of the troop.  Fairest of the princes of the world was he in the midst of his warriors, as well in fearsomeness and in awe, in courage and command; fair-yellow hair, curled, delicately arranged in ridges and bushy had he [3]reaching to the nape of his neck;[3] a comely, clear-rosy countenance he had, [4]narrow below and broad above;[4] a deep-blue-grey, angry eye, devouring. [W.5175.] and fear-inspiring, in his head; a two-forked beard, yellow, fairly curled, on his chin; a purple mantle with fringes and five-folded wrapped around him; a [1]conspicuous,[1] salmon-shaped brooch of [2]red[2] gold in the mantle over his breast; a shining-white, hooded shirt under red interweaving of red gold he wore next his white skin; a bright-white shield with figures of beasts of red gold thereon; a gold-hilted, hammered sword in one of his hands; a broad and grey-green lance-head [3]on an ashen shaft[3] in the other; [4]the pillar of a king’s house on his back.[4] That warrior took his station on the top of the mound, so that each one came up to him and his company took their places around him.

    [1-1] Stowe and H. 1. 13.

    [a-a] ‘Thirty hundred,’ Stowe, H. 1. 13, and YBL. 46a, 47.

    [2-2] Stowe and H. 1. 13.

    [3-3] Stowe and H. 1. 13, and, similarly, YBL. 46a, 42.

    [4-4] YBL. 46a, 47.

    [1-1] YBL. 46a, 44.

    [2-2] YBL. 46a, 44.

    [3-3] YBL. 46b, 3.

    [4-4] Stowe and H. 1. 13.  That is, ‘a great spear.’

“There came also another company to the same height in Slane of Meath,” continued macRoth.  “Second of the two divisions of thirty hundred it was, [5]and next to the other in numbers and attendance, in accoutrements and fearfulness and horror.[5] A [6]great,[6] [7]hero-like,[7] well-favoured warrior was there likewise at the head of that company; fair-yellow hair he wore; a bright, curly beard about his chin; a green mantle wrapped around him; a bright-silvern pin in the mantle at his breast; a brown-red, soldier’s tunic under red interweaving of red gold trussed up against his fair skin down to his knees; a candle of a king’s house[a] in his hand, with windings of silver and bands of gold; wonderful the feats and games performed with the spear in the hand of the youth; the windings of silver ran round it by the side of the bands of gold, now from the butt to the socket, while at other times it was the bands of gold that circled by the side of the windings of silver from socket to spear-end; a smiting shield with [W.5195.] plaited edge he bore; a sword with hilt-pieces of ivory, and ornamented with thread of gold on his left side.  This warrior took his station on the left of the leader[1] of the first company[1] who had come to the mound, and his followers got them seated around him.  But, though we have said they sat, they did not verily seat themselves at once, but [2]they sat thus,[2] with their knees on the ground and the rims of their shields against their chins, so long it seemed to them till they should be let at us.  But, one thing yet:  Meseemed that [LL.fo.97b.] the great, fierce youth who led the troop stammered grievously [3]in his speech.[3]