Fingala Chlainne Tanntail : text and context

This dissertation consists of four main sections:  The Text: a new edition and translation of the medieval Irish text known as Fingala Chlainne Tanntail (FCT), ‘The Kinslayings of the family of Tantalus’, which contains versions of several Classical narratives concerning Tantalus and his descendants down to Orestes. The Classical Context: a comparative analysis between the retrospective contents of FCT and analogues from the Classical tradition from the time of Homer until the approximate date of composition of FCT. The Medieval Irish Context: an assessment of the material in FCT which is unique to it among accounts of the Classical narratives which the text relates.  This unique material is both compared with examples found within the wider corpus of medieval Irish literature and examined from a thematic perspective. A Parallel Text to FCT: FCT is found in two manuscripts alongside several other vernacular works dealing with Classical material. The sources for several of these texts are, as in the case of FCT, unknown.  Only one, Merugud Uilix meic Leirtis, ‘The Wandering of Ulysses son of Laertes’ (an abridged, and idiosyncratic, version of part of the narrative of Homer’s Odyssey) is found in both manuscripts, which also contain FCT.  The content of Merugud Uilix meic Leirtis is compared to its analogues found in the Classical tradition, with reference to the findings in (ii) in relation to FCT. The thesis concludes by drawing together the findings of all four sections, with particular reference to the findings in (ii) concerning both the most likely types of source for the Classical material contained in FCT, and its unique content and apparent thematic preoccupations as discussed in (iii).  These results are placed in the context of those found in (iv) in relation to Merugud Uilix meic Leirtis.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo