Fomorian? Giants?
Via Ancient Origins (I learned of FOMORIAN on WHAT ON EARTH)
As a race of supernatural beings, the Fomorians are described as having the power to control certain forces of nature, notably the more destructive ones, including winter, crop-blight, and plague. The last of these is often mentioned in the texts as the means by which the Fomorians ultimately triumph over their enemies. During their invasion of Ireland, for instance, the Fomorians encountered the Partholons, the first invaders of the island, and they are said to have fought many battles with them. After several years of fighting, the Fomorians succeeded in defeating the Partholons when they unleashed a plague upon them.
The origins of the Fomorians are also uncertain, though many sources mention that they arrived in Ireland on ships. In some sources, they are described as having dark skin and dark hair, thus leading to the speculation that the Fomorians sailed all the way to Ireland from Africa or Asia. In other sources, the Fomorians are painted as grotesque abominations. One account, for example, depicts them as having only one eye, one leg, and one arm, whilst another portrays them as having the bodies of human beings, but with the heads of goats. It may be mentioned, however, that good-looking Fomorians may also be found in the ancient sources. One of these, for example, is Elatha, a king of the Fomorians, who was described as handsome and golden-haired.
In some sources the Fomorians are painted as grotesque abominations. ( CC BY SA )
War and Enslavement
It may be added that Elatha was also different from the other Fomorians in terms of personality. Elatha is described in Irish mythology as being interested in justice. For example, when his son, Bres, wanted to go to war with the Tuatha Dé Danann, another supernatural race, Elatha refused to join him, as he reckoned that the cause for war was unjust. By contrast, other Fomorians are portrayed as warlike and blood-thirsty.
In general, stories say the Fomorians took pleasure in waging war, and when they conquered other races, they would proceed to enslave them. This happened, for instance, to the Nemeds, who attempted to invade Ireland after the Fomorians. (sounds so familiar to the ANCIENTS (minoan).
This happened as well to the Tuatha Dé Danann during the reign of Bres. The oppressive rule of this king resulted in the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, during which the Tuatha Dé Danann succeeded in freeing themselves from the tyranny of Bres.
The Tuatha Dé Danann as depicted in John Duncan's "Riders of the Sidhe." (1911) ( Public Domain )
References
Baurley, T., 2012. Ireland’s First Mythical Inhabitants: The Fomorians. [Online]
Available at: http://www.technogypsie.com/faerie/?p=222
Curious Ireland, 2015. The Fomorians. [Online]
Available at: http://curiousireland.ie/the-fomorians/
Joe, J., 1999. Fomoire. [Online]
Available at: https://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/fomorians.html
Koltypin, A., 2009. Fomorians - Demon-Snakes from Irish and Welsh legends, Equal in Magic to Tuatha de Danann. [Online]
Available at: http://earthbeforeflood.com/fomorians.html
Lindemans, M. F., 1999. Fomorians. [Online]
Available at: http://www.pantheon.org/articles/f/fomorians.html
Shee-Eire, 2017. The Fomorians. [Online]
Available at: http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Races/Formorians/Page1.htm
Sutherland, A., 2017. Fomorians In Irish Myths And Legends: Race Of Demonic Giants Who Inhabited Ireland And Scotland. [Online]
Available at: http://www.ancientpages.com/2017/05/20/fomorians-in-irish-myths-and-legends-race-of-demonic-giants-who-inhabited-ireland-and-scotland/
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