Most people with at least a passing acquaintance with the Morrigan know her as a fearsome goddess of war. And so she is. But she is very much more; among her many attributes she is a goddess of prophecy. In the existing writings of ancient Irish lore (mainly the work of Christian monks recording the pre-Christian oral traditions of Ireland during the 9th to 12th centuries CE) the Morrigan speaks prophetically numerous times. On occasion her words take one of several forms of traditional Irish poetry.
What we know as "The Morrigan's peace prophecy" appears near the end of the myth commonly known as the Second Battle of Moytura. She's addressing the victorious forces of the Tuatha De, the gods of Ireland, following their hard-won defeat of the monstrous alien invaders known as the Fomorians. There has been much destruction, many dead on both sides; her kinfolk and their armies stand in a blood soaked battlefield, catching their breath before taking stock of all that now faces them moving forward.
She reminds them that there was a reason for their fighting. That life does go on, and a better future awaits-
The Morrigan's Peace Prophecy
Peace to the sky
Sky above Earth
Earth below sky
Strength in each one
A cup overflowing
Full of honey
Mead in plenty
Summer in winter
Spear upon a shield
Shield on a warrior
A fort bold and fierce
Grieving cries are ended
Fleece from sheep
Crops on trees
A branch resting
Heavy with produce
Wealth of sons
A son under patronage
On the neck of a bull
A bull of magical poetry
Knots in trees
Trees for fire
Fire when wished for
Wished for earth
A memorial stone
A dwelling surrounded by prosperity
Green growth in the air
In spring and in autumn
Crops abound
Held secure the land
Land as far as the shore
Surrounded by a foreshore fair
With ever-sturdy woodlands
Extensive and ranging far
Have you any news?
Peace up to the sky
It will be eternal peace.
She reminds us of why we fight, and that there will come a time when we can stop fighting. What seems like an endless struggle really will end. It wasn't all in vain.
Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.
* Side note- Old and Middle Irish are notoriously hard to translate; some translators omit portions that are simply too difficult. As a result, there are a number of different translations. The one presented here is by no means the only possible version.