The Way of the Barbarian

There can be no doubt that Medb hErenn is a barbarian. Yet, as with everything else, she does not conform to the stereotypical view of who is a barbarian and how he should act. Just about the only point she agrees with is that a barbarian does not act like a civilized person, but she rejects the belief that barbarians are uncivilized savages. As she herself has often explained to anyone willing to listen, "There is a whole philosophy behind being a barbarian, a way of thinking, feeling, and acting that is different from the behavior of civilized men or savages. In a manner of speaking, being a barbarian means blending both extremes into a balanced and coherent whole that borrows the best from both worlds while rejecting the worst."

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