Uiducus
AKA Mercury Uiducus/Viducus
Source: CIL XIII 576

His name means either "Mercury the Woodsman" (uidu- "wood, tree") or "Mercury the Wise" (uid- "see"); and indeed, in Celtic belief there may have been no difference. His name is related to that of the Welsh figure Gwydion, the nephew of Math and father of Lleu, who shares many of classical Hermes' traits, including larceny. Gwydion himself would derive from *Uidugenos, which would be similar to Uiducos, which according to Chris Gwynn contains the early patryonimic -ako-, here -uco-, making Uiducus and Gwydion essentially the same name, thus confirming Gwydion's deity status.


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Mary Jones © 2004