Triads

A triad is a type of text found in Middle Welsh and Old Irish in which knowledge is organized into groups of three in a single category. Below are some sample of triads from the Llyfr Coch Hergest (Red Book of Hergest):

Three Men Who Received The Might Of Adam:
Hercules the Strong, and Hector the Strong, and Samson the Strong. They were, all three, as strong as Adam himself.
Three Men Who Received the Beauty of Adam:
  • Absalom son of David;
  • Jason son of Aeson;
  • Paris son of Priam.
      • They were, all three, as comely as Adam himself.
Three Women Who Received The Beauty Of Eve in three third-shares:
  • Diadema, mistress of Aeneas White-Shield,
  • and Elen (Helen) the Magnificent, the woman on whose account was the destruction of Troy,
  • and Polixena, daughter of Priam the Old, king of Troy.
Three Chieftains of Arthur’s Court:
  • Gobrwy son of Echel Mighty-Thigh,
  • and Ffleudur Fflam son of Godo,
  • and Caedrieith son of Seidi.

And some from Ireland

Three enemies of the soul:
the world, the devil, and an impious teacher.

— Colman maccu Beognae’s Alphabet of Piety (Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie, III., p. 452)

Three poets of the world:
Homer of the Greeks, Vergil of the Latins, Ruman of the Gaels.

— Book of Leinster, p. 354b.

hree disagreeable things at home:
a scolding wife, a squalling child, and a smoky chimney.

–Limerick, ca. 19th century

Since triads are found in both Irish and Welsh, it’s likely that the tradition of composing triads is ancient, but it’s a living tradition that was equally applied to Biblical, Greco-Roman and native Celtic lore. Triads are also a fascinating source of mysterious references to Celtic lore which may or may not have been recorded elsewhere.

But those mysteries are for other scholars. On this site, I will be composing some MODERN triads. This endeavor was initially inspired by my very own corgi, Glyndwr, a hound who has fully embraced his Welsh heritage of being alternatively charming and moody, delighting in the cool autumn breezes, navigating steep hillsides and always, always checking up on the neighbors.