Ys continues to take its place in the wider world. Gratillonius must insist that Ysan merchants do not evade Roman customs. There is too much hostility toward the city already.
Gratillonius trains Cynan in sword-fighting and converses with Maeloch. The latter waits beside:
"...the smoke-darkened relief of a scene in an ancient tale - the hero Belcar combating the demonic mermaid Quanis -" (2, p. 355)
That is prophetic of what Dahut will become, especially since Maeloch ponders Dahut's odd behaviour while he waits and she greets him later.
The narrative broadens out well beyond Ys. A young man with a religious vocation, called Sucat, tells Martinus how he escaped from enslavement in Hivernia and how he feels that the Hivernians cry out for the Light. Martinus renames Sucat for history:
"'...you'll reach the forefront of ministry; you will be Christ's patrician.'" (3, p. 362)
2 comments:
In fact, it was probably a family-bestowed name.
Incidentally, you can tell "Padraig" (Patrick) is a loan-word in Erse, because it begins with a "P". Initial "p" was dropped in Proto-Celtic, one of its defining sound-shifts.
(Exactly like initial "h" in some English dialects -- 'ouse in stead of house.)
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
If it was true, as the Andersons may have thought, that St. Patrick to be was a kinsman of St. Martin, having the latter rename Sucat would "save the appearances." Or, Sucat might have simply changed his name after becoming priest. As happens even now with some Catholic clergy and religious.
Ad astra! Sean
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