In modern English, the nouns vates ( / ˈ v eɪ t iː z / ) and ovate ( UK : / ˈ ɒ v ə t , ˈ oʊ v eɪ t / , US : / ˈ oʊ v eɪ t / ), are used as technical terms for ancient Celtic bards , prophets and philosophers. The terms correspond to a Proto-Celtic word which can be reconstructed as * wātis . They are sometimes also used as English equivalents to later Celtic terms such as Irish fáith "prophet, seer".
34-454: The terminology discussed in this article relates to an Old Celtic word which can be reconstructed as * wātis . This word is not directly attested, but is inferred from renderings into Greek and Latin and from its descendants in later Celtic languages. Vates in English is a borrowing of a Latin noun vātēs ( pronounced [ˈwaːteːs] ), "prophet, poet". This Latin noun was either
68-458: A Proto-Celtic word which can be reconstructed as * wātis . They are sometimes also used as English equivalents to later Celtic terms such as Irish fáith "prophet, seer". The terminology discussed in this article relates to an Old Celtic word which can be reconstructed as * wātis . This word is not directly attested, but is inferred from renderings into Greek and Latin and from its descendants in later Celtic languages. Vates in English
102-465: A cognate of Celtic * wātis (in which case the two words were descended from a common Italo-Celtic origin), or else a loanword directly from Celtic. Despite being borrowed from the Latin form, the English word is generally used to refer to ancient Celtic seers rather than Roman ones. Ovate in English is a borrowing and adaptation of a Greek rendering of the same Celtic term * wātis , first attested in
136-400: A facility for it; more importantly, it brought in much-needed income. Between 1837 and 1840, Carlyle delivered four such courses of lectures, the final of which was on "Heroes". His lecture notes were transformed into the book, with the effects of the spoken discourse still discernible in the prose. "The Hero as Man of Letters" (1840): Carlyle was one of the few philosophers who lived through
170-455: A pattern for others to imitate, and second as a creator, moving history forwards not backward (history being the biography of great men). Carlyle was among the first of his age to recognize that the death of God is in itself nothing to be happy about, unless man steps in and creates new values to replace the old. For Carlyle, the hero should become the object of worship, the centre of a new religion proclaiming humanity as "the miracle of miracles...
204-471: A person for their failings is the philosophy of those who seek comfort in the conventional. Carlyle called this "valetism", from the expression "no man is a hero to his valet ". University of British Columbia professor Michael K. Goldberg writes: The gospel of heroes met resistance from nineteenth-century liberalism for ignoring the masses; from Engels , at least, among nineteenth-century Marxists for being too religious and mystical; from some segments of
238-508: A place in the book in the lecture titled "The Hero as Prophet". In his work, Carlyle outlined Muhammad as a Hegelian agent of reform, insisting on his sincerity and commenting "how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades". His interpretation has been widely cited by Muslim scholars to show Muhammad without orientalist bias. Carlyle held that "Great Men should rule and that others should revere them,"
272-460: A view that for him was supported by a complex faith in history and evolutionary progress. Societies, like organisms, evolve throughout history, thrive for a time, but inevitably become weak and die out, giving place to a stronger, superior breed. Heroes are those who affirm this life process, accepting its cruelty as necessary and thus good. For them courage is a more valuable virtue than love; heroes are noblemen, not saints. The hero functions first as
306-651: Is a borrowing and adaptation of a Greek rendering of the same Celtic term * wātis , first attested in the work of the Ancient Greek writer Strabo . Strabo rendered the Celtic term in Greek in the plural as ouáteis ( οὐάτεις , Koine: [uáːtiːs] ). The English word ovate is pronounced the way it is due to a misunderstanding of how the Greek word was pronounced. Proto-Celtic * wātis developed in medieval Irish as fáith "prophet, seer". Less directly, it
340-439: Is a borrowing of a Latin noun vātēs ( pronounced [ˈwaːteːs] ), "prophet, poet". This Latin noun was either a cognate of Celtic * wātis (in which case the two words were descended from a common Italo-Celtic origin), or else a loanword directly from Celtic. Despite being borrowed from the Latin form, the English word is generally used to refer to ancient Celtic seers rather than Roman ones. Ovate in English
374-604: Is also the initial level one can attain in the modern Welsh Gorsedd of Bards. The Gorsedd is not a neo-druidic entity like the one mentioned above, but is more concerned with Welsh arts and culture; however, the ceremony and practices are largely based on reimaginings of druidism by Iolo Morganwg . vates In modern English, the nouns vates ( / ˈ v eɪ t iː z / ) and ovate ( UK : / ˈ ɒ v ə t , ˈ oʊ v eɪ t / , US : / ˈ oʊ v eɪ t / ), are used as technical terms for ancient Celtic bards , prophets and philosophers. The terms correspond to
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#1732780031995408-632: Is related to gwawd "panegyric" in Welsh . Celtic wātis is widely thought to have cognates in the Germanic languages, such as the Gothic term wods "possessed" (though Ludwig Rübekeil 2003 has suggested that the name of the Common Germanic deity * Wōđinaz may in fact be an early loanword, an adjective * vatinos based on Celtic vates ). If the Celtic word * wātis ,
442-516: Is used as a direct translation of the Welsh word ofydd (derived from the Roman poet Ovid) and it is also plausible that ovate is derived from ofydd . The earliest Latin writers used vates to denote prophets and soothsayers in general; the word fell into disuse in Latin until it was revived by Virgil . Thus Ovid could describe himself as the vates of Eros ( Amores 3.9). In pagan Rome
476-516: Is widely thought to have cognates in the Germanic languages, such as the Gothic term wods "possessed" (though Ludwig Rübekeil 2003 has suggested that the name of the Common Germanic deity * Wōđinaz may in fact be an early loanword, an adjective * vatinos based on Celtic vates ). If the Celtic word * wātis , the Latin vates , and similar Germanic words are cognates rather than borrowings, they can be derived from an Indo-European word *(H)ueh₂t-i- "seer". Virgil uses
510-535: The British Industrial Revolution but maintained a non-materialistic view of historical development. The book included lectures discussing people ranging from the field of religion through to literature and politics. The figures chosen for each lecture were presented by Carlyle as archetypal examples of individuals who, in their respective fields of endeavour, had dramatically impacted history in some way. The Islamic prophet Muhammad found
544-959: The Heroic in History On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History is a book by the Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher Thomas Carlyle , published by James Fraser , London, in 1841. It is a collection of six lectures given in May 1840 about prominent historical figures. It lays out Carlyle's belief in the importance of heroic leadership. The book was based on a course of lectures Carlyle had given. The French Revolution: A History had brought Carlyle recognition, but little money, so friends organized courses of public lectures, drumming up an audience and selling one guinea tickets. Though Carlyle disliked lecturing, he discovered
578-528: The Latin vannus " winnowing basket" (conceivably from *wat-nos , compare Old High German wadal , modern German Wedel , with the same meaning, from *wat-lo- ) for something carried about in the Bacchic festival, suggesting that the root may have had an ecstatic sense in Italic also. The likelihood of this etymology and its relevance to the word vates is, however, doubtful. "Ovate"
612-434: The Latin vates , and similar Germanic words are cognates rather than borrowings, they can be derived from an Indo-European word *(H)ueh₂t-i- "seer". Virgil uses the Latin vannus " winnowing basket" (conceivably from *wat-nos , compare Old High German wadal , modern German Wedel , with the same meaning, from *wat-lo- ) for something carried about in the Bacchic festival, suggesting that
646-576: The Prophet's greatness and bravery and austere living." Otto Weininger drew on this work to supplement his discussion of the masculine and the feminine in Sex and Character (1903). Frédéric Masson spoke favourably of the Carlylean hero in his introduction to the fifth volume of Napoléon et sa famille (1902) . Deena Weinstein detects the influence of On Heroes in the rock music phenomenon of
680-570: The authority of a druid according to Roman and Christian interpretation. Thomas Carlyle discussed the similarities and differences between the " Vates Prophet" and the " Vates Poet" in On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History (1841). Vates or Ovates make up one of the three grades of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids , a neo-druidism order based in England . An ovate
714-498: The enclave in the middle of Rome that had become the seat of the Roman Catholic Church.) According to the ancient Greek writers Strabo , Diodorus Siculus , and Poseidonius , the vates ( οὐάτεις ) were one of three classes of Celtic priesthood, the other two being the druids and the bards . The Vates had the role of seers and performed sacrifices (in particular administering human sacrifice ) under
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#1732780031995748-575: The established church for being too radical; and later from some twentieth-century democrats for being too tyrannical. Two reviews which appeared in the Christian Remembrancer in 1843 provide representative reactions to On Heroes . Archbishop of York William Thomson denounced Carlyle's syncretism , writing: "It is not a Christian Book." In response, theologian Frederick Denison Maurice defended Carlyle's emphasis on truth over semblances, as well as his ability to challenge and test
782-473: The hero to his concept of the Übermensch . Elizabeth Barrett Browning referenced the work in the 5th book of Aurora Leigh (1856). George Bernard Shaw took inspiration from On Heroes in his plays Arms and the Man (1894), The Man of Destiny (1897), Man and Superman (1905), and Back to Methuselah (1920). Mahatma Gandhi read "The Hero as Prophet" in his studies of Islam and "learnt of
816-499: The only divinity we can know". For Carlyle's creed Bentley proposes the name "heroic vitalism", a term embracing both a political theory, aristocratic radicalism, and a metaphysic, supernatural naturalism. The heroic vitalists feared that the recent trends toward democracy would hand over power to the ill-bred, uneducated, and immoral, whereas their belief in a transcendent force in nature directing itself onward and upward gave some hope that this overarching force would overrule in favor of
850-461: The other two being the druids and the bards . The Vates had the role of seers and performed sacrifices (in particular administering human sacrifice ) under the authority of a druid according to Roman and Christian interpretation. Thomas Carlyle discussed the similarities and differences between the " Vates Prophet" and the " Vates Poet" in On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History (1841). Vates or Ovates make up one of
884-529: The papacy was returned to Rome from Avignon (France) in the 14th century, the Vatican became the residence of the Pope, and the word Vatican came to refer to the enclave in the middle of Rome that had become the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. ) According to the ancient Greek writers Strabo , Diodorus Siculus , and Poseidonius , the vates ( οὐάτεις ) were one of three classes of Celtic priesthood,
918-408: The root may have had an ecstatic sense in Italic also. The likelihood of this etymology and its relevance to the word vates is, however, doubtful. "Ovate" is used as a direct translation of the Welsh word ofydd (derived from the Roman poet Ovid) and it is also plausible that ovate is derived from ofydd . The earliest Latin writers used vates to denote prophets and soothsayers in general;
952-421: The sincerity of readers that disagree with him. The impact of On Heroes on intellectuals and the reading public was deep and continued long after its publication. Richard Garnett wrote that its ideas were "echoed by all the best minds of [the] day", while Edmund Gosse reported in 1900 that "it is read by practically every one who reads at all". Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in 1883 that it
986-435: The strong, intelligent, and noble. For Carlyle, the hero was somewhat similar to Aristotle 's " magnanimous " man – a person who flourished in the fullest sense. However, for Carlyle, unlike Aristotle, the world was filled with contradictions with which the hero had to deal. All heroes will be flawed. Their heroism lay in their creative energy in the face of these difficulties, not in their moral perfection. To sneer at such
1020-457: The three grades of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids , a neo-druidism order based in England . An ovate is also the initial level one can attain in the modern Welsh Gorsedd of Bards. The Gorsedd is not a neo-druidic entity like the one mentioned above, but is more concerned with Welsh arts and culture; however, the ceremony and practices are largely based on reimaginings of druidism by Iolo Morganwg . On Heroes, Hero-Worship, %26
1054-576: The vates resided on the Vatican Hill, the Hill of the Vates. The Vatican Hill takes its name from the Latin word Vaticanus, a vaticiniis ferendis , in allusion to the oracles, or vaticinia , which were anciently delivered on the Vatican Hill. (When the papacy was returned to Rome from Avignon (France) in the 14th century, the Vatican became the residence of the Pope, and the word Vatican came to refer to
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1088-422: The word fell into disuse in Latin until it was revived by Virgil . Thus Ovid could describe himself as the vates of Eros ( Amores 3.9). In pagan Rome the vates resided on the Vatican Hill, the Hill of the Vates. The Vatican Hill takes its name from the Latin word Vaticanus, a vaticiniis ferendis , in allusion to the oracles, or vaticinia , which were anciently delivered on the Vatican Hill. (When
1122-440: The work of the Ancient Greek writer Strabo . Strabo rendered the Celtic term in Greek in the plural as ouáteis ( οὐάτεις , Koine: [uáːtiːs] ). The English word ovate is pronounced the way it is due to a misunderstanding of how the Greek word was pronounced. Proto-Celtic * wātis developed in medieval Irish as fáith "prophet, seer". Less directly, it is related to gwawd "panegyric" in Welsh . Celtic wātis
1156-471: Was "a very beautiful little book." Henry David Thoreau compared it favourably with previous writings on heroism such as Parallel Lives , opining that Carlyle "even leaves Plutarch behind." These lectures are regarded as an early and powerful formulation of the Great Man theory of historical development. Friedrich Nietzsche agreed with much of Carlyle's hero worship, transferring many qualities of
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