Heroic Romances of Ireland — Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 211 pages of information about Heroic Romances of Ireland — Volume 1.

Heroic Romances of Ireland — Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 211 pages of information about Heroic Romances of Ireland — Volume 1.

PAGE 118

Line 7 Of the first stanza.  O’Curry gives this as “Thou hast come out of every strife,” which seems to be an impossible rendering; “Take whatever is thy will” seems to be nearer the sense of the passage, and has been adopted.

Lines 5 to 8 of the fourth stanza are very uncertain; and the translation given, which is in part based upon O’Curry, is very doubtful; a more trustworthy one has not, however, been arrived at.

Line 4 of the fifth stanza in O’Curry’s rendering means “Here is what thou wilt not earn,” i.e.  “We can pay more than a full reward for thy services.”

Lines 5 and 6 of the sixth stanza should be, “If my request be granted me I will advance, though I am not his match.”

Line 2 Of the eighth stanza, “Not thine a pleasant smile for a consort.”  Brachail in the next line is “guardian.”

Line 10 of the last stanza.  Elgga is one of the names of Ireland.

PAGE 121

Line 1.  Maeth n-araig, “in an easy task,” the force of which O’Curry seems to miss, translating it “as he thought.”

There are several changes to make in O’Curry’s rendering of the dialogue between Fergus and Cuchulain.  It should run thus: 

F. O Cuchulain, manifest is the bargain,
I see that rising is timely for thee;
here comes to thee in anger
Ferdiad, son of Daman, of the ruddy face.

C. I am here, it is no light task
valiantly delaying the men of Erin;
I have not yielded a foot in retreat
to shun the combat of any one man.

F. Fierce is the man in his excited (?) rage because of his blood-red sword:  a horny skin is about Ferdiad of the troops, against it prevails not battle or combat.

C. Be silent, urge not thy story,
O Fergus of the powerful weapons!
on any field, on any ground,
there is no unequal fight for me.

F. Fierce is the man, a war for twenties, it is not easy to vanquish him, the strength of a hundred in his body, valiant his deed (?), spears pierce him not, swords cut him not.

C. Should we happen to meet at a ford (i.e. a field of battle), I and Ferdiad of well-known valour, the separation shall not be without history, fierce shall be our edge-combat.

F. Better would it be to me than reward, O Cuchulain of the blood-stained sword, that it was thou who carried eastward the spoils (coscur, not corcur) of the proud Ferdiad.

C. I give thee my word with boasting, though I am not good at bragging, that it is I who shall gain the victory over the son of Daman, the son of Dare.

F. It is I who gathered the forces eastwards in revenge for my dishonour by the men of Ulster; with me they have come from their lands, their champions and their battle warriors.

C. If Conor had not been in his sickness hard would have been his nearness to thee; Medb of Magh in Scail had not made an expedition of so loud boastings.

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Heroic Romances of Ireland — Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.