CHARACTERS AND PRONUNCIATION OF NAMES

The language of the pre-Roman tribes is lost to us; we have no means of knowing the exact pronunciations although linguists make brave attempts, based on known living and dead languages, particularly modern and medieval Breton, Cornish and Welsh. The following are my best attempts at accuracy. You are free to make your own. The names of characters based in history are marked with an asterisk.

TRIBAL CHARACTERS

Airmid of Nemain—Air-med. Frog-dreamer, lover to Breaca. Airmid is one of the Irish names of the goddess.

Ardacos—Ar-dah-kos. She-bear warrior of the Caledones. Former lover to Breaca.

Bellos the Blind—Bell-oss. Former slave boy of the Belgae. Brought to Hibernia and then to Mona by Valerius. Now a dreamer of Mona.

*Breaca—Bray-ah-ca. Also known as the Boudica, from the old word “Boudeg” meaning Bringer of Victory, thus “She who Brings Victory.” Breaca is a derivative of the goddess Briga.

Braint—Braynt. Warrior of Mona who fought with Breaca in the invasion battles. Lover to Cygfa.

*Caradoc—Kar-a-dok. Lover to Breaca, father to Cygfa and Cunomar. Co-leader of the western resistance against Rome.

Civilis—Sivilis. An officer of the Batavian wing of the auxiliary cavalry who fought with Valerius in the invasion battles.

*Cunobelin—Koon-oh-bel-in. Father to Caradoc, now dead. Cun—“hound,” Belin, the sun god. Hence, Hound of the Sun or Sun Hound.

Cunomar—Koon-oh-mar. Son of Breaca and Caradoc. His name means “hound of the sea.”

Cygfa—Sig-va. Daughter of Caradoc and Cwmfen, half-sister to Cunomar.

Dubornos—Doob-ohr-nos. Singer and warrior of the Eceni, childhood companion to Breaca and Bán.

Eburovic—Eh-boor-oh-vik. Father to Breaca and Bán, now dead.

Efnís—Eff-neesh. Dreamer of the Eceni.

Eneit—En-ate. Soul-friend of Cunomar. His name means “spirit.”

Graine—Gran-ya; the first “a” is pronounced like the “o” in bonfire. Daughter of Breaca and Caradoc.

Gunovar—Goon-a-var. Daughter of Gunovic and a dreamer of the Dumnonii.

Hun—Hugh. A warrior of Mona, renowned for his skills with the sling. Fought with Valerius in the western wars against Longinus Sdapese’s cavalry.

Lanis—Lan-is. Mother of Eneit, and a dreamer of the Eceni.

Longinus Sdapeze—Long-guy-nus. Formerly of the auxiliary cavalry, now fighting as the Boudica’s war host. Lover to Valerius. His cracked and broken gravestone was found in Camuodunum (Colchester) during excavations.

Luain mac Calma—Luw-ain mak Kalma. Elder of Mona and heron-dreamer. A prince of Hibernia.

Macha—Mach-ah. The “ch” is soft as in Scottish “loch.” Bán’s mother, now dead. Macha is a derivative of the horse goddess.

Madb—Maeve. A warrior of the Hibernians.

Valerius—dreamer and warrior. Breaca’s half-brother, son of Macha and Luain mac Calma. Until recently an officer in the auxiliary cavalry. Formerly known as Bán.

ROMAN CHARACTERS

Latin is rather closer to our language, although we would pronounce the letter “J” as equivalent to the current “Y,” “V” would be “W” and “C” would be a hard “K” in all cases. However, this is so rarely used that it is simpler to retain standard modern pronunciation of these letters.

*Decianus Catus—procurator of all Britannia under Nero.

Flavius—standard-bearer to Ursus’ troop.

*Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a.k.a. Nero, emperor of Rome.

Petillius Cerialis—legate of the IX legion.

Quintus Valerius Corvus—prefect of the Ala Quinta Gallorum.

Sabinus—standard-bearer to the first troop, directly under Corvus’ command.

*Seneca—adviser to Nero, emperor of Rome.

*Suetonius Paulinus—governor of all Britannia.