>And remember, you can still break a geas. Unknowingly is the easy
method. Having
>two opposing geases is the classic
I don't buy it. Ignorance is no defence before the law - especialy divine law. A major theme in irish myth is a heroe's enemies tricking him into breaking a geas and then knobbling him. Having said that, Humakti and Yelmalion geases don't seem to be quite as powerfull and universaly binding as some of the irish geasa, perhaps because the benefits aren't as great either. Maybe some hero powers have associated geases as well?
Irish geases were also absolutely literal, and therefore often ambiguous. A geas that someone would be "killed by a door" might mean they will be killed while standing by a door, or be killed by the door itself. Cuchulan could not eat dog meat, but if he'd eaten it's blood (black pudding?) he'd probably have been fine.
> ......(accept all food offered/eat no dog meat, wasn't it, for
Cuchulain?)
I think Cuchulan was simply forced into a situation where he had to eat the dog meat or break the rules of hospitality. I don't think it was a specific geas, just good manners.
Simon Hibbs
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