            var blockedDomains = [
                "ananyaporn13000.tripod.com",
                "xxxpornxxx.tripod.com"
            ];
            var flag = false;
            
            for( var i=0; i<blockedDomains.length; i++ )
            {
                if( href.search( blockedDomains[ i ] ) >= 0 )
                {
                    flag = true;
                }
            }
            return flag;
        }

        var getMetaContent = function( metaName )
        {
            var metas = document.getElementsByTagName('meta');
            for (i=0; i<metas.length; i++)
            { 
                if( metas[i].getAttribute("name") == metaName )
                { 
                    return metas[i].getAttribute("content"); 
                } 
            }
            return false;
        }
        
        var getCommentNodes = function(regexPattern)
        {
            var nodes = {};
            var nodesA = [];
            var preferredNodesList = ['a', 'c', 'b'];
        
            (function getNodesThatHaveComments(n, pattern)
            {
                if (n.hasChildNodes())
                {
                    if (n.tagName === 'IFRAME')
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
                    for (var i = 0; i < n.childNodes.length; i++)
                    {
                        if ((n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 8) && (pattern.test(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)))
                        {
                            var areaName = pattern.exec(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)[1];
                            nodes[areaName] = n;
                        }
                        else if (n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 1)
                        {
                            getNodesThatHaveComments(n.childNodes[i], pattern);
                        }
                    }
                }
            }(document.body, regexPattern));

            for (var i in preferredNodesList)
            {
                if (nodes[preferredNodesList[i]])
                {
                    if( isTrellix && nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode )
                    {
                        nodesA.push(nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        nodesA.push( nodes[preferredNodesList[i]] );
                    }
                }
            }
            return nodesA;
        }
        
        
        var properNode = null;
        var areaNodes = getCommentNodes( new RegExp( '^area Type="area_(\\w+)"' ) );

        for (var i = 0; i < areaNodes.length; i++)
        {
            var a = parseInt(getComputedStyle(areaNodes[i]).width);
            if ((a >= 300) && (a <= 400))
            {
                properNode = areaNodes[i];
                break;
            }
        }


        var propertyName = getMetaContent("property") || false;
        if( isTrellix && (properNode) )
        {
            e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html';
            properNode.insertBefore(e, properNode.firstChild);
        }
        else if( isTrellix && !( properNode ) ) // Slap the ad eventhought there is no alocated slot
        {
            e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html';
            e.style.cssFloat = 'none';
            var cdiv = document.createElement('div');
            cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;";
            cdiv.appendChild( e );
            b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild);
        }
        else if( !isBlokedByDomain( location.href ) )
        {
            var injF = document.createElement('iframe');
            injF.style.border = '0';
            injF.style.margin = 0;
            injF.style.display = 'block';
            injF.style.cssFloat = 'none';
            injF.style.height = '254px';
            injF.style.overflow = 'hidden';
            injF.style.padding = 0;
            injF.style.width = '300px';
            injF.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html';

            if( b && ( !isTrellix || ( typeof isTrellix == "undefined" ) ) ) // All other tripod props
            {
                var cdiv = document.createElement('div');
                cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;";
                cdiv.appendChild( injF );
                b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild);
            } 
        }
  }( document.isTrellix ));
}

</script>

<div id="tb_container" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-bottom:1px solid #393939; position:relative; z-index:999999999!important">
<!--form name="search" onSubmit="return searchit()" id='header_search' >
<input type="text" placeholder="Search" size=30 name="search2" value="">
<input type="button" value="Go!" onClick="searchit()">
</form>
<style>
form#header_search {
    width: 916px;
    margin: 0 auto 8px;
    position: relative;
}


form#header_search input {
    height: 40px;
    font-size: 14px;
    line-height: 40px;
    padding: 0 8px;
    box-sizing: border-box;
    background: #F4F2E9;
    border: 1px solid #BBB8B8;
    transition: background-color 300ms ease-out,
                color 300ms ease;
}

form#header_search input[type="text"] {
    width: 100%;
}
form#header_search input[type="text"]:focus {
    border-color: #A2D054;
    background-color: #fff;
    box-shadow: 0 0px 12px -4px #A2D054;
}



form#header_search input[type="button"] {
    position: absolute;
    top: 1px;
    right: 1px;
    opacity: 1;
    background: #DFDCCF;
    color: #463734;
    width: 125px;
    cursor: pointer;
    height: 38px;
    border: none;
}
form#header_search input[type="text"]:focus ~ input[type='button']:hover,
form#header_search input[type='button']:hover {
    background-color: #A5CE56;
    color: #fff;
}
form#header_search input[type="text"]:focus ~ input[type='button'] {
    background-color: #52AEDF;
    color: #fff;
}

</style>

<script>
function searchit(){
    
    // determine environment 
    var search_env 
    if (lycos_ad_www_server.indexOf(".pd.") > -1) {
       search_env = 'http://search51.pd.lycos.com/a/';
    } else if (lycos_ad_www_server.indexOf(".qa.") > -1) {
       search_env = 'http://search51.qa.lycos.com/a/';
    } else {
       search_env = 'http://search51.lycos.com/a/';
    }

var search_term = encodeURIComponent(document.search.search2.value)
var search_url = search_env+search_term;
window.open(search_url);

return false
}
</script-->
<style>
    .adCenterClass{margin:0 auto}
</style>
<div id="tb_ad" class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;">

<div id="ad_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px ">
<script type="text/javascript">
if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "leaderboard" in lycos_ad) {
  document.write(lycos_ad['leaderboard']);
}
</script>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "slider" in lycos_ad) {
  document.write(lycos_ad['slider']);
}
</script> <!-- added 7/22 -->
<div id="FooterAd" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> 
<div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;">
<div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px">
<iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe>
</div>
</div>
</div>



</body>
</html>
<!-- /\ end html  -->