amhusg

amhas, amhusg

wild man, beast man; Irish amhas, a wild man, madman; Early Irish amos, amsach, a mercenary soldier, servant. Conchobar's amsaig, or mercenaries, in the Early Irish saga of Deirdre, appear misunderstood as our amhusgan, monsters; there is probably a reminiscence of the Norse "bear-sarks". Borrowed from Gaulish Latin ambactus (=servus, Festus), through *ambaxus; Cæsar says of the Gaulish princes: "Circum se ambactos clientesque habent". The roots are ambi- (see mu) and ag, go lead (see aghaidh). Hence many words, as English ambassador, German amt, official position, etc. Ir.J., 154, 156, has amhas, in Gaelic force.