Aengus (deity)
Aengus is a deity from Irish mythology, revered as the god of love, youth, dreams, and inspiration, and is a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a tribe of gods associated with various aspects of life. He is the son of Dagda, a prominent deity in Irish lore, and Boann, a river goddess. Aengus's birth story involves a covert romance between his parents, as Dagda orchestrated events to ensure he could be with Boann while her husband, Nechtan, was away. Aengus grew up under the care of Midir, another god, and later discovered his true lineage, which led him to cleverly secure his own place in the sacred land of Brú na Bóinne.
One of Aengus's most famous myths involves his quest for his beloved Caer Ibormeith, whom he recognized amidst a group of swan-transformed girls. Their love story is marked by themes of longing and transformation, culminating in their union as swans. Aengus is often depicted with swans that symbolize love and is associated with a magical harp that inspires romance. He is believed to offer assistance in love-related matters to his worshippers through specific rituals. Aengus's enduring legacy is reflected in literature, including the poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W.B. Yeats, which explores his search for love.
Subject Terms
Aengus (deity)
Symbol: Swan
Culture: Irish
Mother: Boann
Father: Dagda
Siblings: Oghma (sometimes named Cermait)
Children: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne
Aengus was a god in Irish mythology and a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a tribe of gods representing different aspects of life and nature. Aengus is the Irish god of love, youth, dreams, and inspiration who intervenes in troubled romantic relationships. His father is Dagda, one of the most important gods in Irish mythology. It was Dagda who served as a father figure and guardian of the Danann. According to legend, Aengus was the child of Dagda and the river goddess Boann. Boann was happily married to Nechtan, god of the underworld, but Dagda had his sights set on a union with her. He repeatedly made attempts to seduce the goddess, but remaining ever faithful to her husband, Boann rejected his advances. Dagda, not one to be denied or embarrassed, arranged a mission that would ensure Nechtan’s absence for twenty-four hours. With Boann’s husband out of the way, Dagda managed to impregnate her and used his powers to keep the sun still for a total of nine months. Aengus was, therefore, conceived, grew in Boann’s womb, and birthed in just one day. Then he was taken away from his mother before Nechtan could return.
In Mythology
After Dagda took Aengus from his mother so that Nechtan would not learn of the events that occurred in his absence, he arranged for the child to grow up with a foster father, a god named Midir. Under Midir’s care, Aengus matured and was trained in combat. All the while, he believed that his true parents were dead. One day, when Aengus fought in combat, his opponent attempted to rattle the young god by telling him the true tale of his birth and his royal roots. Aengus, upset by this revelation, journeyed to Dagda’s home at Brú na Bóinne to confront his father. Dagda had already divvied up the sacred land, giving each of his children a share, but by the time Aengus had learned of his heritage, no shares of the land remained. Aengus, wanting to punish his father, used his cunning to trick Dagda into vacating the land. Aengus asked Dagda if he would allow Aengus to reside in Brú na Bóinne for a day and a night, and Dagda obliged. However, in the Irish language, there was no distinction between a day and a night and day and night. (This was a subtlety that Dagda hadn’t grasped.) As a result, Dagda had mistakenly agreed to allow Aengus to reside there forever.
One of the most famous myths involving Aengus details the events that led to the god’s marriage to his wife, Caer Ibormeith. Each night that Aengus slept, he had vivid dreams of a beautiful girl; soon he became infatuated with this girl of his dreams. Desperate to find her, Aengus searched far and wide with no luck, and soon he became heartsick. Aengus told his mother Boann of the girl, and seeing her son so distraught, she agreed to look for Caer herself. After searching for one year, Boann still had not found her. Next, Aengus’s father Dagda joined the search, devoting an additional year to the quest. But he had no more luck than Aengus or Boann had had. Finally, Dagda’s aide Bov the Red agreed to help look for the elusive girl, and after yet another year of searching, he finally identified that girl as Caer Ibormeith. However, when Aengus went to meet his love at the lake of the Dragon’s Mouth, he found 150 girls who were all chained together. During every second Samhain (the Gaelic festival that marked the start of winter), all of the girls would be transformed into swans. If Aengus could identify Caer among all of the swans, he would be allowed to marry her. Aengus turned himself into a swan and called out to his love, successfully identifying Caer. The pair flew off together as swans, singing a beautiful, magic song that put its listeners to sleep for three days and nights.
Origins and Cults
Aengus is closely related to the Celtic god Maponos, the god of youth, because Aengus’s name in Old Irish roughly translates to "Aengus the Young." Additionally, Maponos is associated with the Roman god Apollo, who, among many other things, is the god of music and poetry. A talent for poetry and music were two traits also important to Aengus.
Aengus is often depicted with four swans circling his head that are said to symbolize kisses. When the swans sing, all listeners who hear their song are overcome with love. Many believe that Aengus’s swans are the origin for the tradition of signing love letters with xxxx, a closing that represents four kisses. Additionally, Aengus is said to play a magical golden harp that also inspires love in its listeners. If lovers begin to fight and argue or if their relationship is threatened in any way, Aengus surrounds the couple with the music from his harp. Then they are reunited. Worshippers of Aengus believe that if called upon, the god will blow a kiss that turns into a swan; the swan will then carry messages to those in need. Aengus may be summoned if a person who needs help in his or her love life follows specific steps of invocation. Those who believe they require Aengus for any reason only need to hold or wear something that is pink or red in color. Then, while playing harp music, they should call upon Aengus for assistance.
The wife of Aengus, Caer Ibormeith, is the goddess of purity and dreams. Perhaps as a result of their union, Aengus is also believed to possess the power of dreams. Aengus carries dreams in a bag and gives them out so that people can dream of their lovers.
In Popular Culture
Aengus and his long, arduous search for his wife Caer is detailed in the poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus," which was written by the Irish poet William Butler Yeats.
Bibliography
"Aengus Óg." Bard Mythologies. Bard Mythologies. Bard Mythologies, 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
Blamires, Stephen. Magic of the Celtic Otherworld: Irish History, Lore & Rituals (Llewellyn's Celtic Wisdom). Woodbury: Llewellyn, 2007. Print.
Evans-Wentz, W.Y. (Walter Yeeling). The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. Electronic.
MacCulloch, J.A. The Religion of the Ancient Celts. Pyrrhus, 2014. Print.
Ollivierre, Sasha. Deities of Love and Lust. Charleston: CreateSpace Independent Platform, 2015. Print.
Yeats, William Butler. The Wind Among the Reeds. New York: Bodley Head, 1899. Print.