Vates
In modern English, the nouns vates (/ˈveɪtiːz/) and ovate (UK: /ˈɒvət, ˈoʊveɪt/, US: /ˈoʊveɪt/), are used as technical terms for ancient Celtic bards, prophets and philosophers.[1] Despite being borrowed from the Latin form, the English word is generally used to refer to ancient Celtic seers rather than Roman ones.[1][4] Celtic wātis is widely thought to have cognates in the Germanic languages, such as the Gothic term wods "possessed"[3] (though Ludwig Rübekeil 2003 has suggested that the name of the Common Germanic deity *Wōđinaz may in fact be an early loanword, an adjective *vatinos based on Celtic vates).[8]) According to the ancient Greek writers Strabo,[9] Diodorus Siculus,[9] and Poseidonius, the vates (οὐάτεις) were one of three classes of Celtic priesthood, the other two being the druids and the bards.The Gorsedd is not a neo-druidic entity like the one mentioned above, but is more concerned with Welsh arts and culture; however, the ceremony and practices are largely based on reimaginings of druidism by Iolo Morganwg.