HORIZONS: EXPLORATION AND FANTASY

EGYPTIAN TEXTS

• Harkhuf's travels in Nubia - the Old Kingdom dignitary Harkhuf detailed his travels in Nubia south of Egypt, the primary goal of which was to conduct trading missions to the lost kingdom of Yam.

CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY

• An Atlantic island - pseudo-Aristotle and Diodorus Siculus on a fantastic island discovered in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Dionysius Skytobrachion on the Libyan Amazons - the story of the Libyan Amazons and their conquests, as well as their neighbours the Atlantians and Gorgons.
• Hanno and Himilco: Carthaginian explorers in classical sources - translations of classical works ascribed to or describing the voyages of Carthaginian explorers such as Hanno, Himilco and Magus.
• Herodotus on expeditions outside the Pillars of Heracles - Herodotus gives a number of accounts of explorations by the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Persians and Greek sailors of Phocaea and Samos.
• Ovid's Metamorphoses: the tale of Phaethon - Ovid's version of the tragic story of the son of the sun god's fateful date with his father's chariot.
• Phantom continents - An anthology of various classical sources - Theopompus, Plutarch, Cicero and Euhemerus among them - on various phantom continents and islands.
• On the Wonders Beyond Thule - A translation of Photius' epitome of Antonius Diogenes' novel On the Wonders Beyond Thule.

IRISH TALES

BRENDANIANA

St. Brendan is the protagonist in a wide range of stories featuring his quest for the Promised Land of the Saints.

• Navigatio Sancti Brendani - the classic Latin text.
• Betha Brenainn Clúana Ferta - a lengthy Irish version featuring new adventures with additional material including a trip to Britain.
• Betha Bhrenainn meic Fhinnlogha - another Irish language account.
• Material pertinent to St. Brendan in Da Apostl. Decc na hÉrenn.

THE IMMRAMA

Christian tales of oceanic exploration.

• Immrama curaig Mail Dúin - Máel Dúin and friends seek vengeance, find wonders.
• Immrama Hua Corra - the Uí Corra seek and find redemption - and the verges of hell - in the far ocean.
• Imrum Snedhghusa ocus Mic Ríagla - two disciples of St. Columba endeavour to find out what lies beyond the watery horizon.

THE ECHTRAE

Encounters in the otherworld.

• Immram Brain maic Febail - an enigmatic encounter leads to a voyage to the Land of Women.
• The adventure of the Five Lugaids - an abridged account of the legend of the Five Lugaids as it appears in the Cóir anmann.
• Echtra Nerai - Nera's encounter with a hanged man leads to events turning rather strange rather quickly.
• Baile in Scáil: The Phantom's Frenzy - the encounter between Conn of the Hundred Battles and the sidhe of the Tuatha Dé Danaan.
• Echtra Condla - the lovelorn son of the High King finally reunites with his fey love.
• Echtra Airt meic Chuind ocus Tochmarc Delbchaíme ingine Morgáin - the otherworldly adventures of Connla's brother Art mac Conn and their father.
• Echtra Cormaic i Tír Tairngire - Art's son features in a continuation of the family's dealings with the Tuatha De Danaan. A second version is also presented.
• Laoi Oisín ar Tír na n-Óg - Micheál Coimín's poem about the adventures of the hero Oisín (Ossian). A more down-to-earth version is found in the earlier Agallamh na senórach.
• Echtra Laegaire meic Crimthainn - Laeghaire visits Magh Mell.
• Eachtra Thaidhg mhic Céin - a raid on Munster precipitates a valiant and decisive Irish response.
• Echtra mac nEchdach Mugmedóin - the tale of Niall Noígíallach and how he gained the High Kingship of Ireland for his progeny.

FROM THE MYTHOLOGICAL CYCLE

• Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann - the sons of Turenn are tasked with various feats after a killing.

... AND MORE

• The unfortunately-named Richard Head tells a tale of one John Nisbet's visit to the mysterious Hy Brasil.

NORSE TALES

WELSH TALES

• Culhwch ac Olwen - a cousin of King Arthur seeks his aid in a quest to woo a beautiful young maiden.

ARAB SOURCES

• Al-Idrīsī on the Baḥr al-Muẓlim - my translation from the French of Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad al-Idrīsī's notices about islands in the Baḥr al-Muẓlim (the "Sea of Darkness").

MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN TALES

• La vida del bienaventurado San Amaro - a saint from the Orient seeks the Terrestrial Paradise. Adventures beckon.
• Dello scoprimento dell'Isole Frislanda, Eslanda, Engrouelanda, Estotilanda, & Icaria, fatto sotto il Polo Artico, da due fratelli Zeni, M. Nicolo il K. e M. Antonio - Nicolò Zen the Younger's account of Nicolò the Elder and Antonio Zen's alleged exploits in the North Atlantic.
• The relation of David Ingram - three Englishmen's epic journey across North America.
• A note by Michael Lok - Michael Lok the Elder's account of his transactions with Juan de Fuca, supposed discoverer of a Northwest Passage through the Straits of Anian.
• Lahontan's Memoirs of North America - A curious tale of a mysterious river and its inhabitants from Baron de Lahontan's New Voyages to North America.
• A Letter from Bartholomew de Fonte - did a Spanish vice-admiral discover the Northwest Passage in 1640?