batch.motif.celtic-irish-gods-and-fighting-men-gregory-gutenberg-l3495-l3597
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-gods-and-fighting-men-gregory-gutenberg-l3495-l3597
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER IV. THE MORRIGU / CHAPTER V. AINE / CHAPTER VI. AOIBHELL / CHAPTER
VII. MIDHIR AND ETAIN; lines 3495-3597
start: '3495'
end: '3597'
translation: Gods and Fighting Men
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Etain, daughter of Etar of the Riders of the Sidhe, is seen by Eochaid
and brought to Teamhair as his wife. At a Samhain-season feast, Eochaid's brother
Ailell falls in love with her, becomes sick from desire and jealousy, and hides
the cause. A physician recognizes the illness as love or jealousy. Eochaid leaves
Etain to care for Ailell during his travels. Etain questions Ailell, learns that
his desire is for her, tends him, and finally promises a dawn meeting outside
the fort; when the hour comes, Ailell falls asleep and misses it.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The woman is described while letting down her hair to wash it, with white
hands, blue eyes, red lips, and a queen-like walk.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Etain identifies herself as the daughter of Etar, King of the Riders of the
Sidhe.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Eochaid gives Etain his love, pays the bride-price, and brings her to Teamhair
as his wife.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: A feast at Teamhair lasts from the fortnight before Samhain to the fortnight
after it, and the chief men of Ireland attend.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Ailell sees Etain at the feast, falls in love with her immediately, and keeps
looking at her until another woman notices.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: After the feast, desire and envy come on Ailell, and he becomes sick and wastes
away for a year without naming the cause.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Fachtna examines Ailell and says the sickness will not kill him, but comes
from jealousy or unfulfilled love.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Eochaid leaves Etain in charge of caring for Ailell and instructs her about
burial and an Ogham-inscribed pillar stone if Ailell dies.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: Etain questions Ailell about his illness and offers to help obtain the woman
who is tormenting him if such a woman exists.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: Ailell tells Etain that she herself could easily remove his sickness and describes
his desire as lasting as long as a year.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: Etain understands the cause of Ailell's sickness and continues tending him,
preparing food and pouring water over his hands.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:12
text: Etain tells Ailell to come at dawn to the house outside the fort, promising
to give him all his desire.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:13
text: Ailell lies awake during the night but falls asleep at the time he should
rise to meet Etain and sleeps until full daylight.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Etain
description: Beautiful woman; daughter of Etar, King of the Riders of the Sidhe;
wife of Eochaid; caretaker of Ailell during his illness.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Eochaid
description: King who sends for Etain, marries her after paying bride-price, visits
his sick brother, and later travels through the provinces under his kingship.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Ailell / Ailell Anglonach
description: Eochaid's brother; falls in love with Etain, becomes sick from desire
and envy, and is tended by Etain.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Fachtna
description: Eochaid's physician, sent to examine Ailell and identify the cause
of his illness.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Daughter of Luchta Lamdearg
description: Woman at the feast who notices Ailell looking at Etain and identifies
the look as a sign of love.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Etar
description: Named as King of the Riders of the Sidhe and father of Etain.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Sidhe king's daughter
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Etain names herself daughter of Etar, King of the Riders of the Sidhe.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: Bride and wife brought to Teamhair
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Eochaid pays her bride-price and brings her home to Teamhair as his wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: King and husband
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Eochaid marries Etain and is described as king over Irish provinces.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- id: role:4
label: Brother pair
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
basis: Ailell is identified as King Eochaid's brother, and Eochaid visits him in
illness.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: Caretaker of the sick man
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Eochaid orders Etain to care for Ailell, and she tends him daily.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: role:6
label: Lovesick suitor
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Ailell falls in love with Etain, wastes away, and says Etain herself could
cure him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: Physician and diagnoser
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Fachtna examines Ailell and identifies jealousy or unfulfilled love as the
source of illness.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: Observer of hidden desire
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: She notices Ailell's gaze and says it is a sign of love.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:9
label: Sidhe king and father
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Etain names Etar as her father and as King of the Riders of the Sidhe.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: water used in washing and tending
literal_form: Water connected with Etain washing her hair and later pouring water
over Ailell's hands.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:9
- id: sym:2
label: Ogham-inscribed pillar stone
literal_form: A pillar stone to be raised over Ailell's grave, with his name written
on it in Ogham if he dies.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:3
label: Samhain-season feast
literal_form: A feast at Teamhair lasting from the fortnight before Samhain to the
fortnight after it.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: dawn meeting outside the fort
literal_form: The promised meeting at break of day in the house outside the dun.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Etain's beauty and marriage to Eochaid
summary: Etain is described in terms of beauty and bearing, names herself as daughter
of a Sidhe king, and is brought to Teamhair as Eochaid's wife after bride-price
is paid.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Feast at Teamhair and Ailell's first desire
summary: During the long Samhain-season feast at Teamhair, Ailell sees Etain, falls
in love with her, and is noticed by another woman while gazing at her.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Ailell's wasting illness and diagnosis
summary: After the feast, Ailell is overcome by desire and envy, wastes away for
a year, and Fachtna diagnoses the illness as arising from jealousy or unfulfilled
love.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Eochaid entrusts Ailell to Etain
summary: Eochaid leaves to visit the provinces under his kingship and asks Etain
to care for Ailell, including burial instructions if he dies.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:5
label: Etain learns the cause of Ailell's sickness
summary: Etain speaks with Ailell, offers to help him, and learns from his words
that his desire is for her.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:6
label: Promised healing and failed dawn meeting
summary: Etain tends Ailell, promises to heal him, kisses him, and arranges a dawn
meeting outside the fort, but Ailell falls asleep at the appointed time.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Otherworldly or Sidhe beloved desired by human royal men
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_beloved
basis: Etain is identified as daughter of the King of the Riders of the Sidhe and
becomes the beloved wife of Eochaid; Ailell also falls in love with her and wastes
away from desire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage names Sidhe ancestry but does not explicitly describe Etain
as a goddess or divine being.
- id: motif:2
label: Love-sickness as wasting illness
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Ailell's hidden desire and envy make him sick for a year; the physician identifies
jealousy or unfulfilled love as the cause.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly names love-sickness.
- id: motif:3
label: King's marriage with a Sidhe woman at royal center
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_marriage
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Eochaid, a king, pays bride-price for Etain, daughter of a Sidhe king, and
brings her to Teamhair as his wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: low
cautions: The passage does not explicitly state that the marriage legitimates kingship
or has ritual-sacred force; the taxonomy match is therefore tentative.
- id: motif:4
label: Appointed tryst prevented by sudden sleep
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Etain sets a dawn meeting with Ailell outside the fort, but Ailell falls
asleep exactly when he should rise and misses the meeting.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not explain the cause of the sudden sleep within this
excerpt.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 3495-3502
quote_or_summary: Etain is shown letting down her hair to wash it and is described
with white hands, blue eyes, red lips, white body, moon-bright face, and queen-like
step.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 3504-3509
quote_or_summary: Etain says she is daughter of Etar, King of the Riders of the
Sidhe; Eochaid loves her, pays bride-price, and brings her to Teamhair as wife.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 3511-3523
quote_or_summary: At a long feast around Samhain, Ailell sees Etain, falls in love,
keeps looking at her, and is noticed by a woman who calls the look a sign of love.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 3525-3540
quote_or_summary: After the feast, Ailell is overcome by desire and envy, becomes
sick, wastes away for a year, and will not tell Eochaid the cause.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 3542-3550
quote_or_summary: Fachtna examines Ailell and says the sickness is not fatal and
comes either from jealousy or from love that has found no way out.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 3552-3560
quote_or_summary: Eochaid travels through the provinces and tells Etain to care
for Ailell; if Ailell dies, she is to make a grave, raise a pillar stone, and
write his name on it in Ogham.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 3562-3580
quote_or_summary: Etain visits Ailell, asks what ails him, and offers to help obtain
the woman tormenting him if such a woman is the cause.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 3582-3587
quote_or_summary: Ailell says Etain herself could remove his sickness and describes
his year-long desire as love spent on an echo, wave, or shadow.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 3588-3593
quote_or_summary: Etain understands the cause of the sickness, is troubled, and
continues to tend Ailell, preparing food and pouring water over his hands.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 3594-3596
quote_or_summary: Etain tells Ailell she will heal him, kisses him, and tells him
to come at daybreak to the house outside the fort.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 3597
quote_or_summary: Ailell lies awake until morning approaches, then falls asleep
at the time he should rise and sleeps until full daylight.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Passage events and figures are explicit. Some motif taxonomy assignments
are tentative because the excerpt does not state ritual or theological interpretation.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not explicitly support comparison beyond internal motif identification.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-gods-and-fighting-men-gregory-gutenberg__l3495-l3597
passage_sha256=e8eb9f70aa020ddc0affc406f6136c79cafb8456f3eb0599a4c63e7036726ccb