Dôn

Dôn (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈdoːn]) is a Welsh mother goddess. She does not play a direct part in the action of the Mabinogi, though many characters in that cycle are related to her. She is the mother of Arianrhod, Gwydion, Gilfaethwy, Gofannon, Eufydd, Elestron and Amaethon. Patrick K. Ford asserts that she is the equivalent of the Irish Danu and of the Gaulish goddess "whose name is preserved in the river name Danube (Donau)".[1]

This theonym appears to be derived from Proto-Celtic *Dānu meaning "fluvial water".[2]

The House of Dôn

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mathonwy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dôn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Math fab Mathonwy
 
Goewin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gwydion
 
 
 
Gilfaethwy
 
 
 
 
Arianrhod
 
 
 
Gofannon
 
 
 
Amaethon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dylan ail Don
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lleu Llaw Gyffes
 
Blodeuwedd
 

In astronomy

Llys Dôn (literally "The Court of Dôn") is the traditional Welsh name for the constellation Cassiopeia. At least two of Dôn's children also have astronomical associations: Caer Gwydion ("The fortress of Gwydion") is the traditional Welsh name for the Milky Way, and Caer Arianrhod ("The Fortress of Arianrhod") being the constellation of Corona Borealis.

See also

References

  1. Patrick K. Ford (ed./trans.). 1977. The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales. University of California Press, Berkeley. p.89
  2. Proto-Celtic—English lexicon and English—Proto-Celtic lexicon. University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. (See also this page for background and disclaimers.) Cf. also the University of Leiden database.

External links


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