Many legends are known about their power. Roman legionnaires who tried to capture the Celts testified that they fled from one word of a Druid who was among the Celtic warriors. Druids were great healers, able to heal not only with herbs, conspiracies and potions, but also with the power of words, touch, and the sounds of music.
The caste system was common to most of the early civilizations. And not rulers or warriors, as some mistakenly think, but it was the priests who stood at the head of such societies. They determined the direction of development, established laws, were the keepers of traditions and spiritual leaders. In ancient India they were called Brahmans, among the Russians - the Magi, and among the Celts - the ancient European civilization, such priests were the Druids.
Not every Celtic could become a druid. This title was not inherited. The priests, carefully observing the younger generation, singled out the most capable boys, who had to study for many years before they could enter the circle of priests. Signs helped to determine who was worthy to become a disciple of the druids. The candidate's mental qualities were also taken into account. It was believed that only a noble and pure-hearted person is worthy to join great knowledge: he cannot distort it or use it for selfish purposes.
The druids passed their knowledge from mouth to mouth. Although they had a written language, ancient wisdom was not written down. Encrypted in poems and songs, it was passed from senior priests to disciples, and the uninitiated had no access to the secret.
The druids had a certain hierarchy, and it was possible to become a priest only after passing all the stages of initiation. It was a long and difficult process. According to some sources, a priest had to be trained for at least 20 years before he was promoted to druid.
Bards
At first, students learned to listen to the rhythms and sounds of nature, studied forms and meanings. They mastered the magic of sound, the power to be silent and the power to speak. Having fully comprehended these wisdom, they received the title of bard. Bards studied ancient Celtic songs and legends, glorified the gods and raised the military spirit of those who fought during military campaigns. They wore blue robes to symbolize harmony.
Ovats
The next stage of priestly training was the knowledge of the secrets of nature, mastery of healing techniques and gaining power over the mental plane of being. With the power of thought, they could stop a warrior and kindle a sacred fire. They mastered the art of predicting the future by signs known and understandable only to them. Such disciples were called ovats and wore green clothes to symbolize knowledge.
Actually, those who rose to the highest level in mastering the priestly sciences were called druids. Possessing the knowledge and skills of the ovates and bards, the druids continued to study the secrets of nature, analyze this knowledge and apply it to serve their people. They were confidants, mentors and advisers to the rulers and commanders of the armies. The legendary Merlin, the teacher and mentor of King Arthur, was also none other than a druid.