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THE   CELTIC   REVIEW 


THE 

CELTIC   REVIEW 


m 


PUBLISHED    QUARTERLY 


Consulting  Editor  :   PROFESSOR  MACKINNON 

Editor:   MRS.  W.  J.  WATSON 
(MISS  E.  C.  CARMICHAEL) 


VOLUME  IX 
MAY   1913   TO   APRIL   1914 


EDINBURGH:  WILLIAM  HODGE  &  CO.,  12  BANK  STREET. 

LONDON :  DAVID  NUTT,  17  GRAPE  STREET,  NEW  OXFORD  STREET. 

DUBLIN :  HODGES,  FIGGIS  &  CO.,  LTD.,  104  GRAFTON  STREET. 


582310_ 

it"4rs4 


Bdiaburgh  :  T.  and  A.  Constable,  Printers  to  HiB  MtiJMtjr 


CONTENTS 


PAOB 


A  Concise  Old  Irish  Grammar  and 
Reader,    .... 

Aoibhinn  an  Obair  an  t-Sealg, 

Ciuthach,    .... 

Dan  Cuimhne, 

Deirdre — The    Highest    Type    of 
Celtic  Womanhood, 

Feasgar  Samhraidh, 

Henry  Whyte — '  Fionn,'     . 

Ireland's  Share  in  the  Folk  Song 
Revival,   .... 

La  is  Bliadhna  leis  na  h-Eoin, 

Lord  Archibald  Campbell, . 

Neil  Macleod, 

Notes,  .... 

Reviews  of  Books : 


Julius    Pokomy,    Ph.D., 
{Vienna),       81,  178,  270,  350 


W.  J.  Watson,  LL.D., 

.     156 

W.  J.  Watson,  LL.D., 

.     193 

G.  P.  T.  MacRae,   . 

.     310 

Miss  A.  C.  Macdonell, 

41 

Mac-iUe-Mhuire,    . 

.     149 

M.  M., 

.     332 

Alfred  Percival  Chaves,  .  128 
Coinneach  MacLebid,  247,  324 
Rev.  Gillespie  Camypbell,  .  65 
Professor  Mackinnon,       .     151 

77,344 


The  Battle  of  Bannockbum  :  A  Study  in  Mediaeval  Warfare  {reviewed  by 
Evan  M.  Barron) ;  Poems  from  the  Welsh  {reviewed  by  Sir  E.  Anvryl) ; 
The  Story  of  an  Ancient  Parish,  Breage  with  Germoe ;  A  Book  of 
Manx  Poetry  ;  The  Royal  Highland  Regiment :  The  Black  Watch, 
formerly  42nd  and  73rd  Foot :  Medal  Roll  1801-1911  {reviewed  by 


vi  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

PAOK 

Andrew  Ross,  Ross  Herald) ;  Dictionary  of  the  Irish  Language ; 
Learning  in  Ireland  in  the  Fifth  Century  and  the  Transmission  of 
Letters ;  Zur  Keltischen  Wortkunde  III.  ;  Alt-Celtischer  Sprach- 
schatz ;  Antiquarian  Notes :  a  Series  of  Papers  regarding  Families 
and  Places  in  the  Highlands  {reviewed  by  W.  J.  W.);  Zur  Keltischen 
Wortkunde  IV. ;  An  Tre6raiche,  Leabhran  Sgoil  a  chum  Feum 
na  Cloinne  le  Calum  Mac  Pharlain  ;  Dain  Thaghte  a  chum  Feum  an 
Sgoilean  naGaidhealtachd  :  fo  Ughdarras  a'  Chomuinn  Ghaidhealaich  ; 
An  Comh-thr^oraiche,  Leabhran  Sgoil  le  Calum  Mac  Pharlain  ;  Com- 
panach  na  Cloinne,  Leabhran  Sgoil  le  Iain  Mac  Phaidein  fo  L^imh 
Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain ;  Uilleam  Uallas,  Iain  Knox  agus  Bob 
Ruadh  le  Eachann  Mac  Gill-Eathain  fo  Liiimh  Chaluim  Mhic  Phar- 
lain ;  Am  Briathrachan  Beag — School  Gaelic  Dictionary  ;  Uirsgeulan 
Gaidhealach,  an  dara  clo-bhualadh,  fo  IMmh  Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain 
Seanchaidh  na  Traghad,  le  Iain  Mac  Cormaic,  fo  l^imh  Chaluim  Mhic 
Pharlain ;  Seanchaidh  na  h-Airigh,  le  Iain  Mac  Cormaic,  fo  l^imh 
Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain  ;  Elementary  Course  of  Gaelic  {reviewed  by 
W.  J.  Watson,  LL.D.) ;  Five  Irish  Homilies  from  the  Rennes  MS. 
{reviewed  by  A.  0.  A.) ;  Prince  Charlie's  Pilot :  a  Record  of  Loyalty 
and  Devotion  {reviiwed  by  Donald  A.  Mackenzie) ;  Egyptian  Myth 
and  Legend  {reviewed  by  D.  M^C. ) ;  A  Welsh  Grammar,  Historical 
and  Comparative  (reviewed  by  Sir  E.  Anwyl). 

74,  168,  259,  356 

Some  Knotty  Points    in  British 

Ethnology,  .  ,  .A.  MacDonald,  Inverness, 

1,97 

The  Admiralty  at  Cromarty,         .    Dcmald  A.  Mackenzie,       .      56 

The  Claim  of  Celtic  Studies  upon 

the  Lowland  Scot,  .  .    Professor  Mackinnon,      .     252 

The  Feileadh-Beag  in  the  Seven- 
teenth Century,  .  .  .J.  Reoch,    .  .  .     289 

The  Gaelic  Version  of  the  Thebaid 

of  Statius,  .  .  .    Professor  Mackinnon, 

16,  112,  210,  292 

The  Highland  Widow,       .  .    Donald  A.  Mackenzie,  34 


CONTENTS  vii 

FAGB 

The  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch,        .     Rev.  A.  Maclean  Sinclair,       48 

The  'Pied'  and  'Scotti'  in  the 

Excidium  Brittaniae,    .  .    Rev.  A.  W.  Wade-Evana,      314 

The    Romani    in   the    Excidiv/m 

Brittaniae,  .  .  .     Rev.  A.  W.  Wade- Evans,  .      35 

Twenty-one  Years  of  Irish  Art  and 

Thought,  .  .  .     T.W.  Rolleston,     .  .    226 

Walter  Biggar  Blaikie,  LL.D.,        .     D.  A.  Mackenzie,    .  .71 


THE    CELTIC    REVIEW 

AUGUST   1913 

SOME  KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY  i 

Alasdaib  MacDonald  (Inverness) 

Considering  all  that  has  already  been  accomplished  in 
the  field  of  British  Ethnology,  it  may  be  deemed  more  or 
less  unnecessary  and  unprofitable  to  go  further  into  the 
subject  at  this  time  of  day  ;  but  I  feel  that  certain  questions 
having  vital  connection  with  the  subject,  and  for  years 
past  studied  by  many  of  the  ablest  and  most  distinguished 
ethnologists,  still  offer  a  considerable  field  for  discussion. 

I  have  selected  for  my  subjects  on  this  occasion  a  few 
important  points  in  British  Ethnology  which  have  already 
been  largely  elaborated,  but  which  still  present  some  diffi- 
culties— as  can  be  gathered  from  frequent  references  in  the 
press  and  elsewhere — which  it  would  be  well  worth  while 
making  some  effort,  however  feeble,  to  remove.  My 
subjects  are  : — 

(1)  The  non- Aryan  (including  the   nigritic)  element 

in  the  constitution  of  the  British  races. 

(2)  The  Celts — who  or  what  are  they  ? 

(3)  The  Picts  of  Scotland — who  or  what  were  they  ? 

(4)  The  Scottish  kingdom  :  its  national  constitution, 

more    particularly    in    relation    to    Celticism 
generally. 

^  Read  at  a  meeting  of  the  Inyemess  Scientific  Society  and  Field  Club. 
VOL.  IX.  A 


2  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

In  taking  up  the  first  of  these,  I  know  that  I  am  dealing 
with  a  subject  that  has  not  been  by  any  means  exhausted. 
It  is,  however,  one  of  vast  importance,  because  the  deter- 
mination of  the  value  of  it  in  the  sum-total  of  the  racial 
constitution  of  our  Island  nation  would  seem  essential  to  a 
proper  understanding  of  the  various  elements  which  enter 
into  our  population  as  a  whole.  It  may  be  foimd  to  be  a 
fundamental  quantity — much  or  little  as  it  may  as  such  be 
— in  the  great  evolution  of  our  Island  kingdom  racially. 

If  we  were  to  accept  the  authority  of  certain  Kymric 
antiquities  we  should  have  no  difficulty  with  the  history  of 
Britain  at  aU.  They  say  that  '  there  were  three  names 
given  to  the  isle  of  Britain  from  the  beginning.  Before  it 
was  inhabited  it  was  called  Clas  Merddin  (the  sea-girt  green 
spot).  After  it  was  inhabited  it  was  called  Y  vel  Ynys 
(the  honey  isle),  and  after  the  people  were  formed  into  a 
commonwealth  by  Prydain  (the  son  of  Aedd  Mawr)  it  was 
denominated  Ynys  Prydain  (the  Isle  of  Prydain  or  Britain) ; 
and  none  has  any  right  to  it  but  the  tribe  of  the  Cymry,  for 
they  first  settled  on  it ;  and  before  that  time  no  persons 
lived  therein,  but  it  was  full  of  bears,  wolves,  and  bisons.' 
Though  this  savours  much  of  comparative  modernity  there 
is  a  suggestion  of  antiquity  in  it,  and  the  reference  to  the 
name  is  interesting.  Broadly  speaking,  British  history 
usually  begins  with  the  advent  of  the  Romans  under  Caesar, 
about  55  B.C.,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  ethnologically  the 
commencement  of  it  is  generally  placed  back  to  a  period 
when  it  is  considered  probable  that  the  Celtic  races  arrived 
in  the  country — a,  period  that  can  only  be  at  best  roughly 
guessed.  It  is  surely  not,  however,  at  all  unreasonable 
to  contend  that  there  must  have  been  a  people,  if  not 
indeed  peoples,  in  Britain  long  before  the  Celts  had  ever 
set  foot  on  British  soil.  My  own  firm  belief  is  that  the 
country  had  been  comparatively  densely  populated  for 
many  centuries  prior  to  the  coming  of  the  Celts — by  which 
time  the  world  had  arrived  at  a  great  age — and  that  a 
certain  degree  of  a  civihsation — primitive  perhaps,  but  yet 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY       3 

progressive — had  existed,  and  had  become  indeed  more  or 
less  old  when  the  newer  conditions  set  in. 

There  is  no  reason  to  conclude  that  the  British  Isles 
may  not  have  been  inhabited  by  a  race  that  might  be 
considered  aboriginal,  at  any  rate  since  after  the  ice  age. 
This  would  have  been  quite  possible  though  little  trace  of 
such  should  now  be  obtainable  ;    the  very  old  beliefs  in 
cave-dwellers,  and  in  a  species  of  being  half-human,  half- 
supernatural  from  which  the  existence  of  fairies  and  such 
creations  appears  to  have  arisen,  are  very  suggestive,  and 
probably  have  a  solid  background  behind  them.     The  idea 
has  found  quarter  among  some  excellent  authorities  that  a 
race  of  somewhat  indefinite  characterisations  from  the  very 
earliest  times  inhabited  the  central  and  northern  latitudes 
of  Europe,  and  that  under  pressure  of  unfavourable  cir- 
cumstances they  broke  up  eventually  into  possibly  some 
nine   or   ten   sub-varieties.     These   are  frequently  referred 
to  under  the  common  name  of  '  Turanians.'     They  seem  as 
a  whole  a  sort  of  mongrel  population.     Their  languages 
are  classed  as  agglutinative.     In  one  word,  they  are  gener- 
ally considered  the  peoples  found  inhabiting  certain  parts  of 
Europe  and  Asia,  which  are  classified  as  not  pertaining  to 
either  of  the  two  great  race-divisions  known  as  Aryan  and 
Semitic  respectively.     To  them  are  said  to  belong  in  the 
northern  regions  the  Finns  and  Lapps,  and  probably  the 
Eskimos,  among  some  other  peoples  including  the  Mongols  ; 
and  in  the  southern  regions,  for  instance,  the  well-known 
people  called  the  Basques.     It  is  not  without  great  interest 
and  importance  in  this  connection  that  quite  appreciable 
traces  of  at  any  rate  some  of  those  peoples — more  par- 
ticularly of  the  Finns,  the  Basques,  and  the  Mongols — are 
believed  to  have  been  met  with  as  more  or  less  persistent  in 
this  country.      The  late  Dr.  Beddoe,  one  of  our  greatest 
authorities,  says  :    '  If  our  palseolithic  race  were  really  the 
ancestors  of  the  Eskimos,  or  at  least  their  near  relations, 
as  Boyd  Dawkins  would  have  them  to  be,  it  is  at  least 
possible  that  they  may  have  left  descendants  behind  them 


4  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

to  mingle  their  blood  with  the  neoUthic  races  and  their 
descendants  of  to-day.  Now,  I  think,  some  reason  can  be 
shown  for  suspecting  the  existence  of  traces  of  some  mon- 
goloid race  in  the  modern  population  of  Wales  and  the 
West  of  England '  {Races  of  Britain).  He  then  proceeds 
to  give  particulars  with  regard  to  thirty-four  persons  whose 
features  he  noted  as  indicative  of  Mongoloid  blood,  and 
quotes  Dr.  Mitchell  as  mentioning  the  '  obliquely-set  eye  ' 
in  his  description  of  one  of  his  Scottish  types,  '  The  Irish 
Celt  or  Fin,'  though  he  did  not  himself  recognise  any  resem- 
blance in  this  t3rpe  to  the  Finns  of  Finland.  In  regard  to 
the  language  aspect  of  this  question  he  says  :  '  Anthro- 
pologists had  long  been  crying  out  for  the  remains  of  an 
Iberian  or  pre-Celtic  language  in  the  British  Isles  before 
their  philological  brethren  woke  up  to  the  consciousness 
of  their  existence.  Mongolian  or  Ugrian  types  had  been 
recognised,  though  less  distinctly,  and  now  Ugrian  gram- 
matical forms  are  being  dimly  discerned  in  the  Welsh  and 
Irish.'  He  further  refers  to  a  certain  Welsh  t3rpe,  the  whole 
aspect  of  which  was  '  suggestive  of  a  Turanian  origin,'  and 
to  a  similar  type  he  had  seen  in  Ireland,  as  of  a  '  Turanian 
aspect.'  These  types  would  appear  to  have  been  at  least 
among  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  Europe  as  a  whole,  and 
it  must  be  remembered  that  the  country  would  probably 
have  then  been  one  large  continent,  including  the  British 
Isles  within  its  geographical  confines. 

I  am,  besides,  satisfied  in  my  own  mind  that  there  are 
traces  of  another  non- Aryan  race,  or  races,  to  be  met  with 
in  the  British  Isles.  Though  there  may  not  be  anything 
approaching  an  individuality  of  race  or  type  in  this  direc- 
tion, there  are,  in  my  opinion,  strong  indications  of  there 
having  been  a  people,  or  peoples,  differing  considerably 
from  those  I  have  been  referring  to.  These  latter  would 
appear  to  have  been  upon  the  whole  more  nigritic  than  the 
former.  This  was  perhaps  one  of  the  most  outstanding 
differences,  and  is  now  most  noticeable  as  regards  the  hair 
and  the  eyes,  though  there  are  other  features  which  betray 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY      5 

distinctions,  such  as  a  distinctive  prominence  of  mouth. 
I  should  be  disposed  to  identify  in  these  traces  of  the  type 
which  Dr.  Beddoe  provisionally  calls  '  Africanoid,'  and  as 
to  which  he  says  :  '  While  Ireland  is  apparently  its  present 
centre,  most  of  its  lineaments  are  such  as  lead  us  to  think 
of  Africa  as  its  possible  birthplace.'  Others  also  have  from 
time  to  time  referred  to  at  least  one  type  that  would  seem 
to  have  been  descendants  of  those,  such  as  the  '  Sancho 
Panza '  of  the  late  Hector  MacLean ;  and  the  type  as  a  whole 
would  seem  to  me  to  be  largely  identifiable  with  the  race 
whom  Mr.  RoUeston,  in  his  recent  excellent  work  on  The 
Myths  and  Legends  of  the  Celts,  describes  as  the  *  Megalithic 
people,'  and  of  whom  he  writes :  '  The  earliest  people 
inhabiting  Celtic  territory  in  the  west  of  Europe  of  whom 
we  have  any  distinct  knowledge  are  a  race  without  name  or 
known  history,  but  by  their  sepulchral  monuments,  of 
which  so  many  still  exist,  we  can  learn  a  great  deal  about 
them.  They  were  the  so-called  Megalithic  people  (from 
Greek  megas,  great,  and  lithos,  a  stone),  the  builders  of 
dolmens,  cromlechs,  and  chambered  tumuh,  of  which  more 
than  three  thousand  have  been  counted  in  France  alone.' 
.  .  .  '  The  language  originally  spoken  by  this  people  can 
only  be  conjectured  by  the  traces  of  it  left  in  that  of  their 
conquerors,  the  Celts.  But  a  map  of  the  distribution  of 
their  monuments  irresistibly  suggests  the  idea  that  their 
builders  were  of  North  African  origin  ;  that  they  were  not 
at  first  accustomed  to  traverse  the  sea  for  any  great  dis- 
tance ;  that  they  migrated  westwards  along  North  Africa, 
crossed  into  Europe  where  the  Mediterranean  at  Gibraltar 
narrows  to  a  strait  a  few  miles  in  width,  and  thence  spread 
over  the  western  regions  of  Europe,  including  the  British 
Islands,  while  on  the  eastward  they  penetrated  Arabia  into 
Asia.  It  must,  however,  be  borne  in  mind  that  while 
originally,  no  doubt,  a  distinct  race,  the  Megalithic  people 
came  in  the  end  to  represent,  not  a  race,  but  a  culture.' 

It  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  RoUeston  makes  those  North 
African  immigrants  the  first  to  people  our  country  of  whom 


6  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

there  is  any  distinct  trace  ;    and  if  they  were  there  should 
perhaps  be  more  nigriticism  in  the  country  than  there  is. 
But  that  there  is  a  perceptible  proportion  seems  indisput- 
able.    There  would  be  nothing  strange  in  these  people  from 
Northern  Africa,  though  not  all  necessarily  by  any  means 
negroes,  having  among  them,  at  least,  a  very  pronounced 
element — perhaps  numerically  a  predominance — of  nigritic 
characteristics.     It  is,  in  any  case,  I  think,  quite  the  fact 
that  very  clear  indications  of  such  a  prehistoric  element 
in  the  constitution  of  the  races  of  Britain  still  survive.     I 
have  myself  noticed  such  traces  frequently  in  persons — 
negroes  largely,  except  in  colour  of  skin.     There  are  the 
unmistakable  signs — the  woolly  hair,  scanty  on  lower  part 
of  face  and  dry  ;    the  long  massive  skull ;    the  receding 
forehead  and  projecting  jaws  ;   the  broad-based  nose,  with 
much  distended  nostrils  ;  the  non-sensitive  nervous  system  ; 
and  the  dulness  to  physical  feeling.     There  are  also  the 
religious  characteristics,  such  as  a  certain  element  of  fetish- 
ism, disguised,  of  course,  by  altered  circumstances ;  certain 
survivals  of  superstitions  and  beliefs  ;    and  many  other 
points  of  resemblance.     All  these  are  not,  of  course,  observ- 
able in  one  instance,  nor  probably  any  two  of  them,  but  they 
all  exist.      Most  frequently  perhaps,   they   betray  them- 
selves in  the  nose,  the  lips,  and  the  jaw,  while  the  rest 
of  the  face  may  be  quite  British.     It  might,  of  course,  be 
contended  that  these   characteristics  have   been  recently 
imported,  but  they  have  been  noticed  in  various  localities 
where  importation  had  always  been,  so  far  as  could  be 
ascertained,  practically  out  of  the  question.     There  is  also 
little  doubt  that  to  the  extent  to  which  British  place-names, 
for  instance,  have  not  been  explained  it  is  most  probable 
that  the  difficulties  are  attributable  to  these  being  survivals 
of  a  language  or  languages  of  which  the  key  has  not  yet 
been   found   to   the   construction   and   meaning.     This   is 
believed  to  be  particularly  the  case  as  regards  place-names 
associated  with  certain  deities  and  places  of  worship.     Pro- 
fessor Anwyl  suggests  in  this  connection  '  the  possibility 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY      7 

that  the  local  gods  are  older  than  the  settlement  in  the 
places  where  they  are  found  of  the  Aryan-speaking  Celts 
themselves'  {Inverness  Gaelic  Society  Transactions,  vol. 
xxvi.). 

While  there  is  not  much  necessity  for  considering  that 
the  earliest  peoples  of  Europe — particularly  the  Aryans — 
came  from  Western  Asia,  it  need  not  be  contended  that 
there  may  not  have  been  some  migrations  into  Europe 
from  the  countries  bordering  with  it — north,  east,  and  south. 
This,  however,  is  a  point  of  considerable  difficulty,  for 
various  reasons.  But  migrations  and  invasions  are  probably 
long-standing  institutions  among  the  human  race  ;  and 
there  is  no  saying  whether  these  countries  may  not  have 
sent  colonists  westwards  and  northwards  from  time  to  time 
during  the  early  stages  of  European  development.  Yet,  if 
so,  such  colonists  seem  somewhat  difficult  of  identification, 
as  to  any  great  extent  differing  from  the  prevailing  European 
types. 

As  is  well  known,  ethnologists  have  long  identified 
certain  forms  of  head  with  the  various  stages  of  man's 
development  in  Europe,  such  as  the  '  Cro-Magnon,'  the 
'  Canstadt,'  the  '  Neanderthal,'  etc.  The  terms  '  dolicho- 
cephaUc  '  (long-headed),  '  brachy-cephalic  '  (broad-headed), 
'  ortho  -  cephalic  '  (right  -  headed),  and  '  mesa  -  cephalic  ' 
(medium-headed),  are  used  to  denote  various  head 
forms.  Generally  speaking,  however,  heads  are  usually 
referred  to  in  this  connection  as  '  long  '  or  '  short,'  as  the 
case  may  be.  There  has  been  an  idea  among  certain 
scientists  that  long  heads  and  long  barrows  and  round  heads 
and  round  barrows  have  generally  been  found  to  follow  each 
other,  and  there  may  be  something  in  this  ;  but  I  do  not 
think  it  has  yet  been  established  that  there  has  ever  been  a 
race  of  which  it  could  be  said  that  they  were  either  long- 
headed or  broad-headed,  except  to  at  most  a  predominating 
extent.  Thus  the  place  of  a  race  or  of  an  individual  in  the 
scale  of  head-formation  is  best  determined  by  the  applica- 
tion of  what  is  known  as  the  cephalic  index,  which  '  means 


8  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

the  proportion  the  breadth  of  a  head  bears  to  its  length. 
Thus  a  cephahc  index  of  seventy-five  means  that  the  breadth 
of  a  skull  giving  that  index  in  its  measurements  is  in  the 
ratio  of  three-fourths  to  its  length.'  A  skull  with  an  index 
of  over  eighty  is  '  broad  '  ;  one  with  an  index  of  under 
seventy-five  '  long '  ;  and  one  with  an  index  of  between 
seventy-five  and  eighty  '  medium.'  But  it  must  be  obvious 
that  the  formation  of  the  skull — ^though  admittedly  per- 
sistent— is  subject  to  circumstance  and  environment  like 
any  other  part  of  the  human  constitution.  Man  is  made 
up  of  systems,  and  these  systems  are  certain  to  develop  or 
become  more  or  less  disused  under  the  influences  of  the 
conditions  regulating  the  life  of  a  person  or  a  people.  After 
all  is  considered,  there  is  not  so  much,  perhaps,  in  head  form 
as  has  been  made  of  it.  The  true  test  is  one  of  mentality. 
There  are  usually  a  few  leading  ideas  which  actuate  a  man 
or  a  nation,  and,  in  the  latter  case,  the  crowd,  whatever  the 
various  physical  features,  as  a  rule  follow  the  leader,  and 
contribute  to  the  general  character  of  the  civilisation  which 
prevails.  At  the  present  moment  in  the  British  Isles  the 
principles  of  civilisation  which  certainly  have  sprimgfrom 
the  fairer  people  among  us  appear  to  be  in  the  ascendency, 
while  it  is  suspected  strongly  that  the  prevalence  of  nigres- 
cence— of  which  also  an  index  (the  calculations  of  which  are 
on  a  basis  of  greater  or  lesser  darkness  of  skin,  eyes,  and 
hair)  has  been  made  and  applied — is  increasing.  It  is  from 
the  impress  of  mind  only  that  the  true  places  of  the  various 
peoples  that  have  given  birth  and  growth  to  any  civilisation 
can  be  properly  and  correctly  determined.  Thus  the  old 
and  once  popular  divisions  of  the  human  race  into  *  Caucasian ' 
or  white ;  *  Mongolian '  or  yellow ;  *  Ethiopian '  or  black  ; 
*  Malayan'  or  brown ;  *  American '  or  red,  while  serviceable 
enough  as  a  geographical  classification,  must  be  considered 
as  falling  short  of  the  anthropological  system  now  in  vogue, 
which  addresses  itself  to  the  interpretation  of  the  mind  of 
races  as  well  as  to  the  observation  of  physical  features.  It 
is  found  thus  that  civilisation  is  really  a  product  of  mind, 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY      9 

that  ebbs  and  flows,  that  has  its  cycles  and  its  periodocities 
— always  making  for  improved  adaptations  of  knowledge 
and  experience,  and  for  the  elevation  of  the  plane  on  which 
humanity  exercises  its  functions  from  age  to  age.  In  this 
process,  while  one  form  of  civilisation  always  seems  to 
prevail,  contributions  to  it  from  diverse  sources  are  of 
enormous  importance  ;  and  this  has  been  the  case  in  the 
British  Isles  in  a  pre-eminent  manner  by  the  influence  of 
the  Celtic  mind  from  time  to  time  upon  the  developments 
of  Saxonic  civilisation  as  it  grew. 

I  now  come  to  my  second  subject — The  Celts,  who  and 
what  are  they  ? — a  question  which  has  puzzled  ethno- 
logists for  ever  so  long,  and  one  in  regard  to  which  there 
would  seem  still  to  be  considerable  differences  of  opinion. 
The  difficulty  chiefly  arises  from  the  circumstance  that  the 
Celts  of  history — the  people  referred  to  by  early  writers  as 
Celts  even  down  tiU  within  the  Christian  era — are  generally 
described  as  fair  or  akin  thereto  in  physical  features,  where- 
as, as  is  well  known,  the  Celt  of  more  modern  times  has 
been  found  to  partake  more  of  the  darker  features  found  in 
the  country  as  a  whole.  Mr.  Rolleston  says  :  '  To  take  a 
physical  characteristic  alone,  the  more  Celtic  districts  of 
the  British  Islands  are  at  present  marked  by  darkness  of 
complexion,  hair,  etc.  They  are  not  very  dark,  but  they 
are  darker  than  the  rest  of  the  kingdom.  But  the  true  Celts 
were  certainly  fair.  Even  the  Irish  Celts  of  the  twelfth 
century  are  described  by  Giraldus  Cambrensis  as  a  fair 
race.'  The  same  author  in  the  same  paragraph  says  :  '  To 
begin  with,  we  must  dismiss  the  idea  that  Celtica  was  ever 
inhabited  by  a  single,  pure,'and  homogeneous  race.  The  true 
Celts,  if  we  accept  on  this  point  the  carefully  studied  and 
elaborately  argued  conclusions  of  Dr.  T.  Rice  Holmes  [the 
American  anthropologist,  in  Ccesar's  Conquest  of  GauT]y 
supported  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  antiquity,  were  a  tall, 
fair  race,  warlike  and  masterful,  whose  place  of  origin  (as 
far  as  we  can  trace  them)  was  somewhere  about  the  sources 
of  the  Danube,  and  who  spread  their  dominion  both  by 


10  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

conquest  and  by  peaceful  infiltration  over  Mid-Europe, 
Gaul,  Spain,  and  the  British  Isles.  They  did  not  exter- 
minate the  original  prehistoric  inhabitants  of  these  regions — 
palaeolithic  and  neolithic  races,  dolmen-builders  and  workers 
in  bronze, — but  they  imposed  on  them  their  language,  their 
arts,  and  their  traditions,  taking,  no  doubt,  a  good  deal  from 
them  in  return,  especially,  as  we  shall  see,  in  the  important 
matter  of  religion.  Among  these  races  the  true  Celts  formed 
an  aristocratic  and  ruling  caste.  In  that  capacity  they 
stood  alike  in  Gaul,  in  Spain,  in  Britain,  and  in  Ireland,  in 
the  forefront  of  armed  opposition  to  foreign  invasion.  They 
bore  the  worst  brunt  of  war,  of  confiscation  and  of  banish- 
ment. They  never  lacked  valour,  but  they  were  not  strong 
enough  to  prevail,  and  they  perished  in  far  greater  propor- 
tion than  the  earlier  populations  whom  they  had  themselves 
subjugated.  But  they  disappeared  also  by  mingling  their 
blood  with  these  inhabitants,  whom  they  impregnated  with 
many  of  their  own  noble  and  virile  qualities.  Hence  it 
comes  that  the  characteristics  of  the  peoples  called  Celtic 
in  the  present  day,  and  who  carry  on  the  Celtic  tradition 
and  language,  are  in  some  respects  so  different  from  those 
of  the  Celts  of  classical  history,  and  the  Celts  who  produced 
the  literature  and  art  of  ancient  Ireland,  and  in  others  so 
strikingly  similar.'  While  this  is  a  most  excellent  presenta- 
tion of  a  difficult  question,  I  respectfully  submit  that  I 
believe  that  the  people  or  peoples  with  whom  originated, 
and  who  developed,  the  characteristics  which  have  all  along 
been  associated  with  Celticism,  are  still  with  us  in  very 
large  proportions.  It  is  certainly  difficult  to  reconcile 
Celticity  as  a  whole  with  the  ethnic  features  of  the  peoples 
with  whom  it  has  been  found,  and  stiU  is  found,  associated. 
But  the  difficulty  is  greatly  exaggerated  if  we  attempt  to 
account  for  Celticism  as  the  product  of  anything  approach- 
ing an  individual,  comparatively  unmixed  race,  or  for  Celts 
as  represented  by  any  single  people.  Since,  at  any  rate, 
the  evolution  of  the  Celts  west  of  the  Danube — and  that  was 
not  yesterday — I  think  it  is  absolutely  certain  that  they 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY    11 

have  been  a  mixed  race  in  a  very  considerable  measure. 
Mr.  RoUeston  makes  a  very  significant  note  in  connection 
with  his  summing  up  which  is  of  interest  here.  He  says  : 
'  The  ancients  were  not  very  close  observers  of  physical 
characteristics.  They  describe  the  Celts  in  almost  exactly 
the  same  terms  as  those  which  they  apply  to  the  Grermanic 
races.  Dr.  Rice  Holmes  is  of  opinion  that  the  real  differ- 
ence, physically^  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  fairness  of  the 
Germans  was  blond,  and  that  of  the  Celts  red.'  It  is  almost 
certain  that  the  ancient  writers  were  not  close  or  accurate 
observers.  They  frequently  used  mere  local  names  for 
tjrpical  purposes.  Caesar's  well-known  reference  seems 
fairly  definite,  but  it  has  been  pointed  out  that  it  is  only 
partially  applicable.  He  says  :  '  All  Gaul  is  divided  into 
three  parts,  one  inhabited  by  the  Belgae,  another  by  the 
Aquitanians,  and  the  third  by  the  people  who  give  them- 
selves in  their  own  language  the  name  of  Celts.  They  all 
differ  from  each  other  in  language,  customs,  and  laws.' 
This,  it  is  obvious,  is  much  more  territorial  than  ethnologic 
in  analysis,  and  the  reference  is  only  helpful  after  all.  There 
is  an  unfortunate  degree  of  insufficiency  about  it  as  to  the 
mental  aspect  of  the  question  ;  and  this  is  the  real  test. 
It  is  the  culture  strain  that  actually  counts  in  determining 
raciological  results.  The  most  probable  solution  of  this 
great  historical  puzzle  seems  to  be  that  the  Celts  in  very 
early  times  were  a  strong  nationality  occupying  very  largely 
the  great  strip  of  country  extending  from  the  Danube  to 
Spain,  not  by  any  means  an  aboriginal  or  an  individual 
race,  but,  as  I  should  think,  essentially  a  mixed  and  well- 
blended  population.  I  say  essentially,  because  their  terri- 
tory lay  between  the  basin  of  the  Mediterranean  in  the  south, 
and  the  basin  of  the  Baltic  in  the  north,  which  at  a  period 
in  the  world's  history,  long  prior  to  any  we  can  now  form 
an  approximate  conception  of,  were  distributing  centres 
of  social,  economic,  and  political  activities.  From  these 
centres  ramified  in  various  directions — north,  east,  south, 
and  west  respectively,  streams  of  immigrants  and  colonists 


12  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

from  time  to  time,  and  to  those  movements  of  human 
families  must  be  ascribed  the  peopling  of  Europe,  in  any 
case  with  the  races  now  found  there,  except  to  the  extent 
that  the  non- Aryan  elements  already  dealt  with  entered 
into  the  racial  constitution  of  the  country.     This  would 
seem  to  be  borne  out  in  great  measure  by  the  requirements 
of  ethnological  science.     There  are,  broadly  speaking,  in 
Europe  as  a  whole  just  two  predominating  or  fundamental 
colours — the  dark  and  the  fair.      All  others  are  simply 
differences,  and  shades  of  differences,  between  these  two. 
It  is  well  known  that  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  estabhsh 
an  individuahty  for  red  among  the  hair  colours  of  Europe, 
but  I  do  not  consider  that  a  good  case  has  been  made  out 
for  the  contention  by  any  means.     Of  the  Mediterranean 
nations  it  has  always  been  found  characteristic — and  still 
is — that  nigrescence  in  the  matter  of  colours  prevails  there  ; 
while  of  the  Baltic  regions  it  is  equally  true  that  the  fairer 
peoples  have  always  been — and  still  are — found  associated 
therewith.     There  are  exceptions,  of  course,  such  as  a  con- 
siderable representation  of  the  fair  in  certain  parts  of  Italy, 
for  instance,  and  similarly  a  distinct  and  pronounced  ele- 
ment of  the  dark  types  in  the  northern  latitudes.     Who  has 
not  heard  of  the  swarthy  Vikings  ?     But  these  are  trace- 
able to  settlements  and  migrations,  and  go  far  to  confirm 
the  truth  of  the  contention  that  the  peoples  of  Central 
Europe  mainly  must  have  been  undergoing  a  process  of 
race  mixture  and  evolution  from  a  period  far  back  into  the 
prehistoric  past.     It  is  not  at  all  impossible  that  there  may 
have  been  frequent  admixtures  of  what  might  be  considered 
typically  fair,  dark,  or  xanthous  (red)  peoples  from  neigh- 
bouring mountains  and  plains — peoples  that  from  a  certain 
degree  of  isolation  may  have  developed  a  peculiarity  of  in- 
dividuality all  their  own.     This,  indeed,  is  quite  consistent 
with  some  of   the  best  theories  in  the   field,   but  their 
effect  upon  the  people  who  made  up  the  big  bulk  of  the 
population  now  under  review  would  have  been  compara- 
tively small.     I  think  something  similar  may  be  postulated 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     13 

as  to  the  languages  of  Europe.  The  Aryan  tongues  divide 
themselves  naturally  into  the  Latin  tongues  of  the  south, 
roughly  speaking,  and  the  Teutonic  of  the  north,  excluding 
those  languages  already  referred  to  as  non- Aryan. 

It  would  seem,  then,  not  far  from  probabihties  that  the 
Celt  on  the  Continent,  let  us  say,  was  a  product  of  racial 
evolution  partaking  of  the  dark  and  fair  colours  more  or 
less  pecuUar  to  Europe,  in  varying  proportions — fairer 
roughly  the  further  eastwards  and  northwards  they  are 
found,  and  darker  the  nearer  they  come  to  the  south  and 
the  westerly  coast — the  latter  partaking  more  of  the  features 
of  the  earlier  inhabitants,  whose  myths,  legends,  religious 
beliefs,  customs  and  superstitions  had  survived  in  sub- 
stantial and  material  measure,  while  their  language  would 
not  have  all  disappeared  though  being  largely  superseded 
by  the  Celtic,  which,  as  has  always  been  indicated — and 
Dr.  Rice  Holmes  confirms  the  suggestion — is  more  closely 
akin  to  Latin  than  to  the  Teutonic  as  a  tongue.  We  may, 
perhaps,  leave  the  continental  Celts  here  now,  postulating 
that  they  were,  on  the  whole,  a  well-mixed  people,  and  that 
mention  of  them  by  ancient  writers  as  fair  and  red  had 
reference  to  the  more  inland  and  northerly,  while  the  darker 
and  those  inhabiting  the  westerly  and  coast  countries  were 
substantially  the  Celtiberians,  or  the  Ibero-Celts,  of  the  old 
world. 

After  all  that  has  been  explained  in  regard  to  the  Celts 
on  the  continent  of  Europe,  it  wiU  be  fairly  easy  to  follow 
me  in  what  I  have  to  say  as  to  Celticism  in  the  British  Isles. 
But  to  get  a  start  I  must  once  more  touch  hghtly  on  con- 
tinental history.  To  account  for  the  peopling  of  the  British 
Islands  by  the  principal  elements  entering  into  their  present- 
day  population,  we  must  understand  that  these  came  here 
in  successive  movements  from  across  the  Channel.  It  is 
most  probable  that  the  darker  people  were  the  first  to 
arrive.  For  one  thing  they  were  nearer.  But  why  should 
there  be  a  movement  at  all  ?  Well,  that  is  an  important 
question.     I  believe  the  movement  was  necessary.     If  we 


14  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

study  those  movements  of  peoples  from  time  to  time  to  our 
own  islands  we  find,  I  think,  that  in  most  cases  the  darker 
people  gave  way  before  their  fairer  conquerors.  This  is 
the  general  rule,  at  any  rate  in  regard  to  the  earlier  race- 
movements  we  know  of.  In  continental  Celtland,  peace 
did  not  always  reign.  There  are  traces  of  early  disturb- 
ances in  the  more  northerly  provinces  which  eventually 
would  appear  to  have  led  to  a  rupture  with  their  Teutonic 
neighbours,  and  I  believe  that  in  course  of  time,  and  when 
the  golden  age  of  the  Celts  had  passed,  the  Teutons  pressed 
the  Celts  from  the  north  westwards.  The  fairer  or  xanthous 
Celt,  after  contact  with  his  more  practical  enemy,  in  turn 
pressed  the  darker  and  more  dreamy  Ibero-Celt,  who  made 
way  into  this  country,  to  be  followed  in  turn  by  the  other 
and  driven  from  the  plains  and  the  best  land  to  the  hills 
and  the  forests.  This  would  appear  to  have  been  the  order 
and  sequence  of  those  events.  Long  after  the  time  now 
referred  to  the  Romans  came  in  the  same  fashion  ;  the 
Saxons,  the  Danes,  and  Normans  followed,  each  driving 
the  earlier  invader  further  and  further  into  the  mountain 
fastnesses.  Those  dark  incomers,  who  first  most  likely 
came  over  to  Britain,  brought  with  them  a  civilisation  and 
a  language  which  possibly  differed  considerably  from  those 
possessed  by  the  later  and  fairer  followers — the  language 
in  dialect  and  minor  features  principally.  This  later  in- 
comer had  in  his  constitution  more  of  the  race  elements 
which  developed  Saxonic  characteristics  of  a  still  later  time. 
While  not  by  any  means  Teutonic  to  begin  with,  he  had 
mixed  largely  with  the  Teuton,  and  had  imbibed  something 
of  his  more  practical  and  more  worldly-wise  ways  and  means 
of  life.  Pressed  westward  by  the  Teutonic  aggrandise- 
ment and  influence — and  the  Teuton's  expanding  propen- 
sities have  always  been  a  prohfic  source  of  history-making — 
he  carried  with  him  something  of  what  he  had  learned  ;  and 
when  he  arrived  in  Britain  he  was  in  possession  of  a  much 
more  advanced  degree  of  civihsation  than  his  darker  and 
more  peaceful  brother.     He  might  not  indeed  inaptly  be 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     15 

designated  the  Germano-Celt  as  distinguished  from  the 
Ibero-Celt.  He  was  himself — or  at  any  rate  included  the 
type  that  was — the  progenitor  of  those  tall,  reddish  men — 
the  Caledonians — described  by  Tacitus,  and  of  that  type  of 
strong,  powerful  variety  found  numerous  in  Central  Scot- 
land, and  distinguishable  till  this  day.  He  may  not  have 
come  into  Britain  at  the  same  place  as  the  earlier  settler. 
He  would  probably  have  landed  further  north. 

Ireland  might  be  considered  as  entitled  to  some  separate 
treatment  here  ;  but  as  I  shall  be  dealing  somewhat  more 
fully  with  that  island  later  on,  I  will  only  now  say  that 
Erin  was  peopled  at  the  time  by  a  population  substantially 
the  same  as  in  Britain,  except  that  the  fairer  Celts  or  the 
Caledonians  did  not  enter  so  largely  into  its  racial  con- 
stitution unless  perhaps  in  the  north,  and  that  its  peoples 
included  probably  a  larger  proportion  of  the  earlier  colonists 
from  the  Continent,  and  not  impossibly  a  direct  incursion, 
or  more  than  one,  from  Northern  Spain.  Ethnologic  ally 
the  elements  were  otherwise  fundamentally  much  similar 
in  Britain  and  Ireland. 


16  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


THE  GAELIC  VERSION  OF  THE  THEBAID 
OF  STATIUS 

Professor  Mackinnon 

{Continued  from  vol.  viii.  page  233) 

GAELIC  TEXT 

Imthusa  imorro  na  Tiabanda.  Ro  gabh  ecla  adbul 
mor  ciniuda  cathracha  Cathim  o  t'  cualadar  ler  tinol  na 
n-Grec  da  n-indsaigi.  Ro^  thochastail  iarum  Etiocles  co 
h-admall  ^  anindech  na  Tiauanda  do  chosnum  a  cathrach 
Foi.  9b  1.  ris  na  Grecaib.  Acht  chena,  ni  ua  subach  so-menmnach 
lucht  na  Tebi  re  tindscetal  in  tachair  sin.  Acus  ni  roibi 
algius  cathaigti  ac  duini  do  Tiauandaib  in  tan  sin,  uair  ua 
senta  so-thoglaigi  muir  a  cathrach.  Acus  batar  snima 
aile  imda  ^  orro  do  neoch  ua  mid  *  an  imshnim  inna  cath 
do  chur.  Acus  ge  ead  ^  ar  abba  sin  tanic  conf  ad  catha  na  ^ 
crideadaib  na  Tiauanda  do  chosnum  a  ciniuda.  Acus  ni 
do  medugadh  airechtais  in  rig  Etiocles  air  ua  miscais  leo 
uiU''  e  in  fer  na'  tocla  .t.  Polinices.  Acus  ua  h-e  samail 
Etiocles  mar  bis  fael  craesach  confadach  itir  ceithrib  ar  n-a 
comach  and.  Dar  les  ar  teiched  conlenfatais  oegaireaga 
na  tret  tre  n-marbtha  sin  e  uaden. 

Acus  ua  tuillead  re  h-adfuath  do  na  Tiauandaibh  in 
clu  digair  dian-scelach  ac  scailead  seel  na  n-Grec  ^  doib. 
Uair  ro  indisfead  fear  ann  marc-sluag  gasraige  Grec  do 
roctain  co  bruach  srotha  Asopis,  no  co  sHab  so-imthechta  * 
Citeron,  no  co  tulchaib  tond-glasa  Temeson  i  comfhocus  na 
Tebi.  Acus  ro  linsadar  derb-airdedda  ^°  duaibsecha  dirimi 
in  talmain  uili,  conf aictis  ^^-sium  na  srotha  'na  sruthanaib 
f ala  tre  thaidbsib  n-aislingthi,  acus  conlabraidis  torathair 
balba  bruidide  ac  tairgi  ^^  tren-uilc  do  Thiauandaib  as  gach 

*  Eg.  omits.  *  adhbaZ.  3  imda  aile.  *  mbid. 

'  cidhedh.  «  a.  7-7  imun  fer  ina.  '  o  Grecaib. 

•  Eg.  omits.  '"  airighedha.  "  confaicidh.  "  tairngire. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  17 


ENGLISH  TRANSLATION 

Now  ^  as  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Thebans.  Very  great 
fear  took  possession  of  the  tribes  of  the  city  of  Cadmus 
when  they  heard  of  the  great  muster  of  the  Greeks  to 
attack  them.  Thereupon  Ethiocles  with  unstable  and  dis- 
turbed mind  summoned  the  Thebans  to  defend  their  city 
against  the  Greeks.  But  the  people  of  Thebes  did  not  con- 
template the  entering  upon  that  struggle  with  a  joyous  or 
light  heart.  There  was  not  at  the  time  a  man  among  them 
who  had  any  desire  for  war,  for  the  walls  of  their  city  were 
old  and  easy  to  destroy.  And  many  other  cares  occupied 
their  minds,  which  increased  their  anxiety  regarding  this 
war.  Yet  though  this  was  so,  a  rage  for  war  took  posses- 
sion of  the  minds  of  the  Thebans  to  defend  their  people. 
They  cared  not  about  extending  the  dominion  of  Etiocles, 
for  they  all  hated  him  more  than  they  did  the  invader 
Polinices.  And  Etiocles  (himself)  was  Uke  an  open- jawed 
furious  wolf  among  herds  after  he  had  devoured  them. 
He  thought  that  if  he  ran  away  the  very  herds  of  the  flocks 
which  he  destroyed  would  pursue  him  and  slay  him. 

It  was  an  addition  to  the  horror  of  the  Thebans,  the 
alarming  quickly-spreading  report  that  circulated  the  move- 
ments of  the  Greeks  among  them.  One  related  that  the 
cavalry  of  the  Grecian  host  had  (already)  reached  the 
bank  of  the  river  Asopis,  or  the  easily  traversed  hill 
of  Cithaeron,  or  the  green  knolls  of  Teumeson,  nigh  to 
Thebes.  Ominous  and  numerous  tokens  of  evil  filled  the 
whole  land.     They  saw  in  visions  of  the  night  the  rivers 

1  Th.,  iv.  345. 
VOL.  IX.  B 


THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


Fol.  9b  2. 


aird.  Acus  adclos  daibsium  tre  thaidbsi  ban-sacart  dasach- 
tach  do  muntir  Baich,  do  dei  in  fhina,  ac  faistine  sechnon 
na  cathrach  con-ebairt :  '  Is  olc  a  n-(d)enai,^  a  Baich,'  ^ 
ar  si,  *na  h-eicne-sea  do  lecun  ^  ar  na  Tiabandaib.  Acus 
adchiu-sa  da  tharb  trena  tnuthacha  concindet  *  oen  cenel 
acus  oen  atharda  ac  tachar  acus  each  dib  ac  marbad  a  ceh. 
.t.  Etiocles',  ar  si,  '  is  olc  a  n-denai  tachar  ua  n-ni  nach 
duthchu  dit  na  do  ^  brathair  .t.  do  Polineces.'  Acus  ro 
bai  'na  tast  as  a  h-aithli  sin. 

Acht  cheana  ra  sir  Etiocles  celgcach  crithnaigthech 
faistine  do  denam  do  ar  in  fisid.  Acus  is  airi  ro  furail  air 
cunnail  cian-aesta  .t.  ar  Tiresias.  Acus  ge  m-mad  dall  in 
dnii  sin  ua  deg  fhisig.  Acus  is  airi  ro  dalladh  ®  in  duine 
sin :  '  bliadna  ro  bai-sium  'na  mnai  tre  mirbail  na  n-dei 
CO  tarla  ^  imresain  itir  loib  acus  lunaind,  ban-dei  na  toili 
coUaigi — ingen  do  Saturn  in  n-Iunaind  ^  caem  cumachtach — 
CO  n-ebairt  loib  comma  mo  algius  sar-thoili  nam  m(b)an 
na  na  fear.  Adrubairt  imorro  lunaind  roppa  brec.  Acus 
ro  aentaigset  ua  oen  fhiadain  .t.  Tiresias,  uair  ro  bai-sium 
sel  'na  mna  acus  sel  'na  fhir.  Acus  adrubairt  rabba  mo 
ailgius  nam  m-ban  na  ailgius  na  fer.  Acus  ua  fergach  ri 
h-Iunaind  sin,  acus  ro  bean  a  shuili  uada-sum.  Acus 
tucastar  loib  fis  faistine  do-sum  'na  agaid  sin.  Nocho  tre 
enaib  na  tre  idbartaib  ar  altoir  do  nid  in  fer  sin  faistine,  acht 
tre  tuduscad  ^^  anmand  a  h-ifren,  uair  is  mo  ro  creitfea  doib. 

Et  ro  erig  Tiresias  acus  a  ingen  Manto  acus  Ethiocles 
araen  ^^  ris,  acus  tangadar  is  ^^  an  fidnemed  ^^  f asaig  ua 
comnesa  doib.  Acus  imun  fidnemid  ^^  sin  ^*  ro  bai  in  mag  ar 
silastair  Cathim  mac  Agenoir  fiacla  na  nathrach  feacht 
riam  roim(e).  Acus  contechit  duine  ^^  acus  indili  tres  in 
seiselbi  n-demnaig  n-adfuathmair  bis  fos  is  a  n-inat  sin. 
Acus  da  roindi  Tiresias  ix  clascha  comleathna  and  sin, 
acus  ro  linaid  leis  iad  do  chaerchaib  duba  dath-chaema  in 


'  denaidh. 
5  Eg.  adds  do. 
•  Eg.  adds  sin. 
»3-"  Eg.  omits. 


«  Baith. 

•  Ed.  MS.  da  .».  uad. 

^*  thoduscad. 

^*  Eg.  adds  a. 


'  ligen.  *  concindedh. 

^  Eg.  omits.  *  contarla. 

"  araen  Etiocles.  "  MS.  as. 
^^  daine. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  19 

running  blood.     Dumb  brutish  monsters  spoke  and  pro- 
phesied great  disaster  to  the  Thebans  from  all  quarters. 
There   was   a    rumour   that   a   furious    mad   priestess   of 
Bacchus,  the  god  of  wine,  was  prophesying  throughout  the 
city  and  saying :    '  Evil  you  have  done,  Bacchus,'  said  she, 
'  to    have    permitted    these   calamities   to   fall   upon    the 
Thebans.     I  see  two  strong  contentious  bulls  sprung  from 
the  same  stock  and  the  same  soil  fighting,  and  each  of  them 
killing  the  other.    And  Etiocles,'  said  she,  '  you  act  unjustly 
towards  your  brother  PoUnices  in  quarrelling  with  him  about 
what  is  not  more  yours  than  his.'     She  was  silent  thereafter. 
Howbeit^  the  wily,  trembling  Etiocles  sought  prophecy 
from  a  seer,  and  he  whom  he  consulted  was  the  wise  and  very 
aged  Tiresias.     Though  this  wizard  was  blind  he  was  a 
good    prophet.     The    cause    of    his    bUndness    was    thus : 
during  a  year  in  which  he  was,  through  a  miracle  of  the 
gods,  a  woman,  there  arose  a  disputation  between  Jove 
and  Juno  the  goddess  of  lust.     A  daughter  of  Saturn  was 
this  beautiful  and  powerful  Juno.     Jove  said  that  the  love 
pleasures  of  women  exceeded  those  of  men.     Juno,  on  the 
other  hand,   declared  that  it  was  not  so.     They   agreed 
to  refer  the   matter  to   one  umpire,  Tiresias,  seeing   that 
he  was  for  a  period  a  woman,  and  for  a  period  a  man. 
He  declared  that  the  pleasures  of  women  were  greater  than 
those  of  men.     Juno  was  wroth  at  this,  and  she  plucked 
out  Tiresias's  eyes,  but  Jove  gave  him  the  gift  of  prophecy 
by  way  of  compensation.     It  was  not  by  birds  nor  by 
sacrifices  upon  altars   that  Tiresias   made   prophecy,   but 
by  raising  the  souls  (of  the  dead)  from  hell,  for  he  had 
greater  faith  in  these. 

Then  arose  Tiresias  with  his  daughter  Manto  and  Etiocles 
along  with  him,  and  they  went  to  the  desert  sacred  grove 
nearest  to  them.  It  was  around  this  sacred  grove  that  the 
field  in  which  Cadmus,  son  of  Agenor,  sowed  the  dragon's 
teeth  a  long  time  previously,  was.  Men  and  cattle  avoided 
it  because  of  the  devilish  horrid  din  that  ever  was  in  that 

1  TL,  iv.  406. 


20  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

n-onoir  na  n-dei  n-ifrennaidi.^  Ac  us  ba  h-olc  re  lucht  in 
tiri  a  met  da  chaithead  d'a  ceithrib  ris  na  h-idbartaib  sin. 
Acus  ro  doirtestar  T(i)resias  fleda  fina  ar  na  clasachaib 
comlinta  sin.  Acus  ro  bai  ac  eadarguidi  na  n-dei  n-ifrenn- 
aidi  n-aduathmar  .t.  Oirc,  acus  Proserpiana  a  ban-chele 
ind  fhir  sin,  acus  Tresifone  aslaicthe  chur  uada,  acus  Caroin 
co(m)thnuthach  port-immarchoirthid  na  n-anmannand  dar 
sruth  Stig,^  co-tudusctis  anmanna  do  Tiresias  d'indisi  ^ 
firindi  do.  Acus  ro  gab  aduath  adbal  Ethiocles  ri  dasacht 
Tiresias  ac  iarraid  aitgi  ar  muntir  n-demnaig  n-ifrind.* 
Acus  o  ra  airig  Tiresias  sin  ro  fergaiged  e  re  muntir  n-ifrind, 
ar  a  fhat  leis  ro  bai  gun  nech  da  chur  da^  indsaigid  a 
h-ifrinn.  Acus  ro  labair  in  ban-shacart,  a  ingen  .t.  Manto  : 
'  Ac  so  chucut '  ar  si,  'an  disi ^  airechta  adbana  esfhuiligi 
d'  anmandaib  i  comfhocus  da  a  h-ifrenn,  acus  ro  h-oslaicit 
clusala  aduathmara'^  ifrind  anosa  acus  adchim-sea  sosta 
sir-dorcha,*^  acus  aitdeda  ^  anaibne  ichtir  ifrind,  acus 
adchim-si,'  ar  si,^  '  srotha  suaibrenacha  sruth-glasa  ifirn  .t. 
Acheron  acus  Flegedon  acus  Stix,  adciu-sa  dan  ^^  Pluton 
acus  Prosserpina  acus  brithemain  ecerta  ^^  ifirn  .t.  Minos  ^^ 
acus  Eacus  ^^  acus  Rodomantus,  tri  meic  loib.  Acus  is 
amlaid  co  beraid  bretha  .i.  cilamd  ^*  comthomais  acco  acus 
lecana  finna  ann  acus  lecan(a)  duba,  acus  in  tan  ticed  in 
lecan  find  annis  ^^  ar  tus  ua  fir  in  fuigell,  acus  in  tan  ticed 
in  lecan  dub  annis  ^^  ua  h-anfhir  in  breth.  Acus  is  lor 
indisin,'  ar  si  ^^  Manto,  '  do  thoratharaib  ifirn  dit.'  ^^  '  Is  leor 
imorro,  a  ingen,'  ar  si  ^^  Tiresias,  *  cia  nach  fitir  in  fian  ata 
ar  in  20  coraid  ar  Sisfiphus^i  a.  cloch  muilind  do  chur  an 
agaid  shlebe  acus  a  toitim  ina  cend  dorisi.^^  Tifius  coraid  ro 
triall  eiccin  for  mathair  Apaill  .t.  ar  Latona,^^  isi  a  plan  an 
ifirn  sebac  aca  crem  a  cridi  ac  forbairt  ann.  Gair  chucaind, 
a  ingen,'  ar  se,  '  na  h-anmanda  Grecda  acus  Tiauanda  fuil 


1  n-infernda. 

2  Stix. 

^  iansin. 

*  n-ifernaidhi. 

*  dan. 

•^  anosa. 

^"^  Eg.  omits. 

^  aigeda. 

9  MS.  se. 

*"  Eg.  omita. 

"  egaracha. 

12  Miaios. 

"  Echus. 

^*  ciulurnn. 

*°  ann. 

1^  ann. 

"  ar  sa. 

»8  deit. 

**  ar  sa. 

^  Eg.  omits. 

31  Sisphus.  22  Eg.  dorididhi.  23  Ed.  has  the  name  in  red  ink. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  21 

place.  Tiresias  made  nine  trenches  of  like  breadth  there, 
and  filled  them  with  black  sheep  of  beautiful  colour  in 
honour  of  the  gods  of  hell.  The  people  of  the  place  grumbled 
at  the  number  of  their  cattle  that  were  consumed  in  these 
sacrifices.  Tiresias  further  poured  out  banquets  of  wine  and 
filled  these  trenches,  and  was  praying  the  horrid  gods  of 
hell,  i.e.  Orcus  and  his  wife  Proserpina  and  Tersiphone,  to 
issue  their  commands  and  to  order  grim  Charon,  the  ferry- 
man of  souls  across  the  river  Styx,  to  rouse  up  souls  who 
should  reveal  truth  to  Tiresias.  Vast  terror  took  hold  of 
Etiocles  when  he  saw  the  frenzy  of  Tiresias  when  praying 
to  the  devilish  inhabitants  of  hell.  When  Tiresias  observed 
this  he  became  angry  with  the  folks  of  hell  because  they 
delayed  so  long  in  sending  one  to  him  from  thence.  Then 
his  daughter  Manto  the  priestess  spoke  :  '  There  approach 
you  now,'  said  she,  '  noble  (?)  bloodless  companies  of 
souls  quite  near  from  hell.  The  dread  prisons  of  hell  have  now 
been  opened,  and  I  see  the  ever  dark  dwellings  and  joyless 
abodes  of  lowest  hell ;  and  I  see  the  smoking  (?)  grey  rivers 
of  hell,  Acheron,  Phlegethon  and  Styx  ;  and  I  see  besides 
Pluto  and  Proserpina  and  the  unjust  judges  of  hell,  Minos 
and  Aeacus  and  Rhadamanthus,  three  sons  of  Jove.  And 
these  deliver  judgments  after  this  manner :  ^  they  have 
urns  of  equal  size  in  which  there  are  little  stones,  some  white, 
some  black.  When  a  white  stone  comes  out  first  the  judg- 
ment is  just ;  when  a  black  one  the  decision  is  unjust. 
And  that  suffices,'  said  Manto,  '  to  tell  thee  of  the  horrors 
of  hell.'  '  It  suffices  indeed,'  ^  said  Teresias,  *  for  who  does 
not  know  of  the  punishment  of  the  champion  Sis3rphus, 
who  must  roll  a  millstone  up  hill  which  ever  falls  back 
again  ;  and  of  Tityos  the  hero  who  offered  violence  to 
Latona,  the  mother  of  Apollo,  and  whose  punishment  in 
hell  is  a  hawk  pecking  at  his  heart,  which  maintains  its 
vigour.      Call  to  me,  girl,'  said  he,  'the  souls  of   Greeks 

^  This  passage  is  interpolated  ;  cf.  Irische  Texte,  iv.  p.  191,  where  three  stones  are 
used,  white,  black,  and  speckled,  the  last  denoting  half-guilty. 
*  Th.,  iv.  536. 


22  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

ann,  acus  indis  dam  an  delb  acus  an  denam,  acus  cuich  as 
neasa  dib.'  ^  '  Atat  ^  ann,'  ar  si,^  '  Cathim  mac  Agenoir  acus 
Ermione  a  ban-chele,  acus  ceithri  h-ingina  Cathim  .t.  Semile 
p«i.  lOa  1.  acus  Antonoe  acus  Inno  acus  Agabe  co  n-a  clandaib.  Acus 
atcim-si,'  ar  si,  '  mairb  truaga  na  Tiuanda  and  so  acus  na 
n-Grec  ar  chena.' 

Et  o  darat  Manto  teist  acus  tuariscbail  na  n-anmand 
leith  ar  leth,  ro  erig  Tiresias  acus  ro  chraith  a  chend,  acus 
nir  gab  lorg  'na  laim  ger  bo  senoir.  '  Bi  tast,*  a  ingen,'  ar 
se,  '  da  uiccim-sea  ^  in  ni  bias  do  Grecaib  acus  do  Tiauan- 
daib  uair  ^  de  sin,  acus  bid  mesa  do  Grecaib,'  ar  se,  '  in 
tachar-sa  na  do  Tiauandaib.  Uair  is  toirrsech,'  ar  se, '  a  fuil 
do  rigaib  Grec  a  n-ij&rn  ac  tairrngiri  thoirrsech  da  fuil  beo 
dib.'  Acus  as  iat  so  na  riga  '^  ua  toirrsech  in  n-ifirn  in  tan 
sin  .t.  Appas  garb  gruganach,  acus  Foraneus  cendais  cumach- 
tach,  acus  Pelops  crechtach  cendtescta,  acus  Oenamaus 
feochair  fir(f)eargach,  ocus  Portus  occal  eccendais.  Acus  is 
do  side^  ro  ban-cheU  Stenobe®  darad  grad  da  les-mac  .t. 
do  Belorofons.i^  Acus  o  ro  emig  in  gilla  comriachtain  ria 
ro  chosait-si  re  athair  ^^  e,  acus  a  dubairt  eiccen  do  thobairt 
fuirri.  Acus  to  fergaided  Pontus  re  Pellorofons  cor  cuir^^ 
e  d'innsaigid  athar  Stenobe.  Acus  ro  bai  torathar  aicci 
side  .t.  Cimera.  Acus  ro  cuired  Ballorofons  ar  in  n-eoch, 
ar  Pegais,  d'ag(b)ail  a  oigeda  do  cum  Chimera.  Acus 
adrochair  an  torathar  sin  ^^  lesium.  Ra  h-easchrad  ^*  e  da 
eoch  fein,  acus  adbath.' 

Atchondairc  Tiresias  in  caecaid  ^^  curad  ro  marb  Tid 
do  Tiauandaib,  ocus  ^^  adchondairc-sium  Laius  mor,  athair  ^^ 
Eidip,  itir  na  h-anmandaib.  Acus  ro  bai  ac  iarraid  faistine 
fair  do  denam  d'atiib  .t.  do  Eithocles,  do  rig  na  Tebi,  acus  do 
Pohneces  mac  Edip.  Acus  ro  lauair  Laius :  '  cid  'ma 
n-iarthai  ormsa,  a  Tiresias,  faistine  do  denum  do  lucht  na 
Tebi,  uair  is  adbul  d'ulc  do  ronsat  rimsa,  acus  gidid,'  ar  se, 
'  indesait  ^^  daibsi  a  n-a  cuala  o  deib  ifrind  ma  dala  na 

^  Eg.  adds  dam.  *  Ata.            ^  ^g  „  se.  *  Ba  tost.  ^  tuicim-ai. 

^  Eg.  omits.  "^  righdha.      *  siden.  •  Seaobe.  "  Pelarofons. 

"  h-athair.  "  cur  o  ro  cuir.  *^  Eg.  omits.  **  eacradh. 

»*  1.  at.  '«  Ed.  has  .1.,  Eg.  has  7.  i^  mac.  **  innesat. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  23 

and  Thebans  that  are  present,  and  tell  me  their  form  and 
build,  and  which  is  nearest  to  me.'  '  There  are  here,'  said 
she,  '  Cadmus,  son  of  Agenor,  and  Hermione  his  wife,  and 
the  four  daughters  of  Cadmus,  Semele,  Autonoe,  Ino,  and 
Agave,  with  their  children;  and  I  see,'  said  she,  *  the  wretched 
dead  of  the  Thebans  here,  as  also  those  of  the  Greeks.' 

When  ^  Manto  gave  the  character  and  description  of 
the  souls  on  either  side,  Tiresias  rose  up  and  shook  his  head. 
He  did  not  take  a  staff  in  his  hands,  though  an  old  man. 
'  Be  silent,  girl,'  said  he,  '  I  perceive  what  will  happen  to 
Greeks  and  Thebans  in  this  conflict.  The  Greeks  will  fare 
worse,'  said  he,  '  than  the  Thebans  in  this  encounter.  For 
the  Grecian  kings  who  are  in  hell,'  added  he,  '  are  sad, 
presaging  the  mournful  fate  of  those  living.  And  these 
are  the  kings  who  were  grieving  in  hell  at  the  time — viz.. 
Abas,  fierce  and  stern  ;  Pheroneus,  gentle  and  powerful ; 
Pelops,  full  of  wounds  and  decapitated;  Oenomaus,  fierce 
and  wrathful ;  and  Proetus,  cruel  and  merciless.  Proetus's 
wife  was  Sthenoboea,  who  fell  in  love  with  her  stepson 
Bellerophon.  When  the  youth  declined  her  advances  she 
accused  him  to  his  father,  alleging  that  he  offered  violence 
to  her.  Proetus  was  wroth  at  Bellerophon  and  sent  him 
to  the  father  of  Sthenoboea.  He  had  a  monster  named 
Chimaera,  and  Bellerophon  was  put  upon  the  horse  Pegasus, 
in  order  to  come  by  his  death  in  fighting  Chimaera.  But  the 
monster  fell  by  his  hand.  (Bellerophon)  was  (afterwards) 
thrown  by  his  own  horse  and  he  perished.' 

Tiresias  saw  the  fifty  Theban  champions  whom  Tydeus 
slew.  And  he  saw  the  great  Laius,  father  of  Oedipus, 
among  the  dead,  and  he  asked  him  to  prophesy  regarding 
his  grandsons,  Etiocles,  king  of  Thebes,  and  Polinices,  son 
of  Oedipus.  And  Laius  said :  '  Why  should  you  ask  me, 
Tiresias,  to  make  prophecy  to  the  people  of  Thebes  ?  for 
vast  are  the  evils  which  they  have  done  to  me.  Still,' 
said  he,  '  I  shall  tell  what  I  heard  from  the  deities  of  hell 

>  Th.,  ir.  579. 


24  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Tiauanda.  Is  ^  cinti  tra,'  ar  se,  '  concingit  laich  lutJimara 
Lerna  .i.  na  Grecci  dirma  di-airmidi  do  chathaib  commora 
do  thogail  Tebi.  Et  ^  is  cinti  coscor  ac  Tiauandaib  do 
thurus  gasraide  Grec  do  gairiud  ^  na  Tebi.  Acus  ni  lecfet 
Tiauanda  do  na  Grecaib  aitt  na  h-inad  do  lose  ad  na  d' 
adlacad  *  do  neoch  marfer  ^  dib  i  tir  na  Tebi.  Acus  na  bid 
a  ecla  ®  ortsu,'  ar  se  '  Laius,  '  a  Ethiocles,  rigi  do  gobail 
dat  brathair,  do  Polineces,  uair  gid  feochair  fuabartach  in 
fer  sin,  noch  ^  ua  ri  ar  in  Teb  co  brath.'  Acus  o  ra  labair 
Laius  sin  atrochair  in  n-(i)firind,®  acus  ro  fhac  co  cummas- 
cadha  cundabartacha  scela  na  n-Grec  da  eis. 

Imtusa  imorro  na  n-Grec  do  berar  os  aird.  And  so 
tangatar  reompo  co  coiUtib  nua-glasa  Nem.  Acus  ua 
dirmi  di-fhoillsigud  in  deag-sluaig  sin  im  trascrad  acus  im 
Foi.  lOa  2.  thogail  na  Tebi  leo.  Baich,  imorro,  dei  in  n-fhina,  ro  tinoil 
sideic  na  ciniuda  gaimschedacha  Geittecda  ^®  o  sleib  Eim  ^^ 
acus  o  sliab  Otras  ^^  acus  o  sleb  Rodoip  do  chum  na  Tebi  da 
forithin,  uair  ropi  Semile,  ingen  rig  na  Tebi  .t.  Chathim 
meic  Agenoir,  mathair  Baich.  Uair  in  tan  ro  loisced  Semile 
ac  comriachtain  do  loib  ria  ir-richt  tened  ro  thairring  loib 
Baich  as  a  broind  ar  tesbaid  ^^  mis  da  h-inbaid,^*  acus  ro 
h-ailestar  loib  Baich  a  m-bun  a  sliasta  co  cenn  mis,  acus  tuc 
do  lucht  na  Tebi  da  h-altrom  ar  sin  e.^^  Conid  imi  sin  ro  bai 
Baich  ac  fortacht  na  Tebi.  Acus  is  amlaid  ro  bai-sium 
is  na  long-portaib  sotla  so-mescada  sin  acus  nathracha 
nemnecha  ac  imarchur  carpait  Baith.  Acus  ua  curita 
lucht  carpait  Baich,  acus  at  e  and  so  a  n-anmand  .t.  Nert 
acus  Fuasnad,  Ferg  acus  Faitcius.  Acus  o  t'chondairc 
Baich  na  cloichtigi  cumascda  ciach  acus  na  neoill  lan^^-dorcha 
luaitherda  re  trethan  in  t-(s)luig  os  choilltib  croeb^'-glasa 
Nem,  acus  dellrad  na  n-arm  sliptha  sleaman-gorm  ri  ruithnib 
na  greni  glan-shoillsi  ua  socht  mor  leosum  ^^  gan  tendad 
a  ^®  tinoil  tachair  in  agaid  Grecach.     Acus  adubairt  Baich 


1  as. 

2    0CU8. 

^  do  egairug. 

*  anac. 

^  muirbhfhither. 

*  h-ecla. 

^  Eg.  omits. 

*  nocha. 

®  anirn. 

"  Getecda. 

»  Ein. 

"  Otris. 

"  t«8tail. 

"  mvaadh. 

«  MS.  l 

»6  Eg.  omits. 

^^  inam. 

'*  leisim. 

19  in. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  25 

regarding  the  affairs  of  the  Thebans.  It  is  certain,  then,' 
said  he,  'that  the  intrepid  heroes  of  Lerna,  i.e.  of  Greece, 
will  advance  in  numberless  multitudes  arranged  in  huge 
battahons  to  destroy  Thebes.  And  it  is  certain  that  the 
Thebans  will  conquer  the  Grecian  braves  in  their  march  to 
the  destruction  of  Thebes.  And  the  Thebans  will  not  give 
to  the  Greeks  a  place  or  stead  in  which  to  burn  or  bury 
those  who  will  be  slain  in  Theban  land.  And  Etiocles,' 
added  Laius,  '  be  not  afraid  to  keep  possession  of  your 
brother  Polinices's  kingdom,  for  fierce  and  formidable 
though  that  man  be,  he  shall  never  be  king  of  Thebes.' 
When  Laius  thus  spoke  he  descended  into  hell,  and  left 
behind  him  the  story  of  the  Greeks  in  confusion  and  doubt. 
The  proceedings  of  the  Greeks  are  related  now.^  By 
this  time  they  proceeded  forward  to  the  fresh  and  grey 
woods  of  Nemaea.  And  the  strong  hosts  were  confident 
from  their  great  numbers  (of  their  ability)  to  raze  and  destroy 
Thebes.  Bacchus,  however,  the  god  of  wine,  collected  the 
tribes  of  wintry  Getae  from  the  hill  of  Haemus,  and  from 
the  hill  of  Othrys,  and  from  the  hill  of  Rhodope,  to  Thebes 
to  aid  it.  For  Semele,  the  daughter  of  Cadmus,  son  of 
Agenor,  king  of  Thebes,  was  Bacchus' s  mother.  When 
Semele  was  burnt  by  the  embrace  of  Jove  in  the  guise  of 
fire,  Jove  drew  Bacchus  from  her  womb,  her  period  having 
failed  by  a  month,  and  nourished  him  in  the  thick  end  of 
his  thigh  for  a  month.  Thereafter  he  gave  Bacchus  to  the 
Thebans  to  be  reared.  Whence  it  was  that  Bacchus  aided 
the  Thebans.  And  thus  was  Bacchus  among  these  haughty, 
easily  excited  camps,  with  venomous  serpents  drawing  his 
chariot.  Brave  were  the  attendants  upon  his  chariot,  and 
these  are  their  names, — Power  and  Wrath,  Rage  and  Fear. 
When  Bacchus  saw  the  confused  masses  of  mist  and  the 
very  dark  and  flying  clouds  caused  by  the  march  of  the 
hosts  over  the  grey  forests  of  Nemaea,  and  the  gleam  of  the 
burnished  smooth-blue  weapons  from  the  rays  of  the  bright- 
shining  sun,  he  was  greatly  tempted  to  collect  his  forces 

'  Th.,  iv.  646. 


26  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

ri  ^  muntir :  '  Bid  bar  tast,  a  oco,'  ^  ar  se,^  *  acus  caiscid  bar 
seiselbi.  Ro  cindsead  na  Grec(a),'  ar  se,^  '  dianscailiud  na 
Tebi  imum-si,'  *  ar  se,^  'acus  is  i  mo  les-mathair-sea^  lunaind 
chomoras  na  catha  sin  chucum-sa.  Acus  da  rigne  ulcu 
aili  ^  rim  remi  .t.  mo  mathair  Simile  do  loscad,  acus  ata 
anosa  ac  ^  techt  co  Teib  da  milliud.  Dober-sa,  ^  imorro,' 
ar  se,  '  indnell  ^  furig  ecin  ar  na  slogaib.'  Acus  tanic-sium 
remi  co  dian  tindeasnach  *  ar  in  mag  in  n-agaid  in  t-(s)loig. 
Acus  ba  medon  don  lo  ind  n-uair  ^^  sin.  Acus  ua  tend  tesbach 
in  talam  ri  taidlanig  na  greni  and  sin.  Ra  gairit  dei  acus 
ban-dei  na  n-es  acus  na  n-abann  cuicci  acus  adubairt  riu : 
'  tabraid,'  ar  se,  '  fial  falaig  dar  inbearaib  uisci  na  Greci  ^^ 
uili  coma  lathraid  Ian  tirma  a  n-inada  da  n-eis.  Acus  di- 
chlethid  ^^  uirri  choUti  Nem  ar  tus.  Acus  dober-sa  a  chomain 
chomadais  daib-si  a  ris,'  ar  se.  Acus  ni  luaithi  adrubairt- 
sium  sin  na  ra  tirmaidit  lacha  acus  luath-aibne,  tobair  acus 
turlaigi  in  tiri,  coma  caeiti  conairi  inada  na  n-uisceda  .t. 
Lerna  acus  Larceus,  Inacus  acus  Caradrus,  Erasinus  acus 
Asterion.  Acht  chena  ro  bai  oen  smith  ^^  ua  clithir  diam- 
ruib  na  coilliud  gan  a  uisci  do  tradad^*  .c.  Langia.^^  Acus 
ba  h-uathad  eolaig  in  n-usci  sin. 

Cid  tra  acht  rogabastar  itai  ^^  adual  na  Grecu  co  na 
fetais  ^'  a  sceith  do  chongbail  na  (a)  luirecha  lasamna  d'imur- 
cur,i8  acus  ni  faeltais  ^*  a  n-eich  an  imochur  na  miled  sin  ris 
in  la,sud  lan-itad  bai  orro  itir  ech(a)  acus  du(i)ni.  Acus  ro 
F»i.  lOb  1.  chuir  Adraist  taiscelta  ar  gach  leth  d'iarraid  usci  .i.  co 
sruth  n-Amemon  acus  co  Sien  siblach  sir-uar.^'^  Acus  ni 
fuaradar  ba(i)nni  usci  i  n-inud  dib.  Acus  ro  ailsed  ar  na 
deib  usci,  acus  nir  sailsed  uisci  ^^  das  ^^  na  derthain  ^^  ar  tal- 
main  tre  bithu. 

Acus  2*  ind  ua(i)r  2*  da  uadar  ar  sechran  sechnon  na  cailli 


1  Eg.  adds  a. 

"  occa. 

^  Ed.  has  si. 

*  umum-sa. 

«  si. 

*  Eg.  omita. 

7  a. 

^~'  Eg.  omits. 

*  dasachtach. 

10  tan. 

^'  na  n-Grec. 

»2  dithl-id. 

"  smth. 

1*  traghad. 

*^  Eg.  adds  a  ainm. 

"  itu. 

"  fetfadis. 

"  imcur. 

>»  fetfadis. 

^  fuar. 

"  Eg.  omits. 

"  dfds. 

"  d'ferthain. 

24-24  mar. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  27 

and  attack  the  Greeks.  And  Bacchus  addressed  his  folk 
and  said  :  '  Be  silent,  youths,'  said  he,  '  and  restrain  your 
clamour.  The  Greeks  have  resolved  to  destroy  Thebes 
because  of  me,'  added  he,  '  and  it  is  my  stepmother  Juno 
who  has  mustered  these  battalions  against  me,  as  she  has 
done  many  evils  to  me  heretofore,  such  as  the  destruction 
of  my  mother  Semele  by  fire.  And  now  she  is  advancing 
upon  Thebes  to  destroy  it.  But  I  shall  devise,'  concluded 
he,  '  some  scheme  to  delay  the  hosts.'  Bacchus  then  fared 
forward  vehemently  and  hastily  on  the  plain  to  meet  the 
hosts.  It  was  midday  at  the  time,  and  the  earth  was  firm 
and  hot  by  the  beat  of  the  sun  upon  it.  He  summoned  the 
gods  and  goddesses  of  the  waterfalls  and  rivers  and  said 
to  them  :  '  Draw  ye,'  said  he,  '  a  covering  screen  over  the 
estuaries  of  the  whole  of  Greece,  that  their  surfaces  become 
thereafter  perfectly  dry  places,  and  cover  the  borders  of 
the  Nemaean  forests  first.  I  shall  thereafter  make  a  suit- 
able return  to  you,'  added  he.  No  sooner  had  Bacchus 
spoken  than  the  lakes  and  swift  rivers,  the  wells  and  winter 
lochs  of  the  land  were  dried  up,  so  that  the  beds  of  the 
waters  became  passable  roads, — in  Lerna  ^  and  Lyrcius, 
and  Inachus  and  Charadrus,  Erasinus  and  Asterion.  And 
yet  there  was  one  stream  in  the  secret  recesses  of  the  forest 
whose  waters  were  not  dried  up,  viz.,  Langia.  Few  were 
they  who  knew  of  that  stream. 

Now  terrible  thirst  seized  the  Greeks  so  that  they 
were  unable  to  hold  their  shields  or  carry  their  flaming 
hauberks.  Nor  could  the  horses  endure  the  burden  of  the 
warriors,  such  was  the  burning  thirst  which  seized  horse 
and  man.  Adrastus  sent  scouts  in  every  direction  to 
search  for  water, — to  the  stream  Amymone  and  to  the 
swift,  ever-cool  Syene,  but  not  a  drop  of  water  could  be 
found  anywhere.  They  asked  the  gods  for  water,  but  one 
would  not  think  that  water  ever  flowed  or  rain  ever  fell  on 
the  earth. 

While  they  were  wandering  up  and  down  through  the  wood 

»  Th.,  It.  711. 


28  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

atchoncadar  mnai  n-alaind  n-ilcrothaig  co  dubach  do- 
menmnach  .t.  Ipsifile,  acus  dalta  derrscigthech  ^  di  'na 
Uaim  .L.  Archemurus  mac  Ligurguis,^  Ofeltes  ainm  aili 
don  mac  sin.  Acus  ua  rignaigi  ro  delb  na  h-ingine  sin  ger 
b'olc  a  h-indell  acus  a  h-etgud.  Acus  ro  socht  ^  Adraist  ac 
a  faicsin,  acus  adubairt :  '  A  ban-de  *  coem  cumachtach,' 
ar  se,  '  uair  dar  lind  nocho  do  ^  delb,  acht  mad  dellrud 
diada,  tobair  ^  foirithin  eolais  uisci  oraind.  Acus  ni 
thobair '  loib  fortacht  foraind.  Acus  tamait  ^  ac  tocht  do 
thogail  Tebi,  acus  ni  cath  marbas  sind,  acht  mad  o  enerti  ® 
ittad.  Acus  is  lor  lindi  do  loib  thussu  d'ortacht  uisci 
oraind.  Acus  comdaingnig-siu  ar  curpu-ni  do  chum  in 
chatha.  Acus  dobertar  aisceda  cruid  creichi^^  dit,  acus 
dogentar  idbairt  ^^  gacha  tuaithi  dit.'  Acus  nir  leic  ind 
n-itu  12  dermar  do-folachta  labra  secha  sin  don  rig  Adraist. 
Acus  ba  bana  buaidirthi  ^^  na  n-Grec  uiU  ri  h-eicin  na  h-itad 
sin. 

Acus  ro  cromastar  a  gnuis  acus  adbert :  '  Bid  ban-dei 
daibsi  me  a  Grecu,  acus  dan,'  ar  si,^*  '  ata  mo  chairdes  ris 
na  deib  ;  ^^  acus  ata  athair  maith  acus  atharda  acum  ar 
bunad ;  ^^  acus  ni  lem  fen  in  macan-sa  atchithi  im'  laim  ; 
acus  ni  ^^  biu  ni  is  f aiti  co  bar  f urrech,^^  acht  ticid  lem  co 
h-obund  co  sir-sruth  so-ola  .t.  Langia  na  ^^  traigend  ri  tart 
na  re  tesbach,  acus  ^^  ro  chuingid  ^^  druidi  ^^  do  thragad  ar 
met  21  22  jg  coiserctha  e.'  Ro  chuir  si  a  dalta  uaithi  ar  lar 
gu  na  23  fuirged  na  firu.  Acus  ro  bai  ac  brecad  2*  na  noiden 
sealad  co  roibi  in  a  tast,  acus  tanic  reompo  'na  deagaid 
sin.  In  maccoem  sin  imorro  ro  bi  sideic  ac  hrisiud  ^^  in 
n-(fh)eoir  26  ua  chosaibh  each  re  feacht,  acus  ro  bid  2^  ac 

'  deTTsgnaithech. 

2  Ed.  gives  the  form  Ligiirgus  in  Nom.  and  Ace,  with  Ligurguis  frequently  bat 
not  uniformly  in  Gen.     The  form  in  Eg.  is  almost  invariably  Ligurius. 

3  thocht.  *  baindi.  ^  Eg.  omits.  ^  tauair.  "^  tauair. 
'  atamaif.            »  enerte.             ">  acus  cetradh.        "  idhbarta.        ^^  in  ita. 

"  a  word  like  gniiis  or  ag{h)aid{h)  must  be  supplied. 

"  MS.  ar  siad.  _  "-is  Eg.  has  athardha  7  mrdha  acum. 

16-16  biu-sa  nis  faidi  ga  uar  feach.  "  nach.  ^^  Eg.  adds  ni. 

"  cumaing.  20  draighthi.  "  anf.  "  gg  ^dds  acus. 

»'  conach.  24  pagod/i.  *s  brisiugud.  *^  znfeoir.         *"'  uai. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  29 

they  saw  a  beautiful,  handsome  woman,  named  Hypsipyle,  in 
sad  and  despondent  mood,  and  holding  by  the  hand  a  noble- 
looking  nursling,  Archemorus,  otherwise  named  Opheltes, 
son  of  Lycurgus.  Queenly  was  the  figure  of  that  lady, 
although  her  attire  and  habit  were  mean.  Adrastus  became 
silent  at  seeing  her,  and  then  spoke  :  '  Benign  ^  and  power- 
ful goddess,'  said  he,  '  for  it  seems  to  us  your  form  is  not 
human  but  a  divine  effulgence,  help  us  to  find  water,  for 
Jove  does  not  aid  us.  We  are  come  to  destroy  Thebes, 
and  now  we  are  being  slain  not  in  battle,  but  through  the 
weakness  due  to  thirst.  We  shall  be  satisfied,  though 
Jupiter  has  failed  us,  if  you  provide  water  for  us,  so  that 
our  bodies  may  be  strengthened  for  battle.  Gifts  of  cattle 
taken  in  foray  will  be  given  to  you,  and  every  tribe  will 
make  sacrifice  to  you.'  The  very  great  unendurable  thirst 
did  not  suffer  King  Adrastus  to  speak  further,  and  all  the 
Greeks  were  pale  and  confused  by  the  violence  of  that 
thirst. 

Hypsipyle  bent  her  head  and  said :  '  I  seem  a  goddess 
to  you,  O  Greeks,  and  indeed,'  said  she,  '  I  am  allied  to  the 
gods.  I  have,  moreover,  a  noble  father  and  a  goodly 
ancestral  heritage.  This  cliild  which  I  hold  by  the  hand  is 
not  mine.  I  shall,  however,  no  longer  delay  you,  but  come 
with  me  quickly  to  the  ever-flowing  delicious  river  Langia, 
which  dries  not  in  drought  nor  heat.  And  Druids  have 
not  power  to  dry  it  up,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  consecrated 
stream.'  She  laid  her  fosterling  on  the  ground  so  as  not  to 
delay  the  men,  and  she  kept  soothing  the  infant  for  a  little 
until  it  became  quiet.  Thereafter  they  fared  forward. 
As  for  the  darling  boy,  he  was  now  pressing  the  grass 
under  his  feet,  and  again  running  about  and  searching  and 
ever  calling  out  for  his  nurse's  breast;  for  at  his  age  the 
little  boy  knew  naught  of  avoiding  danger  or  seeking  safety. 

As  for  the  Greeks,  they  made  straight  for  the  water  by 
(such)  paths  (as  they  could  find)  through  the  dense,  im- 
passable wood.     Nor  did  they  allow  the  girl  to  go  in  front 

1  Th.,  iv.  753. 


30  THE  CELTIC  BEVIEW 

siubal  acus  ac  ^  sirium  acus  ac  ^  sir-eigium  ag  iarraid 
chithi  a  muimi  ^  in  fecht  aili.  Acus  ua  h-aineolach  d'im- 
gabail  uilc  in  macan  sin  na  d'iarraid  maithiusa  in  tan  sin. 

Na  Grec(a)  imorro  tanic  ua  comair  dibseic  ar  a  caethib 
d'iarraid  in  ^  n-usci  ar  fat  na  cailli  dluithi  do-imtheac(h)ta. 
Acus  ni  tosach  sligid  ro  *  leiged  don  ingin  do  chum  in  n-usci. 
Acus  ua  samalta  coma  focraach  ifirmamint  re  nuall  subachais 
in  t-(s)loig  sin  re  h-eas  na  h-aband,  amal  ^  naird  acano 
comadug  ^  in  tan  concingid  calad.  Ro  thoimsed  ar  in 
n-usci  na  Grec(a)  gan  discrit  cen  delugad,  gan  uaisli  gan 
onoir,  do  neoch  dib  da  ^  cheli,  cu  na  '^  leigtis  an  n-eich  na 
(a)n  arad  torlem  da  tigemaib,  ri  tindenus  ola  in  n-usci.  Acus 
Foi.  lOb  2.  ua  dirim  trethan  na  tonn  ri  tachim  ^  in  tren  sluaig  sin  ac 
ibi  in  n-usci,  coma  bristi  na  bruaichi  acus  coma  salach  sir- 
buaidirth(i)  in  n-abaind  o'n  cind  co  cheli.  Acus  ua  h-imda 
deoch  iarmarta  ac  a  h-ol  ann  sin.  Acus  ua  samalta  coma 
seselbi  catha  'c  a  commorad  buredach  ^  na  ^^  buidne  sin  ac 
ol  in  n-usci.  Acus  labair  ri  do  na  rigaib  sin  ar  lar  medon 
na  h-abann,  acus  ro  bai  ^^  ac  beandochad  in  n-usci  acus  ac 
taescelad  in  n-inaid  ir-roibe,  acus  ro  bai  'g  a  molad  co  mor, 
acus  adubairt:  'Ni  fhacamar,'  ar  se,  'usci  bad  fherr  ina 
in  t-usci-(si),  na  coill  uad  chaime  ina  in  choill  ina  (f)uil, 
agus  nir  coir,'  ar  se,  '  sruth  do  chor  'na  cheand.' 

Et  o  ra  chaisced  a  n-itaid-sium  ^^  is  in  sruth  ^^  sin  ro 
f hacsad  in  n-aband,  acus  da  ronsad  sruth  lecud^*  da  n-eachaib 
acus  coimling  da  coisigib  co  subach  so-menmnach  ar  na 
bruigib  fond-glasa  fermara,  gor  gob  brig  acus  brogad  acus 
borrfad,  at  acus  annindi^^  na  Grecu,^®  amal  concuirtis  cath 
in  n-uair  sin.  Acus  do  rindit  catha  dib  dorisi,^'^  acus  each 
ina  inad  uadein  do  reir  uird,  amal  ro  uadar  remi.  Acus  ro 
imluaigsed  imthecht  coma  luaithred  lan-salach  na  moigi  na 
imtigdis,^^  acus  contaidlitis  ruithni  ro  glana  os  na  cath 
choilltib  ar  m-batar  uastu.^^ 

'"*  Eg.  omits.  ^  buimi.  3  jjg  omits.  *  do. 


'"'  Eg.  omits.  ^  buimi.  3  jjg  omits.  *  do. 

^"^  nuall  nouiredha  lea  combaghadh.  *  tar  a.  ^  conach. 

8  toichestal.  '  buaidreach.  ^o  nam.  "  ni. 

*2  itu.  "  t-sruth.  "  lecon.  *^  animine, 

>^  na  Grec.  '^  doridhi.  i*  imchidis.  *^  uadesta. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  31 

of  them  on  their  way  to  the  water.  The  joyous  shout  of 
the  host  as  they  came  in  sight  of  the  waterfall  made  the 
firmament  ring  again,  just  like  the  shout  of  a  ship's  crew  (in 
danger)  of  being  drowned  as  they  come  in  sight  of  harbour. 
The  Greeks  swooped  down  on  the  water  indiscriminately, 
without  respect  or  reverence  one  to  another,  so  that  neither 
horses  nor  charioteers  made  way  for  their  masters, — such 
was  their  eagerness  to  drink.  Very  great  was  the  rush 
of  waves  on  the  approach  of  the  mighty  host  to  drink  the 
water,  so  that  the  banks  of  the  river  were  trampled  down, 
and  the  water  from  side  to  side  became  dirty  and  foul. 
Many  a  thirst-quenching  draught  was  drimk  there.  The 
commotion  of  the  host  as  they  drank  was  as  the  din  of  a 
battalion  being  put  in  battle  array.  One  ^  of  the  kings 
in  the  very  centre  of  the  river  spoke  and  blessed  the  water 
and  surveyed  the  place  where  he  stood,  and  praised  it 
greatly  and  said  :  '  We  have  not  seen,'  said  he,  '  better 
water  or  fairer  forest  than  we  have  here ;  and  it  is 
not  meet,'  added  he,  'that  (another)  stream  should  mix 
with  it.' 

After  they  had  quenched  their  thirst  in  the  stream  they 
left  the  river,  and  gave  their  steeds  a  loose  rein  (?),  while 
their  infantry  raced  joyously  and  vigorously  along  the  green 
swards  and  grassy  plains.  The  Greeks  became  strong  and 
powerful  and  elated  and  proud  and  fiery,  as  if  they  were 
fighting  a  battle  at  that  moment.  Thereafter  they  were 
arranged  in  battalions,  with  each  man  in  his  proper  place 
as  formerly.  They  resumed  their  march,  and  the  plains 
they  traversed  became  a  surface  of  filthy  dust,  and  very 
bright  shafts  of  light  from  the  serried  woods  in  which  they 
were  beat  down  upon  them. 

Then  ^  Adrastus  alighted  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and 
stood  in  the  midst  of  the  host  leaning  on  the  spear  of  his 
son-in-law  Polinices,  and  inquired  of  the  girl  Hypsipyle  : 
'  Who  is  your  father  ?  '    said  he,  '  and  what  is  your  native 

»  Th.,  iv.  831.  >  Ibid.,  v.  17. 


32  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Is  and  sin  imorro  ro  thoris  Adraist  im  bun  chroind  acus 
gai  a  clemna  Polineces  ace  a  conguail  ina  theasam  ^  ar  lar 
in  t-(s)luaig,  acus  ro  iarfaid  don  ingin,  Ipsifile :  ^  '  Cia 
th'athair,  a  ingen,'  ar  se,  '  acus  ca  crich  is  dual  dit  ?  '  Ro  ^ 
recair  in  n-ingen  dosum  co  truag  *  acus  co  *  toirrsech :  '  A 
uasail  Adraist,'  ar  si,  '  is  cruaid  na  gnima  furailes  orum 
d'  indisin  mar  ro  marbsad  mna  indsi  Leimin  a  firu,  acht 
misi  ^  m'  oenur,'  ar  si,  '  nir  marbus  m'  athair.  Acus  is  lor 
sin  do  indisi,®  uair  ata  tindenus  orbsi  do  chum  in  chatha. 
Acht  chena,  is  e  Toaint  mac  Baich  m'  athair-sea,  acus 
Ipsifile  m'  ainm  fen.  Acus  an  doiri  atu  ac  Ligoric,  do  uar 
munter-si.'  Tucadar  each  d'  a  n-airi  h-i,  acus  ro  b'  ^  onorach 
algiusach  leo  a  scela  do  cloistecht.  ^Atrubairt  Adraist 
ria-si :  '  Innis  do  scela  uili  cein  ^  no  co  roithset  na  daescar- 
shluaig  tres  in  coilli,  uair  is  do-imthechta  h-i. 

^  tseasam.  -  d'  Ipsifile.  ^  Acus  ro  fregair.  *"''  Eg.  omits. 

''  Eg.  adds  a.         '^  innisin.  ''  p'.  ^  Eg.  adds  Acus. 

^  gen. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  33 

land  ?  '  The  girl  answered  him  sadly  and  mournfully : 
'  Noble  Adrastus,'  said  she,  '  cruel  are  the  adventures 
which  you  enjoin  me  to  relate, — how  the  women  of  the  isle 
of  Lemnos  slew  their  men  folk,  save  I  alone,'  added  she,  '  I 
did  not  slay  my  father.  And  it  suffices  to  tell  so  much,  for 
you  haste  to  the  war.  And  yet,  Thoas,  the  son  of  Bacchus, 
is  my  father ;  my  own  name  is  Hypsipyle,  and  I  am  here 
in  bondage  to  Lycurgus,  one  of  your  people.'  Every  one 
observed  her  closely,  and  each  considered  it  an  honour  and 
pleasure  to  hear  her  story.  Adrastus  said  to  her :  '  Tell 
us  all,  while  the  populace  are  running  through  the  wood 
which  is  difficult  to  traverse.' 


VOL.  IX. 


34  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

THE   HIGHLAND    WIDOW 
Donald  A.  Mackenzie 

A  LONELY  wife  is  Mary  Beg — 

Old  Mary  of  the  Moor ; 
'  I  'm  stopping  here  myself,'  she  said, 

'  Yes,  maybe  I  '11  be  poor — 
My  house  it  wasna  empty 

In  days  that  are  gone  by — 
John,  my  man,  he  took  me  here, 
It 's  here  myself  will  die. 

'  Oh,  few  come  nigh  to  see  me  now — 

There 's  few  I  '11  ken  aright ; 
But  the  fairies  of  the  moorland  come — 

The  fairies  of  the  night ; 
They  '11  bring  me  tidings  sad  and  glad 

From  many  a  distant  shore ; 
And  when  there 's  some  one  hastening  here 

They  '11  hasten  on  before. 

'  Long  ere  a  friend  will  reach  my  house 

With  news  across  the  moor, 
I  '11  hear  the  sound  of  footsteps,  ah  ! 

I  '11  think  it 's  some  one  sure  : 
I  '11  hear  a  knocking,  knocking  .  .  . 

A  voice  I  ken  will  call — 
I  '11  rise  and  open  wide  the  door 

When  no  one 's  there  at  all. 

*  Oh,  many  a  night  when  by  the  fire 

I  'm  spinning  all  alone, 
I  '11  hear  their  laughter  on  the  wind — 

Maybe  I  '11  hear  them  moan. 
They  '11  flit  away  like  shadows. 

Or  shine  the  death-come  light — 
The  fairies  of  the  moorland, 

The  fairies  of  the  night. 

*  They  cried  aloud  yon  wild  Yuletide 

When  John  was  drowned  at  sea ; 
Of  my  fine  lads  in  foreign  lands 
They  're  whispering  aye  to  me — 


THE  HOMA-^l  m  TUE  EXCIDIUM  BRITTANIAE    35 

Oh,  never  a  joy  my  heart  knew, 

And  never  a  sorrow  drear, 
But  the  fairies  of  the  moorland 

Were  first  to  bring  it  here.' 


THE  ROMANI  IN  THE  EXCIDIUM  BRITTANIAE 
Rev.  a.  W.  Wade-Evans 

The  kings  of  the  Romani,  says  the  author  of  the  Excidium 
Brittaniae^  in  chapter  v.,  had  acquired  the  empire  of  the 
world,  and  by  their  conquests  had  secured  in  the  East 
their  prima  Parthorum  pax,  their  first  peace  with  the 
Parthians.  This  we  know  was  in  B.C.  20.  Wars  ceased 
in  almost  every  land. 

In  the  west,  however,  the  advance  of  the  Romani  could 
not  be  checked  even  by  the  ocean.  Crossing  the  channel 
they  subjugated  the  whole  island  of  Britain  (what  is  now 
Scotland  as  well  as  England  and  Wales),  meeting  with  no 
resistance  owing  to  the  unwarlike  character  of  the  Brittani, 
who  inhabited  it.  This  can  only  refer  to  the  well-known 
Roman  conquest  of  southern  Britain,  which  was  taken  in 
hand  during  the  reign  of  Claudius  Caesar  in  a.d.  43.  After 
subduing  the  whole  island,  not  with  swords  but  with  threats, 
the  Romani  returned  to  Rome  owing,  as  they  said,  to  inopia 
cespitis,  the  poverty  of  the  soil,  leaving  behind  rectores, 

^  The  work  commonly  attributed  to  Gildas  and  now  divided  into  a  hundred  and 
ten  chapters  comprises,  in  my  opinion,  two  distinct  books  whose  present  connection 
is  as  follows  : — 

Epistola  Gildae.  Excidium  Brittaniae. 

(Written  about  a.d.  600).  (Written  about  a.d.  700). 

Ch.  1.  Prefatory  remarks.  Ch.  2.  Table  of  Contents. 

Chs.  27-63.  Denunciation  of  princes.       Chs.  3-26.  How  the  Brittani  lost  the 
Chs.  64-110.  Denunciation  of  clergy.  island  of  Britain  till  God  granted 

them  victories  and  peace. 

The  '  Table  of  Contents '  of  the  latter  work  has  been  ingeniously  inwoven  with  the 
preface  of  the  former,  whilst  its  typical  formal  ending  has  been  blurred  in  order  to 
make  it  read  smoothly  into  the  opening  of  the  Epistle.  I  have  changed  my  old  view 
that  chapter  i.  belonged  to  the  Excidium  Brittaniae. 


36  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

rulers,  in  order  to  confirm  the  sovereignty.  It  is  thus  the 
idea  of  the  author  of  the  Excidium  Brittaniae  that  a  Roman 
army  came  to  conquer  the  island  and,  having  subdued  it 
throughout  its  length  without  any  fighting  but  merely  by 
frightening  the  inhabitants,  went  back  to  the  imperial  city 
in  Italy,  leaving  only  officials  behind. 

But  the  Brittani  were  not  only  unwarlike  ;  they  were 
also  faithless.  Full  of  resentment  against  their  conquerors, 
they  yielded  them  only  a  skin-deep  obedience,  so  that  when 
the  Romani  were  gone,  they  rose  in  rebellion  against  the 
rectores  and  slew  them.  On  hearing  this,  the  Roman 
Senate  despatched  an  army  a  second  time  with  speed  to 
take  vengeance  on  the  islanders,  who  again  made  no  military 
preparations  but  showed  their  backs  and  held  forth  their 
hands  to  be  bound  like  women,  so  that  it  became  a  proverb 
and  a  derision  that  the  Brittani  were  neither  brave  in  war 
nor  faithful  in  peace.  The  Romani  slew  many  of  the  faith- 
less ones  but  reserved  some  for  slavery  lest  the  land  should 
be  reduced  to  utter  desolation.  Then  inasmuch  as  Britain 
was  lacking  in  wine  and  oil,  they  withdrew  as  before  to 
Italy.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  Brittani  were  now 
reduced  not  merely  to  political  subjection  as  formerly,  but 
to  actual  slavery.  Praepositi^  overseers  or  taskmasters, 
were  set  over  them,  chosen  from  the  Roman  army  ere  it 
returned.  These  were  to  be  as  scourges  for  the  backs  of 
the  natives,  as  a  yoke  for  their  necks,  to  make  the  epithet 
of  Roman  slavery  cling  to  their  soil,  to  harass  them  not  so 
much  with  military  force  as  with  whips,  and  to  apply  the 
sword  to  their  sides,  should  occasion  call  for  it ;  henceforth 
the  island  was  no  longer  to  be  regarded  as  Brittania  but 
Romania,  and  all  that  it  possessed  of  copper,  silver,  or 
gold  was  to  be  stamped  with  the  image  of  Caesar.  The 
Brittani  are  treated  as  being  so  unwarlike  and  timid  that 
military  taskmasters  could  keep  them  in  servile  subjec- 
tion apart  from  any  such  army  of  occupation  as  we  know 
from  history  to  have  held  Roman  Britain  for  three  and  a 
half  centuries. 


THE  ROMANI  IN  THE  EXCIDIUM  BRITTANIAE   37 

In  this  state  of  servitude  the  author  leaves  them  until 
the  usurpation  of  Maximus,  which  occurred  in  a.d.  383. 
Between  his  story  of  the  second  subjugation  and  that  of 
the  revolt  of  Maximus,  the  only  reference  to  the  Roman 
domination  of  Britain  is  in  his  accomit  of  the  martyrdom 
of  St.  Alban,  which  he  supposes  to  have  taken  place 
during  the  persecution  of  Christians  under  the  emperor 
Diocletian,  in  303-312.  He  says  that  Alban  was  wonderfully 
adorned  with  miraculous  signs  in  the  presence  of  the  impious 
men  who  at  that  time  were  carrying  with  hateful  pride 
Romana  stigmata,  the  marks  or  signs  of  Roman  power. 
Who  were  these  men  ?  From  what  we  have  already  been 
told  we  would  suppose  them  to  be  the  "praepositi,  whom 
the  second  Roman  army  had  left  behind  to  keep  the  people 
in  bondage.  But  one  suspects  that  our  author  is  here 
drawing  from  some  Passio  Albani,  which  recognised  the 
presence  of  a  Roman  army  in  the  island,  and  that  conse- 
quently the  impious  men  carrying  the  stigmata  were  legion- 
aries or  at  least  some  of  the  auxiliary  troops.  Our  author 
mentions  here  Urbs  Legionum,  the  city  of  legions,  an  in- 
accurate translation  of  our  Caerlleon  (=  urbs  legionis,  the 
city  of  the  legion),  but  he  nowhere  plainly  shows  that  he 
knew  of  any  legions  as  permanently  stationed  in  Britain. 

Whilst  tyrants  were  springing  up  throughout  the  Empire, 
Britain,  although  retaining  the  Roman  name,  cast  off  the 
Roman  morals  and  law,  for  the  island  set  up  a  tyrant  of 
its  own,  to  wit,  Maximus,  who  proceeded  to  the  Gauls  with 
m<igna  satellitum  caterva,  a  great  crowd  of  followers.  Our 
author  now  again  uses  expressions  which  contradict  the 
trend  of  what  he  has  hitherto  said.  Maximus  is  started  on 
his  rebellious  career  by  tumultuans  miles,  a  turbulent 
soldiery.  He  takes  away  with  him  omnis  armatus  miles, 
all  the  armed  soldiery,  militares  copiae,  the  military  supplies, 
the  praepositi  (now  called  rector es),  cruel  though  they  had 
been,  and  the  able-bodied  youth.  In  the  words  tumultuans 
miles,  armatus  miles,  and  militares  copiae,  history  seems 
to  be  peeping  through  our  author's  narrative,  as  though  he 


38  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

were  for  the  moment  quitting  his  own  fancies  and  quoting 
from  some  sober  rehable  document.  Nevertheless  nothing 
is  said  about  legions,  and  the  general  impression  left, 
though  disturbed  by  the  above  expressions,  is  that  Maximus 
drained  the  whole  island  of  Britain  of  every  able-bodied 
man,  whether  Roman  or  British.  This  mighty  host  never 
returned ;  hence  the  exposure  of  the  island  for  the  first 
time  to  the  forays  of  two  barbaric  nations  from  over 
the  water,  the  Scotti  from  Ireland  and  the  Picti  from 
some  transmarine  land  beyond  the  extreme  north  of 
Scotland  ! 

Britain  now  remained  for  many  years  groaning  under 
the  attacks  of  the  Picti  and  Scotti.  At  length  the  Brittani 
in  despair  sent  an  embassy  to  Rome  asking  for  soldiers,  and 
vowing  loyal  uninterrupted  submission  to  the  Roman  power 
if  the  enemy  were  kept  out  of  the  island.  A  legion  is  forth- 
with prepared,  which  crossed  the  sea  to  Britain  and  expelled 
the  foe.  The  Brittani  were  bidden  to  build  a  wall  across 
the  island  from  sea  to  sea  :  as  it  was  made  of  turf,  it  proved 
of  no  advantage  to  the  leaderless  rabble.  Such  is  our 
author's  explanation  of  the  origin  of  the  Wall  of  Antonine, 
which  we  know  to  have  been  really  erected  not  after  the 
revolt  of  Maximus  in  the  last  decades  of  the  fourth  century, 
but  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  previously,  that  is, 
about  A.D.  143. 

When  the  legion  had  returned  home  from  Britain  as 
aU  Roman  armies  are  made  to  do  in  the  Excidium  Brittaniae, 
the  Picti  and  Scotti  recommenced  their  attacks.  Again 
suppliant  messengers  are  sent  to  cringe  for  Roman  pro- 
tection. The  Romani,  moved  by  their  appeal,  come  the 
second  time  and  sweep  the  enemy  once  more  across  the 
sea.  But  they  warn  the  islanders  that  this  will  be  the  last 
occasion  of  their  coming.  The  Brittani .  must  fight  for 
themselves.  Another  wall  is  constructed,  this  time  of 
stone,  by  public  and  private  contributions,  between  urhes^ 
cities,  which  had  been  there  placed  together,  perhaps 
through  fear  of  enemies.     Patterns  are  left  for  the  manu- 


TRE  ROMANl  m  TRE  JEXCIDIUM  BRITTANIAE   39 

facture  of  arms.  And  towers  are  built  at  intervals  on  the 
sea-coast  towards  the  south,  where  the  Roman  ships  were 
anchoring.  The  wall  is  really  that  of  Hadrian,  first  begun 
about  A.D.  120 ;  the  towers  are  the  forts  of  the  Saxon 
shore,  all  built  before  a.d.  306.  The  Romani,  then,  bid 
the  natives  farewell  and  quit  the  island  for  ever.  As  the 
date  of  the  tjrrant  Constantine's  departure  from  Roman 
Britain  is  a.d.  407,  the  two  armies  sent  from  Rome  after 
the  usurpation  of  Maximus  (383-388)  must  be  supposed 
to  have  arrived  before  that  date. 

The  Picti  and  Scotti  are  now  made  to  seize  the  whole 
of  northern  Britain  as  far  as  the  Wall  of  Hadrian  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  Brittani,  so  that  henceforward  the  Brittani 
are  confined  to  what  is  now  England  and  Wales  south  of 
the  Wall.  A  third  piteous  appeal  is  sent  to  the  Roman 
government,  addressed  to  Agitius,  that  is,  Aetius.  They 
begin  thus  :  '  To  Agitius,  in  his  third  consulship,  come  the 
groans  of  the  Brittani.'  But  it  is  of  no  avail ;  Roman  aid 
is  gone  for  ever.  Aetius  was  consul  for  the  third  time  in 
A.D.  446. 

A  lengthy  interval  is  now  made  to  elapse  after  a.d.  446, 
wherein  occur  a  famine,  a  decisive  victory,  growth  of  wealth 
and  luxury  during  snatches  of  peace,  election  and  deposition 
of  kings,  a  fresh  invasion,  and  a  deadly  pestilence,  until 
at  last  we  reach  the  year  of  the  first  coming  of  the  Saxones 
into  Britain.  The  Saxones  struck  root  first  in  the  '  eastern 
portion  of  the  island,'  and  after  a  while  bundled  the  Brittani 
in  one  mighty  sweep  from  '  the  eastern  portion  '  into  the 
mountains,  forests,  and  sea-islands  of  Wales  and  the  west. 
Here  the  poor  Brittani  were  suffered  to  recover  breath, 
when  they  achieved  their  first  victory  over  the  Saxones 
under  the  leadership  of  Ambrosius  Aurelianus.  With 
Ambrosius  Aurelianus  our  author's  notice  of  the  Romani 
in  Britain  comes  to  an  end. 

Ambrosius  is  described  as  the  last  Roman  surviving  in 
the  island,  his  parents  being  doubtless  (so  says  the  author) 
people  clad  in  the  purple.     We  are  to  suppose,  therefore. 


40  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

that  down  to  Ambrosius's  time  (that  is  to  say,  no  smaU 
interval  after  a.d.  446)  there  lingered  among  the  Brittani, 
but  quite  distinct  from  them,  some  families  of  Roman  race. 
In  our  author's  own  day  (which  was  of  course  considerably 
later),  the  Romani  had  entirely  ceased  in  Britain,  unless 
the  descendants  of  Ambrosius  might  be  deemed  such, 
whom  our  author  describes  as  having  sadly  degenerated 
from  their  ancestral  nobleness.  And  even  these,  on  our 
author's  own  showing,  are  to  be  sought,  not  in  the  more 
Romanised  lowlands  of  south-east  Britain  but  amid  the 
less  civilised  uplands  of  Wales  and  the  West. 

We  may  sum  up  as  follows.  The  author  of  the  Excidium 
Brittaniae  appears  to  know  of  no  Roman  legions  with  their 
auxiliary  forces  in  permanent  occupation  of  Britain.  Between 
B.C.  20  and  a.d.  407  he  makes  a  Roman  army  enter  Britain 
four  times,  but  in  every  case  it  returns  to  Italy  after  doing 
its  immediate  work,  whether  of  overawing  the  timid  and 
treacherous  Brittani,  as  at  first,  or  of  expelling  the  Picti 
and  Scotti,  as  afterwards.  The  Brittani  according  to  him 
so  lack  courage  that  the  Roman  government  is  able  to 
keep  them  in  servile  subjection  by  means  of  mihtary  over- 
seers, who  wield  whips  rather  than  swords. 

The  Brittani  are  differentiated  from  the  Romani 
throughout,  the  former  being  the  native  population,  con- 
quered and  enslaved,  and  the  latter  the  official  alien  class 
placed  in  power  by  the  Roman  government. 

The  Brittani  are  made  to  throw  off  Roman  rule  under 
the  usurper  Maximus  in  383  a.d.  Britain  is  drained  of  all 
Roman  officials  together  with  every  man  capable  of  bearing 
arms  and  all  military  supplies,  so  that  the  island,  bereft 
of  rulers  and  fighting  men,  is  exposed  to  the  invasions  of 
Picti  and  Scotti.  It  appears,  however,  from  the  account 
of  Ambrosius  Aurelianus  that  some  families  of  Roman  race 
lingered  on  until  long  after  a.d.  446,  but  even  these  ceased 
to  exist  after  the  Saxones  had  driven  the  Brittani  into 
Wales  and  the  West,  with  the  exception  of  Ambrosius 


DEIRDRE  41 

himself.  Unless,  then,  the  degenerate  descendants  of  this 
man  are  to  be  deemed  Romani,  there  was  no  Roman  sur- 
viving in  Britain  in  our  author's  own  time. 


DEIRDRE 

THE  HIGHEST  TYPE  OF  CELTIC  WOMANHOOD 

Alice  C.  Macdonell 

PART  II 

'  Take  a  blessing  from  me  eastward  to  Alba ;  good  is  the 
sight  of  her  bays  and  valleys ;  pleasant  was  it  to  sit  on 
the  slopes  of  her  hills  when  the  Sons  of  Usnach  used  to 
be  hunting.' 

So  sang  the  sweet  Dearshula,  Darthula,  the  name  they 
knew  her  by  in  Alba  on  account  of  her  dark  blue  eyes. 
When  she  spoke  the  above  words,  she  was  far  from  the 
home  of  her  choice,  with  a  heart  sick  for  sorrow. 

The  first  resting-place  of  the  lovers  when  they  fled 
from  Erin  was  undoubtedly  on  the  shores  of  Loch  Ness, 
which  some  assert  takes  its  name  from  Naoise.  Tradition 
says  that  their  castle  was  where  the  ruins  of  Urquhart 
Castle  now  stands.  And  I  for  one  would  prefer  to  go  by 
the  traditions  of  a  country  rather  than  by  many  a  written 
document. 

A  fairer  spot  they  could  not  have  chosen,  with  the  silver 
birches  and  dark  pines  casting  deep  shadows  on  the  waters. 
But  here,  alas  !  occurred  the  first  and  only  misunderstand- 
ing between  these  two. 

Naoise  and  his  brothers  were  asked  to  attend  the  court 
of  the  King  of  the  North  at  Inverness.  The  prudence  of 
the  three  deemed  it  unwise  to  let  Deirdre  be  seen  there, 
on  account  of  her  fatal  beauty  and  fascination.  Indeed 
they  were  careful  to  keep  her  hidden  as  much  as  possible 
from  all  stranger  eyes. 

Our  heroine  has  been  compared  to  Helen  of  Troy — that 


42  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

the  beauty  of  both  caused  a  great  war  is  a  simiUtude — there 
the  resemblance  ends.  The  beauty  of  Helen  was  seemingly 
her  chief  asset.  It  is  hke  comparing  the  glare  of  the  foot- 
lights to  one  of  the  constellations.  Cleopatra,  that  '  serpent 
of  old  Nile,'  might  have  matched  Deirdre's  intelligence,  but 
her  character  repels  instead  of  attracting  interest. 

In  Deirdre  we  have  beauty,  learning,  and  virtue  all 
united  in  one  person. 

Naoise  goes,  then,  to  the  court  at  Inverness,  dressed  in 
his  bravest :  '  A  cloak  of  bright  purple  fringed  with  gold  ; 
a  coat  of  satin  with  fifty  hooks  of  silver ;  a  brooch  on 
which  were  one  hundred  polished  gems  ;  two  blue  green 
spears  of  bright  points  ;  a  dagger  with  the  colour  of  yellow 
gold  upon  it,  and  a  hilt  of  silver.'  Little  wonder  was  it, 
then,  that  the  lovely  Highland  maid,  daughter  to  the  Lord 
of  Duntreoir,  fell  a  victim  to  his  fascinations.  She  gave 
him  her  heart's  love,  and  to  the  day  of  her  death  would 
hear  of  love  from  no  other  man.  And  he,  as  he  expresses 
it  himself,  gave  her  '  A  pog  gun  fhios  ! '  A  flimsy  enough 
excuse.  But  his  subsequent  visit  to  her  was  not  at  all 
'  gun  fhios  ! '  Nor  was  it  *  gun  fhios '  that,  as  Deirdre 
says,  '  He  presented  her  with  a  frightened  wild  deer,  and 
a  fawn  at  its  feet.' 

When  Deirdre  hears  of  this,  no  reproach  or  violent 
words  escape  her.  Her  wound  was  too  deep,  and  her 
character  too  high.  She  takes  her  '  curach,'  without  sail, 
without  oar,  and  launches  out  on  the  stormy  waters  of 
Loch  Ness,  hoping  that  its  waves  might  close  over  her  pain, 
neither  caring  to  live,  or  to  return. 

When  the  brothers  learned  what  had  become  of  their 
sister,  so  dearly  loved  that  they  never  cared  to  look  at 
any  other  woman,  they  set  out  immediately  to  find  her. 
It  was  Ainle  the  beautiful  who  rescued  her  from  the  bitter 
cold  waters  of  the  loch,  swimming  with  her  on  his  shoulder 
to  the  shore. 

We  may  take  it  that  Naoise' s  remorse  and  repentance 
was   thoroughly    sincere,   as    Deirdre    tells    us :     '  Naoise 


DEIRDRE  43 

swore  upon  his  arms  he  would  never  put  vexation  upon 
me,  until  he  would  go  from  me  to  the  hosts  of  the  dead,' 
a  knightly  vow  he  nobly  kept,  as  we  see  in  his  subsequent 
wanderings.  For  Naoise  was  a  true  Celt,  with  his  im- 
passioned love  of  home  deep  in  his  heart,  yet  with  the 
restless,  wandering  spirit  of  the  race  strong  upon  him,  the 
spirit  that  drives  us  all  out  to  seek  the  flower  of  the  world 
and  its  mysteries. 

In  one  of  these  wanderings  by  sea,  he  falls  asleep  in 
his  ship  too  near  the  coast  of  Norway,  when  he  is  taken 
prisoner  by  its  king.  But  the  daughter  of  Norway's  lord, 
having  once  cast  eyes  on  him,  gives  her  heart  to  the  all 
too  fascinating  Naoise,  and  determines  to  aid  his  escape. 
At  great  peril  to  herself  she  wins  over  the  court  smith, 
and  one  dark  night  of  rain  and  storm  they  succeed  in  enter- 
ing the  prison,  file  off  the  chains  that  bound  the  prisoners, 
and  leading  them  down  to  the  sea,  put  them  upon  their 
own  ship  again. 

The  Norwegian  Princess  begs  him  to  take  her  back 
with  him  to  Alba,  for  no  man's  love  will  she  have  but  his. 
Naoise,  with  the  remembrance  of  that  luckless  '  pog  gun 
fhios '  and  its  consequences  fresh  in  his  mind,  and  also 
because  he  loves  Darthula  above  all  creatures,  answers, 
*  If  you  are  content  to  be  second  in  the  house,  as  no  other 
shall  be  first  save  Deirdre.'  He  sails  back  without  her  to 
Scotland,  to  be  reproached  by  Darthula  for  his  carelessness 
in  going  to  sleep  on  his  arms  so  near  the  enemy's  country. 

A  fuller  perusal  of  her  history  will  show  the  overtures 
of  the  King  of  the  North  in  his  absence,  and  of  the  false 
steward  Naoise  left  in  charge  of  the  household,  and  the  fine 
scorn  and  contempt  with  which  the  high-minded  queen 
met  them  all. 

As  to  the  fair  daughter  of  Duntreoir,  that  fatal  '  pog 
gun  fhios '  left  so  deep  an  impression  that  she  refused  every 
offer  made  to  her  by  other  men. 

Deirdre,  after  her  first  natural  indignation  was  over, 
felt  nothing  but  pity  for  her.      At  that  supreme  moment 


44  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

of  sorrow,  when  she  stood  by  the  grave  of  her  dead  hero, 
she  could  spare  in  her  tenderness  of  heart  a  thought  to  her 
one-time  rival.  '  Ochon ! '  she  sighed.  '  If  the  daughter  of 
Duntreoir  knew  to-night  Naoise  to  be  under  a  covering  of 
clay,  it  is  she  would  cry  her  fiU,  and  it  is  I  would  cry  along 
with  her.'  Here  is  true  nobility  of  soul.  No  resentment 
for  the  mortal  wound  her  own  heart  had  received,  and 
which  she  felt  to  the  last  hour  of  her  life. 

The  second  home  of  Naoise  and  Deirdre  was  by  the 
side  of  Loch  Etive,  when  he  thought  it  prudent  to  remove 
from  the  too  pressing  attentions  of  the  King  of  the  North, 
who  sent  the  three  Sons  of  Usnach  into  every  possible 
danger,  hoping  that  they  might  get  killed,  and  that  he 
would  thus  secure  the  fair  Deirdre  for  himself. 

I  am  told  that  a  century  ago  the  old  inhabitants  of 
Glen  Etive  could  point  out  the  apple  trees  of  Naoise,  of 
Ainlee,  and  of  Ardan  in  their  own  garden,  but  that  even 
the  place  of  it  is  now  unknown.  Here,  as  Deirdre  reminded 
Naoise :  '  Here  you  are  king ;  in  Erin  you  would  have  to 
serve.' 

Why,  then,  did  he  not  listen  to  her  wise  counsels,  rather 
than  to  the  cry  of  that  man  of  Erin  that  came  over  the 
hills,  himself  deluded  by  the  subtler  brain  of  King  Conor. 

How  vividly  that  scene  rises  before  the  mental  vision ! 
the  towering  mountains  of  Glen  Etive — Beinn  Ceitlin,  Stob 
Dubh,  Coire  Dionach,  the  Buachaile  Beag,  and  the  Bua- 
chaile  Mor  and  the  Grianan,  with  all  that  splendid  range 
just  as  they  stand  to-day — the  still  black  waters  of  Loch 
Etive  stretching  far  away  into  the  distance — the  cry  of  the 
wild  swans,  and  the  bell  of  the  stag  in  the  forest. 

The  lovers  were  playing  at  chess  when  they  were 
startled  by  a  loud  cry  coming  over  the  hills.  Deirdre's 
white  hand  trembles  as  she  lifts  king  or  pawn  for  the  next 
move.  Well  she  knows  what  that  cry  may  mean  for  her. 
Her  efforts  to  attribute  the  cry  to  anything  except  what 
she  knows  it  actually  to  be  are  pathetic  in  the  extreme. 
At  the  third  cry  Naoise  springs  up,  refusing  to  be  deluded 


DEIRDRE  45 

any  longer.  '  It  is  the  cry  of  a  man  of  Erin,'  he  shouts, 
as  he,  Ainle,  and  Ardan  rush  down  the  hill  to  meet  the 
treacherous  King  Conor's  messenger,  Fergus  Roy,  with  his 
two  sons. 

Even  to  the  last  Deirdre  tells  Naoise  of  the  dark  visions 
that  come  to  her  in  the  night,  in  the  hope  that  he  will 
renoimce  the  fatal  voyage.  '  I  see,'  she  tells  him,  '  a 
vision  of  night  before  me.  I  hear  the  howling  of  dogs. 
I  see  Fergus  away  from  us.  I  see  him  caught  with  hidden 
hes.     I  see  Deirdre  with  tears.     I  see  Deirdre  with  tears.' 

To  which  Naoise  makes  answer :  '  Lay  down  your 
dream,  Deirdre,  on  the  heights  of  the  hills.  Lay  down 
your  dream  on  the  sailors  of  the  sea.  Lay  down  your  dream 
on  the  rough  grey  stones.  For  we  will  give  peace  and  we 
will  get  it  from  the  Lord  of  the  World  and  from  Conchubar.' 
A  trust  in  which  he  was  all  too  soon  to  be  disillusioned. 

Here  Fergus  cries  out  in  irritation,  fearing  lest  Deirdre's 
influence  might  frustrate  his  mission,  and  so  cast  a  slur 
upon  his  honour.  '  I  ever  disliked  the  howling  of  dogs, 
and  the  melancholy  of  women.'  A  most  '  mi-mhogail ' 
speech. 

Well,  indeed,  for  them  had  they  listened  to  the  wise 
counsels  of  the  fair  and  wise  Deirdre.  And  well  might 
she  herself  sing :  '  Dear  to  me  is  that  land  in  the  East, 
the  home  of  the  sun  in  Glen  Etive,'  for  there  the  sun  of 
love  and  happiness  had  shone  for  her  as  never  in  the  land 
of  her  birth. 

Even  her  last  counsels  were  rejected,  to  go  to  Rechrainn 
or  Rathlin,  between  Erin  and  Alba,  until  such  time  as 
they  could  ascertain  the  real  intentions  of  Conor,  or  to  go 
to  Dundealgan,  and  put  themselves  under  the  protection 
of  Cuchullain.  Some  authors  assert  that  he  was  the  uncle, 
others  the  cousin,  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach.  Certainly  there 
could  have  been  no  very  great  distance  of  age  between 
them,  as  they  all  studied  about  the  same  time  in  the  Lady 
of  Dun  Sgathaich's  school  for  warriors  in  the  Isle  of  Skye, 
where  the  ruins  of  her  castle  stand  to  this  day  overlooking 


46  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

the  shores  of  Loch  Slapin.  A  sister  of  King  Conor, 
Dechtire,  is  said  to  have  been  the  mother  of  Cuchullain, 
and  another  sister  the  mother  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach. 

It  was  only  when  Naoise,  Deirdre,  and  his  brothers  were 
lodged  in  the  house  of  the  Red  Branch,  and  not  at  the 
palace  of  Emamia,  that  he  realised  the  truth  of  Deirdre' s 
warnings.  Some  accounts  tell  how  all  the  Red  Branch 
Knights  were  laid  under  a  spell,  and  could  neither  raise 
hand  nor  arm  in  their  defence;  others,  that  the  knights 
were  sent  away  on  different  missions,  and  that  the  house 
was  occupied  in  their  absence  by  a  band  of  mercenaries. 
I  incline  to  believe  this  latter  account  as  being  the  most 
probable. 

As  we  know,  the  aged  Lavarcum  was  sent  by  King 
Conor  to  look  through  the  keyhole  and  report  if  the  lady's 
beauty  remained  the  same.  If  not,  the  king  was  loth  to 
risk  a  war  by  the  murder  of  the  flower  of  his  knights. 
The  faithful  lady  goes  and  warns  her  nursling  and  the 
brothers  to  bar  and  bolt  the  doors  and  windows  against 
an  attack.  Going  back,  she  reports  to  the  king  that 
Deirdre  retained  none  of  her  former  charm.  The  king, 
doubting,  sends  a  second  messenger,  the  gay  Gealban,  son 
to  the  King  of  Lochlan,  who,  finding  the  windows  and  doors 
barred  against  him,  climbs  to  the  roof,  where  one  tiny 
window  had  been  forgotten. 

Naoise  sees,  as  he  moves  the  pawns  on  the  chessboard, 
the  red  flaming  in  Deirdre' s  cheek,  as  it  always  did  when 
any  one  looked  upon  her.  With  a  well-aimed  cast  he 
throws  one  of  the  dice,  putting  out  the  eyes  of  the  peering 
Gealban.  On  his  return  to  the  king,  Gealban,  with  char- 
acteristic impudence,  remarks :  '  Although  he  had  put 
the  two  eyes  out  of  me,  I  should  consider  myself  well 
repaid  for  the  sight  of  the  fairest  creature  they  had  ever 
beheld ' ;  which  provokes  the  retort  from  the  king  that : 
'  The  hand  that  threw  the  dice  aims  too  well  to  live  so  near 
a  throne.' 

The  last  scene  of  this  fatal  drama  closes  with  the  death 


DEIRDRE  47 

by  treachery  of  the  three.  When  all  efforts  to  overcome 
them  by  natural  means  failed,  Conor  sent  for  Cathbad 
the  Druid.  When  the  house  of  the  Red  Branch  was  in 
flames,  the  Sons  of  Usnach  fought  their  way  out,  bearing 
their  queen  on  their  shields,  and  would  have  escaped, 
only  that  the  Druid's  spell  made  a  field  of  corn  appear  to 
them  as  a  raging  sea  through  which  they  tried  to  swim  in 
vain. 

Ochon  !  what  need  to  dwell  on  it.  The  three  peerless 
Sons  of  Usnach  were  slain.  And  Deirdre  the  broken-hearted 
mourned  them  three  nights  and  three  days  before  she  died 
on  her  hero's  breast. 

Both  Lady  Gregory's  and  Dr.  Carmichael's  account  say 
that  she  went  down  to  the  shores  of  the  sea,  and  taking 
a  knife  from  a  man  working  there,  put  out  to  sea  in  a 
small  boat,  where  she  stabbed  herseK,  throwing  the  knife 
to  the  right  that  no  man  might  be  accused  of  her  death. 
I  think  this  part  of  botii  narratives  to  be  wrong.  Suicide 
was,  and  is,  a  form  of  cowardice  unknown  to  our  race, 
and  in  direct  contradiction  to  what  we  know  of  the  char- 
acter of  Darthula. 

It  was  to  Cuchullain  that  Deirdre  told  the  tale  of  the 
murder  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach,  for  he  loved  Naoise  above  all 
men.  As  she  mourned  by  the  grave  of  her  hero.  King 
Conor  sent  messengers  to  try  to  induce  her  to  listen  to  his 
suit.  To  them  she  made  answer :  '  Though  sweet  to  you 
are  the  sounds  of  pipes  and  of  trumpets,  truly,  I  say  to 
the  king,  I  have  known  music  that  is  sweeter,'  alluding  to 
the  beautiful  singing  voice  of  Naoise.  She  who  mourned 
her  '  three  hawks  of  Slieve  Culeen,  her  three  pupils  that  were 
with  Sgathach,'  had  no  harsh  word  even  for  this  traitor. 

Her  two  little  children — little  Gaiar,  the  boy,  and 
Aoidhgreine,  of  the  sunny  face — she  left  in  the  charge  of 
Mannanan,  son  of  Lir,  in  Emain  of  the  apple  trees.  Bobaras 
the  poet  gave  learning  to  Gaiar,  and  Aoidhgreine  Mannanan 
gave  later  in  marriage  to  Ruin,  son  of  Eochaidh  luil.  King 
of  the  Land  of  Promise. 


48  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

This  paper  is  given,  not,  indeed,  as  a  consecutive  whole, 
but  rather  as  an  inducement  for  deeper  study  into  this 
most  fascinating  tale,  and  others  of  a  like  nature,  lying 
almost  unknown  in  our  Celtic  storehouses,  and  it  may  also 
add  a  yet  deeper  interest  to  the  beautiful  country  around 
Loch  Ness  and  Loch  Etive. 

Do  not  the  mists  of  the  fair  Deirdre,  Naoise,  Ainle, 
and  Ardan  still  hover  around  far  Glen  Etive,  giving  a 
more  mysterious  glamour  to  its  hills  and  its  waters  ?  There 
the  deHcate  shadowy  form  with  the  deep  starry  eyes  seems 
to  look  down  on  the  foaming  waters  of  the  '  Eas,'  hard  by 
her  own  '  grianan,'  while  the  sound  of  her  sweet  voice  yet 
wakens  the  birds  hidden  in  the  quicken  trees ;  or  the  sound 
of  her  feet  passing  lightly  stirs  the  deer  lying  close  under 
the  bracken. 

The  shout  of  Naoise  and  the  ring  of  the  blue-grey 
steel  echo  still  through  the  old  royal  forest  of  Dalness  ; 
and  the  rich  voice  of  him  rises  and  falls  in  song  on  the 
dark  waters  of  Etive. 

Sweeter  the  bloom  of  the  heather,  and  fresher  its  per- 
fume ;  more  pungent  the  smeU  of  the  wild  bog  myrtle, 
whiter  the  cotton  grass,  and  greener  the  soft  wet  mosses 
^  for  the  memory  of  the  fairest  flower  Glen  Etive  has  ever 
seen — Deirdre,  our  highest  type  of  Celtic  womanhood. 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KEPPOCH 

Rev.  a.  Maclean  Sinclair 

SoMERLED  of  the  Isles  married  Ragnhildis,  daughter  of 
Olave  the  Black,  King  of  Man,  and  they  had  three  sons, 
DugaU,  Reginald,  and  Angus.  Dugall  was  the  progenitor 
of  the  Macdougalls ;  Donald,  son  of  Reginald,  was  the  pro- 
genitor of  the  Macdonalds.  Donald  had  two  sons  :  Angus 
Mor,  his  successor,  and  Alister  Mor,  progenitor  of  the 
Macalisters  of  Loup.  Angus  Mor  had  three  sons  :  Alexander 
Angus  Og,  and  John  Sprangach.     Angus  Og  succeeded  his 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KEPPOCH  49 

brother  Alexander  as  chief  of  the  Clan  Donald.  John 
Sprangach  was  the  progenitor  of  the  Maclans,  or  Mackeens 
of  Ardnamurchan.  Angus  Og  married  Agnes,  daughter  of 
Guy  O'Cahan  of  Ulster,  and  had  by  her  John,  his  heir.  He 
had  Iain  Fraoch,  or  John  of  the  Heather,  by  a  daughter  of 
Dugall  MacHenry  or  Henderson  in  Glencoe. 

John,  son  and  successor  of  Angus  Og,  married,  first, 
Amy  Macrory,  his  third  cousin,  and  had  by  her  Ranald 
and  Godfrey  or  Gorrie.  He  divorced  Amy  in  1360  and 
married  Margaret,  daughter  of  King  Robert  n.  By  his 
second  wife  he  had  Donald,  John  Mor  Tanistear,  and  Alasdair 
Carrach  of  Keppoch.  John  was  the  first  Macdonald  who 
styled  himself  Lord  of  the  Isles. 

I.  Alasdair  Carrach,  first  Macdonald  of  Keppoch,  was 
Lord  of  Lochaber  at  least  as  early  as  1394.  He  married 
a  daughter  of  Malcolm,  Earl  of  Lennox,  but  had  no  children 
by  her.  He  had  a  natural  son  named  Angus,  probably,  as 
Macvurich  asserts,  by  a  daughter  of  Macphee  in  Glenpean. 
I  have  seen  it  stated  that  in  a  charter  granted  in  1463 
Angus  is  described  as  a  lawful  son  of  Alasdair  Carrach.  In 
the  charter  referred  to  he  is  described  simply  as  Angus, 
son  of  Alexander  of  the  Isles. 

II.  Angus,  son  of  Alasdair  Carrach,  was  known  as 
Aonghus  na  Feairte,  or  Angus  of  Fersit.  He  had  two  sons, 
Donald  and  Alexander,  and  a  daughter  named  Mariot. 
The  daughter  was  married  to  Allan  Cameron  of  Lochiel. 
We  find  Angus  mentioned  in  1463. 

III.  Donald,  son  of  Angus,  appears  on  record  in  1478. 
He  was  killed  in  a  clan  fight  with  the  Maclarens  and  Stewarts 
of  Appin  in  1497.  Dugald  Stewart  of  Appin  was  also 
killed.  Donald  was  succeeded  by  his  only  son  Iain  Alainn, 
or  Handsome  John,  who  was  bom  probably  about  1470. 

Iain  Alainn  was  deposed  from  the  chieftainship  of  the 
Macdonalds  of  Keppoch  in  the  course  of  a  year  after  his 
succession  to  it,  or  about  1498.  He  seems  to  have  been  a 
good  man ;  but  he  was  not  sufficiently  warlike  to  suit  his 
followers. 

VOL.  IX.  D 


50  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

IV.  Alexander,  second  son  of  Angus  of  Fersit,  was 
chosen  as  successor  in  the  chieftainship  to  John  Alainn. 
He  was  known  as  Alasdair  Mac  Aonghuis.  He  was  killed 
by  a  Cameron  at  Carn  Alasdair,  or  Alister's  Cairn,  in  Loch- 
aber,  in  1499. 

V.  Donald  Glas  married  a  daughter  of  Allan  Cameron 
of  Lochiel,  and  had  by  her  Ranald  Mor.  He  died  about 
1513. 

VI.  Ranald  Mor  married  Agnes,  natural  daughter  of 
Lachlan  Badenoch  Mackintosh.  He  had  two  sons  by  his 
wife,  Alexander  and  Ranald.  He  had  a  natural  son,  John 
Dubh,  by  a  daughter  of  Lachlan  Cameron,  Lachainn  Mor 
Mac  a  Bhaird,  or  Lachlan  Mor  son  of  the  Bard.  In  1547 
Wilham  Macintosh,  chief  of  the  Mackintoshes,  arrested 
Ranald  Mor  and  Ewen  Allanson  of  Lochiel,  and  delivered 
them  to  the  Earl  of  Huntly,  who  had  them  both  immedi- 
ately executed  at  Elgin. 

Alexander,  son  of  Ranald  Mor,  succeeded  his  father 
as  chieftain  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch.  In  1554 
a  battle  was  fought  at  Bologne  between  Alexander  and 
Ewen  son  of  Allan  of  Lochiel.  The  Camerons  were  defeated, 
but  Alexander  of  Keppoch  was  severely  wounded  and  died 
shortly  afterwards  at  Kingussie. 

VII.  Ranald,  second  son  of  Ranald  Mor,  succeeded  his 
brother  Alexander.  He  was  known  as  Ranald  Og  and  also 
as  Raonall  Gorach. 

Alasdair  Crotach  of  Dunvegan  married  a  daughter  of 
Allan  Cameron  of  Lochiel,  and  had  three  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Allan  of  Moidart,  son  of  John  Murdeartach, 
married  the  elder  daughter  and  had  one  son,  Allan  Og, 
his  heir.  Allan  and  his  wife  paid  a  visit  to  Duart.  He 
left  his  wife  and  took  with  him  to  Moidart  Janet,  daughter 
of  Hector  Mor  Maclean  of  Duart.  He  kept  Janet  as  his 
wife  and  had  by  her  John,  Angus,  Donald,  and  others. 
John  died  at  an  early  age.  Angus  murdered  Allan  Og, 
his  father's  eldest  son,  in  or  about  1588.  Angus  succeeded 
his  father,   but  was  killed   shortly  afterwards.     He  was 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KEPPOCH  51 

succeeded  by  his  brother  Donald,  a  worthy  representative 
of  the  Clan  Ranald. 

Ranald  Og  of  Keppoch  took  to  live  with  him  as  his  wife 
the  daughter  of  Alasdair  Crotach.  She  was  the  lawful  wife 
of  Allan  of  Moidart,  but  as  Allan  had  deserted  her  Ranald  Og 
had  no  hesitation  in  taking  her  to  live  with  himself  as  his 
wife.  He  had  three  sons  by  her,  Alexander,  Ranald  of 
Inch,  and  Donald  of  Fersit.     He  died  in  1587. 

VIII.  Alexander,  son  and  successor  of  Ranald  Og,  was 
known  as  Alasdair  nan  Cleas,  or  Alexander  of  the  Tricks. 
He  seized  in  a  very  treacherous  manner  three  of  the  sons 
of  John  Dubh  of  Bohuntin,  and  put  them  to  death  by 
drowning  them.  He  was  a  greedy  man  and  wanted  to  get 
possession  of  their  lands.  He  married  Janet,  daughter 
of  Macdougall  of  Dunolly,  and  had  three  sons,  Ranald  Og, 
Donald  Glas,  and  Alasdair  Buidhe.  He  assisted  the  Earl  of 
Argyll  in  persecuting  the  Macgregors,  and  received  from 
the  Government  a  grant  of  one  hundred  pounds.  He  sup- 
ported Sir  James  Macdonald  of  Islay  in  1615,  and,  being 
outlawed,  found  it  necessary  to  seek  refuge  in  Spain.  He 
was  pardoned  and  allowed  to  come  to  London  in  1620. 
He  was  permitted  to  return  to  Scotland  in  1622.  He 
died  at  his  home  in  Keppoch  in  1635. 

IX.  Ranald  Og,  son  and  heir  of  Alexander  of  the  Tricks, 
murdered  his  uncle,  Ranald  of  Inch,  at  Achadh-an-Doire. 
He  died  about  1640,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother 
Donald  Glas.  If  we  can  credit  the  Keppoch  traditions, 
Ranald  Og  was  the  most  valiant  of  all  the  Keppoch  chief- 
tains. Angus,  his  only  son,  was  killed  at  the  fight  of  Stron- 
a-chlachain  in  1640. 

Donald  Glas  married  a  daughter  of  Forrester  of  Kil- 
beggie,  and  had  Alasdair  Mor,  Ranald  Og,  and  a 
daughter.     Alasdair  Mor  succeeded  his  father. 

X.  Alasdair  Buidhe,  third  son  of  Alexander  of  the  Tricks, 
had  five  sons,  Allan,  Gillespie,  Alexander,  Donald  Donn,  and 
Ranald.  In  September  1663  Allan  and  Donald,  assisted 
by  a  number  of  other  wicked  persons,  slew  Alasdair  Mor 


52  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

and  his  brother  Ranald.  By  this  villainous  act  Alasdair 
Buidhe  became  chief  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch.  He 
was  drowned  in  the  river  Spean  in  1669. 

XI.  Archibald,  second  son  of  Alasdair  Buidhe,  succeeded 
his  father  as  chieftain  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch.  He 
married  a  daughter  of  MacMartin  of  Letterfinlay,  and  had 
by  her  four  sons  and  several  daughters.     He  died  in  1688. 

XII.  Coll,  son  and  successor  of  Archibald,  defeated  the 
Mackintoshes  at  the  battle  of  Mulroy  in  1688.  He  died 
about  1729. 

XIII.  Alexander,  son  and  successor  of  Coll,  had  a 
natural  son  named  Angus.  He  married  Jessie,  daughter 
of  Stewart  of  Appin,  and  had  by  her  Ranald  and  Alexander. 
Angus,  his  eldest  son,  was  known  as  Aonghus  Ban  Innse, 
or  Angus  Ban  of  Inch.  Alexander  of  Keppoch  was  killed 
at  Culloden  in  1746.  Donald,  his  brother,  fell  in  the  same 
battle.     They  were  both  excellent  men. 

XIV.  Ranald,  son  of  Alexander,  was  a  major  in  the 
74th  Regiment.  He  died  in  Keppoch  in  1788.  He  was 
married  and  had  two  sons,  Alexander  and  Richard,  both 
of  whom  died  unmarried  in  Jamaica. 

The  Macdonalds  of  Killieohonate 

I.  Iain  Alainn,  or  Handsome  John,  fourth  chieftain  of 
the  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch,  was  born  probably  about  the 
year  1470.  He  was  deposed  from  the  chieftainship  about 
1498.  He  was  married  and  had  two  sons,  Angus  and 
Donald,  or  possibly  Donald  and  Angus. 

II.  Angus  hved  probably  in  Killiechonate. 

III.  John,  son  of  Angus,  was  the  representative  of  the 
family  in  1548. 

IV.  Alexander,  son  of  John,  had  four  sons,  John, 
Angus,  Donald,  and  Ranald. 

On  August  4,  1602,  Alexander  of  Keppoch,  Donald 
and  Ranald,  his  brothers  ;  John  Dubh,  Allan  and  Angus, 
his  sons  ;  AUster  Mac  Ian  vie  Angus  ;  John,  Angus,  Donald, 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KEPPOCH  53 

and  Ranald,  his  sons,  and  others  to  the  number  of  two 
hundred  persons,  entered  Glenisla  and  carried  away  2700 
cattle  and  100  horses.  The  invaders  were  attacked 
on  their  way  home  by  John  Robertson  of  Straloch  and 
others,  and  defeated.  The  fight  took  place  at  Ennoch 
Dhubh.  When  the  Macdonalds  found  that  their  assailants 
were  too  numerous  for  them,  they  killed  as  many  of  the 
cattle  and  the  horses  as  they  could. 

As  the  names  in  the  foregoing  historical  statements 
are  copied  from  the  Records  oj  the  Privy  Council,  they  are 
undoubtedly  correct. 

V.  Angus,  second  son  of  Alexander,  succeeded  his 
father. 

VI.  Alexander,  son  and  successor  of  Angus,  was  bom 
probably  about  1605. 

VII.  Angus,  son  of  Alexander,  was  a  follower  of  Coll 
of  Keppoch  in  1691.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  James, 
who  was  succeeded  possibly  by  his  son  Angus. 

One  of  Iain  Alainn's  sons,  probably  Angus,  received 
a  tack  of  some  lands  from  Mackintosh  and  became  banner- 
man  to  him.  In  1727  Angus  Macdonald,  a  descendant 
of  Iain  Alainn,  and  apparently  his  representative,  received 
from  Lachlan  Mackintosh,  Captain  of  the  Clan  Chattan,  a 
tack  of  the  lands  of  Murlagan  and  Glen  Glaster,  and  bound 
himself  to  support  Lachlan  with  all  the  fencible  men  on 
the  lands  given  to  him,  and  all  the  other  fencible  men  of 
his  family,  commonly  called  Sliochd  Dhomhnaill  Mhic 
Aonghuis. — Antiquarian  Notes  by  Charles  Fraser- Mackintosh, 
p.  165. 

I  do  not  find  it  stated  who  the  Angus  of  1727  was.  It 
is  possible,  however,  that  he  was  a  son  of  James,  son  of 
the  Angus  of  1691.  It  is,  at  all  events,  strongly  probable 
that  he  was  a  grandson  of  Angus,  and  that  he  was  thus 
reaUy  what  he  claimed  to  be — the  representative  of  Iain 
Alainn. 

Iain  Alainn  was  deposed  for  being  too  young,  too  good, 
or  too  soft ;    but  his  descendants  have  the  satisfaction  of 


54  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

having  given  to  the  Macdonalds  of  Keppoch  the  greatest 
man  of  whom  they  can  boast — Iain  Lom. 


The  Descendants  of  Donald,  son  of  John  Alainn 

Where  Donald,  son  of  Iain  Alainn,  lived  I  do  not  know. 
It  is  possible,  however,  that  it  was  at  the  place  known  as 
An  Urchair.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  John,  who  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Donald,  who  was  succeeded  by  his 
son  John,  who  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Donald.  The 
last-named  Donald  was  the  father  of  John  MacDonald — 
Iain  Lom  mac  Dhomhnaill  mhic  Iain  mhic  Dhomhnaill 
mhic  Iain  Alainn. 

Only  for  Muireachan's  reply  to  John  Lom  it  would  be 
impossible  to  give  the  names  of  John  Lom's  ancestors. 

Iain  Luim  mhic  Dhomhnaill  mhic  Iain, 
'S  mor  do  dhith  bidhe  is  cadail. 
Dh'  itheadh  tu  uiread  ri  dithisd, 
Leis  an  amhaich  fhior  fhada. 

I  have  searched  in  several  books  for  these  lines  but  I 
cannot  find  them.  I  am  pretty  sure,  however,  that  I  have 
given  them  as  I  saw  them.  Muireachan's  genealogy  is 
correct  as  far  as  it  goes.  It  goes  back,  however,  only  to 
Iain  Lom's  grandfather.  Of  course,  Muireachan's  object 
was  not  to  give  a  genealogy,  but  to  abuse  Iain  Lom. 

Domhnall  mac  Iain  had  at  least  two  sons.  He  was 
killed  at  the  skirmish  of  Stron-a-chlachain  in  1640.  His 
eldest  son  was  also  kiUed  there.  Iain  Lom  was  present, 
but  took  no  part  in  the  fight.  It  is  said  that  he  was  left 
along  with  other  yoimg  men  to  take  charge  of  the  horses.  It 
is  certain  that  he  was  a  man  of  courage.  It  is  equally 
certain,  however,  that  he  was  by  nature  a  politician  and 
not  a  warrior.  Alexander  Hamilton,  one  of  the  greatest 
men  that  America  has  ever  produced,  was  a  writer,  a  fighter, 
and  a  statesman.     It  would  have  been  better,  however,  for 


THE  MACDONALDS  OF  KEPPOCH  55 

himself  and  for  his  country  if  he  had  left  fighting  alone, 
especially  his  last  fight. 

Iain  Lorn  was  probably  the  greatest  of  all  the  descend- 
ants of  Alasdair  Carrach.  He  was  born  about  1620 
and  died  in  1709.  He  had  a  son  who  was  killed  in  a  duel 
with  Donald  Donn  of  Bohuntin  about  the  year  1690. 

I  have  seen  it  stated  over  and  over  that  Iain  Lorn 
went  to  the  top  of  Inverlochy  Castle  and  remained  there 
whilst  the  battle  was  going  on.  That  statement  is  absurd 
and  contrary  to  historic  facts.  It  is  true  that  it  is  to  be 
found  in  Turner's  Collection  of  Gaelic  Poetry,  which  was 
published  in  1813.     The  lines  in  which  it  occurs  are  these  : — 

Dhirich  mi,  moch  maduinn  D6mhnaich, 
Gu  b^rr  caisteal  Inbhir  L6chaidh. 

Dr.  Maclean's  Collection  of  Gaelic  Poetry  was  in  Dr. 
Johnson's  hands  in  1773.  That  collection  was  brought  to 
Nova  Scotia  by  my  maternal  grandfather  in  1819,  and  has 
been  for  a  number  of  years  in  my  possession.  The  fines 
that  I  have  quoted  from  Turner's  book  are  given  in  it  as 
follows : — 

Dhirich  mi  moch  maduinn  che6raich 

Gu  br^igh'  caisteal  Inbhir  Ldchaidh. 

There  is  a  very  great  difference  between  barr  and 
braighe  ;  the  one  means  top,  whilst  the  other  means  height. 
The  place  to  which  Iain  Lom  went  was  not  the  top  of  the 
castle  of  Inverlochy,  but  a  height  overlooking  the  castle. 
The  CampbeUs  were  at  Inverlochy  before  Montrose  and 
his  army  arrived.  As  they  had  just  as  much  common 
sense  as  their  opponents,  it  is  altogether  likely  that  they 
took  possession  of  the  castle.  In  Grant's  Memoirs  of 
Montrose  we  are  told  that  '  the  castle  of  Inverlochy  was 
occupied  by  fifty  musketeers  of  the  Stirlingshire  regi- 
ment, whose  fire  swept  Montrose's  lines  as  they  advanced ' 
(p.  221).  Some  persons  may  foolishly  imagine  that  it  was 
the  wonderful  strength  and  swordsmanship  of  Alasdair  mac 
Cholla  and   his  men  that  won  the   battle.     There  were 


56  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

strong  men  and  good  swordsmen  on  both  sides.  What 
won  the  battle,  at  all  events  what  won  it  in  so  short  a  time, 
was  the  military  genius  of  Montrose,  and  the  lack  of  skilful 
leadership  on  the  part  of  the  Campbells. 


THE  ADMIRALTY  AT  CROMARTY 
Donald  A.  Mackenzie 

If  it  were  proposed  to  erect  a  powder  factory  on  Ellen's 
Isle,  Loch  Katrine,  or  to  lay  out  a  shooting  range  for  Terri- 
torials at  the  Brig  o'  Doon,  Scotland  would  be  stirred  to  its 
depths.  A  mighty  agitation  would  be  raised,  and  there 
would  be  no  lack  of  funds  to  support  it,  seeing  that  the 
romantic  associations  of  these  Meccas  of  literature  have 
been  so  thoroughly  commercialised  by  tourist  agents  and 
hotelkeepers.  Perhaps  it  is  because  quaint  Cromarty  is 
isolated  from  the  beaten  tourist  track  that  we  hear  so  little 
at  present  regarding  the  vandalism  which  is  proposed  to 
be  perpetrated  there.  The  Admiralty,  with  characteristic 
wilfulness,  has  undertaken  to  erect  ugly  fortifications  on 
those  two  noble  headlands,  called  the  '  Sutors,'  which  shelter 
the  narrow  entrance  to  the  deep  and  spacious  anchorage 
of  the  Cromarty  Firth.  Immemorial  rights-of-way  are 
being  closed  :  the  public  is  to  be  denied  access  to  familiar 
haunts  rich  in  literary  and  antiquarian  associations,  and 
at  least  one  ancient  sacred  well  is  threatened,  although  it 
bears  the  name  of  St.  Mary.  No  doubt,  it  can  be  proved 
to  the  satisfaction  of  naval  experts,  that  these  fortifications 
are  a  national  necessity.  Even  if  they  are,  we  cannot 
help  lamenting  the  desecration  of  one  of  the  beauty  spots 
of  Scotland.  Nothing  is  left  for  us  but  the  hope  that  no 
unnecessary  vandalism  will  be  committed.  It  is  to  be 
feared,  however,  that  there  are  good  grounds  for  the  appre- 
hensions which  are  entertained  in  this  regard.  Vandalism 
invariably  results  from  ignorance,  and  it  comes  as  a  shock 


THE  ADMIRALTY  AT  CROMARTY  57 

to  patriotic  Scotsmen  to  discover  that  in  official  circles 
the  Cromarty  hills,  which  are  not  unknown  to  Grerman 
writers,  are  regarded  as  of  as  little  accomit  as  the  slag  heaps 
which  surround  Lowland  and  English  industrial  towns. 
Recent  questions  regarding  the  projected  defence  works 
have  elicited  disquieting  and  amazing  official  answers  in 
the  House  of  Lords  and  the  House  of  Commons,  which 
show,  among  other  things,  that  it  is  apparently  possible  to 
pass  through  the  schools  and  universities  of  England  with- 
out hearing  aught  of  that  picturesque  figure.  Sir  Thomas 
Urquhart,  the  genius  who  translated  Rabelais,  or  that  great 
prose  stylist,  Hugh  Miller,  the  father  of  modern  geology, 
and  the  earliest  scientific  folk  lorist  of  these  islands.  Both 
were  natives  of  Cromarty,  and  Miller,  especially,  made 
town  and  hill  famous  in  his  Schools  and  Schoolmasters, 
Scenes  and  Legends,  Old  Red  Sandstone,  etc.  And  yet,  it 
seems,  certain  of  our  Government  officials  are  '  not  aware  ' 
that  Cromarty  hill  has  any  particular  associations  or 
interests  worthy  of  their  exalted  attention.  In  the  House 
of  Lords,  Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh,  who,  like  a  true  Scots- 
man, showed  praiseworthy  concern  about  the  Miller  country, 
was  asked  if  he  were  not  really  referring  to  Scapa  Flow, 
which  happens  to  have  no  place  in  literature.  The  gentle- 
man who,  in  response  to  the  query  of  Mr.  Robert  Munro  in 
the  House  of  Commons,  expressed  his  entire  ignorance 
regarding  Cromarty,  had  not  even  taken  the  trouble, 
apparently,  to  consult  a  commonplace  gazetteer.  One  might 
imagine  that  this  ancient  burgh,  which  used  to  send  its 
member  to  Parliament  when  Glasgow  was  slumped  with 
another  town,  was  situated  in  some  remote  part  of  the 
British  Empire,  and  was  not  one  of  the  famous  places  of 
our  national  literature.  No  wonder  our  antiquaries  are 
feeling  uneasy  regarding  the  official  mind. 

The  history  of  Cromarty  begins  with  MacBeth,  who 
was  its  Thane,  and  takes  note  of  WiUiam  the  Lion,  who 
erected  a  castle  opposite  the  town,  the  site  of  which  is 
likely  to  be  excavated,  of  Sir  William  Wallace  who  fought 


5a  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

a  battle  on  the  hill  (according  to  local  tradition),  of  James  iv. 
who  hunted  on  the  hill  when  he  paid  his  annual  pilgrimages 
to  Tain,  of  Charles  ii.,  who  landed  at  Cromarty,  and  of 
Sir  Thomas  Urquhart,  who  set  forth  with  his  '  rightful 
king '  to  overthrow  Cromwell,  followed  by  his  '  seven 
portmantles'  of  manuscripts,  which  were  scattered  over 
the  fatal  field  of  Worcester.  But,  perhaps,  of  more  import- 
ance is  the  pre-history  of  the  district.  There  is  no  part 
of  Scotland  richer  in  folk  lore  associations,  and  of  more 
promise  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  archaeologist.  Almost 
every  yard  of  the  south  '  Sutor '  hill  is  reminiscent  of  the 
physical  and  intellectual  life  of  past  ages.  First  come  the 
caves,  which  are  all  named  and  belong  to  a  series  extending 
all  round  the  jutting  nose  of  the  Black  Isle  promontory. 
One  of  these,  situated  near  Rosemarkie,  was  recently 
excavated  and  yielded  important  archaeological  finds,  in- 
cluding human  skeletons,  which  possess  special  features  of 
interest  to  ethnologists,  and  a  large  number  of  primitive 
artefacts  belonging  to  an  early  period  in  the  Late  Stone 
Age.  Below  the  heap  of  accumulated  deposit  was  also 
found  a  large  smoke-blackened  fireplace  of  similar  con- 
struction to  those  which  have  been  unearthed  in  Late  Palaeo- 
lithic caves  in  France  and  Switzerland.  Nothing  older 
has  been  discovered  elsewhere  in  Scotland.  Other  caves 
of  this  particular  series  promise  to  yield  important  results 
also.  Not  far  from  the  site  of  the  Cromarty  fort  is  the 
*  Dropping  Cave.'  Attached  to  it  is  a  local  folk  tale  about 
a  fabled  inner  cave  with  a  waterfall,  which  is  the  abode  of 
a  demon.  The  description  of  this  curious  inner  cave,  it 
is  of  importance  to  note,  tallies  with  that  of  the  famous 
cave  of  Typhon  in  Sheitan  Dere  (Devil's  Glen),  Cilicia,  Asia 
Minor.  Of  special  interest  is  the  fact  that  similar  folk 
beliefs  are  associated  with  both  widely-separated  caves,  to 
which  Strabo  and  other  classical  authors  make  no  reference. 
Boys  in  Cilicia  at  the  present  day  and  at  Cromarty,  until 
quite  recently,  have  been  in  the  habit  of  hghting  fires  at 
the  mouth  of  one  cave  and  hastening  across  the  hill  to 


THE  ADMIRALTY  AT  CROMARTY  59 

another  cave  to  see  if  the  smoke  found  outlet  there.  It  is 
evident  that  this  and  other  far-travelled  customs  came 
with  ancient  invaders  who  localised  their  beliefs ;  and  these 
may,  perhaps,  be  identified  with  the  skeletons  of  the  Bronze 
Age  graves  which  were  discovered  on  a  ridge  of  Cromarty 
hill  towards  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Statistical  Account  of  the  parish,  some  of  the 
skeletons  were  '  seven  feet  in  length.'  There  were  evidently 
giants  of  the  Alpine  or  Armenoid  Race  in  these  days. 

In  addition  to  the  caves,  some  of  which  will  be  included 
in  the  '  prohibited  area,'  there  are  ancient  sacred  weUs 
and  mounds  and  groves.  St.  Mary's  Well,  to  which  we 
have  referred,  is  situated  near  the  site  of  the  proposed  fort 
on  Cromarty  hill.  It  was  believed  to  be  of  special  potency 
on  Beltaine  Day,  and  the  custom  of  drinking  from  it  on 
account  of  its  ancient  sanctity  is  not  yet  obsolete.  To  not 
a  few  it  has  many  tender  and  dearly  remembered  associa- 
tions. Below  this  well  is  a  httle  flat-topped  promontory, 
jutting  abruptly  half  across  a  deep  ravine,  which  is  called 
'  Charlie's  Seat.'  Whether  '  Charhe '  was  a  giant,  or  a 
smuggler,  or  Charles  ii.,  is  now  quite  uncertain,  but  the 
beaten  right-of-way  leading  to  it  is  evidence  of  its  popu- 
larity which  has  been  increased  by  the  writings  of  Hugh 
Miller.  Beyond  the  Well  of  Mary  is  the  '  Look  Out,'  the 
ancient  gathering  place  on  the  mom  of  Beltaine,  where  the 
magicians  of  other  days  were  wont  to  read  the  omens  of 
the  rising  sun.  Its  May  dew  is  believed  to  be  possessed  of 
special  protective  qualities.  The  '  Look  Out '  is  the  grassy 
summit  of  a  high  cliff  overlooking  the  Cromarty  and  Moray 
Firths.  It  commands  a  magnificent  panorama  of  sea  and 
mountain  scenery  unsurpassed  elsewhere  in  Scotland.  Hugh 
Miller  has  covered  it  with  a  halo  of  romance  :  it  brought 
forth  from  his  pen  some  of  the  noblest  passages  in  descrip- 
tive English  prose  which  appear  in  any  anthology.  In 
close  proximity  to  the  '  Look  Out '  are  the  '  Wallace 
Mounds,'  which  are  associated  locally  with  the  tradition 
that  here  Scotland's  great  hero  attacked  the  fleeing  remnants 


60  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

of  an  English  force  and  drove  them  over  the  cUffs.  BHnd 
Harry  makes  reference  in  his  famous  poem  to  this  story. 
It  may  be  that  the  mounds  are  much  older  than  Wallace, 
and  that  the  tradition  of  a  remote  conflict  was  attached 
to  the  name  of  our  popular  hero  here  as  elsewhere.  Ere 
these  mounds  are  disturbed  by  the  pick  and  shovel  of  the 
navvy,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Government  wiU  have 
afforded  facilities  to  skilled  local  and  other  archaeologists 
to  investigate  them.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  promise,  as 
has  been  done,  that  any  articles  which  may  be  discovered, 
will  be  carefully  preserved.  In  these  matters  we  cannot 
trust  the  judgment  of  men  who  have  no  experience  in 
scientific  excavation  work.  What  may  seem  trivial  to  a 
labourer,  or  even  a  Government  official,  may  be  invested 
with  great  significance  to  an  experienced  archaeologist. 
The  services  of  such  a  man  should  be  retained  by  Govern- 
ment during  the  whole  period  of  digging  or  excavation.  He 
should  be  constantly  on  the  spot  as  in  Palestine  and  else- 
where. He  should  be  Scottish :  he  should  further  be  local 
if  possible,  but  at  least  in  close  touch  with  local  authorities. 
Should  a  workman  happen  to  stumble  across  any  evidence 
of  horde  or  burial,  nothing  should  be  touched  except  under 
the  direction  of  the  expert.  In  the  not  remote  past,  one 
regrets  to  have  to  record,  not  a  few  graves  containing  urns 
have  been  ruthlessly  plundered  on  the  Cromarty  hill.  One 
yielded  a  beautiful  gold  armlet  of  the  Bronze  Age,  which 
unfortunately  is  not  referred"  to  in  the  transactions  of  any 
scientific  society,  although  it  is  still  in  a  private  collection. 
If  the  urns  found  in  the  parish  of  Cromarty  during  the 
present  generation  had  been  happily  preserved,  they  would 
have  stocked  a  local  museum  sufficiently  weU  to  give  it 
some  importance. 

The  big  guns  of  the  Cromarty  '  Sutor '  fort  will 
bellow  from  a  sacred  grove,  called  the  'Big  Dungeon.' 
The  'Little  Dungeon'  with  its  fairy  mounds  lies  lower 
down  the  hill. 

Beyond  the  '  Look  Out '  is  the  hill  moorland  of  Navity, 


\ 


THE  ADMIRALTY  AT  CROMARTY  61 

which  was  part  of  the  '  church  lands '  of  Fortrose  Cathedral. 
Like  other  '  church  lands,'  the  moor  of  Navity  was  at  one 
time  sacred  to  the  animistic  ancestors  of  the  natives  of  the 
Black  Isle.  As  is  emphasised  in  Gaelic  myth  and  legend, 
a  section  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Scotland  were 
worshippers  of  the  Earth  Mother.  One  characteristic 
reference  runs  : — 

'  An  uair  a  dh'  aithris  e  dhaibh  gach  allabain,  is  miomh- 
adh  is  droch-ghiollachd  a  fhuair  e,  agus  cruadal  a  sheas  e 
bho'n  a  dhealaich  iad,  thog  iad  socag  thalmhuinn,  's  dh'eubh 
iad  "Aichmheil."' 

'  When  he  rehearsed  to  them  each  wandering  and  insult, 
and  bad  treatment  he  had  got,  and  hardship  he  stood  since 
they  had  separated,  they  lifted  a  little  'piece  of  earth  and 
shouted  "  Vengeance."  ' 

Below  the  moor  are  the  sites  of  early  Christian  chapels 
and  also  St.  Bennet's  Well,  which  stiU  attracts  visitors,  as 
is  testified  by  the  fluttering  rags  on  the  overhanging  tree. 
The  sanctity  with  which  the  moor  was  anciently  invested 
is  emphasised  by  an  interesting  Cromarty  story.  It  was 
believed  that  the  Last  Judgment  would  be  held  at  Navity, 
the  '  seat '  of  the  Earth  goddess  of  the  pagans.  A  Cromarty 
man,  named  Sandy  Wood,  had  been  wronged  by  a  land- 
grabbing  neighbour  and,  having  a  stutter,  he  could  never 
voice  his  grievance  to  his  own  satisfaction.  He  desired 
that  he  should  be  buried  outside  St.  Regulus  churchyard, 
which  lies  on  the  lap  of  the  hill,  so  that  he  might  reach 
Navity  at  the  Last  Day  and  relate  his  grievance  to  the 
Judge  of  all,  before  the  man  who  wronged  him  would  be 
able  to  climb  the  kirk-yard  waU.  His  gravestone,  which 
relates  his  story,  still  lies  outside  the  burial-place,  and  may 
be  deciphered  by  the  curious  who  can  also  be  referred  to  the 
fourteenth  chapter  of  Miller's  Scenes  and  Legends  for  fuller 
details.  Beyond  Navity  Moor  is  Eathie  bum.  In  its  deep 
and  woody  ravine  fairies  still  dance  on  moonlight  nights, 
and  the  Banshee  haunts  one  of  its  pools.  Here  the  story 
of  Ulysses  and  the  Cyclops  is  localised  as  a  fairy  story. 


62  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

*  No  man '  being  rendered  as  '  Me  mysel'.'  In  several  of 
his  works  Hugh  Miller  deals  with  this  romantic  dingle  both 
as  a  geologist  and  as  a  folk  lorist. 

The  varied  interests  of  Cromarty  hill  and  its  vicinity 
cannot  be  fully  dealt  with  here.  My  purpose  will  be  ful- 
filled if  I  simply  show  that  it  is  of  more  importance  to 
antiquarians  and  Scotsmen  generally  than  the  Government 
officials  would  have  us  believe.  The  immemorial  rights- 
of-way  which  intersect  the  hill,  and  lead,  like  other  Scottish 
rights-of-way,  to  places  anciently  sacred  and  still  full  of 
charm  to  the  public  at  large,  are  eloquent  of  the  real  char- 
acter of  this  haunt  of  antiquarians,  which  teems  with 
evidences  of  the  intellectual  life  of  our  remote  ancestors. 
Space  forbids  me  from  dealing  with  the  many  tales  of 
Vikings  and  Danes.  Reference  should,  however,  be  made 
to  the  divination  tree,  and  the  '  spitting  stone.'  Boys 
were  wont  before  attempting  to  chmb  the  cliffs  or  visit 
the  romantic  caves  to  test  their  luck  at  the  '  rock  tree.' 
They  threw  stones,  as  the  writer  has  ofttimes  done,  at  its 
hollowed  side.  If  one  darted  aside,  the  boy  shouted  '  The 
danger  goes  past,'  but  if  it  came  back  to  him,  he  at  once 
left  his  companions  and  returned  home,  believing  that  if  he 
accompanied  them  he  would  meet  with  dire  misfortune.    The 

*  spitting  stone '  is  one  of  the  '  Bethels '  which  has  been  thrown 
down.  Among  certain  of  the  ancient  peoples  it  was  believed 
that  the  vital  principle  was  contained  in  the  '  moisture  of 
life '  or  '  water  of  life.'  The  Eg3rptian  gods  wept  '  creative 
tears  '  which  gave  origin  to  trees,  human  beings,  etc.,  while 
the  tears  of  demons  were  productive  of  all  that  was  evil. 
Consequently  the  worship  of  rivers,  wells  and  trees  sur- 
vived in  Egypt,  even  after  the  introduction  of  sun-worship. 
The  sun-rays  were  the  '  tears  of  Ra,'  the  sun  god,  and  Ra's 
well  and  tree  are  still  reverenced  in  Egjrpt.  Attached  to 
this  '  well  of  the  sun '  at  the  village  of  Matarieh  (Heliopolis), 
is  the  legend  that  the  Virgin  Mary  washed  in  it  the  swaddling 
clothes  of  the  infant  Christ  on  the  occasion  of  the  flight 
from  Herod  into  Egjrpt.     In  India  the  god  Prajapati  also 


THE  ADMIRALTY  AT  CROMARTY  63 

weeps  *  creative  tears,'  and  in  ancient  Babylon  similar 
beliefs  were  prominent  in  connection  with  water  worship 
and  rain-getting  ceremonies.  As  the  people  who  worshipped 
fire  made  vows  before  a  fire  (this  custom  is  still  common  in 
India),  and  other  people  who  believed  that  the  vital  prin- 
ciple was  in  the  '  life  blood,'  signed  their  vows  and  com- 
pacts in  blood,  so  did  those  who  had  conceived  that  life  was 
in  body  moisture  conclude  bargains  by  spitting.  Among 
agriculturalists  the  spitting  ceremonies  still  survive.  Dealers 
spit  on  their  hands  and  on  their  money  for  '  good  luck,' 
and  then  their  word  is  their  bond.  Resolutions  to  fight 
were  made  by  spitting  over  an  extended  arm,  and  boys 
still  perpetuate  this  custom.  The  Cromarty  '  spitting 
stone'  indicates  the  antiquity  of  a  practice  which  is  as 
interesting  as  it  may  be  disgusting  :  it  evidently  goes  back 
to  the  time  when  there  was  '  worshipping  of  stones, 
before  the  coming  of  Patrick  of  Macha.'  A  spitting  stone 
is  to  be  seen  near  Forres. 

The  hill,  like  other  headlands  round  the  east  coast  of 
Scotland,  has  its  giant :  another  giant  has  his  '  seat '  on 
the  hill  opposite,  the  '  North  Sutor,'  or  '  hill  of  Nigg,'  which 
is  the  '  hunting  hill  of  the  Fians,'  as  readers  of  Hugh  Miller's 
My  Schools  and  Schoolmasters  will  be  aware.  Higher  up  on 
the  ridge  of  the  Black  Isle  is  the  great  '  Grey  Cairn,'  which 
was  visited  some  years  ago  by  a  few  scholarly  pilgrims  from 
Denmark.  Local  legend  associates  it  with  the  last  desperate 
battle  fought  by  a  *  black  prince '  from  across  the  North 
Sea.  Its  vicinity  has  yielded  many  beautiful  artefacts  of 
the  Late  Stone  Age,  and  certain  mounds  still  await  excava- 
tion. Not  many  years  ago  a  number  of  old  graves  contain- 
ing urns  and  skeletons  were  destroyed  while  '  new  land ' 
was  being  '  taken  in.' 

In  addition  to  the  forts,  Cromarty  is  to  get  a  light  railway 
which  will  run  over  a  fairy  mound  and  the  '  giants'  graves,' 
and  cut  off  the  '  Morial's  Den,'  to  which  Hugh  Miller  devoted 
the  second  chapter  of  Scenes  and  Legends.  Ere  this  work 
of  desecration  is  perpetrated,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 


64  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

expert  local  archaeologists  will  obtain  concessions  from  the 
Government,  whose  generous  grant  and  loan  will  make 
possible  the  construction  of  this  superfluous  line.  As 
archaeologists  who  have  operated  in  northern  Scotland 
are  aware,  almost  every  mound  which  has  yielded  j&nds  has 
its  folk-lore  associations.  The  Brahan  Bronze  Age  grave, 
for  instance,  was  discovered  in  a  fairy  mound,  from  which 
the  folks  were  wont  to  pluck  alder  berries  for  protection 
against  evil  spirits.  In  Sutherland  there  is  an  unexcavated 
moimd  which  is  called  the  '  Mound  of  My  Wish.'  It  is  a 
heaped  stone  circle,  and  according  to  local  tradition  contains 
graves.  If  these  are  desecrated,  the  '  vandal,'  it  is  believed, 
will  die  of  some  mysterious  disease.  When  a  description 
of  this  mound  was  submitted  to  the  late  Andrew  Lang,  he 
referred  to  it  as  a  '  Homeric  grave.'  Hugh  Miller  makes 
reference  to  a  tradition  that  a  half-witted  man,  who  ex- 
cavated a  grave  moimd  at  the  Morial's  Den,  in  search  for 
treasure,  met  with  a  speedy  death,  and  a  similar  tale  is 
attached  to  the  Sutherland  '  Mound  of  My  Wish.'  Ere  the 
Cromarty  Light  Railway  is  constructed  over  the  '  giants' 
graves,'  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  they  will  be  excavated  by 
archaeologists  so  that  the  results  may  be  recorded  before 
opportunity  to  do  so  may  have  passed  away.  We  who 
moraUse  over  the  vandahsm  of  Turks  in  Asia  Minor  and 
Arabs  in  Egypt  should  not  now  neglect  the  opportunities 
afforded  at  Cromarty  of  minimising  and  preventing  where 
possible  the  vandahsm  of  twentieth  century  officials,  to 
whom  the  ancient  sites  associated  with  Scottish  myth  and 
legend  and  literature  are  apparently  of  so  little  account. 


LORD  ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL  65 

LORD  ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL 
Rev.  Gillespie  Campbell 

The  fiery  cross  never  carried  its  startling  message  of 
war  more  swiftly  than  the  news  sped  through  the  glens 
of  the  Campbell  country  that  Lord  Archibald  of  Argyll  was 
dead.  We  all  knew  for  many  days  that  the  end  could  not 
be  far  off,  yet  when  the  tidings  came  rushing  upon  us  that 
one  more  chieftain  of  the  mighty  race  of  Diarmid  had  fallen, 
it  was  also  borne  to  us  that  the  Celtic  race  at  large  would 
feel  the  blow,  for  in  their  cause  his  arm  had  been  strong, 
and  his  heart  had  been  leal  and  true. 

Lord  Archibald,  the  second  son  of  George,  eighth  Duke 
of  Argyll,  and  of  Lady  Elizabeth  of  Sutherland,  was  born 
in  London  on  the  18th  December  1846,  within  the  walls  of 
the  historic  mansion  known  as  Stafford  House. 

The  untiring  energy  which  always  characterised  him 
urged  him  into  business  circles  at  an  early  age.  He  gained 
his  first  experience  by  connecting  himself  with  the  Bordeaux 
wine  exportation  traffic.  Subsequently  he  expanded  his 
knowledge  in  the  London  tea  trade,  and  in  the  Liverpool 
cotton  industry,  finally  becoming  affiliated  with  the  world- 
famed  firm  of  financiers — Messrs.  Coutts  and  Co.,  London. 
In  the  year  1869,  he  married  Miss  Janey  Se villa,  daughter 
of  James  Henry  Callendar,  Esq.  of  Ardkinglas  and  Craig- 
forth.  Two  children  were  born,  Niall  Diarmid,  and  Elspeth 
Angela,  both  of  whom  together  with  Lady  Archibald 
survive  him.  Possessed  of  a  keenly  observant  mind,  and 
a  wonderful  faculty  of  adaptation  to  any  environment, 
and  able  with  ease  to  identify  himself  with  the  associations 
and  sympathies  of  all  races  of  men  with  which  he  came 
in  contact.  Lord  Archibald  made  his  travels  and  varied 
experience  of  life  a  source  of  much  attraction  and  a  fountain 
of  educative  enjoyment.  The  keen-wittedness  of  the  race 
from  which  he  was  sprung,  the  intellectual  power  of  that 
vol.  IX.  E 


66  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

family,  the  rare  rapidity  of  perception  which  he  inherited, 
the  absolute  comprehension  of  all  the  circumstances  in- 
volved in  the  subject-matter  of  his  talk,  all  made  conversa- 
tion with  him  a  thing  of  dehght.  The  listener  could  with  ease 
discern  the  setting  of  the  scene,  as  with  graphic  utterance 
he  swiftly  delineated  the  picture  in  thought — portraying 
the  characters,  and  the  incidents  such  as  they  might  be — 
the  gravity,  the  danger,  the  excitement,  the  beauty  of 
scene,  or  excellence  of  action — the  solemnity  and  pathos 
of  circumstance — and  suddenly  as  some  humorous  side- 
issue  appealed  to  him — ^like  a  glint  of  sunshine  on  one  of  his 
own  beloved  lochs — a  ripple  of  merry  laughter  would  break 
from  his  lips  as  he  quaintly  retailed  the  cause  of  his  mirth. 

He  made  an  ideal  Highland  home  for  himself  at  Rudha- 
na-Craige,  Inveraray,  beautifully  situated  on  the  shores  of 
Lochfyne,  and  commanding  a  view  of  the  slopes  of  the  hills 
of  Strathlachlan  and  Cowal.  His  Ubrary  bore  ample 
evidence  of  his  versatility  in  art  and  literature.  His  own 
writings  were  various,  among  which  may  be  mentioned : 
Eecords  of  Argyll,  1885  ;  Children  of  the  Mist ;  Notes  on 
Swords  at  Culloden,  1894 ;  Highland  Dress,  Arms,  and 
Ornaments,  1899 ;  Armada  Cannon,  1899 ;  Reveries,  Poems, 
1902 ;  Argyllshire  Galleys.  For  folk-lorists  the  several 
volumes  of  Waifs  and  Strays  of  Celtic  Tradition  which  Lord 
Archibald  inspired  stand  out  as  an  important  contribution 
to  a  subject  of  which  he  understood  the  value. 

The  present  generation  of  Celts  can  testify  how  Lord 
Archibald  proved  himself  worthy  of  his  forebears,  and 
showed  himself  a  veritable  Sir  Galahad  on  behalf  of  the 
rights  and  the  language  and  the  traditions  of  his  country, 
when  these  were  threatened  with  total  extinction,  and 
when  none  of  his  rank  in  Scotland  dared  even  to  lead  a 
forlorn  hope  in  their  defence.  A  noble  tale  is  always  worth 
reteUing,  and  Highland  hearts  will  ever  beat  high  when 
the  story  of  the  ever  memorable  scene  in  Stafford  House 
is  told  again  and  again.  It  so  happened  in  the  year  1881 
that  certain  officials  of  high  rank  in  the  War  Office  boldly — 


LOED  ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL  67 

or  in  pretentious  boldness — made  a  strong  attempt  to 
deprive  the  Highland  Regiments  of  their  distinctive  dress 
and  tartans.  Lord  Archibald  commandeered  a  gathering 
in  Stafford  House  of  Scottish  peers  and  gentlemen  of  high 
rank,  and  there  within  these  very  walls  where  he  first  saw 
the  light  of  day,  a  scene  was  enacted  more  than  worthy  of  that 
depicted  in  Ardtornish's  towers  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  when 

Barcaldine's  arm  was  high  in  air, 
And  Kinlochaline's  blade  was  bare, 

for,  in  no  figurative  sense,  but  with  thrilling  realism,  the 
dirk  of  Archibald  of  Argyll  flashed  from  its  sheath,  and 
none  less  ready  did  gleam  the  weapons  of  the  noblemen 
present,  and  each  and  all  kissed  the  cold  steel,  and  swore 
that  the  Highland  Regiments  would  never  submit  to  such 
degradation.  As  of  old,  their  opponents  gave  way,  and 
honour  was  saved.  Less  known  are  his  manifold  efforts 
on  behalf  of  the  temporal  welfare  of  the  people  of  the  High- 
lands and  Islands,  but  none  the  less  effective  in  their 
results.  Lord  Archibald  served  his  day  and  generation 
faithfully  and  never  ceased  to  hope  and  work  for  that  day, 
when  the  glens  would  be  filled  again  by  a  *  bold  peasantry, 
their  country's  pride.' 

In  the  closing  years  of  the  last  century  a  group  of  High- 
land gentlemen  meeting  together  expressed  in  words  the 
thoughts  which  were  even  then  stirring  the  bosom  of  the 
Gael,  and  they  determined  that  an  association  should  be 
formed  to  foster  the  language  and  customs  of  the  Gael, 
and  so  preserve  the  identity  of  the  race.  Many  ardent 
Celts  supported  the  movement,  but  few  dared  to  hope  that 
it  would,  as  time  passed,  assume  its  present  proportions. 
It  was  at  this  juncture  that  Lord  Archibald  rendered  the 
greatest  possible  service  to  the  cause  of  Gaelic  literature 
and  music.  He  was  called  to  preside  at  the  first  mod 
held  at  Oban,  and  the  writer  recollects  the  feeling  akin 
to  amazement  which  was  in  the  minds  of  Celts  on 
beholding  the  gifted  Highlander,  a  scion  of  an  ancient 
race,   exerting   himself  to   the   utmost   of   his   ability   to 


68  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

procure  the  advancement  of  the  Gaehc  national  move- 
ment. He  had  been  a  familiar  figure  in  the  western 
Highlands — well  known  at  gatherings — where  he  always 
appeared  garbed  as  a  Celt  in  the  tartans  and  homespuns  of 
his  race ;  but  few  apart  from  his  intimates  realised  that 
within  his  breast  there  surged  such  a  tide  of  passion  for 
all  matters  Highland.  Even  so  it  was,  and  when  the 
opportunity  came,  Lord  Archibald  was  prepared  to  take 
full  advantage  of  it.  He  was  possessed  of  a  winning  manner 
and  a  warm  Highland  heart,  and  when  he  applied  himself 
to  awaken  patriotic  feelings  which  had  long  lain  dormant 
in  the  breasts  of  brother  Celts,  his  charm  was  irresistible. 
It  is  said  that  the  Golden  Age  of  Celtic  Scotland  ended 
with  the  death  of  Alexander  ni.,  but  who  would  doubt  its 
return  any  longer  when  one  came  in  contact  with  this  ardent 
Celt,  affectionately  known  among  his  Highlanders  as  '  Lord 
Archie,'  and  who  caused  every  Gael  whom  he  smiled  upon 
to  stiffen  his  back  instinctively,  and  to  realise  that  not  only 
was  he  (the  Highlander)  a  brave  soldier,  but  that  he  was 
also  a  gallant  gentleman,  and  by  descent  the  inheritor  of 
a  noble  language,  a  rich  culture,  an  immense  store  of  in- 
valuable traditional  lore,  and  a  history  of  which  the  bravest 
of  the  brave  might  be  proud.  Under  the  spell  of  this 
historic  renaissance,  the  Celt  of  a  literary  turn  of  mind 
took  up  his  pen.  Archives  were  ransacked,  charter  chests 
became  mines  of  treasure,  musty  libraries  were  eagerly 
searched  ;  volumes  on  Celtic  history,  poetry,  and  tradition, 
known  only  to  the  cultured  few,  became  a  means  of  culture 
to  the  many,  and  in  ways  infinitely  too  varied  to  mention 
within  the  narrow  limits  of  these  pages  the  long  dreamed  of 
Gaelic  Revival  became  an  actual  reality. 

One  is  justified  in  asking  what  influence  aroused  Lord 
Archibald's  Celtic  soul.  Unquestionably  the  unseen  influ- 
ence was  that  of  that  prince  of  Highlanders — John  Francis 
Campbell  of  Islay,  popularly  known  in  Gaelic  circles  as  Iain 
Og  He.  Lord  Archibald  was  a  near  kinsman  of  John  of 
Islay,  and  at  an  early  age  the  young  Gael  formed  a  life-long 


LORD  ARCHIBALD  CAMPBELL  69 

friendship  with  the  renowned  Gaehc  scholar  and  folk-lorist. 
Campbell's  Popular  Tales  of  the  West  Highlands  were  a 
revelation  to  Celtic  scholars,  and  the  hearts  of  many  longed 
for  a  realisation  of  the  vivifying  influence  which  they  felt 
emanating  from  the  pages  of  that  wonderful  work.  In  Lord 
Archibald's  case,  to  the  literary  influence  was  added  the 
personal  influence  of  Iain  Og. 

On  a  bright  spring  afternoon  when  the  sun  was  fill- 
ing the  dells  of  Glenaray  with  light  and  splendour,  and  the 
woods  and  upland  lawns  gave  promise  of  the  advancing 
floral  glory  of  summer — in  the  midst  of  it  all — the  warm 
heart  of  the  Highland  chieftain  ceased  to  beat.  On  the 
Sabbath  following  the  body  lay  in  state,  guarded  by  the 
members  of  his  own  pipe  band,  and  slowly  and  sadly  friends 
passed  through  the  room  to  say  farewell.  Preparations 
were  made  to  carry  the  dust  of  this  heir  of  the  ArgyUs  to 
the  Chauntry  Chapel  at  Kilmun,  '  the  sacred  storehouse  of 
his  predecessors,  and  guardian  of  their  bones ' ;  and  on  the 
morning  appointed  for  the  funeral  the  roads  to  Inveraray 
were  filled  with  mourners  wending  their  way  to  the  solemn 
ceremony.  We  grouped  ourselves  in  silence  in  the  Town 
Square,  and  Dunquoich  shimmered  in  the  morning  haze, 
unmoved  by  the  changes  in  human  life.  Shortly  the  dirge 
of  the  pipes  arose  on  the  air,  and  the  muffled  beat  of  the 
drum  as  the  cortege  passed  up  the  avenue,  the  bier  borne 
by  his  comrades  of  the  Reserve  contingent,  flanked  by  the 
local  Territorial  company  pacing  with  arms  reversed,  and 
led  by  their  commanding  officer — a  tail  scion  of  the  race 
of  Art — who  walked  in  stately  pensiveness,  with  his  clay- 
more held  athwart.  The  Provost  bore  in  front  the  house 
flag  of  the  deceased  Highlander,  and  behind  him  came  Miss 
Elspeth  Campbell  garbed  in  a  plaided  cloak  of  the  dark 
tartan  of  her  clan.  Beside  her  walked  her  brother  Mr.  Niall 
Diarmid,  followed  by  the  other  members  of  the  Argyll  family. 

It  was  a  deeply  moving  and  never-to-be-forgotten  sight, 
to  behold  the  stately  cortege  and  the  open  display  of  grief 
intensified  by  the  throbbing  notes  of  '  Lord  Lo vat's  Lament.' 


70  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

The  kilted  lads  advanced  slowly  to  the  church  door,  sharp 
and  clear  rang  the  words  of  command — the  troops  fell 
asunder — and  stood  with  reversed  arms.  The  coffin  was 
borne  into  the  church,  and  laid  on  the  dais,  and  the  large 
building  filled  rapidly  to  its  utmost  capacity.  The  service 
proceeded,  impressive — yet  devoid  of  gloom  or  shadow — an 
interesting  item  being  a  portion  of  Psalm  ciii.  sung  in  Gaelic 
to  the  tune  of  Coleshill,  by  special  request  of  Mr.  Niall. 
At  the  close  the  choir  burst  with  triumph  into  music  in  the 
words  of  the  old  Paraphrase,  '  How  bright  these  glorious 
spirits  shine ! '  and  as  the  last  notes  were  dying  away  Lord 
Archie's  dust  was  borne  forth  on  its  last  journey.  Outside 
the  building  the  mournful  notes  of  the  '  Crusaders'  March ' 
were  sounded  by  the  pipe  band,  and  again  the  procession 
moved  to  the  pier. 

Under  the  silent  and  skilful  guidance  of  Archibald  and 
John  Macint3n:'e — whose  ancestors  had  carried  home  the 
dead  body  of  the  Argyll  who  fell  at  Flodden — the  while 
the  strains  of  the  pipes  awoke  the  echoes  of  Glenaray  and 
Dunquoich,  the  modern  Birlinn  slowly  moved  away,  leav- 
ing behind,  as  of  old,  the  sorrowing  women  and  children, 
and  once  more  the  hills  of  Cowal  beheld  the  passing  of 
Archibald  of  Argyll.  The  Duke  of  Argyll  and  many  friends 
met  us  at  Kilmun,  and  with  Celtic  funeral  rites  the  remains 
were  laid  with  kindred  dust  in  the  Holy  Rood  of  the  Argylls, 
there  to  await  the  breaking  of  the  eternal  day. 

The  shadows  were  falling  on  Glenaray  as  we  arrived  at 
the  pier  on  our  return.  In  silence,  amid  the  falling  rain, 
we  separated  at  the  old  Cross,  and  as  some  of  our  party 
sped  homeward  past  the  hallowed  ground  of  Kilmalieu, 
Dunquoich  loomed  heavily  above  us  in  the  shadows,  and 
the  Aray  murmured  its  sympathetic  requiem.  Yes  he 
sleeps,  and  the  Celtic  world  may  say  tritely,  that  it  is 
poorer  by  his  loss.  Not  so,  the  Celtic  world  is  vastly 
enriched  and  ennobled  because  Archibald  of  Argyll  Uved. 


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WALTER  BIGGAR  BLAIKIE,  LL.D.  71 

WALTER  BIGGAR  BLAIKIE,  LL.D. 
D.  A.  Mackenzie 

Among  the  letters  of  congratulation  received  by  Mr.  Blaikie 
when  pubHc  announcement  was  made  that  Edinburgh 
University  was  to  confer  upon  him  the  honorary  degree 
of  LL.D.,  none  could  have  touched  him  more  deeply  than 
'  Cummy's.'  Everybody  knows  who  '  Gummy  '  was — that 
kindly  and  well-remembered  old  woman,  Alison  Cunningham, 
the  '  second  mother '  of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  who 
became  the  homely  Muse  of  his  Child's  Garden  of  Verse,  and 
who  will  ever  be  the  shadow-nurse  of  thousands  of  children 
all  over  the  world.  Three  years  before  the  half-elfin  Louis 
was  born,  '  Gummy  '  had  had  placed  in  her  care  Walter 
Biggar  Blaikie,  whose  mother  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Balfour  family.  In  after  years  she  followed  his  career  with 
watchful  interest,  and  he  remained  one  of  '  her  boys ' 
until  the  end.  Not  many  days  before  death  called  her, 
she  learned  with  pride  of  his  University  honour  and  penned 
to  him,  in  a  wonderfully  firm  hand,  a  characteristic  letter 
of  restrained  and  motherly  affection  and  approval.  She 
had  lived  to  see  her  two  boys  achieve  distinction  in  their 
separate  spheres  of  life,  and  even  by  a  strange  coincidence 
to  be  brought  into  close  association  in  the  world  of  litera- 
ture, for  the  great  books  which  the  one  had  written  were 
printed  by  the  other  in  the  famous  Edinburgh  Edition. 

Mr.  Blaikie  is  the  son  of  the  late  Rev.  William  Garden 
Blaikie,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  professor  in  New  College,  Edinburgh. 
He  was  born  in  1847,  and  educated  at  Edinburgh  Academy 
and  Edinburgh  University.  Like  Stevenson,  he  began  his 
life's  work  by  studying  engineering.  He  was  trained  by 
Messrs.  Blyth,  and  afterwards  held  appointments  in  India 
between  the  years  1870  and  1879.  Then  he  returned 
home  to  become  the  '  artist  printer  '  to  whom  his  friend 
W.  H.  Henley  dedicated  Lyra  Heroica.  This  fine  com- 
pliment was  well  deserved,  for,  as  a  partner  in  the  printing 
firm  of  Messrs.  T.  and  A.  Constable,  Mr.  Blaikie  has  done 


72  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

signal  service  in  developing  the  artistic  side  of  printing 
by  paying  much  attention  to  the  effective  arrangement 
of  type,  to  producing  good  title-pages  and  providing  light 
paper  on  which  the  impression  of  type  is  always  consist- 
ently clear  and  crisp  and  beautiful.  Many  of  the  books 
planned  by  him  have  attracted  collectors  all  over  the 
world.  One  has  only  to  refer  to  the  Tudor  Translations 
and  the  Folio  Shakespeare  in  addition  to  Carmina  Gadelica 
and  the  Edinburgh  Edition  of  Stevenson  to  emphasise  the 
importance  of  Mr.  Blaikie's  contributions  to  the  art  of 
which  he  is  so  distinguished  an  exponent. 

Mr.  Blaikie's  energies  have  been  by  no  means  wholly 
confined  to  business.  His  printing  knowledge,  which  has 
made  him  a  progressive  force  in  his  profession,  has  also 
been  of  important  service  to  the  cause  of  scholarship,  for 
it  has  enabled  him  to  decipher  some  obscure  historical 
facts  which  only  an  expert  could  undertake  to  deal  with, 
and  especially  one  with  his  mental  leanings  and  special 
equipment.  He  is  himseK  a  man  weU  endowed  with  the 
historical  instinct.  The  study  of  his  country's  annals 
has  ever  appealed  to  Mr.  Blaikie,  and  he  has  accomplished 
important  and  original  work  in  connection  with  the  fascin- 
ating Jacobite  period,  on  which  he  is  regarded  as  the  chief 
authority.  In  1897  he  wrote  for  the  Scottish  History 
Society  the  Itinerary  of  Prince  Charles  Edward  Stuart, 
which  is  the  standard  book  on  the  subject  of  that  un- 
happy Prince's  life  and  doings  and  adventures  in  Scot- 
land. He  has  also  contributed  numerous  articles  and 
notes  to  the  literature  of  the  period.  These  include  five 
articles  in  the  Marchioness  of  TuUibardine's  The  Military 
History  of  Perthshire — namely,  '  73rd  Regiment,'  '  Perth- 
shire in  the  '15,'  '  Perthshire  in  the  '45,'  '  Lord  George 
Murray,'  and  '  Stewart  of  Garth.'  Two  articles  on  '  Lord 
Elcho  '  appeared  in  the  Scotsman.  At  present  students  of 
history  are  looking  forward  to  the  publication  of  his 
promised  article  in  the  Booh  of  the  Old  Edinburgh  Club. 
His  contributed  notes  in  the  Scottish  Historical  Review 
have  been  helpful  and  elucidatory.     Mr.  Blaikie  has  also 


WALTER  BIGGAR  BLAIKIE,  LL.D.  73 

lectured  on  Jacobite  subjects — '  Edinburgh  in  the  '45,' 
and  '  Jacobite  Ladies,'  occurring  freshly  to  one's  memory — 
and  he  did  much  active  work  on  the  committee  of  the 
Jacobite  section  at  the  Glasgow  National  Exhibition. 

While  engaged  in  dealing  with  Prince  Charlie's  wander- 
ings and  experiences  in  the  Scottish  Highlands  and  Western 
Islands,  he  personally  visited  most  of  the  places  where  the 
Prince  is  reported  to  have  taken  shelter.  He  re-discovered 
a  cave  in  which  the  royal  fugitive  is  known  to  have  con- 
cealed himself;  and  everywhere  he  went  he  took  photo- 
graphs to  compile  a  pictorial  record  of  the  Prince's 
wanderings.  In  this  connection  he  had  the  assistance  of 
the  late  Dr.  Carmichael,  who  possessed  so  extensive  a 
knowledge  of  the  traditions  of  the  Outer  Hebrides.  He 
also  came  into  intimate  association  with  the  late  Father 
Allan  Macdonald  of  Eriskay,  with  whom  he  formed  a  close 
friendship  which  continued  to  the  end  of  the  life  of  that 
revered  Highland  priest.  Mr.  Blaikie's  name  is  remembered 
in  Eriskay  in  a  manner  which  is  almost  reminiscent  of 
Jacobite  times.  He  presented  Father  Allan  with  a  set  of 
excellent  bagpipes  for  the  use  of  the  people  of  the  island, 
and  it  is  from  this  that  he  is  known  there  with  simple 
affection  as  Fear  na  Pioba-moire,  the  man  of  the  bagpipes. 
So  careful  was  the  reverend  gentleman  of  the  pipes  that 
when  they  were  lent  for  a  ceilidh  or  wedding  they  remained 
in  the  house  of  festivity  only  as  long  as  the  priest  was  there 
also.  When  he  left  for  home  the  bagpipes  went  with  him, 
and  one  can  picture  the  good  Father  on  a  winter  night 
being  played  homeward  under  the  bright  stars  by  one  loth 
to  take  his  fingers  off  the  half-magical  chanter.  A  more 
permanent  record  of  Mr.  Blaikie's  friendship  with  Allan 
Macdonald  is  the  bell  which  he  presented  to  the  church  of 
St.  Michael,  which  the  Father  built  on  the  promontory  that 
dominates  the  Sound  of  Eriskay,  a  bell  which  not  only 
summons  the  islanders  to  prayer,  but  which  is  also  useful 
in  guiding  the  fishermen  in  stormy  and  misty  weather  to 
the  safety  of  their  harbour. 

It  was  while  wandering  through  the  Outer  Hebrides 


n  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

with  his  friend,  spending  nights  at  luaidh — waulkings,  or 
Hstening  to  waulking  songs,  to  Ossianic  recitations  and  to 
stories  of  olden  time  (always  translated  to  him  by  his 
mentor  like  an  echo),  that  Mr.  Blaikie  became  profoundly 
interested  in  Celtic  literature  and  traditions  still  preserved 
in  the  islands,  but  rapidly  disappearing.  He  was  also 
much  impressed  by  the  life-work  of  his  friend,  Dr.  Alexander 
Carmichael,  which  culminated  in  Carmina  Gadelica.  It 
seemed  to  him  a  necessity  that  what  still  remains  of  Celtic 
lore  should  be  carefully  collected  and  preserved,  and  that 
an  organ  should  be  established  for  this  purpose.  The 
outcome  was  the  founding  of  The  Celtic  Review,  of  which 
Professor  Mackinnon  and  Miss  Carmichael,  now  Mrs. 
Watson,  willingly  accepted  the  responsibility  of  editorship. 

Dr.  Blaikie  is  comiected  with  many  literary  and  scientific 
societies,  being  a  fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edin- 
burgh, the  Royal  Scottish  Geographical  Society,  the  Society 
of  Arts,  the  Society  of  Antiquaries,  the  Bibliographical 
Society,  the  Scottish  History  Society,  and  the  Astronomical 
Association.  For  the  last  sixteen  years  he  has  annually 
produced  a  series  of  astronomical  maps  which  have  a 
wide  circulation.  He  was  for  some  years  chairman  of  the 
Edinburgh  Chamber  of  Commerce  ;  he  is  also  one  of  the 
Governors  of-  the  College  of  Art,  and  a  Manager  of  the 
Royal  Infirmary. 

Dr.  Blaikie  has  lived  an  active  and  useful  and,  in  the 
best  sense,  a  profitable  life.  He  has  indeed  ever  been  more 
concerned  to  do  good  work  than  to  seek  the  distinctions 
attaching  to  it ;  nevertheless  few  possess  in  a  greater  degree 
the  confidence  and  the  affection  of  their  fellow-citizens  and 
their  fellow-countrymen,  who  hope  that  there  are  many 
years  of  activity  and  public  usefulness  still  in  store  for  him. 

BOOK  REVIEWS 

The  Battle  of  Bannockburn,  A   Study  in  Mediceval   Warfare.      By  W.  M. 
Mackenzie,  M.A,     Glasgow  :  James  Maclehose  and  Sons,     2s.  6i. 

For  centuries  the  Battle  of  Bannockburn  has  been  shrouded  in  mystery, 
and  much  ink  has  been  spilt  in  endeavours  to  elucidate  the  true  tale  of 


BOOK  REVIEWS  75 

what  happened  on  that  historic  day.  In  the  little  volume  before  us  the 
mystery  seems  to  us  to  be  finally  dispelled,  and  we  are  not  overstating  the 
truth  when  we  say  that  the  author,  Mr.  Mackenzie,  has  succeeded  where  all 
former  writers  have  failed,  and  has  given  us  a  narrative  of  Bannockburn 
which  is  at  once  illuminating,  convincing,  and,  in  some  ways,  surprising. 
It  is,  indeed,  a  really  excellent  piece  of  work,  and  one  of  which  the  author 
may  well  be  proud. 

To  students  of  mediaeval  Scottish  History  Mr.  Mackenzie's  work  is 
already  well  known.  His  edition  of  Barbour's  Bruce,  published  some  four 
years  ago,  is  easily  the  best  of  the  many  editions  of  that  poem,  and  is  simply 
invaluable  to  students  of  the  period.  It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  Mr. 
Mackenzie  should  continue  his  investigations  into  the  chief  event  of  the 
period,  and  should  devote  a  special  volume  to  the  study  of  Bannockburn, 
concerning  which  a  highly  suggestive  appendix  and  a  number  of  valuable 
notes  appeared  in  his  edition  of  The  Bruce.  For  such  a  work  he  had  all  the 
necessary  equipment,  enthusiasm,  an  unrivalled  knowledge  of  the  history  of 
the  time,  a  keen,  critical  faculty,  and  a  well-balanced  judgment ;  and  it  is, 
therefore,  not  surprising  that  he  should  have  been  able  to  unravel  with  skill 
and  ludicity  the  tangle  into  which  the  whole  story  of  Bannockburn  had  got, 
and  to  tell  the  tale  anew  in  a  manner  which,  as  we  have  already  remarked, 
is  as  convincing  as  it  is  astonishing. 

Indeed,  when  one  reads  Mr.  Mackenzie's  pages  one  wonders  how  Scottish 
historians  could  have  for  so  long  so  utterly  misunderstood  the  battle,  and 
have  raised  up  for  themselves  so  many  difficulties  which  ought  never  to  have 
had  any  existence.  For  Mr.  Mackenzie  has  simply  done  what  every  his- 
torian should  do.  He  has  gone  to  the  contemporary  sources,  or  the  nearly 
contemporary  sources,  for  his  information,  and  to  these  alone.  The  result 
is  that  all  the  confusion  arising  from  the  ignorance  of  later  writers  vanishes, 
and  the  extraordinary  fact  emerges  that  for  fully  four  hundred  years 
Bannockburn  has  been  misrepresented  and  misunderstood  simply  because 
those  authorities,  who  alone  were  of  any  value,  were  disregarded  or  lightly 
passed  by.  That  Mr.  Mackenzie's  book  should  have  been  necessary  at  all 
is,  indeed,  a  grave  reflection  on  the  historians  who  have  written  with 
assumed  authority  on  the  Battle  of  Bannockburn. 

The  most  striking  fact  which  Mr.  Mackenzie  brings  out,  and  proves  in 
the  most  conclusive  manner,  is  that,  contrary  to  all  modern  versions  of  the 
battle,  the  Scottish  army  did  not  stand  on  the  defensive  on  the  24th  of  June 
1314,  but  were  actually  the  attacking  force.  Arising  out  of  that  is  the 
scarcely  less  striking  fact  that  the  battle  was  not  fought  on  the  presently 
accepted  site — we  can  hardly  call  it  the  traditional  site,  for  Mr.  Mackenzie 
showj  that  as  late  as  1777  there  was  no  tradition  in  Stirlingshire  assigning 
the  battle  to  any  particular  place — but  on  a  site  to  the  east  thereof  between 
the  Bannock  Burn  and  the  loops  of  the  Forth.  On  the  23rd  of  June  the 
Scottish  army  occupied  a  position  corresponding  roughly  to  the  hitherto 
accepted  site,  and  on  that  day  the  English  launched  two  attacks  against  the 


76  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

Scots — Clifford's  attempt  to  relieve  Stirling  Castle,  which  was  so  signally 
repulsed  by  Randolph,  and  the  advance  of  the  English  vanguard,  which 
ended  with  the  death  of  Henry  de  Bohun  at  the  hands  of  Bruce.  During 
the  night  the  English  army  marched  eastwards,  and,  crossing  the  Bannock, 
encamped  on  the  Carse,  a  flat,  marshy  plain  encircled  on  three  sides  by  the 
Forth  and  the  Bannock.  At  daybreak  on  the  24th  Bruce  took  stock  of  his 
enemy's  position.  His  skilled  eye  saw  that  they  had  placed  themselves  in  a 
situation  which,  if  the  Scots  took  prompt  advantage  of  it,  would  neutralise 
the  English  superiority  in  numbers.  For  hemmed  in,  as  they  were,  on  both 
sides  and  on  the  rear  by  the  Forth  and  the  Bannock,  they  could  neither 
deploy  nor  attempt  to  outflank  the  Scottish  army  ;  while  if  the  Scots  attacked 
they  could,  so  to  say,  close  the  neck  of  the  bottle  in  which  the  English  had 
placed  themselves,  and  so  compel  them  to  fight  in  a  confined  space  and  over  a 
narrow  front.  So  the  Scots  did  attack,  as  all  the  fourteenth-century  authori- 
ties, either  directly  say  or  unmistakably  imply,  and  by  that  attack  and 
the  consummate  generalship  which  directed  it  the  Battle  of  Bannockburn  was 
won.  Gone,  therefore,  are  all  the  glowing  accounts  which  have  been  written 
of  the  English  horse  breaking  themselves  on  an  impregnable  Scottish  line 
standing  firmly  on  the  defensive,  and  instead  we  have  a  battle  which  reflects 
much  greater  credit  on  the  fighting  ability  of  the  Scots  and  on  the  military 
genius  of  Bruce. 

It  is  impossible  here  to  follow  Mr.  Mackenzie  in  the  many  other  details 
of  interest  which  he  brings  out — among  them  the  fact  that  the  camp 
followers  were  not  on  the  Gillies'  Hill  but  in  a  hollow  to  the  rear  of  the 
Scottish  army — but  we  many  say  frankly  that  we  do  not  see  how  his  facts 
can  be  controverted  in  any  particular.  In  only  two  matters  are  we  inclined 
to  disagree  with  him.  In  the  first  place,  by  a  series  of  deductions  he  places 
the  strength  of  the  English  army  at  20,000  men  and  that  of  the  Scots  at 
7000.  It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  dogmatise  on  such  a  matter,  and  Mr. 
Mackenzie  does  not  do  so.  But  we  think  that  7000  errs  on  the  small  side 
for  the  Scottish  army,  and  that,  when  all  allowance  is  made  for  the  circum- 
stances he  mentions,  the  English  numbered  possibly  from  three  to  five 
thousand  more  than  the  20,000  he  allows  them.  That,  however,  is  merely  a 
matter  of  opinion,  for  on  the  material  available  the  numbers  must  vary 
according  to  the  allowance  for  absentees,  etc.,  judged  reasonable  by  each 
individual  critic.  Our  second  point  is  this.  Mr.  Mackenzie  asserts  that  the 
vanguard  was  assigned  to  Randolph,  Earl  of  Moray,  '  with  whom  was  the 
general  mass  of  men  of  higher  rank.'  He  does  not  quote  his  authority  for 
the  latter  part  of  this  statement,  but  probably  bases  it  on  Barbour,  who  says 
that  *  for  to  maintain  his  banner,  Lords,  that  of  great  worship  were,  were 
assigned  with  their  men  into  his  battle  for  to  be.'  But  in  addition  to  these 
Randolph  already  had,  as  Barbour  also  tells  us,  his  own  men,  who  were  of 
course  the  men  of  the  Earldom  of  Moray,  who  had  already  done  so  much  for 
Bruce  and  the  cause  of  freedom.  Moreover,  Sir  Thomas  Gray  tells  us 
specifically  that  the  vanguard  under  Randolph,  which  routed  Clifford,  were 


NOTES  77 

on  foot  and  were  armed  with  pikes,  which  can  only  mean  that  the  force  was 
composed,  with  few  exceptions,  of  men  who  were  not  lords  or  knights.  '  The 
general  mass  of  men  of  higher  rank '  were  of  course  mounted  knights,  and 
they  naturally  were  with  the  cavalry  army  under  Sir  Robert  Keith, 

These  matters,  however,  do  not  affect  the  general  accuracy  of  Mr.  Mac- 
kenzie's volume,  or  minimise  in  any  way  the  value  of  his  general  conclusions. 
His  book  is  beyond  doubt  the  ablest  critical  account  of  Bannockburn  which 
has  yet  been  written,  and  must  take  rank  as  the  best,  if  not  the  only  modern 
authority  on  the  subject.  It  seems  to  us,  in  fact,  that  all  other  modern 
accounts  of  Bannockburn  must  be  discarded  forthwith,  and  that  Mr.  Mac- 
kenzie's book  can  alone  be  regarded  as  a  safe  guide  to  the  story  of  the  battle. 
"We  congratulate  the  author  cordially  on  a  very  able  and  a  very  stimulating 
piece  of  work.  We  rejoice  that  he  has  had  the  courage  to  cast  oflF  the  bonds 
which  have  too  long  held  those  who  have  written  on  the  War  of  Independ- 
ence, and  that  he  has  shown  in  his  study  of  the  subject  a  praiseworthy  free- 
dom from  the  fetters  of  tradition,  prejudice,  and  miscalled  patriotism. 

Evan  M.  Barron. 

NOTES 
Sir  Lancelot  du  Lake  and  Vinovia 

Reasons  were  given  in  a  previous  note  for  equating  the  name  of  Lancelot 
with  *Wlanciloth,  and  among  the  names  advanced  with  the  object  of  estab- 
lishing this  hypothetical  compound  was  '  Vinoviloth.'  This  occurs  in  the 
Getica  of  Jordanes  in  the  following  passage  : — 

'Sunt  ex  his  exteriores  Ostrogothae,  Raumaricae,  Raugnaricii,  Finni 
mitissimi  (Scanziae  cultoribus  omnibus  mitiores)  nee  non  et  pares  eorum 
Vinoviloth[i],  Suethidi,  Cogeni  in  hac  gente  reliquis  corpore  eminentiores 
.  .  .  etc' 

The  name  Vinoviloth  occurs  in  the  manuscripts  without  the  plural  end- 
ing. It  is  a  very  strange  name  to  find  in  Gothic  traditions.  It  is  readily 
divisible  into  four  vocables,  viz.  virio-,  -vinovi,  viloth,  and  -loth.  Both  vin  and 
loth  might  be  Germanic,  but  the  medial  syllable  -vi-,  whether  we  take  it 
with  Fino-  or  with  -loth,  creates  unavoidable  difficulty.  No  connection  with 
the  Anglian  wlh,  West-Saxon  weoh,  '  idol,'  a  frequent  theme  in  names  of 
men,  can  be  supposed  to  have  existed.  The  form  -ve-  in  Mero-ve-as,  Chlodo- 
ve-us,  Hioth-ve-z,  is  quite  distinct.  Moreover,  the  form  is  not  at  all 
irregular,  inasmuch  as  the  practice  of  adding  i  to  the  stem  of  a  prototheme 
is  frequent  in  Gothic  :  cf.  Ach-i-ulf,  Ber-i-mund,  Gaut-i-goth,  Hun-i-mund, 
Theud-i-mer,  and  many  more.  But  the  prototheme  Viii-ov-  itself  cannot  be 
Gothic.     It  is  actually  Celtic  in  a  Latin  dress,  as  I  shall  show  presently. 

With  this  solution  of  the  problem  in  view,  the  identification,  I  am 
about  to  advance,  though  at  first  sight  it  may  appear  hazardous,  will  be 
found  in  the  sequel  to  draw  so  many  remarkable  coincidences  in  its  train 


78  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

that  it  will  be  acknowledged  that  &  prima  facie  case  has  been  made  out  for  a 
new  departure  in  the  investigation  of  the  Lancelot  legend. 

In  the  Britannias,  at  the  close  of  the  period  of  Roman  occupation,  there 
were  several  place-  and  tribe -names  which  present  the  syllable  -ov-. 
Among  these  we  find  the  adjectival  forms  Ord-ov-ices  and  Delg-ov-icia, 
with  which  may  be  compared  the  Gallo-Roman  Bell-ov-&ci.  There  were 
also  the  place-names — Corn-ov-ium,  Con-ov-ium,  and  Vin-ov-ia.  It  is  with 
the  etymon  of  Vinovia  that  I  would  identify  the  stem  of  the  prototheme  in 
Vinov-i-loth. 

Now  what  connection,  other  than  a  verbal  one,  can  there  possibly  be 
between  Vinovia  and  Vinoviloth? — that  is  to  say,  between  a  Komano- 
British  town  and  a  Gothic  chief  (or  a  Gothic  tribe). 

No  attempt  that  has  been  made  hitherto  to  prove  intercourse  between 
the  Goths  and  the  Britannias  can  be  regarded  as  successful.  Setting  on 
one  side,  but  with  all  respect,  the  theories  of  modern  writers,  we  find  that 
the  West-Saxon  informants  of  Bishop  Asser  in  885  were  quite  sure  that  a 
Gothic  invasion  of  the  Britannias  had  taken  place  in  the  fifth  century. 
Speaking  of  King  Alfred's  maternal  grandfather,  Asser  reports  that : — 

'Oslac  Gothus  erat  natione  ortns,  enim  erat  de  Gothis  et  Jutis,  de 
semine  scilicet  Stuf  et  Wihtgar.' 

A  faint  note  of  Gothic  interest  is  also  heard  in  one  of  the  letters  of  Pope 
Gregory  the  Great,  wherein  the  name  of  Eadbald,  King  of  Kent,  appears 
with  the  Gothic  diphthong  as  '  Audubaldus,'  Some  seventy  years  earlier 
than  this,  suggestions  were  made,  according  to  Procopius,  that  the  Ostro- 
goths should  be  allowed  to  occupy  the  Britannias.  And  in  the  Gdica  of 
Jordanes  {scr.  c.  560)  we  find  a  curious  statement  made  about  a  Germanic 
tribe  called  '  Hunugari '  (S)  to  the  eflFect  that  it  had  been  overcome  once 
upon  a  time  in  Britain,  and  had  ransomed  itself  for  the  price  of  a  single 
horse. 

These  points  of  doubtful  value  must  now  yield  place  to  analysis  of  the 
various  forms  of  the  prototheme  of  Vinov-i-loth  that  have  come  down  to  us. 

1.  Vinovi-a  4.  Guinue  -an 

2.  Ovivvovt  -ov  5.  Ruoihm  ( =  Guoinui) 

3.  Guinui  -on  6.  Binchester. 

Vinovia  is  a  station  on  the  road  from  Cataracto  to  Remenium.  It  is 
xxii.  m.p.  from  the  former  and  xlviii.  m.p.  from  the  latter.  Cataracto  is 
the  '  Cair  [Cajdraithon '  of  the  '  Nomina  Ciuitatum '  in  the  Historia  Brit- 
tonvm,  and  the  Catterick  of  Modern  English.  It  is  believed  that  the 
distance  of  22  m.p.  from  Catterick  falls  at  Binchester,  and  that  the  first 
syllable  of  the  Romano-British  word  Vinovia  is  reflected  in  the  modern 
name. 

The  Ovivvoviov  of  Ptolemy  may  be  either  Winrmion  or  fFinnoimon. 
This  form  is  represented  in  Early  Welsh  by— Guinui-on.  This  is  coupled 
in  the  '  Arthuriana '  in  the  Historia  Brittonum  with  the  word  'Castellum.' 


NOTES  79 

A  misreading,  to  wit,  gunnion,  infects  all  the  manuscripts.  In  the  Irish 
Nennius  '  Castellum  Guinnion '  is  rendered — '  Les  Guinneain.'  In  this 
name  *les'=%s,  'palace,'  '  court,' and  'Guinneain,'  represents  the  posses- 
sive case  of  *Guinuean  treated  as  a  man's  name.  The  eighth  victory  of 
King  Arthur  is  recorded  in  the  '  Arthuriana '  as  follows  : 

'  Octavum  contra  barbaros  egit  bellum  iuxta  Castellum  Guinuion  in  quo 
idem  Arthur  portavit  imaginem  Sanctae  Mariae  Dei  Genetricis  semperque 
virginis  super  numeros  suos,  et  tota  ilia  die  Saxones  per  virtutem  D.N.I. C. 
at  S.M.  matris  ejus  in  fugam  versi  sunt,  et  magna  clade  multi  ex  illis 
perierunt.' 

It  may  well  have  been  after  this  defeat  that  the  Saxons  of  the  race  of 
Hengist  withdrew  from  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Picts'  Wall  and  settled 
down  in  Kent,  under  -^sc.  That  the  first  settlement  of  the  Jutes  really 
was  in  the  North  is  clear  from  what  the  Historia  Brittonum  says  (cap. 
xxxviii.  p.  178) : 

*.  .  .  da  illis  {sc.  Hengisti  filio  et  fratrueli  suo)  regiones  quae  sunt  in 
aquilone  juxta  murum  qui  vocatur  Guaul.  Et  jussit  ut  invitaret  eos,  et 
invitavit  Ochtam  et  Ebissam,  et  venerunt  et  occupaverunt  regiones  plurimum 
ultra  murum  [MSS.  mare\  usque  ad  confinium  Pictorum.' 

(Ruoihm)  In  chapter  xxxi.  (p.  171)  this  clear  indication  of  the  primary 
position  of  the  Saxons  in  the  pay  of  Vortigern  is  confused,  and  we  are 
told  that 

'  Guorthigirnus  tradidit  eis  insulam  quae  in  lingua  eorum  vocatur  Tanet, 
Britannico  sermone  Ruoihm.' 

This  is  quite  erroneous,  and  is  an  adaptation  of  the  misunderstood 
legend  to  the  facts  of  a  later  time.  In  the  Zeitschrift  filr  celtische  Philologie, 
vol.  v.  p.  Ill,  I  have  shown  that  this  impossible  form  is  really  Guoinui. 
This  would  permit  us  to  locate  the  '  Goths  and  Jutes '  at  Binchester,  as  I 
intimated  just  now. 

This  identification  responds  well  to  the  political  requirements  of  the 
fifth  century,  and  to  the  legendary  ones  of  the  Historia  Brittonum.  The 
particular  battle  occurred  after  the  '  Cat-Coet  Celidon,'  '  the  battle  of  the 
Wood  Celiddon,'  which  was  situate  in  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire.  It 
may  be  dated  A.D.  466,  four  years  before  '  Mons  Badonicus.' 

The  displacement  of  u  in  Uinnouion  by  b  in  Binchester  is  not  an  unusual 
phenomenon.  We  find  the  Forth  called  Avon  Werid,  Borda,  and  *Boredia ; 
Gwasgwyn=Vasconia,  Baskland ;  Lacus  Vulsiniensis  is  now  Lago  di 
Bolsena,  and  'Ebissa,'  in  the  passage  quoted  just  now,  represents 
*Euissa,  the  Giwis  of  the  West-Saxon  pedigree,  and  the  eponymous  hero 
of  the  Geuissae. 

We  have  now  reached  another  stage  in  our  journey.  The  name  of 
Lancelot  has  led  us  to  a  Germanic  Wlanci+loth  and  a  Gothic  Vinai+loth ; 
the  prototheme  of  the  last  has  been  discovered,  rightly  or  wrongly,  in  the 
name  of  a  Roman  fortified  station — namely,  Vinovia,  the  Early  Welsh 
Guinuion  and  the  Greek  Oviwoviov ;  and  that  station  has  been  located  at 


80  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Binchester.  The  great  importance  of  Binchester  in  the  fifth  century,  when 
the  regio  administered  from  it  was  neither  in  Bernicia  nor  in  Deira,  is 
obvious  from  the  reference  made  to  it  in  the  Historia  Brittonum  of  c.  837. 
We  are,  therefore,  postulated  at  Binchester,  and  we  now  have  to  show  the 
connection  between  that  city  and  *Wlanciloth  or  Lancelot. 

The  twelfth  book  of  Malory's  Morte  d' Arthur,  the  one  about  Sir  Lance- 
lot's madness,  tells  us  (chap,  vii.)  how  he  came  into  the  country  north  of  the 
Humber  (x.  Ixiv.)  like  a  madman,  with  dogs  and  boys  chasing  him  through 
the  city  of  Corbin,  '  Cor '  (o)  is  the  equivalent  of  '  Car '  (a),  the  English 
form  of  the  Early  Welsh  *  Cair.'  (Old  English  a  for  ai  of  other  languages, 
or  dialects  is  quite  in  order.)     Hence  Corbin  =  Binchester  word  for  word. 

Alfred  Anscombe. 

Biabhach 

As  applied  to  cattle,  etc.,  means  'brindled'  (adj.),  greyish,  grizzled.  In 
A.TTdin.= Bxiidheglas,  yellow  grey.  To  land,  etc.,  Dalreoch,  Teanga  riabhach,  grey, 
rough,  grizzled,  spotted.  As  a  subst.  masc.  a  grey  or  grizzled  person,  not 
attractive.  The  devil  (inter  alia)  is  ^An  Biabhach  Mbr,'  the  great  brindled 
or  singed  one  !  Among  other  places  into  which  the  word  enters,  in  Skye, 
for  instance,  is  Baile  Mhic  Illeriabhaich — Township  of  the  grey  or  grizzled 
lad,  etc.,  or  rather  of  the  son  of,  etc.  This  name  has  been  much  corrupted 
by  English  or  Lowland  scribes. 

According  to  Dr.  M'Laren  M'llwraith  of  Sheffield,  the  M'llwraiths 
belonged  to  those  lands,  and  a  bond  of  manrent  between  them  and  the  Lord 
of  the  Isles  (or  Macdonald  of  the  Isles)  was  signed  at  Castle  Camus  (Knock), 
Sleat,  Skye,  on  August  13,  1632.  The  original  is  (or  was)  in  possession  of 
A.  J.  Macdonald  Williamson,  who  says  it  means,  and  is,  the  village  of  the 
M'llwraiths.  Their  patronymic  was  *  Clann  Ileirich,'  and  when  asked  to 
write,  they  always  wrote  'MacDonald.'  See  Book  of  Clan  Donald.  'Clann 
Domhnull  Riabhaich'  were  hereditary  Bards  to  Macleod  of  Dunvegan, 
then  to  Macdonald  of  Sleat.     '  Darroch '  is  said  to  be  the  same. 

In  the  work  written  by  Thomas  Whyte  on  the  Bethunes  of  Skye,  two  of 
that  family  at  least,  Angus  and  Ewan,  held  the  title  of  '  Donnelrich,'  i.e. 
Domhnull  Riach  or  Riabhach.  They  were  bold,,  fierce-looking,  soldierly 
men,  as  well  as  medical  specialists,  hence  probably  the  sobriquet. 

In  the  Contents  of  vol.  viii.  of  The  Celtic  Beview,  the  author  of  'Dr. 
Haverfield  and  the  Saxon  advent  in  Britain '  should  be  the  Rev.  A.  W. 
Wade-Evans. 

Reviews  of  a  number  of  books,  etc.,  are  held  over  owing  to  want  of 
space,  but  will  be  given  in  the  next  issue. 


PHONOLOGY  81 

A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR  AND  READER 

By  Julius  Pokorny,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.  (Vienna) 

{Continued  from  page  384) 

Note. — Certain  instances  of  compensatory  lengthening  before 
m  are  very  scanty  and  occur  only  in  the  case  of  gutturals, 
e.g.  for-6m{m)id  *  he  is  unable '  fr.  *-ek{s)-med-et;  cf.  Welsh 
meddu  'to  be  able.'     {ksm  has  very  early  become  km). 

Loss  of  Consonants  by  Haplology 

§  110.  In  words  of  more  than  two  syllables  an  intervocalic 
consonant  may  be  thrown  out  when  followed  by  the  same  con- 
sonant. When  the  last  consonant  stood  between  o  and  e,  i,  the 
diphthong  oi  is  produced. 

e.g.   for-roichain    'he    has    taught'    fr.    -*{p)rd-ke-kan-e, 
-*ke-kn-e;  ir.  for- chain  'teaches.' 
coim(')n)thecht '  accompaniment.'     (com-iTriTH-thecht.) 
Note. — In  words  like 

foil  '  mission '  instead  of  *foidiuth  (ending  *-ltus) 
both  dentals  have  coalesced,  while  the  vowel  of  the  second 
syllable  has  been  thrown  out.     The  t  represents  the  voice- 
less stop  (§  1,  4),  just  as  in  -tuit  (§  210,  note  3).     Cf.  §  86. 
This  treatment  seems  to  be  confined  to  dentals. 

Semi-Vowels 
§  111.  I,  E.  j  disappears  in  O.  Ir. 

e.g.  ode  '  young '  fr.  *jovnko-,  *jevn-ko,  Welsh  ieuanc ;  cf 
Lat.  juvencus,  Engl,  young, 
-tdu  '  I  am '  fr.  *sthd-jo;  cf  Lat.  stare  '  to  stand.' 
When  immediately  preceded  by  u,  v,  or  a  consonant  it  had  de- 
veloped an  i  before  it.     Hence  unstressed  syllables  preceded  by  a 
post- vocalic  consonant  (or  u  v)  -\-j  are  never  entirely  thrown  out. 
e.g.  coire '  cauldron '  fr.  *b'arijos,  *k''rjos,  Welsh  pair ;  cf  Skr. 
daru. 
Onj  in  final  syllables,  cf.  §  46. 
§  112.  V  is  thus  dealt  with  : 
1.  Initial  v  appears  as  /. 

e.g.  fid  '  tree '  fr.  *vidus,  Welsh  gwydd,  O.  High  German 
witii. 
VOL.   IX.  F 


82        A  CONCISE  OLD  IKISH  GRAMMAR 

2.  I*ost-consonantal  v  disappears  except  after  aspirated  d,  I, 
n,  r,  where  it  is  written  h  (pronounced  v). 

e.g.  ardd  '  high '  (with  unaspirated  d),  fr.  *fdhvos  of.  §  105. 
but  fedb  '  widow '  (with  aspirated  d)  fr.  *vidhvd,  Welsh 
gweddw ;  cf  Engl,  widow. 
On  mv,  see  §  103.     On  sv,  see  §  98.     On  d{h)v,  see  §  94. 

3.  As  regards  intervocalic  v  (also  when  from  mv,  §  103)  pre- 
ceded by  a  stressed  vowel,  the  treatment  varies  according  to  the 
quality  of  the  surrounding  vowels. 

We  must  distinguish  between 

(a)  V  before  a  final  palatal  vowel,  with  which  it  had  coalesced 

already  before  the  loss  of  final  syllables, 
(13)  V  before  a  lost  «  or  o  in  final  syllables, 
(y)  V  before  a  lost  i%  (also  u  from  6,  §  118)  in  final  syllables, 
(8)  V  in  the  interior  of  dissyllabic  words  (after  the  loss  of  final 

syllables), 
(e)  V  in  the  interior  of  words  of  more  than  two  syllables  (after 

the  loss  of  final  syllables). 

a.  av  (9v)  appears 
(a)  as  oi. 

e.g.  ad-doi  '  kindles '  fr.  *ad-d9v-U,  cf.  Greek  Batco ;  Skr. 
davah  '  fire.' 
(/8)  and  (7)  as  du,  later  do,  6. 

e.g.  gdu,  gdo,  g6  '  lie '  fr.  *ghdva ;  cf.  Greek  'x,avvo<s. 
(B)  probably  regularly  as    0  (older  du,   e.g.    due  '  descen- 
dant,' later  6{a)e,  u(a)e) ;  in  later  0.  Ir.  this  6  becomes 
u  before  preserved  final  vowels  (§§  44-46). 
e.g.  soid  '  turns '  fr.  *sav-Ui. 

god,  later  gud,  fr.  *gh9vds,  ace.  pi.  of  gdu. 
(On  the  quality  of  the  following  vowels,  see  §§  44-46,  58.) 
(e)  before  o  as  u. 

e.g.  gti-  fr.  *gh9vo-,  compositional  form  of  gdu  (in  gu- 
brithemnacht  'false  judgment,'  etc.). 

b.  dv  (fr.  I.  E.  dv  or  ov)  appears 
(a)  as  oi. 

e.g.  Tioi,  fr.  *ndvi,  *ndvdi,  dat.  sg.  of  ndu  '  ship ' ; 
(yS)  as  du  (later  d). 

e.g.  gnd  (older  *gndu)  '  beautiful,  active,'  fr.  *§ndvo- ;  cf. 
Lat.  (g)ndvu8. 


PHONOLOGY  83 

(7)  as  6  (older  6u). 

e.g.  gno  (older  gnou),  dat.  sg.  masc.  of  gno  (fr,  *gnavu, 
*^ndvdi) ; 

(8)  as  6. 

e.g.  nde  fr.  *ndvjds,  gen.  sg.  of  ndiL 
C.  e-y  has  very  early  become  ov  and  is  treated  like  that. 

d.  ev  has  very  early  become  Iv  and  is  treated  like  that. 

e.  After  O.  Ir.  ^,  ia  (fr.  I.  E.  ei)  v  disappears  without  leaving 
any  trace. 

e.g.  de  fr.  *deivi,  gen.  sg.  of  dia  '  god.' 
dia  fr.  *deivos,  Lat.  c^ivus,  Skr.  devds. 

f.  I.  E.  w  appears 
(a)  as  i. 

e.g.  6i  fr.  *gHvi,  gen.  sg.  of  6eo  '  alive.' 
(y8)  as  e'u,  eo. 

e.g.  6eu,  6eo  fr.  *bevos,  *gnvo8,  Welsh  hyw ;  of.  Lat.  vlvus. 

(7)  as  iu. 

e.g.  6m  fr.  *bivu,  *gnvdi,  dat.  sg.  of  6eo. 

(8)  as  i. 

e.g.  /iJu8 '  I  shall  fight '  fr.  *vi-vik-s-d,  1st  sg.  fut.  oifichid ; 

cf.  Lat.  vincere,  0.  High  German  wihan. 
(On  the  quality  of  the  following  vowels  see  §§  44-46,  58.) 
(e)  before  d,  6  as  e,  before  e,  I,  u  as  i. 

e.g.  hethu  '  life '  fr.  *bevothu  *g'ivo-tut-s,  Welsh  byivyd. 

g.  After  O.  Ir.  i  (fr.  I.  E.  e,  i)  v  disappears  without  leaving 
any  trace. 

e.g.  li  '  colour '  fr.  Hlvis,  Welsh  lliw ;  cf.  Gaulish  Llvius. 
h.  ov  and  ev  appear, 
(a)  as  ol 

e.g.  6oi  'he  was,'  fr.  *bhove. 
(/8)  as  6. 

e.g.  6d  fr.  *g''ovo8,  gen.  sg.  of  6d  '  cow.' 

(7)  as  u. 

(8)  before  d,  o  as  6,  before  e,  %  -a  as  u. 

e.g.  cZo-co2;c2 '  he  went '  fr.  *-cbvdde,  * -k<ym-vddh-e ;  pres.  dichet 
'  he  can  go.'     Cf.  rule  4  below. 
niie  '  new '  fr.  *nevijo-,  Welsh  newydd ;  cf.  Lat.  novus. 


84         A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

The  treatment  before  e  varies, 
e.g.  6'dc  'youth,'  of.  §  111. 
but  JiiJir  *  preparation  '  f  r.  *u(p)o-v€r-om ;  f  r.  fo-fera  '  prepares. 
(On  the  quality  of  the  following  vowels,  see  §§  44-46,  58.) 

(e)  before  d  as  6. 

e.g.  do-c6tar  '  they  went '  fr.  *cbvdd  .  .  .  *kom-vodh  .  .  . 

before  o  as  6,  iia  or  u ;  before  u  probably  as  u. 
e.g.  duilgine  'reward'  fr.  *de-vo-ldg-ine  (cf.  §  55  11.  note). 

tdbae  '  cutting '  fr.  *to-vo-be,  older  *-u(p)o-bhijovi. 

tuaichle  '  slyness '  fr.  *to-vo-celle,  older  -*k'eisl(i)Jd. 

The  treatment  before  e,  i  presents  likewise  many  difl&culties. 

On  the  one  hand  we  have  (with  vowel-contraction)  toisech  '  leader ' 
fr.  *to-vid-tjdkos ;  cf .  Welsh  tywysog  fr.  *to-vid-takos  ;  (Ogam  gen.  tovisdci), 
root  vid  'to  know,'  on  the  other  hand  (with  syncope  of  the  second 
syllable) : 

Mid.  Ir.  wdna  '  famine '  fr.  *novinjd  *nevinjd,  Welsh  newyn  (fr.  *iw'wyn) ; 
cf.  Goth.  nauj>s.     The  0.  Ir.  ndine  (Thes.  ii.  256),  is  very  puzzling  to  me. 

(cf.  further  §  126.) 

i.  uv  appears. 
(a)  as  ui. 

e.g.  drui  '  druid '  fr.  *dru-vid-s. 
(/3)  as  6,  (7)  as  "ul.     Certain  instances  are  very  scanty. 
(8)  before  e,  I,  'Su,  j,  as  u,  before  d,  o  as  6. 

e.g.  drudd  fr.  *dru-vid-os,  gen,  sg.  of  drui, 

(On  the  quality  of  the  following  vowels  see  §§  44-46,  58.) 

(e)  The  material  is  very  scanty.     There  is  the  same  diffi- 
culty as  in  the  case  of  ov.     uvu  gives  of  course  u. 

4.  After  unstressed  vowels  in  final  syllables  intervocalic  v  has 
vanished  without  leaving  any  trace. 

e.g.  cualae  '  he  has  heard '  fr.  *Jcu-Iclov-e. 

But  in  the  interior  of  a  word  it  had  absorbed  in  certain  cases  the 
preceding  vowel  or  had  vanished  already  before  the  time  of  syncope. 
Thus  kove  gives  k'e. 

Examples :  airde  '  sign '  fr.  *are-vid-jom,  Welsh  arwydd ;  root  md 
'to  know.'  -dichet  'he  can  go'  fr.  *di-k''ed,  -*kovedet,  *^om- 
vedh-et  (on  the  final  t  see  §  84  d,  note) ;  root  vedh  '  to  lead  ' ; 
cf.  Lith.  vedii  '  I  lead.' 


PHONOLOGY  85 

Short  Vowels 
§  113.  I.  E.  d  and  a  (also  a  Avhich  has   been   developed  in 
Celtic  from  I.  E.  r,  I,  m,  r?,  §§  105,  106). 
appear 

1.  regularly  as  a. 

e.g.  aile  '  another ' ;  cf.  §  46. 

athir  '  father '  fr.  *  (p)9ter,  Lat.  pater,  Skr.  pitd. 

2.  By  the  end  of  the  archaic  period  au — which  had  been  developed 
from  a,  preceded  by  Z  or  a  labial  or  guttural  (+r),  and  followed  by  u 
coloured  consonants — became  u. 

Examples  :  mug,  arch.  0.  Ir.  maug  '  slave '  fr.  *magus,  Cornish  maw  ; 
Ingu,  arch,  laugu,  'smaller,'  fr.  *lagu,  *hgh''j6S)  cf.  §  65,  3. 

3.  a  preceded  by  a  labial  or  guttural  (+r)  appears  before  certain 
palatal  consonants  as  o  or  u.  It  is  very  difficult  to  make  out  the 
definite  rules  governing  this  change,  which  is  later  than  the  change  of 
0  to  u. 

Examples  :  coire  'cauldron'  cf.  §  111. 

muig  fr.  *  mages,  dat.  sg.  of  m^g  'field.' 

4.  as  a  or  c;  cf.  §§  54,  107-109. 

5.  on  av  see  §  112,  3  a. 

6.  The  0  in  loch  'lake'  fr.  Hakus,  cf.  Lat.  laeus,  Greek  Aukkoc  'pit,' 
is  very  peculiar. 

§  114.  I.  E.  e  (also  e  which  has  been  developed  in  Celtic  from 
I.  E.  m,  n,  §§  105,  106). 
appears 

1.  as  e. 

a.  in  old  monosyllables  where  the  final  consonants  have  not 
been  lost  (§  43). 

e.g.  -hert  '  he  carried '  fr.  *hher-t. 

b.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  d,  o,  o  which  had 
not  become  u  (§  48),  or  e  (but  not  e  in  hiatus — i.e.  e{s)-,  e(j)-, 
6(2?)-+ vowel — nor  e  preceded  by  ng)  provided  these  vowels  were 
preceded  by  consonants  (but  cf.  §§  107-109). 

e.g.  cerd  'craft'  fr.  *Icerdos,  Welsh  cerdd,  Greek  /cejoSo?. 

berid  '  carries '  fr.  *hher-e-ti ;  cf.  Lat.  fero,  Greek  (pepw. 
Tnedo  (gen.  sg,  of  mid  '  mead '),  fr.  *'inedo,  *nnedhous. 

c.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  e  in  hiatus  or  u,  i, 
j,  provided  those  were  preceded  by  voiceless  t(t),  s(s),  th,  ch  or 


86         A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

by  a  group  of  two  or  more  consonants,  with  exception  of  ng 
TKih,  nd  and  perhaps  some  other  groups.     (But  cf.  §§  107-109.) 
e.g.  eich  fr.  *ekvi,  gen.  sg.  of  ech  '  horse.' 

inescae'dT\iJikenuess'fr*medh-sk{i)jd;  cf  Greek fieOvo-Koy ; 
serbu  (comparative  of  serb  '  bitter,'  Welsh   chwerw; 
cf  Greek  ^epos;)  fr.  *servju,  *kservjd8. 

2.  as  S. 

St,,  in  the  case  mentioned  in  |  54. 

b.  when  the  e  was  originally  followed  by  o  or  a  coloured 
consonants  which  caused  compensatory  lengthening  of  a  pre- 
ceding vowel  (§§  107-109). 

e.g.  tr^n  'strong'  fr.  *treg-no-;  cf.  O.  Norse  prek  'strength'; 
set  'way'  fr.  *sentus,  Welsh  hynt,  0.  High  German 
sind  'journey.' 
(On  4u,  4o,  iu,  see  rule  4  below.) 

3.  as  i. 

a.  in  hiatus  (resulting  from  the  loss  of  vowel-flanked  p,  j,  s), 
before  all  vowels,  but  before  e  only  when  this  was  originally  pre- 
ceded hyj. 

e.g.  lack  (gen.   sg.  of   eo,   '  salmon ')   fr.    *eoch,    *esok-os, 
Welsh  eog. 
Note. — Every  e  in  hiatus  had  become  {i)j  in  unstressed  syllables, 
e.g.  ad-suidi  '  keeps  back '  f  r.  *-sbdijet  *sodejet. 

b.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  ^,  j,  u  (also  when 
from  6),  u  or  e  in  hiatus,  provided  these  were  preceded  by  single 
consonants  (except  voiceless  t{t),  s{s),  th,  ch),  or  the  groups  nd, 
mb,  ng. 

e.g.  mid  '  mead'  fr.  *medhu-,  Welsh  medd,  Greek  fiedv,  Skr. 

mddhu. 

niTYie  (gen.  sg.  of  nem  '  heaven ')  fr.  ^nemjos,  *nemeo8, 

*ne7nesos. 

siniu  '  older '  fr.  *senjds,  Lat.  senior, 
c.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  e  preceded  by  ng. 
e.g.  cingid  '  steps,'  fr.  khengeti,  cf.  0.  High  German  hinkan 

'  to  limp.' 

4.  as  eo,  du,  iu  when  short  e  was  originally  followed  by  palatal  or 
u  coloured  consonants,  the  dropping  of  which  has  been  discussed 


PHONOLOGY  87 

in  §  109.    But  the  diphthong  appears  only  in  final  syllables  or  in 
stressed  non-final  syllables. 

e.g.  trSuin,  triuin  fr.   *treg-ni;    gen.   sg.   masc.   of  tren 
'  strong.' 
The  u  (o)  is  a  rest  of  the  lost  consonant. 

cen4uly  ceniul  fr.  *kenetlo(i),  dat.  sg.  of  ceriel '  race.' 
(On  this  u,  see  §  49  exception.) 

5.  as  a  under  conditions  which  are  not  quite  clear.  It  seems 
that  the  change  took  place  only  after  certain  consonants  before 
a  palatal  g. 

e.g.  taig  fr.  Heges,  dat.  sg.  of  tech  '  house.' 

graig  '  herd '  fr.  an  oblique  case  of  Lat.  grex,  gen.  gregis. 
but  lige  '  bed '  fr.  *leghjom. 

6.  On  ev,  see  §  112,  3  c. 

§  115.  I.  E.  i  (also  i  which  has  been  developed  in  Celtic  from 
I.E.r,l,m,v,  §§105,106). 
appears 

1.  as  i. 

a.  in  old  monosyllables  where  the  final  consonants  have  not 
been  lost  (§  43). 

b.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  e  or  4  (also  u  from 
0),  ^.^(butcf.  §§  107-109). 

e.g.  ith  '  corn '  fr.  *pitus,  Welsh  yd,  Skr.  pihi-S  '  nourish- 
ment.' 
fir  fr.  *vire,  voc.  sg.  of/er  'man.' 

c.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  d,  o-,  or  o,  provided 
these  vowels  were  preceded  by  the  consonant  group  nd  or  ndn. 

e.g.  find  '  white '  fr.  *vindo-,  *vindd,  Welsh  gwynn,  fem. 
gwenn,  Greek  IvSdWofjLac  I  appear. 
ro-finnadar  '  he  knows '  fr.  *-vind-nd-tro. 

d.  in  hiatus  in  dissyllabic  words. 

e.g.  sciad  (gen.  pi.  of  sc^  *  hawthorn '  fr.  *sk%jat-8)  fr. 
*sA;"i;a^om,  Welsh  ysbyddad;  cf.  Lith.  akujci  'pointed 
leaf.' 

2.  as  e. 

a.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  d,ooTo  which  had  not 
become  u,  except  when  these  vowels  were  preceded  by  nd  or  ndn. 


88         A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

e.g.  fedo  (gen.  sg.  oijid  '  tree '  fr.  vidus)  fr.  *vido,  *vidous. 
fer '  man '  fr.  ^viros,  Welsh  gwr,  Lat.  vir. 

3.  as  e. 

a.  when  e  which  had  been  developed  from  i  according  to  the 
rule  given  above  (2.  a)  came  into  final  position  (cf.  §  54.) 

e.g.  cl^  '  left '  fr.  *Jclijo-,  /clija-,  Welsh  cledd,  Lat.  cliviua 
'  unlucky.' 

b.  when  (stressed  or  unstressed)  e  which  had  been  developed 
from  i  was  originally  followed  by  consonants  causing  com- 
pensatory lengthening  of  a  preceding  vowel  (§§  107-109). 

e.g.  cuilen  '  whelp '  fr.  *kulegno,  *kulignos,  *kolignos,  Welsh 
colwyn. 

4.  as  i. 

a.  when  the  i  which  had  not  been  changed  to  e  (see  above, 
2  a)  was  originally  followed  by  consonants  which  cause  compen- 
satory lengthening  of  a  preceding  vowel  (§§  107-109),  except  in 
the  case  mentioned  in  rule  5  below. 

e.g.  richtu  'reaching';  see  §  108. 

b.  in  the  case  mentioned  in  §  54. 

5.  as  iu. 

when  the  i  which  had  not  been  changed  to  e,  was  originally 
followed  by  consonants,  the  dropping  of  which  has  been  dis- 
cussed in  §  111.  The  diphthong  appears  only  in  final  (stressed 
or  unstressed)  syllables  or  in  stressed  non-final  syllables. 

e.g.  cuiliuin  (nom.  pi.  of  cuiUn,  3  b)  fr.  *kulignl,  *koligni, 
*kolignoi. 

6.  as  u. 

when  originally  preceded  by  k'r-  and  followed  by  a  palatal 
or  u  coloured  consonant. 

e.g.  cruim  '  worm '  fr.  *k''rimis,  *kymis,  Welsh  pryf,  Skr. 
kfTTii-S. 

cruth '  shape,  manner '  fr.  *k''ritus,  *kytus,  Welsh  fryd ; 
cf.  Skr.  sa-krt '  once.' 

7.  on  iv,  see  §  112,  3  f. 

§  116.  I.  E.  0  appears. 
1.  as  0. 

a.  in  old  monosyllables  where  the  final  consonants  have  not 
been  lost  (§  43.) 


PHONOLOGY  89 

e.g.  ort '  he  slew '  fr.  *orcht,  *org-t ;  3.  sg.  pret.  of  orgaid. 

b.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  d,  o,  o,  which  had 
not  become  u  (§  48)  or  e  (but  not  e  in  hiatus  nor  unsyncopated 
e  preceded  by  single  aspirated  h  or  m)  provided  these  vowels 
were  preceded  by  consonants  (but  cf.  §§  107-109.) 

e.g.  torad  '  fruit '  fr.  ^to-ret-om ;  cf.  rethid  '  runs,' 

gort '  garden,  field  '  fr.  *ghortos,  Welsh  garth,  Lat.  hortus, 
Greek  ')(ppTo^. 

c.  When  the  following  syllable  contained  e  in  hiatus  or  u,  i,j, 
provided  these  were  preceded  by  voiceless  t(t),  s{s\  iJi,  or  by  a 
group  of  two  or  more  consonants  except  Qnh,  nd,  {m)7nl,  {7n)7nr, 
ggr  (cr),  ggl  (cl),  and  the  aspirated  groups  ml,  mr  (but  cf.  §§  109- 
111.) 

e.g.  roiss  (gen.  sg.  of  ross  '  wood '  *pro-sthoin,  Welsh  rhos, 
Skr.  prasthas)  fr.  *pro-8thi. 
rose  (dat.  sg.  of  rose  '  eye '  fr.  ^pro-shortx ;  the  same  root  with 
a  different  vowel  gradation  in  sechithir  '  follows,'  Lat.  sequitur) 
fr.  *pro-sk'"di. 

The  treatment  of  -och-  followed  by  i%,  t,  j  is  doubtful.  Cf.  Mid.  Jr. 
scuchaid  '  departs'  besides  0.  Jr.  fo-scoichet  they  go  away,  Welsh  ysgogi, 
'  to  stir.'    Cf.  also  §  65,  2,  note  1. 

2.  as  6 

(which  had  become  ua  in  the  course  of  the  O.  Jr.  period 
except  in  final  position  and  some  other  instances). 

a.  in  the  case  mentioned  in  §  54. 

b.  when  the  o  was  originally  followed  by  consonants  which 
cause  compensatory  lengthening  of  a  preceding  vowel  (§§  107- 
109). 

e.g.  huain  '  reaping,  striking '  fr.  *bhog-ni-s ;  cf.  apaig  §  94. 
sr6n  '  nose,'  see  §  109. 

3.  as  u. 

a.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  i,  j,  u  (also  u  from 
o)  or  e  in  hiatus,  provided  these  were  preceded  by  single  con- 
sonants (except  voiceless  t{t),  s{s),  th)  or  the  groups  mh,  nd, 
{m)'ml,  ('m)mr,  ggr  (cr),  ggl{cl),  and  the  aspirated  groups  ml,  m/r. 
e.g.   ad-suidi  '  he    delays '    fr.   *ad-sodijet,   *-sodejet ;    the 
same  root  with  a  different  vowel-gradation  in  Welsh 
sedd  '  seat,'  Lat.  sedeo,  etc.     Cf  §  130. 


90        A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

slund  (dat.  sg.  of  slond  '  appelation  ')  fr.  *splonddi ;  the  same 
root  with  a  different  vowel-gradation  in  Lat.  splendeo  '  I  shine.' 
guin  '  wounding '  fr.  ^g^hon-is ;  cf.  Greek  4'6vo<i. 
On  ch  see  above,  rule  Ic. 

b.  when    the    following  syllable  contained   unsyncopated   e 
preceded  by  single  aspirated  b  or  m. 

e.g.  cuman  '  recollection '  *ko7n-meno-  (cf.  §  103.)    The  same 
root  in  toimtiu  *to-7nen-tjo  '  opinion.' 
asriibart '  he  has  said '  (^arch.  -rubert)  fr.  *eks-pro-bher-t. 

4.  as  a 

(though  0  is  often  analogically  restored). 

a.  under  certain  conditions  which  are  not  quite  clear,  when 
the  next  syllable  contained  or  contains  d. 

e.g.  do-rat '  he  has  given  ^ ;  ni  tdrat  (fr.  Hbrat)  '  he  has  not 
given.' 

robatar '  they  have  been  '  ;  ni  rdbatar  (beside  analogical 
rhbatar)  '  they  have  not  been.' 

b.  when  preceded  by  /  and  followed   by  palatal  consonants 
before  old  e. 

e.g.  fa(i)dirc  '  conspicuous '  fr.  *fodirc,  *u(jp)o-deric-is. 

5.  On  ov,  see  §  112,  3h,  on  op  see  §  91. 
(On  I.  E.  ot;see§  112,  3  b.) 

§  117.  I.  E.  u  appears. 

1.  as  u. 

a.  in  old  monosyllables  where  the  final  consonants  have  not 
been  lost  (§  43). 

b.  when  the  following  syllable  contained  e  or  4,  (also  u  from 

o)^",i. 

e.g.  sruth  '  river '  fr.  *srutus,  Welsh  ffrwd ;  cf.  Skr.  sravati 
'  flows.' 

buith  (dat,  sg.  of  both  'to   be'  fr.  *bhuta)  fr.  *bhuti, 
*bhutdi. 

2.  as  u. 

a.  in  the  case  mentioned  in  §  54, 
e.g.  tru ;  see  §  54 ;  cf.  Lat.  trux. 

b,  when  the  u  (in  the  case  of  §  109  only  u  which  had  not 
become  o,  see  rule  3   below)  was   originally  followed   by  con- 


PHONOLOGY  91 

sonants  which  cause  compensatory  lengthening  of  a  preceding 
vowel  (§§  107-109). 

e.g.  Crdnuin  (gen.  sg.  of  Cronon  fr.  *Crdnugnos)  fr. 
*Crdnugni  (proper  name),  perhaps  fr.  older  *kroknu-gn% ;  the 
same  stem  in  cron  'yellow,  swarthy,'  fr.  *krokno-;  cf.  Greek 

Kp6K0<;. 

3.  as  0 

when  the  following  syllable  contained  a,  o  or  o  which  had  not 
become  u. 

e.g.  cloth  '  fame '  fr.  *fdutoin,  Greek  k\vt6v  ;  cf.  Welsh  clod 
fr.  *fdutd. 
both  '  hut '  fr.  *bhutd,  Welsh  hod ;  cf.  Lith.  hutas. 

4.  as  6,  (which  became  ua  during  the  course  of  the  0.  Jr. 
period  except  in  final  position  and  some  other  instances). 

a.  when  the  o  which  had  been  developed  from  u  according  to 
the  rule  given  above  (3.)  came  into  final  position, 

b.  when  o,  which  had  been  developed  from  u  was  originally 
followed  by  consonants,  which  cause  compensatory  lengthening 
of  a  preceding  vowel  (§§  107-109). 

e.g.  hrdn  '  sorrow '  fr.  *bhrughnos,  Welsh  brwyn ;  cf.  Greek 
/3/>u%&)  '  gnash  the  teeth.' 
ciialae  '  he  heard,'  arch,  cole,  fr.  *fcufclove,  Welsh  cigleu ;  3  sg. 

perf.  of  ro-cluinethar  '  hears ' ;  cf.  Greek  kXvco. 
Note. — Before  intervocalic  pI.E.u  has  fallen  together  with  v ;  hence 
*upo  gives  *vo,  0.  Ir.  fo  'under.' 

Long  Vowels 
§  118.  I.  E.  d  and  o  appear  both  as  d.     (This  d  has   been 
shortened^  before  r,  I,  m,  71+ consonant  and  treated  like  old  a.) 
e.g.  fdith  '  poet '  fr.  *vdtis,  Welsh  gwawd  '  song  of  praise,' 
Lat.  vdtes  '  prophet.' 

gndth  '  usual '    fr.   *gndto-,    Welsh    gnawd,  Lat. 
(g)notus,  Greek  yv(or6<;. 

meit    'size,'    Welsh     maint,    fr.    *7nanti,    older 
*md-ntl]    the  same  root  in   mdr  'great,'  Welsh 
mawr,  fr.  *md-ro-. 
Final  stressed  0,  and  0  in  unstressed  final  syllables  (except 
before  m,  n,  §  45,  exception)  have  become  u. 
e.g.  cu  '  dog '  fr.  tcvo,  Welsh  ci ;  Skr.  svd. 


92         A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

jiru  (ace.  pi.  of  fer  '  man ')  fr.  *virdns ;  voc.  pi.  Jlru  fr. 
*vir6s. 
(On  dv,  6v,  see  §  112,  3  b.) 

§  119.  I.  E.  e  and  %  appear  both  as  I.  (This  %  (from  e)  has 
been  shortened  ^  before  r,  ^,  m,  71  +  consonant,  and  treated  like 
old  i.) 

e.g.  lin  '  number '  fr.  *plenu- ;  cf.  Lat.  plenus  '  full.' 
rim  '  number '  fr.  rimd,  Welsh  rhif,  0.  Engl.  Htti. 
In  certain  unstressed  syllables  S  seems  to  have  been  shortened  before 
it  could  become  i, 

e.g.  cbmaln{a)ithe  {-de,  §  72)  'fulfil'  fr.  *kom-ldnd-thes ;  2  sg.  imper. 
of  comaln{a)ithir  'fulfils.' 
(On  I.  E.  ev,  Iv,  see  §  112,  3  d,  g.) 

§  120.  I.  E.  u  appears  as  u. 
e.g.  run  '  secret '  fr.  *  rund,  Welsh  rhin,  0.  Engl.  riin. 

Short  Diphthongs 
§  121.  u  diphthongs. 

I.E.  au,  eu,  ou  appear  as  6.  In  the  course  of  the  O.  Ir,  period 
this  6  gradually  becomes  ua.     Cf.  §  116,  2. 

e.g.   luad  'talk'  fr.  HdudoTn,;   cf.  Lat.   laus,  gen.  laudia 
*  praise.' 

tuath  '  people '  fr.  *teutd,  Welsh  tud,  Goth.  })iudq,. 
ruad   'red'   fr.    *roudho-,  Welsh   rhudd,  Lat.   rufus, 
Lith.  rauda  '  red  colour.' 
Note  1. — In  hiatus  (produced  by  the  loss  of  intervocalic^,  s,  j) 
au  eu  ou  are  treated  like  av-,  ev-,  ov-.     (Cf.  §  112.) 

e.g.  du,  6  '  ear '  f r.  ams,  *ausos ;  cf .  Lat.  aurii,  Goth. 
auso,  dat.  sg.  oi,  de  fr.  *aves.  *anses. 
Note  2. — Final  stressed  au  is  preserved  in  0.  Ir.  as  du,  later  do,  6. 
Note  3. — Final  unstressed  -au,  -eu^  -ou  had  early  become  u  and  act 
like  u  upon  the  preceding  consonants. 

But  -aus,  -eus,  -ous  had  become  os  and  are  preserved  in  0.  Ir.  as  -o, 
later  -a. 

e.g.  betho  (gen.  sg.  of  bith  '  world '),  fr.  *gH-tous. 

1  The  shortening  of  long  vowels  before  liquid  +  consonants  must  be  later  than 
the  loss  of  nasals  before  s  (§  107). 

Hence  ace.  pi.  jiru  fr.  *virOs,  older  *virona.  A  form  *vxrQn»  would  have  given 
O.  Ir.  * fe.ro;  cf.  *»tchtmogo  *70'  fr.  * ifptmmo-domi-t. 


PHONOLOGY  93 

§  122.  i  diphthongs. 
I.E.  ai  appears  as  ai  (de). 
e.g.  cdech  '  one-eyed '  fr.  *kaiko-,  Welsh  coeg  '  empty,'  Lat, 
caecus  '  blind.' 
I.E.  01  appears  as  oi  (6e). 

e.g.  oin,  den  '  one '  fr.  *oino-,  Welsh  un,  0.  Lat.  oino,  Goth. 
ains. 
Already  during  the  0.  Ir.  period  ai  (de)  and  oi  (de)  have  fallen 
together. 

e.g.  main  beside  moin  '  treasure '  f r.  *moinis ;  cf .  Lat.  munus,  Goth. 

ga-mains  '  common.' 
I.E.  ei  appears  before  palatal  consonants  as  e,  before  non- 
palatal  consonants  as  ia.  (arch,  ^a,  e.) 
e.g.  sciath  'shield,'  see  §  98; 
gen.  sg.  sceith  fr.  *skeit%. 
The  treatment  of  final  ei  varies 
e.g.  cia  '  who  ? '  fr.  k'ei, 

but  -te  (S  sg.  pres.  subj.  of  -tiag,  ^steigho  'I  go')  fr. 
*-steigh-s-t. 
Note. — Unstressed  final  -ai,  -ei,  -oi  act  like  i  upon  the  preceding 
consonants. 

e.g.  fir  '  men '  fr.  *mn,  older  *viroi. 
(On  a,  e,  o  before  liquid  +  consonant,  see  §§  101-104,  107,  108.) 

Long  Diphthongs 

§  123.  In  most  cases  long  dipthongs  have  been  shortened  very 

early  and  are  treated  like  the  corresponding  short  diphthongs. 

e.g.  tuaith  (dat.  sg.  of  tuath  '  people ')  fr.   *teutai,  older 

*teutdi ;  sia  '  longer '  (compar.  of  sir  '  long '  fr.  *se-ro-), 

fr.   *seis,  older  *seis  (stem   se-H compar.   ending   -is); 

Welsh  hwy,  cf.  Lat.  serus  '  late.' 

Note  1. — This  shortening  is  later  than  the  change  of  o  to  a  or  u. 

e.g.  fiur  (dat.  sg.  oifer  'man')  fr.  *viru,  *virui,  *viroi  (cf.  §  124.) 
Note  2. — In  final  stressed  position  du,  ou  become  du  (later  do,  6) ;  iu 
becomes  iu  ;  di,  oi  become  ai ;  ei  becomes  i. 

e.g.  ddu  '  two,'  fr.  *dv6u,  Welsh  dau,  Skr.  dvdu. 
Note  3. — In  hiatus  (produced  by  the  loss  of  intervocalic  p,  s,  j)  du, 
du  are  treated  like  dv- ;  eu  is  treated  like  iu-. 

e.g.  ro-hrid  (3   sg.   subj.  of   bronnaid,  *hhrus-nd-ti,   '  hurts ') ;    fr. 


94        A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAE 

*-bnv-dt,  *bhrev^sdt;  cf.  Welsh  briwo  'to  hurt.'     Cf.  §  121, 
note  1, 

§  124.  Under  certain  conditions  the  second  element  of  long 
diphthongs  has  been  dropped.  This  dropping  is  much  older 
than  the  shortening  of  the  first  element. 

e.g.  die  'day'  fr.  *dijes  (see  §  119),  Welsh  dydd,  Lat.  dies, 
older  *dijsus,  Skr.  dijdus  '  sky.' 
(On  d,  e,  0  before  liquid  +  consonant ,  see  §§  118-120.) 

Vowel  Contraction 

§  125.  When  two  vowels  came  together  in  O.  Ir.  owing  to 
the  loss  of  an  intervocalic  j,  s,  p  (on  hiatus  produced  by  the  loss 
of  intervocalic  v,  see  §  II23),  these  vowels  either  kept  their 
proper  syllabic  function  and  remained  in  hiatus,  or  they  coalesced 
(provided  the  second  vowel  was  not  thrown  out  by  syncope). 
In  the  latter  case  two  identical  vowels  give  the  corresponding 
long  vowel:  d-\-e,  %  gives  ai  {de)\  (I  +  Ogives  o;  d-f  it  gives  du, 
later  Ao,6\  e+S,u  gives  eo,  eu;  i+U  gives  iu\  D  +  d  gives  d\d+e 
I  gives  oi  (6e) ;  u+l  gives  ui.  i+a  and  u-\-a  coalesce  only  (but 
cf.  note.)  in  proclitic  position ;  the  result  is  a  diphthong  ia,  ua, 
with  short  i  and  u,  while  the  i  and  u  in  the  diphthongs  ia  and 
ua  (from  e  and  o)  are  long. 

Note. — The  quantity  of  stressed  hiatus-vowels  varies  at  different 
periods.  At  the  beginning  of  the  0.  Ir.  period  all  long  vowels  had 
been  shortened  in  hiatus,  e.g.  at-tdam  '  we  are '  (fr.  *ad-sthd-jo-mos) ;  but 
in  the  course  of  the  0.  Ir.  period  all  hiatus-vowels  have  been  lengthened 
without  regard  to  their  original  quantity.  Towards  the  end  of  the  0.  Ir. 
period  all  hiatus-vowels  have  been  contracted,  i-f  a  in  stressed  syllables 
becomes  ia. 

§  126.  We  must  distinguish  between 

1.  Vowels  in  the  interior  of  words  of  more  than  two  syllables 
{after  the  loss  of  final  syllables).  Here  we  should  regularly 
expect  the  loss  of  the  second  vowel  by  syncope. 

e.g.  fochaid  '  tribulation '  fr.  *fo-saigid,  *u(p)o-sagidis. 

There  remain,  however,  some  doubtful  instances.  See  §  112, 
3  h,  c. 

Note  1. — Vowel-flanked  p  has  been  dropped  very  early,  so  that  the 
surrounding  vowels  have  in  some  instances  coalesced  already  before 
the  time  of  syncope. 


PHONOLOGY  95 

e.g.  cdera  '  sheep'  fr.  *kaper-aks;  of.  Lat.  caper  'goat.' 

but  iimme  '  heat '  fr.  *temmijd,  older  *iepesmijd ;  of.  t4  '  hot ' 
fr.  *tepens. 
Note   2. — In   compounds   the  second   vowel  has  sometimes  been 
restored  by  influence  of  the  respective  simple  words. 

e.g.  htoasc  beside  regular  htosc  '  pressing  out '  (*ess-to-fasc). 
Note  3. — Vowels  between  which  no  consonant  has  been  lost  have 
sometimes  been  contracted  before  the  time  of  syncope  (see  rule  4  below), 
e.g.  ara-folma  '  that  he  may  assume '  fr.  *-fo-ema,  *-u(p)o-em-dt. 

2.  Vowels  in  words  ending  in  a  consonant  which  were  dis- 
syllabic after  the  loss  of  final  syllables.  Here,  as  a  rule,  no 
contraction  takes  place  (cf.  §  125  note),  but  when  the  lost  con- 
sonant was  p,  certain  short  vowels  which  are  liable  to  contraction 

(§  125)  seem  to  have  coalesced. 

e.g.  d^ec,  later  dSdc  '  ten '  fr.  *dvei-penk'om  ('  twice  five '). 
siilr  '  sister  '  fr.  *svesdr. 
scidd,  see  §  115,  1  d. 
but  iar"  '  after '  fr.  *er,  *eperom ;  cf  Goth,  afar,  Skr.  apara. 

Note. — In  proclitic  position  contraction  takes  place  very  often, 
though  not  regularly. 

e.g.  diar  cobair  '  to  aid  us.'  (Fel.) 

3.  Vowels  in  words  ending  in  a  vowel  (or  a  consonant  which 
had  been  dropped  according  to  the  rule  given  in  §  43),  which 
were  dissyllabic  before  the  loss  of  final  syllables.  Here  contrac- 
tion is  regular  in  the  case  of  d-f  any  vowel,  (^+'^,  S,  u;  l-f  i,  4; 
^-fg,  I,  o;  u+l,'ii,  and  perhaps  some  other  instances  which 
owing  to  the  want  of  material  cannot  be  properly  ascertained. 

The  following  vowels  were  never  (but  cf  §  125  note)  con- 
tracted: 6-\-d\  0  or  ^(when  from  an  u  diphthong  or  Old  Celtic 
d,  0 -f -y) -j- any  vowel;  x  +  d,  e,  6. 

This  contraction  is  older  than  the  loss  of  final  syllables;  a  word 
like  0.  Celtic  esoks  '  salmon '  would  have  given  *4  and  not  4o. 

e.g.  -tail,  -td  '  I  am '  fr.  tdju,  *sthdjd ;  hiu '  I  am  wont  to  be ' 
fr.  *hhvijo. 
Note  1. — Monosyllables  which  are  the  result  of  vowel-contraction 
are  often  made  dissyllabic  by  analogy. 

e.g.  friv,  '  towards  them '  (beside  regular  friu)  by  influence  of 
frie  '  towards  her,'  etc. 


96 


A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


Note  2. — Vowels  which  cannot  be  contracted  in  stressed  dissyllabic 
words  may  coalesce  in  proclitic  words, 
e.g.  dia  chorpdn  '  to  his  body '  (F61.). 

4.  In  genuine  compounds  the  final  vowel  of  a  prefix  has  been 
thrown  out  before  an  immediately  following  vowel  {orp  +  vowel), 
e.g.  siar  {so-iar  §  126,  2)  'to  the  west';  tadall  {Ho-ad-pelnom) 
'  visit.' 

In  later  formations  contraction  may  take  place,  cf.  §  126 
note  3, 

ERRATA 


Vol.  viii.  No.  31  :  Pokorny 

1.  4,  for  -derki-  read  -derki-. 
.  271,  note,  for  pr(r)e  read  *pre. 
5,  for  *aralro7i  read  *ar9trom. 
22,  note  2,  for  *heru  read  y'erw. 

43,  for  *reg8  read  *re^s. 

44,  for  *traghets  read  *trdghets. 

46,  read  :   Final  unstressed  syllables 
preceded  by  a  postvocalic  consonant. 
46,  for  *com-  read  *kom-. 
.  281,  footnote,  line  6,  for  The  read  In. 

49,  exception,  for  *katii8  read  *katus. 

50,  for  *r9trom  read  *ar9troin. 


's  Concise  Old  Irish  Grammar 

§  53,  2*  for  "C07J  read  con". 

§  54,  leave  out  (Cf.  p.  29,  note  1). 

§  55,  I.,  for  *to-mentio  read  *to-mentjd. 

§   55,   I.,   Note   c,   for   *aratron    read 

*aritrom. 
§  55  II. ,  for  *regvjdi  read  *regnjdi. 
§  57,  b,  1,  for  *are-mentid  read  *{p)are- 

tnentjo. 
§  57,  c.  2,  for  *ver-ono-  read  *verono-. 
§  59,  for  *n-kom-derkis  read  *n-Kom- 

derkis. 
§  60,  for  *r9trom  read  *ar9trom. 


Vol.  viii.  No.  32 


i  63,   note,   read :   e.g.    the  nom.   sg. 
mlegun  (by  mlegon)  may  .  .  . 

64,  note  1,  read  :  e.g.  do-tiagat  'they 
come. ' 

I  65,  line  8,  read  *ad-sthdjo-. 

65,  3,  line  9,  after  *lagi8amo8  insert 
*hg^hi-8inog. 

I  65,  4,  line  4,  after  *ad-ello-n  insert 

*ad-pel-no-m. 

65,  4,  exception,  for  *vlatjomos  read 

*vldtjomos. 
I  68,  line  3,  read  *to-bhertjd8.    • 
i  69,  line  6,  read:  e.g.  doaissilbi  (witli 

palatal  ss),  tabartae  (with  broad  b). 
i  70,  line  5,  read  :  (fr.  *t:om-(p)ldn  .  .  .) 

'be  it  fulfilled.' 
[81,  exception  3,  read  *tov(ji). 
\  85,  line  7,   read   *tophennath,   older 

*to-8vend-n9-to. 
!  93,  line  15,  read  *vrt-grjd. 
\  98,  line  11,  read  *skeitos. 
<  98,  line  1 7,  for  tiagure&A  -tiag. 

103,  line  15,  read  *-Kom-v6dhe. 
i  104,  line  5,  read  .  .  .  {*en-ld-mo-) .  .  . 

{*ad-u[p)o-ld-mo-)  instead  of  {en-lam) 

,  ,  .  {ad-fo-lam). 


§  104,  line  8,  read :  accented  syllables 

except  before  consonants,  in  .  .  . 
§  104,  line  13,  read  *grendhnet,  line  14, 

read  *srenk-ndti. 
§  105,  line  3,  leave  out  (Cf.  arathar, 

§60). 
§  107,  last  line,  read  *regns. 
%  108,  line  10,  read  *icom-1catus. 
§  109,  line  2,  after  '  stop '  insert :  ■vrhen 

aspirated. 
§  109,  after  line  10,  insert:  nil  'cloud,' 
fr.  *nebhlos,  Welsh  ni(f)wl ;  cf.  Lat. 
nebvla. 
%  109,  line  15,  instead  of:  'The  treat- 
ment of  b{h)l  is  doubtful,'  read :  r.retar 
'  relic,'  fr.  *kredhrd,  Welsh  creir;  cf. 
Lat.  celeber  (fr.  *cereber). 
In  the  old  group  d(h)r  the  d  re- 
mained un-aspirated,  hence  it  was  pre- 
served ;  in  words  like  dram  'number' 
fr.  *ad-rimd  the  d  had  already  become 
aspirated  before  the  time  when  the  com- 
pound was  formed,  hence  it  fell  out  with 
compensatory  lengthening. 


THE    CELTIC    REVIEW 

NOVEMBER  1913 

SOME  KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY 

Alasdair  MacDonald  (Inverness) 
[Continued  from  vol.  in., page  15) 

I  AM  satisfied  thus  that  the  puzzUng  inconsistency 
between  what  have  been  described  as  Celtic  physical 
features  according  to  the  historians  of  old  and  Celtic 
characteristics  of  modern  times  is  explainable  in  the  way 
herein  indicated,  or  in  a  manner  somewhat  on  these  lines. 
From  close  study  and  observation  for  years  I  have  myself 
stuck  to  the  belief  that  these  two  Celtic  types  exist 
among  us  ;  and  from  the  way  in  which  the  two  colours 
are  found  blended  in  the  country  it  is  impossible  to  dis- 
sociate the  fairer  Celt  from  the  darker  to  the  extent  that, 
for  instance,  a  typical  Saxon  differs  from  the  latter.  The 
fair  and  the  dark  are  found  so  mixed  and  intermixed  among 
the  people  now  known  as  Celts  that  it  seems  to  me  out  of 
the  question  to  attempt  individualising  the  one  or  the  other 
as  more  or  less  truly  Celtic.  Types  of  the  one  and  of  the 
other  exist  side  by  side  in  the  same  family,  even  individuals 
have  certain  of  their  features  from  the  dark  tjrpe  and 
others  from  the  fair.  And  these  characteristics  are  not 
modem   developments.     They  are   old.     In   the   story  of 

VOL.   IX.  Q 


98  THE  CELTIC  KEVIEW 

Clan  Usneach  Deirdire's  lover  has  hair  as  black  as  the  raven, 
cheeks  and  lips  as  red  as  blood,  and  skin  as  white  as  snow  ; 
and  even  in  a  love  lyric  of  the  olden  time  we  find  the  very 
suggestive  expression : 

*  M'ulaidh  's  mo  ghradh 
Fear  dubh  agus  hkn.' 

('  My  treasure  and  my  love — 
One  dark  and  fair.') 

Physically,  the  principal  points  of  difference  between  these 
dark  and  fair  types  in  these  islands  were  that  the  early 
Celts  had  dark  hair,  dark  eyes,  dusky  skin,  and  smaller 
limbs  generally,  while  the  fair  or  xanthous  Celts  were  of  fair 
or  flaxen  hair,  blue  eyes,  or  light  grey,  clearer  skin,  and 
larger  limbs.  They  were  of  course  mixed,  and  may  have 
each  had  a  percentage  of  the  opposite  features  in  their 
respective  compositions.  Certain  it  is  that  they  each  in- 
cluded long  heads  and  round  heads  in  proportions  difficult 
to  assess. 

In  the  matter  of  mentality  there  are  distinct  points 
of  difference  between  the  two  types.  The  dark  Celt  on  the 
whole  is  more  artistic,  more  imaginative,  more  poetic,  and 
more  spontaneous.  He  is  not  so  much  a  worker  as  a  dreamer. 
He  is  idealistic  and  visionary  rather  than  practical.  He  is 
passionate  ;  easily  discouraged  or  encouraged,  as  the  case 
may  be  ;  is  proud  and  independent,  and  fond  of  freedom. 
He  possesses  great  intuitive  force,  and  is  metaphysically 
inclined.  He  takes  long  to  mature.  The  fair  Celt  is  very 
much  the  opposite  in  all  these  qualities.  He  acts  rather 
than  dreams.  He  cultivates  and  improves.  He  is  an 
organiser,  a  plodder,  a  builder  on  the  material  foundation 
of  concrete  fact ;  in  a  word,  possesses  more  of  the  Germanic 
or  Saxonic  qualifications.  He  ripens  earlier  in  life.  Of 
the  two  t3rpes,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  people  in  history 
known  as  the  Britons  included  more  of  the  dark  than  of 
the  fair.  Everything  points  to  that  conclusion ;  and  per- 
haps the  population  of  Wales  includes  in  it  as  good  types 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY    99 

of  the  early  British  as  can  now  be  identified,  though  this 
must  not  be  taken  to  imply  that  the  Welsh  are  quite  free 
from  an  admixture  of  non- Aryan  blood.  The  early  Britons 
were,  however,  undoubtedly  composed  mainly  of  the  two 
Celtic  types  I  have  been  dealing  with,  plus  a  substratum 
of  the  earlier  population  they  found  before  them  in  the 
country,  to  begin  with.  Later,  of  com'se,  several  diverse 
—  but  fundamentally  related  —  peoples  came  into  the 
islands,  and  materially  affected  the  ethnic  composition  aU 
round. 

Celticism,  then,  I  believe,  as  we  know  it  in  early  history, 
to  be  the  product  of  the  fusion  of  these  two  great  race 
divisions — the  Mediterranean  and  the  Baltic — into  one 
combined  whole,  after  absorbing  the  best  of  whatever  per- 
tained to  the  peoples  whom  the  Celts  subjugated  from  time 
to  time,  which  must  have  been  more  considerable  than  has, 
perhaps,  been  estimated.  It  is  too  often  concluded  that 
when  a  people  overcome  another  by  conquest  the  con- 
querors impose  themselves  and  their  civilisation,  with  all 
its  accessories,  absolutely  upon  the  conquered.  The  truth 
probably  is,  however,  that  the  conquerors  pick  up  and 
acquire,  in  some  respects  at  any  rate,  more  than  they 
impart.  I  cannot  account  for  the  myths  and  legends  which 
the  whole  world  believes  to  be  Celtic,  except  upon  the 
considerations  that  the  darker  Celts,  who  unmistakably 
originated  with  the  smmy  south  of  Europe,  contributed 
very  largely  at  least  to  the  combined  whole,  and  that  a 
great  deal  of  the  spirit  and  manner  of  these  beautiful  old 
tales  are  survivals  of  such  as  we  associate  with  the  classic 
nations  of  Southern  Europe,  as  their  distinctive  creations 
and  heritage.  Is  it  not,  indeed,  the  case  that  a  number  of 
our  Celtic  myths  are,  as  it  were,  replicas  of  those  of  ancient 
Greece,  built  on  the  same  plan,  and  very  likely  intended  to 
convey  similar  messages  ?  Then  there  are  various  religious 
customs  and  survivals  which  point  to  the  same  conclusion, 
while  the  similarity  of  the  Gaelic  to  the  Latin  tongues — 
already  mentioned — is  significantly  suggestive.     It   seems 


100  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

to  me  on  the  whole  necessary  to  conclude  that  while  the  Celts 
may  properly  enough  be  considered  as  composed  of  a  sub- 
stantial Germanic  element,  they  must  at  the  same  time  be 
considered  as  very  largely  consisting  of  the  dark  races 
found  associated  with  them,  and  particularly  with  their 
civilisation,  throughout  their  history.  Having  regard  to 
the  mind  aspect  of  this  question,  I  am  not  quite  certain 
indeed  that  the  more  typical  Celt  should  not  be  of  the 
darker  type  after  all.  I  have  dealt  with  this  question  on 
main  lines  only,  discarding  the  numerous  side-issues  and 
points  which  might  be  introduced  as  meantime  of  secondary 
importance. 

The  next  part  of  my  subject — The  Picts  of  Scotland 
and  of  Ireland — who  or  what  were  they  ? — has  been  another 
conundrum,   and   a   prolific   source    of    discussion   among 
historians  and  ethnologists  in  the  past ;  but  for  some  years 
back  there  has  been  evidence  that  the  question  as  to  the 
racial  identity  of  this  people  is  being  determined  in  a  manner 
which   promises   to   meet   with   general   acceptance.     The 
name  '  Picts '  drops  into  British  history  in  a  way  which 
leaves  much  to  be  explained  as  to  its  meaning  and  historic 
significance.     It  is  often,  as  is  well  known,  supposed  to  be 
from  the  Latin  Pictus,  paint,  and  to  indicate,  or  at  least 
suggest,  that  the  people  to  whom  it  is  found  applied  dis- 
played   something   in   the  nature   of    colour  sufficient  to 
attract  attention.     While  this  is  quite  possible,  it  is  not  at 
the  same  time  impossible  that  the  Latin  word  may  have 
been  derived  from  the  name  by  which  the  Picts  called 
themselves.     The  name  is   at  least  uncertain  to  base  a 
satisfactory  theory  on  as  to  race.     One  thing  fairly  certain, 
however,  is  that  there  are  few,  if  any,  scientific  or  historic 
grounds  on  which  to  establish  an  individuality  of  race  in 
the  case  of  the  Picts.     The  Pictish  people  substantially 
consisted  of  the  early  settlers  in  Britain  who  were  pushed 
northward,    principally    by    the    Romans,    and    possibly 
augmented  by  stray  drifts  of  fairish  xanthous  immigrants 
from  the  regions  of  the  Baltic,  including  Danes.     There 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     101 

probably  would  have  been  among  them  a  very  perceptible 
proportion  of  the  Ibero-Celtic  type,  and  probably  of  the 
aborigines  of  the  country.  The  word  '  Picts  '  is  understood 
to  have  first  occurred  in  a  panegjrric  to  a  certain  Roman 
emperor  in  which  the  Caledonians  and  other  '  Picts '  are 
referred  to.  Early  in  the  third  century  the  tribes  mentioned 
two  hundred  years  previously  by  Tacitus  as  the  Caledonians 
are  found  divided  into  two  nations — the  Caledonii  and  the 
Maeatse,  or,  as  is  supposed,  Decalidonse  and  the  Verturiones, 
but  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  Picts  at  one  time  possessed 
the  most  of  northern  Britain  now  known  as  Scotland — both 
north  and  south — with  the  exceptions  of  the  portion  held 
by  the  Britons  of  Strath-Clyde  and  the  Scots,  which  extended 
across  mid-south  Scotland — except  Galloway — into  Argyle 
and  neighbouring  isles.  Roughly,  the  Grampians  divided 
northern  and  southern  Pictland.  The  Picts  made  them- 
selves thoroughly  obnoxious  to  the  Romans,  as  would  be 
expected,  and  a  good  deal  is  heard  of  them  between  the 
third  and  ninth  centuries,  during  most  of  which  period  they 
carried  on  a  fierce  war  with  the  Scots  who  had  come  over 
from  Ireland  into  Scotland  early  in  the  sixth  century,  and 
were  making  headway  in  the  south-west  and  the  Isles, 
The  Picts  practised  certain  rites  and  observed  numerous 
customs  and  laws  at  that  time  more  or  less  peculiar  to 
themselves,  but  which,  it  is  interesting  to  note  here,  became 
absorbed  in  those  of  the  Scots  in  a  manner  which  goes  far 
to  show  that  there  was  a  degree  of  kinship  between  the  two 
peoples  which  points  to  practically  an  identity  of  parental 
stock.  In  the  eighth  century  the  Picts  are  referred  to  b}'^ 
Bede  as  one  of  the  four  '  Nations  or  provinces  of  Britain, 
divided  into  four  languages,  namely  the  Britons,  the  Picts, 
the  Scots  and  the  English.'  It  would  be  a  mistake,  however, 
to  suppose  that  they  spoke  a  different  language  from  that 
of  the  country.  Different  their  dialect  decidedly  must  have 
been  from  that  of  the  Scots,  but  that  they  spoke  an  early  form 
of  Gaelic  or  British,  and  possibly  to  a  considerable  extent 
Celto-Iberian  must,  I  think,  be  considered  as  open  to  no 


102  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

question  at  all.  It  was  at  most  a  different  branch  of  the 
same  parent  tongue,  and  probably  more  akin  to  the  Cymric 
than  to  the  Goidelic  branch  of  the  Celtic,  which  eventually 
superseded  it  in  Scotland.  In  Gaelic  the  Picts  were  called 
'  Cruithne,'  a  word  that  appears  to  have  baffled  satisfactory 
analysis.  They  confined  themselves  in  Ireland  mostly  to  the 
north,  and  it  would  appear  most  likely  that  they  crossed 
to  the  sister  isle  and  may  have  landed  there  when  their 
brethren  came  to  North  Britain.  There  was  a  strong  colony 
of  them  in  Galloway,  and  Dr.  Beddoe  refers  to  that  district 
in  a  manner  which  is  interesting  as  confirming  in  a  measure 
at  least  that  the  Picts  included  a  considerable  element  of 
the  Mediterranean  type.  He  says  :  '  In  Lower  Galloway 
(Wigtownshire  especially)  the  ethnology  is  complicated  by 
the  presence  of  a  population  formerly  called  Pictish,  and 
who  appear  to  have  crossed  over  from  Ulster.  Their  clan 
nomenclature  resembles  that  of  the  Highlands,  but  they  are 
oftener  dark-eyed  than  the  true  Highlander.  This  is  what 
we  might  expect  to  find,  if  the  Cruithne  or  Picts  were  really 
Iberians.'  The  district  had  by  this  time,  however,  been 
influenced  ethnologically  by  the  Scottish  people,  who  I 
think  must  have  included  among  them  a  large  percentage 
of  the  darker  race.  It  might  perhaps  be  interesting  to 
mention,  as  pointing  that  way,  that  among  the  retinue  of 
Conary,  one  of  the  high  Kings  of  Erin,  were  three  '  huge 
black  and  black-robed  warriors  of  the  Picts'  {Myths  and 
Legends  of  the  Celts). 

The  historical  record  of  the  Picts  is  set  forth  in  their  own 
national  history — The  Pictish  Chronicle  ;  also  in  certain 
of  the  literature  of  Wales,  the  writings  of  Bede,  and  others. 
They  were  certainly  a  ruling  nationality  when  at  the  height 
of  their  glory — particularly  in  Northern  Britain.  Their 
seat  of  government  appears  to  have  been  sometimes  in  the 
north — probably  at  Inverness,  and  sometimes  in  the  south — 
probably  at  Scone. 

The  Picts  made  several  raids  into  Northumbria.  But  it 
would  appear  that  they  were — at  least  the  southern  Picts — 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     103 

rather  seriously  checked  from  time  to  time  by  the  kings 
of  that  province.  They  came  off  conquerors,  however, 
in  the  important  engagement  of  Dunnichen  in  Forfar- 
shire, in  or  about  the  year  685.  Less  than  two  hundred 
years  later  they  were  brought  under  subjection  by  the 
Scots  under  Kenneth  MacAlpine,  and  the  country  came 
to  be  known  thereafter  as  Scotland.  Pictish  rule,  cus- 
toms, and  laws  did  not,  however,  disappear  at  once. 
The  union  was  really  an  amalgamation  of  interests  and 
civilisations  in  which  the  Scottish — because  it  had  the 
advantage  of  contact  with  Ireland — prevailed,  but  which 
were  fundamentally  both  much  alike  and  materially 
akin. 

Lastly,  I  should  like  to  make  a  few  observations  regard- 
ing the  origin  and  early  development  of  the  Scottish  king- 
dom, with  a  view  to  indicating  the  relation  between  these 
and  the  people  known  in  history  as  the  Scots,  who  came  over 
from  Ireland  early  in  the  sixth  century,  and  with  a  view 
more  particularly  to  tracing  the  continuity  of  Celticism  in 
this  connection.  I  am  not  satisfied  that  these  matters  do 
not  yet  present  considerable  difficulties  when  considered 
in  the  light  of  Scottish  history  generally.  We  have  seen 
how  the  British  Isles  appear  to  have  been  peopled,  and  how 
the  various  peoples  were  probably  disposed  as  at  the  time 
of  the  union  of  the  Pictish  and  Scottish  crowns,  about  the 
middle  of  the  ninth  century.  But  who  were  those  Scots 
who  are  credited  with  having  conquered  the  northern  por- 
tion of  Britain  and  given  it  the  name  by  which  the  country 
has  since  been  known  ?  and  to  what  extent  did  they  influ- 
ence Scottish  sentiment,  nationality,  and  civilisation,  as  a 
consolidated  force  ?  Were  the  Scots  Celts,  or  what  ?  I 
am  of  opinion  that  there  is  something  here  which  has  not 
yet  been  fully  appreciated,  but  I  must  step  aside  a  little 
to  explain.  It  would  seem  not  impossible  to  show  that 
until  a  comparatively  recent  time  there  never  was  a  really 
consolidated  Scottish  kingdom.  Certain  it  is  that  the 
Isles  held  out  for  independence  all  along  till  even  consider- 


104  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

ably  subsequent  to  the  faU  of  the  great  House  of  Clan 
Donald,  about  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  that 
during  the  period  of  the  MacDonald  ascendancy  the  Isles 
were  unmistakably  a  kingdom  by  themselves,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes  independent  of  the  central  Scottish  authority 
and  the  crown.  There  is  also  some  reason  to  suspect  that 
the  northern  Picts  at  any  rate  did  not  by  any  means  fall 
into  line  with  the  south  of  Scotland  immediately  on  the 
amalgamation  of  interests  by  the  union.  Thus  there  would 
have  been  for  centuries  probably  not  less  than  three  more 
or  less  separate  kingdoms  in  Scotland.  Apparently  the  Isles 
held  out  longer  for  Home  Rule  ;  and  tradition  is  strong  on 
the  point  that  the  battle  of  Harlaw,  in  1411,  was,  if  not  a 
bold  bid  for  the  Scottish  crown,  at  least  an  experiment  in 
that  direction.  It  was  certainly  the  outcome  of  inde- 
pendent authority,  with  probably  the  continuity  of  such 
independence  in  view  ;  and  it  is  not  without  great  interest 
that  the  islanders  and  their  retainers  and  followers  were,  of 
all  the  people  of  Scotland  at  the  time,  those  who  had  stuck 
most  closely  to  the  manners  and  customs,  the  laws,  the 
religions  and  superstitious  beliefs,  and  the  civilisation 
generally,  which  are  believed  to  have  been  brought  into 
the  country  by  the  Scots,  also  which  has  since,  in  the 
Island  Kingdom  and  elsewhere  been  identified  with  the 
*  Celts,'  and  characterised  as  '  Celtic'  Who  then  were 
the  Scots  ?  and  what  did  they  contribute  to  national 
development  ? 

There  are  two  accounts  of  the  origin  of  this  people — ^the 
traditional-historic,  and  the  ethnologic.  The  former  is  in- 
teresting, and  it  is  not  at  all  impossible  that  it  may  con- 
tain considerable  elements  of  historic  fact ;  but  to  get  at 
it,  even  briefly,  requires  an  excursion  into  the  history  of 
Ireland — that  home  of  so  much  that  is  of  vital  interest  in 
the  constitution  and  development  of  British  history  as  a 
whole.  It  is  within  its  confines  that  Celtic  civilisation, 
institutions,  art,  and  literature,  and  the  latest  surviving 
form  of  the  Celtic  language  have  flourished.     The  myths 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     105 

of  Ireland,  according  to  historians  generally,  embrace  the 
following  events  : 

The  period  of  Partholan. 

The  period  of  Nemed. 

The  period  of  the  Fir-Bolg. 

The  invasion  of  the  Tuatha-de-Danaan. 

The  invasion  of  the  Milesians.^ 

The  first  of  these  goes  back  probably  to  about  two 
thousand  years  before  the  Christian  era,  and  is,  along  with 
the  three  following,  generally  characterised  as  mythical ; 
but  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  behind  each  myth  is  a  kernel 
of  fact,  and  that  those  so-called  mjrths  are  really  descriptive 
of  historic  events  which  have  faded  into  shadowy  propor- 
tions, but  have  been  touched  up  by  the  imagination  of  a 
poetic  and  emotional  people,  characteristically  susceptible 
to  the  glamour  of  the  past.  There  would  appear  to  have 
been  wars  and  rumours  of  war  in  those  far-off  old  times, 
and,  as  always  happens,  the  later  incomers  conquered  and 
subjugated  the  former  population.  Here  is  where  the  facts 
which  crystallised  into  those  beautiful  myths — some  of 
them  the  finest  in  the  world — are  to  be  looked  for.  There 
is  a  persistent  tradition  that  the  children  of  Miled  came 
into  Ireland  from  Spain.  The  ancient  story — which  pro- 
bably is  only  a  story  in  so  far  as  the  connection  with  Egjqpt 
at  any  rate  is  concerned — is  to  the  effect  that  the  Milesians 
were  originally  Greeks.  There  was  one  among  them  who 
had  a  son.  This  son  went  to  Egypt,  where  he  married  a 
daughter  of  one  of  the  Pharaohs.  Her  name  was  Scota. 
Descendants  of  these  and  some  followers  eventually  settled 
in  Spain.  Ith,  the  grandfather  of  Miled,  discovered  Erin, 
but  was  slain  by  the  Danaans,  who  then  ruled  in  Ireland. 
The  children  of  Miled  came  across  to  wreak  vengeance,  and 
eventually  settled  in  the  country.  Celtic  traditions  in 
Scotland  confirm  this  ;  but,  of  course,  that  may  be  attribut- 

^  See  Myths  and  Legends  of  the  Celts. 


106  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

able  to  the  circumstance  that  it  was  quite  common  with 
those  in  the  Western  Isles — the  cradle  of  these  traditions 
in  Scotland — who  aspired  to  any  education,  to  pass  a  period 
of  their  youth  in  Ireland.  In  the  MacDonald  ancestry  by 
the  Macvurichs  (see  Reliquice  Celticce)  Mile  is  distinctly 
entered  as  having  come  from  Spain  ('  Mile  of  Spain '),  and  a 
much  later  poet  says  : 

'  Aig  gach  linn  mar  a  dh'fhalbh  dhiubh, 
Dheth  na  Milidh  le  seanachas — 
B'ann  diiibh  Art  agus  Cormaic, 
Siol  Chuinn  a  bha  ainmeil, 
'S  sliochd  nan  Collaidhean  garga, 
Leis'n  do  chuirte  cath  gailbheacb, 
'S  DomhnuU  Ballach  nan  garbh-chrioch. 
Rinn  Tigh-nan-Teud  aig  Leith  Alba  'n  a  chrich,' — 

a  statement  in  Gaelic  rhyme  which  tersely  connects  the 
princely  House  of  MacDonald  with  the  Milesians  direct, 
and  the  closing  lines  of  which  are  confirmed  by  the  fact  that 
Tigh-nan-Teud,  which  can  still  be  pointed  out  in  the  vicinity 
of  Killiecrankie,  in  Perthshire,  is  locally  referred  to  as 
marking  the  centre  of  Scotland. 

The  ethnological  account,  for  which  our  authority  is 
MacFirbis,  an  Irish  genealogist  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
says:  'Every  one  who  is  white  (of  skin),  brown  (of  hair), 
bold,  honourable,  daring,  prosperous,  bountiful  in  the 
bestowal  of  property,  wealth,  and  rings,  and  who  is  not 
afraid  of  battle  or  combat ;  they  are  descendants  of  the 
sons  of  Miledh  in  Erin.'  He  also  has  given  similar  descrip- 
tions of  the  Tuatha-de-Danaan,  whom  he  describes  as 
'  fair-haired,'  and  of  the  Fir-Bolg  and  other  peoples  of 
ancient  Eirinn,  whom  he  classified  as  'black-haired,'  but 
adds  cautiously  :  '  This  is  taken  from  an  old  book.  How- 
ever, that  it  be  possible  to  identify  a  race  by  their  disposi- 
tion, I  do  not  take  upon  myself  to  say  ;  though  it  may  have 
been  true  in  the  ancient  times,  until  the  races  subsequently 
became  repeatedly  mixed.'  The  fact  would  appear  to  be 
that  those  peoples,  as  in  every  other  case  of  European 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     107 

population,  were  mixed  since  known  to  myth,  legend,  or  to 
history.     But  it  would  seem,  all  things  considered,  most 
probable  that  the  Milesian  stock  consisted  to  a  very  large 
extent  of  the  people  known  as  the  Scots,  who  came  over 
from  Ireland  to  Scotland  in  the  sixth  century.     There  were 
among  them  also  a  substantial  proportion  of  immigrants 
from  England,  Wales,  and  Scotland,  who  had  crossed  into 
Ireland,  as  well  as  a  considerable  sprinkling  of  Picts.     But 
in  the  mass,  judging  from  the  ethnic  features  common  in 
the  track  of  their  subsequent  movements  in  the  country,  it 
would  seem  beyond  dispute  that  there  was  a  very  important 
majority    of    the   dark   races   among    them ;    that    these 
probably  formed  the  bulk  of  the  invaders ;   and  that  they 
brought    with    them    those    distinctive    characterisations 
generally  which  have  been  all  along  identified  with  the 
Celtic  individuality  and  nationality  alike.     Particularly  do 
I  consider  this  to  be  true  as  regards  the  hterature,  art, 
music,  and  such  economics  as  the  Celts  possessed ;   also  as 
regards  the  dialect  of  the  Celtic  tongue  which  prevailed. 
Thus  the  particular  type  of  Aryan  civilisation  known  as 
Celtic  would  appear,  at  any  rate  at  this  time,  to  have  been  in 
the  keeping  of  the  predominantly  darker  race ;    while  we 
have  seen  that  all  along  there  has  been  no  reason  to  deny 
them  continuous  association  with  it  as  a  heritage  and  a 
possession  ;    which  I  think  leads  inevitably  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  Scots  were  at  least  pre-eminently  Celts.     The 
events  which  followed  the  arrival  of  these  peoples  are  well 
enough  known  nowadays,  and  do  not  require  to  be  retold 
here  ;  but  what  does  not  seem  to  be  quite  well  enough  under- 
stood is  the  extent  to  which  they  influenced  the  country  as 
a  whole.     Subsequent  history  no  doubt  goes  to  show  that 
another   Scotland — one  different   in   many  respects   from 
that  instituted  and  established  by  the  Scottish  conquest — 
emerged  in  course  of  time  ;  but  that  is  quite  an  explainable 
development.     That  the  Scotland  which  grew  from  more 
unto  more  from  the  eleventh  century  onwards  was  not 
the  same,  socially,  politically,  or  economically  as  that  which 


108  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

existed  previous  to  that  time,  need  not  by  any  means  be 
taken  as  belittling  the  earlier  nationality.  What  appears 
to  have  happened  would  seem  to  be  somewhat  thus :  After 
the  conquest  the  Scots,  whom  I  have  made  an  efiEort  to  show 
to  have  been  the  Celts,  or  Gaels,  of  British  history  then, 
spread  themselves  over  the  south  and  south-west  of  Scot- 
land and  the  Isles,  mixing  freely  with  the  Picts,  and  with 
the  Britons  of  Strath-Clyde — those  peoples  being  really 
all  much  related  the  one  to  the  other  racially.  They  im- 
posed their  language  and  their  civilisation  generally  upon 
the  whole  of  North  Britain  ;  also  gave  the  country  the  name 
of  '  Scotland,'  by  which  it  has  since  been  known  in  English, 
though  not  in  Gaelic.  But  central  authority  in  those 
times  could  not  have  made  its  power — whatever  that  may 
have  been — felt  all  over  the  country.  It  is,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  practically  certain  that  there  were  numerous  more 
or  less  separate  independencies  within  the  realm  including, 
towards  the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries,  the  beginnings 
of  an  English  settlement  which  was  afterwards  to  become 
a  mighty  power  in  Scotland.  Thus  in  the  reign  of  Malcolm 
Canmore  (the  eleventh  century),  while  south,  south-east, 
and  south-west,  also  parts  of  Central  Scotland  formed  the 
Scotland  proper,  the  Isles  and  the  northern  districts  largely 
would  have  been  independent  principalities.  The  Isles, 
after  practically  exterminating  the  Norsemen,  eventually 
succeeding  in  establishing  a  kingdom  of  their  own — which, 
as  already  shown,  maintained  a  substantially  separate 
existence  till  a  comparatively  recent  time.  But  the  Scot- 
land which  has,  however,  prevailed  and  which  historically 
has  superseded  all  round  is  that  which  has  grown  around 
the  central  power.  And  there  is  in  that  Scotland,  as  already 
indicated,  an  element  which  bulks  largely  in  this  connection. 
That  is  the  Saxonic.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
followers  of  Queen  Margaret  must  have  been  numerous 
and  influential.  Not  only  did  the  Scots  or  English 
tongue  spring  into  greatly  increased  use  in  their  time,  but 
they  must  have  tremendously  influenced  the  principles  of 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     109 

that  civilisation  which   the   English  introduced  into  the 
country,  and  which  has  always  been  materially  different 
from  the  civilisation  which  we  identify  with  the  Celtic 
races.     I  do  not  think  there  is  a  period  in  European  history 
which  so  clearly  and  effectively  illustrates  the  parting  of 
the  ways  between  the  Celt  and  the  Teuton  or  Saxon — who 
is  just  a  modified  Teuton — as  that  we  have  now  arrived  at. 
Up  to  this  stage  we  have  fundamentally  the  Brittonic  civilisa- 
tion, roughly  speaking,  in  all  the  British  Isles — or  the  Ibero- 
Celtic,  plus  the  Grermano-Celtic  of  somewhat  later  date — 
with  certain  ethnic  characteristics  predominating  in  certain 
divisions  of  the  Islands  as  a  whole — but  now  the  more 
purely  Celtic — by  which  term  ought  to  be  understood  the 
older  and  less  matter-of-fact,  less  practical  and  less  material, 
but  the  more  spiritual,  the  more  romantic,  the  more  artistic, 
and  the  more  picturesque  civilisation,  which  had  been  slowly 
differentiating  for  a  time,  branched  away  to  the  more  out- 
lying parts  in  Scotland — as  it  had  previously  done  in  Eng- 
land and  Ireland — and  made  way  for  the  later  civilisation 
to  which  the  Romans,  the  Saxons,  the  Danes,  the  Normans, 
and  some  other  less  important  incomers  had  all  contributed, 
and  which  had  developed  through  England.     The  influence 
of  the  Norsemen  in  the  western  and  northern  isles  was 
scarcely  civilising  at  all,  though,  at  the  same  time,  its  effect 
on  the  language,  the  people,  and  otherwise  are  distinctly 
traceable  there.     '  The  history  of   the  British  Isles,'  says 
Dr.  Beddoe,  '  is  that  of  an  irregular  or  intermittent  current 
of  invasion  from  the  neighbouring  continent,  invasion  of 
ideas,  of  customs,  and  of  arts,  even  more  than  of  human 
beings.     Anthropologically,    Britain    has    been    always    a 
stage  further  back  in  development  than  the  continent,' 
and  Schlegel,  the  German  historian,  has,  with  considerable 
success,  traced  and  followed  the  '  stream  of  civilisation  ' 
from  Egypt  and  the  East  towards  the  West.    Now,  the  point 
with  regard  to  Scotland  is  that  while  the  people  are  funda- 
mentally composed  of  those  elements  which  at  one  time 
culminated  in  the  predominance  of  a  Celtic  race  and  a  Celtic 


no  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

civilisation,  yet  the  newer  civilisation — which  might  with 
all  justice  be  termed  the  Saxonic — has  all  along  been  on  the 
increase.     It  made  way,  as  shown  in  the  natural  order  of 
things,  from   England — part   of    which    (Western    North- 
umbria)   became  part  of  Scotland  in  the  tenth  century. 
As  already  indicated,  with  that  civilisation  must  be  associ- 
ated a  very  large  influx  of  the  Saxonic  element  of  race  into 
Northern  Britain.     Here,  however,  let  me  introduce  a  small 
point  for  passing  consideration.     It  is  fairly  clear  that  if 
there  is  any  difference  of  importance  between  any  two  or 
more  main  races  in  the  country,  it  is  here  that  it  must  be 
found.     But  I  incline  to  the  belief  that  such  difference  is 
not  so  much  as  has  been  frequently  thought.     That  the 
Saxon  incomers  as  a  whole  were  of  the  fairer  races  is,  I 
think,  undeniable,  and  that  they  included  a  less  proportion 
of  the  darker  races  is  equally  true.     But  taking  them  and 
the  other  peoples  mentioned  all  over  they  were  a  strong 
mixture  ;    and  thus  not  by  any  means  so  very  different 
racially  from  a  considerable  section  of  the  native  inhabitants 
— more  particularly  the  Germano-Celtic.     Both  these  had 
migrated  from  pretty  much  the  same  regions  of  continental 
Europe,    and   there   was    a    sub -stratum    of   fundamental 
relationship  all  round.    Thus  the  difference  that  is,  as  a  rule, 
supposed  to  have  sprung  up  at  this  period  between  Celt  and 
Saxon  is  after  all  one  principally  of  civilisations.     But  that 
certain  social  and  economic  differences  have  all  along  been 
in  evidence  is,  I  should  say,  unquestionable,  and  that  the 
older  order  of  things  has  had  exceptional  vitality  is  con- 
clusively proved  by  its  survival  and  persistence  still — though 
of  course  in  modified  fashion.     What  is  required  now  to  be 
fully  understood  is  that  to  aU  intents  and  purposes  these 
peoples  are  all  within  historic  times  very  nearly  related  in 
flesh  and  blood,  and  that  the  blending  of  them  and  their 
interests  into  one  homogeneous  whole  is  an  evolutionary 
necessity  in  the  natural  order  of  things.     To  the  extent 
that  they  have  fused  and  blended  the  result  has  been  un- 
alloyed improvement.     I  cannot  myself  conceive  anything 


KNOTTY  POINTS  IN  BRITISH  ETHNOLOGY     111 

more  likely  to  produce  and  maintain  a  great  and  prosperous 
nationality  than  the  free  fusion  of  the  two  illustrious  repre- 
sentative elements  of  the  racial  constitution  of  Britain — 
the  Saxon  and  the  Celt.  What  progressive  civilisation  owes 
to  both  in  Europe — and  now  indeed  all  over  the  world — 
is  simply  incalculable  ;  and  while  day  unto  day  uttereth 
speech  and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge  may  it 
be  decreed  that  they  be  found  together,  carrying  in  the  one 
hand  the  flag  of  freedom,  and  in  the  other  the  torch  of 
light. 


112  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


THE  GAELIC  VERSION  OF  THE  THEBAID 
OF  STATIUS 

Professor  Mackinnon 

(Continued  from  page  33) 

GAELIC  TEXT 

Et  do  chuaid  i  cend  in  sceoil :  '  Inis  Leimin,'  ar  si,  *  ata  ^ 
ar  in  muir  anbtheanaig, —  Egeta,  acus  sliab  n-Ethna  do 
thaib  di  acus  sliab  Athos  do'n  taib  aili  di,  acus  in  Tracia  ob 
ri  h-od  ^  ria,  acus  feda  croeb-glasa  comora  inti,  acus  imat 
gacha  maithisa  inti  da  dainib  acus  d'indmasaib.  Acusni 
ferr  innis  Saim  na  inis  Deil  ^  na  inis  da  raibi  ar  muir  Eig 
uili  na  an  n-inis  (s)in.  Acht  chena,  ni  dearnsamar  idbairt 
do  Venir  ban-dei  na  *  toili  riam.  Acus  ua  fergach  Uenir  de 
sin,  ^co  ra  adand  ^  bruth  acus  dasacht  ar  ^  lucht  na  h-indsi 
uili.  Ni  subach  so-menmnach  na  bid  ar  sloigi  '  aidchi  ac  ^ 
lucht  na  h-indsi  sin,  acht  mad  anindi  ^  acus  esoenta,  cein 
Foi.  I  la  1.  no  ^  CO  tanic  ar  menmain  do  laechraid  lan-diumsaig  tocht 
do  togail  tiri  na  Tragia.  Acus  ge  rauadar  ^°  a  meic  acus  a 
munter  'ca  n-astad,^^  nir  ansad  aco.  Na  mna  imorro  ^^  ua 
toirrsech  iat  side  don  turis  inna  fer  sin  uathib.  Acus  ua  h-oc 
an-arsaid  misi  in  tan  sin,  acus  ni  roibi  snim  ar  mo  menmain. 
Na  mna  aili,  imorro,  ro  bi  each  dib  ac  com-dingnad  a  cheli 
ac  feichim  ^^  na  Tracia  uathib,  ait  ir-rauatar  a  munter  a 
cathugad.  Et  oena  fecht  da  rauamar-ni  and',  ar  si  ^*in 
ingen,^*  '  a  medon  lai  atchualamar  cetre  bresmadmanda  isin 
n-aeor  ^^  os  ar  cind,  co  ra  ^^  crithnaigestar  ^^  uamanda  indsi 
Lemin  ^^  acus  in  mur,^^  mar  bad  gaeth  con-garbad,  acus  ua 
fidgrad  fir-ulc  sin.     Uair  is  and  sin  ro  erig  bean  uasal  oirphi 

*  Eg.  omits.  ^  ob.  '  Deol.  *  Ed.  repeats  na. 

6-6  giir  gabh.  ^  Eg.  omits.  '^~''  maithe  acainne. 

'  alnmine.  ^  Eg.  omits.  i°  ge  do.  liatar.  "  ag  a  fosdad/t. 

"  Eg  omits.  13  feithim.  "-"  Eg.  omits.  "^  aer. 

'*>  gur.  "  crithnaigsiter.  n-n  ann. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIlTS  113 


ENGLISH  TRANSLATION 

And  (Hjrpsipile)  began  the  Tale :  ^  '  The  Isle  of  Lemnos,'  ^ 
said  she,  '  is  situated  in  the  tempestuous  Egean  Sea.  The 
hill  of  Etna  is  on  one  side  of  it,  and  Mount  Athos  on 
the  other,  while  Thrace  is  right  opposite.^  Trees  large 
and  tall  abound  therein,  with  abundance  of  everything  good 
for  men,  and  much  wealth.  And  neither  the  isle  of  Samos 
nor  the  isle  of  Delos  nor  any  other  in  all  the  Aegean  Sea  is 
superior  to  Lemnos.  Nevertheless  we  never  made  sacrifice 
to  Venus,  the  goddess  of  lust.  Venus  was  angry  thereat,  and 
she  kindled  passion  and  fury  in  all  the  islanders.  The  in- 
habitants did  not  pass  their  nights  in  merriment  and  good- 
humour,  but  in  quarrels  and  disputations,  until  at  length 
the  very  haughty,  valiant  Lemnians  resolved  to  invade  the 
land  of  Thrace.  Their  children  and  their  folk  tried  to 
detain  them,  but  stay  they  would  not.  As  for  the  women 
they  were  grieved  when  their  husbands  departed  on  that 
expedition.  I  was  very  young  at  the  time,  'and  no 
anxious  thought  disturbed  me.  But  for  the  other  women, 
each  used  to  comfort  the  other  as  they  gazed  on  Thrace 
in  the  distance  where  their  people  were  fighting.  As  we 
were  thus,'  *  continued  the  girl,  '  on  a  certain  day  at 
noon,  we  heard  four  times  repeated  a  dreadful  crashing 
sound  in  the  air  right  above  us.     The  caves  of  Lemnos 

1  This  instalment  relates  the  adventures  of  Hypsipile. 

2  Th.,  V.  49.  '  ob  ri  h-od.    Evidently  a  familiar  phrase. 
*  Th.,  V.  85. 

VOL.  IX.  H 


114  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

do  mnaib  indsi  Lemin,  acus  ro  gob  bruth  acus  dasacht 
h-i,  CO  roibi  ar  foluamain  ac  buaidred  in  baili,  ar  letred  a 
h-aigthi  ^  d'a  h-ingnib.  Acus  ro  tinoil  in  baili  co  h-oen 
thech  ro  bai  a  mullach  acus  adbert :  '  Daingniged  uar 
crideada  acus  bid  aicend  ^  fearda  fuapartach  accaib  ;  acus 
marbaid  uar  firu  uili,  maccaib,  braithrib,  aithrib  ;  acus 
cuimnigid  in  miscais  tucsad  uar  fir  ^  oraib,  ri  re  tri  m-bliadan 
anosa.  Acus,  a  thruagu,'  ar  si,  '  na  chualabair  Brogna, 
bean  Tir,  do  marbad  a  meic  fen  .t.  Ites,  a  thabairt  ir-richt  * 
feola  aili  d'a  athair  ar  bithin  eiccni  ^  tuc  Tir  ar  a  derb-shiair- 
si  .t.  Pilomena  a  h-ainm.  Acus  ro  bean-sum  barr  a  tengad 
di  na  h-indised  fair.  Acus  ro  scrib  in  a  breit  ^  d'(f)uil  a 
tengad  sin,  acus  ro  taisben  d'a  siair  iar  tain.  Conid  imi  sin 
ro  marb  Pergna '  a  mac.  Acus  cid  daib,'  ar  si  Polixo, '  nach 
mairfed  sib  uar  mic  ^  acus  uar  fir  ?  ^  Acht  mad  misi,  tra, 
mairfed  mo  mac  acus  mo  fer.  Acus  ata,'  ar  si,  *Venir  ac 
a  rada  rind  a  marbad  uili,  acus  do  bera  si  ni  ua  ferr  duinni 
an  at-som.'  Acus  ua  h-en  menma  ac  mnaib  insi  Lemin 
uili  m'an  ^°  comairli  sin  Polixo  do  denum,  acus  ro  chindestar 
a  firu  uli  do  marbad  itir  oc  acus  sen. 

*  Is  i  sin  oes  acus  uair  do  riachtadar  laechrad  insi  Lemin 
o  thogail  na  Tragia  moiri.  Ro  bai,  imorro,  fid-nemed  dorcha 
do-imthechta  is  in  t-(s)leb  ^^  ua  comnesa  doib,  acus  da  chuad- 
ar  mna  insi  Lemin  d'iarraid  (f)recra  ar  na  deib.  Acus 
tangadar  badba  beU-derga  ichtair  ifirn  d'a  m-buaidred-som 
CO  n-ici  sin.  Acus  ro  uai  Uenir  uan-cumacht  ^^  acus  Emo 
urbadach,  siur  Mairt,  dei  in  chatha,  ac  furail  uilc  ar  na 
mnaib  sin.  Acus  is  amlaid  ro  bai  Polixo,  ben  Charoip, 
acus  taidbsi  a  meic  'na  f  arrad  ann  sin.  Acus  do  rindseadar  ^^ 
comluigi  CO  murfedis  a  firu.  Acus  ro  gab  adfuath  adbul 
mise,'  ar  si  Ipsiphile,  '  ac  faicsin  na  m-ban  sin,  amal  aid 
Foi.  iia  2.  n-allaid  ^*  tim  tecthech  ^^  itir  cuanairt  croes-oslaicthi  con- 
f  adach  da  chonaib  aUta. 

'  aidhchL                      *  algnead.  ^  g^y                       4  ^  richt. 

°  inh-ecin.               *  brefdin.  ^  Brogna.             ^  macu.        '  firu. 

"  uan(  =  fa'n).         "  t-slighidh.  "  cumachtach.                         "  rigsiter, 

"  Ed.  aid  na..uaid.     Eg.  digh  nalt.  lo  teichedh. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  115 

and  the  rampart  shook  as  if  agitated  by  wind,  and  this  was 
regarded  as  a  presage  of  great  evil.  Then  a  noble,  mature 
woman  of  Lemnos  rose  up,  seized  with  frenzy  and  fury,  and 
tearing  her  face  with  her  nails  went  about  here  and  there 
exciting  the  whole  place.  She  gathered  the  city  to  one 
house  which  was  in  its  highest  part  and  said :  "  Harden 
your  hearts  and  assume  the  daring  nature  of  men,  and  slay 
all  your  menfolk — sons,  brothers,  fathers.  Call  to  mind 
the  aversion  which  your  husbands  have  shown  towards 
you  during  these  three  years.  Wretched  ones ! "  continued 
she,  "  heard  ye  not  how  Procne,  the  wife  of  Tereus,  slew 
her  own  son  Itys  and  served  him  up  to  his  father  in  the 
guise  of  other  flesh,  because  Tereus  had  offered  violence 
to  her  sister  Philomela,  and  cut  off  the  tip  of  her  tongue, 
so  that  she  could  not  tell  of  the  outrage.  But  she  wrote 
the  story  on  a  leaf  with  her  tongue's  blood,  and  afterwards 
showed  it  to  her  sister.  Whence  it  was  that  Procne  slew 
her  son.  And  why  should  not  you  also,"  added  Polixo, 
"  slay  your  sons  and  your  husbands  ?  As  for  me,  I  shall 
slay  both  my  son  and  my  husband.  And,"  added  she, 
"Venus  tells  us  to  slay  them  all,  and  she  will  provide  us 
with  better  men  than  they."  All  the  women  of  Lemnos 
with  one  mind  agreed  to  carry  out  this  counsel  of  Polixo  ; 
and  they  resolved  to  slay  all  their  men-folk,  young  and  old. 
'  That  was  the  time  and  season  that  the  chivalry  of 
Lemnos  returned  from  the  invasion  of  Thracia  Major. 
Now  there  was  a  dark,  impassable  sacred  grove  in  the  hill 
nearest  to  them,  and  the  women  of  Lemnos  went  to  seek 
guidance  from  the  gods.  And  the  red-lipped  furies  of 
lowest  hell  came  thither  to  tempt  them.  And  the  powerful 
Venus  and  the  dread  Enyo,  sister  of  Mars,  the  god  of  war, 
were  enjoining  evil  on  these  women.  Now  thus  was  Polyxo 
the  wife  of  Charope  with  the  apparition  of  her  son  beside 
her  there.  They  bound  themselves  by  an  oath  that  they 
would  slay  their  husbands.  Great  horror  took  hold  of  me,' 
continued  Hjrpsipyle,  '  as  I  beheld  these  women,  like  a  hind, 
timid,  desiring  to  flee,  among  a  pack  of  gaping,  furious  wolves. 


116  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

*  Cid  tra  acht  tangadar  na  fir  sin  as  a  longaib,  acus  da 
ronsad  idbarta  ecsamla  imda,  acus  ro  leicset  re  h-ol  acus 
re  h-aibnius  iat  comdis  mes(c)da  mertnecha  uili.  Acus  o 
ra  (t)hoit  a  suan  sirchotalta  ar  ^  '  na  sluagaib  tangadar  a 
mna  fegi  furuagra  ^  da  n-indsaigid  da  marbad,  cunsaeset  ^ 
fuithib  amal  saga  gera  gortacha  leoman  da  culenaib  ac 
inred  alma  acus  indili.  Acus,  a  athair  inmain,  (a)  Adraist,' 
ar  si  Ipsifile,  '  ni  fetar  ca  h-olc  dib  indesaid  *  duid  ar  tus. 
Acht  ro  marb  Gorge  arnaid  aineolach  a  fer  ann  sin  .t.  Elemus. 
Acus  is  amlaid  ro  bai-sium  acus  a  da  laim  impi-si  co  ro  said 
in  cloideb  ind  cor'  gab  arrindi  ^  in  a  chorp  fen.  Acus  ro 
bai-seom  fos  ac  a  pocad-si,  acus  a  lama  im  a  bragaid.  Acus 
ni  fhetaim-sea  a  n-airium  uili  gach  ar  marbad  ann  sin. 
Acht  cena  indesaid  *  becan  da  maithib  uodein  .u  Mirmedon. 
Ro  marb  imorro  ^  Epopea  a  mac  ^  uadein,  acus  ro  marb 
Licase  a  derbrathair  comaesta'  uodein  .t.  Cidomon,  acus 
ro  ui  ac  ciu  os  a  chind.  Acus  ro  marb  ^  Alcimiden  acus  ro 
beanad  a  cheand  de.  Acus  adchondarca  ^  sin,  rogab  ecla 
acus  adfuath  me,  acus  tanac-sa  badba  ^^  buaidertha  co  tech 
m'athar  i.e.  Toaint.  Acus  ger'  ^^  fata  a  mach  o'n  baili  in  tech 
ir-roibi  ro  bai  ac  a  iarfaide  '*  ca  raet  ^^  in  mum  ^^,"  ar  se,  "  ar 
atcluineam  ^*  is  in  baili  ?  "  Acus  ro  indis  uli  da  h-athair  ^^ 
sin.  "  Erig  a  athair  inmain,"  ar  si,  "uair  da  m-bertar 
oraind  muirfer  ^^  sinn  aroe(n)." 

*  Acus  ro  erig  Toaint  ar  sin  acus  Ipsiphile  a  ingen.  Acus 
tangadar  ar  chaethib  diamra  in  baili  a  mach  co  n-riachtadar 
conicci  in  arbach,i'  acus  ro  badar  co  dicealta  'ca  descain.^^ 
Acus  ot'chondcadar  na  firu  foena  fiar-letarthi  ^^  ina  lepthaib 
ar  n-a  marbad  da  mnaib  fen  tre  aslach  Uenire  ^^  forru,  acus 
na  cloidmi  cro-derga  tre  na  cnesaib  acus  na  slega  ar  n-a 
sar-brisiud  treompo,  acus  co  n-snaetis  ^^  na  copana  caema 
comola  ar  na  lintib  fala  fir-mora  batar  ann  re  h-aidbli  in 

*  for,  2  furfhuagra.  3  consoigsit.  *  indesat. 

^  urrann.  «-*  Eg.  transposes.  "  coimnesta.  ^  Ed.  omits. 

9  0  do  chondairc-sa.  lo  im  Midhbh.  "  Eg.  adds  b. 

"  carat.  "  jjd.  mum  or  marn.  Eg.  muirn.  **  ro  cluineam. 

*''  do  m'athair.         i"  muirfider.  "  aruich.  "  gdd  fecsain. 

"  marbhtha.  20  Uenir.  «  snai^hd. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  117 

'  Howbeit  the  men  left  their  ships  and  they  made  many 
and  diverse  sacrifices,  and  they  gave  themselves  over  to 
drinking  and  enjoyment  until  they  were  all  drunk  and  ex- 
hausted. When  the  hosts  fell  into  deep  sleep  their  fierce 
and  furious  wives  approached  them  to  slay  them,  and  they 
fell  upon  them  like  a  fierce,  hungry  lioness  attacking  herds 
and  flocks  for  her  cubs.  O  beloved  father,  Adrastus,' 
continued  Hjrpsipyle,  '  I  know  not  which  of  these  horrors 
to  tell  you  of  first.  But  the  unfeeling,  insensate  Gorge  slew 
her  husband  Elymus  there.  And  thus  he  was  with  his 
two  hands  around  her  as  she  plunged  the  sword  into  him, 
and  the  point  of  it  pierced  his  body,  while  he  was  still 
kissing  her  with  his  hands  about  her  neck.  But  I  am  not 
able  to  recount  each  individual  that  was  there  slain.  How- 
beit I  shaU  name  a  few  of  their  chiefs — the  Myrmidones. 
Epopea  slew  her  own  son.  And  Lycaste  slew  her  twin 
brother  Cydimos,  and  was  weeping  over  him.  Alcimede 
slew  (her  father),  and  his  head  was  cut  off.  When  I  saw 
these  things  fear  and  horror  seized  me,  and  I  betook 
myself  wildly  and  frantically  to  my  father's  house,  viz. 
Thoas.  And  although  the  house  in  which  he  dwelt  was  far 
out  of  the  town  he  was  asking,  "  What  means  this  uproar," 
said  he,  "  which  I  have  been  hearing  in  the  town  ?  "  She 
told  it  all  to  her  father  (and  added) :  "  Arise,  beloved  father," 
said  she,  "  for  if  we  are  caught,  we  shall  both  be  slain." 

*  Thoas  thereupon  rose  accompanied  by  his  daughter 
Hypsipyle,  and  they  proceeded  by  the  secret  paths  of  the 
place  until  they  reached  the  scene  of  the  slaughter,  and 
they  were  viewing  it  under  cover.  There  they  saw  hus- 
bands mangled  and  prone  in  their  beds,  slain  by  their  own 
wives  at  the  instigation  of  Venus,  with  the  blood-red  swords 
through  their  bodies,  and  spears  quite  broken  in  the  trans- 
fixed corpses,  so  that  the  beautiful  drinking-cups  could 
float  in  the  great  pools  of  blood  made  by  the  terrible  mas- 


118  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

airlig,  uair  batar  seanoraig  ar  na  sitled  and  sin,  acus  oic  ar 
na  n-airlech,  acus  miccaim  ar  na  mugad.  Acus  adchond- 
airc  Ipsipile  tai(d)bsi  Baich  ua  tri  ag  iarraid  a  mic  Toaint  .t. 
a  h-athar-si.  Acus  tucastar  Ipsipile  aichne  ar  Baith  and  sin, 
acus  ro  labair  Baich  riu :  ^  "  Dean  ^  imtheacht,  a  mic,"  ar  se, 
"  acus  facait  inis  Lemin.  Acus  is  lor  a  fhat  ris  na  deib  ^ata 
inis  Lemin  acut.^  Acus  a  ingen,"  ar  se,  "  ber  let  t'athair, 
acus  cuir  ina  curach  e,  baili  *  i  teit  in  mur  is  in  muir  moir  a 
mach,  acus  dober-sa  fortacht  fair  ar  sin."  Ro  imthig  Baich, 
acus  ro  fhacaib  comartha  sliged  doib.^  Acus  tangadar- 
Foi.  lib  1.  sum  reompo  sin  sligid,  acus  ro  chuir  in  ingen  a  h-athair  ar 
in  muir.  Acus  ro  badar  aroen  .  .  .'  ^  Acus  tanic  in  n-ingen 
ar  culu  uada,  acus  ro  uid  '^  ac  silliud  ar  n-a  h-ais  co  minic 
ar  a  h-athair. 

*  Acus  o  thanic  la  co  n-a  Ian  soillsi  adchondcadar  na 
mna  insi  Lemin  na  h-uilc  sin  do  ronsad  fen  .t.  a  fir  da  marbad. 
Acus  ba  h-aithrech  leosum  sin.  Acus  rangadar,  acus  ro 
uatar  a  gul  acus  a  gol-gairi  uastu.  Acht  ua  saidbir  soch- 
onaig  d'erraib  acus  d'armaib  acus  d'indmasaib  in  t-oilen 
sin  conici  sin.  Acus  na  ^  uadar  na  mna  sin  o  sen  a  mach 
nama  gan  tirecor  ^  gan  trebaire  gan  ar  gan  buain  gan  fhiru 
caema  ga  chomditin. 

Imthusa  ^^imorro  Ipsipile  ^^ :  do  ronni  tenid  n-idbarta 
i  tig  a  h-athar.  Acus  do  thocaib  airm  acus  etgud  a  h-athar. 
Acus  ro  bai  claideb  ^^  in  rig  ^^  Ian  d'fuil  in  a  laim  mar  bad  ar 
marbad  a  h-athar  no  beth  acus  ar  n-a  adluccun.^^  Acus 
tucad  ^%nd  sin  ^*  ferann  a  h-athardi  .t.  aireochus  indsi 
Leimin  uili.  ^^  Ua  minic  lesi  acus  re  Polixo  cumnigud  ^^ 
in  chuil  sin,  acus  ro  bidis  co  tairrsech  taetenacha  acca  tuireom 
eturru.^' 

'  Acus  o  rauatar  mna  insi  Lemin  amlaid  sin  dareis  a  fer 
adchoncadar  in  long  luchtmair  lan-moir  amal  o(i)lean  do  ^^ 
learaib  in  mara,  no  amal  sliab  lethan  lan-mor  ar  met.     Acua 

'  ria.  *  dena.  '-'  atai  in  Lemin.  *  in  baili.  ^  acti. 

*  Eg.  reads  :  acomcai  coma  dal.    Ed.  is  indistinct :  achomchui  coma  i. 

^  "oi.  '  ro.  »  tireg«r,  »o-io  Eg.  Ipsipile  imorro. 

"  claidem.       "  a  h-athar.        "  adlacadh.  "-"  Eg.  omits. 

'*  Eg.  adds  acus.  ^^  cumniugud.  "  Eg.  omits.       *®  don. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  119 

sacre.  For  old  men  were  there  drained  of  their  blood,  and 
youths  mangled,  and  boys  destroyed.  Hypsipyle  ^  saw 
three  times  the  apparition  of  Bacchus  seeking  his  son  Thoas, 
her  father.  And  Hjrpsipyle  recognised  Bacchus,  and  the 
latter  spoke  to  them  :  "  Depart,  son,"  said  he,  "  and  leave 
the  isle  of  Lemnos,  for  the  gods  deem  that  you  have  pos- 
sessed the  island  long  enough ;  and  you,  girl,"  said  he,  "  bring 
your  father  with  you,  and  put  him  in  his  coracle,  where  the 
wall  abuts  upon  the  open  sea,  and  I  shall  afterwards  aid 
him."  Bacchus  went  away,  and  left  with  them  the  direc- 
tion of  their  path.  They  fared  forward  on  that  road,  and 
the  girl  put  her  father  on  the  sea,  and  both  were 

.     The  girl  then  turned  back  from  him,  but 
was  frequently  looking  behind  her  at  her  father. 

*  When  day  with  its  full  light  came,  the  women  of  Lemnos 
saw  their  evil  deeds  in  slaying  their  husbands,  and  they 
felt  sorry  therefor.  They  were  weeping  and  wailing  over 
them.  Now  up  to  that  time  that  island  was  rich  and  pro- 
sperous in  warriors  and  arms  and  treasures.  But  these 
women  from  that  time  forth  were  without  agriculture  or 
husbandry,  without  tillage  or  harvest,  without  loving 
husbands  to  guard  it  all. 

As  to  the  (further)  proceedings  of  Hypsipyle :  she  made 
a  sacrificial  fire  in  her  father's  house,  and  she  took  her 
father's  weapons  and  armour,  and  she  held  the  king's 
sword  all  covered  with  blood  in  her  hand,  as  if  she  had  slain 
her  father  and  buried  him.  The  patrimonial  inheritance 
was  there  and  then  given  (to  her),  that  is,  the  rule  of  all 
Lemnos.  She  and  Polyxo  used  frequently  to  recall  that  foul 
crime,  and  mournfully,  sadly,  both  used  to  weep  together. 

'  When  things  ^  were  thus  with  the  Lemnian  women  after 
the  death  of  their  husbands,  they  saw  a  very  large  well- 
equipped  ship,  in  size  like  an  island  on  the  sea  expanse,  or 

1  Th.,  V.  265.  *  Th.,  v.  335. 


Fol.  lib  2. 


120  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

is  ^  ro  bai  ^  and  sin  in  benn  fhata  badb  luath  ^  cet  long  in 
betha^    .t.    Argo,    acus    rigrad    glend  ^-mer    glan-armach 
Grec  innti,  in  tan  do  chuadar  d'iarraid  in  croicind  orda 
CO  tir  na  Colachetta.*    Acus  o  ra  scuirsedar  da  n-imrud^ 
acus  ro  bai  ®in  muir  ina  toighleich®  adchualamar,'  ar  si 
Ipsifile,  'guth  oen  duni  as  in  luing.     Acus  is  e  robai  and  sin  .t. 
Oirfeus  "^  ceolbind  cruitire,  mac   Oeager,  acus  a  gualu  ris 
in  seol-crann  ac  arfidiud  ^  do  lucht  na  lunga  comad  lugaiti 
snim  na  sar-sluag  re  saethar  in  imrama.     Acus  ba  samalta 
lindi  coma  h-iat  lucht  na  Tragia  do  thogail  indsi  Leimin 
oraind.     Et  ro  ergestar  as  a  h-aithli  sin  sestan  acus  seiseilbi 
mor  i  toegib  ^  indsi  Leimin.      Acus  do  chuamar-ni  ar  sin 
i  toraib  ro  arda  ro  mora  acus  i  crandocaib  comdaingin  ^^^ 
claraid  os  ^^cind  na  cathrach.^^     Acus   ro  tinolsetar  mna 
croda  crithnaigthecha  indsi   Lemin   cairrgi   cruaidhi  com- 
amais,  acus  bera  fata  fir-gera,  acus  airm  troma  toirrsecha  a 
fer  uadein  no  ^^  marbsad  remi  sin.    Acus  ro  gabsad  a  ^^  claidbi 
for-ruamanda  fuilidi  ina  lamaib.     Acus  ro  gabsad  a  lu(i)- 
recha  i*  salcha  ^^  snadmandacha  ma  corpaibh  acus  a  cath- 
bairr  ^^  caema  cathaigi  ma  ^"^  cendaibh.    Acus  ba  samalta  linni 
tra  coma^^  torathar  fir-mor  for-granna  fairrgi  na  beth  and 
sin  d'aithi  ^^  acus  do  dighail  ^^  ar  n-uilc  ^^  acus  ar  n-ecorach 
oraind,^^  acus  nar  ba  long  luchtmar  lan-alaind.     Is  ann  sin 
tra  adracht  ^^  gaeth  gott-shnimach  ^3  glorach  ^^  co  ra  srain- 
eastair  in  luing  sin  urcur  saigte  sith-guirmi  o  tir  acus  o 
tracht  a  mach.     Acus  ro  cumaiscseadar  and  sin  neaill  com- 
(fh)liucha  ciachmora  na  firmaiminti  cor  uai  dorchata  ^^  dluith 
iter  muir  acus  tir,  acus  contoguadis  ^^  na  tonda  tren-mora 
na  longa  ^^  uar  barr  2%en  acus  uar  ^^  uachtar  doib,  acus 
coleictis  dib  sis  in  feacht  n-aill  co  grian  acus  go  ganem 
n-glas-ruad  ar  n-ichtar.     Acus  ger  ba  tenda  talchara  tra  na 

*~*  uof.          2~'  Eg.  omits.  ^  gloinn-,  *  Colchetta.          '^  imrum. 

«-«  Ed.  indistinct.  ^  Orefeus.  «  airfidedh.           "  tighibh. 

^^  comdaiugne.      '*""  cennaib  is  in  Kathraig.  '^  acus  ro.  "  Eg.  omits. 

"  Eg.  adds  lasamna.  '''  MS.  salka.  ^^  cathbarra.         '^  uma. 

1*  cumadh  ima.  '"  dd  ithe.           ^o  jjg.  adds  orainn.  ^^"^i  Eg.  omits. 

22  do  riachtatar.  ^3  goid-shnimacha.  ^*  gloracha.            ^^  dorcha. 

»«  Ed.  indistinct.  27  in  long.  ^-^  &o.  Eg.  Ed.  indistinct. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  121 

like  a  great  broad  mountain.  This  was  none  other  than  the 
long,  wildly -swift,  foremost  ship  of  the  world,  the  Argo. 
And  the  rashly  daring  princes  of  Greece  in  gleaming  armour, 
who  went  in  search  of  the  golden  fleece  to  the  land  of  Colchis, 
were  on  board.  When  they  ceased  rowing  and  the  sea 
shone  resplendent  we  heard,'  said  Hj^sipyle,  '  the  voice  of 
one  man  from  the  ship,  and  this  was  the  melodius  harpist 
Orpheus,  son  of  Oeagrus.  His  shoulder  leant  against  the 
mast  as  he  entertained  the  noble  crew  to  ease  their  toil 
in  their  labour  at  the  oars.  It  seemed  to  us  that  they 
were  the  Thracians  coming  to  take  the  isle  of  Lemnos  over 
our  heads.  Thereupon  arose  a  din  and  uproar  in  the  houses 
of  Lemnos.  We  betook  ourselves  to  very  high,  large  towers 
and  to  very  strong,  wooden  buildings  above  the  city.  The 
cruel,  trembling  Lemnian  women  collected  there  hard  stones 
fit  for  hurling,  and  long,  very  sharp-pointed  stakes,  and  the 
heavy,  efficient  weapons  of  their  husbands  whom  they  had 
previously  slain.  They  grasped  in  their  hands  the  very 
red,  blood-smeared  swords,  and  fitted  on  their  persons  the 
foul  linked  hauberks,  and  put  on  their  heads  the  beautiful 
battle  helmets.  And  now  it  seemed  to  us  that  it  was  a  very 
large  and  hideous  sea  monster  that  had  come  to  punish  and 
avenge  our  evil  deeds  and  crimes,  and  not  a  very  beautiful, 
well-equipped  ship.  And  now  arose  a  withe-twisting, 
blustering  wind  which  drove  that  vessel  the  cast  of  a  long 
blue  arrow  out  from  land  and  beach.  There  were  heaped 
on  each  other  very  wet  and  misty  clouds  of  the  sky,  so  that 
thick  darkness  fell  on  sea  and  land.  And  the  mighty  billows 
now  hurled  the  ship  aloft  on  their  crests,  and  then  sunk  her 
down  to  the  red-grey  gravel  and  sand  of  the  abyss.  Stout 
and  sturdy  though  the  mighty  men  on  board  that  ship  were, 
they  were  unable  to  withstand  the  onset  in  that  hour — 
such  was  the  fury  of  the  storm.  The  very  tall  and  large 
mast  of  the  ship  was  swaying  violently  and  in  danger  of 


122  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

tren-fir  ro  uadar  is  in  luing  sin,  nir  ba  tualaing  ursclaidi  na 
h-engnoma  iat  is  in  n-uair  sin  re  met  na  mor  ^  ainb thine.  ^ 
Acus  ro  bai  a  seol-crann  sir-fada  sir-mor  na  luingi  sin  ac  a 
dian-scailiud  acus  ad  adrad  brisiud^  ar  a  met  acus  ar  a 
ro-airdi  ac  toenail  acus  ac  toirniub  *  re  sitgail  na  saeb- 
gaithi  sin  in  uair  sin.  Acus  dan  ^  ro  bamar-ni  ac  dibrucud 
acus  ac  dichur  uaind  na  luingi  sin  do  leth  aile,  co  telcmais 
armu  aith-gere  urnocta  in  n-agid  na  miled  sin  .u  in  tren- 
fer  thalchair  Tailemon,  acus  Peleus  mac  Aicuis,  acus  Aercail 
mac  Ampitrionis.  Acus  ua  h-adual  saethar  na  sar  luingi  sin 
re  h-ainfine  in  mara  acus  re'  r  cathagud-ni  do'n  leth  araill. 
Acus  badar  drem  am  do  na  deg  sluaga(i)b  sin  ac  dain- 
gnigud  acus  ac  diden  a  luingi  acus  scell-bolga  do  sciathaib 
in  *  timchell,  acus  drem  aili  ac  telad  ^  acus  ac  taescad  a  h-uisci 
as  a  h-ichtar,  acus  drem  am  a  cathughadh  calma  chroda  os 
a  cind.  Acus  ro  telctea  ^  atorra  ^  and  sin'  ar  si,  'cetha  ^^ 
cumasctha  cruad-arm  coma  samalta  re  frasaib  cruaidi 
clothnechta  ^^  in  n-amsir  gairb  gemridh  na  bera  rind-gera 
ro-mora,  acus  na  clocha  cruindi  ^^  comdibhraicthi,  acus  na 
saighdi  snasta  so-dibraicti,  acus  na  slega  lasamna  lan-gera 
tre  n-aroile  is  in  nuair  sin. 

'  Et  ^^  asahaithli  sin  ro  ergedar  gathana  glan-ailli  greni 
acus  ruithnigud  ro  ^*-soillsi  coma  for  nell  acus  for  reill  duind 
na  sluaigh  robadar  is  in  luing.  Acus  o  d'chondcamar  iad 
uan  samhla  sin  ro  thuitsetar  ar  n-airm  as  ar  lamaib,  acus 
tanic  ar  n-aicned  boeth  banamail  uadein  duinn.  Acus 
adchondcamar-ni  amh  and  sin  Peil  mac  Aicuis  acus  Taile- 
mon mor  mac  Aacms  acus  Anatheus  tent^^  tomaithmech 
acus  Ifiton  data  deag-lamaig.  Acus  ba  foUus  os  na  sluagaib 
snimacha  sin  archu  n-eangnam  in  domuin  .t.  Ercoil  mac 
Amp(it)rionnis.  Ro  claenad-som  and  sin  each  m-bord  acus 
gach  lita[?]  ^^  do'n  luing  as  a  ticed  re  fiuchmad  na  fergi  fir- 
moiri  ac  saeigtin  ^'  cus  (na)  ^^  sluagaib.  Acus  gid  b'  lason  mac 
Eso(i)n  imorro  ba  luthmor  (le)tmech  ^®  sin  ^^lunga  sin,^^  acus 

'  Eg.  omits.  '  h-ainmfine.  '  brisadh.  *  toirnedh.  ^  Eg.  omits. 

*  in  a.  ^  telach.  *  thelgthedha.  '  adraina.  *°  cetedhusa  (?). 

"  clothstii.  '^  cruaidhi.  "  Eg.  omits.  "  na.  *''  tenn. 

•8  leth.  "  saigin.  is  ^S.  7.  "  leidmech.  *>-^'>  ia  in  luing. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  123 

breaking  because  of  its  size  and  excessive  length,  swinging 
this  way  and  that  with  the  fury  of  the  whirUng  blast  in  that 
hour.  We,  on  the  other  hand,  were  also  doing  our  best  to 
repel  and  keep  that  ship  away  from  us.  We  hurled  very 
sharp,  bare  weapons  against  these  warriors,  the  strong  and 
sturdy  Telamon,  and  Peleus  son  of  Aeacus,  and  Hercules 
son  of  Amphitryon.  Great  was  the  struggle  of  that  excellent 
ship  fighting  both  against  the  sea  tempest  and  our  attack. 
Some  of  that  splendid  crew  were  strengthening  and  defend- 
ing the  vessel  under  cover  of  overlapping  shields,  some  were 
baling  and  emptying  the  bilge  from  her  hold,  others  were 
fighting  bravely  and  valiantly  above  these.  There  were 
discharged  from  either  side,'  said  she,  '  commingled  steel 
weapons  which  seemed  like  hard  showers  of  hail  in  rough 
winter  weather,  very  large,  sharp-pointed  javelines,  and  round 
powerfully  hurled  stones,  and  polished  well-aimed  arrows, 
and  flaming  very  sharp  spears. 

*  Thereafter  ^  the  bright,  beautiful  rays  of  the  sun  appeared 
and  a  brilliant  radiance  so  that  the  men  of  the  ship  became 
very  clear  and  manifest  to  us.  When  we  saw  them  in  that 
guise  our  weapons  fell  from  our  hands,  and  our  wayward 
womanly  nature  asserted  itself.  We  beheld  there  in  sooth 
Peleus  the  son  of  Aeacus,  and  great  Telamon  son  of 
Aeacus,  and  Antaeus,  stout  and  menacing,  and  Iphitus, 
handsome  and  dexterous.  Conspicuous  among  these  anxious 
men  was  the  resolute  war  hound  of  the  world,  Hercules,  son 
of  Amphitryon.  He  bent  every  plank  and  taffrail  on  which 
he  stepped,  such  was  the  fury  of  his  great  wrath  to  attack 
his  foes.  Jason,  too,  son  of  Aeson,  nimble  and  active  in 
the  ship  was  he,  and  Oinides  (Meleager)  reckless  and  high- 
spirited,  and  Idas  gallant  and  renowned,  and  Talaus  stout 

»  Th.,  T.  394. 


124  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Oenides  mer  mor-menmnach,  acus  Idas  uaUach  allata,  acus 
Talabus  talchar  tairisi,  acus  da  mac  ^T(er)inda  togaidi 
tindam,  acus  ^  Castor  acus  Pollux,  acus  da  mac  beoda 
Foi.  i2ai.  borrfadecha  Borria  .t.  Setiusa^  acus  Eiliais.^  Acus  ba 
drem  *  do  deg  dainib  na  lunga  sin  in  lucht  sin. 

'  Batar  tra  fan  rim-la  sin  ac  fras-imram  in  mara  acus  ac 
dibrucan^  in  mur  uathib.  Acus  dan^  ro  uai  in  luamairi 
fosaich  fir-eolach  inte  .t.  Tifis,  ac  stiuradh  na  lunga  sin 
^  da  leicet  a  brisiud '  im  chairrgib  cend-garba  in  mara  mor- 
ainbthenaig.  Acus  ro  uadar-som  is  in  n-eicin  cein  co  erig 
lason  mac  Eson  acus  craeb  alaind  ola-craind  ina  laim  acus  ^ 
comartha  sida.  Acus  isi  seic  ro  bid  il-laim  Inopus,®  taisig 
da  muinter,  acus  ro  bui  ag  iarraid  sida  oraindi. 

*  Acht  chena  nir  ba  miad  re  lucht  na  luingi  in  ro  raid  Jason. 
Acus  ni  chualamar-ni  acht  fogur  bas  ^°  acus  ^^  gotha  ris  in 
n-gaith  chucaind.  Et^^  is  an  sin  ro  erigedar  in  coeca^^ 
tren-fher  ua  teinn(e)  acus  ua  tresi  is  in  luing,  acus  ro  gabsad 
ruadh-ramada  ro-mora  'na  lamaib,  acus  ro  raeset  co 
fortren  feramail  in  luing  sin  do  chum  chuain  acus  calad- 
puirt.  Acus  ba  so-charthanacha  re  silliud  is  in  n-uair  sin 
chena  gnuisi  gruad-so(i)llsi  na  curad  croda  re  fornert  in 
n-imroma  acus  ri  fiuchad  na  fergi  fir-moiri  adracht  intib. 
Acus  ^*  ba  samail  Hnni  in  sluag  sin  acus  ba  ^^  dei  uaisli  adhar- 
tha  tiastais  ^®  do  dindgnaib  ro  glana  ^^richid  uan  ^^  talTnain. 
Et  ^^  is  ann  sin  adchonncamar  Teis  mac  Eig  meic  Nephtuin 
ac  erge  as  ^^  in  luing.  Acus  ua  diumsach  in  deg  laech  sin 
ahaithU  thogla^^  na  cathrach  .t.  Marathon.  Acus  adchond- 
camar  dano  ^^  ann  sin  in  righ  uasal  Admeon.^^  Acus  ad- 
chondcamar  ^3  in  criutire  ceol-bind  na  Tragia  .t.  Orfeus. 
Acus  ro  bui  ann  sin  din  in  miled  Meleager  mac  rig  na  Calidone, 
acus  Peleus  mac  Aicuis,  acus  lies  ^*  mac  Ercail  acus  airm 
na  laim. 

'"'  tenna  toghaidhi  tinnair  .t.  ^  Qg^^mga  '  Calias. 

♦  Eg.  adds  am.  *  dibrugan.  "  Eg.  omits. 
'''''  conach  leged  a  badh-brisedh.  «  .i.  *  Eg.  omits. 
"  bais.                                 »  a.  "  Eg.  omits.  »  MS.  .1. 

"  Eg.  omits.  '6  tain  del  "  tisdia. 

"~"  righthighi  liar.  "  Eg.  omits.        >9  is.  **  fhogla. 

"  MS.  .t.    Eg.  omits.  22  j^<jmet.  »«  Eg.  omite.  "  Ilos. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  125 

and  loyal,  and  the  two  excellent  resolute  sons  of  Tjnidareus, 
Castor  and  Pollux,  and  the  two  spirited  proud  sons  of 
Boreas,  Zetes  and  Calais.  These  are  some  of  the  excellent 
men  who  formed  the  crew  of  that  ship. 

*  Now  they  were  during  that  live-long  day  vigorously 
whipping  the  sea  and  driving  the  ship  through  it.  The  pilot 
Tiphys  besides  was  on  board,  staid  and  skilful,  and  steering 
the  vessel  to  save  her  from  being  broken  on  the  rough- 
headed  rocks  of  that  tempestuous  sea.  They  were  in  that 
extremity  until  Jason,  son  of  Aeson,  arose  with  a  beautiful 
branch  of  an  olive  tree  in  his  hand,  which  was  the  emblem 
of  peace,  this  very  branch  Inopus,  a  chief  of  the  people, 
carried  in  his  hand,  and  he  besought  peace  from  us. 

*  Howbeit  the  crew  did  not  relish  what  Jason  said,  but  we 
heard  nothing  save  the  clapping  of  hands  and  a  (meaningless) 
voice  carried  to  us  by  the  wind.  Then  there  rose  up  the 
fifty  strongest  and  sturdiest  men  in  the  ship,  and  they  took 
very  large  and  stout  oars  in  their  hands  and  impelled  the 
vessel  forcefully  and  manfully  to  shelter  and  harbour. 
Very  kindly  and  pleasant  to  look  upon  at  that  time  were  the 
bright  countenances  of  these  brave  champions  after  their 
exertion  at  the  oars  and  the  boiling  of  the  great  wrath  which 
they  cherished.  To  us  they  seemed  to  be  noble,  adorable 
gods  who  had  come  from  the  bright  dwellings  of  heaven 
upon  the  earth.  Then  we  saw  Theseus,  son  of  Egeus,  son 
of  Neptune,  coming  out  of  the  ship,  and  a  proud  man  was 
that  stout  hero  after  the  taking  of  the  city  of  Marathon. 
We  saw  besides  the  noble  king  Admetus,  and  the  sweet 
harpist  of  Thrace,  Orpheus.  There  were  there  also  the 
warrior  Melaeager,  son  of  the  King  of  Calydon,  and  Peleus, 
son  of  Aeacus,  and  Hylas,^  son  of  Hercules,  with  weapons 
in  his  hands. 


1  Hylas  was  a  companion  of  Hercules ;  v.  Th.,  r.  443.     Hyllus,  a  son  of  Hercules, 
is  mentioned  later,  Th.,  viii.  507. 


126  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

*  Cid  tra  acht,'  ^  ar  si, '  ro  h-oslaicidh  lindi  doirrsi  ^  tiged 
ris  na  damaib  sin.  Acus  ni  demaid  idbarta  na  suan  na 
sadaiUi  acaind  o  ro  marbusamar  ^  ar  firu  co  h-aes  na  f  uairi  * 
sin.  Ro  gobh  gach  fer  dib  sin  ac  toga  ^  thochmairc  uaindi 
in  lin  ro  bamar.  Acht  chena  tuigim-se  na  dei  nar  ua  cedug- 
adh  no  comairle  dom  uadein  fes  re^  h-Iason  is  in  naidchi 
sin  ger  ua  sochraid  so-charthanach  re  '^  mnaib  aili  6. 
Acus  ro  uatar-som  co  cend  m-bliadna  comlaine  acaind  is 
a  n-indsi  sin  cen  co  rucait  clanna  suarca  so-cenelcha  daib. 
Acus  rucu-sa  da  mac  ann  sin  ^  do  lason  mac  Esoin  .t.  Toas 
acus  Eumas  a  n-anmanna.  Acht  chena  ^  ni  f hetar  an  ord 
na  n-aidhid,^^  uair  is  fichi  ^^  bliadan  co  h-aes  na  f  uairi  ^^-sea 
o  rus  facus  ac  a  n-aileamain  acus  'g  a  n-altrom  ac  in  rigain 
lam-gil,  ac  (L)ichasta.i^ 

'  Acus  i  cind  na  bliadna  sin  tra  ro  gob  lason  a  gresacht  a 
muintiri  um  ^*  an  indsi  d'facbail,  of  chondairc  in  mur  co 
taighhgi.^5  Acus  ge  ra  gell-sium  ^®  and  sin  techt  a  ris  do 
Foi.  12a  2.  m'indsaigi-sea  co  h-inis  Lemin  ni  ra  comaill  a  ni  sin.  Cid 
tra  acht  o  ra  airig  Tifis,  luamairi  na  luingi  sin,  ruithne  grene 
^^do  glan-shoilHgud  ^^  ro  trellaim  tacur  ^^  a  luingi.  Acus 
.  ro  chomergedar  na  sluaig,  acus  ro  gob  lason  a  armo  re  ^^ 
each  ann  sin,  acus  ro  facbadar  amlaid  sin  in  indsi.  Ro 
bamar-ni  'ga  ^ofeithem  acus  'ga  fegair-si  ^^  cein  con-dechaid 
ar  seg  as  ar  suilib  'ga  sithellad. 

*  Asahaithli  sin  tra  adchualadar  ^^  mna  indsi  Lemin 
m'athair-sea  do  beth  i  rigi  indsi  Chio,  indsi  dear-brathar  do 
.c.  Cuus  mac  Baich.  Acus  ba  h-olc  leosum  sin  gan  a  marbad 
acus  gan  a  mugugad  dam-sa,  amal  ro  marbsad  fein  a  fir  ^^ 
acus  a  n-aithrecha.  Acus  ro  cindead  leo  mo  marbad-sa 
ind.  Of  chuala  sin  imorro,'  ar  si,  '  ro  elus  m'aenur  uathib 
re  taeb  in  mara.  Acus  o  na  ^^  f uarus  nech  re  setugud  sliged 
dam  2*  d'innsaigid  m'athar  .t.  Toaint,  tucat  me  in  dairi  acus 
in  dochraidi  do  chum  bar  crichi-si,  a  Grecu.' 

'  Ed.  repeats  acht.  ^  j;g.  adds  ar,        '  Ed.  oromarosamar, 

*  h-uairi.  ^  Eg.  adds  a.  ^  le.  "^  la. 

*  Ed.  repeats  ann  sin.       ^  Eg.  omits.  '^  oighedha.  "  MS.  xx. 
*2  h-uairie.                        *^  locusta^               **  Ed.  7  u.     Eg.  man. 

>''  Ed.  tai  i.  eg  ligi.     Eg.  teighlty/u.  '^  Ed.  adds  = .     Eg.  omits. 

17-17  gian  soillsi  do  techt.  '^  tachar.  *'  ria. 

20-20  fegadh.        "  do.  chualamair-ne.  22  gpu.         23  ^ach.         24  Eg.  omits 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  127 

*  Now,'  said  she,  '  we  opened  the  doors  of  our  houses  to 
this  company.  We  offered  no  sacrifices,  nor  did  we  sleep 
or  rest  since  we  slew  our  husbands  until  that  hour.  Each 
man  of  them  took  to  choosing  a  partner  from  among  those 
of  us  who  were  present.  And  I  understood  from  the  gods 
that  I  had  neither  permission  nor  counsel  from  them  to  wed 
Jgtson  that  night,  loving  and  kind  to  other  women  though 
he  was.  These  men  were  with  us  for  a  full  year  in  that 
island.  And  we  bore  them  weU-favoured  children  of  good 
hneage.  And  I  bore  to  Jason,  son  of  Aeson,  two  boys  there 
who  were  named  Thoas  and  Eunios.  However,  I  know  not 
of  their  condition  or  their  lot,  for  there  are  now  twenty 
years  since  I  left  them  to  be  nurtured  and  reared  with  the 
white-handed  lady,  Lycaste. 

*  Now  ^  at  the  end  of  the  year  Jason  began  to  urge  his 
people  to  leave  the  island  when  he  saw  the  sea  quiet  and 
bright.  And  although  he  promised  to  return  again  to  me 
to  Lemnos,  he  did  not  keep  his  promise.  Moreover,  when 
the  pilot  of  the  ship,  Tiphys,  observed  the  rays  of  the  sun 
shining  in  full  strength  he  made  ready  the  ship.  The  hosts 
arose  as  one  man,  and  Jason  was  the  first  to  take  to  his 
weapons.  Thus  they  left  the  island.  We  were  watching 
them  and  gazing  after  them  until  our  vision  failed  us  after 
our  long  looking. 

*  Thereafter  ^  the  women  of  Lemnos  heard  that  my 
father  was  king  of  the  island  of  Chios,  an  island  that 
belonged  to  his  brother,  Chios  (?)  son  of  Bacchus.  They 
were  angry  because  I  had  not  slain  and  destroyed  him 
as  they  slew  their  husbands  and  fathers,  and  so  they  re- 
solved to  slay  me.  Now  when  I  heard  that,'  added  she, 
'  I  slipped  away  alone  by  the  side  of  the  sea,  and  when  I 
found  no  one  to  point  the  way  to  my  father  Thoas,  I  was 
taken  in  bondage  and  slavery  to  your  country,  O  Greeks.' 

»  TL,  V.  468.  2  xh.,  V.  486. 


128  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  THE  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL  ^ 

Alfred  Percival  Graves 

A  revival  is  '  a  living  again,'  and  suggests  an  active 
anterior  life.  This  certainly  was  true  of  Irish  folk  song 
in  the  past.  In  Ireland's  dim  traditionary  dawn,  music  is 
reputed  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  country  by  the 
Tuatha  Da  Dannan,  whom  an  early  legend  describes  as 
coming  up  from  Greece  along  what  is  known  as  the  Amber 
route,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Elbe,  across  Lochlann,  now 
Norway  and  Sweden  ;  thence  across  the  centre  of  Alba  or 
Scotland  into  Erin.  And  remarkably  enough,  inscriptions 
of  the  same  kind  as  are  found  upon  the  tombs  of  these 
Da  Dannan  kings,  inscriptions  which  a  party  of  us  from 
the  Irish  Literary  Society  saw  there  a  few  summers  since, 
are  to  be  found,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  George  Coffey,  the 
celebrated  Irish  antiquary,  all  along  the  line  of  the  Amber 
Route,  and  in  a  belt  of  Norway  and  Sweden  and  Scotland 
and  in  Ireland  and  nowhere  else  in  Europe. 

What  was  the  nature  of  the  music  that  this  early  people 
brought  with  them  to  Ireland  ?  According  to  Dr.  Petrie, 
our  leading  Irish  musical  antiquary,  it  consisted  of  plough 
tunes,  lamentation  airs  and  lullabies.  And  these  would  be 
accounted  for  in  the  weird  old  folk  tale  which  describes  how 
the  harper  of  the  Tuatha  Da  Dannan  recovered  his  magical 
harp  from  his  Fomorian  foes  by  playing  upon  it  the  Goltree 
(Gultraigh)  airs  which  turned  their  fury  to  weeping,  and  the 
Soontree  (Suaintraigh)  tunes  which  sent  them  all  to  sleep,  so 
enabling  the  Harper  Uaithne  to  escape  unscathed  with  the 
Daghda's  harp.  But  the  old  tale  also  states  that  the  harper 
played  upon  another  of  the  feelings  of  the  Fomorians,  by 
turning  their  weeping  into  laughing  before  they  fell  asleep, 

^  An  address  given  with  musical  illustrations  by  Mr.  Plunket  Greene  and  Miss 
Jean  Stirling  MacKinlay,  at  the  Botanic  Theatre  of  University  College,  London,  on 
the  occasion  of  the  Coming  of  Age  Celebration  of  the  Irish  Literary  Society,  June  10, 
1913,  by  its  President,  Alfred  Percival  Graves. 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL    129 

through  his  performance  of  the  Gentree  (Geantraigh)  or 
mirth-provoking  music.  If  the  old  tale  speaks  truth,  the 
class  of  Irish  music  which  to  this  day  is  to  be  heard  upon 
the  harp  and  violin,  setting  us  all  dancing  or  quick-steppihg, 
and  raising  our  spirits  as  well  as  our  toes  and  heels,  is  of  very 
early  origin.  And,  indeed,  this  may  be  well  believed  by 
students  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  early  Irish  who 
were  not,  as  some  of  our  poets  suggest,  a  merely  mystical 
or  melancholy  people,  but  a  joyous  and  festive  race — at  any 
rate  in  the  intervals  of  hard  fighting. 

Dr.  Petrie  points  out  that  the  Irish  lullabies  are  curiously 
like  in  character  to  Indian  and  Persian  hush  songs,  and 
this  would  tend  to  support  the  belief  in  their  early  Eastern 
origin.  The  plough  tunes  similarly  suggest  a  primeval 
origin  by  their  character  and  intervals ;  and  this  is  true  of 
some  of  the  earlier  laments,  such  as  the  '  Return  from 
"  Fingal "  '  or  the  realm  of  the  Dublin  Danes,  by  the  vic- 
torious Dalcassians,  chanting  the  death  dirges  of  Brian  Boru 
and  his  son  Murrough  who  had  just  fallen  at  the  battle  of 
Clontarf.  It  may  be  here  mentioned  that  as  a  rule  the 
Irish  marches  are  quick-step  marches.  We  have  a  number 
of  these,  and  Mr.  Arthur  Darley,  oui  famous  Irish  violinist 
is,  I  am  glad  to  believe,  engaged  in  collecting  them  in  a 
volume  of  Irish  clan  marches  which  should  be  exceedingly 
interesting  to  all  our  O's  and  Mac's.  These  quick-step 
marches  have  been  further  quickened  into  jig  tunes,  whether 
in  f  or  f  time,  and  clan  marches  may  be  recovered 
through  this  dance  medium. 

Irish  music  was  now  in  the  hands  both  of  the  bards  and 
the  ecclesiastics,  and  the  national  instrument  was  the  harp 
of  from  thirty  to  sixty  strings.  To  this  instrument  the 
bards  of  the  princes  and  chieftains,  even  upon  the  battle- 
field, would  recite  the  achievements  of  his  fathers  as  an 
incitement  to  his  hereditary  lord.  It  is  stated,  indeed,  that 
the  bard  thus  chanted  on  the  old  Irish  battlefield,  surrounded 
by  a  group  of  harpers  who  accompanied  him  almost  with 
the  effect  of  a  military  band.     In  the  Fenian  tales  there  is 

VOL.  IX.  I 


130  THE  CELTIC  KEVIEW 

reference  made  to  the  Dord,  which  would  appear  to  be  a 
concerted  cry  or  chorus,  a  cry  of  warning  if  not  a  war  cry. 

As  early  as  the  close  of  the  sixth  century  we  gather 
from  a  passage  in  Adamnan's  Life  of  St.  Columba  that  the 
Irish  monks  sang  canticles  in  counterpoint.  St.  Cellach, 
a  student  of  Bangor,  Co.  Down,  the  name  implying  '  fair 
choir '  or  '  chief  choir,'  gave  his  name  to  the  monastery  of 
St.  Gaul  in  Switzerland,  which  became  like  that  of  Bangor, 
a  famous  music  school.  Again,  St.  MaildufE,  the  Irish 
founder  of  Mailduffsburgh  or  Malmesbury  in  England, 
flourished  in  670  and  composed  many  beautiful  hymns. 
I  may  add  that  Dr.  Joyce  told  me  some  years  since  that  a 
Latin  hymn  by  Sedulius,  whose  Irish  name  was  Shiel,  is  still 
sung  at  the  Irish  College  in  Rome  to  a  very  early  Irish  air, 
probably  contemporary  with  the  sixth  century  Latin  hymn. 

Ireland,  indeed,  at  this  time  was  full  of  music ;  for  besides 
the  harp,  we  had  as  musical  instruments  the  war  pipes 
blown  through  the  mouth  by  marching  pipers,  not  played 
as  are  our  beautiful  union  pipes,  by  the  hand,  the  wind  being 
suppUed  by  bellows  held  under  the  arm  while  the  musician 
remains  seated.  Great  sums  of  money  were  paid  to  bards 
and  minstrels  for  their  songs — in  those  days  '  not  worth  a 
song '  had  no  meaning  in  Ireland.  There  were  hereditary 
families  of  minstrels,  instrumental  players  and  singers, 
and  their  names  have  come  down  to  us,  thus  the  word 
Ward  is  bard,  Cronin  has  to  do  with  the  word  Cronavm,  the 
crooning  of  a  song,  Crotty  is  connected  with  the  Irish  Cruit, 
the  Welsh  Crwth,  the  English  Crowd,  and  so  forth. 

Irish  music  was  heard  abundantly  during  the  Crusades. 
Dante  speaks  with  admiration  of  the  Irish  harp,  and,  indeed, 
there  is  a  chorus  of  praise  for  Irish  minstrelsy  all  through  early 
and  mediaeval  times,  abroad  and  in  this  country,  which  may 
well  be  summed  up  by  Drayton's  lines  in  his  Polyolhion  ; — 

The  Irish  I  admire 

And  still  cleave  to  that  lyre, 

As  our  Muse's  mother ; 
And  think  till  I  expire 

Apollo  's  such  another. 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL    131 

When  Henry  viii.  became  overlord  of  Ireland,  though  not 
king,  the  Irish  harp  was  added  to  the  English  arms,  and 
his  daughter.  Queen  Elizabeth,  took  the  greatest  pleasure 
in  Irish  music.  Sir  Henry  Sydney,  in  a  letter  to  her  in 
1569,  waxes  enthusiastic  over  the  dancing  of  Irish  jigs  by 
the  ladies  of  Galway,  whom  he  describes  as  very  beautiful, 
magnificently  dressed,  and  excellent  dancers.  This,  as 
Dr.  Grattan  Flood  points  out,  disposes  of  the  suggestion 
that  the  jig-dance  was  borrowed  from  the  Italians  in  the 
latter  half  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Meantime  Ireland 
had  become  the  music  school  of  Scotland  and  to  a  large 
extent  of  North  Wales.  There  had  always  been  much 
passing  backwards  and  forwards  of  minstrels  from  the 
north  of  Ireland  and  that  part  of  Scotland  which  in  early 
times  had  been  conquered  by  Ulster  warriors,  and  Griffith 
ap  C3nian,  Prince  of  North  Wales,  had,  through  his  Irish 
mother  and  residence  in  Ireland  brought  Irish  minstrels 
and  bards  over  to  his  country.  There  is  considerable 
dispute  as  to  how  far  North  Wales  was  ever  actually  con- 
quered by  the  Irish.  Sir  John  Rhys  maintains  that  there 
is  good  evidence  of  this.  Certainly  somehow  or  other, 
as  will  be  mentioned  later,  there  is  a  great  deal  in  common 
between  what  are  believed  to  be  the  earliest  Welsh  airs 
and  early  Irish  ones. 

Of  Shakespeare  and  Irish  music  Dr.  Grattan  Flood  has 
written  an  interesting  chapter  in  his  History  of  Irish  Music. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  Irish  music  was,  as  he  states,  much 
in  vogue  in  England  during  the  sixteenth  century  and  was  in 
favour  at  court  during  the  last  year  of  Queen  Elizabeth's 
reign ;  for  the  Earl  of  Worcester  writes  on  9th  September 
1602  to  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  in  these  terms  :  '  We  frolic 
here  in  court,  much  dancing  in  the  Privy  Chamber  of 
country  dances  before  the  Queen's  Majesty,  who  is  exceed- 
ingly pleased  therewith.  Irish  tunes  are  at  this  time  most 
pleasing.' 

What  are  these  dances  ?  They  are  referred  to  as  the  Hey, 
a  coimtry  dance  or  round,  long  known  in  the  Irish  Pale, 


132  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

and  which  is  the  origin  of  the  English  round  or  country- 
dance,  according  to  Dr.  Grattan  Flood;  and  Trenchmore, 
an  Anglicised  corruption  of  Rinnce  Mor  or  the  Rinnce  Fada, 
that  is  the  long  dance,  the  Hey  being  danced  in  a  circle. 
One  of  the  earliest  Heys  is  stated  by  Sir  John  Hawkins  to 
be  '  Sellenger's  Round,'  which  Sir  Anthony  St  Leger  or 
Sellinger  saw  danced  in  Ireland  in  1540,  and  brought  back 
with  him  to  England  in  1548,  where  its  popularity  was  so 
great  that  it  was  arranged  by  the  famous  master  Dr.  William 
Byrd.  Two  Irish  tunes  mentioned  under  various  names 
by  Shakespeare  had  previously  been  identified  by  Malone, 
Petrie  and  others.  Dr.  Grattan  Flood  claims  to  have 
identified  nine  others.  *  Callino  custurame '  ('  Chailin  og  a 
stinir  thu  mi  ? '  *  Young  girl,  wilt  thou  guide  me '),  or  '  Col- 
leen oge  asthore '  '  Little  girl  of  my  heart,'  and  '  Ducdame ' 
'  diuca  tu '  '  Will  you  come  ? '  are  the  earlier  pair  of  finds. 
Dr.  Flood  claims  '  Fortune  my  Foe,'  '  Peg  a  Ramsay,'  and 
*  Bonny  Sweet  Robin,'  '  Whoop,  do  me  no  harm  good 
man,'  referred  to  in  Wintefs  Tale  twice  over,  but  better 
known  in  Ireland  as  '  Paddy  Whack,'  and  adapted  by 
Moore  to  his  melody  '  While  History's  Muse.'  *  Well-a- 
day'  or  'Essex's  last  Good-night'  is  also  claimed  by  Dr. 
Flood,  though  I  think  somewhat  doubtfully,  but  '  The 
Fading,'  mentioned  in  the  4th  Act  of  A  Winter's  Tale,  is  by 
William  Chappell's  testimony,  the  Irish  dance  tune  of  the 
Rincce  Fada,  a  dance  to  this  day  called  The  Faddy  in  Corn- 
wall. I  have  not  so  much  faith  in  Dr.  Grattan  Flood's 
claim  to  '  Light  o'  Love,'  and  *  Come  o'er  the  bourn,  Bessie, 
to  me,'  but  '  Yellow  stockings '  would  appear  to  be  the 
Irish  '  Cuma  Liom,'  '  It  is  indifferent  to  me'  or  '  I  don't  care.' 
Moore  set  to  it  his  song  '  Fairest  put  on  awhile.' 

We  now  pass  through  a  period  of  stress  and  struggle 
in  Ireland.  Its  chieftains,  in  spite  of  notable  rallies  made 
by  the  O'Neills,  Owen  Roe  O'Donnell,  and  the  Geraldines, 
the  Norman  Irish  Lords  who  became  more  Irish  than  the 
Irish,  had  less  and  less  time  to  devote  to  the  poetical  and 
musical  arts,  and  gradually,  though  very  gradually,  the  Irish 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL     133 

bard,  famous  for  the  three  feats  of  solemn,  gay,  and  sleep- 
compelling  music,  degenerated  under  the  stress  of  the 
internecine  conflicts  between  Saxon  and  Gael  in  Ireland, 
into  the  strolling  minstrel,  and  finally  into  the  itinerant 
piper  or  fiddler  or  the  street  baUad  singer. 

The  Irish  Jacobite  poems  and  songs,  though  one  of  them, 
the  '  Blackbird,'  is  of  great  musical  beauty,  do  not,  for 
very  good  reasons,  show  that  passionate  attachment  for 
the  Stewart  cause  that  pulses  through  Lady  Nairne's 
beautiful  Scottish  Jacobite  lyrics. 

But  some  of  them,  such  as  the  '  Slender  Red  Steed,' 
and  the  '  Dawning  of  the  Day  '  are  full  of  patriotic  fervour. 
Perhaps,  however,  the  *  Lament  of  the  Irish  Maiden  for  her 
Lover,'  who  has  gone  to  serve  the  Stewart  cause  abroad, 
which  is  found  in  various  Anglo-Irish  versions  under  the 
titles  '  Shule  Agra '  or  '  Shule  Aroon,'  or  '  I  wish  I  were  on 
yonder  Hill '  is  for  passionate  melancholy  the  best  musical 
exempHfication  that  could  be  given  of  these  Irish  Jacobite 
songs. 

We  now  come  to  an  important  epoch  in  Irish  folk  and 
national  music — that  of  the  Granard  and  Belfast  Meetings 
of  harpers — promoted  with  the  object  of  reviving  the  taste 
for  Irish  music,  which  had  begun  to  decline  during  the 
Hanoverian  period,  under  its  German  musical  influences. 
These  meetings,  which  took  place  between  the  years  1792 
and  1800,  were  very  successful,  and  awoke  in  the  distin- 
guished Belfast  musician  Mr.  Bunting  such  an  enthusiasm 
for  Irish  music  that  he  henceforth  devoted  his  main  efforts 
to  its  collection  and  publication.  Of  the  Belfast  meeting 
he  writes  thus  vividly:  'AH  the  best  of  the  old  class  of 
harpers,  a  race  of  men  then  nearly  extinct,  and  now  gone 
for  ever,  were  present :  Hempson,  O'Neill,  Fanning  and 
seven  others,  the  least  able  of  whom  has  not  left  his  equal 
behind.  Hempson,  who  was  more  than  a  hundred  years 
old  at  the  time,  realised  the  antique  picture  drawn  by 
Cambrensis  and  Galilei,  for  he  played  with  long  crooked 
nails,  the  left  hand  above  the  right,  and  in  his  performance 


134  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

"  the  tinkling  of  the  small  wires  under  the  deep  notes  of  the 
bass  "  was  particularly  thrilling. 

'  He  was  the  only  one  who  played  the  very  old  music  of 
the  country,  and  this  in  a  style  of  such  finished  excellence 
as  persuaded  me  that  the  praises  of  the  old  Irish  harp 
in  Cambrensis,  EuUer,  and  others,  were  no  more  than  a 
just  tribute  to  that  admirable  instrument  and  its  then 
professors.' 

Bunting's  first  collection,  consisting  of  sixty-six 
hitherto  unpublished  pieces,  was  brought  out  in  1796,  and 
its  success,  combined  with  the  establishment  of  the  Irish 
Harp  Society  in  Belfast  as  a  consequence  of  the  meeting 
of  harpers  in  that  city,  attracted  the  attention  of  Thomas 
Moore.  He  was  at  the  time  still  a  student  at  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  and  it  is  recorded  that  when  he  played 
the  tune  of  the  '  Fox's  Sleep  '  to  his  friend  Robert  Emmet, 
that  young  patriot  strode  about  the  room  exclaiming 
'  Heavens  !  what  an  air  for  an  army  to  march  to.'  Moore 
then  set  himself  to  work  to  write  words  to  Irish  airs,  chiefly 
derived  from  the  Bunting  collection,  but  had  long  to  go 
a-begging  with  the  MSS.  of  his  earliest  Irish  Melodies. 

It  may  have  been  that  English  publishers  of  music, 
however  ready  to  own  the  beauty  of  the  airs  and  their 
accompanying  words,  did  not  think  them  likely  to  pay,  or 
possibly  regarded  some  of  them  as  perilously  national  for 
publication  so  soon  after  the  Rebellion  of  '98.  But  Moore 
eventually  secured  the  support  of  a  compatriot  in  Power 
the  publisher,  and  the  assistance  of  a  stiU  more  important 
Irishman  in  Sir  John  Stevenson,  the  arranger  of  the  Irish 
Melodies :  we  know  now  with  what  a  remarkable  result. 

Power  in  his  first  announcement  mentions  the  promise 
of  assistance  in  the  work  from  '  other  literary  characters ' 
besides  Moore,  though  he  does  not  specify  them  by  name. 
But  these  writers  would  appear  to  have  given  way  to 
Moore,  whose  strong  zeal  for  his  share  of  the  work  is  shown 
in  a  letter  to  Stevenson  of  the  year  1807,  from  which  I 
quote  an  important  passage  : — 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL     135 

'  Our  national  music  has  never  been  properly  collected 
and  while  the  composers  of  the  Continent  have  enriched 
their  operas  with  melodies  borrowed  from  Ireland,  very 
often  without  even  the  honesty  of  acknowledgment,  we 
have  left  these  treasures  to  a  great  degree  unclaimed  and 
fugitive.  Thus  our  airs,  like  too  many  of  our  countrymen, 
have,  for  want  of  protection  at  home,  passed  into  the  service 
of  foreigners.  But  we  are  come,  I  hope,  to  a  better  period 
of  both  Politics  and  Music  ;  and  how  much  they  are  con- 
nected, in  Ireland  at  least,  appears  too  plainly  in  the  tone 
of  sorrow  and  depression  which  characterises  most  of  our 
early  songs. 

'  The  task  which  you  propose  to  me,  of  adapting  words 
to  these  airs,  is  by  no  means  easy.  The  poet,  who  would 
follow  the  various  sentiments  which  they  express,  must 
feel  and  understand  that  rapid  fluctuation  of  spirits,  that 
unaccountable  mixture  of  gloom  and  levity,  which  com- 
poses the  character  of  my  countrymen,  and  has  deeply 
tinged  their  music.  Even  in  their  liveliest  strains  we  find 
some  melancholy  note  intrude — some  minor  third  or  flat 
seventh — which  throws  its  shade  as  it  passes,  and  makes 
even  mirth  interesting.  If  Burns  had  been  an  Irishman 
(and  I  would  willingly  give  up  all  our  claims  upon  Ossian 
for  him)  his  heart  would  have  been  proud  of  such  music, 
and  his  genius  would  have  made  it  immortal. 

'  Another  difficulty  (which  is,  however,  purely  mechani- 
cal) arises  from  the  irregular  structure  of  many  of  those 
airs,  and  the  lawless  kind  of  metre  which  it  will  in  conse- 
quence be  necessary  to  adapt  to  them.  In  these  instances 
the  poet  must  write,  not  to  the  eye,  but  to  the  ear ;  and 
must  be  content  to  have  his  verses  of  that  description  which 
Cicero  mentions,  Quos  si  cantu  spoKaveris  nuda  remanebit 
oratio.  That  beautiful  air  the  "Twisting  of  the  Rope," 
which  has  aU  the  romantic  character  of  the  Swiss  Ranz  des 
Vaches,  is  one  of  those  wild  and  sentimental  rakes  which 
it  will  not  be  very  easy  to  tie  down  in  sober  wedlock  with 
poetry.     However,   notwithstanding   all   these   difficulties, 


136  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

and  the  very  little  talent  which  I  can  bring  to  surmount 
them,  the  design  appears  to  me  so  truly  National,  that  I  shall 
feel  much  pleasure  in  giving  it  all  the  assistance  in  my 
power.' 

The  melodies  appeared  in  groups  of  sixteen  at  a  time, 
and  immediately  found  favour,  but  not  with  the  populace, 
whom  they  very  gradually  reached.  It  was  in  the  drawing- 
rooms  of  the  upper  classes,  where  Moore  himself  sang  his 
melodies  with  a  small  voice,  but  exquisite  feeling,  that  the 
Irish  melodies  first  became  famous. 

Moore  was  before  his  time  in  recognising  the  artistic 
value  of  brevity  in  the  modem  song  and  ballad.  More- 
over his  knowledge  of  lyrical  perspective  is  unrivalled,  his 
thought  is  pellucid,  never  obscured  by  condensation  or 
dimmed  by  diffuseness.  But  he  most  asserts  his  mastery 
in  song-craft  by  the  apparent  ease  with  which  he  handles 
the  most  intricate  musical  measures,  and  mates  the  striking 
notes  of  each  tune  to  the  words  most  adapted  to  them 
both  in  sound  and  sense  ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  art  with 
which  he  almost  Italianises  English  speech  by  a  melodious 
sequence  of  varying  vowels  and  alliterative  consonants 
which  almost  sing  themselves.  Yet  whilst  Moore  has,  in 
addition  to  this  vocal  quality,  the  very  perfection  of  playful 
wit  and  graceful  fancy,  as  in  *  Quick  !  We  have  but  a 
Second,'  and  now  and  again  real  pathos,  as  in  '  O  breathe 
not  his  name ! '  *  She  is  far  from  the  land ! '  and  again  an 
irresistible  martial  spirit  as  in  '  O  the  Light  Entrancing ; ' 
and  '  Avenging  and  bright  falls  the  swift  sword  of  Erin ! ' 
many  of  his  melodies  are  not  standing  the  test  of  time. 
This  is  either  because  our  fine  airs  have  been  altered  in  time 
or  character  by  him  and  Stevenson,  and  so  depreciated, 
or  have  been  assorted  by  Moore  with  the  sentimental, 
metaphorical,  and  pseudo-philosophical  fancies  that  took 
the  taste  of  the  English  upper  classes  half  a  century  ago, 
or  because  the  tunes  to  which  some  of  his  finer  lyrics  are 
set  are  not  of  the  first-rate  quality. 

If  a  great  national  collection  of  Irish  melodies  is  to  be 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL    137 

formed  it  will  be  our  plain  duty  to  divorce  these  ill-matched 
lyrics  from  their  present  partners,  and  to  mate  them  to 
worthy  airs  in  the  Petrie  and  Joyce  collections  and  in 
Bunting's  last  volume,  which  came  after  Moore's  last 
melodies,  and  of  which  he  was  so  ill-advisedly  contemptuous. 
It  is  as  plain  an  obhgation  to  slip  out  of  their  golden  settings 
Moore's  occasional  bits  of  green  glass  and  to  slip  into  them 
the  occasional  emeralds  of  his  contemporaries  and  suc- 
cessors.^ 

The  collections  of  Bunting  may  be  said  to  have  brought 
about  the  first  revival  of  Irish  Folk  music.  His  last  volume 
— from  which  Thomas  Moore  drew  nothing,  and  of  which 
he  spoke  with  unjustified  contempt — considering  the 
popular  success  of  some  of  its  melodies  in  Sir  Charles  Stan- 
ford's hands — appeared  as  late  as  1840.  For  Bunting  had 
long  survived  the  romantic  days  of  the  northern  Rebellion, 
when  the  '  Parting  of  Friends '  was  very  sadly  and,  as  it 
proved,  significantly  sung  in  the  presence  of  Wolfe  Tone, 
and  that  noble  Irishman,  Thomas  Russell,  both  of  whom 
expiated  their  acts  of  rebellion  against  British  authority 
by  the  death  penalty. 

It  had  long  been  a  matter  of  wonder  that  the  Irish 
verses  to  which  these  airs  had  been  sung  were  not  forth- 
coming, although  English  renderings  from  them  by  Miss 
Balfour  and  others  were  published  in  this  de  luxe  volume 
of  1840.  The  mystery  has  been  solved  quite  recently  by 
the  energetic  secretary  of  the  Irish  Folk  Song  Society, 
Mrs.  MiUigan  Fox,  under  remarkable  circumstances.  Call- 
ing at  Morley's,  the  harp  makers,  she  learnt  that  one  of  his 
customers  had  recently  ordered  an  Irish  harp  on  the  ground 
that  his  grandfather  had  been  a  collector  of  Irish  music. 
Mrs.  Fox  inquired  his  name  and  address.  The  purchaser 
proved  to  be  Dr.  Louis  Macrory  of  Battersea,  who  gener- 
ously put  a  great  amount  of  unpublished  material  inherited 

*  The  above  criticism  of  Moore's  powers  as  a  lyrical  writer  is  quoted  from  the 
introduction  to  my  Irish  Song  Book,  one  of  the  volumes  in  the  New  Irish  Library, 
published  by  Mr.  Fisher  Unwin. 


138  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

from  his  grandfather,  James  Bunting,  at  Mrs.  Fox's  disposal. 
He  furthermore  added  to  her  deUght  by  informing  her  that 
there  were  other  Bunting  papers  in  a  box  in  Dublin.  This 
proved  to  contain  a  great  number  of  the  Gaelic  originals 
of  the  tunes  in  the  Bunting  collection.  Why  had  they  lain 
neglected  for  fifty  years  or  more  ?  Because  Patrick  Lynch 
who  had  collected  them  round  the  country  had  turned 
king's  evidence  against  Russell,  one  of  his  employers,  upon 
this  quest.  Russell  was  sent  to  the  gallows,  the  friendly 
company  of  folk-song  collectors  was  broken  up,  and  there 
was  a  strong  feeling  against  the  publication  of  manuscripts 
collected  by  Lynch  the  informer,  and  hence  their  sup- 
pression tiU  their  discovery  by  Mrs.  Milligan  Fox.  They 
have  been  in  part  translated  into  English  by  Miss  Alice 
Milligan,  Mrs.  MiUigan  Fox's  brilliant  sister.  Their  entire 
translation  and  publication  may  be  looked  for  in  the  early 
future. 

George  Thomson,  the  music  publisher  of  Edinburgh, 
who  had  drawn  Robert  Burns  into  writing  words  to  Scottish 
airs  and  had  levied  a  free  impost  upon  Irish  melodies  for 
Scottish  lyrical  purposes,  began  to  look  around  for  fresh 
material,  and  in  the  year  1809  made  a  serious  attempt, 
with  the  assistance  of  John  Parry  (Bardd  Alaw)  to  fit  the 
Welsh  harp  melodies  with  words.  Delighted — writes 
Dr.  Lloyd  Williams,  the  editor  of  the  Welsh  Folk-Song 
Journal — with  the  beauty  and  peculiar  character  of  these 
airs,  he  formed  the  resolution  to  collect  and  adapt  them 
for  the  voice,  to  procure  masterly  accompaniments  and 
characteristic  English  verses,  and  to  render  them  in  all 
respects  as  interesting  as  possible.  The  airs  were  sent  to 
him  by  friends  from  different  parts  of  Wales,  and  he  also 
traversed  Wales  himself  in  order  to  hear  the  airs  played 
by  the  best  harpers.  The  total  absence  of  English  poems 
to  the  melodies  surprised  Thomson  immensely.  His 
astonishment  was  further  increased  when  he  was  told  by 
the  Bard  of  Snowdon  that  there  were  hardly  any  lyrics 
even   in   Welsh.     Thomson  accordingly  went  to  English 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL     139 

and  Scottish  lyrical  writers  for  the  words  to  these  Welsh 
airs,  and  finally  asked  three  famous  German  composers, 
Haydn,  Kozeluch  and  Beethoven,  to  arrange  them.  When, 
in  addition  to  this,  it  has  to  be  stated  that  Thomson 
altered  many  of  the  melodies  to  suit  his  own  taste  (and 
that  his  taste  did  not  equal  his  enthusiasm,  is  evinced  by 
the  bitter  complaints  of  Irish  and  Scottish  writers  of  the 
gross  injustice  done  to  their  countries'  melodies),  it  cannot 
be  wondered  at  that  the  whole  result,  from  an  artistic  and 
particularly  from  a  national  point  of  view,  was  a  decided 
failure.  '  It  would  be  exceedingly  difficult,'  adds  Dr. 
Lloyd  WiUiams,  '  to  find  a  better  object  lesson  in  national 
music  than  this  presents  to  us.  Here  we  have  an  enthusi- 
astic Scotchman,  who  mutilates  many  of  the  Welsh  airs 
which  he  desires  to  glorify ;  we  have  a  number  of  English 
and  Scotch  poets,  most  of  whom  failed  to  fit  the  airs  with 
words  that  express  either  the  rhythm  or  sentiment  of  them, 
whilst  the  foremost  musicians  of  Europe  write  excellent 
arrangements,  which  yet  lack  the  subtle  something  which 
breathes  out  the  national  feehng.  All  this  shows  us  clearly 
that  it  is  essential  that  both  the  poet  who  writes  the  words 
and  the  musician  who  sets  the  accompaniments,  should  be 
completely  imbued  with  the  national  feeling,  in  order  that 
the  melody  may  retain  its  power  of  appeal  to  the  hearts  of 
the  people  that  gave  it  birth.' 

Mutatis  mutandis  this  wise  judgment  appUes  to  the 
English  words  to  Bunting's  airs  written  by  Scottish  and 
English  writers,  and  to  the  German  versions  of  Scottish 
and  Irish,  as  well  as  Welsh  airs,  with  German  verse  trans- 
lations even  of  such  Anglo-Irish  humours  as  '  Paddy 
O'Rafferty.' 

Thank  goodness  that  bad  time  has  gone  by,  and  I  think 
we  of  the  four  Folk  Song  Societies  may  congratulate  our- 
selves upon  having  done  something  in  our  day  to  re- 
nationalise,  instead  of  de-nationalise,  English,  Irish,  Scottisli 
and  Welsh  airs,  by  simple  and  yet  artistic  settings  of  them, 
and  by  providing  them  with  reverently  restored  versions  of 


140  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

their  old  folk  words,  and  where  this  is  not  possible,  with 
lyrics  which  are  worthy  partners  for  them. 

It  may  here  be  stated  that  the  Irish  and  Highland  airs 
seem  most  akin,  not  only  owing  to  the  remarkable  alter- 
nations in  feeling  noticeable  in  different  parts  of  the  same 
air,  but  because  of  their  melancholy,  their  passion  and 
their  exhilaration.  Again  the  English  and  Welsh  airs  have 
some  family  likeness,  though  the  fiery  character  of  some 
of  the  old  Welsh  marches,  and  the  melancholy  of  such  a 
lamentation  as  the  '  Marsh  of  Rhuddlan '  are  more  Irish 
than  English.  But  certainly,  whilst  the  Welsh  music  has 
a  strain  of  its  own,  whether  it  be  derived  from  the  works 
of  mediaeval  harpers  or  from  the  modal  folk-songs  of  the 
Cymric  peasantry,  there  is  about  much  of  it  a  simpler, 
or,  if  I  may  put  it,  a  less  unexpected  quality  than  is  to  be 
found  in  Gaelic  music,  and  which  relates  it  to  the  British 
Celtic  music  of  Devon,  Somerset  and  Cornwall,  if  it  is 
wanting  in  the  more  robust  qualities  of  the  general  body 
of  English  folk  song. 

The  Isle  of  Man,  conquered  in  turn  by  the  Irish,  Norse, 
Welsh,  Scottish  and  English,  has  airs  of  all  kinds,  and  yet 
there  are  half  a  dozen  Manx  airs  such  as  the  '  Sheep  in  the 
Snow,'  and  some  of  the  Carvels  or  Carols  which  are  sui 
generis^  indeed,  individual  to  a  degree. 

To  revert  to  Dr.  Petrie  and  that  distinguished  Irish- 
man's great  services  to  his  country's  folk  songs.  When 
Dr.  Joyce  was  quite  a  young  man  he  sent  Petrie  some 
beautiful  folk  songs  which  he  had  as  a  lad  collected  in  his 
native  Glenosheen.  Petrie  was  delighted  with  these,  and 
Joyce  became  a  frequent  caller  at  the  doctor's  house  and 
heard  his  songs  sung  by  Petrie' s  daughter  Mary,  who  in 
her  youth  was  very  beautiful ;  Sir  Frederick  Burton's 
picture  of  the  '  Blind  Girl  at  the  Well '  is  an  admirable 
likeness  of  her  at  that  period.  '  How  well,'  writes  Dr. 
Joyce  to  me,  '  I  recollect  the  procedure  when  I  returned  to 
Dublin  for  my  vacation.  One  of  the  first  things  was  to 
spend  an  evening  with  the  whole  family,  the  father  and  the 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL     141 

four  daughters,  when  Mary  went  through  my  new  collection 
on  the  piano  with  the  rest  Ustening,  especially  Petrie  him- 
self, in  wrapt  delight,  as  she  came  across  some  exquisite  air 
he  had  not  heard  before.  But  of  all  the  airs  he  was  most 
delighted  with  the  "  Wicked  Kerry  Man,"  now  in  my 
Ancient  Irish  MusiCy  page  84.' 

Here  is  an  anecdote  of  Petrie  recorded  by  Dr.  Joyce  in 
another  communication  to  me,  showing  how  early  his  love 
for  Irish  music  had  been  :  '  When  Petrie  was  a  boy  he  was 
a  good  player  upon  a  little  single-keyed  flute.  One  day 
he  and  another  of  his  young  companions  set  out  for  a  visit 
to  Glendalough,  then  in  its  primitive  state  of  solitude. 
While  passing  Luggelaw  they  heard  a  girl  near  at  hand 
singing  a  beautiful  air.  Instantly  out  came  paper  and 
pencil  and  Petrie  took  it  down  and  then  played  it  on  his 
little  flute.  His  companions  were  charmed  with  it ;  and 
for  the  rest  of  the  journey,  every  couple  of  miles  when  they 
sat  down  to  rest,  they  cried,  '  Here,  Petrie,  out  with  your 
flute  and  give  us  that  lovely  tune.'  That  tune  is  now  known 
as  *  Luggelaw,'  and  to  it  Thomas  Moore,  to  whom  Petrie 
gave  it,  wrote  his  words  (as  lovely  as  the  music) : — 

No  not  more  welcome  the  fairy  numbers 

Of  music  fall  on  the  sleeper's  ear, 
When  half  awaking  from  fearful  slumbers, 

He  thinks  the  full  choir  of  heaven  is  near, — 

Than  came  that  voice,  when,  all  forsaken, 

This  heart  long  had  sleeping  lain, 
Nor  thought  its  cold  pulse  would  ever  waken 

To  such  benign,  blessed  sounds  again. 

And  this  brings  us  to  George  Petrie's  famous  collection 
of  Irish  music,  in  the  gathering  of  which  he  had  been  en- 
gaged with  passionate  interest  from  his  seventeenth  till 
after  his  seventieth  year. 

At  first  he  freely  gave  these  folk  airs  to  Thomas  Moore  and 
Francis  Holden,  and  even  offered  the  use  of  his  whole  col- 
lection to  Edward  Bunting.  But  finally,  for  fear  that  the 
priceless  hoard  might  be  neglected  or  lost  after  his  death, 


142  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

and  also  as  a  protest  against  the  methods  of  noting  and 
dealing  with  the  airs  pursued  by  Edward  Bunting  and 
Moore  and  Stevenson,  respectively,  Petrie  agreed  to  edit 
his  collection  for  the  Society  for  the  Preservation  and 
Publication  of  the  Ancient  Music  of  Ireland,  which  was 
founded  in  December  1851. 

One  volume  of  this  collection,  comprising,  however, 
only  about  a  tenth  part  of  it,  saw  the  light  in  1857.  A 
supplement  contains  thirty-six  airs,  some  of  which  Dr.  Stokes 
tells  us  were  sent  to  Petrie  by  personal  friends,  such  as 
Thomas  Davis  the  patriot,  William  Allingham  the  poet, 
Frederick  Burton  the  painter,  and  Patrick  Macdowell  the 
sculptor  ;  '  whilst  physicians,  students,  parish  priests,  Irish 
scholars  and  college  librarians  all  aided  in  the  good  work. 
But  most  of  Petrie' s  airs  have  been  noted  by  himself  from 
the  singing  of  the  people :  the  chanting  of  some  poor  ballad- 
singer,  the  song  of  the  emigrant,  of  peasant  girls  while 
milking  their  cows,  or  performing  their  daily  round  of 
household  duty,  from  the  playing  of  wandering  musicians, 
or  from  the  whistling  of  farmers  and  ploughmen.'  And  this 
description  is  typical  of  the  method  by  which  the  airs  were 
obtained,  in  this  instance  on  the  islands  of  Aran  : — 

'  Inquiries  having  been  made  as  to  the  names  of  persons 
"  who  had  music,"  that  is  who  were  known  as  possessors 
and  singers  of  the  old  airs,  an  appointment  was  made  with 
one  or  two  of  them  to  meet  the  members  of  the  party  at 
some  cottage  near  to  the  little  village  of  Kilronan,  which 
was  their  headquarters. 

'  To  this  cottage,  when  evening  fell,  Petrie,  with  his 
manuscript  music-book  and  violin,  and  always  accompanied 
by  his  friend.  Professor  Eugene  O' Curry,  the  famous  Irish 
scholar,  used  to  proceed. 

*  Nothing  could  exceed  the  strange  picturesqueness  of 
the  scenes  which  night  after  night  were  thus  presented. 

'  On  approaching  the  house,  always  lighted  up  by  a 
blazing  turf  fire,  it  was  seen  to  be  surrounded  by  the  islanders 
while  its  interior  was  crowded  by  figures,  the  rich  colours  of 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL    143 

whose  dresses,  heightened  by  the  firelight,  showed  with  a 
strange  vividness  and  variety,  while  their  fine  countenances 
were  all  animated  with  curiosity  and  pleasure. 

'  It  would  have  required  a  Rembrandt  to  paint  the 
scene.  The  minstrel — sometimes  an  old  woman,  sometimes 
a  beautiful  girl  or  a  young  man — was  seated  on  a  low  stool 
in  the  chimney  comer,  while  chairs  for  Petrie  and  O' Curry 
were  placed  opposite,  the  rest  of  the  crowded  audience 
remaining  standing.  The  singer  commenced,  stopping  at 
every  two  or  three  bars  of  the  melody  to  permit  the  writing 
of  the  notes,  and  often  repeating  the  passage  until  it  was 
correctly  taken  down,  and  then  going  on  with  the  melody, 
exactly  from  the  point  where  the  singing  was  interrupted. 
The  entire  air  being  at  last  obtained,  the  singer — a  second 
time — was  called  to  give  the  song  continuously,  and  when 
all  corrections  had  been  made,  the  violin,  an  instrument 
of  great  sweetness  and  power,  was  produced,  and  the  air 
played  as  Petrie  alone  could  play  it,  and  often  repeated. 

'  Never  was  the  inherent  love  of  music  among  the  Irish 
people  more  shown  than  on  this  occasion :  they  listened 
with  deep  attention,  while  their  heartfelt  pleasure  was 
expressed,  less  by  exclamations  than  by  gestures  ;  and 
when  the  music  ceased,  a  general  and  murmured  conver- 
sation, in  their  own  language,  took  place,  which  would 
continue  till  the  next  song  was  commenced.' 

Some  further  airs  drawn  from  the  Petrie  collection,  after 
the  publication  of  the  volume  of  1857,  have  appeared  in  the 
form  of  piano  arrangements  by  Francis  Hoffmann,  and  in 
vocal  settings  in  Songs  of  Old  Ireland,  Songs  of  Erin,  and 
Irish  Folk  Songs,  published  by  Boosey  and  Co.,  and  in  Irish 
Songs  and  Ballads,  published  by  Novello,  Ewer  and  Co. 
Now,  however,  the  entire  collection  of  about  eighteen 
hundred  airs  in  purely  melodic  form,  exactly  as  they  were 
noted  down  by  Petrie,  a  vast  treasure-house  of  folk  song, 
has  been  published  by  Messrs.  Boosey  and  Co.  for  our  Irish 
Literary  Society  under  the  editorship  of  Sir  Charles  Villiers 
Stanford. 


\ 


144  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Of  living  collectors  of  Irish  folk  songs  the  longest  at 
work,  the  most  learned,  most  indefatigable,  and  the  most 
enthusiastic — at  any  rate  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
— is  Dr.  Patrick  Weston  Joyce,  who  forty-one  years  ago 
published  Ancient  Irish  Music,  containing  a  hundred  airs, 
never  printed  before.  At  the  age  of  eighty,  he  published,  in 
1909,  with  Longmans  Old  Irish  Folk  Music  and  Songs,  a 
collection  of  no  less  than  eight  hundred  and  forty-two  Irish 
airs  and  songs,  hitherto  unpublished,  with  a  masterly  preface 
dealing  with  the  *  Forde  '  and  '  Pigot '  collections  contained 
in  his  volume,  the  characteristics  of  Irish  narrative  airs,  the 
origin  of  various  settings  of  Irish  airs,  the  relation  between 
Irish  and  Danish  music,  the  question  as  to  how  far  harmony 
existed  amongst  the  ancient  Irish,  the  various  kinds  of 
dance  tunes,  the  pace  at  which  different  kinds  of  Irish 
music  should  be  played,  and  the  total  number  of  Irish  airs, 
probably  some  five  thousand,  in  existence. 

This  volume  is  a  mine  of  beautiful  airs  and  of  interesting 
Anglo-Irish  song  and  ballad  words,  and  it  is  amazing  to 
think  that  it  may  yet  be  followed  by  another  collection  of 
the  kind  from  the  hands  of  our  Nestor  of  Irish  music. 

Mr.  Francis  O'Neill,  for  long  Chief  of  Police  in  Chicago, 
is  another  living  Irish  collector  of  folk  music.  This  en- 
thusiast, beginning  by  setting  down  the  Irish  airs,  learnt 
at  his  Irish-speaking  mother's  knee,  and  then  through  a 
course  of  years  tapping  the  memories  of  fellow-country- 
men who  had  drifted  to  Chicago  from  all  the  four  corners 
of  the  Green  Isle,  has  succeeded  in  getting  together  a  col- 
lection of  some  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty  Irish  airs,  of 
which  at  least  five  hundred  had  never  been  before  in 
print.  The  great  value  of  this  collection  consists  in 
the  number  of  instrumental  airs  which  it  contains.  Levy's 
book  of  Irish  dance  music  is  dwarfed  beside  it.  But 
to  go  back  a  little.  A  good  selection  from  the  Petrie 
collection,  harmonised  for  the  pianoforte  but  without 
words,  was  published  after  Petrie's  death  by  Piggott 
of  Dublin.      The   music    was  arranged    by  Hoffmann    a 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL    145 

German  resident  in  Dublin.  The  brothers  Frank  and 
Joseph  Robinson  also  arranged  Irish  airs,  and  so  did  Sir 
Robert  Stewart.  But  the  first  serious  departure  in  this 
direction  was  made  by  Sir  Charles  ViUiers  Stanford  in  his 
arrangements  of  Irish  airs,  chiefly  from  the  Petrie  collection, 
to  my  words,  in  three  volumes  Songs  of  Old  Ireland  and 
Songs  of  Erin,  published  by  Boosey,  and  Irish  Songs  and 
Ballads,  published  by  Novello.  Dr.  Charles  Wood  and  I 
have  also  done  a  collection  with  Boosey  entitled  Irish  Folk 
SongSy  and  we  have  a  volume  of  fifty  more  Irish  folk  songs 
in  the  press,  half  the  l3rrics  of  which  are  by  Thomas  Davis, 
Gerald  Grifiin,  Ferguson,  Allingham,  MacCall,  and  other 
well-known  Irish  song  writers,  the  remainder  being  from 
my  pen.  Latterly  Mr.  Herbert  Hughes  has  brought  out 
his  Songs  of  Ulla  and  Songs  of  Connaught,  with  lyrics  by 
Mr.  Joseph  Campbell,  Mr.  Padraic  Colum,  and  others, 
while  Mrs.  Milligan  Fox,  in  conjunction  with  her  sister  Alice 
Milligan  and  her  poetic  friend  Ethna  Carbery  and  others, 
has  arranged  several  groups  of  beautiful  North  Country 
Irish  airs,  besides  putting  the  musical  public  much  in  her 
debt  by  her  Annals  of  the  Irish  Harpers. 

There  has  been  indeed  a  gradually  growing  demand  for 
Irish  folk  music,  but  this  has  been  largely  due  to  the  appear- 
ance of  several  notable  Irish  folk  singers.  One  of  them,  a 
truly  great  and  versatile  singer  of  folk  songs,  Denis  O' Sulli- 
van, has,  alas!  passed  from  our  midst,  but  we  have,  if  I 
may  say  it  in  his  presence,  the  most  remarkable  interpreter 
of  Irish  songs,  tragic,  impetuous,  dreamy,  rollicking,  who 
has  appeared  in  my  day,  Mr.  Plunkett  Greene.  And  not 
only  is  he  a  great  singer,  but  a  fine  teacher,  as  anybody 
who  has  studied  his  volume  on  The  Interpretation  of  Song 
must  acknowledge.  To  every  folk  singer  I  commend  what 
he  says  about  the  right  way  to  sing  folk  songs,  for  with 
him  precept  and  example  are  finely  identical.  Other  fine 
singers  of  Irish  songs  have  been  Mr.  Ledwich,  better  known 
as  Herr  Ludwig,  and  of  course  Joseph  O'Mara ;  but  since  the 
days  of  Katherine  Hayes,  I  know  no  woman  singer  likely 

VOL.  IX.  K 


146  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

to  take  the  laurels  which  she  is  so  fast  winning  as  a  singer 
of  Irish  baUads  and  dramatic  songs  as  Miss  Jean  Sterling 
MacKinlay,  the  daughter  of  Antoinette  Sterling,  to  whom 
Dr.  Charles  Wood  and  I  owe  so  much  for  her  beautiful 
interpretation  of  so  many  of  our  songs. 

The  establishment  of  Folk  Song  Societies  in  the  United 
Kingdom  arose  with  the  foundation  (caused  by  a  conver- 
sation between  Mr.  Plunkett  Greene,  my  brother  Charles, 
and  myself)  of  the  Folk  Song  Society,  whose  object  was  the 
collecting  and  publishing  of  folk  songs,  ballads,  and  tunes. 
Its  first  meeting,  with  Mr.  Fuller  Maitland  in  the  chair, 
was  held  in  Adelphi  Terrace  at  the  rooms  of  the  Irish  Literary 
Society,  of  which  I  was  then  Hon.  Secretary.  Its  Hon. 
Secretary  was  that  delightfully  accomplished  musician  and 
enthusiastic  folk  song  collector,  Mrs.  Kate  Lee.  It  was 
intended  to  be  representative  of  the  four  nations,  its  presi- 
dent was,  and  is,  an  Englishman;  its  vice-presidents.  Sir 
Hubert  Parry,  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie,  and  Sir  Charles 
Stanford,  represent  the  sister  countries.  It  coUects  English 
airs  chiefly,  but  not  long  ago  Miss  Lucy  Broadwood,  one 
of  its  most  active  members,  and  for  some  time  its  secretary, 
published  an  interesting  find  of  Waterford  airs  in  its  journal, 
including  one  by  quite  a  young  girl  who  sang  it  to  her. 
Folk  songs  are  indeed  still  being  composed  in  Irish-speaking 
Ireland  and  Welsh-speaking  Wales,  if  not  in  Gaelic-speak- 
ing Scotland.  The  Folk  Song  Society  has  also  recently 
brought  out  a  remarkable  collection  of  Highland  airs, 
collected  by  Miss  Tolmie. 

But  Ireland  in  its  Home  Rule  tendencies  needed  special 
treatment,  and  an  Irish  Folk  Song  Society  is  now  flourishing 
with  Mrs.  Milligan-Fox  as  its  enthusiastic  secretary.  The 
Welsh  Folk  Song  Society,  which  owes  so  much  to  the  acti- 
vities of  Dr.  Lloyd  Williams  and  Mrs.  Mary  Davies,  took 
its  origin  at  a  meeting  of  the  Cymmrodorin  section  at  the 
Carnarvon  National  Eisteddfod  of  1906,  where  papers  were 
read  by  Principal,  now  Sir  Harry,  Reichel  and  myself,  in 
which  we  urged  the  formation  of  a  Welsh  Folk  Song  Society 


IRELAND'S  SHARE  IN  FOLK  SONG  REVIVAL     147 

to  collect  the  perishing  Welsh  melodies.  A  handsome 
response  was  made,  and  now  we  have  a  most  active  and 
successful  Welsh  Folk  Song  Society,  which  is  gathering 
Welsh  Folk  Airs  of  aU  kinds  in  hundreds,  nay  thousands, 
up  and  down  the  Principality  with  pen  and  pencil  and 
phonograph.  One  of  my  daughters  has  been  thus  engaged 
at  Harlech  quite  recently,  and  has  there  bagged  two  inter- 
esting and  long-lost  Irish  airs,  '  What  shall  we  do  with  the 
herring  ? '  and  '  Little  Jimmy  Murphy,'  the  first  a  rather 
unusual  instance  of  an  Irish  cumulative  song,  the  other 
a  quaint  pathetic  Irish  execution  ballad,  besides  a  dozen 
or  more  fresh  versions  of  Welsh  folk  songs.  The  Dunedin 
Musical  Association  recently  formed  is  also  collecting 
Scottish  folk  songs.  I  hope  they  will  prove  as  beautiful 
as  the  finds  of  Miss  Murray,  Mrs.  Kennedy  Fraser,  and 
Mr.  Kenneth  Macleod  in  the  Hebrides. 

The  Gaelic  League  has  not  been  idle  in  the  collection 
and  singing  of  folk  songs.  They  have  reintroduced  the 
singing  of  Irish-Gaelic  into  the  concert  room  and  collected 
many  traditional  songs  and  pipe  and  fiddle  airs.  The  Feis 
Ceoil,  the  Irish  Musical  Festival,  which  sprmig  out  of 
lectures  on  Irish  folk  song,  delivered  before  the  National 
Literary  Society  of  Dublin  by  Dr.  Annie  Patterson  and 
myself,  encourages  Irish  National  music  by  prizes  for 
singing  in  Irish  and  English,  and  some  of  its  members  have 
taken  down  songs  and  pipers'  and  fiddlers'  tunes  from  the 
phonograph,  but  the  Feis  Ceoil  does  not,  like  the  Welsh 
Eisteddfod,  offer  prizes  for  collections  of  folk  songs.  In 
Wales  and  in  England  there  is  a  folk  play  departure  which 
is  helping  to  popularise  Welsh  and  English  folk  songs,  and 
Mr.  Cecil  Sharp  and  Miss  Mary  Neal  have  been  doing 
splendid  work  in  reintroducing  the  English  Morris  and 
country  dances  into  the  villages.  I  have  heard  the  village 
children  of  Winchelsea  in  Sussex  singing  folk  tunes  in 
the  course  of  their  folk  plays,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that 
the  Hildenborough  players,  the  Dorchester  and  Norwich 
players  and  the  boys  of  Sawston  in  Cambridgeshire,  as  well 


148  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

as  the  performers  in  the  Boxford  Pastoral  Masques  and  the 
Grasmere  Dialect  Plays  are  benefiting  by  the  folk  song 
and  the  folk  dance  coming  in  amongst  them,  and  will 
thereby  help  to  make  England  '  merrie '  again.  I  com- 
mend this  excellent  departure  to  the  '  United  Irishwomen  ' 
who  are  now  doing  their  best  to  brighten  Irish  village  life. 
I  have  myself  been  a  delighted  witness  of  and  listener  to  a 
Welsh  village  play,  full  of  newly-discovered  Welsh  folk 
songs  in  the  beautiful  village  hall  erected  by  Mr.  Davison 
at  Harlech. 

What  is  to  be  the  outcome  of  this  now  generally  diffused 
folk  song  movement  ?  Surely  out  of  the  four  treasure 
houses  of  our  folk  songs — the  English,  Irish,  Scottish  and 
Welsh — national  schools  of  music  should  spring  as  surely 
as  they  have  sprung  up  on  the  Continent.  For  has  not 
every  national  school  of  music  in  Europe  been  built  up 
from  the  foundation  of  its  country's  folk  songs.  One  need 
but  recall  the  names  of  Smetana  in  Bohemia,  GHnka  in 
Russia,  Grieg  in  Norway,  and  the  great  composers  of 
Germany,  Schubert,  Beethoven,  Brahms,  all  of  whom  con- 
tinually acknowledged  their  indebtedness  to  German  folk 
song.  Already  the  leaven  is  working  in  this  country. 
Norman  O'Neill,  Percy  Grainger,  Vaughan  Williams  and 
others  are  founding  themselves  upon  the  imexpected 
treasure  trove  of  English  folk  song,  Scotsmen,  Irishmen 
and  Welshmen  will  surely  not  be  far  behind.  Indeed  Sir 
Charles  Stanford  has  already  made  notable  essays  in  this 
direction.  I  hope  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  he  may 
crown  his  work  by  a  really  great  Irish  opera  founded  upon 
one  of  our  noble  heroic  tales. 

Note. — The  above  paper  was  read  to  the  Irish  Literary  Society  (London)  on  the 
twenty-first  anniversary  of  its  foundation. 


FEASGAR  SAMHRAIDH  149 

FEASGAR   SAMHRAIDH 

Mac-ille-Mhuire 

*  Cha'n  fhacas  air  talamh  learn  sealladh  as  boidhch' 
Na  a'  ghrian  a'  dol  sios  air  taobh  siar  Eilein  Leodhais.' 

Tha  e  fhathast  maille  ruinn,  am  bard  a  ghleus  a  chlar- 
sach  a  chur  an  ceill  cliu  Eilein  a  ghraidh.  Na  sheann  aois 
am  meadhon  baile  mor  na  h-Alba  tha  a  smaointean  gach  la 
a  dol  dhachaidh  gu  Eilean  an  Fhraoich,  agus  ged  nach  'eil 
an  comas  aige  an  diugh  's  iomadh  ceum  a  tha  a  chasan  a 
fagail  air  mointeach  agus  raon  ann  an  Eilean  a'  chuain 
an  iar.  Cha  'n  'eil  baile  no  dachaidh,  tigh  no  airigh,  beinn 
no  tom,  loch  no  6b  air  nach  eil  e  mion  eolach.  Agus  gu  ma 
sona  a  bhitheas  a  bhruadair  aig  crioch  a  latha,  oir  thug  e 
dhuinn  oran  nach  diochuimhnichear  cho  fada  's  a  bhitheas 
cridhe  ann  an  com  a'  Ghaidheil.  'S  iomadh  ni  a  thug  luchd  ar 
foimeirt  uainn,  ach  so  aon  ni  air  nach  b'  urrainn  iad  an 
lamhan  granda  a  leagail.  'S  leis  a'  Ghaidheal  a  chridhe 
fhein  gu  brath  ! 

Bha  mi  air  mullach  na  beinne  aig  am  dol  fodha  na  greine 
'n  uair  a  thainig  gu  m'  aire  briathran  a'  bhaird.  Bha  mi  air 
mo  chuairteachadh  air  gach  taobh  le  gloir  na  cruinne,  agus 
smaoinich  mi  gu  de  an  t-aoibhneas  a  chuireadh  e  ann  an 
cridhe  an  t-seann  duine  a  bha  dunadh  a  latha  ann  an  gleadh- 
raich  a'  bhaile  mhoir  na  'm  b'  urrainn  da  an  sealladh  so 
fhaicinn  aon  uair  eile  'na  anmhuinneachd.  Ach  tha  suilean 
a'  bhaird  aige  agus  tha  e  'ga  fhaicinn. 

B'  e  sealladh  e  a  dhuisgeadh  cridhe  neach  sam  bith 
aig  nach  robh  a  shuilean  duinte.  Am  bheil  gu  cinnteach 
sealladh  air  thalamh  coltach  ri  gloir  Eileanan  a'  Chuain 
an  iar  ?  Cha  ruig  mi  leas  innseadh  gu  de  an  t-Eilean  air 
an  robh  mi  air  an  fheasgar  so,  'na  m'  aonar  air  mullach  na 
beinne,  a'  faireachduinn  nach  robh  deo  air  fhagail  'na  m' 


150  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

chridhe  aig  meud  maise  agus  sgeimh  an  t-seallaidh.  Cha 
mhor  nach  robh  mi  a'  faicinn  a'  chuain  uile  gu  leir  mu  m' 
thimchioU.  Aig  aon  aite  a  mhain  bha  e  air  a  dhunadh 
bho  m'  shealladh,  far  an  do  dh'  eirich  beinn  bheag  thairis 
air  nach  b'  urrainn  domh  faicinn.  Cha  robh  i  ach  mar 
chnoc  an  coimeas  ri  beanntan  an  Tir-mhoir,  a  bha  togail 
gu  h-ard  am  muUach  air  taobh  thall  a'  chaolais,  a'  dearrsadh 
le  dathan  uaine  agus  gorm  agus  dearg  ann  an  solus  na 
greine. 

Ach  's  ann  air  a  chuan  a  bha  m'aire,  agus  bha  fhois 
fhein  air  a  bhroilleach  air  an  fheasgar  so.  'S  iomadh  la 
a  chmmaic  mi  sealladh  eile  air,  'nuair  a  bha  na  tonnan,  a' 
briseadh  geal  thairis  air  Copaidh,  agus  'g  a  thoirt  as  mo 
shealladh.  Ach  a  nis  cha  robh  gluasad  no  braon  air 
aghaidh  na  mara,  eadhon  aig  Spuir.  Bha  Spuir  'na  laighe 
air  uachdar  a'  chuain  mar  leomhann  aig  fois,  gun  ni  air  bith 
a'  cur  dragh  air,  agus  a  spogan  sinte  mach  roimhe.  'S 
ann  direach  ris  a  sin  a  tha  Spuir  cosmhuil — creag  anns  a 
chuan  eadar  mi  agus  Hiort.  'S  iomadh  sealladh  eile  a 
chunnaic  mi  air  Spuir.  'S  iomadh  latha  a  fhuair  am  maraiche 
am  muir  sleamhuinn  aig  Spuir.  Gu  de  cho  trie,  'nuair  a  bha 
mi  'na  m'  bhalach,  a  leum  mo  chridhe  do  m'  bheul,  agus  a 
ghleidh  mi  m'  anail  a'  faicinn  nan  tonn  a'  briseadh  geal 
thairis  air  na  h-eathraichean  a  bha  togail  nan  cliabh ! 
Cha'n  e  h-uile  latha  a  thogadh  am  maraiche  na  cleibh  aig' 
ann  a  Spuir.     Ach  mu  sin  la  eile. 

Am  falbh  seirm  na  mara  as  mo  chluasan  gu  brath  ? 
Nach  'eil  mi  cluinntinn  bron  a'  Chuain-an-iar  anns  an  oidhche 
'nuair  a  tha  carbaid  na  smuid  a'  gleadhraich  seachad !  Nach 
'eil  eigh  agus  taladh  a'  chuain  am  fhuil,  agus  mi  ag  iarraidh 
faicinn  gu  de  a  tha  air  taobh  thall  nam  beann  a  tha  'g 
iathadh  orm  air  gach  taobh.  Tha  sealladh  cho  fada  thairis 
air  aghaidh  na  fairge  a  toirt  samhchair  do'm  chridhe. 

Thionndaidh  mi  do'n  Airde  'n  ear  a  dheas,  agus  bha 
sgiathan  an  fheasgair  'g  am  pasgadh  fhein  thairis  air 
Maighdeanan  Mhic-Leoid  os  cionn  Dhuin-bheagain.  Bha 
Eilean  a'  Cheo  mu  m'  choinneamh  le  bheanntan  arda,  gorm, 


NEIL   MACLEOD 


NEIL  MACLEOD  151 

agus  anns  an  dubhar,  na'b  fhaide  air  falbh  's  an  Airde  'n 
ear,  beanntan  na  Mor-thir,  ag  eirigh  gu  h-ard  am  measg 
nan  neul.  Bha  beanntan  na  h-Earadh  agus  Dunarain 
a'  boillsgeadh  ann  an  solus  na  greine,  agus  Tur  Chliamain, 
a  bha  cho  f ada  re  nan  linntean  'na  Thigh-soluis  do'n  t-sluagh, 
'na  aon  lasadh  oir,  a'  glacadh  ghathan  deireannach  na  greine. 
Ach  cha  robh  gloir  na  h- Airde  'n  ear  ri  bhi  ri-ri!  an 
coimeas  ri  gloir  na  h- Airde  'n  iar,  'nuair  a  thionndaidh  mi 
rithist  m'aghaidh  ris  a'  ghrein.  Bha  i  direach  a'  beantuinn  ris 
na  h-uisgeachan,  anns  an  robh  a  solus  a'  deabachadh  ann  an 
iomadh  dath.  Tha  e  seachad  air  comas  duine  ailleachd 
an  t-seallaidh  a  chur  an  ceill.  An  Cuan  an  iar  air  a  lasadh 
suas  leis  an  teine  so  a  bha  anns  an  adhar — buidhe,  agus 
dearg,  agus  gorm,  agus  geal,  uile  gu  leir  dealrach. 
Bha  Hiort  air  a  comhdach  leis  a'  ghloir,  'ga  cumail  mar 
nach  bu  mhiann  leatha  dealachadh  ris  an  solus.  Ach,  uidh 
air  n-uidh  chaidh  i  sios  do'n  chuan.  Ach  bha  a  gloir  'na  mo 
shuilean,  agus  seirm  a'  Chuain-an-iar  'na  mo  chluasan, 
agus  na  reultan  a'  toiseachadh  ri  priobadh  a  nuas  orm, 
agus  'na  m'  chridhe  smuaintean  nach  urrainn  dhomh  a 
sgriobhadh. 

NEIL  MACLEOD 

Professor  Mackinnon 

Only  five  short  years  ago  the  Highlanders  of  Edinburgh 
were  proud  to  reckon  among  their  number  three  men  who 
stood  foremost  in  the  front  rank  of  the  Gaelic  authors  of 
their  day.  The  three  were  Islesmen  bom :  Donald  Mac- 
kechnie  in  Jura  ;  Dr.  Alexander  Carmichael  in  Lismore  ; 
and  Neil  Macleod  in  Skye.  And  now,  although  talented  men 
and  women  remain,  those  of  us  who  knew  these  three  well, 
their  work,  ideals,  and  aspirations,  feel  that  life  in  the 
'  grey  metropolis '  will  never  again  be  quite  the  same 
without  them. 

Neil  Macleod,  the  last  of  the  three,  passed  away  on  the 


152  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

sixth  of  September  last.  He  was  born  in  Glendale,  Skye, 
in  March  1843.  His  birth  was  not  registered,  registration 
in  out-of-the-way  parts  was  at  the  time  very  irregular, 
and  until  quite  recently  the  man  himself  believed  that  he 
was  a  couple  of  years  older.  But  he  is  entered  in  the  Census 
of  1851  at  eight  years  of  age,  and  the  entry,  in  the  absence 
of  more  definite  evidence,  must  be  taken  as  conclusive. 

The  poet's  father,  Donald  Macleod,  otherwise  Domhnall 
nan  Oran,  was  a  well-known  Gaelic  poet  in  his  day.  He 
published  a  volume  in  1811,  and  a  few  pieces  composed  by 
him  at  later  dates,  were  printed  by  his  son  some  years  ago. 
The  father  was  a  merchant  on  a  small  scale  in  Glendale. 
He  also  occupied  a  small  farm  or  croft,  which  he  held  rent 
free  in  virtue  of  his  hardship,  with  succession  to  his  widow, 
very  probably  the  last  tenure  of  the  kind  in  Scotland. 

The  sept  of  Macleods  to  which  the  poet  belonged  showed 
in  our  own  day  talent,  energy,  and  enterprise  in  various 
directions.  A  cousin  founded  a  large  commercial  firm  in 
Edinburgh  and  London,  another  rose  from  the  ranks  to 
be  Major  in  the  British  army,  while  a  third  was  leader  of  the 
land  movement  in  Skye.  In  all  of  them,  men  and  women, 
a  gift  of  pointed  and  expressive  speech,  relieved  by  wit 
and  humour,  was  conspicuous. 

The  futiu-e  poet  received  such  school  education  as  the 
village  supplied,  which  at  the  time  did  not  count  for  much. 
StiU  it  enabled  him  to  read  and  write  English  fairly  well, 
and  that  to  a  lad  of  parts  meant  a  great  deal.  He  passed 
his  boyhood  much  like  the  other  lads  of  the  glen,  in  rural 
occupation  varied  by  herding  and  fishing,  and  of  evenings 
attending  the  local  ceilidh  when  song  and  story  went  round. 
These  meetings,  and  not  the  village  school,  were  the  chief 
factor  in  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  aesthetic  development 
of  the  future  Bard.  To  hear  him  recall  in  after  years,  in  his 
own  inimitable  way,  a  meeting  of  this  ceilidh,  and  to  read 
his  views  upon  social,  traditional,  and  literary  questions, 
one  has  no  difficulty  in  tracing  the  genesis  and  growth 
of  Neil  Macleod's  ideas. 


NEIL  MACLEOD  153 

The  poet  came  South  some  forty-five  to  fifty  years  ago 
and  found  employment  with  his  cousin,  the  late  Mr.  Rode- 
rick Macleod,  in  Edinburgh.  Shortly  afterwards  he  became 
one  of  the  travellers  of  the  firm,  embracing  Argyllshire, 
Skye  and  neighbourhood,  and  some  southern  counties  in 
his  ambit.  He  remained  at  this  wearing  work  until  the 
weight  of  advancing  years  made  it  advisable  for  him  to 
retire.  Constitutionally  he  was  sound  and  strong.  But 
a  bad  fall  from  a  trap  when  on  his  rounds  some  years  ago, 
followed  soon  afterwards  by  a  cowardly  assault  on  his  own 
stairhead  by  a  couple  of  ruffians,  permanently  affected  his 
health,  and,  it  is  to  be  feared,  shortened  his  life. 

Macleod's  poetical  gifts  developed  early.  He  became 
known  as  the  Skye  Bard  in  early  youth.  A  few  of  his  best 
known  compositions  appeared  from  time  to  time  in  the 
Highland  Press.  From  the  encouragement  thus  received, 
and  upon  the  advice  of  friends  on  whose  judgment  he 
relied,  he  published,  in  1883,  under  the  title  of  Clarsach 
an  Doire,  his  principal  compositions  up  to  that  date.  The 
result  was  most  gratifying.  Highlanders  at  home  and 
abroad  hailed  Macleod  as  the  poet  of  Gaeldom,  and  not 
merely  of  Skye.  A  second  edition,  much  enlarged,  and 
with  four  tales  in  prose  added,  appeared  in  1893,  a  third  in 
1902,  and  a  fourth  in  1909.  This  constituted  a  record  in 
Scottish  Gaelic  Literature.  No  other  secular  author  saw 
a  fourth  edition  of  his  own  work.  This  success  was  no 
doubt  due  in  part  to  the  Gaelic  revival  in  recent  years,  but 
it  was  mainly  due  to  the  merits  of  the  volume. 

It  may,  I  think,  be  safely  affirmed  that  since  Duncan 
M'Intyre  died  no  Gaelic  poet  took  such  firm  hold  of  the 
imagination  of  Highlanders  as  Neil  Macleod  was  able  to 
do.  But  it  can  hardly  be  said  with  truth  that  we  had 
not  in  the  interval  Gaelic  bards  of  poetic  gifts  equal  if  not 
even  superior  to  his.  Among  such  most  people  would 
name  at  least  three — William  Ross,  William  Livingstone, 
and  Donald  Mackechnie.  Ross  was,  at  his  best,  as  e.g.  in 
the  poem  in  praise  of  Marion  Ross  of  Stornoway,  the  most 


154  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

melodious  of  modern  Gaelic  poets.  But  he  was  very 
imequal,  and  unfortunately  his  editor,  John  Mackenzie, 
printed  more  than  one  unworthy  piece  which  he  attributes 
to  this  poet.  Livingstone  again  undoubtedly  possessed 
strength  of  intellect  and  imagination,  with  great  command 
of  expressive  diction.  But  although  he  could  infuse  music 
as  well  as  passion  into  his  verse,  as  in  the  powerful  com- 
position entitled  Fios  thun  a^Bhdird,  his  poems  are  as  a  rule 
rugged,  uncouth,  and  he  remains  largely  unread.  Donald 
Mackechnie  is  such  an  admirable  writer  of  Gaelic  prose 
that  the  merits  of  his  verse  are  apt  to  be  overlooked.  Still 
some  poems  of  his — '  The  Bard,'  '  The  Brook,'  '  The  Voice 
of  the  Sea,'  with  others,  are  of  the  very  highest  order. 

Macleod,  on  the  other  hand,  shows  a  combination  of 
gifts  that  enables  us  to  imderstand  his  popularity  beyond 
others  of  equal  talent.  There  is  as  a  rule  a  happy  selection 
of  subject.  The  treatment  is  simple,  unaffected.  You 
have  on  every  page  evidence  of  the  equable  temper  and 
gentle  disposition  of  the  author, — gay  humour  or  melting 
pathos ;  happy  diction ;  pure  idiom ;  exquisite  rhyme.  His 
compositions  are  not  all  of  equal  merit,  but  in  all  of  them 
there  is  one  quality  which  never  fails  —  read  them  with 
a  touch  of  the  Skye  accent,  and  you  are  at  once  brought 
captive  by  the  melody  of  the  versification. 

Our  poet  has  hardly  left  a  chord  of  the  Highland  lyre 
untouched,  and  from  each  he  has  brought  forth  sweet  music. 
His  poetical  compositions  number  in  all  about  ninety. 
Among  them  are  songs  which  will  be  sung  as  long  as  the 
language  endures.  Where  has  the  charm  of  the  old  home 
been  more  tenderly  and  sympathetically  expressed  than  in 
'My  Native  Glen'?  Did  'The  Cottar's  Saturday  Night' 
suggest  the  pervading  sentiment  of  it  ?  Even  if  it  were 
so  the  poem  will  not  suffer  much  by  a  comparison.  '  Annie 
and  I '  is  a  worthy  counterpart  to  '  John  Anderson,  my 
Jo.'  John  Campbell  of  Ledaig  on  one  occasion  sent  to 
his  brother  poet  a  sprig  of  heather,  a  daisy,  and  a  prim- 
rose.    Macleod' 8  acknowledgement  is  in  verse — five  stanzas 


NEIL  MACLEOD  155 

in  all.  One  can  hardly  conceive  a  happier  or  more  appro- 
priate reply,  whether  in  conception  or  expression.  Here 
is  the  first  stanza  (p.  127) : —  ^ 

Ciad  ikilt'  ort  fh^in,  a  bhadain  fhraoich, 

Bho  thir  nan  aonach  ^rd — 
An  tir  a  dh'  araich  iomadh  laoch, 

Ge  sgaoilt'  an  diugh  an  al ; 
Tha  snuadh  mo  dhiithcha  air  do  ghruaig, 

Seasaidh  tu  fuachd  is  births, 
'S  e  mheudaich  dhomh  cho  mor  do  luach 

Gu'n  d'fhuair  mi  thu  bho'n  Bh^rd. 

The  humour  of  the  poet  finds  frequent  expression  in  his 
verse.  He  was  a  master  of  good-natured  ridicule  and  chaff. 
Indeed  if  the  man  had  done  nothing  else  than  raise  Gaelic 
satire  from  the  pit  of  coarseness  and  scurriHty  in  which  it 
had  lain  from  the  dawn  of  our  literature  he  would  have 
deserved  our  lasting  gratitude.  I  have  always  regarded 
'  The  Song  of  the  Old  Maid '  as  his  happiest  effort  in  this 
department.  The  humour  of  the  whole  composition  is  ex- 
quisite, while  the  character  of  the  old  maid,  thoroughly 
womanly,  but  with  her  sturdy  independence  and  self- 
respect  maintained  in  face  of  her  numerous  disappoint- 
ments, is  a  unique  conception  in  Scottish  Gaelic  Literature. 
If  one  could  divest  one's  self  of  old-fashioned  prejudice  one 
would  be  prepared  to  say  that  this  piece  is  worthy  of 
Horace  at  his  best. 

The  Bard  was  a  man  of  great  charm  of  manner.  His 
presence  at  social  gatherings  was  eagerly  sought  after. 
He  was  not  averse  to  the  platform,  where  his  racy  speech 
and  fund  of  anecdote  always  told.  But  to  know  the  man 
well,  one  must  needs  meet  him  at  his  own  happy  fireside, 
or  in  the  company  of  one  or  two  congenial  spirits  in  the 
house  of  an  attached  friend.  His  countrymen  honoured 
him  on  many  occasions.  He  was  Bard  to  the  Celtic  Society 
of  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  and  to  the  Gaelic  Society 
of  Inverness.  On  his  retirement  from  business  his  ad- 
mirers presented  him  with  an  illuminated  address  written 


156  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

in  Gaelic,  and  a  handsome  purse  of  sovereigns  collected 
in  all  parts  of  the  world,  but  mainly  in  Scotland  and  South 
Africa.  A  memorial  was  sent  at  the  same  time  to  the  First 
Lord  of  the  Treasury,  signed  by  some  fifteen  or  sixteen 
men  and  women — peers,  ex-moderators,  clergymen  and 
scholars  who  knew  the  man  and  his  work,  and  who  were  able 
to  speak  of  him  as  the  greatest  living  GaeUc  poet,  praying  for 
the  grant  of  a  pension  from  the  Civil  List,  but,  to  the  great 
disappointment  of  the  memorialists  and  the  poet's  numerous 
friends,  the  claim  was  not  entertained. 

The  Bard  was  married  to  Katherine  Stewart,  daughter 
of  the  late  Mr.  Stewart,  teacher  at  Kensaleyre,  Skye.  To 
the  sorrowing  widow,  her  two  daughters  and  son,  the  deep 
sympathy  of  Gaelic-speaking  people  in  all  parts  of  the 
world  has  gone  forth  for  the  loss  of  the  husband  and  father, 
a  man  as  good  as  he  was  great. 


AOIBHINN  AN  OBAIR  AN  T-SEALG 
William  J.  Watson 

The  hunting  of  the  deer  of  old  in  Scotland  was  conducted 
on  a  scale  and  in  a  manner  very  different  from  that  now 
in  vogue.  To  illustrate  this,  take  the  following  extract 
from  the  distinguished  English  traveller  and  antiquary, 
Thomas  Pennant,  to  whose  acute  observation  we  owe  so 
much  information  as  to  our  own  country  in  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century.     The  scene  is  near  Dunkeld. 

'  Walk  through  a  narrow  pass,  bounded  by  great  rocks. 
One  retains  the  name  of  the  King's  Seat,  having  been  the 
place  where  the  Scottish  monarchs  placed  themselves,  in 
order  to  direct  their  shafts  with  advantage  at  the  flying  deer 
driven  that  way  for  their  amusement.  A  chase  of  this 
kind  had  very  nearly  prevented  the  future  miseries  of  the 
imhappy  Mary  Stuart.  The  story  is  well  told  by  William 
Barclay  in  his  treatise  Contra  Monarchomachos ;    it  gives 


AOIBHINN  AN  OBAIR  AN  T-SEALG  157 

a  lively  picture  of  the  ancient  manner  of  hunting,  and  in 
that  account  will  perhaps  be  acceptable  to  the  reader  in  an 
English  dress. 

'  In  the  year  1563  the  Earl  of  Athol,  a  prince  of  the  blood 
royal,  had  with  much  trouble  and  vast  expense,  a  hunting 
match  for  the  entertainment  of  our  most  illustrious  and 
most  gracious  Queen.     Our  people  caU  this  a  royal  hunting. 
I  was  then  a  young  man,  and  was  present  on  the  occasion. 
Two  thousand  Highlanders,  or  wild  Scotch,  as  you  call  them 
here,  were  employed  to  drive  to  the  hunting  ground  all  the 
deer  from  the  woods  and  hills  of  Athole,  Badenoch,  Mar, 
Murray,  and  the  countries  about.   As  these  Highlanders  use  a 
light  dress,  and  are  very  swift  of  foot,  they  went  up  and  down 
so  nimbly  that  in  less  than  two  months'  time  they  brought 
together  2000  red  deer,  besides  roes  and  fallow  deer.     The 
Queen,  the  great  men,  and  others,  were  in  a  glen  when  all  the 
deer  were  brought  before  them.   Believe  me,  the  whole  body 
of  them  moved  forward  in  something  like  battle  order.    This 
sight  still  strikes  me,  and  ever  will,  for  they  had  a  leader 
whom  they  followed  close  wherever  he  moved.     This  leader 
was  a  very  fine  stag,  with  a  very  high  head.     The  sight 
delighted  the  Queen  very  much  ;  but  she  soon  had  occasion 
to  fear,  upon  the  Earl's  (who  had  been  accustomed  to  such 
sights)  addressing  her  thus  : — "  Do  you  observe  that  stag 
who  is  foremost  of  the  herd  ?     There  is  danger  from  that 
stag  ;   for  if  either  fear  or  rage  should  force  him  from  the 
ridge  of  that  hill,  let  everyone  look  to  himself,  for  none  of 
us  will  be  out  of  the  way  of  harm  ;   for  the  rest  will  follow 
this  one,  and  having  thrown  us  under  foot,  they  will  open 
a   passage   to   this   hill   behind   us."     What   happened   a 
moment  after  confirmed  this  opinion,  for  the  Queen  ordered 
one  of  the  best  dogs  to  be  let  loose  upon  a  wolf ;   this  the 
dog  pursues,  the  leading  stag  was  frightened,  and  he  flies 
by  the  same  way  he  had  come  there,  the  rest  rush  after  him, 
and  break  out  where  the  thickest  body  of  Highlanders  was. 
They  had  nothing  for  it  but  to  throw  themselves  flat  upon 
the  ground  and  allow  the  deer  to  pass  over  them.     It  was 


158  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

told  the  Queen  that  several  of  the  Highlanders  had  been 
wounded,  and  that  two  or  three  had  been  killed  outright, 
and  the  whole  body  had  got  off  had  not  the  Highlanders, 
by  their  superior  skill  in  hunting,  fallen  upon  a  stratagem 
to  cut  off  the  rear  from  the  main  body.  It  was  of  those 
that  had  been  separated  that  the  Queen's  dogs  and  those 
of  the  nobility  made  slaughter.  There  were  killed  that  day 
360  deer,  with  five  wolves  and  some  roes.' 

An  even  fuller  description  is  that  given  by  Taylor,  the 
Water  Poet,  who  for  a  wager  visited  Scotland  on  foot  and 
without  a  coin  in  his  pocket  in  1618.  He  came  through 
Glen  Esk  to  Braemar.  *  There  did  I  finde  the  truely  noble 
and  right  honourable  Lords  John  Erskine,  Earl  of  Marr, 
and  others.  For  once  in  the  yeere,  which  is  the  whole 
month  of  August,  and  sometimes  part  of  September,  many 
of  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  the  kingdome  (for  their  pleasure) 
doe  come  into  these  high-land  countries  to  hunt,  where  they 
doe  conforme  themselves  to  the  habits  of  the  Highland  men, 
who  for  the  most  part  speake  nothing  but  Irish,  and  in  former 
time  were  those  people  which  were  called  the  Red  shankes. 
Their  habite  is  shoes  with  but  one  sole  apiece  :  stocking 
(which  they  call  short  hose)  made  of  a  warm  stuff  of  divers 
colours,  whiche  they  call  tartane  :  as  for  breeches,  many  of 
them,  nor  their  forefathers,  never  wore  any,  but  a  jerkin 
of  the  same  stuffe  that  their  hose  is  of :  their  garters  being 
bands  or  wearthes  of  hay  or  straw,  with  a  plaid  about  their 
shoulders,  which  is  a  mantle  of  divers  colours,  much  finer 
and  lighter  stuffe  than  their  hose,  with  blue  caps  on  their 
heads,  a  handkerchiefe  knit  with  two  knots  about  their 
necke  ;  and  thus  they  are  att3n?ed.  Now  their  weapons  are 
long  bowes  and  forked  arrowes,  swords  and  targets,  harque- 
busses,  muskets,  durks  and  Loquhabor-axes.  With  these 
armes  I  found  many  of  them  armed  for  hunting.  As  for 
their  attire,  any  man  of  what  degree  soever  that  comes 
amongst  them  must  not  disdaine  to  weare  it ;  for  if  they 
doe  they  will  disdaine  to  hunt  or  wilUngly  to  bring  in  their 
dogges,  but  if  men  be  kind  unto  them,  be  in  their  habit,  then 


AOIBHINN  AN  OBAIR  AN  T-SEALG  159 

are  they  conquered  with  kindness,  and  the  sport  will  be 
plentif ull.  This  was  the  reason  that  I  found  so  many  noble- 
men and  gentlemen  in  those  shapes.  But  to  proceed  to  the 
hunting.  My  good  Lord  of  Marr  having  put  me  into  that 
shape,  I  rode  with  him  from  his  house,  where  I  saw  the 
ruines  of  an  old  castle,  called  the  castle  of  Kindroghit.  It 
was  built  by  King  Malcolm  Canmore  (for  a  hunting  house), 
who  reigned  in  Scotland  when  Edward  the  Confesor, 
Harold,  and  Norman  WiUiam  reigned  England.  I  speake 
of  it  because  it  was  the  last  house  that  I  saw  in  those  parts  ; 
for  I  was  the  space  of  twelve  days  after,  before  I  saw  either 
house,  corne  field,  or  habitation  for  any  creature,  but  deere, 
wilde  horses,  wolves  and  such  like  creatures,  which  made 
me  doubt  that  I  should  never  have  scene  a  house  againe. 
Thus  the  first  day  we  travelled  eight  miles,  where  there  were 
small  cottages  built  on  purpose  to  lodge  in,  which  they  call 
Lonquhards.  I  thanke  my  goode  Lord  Erskine,  he  com- 
manded that  I  should  always  be  lodge  in  his  lodging,  the 
kitchin  being  always  on  the  side  of  a  banke,  many  kettles 
and  pots  boyling,  and  many  spits  turning  and  winding  with 
great  variety  of  cheere :  as  venson  bak't,  sodden,  rost  and 
sten'de  beefe,  mutton,  goates,  kid,  hares,  fresh  salmon, 
pidgeons,  hens,  capons,  chickens,  partridge,  moorecootes, 
heathcocks,  caperkellies,  and  termagantes  ;  good  ale,  sackes 
white,  white  and  claret  tent,  or  allegant,  with  most  potent 
Aquavite.  All  these  and  more  then  these  we  had  continually 
in  superfluous  abundance,  caught  by  faulconers,  fowlers, 
fishers,  and  brought  by  my  lord's  tenants  and  perveyers, 
to  victuall  our  camp,  which  consisteth  of  fourteen  or  fifteene 
hundred  men  and  horses.  The  manner  of  the  hunting  is 
this — five  or  six  hundred  men  do  rise  early  in  the  morning, 
and  they  do  disperse  themselves  divers  ways,  and  seven, 
eight,  or  tenne  miles  compasse,  they  do  bring  in  or  chase 
in  the  deere  in  many  herds,  two,  three,  or  four  hundred 
in  a  herd,  to  such  or  such  a  place,  as  the  noblemen  shall 
appoint  them.  When  the  day  is  come  the  lords  and  gentle- 
men of  their  companys  doe  ride  or  goe  to  the  said  places. 


160  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

some  times  wadeing  up  to  the  middle  through  bournes  and 
rivers ;  and  then  they  being  come  to  the  place,  do  lye 
downe  on  the  ground  til  those  four  said  scouts,  which  are 
called  the  tinckhell,  doe  bring  down  the  deere  ;  but  as  the 
proverb  says,  as  bad  cooks,  so  these  tinckhell  men  do  lick 
their  fingers,  for  besides  their  bows  and  arrows  which  they 
carry  with  them,  we  can  hear  now  and  then  a  harqubusse 
or  a  musket  goe  off,  which  they  seldom  discharge  in  vain  ; 
then  after  we  had  stayed  three  hours  or  thereabouts,  we 
might  perceive  the  deer  appear  on  the  hill  round  about  us 
(there  heads  making  a  show  like  a  wood),  which  being  followed 
by  the  tinckhell  are  chased  down  to  the  valley  where  we  lay. 
Then  all  the  valley  on  each  side  being  waylaid  with  a  hundred 
couple  of  strong  Irish  greyhounds,  they  are  let  loose  as 
occasion  serves  upon  the  herd  of  deere,  that  with  dogges, 
gunnes,  arrowes,  durkes,  and  daggers  in  the  space  of  two 
houres  four  scores  off  fat  deeres  were  slain,  which  afterwards 
are  disposed  of,  some  one  way  and  some  another,  and  more 
than  enough  for  us  to  make  merry  with  all  at  our  rendezvous. 
'  Being  come  to  our  lodging,  there  was  such  baking, 
boyling,  roasting,  and  stewing,  as  if  cook  Ruffin  had  been 
there  to  have  scalded  the  devils  in  their  feathers,  and  after 
supper  a  fire  of  fir  wood  as  high  as  an  indifferent  may  pole  ; 
for  I  assure  you  that  the  Earl  of  Marr  will  give  any  man  that 
is  his  friend,  for  thanks,  as  many  fir  trees  (that  are  as  good 
as  any  ship's  masts  in  England)  as  are  worth  if  they  were 
in  any  place  near  the  Thames  or  any  other  portable  river 
the  best  earldome  in  England  or  Scotland  either.  For  I 
dare  affirme  he  hath  as  growing  there  as  would  serve  for 
masts  (from  this  time  until  the  end  of  the  world)  for  all  the 
ships,  carrackes,  hoyes,  galleys,  boats  drumlers,  barkes  and 
water  crafts  that  are  now  or  can  be  in  the  world  these  forty 
years.  This  sounds  like  a  lie  to  an  unbeleiver  ;  but  I  know 
that  I  and  many  thousands  do  know  that  I  speak  within 
the  compass  of  truth,  for  indeed  they  do  grow  so  far  from 
any  paswage  of  water,  and  withal  in  such  rocky  mountains 
that  no  way  to  convey  them  is  possible  either  with  cart, 


AOIBHINN  AN  OB  AIR  AN  T-SEALG  161 

horse,  or  boat.     Thus  having  spend  certain  days  in  hunting  in 
thebrea  of  Marr,  we  went  to  the  next  county,  called  Bagnoch.' 

In  connection  with  the  above  extracts  may  be  taken 
two  which  are  older,  from  the  Description  of  the  Western 
Isles,  '  compyled  by  Mr.  Donald  Monro  Deane  of  the  Isles 
1549.'  Dean  Monro,  it  may  be  noted,  was  a  Ferindonald 
man,  a  native  of  Kilteam.  With  regard  to  Duray  (Jura) 
the  Dean  states  : — 

(There)  '  is  twa  Loches  meitand  uthers  throughe  mid 
lyle  of  Salt  watter  to  the  lenthe  of  ane  haff  myle  ;  and  all 
the  Deire  of  the  West  pairt  of  that  forrest  will  be  callit  be 
tainchess  to  that  narrow  entres  and  the  next  day  calht  west 
againe  be  tainchess  through  the  said  narrow  entres,  and 
infinit  Deire  slaine  ther.  This  lyle,  as  the  ancient  lyl- 
landers  alledges  should  be  called  Deiray  taking  the  name 
from  the  Deire  in  Nome  Leid  quhilk  has  given  it  that 
name  in  auld  times.' 

Here  '  tainchess  '  is  used  for  '  tinchells  '  ;  '  meitand  ' 
for  '  meeting '  is  still  regular  in  Avoch ;  '  leid '  means 
'  speech.'  The  '  ancient  lyllanders  '  were  right  as  regards 
the  derivation  of  Jura. 

The  other  passage  from  the  Dean  treats  of  Rum,  mis- 
spelled in  my  copy  as  Ronin  (for  Roum). 

'  Ane  forest  of  heigh  montains  and  abundance  of  litle 
Deir  in  it,  quhilk  deir  will  never  be  slaine  dounewith,  bot 
the  Principall  saitts  man  be  in  the  heigh  of  the  hill  because 
the  Deire  will  be  calht  upwart  ay  be  the  Teinchell  or  with- 
out t3nichals  they  will  pas  upwart  perforce.' 

In  both  these  passages  '  callit '  means  '  driven,'  moderr 
Scots  '  ca'  '  e.g.  '  Ca'  the  yowes  to  the  knowes.'  The  deer 
of  Rum,  it  is  to  be  noticed,  refuse  to  be  slain  on  the  flat ; 
they  will  pass  uphill.  So  says  Duncan  Macintyre  of  the 
doe  of  Ben  Doran : — 

Air  chaisead  na  leacainn,  cha  saltradh  i  comhnard. 

The  old  Statistical  Account  of  the  Small  Isles,  printed 
in  1796,  contains  a  valuable  description  of  deer-hunting, 

VOL.  IX.  L 


162  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

which  does  not  appear  to  agree  with  that  given  by  Dean 
Monro.     The  writer,  the  Rev.  Donald  Maclean,  says : — 

'  In  Rum  these  were  formerly  great  numbers  of  deer ; 
there  was  also  a  copse  of  wood  that  afforded  cover  to 
their  fawns  from  birds  of  prey,  particularly  from  the  eagle. 
While  the  wood  throve  the  deer  also  throve ;  now  that 
the  wood  is  totally  destroyed,  the  deer  are  extirpated. 
Before  the  use  of  fire  arms,  their  method  of  killing  deer 
was  as  follows  :  On  each  side  of  a  glen,  formed  by  two 
mountains,  stone  dykes  were  begun  pretty  high  in  the 
mountains,  and  carried  to  the  lower  part  of  the  valley, 
always  drawing  nearer,  till  within  3  or  4  feet  of  each  other. 
From  this  narrow  pass,  a  circular  space  was  enclosed  by  a 
stone  wall,  of  a  height  sufficient  to  confine  the  deer  ;  to  this 
place  they  were  pursued  and  destroyed.  The  vestige  of 
one  of  these  enclosures  is  still  to  be  seen  in  Rum.' 

Information  as  to  the  details  of  the  great  huntings  in 
AthoU,  their  organisation  and  rules  is  given  in  Mr.  Charles 
Ferguson's  series  of  papers  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Inver- 
ness Gaelic  Society  entitled  '  Sketches  of  the  Early  History 
of  Strathardle,'  in  particular  vol.  xxiii.  p.  177.  In  vol.  xx. 
p.  263,  he  states  that  in  '  August  of  1582  King  James  held 
a  grand  royal  hunt  amongst  the  hills  of  AthoU  and  Strath- 
ardill.  The  great  meeting-place,  to  which  all  the  deer 
were  driven,  was  at  the  hill  of  Elrick,  on  Dirnanean  Moor 
{Doire  nan  Eun)^  which  hill,  as  its  name  indicates,  had  been 
for  ages  before  one  of  the  noted  hunting-places  of  Atholl. 
...  As  a  proof  of  what  a  hunting  country  Strathardle 
must  have  been  in  olden  times,  I  may  mention  that  my  late 
uncle  Robert  Forbes  (than  whom  none  better  knew  these 
hills),  told  me  that  he  knew  twelve  elrigs  in  the  district 
above  Kirkmichael.' 

For  the  description  of  an  elrig  we  are  indebted  to 
Dr.  Robertson  of  Callander,  who  in  his  work  on  the  Agri- 
culture of  the  County  of  Perth,  1799,  p.  328  (quoted  by 
Mr.  Ferguson)  writes  thus  : — 

'  The  natives  hunted  the  deer   by  surrounding    them 


AOIBHINN  AN  OBAIR  AN  T-SEALG  163 

with  men,  or  by  making  large  enclosm'es  of  such  a  height 
as  the  deer  could  not  overleap,  fenced  with  stakes  and  inter- 
twined with  brushwood.  Vast  multitudes  of  men  were 
collected  on  hunting  days,  who,  forming  a  ring  round  the 
deer,  drove  them  into  these  enclosures,  which  were  open  on 
one  side.  From  some  eminence  which  overlooked  the  en- 
closure the  principal  personages  and  others  who  did  not 
choose  to  engage  in  the  chase,  were  spectators  of  the  whole 
diversion.  The  enclosures  were  called  in  the  language  of 
the  country  elerig,  which  is  derived  from  another  word 
signifying  contest  or  strife.  One  of  the  farms  in  Glenlochy 
of  Breadalbane  is  called  '  Craggan-an-Elerig,'  a  small  rock 
which  overhangs  a  beautiful  field  resembling  the  arena 
of  an  ampitheatre,  probably  the  first  that  was  cleared  of 
wood  in  that  district,  and  admirably  adapted  for  this 
purpose  by  the  natural  situation  of  the  adjacent  ground. 
There  are  elerigs  in  various  parts  of  the  country.' 

The  purpose  of  the  elrigs  (or  elricks)  is  by  no  means 
forgotten  in  Perthshire  at  the  present  day,  naturally,  seeing 
that  the  great  huntings  continued  on  into  the  eighteenth 
century.  Some  years  ago  I  talked  with  AthoU  men  who 
knew  about  them  and  mentioned  several  in  AthoU,  such  as 
Eileirig  an  Tdisich,  used  by  Mackintosh  of  Glen  Tilt,  and 
Eileirig  nan  Gobhach,  the  Gows'  Elrick.  The  meaning  of 
the  term  is  therefore  not  in  doubt.  The  Elrick  was  an  en- 
closure, usually  in  relatively  low  ground,  into  which  deer 
were  driven  by  the  '  tinchell.'  The  derivation  of  eileirig 
has  long  been  a  puzzle.  That  it  is  of  the  feminine  gender 
appears  by  such  expressions  as  Tom  na  h-Eileirig.  Dr. 
Robertson's  '  Craggan-an-elerig '  should  certainly  have  been 
Cragan  na  h-Eileirig,  to  judge  by  the  modern  instances. 
Dr.  MacBain,  who  gave  the  question  much  consideration, 
ultimately  regarded  it  as  formed  from  eilear,  a  deer-walk, 
and  the  best  spelling  would  therefore,  on  that  theory,  be 
eilearaig,  a  locative  of  eilearag,  literally,  a  small  deer-path. 
In  certain  districts,  outside  of  Perthshire,  the  term  is  pro- 
nounced iolairig,  and  indeed  till  I  came  to  Perthshire,  this 


164  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

was  the  prormnciation  familiar  to  me,  as  applied  to  Elrick 
in  Strathnairn.  The  variant  naturally  led  to  a  folk- 
etymology  from  iolaire,  an  eagle  ;  but  an  Elrick  is,  as  a 
rule,  the  last  place  where  one  would  expect  eagles  to  haunt, 
and,  in  any  case,  to  call  a  place  '  a  little  eagle,'  '  an  eaglet ' 
would  be  absurd.  The  variation  is  one  of  dialect,  but 
it  may  have  been  helped  by  the  supposed  connection  with 
iolaire,  for  otherwise  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  the  slender  I 
could  have  become  broad.  Dr.  MacBain's  derivation  is 
certainly  plausible,  and  it  may  be  right.  There  is  one  fact, 
however,  which  is  seriously  against  it.  In  the  Book  of  Deer 
is  recorded :  Malcolum  mac  Moilhrigte  dorat  indelerc,  Malcolm 
son  of  Mael  Bride,  gave  '  indelerc'  MacBain,  who  edited 
the  Gaelic  text,  and  all  others  have  read  this  last  in  delerc. 
I  think  that  it  should  be  read  as  ind  elerc,  '  the  Elrick.' 
Now  in  the  '  Letters  of  procuratorie  and  resignacioune  of 
the  Abbaice  of  Deir,'  dated  1587,  there  appear  as  part  of 
the  patrimony  of  the  Abbey  the  lands  of  Littill  Elrik  and 
the  lands  of  Meikle  Elrik,  and  at  the  present  day  there  are 
Mains  of  Elrick,  Elrick  Hill  and  Elrick  moss  about  five  or 
six  miles  southwest  of  the  church  of  Deer.  It  will  be  found 
that  the  possessions  of  the  Cistercian  abbey  of  Deer,  as  set 
forth  in  the  document  mentioned,  include  (apart  from  the 
Elricks)  four  or  five  places  recorded  in  the  Book  of  Deer  as 
having  been  granted  to  the  old  Celtic  monastery,  and  I 
would  identify  indelerc  of  the  Book  with  the  Elricks  of 
1587,  and  the  modern  Elrick.  If  this  is  accepted,  then  we 
have  in  elerc  the  oldest  form  by  far,  and  however  it  may  be 
analysed  it  is  certainly  not  a  diminutive  form.  For  elerc 
becoming  eleirig,  compare  Old  Gael,  loarcc.  Mod.  Gael. 
Idirig  ;  teasairg,  pronounced  frequently  teasraig  ;  Lanark, 
pronounced  Lanrick.  (The  two  Perthshire  Lanricks  are 
both  in  Gael.  Laraig,  with  ar  nasal.)  I  have  not  met  the 
word  elsewhere  in  Gaelic  literature.  Dr.  Joyce  does  not 
record  it  as  occurring  in  Ireland,  nor  does  Father  Power  in 
his  highly  intensive  study  of  the  place  names  of  Decies. 
The  Strathnairn  Elrick  is  near  the  east  end  of  Loch 


AOIBHINN  AN  OBAIR  AN  T-SEALG  165 

Ruthven,  on  the  low  ground,  where  there  is  a  pass  or  small 
glen,  overlooked  by  a  '  cragan.' 

The  Elricks  are  found  from  the  Moray  Firth  to  the  Solway 
especially  in  Aberdeenshire  and  Perthshire.  There  is  none 
known  to  me  north  of  Inverness.  We  should  have  ex- 
pected to  find  Elricks  in  Monar,  the  scene  of  the  great 
huntings  of  the  Lords  of  Lovat,  in  Freevater,  where  the 
Earls  of  Ross  and  later  the  Lairds  of  Balnagowan  were 
wont  to  hunt,  and  in  Sutherland.  None,  however,  appear 
on  record,  and  the  old  tradition  has  largely  gone  with  the 
people  who  once  knew  the  ground  in  connection  with  their 
shielings  and  grazings. 

North  of  Inverness,  but  not  confined  to  that  region, 
we  find  another  term,  namely  eileag.  Travellers  between 
Lairg  and  Lochinver  know  Mointeach  Eileag  '  the  moss  of 
eileags.'  This  term  also  was  long  puzzling.  The  solution 
came  when  I  was  told  the  tale  of  Eileag  Bad  Challaidh,  a 
place  near  Amat,  Strathcarron,  somewhere  about  Sal- 
lachy.  Very  few  now  seem  to  know  the  exact  spot,  and 
though  I  know  the  locality  fairly  well  I  have  not  seen  it. 
The  tale  goes  that  in  the  old  times  the  people  of  Strath- 
carron were  often  hard  pressed  by  the  Lochlannaich, 
which,  in  view  of  the  place  names  Dibidale,  Amat,  and 
Alladale  at  the  head  of  the  strath  and  Gruinzeord  at  its 
foot,  is  no  doubt  correct.  At  such  times,  two  places  were 
of  great  importance,  Cairidh  Ginn-Chdrdain  the  weir  of 
Kincardine,  near  the  parish  church,  for  the  catching  of 
salmon,  and  Eileag  BadChallaidh  in  the  heights,  for  deer. 
The  eileag^  according  to  my  informant,  was  an  arrangement 
very  like  that  described  in  the  0.  Stat.  Ace.  as  once  prevalent 
in  Rum  for  catching  deer.  There  are  about  half  a  dozen 
names  in  Ross  known  to  me  involving  eileag,  and  about  the 
same  number  in  Sutherland.  The  term  is  based  on  Old  Gael. 
ail,  stone,  whence  eileach,  a  mill  lade,  Craigellachie,  na  h- 
Eileachan  Naomha,  etc.,  and  the  true  eileag  would  be  of 
stone  as  described  in  Rum.  The  stone  structure  would  be 
resorted  to  where  wood  was  scarce,  or  for  permanency. 


166  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

In  Sutherland  there  are  the  remains  of  a  number  of  old 
walls  constructed  of  stones  and  earth  running  across  moor, 
mountain  and  glen  in  a  very  remarkable  way.  One  of 
these,  which  I  have  seen,  begins  at  Ben  Vr aggie,  runs  up 
part  of  Dunrobin  glen,  then  strikes  across  the  hill  on  the 
north  side  of  the  glen,  and  comes  out  at  Altnaharra.  An- 
other is  said  to  connect  Loch  Brora  and  Loch  Shin.  The 
length  of  one  is  said  to  be  nearly  thirty  miles.  In  Boss 
similar  walls  occur.  One  runs  between  Loch  Maree  and 
Loch  Torridon,  another  runs  right  through  Coigach.  An- 
other runs  east  and  west  on  the  high  ground  between  Loch 
Broom  and  Little  Loch  Broom  ;  a  burn  which  crosses  it 
is  called  Altnaharrie,  and  the  wall  runs  up  to  a  hill  called 
Maoil  na  h-Eirbhe.  I  have  explained  eirhJie  elsewhere  to 
be  the  old  word  for  a  fence  or  wall.  The  purpose  of  these 
walls  has  never  been  considered,  and  indeed  antiquaries 
seem  to  be  unaware  of  their  existence,  but  when  they  do 
come  to  be  mapped  out  and  studied,  a  connection  with  the 
great  deer-hunts  is  one  of  the  possibilities  that  might  be 
considered. 

The  term  '  tinchell '  which  recurs  so  often  in  connection 
with  the  hunts,  of  course  means  the  body  of  men,  sometimes 
numbering  thousands,  who  drove  the  deer  into  the  elrig  or 
eileag,  and  seems  to  be  a  rather  loose  use  of  timchioll,  a 
circuit.  The  drive  usually  took  place  in  August,  before 
harvest  began,  when  the  men  were  free.  The  time  occupied 
appears  to  have  usually  been  about  a  week  or  a  little  more  ; 
the  hunt  got  up  for  Queen  Mary's  visit  to  AthoU  must  have 
been  exceptionally  magnificent,  if  it  involved  two  months' 
preliminary  driving.  The  Duke  of  AthoU  on  1st  August 
1710  orders  the  fencible  men  of  Glen  Fernate  and  Glen 
Brierachan  to  meet  him  at  the  foot  of  Ben  Vurich  the 
following  night,  with  a  day's  provision,  for  a  deer  hunting 
the  day  after.  On  12th  August  similar  orders  were  sent 
to  Blair  and  Struan,  Kirkmichael,  Moulin,  Cluny,  Glen 
Almond,  Logierait,  Weem,  Dull,  and  Fortingall.  Invitations 
were  sent  to  Farquharson  of  Inverey  and  Mackenzie  of 


AOIBHINN  AN  OBAIR  AN  T-SEALG  167 

Dalmore  to  come  with  '  some  pretty  men,'  and  as  many 
dogs  as  they  can  provide.  The  vassals  and  tenants  met 
on  the  Green  of  Blair,  and  on  23rd  August  the  men  were 
drawn  up  on  Druim  na  h-Eachdra  (Ridge  of  the  Expedition) 
at  the  head  of  Glengirnaig.  There  the  orders  were  read  out 
to  all  the  officers  before  the  tinchell  was  sent  out  viz. — 

1.  That  none  shall  ojffer  to  fire  a  gun  or  pistol  in  the 
time  of  the  deer-hunting. 

2.  That  none  shall  offer  to  break  up  a  deer,  or  take  out 
a  grealloch,  except  in  His  Grace's  presence,  where  they  are 
to  be  disposed  on. 

3.  That  none  be  drunk  or  swear  an  oath. 

These  details  are  taken  from  Mr.  Ferguson's  paper, 
where  stiU  more  may  be  had. 

When  the  last  great  deer  hunt  in  the  old  style  took 
place  I  have  not  ascertained,  but  imagine  that  the  ostensible 
hunting  held  in  the  end  of  August  1715  by  the  Earl  of 
Mar  in  Braemar  must  have  been  among  the  last.  They 
passed  with  the  passing  of  the  Stuarts. 

It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  our  extant  Gaelic  literature 
contains  but  scant,  if  any,  references  to  those  great  huntings, 
which  must  have  stood  for  much  in  the  life  of  the  people. 
The  older  poetry  of  Atholl,  Aberdeenshire,  Ross  and  Suther- 
land has  all  gone  ;  had  it  survived,  we  might  have  some 
idea  of  the  feelings  of  the  man  in  the  tinchell.  Rob  Donn 
knows  only  the  modern  method  of  stalking  and  shooting  ; 
so  also  Dimcan  Macintjrre  needs  only  man,  gun  and  dog. 
In  Oran  na  Comhachaig  we  seem  to  get  back  to  the  grand 
style  when  with  regard  to  Creag  Ghuanach  at  Ceann  Loch 
Treig  the  hunter  poet  of  Lochaber  says  : — 

A'  chreag  mu'n  iathadh  an  fhaghaid 
Bu  mhiann  learn  a  bhi  'ga  tadhal, 
An  uair  bu  bhinn  guth  gallain  gadhar 
A'  cur  graigh  gu  gabhail  chumhann. 

The  rock  around  which  rolled  the  hunt ; 
It  was  my  desire  to  visit  it 
When  sweet  was  the  baying  of  hounds 
Driving  a  herd  to  a  narrow  pass. 


168  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

There  are  other  touches  in  this  poem — surely  one  of 
the  finest  poems  in  any  language — ^which  are  decisive  of  its 
antiquity,^  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  it  contains 
references  to  the  great  huntings  in  Lochaber,  by  distin- 
guished chiefs  of  the  West  Highlands. 

A  complete  account  of  what  is  to  be  known  of  these 
great  huntings  from  Otterburn  in  1388  to  Braemar  in  1715 
would  make  an  interesting  book,  and  add  a  valuable 
chapter  to  the  history  of  Scotland.  The  notes  given  above, 
fragmentary  as  they  are,  may  serve  to  direct  attention  to 
the  subject. 


BOOK  REVIEWS 

Poems  from  the  Welsh.  Translated  into  English  Verse  by  H.  Idris  Bell, 
with  some  additional  renderings  by  C.  C.  Bell.  Carnarvon :  The 
Welsh  Publishing  Co.,  Ltd.,  1913. 

This  volume  does  great  credit  to  the  skill  and  poetic  feeling  of  the  trans- 
lators, and  renders  at  the  same  time  a  genuine  service  to  the  poetry  of 
Wales.  The  authors  of  the  work  have  caught  the  true  spirit  of  the  Welsh 
muse,  and  have  bestowed  as  much  care  upon  the  verse  of  their  translations 
as  if  they  had  been  composing  for  the  most  cultured  English  readers.  It  is 
a  strong  temptation  to  translators  from  Welsh  poetry  to  imagine  that  their 
English  renderings  best  represent  the  spirit  of  Welsh  poetry  if  they  are 
characterised  by  some  measure  of  roughness  and  uncouthness.  It  is  this 
feature  that  leads  the  English  reader  to  imagine  that  Welsh  poetry  is 
marked  by  a  certain  barbaric  wildness,  whereas  the  exact  contrary  is  really 
the  case,  for  the  conception  of  finished  form  is  a  dominant  one  in  Welsh 
poetry.  The  first  poem  (in  four  parts)  is  one  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Gruffydd  called 
'The  Old  Bachelor  of  Tynymynydd,'  'The  Old  Quarryman,'  'The  Old 
Sailor,'  and  '  The  Young  Poet.'  This  striking  poem  should  be  a  revelation 
to  the  non- Welsh  reader  of  the  inner  spirit  of  W^ales,  and  Mr.  Bell  has  well 
interpreted  that  spirit  in  his  fine  translation.  The  next  poem  is  a  trans- 
lation of  a  fine  ode  by  Islwyn  on  ♦  Y  Dylanwad.'  Mr.  Bell  translates  this 
by  '  Inspiration,'  and  this  is  perhaps  the  nearest  English  rendering,  but  '  Y 
Dylanwad '  refers  specially  to  the  eflFect  of  religious  feeling,  not  so  much  on 
an  inspired  speaker  as  on  a  body  of  hearers.     The  poem  which  comes  third 

*  DomhnuU  Mac  FhionDlaidb  nan  Dan,  the  reputed  author  of  the  poem,  was  a  con- 
temporary of  Donnchadh  Dubh  (Sir  Duncan  Campbell  of  Glenorchy),  who  died  at 
Bealacb  in  1631. 


BOOK  REVIEWS  169 

is  called  'The  Empty  Nest  at  BroGynin,'  and  is  the  work  of  one  of  the 
ablest  of  modern  European  poets,  T.  Gwynn  Jones,  a  writer  of  rare  genius. 
The  translation  of  Ceiriog's  *  Nant  y  Mynydd '  is  accurate  and  melodious,  but 
it  is  hard  to  produce  by  means  of  English  words  the  eflfect  produced  by  the 
original,  since  to  a  Welshman  the  objects  described  are  far  more  familiar 
and  intimate  than  they  would  be  to  an  Englishman  of  the  plains,  while  the 
peasants  of  the  English  mountains  never  dream  of  writing  poetry.  A  poem 
called  'By  the  Pacific,'  by  R.  Silyn  Roberts,  gives  us  a  vivid  picture  of  a 
Welshman's  feeling  when  in  another  land.  Another  poem  by  Richard  Hughes 
introduces  the  Welshman  as  well  as  the  Englishman  to  a  poet  from  Lleyn 
who  lived  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  and  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  Love-Song  by  Wil  Hopcin  has  been  well  translated,  but  it  is  a 
hard  task  to  reproduce  the  rare  charm  of  the  original  in  its  exquisite  sim- 
plicity. We  have  next  a  translation  of  Penillion  gracefully  rendered  by 
C  C.  Bell,  and  afterwards  a  pleasant  rendering  of  a  poem  called  '  Eilonwy,' 
by  Talhaiarii.  A  song  by  Elphin  as  here  translated  is  a  faithful  and  not 
inadequate  rendering  of  the  original.  The  next  song  that  follows  is  one 
called  '  The  Well,'  a  translation  of  a  poem  by  the  Rev.  E.  Pan  Jones,  Ph.D., 
who  was  the  pioneer  of  the  movement  of  Welsh  students  to  German 
universities.  The  poetic  power  of  this  clear-sighted  bard,  whose  poems  have 
the  ring  of  reality,  has  never  been  fully  recognised  by  the  Welsh  people, 
and  Wales  has  reason  to  be  grateful  to  Mr.  Idris  Bell  and  others  for  reveal- 
ing his  greatness.  A  poem  called  'By  the  Sea,'  by  Eifion  Wyn,  introduces 
us  to  one  of  the  most  gifted  of  modern  European  poets,  and  this  is  followed 
by  a  pleasing  translation  called  '  The  Cloud,'  by  Professor  J.  Morris  Jones. 
Poems  called  '  Memory '  and  '  Night  on  the  Sea '  reveal  the  poetic  skill  and 
at  the  same  time  the  modern  spirit  of  T.  Gwynn  Jones.  A  small  poem 
called  '  The  Sea,'  by  Islwyn,  translated  by  C.  0.  Bell,  deserves  quotation : — 

The  sea  hath  many  graves,  but  no  gravestone  ; 

In  its  vast  bosom  sleep  the  dead  unknown. 

A  stormy  graveyard  this,  like  none,  save  life  alone. 

A  fine  poem  by  '  Awen  Mona,'  called  'A  Summer  Evening,'  is  a  delight- 
ful exposition  of  the  Welsh  spirit.  '  The  City '  reveals  the  poet  W.  J. 
Gruflfydd  as  an  observer  of  humanity  under  the  conditions  of  modern  life. 
It  is  a  noticeable  feature  of  modern  Welsh  poetry  that  the  poet  seeks  to 
give  expression  not  only  to  the  life  of  the  country,  which  has  a  traditional 
and  an  honoured  place  in  Welsh  poetry,  but  also  to  that  of  industrial  Wales, 
with  all  the  problems  which  to  the  older  men  were  unknown.  Islwyn's 
poem,  '  The  Angel,'  translated  by  C.  C.  Bell,  is  a  fine  representation  of  the 
less  modern  spirit  in  the  poetry  of  Wales.  'The  Messenger,'  by  T.  Gwynn 
Jones,  is  a  fresh  and  striking  poem  describing  the  poet's  recovery  of  his 
religious  faith  through  his  child.  The  next  is  a  fine  poem  called  'The 
Cloud,'  by  Sir  T.  Marchant  Williams,  well  and  gracefully  rendered.     The 


170  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

hymn  by  Ann  Griffiths  is  well  translated,  but  it  is  well-nigh  impossible  for 
any  translation  to  represent  the  marvellous  power  and  beauty  of  her  hymns, 
and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  translation  of  a  well-known  hymn  by  leuan 
Glan  Geirionydd.  The  poem  called  '  The  Palace  of  Darkness '  is  an  excellent 
translation  and  brings  out  the  mystic  charm  of  the  poetry  of  Silyn  Roberts, 
and  the  poem  'Tempora  Mutantur'  well  renders  the  more  direct  poetic 
power  of  W.  J.  Gruflfydd.  In  a  poem  called  '  The  Little  River,'  we  see  the 
attitude  of  J.  Morris  Jones  towards  Nature,  and  his  lucidity  of  expression. 
The  sonnet  by  Elphin  brings  out  the  poet's  modernness  of  spirit  and  his 
struggle  with  the  problems  of  the  mind  of  to-day.  W.  J.  Gruflfydd  further 
shows  the  richness  of  his  mind  in  his  poem  on  '  The  Spirit,' '  Ode  to  Autumn,' 
'Tristan  and  Iseult,'  'In  Memoriam  Sororis  Meae,'  'Stanzas  in  Imitation  of 
Omar  Khayyam,'  and  'Rest.'  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  gifted  poet, 
like  others  in  modern  Wales,  is  winning  a  high  place  in  the  roll  of  European 
poets.  The  authorship  of  a  poem  called  '  Disillusion '  is  uncertain,  but  it  is 
clear  that  the  author  was  a  true  interpreter  of  the  spirit  of  his  age.  It  is 
gratifying  to  find  among  the  poets  represented  here  the  classical  Dyfed, 
whose  poem,  '  The  Shadow  of  Death,'  well  maintains  the  central  tradition  of 
Welsh  poetry.  Islwyn's  splendid  '  Dawn  on  the  Mountain '  has  been  trans- 
lated before,  and  has  been  published  in  Young  Wales  and  in  Welsh 
Characteristics,  but  there  is  ample  room  for  two  versions  of  this  fine  poem. 
In  '  Dawn-joy '  we  are  introduced  to  a  very  able  poet  J.  D.  Richard,  whose 
poems  well  repay  translating.  The  next  poem,  'The  Jewish  Cemetery,' 
contains  a  powerful  satire  by  Dr.  Pan  Jones,  the  pioneer  of  modern  Welsh 
poetry.  Islwyn's  '  Vale  of  Clwyd '  again  reveals  that  keen-eyed  poet  in  a 
descriptive  mood,  and  this  fine  translation  is  followed  by  some  '  Penillion ' 
and  by  a  charming  translation  by  C.  C.  B.  of  a  poem  by  Eifion  Wyn  entitled 
'  Birds  at  Evening.'  That  young  and  much  lamented  poet,  Ben  Bowen,  is 
represented  by  a  short  stanza  on  '  The  Wind,'  and  this  is  followed  by  a 
poem  called  'The  Seagulls,'  by  J.  Morris  Jones.  Poems  by  Ceiriog, 
T.  Gwynn  Jones,  Elfed,  E.  Pan  Jones,  Elphin,  Eifion  Wyn,  R.  Silyn  Roberts, 
and  a  number  of  fine  '  Englynion '  are  also  included,  but  perhaps  special 
mention  should  be  made  of  a  poem  on  St.  David's  Day  by  Sarnicol  (the 
chaired  bard  of  1913)  and  of  a  beautiful  Epithalamion  by  a  poet  of  exquisite 
skill,  J.  Glyn  Davies.  The  translators  deserve  the  highest  praise  for  their 
translations,  while  they  have  further  helped  the  reader  by  giving  short 
bibliographical  accounts  of  the  poets  whose  verses  they  translate. 

E.  Anwyl. 

The  Story  of  an  Ancient  Parish,  Breage  with  Germoe.     By  H.  R.  Coulthard, 
M.A.     Camborne:  Cornwall.     3s.  Gc?.     162  pp. 

The  Vicar  of  Breage  has  done  good  service  in  collecting  and  arranging 
the  memorials  and  traditions  of  this  Cornish  parish.  The  first  chapter,  which 
deals  with  the  Celtic  period,  is  the  least  satisfactory.     The  statement,  for 


BOOK  REVIEWS  171 

instance,  that  the  Druids  used  the  stone  circles  for  purposes  of  astronomical 
observation  involves  two  propositions  that  are  so  far  unproved.  Indeed 
such  knowledge  as  we  possess  of  the  stone  circles  indicates  an  origin  long 
prior  to  Druidical  times,  if  we  accept  Druidism  as  Celtic.  The  information 
that  the  people  of  each  Cornish  parish  possessed  a  nickname,  such  as 
Wendron  goats,  Madron  bulls,  St.  Agnes  cuckoos,  is  interesting.  Mr. 
William  Mackenzie,  in  a  valuable  paper  contributed  to  the  proceedings  of 
the  Gaelic  Society  of  Glasgow,  records  the  same  practice  as  prevalent  over 
the  Highland  area.  The  Norsemen  found  the  tribe  of  the  Cats  in  the  north 
on  their  arrival  there,  and  Ptolemy  records  the  Caireni  or  sheep  folk  in  the 
north-west  of  Sutherland  at  end  of  the  first  century.  This,  however,  need  not 
imply  totemism,  as  Mr.  Coulthard  suggests.  Christianity,  Mr.  Coulthard 
considers,  probably  came  to  Cornwall  either  by  way  of  the  tin  trade  routes 
or  in  the  wake  of  the  Roman  legions.  The  first  definite  tradition  bearing 
on  the  history  of  the  parish  is  the  arrival  from  Ireland  (Munster)  of  St. 
Breaca  and  St.  Germoe  (Sancta  Bryaca,  Sanctus  Gyrmough,  1346)  about  500 
A.D.,  in  company  with  between  seven  hundred  and  eight  hundred  Irish  saints, 
among  them  Gwythian,  Cruenna,  Wendron  of  Wendron,  Moran  of  Modron, 
la  of  St.  Ives,  Levan  of  St.  Levans.  In  ancient  deeds  the  church  of  Breage 
is  referred  to  as  Eglos  Pembroc,  i.e.  the  Church  on  the  Hill  of  St.  Breaca,  a 
name  surviving  as  Plembo.  The  Cornish  people  of  the  time  according  to 
tradition  did  not  welcome  the  Irish  missionaries,  an  attitude  with  which 
Mr.  Coulthard  sympathises.  The  legend,  however,  is  probably  to  be  taken 
together  with  the  undoubted  Gaelic  conquest  of  Cornwall  towards  the  end 
of  the  Roman  occupation. 

No  record  or  vestige  of  Saxon  churches  in  the  parish  occurs.  Norman 
churches  were  built  at  Breage  and  Germoe,  possibly  about  1100  a.d.  In 
1219,  William,  son  of  Humphrey,  was  made  vicar  on  the  resignation  of 
William,  son  of  Richard.  Thenceforward  the  list  of  vicars  is  complete,  the 
present  incumbent  being  the  thirty-fifth  in  the  succession.  The  present 
church  of  Breage  dates  from  the  fifteenth  century,  and  is  carefully  described. 

The  general  history  before  the  Reformation  is  succeeded  by  a  chapter 
bringing  things  up  to  the  end  of  the  Commonwealth,  when  a  chapter  follows 
dealing  with  recent  times.  These  afibrd  interesting  and  varied  information. 
•  The  name  of  Angus  Macdonald  appears  in  the  Germoe  registers  after  the 
'"Forty -Five.'"  A  descendant  of  his  still  living  in  the  parish  informed 
Mr.  Coulthard  that  he  married  a  Breage  woman  soon  after  his  arrival.  He 
had  plenty  of  money,  was  a  man  of  high  station  in  his  own  country  and 
had  a  price  set  on  his  head.  He  disappeared  suddenly,  leaving  his  Cornish 
wife  and  family  behind. 

A  chapter  is  devoted  to  the  great  family  of  Godolphin,  and  another  to 
the  Arundells,  de  Pengersicks,  Militons  and  Sparmons.  'Worthies  and 
Un worthies'  form  another  interesting  chapter.  The  book  concludes  with 
a  chapter  on  local  place-names  and  superstitions,  which  might  have  been 


172  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

much  fuller.     There  is  a  good  index.     A  map  would  have  added  to  the 
interest. 

A  Book  of  Manx  Poetry.    William  Cubbon.     Illustrations  by  Alan 
C.  KissACK  and  the  late  Professor  E.  Forbes.     \s.  6rf.     101  pp. 

This  interesting  little  book  contains  of  Manx  two  poems,  a  dozen 
proverbs,  and  the  Lord's  Prayer.  The  rest  is  English,  with  an  occasional 
Manx  word  or  phrase,  and  includes  a  number  of  really  good  pieces  as  well 
as  some  middling  and  some  poor  ones.  All  are  by  Manxmen  or  deal  with 
Man,  the  editor's  work  has  been  selection,  and  the  addition  of  biographical 
notes  on  authors  deceased.  The  work  was  worth  doing.  The  Isle  has 
produced  at  least  one  poet  of  distinction  in  T.  E.  Brown  (1830-1897),  who 
is  represented  by  eleven  pieces.  Eliza  Craven  Green,  the  authoress  of 
'  Elian  Vannin,'  which  has  become  the  national  anthem,  though  not  a  Manx- 
woman  by  birth,  lived  in  Man.  Edward  Forbes  (1815-1854),  born  in 
Douglas,  and  educated  at  Edinburgh  University,  became  a  scientist  of  great 
reputation  and  Professor  of  Natural  History  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh. 
He  is  represented  here  by  some  charming  poems  and  a  number  of  sketches. 
The  frontispiece  is  a  drawing  of  '  Gorry,  King  of  Man,  circa  947  '  {i.e.  Godfred 
Crovan),  after  a  design  by  E.  H.  Corbould,  KA.,  made  in  1860,  and  intended 
for  a  monument  to  be  erected  in  Douglas.  Mr.  Cubbon  has  made  two  errors 
which  are  worth  noting.  The  Manx  motto  '  Quocunque  ieceris  stabit '  he 
translates  as  'Whatever  circumstances  may  come,  I  stand.'  The  meaning 
of  course  is,  •  In  whatever  direction  you  throw  him,  he  will  stand ' — with 
reference  to  the  three-legs  of  Man.  The  Manx  version,  given  on  p.  94, 
is  correct,  'Raad  erbee  cheauys  oo  eh,  hassys  eh.'  The  other  error  is  in 
connection  with  the  Fenian  ballad  on  p.  1,  a  version  of  the  well-known 
episode  of  the  burning  of  the  Fenian  women  by  the  hero,  Garaidh  Mac 
Morna.  In  the  Manx  (English)  version  Garry  becomes  Gorry,  and  Mr. 
Cubbon,  taking  him  for  '  a  prince  of  the  royal  line  of  Norse  rulers,'  remarks 
with  justice  that  '  it  is  difficult  to  explain  the  anachronism  of  introducing 
Fin  Mac  Couil  and  Prince  Gorry  as  contemporaries.' 

As  to  tone,  some  of  the  poems,  while  showing  forth  an  orthodox  dislike  of 
the  Saxons,  are  apt  to  leave  one  in  doubt  as  to  which  ancestry  the  writers 
affect,  Gaelic  or  Norse.  The  book  is  well  got  up  in  respect  of  printing, 
illustrations  and  binding. 

The  Royal  Highland  Regiment.     The  Black  Watch,  formerly  i2nd  and  13rd  Foot. 
Medal  Roll  1801-1911.     Edinburgh  :  William  Brown.     Price  21s. 

The  history  of  the  42nd  Foot,  the  Black  Watch,  is  yet  to  be  written. 
Whoever  ventures  to  undertake  the  task  will  find  his  life's  work  cut  out  for 
him.  Since  its  establishment  in  1667  the  title  of  the  Regiment  has  been 
altered  six  times.     Its  character  and  reputation  have  remained  unchanged 


BOOK  REVIEWS  173 

throughout,  and  the  stories  of  its  deeds  are  household  words  among  us.  The 
bibliography  of  such  a  corps  is  naturally  extensive.  Cannon's  Historical 
Record  is  but  a  meagre  complication,  and  many  copies  in  circulation  want 
pp.  197-98,  correcting  the  author's  account  of  Corunna,  and  printed  by  him 
after  the  issue  of  his  volume.  One  Of  the  most  interesting  of  the  late 
additions  to  the  bibliography  is  an  elaborately  illustrated  work  giving  an 
account  of  the  deeds  of  the  Regiment  at  Ticonderoga,  issued  about  two  years 
ago  by  Mr.  Frederick  B.  Richards,  secretary  of  the  New  York  State  Historical 
Association.  Now  we  have  this  handsome  quarto  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  pages  entirely  devoted  to  the  Medal  Lists  of  the  42nd  and  73rd. 
The  labour  in  compiling  these  must  have  been  immense,  and  it  is  a  melancholy 
consideration  that  even  as  they  stand  they  do  not  do  justice  to  the  prowess 
of  the  corps.  The  general  service  medal  for  the  Peninsula  and  Egypt  was 
only  issued  in  1847,  nearly  half  a  century  after  the  services  commemorated 
began,  and  then  only  to  the  oflBcers,  non-commissioned  officers  and  men  who 
survived.  Even  so,  475  medals  were  issued.  Had  they  been  sent  out  with 
the  promptitude  which  marks  modern  usage,  and  then  as  now  to  the  relatives 
of  those  slain  in  battle  or  who  died  of  their  wounds,  some  idea  of  the  length 
to  which  the  roll  would  have  extended  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that 
in  Egypt  and  the  Peninsula  the  42nd  had  239  officers  and  men  killed  in 
action  and  1216  wounded.  There  is  at  present  no  material  available  to  per- 
mit of  any  estimate  being  formed  of  the  number  of  men  who  passed  through 
the  ranks  of  the  42nd  during  the  Peninsular  war,  and  whose  names  had 
they  survived  until  1847  would  have  appeared  on  the  list.  We  do  not 
observe  in  the  work  any  reference  to  regimental  medals.  There  have  been 
eleven  issues  of  these  in  the  case  of  the  Black  Watch,  a  record  only  equalled 
by  another  Highland  regiment,  the  71st.  There  have  been  eight  such  dis- 
tributions in  the  5th  Foot,  and  two  or  three  regiments  such  as  the  2nd,  37th 
and  40th  Foot  have  had  seven.  The  names  of  the  recipients  of  such  medals 
might  well  have  appeared  and  no  clear  reason  for  their  exclusion  is  apparent. 
As  it  is,  the  volume  contains  the  names  of  the  officers  and  men  who  received 
medals  over  a  period  of  one  hundred  and  one  years,  and  they  number  some- 
where between  fifteen  and  twenty  thousand.  It  is  a  marvellous  record.  To 
a  few — for  the  world  is  made  up  of  all  sorts  of  people — the  work  may 
appear  but  an  arid  list  of  names,  but  to  leal-hearted  men  every  page  with 
its  infinitude  of  detail  will  recall  episodes  in  the  history  of  the  nation  which 
will  cause  the  cheek  to  flush  and  the  eye  to  sparkle.  The  volume  is  the 
only  one  of  the  kind  we  have  met  with  in  the  history  of  the  British  Army, 
and,  we  take  it,  is  unique  among  regimental  monographs.  Captain  Stewart 
has  laid  not  only  his  corps  but  the  nation  at  large  under  a  sensible  obligation 
by  producing  a  work  which  recalls  in  so  striking  and  dramatic  a  form  the 
valour  and  the  endurance  of  the  Highland  soldier. 

Andrew  Ross,  Ross  Herald. 


174  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Bidionary  of  the  Irish  Language,  based  mainly  on  Old  and  Middle  Irish 
materials,  published  by  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  under  the  Editorship 
of  Carl  J.  S.  Marstrander,  Professor  of  Celtic  Philology  in  the 
University  of  Kristiania.  Fasciculus  i.,  D-deg6ir.  Dublin :  Royal 
Irish  Academy ;  Hodges,  Figgis  and  Co.,  Ltd. ;  London  :  Williams 
and  Norgate.     8s.  6c?.  net.     7s.  to  subscribers. 

The  present  fasciculus  forms  the  first  instalment  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy's  projected  Bidionary  of  the  Irish  Language.  The  aim  is  to 
provide  a  thesaurus  of  the  Irish  language,  arranged  on  historical  principles, 
from  the  earliest  period  down  to  the  present  day.  The  work  is  based 
upon  material  collected  by  the  Academy  during  many  years  past,  drawn 
from  printed  literature  and  manuscripts,  and  frequently  supplemented  by 
illustrations  from  the  spoken  language.  When  Professor  Kuno  Meyer 
undertook  the  editorship  in  1907,  in  succession  to  Professor  Robert  Atkinson, 
it  was  decided  that  as  the  letters  A  to  Dn  had  already  appeared  in  Professor 
Meyer's  Contributions  to  Irish  Lexicography,  the  Dictionary  should  begin  with 
the  letter  D,  leaving  A  to  C  to  the  end.  It  is  estimated  that  the  Dictionary 
when  complete  will  fill  three  volumes  of  about  1000  pages  (of  two  columns) 
each.  The  price  to  subscribers  will  be  Is.  per  sheet  of  16  pp.,  post  free ;  or 
large  paper  edition,  of  which  only  a  hundred  copies  will  be  printed  at  Is.  3d. 
per  sheet.  The  page  is  large  quarto.  The  print  is  exceedingly  clear,  the 
matter  is  well  displayed,  without  any  feeling  of  crowding,  and  the  paper 
appears  to  be  all  that  could  be  desired.  The  work  is  largely  conceived.  It 
will  be  an  inestimable  boon  to  students  of  the  language.  Its  inception 
marks  an  important  stage  in  the  study  of  the  language.  Henceforward  the 
linguistic  knowledge  painfully  garnered  by  scholars  since  the  time  of  Zeuss, 
recorded  in  many  publications,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little,  in  form  of  note, 
translation,  or  glossary,  as  well  as  in  lexicographical  collections  specially 
made  for  the  Dictionary,  will  all  be  available  to  the  student  in  an  orderly 
systematic  fashion.  It  will  no  longer  be  necessary  to  hunt  up  the  meaning 
or  usage  of  a  particular  word  in  the  great  array  of  unrelated  publications. 
The  present  fasciculus  contains  seven  sheets,  or  223  columns,  a  volume  will 
contain  about  nine  such  fasciculi.  The  intervals  at  which  the  parts  may 
be  expected  are  not  stated,  but  on  a  quarterly  basis  the  complete  work 
would  take  about  seven  years  to  produce. 


Learning  in  Ireland  in  the  Fifth  Century  and  the  Transmission  of  Letters. 
By  Kuno  Meyer.     Dublin.     Is.  net. 

In  this  pamphlet  is  printed  a  lecture  delivered  by  Professor  Kuno  Meyer 
in  1912  before  the  School  of  Irish  Learning  in  Dublin.  It  deals  with  the 
problem  of  the  causes  which  led  to  that  remarkable  outburst  of  classical 
learning  which  appeared  in  Ireland  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  century.     It  has 


BOOK  REVIEWS  175 

long  been  recognised  that  this  learning  could  not  have  been  the  result  of  the 
labours  of  St.  Patrick,  who  was  undoubtedly  no  scholar,  as  he  himself  so  often 
admits.  It  has  been  suggested  that  these  studies  were  brought  to  Ireland 
by  Gauls  or  Britons  who  accompanied  Patrick.  This,  says  Professor  Meyer, 
is  not  at  all  probable.  He  does  not  believe  that  the  introduction  or  promo- 
tion of  classical  learning  was  due  to  any  missionaries.  '  The  origin  of  that 
wide  culture  embracing  not  only  the  study  of  Plautus,  Horace,  Ovid,  Persius, 
Sallust,  etc.,  but  also  grammar,  metrics,  and  other  sciences,  such  as  astronomy, 
must  be  traced  to  a  much  deeper  and  broader  influence.'  The  solution  of  the 
problem  accepted  by  Professor  Meyer  is  due  to  Zimmer  and  was  found 
among  his  papers  after  his  death.  Zimmer  made  use  of  a  document  printed 
in  1866,  containing,  amid  a  glossary  of  Latin  words,  a  note  in  Latin  stating 
in  effect  that  in  consequence  of  the  devastation  of  the  Roman  Empire  by 
the  Huns  and  other  barbarians,  the  learned  men  of  the  Continent  fled  away, 
and  in  regions  oversea,  i.e.  in  Hiberia  and  elsewhere,  brought  about  a  very 
great  advance  of  learning  to  the  inhabitants  of  those  regions.  This  entry, 
according  to  Zimmer,  was  written  not  later  than  the  sixth  century  in  the 
west  of  Gaul.  Hiberia  is  a  scribal  confusion  for  Hibernia.  Professor  Meyer's 
lecture  is  devoted  to  elucidating  and  establishing  the  position  that  here  at 
last  a  flood  of  light  is  thrown  upon  one  of  the  darkest  yet  most  important 
periods  in  Irish  history,  and  a  new  starting-point  for  investigation  is  provided. 
He  draws  attention  to  a  passage  in  St.  Patrick's  Confession  which  appears  to 
refer  to  pagan  rhetors  from  Gaul  resident  in  Ireland.  He  further  shows 
how,  in  all  probability,  the  Latin  oratory  practised  by  these  rhetoricians 
influenced  the  form  and  rhythm  of  early  Irish  composition.  It  is  pointed 
out  that  here  yet  another  field  of  study  is  opened  up  which  needs  skilled 
workers  to  explore  it. 

Zur  Keltischen  IFoiikunde  iii.     KuNO  Meyer. 

In  this  contribution  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Royal  Prussian 
Academy  of  Sciences,  Professor  Kuno  Meyer  has  seventeen  short  articles, 
some  of  them  of  unusual  interest.  In  No.  41  he  deals  with  Ptolemy's 
Epidion  Akron.  This  has  long  been  equated  with  the  Mull  of  Kintyre,  and 
Dr.  MacBain  assigns  the  tribe  of  the  Epidii  to  Kintyre  and  Lorn.  The 
root  is  epos,  horse ;  the  Epidii  were  the  '  horse  folk,'  and  significantly 
enough  Kintyre  in  historic  times  has  always  been  claimed  as  the  habitat  of 
the  MacEcherns,  from  Ech-tigern,  '  horse-lord.'  Professor  Meyer's  contribu- 
tion to  the  question  is  the  identification  of  Epidion  Akron  with  a  place-name 
occurring  in  the  Irish  saga  'Aided  Chonr6i,  the  Death  of  Curoi.'  There 
mention  is  made  of  a  hero  called  Echde  who  lived  in  Aird  Echdi  i  Cinn  Tire, 
and  Professor  Meyer  points  out  that  Ard  Echdi  is  simply  the  Gaelic  form  of 
Epidion  Akron. 

In  No.  42  Professor  Meyer  notes  the  occurrence  on  Scottish  soil  of  the 
ancient  names  for  Ireland — Eriu,  Banba,  Elg,  and  F6tla — a  point  already 


176  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

noticed  by  Skene  and  others  more  or  less  completely.  Eriu,  genitive  Erenn, 
undoubtedly  appears  in  the  various  stream  names  Earn,  of  which  we 
have  at  least  five,  one  being  in  Renfrewshire.  Under  Banba  Professor 
Meyer  notes  Banff  in  Banffshire,  and  Bamff  in  Perthshire.  There  is  another 
Banff  in  Kincardineshire.  The  word  forms  the  base  of  the  Banavie  burn 
which  flows  by  Blair  Castle  in  AthoU,  and  there  is  another  Banavie  burn 
and  Loch  Banavie  in  Sutherland.  Professor  Meyer  mentions  a  Banavie  in 
Argyll,  of  which  I  have  not  heard.  He  is  mistaken  in  thinking  that 
Banavie,  near  Fort-William,  is  a  stream  name  :  it  is  a  place-name. 

F6tla  occurs  in  AthoU,  which  has  been  repeatedly  and  rightly  explained 
as  New  Ireland. 

Elg  occurs  in  Elgin.  This  also  has  been  pointed  out  more  than  once, 
but  Professor  Meyer  considers  Elgin  to  be  a  diminutive  in  -in  of  Elg,  and 
therefore  parallel  to  Atholl.  The  fact  of  the  Gaelic  form  being  universally 
Eilginn  is  against  this  view.  We  have  also  to  reckon  with  Glen  Elg,  in 
Gaelic  Gleann  Eilge  and  its  derivative  Eilginneach,  which  points  to  Eilginn 
being  a  locative  formation.     There  is  a  stream  Allt  Eilgnidh  in  Sutherland. 

Professor  Meyer  suggests  that  the  occurrence  of  these  names  in  the  east 
of  Scotland  may  point  to  a  direct  occupation  from  Ireland  in  early  times. 
This  is  a  suggestion  well  worth  considering  on  various  grounds,  but,  as  I 
have  pointed  out,  the  Elg,  Banba,  and  Eriu  names  occur  also  on  the  west 
coast. 

The  other  articles  are  on :  ar-cridiur,  Cathdir,  Diwrnach,  esclae,  the  root 
S'ljel  in  Irish,  minne,  etrain  etrdnaim  etraigim,  all=a.  hall,  cennmar,  bruinnim, 
aiste,  cnatur-ldrc,  facht  gwaeth,  inellgim,  Uanaind. 

Alt-Celtischer  Sprachschatz.    Von  Alfred  Holder  :  Leipzig. 

This,  the  twenty-first  part  of  Dr.  Holder's  great  work,  continues  the 
additions  and  corrections.  It  runs  from  Cabillus  to  Corhdcum,  being  225 
columns  of  additions  to  an  original  of  about  450  columns. 

Antiquarian  Notes;  a  Series  of  Papers  regarding  Families  and  Places  in  the 
Highlands.  By  Charles  Eraser-Mackintosh.  Second  Edition,  with 
a  life  of  the  author,  notes,  and  an  appendix  on  the  Church  in  Inverness, 
by  Kenneth  Macdonald,  Town  Clerk  of  Inverness  (xxxii+462  pp.). 
Stirling  :  Eneas  Mackay.     21s. 

Dr.  Charles  Eraser-Mackintosh's  Antiquarian  Notes  needs  no  recom- 
mendation. The  Notes  contain  a  vast  amount  of  accurate  information 
regarding  the  Highlands,  and  no  one  interested  in  Highland  history  or 
genealogy  can  afford  to  neglect  them.  For  some  time  copies  of  the  first 
edition,  issued  in  1865,  have  been  rather  diflScult  and  expensive  to  obtain, 
and  this  new  edition  will  be  welcomed.  The  editor  has  done  his  part  with 
care  and  competence.     The  life  of  the  author,  with  an  excellent  portrait  of 


BOOK  REVIEWS  177 

him  prefixed,  is  succinct  and  full.  His  was  a  life  that  deserves  remem- 
brance, and  the  pious  duty  has  evidently  been  congenial  to  the  editor,  who 
writes  with  the  authority  of  contemporary  acquaintance.  The  editor  has 
also  supplemented  the  text  with  notes  illustrative  and  occasionally  corrective, 
which  add  considerably  to  the  interest  and  value  of  the  book.  The  appen- 
dices on  Smuggling  and  the  Church  in  Inverness  are  also  by  the  editor. 
The  latter  is  a  particularly  full  and  able  piece  of  work,  embodying  the 
result  of  prolonged  research,  consideration,  and  discussion.  It  is  impossible 
in  a  brief  notice  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  amount  and  variety  of 
matter  brought  together  in  Antiquarian  Notes.  The  valuation  roll  of  the 
SheriflFdom  of  Inverness,  including  Ross,  for  1644  is  a  treasure  in  itself. 
Among  similar  documents  are  given  the  rental  of  the  forfeited  estates  of 
Cluny ;  the  rental  of  the  Bishopric  of  Moray  for  1641  ;  rental  of  the  Scot- 
tish Bishoprics  1692  ;  list  of  the  writs  of  the  lands  of  Kheindoun  in  Urray ; 
the  titles  of  the  Urquharts  of  Cromarty ;  the  rental  of  the  Scottish  counties 
1649;  the  rental  of  the  Bishopric  of  Ross,  1691;  list  of  the  heritable 
jurisdictions  in  Scotland  and  sums  asked  for  their  abolition,  1751;  valuation 
roll  of  Inverness-shire  1691.  These  are,  all  of  them,  most  valuable  docu- 
ments, and  they  form  but  a  part  of  the  collection,  which  runs  to  one  hundred 
and  one  headings.     We  have  noticed  some  points  that  look  like  slips. 

On  p.  404  the  editor  in  dealing  with  Robert  Ingerami,  treats  Ingerami 
as  a  regular  surname.  Surely  the  meaning  is  'Robert  son  of  Ingram,' 
just  as  on  the  same  page  David  Senescalli  means  David  son  of  the  Senescal 
or  Steward.  On  p.  379  it  is  stated  that  the  brave  Alexander  MacGillivray 
who  fell  at  Culloden  '  was  reddish  haired  and  a  great  frequenter  of  markets, 
being  termed  Alastair  ruadh  na  feile.'  The  epithet  na  fiile  means  '  of 
hospitality,'  'hospitable';  so  Duncan  Campbell  of  Glen  Lyon,  who  lived  in 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  was  called  Donnchadh  ruadh  na  fdile, 
'  Red  Duncan  of  hospitality.'  In  the  note  referred  to,  f6ile,  the  genitive  case 
of  fial^  is  confused  with  f6ill,  a  market.  It  may  be  added  that  '  red  Alex- 
ander of  the  markets '  would  be  Alastair  ruadh  nam  fMltean.  On  p.  382, 
and  again  on  p.  397,  the  name  Ay  is  equated  with  Adam.  This  equation 
may  be  correct  in  these  particular  instances,  but  it  needs  proof,  for  else- 
where, as  is  well-known.  Ay  (or  Y)  stands  for  Aodh  or  Aoidh,  both  as  a 
personal  name  and  in  the  surname  Mackay,  MacAoidh.  On  p.  251  a  note 
states  '  Ballifeary  is  not  Town  of  the  Watchers,'  as  Dr.  Fraser-Mackintosh 
interpreted  it.  This  is  doubtless  true,  but  in  view  of  the  spelling  Balnafare, 
1244,  it  would  be  bold  to  say  that  Ballifeary  does  not  mean  "Town  of  the 
Watch'  (Baile  na  /aire),  the  view  which  had  the  support  of  Dr.  MacBain. 
These,  however,  and  suchlike  are  small  points  which  only  very  slightly 
detract  from  the  value  of  an  excellent  and  well-edited  work.       W.  J.  W. 

VOL.  IX.  M 


178      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR  AND  READER 

By  Julius  Pokorny,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.  (Vienna) 

[Continued  from  'page  96) 

Vowel  Gradation  or  Ablaut 

§  127.  I.E.  roots  containing  e  (ei,  eu),  or  d  {di,  du),  e  (ei,  eu),  o 
(oi,  du)  show  several  grades  of  vowels.  The  vowels  and  diph- 
thongs mentioned  represent  the  chief  instances  of  the  so-called 
noTTnal  vowel  grade. 

e.g.  seiss, '  he  will  sit '  fr.  *sed-8-ti 

nnel{a)i'}n  '  I  grind '       fr.  ^onel-o-'mi ; 

'Hag  '  I  go '  fr.  *{s)teigh-o ; 

-tdu  '  I  am '  fr.  *sthd-jd ; 

sil '  seed '  fr.  *se-lo-m ; 

ddn  'gift'  fr.  *do-nu-8. 

§  128.  In  I.E.  unstressed  syllables  the  root  vowels  take  the 
reduced  vowel  grade.  There  are  several  grades  of  reduction ; 
the  most  common  reductions  are  the  following :  e  is  thrown  out  •^ 
(hence  ei  and  eu  become  i,  u ;  er,  el,  em,  en  become  f ,  I,  m,  n  ^), 
while  d,  e,  o  are  reduced  to  d.  This  d  may  be  still  further  reduced 
to  zero.  (Long  diphthongs  show  likewise  several  grades  of  reduc- 
tion ;  a  well-known  change  is  that  of  the  long  i  diphthongs  to  I, 
i  and  of  the  long  u  diphthongs  to  il,  u.) 

e.g.  net  '  nest'  fr.  *ni-zd-os,  older  *ni-sd-os;  cf.  seiss,  §  127 

(normal  vowel  grade). 

mlith  'grinding'  fr.  *ml-ti-s;  cf.  melim  §  127  (normal 

grade). 

techt  'going'   fr.   *{s)tigh-td;  ci-tiag   §   127   (normal 

grade). 

'  It  seems  certain,  that  in  some  positions  the  short  e  was  not  entirely  thrown 
out  but  was  reduced  to  a  kind  of  murmured  vowel,  which  was  different  from  9. 
This  reduced  e  appears  in  O.  Ir.  before  liquids  as  a,  otherwise  it  has  fallen 
together  with  the  I.E.  unreduced  e  (§  114). 

2  Other  grades  of  reduction  are  denoted  by  f ,  Z,  m,  n,  but  there  is  much  con- 
troversy about  these  sounds.  Cf.  §  105  (plnos)  and  the  following  notes,  r,  I,  m,  n 
before  vowels  (e.g.  tldmo,  §  105)  are  sometimes  written  rr,  II,  etc.  They  are  best 
taken  as  mere  symbols  denoting  r,  I,  m,  n,  preceded  by  a  kind  of  reduced  e  (see 
the  preceding  note). 


ACCIDENCE  179 

ross '  promontory '  fr.  *pro-sth-om :  cf.  -tdu  §  127  (normal 

grade). 

aaithe  'swarm'  fr.  *89-tJos;  cf.sil  §  127  (normal  grade) 

ciil   'back'   fr.   *kul-os;   cf.   Greek    ktjXt)  fr.   *kdul-d 

(normal  grade). 

§  129.  Under  certain  conditions  which  are  hard  to  define,  the 
normal  vowel  grade  is  changed  to  the  deflected  vowel  grade,  that 
is,  e  (ei,  eu)  becomes  o  (oi,  ou),  while  e  and  d  become  o. 
e.g.  suide  'seat'  fr.  *sod-jo-7n;  cf.  seiss  §  127. 
mol  'mill-shaft'  fr.  *mol-08;  cf.  melim  §  127. 
moidid  '  boasts  '  fr.  *moid-Ui ;   cf.  miad  '  honour '  fr. 
*7neido-  (normal  grade). 

Greek  a.<f)€(OKa  'I  have  sent  away'  fr.  *a7r-eQ)/ca  =  *se- 
so-ka;  cf.  sil,  §  127  (normal  grade). 

§  130.  From  e  (normal  grade):  o  (deflected  grade)  must  be 
distinguished  the  so-called  lengthened  vowel  grade  e:  o  which 
appears  in  syllables  whose  normal  vowel  is  e. 

e.g.  the   suffix    ter    (lengthened    normal   grade)   in   athir 
'  father '  fr.  *p9-ter 

-.tor  (lengthened  deflected  grade)  in  Greek  a-irdrcop 
'  fatherless '  fr.  *-p9-tdr ;  cf.  the  normal  grade  ter  in 
ace.  pi.  aithrea  fr.  *p9-ter-ns. 
sid  '  peace '  fr.  *sed-os  (lengthened  normal  grade) 
:sdidid  'fixes'  fr.  *sod-Ui,  0.  Slav,  saditi  'to  plant' 
(lengthened  deflected  grade);  cf.  seiss  §  127  (normal 
grade),  suide  §  129  (short  deflected  grade). 

§  131.  In  I.E.  dissyllabic  roots  the  vowel  gradations  are 
limited  by  the  rule,  that  at  least  one  of  the  root-syllables  must 
appear  in  the  reduced  vowel  grade,  though  it  is  possible  that 
both  syllables  have  a  reduced  vowel  grade.  A  good  example 
for  such  a  root  is,  for  instance,  I.E.  pelo  (with  normal  grade  of 
the  first  syllable:  pie  (with  normal  grade  of  the  second  syllable) 
'  to  fill.'  In  applying  the  rules  of  vowel-gradation  to  this  root, 
we  get  the  following  forms :  pel(d),  pol{d) ;  pie,  plo ;  pi,  pi,  pi. 
e.g.  il '  much '  fr.  *pel-u ;  cf.  Goth.  filu. 

uile  '  all '  perhaps  fr.  *pol-jo- ;  cf  Greek  ttoWo^  '  much. 


180      A  CONCISE  OLD  lEISH  GRAMMAR 

Un  'number'  fr.  *ple-nu-;  cf.  §  119. 
Idn  '  full '  fr.  *pl-no-}    Cf.  §  105. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  in  dissyllabic  roots  whose  second  syllable  is 
(when  in  the  normal  grade)  a  long  vowel  or  long  diphthong,  the  vowel 
of  the  first  syllable  can  never  appear  in  the  lengthened  vowel  grade. 
e  is  regularly  thrown  out  before  an  immediately  following  vowel,  e.g. 
il,  fr.  *pel-u,  older  *pel9-u.  « 


C— ACCIDENCE 

The  Definite  Article 
§  132.  Paradigm  of  the  article. 


Singular 

masculine 

neuter 

feminine 

nom. 

in,     int     (before 
vowels) 

a" 

in(d)   ',2    int 
(before  a) 

gen. 

in(d) ',  int  (before  a) 

inna 

dat.   (after   preps,  ending 
in  a  vowel) 
(after  other  preps. ) 

— n(d) ',  — 7it  (before  s) 

— {8)in{d) ",  — {a)int  (before  S} 

ace,  (after  of) 

(after  other  preps.) 

— (s)»n" 

— a" 
— (s)o" 

— («)m" 

^  Some  scholars  deny  the  possibility  of  1  giving  Id  and  postulate  an  I.E. 
*pld-no-,  assuming  a  vowel  gradation  e  :  d.  The  whole  question  is  very  compli- 
cated. The  same  difficulty  arises  in  the  case  of  f,  m,  n,  cf,  §  105.  It  is  indeed 
very  peculiar  that  Z  should  have  given  sometimes  al  and  sometimes  Id.  This 
dififerent  treatment  may  perhaps  be  explained  by  assuming  a  different  I.E. 
accentuation.  A  satisfactory  solution  has  not  yet  been  offered.  There  is  how- 
ever no  doubt  that  f,  I,  etc.,  are  in  many  cases  mere  symbols,  denoting  r,  I,  m,  n 
preceded  by  a  kind  of  reduced  e  (cf.  the  preceding  notes)  and  followed  by  9. 
Here  a  different  secondary  I.E.  stress  may  have  caused  the  different  treatment 
alluded  to. 

'^ '  indicates  that  the  form  aspirates. 


ACCIDENCE  181 


Plural 

nom. 

in{d) ',  int  (before  s)             inna,  na 

gen.  (of  all  genders) 

t?ina",  na" 

dat.              ,, 

— {i)naib  (only  after  prepositiona) 

ace.               ,, 

inna,  na,  — ($)na  (after  preps.) 

The  final  -d  of  the  article  remains  only  before  vowels  or  aspirated  /, 
/,  71,  r  (in  Wb.  also  occasionally  before  aspirated  b  and  m.)  Before  the 
numeral  da,  di  '  two '  the  article  appears  in  the  nom.  gen.  and  ace.  of 
all  genders  as  in,  in  the  dat.  after  prepositions  ending  in  a  vowel  as  -n, 
after  other  prepositions  probably  as  -{s)in. 


The  Noun 
A. — Vocalic  Stems 

§  133.  -0-  stems.    Masc.  fer  '  man '  (fr.  *  vivos).    Neuter  acel 
'  story '  (fr.  *sk"etlom.) 


Singular 

Primitive  Endings 

m. 

n. 

m. 

n. 

N.  fer 

scd 

-OS 

-om 

G.fir 

sceuil,  sc4oil 

-% 

-I 

D.  fiur 

sceul 

o{i) 

-o(^) 

A.  fer 

seel 

-om 

-om 

Y.fir 

seel 

-e 

-e 

182      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAE 


Plural 


N.  fir 

scSl^ 

G.  fer 

seel 

D.  fer{a)ih 

scel(a)ih 

A.  firu 

scd"^ 

V.  firu 

8C4l 

-01 

-a 

-dm 

-dm 

-obhis 

-obhis 

-ons 

-d 

-OS 

-d 

-ai> 

-a 

-d 

-a 

-obhim 

-obhim 

Dual 
NA.  fer  scd 

G.  fer  8c4l 

D.  fer(a)ib  scel(a)ib 

^  The  frequent  bye-form  scSla  has  taken  its  -a  from  the  nom.  ace, 
pi.  of  the  fem.  -a-  stems, 

§  134.  -jo-  stems,     Masc.  comarp(a)e  '  heir '  (fr,  *kom-orbjo8). 
Neutr.  cride  '  heart '  (fr.  *}crdjom). 

Singular  Primitive  Endings 

The  endings  are  those  of 
the  -0-  stems,  preceded 
by  j,  which  developed 
an  i  before  it,  when  fol- 
lowing u  (v)  or  a  con- 
sonant. 


m. 

n. 

N. 

comarp(a)e 

cride 

G. 

comarpia)i 

cridi 

D, 
A, 
V. 

comarpu 

comarp{a)e 

comarp{a)i 

Plural 

cridiu 

cride 

cride 

N. 
G. 
D. 
A. 
V. 

comarp{a)i 

comarp{a)e 

co7narp{a)ib 

comarpu 

comarpu 

Dual 

cride 

cride 

cridib 

cride 

cride 

N.A 
G. 
D. 

comarp(a)e 
comarp{a)e 
C07narp{a)ib 

cride 
cride 
cridib 

^  The  I.E.  ending  -ou  has  been  replaced  by  Celtic  -a,  which  was  taken  from  the 
corresponding  numeral  da  (older  da),  where  the  -a  had  been  developed  inproclitie 
position  from  I.E.  -ou  ;  cf.  the  ace,  pi.  of  the  article  imia  fr,  *8in-dds. 


ACCIDENCE 


183 


§  135.  -a-  stems.     Fern,  dram  '  number '  (fr.  ^ad-rima)  and 
the  irregular  hen  '  woman '  (fr.  g'end). 


Singular 

Primitive 

Primitive 

Endings 

Forms  of  ben 

N.  dram 

hen 

-a 

g^en-d 

G.  dirme 

mnd 

-jds,  -jes 

g^n-ds 

D.  dr{a)im 

mnai 

•di 

g'n-di 

A.  dr{a)im. 

mnai 

•em 

[Analogy  to 

V.  dram 

hen 

-9 

the  dat.  sg.} 
g'en-d 

Plural 

N.  dirmea 

mnd 

-d8 

g'n-da 

G.  dram 

han 

-oTn 

g^n-om 

D.  dirmib 

m,ndib 

-dhhia 

g^n-dhhis 

A.  dirmea 

mnd 

-dns 

g'n-dns 

V.  dirmea 

mnd 

-as 

g'n-da 

Dual 

N.A.  dr{a)i7n 

mnai 

-di 

g"n-di 

G.  dram 

han 

-d 

g'n-d 

D.  dirmib 

mnd'ih 

-dbhim 

g"n-dhhim 

136.  -ja-  stems.     Fem.  guide  'prayer'  (fr.  g'hodhjd),  ungae 
*  ounce '  (fr.  Lat.  uncid). 


Si 

ingular 

Primitive  Endings. 

N.  guide 

ung{a)e 

-jd 

G.  guide 

ung{a)e 

-jds 

D.  guidi 

ung{a)i 

•jdi 

A.  guidi 

ung(a)i 

[-jrii  or  -jem] 

V.  guide 

ung(a)e 
Plural 

-P 

N.  guidi 

ung{a)i 

-ejes 

G.  guide 

ung{a)e 

-jom 

D.  guidih 

ung{a)ih 

-jdbhis 

A.  guidi 

ung(a)i 

'ins 

V.  guidi 

ung(a)i 

-ejes 

184      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

Dual 

guidi  ung{a)i  -j&i 

-ja 
-jabhiTTi 


N.A 

G.  guide 
D.  guidib 


ung(a)e 
ung(a)ib 


§  137.  -i-  stems.  Masc.  fdith  '  prophet '  (fr.  *vdtis) ;  fern, 
nouns  (e.g.  flaiih  '  sovereignty '  fr.  *vl9tis)  are  declined  in  the 
same  way.     Neut.  guin  '  wound '  (fr,  *g'honi). 


Singular 

Primitive 

Endings 

m. 

n. 

m. 

n. 

N.  fdith 

guin 

-is 

-i 

G.  fdtho^ 

gono^ 

[Analogy  to  -u-  stems] 

D.  fdith 

guin 

-ei 

-ei 

A.  fdith 

guin 

-im 

-i 

V.  fdith 

guin 

-i 

-i 

Plural 

N.  fdithi 

guine 

-ejes 

-ij9 

G.  fdithe 

guine 

-ijom 

-ijom 

D.  fdithib 

guinib 

-ibhis 

-ibhis 

A.  fdithi 

guine 

-ins 

-ij9 

V.  fdithi 

guine 

-ejes 

-ij9 

Dual 

fdith  guin 

fdtho  ^  gono  ^ 

fdithib  guinib 


-i  'I 

[Analogy  to  -u-  stems] 
-ibhim  -ibhim 


^  Also  fdtha,  gona  with  change  of  final  -o  to  -a. 


§  138.  -I-  stems.  Fem.  rigain  'queen'  (fr.  *regn'i).  In 
I.E.  there  were  i:jd  and  %:je  stems.  This  distinction  cannot 
be  upheld  in  0.  Ir.,  where  both  classes  of  -%-  stems  have  fallen 
together. 


ACCIDENCE 

Singular 

Primitive  Endings 

N. 

rig(a)in 

-I          or         -I 

G. 

Hgn(a)e 

-jas       „           -jes 

D. 

rign{a)i 

-jai       „           -jei 

A. 

rign{a)i 

-jin       »           -jem 

V. 

rig{a)in 
Plural 

-I          „           -I 

N. 

rign(a)i 

[Analogy  to  -  i-  stems] 

G. 

rign{a)e 

-jom           „     -jom 

D. 

rign(a)ih 

-jabhis       „     -jehhis 

A. 

rign{a)i 

[Analogy  to  -i-  stems] 

V. 

rign(a)i 
Dual 

[Analogy  to  -i-  stems] 

N.V. 

rig(ayin 

[Analogy  to  -i-  stems] 

G. 

Hgn{a)e 

-ja              „    -ja 

D. 

rign(a)ib 

jdhhim       „     -jebhim 

185 


Note. — Already  in  0.  Ir.  some  nouns  belonging  originally  to  this 
class  have  gradually  passed  into  the  -a-  (e.g.  nom.  sg.  mdt  beside  regular 
mSit  'size'  fr.  *md-nil;  dat.  sg.  mdit  instead  of  *m^{i)ti,  etc.)  or  -i- 
declension  (e.g.  gen.  sg.  inseo  beside  regular  inse,  nom.  sg.inis  'island'; 
dat.  ace.  luib  instead  of  *lu(i)bi,  nom.  sg.  luib  '  plant,'  etc.) 


§  139.  -u-  stems.    Masc.  auth  '  offspring '  (fr.  *sutu8),  neut. 
dorus  '  door '  (fr.  *dhvorestu). 


Singular  Primitive  Endings 


m. 

n. 

m. 

n. 

N. 

8Uth 

dorus 

-us 

-u 

G. 

sotho  ^ 

doirseo  ^ 

-oua 

-oua 

D. 

auth 

dorus 

-eu  or  -u 

-eu  or  -u 

A. 

suth 

dorus 

-um 

-u 

V. 

auth 

dorua 

-u 

-u 

186      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


Plural 

N. 

soth(a)e  ' 

dorus  ' 

-eves 

-u 

G. 

soth{a)e  * 

doirse 

[Analogy  to 

'i-  stems] 

D. 

8oth{a)ib 

doirsib 

-ovobhis 

-ovobhis 

A. 

euthu 

dorus  ^ 

-uns 

'U 

V. 

(I  have  no  examples.) 

Dual 

N.  A. 

8Uth 

dorus 

-u 

-u 

G. 

sotho  ^ 

doirseo  ^ 

[Analogy  to  the  gen.  sg." 

D. 

8oth(a)ih 

doirsib 

-ovobhim 

-ovobhim 

^  Also  sotha,  doirsea  with  change  of  final  -o  to  -a. 

2  Already  in  Wb.  so^^(a)«  could  occasionally  (before  affixed  pronouns) 
become  sotha  (cf.  §  41).  Another  by-form  soth{a)i  owes  its  ending  to 
the  influence  of  -i-  stems,  though  the  preceding  consonants  have  kept 
as  a  rule  their  non-palatal  colour. 

8  The  by -form  doirsea  (fr.  *doressd)  owes  its  final  a  to  the  influence 
of  0  stems  {e.g.  nom.  ace.  pi.  n.  sc4la  beside  sc4l). 

*  The  endings  of  the  -i-  stems  hare  been  added  to  the  primitive 
form  *sotho  (fr.  *sutovom,  *sutev67n) ;  the  vowel  of  the  first  syllable  and 
the  consonant  before  the  ending,  however,  have  kept  their  older  quality ; 
the  same  occurs  in  monosyllabic  neuters,  e.g.  rend(a)e,  gen.  sg.  of  rind 
'  star '  (fr.  *rendu). 

§  140.  -u-  stems.  Such  are  deug  'drink'  (fr.  *degu;  the  e  instead  of 
t  is  due  to  the  influence  of  -&-  stems,  where  every  t  had  to  become  e  in 
the  nom.  sg. ;  cf.  §  115),  gen.  sg.  dige;  mucc  'pig.'  The  nom.  sg. 
ended  originally  in  -u ;  in  the  oblique  cases  they  follow  the  declension 
of  -a-  stems ;  the  v  that  originally  preceded  the  oblique  case-endings 
had  vanished  after  most  consonants  (§  112, 2)  e.g.  dige  fr.  *degvjds. 

§  141.  Stems  in  a  diphthong. 
bd  masc.  fern. '  ox,  cow.' 


Singular 

Primitive  Forms 

N. 

*bdu,  b6 

g^ou-s 

G. 

bo  (arch.  b6u) 

g^ov-os 

D.  A. 

boin 

[Analogy  to  coin  §  145] 

V. 

bd 

g'ou 

ACCIDENCE 

Plural 

N. 

G. 

D. 

A.  V. 

*boi,  bai 
bdu,  bdo, 
buaib 
bu 

Dual 

bd 

g'ov-es 
g^ov-om 
g^ou-bhis 
g^o-na 

N.  A. 
G. 
D. 

*boi,  bai 
bd 
buaib 

g^ov-e 
g^ov-d 
g^ou-hhim 

187 


B.— Consonantal  Stems 

§  142.  General  Remarks. 

The  dat.  sg.  has  in  most  cases  two  forms  :  a  long  one  (primi- 
tive ending  -i  or  -ai)  and  a  short  one  (formed  from  the  mere 
stem).  The  short  form  of  the  dat.  sg.  occasionally  replaces  that 
of  the  ace.  sg.,  e.g.  ace.  sg.  traig  (=dat.  sg.  traig  fr.  *trdghet) 
beside  regular  traigid  (fr.  Hrdghet-m). 

The  vocative  has  in  the  singular  the  same  form  as  the 
nominative,  in  the  plural  the  same  form  as  the  accusative. 
Hence  it  is  unnecessary  to  give  it  in  the  following  paradigms. 


§  143.  Guttural  stems.  Masc.  ri  '  king '  (fr.  ^re^-a),  aire 
'prince'  (fr.  *prjok-s),  li{a)e  'stone'  (fr.  Hevank-a),  4,0,  eu 
'salmon'  (fr.  *esok-s;  cf.  §  126  8.);  fem.  sail  'willow'  (fr. 
*salik-s),  nathir  'snake'  (fr.  *ndtrik-s),  cdera  'sheep'  (fr. 
*ka(p)erak-s). 


1 

Singular 

Primitive 

m. 

f. 

Endings 

N.  ri 

aire 

nathir 

-a 

G.  rig 

airech 

nathrach 

-OS 

D.  rig 

airig 

nathr(a)ig, 

nathir 

-{a)i,  — , 

A.  rig 

airig 

nathr{a)ig 

-m 

188      A  CONCISE  OLD  lEISH  GRAMMAR 

Plural 

N.  rig  airig  7iathr(a)ig  -es 

G.  rig  airech  nathrach  -om 

D.  rig{a)ib  airech(a)i¥  nathrach{a)ib  ^  -obhia 

A.  riga  airecha  ^  naihracha  ^  -ns 

Dual 

NA.  rig  airig  nathr{a)ig  -e 

G.  rig  airech  nathrach  -a 

D.  rig(a)ih  airech(a)ib^  nathra^h(a)ib^  -obhim 

^  The  preservation  of  the  vowel  of  the  second  syllable  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  *prjok-  had  become  *arijok-  before  the  time  of  syncope. 

2  *natrikobhis  and  *natrihis  should  have  regularly  given  *naithirchib 
and  *naithirchea  (§§  55  II.,  59,  69.) ;  their  present  forms  are  due  to  the 
analogy  of  the  other  cases. 

§  144.  Dental  stems. 

Masc.  car(a)e  '  friend '  (fr.  *k9rant-s),  cin  '  fault  *  (fr.  *k'inut-8), 
jili  '  poet '  (fr.  *velet-s),  bethu  '  life '  (fr.  *gHvo-tut-8),  fiado  '  Lord ' 
(fr.  *veidont-8)\  fern,  traig  'foot'  (fr.  *tr9ghet-s);  neut.  dSt 
'  tooth '  (fr.  *dnt.) 

The  primitive  endings  of  the  masc.  and  fern,  are  the  same  as 
those  of  the  guttural  stems. 


Singular 

m. 

I 

n. 

N.  carae^ 

Jili 

traig 

det  (fr.  *dnt) 

G.  carat 

filed 

traiged 

det 

D.  carait 

filid 

traigid,  traig 

deit 

A.  carait 

filid 

traigid 

det  (fr.  *dnt) 

Plural 

N.  carait 

filid 

traigid 

det  (fr.  *dnt9) 

G.  carat 

filed 

traiged 

det 

D.  cairtib^ 

filed{a)ib ' 

traigthib 

det{a)ib 

A.  cairtea^ 

fileda  ^ 

traigthea 

det  (fr.  *dnt9) 

ACCIDENCE  189 

Dual 

N.A.  carait  filid  traigid  deit{ii.*dntl) 

G.  carat  filed  traiged  det 

D.  cairtib^        filed{a)ih^  traigthib  det{ayib 

1  Final  -ants  seems  to  have  given  -e ;  the  non-palatal  colour  of  the 
preceding  r  is  probably  due  to  the  influence  of  the  verb  caraid  'loves.' 

2  -ant-  had  become  -edd-  (§  108)  before  the  time  of  syncope  (of.  §  55 
II.)  J  hence  e.g.  cairtea  fr.  *kareddas,  *kdrant7is  (cf.  §  107);  also  the 
spelling  cairdea,  cairdib  occurs  (§  1,  i.). 

^  We  should  have  exTpected  JiUib,f,ltea;  cf.  §  55,  I.,  note  b. 


§  145.  Masculine  and  feminine  nasal  stems. 

Masc.  brithem  'judge '  (fr.  *bhrt{i)jamd,  full  stem  %hrt{i)- 
jamon-),  menm{a)e  '  mind '  (fr.  *menmen-8}  gen.  sg.  menvian 
fr.  *men7n,en-os) ;  fem.  derucc  'acorn'  (fr,  *derunkd,  full  stem 
*derunkon-),  gen.  sg.  dercon,  if  oi-m^m '  meaning '  fr.  *to-me7i-t{i)jd, 
full  stem  *toment{i)jo7i-)  bru  'belly'  (fr.  *bhruso,  the  oblique 
cases  from  the  stem  bhrusn- ;  the  nom.  sg.  is  used  as  the  short 
dative),  cu  '  hound '  (fr.  *fcvd,  full  stem  Icvon- ;  gen.  sg.  and  pi., 
probably  also  dat.  and  ace.  pi.  and  gen.  and  dat.  dual  are  formed 
from  the  weak  stem  Icun-). 

The  oblique  case-endings,  which  are  those  given  in  §  142,  have  been 
as  a  rule  added  to  the  full  stem ;  in  I.  E.  only  the  nom.  voc.  ace.  loca- 
tive (=0.  Ir.  dative)  sg.,  the  nom.  ace.  dual  and  the  nom.  voc.  pi.  were 
formed  from  the  full  stem,  but  in  0.  Ir.  the  weak  (unstressed)  form  of 
the  stem  had  been  replaced  by  the  full  stem  in  most  instances. 

Singular 

m.  f. 

N.  brithem'^  toimtiu  cA 

G.  brithemon  toimten  con 

D.  brithem{u)in,^  brithem  toimtin,  toimte  *  coin 

A.  brithem{u)in  toimtin  coin 


190      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

Plural 


N.  hrithem{u)in^ 

toimtin 

coin 

G.  brithemon 

toimten 

con 

D.  hrithemn{a)ih 

toimten{a)ib 

con{a)ib 

A.  brithemna 

toimtena 

cona 

Dual 

N.A.  brithem,{u)in*  toimtin  coin 

G.  brithemon  toimten  con 

D.  brithemn{a)ib  toim,te7i{a)ib  con{a)ib 

1  The  unrounded  quality  of  the  m  is  peculiar  (cf.  talam,  §  105). 

2  Also  hrithemain  (§  61). 

8  Also  toimtiu ;  the  nom.  sg.  has  sometimes  been  used  as  a  dative. 

Note. — aiiam  'soul'  (fern.)  fr.  *an9md,  full  stem  an9mon-,  is  regularly 
declined  in  the  plural ;  in  the  singular  it  has  been  influenced  by 
ainm{m)  'name  (§  145)  and  by  the  Lat.  anima.  Hence  the  m  is  un- 
aspirated  in  the  sg.,  while  n  and  m  are  sometimes  made  palatal;  the 
gen.  sg.  anm{a)e  seems  directly  taken  from  ainm{m).  In  the  nom  sg. 
appear  the  forms  anam{m),  ainim{m),  an{a)im(m),  in  the  dat.  and  ace. 
sg.  appears  anim{m)  beside  the  regular  anin{u)in,  anm{a)in. 


§  146.  Neuter  nasal  stems. 

gairTn  '  call '  (fr.  *grsmn),  ainm(m)  '  name '  (fr.  wmn),  c4imm 
'  step '  (fr.  *knhsmn,  older  *kng-smn),  reimm  '  course '  (fr. 
*reid-smn),  imb  '  butter '  (fr.  *ngo-n). 

Singular        Primitive  Forms 


N. 

gairm 

grsnnn 

G. 

garmae 

grsmen-s 

D. 

garm{a)im{m  ^), 

gairm 

grsmen-i,  grsmen 

A. 

gairm, 

Plural 

grsmn 

N. 
G. 
D. 
A. 

garm^n(n) 
gar7nan{n) 
garman(n)aib  ^ 
garman{n) 

grsmn-9 
grsmnr-om 
grsmn-obhis 
grsmn-9 

^  The  gen.  dat.  and  ace.  pi.  seem  to  have  been  formed  from  the  weak  stem 
*inenmn:  In  the  gen.  sing,  the  full  stem  *menmen-  seems  to  have  been  analogi- 
cally introduced ;  fr.  *menmnos  one  would  have  expected  *menmon  (§  60). 


ACCIDENCE 


191 


Dual 


N.  A,    gairm 
G.    garman(n) 
D.    gar7nan{n)aih ' 


[Analogy  to  the  nom.  sg.] 
grsmn-d 
grsmn-obhion 


1  The  final  -mm  {*grsmeni  would  have  given  *garmain)  is  due  to  the 
influence  of  the  short  form. 

2  The  second  a  {*grsmnohkis  would  have  given  *garmnaib)  is  due  to 
the  influence  of  the  other  cases. 

Note. — In  words  like  cdimm,  rdimm  the  palatal  -mm-  has  been  analogi- 
cally introduced  into  the  plural  forms  {dimmenn,  rdimmenn,  etc.). 

§  147.  Neuter  -s-  stems. 

sliab  '  mountain '  (fr.  *8leibos),  mag  '  field '  (fr.  *magos),  tech 
'  house '  (fr.  *tegos). 


N.  A 
G. 
D. 

N.  A 
G. 
D. 

N.  A 
G. 
D. 


sliab 
sleibe 
sleib 

sUibe 
sleibe 
sleibib 

sliab 
sleibe 
sUibib 


Singular 


Plural 


Dual 


Primitive  Forms 
*sleib-08 
*sleib-esos 
*8leib-es 

*8leib-es9 

*sleib-esdm 

*sleib-esobhis 

*sleib-d 
[Analogy  to  the  gen.  sg.] 
sleib -esobhimn 


Note. — The  masculine  -s-  stem  mi  '  month  '  (fr.  *mens),  gen.  sg.  mis 
(fr.  *mens-os)  is  inflected  like  the  guttural  stems.  The  nom.  sg.  is 
analogically  used  as  nom.  ace.  dual. 

§  148.  Nouns  of  relationship  in  -r-. 

Masc.  ath(a)ir  'father'  (fr.  *p9ter),  brdth{a'yir  'brother' 
(fr.  *bhrdter);  fem.  mdthair  'mother'  (fr.  *mdter),  s'iur  'sister' 
(fr.  *svesdr). 


192      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


Singular 

Primitive  Forms 

N. 

ath{a)ir  ^ 

pdter 

G. 

athar 

p9tr-08 

D. 

ath{a)ir  ^ 

pdter-i 

A. 

ath{a)ir  ^ 

Plural 

pdter-m 

N. 

aithir 

p9ter-es 

G. 

athr(a)e  ' 

pdtr-ijom 

D. 

athr{a)ih  ^ 

pdtr-hhis 

A. 

aithrea 

Dual 

pdter-ns 

.A. 

aithir 

pdter-e 

G. 

athar 

pdtr-d 

D. 

athr{a)ib  ^ 

pQtr-obhim 

^  The  non-palatal  quality  of  the  th  is  due  to  analogy. 

2  Also  aithre,  aithrib  with  analogical  palatalisation  of  the  th. 

Note. — siur  '  sister '  forms   the   dat.  ace.  sg.  and  nom.  ace. 


dual 


(sieir)  from  the  regular  stem  *svesor- ;  the  other  cases  (e.g.  gen.  sg. 
sethar,  nom.  pi.  sethir)  owe  their  th  to  the  influence  of  ath{a)ir,  mdth{a)ir, 
brdth{a)ir. 

The  Adjective 

§  149.  '0-  and  -a-  stems. 

sen  '  old ' ;  masc.  fr.  *s€n-os ;  fem.  fr.  *sen-d  ;  neut.  fr.  *sen-07n. 
Where  the  adjective  is  used  substantively  it  has  the  same 
inflexion  as  the  noun  (§§  133,  135).  It  is  only  the  attributive 
and  the  predicative  adjective  that  call  for  special  discussion: 

a.  Dissyllabic  adjectives  whose  second  vowel  was  originally 
palatal  take  in  the  nom.  ace.  pi.  of  all  genders  the  ending  of  the 
-i-  stems. 

e.g.  uasal '  high '  (fr.  *oupselo-),  nom.  ace.  pi.  uaisli. 

b.  Towards  the  end  of  the  eighth  century  the  ending  of  the 
ace.  voc.  plur.  fem.  and  neut.  spread  to  the  masculine,  though 
also  the  regular  ending  -u  may  still  be  found. 

e.g.  isna  lucu  arda  (Ml.) '  into  high  places.' 

c.  In  the  nom,  ace.  plur.  neuter  only  the  longer  form  in  -a  is 
found  (§  133,  note  1). 


THE    CELTIC    REVIEW 

JANUARY  1914 

CIUTHACH 

William  J.  Watson 

At  the  present  day  in  Lewis  one  expresses  admiration  of  a 
young  fellow's  vigour  (tapachd)  by  the  expression  '  Bu  tu 
fhein  an  Ciuthach,'  ('It's  yourself  that's  the  Ciuthach'). 
In  the  parish  of  Uig,  in  Lewis,  there  is  an  ancient  fort  on 
Borronish  (i.e.,  borgar-nes,  fort-point),  near  the  manse  of 
Uig,  called  Ditn  a'  Chiuthaich,  and  in  the  same  locality  a  rock 
called  Creag  a'  Chiuthaich.  The  legend  connected  therewith 
is  stiU  current  in  Uig,  and  has  been  written  down  by  the  Rev. 
Malcolm  Maclennan,  Edinburgh,  who  has  kindly  com- 
municated it  to  me,  as  follows  : — 

An  uair  a  bha  an  Pheinn  an  Eadar-a-fhaodhail  chaidh  iad  aon  1^ 
a  mach  a  shealg,  agus  dh'  fhag  iad  Fionn  agus  na  mnathan  agus  a' 
chlann  aig  an  tigh.  Bha  duine  a'  tamh  faisg  orra  ann  am  Boronis  d' 
am  b'ainm  an  Ciuthach.  Tha  dun  ann  an  sin  gus  an  la  an  diugh 
ris  an  abrar  Dun  a'  Chiuthaich. 

An  uair  a  chuala  an  Ciuthach  gu  'n  d'f  halbh  an  Fheinn  gu  leir  ach 
Fionn  agus  na  mnathan  agus  a'  chlann,  chaidh  e  far  an  robh  e  agus 
thoisich  iad  air  sabaid.  Bha  e  dol  cruaidh  ri  Fionn  agus  dh'  iarr  e 
dail  bheag  air  a'  Chiuthach  gus  an  deanadh  e  tiomnadh  do  bhalachan 
beag  a  bha  'n  a  ogha  dha,  agus  sh6id  e  'n  fheadag. 

'S  ann  gu  beannaibh  Barbhais  a  stiiiir  Oscar  a  chursa,  agus  thug 
e  leis  gille  agus  Mac  an  Luinn.  Thachair  duine  riu  anns  na  beannaibh 
sin  agus  claidheamh  aige  air  an  robh  truaill  mhaiseach.  Nise  's  e 
truaill  ghrannda  a  bha  air  Mac  an  Luinn.  'S  ann  a  rinn  Oscar  agus 
an  duine  cumha  gu  'n  deanadh  iad  iomlaid  anns  na  claidhmhean  gun 
an  toirt  as  na  truaillean.  'S  e  claidheamh  meirgeach  a  thachair  a  bhi 
anns  an  truaill  bhreagha.  An  uair  a  thainig  an  oidhche  laigh  Oscar 
agus  an  duine  sios  agus  chaidil  iad,  ach  cha  do  chaidil  gille  Oscair. 
VOL.  IX.  N 


194  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

An  uair  a  bha  each  'n  an  cadal  chuir  an  gille  Mac  an  Luinn  anns  an 
truaill  bhreagha  agus  mar  sin  bha  e  aig  a  mhaighistir  air  ais. 

Anns  a'  mhaduinn  chuala  iad  feadag  'g  a  seideadh.  Dh'aithnich 
Oscar  gur  i  feadag  a  sheanar  a  bha  ann,  agus  thuirt  e  : 

'  Tha  cath  'g  a  chur  is  tha  feum  air  fir, 
Tha  gaoth  bharr  sluaigh  ach  is  truagh  gun  Mhac  an  Luinn.' 

An  uair  a  bha  iad  aig  sruth  Linseadair  chuala  iad  an  fheadag  a  ris, 
agus  thuirt  Oscar  mar  a  thuirt  e  an  uair  a  chuala  e  anns  a'  mhaduinn  i. 
Dh'fhaighnich  an  gille  dheth  de  dheanadh  e  na  'm  biodh  e  aige. 
'  Chuirinn  treas  earrann  a'  chath,'  thuirt  Oscar.  Ghabh  iad  air  an 
aghaidh  agus  aig  sruth  Locha  Rog  chuala  iad  an  fheadag  a  ris. 
Thuirt  Oscar  mar  a  thuirt  e  an  uair  a  chuala  iad  an  toiseach  i. 
Dh'fhaighnich  an  gille  de  dheanadh  e  na  'm  biodh  Mac  an  Luinn 
aige.  Thuirt  Oscar  gu  'n  cuireadh  e  da  thrian  a'  chath.  Bha  iad  a' 
gabhail  rompa  agus  aig  Lag  na  Clibhe  chuala  iad  an  fheadag  a  ris 
agus  thuirt  Oscar  mar  a  thuirt  e  roimhe.  '  De  dheanadh  tu,'  ars' 
an  gille,  '  na  'm  biodh  e  agad  ?  '  '  Chuirinn  an  cath  'n  am  aonar,' 
arsa  Oscar.  '  Tha  e  agad,'  ars'  an  gille,  '  agus  cha  'n  e  thu  fein  a 
choisinn  dhuit  e.'  Tharruinn  Oscar  an  claidheamh  a  mach  as  an 
truaill  a  shealltuinn  an  e  a  bha  aige.  A  chur  dearbhaidh  air,  sgud  e 
'n  ceann  bharr  a'  ghille — ^gniomh  bu  duiliche  leis  a  rinn  e  riamh. 

Ach  ghabh  e  air  aghaidh  agus  an  uair  a  rainig  e  an  t-aite  anns 
an  robh  a  sheanair  bha  e  'n  a  sheasamh  agus  a  dhruim  ri  creig  agus  e 
ri  cumail  dheth  a'  Chiuthaich.  '  Sgoch  a  mach  a  sheanair  agus  leig 
mi  fhein  greis  'n  a  d'aite,'  arsa  Oscar.  Ghabh  e  aite  a  sheanar,  agus 
chuir  e  an  ceann  bharr  a'  Chiuthaich  le  aon  sguab  de  'n  chlaidheamh 
agus  dh'fhalbh  e  (an  ceann)  tri  iomraichean  treabhaidh,  's  e  sin  mar  a 
their  sinne  tri  feannagan. 

(When  the  Fiann  were  in  Eadar-a-fhaodhail,^  they  went  out  one 
day  to  hunt,  and  they  left  Fionn  and  the  women  and  the  children  at 
home.  A  man  lived  near  them  in  Borronish  called  the  Ciuthach 
[Kewach).  There  is  a  fort  there  to  this  day,  called  the  Ciuthach's 
fort. 

When  the  Ciuthach  heard  that  all  the  Fiann  were  gone,  except 
only  Fionn  and  the  women  and  the  children,  he  went  where  Fionn 
was,  and  they  began  to  fight.  It  went  hard  with  Fionn,  and  he  asked 
the  Ciuthach  for  a  little  delay  till  he  might  make  a  will  (testa- 
mentary dispositions)  to  a  little  lad  who  was  his  grandson,  and 
he  blew  the  whistle. 

It  was  to  the  hills  of  Barvas  that  Oscar  had  shaped  his  course,  and 
^  '  Between  two  fords,'  called  in  English  Ardroil. 


CIUTHACH  195 

he  had  taken  with  him  a  lad  and  Mac  an  Luinn  (i.e.,  Fionn's  magic 
sword).  In  those  hills  a  man  met  them  who  had  a  sword  with  a 
goodly  sheath.  Now  it  was  an  ugly  sheath  that  was  on  Mac  an  Luinn. 
Oscar  and  the  man  agreed  to  exchange  swords  without  taking  them 
out  of  the  sheaths.  It  fell  out  that  it  was  a  rusty  sword  that  was 
in  the  fine  sheath.  When  night  came,  Oscar  and  the  man  lay  down 
and  slept,  but  Oscar's  attendant  did  not  sleep.  While  the  others 
slept  he  put  Mac  an  Luinn  in  the  fine  sheath,  and  so  his  master  had 
it  back. 

In  the  morning  they  heard  a  whistle  blow.  Oscar  knew  that  it  was 
his  grandfather's  whistle,  and  he  said  : — 

*  Fight  is  on  foot,  and  need  is  of  men, 
Wind  blows  from  host,  but  it  is  sad  without  Mac  an  Luinn.'  ^ 

When  they  were  at  the  stream  of  Linshader,  they  heard  the  whistle 
again.  Oscar  said  as  he  had  said  when  he  heard  it  in  the  morning. 
The  lad  asked  him  what  he  would  do  if  he  had  it.  'I  would  take  on 
me  the  third  part  of  the  battle,'  said  Oscar.  They  went  on,  and  at 
the  current  of  Loch  Roag  they  heard  the  whistle  again.  Oscar  said 
as  he  had  said  when  he  heard  it  first.  The  lad  asked,  what  he  would 
do  if  he  had  Mac  an  Luinn.  Oscar  said  that  he  would  take  on  him 
two-thirds  of  the  battle.  They  were  going  ahead,  and  at  Cliff  Hollow 
they  heard  the  whistle  again,  and  Oscar  said  as  he  said  before. 
'  What  would  you  do,'  said  the  lad,  '  if  you  had  it  ?  '  'I  would 
fight  the  battle  alone,'  said  Oscar.  '  You  have  it,'  said  the  lad,  '  and 
it  was  not  yourself  that  won  it  for  you.'  Oscar  drew  the  sword  forth 
from  the  sheath  to  see  if  it  was  it  he  had.  To  prove  it,  he  swept  the 
head  off  the  lad — the  deed  of  all  the  deeds  he  ever  did  that  he  was 
most  sorry  for. 

But  he  went  on,  and  when  he  came  to  the  place  where  his 
grandfather  stood,  he  was  standing  with  his  back  to  a  rock 
trying  to  keep  the  Guthach  off  him.  '  Slip  out,  grandfather,' 
said  Oscar,  '  and  let  myself  a  while  in  your  place.'  He  took  his 
grandfather's  place,  and  sent  the  head  off  the  Ciuthach  with  one 
sweep  of  his  sword,  and  it  shot  over  three  rigs  of  plough-land,  that  is, 
as  we  say,  three  lazy-beds.) 

The  Rev.  Malcolm  Macleod,  Broadford,  who  belongs  to 
Uig,  writes  that  Creag  a'  Chiuthaich  is  on  a  machair  across 
a  faodhail  (sea-ford)  from  the  Dun.     Four  or  five  miles 

*  Compare  J.  F.  Camphell's  West  Highland  Tales,  ill.  360. 


196  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

away,  and  not  far  from  Gallon  Head  is  Uaigh  a'  Chiuthaichf 
the  Ciuthach's  grave,  ten  feet  long  or  more,  also  called 
Uaigh  Og  righ  Bhdsainf  In  local  tradition,  says  Mr. 
Macleod,  the  Ciuthach  was  a  giant  and  a  real  hero,  a  man 
not  only  of  great  size  but  of  great  dignity.  '  Cha  bu  diu 
leis  lamh  a  chur  ann  an  duine  cumanta,'  '  he  would  scorn 
to  lay  hand  on  a  common  man.'  When  the  Feinn  came, 
Fionn  and  his  band  came  opposite  the  Dun,  and  offered 
the  Ciuthach  '  cogadh  no  cumhachan  sithe,'  '  war  or  con- 
ditions of  peace.' 

Cha  do  chuir  e  'dhiu  annta  na  sheall  e  an  taobh  a  bha  iad, 
ach  thainig  e  a  mach  as  an  Dun  agus  morgha  aige  'n  a  laimh,  agus 
chaidh  e  sios  an  traigh  a  mharbhadh  leobag  a  bhial  na  tuinne, 
Chaidh  so  air  aghart  fad  seachdanach,  Fionn  is  an  Fheinn  a'  toirt 
diilan  dha  is  gun  esan  a'  cur  a  dhiu  annta  na  shealladh  e  an  taobh 
a  bha  iad.  Ach  fa  dheireadh  bha  e  air  a  thamailteachadh  leis  a* 
ghraisg  a  thainig  a  chur  dragh  air,  agus  smaoinich  e  a'  mhaduinn  so 
gu'n  d'rachadh  e  agus  gu'n  deanadh  e  sgoltadh  a'  chudaig  air 
buidheann  no  dha  dhiubh.  Chunnacas  a  tighinn  e,  ach  bha  moran 
de  an  Fheinn  air  falbh  anns  a'  bheinn  sheilg,  agus  bha  iad  a  smaoin- 
eachadh  nach  tigeadh  an  Ciuthach  an  taobh  a  bha  iad.  Thainig 
e  nuas  am  machair,  is  mar  a  bha  iad  a  tachairt  ris,  bha  e  sgudadh 
a'  chinn  dhiubh  gus  'na  rainig  e  Fionn,  ceann  na  Feinne,  ach  chur 
esan  stad  air.  Ach  ma  chuir,  cha  b'fhada,  is  e  gun  Mhac-an-Luinn. 
Bha  Osgar  is  gaisgich  eile  a  deanamh  cluich  airm  le  Mac-an-Luinn 
air  Cnoc  na  Cuthaig.  Agus,  ma  bha,  cha  b'  fheairrde  Fionn  sin. 
Bha  an  Ciuthach  'g  a  chur  gun  sgur  an  comhair  a  chuil.  '  Anta,* 
arsa  esan,  '  bu  mhaith  a  nise  Mac-an-Luinn  ' ;  is  sheid  e  an  fheadag. 
Is  ma  sheid,  leum  Osgar  is  dh'  eugh  e,  '  tha  mo  sheanair  an  teinn, 
ach  ma  tha,  cha  bhi  fada.  .  .  .  Sguch  a  mach,  a  sheanair,  is  leig 
mi  fhein  le  Mac-an-Luinn  'n  ad  aite.'  Bha  Mac-an-Luinn  ag  gearradh 
is  a'  leon  is  thoisich  an  Ciuthach  a'  do!  an  comhair  a  chuil,  is  b'e 
sin  an  d^  latha.  Rinn  e  air  a'  chiad  chreig  a  b'fhaisge  dha  gus 
tac  fhaighinn,  ach  leis  an  t-sion  a  bha  air  is  Osgar  le  Mac-an-Luinn 
'n  a  dheidh,  chaidh  e  troimhe  'n  chreig,  agus  tha  l^rach  a  mh^is 
is  a  dhk  shlinnean  an  Creag  a'  Chiuthaich  gus  an  latha  an  duigh. 

(He  cared  not  for  them  enough  to  look  their  way,  but  he  came 
out  from  the  Fort  with  a  fish-spear  in  his  hand,  and  he  went  down 
to  the  strand  to  the  wave-mouth  to  kill  flounders.  This  went  on 
for  a  week,  Fionn  and  the  Feinn  challenging  him,  while  he  cared  not 


CIUTHACH  197 

for  them  enough  to  look  their  way.  But  at  last  he  was  affronted 
by  the  rabble  that  had  come  to  trouble  him,  and  he  bethought  him 
that  on  this  morning  he  would  go  and  would  cuddy-cleave  a  troop 
or  two  of  them.  They  saw  him  coming,  but  many  of  the  Feinn 
were  away  in  the  hunting  hill,  and  they  thought  that  the  Ciuthach 
would  not  come  their  way.  He  came  down  through  the  plain,  and 
as  they  met  him  he  slashed  off  their  heads  till  he  reached  Fionn, 
the  chief  of  the  Feinn,  and  he  stopped  him.  But  if  he  did,  it  was 
not  for  long,  since  Fionn  was  without  Mac  an  Luinn.  Oscar  and 
other  warriors  were  at  weapon-play  with  Mac  an  Luinn  on  Cuckoo 
Hill.  And,  if  they  were,  Fionn  was  none  the  better  of  that.  The 
Ciuthach  was  driving  them  backwards  without  stop.  '  Well,'  said 
Fionn,  '  good  now  would  be  Mac  an  Luinn  '  ;  and  he  blew  the 
whistle.  If  he  did,  Osgar  leaped  and  cried,  '  My  grandfather  is  in 
straits,  but  if  he  is,  he  will  not  be  so  long.  .  .  .  Slip  out,  grand- 
father, and  let  me  with  Mac  an  Luinn  in  your  place.'  Mac-an-Luinn 
was  cutting  and  wounding,  and  the  Ciuthach  began  to  go  back- 
wards, and  that  was  a  new  thing  for  him.  He  made  for  the  nearest 
rock  for  support,  and  what  with  the  impetus  of  him  with  Osgar  and 
Mac-an-Luinn  after  him,  he  went  through  the  rock,  and  the  mark  of 
his  buttocks  and  his  shoulders  is  in  the  Ciuthach's  Rock  to  this  day.) 

Mr.  Macleod  adds  :  '  Of  course  no  man  could  overcome 
the  Ciuthach:  it  was  the  "uncanny"  Mac-an-Luinn  that 
kiUed  him,  and  not  wholly  that :  it  was  his  own  impetus 
and  strength  against  the  rock  that  killed  him.  The  impres- 
sion of  him  left  on  my  mind  (through  these  Uig  sgeulachdan) 
is  that  of  a  "big"  man  with  a  big  soul,  a  man  of  great 
strength  and  prowess,  conscious  of  his  own  capacities  and 
strength,  yet  never  showing  them  ofiP.' 

It  is  to  be  noticed  that  both  the  tales  given  above  are 
current  in  the  parish  of  Uig :  both  versions  are  known  to 
each  of  the  gentlemen  who  have  written  down  the  tradition 
for  me.  Yet  the  conception  of  the  Ciuthach's  character 
differs.  In  the  former  he  is  the  aggressor,  taking  a  rather 
mean  advantage  of  an  old  feeble  man.  In  the  latter  he  is 
a  proud  and  noble  personage,  slow  to  anger,  but  pitiless 
when  roused.  So  far  as  I  can  make  out,  there  may  be  said 
to  be  a  pro-Ciuthach  and  an  anti-Ciuthach  feeling  in  Uig. 

As  to  the  tradition  of  Eigg,  Mr.  Kenneth  Macleod  says : 


198  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

*  I  remember  distinctly  two  old  people  in  Eigg — dead  some 
twenty  years — talking  about  "  an  ciuthach  a  bha  fuireach 
anns  an  uaimh  "  (the  ciuthach  who  once  lived  in  the  cave). 
When  in  Eigg  last  summer  I  tried  to  find  out  something 
more  about  the  ciuthach,  but  nobody  even  recognised  the 
word,  except  one  man  who  said :  "  Theirinn  ciuthach  ri  blast 
de  dhuine  "  (I  would  apply  the  term  ciuthach  to  a  beast  of 
a  man).  I  have  heard  the  word  used  in  that  sense  else- 
where :  "  Nach  b'  e  an  ciuthach  e !  "  (Is  he  not  a  ciuthach !) 
It  is  possible  that  the  two  Eigg  men  who  spoke  of  the 
ciuthach  in  the  cave  used  the  word  in  the  sense  of  "  wild 
man."  In  Cromarty  the  word  ciutharn  is  applied  by  the 
fisher-folk  to  an  unkempt  or  unpleasant  sort  of  person.' 

The  Ciuthach  is  still  remembered  in  Barra,  but  my  sailor 
informant — a  young  man — could  not  give  details  of  the 
tradition.  I  have  found  no  tradition  of  him  with  Skye 
people,  nor  with  the  people  of  the  mainland.  That  he  was 
at  one  time  known  on  the  mainland,  however,  appears  from 
the  following  statement  by  Alexander  Graham  of  Duchray, 
written  in  1724 :  '  On  the  north  side  of  the  Loch  (Loch 
Lomond)  and  about  three  miles  west  from  the  paroch 
church,^  upon  a  point  of  land  which  runs  into  the  Loch  called 
Cashell  is  the  mines  of  an  old  building  of  a  circular  shape, 
and  in  circumference  about  sixtie  paces  built  all  of  pro- 
digious big  quhinstone  without  lyme  or  cement,  the  walls  in 
some  places  of  it  are  about  nyne  or  ten  foot  high  yet  stand- 
ing. And  its  incredible  how  such  big  stones  could  be  reered 
up  by  the  hands  of  men.  This  is  called  the  Gyants  Castle 
and  the  founder  thereof  said  to  be  one  Keith  Maclndoill  or 
Keith  the  son  of  Doillus,  who  is  reported  to  be  contemporary 
with  the  famous  FinmacoeU  and  consequently  to  have  lived 
in  the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  Epocha.'  This  Keith, 
according  to  Graham,  was  also  credited  with  the  construc- 
tion of  *  ane  artificiall  Island  '  in  Loch  Lomond  at  a  little 
distance  from  the  point  on  which  the  old  castle  stands.^ 

'  i.e.  of  Buchanan, 

*  Macfarlane's  Geographical  Collections,  i.  346. 


CIUTHACH  199 

The  ruins  of  this  ancient  fort  may  still  be  seen  on 
Strachashell  Point  opposite  Inchlonaig.  It  was  excavated 
by  Mr.  David  MacRitchie,  and  found  to  contain  chambers, 
Hke  those  of  the  brochs.  Its  waUs  and  door  also  resemble 
those  of  the  brochs,  but  whether  it  possessed  galleries  seems 
uncertain.  Mr.  MacRitchie  states,  on  the  authority  of 
Buchanan  of  Auchmar,  that  the  fort  was  also  called  Caisteal 
nam  Fiann,  of  which  Duchray's  '  Gyants  Castle  '  is  possibly 
a  translation.^  In  the  light  of  what  follows  it  will  be  seen 
that  '  Keith  Maclndoill '  is  to  be  read  as  Ciuthach  (or 
Cithich)  mac  an  Doill.  Thus  the  tradition  of  the  fort  on 
Loch  Lomond  side  agrees  so  far  with  that  of  the  fort  on 
Borronish  in  Lewis.  Both  are  named  after  Ciuthach,  who  is 
made  contemporary  with  Finn  mac  Cumhail. 

In  the  tales  of  the  Fionn-cycle  the  Ciuthach  plays  a  part 
in  the  story  of  the  elopement  of  Diarmad  and  Grainne. 
J.  F.  Campbell's  Leahhar  na  Feinne  contains  two  versions  of 
the  ballad  '  Is  moch  a  ghoireas  a'  Chorr,'  wherein  Diarmad 
reproaches  Grainne  for  faithlessness  in  deserting  him  for  the 
giant.  In  the  second  of  these  Diarmad  says  : — 
An  te  dhibir  righ  na  Feinne 
'S  a  thug  sp6is  do  'n  Fhamhair  mh6ir  (p.  155a). 

(The  woman  who  forsook  the  king  of  the  Fiann 
And  gave  love  to  the  great  giant.) 

Grainne  replies  : — 

Ge  do  dhibir  mise  Fionn 

0  na  b'  annsa  learn  do  ghl6ir, 

Cha  do  thaobh  mi  am  Famhair  treun  : 
Is  m6r  a  b'  eibhinne  do  che6l. 
(Though  I  did  abandon  Fionn 
Since  I  preferred  your  speech, 

1  did  not  turn  to  the  mighty  giant : 
Pleasanter  far  was  your  music.) 

The  first  version  concludes  with  the  lines,  in  the  mouth 
of  Diarmad : — 

Gabhaidh  mi  riut  fein  mar  mhnaoi, 
Ged  roghnaich  thu  am  Fomhair  m6r. 

*  Compare  :  Tubernafeyne  of  the  grett  or  kemppis  men  callit  ffenis  is  ane  well  (glosa 
on  charter  of  Alexander  ii.  to  the  monks  of  Kinloss,  dated  1221). 


200  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

(I  will  accept  you  as  my  wife 

Though  you  did  choose  the  great  giant.) 

• 

The  giant's  name  is  not  mentioned  in  the  ballads.  The 
arguments  prefixed  to  them,  however,  give  the  tradition  on 
that  point.  '  They  [Diarmad  and  Grainne]  came  over  to 
Scotland,  and  on  their  travelling  they  found  a  cave  at 
Lochow  side  in  Argyleshire  where  a  Giant  was  living  named 
Ciach,  meaning  fierceness.  He  and  Diarmad  began  to  play 
on  dice  ;  the  Gigantic  gained  the  play,  and  took  from 
Diarmaid  his  wife  (for  she  rather  stay  than  be  travelling  any 
more  with  Diarmaid),  and  since  he  had  nothing  more  to  give.* 

After  this  Diarmid  wandered  about  like  a  beggar,  and  at 
last  came  back  to  Ciach' s  cave,  where  he  was  recognised  by 
Grainne,  fell  out  with  Ciach  and  killed  him.  In  the  fight 
Grainne  took  the  giant's  side  and  stabbed  a  knife  in  Diarmid' s 
thigh.  Diarmid  went  away,  leaving  Grainne.  She  followed 
him,  and  having  overtaken  him  at  Sliabh  Gaoil  in  South 
Knapdale  begged  to  be  forgiven  and  taken  back. 

The  above  is  the  story  of  the  argument  to  the  first  baUad. 
In  that  to  the  second  ballad,  the  giant  is  called  Cithich  mac 
Daol,  and  the  cave  is  not  located. 

In  August  of  1913  my  wife  and  I  were  taken  by  Dr. 
MacArthur,  Aberfeldy,  to  see  some  forts  on  the  family 
property  of  Barbreck  on  the  north  side  of  Loch  Awe,  near 
Taychreggan.  Two  of  these  are  named  Dun  Mhungain  Mor 
and  Dun  Mhungain  Beag.^  The  third  is  called  Dun 
Chuthaich  or  Dun  Chaoich  (both  heard).  It  is  on  an 
eminence  right  at  the  back  of  Taychreggan  Hotel.  The 
remains  are  slight,  and  neither  it  nor  the  other  forts  seem 
to  have  been  places  of  importance.  Somewhere  near  the 
foot  of  the  hill  there  is  a  cave  on  the  loch-side,  which  is 
reputed  to  issue  at  the  Pass  of  Brander  {Cumhang  a'  Bhrann- 
raidh).  We  heard  no  further  tradition,  however.  An 
eminence  to  the  north  of  Dun  Chuthaich  is  called  Barr  na 
h-Uamha  (Cave-ridge). 

In  Tales  of  the  West  Highlands  (vol.  iii.  p.  49),  Campbell 

»  Mungan  mac  Seirc  (Gillies,  p.  317),  or  mac  Seireein  {Bd.  Cd.,  i.  284)  was  killed 
by  Oscar. 


CIUTHACH  201 

gives  a  prose  version  of  the  tale.  In  this  version  the  couple 
go  to  Carraig  an  Daimh  near  Cille  Charmaig  in  Knapdale.  The 
giant  is  '  bodach  mor  cragach  ris  an  abradh  iad  Ciof  ach  mac  a' 
Ghoill'  ('  a  great  thickset  old  fellow  called  Ciof  ach,  son  of  the 
stranger.')  Ciof  ach  and  Grainne  agreed  to  kill  Diarmad,  but 
Diarmad  overpowered  Ciofach,  whereupon  Grainne  stabbed 
him  in  the  thigh.  Diarmad  left,  came  back  after  a  time,  was 
recognised  by  Grainne  and  killed  Ciofach.  He  then  left,  and 
Grainne  followed  after  him. 

On  p.  65,  another  version  says  '  a  ciuthach  came  into  the 
cave,  and  Diarmad  killed  him  with  a  spear,  for  Grainne  was 
unfaithful  even  to  her  lover.  When  Diarmad  gave  out  the 
cry  of  death  after  his  wounding  by  the  poisoned  bristle  of  the 
boar,  Fionn  said  to  Grainne,  '  Is  that  the  hardest  shriek  to 
thy  mind  that  thou  hast  ever  heard  ?  '  '  It  is  not,'  she  said, 
'  but  the  shriek  of  the  ciuthach,  when  Diarmad  killed  him.' 
In  a  note  Campbell  adds,  '  pronounced  kewach,  described  in 
the  Long  Island  as  naked  wild  men  living  in  caves.' 

Independent  versions  got  by  the  Rev.  J.  Gregorson 
Campbell  give  the  same  tale  with  some  variation  of  locality 
and  incident.  In  one  the  cave  is  in  Kenavarra  Hill  in  the 
west  end  of  Tiree.  The  giant  is  Ciuthach  mac  an  Doill 
(Ciuthach,  son  of  the  blind  man).  In  the  other,  Ciuthach  and 
Diarmad  played  tdileasg  in  the  Uamh  Mhor  and  Ciuthach 
won.  As  his  prize  he  asked  the  woman.  Diarmad  took  ofiE 
the  Ciuthach' s  head.  On  the  death  of  Diarmad,  Grainne 
is  questioned  by  Fionn  and  answers  as  above,  whereupon 
she  is  buried  alive.  ^ 

The  New  Statistical  Account  of  Argyllshire  mentions 
(p.  400)  that '  Dun  Chifie  about  the  middle  of  Gigha  appears 
to  have  been  a  strong  fortification.  Keefie,  the  king  of 
Lochlan's  son,  who  occupied  this  stronghold,  was  kiUed 
there  by  Diarmid,  with  whose  wife  he  had  run  away.'  This 
statement  serves  as  a  connecting  link  with  the  references 
that  foUow  to  Ciofach,  Ciothach,  or  Ciuthach  mac  righ 
Lochlann. 

The  earliest  mention  of  this  character  that  I  have  come 

*  The  Fians,  pp.  53  teqq. 


202  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

across  is  in  the  Irish  tale  entitled  '  the  Chase  of  Sid  namBan 
Finn '  (written  in  1419),  edited  by  Professor  Kuno  Meyer 
in  the  Todd  Lecture  Series,  where  he  is  called  Cedach 
Ciothach.^  He  comes  to  avenge  his  brothers  on  Fionn  and 
the  Fian ;  but  on  seeing  the  hounds  and  men  of  the  Fian  he 
fell  in  love  with  them  and  stayed  with  Fionn.  He  fought 
on  Fionn' s  side,  and  finally  Emer  Glunglas  son  of  Aedh  son 
of  Garadh  and  he  fell  at  each  other's  hands. 

In  Leahhar  na  Feinne  are  given  four  versions  of  Turns 
Fhinn  do  Lochlann,  Fionn' s  expedition  to  Lochlan.  Manus, 
King  of  Lochlan,  asks : — 

An  d'thug  sibh  am  ionnsuigh  Cithich  nam  buaidh  ? 

(Have  you  brought  to  me  victorious  Cithicli  ?) 

Is  mise  a  mharbh  Cithich  nam  buaidh 

Thubhairt  Mac  Cumhail  nan  arm  ruaidh 

Air  an  traigh  tha  shiar  mu  thuath 

Am  Feinne  far  an  do  thuit  mor  shluagh  (p.  84a). 

('Twas  I  slew  victorious  Cithich, 
Said  Mac  Cumhail  of  red  weapons, 
On  the  western  strand  in  the  north 
Among  a  warrior  troop  where  many  fell.) 

In  the  second  version  (p.  84  b),  the  question  of  Manus  is: — 
Co  mharbh  mo  mhac-sa  Ciothach  nam  buadh  1 
(Who  slew  my  son,  victorious  Ciothach  1) 

And  GoU  replies  that  it  was  he  who  slew  him.  The  third 
version  (p.  85  b)  gives  Ceothach,  slain  by  GoU.  In  the 
fourth  version  the  name  is  given  as  Cithuch  and  Ciuthich, 
and  he  is  slain  by  Diarmad,  in  a  fray  {an  iorghuill). 

Another  version  of  Turns  Fhinn  is  printed  in  Reliquice 
CelticcBy  vol.  i.  p.  405,  from  Sir  George  Mackenzie's  Collec- 
tion, from  which  I  quote  the  following  : 

Sin  'n  uair  thuirt  Eigh  Lochlain  ruinn, 
'  Fhinn,  an  d'thug  thu  leat  mo  chuid  mhac  1 
An  d'thug  thu  leat  Ciothach  mo  mhac, 
No  an  d'thug  thu  leat  Beatoir  buineach 
No  Lann  nam  beud  mo  mhac  eile. 
Am  feidhnigh  phropadh  an  iorghail  1 ' 

»  Cf.  Ceudach  mac  Righ  nan  Collach  (Cedach,  son  of  the  king  of  the  men  of  Coll), 
The  Fians,  pp.  12,  28,  229. 


CIUTHACH  203 

('Twas  then  said  the  king  of  Lochlan  to  us, 

'  Have  you  taken  with  you  my  sons  1 

Have  you  taken  Ciothach  my  son, 

Or  Beatoir  buineach. 

Or  Lann  of  deeds,  my  other  son, 

Who  in  a  warrior  band  would  support  the  fray  1 ') 

The  king  is  told  that  Ciothach  has  been  slain  by  Raoine, 
Beatoir  by  Diarmad, — 

Air  traigh  Chliathan  fuidh  thuath 

Am  feidhnigh  mu'n  do  thuit  am  m6r  shluagh. 

(On  Clian  strand  in  the  north, 
Among  a  warrior  band  around  whom 
fell  the  great  host.) 

Lann,  who  is  now  called  an  Lann,  was  slain  by  Oscar. 

Yet  another  version  appears  in  the  ballad  of  An  t-Athach 
lodhnai^  the  argument  prefixed  to  which  states :  '  'S  ann 
tamull  beag  an  diaigh  latha  Blar  na  traghad  a  thachair  an 
eachdrui  so  a  leanas,'  (The  events  in  the  following  account 
took  a  little  time  after  the  day  of  the  Battle  on  the  Shore, 
i.e.  traigh  Chhathan).  Here  the  name  of  the  King  of  Loch- 
lann's  sons  are  Ciochnais,  Gormshuil,  am  Biugal-briagha, 
slain  by  Goll,  Oscar  and  Diarmad  respectively. 

The  tale  or  ballad  of  the  Battle  on  the  Shore,  in  which 
the  King  of  Lochlann's  sons  were  slain,  is  printed  in  Rel. 
Celt,  i.  415-419,  from  Sir  George  Mackenzie's  Collection,  and 
also  in  the  MacCallum  Collection,  p.  171.  In  the  former  it 
is  entitled  Dan  Eihhin  dh  (sic).  The  argument  prefixed 
states  :  '  Thachair  an  Fhein  air  la  araid  ri  gaisgich  ro-mhoir 
g'am  b'ainm  Eibhin  agus  Trostan  is  thug  iad  cath  fiadhaich 
ri  cheil  air  traigh  Chhan,'  ('The  Feinn  on  a  certain  day 
happened  on  (two)  exceeding  great  warriors  called  Eibhin 
[Eyvind]  and  Trostan,  and  they  fought  a  fierce  battle  on 
the  shore  of  Clian ').     The  ballad  begins : — 

Air  bhas  gus  an  deach'  an  Fhiann 
Cha  d'thug  i  ceum  teichidh  riabh 
Ach  nodag  beag  air  an  traigh 
Air  an  taobh  siar  do  dhun  Gallan. 

»  Bel.  Celt.,  i.  256. 


204  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Cha  d'f  huair  sinn  Ciuthach  's  an  duin 
Nam  faigheadh  bu  mhiste  dhuinn ; 
Fhuair  sinn  iomanadh  agus  gr^in 
Bho  Eibhin  agus  bho  Throstan. 

(Till  the  Fiann-band  died,  it  never  took  a  step  in  flight,  save  only  a  little 
nodag  on  the  shore  westward  of  Dun  Gallan.  We  did  not  find  Ciuthach  in 
the  fort ;  had  we  found  him,  it  had  been  the  worse  for  us.  We  got  driving 
and  horror  at  the  hands  of  Eibhin  and  Trostan.) 

The  MacCallums'  version  is  styled  Dan  Chiuihaich.  It 
has  no  argument,  beyond  a  comparison  of  the  Fiann  with 
Wellington  and  Buonaparte,  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  latter 
commanders.  The  two  versions  are  similar,  except  for  a 
slight  difference  in  arrangement  and  that  the  MacCaUums' 
version  ends  in  a  '  Macphersonic '  style  with  reference  to 
'  Seallama  '  '  Ardbheinn  '  and  '  slige  creachainn.'  In  brief 
the  ballads  run  as  follows :  GoU  engages  Eibhin ;  Oscar 
engages  Trostan.  Eibhin  and  Trostan  get  the  better  not 
only  of  GoU  and  Oscar,  but  of  the  rest  of  the  Fiann — Clanna 
Moma,  Clanna  Sgainne,  Clanna  Ceardal,  Ryn  mac  Fhinn,  and 
the  (three)  Bailbh.  The  Fiann  retreat.  Oscar  goes  against 
Mac  an  Nuamharan  (Mackenzie)  or  Mac  Nuadh-rain 
(MacCaUum),  and  slays  him.  Goll  bids  Oscar  take  the  head 
to  Fionn.  Oscar  refuses,  and  buries  head  and  body  in  a 
grave  seven  feet  deep.  The  Fiann  in  general,  including 
Ossian,  threaten  Oscar ;  the  general  melee  which  is  imminent 
is  avoided  through  Oscar's  self-restraint,  aided  by  Fergus 
(Filidh).  Ciuthach  (returns,  and  fmding  his  comrades  or 
brothers  slain)  sends  a  message  to  Fionn  demanding  the 
heads  of  Oscar,  Goll,  and  Conan.  This  he  demanded  for 
seven  days.  (Meantime  Oscar  is  absent  elsewhere.) 
Ciuthach  and  Fionn  fight  (or  are  about  to  fight).  Oscar 
returns  on  the  seventh  day  at  the  critical  moment,  and 
addressing  'Ciuthach  mac  an  Nuamf  hir '  (or  '  C.  mac 
Nuarain '  in  the  MacCallums'  version)  declares  that  it  is  he 
(Oscar)  who  has  slain  his  brothers  and  the  clan  of  his  grand- 
mother, and  though  Ciuthach  were  the  name  of  each  and 
every  man  who  came  across  the  sea  eastward,  none  would 
escape  him.     Thereupon  Oscar  smites  Ciuthach' s  head  off 


CIUTHACH  205 

in  presence  of  the  Fiann  of  Erin.  Incidentally  it  appears 
that  Ciuthach  had  carried  off  Emer,  the  wife  of  Ossian. 
When  Emer  saw  the  head  of  Ciuthach  on  the  moor  she  wept 
tears  of  blood.  The  MacCallums'  version  has  it  that  the 
Fiann  sailed  to  the  city  of  Nuaran,  and  Oscar  had  to  wife  the 
king's  daughter.  Sir  George  Mackenzie's  version  mentions 
Dun  Chiuthaich,  the  other  does  not. 

From  the  above  resume  it  is,  I  think,  evident  that  the 
Uig  Fenian  tales,  as  given  above,  in  which  Oscar  comes 
to  succour  Fionn  against  the  Ciuthach,  are  survivals  of 
the  heroic  ballads  recorded  by  Sir  George  Mackenzie  and 
Hugh  and  John  MacCallum,  which  latter,  it  should  be  stated, 
was  communicated  to  the  MacCallums  by  George  Mackenzie 
in  Gruineard,  Lochbroom. 

The  spellings  of  the  name  are  as  follows :  Cithach 
(Ciothach)  {Sid  na  mBan  Finn)  ;  Cithich,  Ciach,  Ciothach, 
Ceothach,  Cithuch,  Ciuthich  {Leabhar  na  Feinne)  ;  Ciofach, 
Ciuthach  {West  Highland  Tales);  Ciuthach  {The  Fians) ; 
Ciochnais  {Eel.  Celt,  i.  258) ;  Ciothach  (^6.,  i.  407) ;  Ciuthach 
{ih.,  1 415-419) ;  Ciuthach  (MacCallum) ;  Keith  {Macfarlane's 
Geog.  Coll,  i.  326) ;  Keefie  {N.  Stat.  Ace.  of  Argyll,  p.  400) ; 
Ciuthach  (present  day). 

At  the  present  day,  and  once  in  the  W.  H.  T.  and  once  in 
the  MacCallum  Collection,  Ciuthach  is  used  as  a  generic  term 
or  common  noun,  with  the  article.  Elsewhere  it  is  a  proper 
noun.  In  the  expression  Cetach  Ciothach,  the  latter  term 
is  an  adjective. 

The  name  of  Cormac  Mac  Art's  chief  druid  was 
Ciothruadh  or  Cithruadh.^  Cioth  Fiann  is  the  name  of  a 
mythical  king  of  Ireland,  who  is  yet  to  reign. ^  In  Gaelic, 
these  are  two  words  cith,  one  meaning  '  a  shower,'  the  other 
'  rage,  ardour.'  The  names  Cithruadh  and  Cioth  Fiann 
both  apparently  mean  '  red  wrath.'  If  our  hero's  name  is 
GaeUc,  it  may  be  from  this  latter,  meaning  *  the  wrathful 
or  raging  one.'  But  it  may  be  suspected  to  lean  rather  on 
Welsh  go-gof  (g'o=sub,  +cof,  cave)  ;  ceu,  a  cave  ;  Breton 
keo,  a  cave,  with  the  meaning  '  cave-man,'  '  troglodyte.'    It 

1  O'Curry.  «  lb. 


206  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

is  possible  that  {f)ach  of  Ciuthach,  Ciofach  should  be  com- 
pared with  the  ending  -veccas  in  the  Ogham  Luguwecca, 
Gauhsh — vic~es ;  O.  Ir.,  fichim,  fight.  ^ 

The  Ciuthach  is  described  as  :  Cetach  Cithach  mac  rig 
Lochlann  {Sid  na  mBan  Finn)  ;  Cithich  mac  righ  Lochlunn 
{L.  na  F.,  84,  86) ;  Cithich  mac  Daol  {L.  na  F.,  p.  154) ; 
Ciofach  mac  a'  Ghoill  {W.  H.  T.,  iii.  51) ;  Ciothach  mac  righ 
Lochlann  {Rel.  Celt.,  i.  407) ;  Ciuthach  mac  an  Nuamhfhir 
{ih.,  418,  419) ;  Ciuthach  Mac  Nuarain  (MacCaUum,  175) ; 
Ciuthach  mac  an  Doill  {Fians,  53) ;  Keith  mac  Indoill,  a 
giant  {Macf.  Geog.  Coll.,  i.  346) ;  Keefie,  the  king  of  Loch- 
lann's  son  {N.  Stat.  Ace.  of  Argyll,  400)  ;  foghmhair  mor,  f. 
treun,  a  great  giant,  a  mighty  giant  {L.  na.  F.,  154,  155). ^ 
J.  F.  CampbeU  records  that  in  the  Long  Island  the  Ciuthaich 
were  regarded  as  naked  wild  men  dwelling  in  caves  {W.  H.  T., 
iii.  65).  The  tradition  of  Eigg,  as  given  by  Mr.  Kenneth 
Macleod,  bears  this  out.  In  the  Diarmad  story  the 
Ciuthach  is  a  cave-dweller.  On  Loch  Lomond  side  he  is 
connected  with  a  broch-like  structure,  possessing  chambers, 
which  are  elsewhere  called  in  Gaelic  uamh.^  In  Uig,  Lewis, 
his  name  goes  with  a  fort  which  Mr.  David  MacRitchie 
describes  as  being  similar  in  plan  and  structure  to  the  Loch 
Lomond  fort.*  The  Gigha  fort  is  not  known  as  a  broch. 
Diarmad  when  living  with  Grainne  in  the  Ciuthach' s  cave 
complains  : — 

Mar  a  bhios  an  uaimh  thaisgte 

Dhomhsa  ni  aobhar  gMire, 

Ag  coimhead  uamha  bige  : 

Do  mhilleas  mis',  a  Ghrainne. 

(The  way  in  which  I  am  stowed  in  a  cave 
To  me  is  no  cause  of  laughter, 
Guarding  a  little  cave  : 
Thou  hast  undone  me,  0  Grainne.^) 

^  Cf.  John  MacNeill,  Notes  on  Irish  Ogham  Inscriptions. 

2  Ceothach,  Gillies's  Collection,  p.  251  ;  Ciothach  Duanaire  Finn,  p.  26,  both 
warriors  of  the  Fiann,  but  without  further  designation. 

^  JE.g.  in  Ach  na  h-uamhach,  cave  field,  so  called  from  the  broch  near  the  farm- 
house ;  now  Birchfield,  Strathkyle,  Ross-shire. 

*  The  Antiquary,  December  1906.  ^  Dean  of  Lismore,  Bel.  Celt.,  L  89. 


CIUTHACH  207 

Here  one  recalls  the  incidents  of  the  occupation  of  the 
broch  of  Mousa  in  Shetland  by  eloping  couples,  first  by 
Bjom  Brynulfson  and  Thora,  Roald's  daughter,  before  900 
A.D. ;  second  by  Earl  Erlend  Ungi  and  Margaret,  widow  of 
Maddad,  Earl  of  Athol,  more  than  two  hundred  years  sub- 
sequently. We  may  compare  also  the  expression  of  Gildas. 
who  writes  :  '  De  artissimis  foraminum  cavernaculis  fusci 
vermiculorum  cunei,  tetri  Scottorum  Pictorumque  greges,' 
(swarthy  columns  of  vermin  from  their  little  caves  of  very 
narrow  outlet,  loathsome  hoards  of  Picts  and  Scots). ^  A 
somewhat  later  writer  than  Gildas  speaks  in  the  same  strain 
of  '  popuh  bestiales  Pictorum,'  the  beastly  tribes  of  Picts,  as 
issuing  from  the  bags  and  sacks  of  the  North, ^  expressions 
curiously  similar  to  the  Eigg  man's  description  of  a  Ciuthach. 
Among  the  phrases  descriptive  of  the  Ciuthach,  that  of 
Mac  an  Nuaimhfhir  may  certainly  mean  '  the  Giant's  son.'  ^ 
But  the  writers,  and  probably  also  the  reciters,  of  the  tales 
clearly  had  in  their  minds  '  son  of  the  Cave-man '  as  the 
meaning. 

In  the  ballads,  Ciuthach  of  Dun  Chiuthaich  is  associated 
with  Eibhinn  and  Trostan.  One  of  these  heroes,  apparently 
Trostan,  is  designated  Mac  an  Nuamharan,  which  makes 
him  Ciuthach' s  brother.  Trostan  is  a  distinctively  Pictish 
name.  It  occurs  in  at  least  two  place  names  in  Lewis. 
There  was  a  Trostansfjord  in  Iceland.  Eibhinn  is 
Norse  Eyvind.  A  chief  of  that  name  accompanied  King 
Magnus  Barelegs  on  his  famous  expedition  to  the  Sudreyar 
in  1098,  when  he  fought  a  battle  in  Lio'Shus  (Lewis)  and 
harried  the  country.  This  Eyvind,  called  Olnbogi,  was  the 
king's  high  steward.*    A  younger  contemporary  of  his  was 

^  Gildas,  ed.  Mommsen,  p.  35. 

2  Eddi's  Life,  of  St.  Wilfred  (c.  a.d.  700) ;   quoted  by  Skene,  Celt.  Scot.,  i.  261. 

3  Compare  Tigh  'n  Fhuamhair,  Giant's  House,  the  Gaelic  of  Novar,  in  Koss- 
shire. 

*  In  this  expedition  it  is  recorded  that  Magnus  seized  Logman  Guthrodson,  king 
of  the  Western  Isles.  It  seems  fairly  certain  that  it  is  this  Logman  who  is  referred 
to  in  the  ballads  as  Laomunn  Mdr  ^Big  Lamond).  He  is  designated  Mac  Coineal 
(Bel.  Celt,  i.  395) — {i.e.  Mac  Dhomnnaill)  and  Laomunn  mdr  mac  an  Nuamhfhir 


208  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

Eyvind  Melbrigdi's  son,  a  chief  evidently  of  Celtic  descent 
on  his  father's  side,  who  followed  the  banner  of  Earl  Paul 
Hakonsson.  The  name  Eyvind  must  have  been  well 
known  in  the  west. 

The  geography  of  the  Battle  of  the  Shore,  where  Eibhinn 
and  Trostan  were  engaged,  is  vague.  It  was  fought  on 
Traigh  Chliathan  {Ret.  Celt,  i.  407)  or  Traigh  Chlian  (^6.,  415), 
on  the  west  side  of  Dun  Gallan,  in  the  north.  In  one  of  the 
baUads  of  Leabhar  na  Feinne  it  is  located. 

Air  traigh  a'  Chliabhain  fa  thuath 
Siar  o  rudha  na  mdrchuan. 

(On  the  beach  of  Cliavan  in  the  north, 

Westwards  from  the  point  of  the  great  seas  (1  inlets)). 

This  sounds  as  if  meant  for  Ardnamurchan.^  Traigh 
Chliathan  recalls  Tonn  Cliodhna,  Cleena's  wave,  but  this 
celebrated  wave  was  in  the  very  south  of  Munster.  Uig,  in 
Lewis,  possesses  both  Dun  a'  Chiuthaich  and  Gallon  Head, 
westwards  of  it,  also  Uaigh  a'  Chiuthaich,  but  I  have  not 
heard  of  Dun  Gallan  or  Traigh  Chliathan  there.  The  diffi- 
culty is  not  lessened  by  the  expression  put  in  Oscar's  mouth 
in  Dan  Chiuthaich  or  Dan  Eibhinn  : — 

6e  bu  Chiuthach  ainm  gach  fhir 
'S  na  thainig  dhiubh  air  akile  soir. 

(Though  Ciuthach  were  the  name  of  each  man, 

For  as  many  of  them  as  have  come  on  sea  eastwards. ) 

Unless,  indeed,  we  may  translate  *  on  the  eastern  sea.'     It 

{ibid.,  420).  In  Gillies  (p.  302)  the  title  of  the  ballad  is  '  Laoidh  Laomuinn  Mhic 
an  Uaimh-fhir.' 

Laoch  a  chuir  Alba  fo  chiin 

Le  neart  a  dha  laimh  's  a  chleas. 

(A  hero  who  put  Alba  under  tribute 

By  the  strength  of  his  two  hands  and  his  feats.) 

In  the  Campbell  collection  {Rel.  Celt.,  i.  214)  he  is  styled  'mac  Righ  nuaidh.'  In 
Gillies,  p.  301,  *  Laomunn  mac  Roidh '  (?  mac  Goraidh).  Laomunn,  Ciuthach,  and 
Trostan  are  the  only  heroes  designated  as  Mac  an  Nuamh  fhir.  Laomunn  M6r  was 
killed  by  Oscar,  according  to  the  ballads. 

*  The  popular,  though  erroneous,  explanation  of  Ardnamurchan  is  *  Point  of  the 
great  seas.'    The  cape  is  called,  pleonastically,  Rudha  Aird-na-murchan. 


CIUTHACH  209 

is  remarkable  that  among  the  forts  of  Colonsay  there  are 
Dmi  Eibhinn  and  Dun  Gallan.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
latter  is  a  beach,  where,  according  to  Colonsay  tradition,  a 
great  battle  was  fought.  The  men  of  Colonsay  used  faggots 
of  blackthorn  in  the  fight,  whence  it  is  called  '  Latha 
Chatha  nan  Sguab,'  the  day  of  the  battle  of  the  Sheaves. 
This  beach  must  on  no  account  be  dug,  for  it  contains 
quantities  of  human  bones.  There  is  Dun  nan  Gallan  in 
Loch  an  Duin,  Bornish,  South  Uist,  also  Dun  a'  Ghallain  in 
N.W.  of  North  Uist.  The  ultimate  reference  may  be  to  the 
battle  fought  by  King  Magnus  in  Lewis.  But  perhaps  it  is 
useless  to  try  to  locate  the  site  of  this  *dim  battle  in  the 
West.' 

Ciuthach's  relations  with  the  Fiann,  of  whom  he  is  always 
made  a  contemporary,  are  hostile,  except  that  in  Sid  nam 
Ban  Finn,  Cithach  (if  indeed  he  is  to  be  equated  with 
Ciuthach)  becomes  a  friend.  In  the  Diarmad  tale  he  carries 
off  Grainne.  In  Ddn  Chiuthaich  he  carries  off  Emer,  the 
wife  of  Ossian.     Both  ladies  prefer  him  to  their  own  lords. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  traces  of  Ciuthach  are  found,  one 
may  say,  from  Clyde  to  the  Butt  of  Lewis,  it  is  clear  that  at 
one  time  he  played  a  great  role  in  the  traditions  of  the  West. 
Among  all  the  confusion  of  the  traditions  as  they  have  come 
down  to  us,  there  may  be,  and  probably  is,  an  ultimate 
historical  basis.  It  may  not  be  unreasonable  to  surmise 
that  the  Ciuthach  was  a  broch-dweller,  who  degenerated  in  the 
tales,  and  perhaps  in  fact,  into  a  cave-dweller.  His  appearance 
as  Mac  righ  Lochlann  may  be  due  to  confusion  with  another 
personage  altogether,  or  to  the  tendency  on  the  part  of  the 
Gael  to  rank  all  their  opponents  on  the  west  as  Lochlannaich. 
Throughout  the  references  to  him  there  runs  the  feeling 
that  Ciuthach  was  a  hero,  or  the  hero,  of  a  race  different 
from  the  Gael.  This  feeling  comes  out  most  clearly  in  the 
second  of  the  two  Uig  tales  given  above,  which  seems  to 
have  originated  among  his  admirers.  The  other  accounts  of 
him  are  rather  from  the  standpoint  of  his  enemies.  The  con- 
clusion suggested  is  that  Ciuthach  was  a  hero  of  the  Picts. 

VOL.  IX.  O 


210  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


THE  GAELIC  VERSION  OF  THE  THEBAID 
OF  STATIUS 

Professor  Mackinnon 

(Continued  from  page  127) 

GAELIC  TEXT 

Acus  o  ra  bai  Ipsipile  amlaid  sin  a  comrad  ris  in  rig 
n-uasal  re  h-Adraist  acus  ^  ni  tuc  d'a  h-aire  a  daltan  dath- 
alaind  d'acbail  is  in  choillegh  da  h-eis.  Acus  in  tan  do 
chuaid  d'iarraid  ui(s)ce  ris  na  Grecaib,  acus  ro  fhacaib-si 
imorro  ^  in  mac  beci  sin,  ro  thuit  a  suan  rem-cotalta  air  ar 
lar  ind  (fh)eoir  acus  in  airthind.  Acus  in  am  ro  bai  ann  sin 
tanic  nathair  adhuathmar  urbadach  da  indsaigid.  ^Is 
amlaid  ro  bai  i(n)  nathair  sin  acus  *  ruisc  dimora  dub-glasa 
'na  c(a)end  co  n-uanfad  neimi  ba  ^  glomar  a  crais,^  co  tri 
tengthaib  tendtidi  ac  taidligud  im''  a  carbad,  acus  co  tri 
srethaib  d'(f)iaclaib  croma  cruad-gera  in  a  cind.  Acus 
ua  coissechartha  ^  du  loib  in  nathair  sin.  Acus  ^  is  and  ro 
catlad^o  ^^fecht  and^^  i  timchuU  na  tempall  sin  caeim- 
choiserca^^  j^o  m-bidis  i  comfhoch-raib  di.  Acur  ro  gluais- 
eth  si  na  railgi  ro  mora  as  an  ait  acus  as  an  inad,  acus  na 
clacha  com-thenda  a  tendtaib  talman  in  tan  ro  comerged.^^ 
Acus  tanic  rompi  d'iarraid  usci  co  dian  acus  co  dasachtach, 
acus  a  croes  ^^urgranna  osloicthi^*  uirri  ac  sugad^^  gaithi 
aideoir  ^^  in  darna  f echt,  in  f eacht  aih  imorro  ac  ithi  in  n-eoir 
acus  in  n-airthind,  do  chase  a  h-itad.  Acus  ru-s-bean  bem 
d'a  h-eirr  gan  airigut  ^'  di  do'n  maccaem  sin  co  ru-s-facaidh 
cen  anmain. 

O  t'chualaig  tra  Ipsifile  scret  in  meic  ac  a  marbad  ro 
eirich  d'a  iarraid,  acus  ro  bai  'ga  gairm  o  na^^  fuair  h-e. 


'  Eg.  omits. 

^  Eg.  omits.                    3  jjg  prefixes  acus. 

*  Eg.  omits. 

^  ua.         *  craes. 

^  in.                  ^  cuserca.        '  Eg.  omits. 

10  collad. 

"-"  Eg.  omits. 

12  cusracta.      "  regadh.        "-"  Eg.  transposes 

1°  dugadh. 

*^  acus  aeoir. 

"  ariugud.                              18  nach. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  211 


ENGLISH  TRANSLATION 

As  Hypsipyle  was  thus  conversing  with  the  noble  King 
Adrastus,  she  forgot  that  she  had  left  her  beautiful  little 
fosterling  behind  her  in  the  wood.  Now  when  she  went 
with  the  Greeks  in  search  of  water  and  left  the  little 
boy  behind,  he  suddenly  fell  asleep  among  the  grass  and 
herbage.  While  he  was  there  a  horrid  destructive  dragon 
approached  him.  Thus  was  that  dragon,  with  very  large 
dark-grey  eyes  in  its  head,  with  a  foam  of  venom  around 
its  great,  gaping  mouth,  with  three  fiery  tongues  gleaming 
in  its  jaws,  and  with  three  rows  of  curved,  hard,  and  sharp 
teeth  in  its  head.  The  dragon  was  sacred  to  Jove.  It 
used  to  sleep  betimes  around  the  beautiful,  consecrated 
temples  that  chanced  to  be  in  its  neighbourhood.  It  could 
move  very  large  oaks  from  their  roots  and  overturn  huge 
stones  from  their  earth  grip,  when  it  rose  up.  It  went  for- 
ward furiously,  madly  in  search  of  water,  with  its  hideous 
gaping  mouth  open  draining  the  air  of  heaven  at  one  time, 
and  eating  up  grass  and  herbage  at  another,  to  quench  its 
thirst.  And  it  heedlessly  gave  a  lash  of  its  tail  to  that  boy 
and  left  him  lifeless. 

Now  when  Hypsipyle  heard  the  death  shriek  of  the  boy 
she  ran  to  search  for  him,  and  was  calhng  for  him  when  she 


212  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

Acus  o  t'  chondairc  in  nathraig  ro  iacht  acus  ro  eig  co 
cualadar  Greic  uili  golgairi  na  h-ingine.  Is  and  sin  ro  gres- 
astar  rig  oc  ^  na  h-Arcaida  .t.  Partanapeus  a  eocho  fo'n 
egem  ar  n-a  radh  d'Adhraist,  do'n  aird-rig  ris.  Acus  o  t' 
chualaich  fochond  in  guba  ro  indis  da  chach.  Acus  o  ra 
FoL  12b  1.  indis  ro  gabh  Ipomedon  ^  airegda  cairrig  comthruim  comnert 
a  tenntaib  talman,  acus  tuc  ro-n-urchair  d'indsaigid  na 
nathrach.  Acht  chena  ni  derna  acht  scenm  disi  sin.  Tanic 
imorro  asaithli  sin  Capaneus  ar  cind  conaire  di  acus  gae 
suainmech  so-dibraicthi  in  a  laim  acus  is  ed  ro  raid  ria :  '  ISIi 
ba  h-inand,'  ar  se,  '  in  t-urchar  o  chianaib ;  ni(f )uil  ac  *  deib 
nime  a  thairmeasc  imamsa*  gan  du  marbad  dam.'  Acus 
ro  dibraic  in  ^  f  aga  di  'na  diaid  sin,  co  ro  ben  in  craisech,®  co 
ro  tregdastar  a  h-ucht  acus  a  h-indi,  co  ro  torchair  marb  cen 
anmain.  Ba  ferg  imorro  le  h-Ioib  '^  an  ni  sin  .t.  ^  nathair  do 
marbad  do  Chapaneus,  acus  ro  triall  saegnen  tened  do  lecud 
d'an  indsaigid  and  sin.  Acus  geded  ro  thairmisc  gus  sin  cath 
ar  n-uair. 

Imthusa  Ipsifile:  in  tan  ro  bui  ac  iarraid  in  macaim,^ 
adchondairc  an  fer  frasach  forderg  d'fhuil  na  naiden,  acus 
tanic  d'a  indsaigid  co  dubach  dian  ^^  do-menmnach,  acus  ro 
boi  ac  pocad  in  meic.  Acht  chena  ro  saed  ^^  a  delb  acus  a 
dath  is  in  uair  sin  cu  nar  fhurusa  aichni  a  chuirp  ar  n-a 
cruad-ledrad  o  ruich  ^^  nemi  na  nathrach.  Acus  is  amlaid 
ro  bai  si  'na  timchell  and  sin  amal  bis  ethaid  foluaimneach 
im  13  net  ar  n-a  ^^  choU  do  nathraid  impi.  Acus  ro  gab  in  a 
h-ucht  h-e.  Ro  chomglan  crechta  a  chnis  da  fult  fhata 
f hir-alaind.  Acus  tuc  a  f aig  ^^  fir-guil  os  aird,  acus  is  ed  ro 
raid :  *  Truag  sin,  a  Arsemaris  inmain,'  ar  si ;  '  is  tu  i*  ba 
clann  damsa  tar  eis  mo  mac,  acus  ua  comdignad  dar  eis 
m'  atharda.  Acus  a  mic,'  ar  si,  '  caidi  in  gnuis  glan  gruad- 
alaind,  acus  na  briathra  gota  gairechtacha  batar  let  na^'' 
tuictid  1^  daeini  aile  acht  mad  misi  le  sir-chlechtad  ?     Uch 

^  ri  6g.  2  Eg,  adds  ard.  '  Eg.  adds  na.  *  umamsa. 

6  Eg.  omits.  «  Eg.  adds  di.  '  loib.  '  Eg.  adds  a. 

9  Eg.  adds  accus.       i°  Eg.  omits.  "  soadh.  ^^  driuch 

13  um  a.  "  Ed.  repeats  ar  n-a.  **  faidh. 

1    Eg.  adds  ua  tocha  lium  acus.  "  nach.  "  tuicdis. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  213 

did  not  find  him.  And  when  she  saw  the  dragon  she  yelled 
and  shouted  so  that  all  the  Greeks  heard  the  wail  of  the 
girl.  Parthenopeus  the  young  king  of  Arcadia  spurred  his 
horses  on  hearing  that  cry  in  obedience  to  the  high  King 
Adrastus's  order.  When  he  heard  the  cause  of  grief  he  told 
the  rest.  And  when  he  did  so,  the  renowned  Hippomedon 
pulled  a  very  heavy,  massive  boulder  from  its  earth  fastenings, 
and  made  a  terrible  cast  with  it  towards  the  dragon.  But 
that  merely  caused  it  a  start.  Thereafter  Capaneus  went 
and  crossed  its  path  with  an  easily  hurled,  thong-fitted  spear 
and  addressed  it  thus :  '  (My)  cast  will  be  different  from 
the  one  you  endured  just  now.  The  (very)  gods  of  heaven 
cannot  prevent  me  from  slaying  you.'  Then  he  hurled  the 
javelin  at  it,  and  the  spear  pierced  its  breast  and  entrails 
and  it  fell  dead,  lifeless.  Jove  was  wroth  at  Capaneus  for 
slaying  the  dragon,  and  he  seized  a  thunderbolt  to  hurl  at 
them  there  and  then.  Nevertheless  he  withheld  it  mean- 
while until  the  war  (was  in  progress). 

As  to  Hypsipyle,  when  she  was  seeking  for  the  boy  she 
saw  the  grass  wet  and  red  with  the  blood  of  the  infant,  and 
she  approached  him  sadly,  vehemently,  dispiritedly,  and 
was  kissing  the  boy.  But  indeed  his  shape  and  colour  had 
quickly  altered,  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  recognise  his  body 
after  it  had  been  so  thoroughly  smeared  by  the  venom 
of  the  dragon.  And  thus  Hypsipyle  was  hanging  about 
him  as  a  fluttering  bird  about  its  nest  after  it  has  been 
robbed  by  a  serpent.  She  took  him  in  her  lap,  and  thoroughly 
cleaned  the  wounds  of  his  skin  with  her  long,  lovely  hair, 
and  raised  her  piercing  wail  of  lament,  and  spoke  thus  : 
*  Woe  is  me,  beloved  Archemorus,'  said  she.  '  You  have 
been  a  child  to  me  in  place  of  my  own  boys,  and  a  solace  to 
me  for  the  loss  of  my  country.  And,  boy,'  continued  she, 
*. where  now  are  the  bright  face,  the  beautiful  cheek,  and 


214  THE  CELTIC  BE  VIEW 

tra,  is  truag  in  turus  do  chuadu-sa  uait  dar  a  ^  dermaitus 
tu.  Acus  a  Grecu,'  ar  si,  '  marbaid-si  misi  co  na  ^  faicuir 
athair  in  meic  so  .t.  Ligur(g)us,  acus  co  na  ^  fa(i)ciur  a 
mathair  .t.  Eruididse.  Uair  is  am  bandama  ^  di  deis  a 
meic  do  milliud  acum.  Acus  is  taisci  tra  aidlecar  *  misi  na 
daber  a  mac  ba'n  ^  samlaid-sea  'na  h-ucht.' 

Atclos  imorro  na  scela  sin  bachetoir  co  tigib  lethna  lan- 
mora  Ligurguis  .t.  athair  in  meic.  Acus  is  amlaid  ro  bai 
*  seic  edon  ar  ®  n-(d)enom  edport  i  sleb  Peris.  Acus  is  ed 
ro  raided  ris  and  sin  com(b)a  d'a  muntir  ro  murfithea  in  cet 
duine  do  Grecaib  ar  in  cathugud  Tiauanda.  Is  de  sin  tanic- 
seom  CO  toirrsech  tindesnech  do  chum  na  sluag  o  t'  chualaig 
na  stucu  coema  comairic  ac  a  senm.  Ipsifile  imorro  o  ra 
bui  acus  an  mac  marb  ac  a  imarchor  aici,  is  and  dorala 
a  mathair  di  na  h-aigid  acus  airechta  cend  ''-coema  corp- 
glana  do  mnaib  'na  farrad  acus  dirmanda  deg-sluaig  a 
FoL  12b  2.  caeiniud  in  meic  sin.  Ligurgus  imorro,  ar  ferg  acus  ar  f ualang 
da  chuaid  an  scela  sin  do,^  tanic  remi  co  dian  dasachtach 
acus  adbert :  '  Caide,'  ar  se,  '  an  bean  i  *  roibe  mo  mac-sa  ^* 
laim  ?  Acus  tabraid  cucum,  a  fhiru,'  ar  se,  '  in  colaig 
confadaig  co  ro  marbar  h-i  i  cinta  mo  meic.  Acus  ^^  cuma 
ro  raid  sin,  acus  tanic  d'a  h-indsaigid  acus  claideb  ^^  urnocht 
'na  laim. 

Is  and  sin  tuc  in  tren-fer  n-atharda  nem-lesc  .t.  Tid 
mac  Oeniuis  in  sciath  ar  scath  na  h-ingine,  acus  adbert : 
'  A  duni  dasachtaich,'  ar  se, '  leic  aenur  ^^  in  mi-gnim  trialla.' 
Acus  ^*  do  riachtadar  as  ahaithli  sin  Capaneus  acus  Ipamedon 
acus  Partonopeus  mac  Eremandtu(i)s  acus  a  claidbi  ^^  nochta 
'na  lamaib,  co  ro  iadsad  im  Ligurgus  da  marbad  acus  da 
mugugadh,  da  saraiged  iad  ma  n-ingin.  Is  and  sin  ro 
comergedar  munter  Ligurguis  do  gliad  re  Grecaib.  Acus 
ro  bui  in  t-aird-rig  Adraist  ga  n-astad^^  ga  n-irrdedail. 
Atbert  (d)no  ^'  Ampiaruss  in  sacart :  '  Leicid  as  a  fhiru,'  ar 
se,  '  uar  fich  acus  uar  n-gliad  uair  is  facus  uar  coibnes  acus 


'  Eg.  omits. 

^  nacL 

'  baa-mama-sa. 

*  adhlacar.         ^  uan. 

'"«  sideg  ir. 

^  Eg.  omits. 

^  Eg.  adds  acus. 

*  ac  a.         '°  Eg.  adds  na. 

"  Eg.  adds  is. 

"  claidmi. 

"  uait. 

"  Eg.  omits.      ^*  claidme. 

^'  ga  fastad. 

^^  Eg.  omita. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  215 

the  broken,  smiling  words  which  you  learned  and  which  no 
one,  save  myself  from  long  experience,  could  understand. 
Alas !  pitiable  is  the  errand  for  which  I  left  you  and  neglected 
you.  And,  O  Greeks,'  added  she,  '  do  ye  slay  me,  that  I 
may  not  see  Lycurgus  the  father  of  this  boy,  nor  Eurydice 
his  mother.  For  I  shall  be  an  enemy  in  her  eyes,  when  her 
child  has  been  destroyed  while  under  my  charge.  And  as 
for  me,  sooner  shall  I  be  buried  than  place  her  son  in  her 
lap  in  this  condition.' 

These  tidings  were  forthwith  reported  to  the  large 
spacious  dwellings  of  Lycurgus,  the  boy's  father.  He  was 
at  the  time  in  the  hill  of  Perseus  ^  after  having  offered 
sacrifice.  He  was  told  there  that  the  first  Greek  killed  in 
the  Theban  war  would  be  one  of  his  people.  Wherefore  he 
went  sadly  and  hastily  towards  the  hosts  when  he  heard  the 
kindly  war  trumpets  sounded.  Moreover  as  H3rpsipsyle 
was  carrying  the  dead  boy  (home),  the  mother  of  the  child, 
accompanied  by  numbers  of  fair  and  handsome  women, 
with  a  multitude  of  her  noblest  attendants  mourning 
for  the  boy,  met  her.  Lycurgus  again  was  wroth  and 
angry  when  he  heard  the  tale.  He  went  forward  vehe- 
mently, furiously,  and  said:  'Where  is  the  woman  who 
had  charge  of  my  child  ?  Bring  to  me,  O  men,'  said  he, 
*  the  wicked,  unnatural  woman  that  she  may  be  slain  for 
the  death  of  my  son.'  As  he  spoke  thus  he  approached 
her  with  an  unsheathed  sword  in  his  hand. 

Thereupon  the  powerful,  patriotic,  ever-ready  Tydeus 
son  of  Oeneus  raised  his  shield  to  protect  the  girl,  and  said  : 
'Madman,'  said  he,  'let  the  evil  deed  that  you  contem- 
plate pass.'  Thereafter  Capaneus  and  Hippomedon  and 
Parthenopeus  son  of  Erymanthus  went  forward  with  their 
unsheathed  swords  in  their  hands,  and  they  closed  round 
Lycurgus  to  slay  and  destroy  him,  if  they  were  to  be  out- 
raged because  of  the  girl.  Then  rose  together  Lycurgus's 
people  to  fight  the  Greeks.  The  high  king  Adrastus  was 
restraining  them  and  keeping  them  apart.     Then  the  priest 

1  Th.,  T.  640. 


216  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

uar  cairdeas.i  Nir  ^ua  ail^  tra  re  Tid  mac  Oeniu(i)s  in 
n-irgail  do  thairmesc,  acus  is  ed  ro  raid :  '  Is  dana  dit  a 
Ligurgu(i)s,'  ar  se,  *in  ni  triallai  .t.  in  ben  do  marbad  ar  ar 
faesum  acus  ar  ar  comairci.  Acht  is  lor  dit  bith  ^i  socra 
acus  i  ^  sadaili  ac  cainiud  do  meic  dar  n-eis-ne,  *  cein  bem  * 
ac  tachar  ris  na  Tiauandaib.'  Ro  fhrecair  tra  Ligurgus 
do-som,  acus  is  ed  ro  raid :  '  Ni  fheadar  ^  -sa  am,'  ar  se, 
*  comad  buidni  bidbad  do  thogail  Tebi  sib.  Acus  masead 
as  ail  lib  tra,  millig  misi,  uair  ni  fhuilim  lin  tachair  daib.' 
Acus  is  amlaid  ro  ui-sium  ac  a  rad  sin,  acus  mi-run  ^  acus 
aninni  ^  mor  aici.  Acus  ro  bui  a  fegad  ^  a  cathrach  uad,  co 
cualadar  comorad  catha  agus  irgaili  is  in  cathraig  thaU.  Is 
at  ro  h-indised  do  beth  and  sin  marc-sluag  gasraidi  Greci 
ac  inrud  in  tigi  sin  Ligurgu(i)s.  Uair  is  ed  ro  h-indised  is  in 
dunad  uilc  acus  ecora  do  denam  do  Ligurgus  i  muich  ris  na 
sluagaib.  Acus  ro  eirgedar  de  sidi  ^  na  Greic  ^^  ro  uadar 
thall  ^^  is  in  baili  acus  aithindeda  ^^  luatha  lasamna  'na  lamaib 
do  loscud  tigi  Ligurguis,  acus  da  breth  co  n-an  altoraib  ailli 
adartha^^  leo  in  dairi  acus  in  dochur.^*  Ba  buaidirthi  tra 
tegdais  in  tren-fhir  sin  o  gul  acus  o  gair  ban  acus  mac  ac  a 
milliud  inti.  Is  ann  sin  imorro  tanic  in  ri  uasal  Adraist, 
acus  tuargaib  Ipsifile  i  fiadnaisi  in  t-(s)luaig,  acus  adbert :  ^^ 
'  Traetar  uar  ferga  acus  uar  ficha,  a  firu,'  ar  se,  '  acus  na 
dentar  lib  olc  Ligurgu(i)s,  uair  ac  seo  in  bean  tuc  in  t-uisci 
daib,  acus  si  slan  gan  crecht(n)uchud. 
Foi.  13a  1.  Ba  h-e  tra  samail  sluaig  Grec  ^^  in  tan  sin  in  muir  acgarb 

anbthenach  acus  na  gaetha  garba  gatnimacha  gatinn  ^'^  'ga 
cumasc  acus  'ca  combuadred  gunud^^  cith  anfad  garb 
gemreta  in  lear  longach  lan-adbul  as  gach  aird,  cein  ^^  co 
n-eirigi^  in  ri  uasal  onorach  .t.  Nephtuin,  co  cuireand  in  a 
tast  acus  an  a  teigli  ^^  h-i.  Acus  an  tan  ro  badar  Greic  ^^ 
fa'n  samla  sin,  is  and  sin  tangadar  da  mac  Ipsiphile  acus 
2^Iason  meic  Eson^^  o  inis  Leimin  an  diaid  a  mathar  co 

^  caradrus.  ^~^  furail.  3~'  a. 

*~*  gein  bia.         ^  fhitir,  "  Ed.  omits,  ^  ainmine.  ^  fegain. 

*  slden.  "  Grecaidh.  '^  Eg.  omits.  "  aithenna.        ^^  ordha. 

"  docraidi.  '•''  Eg.  omits.  '^  in  t-sluaig  Greca.  "  gaidsnimacha  gatme. 

"  conadh.  i^""  curairig.  ^o  ^^q]^       21  Grecidh.  22 -2j  lasoin  meic  Esoin, 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  217 

Amphiaraus  said :  '  Allay  your  fury,  men,'  said  he,  '  for  you 
are  closely  related  in  friendship  and  alliance.'  But  Tydeus 
son  of  Oenius  did  not  wish  the  contention  to  cease,  and  he 
spoke  thus :  '  You  attempt  a  daring  thing,  Lycurgus,'  said 
he,  '  to  slay  the  woman  while  under  our  safeguard  and  pro- 
tection. Surely  it  ought  to  suffice  for  you  to  remain  behind 
us  in  leisure  and  at  ease  lamenting  your  son,  while  we  are  fight- 
ing the  Thebans.'  Lycurgus  then  replied  to  him  in  these 
words  :  '  In  truth,'  said  he,  '  I  knew  not  that  you  were 
hostile  troops  on  the  road  to  invade  Thebes ;  and  if  you  so 
desire  it  you  can  destroy  me,  for  my  friends  are  too  few  to 
fight  you.'  He  spoke  thus  entertaining  great  hatred  and 
ill-will,  and  was  looking  towards  his  city,  where  there  was 
heard  the  tumult  of  battle  and  strife,  over  in  the  city. 
It  was  reported  that  these  were  the  cavalry  of  the  Grecian 
warriors  sacking  the  house  of  Lycurgus.  For  it  was  told 
in  the  castle  that  Lycurgus  had  caused  evil  and  harm  to 
be  done  to  the  hosts  outside.  Because  of  this  the  Greeks 
who  were  in  the  town  quickly  took  flaming  torches  in  their 
hands  to  burn  Lycurgus' s  house,  and  to  carry  the  inhabitants 
with  the  beautiful  sacred  altars  away  with  them  in  slavery 
and  bondage.  Greatly  perturbed  indeed  were  the  people 
of  that  mighty  man  by  the  wail  and  shout  of  women  and 
boys  as  they  were  massacred  in  their  dwellings.  At  this 
juncture  the  noble  king  Adrastus  went  and  raised  Hjrpsipyle 
in  view  of  the  host  and  said  :  '  Calm  your  wrath  and  rage, 
men,'  said  he,  '  and  do  no  harm  to  Lycurgus,  for  here  is  the 
woman  who  found  water  for  you  safe  and  unwounded ! ' 

A  meet  comparison  to  the  Grecian  host  at  that  moment 
is  the  wild,  tempestuous  sea  when  the  rough,  withe-twisting 
winds  are  agitating  and  perturbing  it  as  one  sees  from  every 
direction  the  ship-sailing,  hugely  vast  ocean  in  wild,  winter 
weather,  until  the  noble,  honourable  king,  Neptune,  reduces 
it  to  silence  and  stillness.  It  was  while  the  Greeks  were  in 
this  wise  that  the  two  sons  of  Hypsipyle  and  of  Jason  son 
of  Aeson  came  from  Lemnos  in  search  of  their  mother  to  the 
house  of  Lycurgus.     Lycurgus  was  told  that  the  two  sons 


218  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

tech  Ligurgius.  Acus  ro  h-indised  do  Ligurgus  an  dias 
(s)in  do  thorachtain  d'a  tig  .t.  da  mac  Ipsifile.  Acus 
tangadar  ua  chetoir  i  fortacht  ^  acus  i  forithin  ^  Ligurgu(i)s 
gan  fhis  acus  gan  aichne  doib.^  Acus  o  t'  ^  chualadar  imrad 
n-insin  *  Leimin  acus  Ipsifile  ingine  Toaint  ra  s(g)ailset 
na  sluaga  sar-echtacha  cein  co  rangadar  airm  a  roibe  a 
mathair,  acus  co  r'  iadsad  a  lama  luath-glasta  ^  impi.  O  t' 
chondairc  si  imorro  erred  acus  indtamail  ^  a  n-athar  in  a  "^ 
sciathaib  coema  commora,  acus  a  airm  ^  urnochta  in  a 
lamaib,  ro  hoit  ^  si  ann  sin  co  h-anband  esirit  ^°  re  ro-met  na 
failti  ^^  ro  gob  ac  faicsin  na  mac  sin.^^  Acus  ru-s-^^  snigestar 
frasa  diana  der  dar  gruadib  di.  Na  Greic^*  imorro  ro 
leigedar  a  ferga  re  ^^  lar.  Acus  ro  labair  in  rig-sacart  uasal 
Ampiarus,  acus  is  ed  ro  raid :  '  Eistet  ^^  rim-sa,  (a)  gasrada 
Grec,  acus  (a)  Ligurgu(i)s  coroindisiur  daib  a  n-ebairt^''  Dea^^ 
na  faistine  .t.  Apaill  rim  co  buigbed  sibsi,  a  Grecu,  na 
^^  h-airrdi  urbada-sa  ^^  ar  cae  ^^  uar  conairi  ac  techt  ^^  in  tir- 
sa,^^  conid  airi  sin  is  choir  daib  uar  ferga  do  thairmesc,  acus 
uar  n-airm  do  chur  uaib,  acus  idbarta  uaisli  imdai,  acus 
cluicheda  suarca  subacha  in  onoir  in  meic  mairb-sea  .t. 
Arsemair  meic  Ligurig,  co  mairet^^  sin  co  forceand  saegail 
acus  CO  dered  in  domuin.  Uair  is  ^^  ferr  dosum  comshaegul 
re  Neastur  cunnail  cian-aesta  no  re  Laimedon  lan-saeglach 
na  h-aeidid  ^*  na  samla-sa  2*  fair.  Uair  airemthar  dosum  itir 
deib  e  da  eis.'  Tanic  tra  ind  adaig  fae  sin,  acus  deisitar 
in  a  long-portaib  is  in  n-aidchi  sin. 

Adclos  imorro  ua  chathrachaib  na  Greci  gart-gloin  na 
Greic  do  com(mo)rad  cluichi  chaintig  in  onoir  acus  in 
n-airmitin  meic  Ligurgu(i)s.^^  Acus  is  les  do  rondad  ar  tus 
riam  a  mac-samlai  in  cluichi  sin  le  h-Ercail  mac  Amprionis 
in  n-onoir  Peloip  meic  Thantail. 

^"*  Eg.  omits.          2  Eg.  omits.  '  do.                     *  innsi.           ^  gasta. 

•  inntsamlachta,       "^  is  na.        «  ^n  n-airm.        '  toit.      "  eiseirt.       "  faillte. 

*'  h-i.        "  ro.        "  Grecidh.  is  ^r.            is  eistidh.                "  debairt. 

^'  Dei.       19-19  airdhena  urbadach-sa.  20  jjg  omits.             21-21  g^  turusa. 

22  CO  mairend  acus  co  mairfed.  23  ^]^                 24-24  g,  meic-samladh  sin. 

^  Thus  were  instituted   the  famous  Nemaean  Games,   a  description  of  which 
follows. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  219 

of  Hjrpsipyle  had  arrived  at  his  house.  They  came  forth- 
with without  the  knowledge  or  recognition  on  their  part  to 
his  aid  and  assistance.  When  the  story  of  the  Isle  of 
Lemnos  and  of  Hjrpsipyle  daughter  of  Thoas  was  heard  the 
very  vahant  hosts  made  way,  (and  the  youths  went  forward) 
until  they  came  to  the  place  where  their  mother  was,  and 
speedily  locked  her  in  their  arms.  Now  when  she  saw  the 
habit  and  likeness  of  their  father  on  their  fair,  very  large 
shields,  and  his  naked  weapons  in  their  hands,  she  fell  down 
there  in  weakness  and  debility  from  the  great  joy  she  felt 
at  seeing  these  sons,  and  swift  showers  of  tears  coursed 
down  her  cheeks.  As  for  the  Greeks  they  laid  their  wrath 
aside.  And  the  noble,  royal  priest  Amphiaraus  spoke  and 
said  thus :  '  Listen  to  me,  warriors  of  Greece,  and  you  (too), 
Lycurgus,  and  I  shall  tell  you  what  Apollo  the  god  of  pro- 
phesy said  to  me, — viz.,  that  you  Greeks  would  meet  with 
these  tokens  of  disaster  on  the  path  of  your  march  in  coming 
to  this  land.  Therefore  you  ought  to  check  your  anger 
and  lay  aside  your  weapons  and  (offer  up)  many  noble 
sacrifices  and  (celebrate)  pleasant  and  cheerful  games  in 
honour  of  this  dead  boy  Archemorus  son  of  Lycurgus,  the 
memory  of  which  shall  remain  to  the  close  of  time  and  the 
end  of  the  world.  For  his  violent  death  in  this  manner 
is  better  for  him  than  if  he  attained  to  the  age  of  the  wise 
and  very  old  Nestor  or  the  long-lived  Laomedon.  For  he 
shall  hereafter  be  numbered  among  the  gods.'  Night  fell 
thereupon,  and  the  hosts  betook  themselves  to  their  camps 
that  night. 

It  1  was  reported  through  the  cities  of  fair-faced  Greece 
that  the  Greeks  were  to  celebrate  funeral  games  in  honour 
of  and  respect  for  the  son  of  Lycurgus.  And  the  first  who 
ever  held  games  to  equal  these  was  Hercules  son  of  Amphi- 
tryon in  honour  of  Pelops  son  of  Tantalus. 

1  Th.,  vL  1. 


220  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

O  thanic  tra  solus  trath  eirgi  do  lo  ar  n-a  marach  acus  ^ 
ro  erig  grian  glan  uaUach  in  a  miU  cro  chomderg^  seach 
imeU-bord^  talman,  co  ro  ruithnig  a  gathanna  glana  glan- 
shoiUsi  uar  tuaithebrachaib  in  talman  ro  chomergedar 
*na  sluaig*  itir  thall  acus  a  muich,  comma  fograch  na^ 
fid-nemid  ^  acus  na  f eda  f oithremra  coillted  Neim  re  seastan 
FoL  13a  2.  acus  re  seiselbi  na  sluag  sin  a  comergi  do  chom(6)rad  na 
cluiched  cainthech  sin.  Ro  bui  imorro  Ligurgus  in  a  rig- 
suidi  acus  a  ban-cheli  Eurididse  'na  farad  acus  bantrochta 
buaidirthi  badb-chaintech  maraen  ria,  a  cainiud''  a  meic. 
Ro  chomnuaUsad  leo  is  in  n-uair  curaid  acus  cath-milid^ 
acus  latha  gaili  Grec  i  tigib  rigda  ro-mora  Ligurgu(i)s. 
Acus  ge  ra  chainsed  Greic  *  in  mac  sin  ro  airigsetar  a  miscais 
CO  mor  ac  lucht  in  baile.  Is  and  sin  ro  gab  Adraist  ard-ri  ^^ 
Grec  a  comdingnad  Ligurgu(i)s  do  scur  a  cuma^^  acus  a 
thoirrsi.  Ni  chualaig-sium  sin^^  tra  re  confad  na  cumad 
acus  re  fiuchad  na  fergi. 

Acus  ^^  as  ahaithli  sin  ro  comecrad  leo-som  comrair  do'n 
mac  sin  do'n  fhid  chuanna  chuiprisc  acus  d'  (f  )ualascaib  ali  ^* 
uraidi,  acus  do  luibib  barr-glana  bolathmara  nach  leictis 
lobud  no  lochrad^^  do  na  corpaib  im  a  cuirtis  .t.  sinomum 
acus  baUsam  acus  mirr  acus  tuis.  Acus  ro  choraigid^^ 
etaigi  caema  corcor-glana  thiri  na  Sithriu  taris  a  muich 
anechtair,  ar  n-a  inlecur  do  snath  alaind  orda,  acus  do 
gemaib  cruindi  carrmogail.  Acus  ro  ordaig  a  athair  and 
sin  a  airm  chaema  chosmaili  in  meic  beic  sin,  acus  f  adb  arm 
a  sen-athar  do  thabairt  do  chum  in  chuirp  sin,  d'  a  n-idbairt 
acus  d'a  comloscud  leis.  Uair  "is  ed^'^  ua  bes  accu-sum 
and  sin  na  cuirp  onoracha  do  loscud,  acus  d'edbairt  do  na 
deib  adartha. 

Is  and  sin  ro  erig  in  fisid  fir-eolach  Ampiarus  acus  Greic  ^^ 
ar  cheana  do'n  leth  ele.  Acus  ro  comecrad  leo  teni  taidlech 
taeb-lasamuin  coma  sonai(r)ti  ^^  so-imthechta,  acus  coma 


*  Eg.  omits. 

«  derg. 

'  bordaib  in. 

*-*  sluaig  Grec.  ^  Eg.  omits. 

^  fid-nemedha. 

"  cainedh. 

^  cath-miledha. 

"  Grecidhi.     ^^  aird-rig. 

"  cumadh. 

"  Eg.  omits. 

"  Eg.  omits. 

"  aille.            "  luaithredh. 

"  choraigsit. 

"  Eg.  omits. 

18  Grecidh. 

"  sonairt. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  221 

Now  when  the  first  light  of  day  came  on  the  morrow,  and 
when  the  bright,  glorious  sun  rose  in  a  blood-red  mass  past 
the  border  of  earth's  circuit,  and  its  pure,  bright  rays  shone 
on  the  various  tribes  of  the  world,  the  hosts  far  and  near 
rose  as  one  man,  so  that  the  din  and  uproar  of  the  multi- 
tudes as  they  set  forth  to  celebrate  these  funeral  games 
resounded  through  the  sacred  groves  and  rich  woods  of  the 
forests  of  Nemaea.  But  Lycurgus  sat  on  his  throne  with 
his  wife  Eurydice  beside  him.  Around  her  were  her  lady 
attendants,  distracted  and  loudly  weeping,  lamenting  her 
son.  The  champions  and  battle  warriors  and  heroes  of 
Greece  joined  in  the  wail  in  the  royal  spacious  halls  of 
Lycurgus.  Still  though  the  Greeks  lamented  the  boy  they 
felt  the  great  enmity  with  which  the  people  of  the  place 
regarded  them.  Then  Adrastus  the  high  king  of  Greece 
took  to  comforting  Lycurgus,  asking  him  to  cease  his  mourn- 
ing and  sorrowing.  But  he  heard  him  not — such  was  the 
violence  of  his  grief  and  the  seething  of  his  wrath. 

Thereafter  they  prepared  a  coffin  for  the  boy  of  fine 
cypress  and  beautiful  fresh  woods,  and  with  bright  blossomed, 
fragrant  herbs,  which  preserved  from  putrefaction  and 
decay  the  bodies  enveloped  in  them,  such  as  cinnamon  and 
balsam  and  m3rrrh  and  frankincense.  Beautiful  garments 
of  pale  purple  from  the  land  of  S3n:ia,  embroidered  with 
lovely  golden  thread  and  adorned  with  round  gems  of 
carbuncle,  formed  his  outer  covering.  Then  his  father 
ordered  the  beautiful  toy  weapons  of  that  little  boy,  and 
the  arms  which  his  grandfather  won  in  warfare,  to  be 
brought  beside  the  body  to  be  offered  up  and  burnt  along 
with  him.  For  it  was  their  practice  at  the  time  to  burn 
their  honoured  dead  in  sacrifice  to  the  adorable  gods. 

Then  on  the  other  side  the  sagacious  seer  Amphiaraus 
and  all  the  Greeks  went  and  built  up  a  blazing,  side- 
flaming  fire  (of  such  magnitude)  that  the  thick,  impassable 


222  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

caeiti  comredi  na  feda  dluithi  do-imthechta  da  n-eis.  Acus  ^ 
o  thairnic  leo-sum  in  teini  sin  ro  suidiget  acu  altoiri  da  deib 
nua-glana  nime  acus  da  deib  aduathmara  ifrind.  Acus  ro 
sendit  fetana  cuasmora  ceol-bindi  do  gach  leith  acus  da 
gach  thaib  dib.  Acus  ro  chomergedar  vii  rig  Grec  im 
Ligurgus  do  commorad  in  ^  chainte  sin. 

Ro  eirgedar  buidne  bithi  banamla  maroen  re  mathair 
in  meic  ^  .t.  Eurididse,  acus  dirmanda  doescur-(s)luaig 
impi-si  .t.  *  a  buimmi  acus  *  ma  buimi  in  meic  sin  ^  fa 
Ipsiphili  acus  da  mac  Iaso(i)n  maie  Eso(i)n  ^maroen  ria® 
a  da  chomalta.  O  da  riacht  imorro  Eruididsi  a.  mathair 
in  meic  dar  dorus  in  baili  a  mach  ro  lob  air  "^  o  guth  mor  "^ 
acus  is  ed  ro  raid :  '  A  meic,'  ar  si,  '  ni  h-i  seo  aeided  ^  ro 
faelin-sa  ort,  acus  dursan  dam  aithne  do  t'oileamuin  ^  acus 
do  t'altrom  do'n  ^^  mnai  ^^  meblaig  mi-briathraig  do  lucht 
indsi  Lemin.  Acus  a  Grecu,'  ar  si,  '  na  cathig  uar  seoid 
na  bar  n-indmasa  elaiscib  na  h-idbarta-sa  ina  sia.  Acht 
loiscther  lib  in  bean  'g  ar  ^^  miUead  in  mac  .t.  Ipsiphile,  acus 
loiscther  misi  maroen  ria. 

Acus  ^^  o  thairnic  di-si  sin  do  rad,  ro  erig  Ligurgus  acus 
ro  chuir  a  erred  acus  a  etach  uasal  idbarta  de,  acus  ro  these 
Foi.  13b  1.  a  fholt,  acus  ro  chuir  is  in  tenid  iat  dib  li  ^*  chomarthai  in 
broin  acus  do-menman,  acus  is  ed  ro  raid  :  '  A  loib,'  ar  se, 
'  is  mi-briathrach  ro  uadais  rim  a  cetugud  mo  meic  do 
marbad.  Uair  bam  sacart  uasaP^  idbarta  dit  mad  gus  a 
n-(d)iugh.' 

Is  and  sin  ro  erig  f athraid  ^®  acus  fidren  ruad-lasrach  ro 
moire  ^"^  do  thenid  inna  h-idbarta,  acus  ba  snimach  do 
Grecaib  astog^^  Ligurgu(i)s  acus  a  ban-cheli  gan  dul  daib 
da  loscud  is  in  tenid  sin.  Rop  adbul  tra  in  tan  sin,  ^^  acus  ba 
fograch  leca  ^^  logmara  ag  a  loscud  ^°  inti  'ca  loscud, ^^  acus 
aircet  aen-gel  aithlegtha,  acus  or  ac  snidi  ^^  dar  etaigib  rigda 

*  Eg.  omits. 

2  Eg.  adds  cluithi  (t  for  c  being  the  common  spelling  of  the  word  in  Eg.). 

3  Eg.  adds  sin.  *~*  Eg.  omits.        ^  Eg.  omits.  ""^  Eg.  omits. 
'''"'  Eg.  omits.              ^  aighidh.               ^  ofleanus.       ***  do.     "  MS.  mnuL 


12  agar. 

'3  E^.  omits. 

1*  diblinib  mar. 

15  Eg.  omits. 

1"  fobrann. 

1^  MS.  moira. 

1*  asodh. 

10-"  lumut  leac. 

20-20  accu. 

21  snighL 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  223 

woods  after  (supplying  the  material)  were  levelled  and 
cleared  and  became  smooth  paths.  When  the  fire  was 
built  they  placed  altars  to  the  bright  gods  of  heaven  and 
the  horrid  gods  of  hell,  and  they  played  on  widely  hollowed, 
sweetly  sounding  reeds  all  around.  The  seven  kings  of 
Greece  all  rose  around  Lycurgus  to  raise  the  wail. 

Around  Eurydice,  the  mother  of  the  boy,  were  bands 
of  gentle,  sympathising  women  ;  multitudes  of  the  common 
people  also  accompanied  the  boy's  nurse  Hypsipyle  as  well 
as  the  two  sons  of  Jason  son  of  Aeson,  (the  boy's)  two 
foster  brothers.  Now  when  Eurydice  the  boy's  mother 
passed  outside  the  gate  of  the  palace  she  spoke  in  a  loud 
voice  and  said :  '  Son,'  said  she,  '  this  is  not  the  end  I 
anticipated  for  you ;  and  woe  is  me  that  I  entrusted  your 
nurture  and  rearing  to  the  shameless,  evil-spoken  woman 
from  the  isle  of  Lemnos;  and,  ye  Greeks,'  added  she,  'do 
not  waste  any  more  of  your  wealth  and  treasures  on  this 
sacrifice,  but  burn  the  woman,  through  whom  the  child  was 
destroyed,  viz.,  Hypsipyle,  and  burn  me  also  along  with 
her.' 

When  (the  queen)  had  ceased  speaking,  Lycurgus  arose 
and  laid  aside  his  armour  and  his  rich,  sacrificial  robes.  He 
then  cut  his  hair  and  cast  them  together  in  the  fire  in 
token  of  his  grief  and  sorrow  and  spoke  thus :  '  Jove,' 
said  he,  '  ill  hast  thou  dealt  with  me  in  permitting  the  slay- 
ing of  my  son,  for  until  this  day  I  have  been  an  honoured 
priest  offering  sacrifice  to  thee.' 

Then  leapt  up  with  rushing,  bursting  sound  a  very  great 
red  flame  from  the  sacrificial  fire,  and  the  Greeks  had  an 
anxious  task  in  restraining  Lycurgus  and  his  consort  from 
throwing  themselves  in  that  fire  to  be  burned.  Very  great 
at  that  time  was  the  crackling  of  precious  stones  as  they 
burned  in  the  fire,  and  of  pure-white  refined  silver,  and  of 


224  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

ro  ailli  acus  fin  acus  ^  full  ac  a  fiuchud  i  tulchomaib  cuanda 
comdaingne. 

Is  and  sin  ro  ergedar  vii  n-dirmanda  do  marc-sluag 
Grec  ma  2  vii  rigaib  ro  beoda.  Acus  tucsad  tri  graifne  i 
timchell  na  tendted  sin.^  Ro  buailfedar  basa  leo,  acus  ro 
thuairgid  ochta  acus  ur-bruinndeda  ann  sin.  Acus  ro 
h-id braid  alma*  acus  cethra  d'iarraid  fhesa  acus  eolais, 
^  amal  ba  bes  ^  accu-sum.  Ra  caithed  tra  in  la  sin  leosum 
re  comram  in  cluichi  sin,  no  co  ro  luaithred  lan-min  ar 
lasad  na  tenti  taeb-lasamna  re  h-irthosach  ^  na  h-aidchi. 

Is  in  maitin  ar  n-a  marach  ro  comergedar  uili  acus  do 
rignead  leo  ^  tempoU  suaichnich  soineamail  ma  ^  luaithred 
chuirp  in  meic  sin  .t.  Arsememarus,  acus  tairnic  leo  e  co 
cend  ix  la  acus  ix  n-aidchi.  Ro  rindad  acus  ro  h-ecrad  im 
slesaib  in  tempaill  sin  .t.^  delb  Ipsifile  ac  irraid  uisci  do 
Grecaib  in  tan  ro  ^°  bad  ar  ^^  in  n-itaid  remi  sin,  acus  ^^  delb 
gae  ^^  Capaneu(i)s  ^^  da  ro  ^^  marb  in  nathair. 

^  Eg.  omits.  2  um  na.  ^  tinedh.  *  albha. 

6-6  Eg.  omits.  ®  h-urthosach.  ''  Eg.  omits. 

*  im.  ^  Eg.  omits.  lo-io  uatar. 

^*  Eg.  adds  dealbh  Arsimairfs  agus  na  natrach  ro  marb  e,  acus. 
^2  Eg.  omits.  ""^^  acus  a  gai  dar. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  225 

gold  dropping  from  royal  very  beautiful  raiments,  and  of 
wine  and  blood  boiling  in  beautiful,  strong  caldrons. 

Then  sprang  up  seven  large  bands  of  the  cavalry  of 
Greece  around  the  seven  high-spirited  kings,  and  they  raced 
three  times  round  these  fires.  They  clapped  their  hands, 
and  elevated  their  breasts  and  chests,  and  offered  up  flocks 
and  herds,  seeking  signs  and  knowledge,  as  was  their  custom. 
That  day  was  spent  by  them  contending  in  that  game,  and 
the  great  flaming  fires  after  burning  down  became  finely 
ground  ashes  by  nightfall. 

On  the  morning  of  the  morrow  they  all  arose  and  built 
a  conspicuous,  magnificent  temple  around  the  ashes  of  the 
body  of  the  boy  Archemorus.  They  took  nine  days  and 
nine  nights  in  finishing  this  work.  They  carved  and  cut 
upon  the  sides  of  the  temple  the  figure  of  Hypsipyle  search- 
ing for  water  for  the  Greeks,  when  they  were  in  great  thirst 
some  time  before,  and  a  picture  of  the  spear  of  Capaneus 
which  slew  the  dragon. 


VOL.  IX. 


226  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


TWENTY-ONE  YEARS  OF  IRISH  ART 
AND  THOUGHT! 

By  T.  W.  Rolleston 

The  inauguration  of  the  Irish  Literary  Society  of  London, 
whose  twenty-first  birthday  was  celebrated  to-day,  may 
be  said  to  have  taken  place  in  the  formal  and  official  sense 
on  1 2th  May  1892  when,  at  a  meeting  held  under  the  presi- 
dency of  Mr.  W.  M.  Crook,  its  first  committee  and  officers 
were  elected.  But  the  foundations  were  laid  before  that : 
— they  were  laid  on  a  night  of  rain  and  storm  when  a  faith- 
ful few  attended  an  informal  gathering  at  the  house  of 
the  chairman  of  our  present  meeting,  in  Chiswick,  and 
decided  that  an  earlier  body,  which  had  done  ten  years  of 
excellent  work  in  London,  the  Southwark  Irish  Literary 
Society,  should  be  asked  to  merge  itself  in  a  new  body  with 
a  new  name,  more  central  premises,  and  larger  aims.  That 
was  on  the  28th  December  1891.  The  infant  society  re- 
solved to  make  no  public  appeal  until  its  resources  and  its 
programme  were  sufficiently  developed  to  give  a  prospect 
of  enduring  success.  Its  first  president,  Sir  Charles  Gavan 
Duffy,  with  whom  I  had  the  honour  to  work  as  first  hon. 
secretary  of  the  Society,  had  planned  that  this  body,  to- 
gether with  its  sister  society  in  Dublin,  should  be  powerful 
instruments  in  carrying  out  a  large  scheme  of  literary  and 
educational  work  in  Ireland — a  scheme  partially,  but  only 
partially,  embodied  in  the  enterprise  known  as  the  '  New 
Irish  Library.'  The  taking  of  adequate  premises,  which 
should  form  a  social  as  well  as  a  fiterary  centre  for  Irish 
residents  in  London,  was  also  a  part  of  our  plan.  The 
organisation  and  co-ordination  of  all  our  various  interests 

*  This  lecture  was  delivered  in  the  Botanic  Theatre,  University  College,  Gower 
Street,  on  June  10,  1913,  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  by  the  Irish  Literary 
Society,  London,  of  the  twenty-first  year  of  the  life  and  work  of  the  Society.  Mr 
W.  B.  Yeats  occupied  the  Chair. 


/  IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  227 

took  time  ;  and  it  was  not  until  March  1893  that  the  first 
public  meeting  was  held,  and  the  inaugural  lecture  de- 
livered to  a  large  and  enthusiastic  audience  by  the  Rev. 
Stopf ord  Brooke. 

Among  the  speakers  on  that  occasion  was  Dr.  Douglas 
Hyde.  He  was  then  President  of  the  National  Literary 
Society  of  Dublin.  The  Gaelic  League  was  still  in  the 
future — though  a  very  near  future — but  one  of  the  an- 
nouncements which  the  Society  was  able  to  make  at  this 
inaugural  meeting  was  the  immediate  formation  of  classes 
for  the  study  of  the  Irish  language,  a  feature  of  our  pro- 
gramme which  I  need  not  say  received  the  warm  bene- 
diction of  Dr.  Hyde.  When,  however,  Mr.  Brooke's  in- 
augural address  came  to  be  printed  and  submitted  to  pubHc 
criticism  in  Ireland,  a  note  of  dissent  was  speedily  heard 
and  a  controversy  opened,  in  which  the  last  word  has  not 
yet  been  spoken.  The  subject  of  the  address  was  the 
'  Need  and  Use  of  getting  Irish  Literature  into  the  English 
Tongue.'  It  was  a  summons  to  Irish  scholars  to  make  the 
literature  of  ancient  and  mediaeval  Ireland  as  familiar  to 
English  readers  as  Morris,  Vigfusson,  Dasent  and  others  had 
made  the  great  saga  literature  of  Scandinavia.  '  Poetry,' 
said  Mr.  Brooke, 

*  has  always  wanted,  along  with  the  present,  an  imaginative 
world  in  the  past  into  which  to  dip  for  subjects ;  and  we  have  here 
in  England  pretty  well  exhausted  the  old  realms  of  human  story. 
The  tale  of  Arthur  will  have  to  lie  fallow  for  a  time.  We  have  had 
enough  of  the  Greek  stories  of  late ;  enough  of  the  Italian 
mediae valism,  whether  its  tales  be  of  saints  or  sinners.  The  Norse 
tales  will  also  for  a  time  be  laid  aside ;  and  though  they  have  a 
powerful  humanity,  they  have  Uttle  love  of  Nature.  We  have  been 
even  forced  of  late  to  go  to  India  for  our  subjects.  But  the  Irish 
stories  are  as  yet  untouched ;  and  they  have  imagination,  colour, 
romance  of  war  and  love,  terrible  and  graceful  supernaturalism,  a 
passionate  humanity,  and  a  vivid  love  of  natural  beauty  and 
subUmity.' 

That  scholars  should  give  us  more  and  more  of  these  tales 


228  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

and  poems,  translated  with  grace  and  vigour,  and  that  poets 
should  use  them  as  a  mine  of  new  material,  a  well  of  new  in- 
spiration, seemed  to  Mr.  Brooke  the  great  need  of  the  moment. 
And  when  we  recollect  that  at  the  time  when  he  spoke  SilvOr 
Gadelica  had  not  been  published,  and  that  Mr.  A.  H.  Leahy's 
Heroic  Romances  of  Ir eland ,  Miss  Hull's  The  Cuchullin 
Saga,  the  two  well-known  volumes  of  Lady  Gregory,  prac- 
tically all  the  best  work  of  Kmio  Meyer  and  of  Alfred  Nutt, 
Hyde's  Literary  History  of  Ireland,  and  the  thirteen  stately 
volumes  of  the  Irish  Texts  Society — to  name  only  a  few  of 
the  outstanding  works — were  still  to  come,  we  can  realise 
something  of  the  richness  of  the  inheritance  which  for 
modern  Ireland,  twenty-one  years  ago,  still  lay  unexplored, 
unknown,  and,  except  to  a  very  few  scholars,  inaccessible. 
For  the  sake  of  all  readers  and  writers  of  English  the 
'  need  and  use  '  of  getting  this  literature  into  the  English 
language  was  mideniable.  StiU,  as  I  have  said,  a  note  of 
dissent  was  heard — it  was  heard  from  those  who  had 
embraced  in  its  extremest  form  the  programme  of  the 
Gaelic  League.  It  was  urged  that  the  great  need  of  the 
moment  was  not  to  make  Irish  literature  available  to 
readers  of  English  but  to  create  readers  and  writers  of  Irish, 
who  would  form  a  new  national  literature  in  that  tongue. 
If  the  ancient  literature  was  to  be  translated  at  all,  then 
modern  Irish,  not  English,  was  the  proper  vehicle  for  it. 
Mr.  Brooke  had  definitely  named  it  as  the  object  of  his 
address  to  consider  '  in  what  way  we  can  best  make  the 
English  language  the  instrument  of  Irish  literature.' 
Naturally  enough  the  declaration  of  this  object  provoked 
criticism  from  those  who  cherished  the  hope  that  the  lan- 
guage of  Irish  literature  was  to  be  Irish.  I  shall  recur  to 
the  subject  again,  for  the  present  I  merely  wish  to  make 
clear  the  position  of  the  Society.  That  position  is  one  of 
cordial  welcome  to  all  sincere  expression  of  thought  on 
Irish  problems.  Two  subjects  indeed  are  barred  to  us — 
we  may  not  discuss  either  party  poHtics  (as  that  word  is 
usually    understood    in    Ireland)    or    religion.     On    other 


IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  229 

matters,  we  know  that  the  light  of  truth  is  often  struck 
out  in  the  clash  of  opposing  convictions.  '  Give  me,'  said 
Milton,  '  the  liberty  to  know,  to  utter,  above  all  liberties.' 
The  Society  accords  to  its  members  that  liberty  in  very  full 
measure,  but  it  takes  no  responsibility  for  their  opinions; 
the  responsibility  belongs  solely  to  those  who  utter  them. 
I  wish  to  emphasise  this,  for  I  am  dealing  to-day  with  a 
period  which  bristles  with  points  of  controversy,  and  if  I  am 
to  treat  it  as  I  wish  to  treat  it,  and  as  I  think  you  would 
wish,  frankly,  critically  and  definitely,  I  may  have  to  say 
some  things  on  which  opinion  in  our  Society  and  throughout 
Ireland  is  very  sharply  divided.  I  welcome  keen  discussion  : 
I  do  not  enjoy  controversy,  but  I  would  rather  stir  contro- 
versy of  the  kind  which  compels  people  to  face  facts  and  to 
test  the  foundations  of  their  beliefs  than  merely  echo  the 
popular  opinions  of  the  day  ;  only  I  wish  to  have  it  clearly 
understood  that  I  speak  for  myself  alone.  The  Society  has 
done  me  the  honour  of  putting  me  in  the  position  of  speak- 
ing to  you  to-day,  but  it  has  not  given  to  me  either  my 
text  or  my  sermon. 

Now  let  me  recall  for  a  moment  the  state  of  affairs  in 
Ireland  at  the  opening  of  the  period  which  we  are  to  discuss. 
In  1891  the  most  tragic  event  within  our  memory  had  taken 
place.  Parnell  had  gone  down  in  the  convulsion  of  a  fierce 
political  struggle.  His  death  had  no  effect  in  reconciling 
the  combatants.  Nationalist  Ireland  had  been  an  army 
moving  like  one  man  towards  one  end — an  end  to  be  ob- 
tained, and  only  to  be  obtained,  by  means  of  political  action 
and  through  the  agency  of  the  Parliament  at  Westminster. 
Now  it  had  become  the  scene  of  a  civil  war,  the  army  had 
resolved  itself  into  two  hostile  factions.  At  Westminster 
Ireland  was  helpless ;  and  such  was  the  absorption  of  the  Irish 
mind  in  politics  that  to  be  helpless  there  seemed  equivalent 
to  utter  prostration.  The  famous  phrase,  coined  by  Sir  Charles 
Gavan  Duffy,  some  thirty  years  before,  was  at  this  time  often 
recalled  to  the  memories  of  men — Ireland  seemed  to  be  '  a 
corpse  on  the  dissecting  table.'     But  while  the  politicians. 


230  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

according  to  their  different  camps,  or  their  different  personal 
temperaments,  were  busy  either  in  lamenting  the  degrada- 
tion of  their  comitry,  or  in  triumphing  in  it,  or  in  adding 
to  it,  a  group,  or  rather  a  number  of  groups,  of  Irish  men  and 
women,  who  were  not  poHticians,  were  making,  and  acting 
on,  the  startHng  discovery  that  poUtics  was  only  one  branch, 
and  perhaps  not  the  most  important  branch,  of  patriotism, 
and  that  if  Ireland  could  for  the  time  being  achieve  nothing 
at  Westminster,  there  was  in  Ireland  itself  an  immense  and 
almost  virgin  field  for  work  of  national  significance,  work 
for  which  Irishmen,  whether  under  the  present  or  any  pos- 
sible form  of  government,  would  have  to  rely  on  voluntary, 
personal  effort.  I  have  said  that  these  men  and  women  were 
not  politicians,  but  I  do  not  by  that  mean  to  say  that  they 
were  indifferent  to  politics.  Their  political  opinions  were 
often  very  strong  ;  they  were  also  very  divergent,  for  they 
were  not  people  who  were  accustomed  to  '  thinking  in 
platoons.'  But  with  few  exceptions  they  were  persons 
who  had  never  been  heard  of  in  the  political  arena,  the 
only  stage  on  which,  up  till  then,  it  had  been  possible  for 
an  Irishman  to  attract  the  serious  attention  of  his  fellow- 
countrymen  ;  and  one  and  all  were  agreed  that  for  all 
Irishmen  who  understood  and  valued  the  moral,  spiritual 
and  industrial  nationaHty  of  Ireland,  there  was  a  field  in 
which  they  could  work  in  cordial  co-operation,  whatever 
their  differences  might  be  as  to  the  outward  forms  of 
nationality. 

Out  of  this  spirit  were  born  the  literary  societies  of 
Dubhn  and  of  London :  out  of  it  came,  almost  at  the  same 
time,  the  most  potent  moral  force  of  the  epoch,  the  Gaelic 
League.  These  were  followed  a  little  later  by  the  Irish 
Industries  Association,  which  proved  a  most  valuable  agency 
for  the  preservation  of  certain  important  Irish  handicrafts, 
such  as  lace-making  and  cottage  weaving;  by  the  Feis 
Ceoil,  of  whose  magnificent  work  for  the  spread  of  musical 
culture  in  Ireland  it  would  be  hard  to  speak  too  warmly;  by 
the  Irish  Folk  Song  Society,  with  which  our  own  Society 


lEISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  231 

has  been  intimately  associated,  and  which  you  will  hear 
more  adequately  dealt  with  this  evening ;  by  the  Irish  Texts 
Society,  also  an  offshoot  of  this  body,  which  has  given  us 
thirteen  volumes  of  important  Irish  texts  with  translations, 
and  the  first  scholarly  dictionary  of  the  Irish  language ;  and 
by  the  great  dramatic  movement  originated  by  the  genius 
of  our  present  Chairman,  and  maintained  largely  by  his 
resolution,  his  insight  and  his  persistence  on  a  level  of 
aim  and  of  achievement  which  has  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  whole  world  of  culture.  I  must  mention  also  among 
the  kindred  forces  which  sprang  into  activity  during  this 
period  for  the  building  up  of  a  new  Ireland,  the  co-operative 
movement.  Originally  called  forth  by  the  imminent  neces- 
sity of  rescuing  the  Irish  dairying  industry  from  foreign 
exploitation,  it  has  now,  through  a  thousand  societies  with 
a  turn-over  of  two  or  three  millions  a  years,  and  working 
in  practically  every  branch  of  rural  industry  and  economics, 
rooted  the  co-operative  idea  firmly  in  the  land — an  idea 
which  may  yet  prove  to  have  very  far-reaching  effects  in 
providing  the  true  solution  for  the  problems  of  industrial 
organisation  which  loom  so  threateningly  ahead  of  the  path 
of  European  progress.  I  cannot  conclude  this  brief  survey, 
which  of  course  is  merely  suggestive  and  not  exhaustive, 
without  a  reference  to  yet  another  institution  which  in 
point  of  time  came  earlier  than  all  the  rest,  which  cannot 
therefore  be  reckoned  as  a  product  of  the  period  I  am 
dealing  with,  but  which  does  embody  some  characteristics 
of  the  spirit  of  that  period.  I  refer  to  the  Gaelic  Athletic 
Association.  The  value  of  this  institution  in  organising 
manly  open-air  games  among  the  masses  of  the  Irish  people 
can  hardly  be  set  too  high,  but  it  forms  an  exception  to 
the  other  movements  of  which  I  have  been  speaking  in  that 
it  had  from  the  outset  a  strong  poUtical  character.  That, 
of  course,  is  entirely  its  own  affair,  still  looking  at  it  as  a 
national  institution  the  results  of  its  policy  are  open  to 
criticism.  Athletics  might  have  been  a  most  valuable 
unifying  force  in  Ireland :    it  has,  on  the  contrary,  been 


232  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

made  a  dividing  force  ;  its  management  has  on  several 
points  of  detail  been,  I  think,  less  wise  and  far-seeing  than 
that  of  other  organisations  of  the  period.^ 

Strangely  enough,  the  sphere  of  the  arts  and  handi- 
crafts, in  which  Ireland  might  have  been  expected  to  excel, 
has  shown  itself  perhaps  less  touched  by  the  spirit  of  the 
new  epoch  than  any  other.  There  are  certainly  some  Irish 
painters  like  Mr.  William  Orpen  and  Mr.  Lavery  who  have 
risen  to  high  distinction.  Mr.  Orpen  at  least  had  his  early 
training  in  Ireland,  and  has  done  much  distinguished  work 
there.  Then,  and  also  on  Irish  soil,  we  have  Mr.  Nathaniel 
Hone,  a  painter  of  elemental  power,  one  of  the  greatest 
we  have  ever  produced,  but  he  began,  of  course,  long  before 
our  period  opens,  and  traces  his  artistic  ancestry  to  France. 
Mr.  Jack  B.  Yeats  is  certainly  racy  of  Irish  soil,  and  has 
shown  us  our  country  and  its  types  through  the  medium  of 
a  temperament  keenly  responsive  to  what  is  characteristic 
and  vivid  in  the  life  of  the  Irish  countryside.  Mr.  Francis 
Walker  in  his  mezzotints  has  given  us  some  fine  renderings 
of  Irish  scenery.  Mr.  Dermod  O'Brien  and  Mr.  J.  B.  Yeats, 
father  of  our  chairman,  have  done  work  both  in  portraiture 
and  other  departments  which  must  always  be  valued.  On 
the  whole,  however,  I  do  not  think  it  can  be  said  that  the 
past  twenty-one  years  have  been  signalised  by  any  notable 
advance  in  the  fine  arts.  In  the  region  of  decorative  art 
and  handicraft  we  have  had,  as  I  already  remarked,  some 
really  good  work  in  the  departments  of  lacemaking  and 
home-weaving,  though  neither  of  these  crafts  originated 
during  this  period.  The  well-planned  and  successful  under- 
taking of  Captain  Cuffe  and  Lady  Desart,  known  as  '  the 
Kilkenny  Woodworkers,'  has  indeed  created  or  recreated 
an  industry  of  great  importance,  but  it  can  hardly  be  said 

^  Thus  the  adoption  of  special  so-called  '  Gaelic '  rules  for  football  in  addition  to 
the  two  codes  which  already  held  the  field  had  the  effect  of  isolating  Gaelic  Ireland 
from  the  helpful  stimulus  of  international  competition  and  comparison,  and  the  silly 
opposition  to  cricket,  on  the  ground  that  it  is  an  '  English '  pastime,  has  had  the  effect 
— besides  missing  the  opportunity  of  bringing  all  classes  to^^ether  in  the  wholesome 
arena  of  open-air  sport — of  leaving  Irish  Ireland  without  a  suitable  summer  game. 


IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  233 

to  have  broken  as  yet  any  fresh  ground  in  the  way  of  ex- 
pressing a  new  feeUng  or  ideal.  The  Dundrum  group  of 
industries,  Dun  Emer  and  the  Cuala  Press,  must  also  be  men- 
tioned as  centres  of  sound  and  thoughtful  work ;  but  only 
the  fringe  of  the  problem  has  been  touched  as  yet.  No  great 
prolific  centre  of  the  decorative  handicrafts  can  yet  be  said 
to  exist.  Pre-eminent  in  the  decorative  crafts,  however, 
stands  out  the  stained-glass  industry  founded  by  Miss  Purser 
in  Dublin.  Here  we  have  something  of  genuine  originality 
and  of  masterly  achievement,  something  which  never 
asks  us,  as  so  much  of  modern  Irish  art  work  does,  to  forgive 
its  want  of  thought,  and  its  easy-going  handling  for  the  sake 
of  its  excellent  intentions. 

On  the  whole,  however,  looking  back  at  the  period  under 
review,  one  must  be  filled  with  hope  at  the  manner  in  which 
the  Irish  spirit  rose  to  the  occasion  under  the  circumstances 
which  I  touched  on  at  the  beginning  of  this  discourse.  A 
mighty  reverse  had  been  experienced,  a  great  tract  of  Irish 
life,  and  one  on  which  practically  the  whole  hope  and  effort 
of  the  nation  had  been  concentrated,  had  been  suddenly 
laid  waste  ;  the  energies  of  the  nation  in  the  fuU  tide  of 
advance  had  been  rudely  flung  back  on  themselves,  and 
there  battled  chaotically,  disastrously,  in  a  gulf  from 
which  there  seemed  to  be  no  outlet.  And  it  was  just  then 
that  from  many  different  quarters — different  in  point  of 
religion,  of  class,  of  early  training,  of  political  opinion,  but 
obeying  one  common  impulse — thronged  forces  of  whose 
existence  none  but  a  few  visionaries  had  ever  dreamed,  to 
fill  up  the  vacancy,  and  to  begin  the  work  of  building  up  a 
national  life  in  Ireland  upon  a  far  surer  foundation  than  any 
which  an  Act  of  Parliament  could  either  sanction  or  deny. 
Those  who  lived  in  the  midst  of  the  creative  struggles  of 
that  epoch,  and  took  part  in  them,  had  often,  I  think, 
little  appreciation  of  their  real  significance.  We  see  that 
significance  best  when  we  look  at  them  as  a  whole,  and  from 
some  distance  of  time.  We  see  the  wonderful  proof  which 
they  gave  of  some  vital,  elastic  force  which  had  been  slowly 


234  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

accumulating  in  Ireland,  slowly  ripening  against  the  hour 
of  need.  We  see  now  that  the  darkest  hour  that  Ireland 
has  known  in  our  recollection — and  I  say  this  in  a  sense  in 
which  I  think  it  can  be  echoed  by  every  Irishmen  whatever 
view  he  may  take  of  the  objects  of  the  Parnell  movement — 
we  see  now  that  the  darkest  hour  was  the  herald  of  a  dawn 
in  whose  stormy  Hght  we  still  live,  and  which  with  the 
help  of  the  young  men  and  women  of  Ireland  to-day,  by 
their  sincerity,  constancy,  courage,  and  toil,  is  to  brighten 
into  the  perfect  day. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  light  of  this  dawn  as  a  stormy 
light,  and  this  is  no  mere  phrase ;  almost  every  movement 
in  which  the  new  spirit  was  incorporated  has  had  to  fight 
hard  for  its  right  to  express  and  to  realise  itself.  Even 
the  '  New  Irish  Library,'  one  of  the  least  aggressive  of 
literary  ventures,  got  into  hot  water  with  its  second  volume. 
This  was  Mr.  Standish  O' Grady's  Bog  of  Stars,  the  best 
book,  I  venture  to  think,  that  Ireland  has  ever  produced 
in  the  way  of  historical  fiction.  A  dangerous  newspaper 
controversy  arose  over  this  volume,  when  it  came  to  light 
that,  in  some  previous  work  with  which  the  series  had  no- 
thing to  do,  Mr.  O' Grady  had  criticised  unfavourably  certain 
episodes  in  the  lives  of  St.  Patrick  and  St.  Columbkille. 
This  was  nothing,  however,  to  the  storm-centre  which 
developed  in  connection  with  the  dramatic  movement  on 
the  production  of  Mr.  Yeats' s  Countess  Cathleen.  The 
triumphant  success  of  the  first  performance  in  spite  of  the 
imposing  array  of  hostile  forces  marshalled  against  it  was 
felt  by  all  who  witnessed  it  to  be  a  turning  point  in  the 
history  of  the  Irish  mind.  It  was  a  bold  claim  for  that 
freedom  of  sincere  expression  without  which  art  cannot 
live,  and  the  claim  was  made  with  success.  Later  on  the 
same  battle  had  to  be  fought  over  The  Playboy  of  the 
Western  World.  It  was  fought  with  the  same  uncompromis- 
ing determination  and  with  the  same  result.  I  need  not 
dwell  upon  other  instances  of  the  struggle  which  the  new 
spirit  has  had  to  make  in  order  to  assert  itself — the  struggle 


IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  235 

of  the  Gaelic  League  for  essential  Irish  in  the  Universities, 
the  struggle  of  the  co-operative  movement  to  realise  the 
triple  ideal  which  the  farmer  has  to  pursue  in  every 
European  country  where  farming  is  a  success — the  ideal 
expressed  in  the  words  '  better  farming,  better  business, 
better  living.'  We  are  in  the  thick  of  some  of  these  struggles 
still — it  will  be  long  before  the  sword  can  sleep  in  our  hands. 
But  I  say  this  not  to  lament  it — very  far  from  that.  What- 
ever some  distant  and  unimaginable  future  may  bring 
about,  for  our  day  war  in  some  form  or  other  is  the  final 
touchstone  of  sincerity  and  strength.  I  need  not  go  so  far 
as  Nietzsche,  who,  in  opposition  to  the  current  morality  on 
the  subject  expressed  by  saying  that  a  good  cause  might 
justify  war,  put  forward  the  maxim  that  a  good  war  might 
justify  any  cause.  But  this,  at  any  rate,  one  can  say  with 
perfect  truth,  that  a  cause  which  has  never  had  to  fight  its 
way  to  victory  has  missed  many  of  the  best  fruits  of  victory 
— those  that  one  picks  up  on  the  way  to  it — the  rich  experi- 
ence, the  training  and  hardening  of  character,  the  rude  and 
wholesome  contact  with  life.  A  people  who  are  fighting 
on  any  side  in  any  cause,  are  at  any  rate  live  people,  and  ^V/-* 
with  life  all  things  are  possible. 

I  now  come  to  deal  in  rather  more  detail  with  the  two 
most  prominent  forces  at  work  during  the  period  I  am  dealing 
with.  These  forces  are,  first,  the  literary,  in  which  I  in- 
clude the  dramatic  movement ;  secondly,  the  revival  of 
Gaelic. 

By  the  Irish  literary  movement  I  mean  the  impulse  to 
seek  for  Irish  themes,  to  treat  the  history,  scenery,  legen- 
dary literature  and  current  life  of  our  country  with  the  en- 
nobling touch  and  the  revealing  insight  of  poetry ;  in  general, 
to  express  the  Irish  imagination  in  an  Irish  way.  Of  course 
this  impulse  did  not  begin  within  the  period  I  am  treating 
of.  Clarence  Mangan  felt  the  first  stirrings  of  it  sixty  years 
ago  and  more.  The  best  work  of  Sir  Samuel  Ferguson, 
and  the  still  better  and  ever-memorable  work  of  Mr.  Standish 
0' Grady,  were  done  before  our  period  opens,  and  before  it 


236  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

too  came  Mr.  Yeats's  Wanderings  of  Oisin.     But  it  was  not 
long  before  the  literary  impulse  embodied  itself  in  one 
special  form  which  is  the  notable  feature  of  the  time.     This 
was  the  dramatic  form.     Much  as  I  should  like  to  speak, 
and  much  as  there  is  to  say,  of  the  lyrical  work  of  Mr.  Yeats, 
of  A.  E.,  of  the  prose  and  poetry  of  James  Stephens,  of  the 
briUiant  and  thoughtful  journalism  of  the  Irish  Homestead, 
of  Miss  Alice  Milligan,  of  *  Ethne  Carbery,'  and  many  more, 
I  shall  never  bring  this  survey  to  an  end  unless  I  concen- 
trate myself  on  the  biggest  and  most  significant  body  of 
literary  work  which  has  been  done  during  the  past  twenty- 
one  years,  and  this  has  undoubtedly  been  done  in  drama. 
It  is  impossible,  I  think,  to  overrate  the  importance,  poten- 
tial or  actual,   of  this  development.     Ireland  had  never 
had  a  drama.     Ancient  Irish  literature  is  full  of  drama  in 
solution  ;    and  Ireland  had  of  course  produced  many  play- 
wrights whose  contributions  to  English  literature  and  the 
English  stage   were   of   high  distinction   and   importance. 
But  a  native  Irish  drama  did  not  exist,  nor  a  company  of 
Irish  actors,  and  it  was  imperative  that  both  should  be 
called  into  being.     First,  because  the  drama  is  a  popular 
form  of  literature,  a  form  which  above  all  others  visibly 
and  effectually  unites  men  in  a  common  sentiment  and  can 
make  itself  equally  at  home  in  the  cultured  city  and  in  the 
country  village ;    and,  secondly,  because  the  drama  is  a 
training  in  expression  which  it  seems  almost  essential  for 
a  literature  to  pass  through  if  it  is  to  achieve  real  greatness 
and  force  of  style.     In  the  Western  world  at  least  one  finds 
almost  universally  that  every  new  epoch  of  literature  is 
ushered  in  by  a  strong  dramatic  movement :  one  conspicuous 
exception  of  course  is  the  English  poetic  renascence  at  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  but  then  English  litera- 
ture had  had  its  dramatic  training  very  thoroughly  in  days 
gone  by.     The  fact  that  in  the  drama  the  author  can  never 
appear  to  explain,  interpret,  or  justify  the  action ;  that 
everything  he  wants  to  say  has  to  be  said  through  appro- 
priate  speech   and   appropriate   action   of   the   characters 


IRISH  AKT  AND  THOUGHT  237 

on  the  stage  ;  and  that  all  must  be  said  or  done  in  such 
a  way  that  on  a  single  hearing  its  significance,  or  at  least 
its  main  significance,  shall  go  straight  home  to  the  hetero- 
geneous crowd  on  the  other  side  of  the  footlights  ;  these 
conditions,  if  a  playwright  understands  and  abides  by  them, 
involve  a  kind  of  athletic  discipline  in  expression  and 
design.  If  a  Hterature  has  never  undergone  that  discipline 
it  has  missed  something  very  hard  to  replace. 

Well,  Irish  hterature,  thanks  to  Mr.  Yeats,  to  Lady 
Gregory,  and  the  other  protagonists  of  the  dramatic  move- 
ment, is  getting  that  most  valuable  discipline.  In  doing 
so  it  has  gradually  evolved  a  school  of  acting  which,  by 
universal  admission  of  competent  critics,  is,  within  its  own 
range,  the  finest  exponent  of  the  art  of  acting  to  be  found 
on  the  English-speaking  stage  of  this  day.  The  dramatic 
movement  in  Ireland  is  not  comprehended  entirely  in  the 
Abbey  Theatre.  It  is  the  great  merit  of  that  undertaking, 
and  the  earlier  and  tentative  project  from  which  it  sprang, 
that  it  gave  an  impulse  which  has  started  dramatic  societies 
and  representations  all  over  Ireland,  and  has  held  up  to 
them  a  high  and  severe  standard  of  achievement.  It  is  in 
a  sense  the  parent  and  model  of  dramatic  organisation 
for  Ireland,  and  because  it  is  that,  because  it,  as  it  were, 
stands  for  Ireland  in  a  sense  in  which  no  other  similar  body 
can  be  said  to  do  so,  that  pubhc  criticism  of  its  aims  and 
character  has  a  special  significance  and  justification.  This 
criticism — I  do  not  refer  to  hostile  criticism,  although  there 
has  been  plenty  of  that — I  refer  only  to  the  kind  of  criticism 
which  is  intended  to  be  helpful — has  directed  itself  prin- 
cipally to  two  points.  In  the  first  place  it  is  said  that  the 
Abbey  Theatre  drama  concentrates  itself  overmuch  on  one 
of  the  social  classes  of  which  Irish  life  is  composed.  It  has 
produced  a  series  of  peasant  dramas  ;  it  has  left  almost 
wholly  untouched  the  problems,  tragedies,  romances,  foibles, 
of  the  ordinary  educated  men  and  women  of  modem  Ireland. 
The  people  who  fill  the  seats  of  the  Abbey  Theatre  never 
see  themselves  on  the  stage.     It  might  be  said  '  so  much 


238  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

the  better  for  their  peace  of  mind.'  But  their  peace  of 
mind  is  not  a  concern  of  art.  It  is  one  of  the  functions  of 
art — applying  that  word  in  its  widest  sense  to  all  impassioned 
and  sincere  activity  of  the  mind — to  keep  on  breaking  up 
the  crust  of  prepossession  and  convention  that  gathers  over 
the  ideas  of  every  class,  every  interest,  every  group  or  com- 
mimity,  when  left  too  long  undisturbed.  And  these  people, 
to  whose  nature  the  Abbey  Theatre  never  holds  up  the 
mirror,  are  after  all  the  people  in  Ireland  who  really  matter. 
It  is  they  who  form  the  standard  of  thought  and  manners 
who  make  or  break  organisations,  who  represent  whatever 
of  pubUc  opinion  Ireland  can  be  said  to  have.  And  I  notice 
too  that  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  dramatic  movement 
in  the  remarkable  plays  of  Mr.  Edward  Martyn,  it  was 
precisely  this  class  of  people  whose  lives  and  thoughts  were 
studied  and  portrayed.  Why,  after  coming  to  the  surface 
in  this  way,  have  they  now  sunk  below  it  ?  Is  it  because 
these  people,  the  people  who  matter  in  Ireland,  really 
matter  too  seriously,  and  that  the  presentation  of  them 
and  their  doings  is  too  thorny  and  dangerous  a  subject  for 
the  young  drama  of  Ireland  to  tackle  ?  I  don't  know.  I 
have  no  explanation  to  offer.  I  only  call  attention  to  a  gap 
which  needs  to  be  filled  before  the  modern  Irish  drama  can 
be  said  in  any  broad  sense  to  stand  before  the  world  as  the 
interpreter  and  revealer  of  Irish  life  as  a  whole. 

And  to  come  to  my  second  point  of  criticism.  We  hear 
it  urged  from  every  Irish  platform,  in  every  article  or  essay 
in  which  the  Irish  drama  is  reviewed,  that  its  portrayal  of 
the  province  of  Irish  life  which  it  does  attempt  is  almost 
imiformly  gloomy,  bitter  and  dispiriting.  Ireland  appears 
here  to  reflect  with  added  intensity  the  pessimism  which 
with  Ibsen,  Strindberg,  Hauptmann  and  Tolstoi  has  thrown 
its  shadow  over  so  much  of  Continental  literature.  Instead 
of  the  old,  and  undoubtedly  vicious  and  insincere,  glorification 
of  everything  that  passes  for  t3rpically  Irish,  we  have  now 
a  mordant  criticism,  sparing  nothing  in  its  passion  of 
destructive  analysis,  and  giving  us  picture  after  picture  of 


IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  239 

disillusionment,  frustration,  and  ignobility,  of  moral  weak- 
ness collapsing  with  hardly  a  struggle  under  the  burden  of 
untoward  circumstance.  I  am  speaking  very  broadly,  of 
course,  but  it  is  said,  and  I  think  with  some  justice,  that  this 
is  the  general  effect  of  the  more  serious  of  the  plays  presented 
by  the  Abbey  Theatre.  Unlike  most  critics,  however,  I  do 
not  think  this  tendency  is  expressed  in  the  plays  of  Mr. 
J.  M.  Synge.  These  stand  apart.  In  his  characters,  in 
spite  of  aU  the  outward  barbarism  and  C3niicism,  I  at  least 
feel  conscious  of  a  certain  lift,  an  luidulating  force,  like  the 
swell  from  an  invisible  ocean  of  life,  which  marks  these 
people  out  as  the  destined  conquerors,  not  the  victims  of 
circumstances.  They  may  shock  us,  they  have  shocked 
a  great  many  worthy  people,  but  they  can  never  discourage 
and  depress. 

In  general,  however,  I  think  it  will  be  agreed  that  the 
Abbey  Theatre  plays,  or  at  least  the  more  serious  ones, 
do  not  cover  anything  like  the  whole  of  Irish  life  either  ex- 
tensively or  intensively.  They  paint  one  class  alone  and 
that  only  in  one  aspect.  Are  these  two  deficiencies  really 
one  and  the  same  ?  Is  it  perhaps  the  case  that  the  hardness 
and  toughness  of  fibre,  combined  with  the  capacity  for  an 
ideal  passion,  which  can  alone  yield  the  stuff  for  great 
drama,  is  not  to  be  found  in  Ireland  except  in  the  class 
from  which  the  Irish  drama,  so  far,  averts  its  gaze  ?  Again,  I 
don't  know,  I  don't  profess  to  explain.  One  sees  that  plays 
of  a  certain  kind  turn  up  and  that  others  as  a  rule  do  not. 
The  mind  of  young  Ireland,  so  far  as  it  is  sincerely  and 
strongly  inspired,  appears  to  express  itself  mainly  in  one 
way,  and  of  course  it  is  idle  to  teU  these  writers  that  they 
ought  to  seek  for  different  ways.  They  must  write  accord- 
ing to  the  vision  they  have  received.  If  any  one  has  a 
different  vision,  and  can  express  it  with  equal  passion  and 
sincerity,  I  have  no  doubt  the  Abbey  Theatre  will  welcome 
any  work  he  may  send  in  to  it.  In  the  meantime  the  great 
and  indispensable  work  of  liberation  is  being  done.  We 
have  seen  a  new  and  astonishing  thing:  the  critical  in- 


240  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

telligence  of  Ireland  is  coming  to  life,  the  crusts  are  being 
broken  up,  the  current  of  Irish  intellectual  life  is  being  set 
free  to  follow,  whithersoever  it  may  caU,  the  mysterious 
gravitation  of  national  destiny.  But  I  hope  I  am  not 
touching  on  any  forbidden  topic  when  I  say  that  there  is 
one  great  sphere  of  Irish  life  still  almost  wholly  untouched 
by  the  new  spirit,  and  which  needs  to  be  conquered  and 
taken  possession  of  by  it.  I  mean  the  political  sphere.  I 
am  not  speaking  of  any  one  party,  of  any  one  conception 
of  Ireland's  future ;  what  I  say  I  hold  to  be  true  of  the  whole 
complex  of  current  politics  in  Ireland,  when  I  state  that  the 
application  of  intellect,  of  sincere  thought,  to  Irish  politics 
is  one  of  the  most  urgent  needs  of  our  time — something  for 
the  want  of  which  it  may  well  be  that  we  shall  have  to  pay 
very  dearly  and  very  soon. 

However,  this  is  not  the  time  or  place  to  elaborate  this 
suggestion.  I  pass  on  to  what  wiU  form  the  concluding 
section  of  these  remarks — a  discussion  of  the  Gaelic  move- 
ment which  took  organised  and  effective  form  about  twenty 
years  ago.  Nothing  more  remarkable  has  been  witnessed 
in  our  time  than  the  manner  in  which  this  movement  has 
laid  hold  of  the  Irish  mind.  For,  you  wiU  observe,  it  is  a 
movement  which  had  nothing  to  offer,  except  a  purely  ideal 
and  spiritual  aim,  and  which  invited  its  adherents  to  hard 
work,  hard  fighting,  and  self-denial  for  an  object  incapable 
of  being  measured  and  valued  by  any  material  standard. 
Founded  on  this  basis  the  Gaelic  movement  is  now  a  vast 
organisation  working  through  many  hundreds  of  branches 
and  administering  a  sum  of  about  £7000  a  year.  It  has 
also  laid  hold  of  the  machinery  of  the  State  to  an  extent 
which,  I  think,  is  not  generally  realised.  Irish  is  now  a 
subject  of  instruction  in  2800  schools,  and  the  number  of 
children  under  instruction  appears  from  the  latest  returns 
which  I  have  procured  to  be  in  round  numbers  no  less  than 
170,000.1    A  gujn  of  about  £14,500  a  year  is  supplied  from 

^  Since  these  words  were  written,  later  returns  have  appeared  which  show  less 
favourable  results.  The  extension  of  Irish  teaching  in  the  schools,  it  must  be  noted, 
depends  mainly  on  the  willingness  of  parents  and  of  managers  to  adopt  it. 


IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  241 

Imperial  sources  to  the  carrying  out  of  this  system  of  in- 
struction. This  does  not  include  the  considerable  sums 
which  cannot  be  disentangled  from  the  Board's  accounts, 
and  which  are  paid  to  Irish  inspectors,  or  the  capitation 
fees  of  £5  a  head  which  are  given  for  every  qualified  teacher 
turned  out  by  the  voluntary  training  colleges.  This  repre- 
sents a  very  notable  degree  of  State  encouragement ;  and 
whatever  may  be  said  as  to  the  past,  it  does  not  appear  as 
if  Gaelic  interests  in  the  present  day  had  much  to  complain 
of  on  this  score.  As  regards  the  number  under  instruction 
through  voluntary  agencies,  such  as  Gaelic  League  Branches, 
I  know  no  way  of  getting  at  exact  figures,  but  we  can 
arrive  at  some  results  in  this  way.  In  the  province  of 
Leinster  there  are  practically  no  native  speakers  of  Irish. 
But  the  Census  of  1911  shows  40,000  in  that  province  able 
to  speak  both  English  and  Irish.  Of  course  all  children 
and  others  imder  instruction,  and  aU  who  have  even  a  very 
limited  knowledge  of  Irish  will  put  themselves  down,  quite 
rightly,  as  bilingual :  there  is  nothing  in  the  Census  to  define 
the  degree  of  mastery  of  either  language  which  is  supposed 
to  be  conveyed  by  such  an  entry.  Well  then,  there  are  431 
schools  in  Leinster  teaching  Irish.  These  account  on  an 
average  for  60  pupils  each,  or  26,000  children,  and  the 
balance  of  the  40,000,  i.e.  14,000,  must  be  put  down  to  the 
Gaelic  propaganda  carried  on  by  voluntary  efforts.  That 
is  for  Leinster  alone.  Now  we  have  seen  that  there  are 
some  170,000  children  under  public  instruction  in  all  Ire- 
land. I  think  it  wiU  be  a  very  low  estimate  if  we  take  it 
that  between  public  and  private  agencies  at  least  200,000 
persons  are  at  present  more  or  less  acquainted  with  Irish, 
who  would  be  purely  English  speaking  if  twenty  years  ago 
the  language  had  been  left  to  take  its  chance  without  any 
special  attention  either  from  the  State  or  from  voluntary 
organisations.  In  reckoning  up  the  achievements  of  the 
movement,  we  must  not  forget  the  invaluable  School  of 
Irish  Learning  in  Dublin,  whose  primary  purpose  it  is  to 
give  to  Irishmen  in  their  own  land,  and  where  possible  to 

VOL.  IX.  Q 


242  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

native  Irish  speakers,  the  training  in  dealing  with  ancient 
texts  for  which  formeriy  they  would  have  had  to  have 
recourse  to  foreign  and  chiefly  Continental  miiversities. 
The  Gaelic  League  has  also,  as  we  know,  captured  the  National 
University,  to  the  extent  at  least  of  securing  that  a  know- 
ledge of  Irish  shall  be  an  essential  subject  for  matricula- 
tion— a  provision  which  I  heartily  wish  could  be  introduced 
into  every  Irish  University.  And  here  it  would  indeed  be  a 
great  and  ungrateful  omission  not  to  mention  what  is  being 
done  for  Irish  studies  within  these  walls.  The  great  Celtic 
library  collected  by  Dr.  Whitley  Stokes,  was  presented  to 
University  College,  London,  by  his  daughters,  and  that 
noble  gift  initiated  the  establishment  here  of  a  school  of 
Celtic  studies,  which  is  kept  going  by  a  small  endowment 
fund  raised  by  Mrs.  Alice  Green,  Professor  Kuno  Meyer, 
and  Professor  W.  P.  Ker.  The  Provost,  Dr.  Gregory 
Foster,  has  kindly  given  me  some  information  on  the  sub- 
ject. He  writes  :  '  We  were  able,  with  the  help  of  this 
fund,  and  with  the  help  of  additional  subscriptions  specially 
obtained,  to  arrange  this  year  for  a  general  course  by 
Professor  Kimo  Meyer,  and  special  classes  both  in  Irish  and 
Welsh.  The  class  in  Irish  was  so  enthusiastically  received 
that  we  have  arranged  for  its  continuance  during  the 
current  term  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  R.  Flower.' 

He  adds  :  '  It  is  the  desire  of  the  University,  as  speedily 
as  possible,  to  establish  a  permanent  Readership  in  Celtic 
subjects,  and  to  convert  that,  as  soon  as  funds  are  avail- 
able, into  a  professorship.' 

But  now  let  us  turn  to  ask,  '  What  does  all  this  effort 
really  amoiuit  to — what  has  actually  been  achieved  by  it, 
and  what  does  it  promise  for  the  future  ?  Here  I  shall  have 
to  say  some  things  which  wiU,  I  doubt  not,  provoke  dissent. 
But  I  do  not  care  if  I  do  that  if,  at  the  same  time,  I  can  pro- 
voke thought  upon  a  question  which  I  think  we  ought,  and 
after  twenty  years  of  propaganda  are  now  able,  to  look  more 
squarely  in  the  face  than  we  are  in  the  habit  of  doing. 

The  Gaelic  movement,  so  far  as  it  deals  with  the  modem 


miSH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  243 

language,  really  has  before  it  two  different  goals,  which  we 
ought  to  keep  sharply  distinguished  from  each  other.  In 
the  first  place,  there  is  the  installation  of  Irish  as  an  essential 
subject  of  study  for  all  Irish  youth,  so  that  every  one  of  us 
should  have  some  acquaintance  with  the  refined  and  beauti- 
ful structure  of  this  language,  should  learn  what  Irish 
literature  was  hke  in  its  original  and  native  form,  should 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  place-names  which  so  often 
embody  a  perception  of  natural  scenery,  or  carry  down 
through  the  ages  some  message  of  heroism  or  romance  from 
the  legendary  or  historical  past  of  our  race.  Any  Irish- 
man who  has  acquired  sufficient  Irish  for  these  purposes, 
even  though  he  goes  no  further,  has  a  great,  an  inestimable 
gain.  He  will  feel  at  home  in  his  native  land,  intimate 
with  her  inmost  soul,  in  a  way  impossible  of  attainment  by 
any  other  means.  In  addition,  it  would  be  consonant  with 
this  conception  of  the  goal  of  the  Gaelic  movement  that 
the  language  should  be  used  on  certain  solemn  and  cere- 
monial occasions,  and  for  epigraphic  purposes — very  much 
as  the  Jews  who  had  abandoned  Hebrew  as  a  spoken  tongue 
long  before  the  Christian  era,  still  keep  themselves  mindful 
of  the  language  in  which  the  earliest  ideals  of  the  race  were 
conceived  and  proclaimed.  That,  I  say,  is  one  goal  which  a 
Gaelic  movement  might  consciously  set  before  itself,  and  I 
hold  it  to  be  an  altogether  worthy  and  admirable,  and  also 
an  attainable,  goal. 

But  this  goal,  which  I  may  call  the  national  study  of 
Irish,  is  a  very  different  thing  from  the  national  adoption  of 
Irish  as  the  current  language  of  literature,  journalism,  com- 
merce and  social  intercourse  which  is  set  before  us  by  those 
who  direct  the  policy  of  the  Gaelic  League.  Is  this  desir- 
able, and  if  so  is  it  attainable  ?  I  think  it  is  a  question  on 
which  we  should  make  up  our  minds,  and  surely  the  question, 
what  is  to  be  the  language  of  Irish  literature,  is  well  worthy 
of  being  brought  to  the  consideration  of  an  Irish  literary 
society.  It,  moreover,  is  a  question  of  much  practical 
and  immediate  importance.     We  see  Ireland  all  round  us 


244  THE  CELTIC  EEYIEW 

busy  in  creating  a  national  literature  in  English,  doing  the 
very  thing  which  Mr.  Brooke  twenty-one  years  ago  described 
as  '  adapting  the  English  language '  to  the  purposes  of 
expressing  the  Irish  mind,  the  Irish  imagination,  in  an  Irish 
literature.  The  tj^ical  Gaelic  Leaguer  has  always  looked 
upon  this  movement  with  mistrust,  and  even  at  times  with 
hostility,  and  his  attitude  from  his  point  of  view  is  thoroughly 
justified — indeed  it  hardly  goes  far  enough.  For  it  is  per- 
fectly clear  that  the  better  the  Irish  mind  succeeds  in  ex- 
pressing itself,  in  English,  and  the  more  the  ideals,  imagina- 
tions, the  higher  thought  and  feeling  of  the  nation  come 
to  be  associated  with  this  medium,  the  greater  becomes  the 
difficulty  of  changing  it  for  another,  especially  when  that 
other  can  only  with  much  difficulty  and  reshaping  be 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  modern  world. 

But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  language  of  Irish  literature 
is  to  be  in  the  future  what  it  is  now,  namely  English,  and  the 
true  goal  of  the  Gaelic  movement  is  to  be  what  I  described 
as  the  national  study  of  Irish,  then  it  is  equally  clear  that 
many  great  abilities  and  much  devoted  energy  are  at  present 
being  expended  in  Ireland  in  following  up  a  false  track,  and 
are  being  withdrawn  from  the  real  literary  need  of  the  day, 
that  of  developing  for  Irish  purposes  the  medium  of  which 
alone  the  great  mass  of  the  Irish  people  are  at  present  in 
possession. 

After  having  seen  the  lapse  of  twenty  years  of  zealous 
and  active  propaganda,  I  repeat  that  we  are  now  in  a  position 
to  face  this  question,  and  that  it  behoves  us  to  make  up  our 
minds  about  it.  And  first,  as  to  the  abstract  desirability 
of  the  adoption  of  Irish,  for  my  own  part  I  think  it  a  deplor- 
able thing  that  the  language  ever  was  allowed  to  die,  and  if 
by  the  proverbial  stroke  of  a  pen  it  were  possible  at  this 
moment  to  eradicate  the  knowledge  of  English  from  every 
Irish  mind,  and  to  place  Irish  there  instead,  I  would  at  once 
place  that  pen  in  the  hand  of  Dr.  Douglas  Hyde.  But 
this  thing  cannot  be  done  with  a  fairy  wand,  or  with  the 
stroke  of  any  legislative  pen ;  it  cannot  be  done  by  force  of 
any  kind.     It  can  only  be  done  with  the  goodwill  of  the 


IRISH  ART  AND  THOUGHT  245 

people  concerned,  by  the  spread  of  the  language,  which 
may  be  helped  no  doubt  by  schools  and  other  organisations, 
from  the  centres  where  it  is  still  living.  The  language  of 
a  people's  literature  must  be  the  familiar  language  of  their 
business  and  bosoms — isolated  from  common  life  it  is  merely 
a  waxen  flower  which  will  never  strike  root  nor  bear  fruit. 
How,  then,  does  Irish  fare,  after  these  twenty  years  of  pro- 
paganda, in  the  districts  where  it  is  still  at  home  ?  For 
practical  purposes  these  districts  may  be  taken  to  lie  within 
the  Provinces  of  Munster  and  Connaught,  for  although 
native  Irish  may  be  foimd  in  Donegal  and  elsewhere,  it 
forms  so  small  a  proportion  of  the  speech  of  the  people  in 
Ulster  and  Leinster  that  it  is  in  those  provinces  a  negligible 
quantity  for  our  present  purposes.  Now  if  we  turn  to  the 
Census  returns  for  1891  we  find  that  in  Mimster  and  Con- 
naught  551,249  persons  were  returned  as  speaking  both 
English  and  Irish — those  who  speak  Irish  alone  are,  of  course, 
a  rapidly  vanishing  remnant,  and  I  disregard  them  in  the 
inquiry.  At  the  Census  of  1911  this  figure  was  reduced  to 
443,015,  or  a  loss  of  more  than  100,000  Irish  speakers. 
These  figures  are  much  worse  even  than  they  seem  on  the 
surface,  for  you  must  recollect  that  2800  schools  over  all 
Ireland,  of  which  about  2000  fall  within  the  provinces  I  have 
named,  not  to  mention  the  numerous  branches  of  the  Gaelic 
League,  are  all  busy  in  creating  the  material  for  bilingual 
entries  in  the  Census  returns ;  and  the  entries  thus  accounted 
for,  however  valuable  for  certain  purposes,  have,  in  the 
vast  majority  of  cases,  little  or  no  importance  in  relation 
to  the  adoption  of  Irish.  It  may  be  said,  of  course,  that 
much  of  the  gross  diminution  in  Irish  speakers  revealed  by 
the  census  returns  is  to  be  accounted  for  by  emigration. 
I  do  not  think  that  the  most  Irish  districts  are  those  that 
contribute  most  to  swell  the  emigration  returns,  but  however 
that  may  be,  an  examination  of  the  figures  shows  that  while 
the  decline  of  population  in  the  two  provinces  amounted 
in  round  figures  to  thirteen  per  cent.,  the  decline  of  Irish 
speakers  ran  to  twenty  per  cent. 

The  tale  told  by  these  figures,  in  the  face  of  the  heroic 


246  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

efforts,  the  lavish  expenditure  of  money  and  energy  which 
have  been  made  to  turn  the  ebbing  tide  into  a  flowing  one, 
is  to  my  mind  unmistakable.  The  question  of  the  future 
language  of  Irish  literature  seems  to  me,  out  of  the  mouth  of 
Ireland  herself,  to  be  res  judicata.  There  are  plenty  of 
people,  no  doubt,  here  and  elsewhere,  who  will  contest  the 
conclusion.  Still  I  put  it  to  you  that  the  Celtic  revolt 
against  the  despotism  of  fact  may  be  carried  too  far,  that 
there  are  better  things  to  do  with  facts  than  to  revolt  against 
them,  namely,  to  make  use  of  them  ;  and  that  the  truest 
patriotism  under  present  circumstances  is  to  work  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  Irish  spirit  with  the  instrument  we  have 
got,  the  only  one  that  Ireland  will  give  us,  and  one  in  the 
use  of  which  we  can  all  imite. 

The  task  that  lies  before  Irish  literature,  and  Irish 
artistic  expression  generally,  is  very  great  and  enormously 
difficult.  That  task  I  take  to  be  the  spiritual  unification 
of  Ireland.  The  source,  it  seems  to  me,  of  nine-tenths  of  our 
present  troubles,  and  of  our  weakness  even  in  the  material 
world,  is  not  that  we  have  so  many  divisions  in  Ireland,  but 
that  aU  the  divisions  run  one  way.  In  England  the  divisions 
cross  each  other  in  so  many  different  directions  that  a  very 
substantial  measure  of  national  imity  and  homogeneity 
is  attainable.  A  man  may  be  divided  from  another  by  social 
position,  but  united  by  religion — he  may  be  divided  in 
religion  but  united  by  politics — divided  by  politics  but 
imited  by  social  ties  or  by  business  interests.  In  Ireland, 
owing  to  unhappy  historical  circumstances,  the  divisions 
of  creed,  of  class,  of  politics,  of  racial  origin,  of  occupation, 
all  in  a  great  measure  coincide,  and  the  gulf  they  plough 
between  two  sections  of  the  Irish  people  is  both  wide  and 
deep.  Until  that  gulf  is  bridged,  the  ideal  of  Irish  nation- 
hood in  the  inward  and  spiritual  sense  can  never  be  fully 
reaMsed.  More  than  one  force  can  be  utilised  to  this  end, 
but  I  know  of  none  more  likely  to  bridge  the  gulf  effectively 
than  the  community  of  feeling  produced  by  art,  and  above  all 
by  the  art  which  makes  the  widest  and  most  popular  appeal, 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  247 

the  art  of  imaginative  literature.  That  art  knows  nothing 
of  class,  party,  or  creed  as  divisive  principles,  it  knows 
them  only  as  the  material  for  presenting  what  is  eternally 
great  and  enthralling,  the  drama  of  human  life.  To  set 
forth,  to  illuminate,  to  interpret  this  drama,  especially  as 
we  see  it  played  in  our  own  day  and  land,  to  lift  it  into  the 
region  of  high  significance  and  beauty — to  do  all  this  not 
only  with  the  magical  allurement,  but  also  with  the  keen 
unshrinking  sincerity  of  art — this  is  one  of  the  ways,  and 
perhaps  the  most  effective  way,  in  which  the  Irish  spirit 
may  come  to  its  own,  and  may  ultimately  take  peaceful 
posesssion  of  every  heart  in  Ireland. 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN 

COINNEACH  MacLeOID 

Tha  mi  'ga  mheas  'na  bhuannachd  nach  beag  gu'n  do 
dheonaich  Ni  Maith  dhomh,  a  dh'  aindeoin  drip  an  t-saoghail, 
la  is  bliadhna  de  mo  bheatha  chur  seachad  comhla  ris  na 
h-eoin.  Riamh  o'n  chaidh  innseadh  dhomh,  an  tus  m'oige, 
gu  robh  mi  '  cho  gorach  ris  na  h-eoin,'  bha  m'fhuil  a' 
teoghadh  ri  m'fhine,  agus  mo  chridhe  ghnath  an  geaU  air 
a'chairdeas  agairt.  Theagamh,  na'm  bithinn  'gam  shloiri- 
neadh  fein,  gur  h-ann  do  na  h-eoin-mhara  as  ro-chairdiche 
mi ;  ach  cha'n  'eil  mi  idir  a'  gearan,  is  cha  bu  chomain  domh, 
gur  h-ann  an  luib  nan  eun-monaidh  a  dheonaich  ni  maith 
mo  chur.  Cha  robh  mi  buileach  gun  eolas  orra  roimhe. 
Co-dhiu,  bhiomaid  a'  beannachadh  d'a  cheile  air  an  rathad 
mhor,  is  anns  a'  choille-chno ;  agus  a  thuilleadh  air  sin, 
bu  chaomh  leam  riamh  a  bhi  leughadh  eachdraidh  na 
h-ealtainn  a  reir  nan  ollamh.  Ach  is  eol  domh  nis  nach 
ionnan  idir  an  da  ni,  aithne  gun  chomaidh  agus  caidreabh 
taobh  an  nid.  Bha  mi  uair  anns  a'  bheachd  gu  robh  na 
h-oUamhan  na  b'eolaiche  air  nos  na  h-ealtainne  na  bha  na 
h-eoin  fhein,  ach  cha'n  'eil  mi  buileach  cho  daingeann  anns 


248  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

a'  bheachd  sin  an  diugh.  Co-dhiu,  chunnaic  mi  na  h-eoin 
a'  neadachadh  am  badaibh,  agus  ag  itheadh  troileis,  a  bha 
calg-dhireach  an  aghaidh  gach  riaghailt  a  leugh  mise  riamh 
anns  na  leabhraichean.  Gun  teagamh,  tha  cion  na  Beurla 
fagail  nan  eun  deireasach  an  iomadh  doigh ;  is  e  sin  as 
coireach  nach  do  thuig  iad  fhathast,  gur  h-e  an  t-ollamh 
nach  d'ith  boiteag  riamh,  is  nach  do  shuidh  riamh  air  nead, 
as  fhearr  fios  ciod  tha  maith  do  chreutairean  beaga  ta 
deanamh  an  da  chuid.  A  mach  uaithe  sin,  f aodar  a  radh  le 
firinn  nach  'eil  clann-eunlaidh  agus  clann-daoine,  maith  ris 
a'  mhaith  agus  olc  ris  an  olc,  na's  eu-coltaiche  ri  cheile  na 
tha  bo  mhaol  odhar  agus  bo  odhar  mhaol — ach  direach  gu 
bheil  na  h-eoin  beagan  na's  gUce  anns  a'  ghoraiche,  agus  na 
daoine  beagan  na's  goraiche  anns  a'  ghUocas. 

Is  iomadh  uair,  is  mi  'nam  shuidhe  air  cHabh  aig  ceann 
an  tighe,  a  smaointich  mi  nach  robh  an  Calaman  idir  cho 
neo-chiontach  ri  choltas,  is  gu  robh  dealan  beag  de  'n 
chrochaire  a'  boillsgeadh  air  uairibh  'na  shuil.  Nis  o'n 
bha  mi  thall  is  a  chunnaic  mi,  tha  mi  ag  iarraidh  maith- 
eanais  air  a'  Chalaman.  Is  fheudar  domh  aideachadh  gu 
bheil  e  direach  mar  tha  e,  'na  mhoigein  laghach  neo-chion- 
tach, nach  cumar  gu  brath  oidhche  'na  dhuisg  le  luasgan 
eanchainn.  Mheall  a'  Chailleach-oidhche  orm  cuideachd. 
Bha  mi  an  duil  riamh  gu'm  bu  bhoireannach  maith  i ;  agus 
cha  robh  uair  a  bhlaomadh  i  a  da  ghlog-shuil  nach  robh  i 
toirt  'nam  chuimhne  latha-traisg,  no  ni-eigin  eile  ceart  cho 
crabhach.  Tha  fios  agam  a  nis  gu  bheil  ise  cuideachd  direach 
mar  tha  i — is  cha'n  ann  mar  a  shaoil !  Chunnaic  mi  na 
h-eoin  eile  call  an  luiths  leis  a'  ghaireachdainn,  is  a'  chail- 
leach  a'  dol  troimh  'n  chomhradh  ainmeil  a  bha  eadar  i 
fhein  agus  Domhnull  Mac  Ehionnlaigh  bochd  a  bha'n 
Loch  abar.  '  Is  ann  mar  so  a  bha,'  theireadh  ise,  is  i  'na 
seasamh  air  tobhta  ceardaich  a  bh'ann.  '  Thuirt  Domh- 
null rium  fhein,  is  mi  cur  seachad  an  fheasgair  comhla  ris  : 

•'  Nis  o'n  a  tha  thu  aosda." 

Bha  e  leth-char  dall,  an  duine  bochd  ! 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  249 

"  Deansa  t'  fhaosaid  ris  an  t-sagairt, 
Agus  innis  dha  gun  euradh 
Gach  aon  sgeula  g'a  bheil  agad." 

Chrom  mi  fhein  mo  cheann  gu  baintidh  grimi,  is  rimi  mi 
osnadh  mor,  is  chuir  mi  caoin  shliom  bhoidheach  air  mo 
ghuth,  is  rinn  mi  osnadh  eile  nach  bu  mhiosa  na  chiad  fhear, 
agus  arsa  mi  fhein  : 

"  Cha  d'  rinn  mise  braid  no  breugan, 
Cladh  no  tearmad  a  bhristeadh, 
Air  m'  fhear  fhein  cha  d'rinn  mi  iomluas, 
Is  cailleach  bhochd  ionraic  mise." ' 

Ach  thusa,  Chailleach-oidhche  !  Bha  fior-shannt  orm  eolas 
na  bu  dluithe  fhaotainn  air  an  Fheannaig,  ach  gu  tubais- 
teach  thachair  gu  robh  ise  fo  choill  anns  a'cheart  am — 
co-dhiu,  fad  na  ciad  leth-bhliadhna.  Bha  sealgair  ur  air 
tighinn  do'n  duthaich,  agus  bha  de  chron  air,  comhla  ris  gach 
cron  eile,  gur  h-e  an  t-eun  air  an  cuimsicheadh  e  a  leagadh  e  ; 
ni  nach  'eil  idir  cumanta  am  measg  luchd-seilge,  oir  cha'n 
fhaca  mi  riamh  nach  e  an  t-eun  a  bhiodh  iad  a'  seachnadh, 
bu  dluithe  rachadh  air  a'  bhas.  Chuala  mi  an  Dreathann 
Donn  ag  radh,  gu'm  bu  mhisde  an  duthaich  gu  leir  fogairt 
na  Feannaige — agus  gu'm  b'fheairrde  cuideachd  !  Cha'n 
'eil  mi  ag  radh  nach  robh  an  Dreathann  ceart.  Cha  toigh 
leam  a  bhi  'ga  innseadh,  ach  cha  robh  am  Fitheach  ana- 
barrach  aoigheil  rium  idir.  Tha  an  t-ainm  aige  bhi  glic  ; 
agus  ma's  fior  na  theirear,  is  cliabh  chlach  air  an  druim  an 
gliocas.  Fhad's  a  bha  mi  anns  an  ealtainn,  cha  deachaidh 
fois  air  an  duine  thruagh  o  mhoch  gu  dubh,  ach  a  sior- 
chanranaich  gu  robh  deireadh  an  t-saoghail  am  fagus,  agus 
gu  robh  na  seachd  deamhain  cheana  mu  sgaoil.  Theagamh 
gu  bheil  e  miomhail  dhomhsa  an  rud  aithris,  ach  cha'n 
fhaca  mi,  a  dh'aindeoin  giorrad  na  h-uine  !  gu  robh  cail  an 
Fhithich  gu  roic  dad  na  bu  mhiosa  na  bha  i  roimhe.  Cha 
bu  toigh  leam  a'  Chuthag  riamh,  is  cha  toigh  leam  fhathast 
i.  Tha  i  olc,  olc.  Tha  cuimhne  agam  aon  mhaduinn,  is  mi 
fann  le  cion  mo  bhrochain,  gu'n  d'rinn  i  diol  cho  sgreadaidh 


250  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

orm  is  nach  robh  mi  gu  maith  fad  na  bliadhna  as  a  dheidh. 
Is  tha  i  cho  breugach  ris  na  fir-chlis.  Chuala  mi  ghogaid 
uair  is  uair  a'  gugail  gu  ladurna  gu  robh  an  samhradh  air 
tighinn,  agus  mi  fhein  'gam  dhubh-reothadh  leis  an  fhuachd 
ri  taobh  braidseal  mor  teine.  Is  tha  fios  aig  a'  bhaile  gu 
leir  gu'm  bi  a'  bhaobh  ri  leughadh  nan  cupannan,  ged  tha 
meomhair  na  faidheadaireachd  g'a  dith.  Dh'innis  i  dhomh 
fhein  o  chionn  corr  is  fichead  bhadhna  nach  faicinn  ach  da 
noUaig  eile  ;  dh'innis  i  dhomh  an  uiridh,  is  aodann  oirre 
cho  fada  ris  a'  chlobha,  gu  faicinn  a  dha  dheug  eile.  Ach 
nach  diomhain  domhsa  bhi  leudachadh  air  caithe-beatha  na 
Cuthaige.  Mar  thuirt  an  Calaman  bochd,  is  ceann-crom 
air  leis  an  naire  :  '  Am  faca  tu  fhein  riamh  eun  laghach  sam 
bith  a'  breith  uighean  an  tighean  chaich — ar  learn  nach  'eil 
e  dacent !  '  Chuir  na  h-eoin  eile  mi  fo  gheasaibh,  gu'n 
innsinn  do  chloinn-daoine  gu  bheil  cairdeas  na  Cuthaige 
do'n  ealtainn  a  mach  air  an  fhicheadamh  glun ;  agus 
ceart  cho  luath  's  a  dh'fhosglas  i  a  gob,  gu'n  aithnich  neach 
sam  bith  gu  bheil  bias  na  Beurla  air  a  cuid  Gaidhlig.  Tha 
an  Dreathann  Donn  anns  a'  bheachd  gur  h-ann  an  Cali- 
fornia thaU  a  bhios  i  cur  seachad  a'  gheamhraidh,  is  gur 
h-e  sin  as  coireach  i  bhi  cho  suarach  coma  c'ait  an  tilg  i 
smugaid.  Bha  amharus  agam  roimhe  gu'm  b'fhior-gheop 
a'  Chathag,  agus  nach  robh  an  Clacharan  fad  air  deireadh 
oirre,  is  gu'm  biodh  iad  le  cheile  bodhradh  chaich  o  mhoch 
gu  dubh  le'n  cuid  boilich.  Ciod  tuiUeadh  a  th'annta  a 
bharrachd  air  geop  is  air  boilich,  cluinnear  'na  dheidh  so. 
Cha'n  'eil  agam  ach  teist  mhaith  ri  thoirt  air  an  Smeorach 
is  air  an  Uiseig  ;  tha  iad  le  cheile  cho  maith  ri'n  ceol,  agus 
foghnaidh  sin.  Cha'n  ann  'ga  ailis  air  an  Smeorach  a  tha  mi, 
ach  saoihdh  mi  nach  'eil  e  buileach  cho  neo-shaoghalta  ris  an 
Uiseig,  agus  gu  bheil  beagan  a  bharrachd  de'n  deamhan  ann  : 
da  ni  nach  misde  neach  sam  bith  a  ta  f  uireach  an  ath  dhorus 
ri  Sionnach  no  ri  Cailleach-oidhche.  Cha  bhiodh  ann  ach 
ladumas  dhomh  am  Bru-dearg  a  mholadh.  O  bharr  a 
ghuib  gu  barr  na  h-earr-ite,  cha'n  fhaighear  aon  ghaineamh- 
an  de'n  fhoill  ann ;  agus  cha'n  'eil  eun  eile  anns  an  ealtainn 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  251 

gu  leir  as  urrainn  a  thilgeadh  air,  gu'n  do  dhiochuimlinich 
e  riamh  c'  ar  son  ata  bhroilleach  dearg.  Bidh  e  f  hein  is  an 
Calaman,  na  truaghain,  a'  deanamh  an  dichill,  a  dh'aindeoin 
buirt  is  magaidh,  gu  tomhas  de  stoldachd  is  de  chrabhachd  a 
chur  anns  na  h-eoin  eile.  Ach  mar  thuirt  an  Dreathann 
Donn  riutha :  '  Tha  sibh  tuilleadh  is  anmoch,  a  chairdean 
ionmhuinn.  Na  robh  thusa,  Chalamain,  air  an  aire  a  chur 
fodha,  bhiodh  an  saoghal  cuibhiseach  maith  an  diugh.'  Tha 
so  'gam  thoirt  gus  an  dileas  dheireannach — mo  chaomh- 
charaid,  an  Dreathann.  An  da  chuid  an  leirsinn  is  an 
duinealas,  is  e  iochd  ar  n-achd  righ  na  h-ealtainne  ;  an 
coimeas  ris,  cha'n  'eil  anns  an  lolair  ach  cridhe  na  circe  ann 
an  gob  na  h-airee.  A'  chiad  uair  a  bhruidhinn  mi  ris,  bha 
e  air  an  iteig  dhachaidh,  agus  smuid  aige  air  port : 

'  Tha  mi  'n  diiil  gu'm  bi  mi  nochd 
Ri  taobh  mo  ghaoil,  ge  b'ann  air  sop, 
Tha  mi  'n  diiil  gu'm  bi  mi  nochd 
Air  taobh  a  bhos  na  h-aibhne.' 

Dh'innis  mi  dha,  anns  a'  Ghaidhhg  a  b'fhearr  a  bh'agam, 
gu'm  b'e  mo  run  la  is  bhadhna  chur  seachad  comhla  ris  na 
eairdean ;  agus  gu'm  bithinn  fada  'na  chomain,  na'n 
gabhadh  e  mi  f o  a  sgeith  fhad's  a  bhithinn  anns  an  ealtainn, 
is  gun  annam  ach  leirist  de  choigreach.  '  Mata,  a  choig- 
rich,'  ars'  esan,  '  cha'n  'eil  barail  choir  sam  bith  agam  fhein 
air  cloinn-daoine  ;  a'  chuid  nach  'eil  straiceil  dhiubh,  tha 
iad  olc,  agus  a'  chuid  nach  'eil  olc,  tha  iad  cho  gorach  ris 
na  cruimheagan.  Ach  o'n  thainig  thu,  charaid,  is  gur 
teotha  fuil  na  uisge,  fhad  's  a  bhios  cosag  no  boiteag  agamsa, 
bidh  cosag  is  boiteag  agadsa.'  Mur  do  chum,  is  mur  do 
sheachd-chum,  esan  ri  ghealladh,  cha'n  'eil  solus  anns  a' 
ghrein  no  doimhneachd  anns  a'mhuir.  Ged  gheibhinn  saogh- 
al na  b'fhaide  na  tha  diiil  agam  ris,  cha  leig  mi  as  mo 
chuimhne  gu  brath  an  Dreathann  is  e  'na  sheasamh  air 
stob,  sop  feoir  'na  bheul,  goic  'na  cheann,  is  e  meomhrachadh 
air  fir  is  air  coin,  is  air  nithean  diomhair  an  domhain.  Is  an 
uair  a  chnuasaicheadh  e  nithean  gu  dheoin,  chaireadh  e  an 
sop  air  an  stob,  is  dheanadh  e  an  t-suil  bheag  rium  fhein. 


252  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

'  Faodaidh  gu  bheil  mi  neonach,'  theireadh  esan,  *  ach  is 
iomadh  rud  a  chunnaic  mi,  a  dhuine.'  Agus  gu  cinnteach 
b'fhior  dha,  o'n  a  b'fhior  uaithe.  Ge  mor  am  facal  e,  cha 
dana  dhomh  radh,  gu'n  cuireadh  e  h-uile  mac  mathar  de  na 
h-ollamhan  Gearmailteach  ^  amis  na  crannaibh  seilich  le 
feallsanachd  is  le  diomhaireachd.  A  charaid  bhig  mhoir, 
cha'n  ami  a  chionn  gu  robh  thu  coibhneil  rium  a  tha  mi  'ga 
radh,  ach  na  faighinn  triuir  am  dhuthaich,  a  thigeadh  an 
gaoith  do  sgeithe  an  gUocas,  an  uaisle,  an  duinealas,  cha  bu 
nead  cuthaige  mo  dhuthaich.  Is  cha'n  iongantach  leam, 
ged  is  iongantach  uam  !  t'fhacail  rium  anns  an  dealachadh  : 
'  O'n  chuir  mi  eolas  ort,  a  charaid,  cha'n  abair  mi  gu  bheil 
clann-daoine  cho  olc  's  a  bha  mi  an  diiil — ach,  O  bhoiteag 
chridhe,  tha  iad  pailt  na's  goraiche  ! ' 

(R^a  Leantainn.) 


THE  CLAIM   OF  CELTIC  STUDIES  UPON  THE 
LOWLAND  SCOT  2 

Professor  Mackinnon 

Keeping  in  view  the  practice  followed  at  this  time-honoured 
function  of  our  university  life,  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  I 
might  invite  your  attention  briefly  to  a  phase  of  our  educa- 
tional problem  seldom  if  ever  discussed,  but  which  has  not 
infrequently  occupied  my  thoughts  :  The  Claim  of  Celtic 
Studies  upon  the  Lowland  Scot.  To  my  mind  the  claim  is 
a  very  important  one.  During  the  last  sixty  years  a  large 
and  increasing  number  of  eminent  scholars  in  Europe  and 
America  have  been  studying  the  Celtic  languages,  to  the 
great  benefit  of  linguistic  science  and  the  increase  of  know- 
ledge in  several  directions.  But  one  confesses  to  a  feeling  of 
profound  disappointment  to  find  when  the  role  of  Celto- 
logues  is  made  up  that  it  hardly  contains  the  name  of  a  single 
non-Gaelic-speaking  Scot.      Surely  this  is  not  as  it  ought  to 

^  Ach  feumaidh  gu  bheil  mi  cli  am  bheachd— gabhaidh  bloighean  de  fheallsanachd 
an  Dreathainn  tuigsinn. 

'  Being  the  substance  of  an  Address  to  the  Arts  Graduates  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh,  on  July  4th,  1913. 


THE  CLAIM  OF  CELTIC  STUDIES  253 

be.  For  many  long  years  now,  we,  the  inhabitants  of  this 
kingdom.  North  and  South,  have  been  proud  to  bear  the 
name  of  Scot. 

How  came  we  by  the  name  ?  Scientists  teU  us  that  a  pre- 
Celtic  race  or  races  originally  possessed  these  islands.  They 
are  not  agreed  as  to  the  race-relationship  of  these  tribes. 
But  while  it  is  allowed  that  their  names,  their  dialects,  their 
beliefs  and  customs  may  have  disappeared  beyond  recall 
we  are  assured  that  their  blood  so  far  lives  in  the  peoples  that 
succeeded  and  conquered,  but  did  not  exterminate  them. 
Within  historic  times  we  have  had  in  Scotland  as  more 
or  less  clearly  defined  types  the  Pict,  the  Briton,  the  Scot, 
and  the  Saxon.  Then  came  later  the  strenuous  Norsemen 
who  settled  permanently  on  our  northern  and  north- 
western shores.  After  the  battle  of  Largs  it  would  appear 
that  a  number  of  these  settlers  returned  to  Norway,  while 
others  remained  and  amalgamated  in  blood  and  language 
with  the  native  population.  Orkney  and  Shetland  con- 
tinued, by  treaty,  under  Norse  rule  for  many  years  after- 
wards, and  very  probably  a  strip  along  the  shore  on  the 
north  and  east  of  Caithness  retained  the  Norse  speech  until 
it^  was  replaced  by  the  Scots  tongue.  Nor  must  the  influx 
of  Saxon  and  Norman  knights  during  the  eleventh  and 
twelfth  centuries  be  lost  sight  of.  This  movement  pro- 
foundly affected  the  national  policy,  and  introduced  a  large 
admixture  of  foreign  blood,  especially  among  the  upper 
classes.  None  of  these  settlers  were  of  pure  stock  when 
they  came  to  these  parts  ;  and  they  became  still  more  mixed 
in  our  land.  The  Picts  and  Britons  with  their  name,  their 
language,  and  institutions  were  absorbed  by  Scot  and  Saxon 
centuries  ago.  The  Scot  came  to  us  from  Ireland  and 
brought  the  home  name  along  with  him,  as  did  also  the 
monks  of  the  mission  of  Columbanus  to  the  Continent  of 
Europe,  where  they  with  their  books  and  writings  were  uni- 
versally known  as  Scotti.  In  Ireland  they  were  more 
commonly  known  as  Goedels,  now  Gaels.  It  is  not  known 
when  the  Gael  first  came  to  Scotland,  probably  very  early. 
But  a  colony  of  them  settled  permanently  in  Argyll  in  the 


254  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

second  century.  There  were  no  doubt  additions  from  time 
to  time,  and  there  was  a  considerable  immigration  in  the  end 
of  the  fifth  or  beginning  of  the  sixth  century.  The  Scots 
or  Gaels  prospered  in  Argyll  and  founded  the  kingdom  of 
Dalriada,  this  name  being  also  imported  from  Ireland. 
Later,  with  the  powerful  aid  of  the  monks  of  the  Columban 
mission,  they  Gaelicised  a  large  portion  of  Pictland.  So  far 
as  known  to  me,  it  is  to  the  Northmen  we  owe  the  formation 
of  the  hybrid  name  Scotland.  The  Norse  pirates  named  the 
belt  of  sea  now  called  The  Minch  Skotlandsfiord,  the  firth 
opening  on  the  land  of  the  Scots  of  Dalriada,  as  contrasted 
with  Petlandsfiord,  now  the  Pentland  Firth,  leading  to  the 
country  of  the  Picts.  Thereafter  the  name  Scotland  came 
to  be  applied  to  the  territory  ruled  by  Kenneth  the  Scot, 
when  that  enterprising  prince  captured  the  Pictish  throne, 
and  subsequently  to  the  whole  country  when  it  became  con- 
solidated into  one  kingdom.  Thenceforward  the  terms 
Scot,  Scotsman,  and  Scotland  became  the  national  designa- 
tions in  the  south,  with  their  Gaelic  equivalents  Gaidheal, 
Alhannach,  and  Alba  (or  Alhainn)  in  the  Gaelic-speaking  area. 
But  it  has  to  be  observed  that  while  the  Gaelic  terms  Abba 
and  Albannach  embrace  the  whole  of  Scotland,  North  and 
South,  Scot  and  Scottish,  on  the  other  hand,  are,  in  the 
usage  of  Southern  writers,  becoming  exclusively  confined 
to  the  lowland  Scot,  and  especially  to  his  language. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Southern  Scot  is  a  person  of 
very  composite  blood — Teutonic  indeed,  but  with  strains  of 
varied  strength  from  the  mixed  races  who  occupied  the  land 
before  him,  as  well  as  from  the  adventurers  who  followed  him 
from  time  to  time.  Nor  is  the  Gael  less  of  a  mongrel,  re- 
presenting as  he  does  the  Scot  of  Dalriada,  largely  mixed 
with  Norse  blood,  the  Pict  with  all  which  that  race  de- 
signation implies,  and  a  dash  of  British.  It  is  a  comforting 
reflection  that  these  composite  breeds  have  both  in  North 
and  South  produced  a  race  of  men  exceptionally  fitted  in 
body  and  mind  to  stand  the  strain  and  stress  of  fife  all  the 
world  over.  The  struggle  for  supremacy  in  Scotland  between 
Saxon  and  Gael  was  long  and  severe,  and  it  would  be  idle  to 


THE  CLAIM  OF  CELTIC  STUDIES  255 

attempt  to  apportion  too  nicely  to  either  its  share  of  blame 
for  past  misdeeds.  More  pleasant  it  is  to  recall  that  in  our 
country's  greatest  straits,  in  her  strenuous  struggle  for 
existence  as  an  independent  nation,  the  Celt  bore  his  full 
share,  while  in  recent  times  he  has  been  equally  to  the  front 
in  extending  and  upholding  the  strength  and  fame  of  the 
Empire. 

The  Southern  Scot  has  as  a  rule  given  credit  to  the  Gael 
for  being  a  good  fighter,  and  of  recent  years  he  seems  pre- 
pared to  acclaim  him  as  an  eloquent  preacher.  But  as  it 
seems  to  me,  with  his  good  conceit  of  himself,  as  his  many 
excellent  and  capable  qualities  entitle  him  to  entertain,  the 
Lowlander  has  always  shown  a  singular  indifference  to 
the  usages  and  beliefs  of  the  peoples  whom  he  has  super- 
seded. In  this  respect  he  compares  unfavourably  with  the 
Highlander.  In  especial  he  has  always  shown  a  feeling  akin 
to  contempt  for  the  language,  literature,  and  institutions  of 
the  Gael.  This  is  much  to  be  regretted.  The  Saxon  has 
entered  largely  into  the  heritage  of  the  Pict  and  of  the  Gael. 
It  is  in  the  Gaelic  language  and  literature  that  we  find  our 
chief  sources  of  information  regarding  these  peoples.  But 
the  Lowland  Scot  writes  his  histories  of  them  without  con- 
sidering it  worth  while  to  examine  these  authorities  at  first 
hand.  The  late  Dr.  Skene  is  practically  the  only  author  who 
read  a  Gaelic  MS.,  before  he  wrote  of  the  early  history  of 
Scotland.  The  fact  is  not  to  the  credit  of  the  Lowland  Scot. 
Knowledge  of  old  Gaelic  does  not  solve  questions  of  race- 
relationship  nor  clear  up  obscure  historical  problems. 
Peoples  change  their  language,  but  man  cannot  change  the 
colour  of  his  eyes  nor  the  shape  of  his  skull.  Archaeology, 
and  especially  anthropology,  are  often  of  greater  weight  than 
language  in  dealing  with  race  origins.  StiU  the  evidence 
from  language  is  not  to  be  Hghtly  set  aside.  The  scientific 
student  of  the  Celtic  dialects  will  find  them  a  branch  of  the 
Aryan  family  of  languages,  but  with  traits  of  their  own  which 
suggest  that  the  Celt  in  his  wanderings  must  have  sojourned 
with  non- Aryan  tribes  long  enough  to  have  his  speech  per- 
manently modified  by  them.     One  may  refer,  among  other 


256  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

characteristics,  to  the  initial  changes  in  words,  which  per- 
plex the  Celtic  student ;  to  the  welding  of  the  preposition 
and  pronominal  object  into  one  indissoluble  word  ;  and  to 
the  position  of  the  verb  at  the  head  of  the  sentence. 

And  if  one  turns  to  Gaelic  literature,  while  much  the 
greater  part  has  been  produced  and  preserved  in  Ireland,  it 
is  the  case  that  Gaelic  has  been  spoken  and  written  con- 
tinuously in  Scotland  since  the  days  of  Saint  Columba,  if 
not  earlier.  One  would  have  wished  that  the  fragments 
which  remain  contained  a  greater  amount  of  historical  matter 
than  they  do,  but  enough  has  survived  to  show  that  no  full 
and  reliable  account  of  Scottish  history  can  be  written  with- 
out a  knowledge  of  the  contents  of  GaeUc  literature.  No 
one  is  obliged  to  write  history  ;  but  surely  no  one  ought  to 
attempt  to  do  so  without  previously  examining  all  the  avail- 
able sources.  What  value  would  one  put  upon  a  history 
of  Rome  written  by  a  person  who  did  not  know  the  Latin 
language  and  literature  ?  For  my  part  I  place  much  the 
same  value  upon  a  history  of  the  Highlands  by  one  who 
does  not  know  Gaelic  literature. 

It  is  an  easy  matter  to  show  how,  through  ignorance  or 
prejudice  or  both  combined,  the  Southern  historian  misre- 
presents the  character,  the  literature  and  institutions  of  the 
peoples  whom  he  regards  as  now  represented  by  the  Gaels. 
Take  e.g.  the  account  given  by  Lord  Macaulay  of  the  state 
of  the  Highlands  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  As  a 
literary  effort  the  chapter  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  which 
the  author  ever  wrote,  and  it  is  much  to  be  feared  that  this 
was  its  chief  merit  in  the  great  writer's  own  eyes.  This  is 
what  he  writes  about  it  in  his  Diary :  '  My  account  of  the 
Highlands  is  getting  into  tolerable  shape.  To-morrow  I 
shall  begin  to  transcribe  and  to  polish.  What  trouble  these 
few  pages  will  have  cost  me.  The  great  object  is  that  after 
all  this  trouble  they  may  read  as  if  they  had  been  spoken  off, 
and  may  seem  to  flow  as  easy  as  table  talk.  We  shaU  see.' 
Fine  writing,  not  truth,  is  the  '  great  object '  of  Lord 
Macaulay  when  writing  about  his  Highland  ancestors. 
As  it  happens,  the  extant  Gaelic  literature  of  the  period 


THE  CLAIM  OF  CELTIC  STUDIES  257 

proves  to  demonstration  that  the  picture  of  the  Highlander 
which  Macaulay  paints  in  such  lurid  colours  is  so  dis- 
torted as  to  make  it  historically  worthless.  And  if  one 
turns  to  the  latest  history  of  Scotland  written  on  a  large 
scale  one  meets  on  every  page  with  the  same  ignorant 
and  contemptuous  treatment  of  everything  Gaelic  and 
Celtic.  Mr.  HiU  Burton  must  needs  discuss  the  famous 
Ossianic  controversy.  True,  he  knows  only  one  of  the  two 
languages  involved,  but  that  to  him  is  a  small  detail.  He 
pronounces  upon  the  merits  more  confidently  than  I  would 
venture  to  do  after  laboriously  wading  through  the  texts  in 
both  languages.  Had  the  man  only  known  it,  there  lay 
to  his  hand  an  argument  of  infinitely  greater  force  than  all 
the  learning  and  all  the  rhetoric  expended  on  this  foolish 
controversy.  How  stand  the  facts  ?  James  Macpherson 
printed  so-called  translations  of  twenty-two  poems  purport- 
ing to  be  by  Ossian  the  son  of  Fingal,  a  reputed  Gaelic  bard 
of  the  third  century  a.d.  To  this  day  only  eleven  of  these 
twenty-two  poems  have  appeared  in  Gaelic.  Again,  a 
favourite  dictum  of  Mr.  Hill  Burton  is  that  the  Gael  knew 
nought  of  the  beauty  of  his  own  land  until  the  lesson  was 
taught  him  by  a  Saxon.  The  slightest  knowledge  of  Gaelic 
literature  is  sufficient  to  prove  that  no  statement  could  be 
more  ridiculously  untrue.  The  one  subject  which  a  Gaelic 
poet  never  loses  sight  of  is  the  beauty  of  his  own  land.  One 
wonders,  indeed,  whether  the  magician  who  revealed  the 
charm  of  Highland  scenery  to  the  world  was  not  himself 
inspired  by  a  Gael. 

Akin  to  this  is  the  habit  of  belittling  things  merely 
Gaelic.  It  would  be  attaching  too  much  importance  to 
them  to  quote  or  write  them  correctly.  One  cannot  believe 
that  Sir  Walter  Scott  did  not  know  that  the  Gaelic 
patronymic  of  the  Duke  of  Argyll  was  Mac-Cailein,  and  yet 
the  great  wizard  wrote  Mac-Calum.  Smaller  writers  of  this 
type  by  lapsing  into  definite  assertions  and  giving  illustra- 
tive examples,  not  infrequently  expose  themselves  to  ridicule. 
Some  thirty  or  forty  years  ago  a  capable  clergyman  wrote  a 

VOL.  IX.  R 


258  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

very  interesting  volume  descriptive  of  the  county  of  Perth. 
The  author  goes  to  KiUin  in  search  of  material,  and  when 
there  he  hears  a  great  deal  about  the  Gaelic  poet  Duncan 
M'Intyre.  To  add  a  touch  of  colour  to  his  page  the  writer 
gives  sixteen  lines  from  M'Intyre' s  poem  on  Beinn  Dorain 
in  the  original.  And  now  recalling  the  fact  that  the  mass 
of  his  readers  like  himself  did  not  know  Gaelic,  he  prints 
as  translation  two  stanzas  in  English  verse.  The  so-called 
translation  is  from  a  different  poem  ! 

As  an  example  of  what  might  have  been,  had  our  his- 
torians made  themselves  better  acquainted  with  the  life  of 
the  Gael  in  the  past,  I  give  in  outhne  a  chapter  from  West 
Highland  history  which  is  not  found  in  any  Scottish  history 
seen  by  me.  It  is  known  that  in  ruling  his  extensive 
domain  the  great  Lord  of  the  Isles  was  assisted  by  a  Council 
which  sat  in  Islay.  The  Records  of  this  Council  were 
regularly  kept,  and  the  total  disappearance  of  them  is  an 
irreparable  loss  not  only  to  the  history  of  these  parts,  but 
to  the  history  of  Scotland.  The  administration  of  the 
Principality  was,  for  the  times,  enUghtened  and  compre- 
hensive, and,  so  far  as  one  can  gather,  efficient.  From  the 
position  of  political  independence  which  the  great  chief 
assumed  it  was  essential  that  his  people  should  be  not 
only  numerous  but  healthy  and  strong.  Accordingly  we  find 
among  his  many  officials  a  Chief  Physician  of  the  Isles  who 
was  highly  remunerated  and  highly  honoured.  In  addition 
to  fees  and  perquisites  he  held  lands  which  are  now  valued 
somewhere  about  £600  per  annum.  The  Chief  Physician 
ranked  next  to  the  leading  chiefs  of  the  Hebrides.  From 
the  central  home  in  Islay,  physicians  spread  to  the  principal 
islands  and  to  certain  stations  on  the  mainland.  Traditions, 
which  may  in  many  cases  be  exaggerations,  survive  of  the 
great  knowledge  and  skill  of  these  men.  But  there  is  an  old 
and  persistent  one  to  the  effect  that  upon  one  occasion,  when 
the  life  of  the  prince  of  Scotland  was  despaired  of,  the  Islay 
doctor  was  sent  for,  and  that  he  effected  a  cure  when  the 
court  physicians,  who  unworthily  tried  to  baffle  him,  failed. 
Certain  it  is  that  grants  of  lands  were  made  to  Ferchard 


BOOK  REVIEWS  259 

Leche  '  the  physician,'  as  is  beheved  in  gratitude  for  the 
services  rendered  on  this  occasion.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the 
Gaelic  physicians  in  Ireland  and  Scotland  made  translations 
of  the  principal  medical  treatises  in  use  throughout  Europe 
in  the  middle  ages,  and  the  number  of  such  manuscripts  now 
stored  in  the  Advocates'  Library  and  elsewhere  in  this  city 
are  an  abiding  proof  of  the  learning  and  zeal  of  these  men. 

Perhaps  enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  if  the  Lowland 
Scot  had  studied  his  neighbour's  language,  literature  and 
institutions  he  might  have  written  his  histories  of  Scotland 
in  a  different  spirit,  and  have  added  an  interesting  chapter 
or  two  to  his  story. 


BOOK  REVIEWS 

Zur  Keliischen  Wortkunde  IV.     KuNO  Meyer. 

In  this  continuation  (No.  59  to  No.  76)  of  his  valuable  notes  contributed 
to  the  Royal  Prussian  Academy  of  Sciences,  Professor  Kuno  Meyer  deals 
with  0.  Ir.  agent-terms  in  -em ;  Ir.  accrlch ;  accal ;  Gaulish  Coivbilium 
(It.  corr-bile) ;  Ir.  cadla ;  Gael  long-phort  in  place-names  ;  Ir.  faenic, '  Phcenix '; 
Ir.  Benn-chor ;  Cym.  Ban-gor ;  O.  Ir.  Alpe,  Great  Britain  {Alba) ;  traces  of 
dialect  in  0.  Ir. ;  Ir.  -irne  in  personal  names ;  grammatical  terminology  in 
0.  Ir. ;  Ir.  credem,  gnaw;  Gaul.  Conginna,  a  woman's  name  (Ir.  Congenn) ; 
Gaul.  Viro-cantus  (Ir.  Fer-chete) ;  0.  Ir.  nched  {*ngo-$edon) ;  '  ghost-names ' 
(Unnamen)  of  persons  occurring  in  the  first  fasciculus  of  the  new  Irish 
Dictionary ;  0.  Ir.  retaire  (reader ;  A.  S.  rcedere). 

Longphort  is  a  compound  of  long,  ship,  and  port,  harbour,  place,  both  of 
which  Professor  Meyer  regards  as  loans  from  Latin.  Ptolemy's  river  Ao'yyos, 
Norse  Skipafjor^r  (ship-firth),  now  Loch  Long,  suggests  that  the  loan,  if  it 
is  a  loan,  was  taken  into  Celtic  at  a  very  early  period.  In  Ireland  longphort 
becomes  Longford  in  English.  In  Scotland  there  is,  as  Professor  Meyer 
states,  no  Longford.  There  is,  however,  Longformacus,  c.  1340  Langeford 
Makhous  (Johnston).  Zimmer  connects  the  Irish  Longfords  with  Viking 
influence,  and  Professor  Meyer  refers  to  Luncarty,  Perth,  the  scene  of 
a  defeat  of  the  Danes  in  990  A.D.  Though  longphort  does  not  take  the  form 
Longford  in  Scotland,  the  term  occurs  frequently  in  other  forms,  as  was 
pointed  out  in  Place-Names  of  Boss  and  Cromarty  and  elsewhere.  The  list 
of  them  from  Am  Faslaghart  (foslongphort),  in  Sutherland,  southwards 
would  be  fairly  long.  The  term,  however,  seems  to  occur  very  rarely,  if  at 
all,  in  the  Western  Isles,  and  on  the  mainland  it  is  usually  found  well  inland. 


260  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

For  the  meaning  attached  to  it  in  the  seventeenth  century,  see  Celtic  Review, 
ix.  159.  The  second  part  of  Benn-chor  is  equated  with  cor  (from  cuir,  place), 
seen  also  in  cleth-chor,  '  a  row  of  stakes  '  (of.  huachar).  Thus  Benn-chor  would 
mean  '  a  row  of  points  or  peaks,  hill-peaks  or  rock-peaks,  spikes,  battlements. 
It  is  common  in  Scottish  topography  (v.  Celtic  Review,  v.  339).  No.  75,  on 
'ghost-names,'  i.e.  names  that  are  no  names,  will  be  read  with  special 
interest. 

An  Trebraiche,  Leahhran  Sgoil  a  chiimFeum  na  Cloinne  le  Calum  Mac  Pharlain. 

Third  Edition.     Stirling  :  Eneas  Mackay.     40  pp.     3d. 
Dhin  Thaghte  a  chum  Feum  an  Sgoilean  na  Gaidhealtachd :  fo   Ughdarras  a' 

Chomuinn  Ghaidhealaich.     Stirling  :  Eneas  Mackay.     47  pp.     3d. 
An   Comhrthr^oraiche,    Leahhran  Sgoil  le   Calum  Mac   Pharlain.      Stirling : 

Eneas  Mackay.     64  pp.     6i. 
Companach  na  Cloinne,  Leahhran  Sgoil  le  Iain  Mac  Phaidein  fo  Laimh  Chaluim 

Mhic  Pharlain.         Stirling  :  Eneas  Mackay.     86  pp.     &d. 
Uilleam  Uallas,  Iain  Knoz  agus  Rob  Ruadh  le  Eachann  Mac  Gill-Eathain  fo 

Laimh  Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain.  Stirling:  Eneas  Mackay.  116  pp.  Is. 
"We  have  pleasure  in  drawing  attention  to  the  above  series  of  books 
intended  for  use  in  schools.  The  two  first  mentioned,  an  Trebraiche  and 
Dain  Thaghte  are  well  known,  and,  we  believe,  are  used  in  most  of  the  schools 
— regrettably  few  in  number — where  Gaelic  is  taught.  The  third  and  fourth 
on  the  list.  An  Comh-threbraiche  and  Companach  na  Cloinne  are  equally  deserv- 
ing of  recognition.  They  are  beautifully  printed,  though  not  always 
perfectly  machined,  and  misprints  are  few.  Still  better,  the  spelling  is  on 
sound  principles,  and,  so  far  as  we  have  noticed,  it  is  consistent  with  itself. 
The  editor  generally  observes  the  rule,  which  may  be  recommended  to  all 
who  write  Gaelic,  of  avoiding  unnecessary  contractions.  This  simple  rule, 
if  carried  out  in  its  fulness,  has  the  eflFect  at  once  of  greatly  reducing  the 
number  of  apostrophes  and  also  of  adding  to  the  clearness  and  intelligi- 
bility of  the  text.  Thus,  for  instance,  it  is  always  better,  in  prose,  to  write 
an  uair  than  'n  uair,  anns  a'  bheinn  than  's  'a  bheinn,  fhreagair  e  is  thuirt  e 
than  fhreagair  e  's  thuirt  e.  Equally  praiseworthy  is  the  avoidance  of  the 
provincialisms  and  dialectic  forms  which  disfigure  the  pages  of  too  many 
Gaelic  writers.  The  use  of  such,  except  of  course,  when  the  writer  aims  at 
reproducing  dialect  as  dialect,  is  usually  an  indication  rather  of  illiteracy 
than  of  independence.  The  aim  of  all  who  write  Gaelic  for  ordinary  literary 
purposes  should  be  to  adhere  in  all  respects  to  the  literary  standard, 
as  is  done  in  these  books. 

The  subject-matter  of  An  Trebraiche,  An  Comh-threbraiche,  and  Companach 
na  Cloinne  is  for  the  most  part  original.  The  books  do  not  err  on  the  side 
of  ease  in  respect  of  language,  nor  indeed  in  respect  of  thought.  It  is 
difficult  to  appraise  exactly  the  quality  of  a  school  book  without  having  actually 
used  it,  but  we  incline  to  think  that  both  An  Trebraiche  and  An  Comh- 
threbraiche  attempt  rather  too  much  in  vocabulary  to  be  quite  suitable  for 


BOOK  REVIEWS  261 

young  children,  and  that  their  matter  lacks  sustained  interest,  being  too 
discontinuous.  This  does  not  apply  to  the  Companach,  which  consists  mainly 
of  stories  of  fair  length.  It  would  be  found  suitable  as  part  of  the  reading 
for  the  first  or  second  year  of  the  Intermediate  course.  Some  of  the  pieces 
in  Dain  TJmgkte,  excellent  in  themselves,  are  of  distinctly  Higher  Grade 
standard,  both  in  thought  and  expression,  e.(j.  Evan  MacColl's  fine  poem  in 
praise  of  Loch  Duich  and  Angus  MacEchern's  on  Coire  Bhreacain. 

The  accounts  of  William  Wallace,  John  Knox,  and  Rob  Eoy  Macgregor 
are  by  that  master  of  Gaelic  style,  Lachlan  Maclean.  They  are  most  suitable 
for  reading  in  the  Intermediate  course,  or  in  supplementary  classes.  Their 
matter  is  excellent,  and  the  same  remark  applies  to  their  form,  with  one 
qualification.  Lachlan  Maclean,  who  was  a  native  of  Coll,  was  not  properly 
acquainted  with  the  Gaelic  forms  of  names  of  places  east  of  Drumalban, 
and  in  consequence  made  them  into  Gaelic  out  of  the  debased  forms  current 
in  English.  The  present  edition  contains  these  heart-breaking  errors  passim 
and  for  the  benefit  of  future  editions  we  give  a  list  of  them :  p.  8,  Dun-d^ 
should  be  Dun-dhagh  (Dun-de,  we  believe,  is  sometimes  heard) ;  p.  9,  Cill-ma- 
Earnaig  for  Kilmarnock  is  more  than  dubious  in  view  of  the  early  spelling, 
Kilmaronnok,  which  strongly  suggests  Cill-mo-Iibnaig ;  p.  14, '  coille  Methven ; 
should  be  Coille  Mheithinnigh ;  p.  22,  '  Forfhair,'  should  be  Farfar ;  p.  23 
*Mont-r6s'  should  be  Mon-ros.  On  the  same  page  we  have  'Abhainn 
Forchu'  for  the  Forth,  which  is  most  interesting  if  it  could  be  believed 
current  in  Maclean's  time;  p.  25,  'larla  an  Leamhanaich ' ;  read  'Leamh- 
naich;  the  mas.  gender  is  curious  here;  p.  41,  ' Bannockburn '  is  usually, 
rightly  or  wrongly,  in  Gaelic  Allt  nam  Bonnach;  p.  73,  *Dun-eabhais,' 
Duneaves,  should  be  Tigh  Neimhidh;  p.  74,  'Gleann  Airtnidh '  for  Glen 
Artney  is  not  heard  :  the  Gaelic  varies  between  Gleann  Artain  and  Gleann 
Artair;  '  Aird-mhoirlich,'  Ardvorlich,  is  called  in  the  district  Aird-mhurluig ; 
•  Baile-chuidir,'  Balquhidder,  should  be  either  Both-chuidir  or  Both-fuidir,  the 
latter  is  the  older  attested  form,,  and  is  still  in  use  in  Glendochart  and  west- 
wards; the  former  is  the  one  used  in  Balquhidder  and  district;  p.  78, 
'  Comhair,'  Comar,  should  be  Comair;  p.  80,  '  Loch-Ceatharn,'  Loch  Katrine, 
should  be  Loch  Ceiteirein.  On  p.  87,  'Abhainn  F^rn'  apparently  means  the 
R.  Earn,  of  which  the  present  day  Gaelic  is  Abhainn  Eir' ;  '  Crion-laraich,' 
Crianlarich,  should  be  Crithionnlaraich ;  p.  102,  'Uachdar-tire,'  should  be 
Uachdar-thlre ;  p.  114, 'Mac  Neill  Bharra,'  better  Barraigh.  Apart  from 
this,  print,  paper,  and  editing  leave  little  to  be  desired. 

Ara  Briathrachan  Beag — School  Gaelic  Dictionary.  By  MALCOLM  Macfar- 
LANE.  Stirling:  Eneas  Mackay.  192  pp.  2s.  Qd.  boards;  3s.  Gd. 
cloth. 

This  Dictionary,  which  is  stated  to  contain  5000  words,  is  meant 
primarily  as  a  companion  to  the  series  of  school-books  noticed  above,  but  it 
is  stated  also  to  contain  many  other  words  in  common  use.     It  is  thoroughly 


262  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

suitable  for  its  purpose,  being  accurate  and  well  printed  with  the  words 
explained  standing  in  bold  type.  It  is  unfortunate,  however,  that  the 
erroneous  forms  of  place-names  noted  above  should  be  here  repeated.  The 
last  sixty  pages  of  the  book  contain  a  variety  of  information.  A  capital  list 
of  the  best  forms  of  words  liable  to  be  erroneously  spelled  should  prove 
useful,  if  only  writers  would  take  the  trouble  to  consult  it.  To  this  list 
might  be  added  ionnsuigh  (not  ionnsuidh),  and  inbhir,  or  inbhear  (not  ionbhar, 
which  form  is  used  by  the  editor  himself  against  his  better  judgment). 
P.  142  gives  a  list  of  national  names,  in  which  'Sgott,  Sgottach,'  'Scot, 
Scottish,'  look  odd  and  unnecessary.  'Albannach  '  suffices  for  all  purposes. 
In  the  list  of  personal  names  '  Mac  C6druim  '  should  be,  so  far  as  we  have 
ever  heard,  Mac  Codrum;  Maclennan  should  be  Mac  Gill-Fhinnein,  not  'Mac 
Gill-Fhionnain ' ;  in  '  Mac  Liilaich '  the  «,  being  short,  should  bear  no 
accent  mark ;  '  Mac  an  Easgair '  (Fisher)  should  be  Mac  an  lasgair.  The 
notes  on  pp.  160,  161,  on  inflection  of  nouns  and  adjectives  should  be  most 
useful  to  those  who  desire  to  write  correctly.  The  supplement  contains 
also  a  large  number  of  Gaelic  expressions  for  English  technical  terms  con- 
nected with  literature,  counting,  or  numeration,  punctuation  marks,  marks 
of  reference,  etc.,  all  of  which,  if  people  choose  to  use  them,  seem  to  be 
quite  suitable  for  their  purpose.  The  book  finishes  with  instructions  for 
proof-reading,  and  an  example  of  proof-correcting.  There  are  very  few  who 
would  not  find  it  to  their  advantage  to  have  this  book  at  hand  when 
writing  Gaelic. 

Uirsgeulan  Gaidhealach,  an  dara  clo-bhualadh,  fo  laimh  Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain. 
Stirling :  Eneas  Mackay.     64  pp.     6d. 

Seanchaidh  na  Trhghad,  le  Iain  Mac  Cortnaic,  fo  laimh  Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain. 
Stirling:  Eneas  Mackay.     64  pp.     Qd.net paper;  Is.  net,  cloth. 

Seanchaidh  na  h-Airigh,  le  Iain  Mac  Coi-maic,  fo  laimh  Chaluim  Mhic  Pharlain. 
Stirling:  Eneas  Mackay.     61  pp.     Qd.  net  paper ;  \s.  net,  cloth. 

The  first  of  these  three  little  books  has  reached  a  well-deserved  second 
edition.  It  consists  of  tales  which  gained  prizes  at  the  M6d  competitions 
ol  An  Comunn  Gaidhealach,  and  it  is  an  excellent  specimen  of  the  success 
attained  by  the  efforts  of  the  Comunn  to  encourage  Gaelic  writing.  If  one 
may  single  out  one  of  the  stories  herein  contained  for  special  mention, 
where  all  are  good,  it  would  be  Pbsadh  an  Dealain  D6  (the  Butterfly's  Wed- 
ding), a  delightful  fairy  fantasy  by  Hector  MacFadyen,  which  so  charmed 
the  present  writer  that  he  translated  it  for  the  Celtic  Review.  The  editing  is 
done  with  Mr.  Macfarlane's  usual  care.  The  booklet  should  be  widely 
read,  and  should  be  used  in  schools  for  the  Intermediate  course  in  Gaelic. 

The  two  books  of  tales  written  by  Mr.  John  MacCormick,  and  edited  by 
Mr.  Macfarlane,  contain  much  racy  idiomatic  Gaelic.  The  subject-matter 
varies.  There  are  smuggling  and  poaching  stories,  a  tale  of  the  China  seas, 
a  pathetic  tale  of  a  tragedy  of  sea-fishing  on  the  West  Coast,  and  other 


BOOK  EEVIEWS  263 

tales,  all  of  which  are  exceedingly  well  told.  Mr.  MacCormick  has  made  his 
mark  as  a  writer  of  Gaelic  prose.  His  style  has  the  essential  qualities  of 
simplicity  and  naturalness.  It  might  occasionally  be  improved  by  pruning, 
for  he  tends  to  overdo  adjectives — an  old  weakness  of  Gaelic  prose — and  he 
might  with  advantage  leave  more  to  the  imagination.  'The  unelaborate 
magic  of  the  Celt '  consists  largely  in  this  very  thing — in  suggesting  more 
than  it  expresses,  in  preferring  understatement  to  overstatement.  The  late 
Mr.  Donald  Mackechnie  knew  this,  or  at  any  rate  acted  on  the  principle. 
His  Gaelic  prose — it  is  a  great  thing  to  say — reminded  one  of  Plato's  Greek. 
Mr.  MacCormick's  vein  differs  from  Mackechnie's  :  he  has  an  individuality  of 
his  own.  But  he  has  this  much  in  common  with  that  fine  writer  of  Gaelic 
prose,  that  he  can  make  common  things  interesting,  and  that  he  rings  true. 
It  is  an  infinite  pity  that  work  like  Mr.  MacCormick's  should  not  be  read 
widely  by  the  youth  of  the  Highlands.  The  difficulty,  alas,  is  that  our 
Gaelic-speaking  young  people  are  not  able  to  read  their  own  language,  and 
their  parents  are  too  apathetic  to  insist  on  teachers  for  them.  There  is  yet 
time,  not  much  time,  but  enough  to  remedy  this.  In  the  meantime  all 
honour  and  encouragement  are  due  to  those  who,  like  Mr.  MacCormick,  use 
the  Gaelic  language  as  a  medium  of  literary  expression.  They,  at  any 
rate,  are  doing  what  they  can. 

Mr.  Macfarlane  is  due  his  own  meed  of  praise  for  the  care  and  compe- 
tence with  which  these  books  and  the  others  above-mentioned  are  edited. 

Elementary  Coarse  of  Gaelic.  By  Duncan  Reid.  Re-arranged  and  enlarged 
by  Norman  Macleod,  Gaelic  Master,  Glasgow  High  School.  Glasgow : 
Archibald  Sinclair,  '  Celtic  Press.'     208  pp.     Is.  net. 

This  Elementary  Course  is  published  by  An  Comunn  Gaidhealach.  The 
first  edition,  by  the  late  Mr.  Duncan  Reid,  was  found  useful  by  many.  The 
new  edition  is  practically  re-written.  Mr.  Norman  Macleod  has  done  his 
work  with  the  precision  that  might  be  expected  from  a  scholar  whose  native 
language  is  Gaelic,  and  who  has  studied  Gaelic  systematically,  qualifications 
which  are,  both  of  them,  essential  for  the  man  who  would  instruct  students 
in  the  modern  language. 

In  addition,  Mr.  Macleod's  experience  as  a  teacher  of  Gaelic  is  reflected 
in  the  selection  and  arrangement  of  the  matter.  He  is  to  be  congratulated 
on  having  produced  a  book  that  cannot  fail  to  be  most  serviceable  for  begin- 
ners, whether  they  start  with  a  colloquial  knowledge  of  Gaelic  or  not.  The 
book  is  meant  to  be  worked  on  the  Direct  Method,  and  it  is  well  suited  for 
that  purpose.  The  essential  feature  of  the  Direct  Method  is  that  the  pupils 
shall  from  the  beginning  use  the  language  as  a  medium  of  expression  both 
in  speaking  and  writing.  It  is  therefore  based  on  phonetics  :  ear,  tongue, 
and  brain  must  work  in  harmony.  Mr.  Macleod  might  with  advantage 
have  laid  more  stress  on  the  importance  of  phonetics  at  the  outset.  From 
the  beginning  the  ear  should  be  trained  to  distinguish  between  broad  and 


264  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

slender  consonants,  between  single  and  double  consonants,  between  the 
letters  c  and  g,  t  and  d,  h  and  p.  Attention  should  be  drawn  to  the  peculiar 
long  sound  of  liquids  before  certain  consonants,  e.g.  seilhh,  m^anhh,  dearg. 
The  rg  group  should  be  contrasted  with  the  re  group,  e.g.  dearc,  dearg; 
mairc,  mairg.  Similar  attention  must  be  given  to  the  vowel  sounds.  Most 
of  the  above  points  may  be  introduced  in  the  first  year's  course.  The  whole 
theory  of  Gaelic  spelling  depends  on  such  points,  and  as  they  are  mastered, 
it  comes  to  be  seen  that  Gaelic  spelling  is  in  a  real  sense  phonetic,  consistent, 
and  adapted  to  represent  the  sounds  of  the  language.  Loose  talk  of  its 
'  weirdness '  is  mere  ignorance.  The  proper  use  of  the  Direct  Method 
demands  on  the  part  of  teacher  and  pupil  an  acquaintance,  exact  so  far 
as  it  goes,  with  Gaelic  phonetics.  This  implies  an  approximation,  as  close 
as  may  be,  to  a  literary  standard  of  pronunciation,  and  the  avoidance  of 
provincialisms  in  set  speech.  A  teacher  who  fails  to  keep  these  things 
constantly  in  view  misapprehends  the  basic  principle  of  the  method.  It  is 
sometimes  supposed  that  th'e  Direct  Method  avoids  or  dispenses  with 
grammar.  This  is  an  error  which  receives  no  countenance  from  Mr. 
Macleod's  book.  The  facts  of  grammar  have  to  be  learned  as  rigorously  on 
the  Direct  Method  as  on  any  other.  The  point  is  that  these  facts,  whether 
learned  by  set  paradigm  or  by  induction,  should  be  constantly  exemplified 
in  the  spoken  words  of  the  learners,  followed  up  by  written  composition. 
For  this  the  book  presents  abundant  openings  and  materials.  There  is  a 
Avidespread  delusion  that  the  Direct  Method  is  easy.  It  is,  on  the  contrary, 
diflBcult,  for  it  makes  heavy  demands  on  skill,  resource,  imagination,  and 
preparation  on  the  part  of  the  teacher,  and  on  intelligence  and  alertness  on 
the  part  of  pupils.  It  has,  however,  the  advantage  of  being  a  living 
method.  Some  experience  of  the  teaching  of  languages  has  shown  the 
above  remarks  to  be  necessary.  Mr.  Macleod  has  wisely  contented  himself 
with  a  limited  vocabulary.  The  essence  of  a  language  is  idiom,  not  words, 
and  the  best  results  in  the  early  stage  are  obtained  by  frequent  turning  over 
of  a  comparatively  small  vocabulary  until  the  learner  gets  the  '  feel '  of  the 
language  (Sprachgefiihl). 

There  are  one  or  two  statements  that  one  would  like  to  see  expressed 
differently.  On  p.  4  'monosyllables  ending  in  lb,  Ibh,  Ig  [etc.]  are  sounded 
as  two  syllables;  thnsfearg  (fearug),  dealbh  (dealuv),'  etc.  Apart  from  the 
apparent  contradiction  in  terms  involved  here,  it  is  the  fact  that  'fearug' 
is  not  a  good  phonetic  rendering  of  fearg,  for  what  is  heard  is  a  rolled  or 
long  r  plus  a  glide  on  to  the  g,  which  might  be  represented  by  fef^g.  On 
p.  76  with  regard  to  the  plural  of  sruth,  it  is  stated  that  sruthan  is  sometimes 
used  in  singular  to  mean  'a  streamlet,'  hence  a  more  distinct  plural  would 
be  sruthannan.  But  sruthan,  streams,  and  sruthan,  a  streamlet,  are  identical 
only  to  the  eye.  To  the  ear  no  ambiguity  is  possible,  for  the  a  of  the 
former  has  the  dull,  indeterminate  sound,  while  the  a  of  the  latter  is  open. 
The  difference  would  be  expressed  visually  in  Irish — sruthan,  streamlet. 


BOOK  EEVIEWS  265 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  excellent  book,  on  which  much  care  and 
thought  have  been  bestowed,  will  receive  the  welcome  it  deserves  and  be 
widely  used  wherever  Gaelic  is  taught.  W.  J.  Watson. 

Five  Irish  Homilies  from  the  Bennes  MS.  Text  and  Translation,  by  Rev. 
James  A.  Geary.  Reprinted  from  the  Catholic  University  Bulletin, 
vol.  xviii.,  nos.  2-5,  1912. 

This  is  a  further  publication  from  the  contents  of  the  manuscript  that 
contains  the  Irish  Mandeville.  The  Homilies  and  Confession  appear  to  date 
from  the  time  of  wTiting  of  the  manuscript,  about  the  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century. 

These  Homilies  are  not  very  remarkable  in  subject  or  style.  The 
editor  traces  in  prefaces  and  notes  most  of  the  models  and  authorities  used ; 
he  gives  also  notes  on  the  language  of  the  Homilies,  and  an  Index  Verborum 
Rariorum,  in  which,  however,  most  of  the  rarities  are  irregularities  of 
spelling. 

The  subjects  are  The  Resurrection,  Poverty,  The  Conditions  of  Confession, 
a  Model  of  Confession,  and  The  Eucharist. 

The  Homily  on  Poverty  is  composed  of  a  series  of  quotations  from 
early  writers  and  the  Scriptures.  The  model  confession  purports  to  be 
made  in  accordance  with  the  principles  laid  down  by  Thomas  Aquinas. 
It  follows  the  old  safe-margin  plan,  more  prudent  than  truthful,  of  con- 
fessing more  faults  than  have  been  committed.  A  quaint  note  added  later, 
that  '  Scarcely  a  man  in  Ireland  makes  his  confession  as  this  book  says,' 
was  believed  by  J.  H.  Todd  to  be  in  the  handwriting  of  Charles  O'Connor. 

A.  0.  A. 

Prince  Charlie's  Pilot :  a  Record  of  Loyalty  and  Devotion.  By  Evan  MacLeod 
Barron.  Inverness :  Robert  Carruthers  and  Sons.  With  map  and 
frontispiece.    Pp.  205.     5s. 

Some  of  our  historians  affect  a  dull,  heavy  style,  which  they  are  pleased 
to  call  'technical.'  The  result  is  a  compilation  with  all  the  merits  and 
defects  of  an  oflScial  Blue  Book,  which  may  satisfy  the  pedantic  reviewer 
but  must  fail  to  make  appeal  to  a  wide  circle  of  readers.  Mr.  Barron  is  not 
a  historian  of  this  order.  His  story  of  Prince  Charlie's  pilot  is  a  good 
story,  almost  as  entrancing  as  Kidnapped,  and  it  is  good  history.  It  is 
written  with  refreshing  enthusiasm  and  commendable  frankness.  The 
author  is  not  ashamed  of  his  Jacobite,  or  perhaps  we  should  say  his  Highland, 
sympathies.  He  has  not  written  as  a  Jacobite  so  much  as  a  Highlander,  who 
has  good  reason  to  be  proud,  as  all  true  Highlanders  are,  of  the  part  played 
by  the  folk  of  the  glen  and  the  isles  in  the  disastrous  but  not  inglorious 
'  'Forty-five.'  The  '  Rising '  brought  out  into  bold  relief,  in  those  '  unhappy 
far-off  times,'  the  finest  qualities  of  the  Highland  people  as  a  whole.  When 
success  attended  the  Jacobites  they  displayed  great  chivalry  and  humane- 


266  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

ness  :  there  are  no  gloomy  memories  of  their  march  to  Derby :  their  gallantry 
inspired  many  sweet  songs,  which  still  echo  amongst  us.  On  the  other 
hand  the  deeds  of  their  opponents  after  Culloden  are  recorded  on  what  Mr. 
Barron  calls  '  the  blackest  page  in  British  history.'  The  Highlands  were 
swept  by  fire  and  the  sword  ;  the  innocent  perished  with  the  guilty,  women 
and  children  even  were  not  spared,  and  prisoners  were  treated  with  a 
degree  of  callousness  and  cruelty  that  one  associates  rather  with  Turkey 
than  with  eighteenth  century  England.  The  atrocities  committed  by 
Cumberland  were  bad  enough,  but  those  of  the  Government  which  allowed 
the  prisoners  to  be  starved  and  tortured  to  death  in  the  filthy  hulks  lying 
in  the  Thames  were  undoubtedly  the  most  shocking  and  most  degrading 
in  the  history  of  British  warfare.  *God  forgive  them,'  said  old  Donald 
MacLeod,  'but,  God,  let  them  never  die  till  we  have  them  in  the  same 
condition  they  had  us,  and  we  are  sure  we  would  not  treat  them  as  they 
treated  us.  We  would  show  them  the  difference  between  a  good  and  a 
bad  cause.'  Donald  was  a  better  and  truer  man  than  any  of  his  persecutors. 
He  was  one  of  the  many  Highlanders,  including  Jacobites  and  anti-Jacobites, 
to  whom  thirty  shillings  was  a  large  sum  of  money,  but  who  scorned  to 
betraythe  hunted  Prince  Charlie  for  the  enormous  reward  of  £30,000. 
This  fact  alone  makes  one  proud  to  be  a  Highlander.  After  the  time  of 
persecution  ended  and  re-action  set  in,  it  made  most  Scotsmen  and  English- 
men proud  of  men  like  Donald  MacLeod  and  women  like  Flora  MacDonald 
also.     Heroism  must  triumph  in  the  end,  be  the  cause  good  or  bad. 

Like  the  late  Queen  Victoria,  we  are  all  Jacobites  nowadays.  Bonnie 
Prince  Charlie  is  one  of  our  national  heroes,  and  in  history  there  are  no 
nobler  figures  than  the  good  and  true  men  who  suffered  and  died  for  him. 
Among  these  Donald  MacLeod  takes  a  honoured  place.  We  have  not 
heard  much  of  him  from  the  Blue  Book  historians.  Yet,  but  for  him,  the 
story  of  Charlie  would  have  had  as  miserable  an  ending  as  that  of  poor 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots.  It  was  to  Donald  that  the  Prince  owed  his  escape 
to  the  Hebrides.  But  for  Donald  he  would  never  have  been  rescued  by 
Flora  MacDonald.  Mr.  Barron  is  to  be  commended  for  introducing  this 
heroic  figure  to  the  general  public.  His  book  draws  upon  contemporary 
evidence,  and  especially  the  long-neglected  manuscript  of  Bishop  Forbes, 
which  contains  an  interview  with  this  old  man  of  sixty-eight  who  was  the 
Prince's  friend  and  guardian  for  ten  weeks  after  Culloden.  Beside  Donald 
stands  his  son,  a  boy  of  fifteen,  who  fought  at  Culloden  and  pulled  an  oar  in 
the  Prince's  boat  in  tempest  and  darkness  and  before  the  swiftly  pursuing 
warship.  Here  is  a  story  at  once  thrilling  and  picturesque  and  inspiring, 
in  which  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  would  have  revelled.  It  has  been  told  by 
Mr.  Barron  once  and  for  all  with  fine  detail  and  from  sound  authorities. 
We  are  confident  that  his  readers  will  at  length  understand  why  so  many 
men  and  women  were  attracted  by  Prince  Charlie  who,  in  this  fine  volume, 
appears  in  a  new  light,  that  is,  to  modern  readers,  and  yet  in  the  light 


BOOK  REVIEWS  267 

which  inspired  the  unknown  poets  of  his  time  to  cover  his  name  with  a 
glory  which  no  crown  can  ensure.  To  old  and  young  Mr.  Barron's  book 
makes  an  equally  strong  appeal.  Donald  A.  Mackenzie. 

Egyptian  Myth  and  Legend.    By  Donald  A.  Mackenzie.    London : 
Gresham  Publishing  Company.     7s.  Qd.  nett. 

Professor  Frazer  in  the  Scapegoat  volume  of  the  '  Golden  Bough ' 
remarks  that  his  analysis  of  certain  festivals  '  seems  to  point  to  a  remark- 
able homogeneity  of  civilisation  throughout  Southern  Europe  and  Western 
Asia  in  prehistoric  times.  'How  far,'  he  adds,  'such  homogeneity  of 
civilisation  may  be  taken  as  evidence  of  homogeneity  of  race  is  a  question 
for  the  ethnologist.'  In  his  volume  on  ancient  Egyptian  mythology  and 
civilisation,  Mr.  Mackenzie  deals  with  this  aspect  of  an  engrossing  and 
popular  study.  He  shows  that  the  views  of  the  ethnologists  regarding 
early  races  agree  with  the  evidence  afforded  by  well-developed  folk  beliefs 
and  customs  in  areas  of  racial  control.  The  old  theories  about  the  complete 
extermination  of  aboriginal  peoples  in  these  islands  and  elsewhere  by 
energetic  and  conquering  intruders  have  now  been  abandoned.  Present 
day  cranial  evidence  demonstrates  to  a  remarkable  degree  the  fact  that 
even  Late  Stone  Age  man  is  still  represented  by  numerous  descendants 
thoughout  Europe  :  indeed,  the  tendency  towards  reversion  of  type  is  quite 
pronounced  in  some  districts.  Mr.  Mackenzie  has  accumulated  much  in- 
teresting data  to  show  that  the  pre-Dynastic  Egyptians  were  of  the  same 
racial  type  as  the  Pelasgians,  Cretans,  Italici  and  Iberians.  The  last  named 
were  the  Neolithic  people  of  these  islands,  the  aborigines  of  the  Late  Stone 
Age.  As  even  the  most  primitive  folk  in  our  own  day  have  an  intellectual 
life,  Mr.  Mackenzie  looks  for  traces  of  the  beliefs  and  conceptions  and 
practices  of  the  representatives  of  the  Mediterranean  Kace  in  Britain  as 
well  as  in  Egypt.  He  shows  that  the  racial  aspect  of  early  beliefs,  '  which 
was  connected  with  fixed  and  definite  ceremonies, 

is  illustrated  in  the  Egyptian  Stone-Set  myth.  The  black  pig  was  Set  (the  devil) 
ia  Egypt ;  pork  was  taboo,  and  the  swineherd  was  regarded  as  an  abomination,  and 
not  allowed  to  enter  temples.  The  Gauls  and  Achaeans,  on  the  other  hand,  honoured 
the  swineherd  and  ate  pork  freely,  while  in  the  Teutonic  Valhal  and  the  Celtic 
(Irish)  Paradise,  swine's  flesh  was  the  reward  of  heroes.  In  Scotland,  however,  the 
ancient  prejudice  against  pork  exists  in  localities  even  at  the  present  day,  and  the 
devil  is  the  '  black  pig.'  Professor  Sir  John  Rhys,  in  his  Celtic  Folklore,  records  that 
in  Wales  the  black  sow  of  All- Hallows  was  similarly  regarded  as  the  devil.  Even 
in  parts  of  Ireland  the  hatred  of  pork  still  prevails,  especially  among  certain  families.' 

'  This  evidence,'  Mr.  Mackenzie  adds,  '  considered  with  that  afforded  by 
the  study  of  skull  forms,  suggests  that  Mediterranean  racial  ideas  may  not 
yet  be  wholly  extinct  in  our  own  country.'  He  suggests  that  the  Gaulish 
treatment  of  the  boar  was  Asiatic,  and  shows  that  Brahma,  the  supreme 
Hindu  deity,  had  a  boar  form  as  '  lord  of  creatures '  at  Creation  when  he 


268  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

*  raised  the  earth  with  his  tusks  from  the  primordial  deep.'  Europe, 
according  to  the  ethnologists,  was  invaded  at  the  close  of  the  Stone  Age  by 
Asiatic  '  broad  heads,'  who  formed  a  human  wedge  between  the  representa- 
tives of  the  Mediterranean  peoples  in  Britain  and  those  of  Southern  Europe 
and  Egypt.  This  devil-pig  myth  is  one  of  the  several  folk-lore  links  which, 
the  author  considers,  connect  the  '  Iberians  with  the  intellectual  life  of  the 
early  Egyptians.'  Egypt  received  the  'Asiatic  folk-stream'  at  the  dawn 
of  history  and  during  the  early  Dynasties,  as  Professor  Elliot  Smith  has 
found,  and  Mr.  Mackenzie  has  compiled  several  interesting  folk-lore 
parallels  in  this  connection,  which  link  Siegfried  and  Thor  and  Indra  with 
certain  Egyptian  gods  and  heroes.  He  suggests  that  the  changes  in 
Egyptian  religion  were  not  uninfluenced  by  the  intruding  Asiatics,  who  in 
Europe  also  coloured  the  intellectual  life  of  the  Mediterranean  peoples  they 
subdued. 

Mr.  Mackenzie  gives  the  Egyptian  myths  and  legends  an  historical  setting, 
and  traces  the  rise  of  the  Nilotic  civilisation  from  pre-Dynastic  times  till  the 
Graeco-Eoman  Age.  He  deals  with  the  various  deities  chiefly  at  the  periods 
in  which  they  came  into  prominence  as  a  result  of  the  political  ascendency  of 
the  peoples  who  worshipped  them.  In  this  way  the  study  of  Egyptian 
religious  beliefs  and  folk-tales  is  greatly  simplified.  The  reader  is  also  kept 
in  touch  with  the  civilisation  of  Babylon,  Crete,  Asia  Minor  and  Palestine, 
and  two  chapters  deal  largely  with  Egypt's  relations  with  the  Hebrew 
kings  :  there  are  numerous  quotations  from  the  Bible.  The  folk- tales 
distributed  through  this  volume  make  interesting  reading;  they  are 
arranged  so  as  to  throw  light  on  Egyptian  manners  and  customs,  and  are 
compared  with  European  and  Asiatic  tales  of  similar  character.  A  feature 
jof  the  book  is  the  metrical  renderings  by  Mr.  Mackenzie  of  Egyptian  love- 
Bongs  and  philosophic  poems,  which  were  copied  on  papyri  and  laid  in 
tombs  so  that  the  dead  might  sing  them  in  Paradise.  A  representative 
lyric,  which  is  a  close  rendering  of  the  original,  is  sung  by  a  girl  who  snares 
birds  in  the  Delta  jungle. 

With  snare  in  hand  I  hide  me, 

I  wait  and  will  not  stir  ; 
The  beauteous  birds  of  Araby 

Are  perfumed  all  with  myrrh — 
Oh,  all  the  birds  of  Araby, 

That  down  to  Egypt  come, 
Have  wings  that  waft  the  fragrance 

Of  sweetly  smelling  gum. 

She  calls  on  her  lover  to  come  to  her,  and  sings, 

I  '11  take  thee  and  I  '11  keep  thee 
Within  the  snare  of  love. 

The  old  Pharaoh  Amenem  Set,  whose  '  Instruction  '  is  rendered  in  full, 
advises  his  heir  to 


BOOK  REVIEWS  269 

Live  apart 
In  stern  seclusion,  for  the  people  heed 
The  man  who  makes  them  tremble. 

In  the  '  Lay  of  the  Harper '  the  living  are  advised  to  *  eat,  drink  and 
be  merry,'  because  '  no  soul  comes  back  to  tell  us  how  he  fares,'  and  it  is 
best  to  'let  our  minds  forget  of  this  and  dwell  on  better  things,'  The 
Egyptian  poet  proceeds — 

Never  weary  grow 

In  eager  quest  of  what  your  heart  desires — 

Do  as  it  prompts  you  .  ,  .  until  that  sad  day 

Of  lamentation  comes,  when  hearts  at  rest 

Hear  not  the  cry  of  mourners  at  the  tomb, 

Which  has  no  meaning  to  the  silent  dead. 

Then  celebrate  this  festal  time,  nor  pause — 

For  no  man  takes  his  riches  to  the  grave  ; 

Yea,  none  returns  again  when  he  goes  hence. 

As  will  be  seen,  this  book  makes  appeal  from  a  literary  as  well  as  an 
historical  point  of  view.  It  unfolds  the  story  of  Egyptian  life  in  its  most 
human  aspects;  it  deals  with  love-making,  marriage  and  adventure,  as  well 
as  Pyramid  and  Temple  building,  with  temperance  lectures  as  well  as  mytho- 
logical theories,  and  it  is  written  by  one  who  is  an  enthusiastic  and  close 
student  of  early  civilisations  and  comparative  religion.  There  are  a  number 
of  beautiful  coloured  plates  reproduced  from  pictures  l)y  Professor  Greiffen- 
hagen,  which  illustrate  the  folk-tales,  while  Sir  L.  Alma-Tadema  and  others 
are  also  represented.  Numerous  photographs  of  Egyptian  deities,  monu- 
ments, royal  mummies,  etc.,  are  distributed  throughout  the  volume,  which 
is  handsomely  bound  and  beautifully  printed.  We  commend  this  book  to 
our  readers,  and  we  observe  that  it  is  being  followed  by  one  dealing  with 
Indian  myths  and  legends  from  the  same  pen.  D.  M'C. 


270       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR  AND  READER 

By  Julius  Pokorny,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.  (Vienna) 
{Continued  from  page  192) 

§  150.  -jo-  and  -jd-  stems. 

uile  '  all ' ;  masc.  fr.  *poljos ;  fern.  fr.  *poljd ;  neut.  fr.  *poljom. 

The  inflexion  is  the  same  as  in  the  noun.  (On  aile,  alaiU,  see 
§  171). 

Only  in  the  nom.  ace.  voc.  plur.  of  all  genders  the  ending 
is  -i  (taken  from  -i-stems;  the  neuter  has  this  ending  also  in 
substantival  use). 

But  in  the  ace.  plur.  masc.  when  the  adjective  is  used  substan- 
tivally,  the  ending  is  -(i)^i  as  in  the  noun. 

§  151.  -i-  stems. 

7)iaith  '  good ' ;  masc.  fr.  *mdt-is,  fern.  fr.  ^ifridt-l,  neut.  fr.  *m9t-i. 

a.  In  the  gen.  sg.  the  endings  are  those  of  the  -o-  and  -d-  stems; 
these  forms  are  also  used  substantivally. 

b.  In  the  gen.  pi.  there  appears,  beside  the  regular  forms  in 
-e  (maithe),  a  short  form  without  any  ending  (maith) ;  it  seems 
that  only  the  longer  forms  could  be  used  substantivally. 

c.  In  the  nom.  ace.  pi.  neut.  the  ending  -i  is  regular;  but 
when  the  adjective  is  used  substantivally  the  ending  -e  may 
occasionally  be  employed. 

§  152.  -u-  stems. 

duh  '  black ' ;  masc.  fr.  *dhuhh-us ;  fem.  fr.  *dhtLbh-u ;  neut,  fr. 
*dhubh-u. 

In  the  gen.  sg.  of  all  genders  and  the  dat.  sg.  fem.  the  endings 
are  those  of  the  -o-,  -d-  stems,  while  all  plural-forms  are  inflected 
like  -i-  stems. 

§  153.  Consonantal  stems. 

There  are  very  few  examples,  e.g.  U'hot'  (Hepents),  nom.  pi. 
Uit  {*tepent-es). 

§  154.  Comparison  of  adjectives. 
There  are  two  comparisons : 


ACCIDENCE 


271 


1.  The  comparison  of  equality  (old  suffix  *-tria),  which  is 
followed  by  the  ace.  of  the  noun). 

e.g.  dian  'hasty  ' :  denithir  '  as  hasty.' 
il '  much,'  mdr,  mdr  '  great '  and  lethan  '  broad  '  have  irregular 
comparatives  :  lir,  m^d'ir,  lethidir. 

2.  The  comparison  of  superiority,  which  has  three  degrees : 
the  positive,  the  comparative,  and  the  superlative. 

The  comparative  is  formed  by  an  old  suffix  *-jos 

e.g.  sen  '  old ' :  siniu  '  older '  (fr.  *8en-jos) 

ard  '  high  ' :  ardu  '  higher '  (fr.  *fdhv-jos ;  cf.  §  105). 
The  superlative  is  formed  by  an  old  suffix  *-is-mo- 

e.g.  sinem  (fr.  O.  C.  *sen-i8amo-,  I.E.  *sen-is-mo-),  ardam. 

Note. — Some  adjectives  form  their  comparative  and  superlative 
from  the  mere  root,  losing  the  suffix  of  the  positive,  e.g.  sir  'long' 
(fr.  *se-ro-),  comparative  sia  fr.  *se-is,  superlative  sidm.  Such  adjectives 
have  also  a  different  suffix  in  the  comparative.  In  some  instances  the 
comparative  and  superlative  are  formed  from  another  root. 

Examples  of  irregular  comparison : — 


Positive 

Comparative 

Superlative 

accus,  ociis  '  near ' 

nessa 

nessam 

becc            '  small ' 
il                '  much ' 

l(a)ugu 
lia 

lugam,  Haigem  (cf.  §  65,  3) 

lethan         *  broad ' 

letha 

1 

maith         '  good ' 
mdr  (mdr)  '  great ' 
ddc             '  young ' 
ok              ' bad ' 

ferr 

mdo,  md, 
6iX 
messa 

mda 

deck  (deg) 
mdam,  mdam 
6dm 
messam 

trdn            '  strong ' 

tressa 

tressam 

§  155.  Adverbs  from  adjectives. 

Every  adjective  may  become  an  adverb  by  putting  the  article 
before  the  dat.  sg.  n.  of  the  required  adjective,  e.g.  in  raaith 
'  well,'  in  hiucc  '  little.'  The  adjectives  and  participles  in  -de, 
-the  take  the  ending  -id,  -ith,  e.g.  ind  aicnetid  '  naturally '  (fr. 
aicnet(a)e).  In  later  O.  Ir.  adverbs  are  occasionally  formed 
with  the  help  of  the  preposition  co  '  to,'  e.g.  commaith  '  well.' 
Only  leir  '  diligent '  may  also  take  the  preposition  di  before  it. 


272       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

The  comparative  and  superlative  degrees  are  formed  by  putting 
the  dat.  sg,  of  the  article  before  the  comparative  or  superlative 
form  of  the  respective  adjective,  e.g.  int  serhu  '  more  bitterly.' 
(fr.  Serb) ;  in  messam  '  most  badly '  (fr.  olc). 


Numerals 

§  156.  Cardinals. 

den  '  one '  is  uninflected  and  enters  into  composition  with  a 
following  noun.    (On  den  '  same,'  see  |  169, 2.) 

da  (eld,  p.  29,  footnote),  '  two.'     (When  unaccompanied  by  a 
noun,  ddu,  do.) 

masc.  fem.  neut. 

N.  A.  da  di'  da" 

G.  da'  da'  da" 


D. 

dib",  deib'\ 

tri  {tri,  p.  29, 

footnote),  ' 

three.'    (When 

unaccompanied  by  a 

noun  tri.) 

masc. 

fem. 

neut. 

N. 

tri 

teoir,  teora 

tri' 

G. 

tri" 

teora" 

tri"" 

D. 

trih 

tSor(a)ib 

trib 

A. 

tri 

teora 

tri' 

cethir '  four.' 

masc. 

fem. 

neut. 

N. 

ceth(a)ir 

cetheoir,  cetheora 

ceth(a)ir 

G. 

? 

cetheora" 

? 

D. 

?     ' 

cetMor{a)ib 

? 

A. 

ce(i)thri 

cetheora 

ceth(a)ir' 

coic  '  five,'  se  '  six,'  secht"-  '  seven,'  ocht"  '  eight,'  noi"  '  nine,'  deicTv" 
'  ten,'  are  uninflected.  For  the  genitive  of  deich"  the  form  deec, 
(later  deac  fr.  *dvei-penk''dm)  is  used. 

The  numerals  2-10  when  unaccompanied  by  a  noun  or  the 
article  take  the  particle  a  before  them. 

The  numerals  ficJie  '  20,'  tricho  (tricha,  p.  15,  footnote)  '  30,' 
*cethorcho  '  40,'  *coico  '  50,'  *8esco  '  60,'  sechtmogo  '  70,'  *ochtmogo 


ACCIDENCE  273 

'  80,'  *n6cho  '  90/  cet '  100,'  mile  '  1000/  are  substantives  govern- 
ing a  following  noun  in  the  genitive,  mile  is  fern.,  c^t  is  neut., 
while  the  tens  are  masculine. 

The  other  numbers  above  ten  are  expressed  in  different  ways. 
e.g.  a  secht  fichet '  27/  s^  Jlr  trichat  '  36  men/  sesco  ar  chet 
*  160/  a  ddu  nochat  ar  dib  cdtaih  '  292.' 

§  157.  Ordinals. 

cetn{a)e '  1st '  (before  tens  oenmad),  tdn(a)ise  (aile) '  2nd/  trisa, 
tress  '  3d/  cethraTnad  '  4th/  coiced  '  5th/  se{i)ssed  '  6th/  sechtmad 
'  7th/  ochtmad  '  8th/  ndmad  '  9th/  dechmad  '  10th/  fichet-mad 
'  20th/  trichat-mad  '  30th/  etc.,  cetmad  '  100th.' 

In  expressing  other  ordinal  numbers  above  ten  the  unit  digit 
only  is  an  ordinal  number,  the  tens  being  added  in  the  genitive 
case,  the  hundreds  by  means  of  the  preposition  ar. 

e.g.  in  sechtmad  cethorchat '  the  47th/  ind  ochtmad  rann 
Jichet '  the  28th  part.' 

Pronouns  and  Adjectives  connected  therewith 

§  158.  Personal  pronouns. 
Sing.  1st  per.  ')ne  '  I,'      emphaticform  me{i)8se 

2nd  pers.iu 'thou,'        „  „  tussu 

3rd  pers.  {h)4 '  he,'        „  „  {h)e-som  (-sium),  {h)e-side 

si  '  she,'  „  „  sissi,  si-ede 

(h)ed' it'        „  „  (h)ed  on,  (h)e{d)-se 

Plur.  1st  pers.  sni  '  we,'         „  ,,  snisni,  snini,  sisni,  sinni 

2nd  pers.  si  '  you/         „  „  sissi,  sib 

3rd  pers. (i^y  they'        „  „  {h)e-sidi,  {hy-se 

§  159.  Infixed  personal  pronouns. 

I.  11.  III. 

Sg.  1st  pers.  m(my     tom\  tum\  tam(my,  dom\  dum\  dam{m,y 
doni,  dum,  dam(my 
2nd  pers.  f  tot\  tat\  f  dit\  daf 

3rdpers.masc.a", -"   t"  (ta")  (i)d'', {did"), d'\ -\ {da") 

fem.  s",  s    ta,  da  da 

neut.a ,-'    f  (i)d^,  {did^),  - 

VOL.  IX.  S 


274       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

Plur.  1st  pers.  n{n)     ton,  tan{n),  don         din,  don,  dun,  dan(n) 
2nd  pers,  h  (/)    tob,  tab,  dob,  dub        dib,  dob,  dub,  dab 
3rd  pers  s",  s       to,  da  da 

a.  After  tlie  negative  particle  na  (nad)  the  infixed  pronouns 
appear  in  the  following  forms :  sing.  1.  nachim-  (nacliarrC -), 
2.  nachit-  (nachat-),  3.  m.  nacli"-,  f.  nacha-,  n.  nach'-  (nachid'-, 
nadid'-);  plur.  1.  nachin-  (nachan-),  2.  nachib-  (nachab-),  3. 
nacha-. 

But  in  the  3rd  pers.  sg.  and  pi.  of  relative  verbal  forms  which 
are  capable  of  eclipsis  (§  28),  when  eclipsis  (which  is  not  obliga- 
tory) takes  place,  the  infixed  pronouns  which  follow  the  eclipsing 
n  appear  in  the  sg.  m.  as  d",  f.  as  da,  n.  as  d',  in  the  pi.  as  da. 

b.  Class  I.  is  used  after  prepositions  and  particles  ending 
originally  in  a  vowel  (ro-,  no-,  do-,  ar-,  imm-,  etc.)  which 
is  elided  before  a  and  a".  But  ni-\-a  gives  ni.  Old  dis- 
syllabic prepositions,  as  ar-,  imm-  {*pre,  *mbhi),  keep  their  final 
vowel  before  infixed  pronouns  beginning  with  a  consonant.  The 
quality  of  this  vowel  (which  appears  as  a,  e,  i,  or  ^^,)  depends  on 
that  of  the  surrounding  consonants,  but  is  often  changed  by 
analogy.     (Of.  §  81.) 

Class  II.  is  used  after  the  preverbal  prepositions  ad-,  aith-, 
com-,  ess-,  etar-,  for-,  frith-,  in-,  ad-,  ess-,  in-  become  with 
the  dental  of  the  pronoun  at-,  while  coin-  and  frith-  become  cot-, 
frit(t)-,  and  aith-  becomes  at(t)-. 

Class  III.  is  regularly  used  after  i"  '  in  which,'  after  prep.+rel,, 
after  the  conjunctions  ara";  dia",  con"",  co"  and  after  the 
interrogative  in-  (§  165). 

It  is  further  very  often  used  when  the  verb  is  relative  (that  is 
to  say,  when  the  subject  or  object  of  the  verb  is  emphatically 
brought  forward  with  the  copula — e.g.  is  Crist  pridches  '  it  is 
Christ  who  preaches' — or  in  the  cases  mentioned  in  §  28), 
though  in  the  first  and  second  persons  the  forms  of  Class  I.  and 
II,  prevail. 

c.  After  the  conjunctions  da  (ce,  ci),  ceni,  ma,  mani,  followed  by  an 


ACCIDENCE  275 

indicative,  (i)d^  is  regularly  infixed  unless  there  be  an  infixed  pronoun. 
Simple  verbs  take  no-  before  them  which  serves  to  infix  the  d'.  The 
infixed  pronoun  of  the  3rd  sg.  masc.  and  neut.  appears  after  the 
mentioned  particles  as  {i)d. 

d.  The  infixed  pronouns  are  regularly  inserted  immediately 
before  the  stressed  syllable  (§  53).  When  simple  verbs  are  not 
preceded  by  (unstressed)  no-,  ro-,  or  one  of  the  particles  men- 
tioned in  §  53,  2  b-e,  the  particle  no-  is  prefixed  in  order 
to  infix  a  personal  pronoun.  See  further  §  29.  But  the 
infixed  pronouns  follow  the  forms  of  the  copula ;  in  this  case 
Class  III.  is  used  for  the  third  person. 

Examples : — 

ad  a.  con-nachn-ing6uin  '  so  that  he  knew  him  not,'  ar-nacha-iisa 
*  lest  they  should  come  to  them,'  na-n-da-tiberad '  that  he  would  not  give 
it '  (le.  the  flesh ;  /Ml  is  fem.  in  0.  Ir.).     Cf.  §  28  g. 

ad  b,  I.  ni-m-charai-sa  'they  do  not  love  me,'  ni-cheil  'he  does  not 
hide  it '  (but  ni-ceil  '  he  does  not  hide '),  r-a-lUic  '  he  left  him '  (cf.  §  34 
note),  aro-h-roinasc,  'I  have  betrothed  you,'  immu-s-duinetar  (with 
eclipsed  c,  i  e,  (7)  '  they  hear  one  another.' 

II.  atam-grennat  (fr.  ad-greinn  or  in-greinn),  '  they  pursue  me,'  cotn- 
erha,  'he  entrusts  himself ,'  for-dob-moinetar,  'they  envy  you.' 

III.  in-dii-moide  'in  which  thou  shouldst  boast,'  amail  imm-i-n-d-rditset 
(see  §  29)  '  as  they  were  thinking  of  him,'  con'{d)id-molathar  '  so  that 
he  praises  Aim,'  in  fer  do-da-aidlea  (fr.  -ad-ella)  'the  man  who  visits  her,' 
in  gnim  ar-id-gair  'the  deed  which  he  forbids.' 

ad  c.  mani-d-chreiid  'if  you  do  not  believe,'  ce  no-d-chara  'though he 
loves,'  ci  as-id-beir  '  though  he  says  it' 

ad  d.  amal  for-n-da-cbn-gair,  'as  he  orders  them,'  ni-ru-m-chhrn-ar- 
Uicis  '  thou  hast  not  permitted  me,'  d-a-gnhi-sa  '  I  do  it,'  issa-t-icen  '  it 
is  necessary  for  thee'  {issa-t  in  proclitic  position  fr.  *esti-\-tu ;  cf.  §  81), 
iss-idn-aithrech  'it  is  repentant  for  him,  i.e.  he  repents.' 

§  160.  Suffixed  personal  pronouns. 
I.  After  verbs. 

Sg.  1.  -um,  2.  -ut  (-at),  3.  masc.  neut.  -i  (after  the  1  and  2  pi. 
-it),  fem.  -us. 

PI.  1.  -unn,  3.  -us. 


276       A  CONCISE  OLD  lEISH  GRAMMAR 


e.g.  beirthi  '  he  carries  him '  (fr.  older  *beretM=  I.E.  *bhereti+ 
im),  guidmit  '  we  pray  for  it,'  beirthius  '  he  carries  them '  (fr. 
older  *berethisu  =  I.E.  *bhereti  +  sons). 

These  suffixed  pronouns  are  used  only  after  the  simple  verbal 
forms. 

II.  After  prepositions. 

Most  of  the  simple  prepositions  combine  with  the  disjunctive 
forms  of  the  personal  pronouns.  The  primitive  order  of  things 
has  been  much  disturbed  by  the  working  of  analogy.  All 
the  combinations  may  take  an  emphatic  suffix. 

A.  Prepositions  governing  the  dative : — 


a  '  out  of ' 

di  'from' 

do  '  to ' 

flad  '  in  pre- 
sence of 

Sg.  1. 

dim 

dom,  dam 

fiadam 

2. 

essiut 

dit 

duit,  dait,  d(e)it 

3.  m.  n. 

ast 

de 

ddu,  d6  (dossom) 

f. 

e(i)ssi,  e(i)88e 

di  {dissi) 

di  {dissi) 

PI.  1. 

din(n) 

diln(n) 

2. 

dib 

diiib 

fiadib 

3. 

e{i)s8ib 

diib,  dib 

do(a)ib,  duaib,  d6ib 

fiad(a)ib 

iar  '  after  '        \       is  '  below  ' 

1 

oc  '  at ' 

re"  '  before ' 

Sg.  1. 

3.  m.  n. 
f. 
PI.  1. 
2. 
3. 

iarmut 
iarum 

is(8)um 

*ocum 
*ocut 

oc(c)o,  oc{c)a 

occ(a)i,  occae 

ocunn 
*ocaib 

occaib 

*remum,  rium 
remut,  *riut 
riam 
remi 
*remunn,  riunn 

remib 

i(«  (6)  '  from ' 

■ixxs  (ds)  'above 

Sg.  1. 

2. 

3.  m.  □. 
f. 
PI.  1. 

2. 

3. 

(h)iiaim{m) 

(h)iiait 

{h)iiad,  (h)iiaid 

{hi'&adi,  {h)iiade 

{h)iiain{n),  h'dan(n)  (dn-ni) 

lh)ilaib 

ih)tia{i)dib  (ddib) 

tiaaum 

{*iia80,  *«icwa.') 

68ib(Wh.) 

ACCIDENCE 

B.  Prepositions  governing  the  accusative  : — 


277 


amal  'like' 

cen  '  without ' 

CO  'to' 

eter  'between' 

Sg.  1. 

samlum 

ciiccum 

etrum,  etrom 

2. 

*8amlut 

cenut 

cuc(c)ut 

3.  m.  n. 

saml(a)id 

cen{a)e 

cuc(c]i 

etir,  itir 

f. 

cucae,  cutcce 

PL  1. 

cucunn 

etrun{n),  etron(n) 

2. 

cenuib 

cuc{c)7iib 

etruib 

3. 

aamlaih 

cenaib 

cuccu 

etarru,  etarro 

fri  '  towards ' 

imvi  '  about ' 

la  '  with  ' 

Sg.  1. 

frim(m),frium{m) 

immum 

lem{m),  lim(m),lium{m) 

2. 

frit(t),friut(t) 

immut 

lat{t) 

3.  m.  n. 

friss 

imbi 

leiss,  less,  laiss 

f. 

frie 

wipe 

lee  (laee,  Id) 

PI.  1. 

frinn 

tmmunn 

linn 

2. 

frib 

immib 

lib 

3. 

friu 

impu,  impo 

Uu,  Uo 

seek  '  past ' 

tar  (dar)  '  over ' 

tri  (tre)  '  through 

Sg.  1. 

*seckui7i 

*torum 

trium 

2. 

*sechut 

torut 

triut 

3.  m.  n. 

sechix 

tarais 

triit,  trtt 

f. 

*secce 

*tair8e 

tree 

PL  1. 

*torunn 

triun{n) 

2. 

triib 

3. 

seccu 

tairsiu 

tr4u,  tr6o 

C.  Prepositions  governing  the  dative  and  accusative  : — 


ar  (*pre)  '  for  ' 

ar  (*perd)  '  for' 

fo  '  under ' 

for  '  on ' 

Sgr.l. 

airium 

erum 

form,  forum 

2. 

3.  dat.  m.  n. 
dat.  f. 

1 
1 

emit 
1 

1 

f6uj6 

fort 
fuiri 

3.  ace.  m.  n. 

atrt 

foi 

fair,  foir 

ace.  f. 

*f0(B 

forrae 

PL  1. 

erunn,  eronn 

fomn,  fm-un{n) 

2. 

3.  dat. 

airib,  airiu(i)b 

1 

eruib 

1 

foih 

fuirih,  fo{i)rib 
for(a)ib 

3.  ace. 

airriu 

emi,  emu 

forru 

*  The  accusative  forms  of  ar  are  also  used  for  the  dative. 


278       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAK 

i"  'in.' 

Sg.  1.  indmm(m),  2.  *indiut,  3.  dat.  m.  n.  and  f.  indi,  3.  ace.  m.  ii. 
ind,  f.  inte. 

PI.  1.  indiunn,  2.  indib,  3.  dat.  indib,  3.  ace.  intiu. 

§  161.  Possessive  pronouns. 

Sg.  1.  mui  '  mine,'  2.  *^ui  (?) '  thine,'  3.  ai  (de)  '  his,'  '  hers.' 
PL  1.  athar,  dr  (cf.  §  79)  '  ours,'    2.  sethar,  sdr  'yours,'    3.  ai 
{de)  '  theirs.' 

§  162.  Possessive  adjectives  (  =  unstressed  forms  of  the 
pronouns). 

Sg.  1.  vnd  (mu'), '  my,'  2.  do'  (du), '  thy,'  3.  m.  n.  a\  '  his,  its,' 
3.  f.  a, '  her.' 

PI.  1.  ar",  '  our,'  2.  for^,  far"",  '  your,'  3.  a^  '  their.' 

The  vowels  of  mo  and  do  are  elided  whenever  they  follow  for  or  a  pre- 
position ending  originally  in  a  vowel  (after  tar,  dar,  the  usage  varies), 
or  when  they  are  followed  by  a  word  beginning  with  a  vowel  (or — 
from  the  ninth  century  onwards — •/ ).  But  in  the  latter  case  the  vowel 
may  be  preserved  as  well.  When  the  vowel  is  elided,  d  becomes  t, 
which  is  liable  to  aspiration ;  wi'  is  never  aspirated.  After  preposi- 
tions ending  in  -r,  or  in  a  vowel,  far"  may  appear  as  &ar"  (^^var"). 

e.g.  form  chiunn  '  upon  my  head,'  t'airde  or  do  airde  '  thy  token,' 
ar  bar  n-imniud  '  on  account  of  your  trouble.' 

§  163.  Interrogative  pronouns. 

Sg.  m.  f.  cia  '  who  ? '  n.  cid  '  what  ? '  gen.  coich  '  whose.' 
PI.  cit  n-e  '  who  are  they  ? ' '  what  are  they  ? '  (cit  =  cia  -f  3  pi. 
of  the  copula  ;  cf.  §  31). 

The  interrogative  pronoun  always  comes  first  in  a  sentence,  while 
the  following  verb  must  be  relative  (§  158  b). 

I  164.  Interrogative  adjectives. 

Sg.  m.  cia  (ee,  ci),  f.  ce-si  ci-si'  '  which  ? '  n.  ced'  {cid') 
'  what  ? ' 

PI.  cit  7i-e  '  what  are  .  .  .  ? ' 

In  some  instances  cesi,  ced  are  replaced  by  cia,  e.g.  c{ia)  indas, 
'  how  ? '  {indas  '  state,  kind '  is  n.). 


ACCIDENCE  279 

cote,  cate  '  what  is  ? '  coteet,  cateet,  cateat '  what  are  ? ' 
secM  '  whosoever,' '  whatsoever,'  pi.  sechit{at)n-e.     (  =  sechi+ 
3  pi.  of  the  copula;  cf.  §  31). 

On  the  interrogative  adjectives  before  the  copula,  see  §  193. 

§  165.  Interrogative  particles. 

m"  (before  h:im),  'whether,'  -in" — m'^  ■in" — ha(  =  va),  fa 
'  whether — or.' 

cani  (before  proclitic  ro- :  cain)  is  used  where  an  aflSrmative 
answer  is  expected. 

§  166.  Relative  pronouns. 

In  0.  Ir.  there  is  only  one  proper  relative  particle  -C6"  or  -sa'' 
which  is  used  after  prepositions 

e.g.  lassa"  '  with  whom,  with  which,'  fora"  (or  foraa"")  '  on 
whom,  on  which.' 
The  prepositions  do  and  di  with  the  relative  become  dia"*,  fo 
becomes  foa",  fua"  or  /o",  while  i"  is  used  for  the  simple  preposi- 
tion as  well  as  for  prep.  +  rel. 

a"  '  what,'  ol-suide  m.  f.  '  which,'  ol-sodain  n.  '  what '  serve 
only  as  the  subject  or  the  object  of  the  verb. 

On  relative  inti  (ani,  etc.),  nech,  ni,  nani,  each,  see  §§  168, 170. 
On  relative  construction,  see  §§  159  b,  28,  26,  17. 

§  167.  Emphatic  particles. 

The  emphatic  particles  may  be  used  with  the  possessive  adjec- 
tives, the  personal  pronouns  and  verbal  forms.  They  are  not 
attached  immediately  to  the  possessive  adjectives  or  to  the 
forms  of  the  copula,  but  come  next  to  the  following  fully-stressed 
word.  Mofit  of  them  have  broad  and  slender  forms  according 
to  the  quality  of  the  final  sound  of  the  words  to  which  they  are 
attached, 

broad  slender 

Sg.  1.  -sa  -se  (sea) 


-Slum 


2. 

-su,'^  -so  ^ 

-siu 

3.  m. 

-som  ^  (-suTYi  ^  -sam  ^) 

-sem. 

f. 

-si 

-si 

280       A  CONCISE  OLD  IBISH  GEAMMAR 


n. 

-8om  ^  {stum  ^  -sam  ^) 
s6n,  on 

-sem, 

-sium 

PL  1. 

-ni,  -nai 

-ni 

2. 

-si 

-si 

3. 

-som^     , 

-sem, 

-sium 

^  These  broaxl  spellings  are  also  used  after  slender  final  sounds ;  in 
the  third  persons  the  broad  spellings  prevail  even  after  slender  sounds. 

Examples:  am  rise  '1  am  a  king,'  as-blr-so  (or  -su,  -siu) 
'  thou  sayst/  a  flaith-som  (or  -sem,  -sium)  '  his  sovereignty,'  do- 
ssom  '  to  him '  (§  160  II.  a). 

In  the  3  sg.  n.  with  forms  of  the  copula  only  son,  on  can  be 
used. 

sdn,  6n  may  also  be  used  in  explanations  in  the  sense  of  *  that  is  to  say.' 
e.g.  intan  imme-romastar  sdn  nach  nuib  'that  is,  when  any  saint 
sins.' 

See  further  §  168,  5. 

§  168.  Demonstrative  Pronouns  and  Adjectives. 

1.  The  article,  when  combined  with  a  following  affixed  -{h)i 
e.g.  m.  int-i  (f.  ind-i,  n.  aii-i,  g.  sg.  m.  n.  ind-i,  f.  inna-hi, 

etc.)  has  the  meaning  '  he,  the  aforementioned,'  before 
a  relative  verb  '  he  who.' 
e.g.  inti  Dia  *  God,'  ani  as  maith  '  that  which  is  good.' 

2.  The  pronouns  so,  sa  (after  words  ending  in  a  palatal  sound 
mostly  se,  seo,  sea)  'this,'  sin  'that,'  tall,  ucut  'yonder,  there' 
are  used  after  a  noun  preceded  by  the  article 

e.g.  in  fer  sin  '  that  man,'  ind  eich  se  {seo,  sea)  '  of  this 
horse.' 

Note. — i-siu  (not  i-se,  i-seo),  i-sin,  i-thall  serve  as  the  emphatic  forms 
of  the  aforementioned  pronouns.     They  may  also  be  used  substan- 
tivally  without  an  accompanying  noun,  preceded  only  by  the  article, 
e.g.  in  fer  i-siu  'this  man,'  inti  thall   'that  yonder,'  innahi-siu 
do-mmeil  *  those  things  which  he  eats.' 

3.  inso  (inse),  so  (se)  '  this,'  insin,  sin  '  that '  are  used  as 


ACCIDENCE  281 

subject  or  object  of  a  verb,  after  prep.  +  sufF.  pron.,  and  after  the 
comparative  of  equality.     When  forming  predicate  nouns  they 
must  be  preceded  by  a  personal  pronoun  of  the  third  person, 
e.g.  do-gni  {in)sin  '  he  does  that,'  airi  (in)sin  '  on  account 

of  that,'  is  lerithir  {in)so  '  it  is  so  diligently,'  is  si  rn^it 

(in)sin  '  that  is  the  extent.' 

4.  In  prepositional  phrases  se  '  this '  is  used  as  accusative 
neuter,  siu  (or  sund)  as  dative,  while  sin  '  that '  is  used  for  both 
cases. 

e.g.  co-sse  '  up  to  this,'  de-Hu  or  di-sund  '  from  this,'  iar-sin 
'  afterwards.' 

Note. — siu,  sund,  sin  may  also  be  used  adverbially,  meaning  'here.' 
sin  may  be  used  after  the  comparative 
e.g.  mdo  sin  'greater  than  this.' 

5.  The  dat.  and  ace.  of  suide  '  he,  she,  this '  are  fully  stressed 
and  regularly  inflected,  though  the  dat.  pi.  may  be  sometimes 
used  for  the  accusative.  For  the  accus.  sg.  neut.  the  form 
8od{a)in  is  used.  The  dat.  and  ace.  are  used  with  prepositions 
and  after  the  comparative, 

e.g.  la  8od{a)in  '  therewith,'  do  suidiu  '  to  him,'  moo  suidiu 
'  greater  than  this.' 
The  nom.  and  gen.  are  enclitic  and  may  serve  as  emphatic 
particles. 

(a.)  nom.  sg.  m.  side  (sede),  f.  side,  ede,  ade  (ide),  de  n.  side  ; 
pi.  sidi,  side,  adi,  di,  ade  (ide),  de. 

These  forms  are  used  as  the  subject  of  a  verb  or  they  are 
attached  to  the  third  persons  of  the  personal  pronoun ;  they 
may  be  further  attached  to  a  verb,  going  with  an  infixed 
pronoun. 

e.g.  do-heir  side  '  he  gives ' ;  nirbu  litir  ade  '  it  was  not  a 
letter ' ;  is  d-side  as-heir  *  he  says '  (i.e.  it  is  he  who 
says) ;  ni-sn-dirmim  sidi  '  I  reckon  them  not.' 
(b.)  gen.  sg.  m.  n.  sidi,  adi  (idi),  di,  (ade,  de)  f.  ade  (ide),  de 
pi.  m.  f.  n.  ade  (ide),  de  (adi,  di). 

These  forms  are  attached  to  a  noun  preceded  by  a  possessive 


282       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

pronoun  e.g.  a  iress  sidi  *  his  faith ' ;  a  dilde  ade  '  her  beauty,' 
a  thorh{d)e  de  '  his  profit.' 

§  169.  Definitive  pronouns  and  adjectives. 

1.  '  Self  is  expressed  by  diiferent  forms  in  different  persons. 
Sg.  1.  f4in,fad6in,  cHn,  caddin; 

2.  fMn,  fadiin ; 

3.  m.n. /e(i)ssi7i,  fd{i)sin,  fdin,  fesine,  fade{is)sw,  fad6ne,    cesin, 

cadesin ; 
f .  fe{i)sine,  fiisne,  feissin,  Jissin,  fadisin. 
PL  1.  fesine,  fanisin,  canisin; 

2.  fiisne,  fi(i)sin,  fadiisne,  fadisin ; 

3.  fisine,  fiisne,  fe{is)sin,  fade{i)sine,  fad4{i)sne,  fadesin,  fedesin, 

cadesne,  cadisin. 
The  quantity  of  the  internal  e  seems  uncertain,  except  in  the  1.  and 
2.  pers.  sg. 

2.  'The  same'  is  expressed  by  the  undeclinable  innonn, 
innunn  {sinnonn,  sinnunn)  or  by  the  declinable  din  (den) 
which  precede  the  respective  nouns  or  by  cetn{a)e  (§  156)  which 
follows  its  noun. 

The  substantive  '  the  same '  is  expressed  by  the  neuter  case 
of  din  (oen)  preceded  by  (s)innonn,  {s)innunn. 

§  170.  Indefinite  pronouns. 

1.  necli  'any  one,  anything,'  nom.  ace.  n.  ni  or  na-ni,  gen. 
neich,  dat.  neuch,  neoch.  For  the  plural  the  forms  of  alaile 
(araile)  ^  are  used,  nech  is  often  used  before  a  relative  verb  e.g. 
do  neuch  as  maith  '  concerning  whatever  is  good.' 

2.  nechtar  de  or  nechtar  n-ai  '  either  of  them '  (uninflected). 

3.  each  (nom.  dat.  ace.) '  every  one,'  gen.  cdich ;  n.  each  (cech)  ni. 
When  used  before  a  relative  verb  it  takes  the  article  before  it. 

4.  cechtar  de  or  cechtar  n-di  'each  of  them'  (later  also 
cechtardae  diih). 

5.  alaile  {araile)  ^  m.  f. '  another,'  n.  alaill  (araill)}  ace.  pi.  m. 
alailiu  (arailiu),^  gen.  sg.  f.  ala-aile,  gen.  pi.  ala  n-aile,  nom. 
pi.  ala-aili  or  alaili. 

Note. — Instead  of  alaile :  aile  (n.  aill)  may  be  used  preceded  by  the 
article  or  by  nach  (n.  na)  'any.' 

'  The  r  arose  by  disBimilation,  due  to  the  foUowbig  I. 


ACCIDENCE  283 

6.  indala  n-ai  '  one  of  the  two '  (uninflected). 

7.  '  a  chele '  '  the  other,'  is  likewise  uninflected. 

§  171.  Indefinite  adjectives. 

1.  nacfi  'any/  nom.  ace.  n.  na;  dat.  gen.  sg,  ra.  and  n.  nach; 
gen.  sg.  f.,  pi.  nom.  ace.  f.  n.  and  ace.  m.  nucha ;  pi.  dat.  nach. 

2.  each,  cech  'every';  dat.  m.  n.  cech,  each;  gen.  m.  n.  cech, 
each  (caich);  gen.  f.  cecha,  caclia  {cache);  plur.  in  all  persons 
cacha,  cecha  or  each,  cech. 

each  {cech)  Sen  '  every  one ' ;  each  n-de,  each  de,  each  {h)de, 
each  he  (or  cech  n-de  and) '  each  of  them/  later  also  each  de  diib. 

3.  aile  '  another/  n.  aill,  follows  its  noun. 

alaile,  n.  aXaill  {araile,  araill)  ^ '  a  certain '  stands  before  its 
noun.     (Very  seldom  it  has  the  meaning  '  another). 

indala — aile,  alaile  'the  one — the  other,  plural  alaili — 
alaili ;  with  distributive  meaning,  each-la  . . .  aile  '  the  one — the 
other.' 

e.g.  indala  fer — in  fer  aile,  or  indala  fer — alaile  '  the  one 
man — the  other ' ;  eaeh-la  cein — in  cein  n-aili  '  at  one 
time — at  another  time.' 

§  172.  Adverbs  of  place. 


Rest 

Motion  towards  the 
speaker 

Motion  from  the  speaker 

east,  in  front 

t-air 

8-air 

an-air 

west,  behind 

t-iar 

s-iar 

an-lar 

north,  left 

iuaid 

fa-thtiailh 
{sa-thilaid) 

an-hiaid 

south,  right 

dess  {less) 

fa-des8  (sa-dess) 

an-des8 

here 

sund 

i-lle(i) 

de-alu 

over  there,  yonder 

t-all 

mn-onn,  iim-unn 

an-all 

above 

t-icas 

s-i'ias 

an-iias 

below 

t-is 

s-is 

an-is 

outside 

di-an-echtau' 

s-echtar,  s-echtair 

an-echiar,  {di-)an- 
echfair 

Examples :  it  hi  sin  inna  ranna  as-ruhart  Mas  '  those  are  the  parts 
which  he  has  mentioned  above ' ;  Uii  stlas  *  he  goes  upwards ' ;  doW 
an'ua.s  'he  comes  from  above.' 

In  prepositional  use  :  fri  Emuin  andess  '  south  of  Emain//r/M  antijuid 
'to  the  north  of  them//n  tech  am'ias  'above  the  house.' 


284       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GKAMMAR 

THE  VERB 
§  173.  General  Remarks. 

1.  According  to  the  formation  of  the  stem,  we  can  distinguish 
between  weak  verbs  (formed  mostly  from  nouns  or  adjectives) 
and  strong  (or  radical)  verbs. 

The  former  show  after  their  root  a  vocalic  suffix  -a-  or  -%-  of 
various  origin  (-a-  and  -I-  verbs).  This  suffix  can  clearly  be 
seen  in  the  compositional  form  of  the  3.  sg.  pres.,  e.g.  ni-marba 
*  he  does  not  kill '  (fr.  O.  C.  *-marv-d-t),  or  ad-rimi  '  he  reckons ' 
(fr.  O.  C.  *-rim-l-t),  ad-suidi  '  he  keeps '  (fr.  O.  C.  *-sod-l-t), 
while  the  compositional  3.  sg.  pres.  of  radical  verbs  has  lost 
its  ending  in  O.  Ir.  e.g.  ni-ben{d)id  '  you  do  not  strike '  (fr. 
I.E.  *-hhi-nd-te),  as-beir  'he  says'  (fr.  I.E.  *-bher-e-t). 

On  the  hiatus-verbs,  whose  root  ended  in  a  vowel  in  0.  Ir., 
see  §  181. 

2.  Every  verb  has  short  (compositional)  and  long  (non- 
compositional)  endings.  ^ 

The  short  endings  are  found  in  compositional  verbal  forms,  i.e. 

(a)  in  compound  verbs,  whether  they  are  stressed  on  their  first 
element  (genuine  compounds)  or  not  (non-genuine  compounds) 
cf.  §  53. 

(b)  in  simple  verbs,  when  these  are  preceded  by  a  preverb, 
i.e.  the  verbal  particles  ro-,  no-,  or  any  of  the  particles  and 
conjunctions  (mentioned  in  §  53,  2  and  §  211)  with  which 
they  enter  into  so-called  non-genuine  composition. 

Special  relative  endings  are  only  found  in  the  non-composi- 
tional active  3.  sg.,  1.  and  2.  pi.  of  indicative  and  subjunctive 
present,  future  and  preterite  of  single  verbs,  while  in  the  third 
persons  of  non- compositional  passive  and  deponent  forms  of 
single  verbs,  as  well  as  in  the  1.  pi.  of  deponent  verbs,  the 
relative  endings  are  identical  with  the  endings  of  the  corre- 
sponding compositional  forms. 

In  the  non-compositional  passive  preterite  of  simple  verbs, 
only  the  non-compositional  forms  are  also  used  in  a  relative 
sense.    In  the  non-compositional  active  1.  and  2.  sing,  and  2.  pi. 


ACCIDENCE  285 

of  the  pres.  ind.,  pres.  subj.  and  fut.  of  simple  verbs,  when  they 
are  used  relatively,  the  particle  no-  is  prefixed. 

3.  The  passive  has  special  forms  only  for  the  third  persons 
singular  and  plural.  The  other  persons  are  expressed  by  means 
of  the  3.  sg.  with  infixed  pronouns,  e.g.  no-m-berar  *  I  am 
carried/  no-n-berar  *  we  are  carried/  etc. 

4.  In  later  O.  Ir.  the  deponential  inflexion  gradually  gives 
way  to  the  active;  in  the  imperfect  indicative,  past  subjunc- 
tive, and  secondary  future,  as  well  as  in  the  2.  pi.  of  all  moods 
and  tenses,  and  in  the  3.  sg.  imperative  active  inflection  only  is 
found. 

§  174.  Preverbal  Particles. 

1.  The  particle  no-  {nu-,  §  116,  3)  is  used 

(a)  regularly  with  the  imperfect  indicative,  past  subjunctive 
and  secondary  future  of  simple  verbs,  when  they  are  not  preceded 
by  any  of  the  particles  and  conjunctions  (so-called  '  proverbs,' 
§  53,  2  and  §  211)  which  enter  into  so-called  non-genuine 
composition  with  the  following  verbal  form. 

(b)  under  similar  conditions,  in  other  parts  of  the  simple 
verb,  in  order  to  infix  a  personal  pronoun  or  relative  -n-  (cf.  the 
note  below). 

(c)  in  some  parts  of  the  verb  in  a  relative  function,  see 
§  173,2b. 

2.  The  particle  ro-  (ru-,  ra-,  §  116,  3,  4)  is  used  as  follows: — 

(a)  It  converts  a  preterite  (ind.  or  subj.)  or  narrative  tense 
into  a  perfect,  while  an  imperfect  is  turned  into  a  consuetudinal 
perfect,  e.g.  as-bert '  he  said ' ;  as-ru-bart  '  he  has  said.' 

(b)  In  a  dependent  clause  of  a  general  sentence  it  gives  a 
present  (ind.  or  subj.)  the  force  of  a  perfect,  e.g.  in  in  nuall 
do-n-gniat  ho  ru-maith  fora  ndimtea  remib  '  the  cry  that  they 
make  when  their  enemies  are  routed  by  them.' 

(c)  It  gives  a  pres.  subj.,  which  is  used  in  a  future  sense,  the 
force  of  a  future  perfect,  while  a  past  subjunctive  is  turned  into 
a  pluperfect,  e.g.  dia  n-erbalam  ni,  ni-bia  nech  'if  we  shall 
have  died,  there  will  be  no  one.' 


286       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

(d)  It  expresses  possibility  (except  in  the  ind.  pret.  and  impf.) 
e.g.  cia  ru-bd  cen  ni  diih,  ni  ru-bai  cenaib  huili  '  though  it  can 
be  without  some  of  them,  it  cannot  be  without  all  of  them ' ;  ni 
d-a-r-genat '  they  will  not  be  able  to  do  it.' 

(e)  With  the  subjunctive  it  is  regular 
(a)  in  wishes ; 

(^)  after  acht  '  provided  that/  re-siu  '  before ' ; 

(7)  after  co'\  cotV^  '  until '  when  following  a  negative  sentence. 

(f)  It  is  also  occasionally  found  with  other  subjunctives 
where  the  usage  is  less  defined  and  the  force  of  the  particle  ro-  is 
less  obvious. 

(a)  in  negative  commands,  e.g.  ni  to-r-gaitha  '  he  should  not 
defraud  him.' 

(^)  in  indefinite  relative  clauses  and  relative  clauses  ranging 
from  possibility  to  purpose,  e.g.  na  maith  ro-be  '  whatever  good 
there  is';  boi  ni  ro-glante  and  'there  was  something  to  be 
purified  there.' 

(7)  in  final  clauses;  also  after  adjectival  expressions,  like  'it 
is  necessary,  meet,  fitting,'  etc.,  e.g.  arna  ro-  chretea  '  that  he  may 
not  believe ' ;  is  huisse  ce  ru-samaltar  fri  Crist '  it  is  right  that 
he  be  compared  to  Christ.' 

3.  In  some  verbs  other  particles  are  employed  instead  of  ro-, 
such  as  ad-  (frequent  in  compounds  beginning  with  com-),  e.g. 
con-scar  '  destroys ' :  con-ascar ;  cotyi-,  e.g.  as-oirg  '  smites ' : 
as-com-ort  '  has  smitten ' ;  ess-,  e.g.  ibid  '  drinks ' :  as-ib  '  has 
drunk.'  A  double  preposition  appears  in  do-essid  {*de-eks-sesod-e), 
perf.  of  saidid  '  sits,'  which  has  for  its  preterite  siasair. 

Sometimes  a  different  root  is  employed,  e.g.  do-rat '  has  given,' 
do-bert  'gave,'  to  do-heir  'gives';  ro-ld  'has  thrown,'  fo-caird 
'  threw,'  to  fo-ceird  '  throws.' 

In  some  verbs  there  is  no  distinction  between  ro-  forms  and 
ro-less  forms,  e.g.  in  all  compounds  of  -ice  (do-ice  '  comes,' 
con-ice  '  is  able,'  ro-icc  '  reaches,'  etc.),  ro-fitir  '  knows,'  ad-bath 
'  died,'  etc. 

Note. — In  the  future  and  secondary  future  of  the  substantive  verb 
(under  the  conditions  given  in  §  174,  1.  a)  ro-  serves  to  infix  a  personal 
pronoun. 


ACCIDENCE  287 

On  the  preverbal  prepositions  see  §  211.  On  the  other 
preverbs  see  §  53, 2. 

4.  In  ad-ci  '  sees '  and  ro-cluinethar  '  hears '  the  narrative 
tenses  are  expressed  with  the  aid  of  co",  e.g.  co-cualcie  '  he  heard ' ; 
but  CO"  is  dropped  after  the  particles  and  conjunctions  men- 
tioned in  §  53,  2  be. 

On  the  Formation  of  the  Moods  and  Tenses 
§  175.  The  Present  Stem. 

From  the  present  stem  are  formed  the  present  indicative,  the 
imperfect  indicative,  and  the  imperative. 

While  the  present  stem  of  the  weak  verbs  (§  173,  1)  is 
identical  with  the  common  verbal  stem,  the  present  stem  of 
radical  verbs  is  formed  from  the  common  verbal  stem  in  four 
different  ways : 

1.  By  adding  the  thematic  vowels  e  (in  the  2.  and  3.  sg.  and 
2.  pi.)  and  0,  in  the  1.  sg.  o. 

e.g.  as-heir  '  he  says '  fr.  I.E.  *eJcs-bher-e-t,  as-beram  '  we  say ' 
fr.  I.E.  *eKs-bher-o-7nos. 

2.  By  infixing  an  n  before  the  final  <^  or  g  of  the  stem  and 
adding  the  thematic  vowel  e/o. 

e.g.  bongid  'breaks'  fr.  I.E.  *bho-n-g-e-ti,  root  *bhog. 

3.  By  adding  palatal  suffixes. 

e.g.  gaibid  '  takes '  fr.  I.E.  *ghabh-i-ti,  gaibit  '  they  take '  fr. 
I.E.  *ghabh-i-nti,  midithir  'judges '  fr.  0.  C.  *med-je-trai. 

4.  By  adding  a  suffix  -na-  (fr.  *7ia)  or  -nu-, 

e.g.  -ren(a)id  'you  sell'  fr.  I.E.  *pr-n9-te;  do-lin  '  flows 'fr. 
O.  C.  Ho-li-nu-t,  3.  pi.  do-linat  fr.  0.  C.  Ho-li-nu-nt  (0.  C.  li- 
fr.  I.E.  >^,  §  132). 

§  176.  Present  and  Past  Subjunctive. 

In  O.  Ir.  there  are  two  types  of  subjunctive  : 

1.  The  s-  subjunctive,  formed  from  radical  verbs,  whose  root 
ends  in  a  dental,  a  guttural  or  nn  (fr.  *ndn,  nkn,  etc. ). 

Its  stem  is  formed  by  adding  an  s-  which  becomes  assimilated 
to  the  final  consonant  of  the  root ;  with  the  exception  of  the  3.  sg. 


288       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

active  and  deponent  and  2.  sg.  deponent  a  thematic  vowel  e/o 
appears  before  the  ending  just  as  in  §  175,  i. 

e.g.  saidid  '  sits,'  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  seiss,  fr.  *sed-8-ti,  composi- 
tional form :  -s4  fr.  *sed-s-t. 

Note. — The  subjunctive  stem  shows  occasionally  a  different  vowel- 
gradation  from  the  present  stem ;  as  a  rule  the  normal  vowel-grade  is 
found ;  the  verbs  beginning  with  /-  show  an  analogical  e 

e.g.  dingid  '  crushes '  f r.  *dhi-n-§h-e-ti ;  3.  sg.  subj.  d4is  fr.  *dheigh-s- 
ti ;  ad-fiadat  '  they  tell '  fr.  I.E.  *ad-veid-o-nt,  3.  pi.  subj.  ad-fessat  fr.  O.  C. 
*ad-ved-S'0-nt.  (As  the  full  root  is  veid,  the  reduced  form  would  be  vid 
as  in  fiss  f r.  *vid-tus ;  the  e  is  due  to  the  influence  of  e-  verbs,  like  fedid 
'  leads.') 

2.  All  the  other  verbs  have  the  a-  subjunctive. 

Its  stem  is  formed  by  adding  the  suffix  -a-  to  the  common 
verbal  stems;  of  course  the  thematic  vowel,  the  nasal  and 
palatal  suffixes,  and  the  infixed  -n-,  which  are  used  in  forming 
the  present  stem  of  radical  verbs,  do  not  appear  in  the  subjunc- 
tive-, future-,  and  preterite-  stem. 

e.g.  be{i)rid '  carries,'  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  her(a)id  fr.  *bher-d-ti, 
compositional  form  -bera  fr.  *bher-d-t  ;  -ben{a)id  '  you  strike,' 
fr.  *bhi-nd-te,  compositional  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  -b'ia,  fr.  %hi-d-t; 
gaibid  'takes'  fr.  *ghabh-i-ti,  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  gab(a)id  fr. 
*ghabh-d-ti. 

Note  1. — The  final  -a  in  the  compositional  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  of  the 
weak  i-  verbs  is  due  to  the  influence  of  the  other  verbal  classes, 
e.g.  *ad-nm-i-a4  (3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  of  ad-rimi  'reckons')  would  have 
regularly  given  *ad-rime  (cf.  §  46)  and  not  ad-rimea,  as  we- have  it  in 
O.  Ir. 

Note  2. — In  Mid.  Ir.  mairnid  'betrays'  and  at-haill  'dies*  the 
subjunctive  stem  has  the  normal  vowel  grade  mer,  g'el,  while  in  the 
present  the  reduced  vowel  grade  mf,  gH  appears,  mairnid  and  at-haill 
are  analogical  transformations  of  older  *marnaid  (I.E.  *mf-na-ti)  and 
*ad-ball  (0.  C.  ad-halnat,  *ad-gH-nd-t).  Similarly  those  radical  verbs, 
which  form  their  present  stem  by  means  of  a  palatal  suffix  (§  175,  3) 
and  show  a  reduced  vowel  grade  in  the  present,  as  gainithir  (fr. 
*gn-je-trai)  *  is  born '  or  the  compounds  of  -moinethar  (fr.  *-inn-je4ro), 
show  the  normal  vowel  grade  {^en,  men)  in  the  subjunctive. 


THE    CELTIC    REVIEW 

APRIL   191 4 

THE  F^ILEADH-BEAG  IN  THE  SEVENTEENTH 

CENTURY 

J.  Reoch 

In  the  Journal  of  John  Aston ^  which  relates  his  experience 
as  '  a  privy  chamber-man  extraordinary '  to  Charles  I., 
when  the  king  was  with  the  English  army  during  the  cam- 
paign of  1639,  known  as  the  First  Bishops'  War,  there 
occurs  a  graphic  description  of  the  Highlanders  attached 
to  the  opposing  Scots  army.  Aston,  whose  journal  shows 
him  to  have  been  a  cultured  and  intelligent  gentleman, 
of  an  observant  disposition,  visited  in  person  the  encamp- 
ment of  the  Scots  on  Dunse  Law,  so  that  his  testimony  is 
that  of  an  eye-witness.  The  following  is  the  passage  referred 
to  (I  quote  it  in  full,  as  it  is  of  great  interest  and  not  at 
all  well  known) : — 

'Most  guessed  them  [the  Scots  army]  to  bee  about  10 
or  12,000  at  the  most,  accounting  the  highlanders,  whose 
fantastique  habitt  caused  much  gazing  by  such  as  have 
not  scene  them  heertofore.  They  were  all  or  most  part 
of  them  well  timbred  [well-made]  men,  tall  and  active, 
apparrelled  in  blew  woollen  wascotts  and  blew  bonnetts. 
A  paire  of  bases  of  plad,  and  stockings  of  the  same,  and  a 
paire  of  pumpes  on  their  feete  :  a  mantle  of  plad  cast  over 
the  left  shoulder,  and  under  the  right  arm,  a  pocquett 
before  for  their  knapsack,  and  a  pair  of  durgs  [dirks :  or 
possibly  intended  for  dags,  i.e.  pistols]  on  either  side  the 

VOL.  IX.  T 


290  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

pocquet.  They  are  left  to  their  owne  election  for  their 
weapons ;  some  carry  onely  a  sword  and  targe,  others 
musquetts,  and  the  greater  part  bow  and  arrowes,  with  a 
quiver  to  hould  about  6  shafts,  made  of  the  maine  of  a 
goat  or  colt,  with  the  haire  hanging  on,  and  f  astned  by  some 
belt  or  such  like,  soe  as  it  appeares  allmost  a  taile  to  them. 
Theise  were  about  1000,  and  had  bagg-pipes  (for  the  most 
part)  for  their  warlick  instruments.  The  Laird  Buchannan 
was  theire  leader.  Theire  ensignes  had  strange  devices 
and  strange  words,  in  a  language  unknowne  to  mee,  whether 
their  owne  or  not  I  know  not.' 

This  passage  is  especially  interesting  in  that  it  contains, 
so  far  as  I  know,  the  earliest  distinct  reference  to  the  wear- 
ing of  the  kilt  and  shoulder  plaid  as  separate  garments, 
as  distinguished  from  the  belted  plaid.  The  words,  '  a 
paire  of  bases  of  plad  and  stockings  of  the  same  ...  a 
mantle  of  plad  cast  over  the  left  shoulder  and  under  the 
right  arm,'  clearly  point  to  this.  The  word  bases  signified 
a  plaited  skirt,  reaching  from  the  waist  to  the  knee,  appended 
to  the  doublet  or  secured  to  the  girdle.  It  was  sometimes 
worn  over  armour,  and  the  expression,  *  a  pair  of  bases,' 
occurs  in  this  sense  in  Shakespeare's  Pericles ,  ii.  1.  It  is 
evident  that  Aston  here  uses  the  term  to  describe  the 
feileadh-heag,  and  there  could  scarcely  be  clearer  evidence 
of  the  incorrectness  of  the  story  that  the  kilt  as  a  separate 
garment  was  the  invention  of  two  Englishmen,  viz.  Raw- 
linson,  the  manager  of  an  ironfoundry  at  Invergarry,  and 
Parkinson,  an  army  tailor,  about  the  year  1728.  This 
story,  which  did  not  appear  in  print  until  1785,  has  obtained 
wide  currency — even  such  well-informed  writers  as  the 
brothers  Stuart  (so-called),  authors  of  The  Costume  of  the 
Clans,  accepted  it  as  correct;  and,  in  spite  of  its  inherent 
improbabihty,  it  reappears  time  after  time,  although  the 
mere  fact  that  it  never  saw  the  light  of  day  until  half  a 
century  after  the  supposed  inventors  were  said  to  have 
manifested  their  '  stroke  of  genius,'  as  it  has  been  described, 
is  surely  sufficient  to  bring  it  imder  suspicion.     And  no 


FEILEADH-BEAG  IN  SEVENTEENTH  CENTUEY  291 

contemporary,  nor  indeed  any  independent,  evidence  has 
ever,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  been  produced  in  its  support. 

In  confirmation  of  Aston's  description,  we  have  the 
testimony  of  Thomas  Kirk  in  1677,  in  his  account  of  his 
tour  in  Scotland  in  that  year,  in  a  passage  also  pointing 
to  the  kilt  and  plaid  as  separate  garments.  He  describes 
them  as  follows  :  '  A  sort  of  breeches,  not  unlike  a  petticoat, 
that  reaches  not  so  low,  by  far,  as  their  knees,  and  their 
stockings  are  rolled  up  about  the  calves  of  the  legs,  and 
tied  with  a  garter,  their  knee  and  thigh  being  naked  .  .  . 
a  plaid  over  the  left  shoulder  and  under  the  right  arm,'  etc. 

The  frequently  quoted  passage  from  Taylor,  the  '  Water 
Poet,'  descriptive  of  the  Highland  dress  in  1618,  is  scarcely 
clear  enough  to  justify  one  in  assuming  that  he  refers  to 
the  use  of  the  feileadh-heag  at  that  time ;  although,  if  his 
description  is  intended  to  apply  to  the  belted  plaid,  it  seems 
strange  that  he  does  not  mention  its  most  characteristic 
feature,  the  belting  of  the  plaid  in  folds  round  the  waist, 
seeing,  more  especially,  that  he  actually  wore  the  costume 
himself. 

There  is  also,  in  Sir  William  Brereton's  account  of  his 
visit  to  Scotland  in  1635,  a  passage  which,  though  vague 
in  its  terms,  might  be  read  as  referring  to  the  feileadh-beag. 
He  says :  '  Many  Highlanders  we  observed  in  this  town 
[Edinburgh]  in  their  plaids,  many  without  doublets,  and 
those  who  have  doublets  have  a  kind  of  loose  flap  garment 
hanging  loose  about  their  breech,  their  knees  bare,'  etc. 
From  this  one  might  infer  that  it  was  only  those  who  had 
doublets  who  wore  the  '  loose  flap  garment,'  as  distin- 
guished from  the  plaid,  and  it  would  almost  appear  that 
it  was  by  the  well-to-do  ('  those  who  have  doublets  ')  that 
the  kilt  as  a  separate  garment  was  first  worn,  while  the 
poorer  had  to  content  themselves  with  the  plaid,  which 
served  them  for  upper  clothing  during  the  day  and  a 
blanket  at  night. 


292  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


THE  GAELIC  VERSION  OF  THE  THEBAID 
OF  STATIUS 

Professor  Mackinnon 

{Continued  from  page  225) 

GAELIC  TEXT 

^  0  THAiRNic  tra  in  saethar  sin  do  denam  tangadar  senoraig 
croma  cian-aesta,  acus  macaim  ro  ^-bega  rebacha,  acus  daes- 
car(s)luaig  denmech  ^  deaith  *  do  chomorad  aenaich  in 
n-onoir  in  meic  sin  aroen  re  gasradaib  Grac.  Acus  ro  be 
inad  in  n-aenaich  .t.  glend  glas  fherach  ^  comred,  acus  feda 
foithremla  ®  fir-glana  'na  thimchell  itir  da  sliab  cruindi 
chomarda.  Acus  ra  suidetar  buidni  croda  cathacha  nan 
Grec  i  mucha  do  lo  acus  do  laithi  and  sin.  Acus  ro  h-airim  ' 
each  a  shochraidi  and.*  Acus  o  ro  h-airmed  ^  tuc  ^°  chucu 
cet  do  buaib  data  deig-remra  acus  a  comlin  da  tharbaib 
comaesta  comdatha  daib-si.^^  Acus  tucad  chuca  as  ahaithli 
sin  delba  rindta  ro-ailli  a  n-athar  acus  a  senathar  d'urgaird- 
igud  aicenta  orru  ^*  is  in  n-oenach. 

Acus  ro  leigit  leosum  and  sin  ar  tus  greda  ^^  diana  deg- 
retha  srian-ailli  socra  sluagda  so-ermaig  dar  moigib  min- 
reidi  in  n^*-aenig  sin. 

As  i  tra  cet  n-ech  ^'^  tucad  and  sin  .t.  Arion,  ech  aibind 
allmarda  ^^  Adraist  ind  n-airdrig.  Ba  suaichnich  am  egcosc 
in  n^'-eich  sin  .t.  gabair^*  gorm-glasa  gasta  gualand-tiug 
badba  bir-cluasach  socair  saemind  so-ermach,  co  moing 
Fol.  13b  2.  cairn  corcar-glain,  co  n-erball  comtroma  comdatha,  do 
bunad  cenel  eich  Neptuin,  Dea  in  mara.  Uair  is  cuma  con- 
riadad-si  muir  7  tir.  Acus  ni  b'anndsa  ^^  le  nech  aili  do 
lecud  2^  on  f urri,  achd  mad  Adraist  in  t-ardri  a  oenur.    Acus 

*  The  Nemaean  Games  continued — The  Chariot  Races. 

'  Eg.  omits.        '  denmacha.  *  dedh-gnimacha.      ^  ferach.  •  foithremra, 

''  h-airimedha  ic.  ^  Eg.  adds  sin.  ®  airmedha.  ^'^  tucad. 

"  Eg.  omits.        ^2  Eg.  omits.        *'  greadha.  "  Eg.  omits.  ^^  cetna  ech. 

"  allbarrda.         "  Eg.  omits.        ^^  gauar.  "  ba  miadh.  ^o  lecan. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  293 


ENGLISH  TRANSLATION 

When  this  task  was  completed,  there  came  forward 
old  men  bent  and  very  aged,  and  boys  very  small  and 
playful,  and  common  people  industrious  and  skiKul,  to 
celebrate  the  games  in  honour  of  that  boy,  along  with  the 
Grecian  troops.  The  site  of  the  fair  was  a  green,  grassy, 
level  glen,  surrounded  by  bosky,  bright  woods,  between  two 
round  hills  of  equal  height.  The  brave,  fighting  troops  of 
Greece  used  to  take  their  seats  there  day  by  day  early. 
Each  counted  his  following,  and  when  this  was  done  they 
took  a  hundred  beautiful  fat  cows  and  a  like  number  of 
bulls  of  the  same  age  and  colour.  Thereafter  were  brought 
thither  very  beautifully  carved  likenesses  of  their  fathers 
and  grandfathers,  to  gladden  their  spirits  at  the  fair. 

And,  to  begin  with,  they  ran  there  over  the  smooth,  level 
plains  of  that  course,  swift,  speedy,  richly-bridled,  steady, 
numerous,  easily  ridden  steeds.  ^  Now  the  first  horse  that 
was  brought  there  was  Arion,  the  spirited,  over-sea  horse 
of  the  high  king  Adrastus.  Conspicuous  indeed  was  the 
appearance  of  that  horse, — a  steed  blue-grey,  gallant, 
thick-shouldered,  wild,  with  pointed  ears,  quiet,  gentle, 
easily-ridden,  with  a  fair  pale-purple  mane,  and  a  bushy 
tail  of  like  colour.  Of  the  stock  of  Neptune  the  sea-god's 
horses  was  she.  She  rode  indifferently  over  sea  and  land. 
She  disdained  to  carry  any  one  save  only  the  high  king. 
Nevertheless  Adrastus  gave  her  to  his  son-in-law  Polinices 

1  Th.,  ri.  301. 


294  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

gided  tuc-som  da  cliamain  in  la  sin  h-i  do  chum  in  n-oenaig 
.t.  do  Polinices,  7  is  ed  ro  raid  sin :  '  Na  buail  co  menic 
t'ech,  a  gilla,'  ar  se,  '  7  coimgsic^  each,  7  is  lor  do  gresacht 
si,^  7  reithfid  in  mag  amal  ro  reithset  eich  grinni  Faoaetan  ^ 
mic  Apaill. 

Acus  ro  erig  Ampiarus  and  sin  .1.  sacart  mor  na  Greci' 
do  chum  na  comlingi  cetna  7  da  ech  ail(l)i  *  oengela  foe 
con-niach  ^  a  chomdatha  ®  immi  i  comartha  a  sacherdoiti.' 
Acus  ba  do  shil  eich  Chastoir  .t.  Sillarais  do  na  h-eachaib  sin. 

Acus  ro  comerig  'na  diaid  sin  Ademetais  ^  (tais)ech  * 
na  Tesailli  7  lairthecha  ^°  dana  diana  deig-retha  f ae,  7  siad 
aiUi  alad-breca. 

Acus  is  iad  ba  comnesa  do  sin  da  mac  lasoin  meic  Eson 
7^^  Ipsifile  .1.^2  Toas  7  Eumos,^^  7  ua  cosmail  tra  delba 
na  desi,^*  itir  armaib  7  echaib  7  etaigib. 

Tangadar  'nan  diaid  sin  and  Coromis  7  Ipodomus. 
i^Cromis  imorro  ba  do  shiP^  h-Ercoil  mic  Amphitrionis  ^' 
do,  7  Ipodomus  ba  do  sil  Onamaus  rig  Pissa  do,  7  ni  gre- 
sised  ^8  nech  dib  sin  a  eocho  sech  aroili. 

Acus  eich  Diomit  rig  nan  Greittecda  ^^  ua  Cromis.  Acua 
is  e  in  Diemidi  2°  sin  do  beread  a  aigeda  da  echaib  co  marb- 
dais  7  CO  n-ithidis  ^^  iad,  cein  no  ^^  riacht  Ercoil  ar  aigedacht 
da  thig,  7  CO  tard  ^s  Ercail  eisum  fen  daib,  7  co  ru-s-marbsad. 

Ipomonus  imorro  eich  a  athar  .t.  Inomaus  ro  badar  foe 
seic.  Acus  is  e  in  t-Enomaus  ro  focrad  comrith  n-echda  ^ 
ar  gach  fer  ticed  d'iarraid  a  ingine  fair,  7  o  teigtis  a  eich- 
sum  dib  ro  marbdais  ^^  aici  in  lucht  sin  fochetoir.  Acus  is 
amlaid  ro  badar  na  h-eich  sin  7  broen  fola  na  fer  ro  marbaid 
dib  ar  a  carput  i  comartha  coscair. 

Cid  tra  acht  ro  suidiged^^  leosum  and  sin  crich  7  co- 
martha cu  sa  leicfitis  an  n-eocho,  7  dair  barr  barr-lom 
bun^Methan  ro*  bai  i  cind  in  muigi,  7  carrach  tren-mor 

'*  furrisi  sin.  ^  Faidetan.  '  nan  Greca.         *  aillidh.  ^  co  n-edach. 

•  comdalta.  ''  scacerdoiti.        ^  Admet.  '  taisech.  *"  larthacha, 

"  Eg.  adds  d'.  »2  Both  MSS.  have  7.  »  Euenfos.  "  Eg.  adds  sin. 

»6  Eg.  adds  7.  1*  MS.  thil.  "  Amprionis.        "  gressidh.  "  Eighetagha. 

w  {endidh.  21  ethadhdis.        22  gg.  add  co.       28  condart.  24  n-echa. 

^  romarbtha.  **  suidhedh.         27  buinn. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  295 

that  day  for  the  race,  and  charged  him  thus.  '  Do  not 
strike  your  horse  often,  lad,'  said  he,  '  but  keep  abreast  of 
the  others.  Your  urging  will  suffice,  and  she  will  scour 
the  plain  with  speed  equal  to  the  choice  steeds  of  Phaethon 
son  of  Apollo.' 

Then  Amphiaraus,  the  great  priest  of  Greece,  entered  for 
the  same  race,  driving  two  pure  white  steeds,  their  colour 
matching  that  of  his  official  robes  as  priest.  These  horses 
were  of  the  blood  of  Cyllarus,  Castor's  horse. 

After  him  came  Admetus  king  of  Thessaly,  with  bold, 
spirited,  swift  mares  ;  beautiful  and  dappled  these. 

Next  to  him  came  the  two  sons  of  Jason  son  of  Aeson 
and  of  H3rpsipyle,  Thoas  and  Euneos.  These  two  were 
aUke  in  appearance  and  arms  and  horses  and  dress. 

Chromis  and  Hippodamus  followed  these.  Now  Chromis 
was  of  the  blood  of  Hercules,  son  of  Amphitryon,  and 
Hippodamus  was  of  the  race  of  Oenomaus  king  of  Pisa. 
Neither  of  these  urged  his  steeds  past  the  other. 

Chromis  drove  the  horses  of  Diomede  king  of  the  Getae. 
It  was  this  Diomede  who  used  to  give  his  guests  to  his 
horses,  who  killed  and  devoured  them,  until  Hercules  went 
there  as  guest,  and  gave  himself  to  the  horses,  and  was 
thus  slain. 

Hippodamus,  on  the  other  hand,  drove  his  father 
Oenomaus' s  horses.  It  was  this  Oenomaus  who  used  to 
challenge  every  one  who  came  to  seek  his  daughter  (in 
marriage)  to  an  equestrian  race,  and  when  his  horses  won 
he  killed  the  defeated  suitors  forthwith.  And  thus  were 
these  horses  with  a  drop  of  the  blood  of  the  men  who  were 
slain  on  their  chariot  in  token  of  victory. 

And  now  they  fixed  the  goal  and  mark  to  which  the 
horses  were  to  run — a  bare-topped,  thick-trunked  oak 
which  was  at  the  end  of  the  plain,  and  a  very  great,  firmly- 


296  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

thuindi^  in  n-aird  aili  and,  7  ed  cheithri  n-urchur  saigdi 
sith-guirmi  eatorra  sin. 

Is  i  tra  amser  i  raibi  Apaill  mac  loib  ac  sir-senm  a  2 
chruiti  7  i  muUach  slebi  Barnaps  ac  admolad  nan  Dei. 
Acus  atchondairc  uad  na  Grecu  ^  for  in  moig  mor  reid  ar  a 
rabadar,  7  robai  ac  tobairt  aichne  ar  each  *oen  ba*  leth 
dib.  Acus  adchondairc  and  sin  Admeit,  ri  na  Tesailli,  7 
Ampiarus  uasal-sacart.  Acus  bad  caraid  coemtha  ^  am 
dosum  in  dia(s)  sin,  uair  ro  bui  'na  h-aegairi  thret  ^  do  fhir  ® 
dib  ,L.  do  Emit'  in  tan  ro  h-athuired  as  a  deacht  e,  7  ua 
sacart  uasal  idbarta  do  Ampiarus.  Acus  o  ra  bui  ag  fegad 
amlaid  sin  is  ed  ro  raid :  '  Cia  itir,'  ar  se,  '  in  dea  ro  ^  gres 
na  caraid-sea  (f)uil  acam-sa  do  chum  chathraigi  na  Tebi  ? 
Acus  ra^  fuil  som^^  n-grada  acum  uar  in  dis  sin,  uair  is 
tigerna  7  is  cara  bunaid  Adiemit,  ri  na  TesaiUi ;  Ampiarus 
imorro  ro  fitir  fein  ga(ch)  ni  asfas  do  cur  ind.'  Acus  is  cuma 
ro  raid  sin,  7  romuidsed  frasa  ^^  der  dar  gruaidib  do,  7  tainic 
mar  saegnen  tened  no  mar  saigid  a  sreing  no  co  rainic  i 
coillid  Nem. 

Is  in  uair  sin  ro  bai  Porteus  ^^  a  cur  crandchair  a  chathbarr 
ma  n-indaib  comlenga,  7  ro  coraiged  iad-sum  ban  samla 
sin.  Ro  bui  tra  ailgius  7  tindinis  mor  ac  na  feraib  7  ac  na 
h-echaib  uan  comrith.  Ua  h-adbul  imorro  re  h-eistecht 
sitrech  7  setfedach  na  n-ech  sin  7  a  lemenda  re  glomraib 
na  srian  ac  a  n-imastad. 

Acus  *^  asahaithli  sin  ro  leicit  in  en  fhecht  7  an  en  uair 
do  chum  a  retha.  Ua  dluith  deinmech  ^*  am  ^^  do  cuas  and 
sin.  Acus  nir  ba  suaichnich  so-aichnid  neach  dib  seach 
aroile  re  daithi  7  re  denmidi  dochuadar  uaithib.  Acus  ua 
dicheltai  uiU  na  dirmanna  sin  do  na  ^^  h-aichthib  comdorcha 
cumascda^'  ro  chomerig  dib  re  snuad-allus  na  h-erma,  re 
dendgail  na  roth,  re  h-analaib  n-each  7  na  curad  ic  im- 
chosnam  thosaich  is  in  chomhng.  Acus  ua  h-ilbrecca 
ildathach  na  moigi  min-reidi  ris  na  cethaib  coimgela  cubair 


'  tuinighthi. 

^  Eg.  omits. 

^  Grecidh. 

*~*  Eg.  omits. 

*  cumtha. 

«-^  Eg.  omits. 

^  Adhmet. 

8  MS.  re. 

•  ni.          ^^  soine. 

"  Eg.  adds  diana. 

'*  Partanopeus. 

''  Eg.  omits. 

"  denmnedach. 

^^  Eg.  omits. 

'<'  Eg.  omits. 

^^  comuscha. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  297 

fixed  pillar  the  other  mark,  the  distance  between  which 
was  four  casts  of  a  long  blue  arrow. 

Now  at  that  moment  Apollo  son  of  Jove  was  on  the  top 
of  the  hill  Parnassus,  playing  his  harp,  entertaining  the 
gods.  He  saw  in  the  distance  the  Greeks  on  the  great 
level  plain  on  which  they  were,  and  he  was  recognising 
each  individual  of  them.  He  saw  there  Admetus  king  of 
Thessaly  and  the  noble  priest  Amphiaraus,  both  of  whom 
were  dear  friends  of  his.  For  he  served  Admetus  as 
shepherd  when  he  was  expelled  from  the  godhead,  and 
Amphiaraus  served  as  a  high  priest  at  his  altar.  And  as 
he  was  viewing  them  thus,  he  spoke  as  follows.  'Which 
god,'  said  he,  '  I  wonder,  who  urged  these  friends  of  mine 
to  the  city  of  Thebes  ?  Nevertheless  they  are  both  dear 
friends  of  mine,  for  Admetus  king  of  Thessaly  is  my  lord 
and  my  constant  friend,  while  as  to  Amphiaraus,  he  him- 
self (already)  knows  what  the  result  will  be  to  him.'  As  he 
spoke  thus,  showers  of  tears  broke  down  his  cheeks,  and 
he  went  like  a  thunderbolt  or  an  arrow  from  string  until 
he  reached  the  woods  of  Nemaea. 

At  the  time  Prothous  was  casting  the  lot  in  his  helmet 
for  the  respective  positions  (of  the  combatants)  in  the  race, 
and  they  were  placed  according  as  the  lot  assigned.  Horses 
and  men  were  intensely  eager  about  the  race.  Terrible 
indeed  it  was  to  listen  to  the  panting  and  snorting  of  the 
horses,  and  to  see  them  spring  as  they  were  held  in  check 
by  the  bits  of  the  bridles. 

At  length  at  the  same  moment  they  were  started  for 
the  race.  Close  together  and  vehement  in  sooth  they  ran. 
It  was  difficult  to  distinguish  or  recognise  one  of  them  from 
the  other,  because  of  the  speed  and  ardour  with  which  they 
passed.  The  whole  crowd  of  them  was  quite  covered,  and 
their  faces  became  obscured  and  confused,  by  the  sweat  of 
the  riding,  the  grinding  of  the  wheels,  and  the  breaths  of  the 
horses  and  champions  as  they  struggled  for  the  foremost 
place  in  the  race.  Variegated,  and  of  divers  colours,  were 
the  smooth,  level  plains  by  the  showers  of  very  white  froth 


298  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

consnigtis  re  h-6ilib^  na  h-eachraidi  ac  fo  senm  na  srian 
mireno  ^  is  in  uair  sin,  7  ua  fogradach  ^  firmamint  and  sin 
re  gresacht  na  curad  comrumach  uar  na  h-echaib  ailli  all- 
marda.* 

Is  and  sin  tra  ro  arig  Ai6en^  .t.  ech  Adraist,  marcach 
coem  comuithech*  do  bith  furri  .t.  Polinices.  Acus  ro  gab 
dremni  7  dasacht  7  daebili '  7  ro  bui  ac  iegad  ^  a  tigema 
fen  7  aca  iarraid  ar  fud  in  muigi  mor  adbail.  Acus  ge 
*  ra  bui  ^  do  chuaid  sin  1°  urcur  saigti  sithguirmi  and  sin 
do  Gregaib  glan  ailli  Grec.^^  A(m)piarus  imorro  ba  nessu 
d'Aroen,  7  ba  fada  etorru.  Acus  in  marcach  Tesalta  .t. 
Ademet  ina  diaid  sec.^^  Acus  iad  ua  nesa  do  siden  ^^  dan 
da  mac  lason  .t.  Enunios  7  Tous;  7  nir  greis  nech  dib 
side  a  eochu  sech  araili  do  chomuU  a  charadraid.  Cr6mus 
acgarb  imorro  7  Ipodamus  ana  ^*  cheil  f odeoid,  7  a  meit  na 
railed  sin  da  n-eachaib  'g  a  n-imarcur  is  ed  ua  dera  sin. 

Ampiarus  ro  gob  seic  ^^  ar  athgairid  na  conairi  da  tairecht- 
ain  tosaich,  7  is  ed  an^®  a  cetna  dorone  Admeit,  ri  na 
Teasailli.  Acus  ba  denmech  in  marcach  i  i'  sin,  uair  is  cuma 
no  lenad  do  thaeib  7  do  ^^  druim  a  eich.  Aroen  imorro,  in 
FoLi4a2.  t-ech  ro  bui  fa  Polinices,  ro  bui  co  siblach  sechranda,  uair  ni 
cumaing  a  certugadh  cein  no  cu  rue  Ampiarus  tosach  de. 
Acus  ua  h-e  Admeid  ua  comnesa  do  side,  cein  no  cor  impa  ^' 
Aroen  ech  Adraist  20  a  ris  ar^o  set  na  sliged.  Acht  chena 
ni  gresed  Polinices  7  ni  astadus,^^  acht  ro  bui  ina  tham  7 
ina  thaisi  in  n-ichtar  in  carbaid  in  n-uair  sin. 

Is  and  sin  ro  acsad  a  ris  na  h-ech  diana  denmecha  sin  ^^ 
caethi  ^^  a  comretha.  Acus  do  chuadar  ia  dol  conairi  co  ro 
gabsad  a  carpaid  caema  cumaidi^*  i  cend  aroili  7  a  cheli. 
Acus  gided  nir  ba  lor  les  na  curadaib  gresacht  na  n-ech 
o  sporaib  athgera  ianiaide  no  co  n-dernsad  o  gothaib 
moraib  7  o  n-anmandaib  dilsi  uadein.  Ro  gres  tra  Admeit 
and  sin  Polinices  [sic]  7  Siris  [sic]  a  da  each.      Ro  greis 


*  h-oih\ibh. 

^  mirenn. 

^  focrach. 

*  allbarda.           •''  Arion. 

*  comuidech. 

''  debeile. 

8  fegain. 

9-"  do  uai.            ^''  son. 

*i  Eg.  omits. 

^2  sideig. 

"  sideig. 

"  an  ai.               *^  sideg. 

w  in. 

^^  Eg.  omits. 

'8  Eg.  omits. 

"  impo.         *<>"**'  ar  sar. 

«i  faado  i. 

22  Eg.  adds  na. 

2'  Eg.  adds  sin. 

2^  cumaiachta  cumdaidh. 

THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  299 

falling  from  the  jaws  of  the  horses  through  the  chafing  of 
the  bridle  bits ;  and  resonant  was  the  air  with  the  voices 
of  the  competing  champions  as  they  urged  on  the  shapely 
foreign  steeds. 

Then  Arion,  Adrastus's  steed,  felt  that  she  carried  a 
gentle,  strange  rider,  to  wit,  Polinices.  Ardour  and  fury 
and  impatience  took  possession  of  her.  She  was  looking 
for  her  own  master,  and  scanning  the  whole  great  vast 
plain  in  search  of  him.  Though  this  was  so,  she  out- 
distanced the  (other)  bright,  sleek  steeds  of  the  Greeks 
by  a  cast  of  a  long  blue  arrow.  Now,  Amphiaraus  was 
nighest  to  Arion,  although  far  in  rear.  Next  to  him,  but 
behind,  came  the  Thessalian  rider  Admetus.  The  two  sons 
of  Jason,  Euneos  and  Thoas,  were  next  in  order.  Neither 
of  these  pressed  his  horses  past  the  other — (such  was  their 
desire)  to  maintain  their  friendship.  In  the  rear  the  furious 
Chromis  and  Hippodamus  went  together — the  reason  lay 
in  the  weight  of  the  warriors  whom  their  steeds  carried. 

As  to  Amphiaraus,  he  took  a  short  cut  in  order  to  get 
the  foremost  place ;  and  so  also  did  Admetus  king  of 
Thessaly.  A  very  expert  rider  was  he,  for  he  could  cling 
to  the  side  of  his  horse  with  the  same  ease  as  he  could 
ride  on  his  back.  But  Arion,  which  Polinices  drove,  was 
careering  swiftly  and  aimlessly,  for  he  could  not  be  guided 
until  Amphiaraus  passed  him.  Admetus  was  now  the 
nearest  to  Amphiaraus  until  Arion,  the  steed  of  Adrastus, 
swerved  once  again  to  the  direct  course.  Still  during  this 
time  Pohnices  neither  urged  nor  restrained  his  steed,  but 
sat  quietly  and  silently  in  the  bottom  of  the  chariot. 

Then  the  ardent,  vehement  horses  again  left  the  race- 
track, and  they  ran  right  headlong  until  their  fair,  shapely 
chariots  got  locked  in  each  other.  Nevertheless  the 
champions  were  not  satisfied  with  urging  their  horses  by 
very  sharp,  iron  spurs;  with  loud  voice  they  called  upon 
each  by  his  individual  name.  Thus  Admetus  pressed  on 
Pholoe  and  Iris,  his  two  steeds ;  and  Amphiaraus  the 
beautiful,    swift    Aschetos,    and    the    pure-white,    thick- 


300  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

(d)no  ^  Ampiarus  Asceton  datha  deig-retha  et  Sicnus  ^  gle- 
gel  gualand-tiug.  Ro  gres^  imorro  Cromis  Strimon.  Ro 
bui  Echion  ua  Uneos  mac  lason.  Ro  gres  (d)no  ^  Ipodomus 
Cidona.  Ro  gres  Tohas  mac  lason  Podarsen.*  Nir  labair 
Polinices  ris  in  n-ech  bui  fai  .t.  re  •*  h-Areon,  uair  nir  lam 
a  guth  do  cloistecht  di.  Et*  ba  cimtabartach  coscar  co 
fada  and  sin  itir  na  h-echaib. 

Is  and  sin  tra  ro  ast'  Toas  mac  lason  Admeit,  ri  na 
Tesailli,  in  tan  ro  ui  ac  dul  secha.  Acus  ni  thuc  a  brathair 
Eunios  fortacht  fair,  uair  ro  gresestar  Ipodomus  gasta 
gruad-solus  a  eochu  etorru.  Tuc  dno  Cromis  mac  Ercail 
astod  ^  f oreigni  ar  Ipodomus  dar  eis  caich,  comtis  sinti  •  a 
srian  mirenda  a  ech,  7  co  ra  bris  a  charput.  Acus  1°  o  ra 
brisead  amlaid  sin  carput  Ipodomus  ro  impaised^^  a  eich 
ris  fochetoir  da  ithi  ^^  o  ra  bui  ^^  'na  loigi,  amail  ba  bes  leo 
remi  sin  daine  do  ithi.  Et  o  do  chondairc  in  tren  fer  calma 
Cromis  sin  ro  treic  a  buaid  comretha,  7  ro  impo  d'indsaigid 
Ipodomus,  7  ro  anaich  ^^  e. 

Tanic  tra  Apaill  and  sin  d'(f)ortacht  7  d'(f)oirithin  do 
Ampiarus  do  thobairt  buad^*  comlenga  do.  Acus  is  e  ni 
do  r(o)ni  ^^  torathar  fir-gran(n)a  feosach  ^^  do  deilb  ^'  7  do 
denam^'  and  sin  ar  lar  in  n-aenaig,  congebtais  amaiti^^ 
aduathmara  ifirn  grain  7  ecla  reimi.  O  t'  chonnairc  tra^* 
Areon  an  ni  sin  ro  gob  aduath  7  urecla  h-i  2°  remi,  co-s-erig 
a  mong  co  sesmach  sir-garb  os  a  gualaind,  7  co  ro  thairring 
a  carbad  le  7  in  n-ech  ^^  aili  bai  fai,  7  co  ro  thoit  Polinices 
as  in  charpad,  co  roibi  bristi  buaidirthi  22  ar  lar  in  n-aenaich 
dar  eis.  Acus  ro  bui-sium  isin  ^3  loigi  sin  cein  co  n-dechaid 
carpat  Impiarus  in  t-sacairt,  7  carpad  Admeit  ri  na  Teasailli 
secha,  7  lucht  na  comlenga  ar  chena.  Ro  thocaib-sium  a 
chend  co  h-anband  eneirt  2*  asahaithli  sin,  7  ^5  ro  erig  do 
dechain  ^^  na  comlenga. 

*  MS.  h  '  Eg.  adds  gle-glan.                ^  Ro  ghabh.                  *  Ipasen. 

6  Eg.  omits.  8  7.                         7  fhost.                         8  fasto. 

8  sinnta  snfthi,  'o  Eg.  omits,          ^*  impo.               ""'^  7  odconnairc. 

"  anaig.          ^*  buada.          ^^  do  roine.            ^*  feosagach.        i^""  Eg.  omits. 

"  aifiminti  7.  '»  Eg.  omits.        20  jjg.  omits.          ^i  Jq  t-ecb.        22  buaidirtha. 

23  ann  sa.  24  eisirt.                26  j;g.  omits.          ^e  dfechain. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  301 

shouldered  Cygnus.  Moreover,  Chromis  urged  on  Strymon. 
Aethion  carried  Euneos  son  of  Jason.  Hippodamus,  besides, 
pressed  on  Cydon,  and  Thoas  son  of  Jason  Podarces.  But 
Polinices  did  not  address  Arion  the  steed  that  carried  him ; 
he  would  not  venture  to  let  his  voice  be  heard  by  her.  And 
the  victory  among  the  steeds  was  for  a  long  time  doubtful. 

Then  it  was  that  Thoas  son  of  Jason  gave  check  to 
Admetus  king  of  Thessaly,  as  the  latter  was  passing  him. 
His  brother  Euneos  was  unable  to  aid  him,  for  the  handsome, 
bright-cheeked  Hippodamus  drove  his  steeds  between  the 
two.  But  Chromis  son  of  Hercules,  coming  behind  the 
others,  violently  pulled  up  Hippodamus  so  that  the  reins 
and  bits  of  his  horses  were  wrenched,  and  his  chariot  was 
broken.  When  Hippodamus's  chariot  was  broken  in  this 
fashion,  his  horses  forthwith  turned  upon  him  to  devour 
him  where  he  lay,  as  was  their  custom  heretofore  to  devour 
men.  When  the  mighty  and  brave  Chromis  observed  this, 
he  gave  up  the  contest  and  turned  towards  Hippodamus, 
and  saved  him  (from  the  horses). 

Apollo  now  comes  to  help  and  aid  Amphiaraus  and  to 
win  for  him  the  victory  in  the  race.  What  he  did  was  to 
fashion  and  make  a  hideous,  bearded  monster  in  the  centre 
of  the  course,  at  sight  of  which  the  horrid  hags  of  hell 
would  take  loathing  and  fear.  Now  when  Arion  saw  that 
thing  horror  and  great  fear  took  hold  of  her.  Her  mane 
rose  rigid  and  very  rough  above  her  shoulder.  She  dragged 
the  chariot  and  the  companion  horse  along  with  her. 
Polinices  fell  out  of  the  chariot,  and  lay  thereafter  bruised 
and  stunned  in  the  middle  of  the  course.  He  lay  thus 
until  the  chariot  of  Amphiaraus  the  priest  and  the  chariot 
of  Admetus  king  of  Thessaly  and  all  the  competitors  in 
the  race  passed  him.  He  raised  his  head  weakly  and  faintly 
thereafter,  and  then  rose  to  view  the  race. 


302  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Foi.i4bi.  Is  and  sin  ro  opair  Ampiarus  imchosnum  tosaich  re 
Ar6on  f uascrach  ^  fir-luath  ce  ^  ra  bi  cen  marcach  furri. 
Acus^  ro  chomgres  a  eocho  'na  diaid,  coma  luaithigter  ri 
sidi  n-glas-fuar  n-gaithi  in  n-amsir  gairb*  geimrid  a  deini 
7  a  dedgairi  ^  ro  comlai'nan  diaid  cona  ^  roibi  nech  roime. 
Acus  '  ro  bo '  taisci  ^  and  sin  d'echaib  Ampiarus  ina  d' 
Arieon,  mani  gressed  ^  Nephtuin  dea  in  mara  in  n-ech  ^o  sin, 
cor  ba  le  tosach  na  comlenga.  Acus  ger  ua  taisci  ^  Arieon 
'        .t.  ech  Adraist,  and  sin,  ba  coscrach  Ampiarus. 

Tuc  tra  in  t-ard  ri  Adraist  tairbert^^  set  7  maine  da^^ 
Ampiarus  .t.  don  t-sacart  mor,^^  ar  buaid  ^*  na  comlenga  sin 
da  breith  .t.  copan  alaind  orda  as  a  n-ibead  Ercail  mac 
Ampitrionis  fleada  fina.  Acus  ro  batar  and  sin  ar  na 
rindad  delba  na  Ceanntuiri  cosnomoch,  7  na  Lafitecda,^^ 
7  delb  Marsibiea,^*  rigan  na  cich-loisce,^'  o  tuc  Ercail  na 
h-airm  ingantacha,  .t.  each  ri  do  chid  ^^  h-i  cind  chatha  fuil 
ro  churead  tar  a  bel  7  dar  a  sroin ;  tam  7  taisi,  teiched  ^*  7 
timi  ticed  do  na  sluagaib  echtrand  do-s-cid  a  cur  chatha 
eturru  fen,  7  delb  na  coscar  comrumach  do  rigne  Ercail  ar 
chena  sechnon  in  domuin.  Acus  tucad  d'Admeit  ^^dno, 
(do)  thaisech  naTesailli,leandchaem  corcor-glan,  con-delbaib 
imda  ar  na  inlecur  do  snath  ^^  inti.  Acus  o  thuc  Adraist  na 
h-aisceda  sin  i  comartha  a  choscair  do  ^^  lucht  sin,  ro  bui  a 
comdi(n)gnad  a  cleamna,  7  tuc  banchumail  ^^n-aeir  do  seic.^s 

*  Et  24  as  ahaithli  sin  ro  nert  ^^  Adraist  drem  do  na  sluagaib 
coisigib  do  choimling  chomretha  'na  fiadnaisi.  Ro  frecrad 
esium  im  ^^  an  n-gnim  sin.  Acus  ^^  ro  erig  Idas  re  chach. 
Acus  is  amlaid  ro  bui  7  coroin  ^s  coscair  comlenga  rue  i  sleb 
Olimp  im  a  chenn.  Acus  as  iad  ba  sloig  doson  lucht  ^^  Pisa 
7  EUus^^  .t.  na  cathrach  sin.  Ro  erig  imorro  'na  diaid  sin 
Alchon  croda  coscrach  a  Sitsion.     Ro  erig  'na  diaid  sin 

'  fuaisgrech.          ^  ge.  ^  jjg,  omits.          *  Eg.  omits.  ^  doighaire. 

*  connach.         ''~^  rop.  ^  taesca.                •  gr«issedh.  *'^  t-ech. 

^'  toirberta.           ^^  mained  do.  ''  Eg.  adds  nan  Grecaidh.        **  m-buaid. 

'"  Laipetagadha.                *^  Mairsibisibea.  ^'  loiscedha.  "  adcidh. 

w  Eg.  omits.         20  i^js_  jna^  n  gnaithi.        22  (Joq,        J3-23  n-doir  do  sidheic. 
♦  The  Foot  Races, 

2*  Eg.  omits.         *»  nertaigh.  26  yj^               v  gg  ©mits.  ^  cosolin. 
M-29  Pissa  7  Elis. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  303 

Then  Amphiaraus  made  great  effort  to  get  in  front  of 
the  frightened  very  swift  Arion,  who  was  now  without 
a  driver.  He  urged  his  steeds  after  her  with  the  speed  of  a 
tempestuous,  grey-cold  wind  in  rough  winter  weather,  and 
such  was  the  vehemence  and  fury  with  which  he  pursued 
them,  that  there  was  now  no  one  in  front  of  him.  The 
horses  of  Amphiaraus  would  have  been  at  the  goal  before 
Arion,  were  it  not  that  Neptune  the  god  of  the  sea  urged 
forward  that  steed.  The  first  place  in  the  race  was  hers ; 
still  although  Adrastus's  steed  Arion  was  foremost,  Amphi- 
araus was  the  victor. 

Thereupon  the  high  king  Adrastus  gave  to  the  great 
priest  Amphiaraus  who  won  the  victory  in  that  race  a  gift 
of  jewels  and  wealth,  i.e.  a  beautiful  golden  bowl  from 
which  Hercules  son  of  Amphitryon  used  to  drink  at  wine 
feasts.  On  it  were  carved  pictures  of  the  contentious 
Centaurs,  and  of  the  valorous  Lapithae,  and  the  figure  of 
Marsepia  queen  of  the  Amazons,  from  whom  Hercules 
took  the  wonderful  weapons,  which  represented  every 
king  whom  they  saw  engaged  in  battle  as  emitting  blood 
from  mouth  and  nose;  quiet  and  stillness,  flight  and 
panic  seizing  all  foreign  hosts  who  saw  them  fighting 
against  each  other ;  and  pictures  of  the  other  triumphs 
which  Hercules  won  throughout  the  world.  There  was 
given  moreover  to  Admetus,  chief  of  Thessaly,  a  beautiful 
mantle  of  bright  purple,  with  many  figures  interwoven 
with  thread  therein.  After  Adrastus  gave  their  prizes  in 
reward  of  victory  to  these,  he  took  to  comforting  his  son-in- 
law,  and  gave  to  him  an  Achaean  female  slave. 

^  Thereafter  Adrastus  urged  some  of  the  foot  soldiers  to 
run  a  race  in  their  presence.  The  proposal  was  responded 
to.  First  Idas  stood  forward ;  and  thus  was  he  with  a 
chaplet  round  his  head  which  he  won  for  racing  on  Moimt 
Olympus.  His  people  were  from  the  cities  Pisa  and  Elis(?). 
After  him  came  forward  the  brave  and  victorious  Alcon 
from  Sicyonia.     Then  came  Phaedimus  who  won  the  race 

»  Th.,  vi.  550. 


304  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Pedemus.  Ba  coscrach  comretha  fado  in  fer  sin  i  traig 
Ismis.  Ro  erich  Dimas  ar  na  ^  cintis  ech  ^  i  comreathaib  in 
tan  ba  h-oc,  acht  chena  ^  fa  for-aesta  ^  and  sin  h-e. 

Ro  erig  dno  ^  Parthanapeus  *  no  Parthanap  *  rig  na 
h-Arcaidi.  Acus  ua  subach  sluaig  in  aenaig  ris  in  gilla  sin. 
Acus  ua  dual  am  deig  rith  don  fir  sin  o  mathair  .t.  o  Athal- 
annta.  Acus  ba  do  ^  luth  anw  ^  f hir  sin  brith  ar  na  h-alltaib 
diana  deig  retha  ar  luas  7  ar  lan-rith.  Acus  in  t-urchur 
focherded  riam  remi  conclised  ar  a  chind  ria  siu  ro  shoichead 
talmain,  Et  ®  is  ann  sin  ro  thaithmig  in  t-(s)iblaind  n-alaind 
n-orda  ro  bui  is  in  bruth '  caem  chorrtharach,  7  ro  cur  de 
h-e.  Acus  ro  foruamnad  corp  daith-gel  deig-denmach  in 
deg  laich  a  h-ola.  Acus  ro  foruamnad  dno  ^  Idas  7  Dimas 
FoLi4b2,  ban  rimla^  cetna.  Acus  ba  h-e  Idas  ba  derrscaithi  delb 
is  in  chomlingi  sin  acht  Partanapeus  ^^  aenur.  Acus  ba  sine 
Idas  ina  Parthanapeus. 

Rouadar  tra  na  fir  sin  ac  fromad  ^^  a  luith  resiu  donetis 
a  comling.  Acus  ro  coraiged  ^*  comartha  in  chomretha 
accu.i3  Ro  reithset  ua  chomaird  chomluith  no  cor  scuch 
each  secha  araili  dib.  Acus  ro  chosain  Parthanapeus 
tosach  dib  uiH  sin  n-uair  sin.  Acus  ba  luaithitir  re  sidi  ^* 
n-gaithi  n-gemreta  in  tethad  ^^  7  in  tenad  rue  o  chach. 
Acus  is  e  ua  nesu  do  Idas  athlom,  aduathmar ;  Pedimus  7 
Dimas  'na  n-diaid  seic,  7  ua  gairit  etorru.  Ua  athlom 
imorro  ^^  Alcon  an  ^'  diaid  na  fer  sin.  Is  amlaid  tra  ro  bui 
Parthanapeus  and  sin  7  a  fholt  dualach  dearrscaigthech 
scailti  dar  a  formna  siar  sechtair.  Acus  o  rainig  ^^  Idas  cend 
na  comlenga  i  comfacus  do  7  Parthanapeus  ac  doul  uad 
chuici  is  e  ni  do  roinni,  ro  sin  in  laim  7  ro  gab  ar  bun  in 
n^^-fhoilt  fhada  find-buidi  sin  h^O-e,  7  ro  trascair  chuici  ^idar 
ais. ^^  O  t'  chondcadar  imorro  na  h-Arcaidi  sin  ^^  ro  f reagratar 
d'  innsaidi  Idas  da  airlech.22  Ro  ergedar  sluag  Pisa  7  Elis 
dia  frithaileam  sideic.^^    Acus  is  de  sin  fa  mesc^*  buaidirthi 

*~^  cinndis  eich.    '"'  ua  h-aesta  in  fer.  *  MS.  1.        *~*  Eg.  omits. 

*-^  luas  in.                ^  Eg.  omits.          ^  brot.  ^  MS.  t.            ^  samla. 

^°  Eg.  adds  a.        "  fromhadh.          ^^  coraigsit.  ^^  jjg.  omits.     ^*  sithe. 

15  teehudh.             ^^  Eg.  omits.          "  MS.  nan.!  '»  airigh.           '^  Eg.  omits. 

**  Eg.  omits.     '^"^^  data  ais  e.     ^2-22  jjjj  omits.  "  san.               2*  mescadha. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  305 

long  previously  on  the  strand  of  Isthmia.  Thereafter 
Dymas  stood  up,  whom  in  his  youth  a  horse  could  not  out- 
run, but  at  this  time  he  was  very  aged. 

Parthenopaeus  king  of  Arcadia  also  came  forward, 
and  the  hosts  on  the  plain  cheered  that  youth.  He  indeed 
had  racing  blood  in  him  from  his  mother  Atalanta.  Such 
was  the  agility  of  the  man  that  he  could  catch  the  vehement, 
swift  deer  by  pure  speed  and  running  ;  and  the  arrow  which 
he  used  to  shoot  straight  in  front  of  him,  he  could  catch  up 
by  the  point  before  it  reached  the  ground.  Then  he  re- 
moved the  beautiful,  golden  clasp  which  fastened  the  fair, 
fringed  mantle,  and  laid  it  aside.  Then  the  white-skinned, 
well-shaped  body  of  the  goodly  hero  was  stained  with  oil ; 
and  Idas  and  Dymas  were  treated  in  the  same  fashion.  Idas 
was  the  most  distinguished  figure  in  that  race,  save  Partheno- 
paeus alone  ;   Idas  was  also  older  than  Parthenopaeus. 

The  men  were  now  testing  their  agility  before  beginning 
the  race.  The  goal  was  then  fixed  for  them,  and  they  ran 
with  equal  pace  and  agility,  until  each  of  them  began  to 
separate  from  and  pass  the  other.  Parthenopaeus  then 
took  the  lead  of  them  all,  and  as  swift  as  a  blast  of  winter 
wind  was  the  flight  and  rush  with  which  he  passed  them. 
The  nimble,  terrible  Idas  was  next  him.  Phaedimus  and 
Dymas  followed  these,  with  short  space  between  them. 
The  active  Alcon  was  besides  in  the  rear  of  these.  Thus 
was  Parthenopaeus  with  his  glorious  wavy  hair  spreading 
out  wide  from  behind  over  his  shoulders.  When  Idas 
reached  up  towards  the  mark  with  Parthenopaeus  gaining 
upon  him,  what  he  did  was  to  stretch  forth  his  hand  and 
grasp  the  long,  pale-yellow  hair  (of  Parthenopaeus)  by  the 
root  and  pull  him  backwards  towards  him  to  the  ground. 
Now  when  the  Arcadians  saw  this  they  promptly  made  for 
Idas  to  attack  ^him.     The  hosts  of  Pisa  and  Elis  rose  to 

VOL.  IX.  u 


306  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

in  t-aenach,  7  ro-triallsad  ^in  t-aenach  uili^  do  buaidred 
CO  mor. 

Et  o  t'  2  chualaig  Adraist  in  t-ard  ri  sin  ^  ro  erig  ^  do 
thairmesc  in  tachair,  7  is  ed  ro  raid :  '  Traethar  bar  ferga,  a 
fhiru,'  ar  se,  '  7  caiscid  bar  comruc.  Acus  dentar  in  comrith 
a  ris,  7  na  lecar  i  comfhacus  sib,  (7)  na  tuca  nech  uaib 
celc  ma  cheli.'  Do  ronnud  tra  leosin  sin  7  tuc  Parthanapeus 
buaid  na  comlenga  les  in  darna  fecht,  7  ba  samulta  na 
taidled  in  taiimain  ar  a  luas  do  rethad. 

O  ra  scuirsed  *  sin  ro  tidnaiced  seoid  ^  7  maine  doib  log 
am  buada,  .t.  ech  aibind  do  Parthanapeus,  7^  sciath  alaind 
ael-gel  do  Idas,  saeigti  7  saiged  to  chach  ar  cheana. 

*  Et  as  ahaithli  sin  ro  comtriallad '  leo  cluichi  disci  do 
denum  .t.  cluichi  meisi.^  Acus  is  amlaid  do  nithea  in 
cluichi  sin,  mias  adbul  mor  iaraind  no  umaidi  ar  uaitnedaib 
iaraind  'na  lamaib,  7  a  h-impod  ^  ima  ^^  cuairt,  7  a  dibrucad 
i  clethi  aeoir  7  firmaminti.  Acus  mina  f rithailtea  ^^  a  ris 
uar  (r)ind  (i)nd  n-uaitni  cetna  ro  marbad  7  ro  mugaiged 
each  aen  ro  bid  fuithi. 

Is  and  sin  ro  gab  Adraist  lama^^  ar  Perelass  im^^  ergi 
do  chum  in  cluichi  sin.  Ro  erich  tra  7  ro  chuir  in  mes  ^*  co 
fersecha  fir-ard  uada.  Acus  robadar  Grec  ^^  sel  fada  'c  a 
fegad.  Acus  is  iad  so  do  erig  da  frithaileam  ar  sin,  .t.  dias 
a  h-Aichis,  7  triur  a  h-Efir,  7  oen  fer  a  Pisa,  7  ua  h-e  in 
.vii.  mad  ^^  fer  Acharnan.^^  Ro  erig  imorro  as  ahaithli  sin 
Fo].i5ai.  Ipomedon  gruad-solus  7  mias  adbul  mor  aile  ina  laim,  7 
is  ed  ro  raid  :  '  A  ocu,'  ^^  ar  se,  '  gebig  in  meis  moir-sea  in 
bar  lamaib,  uair  is  mo  is  feidm  nert  ^^  a  tocbail  7  a  tuimem 
inna  ni  triallaid,  7  bid  rethi  togla  ar  tohocht  ^^  don  chath- 
raid  co  saigthi  .t.  don  Teib.     Acus  ro  dibraig^i  ^s  ahaithli 

^~'  ui(le)  don  aenach.  *  do.  ^~^  Eg.  omits.  *  scuirsit. 

*  seid.  c  Eg.  omits.  ^  comtriallsat. 

*  The  Quoit  Game. 

*•  mesi.  The  Gaelic  translator  rendered  discus  by  mias,  a  loan  from  the  Latin 
mensa,  and  originally  as  in  Latin  applied  to  'table,'  'altar,'  etc.  In  the  modern 
language  the  word  means  'plate,'  'platter,'  'a  shallow  dish.' 

"  impo.  i»  ma.  »  frithailted/i.  ^'^  lam.  ""^  um. 

"  meis.  '^  Grecidh.         '"  Eg.  omits.        '''  MS.  Achannam ;  Eg.  AcharnamuB. 

18  occa.  '"  nertmar.        20  toighecht.        ^i  diubratc. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  307 

meet  them.  Because  of  this  the  assembly  became  a 
tumultuous  crowd,  and  in  the  whole  gathering  there  was 
great  commotion. 

When  Adrastus  the  high  king  heard  this  he  proceeded 
to  check  the  quarrel,  and  spoke  thus :  '  Calm  your  wrath, 
men,'  said  he,  '  and  restrain  your  wrangling.  Let  the  race 
be  run  again ;  keep  not  too  near  each  other ;  and  let  no 
one  practise  treachery  upon  his  fellow.'  They  did  so  ;  and 
Parthenopaeus  won  the  race  the  second  time ;  and  such 
was  the  speed  of  his  running  that  he  seemed  not  to  touch 
the  ground. 

When  the  contest  ceased  jewels  and  treasures  were 
gifted  to  them  in  guerdon  of  their  victory, — a  gallant  steed 
to  Parthenopaeus,  a  beautiful,  lime-white  shield  to  Idas, 
arrows  and  an  arrow  to  the  others  as  well. 

^  Thereafter  they  engaged  to  play  the  game  of  the 
discus,  i.e.  the  quoit  game.  Now  that  game  was  played 
thus :  they  held  a  great,  huge  quoit  of  iron  or  copper  fixed 
on  iron  pedestals  in  their  hands,  and  after  whirling  it 
round  they  shot  it  straight  up  in  the  air  and  sky,  and  if  it 
was  not  caught  in  its  descent  on  the  point  of  the  pedestal 
it  would  kill  and  destroy  every  one  that  happened  to  be 
under  it. 

Adrastus  then  ordered  Pterelas  to  commence  that  game. 
He  stood  forth  and  hurled  the  quoit  with  great  force  very 
high  above  them.  The  Greeks  were  for  a  long  time  watch- 
ing it,  and  these  are  they  who  stepped  out  to  receive  it, 
viz.  two  from  Achaea,  three  from  Ephyre,  one  from  Pisa, 
and  the  seventh  was  Acarnan.^  Thereafter  bright-faced 
Hippomedon  stood  forth  with  another  large,  huge  quoit  in 
his  hand,  and  spoke  thus.  '  Warriors,'  said  he,  '  take  this 
great  quoit  in  your  hands,  for  the  lifting  and  letting  it  down 
again  is  a  greater  test  of  strength  than  any  that  has  been 

1  Th.,  vi.  646. 

2  On  the  top  margin  of  Fol.  15a  1-2  is  the  following  note  :  Is  mor  in  magadh  do 
Gregaib  ar  millset  da  maithus  7  da  maoinibh  ar  son  leiniph  big.  '  What  great  fools 
the  Greeks  must  have  been  to  have  wasted  so  much  of  their  means  and  substance  on 
account  of  a  little  child.' 


308  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

sin,  7  nir  an  'g  a  h-urnaigi  ^  aroen  ris  na  Grecaib  acht  mad 
ilegias  7  Menestius  a  h-Achain,  uair  ba  h-ecail  leo  tuind- 
seom  2  7  truma  na  mesi  sin  ar  a  met.  Acus  ar  ae  ^  ro 
frithail  Flegias  calma  comrumach  'na  diaid  sin  in  mes.  Ra 
roith  *  7  ro  chuir  an  aird  i  co  nar  ba  ler  itir  ^  nellaib  frasacha 
firmor  ^  firmaminti  i  ^  ar  a  h-ardi  ro  chuir,  co  ro  seol  a  nuas 
iar  sin  do  chum  thalman  co  domuin  inti.  Acus  robadar 
Grec  8  ac  molad  in  giUi  ^  co  mor  is  in  n-uair  sin.  Acus  ro 
triaU  a  ris  in  fer  sin  a  dibrucad  7  ni  riacht  les  uair  ro  thoit 
uad^°  h-i  cen  cumus  gan  cetugad  do.  Ro  erig  Menestius 
ar  sin  7  ro  dibraic  co  h-athlom  7  co  h-ard  h-i.  Ipomedon 
imorro  ro  gab  ar  sin  h-i,  7  ba  h-airdi  ro  athchuir  ^^  uad 
ina  gach  duini  riam  romi. 

Acus  o  thaimic  in  cluichi  sin  tucad  crocend  taidlech 
tigri  ^2  7  cimas  do  derg  or  fair  'na  timchell  do  Ipomedon. 
Acus  tucad  boga  garb-chuar  Gnoisecda^^  do  Menestius. 
Tucad  dan^*  claideb  lethan  lan-ger  ac  Pilasceius,  ac  sen- 
athair  Adraist,  do  Plieigias,  luag  a  cluichi  mesi. 

1  furnaigi.  ^  tuindsim.  ^  ai.  *  Eg.  adds  in  meis. 

^  Eg.  adds  na.  ^  firmora  na.  ^  Eg.  omits.  ^  Grecidh. 

^  Eg.  adds  sin.  ^'^  uada.  "  achuir.  ^^  tigre. 

^^  Gnoisegada.  "  din. 


THE  THEBAID  OF  STATIUS  309 

tried,  and  there  will  be  a  race  for  plunder  on  reaching  the 
city  of  Thebes  to  which  ye  are  bound.'  Thereafter  he  hurled 
it  (aloft),  and  no  one  of  the  Greeks  remained  with  him  to  re- 
ceive it  except  Phlegyas  and  Menestheus  from  Achan,  for 
the  mass  and  weight  of  that  quoit  made  them  afraid  because 
of  its  size.  The  valorous,  contentious  Phlegyas  then  caught 
the  quoit.  He  whirled  and  hurled  it  aloft  with  such  force 
that  it  was  invisible  among  the  very  great  showery  clouds 
of  the  sky.  It  shot  down  thereafter  and  sank  deep  in  the 
earth.  The  Greeks  greatly  lauded  that  youth  on  that 
occasion.  He  again  attempted  to  hurl  it,  but  in  vain,  for 
it  fell  from  his  hand  without  power  or  capacity  on  his  part 
to  hold  it.  Menestheus  then  stood  forth  and  hurled  it 
quickly  aloft  to  a  great  height.  But  Hippomedon  there- 
after took  it,  and  threw  it  a  second  time  to  a  greater  height 
than  any  man  ever  did  before. 

When  this  game  ended,  a  glossy  tiger  skin,  fringed  all 
round  with  red  gold,  was  given  to  Hippomedon,  and  a 
rough,  curved  Gnossian  {i.e.  Cretan)  bow  to  Menestheus. 
There  was  given  besides  a  broad,  very  sharp  sword,  which 
belonged  to  Pelasgus  the  grandfather  of  Adrastus,  to 
Phlegyas  in  guerdon  of  his  quoit  play. 


310  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

DAN  CUIMHNE 
G.  P.  T.  MacRae 

Where  the  gurgling  burnie  softly 

Croons  of  old,  forgotten  years, 
And  the  wistful  branches  murmur 

Faint  and  low  of  hidden  fears ; 
All  amid  the  Silent  Watchers 

Of  the  husht  entranced  glen. 
Fairies  dance  their  old-world  measures 

Till  the  dawn  creeps  o'er  the  ben  ; 
Then  they  vanish  to  their  hillocks 

Hid  in  yonder  cave-deep  glade. 
And  the  fresh'ning  winds  of  morning 

Reimbue  each  trampled  blade. 
Then  again  the  secret  voices 

Of  the  noonday's  wistful  hour 
Tell  of  long-forgotten  stories 

Of  the  harper's  mighty  power  ; 
Tell  how  in  a  distant  castle 

Fell  his  notes  in  dulcet  strains, 
How  he  sang  of  Eilidh's  wooing, 

Eilidh,  Spirit  of  the  Plains  ; 
Tell  how  war-marked  clansmen  trembled 

At  the  throbbing  notes  that  fell 
From  the  singer  as  he  chanted 

Of  the  death  of  Iseabal ; 
Iseabal,  the  Queen  of  Summer, 

She  who  journeyed  far  away. 
When  the  snow-chilled  winds  of  winter 

Crushed  too  soon  the  autumn  day  ; 
How  in  foreign  climes  she  wandered 

Seeking  for  a  home  to  rest, 
Never  finding  what  she  longed  for, 

Never  more  by  love  caressed  ; 
There  she  pined  for  yonder  castle 

On  the  glenside  far  away, 
But  the  bonnie,  tender  spirit 

Died  ere  came  the  new-born  day. 

Once  again  the  Harper's  music 
Fierce  and  loud  resounded  clear, 

For  he  sang  of  war  and  conflict 
Surging,  pressing  ever  near ; 


DAN  CUIMHNE  311 

Told  of  ancient  feuds  revived, 

Told  of  clansmen  bold  and  brave 
Who  were  marching,  proud,  exultant, 

To  a  hero's  war-girt  grave  ; 
Told  how  Colla  marched  to  meet  him, 

Eachann  Mor  from  far  Glendale, 
Told  of  mighty  feats  accomplished, 

Told  of  forays  doomed  to  fail. 
For  when  Eachann,  proud,  compelling, 

Launched  his  kinsmen  to  the  charge 
They  were  beaten  back  defeated. 

Claymores  fell  on  waiting  targe. 
Noble  Colla  !  he  of  poems, 

Watched  his  enemies  track  the  plain. 
As  they  marched  in  ordered  measure 

To  the  confines  of  the  glen ; 
And  the  valiant  Eachann  waited, 

Ready  armed  ;  his  eyes  were  cold, 
Waited  he  with  proud  demeanour. 

With  his  wariors  brave  and  bold. 
There  was  ne'er  such  battle  royal 

As  was  witnessed  in  the  glen 
When  the  fighting  sons  of  Colla 

Scattered  far  all  Eachann 's  men. 
Now  the  music  changed  to  sadness, 

Wailing  in  its  every  beat, 
For  the  gallant  kerns  who  perished. 

Scorning  refuge  in  retreat ! 
Harper  !  Harper  !  how  thy  chanting 

Rends  the  heart  with  sorrow's  moan  ! 
Bonnie  maidens,  sweet  and  comely. 

Mourning,  keening,  left  alone. 

When  the  Harper's  song  had  ended 

Rose  a  man  of  fair  renown. 
Telling  by  the  oak-leaf  circlet 

That  he  bore  a  royal  crown ; 
And  the  clansmen,  tense,  impatient. 

Gathered  round  in  martial  might, 
Knowing  that  their  chieftain's  honour 

Always  held  him  to  the  right : — 
'  A  Chlann  mo  Ghraidh  ! '  and  silence  falleth, 

'  Children  all  of  gallant  men, 
When  we  hear  the  fateful  challenge 

We  will  up  and  march  again  ; 


312  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

We  shall  leave  our  dear  loved  mountains, 

Leave  our  bonnie,  sheltered  glens, 
Leave  our  darlings  when  the  summons 

Calls  us  o'er  the  distant  plains  ; 
Far  across  the  raging  billows 

"We  shall  sail  in  proud  array  ; 
Eachann's  clans  shall  never  conquer, 

Never  triumph  in  the  fray. 
Yes,  my  sons  !  'mid  Skye's  wild  comes, 

Where  the  wind  is  sweeping  free, 
Some  will  sleep  their  last  long  slumber, 

Some  will  die  for  Gleannachridhe. 
We  shall  triumph  ;  we  shall  conquer 

And  our  glens  with  joy  shall  ring. 
When  the  pibroch's  thrilling  echo 

Reaches  forth  on  hast'ning  wing.' 
Thus  he  spake,  this  hero  Colla, 

He  whose  story  poets  told 
At  the  '  ceilidh '  fires  o'  winter, 

When  the  snows  lay  deep  and  cold 
Colla,  loved  of  women  dearly, 

Colla,  Prince  of  Gleannachridhe, 
f  He  who  ever  fought  in  battle 

For  the  cause  of  liberty. 

Once  again  the  echo  brought  me 

To  the  fairy  burnie's  flow, 
And  I  gazed  in  mystic  wonder 

At  the  Green  Fire  in  its  glow ; — 
All  around  me  naught  but  silence. 

Portent  sure  of  spirit-charms. 
Nodding  branches  waving  sadly 

Heavy,  weary,  burdened  arms  ; 
But  around,  above,  upon  me. 

Fairy-whispers  strangely  sweet 
Told  me  of  the  happy  region 

Where  they  held  their  lost  retreat ; 
Where  their  king  on  milk-white  charger 

Roamed  the  forest's  midnight  peace 
Calling  lonely  travellers  follow 

Where  life's  joy  would  never  cease : 
To  a  realm  of  sparkling  splendour 

Where  the  Wee  Folk  hold  their  sway, 
Radiant  in  their  green,  green  mantles. 

Crimson-capped  in  bright  array  ! — 


DAN  OUIMHNE  313 

0  Finvarra,  King  of  Faerie  ! 
Call  me  to  thy  mystic  ring, 

Lead  me  where  the  merrie  dancers 

Sweetest  melodies  do  sing. 
So  the  echoes,  clear,  insistent, 

Still  compel  me  to  the  stream 
Where  the  fairies  after  sundown 

Circle  in  their  mystic  dream. 
Echoes  !  Echoes  !  I  can  hear  them 

Call  me  in  the  midnight's  rest 
Where  the  '  clachan's '  brooding  silence 

Weighs  upon  a  heart  distressed, 
For  I  hear  my  kinsmen's  voices 

Beckon  from  a  far-off  shore, 
Where  the  old,  old  dreams  are  cherished 

Of  a  day  that  comes  no  more  ; 

1  can  hear  their  voices  calling, 

I  can  list  their  wistful  sigh, 
'Tis  the  dawning  morn  that  bringeth 
Absent  ages  ever  nigh. 

But  there 's  no  one  now  to  wander 

Through  the  bonnie,  flowery  glens  ; 
No  one  now  to  leave  their  footprints 

On  the  slopes  of  grassy  bens ; 
Mayhap  in  the  mountain's  silence 

Where  the  lonely  shieling  stands  ; 
Mayhap  in  the  hill-wrapt  valley 

Where  there  lie  no  favoured  lands  ; 
Mayhap  there  an  old-world  dreamer 

Rests  upon  a  distant  past, 
Calling  gently  to  the  shadows 

As  the  night-clouds  overcast. 
But  the  Highland  glens  are  empty, 

And  their  children  scattered  far 
By  the  cruel  hand  of  exile. 

Sterner,  fiercer  yet  than  war. 
0  my  people  !  ye  who  linger 

By  the  '  lochan '  in  the  glen, 
Let  the  throbbing  breath  of  ages 

Tell  of  happy  days  again  ; 
Let  the  soothing,  wistful  echo 

Break  upon  your  list'ning  ear, — 
Then  the  glory  of  tradition 

Like  a  star  shall  burn  most  clear. 


314  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 


THE  'PICTI'  AND  SSCOTTI'  IN  THE  EXCIDIUM 

BRITTANI^^ 

Rev.  a.  W.  Wade-Evans 

The  Excidium  Brittanice  brings  its  story  down  in  chapter 
xiii.  to  the  death  of  Maximus  the  usurper  at  Aquileia,  which 
event  is  known  to  have  taken  place  in  the  summer  of  a.d. 
388.  In  the  following  chapter  it  is  stated  that  as  a  result 
of  this  rebellion  Britain,  i.e.  Scotland  as  well  as  England 
and  Wales,  was  drained  of  all  its  armed  soldiery,  its  military 
supplies,  its  cruel  rectores,  rulers  (or  praepositi,  overseers,  as 
they  were  called  before)  and  its  able-bodied  youth,  so  that 
there  was  literally  no  human  material  left  in  the  island 
capable  of  defending  and  ruling  it,  whether  officer,  soldier, 
or  civilian ;  or  even  a  single  weapon.  The  Excidium 
Brittanice  would  have  us  believe  that  Maximus,  in  this 
supreme  effort  of  his  hfe,  exhausted  the  island  of  Britain 
of  every  available  source  of  defence  and  authority,  and 
that  what  he  took  away  with  him  never  returned.  This 
incredible  statement  is  actually  emphasised  as  the  narrative 
continues.  The  citizens,  having  no  able-bodied  men,  were 
in  need  of  soldiers  ;  having  no  soldiers,  had  to  send  for 
them  ;  having  no  rectores,  rulers  or  overseers,  failed  to  hold 
the  Wall  of  turf  ;  having  no  weapons,  had  to  have  patterns 
left  them  for  their  manufacture.  Britain,  thus  helpless, 
became  exposed  for  the  first  time  to  the  attacks  of  two 
savage  nations  from  across  the  sea,  the  Scotti  from  the 
north-west,  and  the  Picti  from  the  north,  and  remained 
prostrate  under  these  attacks  for  many  years. 

We  are  told  that  the  Picti  and  Scotti  differed  partly  in 

^  The  above  article  is  to  be  read  in  conjunction  with  that  entitled  '  The  Romani 
in  the  Excidium  Brittanics,'  which  appeared  in  the  Celtic  Review  for  August  1913 
(pp.  35-41).  In  these  two  articles  the  facts  are  submitted  to  a  fresh  examination,  so  that 
everything  previously  written  by  me  on  this  subject  should  be  checked  by  reference 
to  this  new  series  of  essays.  Also  every  prior  essay  should  be  checked  by  reference 
to  a  later. 


'PICTI'-'SCOTTI'  IN  EXCIBIUM  BRITTANIM   315 

their  customs,  but  were  alike  in  their  thirst  for  blood,  and 
also  in  a  preference  for  covering  their  hang-dog  countenances 
with  hair  rather  than  the  least  decent  portions  of  their 
bodies  with  decent  clothing. 

The  Scotti  were  natives  of  Ireland,^  and  that  they  are 
regarded  as  such  in  the  Excidium  Brittanice  is  shown  in 
chapter  xxi.,  in  which  they  are  distinguished  from  the  Picti 
as  grassatores  Hiberni,  Irish  freebooters.  Where,  however, 
the  author  of  the  Excidium  Brittanice  supposed  the  habitat 
of  the  Picti  to  be  is  uncertain.  All  he  says  is  that  they 
were  a  transmarine  race,  who  came  to  Britain  over  the  sea 
from  the  north,  shared  with  the  Scotti  in  the  capture  of 
'  Scotland '  as  far  as  the  Wall  in  and  after  a.d.  407,  and 
began  to  settle  for  the  first  time  '  in  the  extreme  part  of  the 
island  '  subsequent  to  their  defeat  by  the  Brittani  after 
A.D.  446.  He  may  have  supposed  them  to  have  come  from 
the  Orkney  Islands  or  Scandinavia  ;  ^  in  any  case  Britain 
was  not  exposed  to  their  attacks  until  the  revolt  of  Maximus 
late  in  the  fourth  century,  nor  was  the  island  ever  occupied 
by  them  until  the  fifth. 

Both  Picti  and  Scotti  are  described  as  transmarine, 
attacking  an  island  which  was  wholly  Romano-British, 
nomen  Romanum  tenens,  retaining  the  Roman  name,  from 
John  o'  Groat's  to  Land's  End.  '  Borne  by  wings  of  oars, 
by  arms  of  rowers,  and  by  sails  bulging  with  wind,  they 
break  across  the  bounds.'  When  defeated  by  the  Romani, 
it  is  trans  maria,  beyond  the  seas,  that  they  are  put  to  flight, 

*  The  Scotti  appear  for  the  first  time  in  history  under  this  name  in  the  account  by 
Ammianus  Marcellinus  (xx.  1)  of  an  invasion  of  Roman  Britain  by  the  Picts  and  Scots 
in  the  year  360.  '  They  were  probably  mixed  bands  of  Goidels,  Cruithni  or  Picts  of 
Ireland,  and  Fir  Ulaid  or  True  Ultonians.  These  last  had  been  crowded  into  the 
north-east  corner  of  that  island  in  consequence  of  the  conquest  of  Oriel  or  southern 
Ulster  some  years  previously  by  Celts  from  the  direction  of  Meath.'  It  is  probably 
from  the  northern  half  of  Ireland  that  we  have  the  name  Scotti. — Celtic  Britain, 
3rd  ed.,  243  ;  The  Welsh  Peoi^le,  by  Ehfs  and  Brynmor-Jones,  87,  101-2. 

2  '  The  Picts  came  and  occupied  the  islands,  which  are  called  Orcades,  and  after- 
wards from  the  islands  devastated  many  regions  and  occupied  them  in  the  northern 
part  of  Britain,  and  they  remain  there  to  the  present  time,  holding  a  third  part  of 
Britain.' — Historia  Brittonum,  ch.  xii.  Bede  thought  that  the  Picti  had  come 
originally  from  Scythia,  i.e.  Scandinavia. — Hist.  Eccl.,  i.  1. 


316  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

and  it  is  trans  maria,  beyond  the  seas,  that  they  accumulate 
the  plunder  acquired  by  them  year  by  year ;  and  in 
chapter  xix.  we  read  how  '  the  foul  hordes  of  Scotti  and 
Picti  eagerly  come  forth  from  the  coracles  in  which  they 
sail  across  the  sea,^  as  when  the  sun  is  high  and  the  heat 
is  increasing  dark  swarms  of  worms  emerge  from  the  narrow 
crevices  of  their  holes.' 

When  a  legion  had  arrived  from  Kome  in  answer  to  an 
appeal  from  the  citizens  for  help,  and  had  driven  out  the 
foe  with  great  slaughter,  it  commanded  the  citizens  to  build 
a  Wall  across  the  island  between  two  seas,  which  Wall 
being  made  of  turf  proved  of  no  advantage.  This  Wall,  of 
course,  is  really  that  of  Antonine,  built  from  Clyde  to  Forth 
about  A.D.  143.  Thus,  although  the  foe  had  been  com- 
pletely cleared  out  of  Britain,  the  supposed  building  of  this 
Wall,  sometime  after  a.d.  388,  must  have  meant  to  the 
author  of  the  Excidium  Brittanice  that  the  defence  of  the 
north  of  Scotland  was  now  abandoned.  Such  is  the  story 
of  the  first  devastation  of  Britain  by  the  Picti  and  Scotti. 

Whilst  the  legion  was  returning  home,  the  Picti  and 
Scotti  again  come  over  the  water  to  commence  their  second 
devastation,  and  again  do  the  Romani  arrive  in  answer  to 
another  appeal  from  the  citizens  and  drive  the  invaders 
with  great  slaughter  '  beyond  the  seas.'  The  Romani, 
however,  will  not  be  troubled  any  further  by  such  laborious 
expeditions,  for  which  reason  they  leave  Britain  for  ever. 
Before  departing  they  cause  another  Wall  to  be  built  in  a 
straight  line  from  sea  to  sea,  this  time  of  stone,  which  Wall 
historically  is  that  founded  by  Hadrian  about  a.d.  122 ; 
and  they  also  place  towers  on  the  sea-coast  towards  the 
south  against  other  enemies,  which  towers  of  course  are  the 
forts  of  the  Saxon  Shore,  all  built  before  a.d.  306.^     The 

*  The  original  has  trans  tithicam  vallem,  across  Tethys's  valley,  which  is  a  poetical 
way  of  describing  the  sea.  Tetbys  was  a  sea-goddess,  wife  of  Oceanus,  and  mother  of 
water  deities.  Compare  the  expression  which  follows — in  alto  Titane,  when  the  sun  is 
high,  from  Titan,  the  sun-god. 

2  Constantius  Chlorus,  colleague  and  representative  of  Diocletian  in  Britain, 
formed  a  coast  defence  of  forts,  some  old,  some  newly  erected,  extending  from  the 


'PICTI'-'SCOTTI'  IN  EXGIDIUM  BRITTANIjE   317 

building  of  the  second  Wall  must  imply  that  now  the 
defence  of  the  whole  country  north  of  it  was  surrendered. 
Such  is  the  story  of  the  second  devastation. 

In  chapter  xix.,  as  the  troops  of  the  Romani  were  leaving 
for  ever  (the  tyrant  Constantine  left  Britain  in  A.D.  407), 
the  Picti  and  Scotti  renew  their  attacks  over  the  water 
for  a  third  devastation  and  seized  the  abandoned  country 
north  of  the  Wall  in  place  of  the  inhabitants.  It  is  impor- 
tant here  to  give  the  exact  words,  which  are  these :  omnem 
aquilonalem  extremamque  terrae  partem  pro  indigenis  muro 
tenus  capessunt,  they  seize  the  whole  of  the  northern  and 
extreme  part  of  the  land  as  far  as  the  Wall  instead  of  the 
inhabitants.  From  this  we  are  to  beheve  that,  whereas 
the  Brittani  had  been  the  masters  (under  the  Romani)  of 
the  whole  island  of  Britain  till  a.d.  407,  from  that  year 
the  northern  part  of  the  island  as  far  as  the  Wall  of  Hadrian 
was  taken  over  by  two  foreign  nations,  the  Picti  and  Scotti. 
Although  these  nations,  however,  seized  the  country  north 
of  the  Wall,  they  did  not  as  yet  settle  in  it,  but  proceeded 
at  once  with  their  attack  on  southern  Britain. 

The  Picti  and  Scotti  being  now,  a.d.  407  and  shortly 
after,  in  possession  of  Britain,  north  of  the  Wall,  the  object 
of  the  citizens  was  to  ward  them  off  the  country  to  the 
south  of  it.  To  this  end  (so  the  text  would  seem  to  read) 
the  Wall  was  manned.  The  wording  is  somewhat  curious : 
'  There  is  stationed  in  edito  arcis,  on  the  height  of  the 
citadel,^  an  army,  slow  to  battle,  unwieldy  for  flight,  inept 
by  reason  of  its  quaking  heart,  which  languished  day  and 
night  in  its  foolish  watch.  In  the  meantime  the  hooked 
weapons  of  their  naked  enemies  are  not  idle,  by  which  the 

Wash  to  the  Isle  of  Wight.  It  consisted  of  some  nine,  each  planted  on  a  harbour  and 
garrisoned  by  a  regiment  of  horse  or  foot.  The  new  system  was  known,  from  the  name 
of  the  chief  assailant,  as  Litus  Saxonicum,  the  Saxon  Shore. — Dr.  Haverfield  in  Social 
England,  103,  and  Cambridge  Medieval  Ilistory,  i.  378. 

^  This  expression  seems  hardly  adequate  to  describe  a  manning  of  the  Wall  of 
Hadrian  throughout  its  whole  length.  We  may  have  here  a  covert  reference  to 
some  particular  part  of  the  Wall,  and  possibly  a  place-name,  Pencaer,  Pendinas,  or 
what  not.  (Uxelodunon  or  Uxelodunion,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ellen  on  the  Cumberland 
coast,  means  high  fort  or  high  town. — Rhfs,  Celtic  Britain,  3rd  ed.,  2.?4.) 


318  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

wretched  citizens  were  dragged  de  muris,  from  the  walls, 
and  dashed  to  the  ground.  .  .  .  Why  should  I  say  more  ? 
They  abandon  their  civitates,  cities,  and  their  murus  celsus, 
high  Wall.'  There  were  flights,  dispersions,  massacres.  The 
citizens  are  butchered  like  so  many  lambs.  Their  very 
existence  becomes  like  that  of  the  beasts  of  the  field,  for 
they  even  preyed  on  one  another  for  barest  necessities. 
In  addition  to  these  external  calamities  there  were  civil 
tumults,  for  food  became  so  scarce  throughout  the  whole 
country  that  none  was  obtainable  except  such  as  was 
acquired  in  the  chase.  Thus  did  famine  follow  in  the  wake 
of  the  third  devastation. 

Whilst  this  double  horror  of  war  and  famine  was  still 
prevailing,  the  miserable  remnant  of  the  Brittani  make  a 
final  appeal  to  Rome,  despatching  a  letter  to  the  powerful 
Aetius.^  They  begin  thus  :  To  Agitius  in  his  third  consul- 
ship come  the  groans  of  the  Brittani.  But  the  appeal  proves 
of  no  avail.  Now  Aetius  was  consul  for  the  third  time  in 
A.D.  446.2 

The  famine,  severe  and  well  remembered,  continues  to 
press  the  wandering  and  vacillating  people,  which  forces 
many  of  them  to  yield  for  the  sake  of  a  morsel  of  food. 
There  were  others,  however,  who  would  not  yield,  but 
issuing  from  mountains,  caves,  defiles,  and  thickets,  carried 
on  the  war  unceasingly.  They  would  not  yield,  and  at 
last,  trusting  in  God,  won  a  signal  victory,  which  checked 
for  a  space  the  audacities  of  the  foe.     This  victory  was  the 

1  We  know  from  Constantius's  Life  of  St.  Germanus  (Bk.  ir.  ch.  i.  §  62)  and  from 
Bede  (Hist.  Ecd.,  i.  21)  that  about  this  time  St.  Germanus  of  Auxerre  went  to 
Eavenna  to  intercede  for  the  peace  of  the  Armoricans,  against  whom  Aetius  had 
enlisted  the  services  of  the  Alani.  As  St.  Germanus  had  only  just  returned  from 
Britain,  he  may  well  have  acted  as  emissary  on  behalf  of  the  Brittani  on  the  same 
occasion.  Mr.  Anscombe  thinks  that  the  letter  was  sent  by  the  Brittani  of  Armorica 
and  not  by  those  of  Britain,  and  that  the  author  of  the  Excidium  Brittanice  ignorantly 
referred  it  to  the  insular  Britons. 

2  '  Aetius  might  be  addressed  ter  consul  not  only  in  446,  but  in  any  year  thereafter 
until  his  fourth  consulship  and  death  in  454.' — J,  E.  Lloyd's  History  of  Wales,  99, 
n.  25.  The  chief  point,  however,  is  this,  that  a.d.  446  is  the  earliest  possible  date 
for  the  despatch  of  the  letter. 


*PICTI'-*SCOTTI'  IN  EXGIDIUM  BRITTANI^    319 

first  ever  inflicted  by  the  Brittani  on  the  Picti  and  Scotti, 
and  terminated  the  third  devastation. 

It  is  clear  that  this  third  devastation  begins  in  a.d.  407 
with  the  capture  of  north  Britain  as  far  as  the  Wall,  continues 
at  once  with  the  breaking  down  of  the  defence  of  the  WaU, 
and  the  subsequent  ravaging  of  southern  Britain,  and 
ends  sometime  after  a.d.  446  with  the  first  triumph  of  the 
Brittani.  This  means  that  the  third  devastation  lasted 
at  least  forty  years  from  a.d.  407. 

The  northern  nations  now  withdraw.  What  did  they 
do  ?  Here  again  the  exact  words  are  all-important,  which 
are  these  :  revertuntur  ergo  impudentes  grassatores  Hiberni 
domos  post  non  longum  temporis  reversuri,  Picti  in  extrema 
parte  insulae  tunc  primum  et  deinceps  requieverunt  praedas 
et  contritiones  nonnumquam  facientes — the  shameless  Irish 
freebooters,  therefore,  go  back  to  their  homes,  to  return 
again  before  long.  The  Picti,  then,  for  the  first  time, 
settled  down  in  the  extreme  part  of  the  island  and  continued 
to  do  so,  with  occasional  pillagings  and  devastations. 

Let  us  see  precisely  what  these  words  are  meant  to 
convey.  We  have  been  told  that  the  Picti  and  Scotti  had 
captured  northern  Britain  as  far  as  the  Wall  at  least  forty 
years  previously.  Capessunt  pro  indigenis,  they  took  it  in 
place  of  the  natives.  And  yet  not  until  after  their  defeat 
subsequent  to  a.d.  446  did  the  Picti  begin  to  settle  in  the 
country  they  had  taken;  and  as  for  the  Scotti,  they  are 
made  to  go  back  to  their  homes  in  Ireland,  as  the  use  of 
the  word  Hiberni,  Irish,  at  this  point  indicates.  Whereas 
settlements  of  Picti  iii  north  Britain  are  mentioned,  we  are 
not  told  of  any  such  on  the  part  of  the  Scotti,  but  rather 
the  contrary:  revertuntur  grassatores  Hiberni  domos,  the 
Irish  freebooters  go  back  to  their  homes.  Our  author's 
idea  seems  to  be  that  the  Picti  and  Scotti  were  so  engaged 
in  ravaging  south  Britain  for  the  forty  or  more  years  from 
A.D.  407  that  they  in  the  meantime  neglected  north  Britain, 
so  that  not  until  their  defeat  sometime  after  a.d.  446  did 
the  Picti  busy  themselves  with  making  north  Britain  their 


320  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

permanent  home,  and  as  for  the  Scotti  they  withdrew  to 
their  native  Ireland.  The  Scotti  left  Britain  alone  to 
return  again  before  long  ;  the  Picti  indulged  in  occasional 
foragings  and  depredations. 

These  occasional  forays  must  have  extended  over  no 
very  small  period  of  time,  for  during  the  pauses  between 
them  '  the  island  was  becoming  rich  with  so  many  resources 
of  affluence  that  no  age  remembered  the  possession  of 
such  before,  with  which  resources  of  every  kind  luxury 
also  grows.'  And  again  during  such  pauses  'kings  were 
anointed  not  in  the  name  of  God  but  such  as  surpassed  others 
in  cruelty,  and  shortly  afterwards  were  put  to  death  by 
the  men  who  anointed  them,  without  any  inquiry  as  to 
truth,  others  more  cruel  having  been  elected.' 

All  this  went  on  until  it  was  suddenly  announced  that 
the  old  foes  of  the  Brittani  had  again  arrived  with  the 
intention  of  thoroughly  destroying  the  country,  and  of 
dwelling  in  it  from  one  end  to  the  other  as  was  their  custom. 
The  exact  words  are :  penitus  delere  et  inhahitare  solito  more  a 
fine  usque  ad  terminum  regionem — thoroughly  to  destroy  and 
to  dwell  in  the  country  from  end  to  end  as  was  their  wont. 
This  is  the  only  indication  given  us  that  the  Picti  and 
Scotti  had  inhabited  southern  Britain  from  end  to  end  as 
well  as  ravaged  it.  We  have  been  told  that  they  had  made 
three  devastations,  that  they  had  seized  the  abandoned 
northern  portion  as  far  as  the  Wall,  and  that  one  of  them, 
the  Picti,  had  colonised  '  the  extreme  part.'  It  now  appears 
that  they  had  also  inhabited  from  end  to  end.  Neverthe- 
less, although  the  Picti  and  Scotti  had  inhabited  the  land 
from  end  to  end,  yet  on  their  defeat  which  terminated  the 
third  devastation  both  of  them  are  distinctly  said  to  have 
withdrawn,  the  Irish  freebooters  to  their  native  Ireland, 
and  the  Picti  to  Scotland  to  colonise  '  the  extreme  part.' 

Unfortunately  no  details  are  given  of  this  fourth 
devastation,  but  it  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  it  commenced 
no  very  small  interval  after  a.d.  446,  and  that  no  Scotti 
have  been  made  to  settle  permanently  in  the  island.     It  may 


*PICTI'-'SCOTTI'  IN  EXCIDIUM  BRITTANI^   321 

indeed  seem  strange  that  the  Picti  and  Scotti  should  seize 
Scotland  as  far  as  the  Wall  with  the  final  withdrawal  of 
Roman  troops  in  a.d.  407,  and  that  not  until  after  a.d.  446 
should  the  Picti  begin  to  settle  for  the  first  time,  no  mention 
being  made  of  any  permanent  settlements  of  Scotti, ^  but 
rather  the  contrary  ;  nevertheless,  this  is  clearly  what  the 
narrative  implies. 

Whilst  the  announcement  of  this  beginning  of  a  fourth 
devastation  is  still  in  their  ears,  the  Brittani  are  afiiicted 
by  that  deadly  and  well-remembered  pestilence,  '  which  in 
a  short  time  without  any  sword  lays  low  such  a  multitude 
of  them  that  the  living  are  unable  to  bury  the  dead.'  ^ 

'  According  to  the  traditional  account  the  Scotti  did  not  begin  settling  in 
Scotland  until  about  the  close  of  the  fifth  century.  '  It  was  in  502  (according  to  the 
Annals  of  Ulster)  or  496  (according  to  the  Four  Masters)  that  Feargus  Mor  mac  Earca 
cum  gente  Dalrisda  partem  Britanniae  tenuit  (Tigernach).' — Nicholson's  Keltic 
Researches,  80.  The  Scotti  '  took  up  their  abode  in  Cantyre  and  the  island  of  Islay, 
the  part  of  Ireland  from  which  they  came  being  the  nearest  district  to  Cantyre  and 
known  as  that  of  Dal-Riada.  The  migration  began  during  the  last  years  of  the  fifth 
century,  under  a  prince  called  Fergus  mac  Ercae  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  new- 
comers spread  themselves  orer  much  of  what  is  now  known  as  Argyle.' — Rh^s,  Celtic 
Britain,  3rd  ed.,  156-7.  Bury,  on  the  strength  of  the  Epistola  Patricii,  argues  that 
there  were  settlements  of  Scotti  in  north-west  Britain  before  the  middle  of  the  fifth 
century. — Bury,  St.  Patrick,  315-16.  However  this  may  be,  the  Excidium  BrittanicB 
implies  no  such  settlements  previous  to  a  lengthy  interval  after  a.d.  446.  It  is 
unfortunate  that  no  details  are  given  of  the  fourth  devastation,  but  one  may  surmise 
that  now  for  the  first  time  the  Scotti  are  intended  to  commence  settling. 

*  This  pestilence,  which  synchronised  with  the  arrival  of  Picti  and  Scotti  for  the 
fourth  time,  no  small  interval  after  a.d.  446,  and  which  inflicted  such  havoc  among 
the  Brittani,  was  famosa,  well  known.  It  is  recorded  as  a  local  and  a  completed 
incident  which  occurred  prior  to  the  calling  in  of  Saxon  aid,  so  that  there  can  be  no 
question  of  confounding  it  with  the  celebrated  European  plague  which  raged  for  so 
many  years  during  Justinian's  reign  in  the  mid-sixth  century.  Such  a  local  pestilence 
among  the  Brittani  was  that  in  which  Maelgwn,  king  of  Gwynedd,  died.  Details  of 
it  are  given  in  the  Book  of  Llan  Dav,  107,  110,  131,  144.  It  is  known  there  as  y 
dylyt  melen,  the  yellow  plague,  because  it  made  yellow  and  bloodless  all  whom  it 
attacked.  It  well-nigh  reduced  the  country  to  a  desert.  The  Brittani  fled  before  it 
to  Ireland  and  to  the  Continent.  Amongst  those  who  fled  was  Teilo,  bishop  of 
Llandaft",  who  went  to  Brittany,  where  he  met  his  nephew,  Oudoceus,  who  succeeded 
him  at  LlandaflF  as  bishop.  The  time  of  the  pestilence  (considerably  post-dated  in  the 
Annales  Cambrice)  may  be  determined  in  this  wise.  Maelgwn,  king  of  Gwynedd, 
and  St.  Teilo  were  both  contemporaries  of  St.  David,  who  was  born  in  a.d.  462.  That 
St.  David  was  born  in  a.d.  462  and  flourished  in  the  last  half  of  the  fifth  century  is 
one  of  the  most  assured  facts  in  early  Welsh  history  (see  my  '  Rhygy varch's  Life  of 
St.  David'  in  Y  Cymmrodor,  xxiv.  1-73).     And  that  Maelgwn,  king  of  Gwynedd 

VOL.  IX.  X 


322  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Finally,  an  assembly  is  held  to  deliberate  as  to  the  best 
and  safest  means  of  repelling  the  irruptions  of  the  Picti 
and  Scotti.  All  the  counsellors,  together  with  the  superhus 
tyrannus,^  proud  tyrant,  agree  that  the  Saxones  should  be 
introduced  into  the  island.  After  this  we  hear  no  more 
of  the  Picti  and  Scotti. 

The  Excidium  Brittanice  does  not  teU  us  the  number  of 
years  which  elapsed  between  the  Letter  to  Aetius  and  the 
advent  of  the  Saxones.  But  as  we  know  from  the  contents 
of  the  Letter  that  it  could  not  have  been  written  earlier 
than  A.D.  446,  the  Saxones  must  have  been  admitted  into 
the  island  some  interval  after  that  year.  And  the  interval 
must  have  been  a  long  one  to  have  included  the  victory 
which  terminated  the  third  devastation  and  the  unpre- 
cedented growth  of  wealth  and  luxury  which  followed. 

The  conclusions  may  be  summed  up  as  foUows.  The 
Excidium  Brittanios  is  clear  as  to  the  Picti  and  Scotti  that 
they  were  both  extraneous  nations,  who  attacked  the  island 
of  Britain  from  over  the  sea,  the  Picti  from  some  transmarine 
quarter  in  the  north,  the  Scotti  of  Ireland  from  the  north- 
west. They  differed  partly  in  their  customs,  but  were 
alike  in  their  appearance,  wearing  hair  on  their  faces  and 
scant  clothing  about  their  legs.  No  mention  is  made  of 
their  being  painted  or  tattooed.  They  sailed  the  sea  in 
coracles. 

Not  until  A.D.  383  was  Britain  exposed  to  the  attacks 
of  these  foreign  barbarians,  but  between  that  year  and 
A.D.  407  they  devastated  the  island  twice,  with  the  result 
that  the  defence  of  Scotland  as  far  as  the  Wall  of  Hadrian 
was  abandoned. 

In  A.D.  407,  with  the  final  departure  of  Roman  troops, 

flourished  contemporaneously  with  him  in  the  same  period  is  also  indicated  by  the 
well-known  fact  that  his  famous  descendant  and  successor  in  the  Jifth  generation,  to 
wit  Cadwallon,  perished  at  Rowley  Water  in  634.  The  plague,  therefore,  that  carried 
off  Maelgwn,  must  have  occurred  about  the  early  sixth  century. 

*  superhus  tyrannus,  proud  tyrant,  is  commonly  taken  to  be  a  covert  reference  to 
Vortigern,  whose  name  resolves  itself  into  vor  +  tigem,  over-lord. 


'PICTI'-'SCOTTI'  IN  EXCIDIUM  BRITTANI^  323 

they  commenced  their  third  devastation  with  the  capture 
of  Scotland  as  far  as  the  Wall.  Capessunt  pro  indigenis, 
they  took  it  instead  of  the  inhabitants.  They  then  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  break  down  the  feeble  defence  of  the  Wall, 
and  to  ravage  southern  Britain  without  mercy,  and  to  dwell 
in  it  from  one  end  to  the  other.  This  they  continued  to  do 
until  after  a.d.  446,  when  they  met  with  their  first  decisive 
check  at  the  hands  of  the  citizens.  The  Picti  and  Scotti 
withdrew,  and  so  terminated  the  third  devastation,  which 
lasted  at  least  forty  years  from  a.d.  407. 

During  the  third  devastation  the  Picti  and  Scotti  had 
had  no  leisure  to  deal  with  Scotland.  Now,  however,  the 
Picti  began  to  settle  in  north  Britain  for  the  first  time, 
whilst  the  Scotti  went  home  to  their  native  Ireland.  As  yet 
there  do  not  appear  to  have  been  any  settlements  of  Scotti 
in  Scotland. 

After  the  third  devastation,  which  terminated  subse- 
quently to  A.D.  446,  there  followed  no  very  small  interval 
of  time  during  which  the  Brittani  became  more  affluent  and 
luxurious  than  ever  before  in  their  history.  The  Picti, 
however,  made  occasional  raids. 

This  interval  of  imprecedented  wealth  and  luxury  was 
brought  to  an  end  by  the  arrival  of  Picti  and  Scotti  for  a 
fourth  devastation.     No  details  are  given. 

Simultaneously  with  this  fourth  arrival  there  fell  upon 
the  Brittani  a  famosa  pestis,  famous  plague,  which  carried 
ofi  so  many  of  them  that  the  Hving  were  unable  to  bury 
the  dead. 

Finally,  the  Brittani,  with  the  superhus  tyrannus,  proud 
t5nrant,  determined  to  call  in  the  aid  of  the  Saxones.  How 
long  this  was  after  the  Letter  to  Aetius  in  a.d.  446  we  are 
not  told,  but  the  narrative  of  the  Excidium  Brittanioe  from 
chapters  xx.  to  xxiii.  postulates  no  small  period  of  time. 


324  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN 

COINNEACH   MaoLeOED 

Air  leantainn  bho  t,  d.  252 

An  Dreathann  agus  an  Iolair 

Bha  an  Dreathann  'na  sheasamh  air  stob,  sop  'na  bheul, 
goic  'na  cheann,  is  e  meomhrachadh,  mar  bu  ghnath  leis, 
air  nithean  diomhair  an  domhain.  '  Is  mithich  dhuit,  a 
laochain,  an  sop  chur  as  do  bheul,'  ghlaodh  an  Uiseag  ris, 
is  i  deanamh  direach  air  an  stob.  '  A  bheil  dad  cearr,  a  bhuin- 
neag  ?  '  '  Cearr  !  nach  faca  tu,  no  mur  faca  nach  cuala 
tu,  an  Clacharan  is  a'  Chathag  air  an  dearg  chaothaich 
feadh  a'  bhaile — fhuair  iad  naidheachd  mu  dheireadh.' 
'A  dh'  innseadh  na  firinn,'  ars'  an  Dreathann,  '  bha  mi 
gabhail  iongantais,  is  nithean  annasach  cho  gann  mu'n 
trath  so  de'n  bhliadhna,  nach  robh  mi  cluinntinn  fathann 
idir  air  an  nathair-mhara,  no  air  na  boiteagan  mora,  no  air 
na  seilcheagan  reamhra.  Ach  ciod  a  tha  iad  ag  radh,  a 
bhuinneag  ?  is  ciod  a  chunnaic  iad  ?  is  co  an  t-suil  gheur 
a  lorgaich  ?  is  co  am  beul  firinneach  a  dh'  aithris  ?  '  Mu'n 
d'fhuair  an  Uiseag  a  gob  fhosgladh,  co  bha  air  tighinn  ach 
an  Smeorach.  '  Cuir  an  sop  'nad  bheul,  a  Dhreathainn,' 
ars'  esan,  '  nach  'eil  fios  air  tighinn  o  Iolair  na  Creige  Moire, 
gu  bheil  i  am  beachd  tigh-samhraidh  a  thogail  air  an  iosal, 
agus  gu  bheil  i  an  dochas  gu'm  bi  sinn  uile  'gar  reamhrachadh 
fein  fa  chomhair  a  teachd.'  'Nach  eibhinn  i,'  ars'  an 
Dreathann.  '  Eibhinn,  a  dhuine  !  is  ann  a  tha  i  miomhail 
ladurna,  agus  mur  b'e  gu  bheil  an  Calaman  air  tighinn, 
theirinn  gu  bheil  i  rud  eile.'  '  Nach  dean  thu  fead,  a 
ghraidhein !  Cha'n  fhaca  tu  riamh,  o'n  nach  fhaca  tu 
riamh,  rud  cho  inntinneach  no  cho  feumail  ri  fead.  Tog- 
aidh  fead  soirbheas,  agus  leagaidh  fead  soirbheas.  Bha 
mi  meomhrachadh  an  diugh ' — '  Cha'n  ann  a'  cur  casga  air 
do  chainnt  a  tha  mi,'  ars'  an  Smeorach,  '  ach  ciod  ata  sinn 
dol  a  dheanamh  ?  Nach  'eil  thu  fhein  a'  faicinn,  ma  thig 
an  Iolair,  gu  feum  sinne  falbh ;    agus  ma  dh'fhanas  sinne. 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  325 

nach  faod  ise  tighinn.'  '  Mar  bha  mi  dol  a  radh,  an  uair 
nach  do  chuir  an  Smeorach  casg  air  mo  chainnt,  bha  mi 
meomhrachadh  an  diugh  air  uabhar  is  air  aimideas  an  t- 
saoghail.  A  bheil  thusa,  Chalamain,  a'  creidsinn  an  t- 
seanfhacail,  "  Beag  moiteil  is  mor  toirteil  "  ?  '  '  Cha'n 
'eil  mi  'gad  thuigsinn,  a  Dhreathainn.'  '  A  bheil  thusa  'gam 
thuigsinn,  a  Smeoraich  ?  '  '  Tha  thu  ciallachadh,  nach 
'eil  ?  gur  h-e  boireannach  siobhalta  laghach  a  th'anns  an 
lolair,  a  chionn  gu  bheil  i  mor  spagach.'  '  Theagamh,  a 
ghraidhein,  gu  bheil  an  seanfhacal  'ga  chiallachadh,  ach 
cha'n  'eil  mise.  Cha'n  abradh  tu  gu  bheil  mi  fhein  am 
dhuineachan  ro-mhor — co-dhiu,  cha'n  'eil  mi  buileach  cho 
mor  ris  an  lolair — is  tha  mi  cearta  coma  ged  bhiodh  h-uile 
gille  beag  anns  a'  bhaile  ruith  as  mo  dheidh,  is  a'  magadh 
orm.  Nis,  cha'n  abrainn  sin  a  thaobh  na  h-Iolaire  moire 
spagaiche.'  'Ach  ciod  a  ni  sinn  ?  '  ars'  an  Uiseag.  '  Ciod,  a 
chaomhag,  ach  an  rud  a  tha  mi  ag  radh — cuiridh  sinn  eagal 
nan  gillean  beag  air  an  lolair.' 

Bha  sgaoth  mhor  de  na  h-eoin  cruinn  comhla  a  nis,  agus 
chuartaich  an  Dreathann  a'  chuideachd  le  a  shuil.  *  Cha'n 
fhaic  mi  a'  Chailleach-oidhche,'  ars'  esan.  '  Cha'n  'eil  i 
tighinn  idir,'  ars'  an  Clacharan.  'Chuir  i  am  bodach  'na 
h-aite,'  arsa  Chathag.  'Tha  mi  tuigsinn,'  ars'  an  Dreath- 
ann, '  ach  lolair  ann  no  as,  cha'n  fhaigh  am  bodachan 
bas  an  da  latha  so.  Ach  so  !  so  !  an  ceann  gnoth- 
uich  sinn.  Nis,  a  mhnathan-uaisle  is  a  dhaoin-uaisle,  tha 
fadal  oinm  air  fad  gus  an  tig  an  lolair;  agus  tha  am  fadal 
sin  cho  acrach  is  gu'n  cuir  sinn  'ga  h-iarraidh  an  ceart  ghrad- 
aig  an  ama.  A  Chlacharain,  tha  thusa  maith  gu  bruidh- 
inn.'  '  Mata,  Dhreathainn,  o'n  thubhairt  thu  e,  cha 
bhiodh  e  ach  miomhail  dhomhsa  cur  'nad  aghaidh.  Cha'n 
'eil  mi  ag  radh  nach  'eil  a'  Chathag  pailt  cho  fileanta,  ach 
cha  chuir  i  loinn  air  rud  mar  chuireas  mise.'  'A  Chlacharain, 
ni  sinn  dudaire  dhiot ;  cuiridh  sinn  do'n  Chreig  Mhoir  thu 
le  teachdaireachd.'  '  Cha  ruith  leam  ach  leum,  a  Dhreath- 
ainn.— "  theid  is  gu'n  teid  mi  le  sugairt  agus  aoigh  "  ' — 
'  Theid  thu  le  teachdaireachd,  a  ghraidhein.'     '  A  dh'inn- 


326  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

seadh  na  firinn,  a  Dhreathainn,  bha  bloighdeag  amharuis 
agam  gu'm  biodh  agam  ri  oraid  a  dheanamh  air  rud-eigin, 
agus  bha  smuid  agam  air  te  fad  an  latha — direach  anns  an 
earalas.  Cha  bhi  agam  ach  facal  no  dha  atharrachadh,  is 
freagraidh  an  oraid  do  rud  sam  bith,  o'n  lolair  gus  a'Ghlais- 
ein.'  'Cluinneam,  a  ghraidhein,  mar  dh'iarras  tu  air  an 
lolair  tighinn.'  '  larraidh  mi  oirre  mar  so — "  Air  feasgar 
aluinn  earraich  bha  ghrian  a'  cromadh  thmi  an  aird-an-iar, 
agus  bha  ghealach  is  na  reultan  a'  dol  'nan  culaidh-oidhche 
lasraich  sheudagaich,  chum  an  dleasdanais  abhaistich  a 
dheanamh  ann  an  gorm-bhrat  nan  speur.  Bha  na  h-uillt 
bhoidheach  bhinne  cronanaich  thun  an  traigh,  agus  bha 
calltuinn  an  fhaile  chubhraidh  a'  toirt  phog  dhaibh  'san 
dol  seachad.  Bha  ceo  nam  beann  air  an  leitir  ud  thall, 
a'sgaoileadh,  le  lamhan  min-gheal,  sroil-shithe  de  shneachda- 
briiadair  air  tulaich  nan  sliabh  ;  agus  bha  coin  bhuchall- 
acha  bhachallacha  nan  geug,  mar  ris  an  neoinean  dhiblidh 
is  mar  ris  an  t-s6bhraich  fhinealta,  air  an  lionadh  le  gair- 
deachas  mor  fa  chomhair  ailleachd  an  t-saoghail  ta  ann. 
Ach,  O  !  astraiche  nan  speur,  eadhon  mar  thaomas  beum- 
sleibh  o  na  sgairnichean  gruamach  ard,  no  mar  bheucas  a' 
bheithir  'nuair  theid  tein'  agus  uisge  gu  stri,  eadhon  mar  sin 
thainig  t'  fhios  thim  an  ealtainn  ud  shios,  gu  robh  thusa  los 
tighinn  le  lamhachas-laidir  nan  daoi,  a  thoirt  uainne  na 
dachaidh  a  f  huair  sinn  le  beannachd  o  shinnsir  nach  maireann 
'san  am — eadhon  ar  fonn,  ar  fearann,  ar  fasach  fein.  Ach, 
O  !  a  spuinneadair  nam  bantrach,  a  chreachadair  nan  nead, 
a  mhortair  nan  uan,  eisd  a  nis  ri  mo  bhriathraibh  fiosnacha, 
foisneacha,  fior-ghlic,  fior-eolach,  agus —  "  '  '  Cha  chuala 
mi  riamh  a  leithid,'  ars'  an  Dreathann,  '  cha'n  e  bruidhinn 
tha  sin  ach  bardachd.'  '  Cha'n  e  fhein  a  rinn  e,'  arsa 
Chathag,  '  chuala  mi  h-uile  facal  deth  roimhe.'  '  Tha  mi 
coma  CO  rinn  e,'  ars'  an  Dreathann,  '  cha  chuala  mi  riamh 
sgleogaireachd  cho  sgiolta  ris.  Ach  is  e  tha  cur  an  dorrain 
orm  nach  cluinn  sinn  ciod  a  their  an  lolair.'  '  Nach  innis 
mise  dhuibh,'  ars'  an  Clacharan.  'Cha'n  innis,  a  ghraidh- 
ein;  bidh  tusa  an  crochadh  ris  a'  chraoibh  as  airde  th' 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  327 

anns  a'  Chreig  Mhoir.'  '  O  chiall !  cha  teid  mi  aim  idir,  a 
Dhreathaimi.'  '  Theid  thu  ami  gmi  teagamh,  a  Chlacharain, 
ach  fagaidh  tu  an  sgleogaireachd  aig  an  tigh,  is  bheir  thu 
leat  crioman  beag  de  m'  shop-sa.'  '  Ciod  a  their  mi,  mata  ? ' 
*  Mu'n  abair  thu  diog,  a  ghraidhein,  ni  thu  beic.  Agus 
bheir  thu  an  ceart  aire  do  d'ghuth.  Feumaidh  e  bhi  iosal, 
agus  feumaidh  e  bhi  fosgarra,  agus  feumaidh  crith  bheag  a 
bhi  ann  cuideachd,  direach  a  leigeadh  fhaicinn  gu  bheil  fios 
agad  CO  ris  a  tha  thu  bruidhinn.  Agus  an  uair  a  their  mo 
Bhaintigheama,  "  Tha  cead  labhairt  agad,  a  dhudaire," 
their  thusa :  "A  Bhaintigheama  urramach,  tha  eoin  na 
h-ealtainne  cur  failt  oirbh.  Tha  e  'na  aobhar  gairdeachais 
dhuinn,  gu  bheil  sibh  am  beachd,  leis  an  anabarr  iochda, 
tigh-samhraidh  a  thogail  air  an  iosal,  agus  is  e  lan-durachd 
ar  cridhe,  gu'm  bi  sibh  cho  sona  'nar  measg,  is  gu  faod  sibh 
a  radh  an  ^m  dealachaidh,  gu'm  b'fhearr  leibh  gu  mor  a  bhi 
f uireach  na  falbh.  Ach  a  Bhaintigheama  urramach,  tha  bhur 
seirbhisich  dhileas  a'  guidhe  oirbh,  sgriob  a  thoirt  do'n  iosal 
an  diugh,  ma's  e  is  gu'm  bi  sin  freagarrach  dhuibh,  a  chum 
gu'n  innis  sibh  dhuinn,  ciod  an  seorsa  nid  a  b'aill  leibh  sin  a 
dheanamh,  agus  ciod  an  seorsa  bidh  is  annlainn  a  b'aill  leibh 
sinn  a  chruinneachadh,  fa  chomhair  latha  mor  bhur  teachd. 
Agus  bidh  bhur  seirbhisich  dhileas  do  ghnath  a'  guidhe."  ' 
'  O  chiall ! '  ars'  an  Clacharan,  '  cha'n  urrainn  domhsa  an  goil- 
eam-oilean  sin  a  thogail.  Nach  'eil  fhios  agad,  a  Dhreath- 
ainn,  gu  bheil  e  anabarrach  duilich  do  theangair  rud  nach 
d'rinn  e  suas  ionnsachadh  air  a  theangaidh.  Nis,  na  leig- 
eadh tu  leam  fhein ' — '  Bu  mhaith  a  dh'  ionnsaich  thu  an 
oraid  sgleogach  eile,  ged  nach  tu  rinn  i,'  arsa  Chathag. 
'Trobhad  so,  a  Chlacharain,'  ars'  an  Dreathann,  'agus  abair 
an  goileam-oilean  facal  air  an  fhacal,  direach  mar  bheir 
mise  dhuit  e.  "A  Bhaintigheama  urramach,  tha  eoin  na 
h-ealtainne  cur  failt  oirbh."  '  '  "  A  Bhaintigheama  urra- 
mach"— ach  am  feum  mi  seasamh  air  mo  leth-chois  fhad  's 
ata  mi  'ga  radh  ?  '  '  Nach  'eil  fios  gu  feum,  a  ghraidhein — 
o  nach  urrainn  duit  seasamh  air  t'  eanchainn,  Abair  na 
facail    a    nis.  ...  A    rithist  ....  A    rithist.  .  .  .  Ro- 


328  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

mhaith,  a  dhudaire.  .  .  .  Cha'n  'eil  thu  cho  maol,  a  ghraidh- 
ein.  .  .  .  Aon  iteal  eile.  .  .  .  Cha'n  'eil  mi  an  duil  nach 
'eil  e  agad  air  fad  a  nis,  a  ghraidhein,  ach  direach  gu'n  d'rinn 
thu  aon  iomrall  beag  anns  na  facail  mu  dheireadh.'  '  Ciod 
a  thubhairt  mi  ? '  '  Thubhairt,  gu  robh  na  seirbhisich 
dhileas  ris  na  guidheachan.  Nis,  a  ghraidhein,  cha'n  'eil 
mi  ag  radh  nach  e  sin  as  firinniche,  ach  cha'n  e  as  modhaile, 
agus  air  son  na  chunnaic  thu  riamh,  na  leig  a'  chraobh  as 
t'  aire.'  'A  Dhreathainn,'  ars'  an  Calaman,  is  e  air  ur- 
chlisgeadh  a  duiseal  beag  cadail,  '  a  Dhreathainn,  cha  toigh 
learn  an  gnothuch  so — cha'n  'eil  moran  de'n  fhirinn  ann.' 
'  Ud,  a  dhuine,'  ars'  an  Smeorach,  '  cha  chreid  lolair  na 
Creige  Moire  firinn,  ach  creididh  i  breug  cho  luath  's  a  dh' 
itheas  mise  boiteag.'  '  Cha  toigh  learn  na  breugan,'  ars'  an 
Calaman.  '  Saoil,  a  charaid,'  ars'  an  Smeorach,  '  am  marbh- 
adh  tu  fhein  am  Bru-dearg  laghach  leis  an  fhirinn,  na'm 
b'urrainn  duit  a  shabhaladh  le  bloigh  breige.'  '  Cha'n  'eil 
mi  idir  a'  creidsinn,  a  Smeoraich  ionmhuinn,  gu  bheil  an 
fhirinn  cho  marbhtach  's  a  tha  thu  ag  radh.'  '  Tha  i  marbh- 
tach  gu  leoir,  a  Chalamain,  ma  thig  i  'na  h-Iolair.'  '  So  ! 
so  !  a  chlann,  bithibh  soitheamh,'  ars'  an  Dreathann — '  tha 
mise  lan-chinnteach,  a  mhnathan-uaisle  is  a  dhaoin-uaisle, 
gu  bheil  mo  bheachd  fhein  agus  beachd  a'  Chalamain  calg- 
dhireach  an  eagaibh  a  cheile,  ach  direach  nach  'eil  esan  a' 
tuigsinn  mo  bheachd-sa.  Cluinn  so,  a  Chalamain.  Cha'n 
'eil  sinn  idir  dol  a  thoirt  rud  a  chreidsinn  air  an  lolair,  is  ann 
a  tha  sinn  dol  a  thoirt  oirre  rud  a  chreidsinn,  agus  nach  'eil 
thu  fhein  a'  faicinn  nach  ionnan  idir  an  da  ni.'  '  Cha'n 
urrainn  domh  radh  gu  bheil,  a  Dhreathainn  ;  agus,  co-dhiu, 
cha  toigh  leam  gUong  nam  facal.'  '  Mata,  Chalamain, 
cuiridh  mi  a'  phuing  air  leithid  de  dhoigh  is  gu'n  tuig  eadhon 
an  t-isean  anns  an  ugh  mi.  Na'n  abrainn-sa  riut  fhein,  rud 
nach  abair,  ach  abair  gu'n  abradh,  Biodh  e  dubh  no  geal  no 
grisionn  (ma  tha  e  dubh  no  geal  no  grisionn)  gur  neo-thoigh 
leam  fhein  (na'm  bu  neo-thoigh  leam  fhein)  Nebuchadnesar, 
bhithinn,  na'm  bithinn,  a'  toirt  rud  a  chreidsinn  ort ;  ach 
ma  their  mi,  rud  a  their  agus  a  dh'fhaodas  mi  radh,  Biodh 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  329 

e  dubh  no  geal  no  grisionn  (ma  tha  no  nach  'eil  e  dubh  no 
geal  no  grisionn)  gur  ro-thoigh  learn  fhein  (o'n  as  ro-thoigh 
learn  fhein)  Nebuchadnesar,  cha'n  ann,  o  nach  ann,  a'  toirt 
rud  a  chreidsinn  ort  a  tha  mi,  ach  a'  toirt  ort  rud  a  chreid- 
sinn.  Nis,  nach  'eil  thu  tuigsinn  sin  ?  '  *  Cha'n  'eil,  sran- 
nadh  dheth  !  ach,  O  Dhreathainn,  is  caomh  le  mo  chluais 
caoin  nam  facal.  Abair  a  rithist  e.'  '  Biodh  e  dubh  no 
geal  no  grisionn,  gaol  mo  chridhe  Nebuchadnesar.'  '  Tha 
mi  'gad  thuigsinn  a  nis.  Ach  stad  gus  an  smaointich  mi. 
Biodh  e  dubh — no  geal — no — no — no  an  rud  eile — tha 
gaol  mo  chridhe  agam  air  Nebuchadnesar.  Tha  thu  ceart, 
gun  amharus  tha  thu  ceart,  a  Dhreathainn,  agus  tha  mise 
lan-riaraichte — is  e  sin  ri  radh,  ma  tha  am  Bru-dearg 
riaraichte.'  Chlisg  am  Bru-dearg  a  teis-meadhon  bruadair. 
'  An  robh  sibh  a'  bruidhinn  rium,  a  chairdean  ?  '  '  Tha 
an  Calaman  is  mi  fhein  a'  cur  romhainn,'  ars'  an  Dreathami, 
'  gu'n  innis  sinn  an  fhirinn,  an  fhirinn  uile,  gun  aon  hde  ach 
an  fhirinn,  do  lolair  na  Creige  Moire.  A  bheil  dad  agad  an 
aghaidh  sin,  a  ghraidhein  ?  '  '  An  ann  agamsa  !  Is  caomh 
leam  fhein  an  fhirinn,  a  Dhreathainn,'  agus  chaidh  am  Bru- 
dearg  air  ais  d'a  bhruadar.  '  Nis  o'n  tha  sinn  uile  lan- 
riaraichte,'  ars'  an  Dreathann,  '  is  mithich  do'n  dudaire  bhi 
sgaoileadh  nan  sgiath.  Ach  aon  fhacal  riut  anns  an  deal- 
achadh.  An  uair  a  thig  thu  air  t'ais  o'n  Chreig  Mhoir,  is  an 
lolair  agad  air  roineig,  feumaidh  tu  bhi  cho  sgith,  a  ghraidh- 
ein, is  nach  tig  aon  bhiog  as  do  ghob.'  '  O  chiall !  am  feum 
mi  bhi  cho  sgith  sin  ?  '  '  Feumaidh,  a  ghraidhein  ;  is  an 
uair  a  bhios  an  spors  uile  thairis,  innsidh  tu  dhuinn  ciamar 
a  chaidh  dhuit  anns  a'  Chreig  Mhoir.'  Chuir  an  Clacharan 
car-a-mhuiltein  deth  fhein  tri  uairean.  '  Hu  hhk  hidil  a,  hu 
bha  hidilan  !  nach  ann  aig  a'  Chathaig  a  bhios  am  farmad 
rium.  Cha'n  'eil  mi  an  diiil  nach  toisich  mi,  an  larach  nam 
bonn,  air  an  oraid  a  dheilbh.'  '  A  Chlacharain,'  ars'  an 
Dreathann,  '  cluinn  so,  agus  cluinn  e  air  a'  chluais  as  buidhre. 
Gus  an  ruig  thusa  Chreag  Mhor,  na  biodh  a  chridhe  agad — 
a  bheil  thu  cluinntinn,  a  ghraidhein  ? — na  biodh  a  chridhe 
agad  smuain  no  smuain  altrum  'nad  cheann,  ma's  ceann 


330  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

gogan,  ach  an  da  smuain  so — an  teachdaireachd  agus  a 
chroich.     Turus  maith  leat,  a  dhudaire.' 

Chuir  an  Dreathann  a  shop  'na  bheul,  is  thoisich  e  air 
cnuasachd.  Dh'  fhan  na  h-eoin  eile,  a'  Chathag  is  gu  leir, 
'nam  balbh-thosd,  gus  am  bu  deonach  leis  fhein  bruidhinn. 
An  ceann  treise  chairich  e  an  sop  air  an  lar.  '  A  mhnathan- 
uaisle  is  a  dhaoin-uaisle,  faodaidh  gu  bheil  mi  neonach, 
ach  is  iomadh  rud  a  chminaic  mi,  agus  mur  h-eil  mi  air  mo 
mhealladh,  chi  mi  rud  an  diugh  cuideachd.  A  Chathag,  tha 
thusa  maith  air  na  rolaistean — tha  dreuchd  beag  agam 
dhuit.'  '  Ciod  a  thuirt  thu  ?  '  ars'  an  Calaman.  '  Bha  mi 
direach  dol  a  radh,  o  nach  trie  leis  a'  Chathaig  an  fhirinn 
innseadh,  gu'n  toir  sinn  cothrom  dhi  an  diugh  an  fhirinn 
innseadh  do  lolair  na  Creige  Moire.'  '  Ro-mhaith,  a  charaid 
ionmhuinn.  O'n  tha  cuisean  dol  air  an  aghaidh  cho  firinn- 
each  ceart,  cha'n  'eil  mi  an  duil  nach  bi  norrag  bheag 
agam  fhein  air  an  tolman  ud  thaU.  Ach  feuch  gu'n  toir 
thu  sanas  dhomh,  a  Dhreathainn,  ma  thig  ar  bana-charaid 
urramach,  a'  Bhaintighearna.  B'fhior-thoigh  leam  aon 
fhacal  maith  a  radh  rithe — direach  anns  an  earalas.'  '  Cha'n 
'eil  mi  ag  radh  nach  biodh  e  iomchuidh,  a  Chalamain,  ach 
tha  eagal  orm  nach  biodh  e  modhail,  facal  maith  a  radh  ri 
Baintighearna — co-dhiu,  a'  chiad  latha.  Ach  an  ath  uair 
a  thig  i,  ma  thig  !  faodaidh  tu  fhein  is  am  Bru-dearg,  a  dha 
chreutair  gun  lochd,  dalladh  oirre  fad  an  latha  leis  na  clachan 
is  leis  na  facail  mhatha.     Cadal  maith  dhuit,  a  ghraidhein.' 

Mu'n  gann  a  bha  Chathag  air  a  ceart  oileanachadh  aig 
an  Dreathann,  chualas  foirm  agus  toirm  anns  an  adhar 
shuas.  Co  bha  so  ach  lolair  na  Creige  Moire,  agus  an 
Clacharan  anns  an  ospagaich  as  a  deidh.  Dh'eirich  na  h-eoin 
uile  'nan  seasamh,  agus  rinn  iad  beic  do'n  Bhaintighearna. 
Rinn  a'  Bhaintighearna  beic  do  na  h-eoin  an  comain  na 
beice  ceudna.  Rinn  na  h-eoin  beic  eile  do'n  Bhaintighearna 
an  comain  na  beice  comaine — agus  chaidh  iad  an  sin  an 
ceann  gnothuich.  'A  Bhaintighearna  urramach,'  arsa 
Chathag,  '  chuir  sibh  urram  nach  beag  air  coin  na  h-ealtainn 
an  diugh,  agus  is  fiachan  oirnne  moit  ar  cridhe  dhearbhadh 


LA  IS  BLIADHNA  LEIS  NA  H-EOIN  331 

is  a  lan-dearbhadh  le  gniomharan  ar  lamh.  Ach,  a  Bhain- 
tigheama  urramach,  mu'n  cuir  sinn  nithean  eile  'nur  cead, 
bu  mhaith  leinn  aon  fhathann  beag  ainmeachadh  'nur 
lathair.  Cha  ghabh  sibh  gu  h-olc  e,  oir  cha'n  e  olc  ach  eud 
a  ta  'nar  n-amharc,  ach  tha  na  gillean  beaga  ag  eigheach 
air  an  rathad  mhor,  nach  dluithe  theid  lolair  na  Creige 
Moire  do'n  ghrein,  na  an  Dreathann  beag  sin  ata  nis  cho 
diblidh  a'  deanamh  beice  'nur  lathair.'  '  Mata,  Chathag 
bhochd,'  ars'  an  lolair,  '  cha  bu  bheag  an  tamailt  learn  fhein 
gu'm  biodh  na  gillean  beaga  ag  eigheach  bhreug  as  mo 
dheidh.  Na'm  b'  fhirinn  e,  cha'n  'eil  mi  an  duil  gu'n  nochd- 
ainn  m'aghaidh  gu  brath  tuilleadh  shios  air  a'  chomhnard. 
So  !  so  !  a  Dhreathainn,  bheir  sinn  na  speuran  oimn.' 
Thionndaidh  a'  Bhaintighearn  a  h-earr  ris  na  h-eoin,  agus 
sgaoil  i  a  mach  a  sgiathan.  Ghrad-spion  an  Dreathann 
badan  coinnich  a  tolman,  is  gearrar  sinteag  bheag  bhoidh- 
each  gu  druim  na  h-Iolaire.  '  Glug-glog,  glog-glug,'  ars 
ise,  is  i  bruidhinn  rithe  fhein,  '  cha'n  'eil  mo  leithid  ann  gu 
streup  na  gaoithe — nach  miomhail  na  gillean  beaga ! ' 
An  earalas  gu'm  bristeadh  a  ghair  air,  stob  an  Dreathann 
am  badan  coinnich  'na  bheul,  agus  o  nach  robh  an  corr  aige 
ri  dheanamh  anns  a'  cheart  am,  thoisich  e  air  cur  thoimh- 
seachan  air  fhein.  An  ceann  treise  sguir  an  glugail-glogail, 
agus  thoisich  an  ospagaich.  '  Tha  mi  an  duil  gu  bheil  mi 
air  fior-bharr  mo  chomais,'  ars'  an  lolair  rithe  fhein,  '  is 
mithich  dhomh  tearnadh.  Glug-glog,  glog-glug,  c'aite  bheil 
thu,  Dhreathainn  Duinn  ?  '  '  Fada,  fada,  os  do  chionn,'  ars' 
an  Dreathann,  is  e  toirt  sithidh  bhig  bhoidhich  an  aird.  Thug 
an  lolair  aon  chlisg-shuil  os  a  cionn,  agus  an  sin,  gun  ghuth 
mor,  gun  droch  fhacal,  sheol  i  air  falbh  do'n  Chreig  Mhoir. 

An  an  rathad  gu  talamh  co  thachair  ris  an  Dreathann  ach 
an  Clacharan  agus  a'  Chathag,  is  iad  air  tighinn  a  dh'aon 
ghnothuch  'ga  choinneachadh  anns  na  speuran.  '  Is  e 
latha  mor  a  bha  'n  so,'  ars'  an  Clacharan.  '  Is  e  latha  de  na 
laithean  a  bha  'n  so,'  arsa  Chathag.  '  A  bheil  fhios 
agaibh,'  ars'  an  Dreathann,  *  co  air  a  bha  mi  smaointinn,  an 
uair  a  bhuail  mo  dhosan  anns  a'  ghealaich  ?  '     '  Is  e  naidh- 


332  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

eachd  a  bhios  an  so,'  ars'  an  Clacharan.  '  Is  e  naidheachd 
a  rireabh  a  bhios  an  so,'  arsa  Chathag.  '  Mata,  an  uair  a 
bhuail  mo  dhosan  anns  a'  ghealaich,  bhuail  an  smuain 
so  gu  laidir  ri  m'inntinn,  gu'm  bu  dubh  is  gu'm  bu  dona 
saoghal  peacach  gun  phuirt-a-beul.  Cha'n  aithne  dhomh 
fhein  ni  eile  cho  inntinneach  no  cho  seaghail  riutha.  An 
cuala  tusa,  Chlacharain,  no  thusa,  Chathag,  rud  riamh  cho 
laghach  no  cho  inntinneach  ris  a'  phort  so  : 

Tha  mi  'n  diiil  gu'm  bi  mi  nochd 

Hi  taobh  mo  ghaoil,  ge  b'  ann  air  sop, 

Tha  mi  'n  diiil  gu'm  bi  mi  nochd 

Air  taobh  a  bhos  na  h-aibhne. 

Slan  leibh,  a  chairdean.' 

(R^a  Leantainn.) 

HENRY  WHYTE— 'FIONN' 
M.  M. 

By  the  death  of  Mr.  Henry  Whyte  the  small  company  of 
Gaelic  writers  has  lost  one  of  its  most  active  and  capable 
members.  For  a  period  of  almost  forty  years  his  pen  name 
of  Fionn  has  been  familiar  to  all  lovers  of  Gaelic  literatm'e 
and  music.  His  acquaintance  with  the  literature,  the 
history,  and  the  music  of  the  Highlands  was  wide  and 
minute,  while  his  own  contributions  to  Gaelic  literature  in 
prose  and  verse,  though  not  extensive,  possess  real  merit 
and  have  won  considerable  popularity.  One  can  still  recaU 
the  joy  with  which  his  early  publications — the  *  Celtic  Lyre ' 
and  the  '  Celtic  Garland ' — were  hailed  by  aU  lovers  of  Gaelic 
song.  The  '  Celtic  Lyre '  gave  an  impetus  to  the  popular 
study  of  Gaelic  music  which  has  not  yet  exhausted  itself, 
and  helped  to  create  a  demand  for  similarpublications  which 
is  being  very  competently  met,  one  is  glad  to  note,  by 
devoted  and  accomplished  workers  in  that  field.  Probably 
no  individual  worker  in  recent  times  has  contributed  more 
to  diffuse  a  knowledge  of  and  create  a  love  for  Gaelic. music 
than  Fionn.     Not  alone  by  his  books  but  even  more  by  his 


HENRY  WHYTE— 'FIONN' 


HENRY  WHYTE  333 

lectures,  by  his  magazine  and  newspaper  articles,  and  by  his 
extensive  private  correspondence  he  has  fed  the  fire  of 
devotion  to  our  national  music  which  is  burning  so  brightly 
in  our  day.  His  own  contributions  to  Gaelic  song,  though 
not  numerous,  are  of  full  average  merit,  and  some  of  them 
have  achieved  widespread  popularity.  Two  of  them  at 
least — '  Ochoin  a  Righ  si  mo  ribhinn  donn  '  and  '  Dhealaich 
mise  nochd  ri'  m'  leannan ' — are  well-established  favourites 
and  are  often  heard  on  our  concert  platforms.  He  was 
particularly  happy  in  his  translations  of  Gaelic  songs  into 
English.  In  these  translations,  while  always  faithful  to  the 
substance  and  spirit  of  the  original,  he  exhibited  remark- 
able skill  in  reproducing  its  measure  and  rhythm,  so  that  his 
versions  are  usually  capable  of  being  sung  in  English  to  the 
Gaelic  tunes.  This  faculty,  as  also  the  power,  hardly  less 
marked,  of  turning  English  verse  into  Gaelic,  he  shared  with 
his  brother  John,  whose  recent  death  removed  a  most 
useful  worker  from  the  Gaelic  field.  A  large  proportion  of 
the  most  successful  translations  in  the  Kelly  collection  of 
Gaelic  hymns  are  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  John  Whyte,  under 
whose  editorial  supervision  the  volume  was  issued. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Whyte  found  a  congenial  sphere  for 
his  energies  in  the  varied  operations  of  An  Comunn  Gaid- 
healach.  While  actively  interesting  himself  in  all  its 
schemes,  he  rendered  notably  valuable  assistance  in  con- 
nection with  the  important  and  difficult  work  pertaining 
to  the  Annual  Mod.  For  this  particular  service  his  intimate 
acquamtance  with  Gaelic  music  and  song,  combined  with 
musical  attainments  of  no  mean  order,  very  specially  fitted 
him.  But  it  was  perhaps  as  a  journalist — as  a  writer  on 
subjects  connected  with  the  history,  folklore,  poetry  and 
music  of  the  Highlands — that  his  most  important  work  was 
accomplished.  This  work,  suffering  the  common  fate  of 
its  kind,  is  buried  in  the  files  of  newspapers  and  in  the  pages 
of  magazines,  and  is  consequently  in  danger  of  falling  into 
neglect  and  forgetfulness.  He  was  constantly  writing  on 
such  subjects  as  these,  and  writing  with  knowledge  and 


834  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

accuracy.  He  had  a  rich  store  of  information  to  draw  upon, 
and  was  ever  ready  to  put  his  information  at  the  service  of 
others.  He  seemed  never  to  grudge  time  or  trouble  in 
answering  the  innumerable  inquiries  addressed  to  him  on  all 
sorts  of  questions  concerning  song-origins,  clan  and  family 
histories,  and  kindred  subjects.  He  was  applied  to  from  all 
quarters  on  every  variety  of  Highland  topic,  and  if  he 
happened  not  to  possess  the  required  information  himself, 
as  sometimes  occurred  even  in  his  case,  he  spared  no  pains 
in  the  endeavour  to  obtain  it.  In  these  respects  he  was  one 
of  the  most  obliging  and  good-natured  of  men. 

He  had  an  excellent  command  of  expressive  and 
idiomatic  Gaehc,  and  wrote  it  clearly  and  forcibly.  He 
wrote  at  times  on  subjects  that  do  not  usually  engage  the 
pens  of  GaeUc  writers,  and  showed  how  in  the  hands  of  a 
master  the  Gaelic  can  be  easily  adapted  to  meet  modem 
requirements.  For  example,  he  translated  the  Crofters 
Act  into  good  serviceable  Gaelic,  and  in  doing  so,  not  only 
conferred  a  real  benefit  on  his  fellow-countrymen,  but 
proved  that  the  mother  tongue  was  capable  of  reproduc- 
ing clearly  and  accurately  the  involved,  and  cumbrous, 
phraseology  of  parhamentary  enactments.  Like  most 
Gaehc  writers,  he  had  the  gift  of  humour,  and  he  used  it 
effectively  in  his  writings.  This  is  more  noticeable  in  his 
prose  compositions,  particularly  in  those  short  stories  which 
appear  in  that  excellent  collection  of  Gaehc  readings 
'  Leabhar  na  Ceihdh.' 

In  his  earlier  years  especially  Mr.  Whyte  was  a  keen 
pohtician,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  agitation  which 
led  to  the  passing  of  the  Crofters  Act.  The  writer  has  often 
heard  him  tell  of  the  hard  things  he  had  to  endure  at  that 
time  because  of  the  prominent  part  he  took  in  the  movement 
and  because  of  his  pubhcly  announced  sympathy  with  the 
national  aspirations  of  the  Irish.  No  one  could  deny  him 
the  courage  of  his  convictions,  and  the  attempts  to  silence 
him  at  that  time,  some  of  them  very  unworthy,  had  the  effect 
rather  of  provoking  him  into  greater  activity.     He  was  a 


HENEY  WHYTE  335 

good  Highlander,  whose  interest  in  the  past  of  his  countrymen 
did  not  absorb  him  to  the  exclusion  of  all  concern  for  their 
present  condition  and  needs.  He  knew  most  of  the  men 
who  had  helped  to  make  Highland  history  during  the  last 
forty  years — in  politics,  in  the  Church,  and  in  literature — 
and  his  reminiscences  of  these  were  most  interesting.  He 
was  a  capital  raconteur,  and  his  entertaining  stories  of  men 
and  things,  told  with  infinite  relish  and  with  the  liveliest 
appreciation  of  their  humour,  made  an  evening  spent  in  his 
company  a  delightful  experience.  Full  of  sentiment  though 
he  was,  he  never  allowed  his  sentiment  to  run  away  with 
him.  He  was  a  man  of  cool  and  critical  judgment  and  never 
indulged  in  '  gush.'  His  appreciations  were  usually  re- 
strained in  tone  and  temperate  in  expression,  well-balanced 
and  judicial.  His  writing  was  always  marked  by  sound 
judgment  and  good  taste,  and  nothing  ever  came  from  his 
pen  to  which  the  most  fastidious  could  object.  His  services 
to  Gaelic  Uterature  were  recognised  some  time  ago  by  the 
conferring  upon  him  of  a  civil  list  pension.  His  brother 
John  also  held  one  of  these  pensions,  and  together  they 
furnished  the  unique  spectacle  of  two  members  of  the  same 
family  simultaneously  enjoying  State  rewards  for  con- 
spicuous service  in  the  field  of  Gaelic  letters. 

FionrCs  death  leaves  a  blank  which  will  be  difficult  to 
fill.  In  some  respects  he  occupied  a  position  which  was 
unique.  The  sum  of  his  original  contributions  to  Gaelic 
literature,  so  far  as  these  are  available  in  book  form,  is  not 
great,  but  if  his  translations  from  the  English  are  added,  and 
his  innumerable  articles  in  Enghsh  on  Gaelic  subjects  taken 
into  account,  the  extent  of  our  indebtedness  to  him  will  be 
better  realised.  He  was  a  most  industrious  and  intelligent 
gleaner,  and  was  not  content  to  lock  up  in  his  own  breast  the 
vast  store  of  information  he  had  gathered,  but  shared  it 
freely  with  all  who  were  interested.  Above  all,  grateful 
acknowledgment  must  be  made  of  the  valuable  service  he 
rendered  in  popularising  our  national  music  and  in  pro- 
claiming by  voice  and  pen  the  beauty  and  the  worth  of  the 
Highlander's  heritage  of  poetry  and  song. 


836  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

Mr.  Whyte  was  a  native  of  Easdale,  but  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  hfe  in  Glasgow,  in  which  he  was  for 
more  than  a  generation  the  most  widely  known  Highlander. 
During  the  later  years  of  his  life  he  devoted  himself  entirely 
to  journalistic  work.  He  was  the  representative  in  Glasgow 
of  the  Ohan  Times,  and  contributed  weekly  articles  on  High- 
land topics  to  other  well-known  newspapers. 


BOOK  REVIEW 

A  Welsh  Grammar,  Historical  and  Comparative,  by  J.  Morris  Jones,  M.A., 
Phonology  and  Accidence.  Oxford,  at  the  Clarendon  Press,  1913. 
Pp.  xxvii,  477.     Price  13s.  6rf. 

The  appearance  of  this  volume  has  given  great  joy  to  the  Welsh  people 
and  to  students  of  Celtic  Philology ;  nor  is  the  joy  any  less  of  that  band  of 
students  of  the  Science  of  Language  who  delight  in  seeing  the  principles  of 
that  science  successfully  and  brilliantly  applied  to  the  study  of  any  tongue. 
It  may  be  stated  at  the  outset,  that  the  philology  of  Professor  J.  Morris 
Jones's  grammar  is  of  the  most  advanced  and  scientific  character,  while, 
moreover,  it  has  not  been  written  by  one  whose  knowledge  of  the  language 
is  purely  philological,  but  by  one  who  has  an  admirable  command  of  the 
living  Welsh  tongue.  Wales  is,  therefore,  naturally  proud  to  have  the  first 
volume  of  a  grammar  which  analyses  her  language  with  consummate  skill, 
and  which  puts  on  record  to  all  time  the  central  tradition  of  literary  Welsh. 
As  a  worker  for  many  years  in  the  same  field,  the  writer  cannot  but  com- 
mend this  new  volume  with  ungrudging  praise. 

The  comments  which  follow  must  not  be  regarded  as  inconsistent  with 
the  profoundest  admiration  for  this  classic  work,  but  are  to  be  viewed  as 
means  of  raising  points  for  discussion  for  the  purpose  of  still  further 
advancing  Welsh  scholarship.  Many  of  them  allow  of  legitimate  difference 
of  opinion,  and,  possibly,  a  closer  study  of  the  older  literature  and  of 
the  dialects  will  provide  fresh  means  for  deciding  some  of  them.  The 
following  are,  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  points  that  deserve  fresh  con- 
sideration. On  p.  4,  the  author  holds,  that  the  form  Brydein,  in  the  ex- 
pression milguir  Brydein,  found  in  the  Black  Book  of  Carmarthen,  is  a 
radical  and  not  a  mutated  form ;  but  the  writer  well  remembers  the  expres- 
sion of  an  opinion  by  Sir  John  Rhys,  that,  in  Welsh,  there  was  once  a 
mutation  after  masculine  nouns  in  the  plural,  and  it  is  possible  that  we 
have  here  an  instance  of  that  mutation,  as  in  the  expression  milwir  orvith  in 
the  Black  Book  of  Carmarthen,  poem  iii.  Though  orvith  is  an  adjective, 
the  principle  of  the  two  mutations  is  the  same.     On  p.  5,  it  is  definitely 


BOOK  REVIEW  337 

stated  that  'the  Picts  were  Britons.'  There  is  much  to  be  said  for  this 
view,  as  Dr.  W.  J.  Watson  has  shown,  but,  in  a  work  of  the  scope  of  the 
present,  there  ought  to  be  some  reference  to  the  view  so  ably  defended  by 
Sir  John  Rhys,  that  the  Picts  were  a  pre-Celtic  race,  and  that  the  British 
and  Gaelic  words  found  in  their  language  were  borrowed.  The  question  is 
far  from  being  a  simple  one,  for  the  interpretation  of  the  Ogam  Inscription 
of  Scotland  is  by  no  means  easy.  Nor,  again,  does  the  author  (on  p.  6) 
refer  to  the  suggestion  of  Sir  John  Rhys  relating  the  name  Maelgwn,  which 
was  found  a  few  years  ago  on  the  Nevern  ogam  inscription  as  Maglicunas. 
As  proper  names  on  such  inscriptions  are  oftenest  in  the  genitive  case.  Sir 
John  Rhys  has  suggested  that  the  original  form  of  the  nominative  was 
Maglicu,  and  not  Maglocunos,  as  has  been  generally  assumed,  and  that 
Maglicunas  is  in  the  genitive  case.  At  the  same  time,  it  has  to  be 
admitted,  that  the  author  might  well  argue,  that  instances  of  the  proper 
name  in  the  nominative  are  known.  It  is  stated  (on  p.  14),  that  the  sound 
«  of  Welsh  is  very  similar  in  its  effect  upon  the  ear  to  the  French  u.  There 
is,  perhaps,  a  slight  resemblance,  and,  historically,  u  of  Welsh  has  developed 
from  a  sound  practically  identical  with  the  French  u,  but  the  protrusion 
of  the  lips  required  for  the  French  u  gives  it  an  unmistakably  different 
character  from  the  Welsh  u.  Again,  the  author  seems  to  depart  from  his 
usual  scientific  precision  of  statement,  where  he  says,  that  *  the  Welsh  y  is 
an  i  pronounced  further  back.'  It  is  also  too  much  to  say  (on  p.  18),  that 
the  Welsh  t  is  usually  more  dental  than  the  English  t.  The  dental  /  is  not 
unknown  in  Wales,  notably  in  some  of  the  Arvon  dialects,  but  the  pro- 
nunciation of  the  people  who  use  it  is  in  that  respect  noted  by  the  people 
from  other  parts  as  different  from  their  own.  On  p.  19  it  is  said,  that  h 
may  be  '  a  voiceless  form  of  the  vowel  that  follows  it,'  but  it  is  truer  after 
all  to  hold  that  A  is  a  preliminary  breathing  to  the  vowel,  since  (except  in 
whispering)  there  cannot  be  a  voiceless  vowel,  vibration  of  the  vocal  chords 
being  necessary  to  a  spoken  vowel.  There  is  a  reference  (on  p.  22)  to  the 
t  which  was  used,  chiefly  in  the  twelfth  century,  to  represent  the  sound  of 
modern  dd.  This  sound,  the  author  says,  is  represented  '  rather  illogically 
by  t.'  So  it  would  seem,  but  it  is  not  improbable  that  t  is  here  the  remnant 
of  th,  and,  in  the  Black  Book,  ill.,  urthen  is  iound=urdden,  and,  perhaps  (in 
poem  ix.),  forth  =ffordd,  and  (in  poem  v),  oeth  =  oedd. 

On  p.  23,  it  might  perhaps  have  been  well  to  add,  that  ng  is  sounded 
to-day  as  ng-\-g  in  South  Wales,  in  words  like  dangos.  In  the  explanation 
given  (on  p.  27)  of  forms  like  enmeituou,  the  old  form  for  amneidiau,  it  is 
possible  that  a  more  probable  view  than  that  given  by  the  author  is,  that  it 
was  the  labial  o  immediately  after  it,  that  turned  i  (in  the  suffix  iou)  into  u. 
For  the  sake  of  clearness  (on  p.  32,  §  iii),  it  might  be  well  to  add,  after  '  The 
present  sound  of  the  form  ei,'  the  words  'in  the  first  syllable  of  a  dissyllabic 
word,'  and,  also,  for  the  sake  of  the  non- Welsh  reader,  it  might  be  well  to 
write  'corr.'  in  full  as  'corrupted,'  lest  he  should  inadvertently  think  that  it 

VOL.  IX.  Y 


338  THE  CELTIC  EEVIEW 

stands  for  '  corrected.'  In  the  fourth  line  on  p.  33  the  word  mae  has  been 
too  widely  spaced.  On  p.  36,  for  the  sake  of  clearness  (in  §  iii,  2),  it  would 
be  well  to  add  after  the  words  '  in  fact  the  yw  in  cywydd,'  the  words  '  as  pro- 
nounced by  many.'  The  line — Nid  vid  iscolheic  nid  vid  eleic  unhen,  from  the 
Black  Book  (on  p.  50)  does  not  necessarily  prove  that  -eic  is  monosyllabic, 
since  the  line  may  be  corrected  into  its  original  form  as  Nid  vid  scolheic  nid 
vid  leic  unhen.  It  is  stated  (on  p.  51,  line  1),  that  the  accent  in  words  like 
cyhyd  is  on  the  first  syllable,  but,  at  the  present  day,  most  people  pronounce 
this  word  with  the  accent  on  the  last  syllable.  A  small  point  (on  p.  55) 
relating  to  English  usage  is  the  use  of  '  Oh '  in  address,  in  the  expression 
'  Oh  God,'  while  the  more  usual  practice  at  the  present  day  is  to  write  '  0 ' 
in  address,  and  '  Oh '  in  the  expression  of  emotion.  On  p.  60,  we  find  the 
accentuation  Pentyrch,  but  it  might  have  been  well  to  add  that  the  form 
Pdntyrch  is  to  be  found  in  North  Wales.  In  spite  of  the  frequent  use  in 
the  Llyn  district  of  the  corrupted  English  name  'The  Rivals,'  for  the 
Carnarvonshire  mountain  'Yr  Eifl,'  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  so  patriotic  a 
Welsh  scholar  as  Professor  J.  Morris  Jones  should  have  sanctioned  the 
practice.  On  the  same  page,  it  would  be  well  to  add  tibym,  pdu  and  ffdu. 
In  §  61  on  the  same  page,  melfoch  is  translated  as  'suckling  pigs,'  while  the 
usual  English  expression  is  '  sucking  pigs.' 

On  p.  77  it  might  have  been  well  to  state  that  the  old  word  pryfder  in 
Welsh  is  nothing  but  a  corruption  of  the  late  Latin  form  prebiter  (for 
presbyter),  and  the  Irish  form  given  is  a  form  borrowed  and  modified  from 
this.  On  the  same  page  (§  63),  it  is  not  made  sufficiently  clear  to  the  non- 
expert reader  how  hvdd-  corresponds  to  sod-  in  the  root  of  the  word  huddygl. 
On  p.  80,  it  is  said  that  duw  has  been  changed  from  dwyw,  which  is  identical 
with  the  first  syllable  of  the  word  dwyfol,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  it  is 
from  another  grade  of  the  root,  namely,  diu-,  the  y  of  dyw  being  labialised  to 
u,  as  in  Med.  duw,  '  day.'  In  Mediaeval  Welsh  byw  (to  live)  was  also  occasion- 
ally spelt  buw.  Since  tad  is  the  Welsh  derivation  of  the  Indo-European 
term  of  endearment  tata,  it  is  probable  that  in  the  Welsh  child's  word  tada, 
the  '  a '  has  been  added.  The  author  rightly  calls  attention  to  the  history 
of  Latin  s  in  Welsh,  but,  in  view  of  hestavyr  (from  sextarius),  and  most 
probably  hwyr  (from  sera),  and  hagr  (from  sacrum),  it  seems  impossible  to 
avoid  the  conclusion  that  initial  s  of  Latin  sometimes  became  h  in  Welsh. 
On  pp.  81  and  84,  the  author  gives  his  own  derivations  of  hvryr  and  hagr ; 
but  it  might  have  been  well  to  state  that  there  was  room  for  difierence  of 
opinion.  On  p.  83  it  might  have  been  advisable  to  say  that  pl-o-n-,  being 
the  6-  grade  form  corresponding  to  the  Latin  e-  grade  from  plenus,  was  the 
original  form  of  the  root  of  Welsh  llaum.  It  would  be  possible  to  add 
(on  p.  88),  that  the  pronunciation  neuodd  has  a  wider  range  than  Anglesey, 
for  it  is  found  at  any  rate  in  the  Llyn  promontory  of  Carnarvonshire. 

There  is  a  diflFerence  of  opinion  between  the  author  and  Sir  John  Rhys 
in  connection  with  the  development  of  words  like  lleidr.     The  author  holds, 


BOOK  EEVIEW  339 

like  Zeuss,  Strachan,  and  others,  that  the  6  at  the  end  of  latro  turned  to  m, 
and  after  that  to  I.  Sir  John  Khys  holds  that  the  vowel  was  aflFected  in 
lleidr,  owing  to  a  British  mispronunciation  of  latro  as  lairio.  There  was  a 
tendency  to  turn  a  long  o  at  the  end  of  a  Latin  word  to  a  short  o,  and  by 
the  fourth  century,  at  least,  a  long  o  at  the  end  of  a  Latin  word  was  com- 
pletely lost.  In  spite  of  that,  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  Britons,  like  the 
Gauls,  had  turned  a  final  long  o  to  m,  as  we  know  the  Gauls  to  have  done 
from  the  form  Frontu  for  Fronto  on  a  Gaulish  inscription.  It  may  be  noted, 
also  (on  p.  91),  that  the  author  derives  the  name  Selyf  (  =  Solomon)  from 
the  form  Salomo,  and  not  from  Selemio,  as  is  done  by  Sir  John  Ehys  in  his 
Lectures  on  Welsh  Philology.  If  the  author's  view  regarding  the  treatment 
of  long  0  at  the  end  of  a  word  be  correct,  the  derivation  given  is  perfectly 
natural.  On  p.  94,  it  is  said  that  the  word  Chwefror  is  '  generally  sounded 
Chwefrol ' :  it  is  true  that  it  is  so  pronounced  in  some  dialects,  but  the  more 
usual  pronunciation  is  certainly  Chwefror.  It  might  have  been  stated  on 
p.  95  §  (2)  that  aw  had  begun  to  change  to  o  early  in  the  Middle  Ages, 
since  we  find  in  the  Black  Book  of  Carmarthen  (poem  iv.)  the  form  caffod  for 
caffawd,  without  mentioning  dywod.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  o  and  aw  in 
terminations  lived  side  by  side  for  a  considerable  period.  In  the  Welsh  of 
the  Bruts  are  found  incorrect  forms  like  manachlawc,  which  would  not  have 
been  written,  were  it  not  usual  to  write  aw  where  o  was  sounded,  until  the 
correct  form  manachloc  came  to  seem  too  colloquial  and  unliterary.  In  §  iv 
on  the  same  page,  it  would  have  been  well  to  note  that  the  forms  cronni, 
ffynhonnau  and  Meirionnydd  are  old  misspellings.  It  would  have  been 
interesting  to  the  reader  to  have  it  stated  (on  p.  96,  §  73  (2)),  that  there  is 
in  the  Welsh  place-name  another  form  of  the  word  du,  namely  dyw,  which  is 
found  in.  the  name  Dowlais  (for  Dywlais),  a  parallel  form  to  the  usual 
Dulais.  In  §  74,  with  reference  to  the  word  lluosog  it  might  have  been  well 
to  state  that  u  has  come  from  i  before  the  labial  sound  o. 

It  is  suggested  (on  p.  99)  that  oe  in  the  Latin  coena  has  turned  to  toy  in 
cwyn  (an  old  word  for  cinio),  but  the  truth  is  that  the  correct  spelling  of 
this  Latin  word  is  cena,  a  word  which  comes  from  cesna.  The  wrong  spelling 
coena  was  invented  through  the  false  view  that  it  has  come  from  the  Greek 
KoivT^,  On  p.  100  it  would  not  have  been  uninteresting  to  mention  the 
South  Wales  form  harn  for  haearn,  which  has  sprung  from  the  same  root  as 
haearn,  but  with  the  accent  on  the  syllable  -drn-.  It  would  have  been 
interesting,  too,  to  add  (on  p.  101)  the  dialect  form  chmd  for  hwyaid,  or 
rather  for  the  Mediaeval  hwyeid.  On  the  same  page  esdk-  is  given  as  the  root 
of  the  word  eog,  but  there  is  some  doubt  about  the  original  form,  since  esoz 
was  the  form  taken  by  this  word,  when  borrowed  into  Latin  from  Celtic. 
The  author  very  plausibly  derives  the  Welsh  name  Cai  (Cei  in  Med. 
Welsh),  the  name  of  one  of  Arthur's  chief  companions,  from  Latin  Caius ; 
but  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  in  this  word  the  Romans  continued  to  write 
C  for  G,  since  the  name  was  really  pronounced  as  Gains,  and  this  name,  as 


340  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

is  stated  by  Lindsay  {The  Latin  Language,  p.  252),  stands  for  Gavius.  Again, 
on  the  same  page,  it  might  have  been  said  that  there  is  considerable  doubt 
about  the  derivation  of  the  name  Owain  (Owen),  for  it  is  quite  as  easy  to 
derive  it  from  Eugenius  as  from  Esugenios.  On  p.  105,  it  might  have  been 
stated  that  there  is  in  Italian  a  form  rovina  of  the  Latin  ruina,  which  was 
formed  on  the  same  principle  as  the  Welsh  word  rhewin.  It  would  have 
been  possible  to  add  on  p.  109,  that  in  South- West  Wales  the  forms  tewill 
and  tewi  are  said  for  tywyll  and  tywydd.  Again,  the  author  derives  to  from 
togia  (the  original  of  the  Irish  tuige),  while  the  Welsh  form  could  come 
equally  well  from  a  Celtic  toga,  the  exact  equivalent  of  the  Latin  toga.  As 
for  the  word  gwUu  (p.  119),  it  is  not  impossible  that  Welsh  had  once  a  form 
gwela  by  the  side  of  gwely,  just  as  we  have  eira  and  eiry.  In  North-East 
Cheshire,  according  to  the  late  Mr.  Thomas  Darlington,  there  was  a  local 
expression,  'to  go  to  the  goela,'  for  'to  go  to  bed,'  where  go'ela  is  probably 
the  Welsh  by -form  gwela.  On  p.  125  it  is  stated  that  tanc  is  from  the  same 
root  as  the  Latin  pax,  pango,  but  it  is  more  likely  to  have  come  from  the 
root  of  the  Latin  tango,  in  the  sense  of  touching  or  striking  the  hand  as  a 
symbol  of  peace.  The  whole  theory  of  the  author  as  to  interchange  of 
mutes  in  Indo-European  roots  is  very  hypothetical.  The  attention  of 
philologists  is  certain  to  be  drawn  to  §  3  on  p.  125,  and,  owing  to  its  rather 
novel  features  (some  of  which  possibly  further  research  may  justify),  it  is 
certain  to  give  rise  to  much  discussion.  On  p.  131,  after  the  word  angar,  it 
might  have  been  well  to  inform  the  reader,  and  especially  the  non-Welsh 
reader,  that  even  the  North  Wales  pronunciation  is  ang-\-gar.  Nor  would 
it  have  been  inadvisable  to  add  (on  p.  138)  the  Latin  tortus  as  the  derivation 
of  the  word  torth,  a  derivation  that  is  quite  as  probable  as  that  from  the 
Celtic  form  given.  In  §  101  on  this  page  the  author  makes  suggestions  that 
are  worthy  of  close  attention. 

On  p.  156  he  says,  that  Latin  lad-  stands  for  slad-,  and  that  for  sglact-, 
but  it  is  exceedingly  probable,  that  lad-  stands  for  glad-  (from  the  same  root 
as  the  Greek  yaXaKT-).  Possibly  Professor  J.  Morris  Jones  has  a  theory  to 
identify  the  two  forms  slad-  and  glad-,  but,  if  he  has,  it  should  be  more 
explicitly  stated.  As  to  the  history  of  the  word  indulgens  in  Welsh  (p.  160), 
it  might  be  well  for  the  author  to  give  further  consideration  to  what  has 
been  written  by  Sir  John  Ehys  about  the  Manx  ennoil  and  the  inscription 
form  Andagelli.  On  p.  161,  the  derivation  of  archen  from  the  Latin  arcenda 
(from  arceo),  like  peden  from  petenda,  and  offeren  from  offerenda  appears  much 
more  probable  than  that  given  by  the  author.  He  may  well  be  too  ingenious 
also,  in  deriving  ymlddd  from  a  source  different  from  ym  and  lladd.  The 
word  llygru  (on  p.  166)  is  also  ingeniously  explained,  but  a  more  probable 
derivation  is  that  from  Latin  lucrum,  suggested  by  Mr.  John  Lloyd  Jones, 
M.A.,  one  of  the  author's  ablest  pupils.  In  addition  to  what  is  said  (on 
p.  172)  about /y,  it  might  be  added,  that  the  form  yn  iov  fy  (n)  is  still  used  in 
some  of  the  South  Wales  dialects,  as  in  the  expression  yn  llygad  for  fy  llygad. 


BOOK  REVIEW  341 

On  p.  178,  the  author  regards  gwirion  in  the  Black  Book  of  Carmarthen,  as 
standing  for  the  Old  British  form  virgones,  but  in  the  line  where  it  occurs, 
it  is  more  probable  that  is  the  plural  of  gmr  in  the  sense  of  'true  ones,'  or 
'faithful  ones.'  The  form  gwerydd,  too,  probably  stands  for  gweryf,  and  the 
form  gweryddon  is  probably  only  the  plural  form  of  this  word.  It  is  stated 
(on  p.  178),  that  it  was  through  analogy  that  the  '/'  came  into  llefydd  and 
brofydd,  but  it  not  improbably  stands  for  a  spirant  g  from  a  momentary  g. 
In  connection  with  cyfan  and  cyfa  (p.  181),  it  might  have  been  stated,  that 
ma  is  probably  not  a  contraction  of  mann,  but  a  separate  form  from  an  older 
magos.  The  same  would  apply  to  yman  and  yma.  In  felly  it  seems  more 
probable,  that  we  have  the  equivalent  of  fel-\-hy,  with  an  old  demonstrative 
hy,  rather  than  that  the  -nn  of  hynn  should  have  been  dropped.  It  is  not 
clear,  either,  why  the  author  derives  the  name  Gwenlliant  from  gwenn  and 
the  foreign  word  bliant.  On  p.  184,  it  is  said  that  the  misspelling  set  for 
Latin  sed  in  a  Welsh  MS,  is  a  proof,  that  the  copyist  was  in  the  habit  of 
writing  t  for  d  at  the  end  of  a  word,  but  it  is  equally  likely  that  he  was 
thinking  of  et.  To  the  example  given  on  p.  1 86  of  the  change  of  /  back  to 
h,  it  might  at  first  sight  have  seemed  possible  to  add  dadebru,  with  a  deriva- 
tion of  ebru  from  Latin  ebrius,  but  possibly  the  long  e  of  the  Latin  word  is  a 
hindrance.  On  p,  187,  it  is  said,  that  Harlech  springs  from  Arddlech,  but  it 
is  quite  as  likely  that  the  simpler  derivation  from  hardd  and  llech  is  adequate. 
To  the  instances  given  on  p.  188  of  the  use  of  the  mutated  as  the  radical 
form,  it  would  be  possible  to  add  olwyn  for  golwyn  or  gwolwyn,  from  the  same 
root  as  the  Latin  volvo.  On  p.  193,  the  words  Kir  llawr  eirccheid  (in  the 
Black  Book  of  Carmarthen,  poem  x.)  are  translated  'beside  the  suppliants,'  as 
if  it  were  to  be  read  Kir  Haw  r  eirccheid,  but  a  more  probable  translation  is 
'beside  the  lowly  suppliants,'  llawr  being  used  adjectively.  With  regard  to 
the  derivation  of  y  lleill  (p.  194),  it  is  not  improbable  that  it  comes  from 
allallii,  and,  similarly,  y  Hall  from  alldllos,  while  arall  (for  alall),  comes  from 
alallos.  On  p.  216,  it  is  said  that  the  plural  form  broder  was  turned  to  brodyr 
as  a  further  indication  of  the  plural,  but  there  is  also  found  (cf.  Black  Book, 
poem  X.)  the  form  llyther  by  the  side  of  llythyr.  The  modern  form  dynes  is 
condemned  on  p.  223,  and  it  is  said  that  dyn  means  'man'  or  'woman.' 
This  was  undoubtedly  once  the  case,  but  the  usage  of  the  language  has  now 
changed.  There  is  a  tendency  to  speak  of  the  older  linguistic  usage  as  still 
existing  on  p.  236,  where  it  is  said — 'But  adjectives  in  -ig,  -og,  -ol  have 
plurals  in  -ion.^  It  is  true  that  this  was  once  the  case,  but  the  older  usage 
has  now  been  modified.  The  author  states  (on  p.  246),  that  the  origin  of  the 
word  cynffon  is  cynh-ffon,  but  it  is  quite  as  probable  that  it  stands  for  cynh-fon 
(from  cynt  and  bon).  It  is  said  (on  p.  256),  that  the  ending  -dde  is  never 
found  at  the  end  of  adjectives  in  prose,  but  it  certainly  does  occur  once  in 
the  name  Dinas  Ffaraon  Dandde,  which  is  found  in  the  story  of  Lludd  and 
Llevelys. 

The  author  says  (on  p.  266)  that  dir-  in  dirfawr  is  the  same  word  as  dir 


342  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

(certain).     This  is,  indeed,  a  possible  derivation,  but  the  derivation  from 
di-\-ry+fawr  is  equally  likely.     To  words  containing  the  root  eJ-(on  p.  267), 
it  is  possible  to  add  ehran  (eb+rhan)  and  Epynl  (eb-^hynt).     An  instance  of 
the  form  emhennyd  {=ymennydd)  is  given  from  'Meddygon  Myddfai,'  but 
another  example  might  have  been  added  from  '  Brut  y  Brenhinoedd '  {Red 
Book  of  Her g est  Bruts,  p.  140),  namely  emhenyd.     On  p.  279,  the  words  ^nid 
annuyd  hawdit  hetiw'  are  translated  'there  shall  not  be  for  us  (a  summer 
day),'  but  the  true  rendering  is,  '  To-day  is  not  of  the  nature  of  a  summer 
day ' ;  annuyd,  being  the  Black  Book  equivalent  for  the  later  annwyd.     In 
the  words ^an  im  roted par,  par  is  translated  as  'existence,'  but  it  probably 
means,  as  usual,  a  spear,  and  the  whole  line  may  be  translated,  '  when  a 
spear  was  put  into  me.'     The  word  ae,  found  in  the  line  given  on  p.  285, 
E  beteu  ae  gulich  y  glav,  is  difi&cult  of  explanation.     It  may  be,  as  the  author 
thinks,  an  old  form  of  the  relative  pronoun,  but  the  e  of  ae  may  not  im- 
possibly be  a  personal  pronoun.     Again,  it  may  be  admitted,  that  htm  in  yr 
hwn  was  originally  demonstrative,  but  how  old  the  tendency  is  to  regard  yr 
hwn  as  relative  may  be  seen  from  the  fact,  that  hirunn  exists  as  an  eighth  or 
ninth  century  gloss  on  the  Latin  quern.     Like  one  of  his  predecessors  as  a 
grammarian,  Emrys  ap  Iwan,  the  author  rightly  condemns  the  use  of  yr  oil 
for  'the  whole.'     It  is  difficult  to  understand  why  he  derives  the  word  ami 
(in  Med.  Welsh  amhyl)  from  a  hypothetical  Celtic  form  amhilos,  rather  than 
from  the  Latin  amplus.     The  Med.  meaning  '  abundant '  is  confirmatory  of 
the  derivation  from  Latin.     As  for  the  word  sesuinad  (from  the  Black  Book 
of  Carmarthen),  the  present  writer  once  held,  like  the  author,  that  it  was  one 
word,  and  a  reduplicated  form,  but  he  now  holds  it  to  be  two  words,  and 
translates  the  words  pan  im  se  suinad  as  '  when  my  seed  was  created.'     The 
word  se  is  a  doublet  of  he,  and  occurs  several  times  in  the  older  poetry.     The 
writer  may  be  right  where  he  says  (on  p.  333),  that  caran  comes  from  caren, 
but  it  may  have  been  formed  by  analogy  with  the  third  person  plural.     As 
for  the  explanation  which  the  author  gives  of  the  words  ac  y  haruetud  (in  the 
Black  Book  of  Carmarthen),  where  he  proposes  an  emendation,  it  seems  to  the 
present  writer,  that  the  words  as  they  stand  may  be  right,  and  that  they 
are  to  be  translated,  '  And  thou  wouldst  purpose ' ;  aruetud  being  from  a 
verb,  which,  in  Modern  Welsh,  would  be  arfeddaf.     In  connection  with  the 
verb  caf,  there  may  be  added  to  the  forms  given  a  form  cawdd  for  cafawdd, 
which  is  found  in  the  line  of  Dafydd  ab  Gwilym  Y  milwr  gynt,  mawlair 
gawdd.    At  the  bottom  of  p.  350,  also,  the  form  cymwd  might  have  been 
added,  as  one  containing  the  form  hwd  for  the  more  usual  hod.     On  p.  364, 
the  form  ymda,  too,  might  have  been  added,  as  it  doubtless  stands  for  ym-\- 
dy-\-a.     The  author  deserves  special  praise  for  his  explanations  of  the  many 
difficult  problems  connected  with  the  history  of  the  Welsh  verb.     On  p.  370, 
the  author  expresses  his  view,  that  gwad-  in  gwadu  is  due  to  a  dififerent 
vowel  gradation  of  the  root  gwed-  of  dywedyd,  but,  though  this  ingenious 
derivation  is  possible,  a  more  probable  view  is  the  simpler  one,  that  gwadu 


BOOK  REVIEW  343 

stands  for  go-\-adu.  To  the  forms  given  on  p,  375  may  be  added  the  form 
digonsynt,  found  in  the  elegy  on  Cynddylan  attributed  to  Meugant.  On 
p.  397,  the  author  expresses  the  view,  thoX-ediw  is  a  modification  of  -adwy,  in 
words  like  telediw  and  meiiediv,  but  it  appears  more  probable,  that  -ediw 
contains  the  old  ending  -t'luos,  which  is  found  in  the  Latin  captivus. 

The  author  (on  p.  410)  says  that  one  should  read  ym  ach  mur  Kaer  Loyw, 
in  E.  M.  131,  with  ach  as  an  old  preposition,  but  a  more  probable  reading  is 
ymach,  that  is,  'in  the  curve  or  bend.'  It  is  also  stated  (on  p.  415)  that 
Ivjrw  i  ben  is  said  in  South  Wales,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  expression  used 
is  Itoyr  i  hen  for  Iwry  i  ben.  In  certain  relative  clauses,  the  author  says  that 
ry  contains  the  relative  pronoun,  but  it  is  more  likely  that  in  such  sentences 
there  is  no  relative  pronoun,  in  accordance  with  a  tendency  often  seen  in 
Irish  to  dispense  with  a  relative  pronoun.  It  would  have  been  possible  (on 
p,  438)  to  add  the  form  4rioed  (with  the  accent  on  the  first  syllable),  which 
is  found  in  Dafydd  ah  Gwilym  (poem  xcviii.) : — 

'  A'r  gaeaf  oeraf  erioed 
Hirddu  cas,  yn  hyrddio  coed.' 

On  p.  217  defynnau  has  been  wrongly  printed  for  defnynnau,  and  there  is  a 
misprint  of  a  vocalic  i  for  a  consonantal  i  on  p.  100,  v.  (4).  In  the  Phono- 
logy, too,  where  the  writer  mentions  the  change  of  Indo-Eur.  qu  in  Greek 
into  T,  the  case  of  this  change  before  i,  as  in  ns  and  tIvw,  requires  mention. 
As  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  comments,  the  doubtful  points  are 
mostly  of  a  minute  character,  and  in  no  wise  impair  the  quality  of  the  work. 
A  consideration,  however,  arises  to  the  mind  of  the  philologist,  while  read- 
ing the  book,  as  to  the  direction  in  which  Welsh  philology  should  develop. 
The  work  of  Professor  Morris  Jones  aims  at  presenting  the  reader  with  an 
account  of  the  tradition  of  literary  Welsh,  and  it  aims  also  at  the  inculcation 
of  this  tradition  as  the  standard  of  correct  Welsh  composition.  It  is  no  less 
normative  than  descriptive.  From  its  pre-occupation  with  the  literary  tradi- 
tion, it  tends,  at  times,  to  speak  of  past  practice  as  if  it  were  still  binding  at 
the  present  day.  Every  literary  Welshman  will  sympathise  with  the  author's 
conservatism,  because  the  Welsh  literary  tradition  has  a  strong  conservative 
bent,  but  however  much  those  of  us  who  are  familiar  with  the  nuances  of 
the  older  forms  of  the  tradition  may  sympathise  with  a  tendency  to  regard 
the  standard  of  correct  Welsh  as  comparable  in  fixity  with  that  of  Attic 
Greek  and  Latin  of  the  Golden  Age,  we  cannot  fail  to  realise,  from  time  to 
time,  that,  to  the  average  literary  Welshman,  it  is  practically  impossible  to 
write  with  perfect  accuracy  in  what  the  author  of  the  present  grammar 
would  regard  as  classical  Welsh.  Moreover,  all  forms  of  literature,  even  in 
Welsh,  cannot  be  equally  conservative.  Hence  the  question  arises,  whether 
certain  concessions  may  not  be  made  to  modern  writers,  so  as  to  allow  the 
admission  into  the  written  language  of  the  present  day  of  non-classical 
forms  which  have  entered  into  general  use,  like  dweyd  and  gvmeyd.    The 


344  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

danger  of  too  rigid  an  insistence  on  the  minuiice  of  the  classical  tradition  is 
to  deter  young  writers  from  attempting  composition  in  Welsh  at  all. 
What  will  be  wanted  in  the  future  will  be  normative  grammars,  which  will 
indicate  what  forms  may  be  used  in  different  styles.  The  Cynghanedd  poetry 
may  well  cling  to  older  forms,  when  the  freer  song  and  lyric,  the  novel  and 
the  drama  have  adopted  a  literary  language  less  removed  from  the  practice 
of  the  best  public  speaking.  A  careful  reader  of  Professor  J.  Morris  Jones's 
classic  work  will  find  much  that  will  suggest  new  developments  in  both  the 
descriptive  and  the  normative  grammar  of  the  Welsh  tongue.  Professor 
J.  Morris  Jones  has  done  well  to  bring  out  the  significant  fact,  that  there  is 
in  Welsh  an  elevated  literary  tradition  in  the  use  of  the  language,  and  this 
will  be  a  very  valuable  piece  of  information  for  philologists  who  tend  to 
concentrate  attention  only  on  the  forms  and  the  vocabulary  of  Welsh. 
Evidence  of  great  acuteness  and  labour  on  the  part  of  the  author  is  visible 
on  every  page,  and  his  teaching  is  already  having  its  effect  on  the  present 
day  writing  of  Welsh,  though  there  are  also  signs  of  a  misapprehension  and 
misapplication  of  his  teaching.  The  Grammar,  of  which  the  first  volume 
has  now  appeared,  will  ever  be  a  standing  monument  to  his  patriotic  zeal 
and  knowledge  of  the  Welsh  tongue.  E.  Anwyl. 

NOTES 

'An  Biabhach  M5r' 

Referring  to  the  note  on  the  word  riabkach,  which  appeared  in  your  issue 
of  August  last,  is  it  not  possible  that  this  sobriquet  for  the  devil  is  really  a 
corruption  of  ^An  Beabhach  Mbr'1  In  Irish  the  word  reabhach  (from 
reabh=a.  wile,  trick)  signifies  'one  who  plays  tricks,  the  devil.'  When  this 
word  became  obsolete  in  Scottish  Gaelic,  and  its  import  was  forgotten,  it 
would  naturally  in  such  an  instance,  by  a  process  common  to  all  languages, 
be  replaced  by  riabhach,  a  word  almost  identical  in  form  and  still  in  every- 
day use:  hence  'An  Biabhach  Mbr'  (=the  great  grizzled  one)  instead  of 
'  An  Beabhach  Mbr  '  (=the  great  trickster,  the  great  devil). 

MacGilleriabhaich. 

Further  Remarks  on  the  'Ciuthach' 

Dr.  Watson  has  made  such  a  close  study  of  the  Ciuthach,  as  his  article 
in  the  Celtic  Beview  of  January  1914  suflaciently  demonstrates,  that  it  seems 
almost  unnecessary  to  supplement  his  statements.  But  it  may  be  interesting 
to  add  a  third  version  of  the  Creag  a'  Chiuthaich  story,  as  recorded  by  me  in 
a  paper  called  '  The  Kewach's  Castle,'  which  appeared  in  The  Antiquary  of 
July  1908.  'The  Kewach's  Castle'  formerly  crowned  a  little  islet  that 
stands  out  from  the  shore  and  overlooks  the  broad  sands  of  Uig  Bay,  in  the 
west  of  Lewis.     To-day,  all  that  remains  of  the  stronghold  is  an  irregular 


NOTES  345 

circle  of  stones.  But  tradition  tells  us  that  this  was  once  the  home  of  a 
redoubtable  giant,  known  as  Kewach,  son  of  Nuaran,  or  Nu-ag-aran.^  This 
Kewach  was  one  of  four  brothers  who  then  dominated  the  whole  of  that 
neighbourhood.  Two  of  them  dwelt  in  the  island  of  Berneray,  the  '  Borva ' 
of  Black's  Princess  of  Thule.  Of  these,  one  brother,  named  Glom,  had  his 
seat  at  Barra-Glom;  while  the  castle  of  the  other  was  known  as  Teeda- 
Borra,  that  giant  bearing  the  peculiar  name  of  Teeda,  or  Teed.  The 
fourth  of  the  sons  of  Nuaran  was  called  Dearg,  or  the  Ked  One,  and  his 
tower,  which  stands  upon  a  rocky  eminence  above  the  eastern  entrance  of 
Loch  Eoag,  was  styled  Dearg's  Castle,  or  Biin  Deirg.  Its  modern  name  is 
the  Doon  of  Carloway  (Gaelic,  Dibn  Charlobhaigh),  from  its  situation  beside  the 
township  of  Carloway.  The  distance  between  Dearg's  tower  and  that  of  his 
brother,  the  Kewach,  is  twelve  miles ;  the  two  other  brothers  occupying 
positions  about  midway.  In  the  opinion  of  the  late  Captain  Thomas,  who 
had  made  a  study  of  such  structures,  the  strongholds  were  essentially  alike, 
although  differing  in  detail.  .  .  .' 

The  Kewach  of  Uig  and  his  three  brothers  are  all  described  as  enemies 
of  the  legendary  race  of  the  Fians.  It  was  at  their  hands  that  Dearg  met 
his  death,  in  the  island  of  Skye.  And  they  slew  his  brother  of  Uig,  also, 
near  his  own  castle ;  in  proof  of  which  the  Kewach's  Grave  (fourteen  feet 
long)  is  shown  to  this  day.  Some  time  before  his  death,  however,  the  Kewach 
performed  a  remarkable  feat.  He  had  been  assailed  all  day  long  by  a  Fian, 
shooting  at  him  from  the  opposite  or  southern  shore  of  the  bay.  The 
Kewach,  of  course,  responded ;  but  apparently  neither  of  them  possessed 
great  skill  in  archery — although  it  must  be  admitted  the  distance  was  great. 
At  last  the  Kewach  wounded  his  enemy.  He  was  quick  to  avail  himself  of 
this  advantage.  Leaping  down  from  his  castle  wall,  he  strode  across  the 
broad  sands  and  up  the  slope  where  his  disabled  enemy  stood,  supporting 
himself  against  a  small  cliff.  Him  the  Kewach  seized  in  his  arms,  and  then 
thrust  against  the  face  of  the  cliff  with  such  supernatural  violence  that  he 
actually  crushed  him  into  the  solid  rock  !  Evidence  of  this  amazing 
climax  is  still  visible,  for  the  Kewach's  Rock  (Creag  a'  Chiuthaich)  yet  retains 
the  impression  of  the  flattened  Fian,  whose  outlines,  however,  are  vague 
beyond  recognition.  I  may  add  that  I  took  a  photograph,  which  I  still 
have,  of  this  phenomenon.  It  is  really  a  '  fault '  in  the  rock,  different  in 
colour  and  character  from  the  rest  of  the  cliff.  It  has  no  resemblance  to  a 
human  figure. 

Here  we  have  the  Fian  and  not  the  Ciuthach  represented  as  defeated 
and  crushed.  It  may  be  that,  as  a  mere  bird  of  passage,  I  did  not  pay 
sufl&cient  attention  to  the  details.  However,  my  version  was  written  down 
while  it  was  still  fresh  in  my  memory.     There  can  be  no  harm  in  stating 

^  'Nu-ag-aran'  is  probably  the  '  Nuamharan '  of  Celtic  Review,  Jan.  1914,  p.  207, 
written  according  to  English  phonetics.  Uamh  acquires  a  guttural  sound  in  some 
districts,  as  uaigh  and  uag. 


346  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

that  I  was  in  the  company  of  Mr.  Macrae  of  Timsgarry,  and  other  friends, 
on  that  occasion,  although  I  would  not  saddle  anybody  else  with  an 
inaccuracy  of  which  I  may  be  guilty. 

Dr.  Watson's  suggestion  that  the  Ciuthach  may  have  been  a  broch- 
dweller  is  supported  by  the  Lewis  tradition,  which  assigns  a  broch,  or  a 
building  akin  to  a  broch,  to  each  of  the  four  sons  of  Nuaran.  The  Ciuthach 
appears,  however,  in  another  connection,  not  necessarily  inconsistent  with 
the  idea  that  he  was  a  broch-dweller,  in  the  story  of  the  flight  of  Diarmaid 
and  Grainne.  This  incident  is  also  referred  to  by  Dr.  Watson  in  his 
Ciuthach  article.  But  it  is  useful  to  supplement  his  remarks  by  a  further 
quotation  from  the  Antiquary  article  already  cited.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  Ciuthach,  or  a  ciuthach  (for  the  term  is  certainly  generic  in  some 
cases),  intruded  himself  upon  Diarmaid  and  Grainne  when  they  were  living 
in  a  large  cave  by  the  sea-shore,  whether  at  Carraig  an  Daimh,  in  Kintyre, 
or  at  Kinvarra,  in  the  west  of  Tiree,  or  elsewhere.  '  He  came  to  them  on 
a  night  of  mist  and  storm  and  sleet,  a  night  so  wild  that  even  Diarmaid, 
"  the  third  best  hero  of  the  Fians,"  did  not  venture  to  stir  from  the  cave. 
The  Ciuthach  came  to  them,  says  the  story,  from  out  of  the  Western  ocean, 
in  his  skin-boat  or  curachan,  propelled  by  two  oars ;  and  one  version  has  the 
prosaic  addition  that  he  brought  with  him  a  string  of  fish.  In  he  came  to 
their  sea-cave  in  his  light  skiff,  which  he  drew  up  and  laid  upon  a  shelf  of 
rock.  At  first  he  was  hospitably  received  by  Diarmaid  and  by  Grainne 
alike,  who  entertained  him  for  several  days.  According  to  one  account, 
Diarmaid  and  his  self-invited  guest  amused  themselves  by  playing  at 
taileasg,  otherwise  "wedges"  or  dice.  The  Ciuthach  won;  and  he 
demanded  Grainne  as  his  prize.  Some  versions  denote  that  he  had  already 
won  this  wanton  lady,  without  any  difficulty  ;  and  all  are  agreed  in  saying 
that,  up  to  this  point,  Diarmaid  had  coldly  repelled  the  advances  made  to 
him  by  Grainne.  Be  this  as  it  may,  there  was  a  sudden  and  fierce  struggle 
between  the  two  men,  which  ended  by  Diarmaid  slaying  the  Ciuthach.' 

In  this  incident,  assuming  it  to  have  a  basis  in  fact,  there  is  one 
specially  interesting  feature.  This  is  the  picture  of  the  Ciuthach  in  his 
curachan,  or  light  skin-skifF,  emerging  out  of  the  Western  ocean  on  a  night 
so  wild  that  even  Diarmaid  was  afraid  to  venture  from  the  cave.  There  is 
only  one  kind  of  skin-boat  that  can  live  in  such  a  stormy  sea  as  the  story 
indicates,  and  that  is  the  decked  canoe  formerly  used  in  the  north-east  of 
Scotland  by  people  known  as  Finn-men.  The  only  surviving  specimen  of 
such  a  canoe,  used  in  Scottish  waters,  is  preserved  in  Marischal  College, 
Aberdeen.  It  was  propelled,  not  by  two  oars,  but  by  a  double-bladed 
paddle,  and  if  the  Ciuthach  used  such  a  paddle  to  propel  such  a  canoe,  he 
could  weather  almost  any  storm.  Much  has  been  written  about  the  curach, 
but  nothing  so  far  about  the  curachan.  Perhaps  a  study  of  this  latter  word 
may  bear  out  the  theory  that  the  Ciuthachs  who  lived  in  brochs  and  caves 
made  use  of  the  same  kind  of  skin-canoe  as  the  people  remembered  in 
Orkney  and  Shetland  as  Finn-men.  David  MacRitchie. 


NOTES  347 

Some  Highland  Pedigrees :  a  Correction. 

Rev.  A.  Maclean  Sinclair  in  his  paper  on  the  MacNeills  of  Argyll  (vol.  vi. 
p.  55,  etc.)  makes  out,  or  rather  strongly  suggests,  that  they  were  an 
early  offshoot  of  the  MacLeans.  There  is  no  doubt  that  they  come  from 
the  same  original  stock  as  the  Lamonts,  MacSuibhnes,  alias  MacEwens 
of  Otter  and  Castle  Swein,  and  the  MacLachlans.  (Vide  my  paper  on 
the  Mac  Suibhnes  :  Celtic  Review,  vol.  vii.  pp.  272-283.) 

Then  in  vol.  v.  p.  70,  etc.,  in  his  paper  on  the  Clan  Cameron,  he 
touches  on  a  Clan  Sorley  who  lived  about  Glen  Nevis,  and  who  were  sprung 
from  a  common  ancestor  with  the  Cameron,  viz.  Martin  Mor.  He  then 
proceeds  to  identify  these  Mac  Sorlies  or  Mac  Somarlies  of  Glen  Nevis  with 
the  Clan  Sorley  whose  pedigree  is  given  in  Collectanea  de  Rebus  Albanicis 
(lona  Club),  p.  56,  and  in  doing  so  asserts  boldly  that  it  may  be  regarded 
as  an  unquestioned  fact  that  this  pedigree  is  that  of  the  MacSomarlies  of 
Glen  Nevis  and  also  asserts,  '  there  were  no  other  Mac  Somarlies  or  Mac 
Sorlies  in  the  Highlands  who  possessed  lands  of  their  own  and  constituted 
a  distinct  Clan.' 

Skene  equally  failed  to  identify  the  following  pedigree,  which  runs 
*  Donald  son  of  Gillespie  son  of  Angus  son  of  Donald  son  of  Sorlie  son  of 
Ferchar  son  of  Dunslave.' 

1.  Now  every  one  at  all  versed  in  the  old  Highland  pedigrees  ought  to 
have  quickly  seen  that  Ferchar  and  Dunslave  are  the  names  which  occur  in 
the  Lamont  pedigree.  2.  The  pedigree  which  immediately  precedes  is  that  of 
the  MacLachlans,  and  might  have  given  the  necessary  hint  to  writers. 
Sir  Norman  Lamont  of  Knockdow,  on  my  pointing  out  this  clue  to  him, 
was  soon  able  to  definitely  place  them  as  a  very  old  branch  of  the  Clan 
Lamont,  who  eventually,  after  for  centuries  witnessing  as  Mac  Sorley,  and 
MacQuorley  alias  Lamont,  entirely  adopted  or  resumed  this  latter  name. 
In  the  Inventory  of  Lamont  Writs,  which  Mr.  Lamont  is  shortly  to  publish 
through  the  Scottish  Eecord  Society,  full  proofs  of  this  statement  will  be 
found  from  the  progress  of  the  Lands  of  Monydrain  in  Glasrie,  Argyll,  which 
is  where  these  Mac  Sorlies  were  seated,  and  which  proves  their  descent  for 
many  additional  generations.  I  do  not  for  a  moment  believe  that  the  Mac 
Sorlies  of  Glen  Nevis  spring  from  Somarlie  son  of  Ferchar  son  of  Dunslave. 
If  they  did,  then  they  were  of  a  common  origin  with  the  Lamonts,  MacLachlans,  and 
Mac  Suibhnes ;  and  the  fact  is  Sorlie  has  always  been  a  common  name. 

Mr.  A.  M.  Sinclair  on  p.  73  protests  about  Allan  Mac  Olony  by  the  blunder- 
ing of  some  scribe  being  converted  into  Allan  Mac  Ochtry,  a  name  *  which 
never  existed  among  the  MacGillonies  or  any  other  Highland  clan.  All  I 
can  say  on  the  subject  is  that  a  race  called  MacUchtre,  who  are  designated 
as  of  '  Garvie,'  long  held  these  lands  which  are  in  Glendaruel  of  the  Earls  of 
Argyll  in  the  Middle  Ages,  so  it  certainly  did  exist  as  a  name  in  the 
Highlands.  Uchtred  MacDowall,  Lord  of  Galloway,  is  another  instance  of 
the  use  of  the  name,   and  no  doubt  the  original  progenitor  of  these 


348  THE  CELTIC  REVIEW 

MacUchtres  who  gradually  anglicised  their  name  to  Ochiltrie  (Argyll 
Charters,  passim),  was  a  person  of  the  name  of  Uchtred,  which  is  a  well- 
known  early  Saxon  name,  and  is  kept  up  to  this  day  by  the  Kay-Shuttle- 
worth  family  in  England.  Niall  D.  Campbell. 

The  MacSuibhne  (MacSween)  Pedigree 

Since  writing  the  article  on  this  old  Celtic  clan,  I  have  acquired  a  facsimile 
of  the  famous  Book  of  Ballymote,  and  find  from  it  that  the  identity  I 
suggested  between  the  Mac  Suibhnes  and  the  clan  afterwards  known  as 
MacEwen  of  Otter  in  Argyll  is  fully  proved.  On  folio  77  begins  the  great 
pedigree  of  the  O'Neils,  which  extends  over  two  closely  written  columns. 
In  the  third  column,  at  line  15,  a  small  heading  caught  my  eye  reading,  (I 
employ  the  Eoman  instead  of  the  Gaelic  lettering  and  expand  these  names 
which  are  contracted  so  far  as  I  am  sure  of  them) : — 

'  De  g(ene)l(ach)  cl(an)  Suibhne  fanadaig  an  so '  (viz.  Here  follows  the 
genealogy  of  the  Clann  Suibhne  of  Fanadach  (now  Fanat  in  Donegal, 
Ireland). 

'  Toirdolbach  M''  maelmuire  M'=  moroch  oig  M*'  moroch  mir '  (viz.  moir) 

*  M*' maelmuire  M<=  moroch  M'^maelmuiri  M<=  Suibhne  a  quo  cl(an)  Suibhne.' 

Then  comes  another  line  of  descents  thus  : — 

'Toirdelbach  ogh  M<=Eogain  connrug'  (this  epithet  may  be  connrag), 

*  M''  donchaidh  moir  M*^  moroch  oig  M*^  moroch  mir '  (viz.  moir)  who  appears 
above. 

Then  comes  in  faint  yet  plain  letters  in  another  square  bracket : — 

*  G(ene)l(ach)  M'^  suibhne  otraige  '  (viz.)  the  Genealogy  of  M'=  suibhne  of 
Ottir. 

It  starts  with  six  brothers  who  are  termed  the  clan  Eoghain  or  Ewen, 
viz.  : — 

'  Toirdelbach  (agus  Eoin  agus  donchadh  agus  dubgall  agus  Gofrig  agus 
Dondslebi  clann  Eogain)  M"  dubgaill  M'^  maelmuiri  M*"  moroch  mor  M'=  mael- 
muiri  M*=  moroch  M<=  maelmuiri  M*=  suibhne  a  quo  clann  cruibh[?J  or  is  it 
0'suibhne['?]  M<=Edha  alaid  renabarta  burre  M*=andrathan  M'^aeda  athloan 
cacomraig  (cl.  neill)  M'=  flaithbertaig  itosai  [1]  M<=  muirchertaig  M'=  demnaill 
M'' muirchertaigh  [whom  I  omitted  in  my  last  article]  M*=  neill  glundubh.' 

This  last  is  Niall  Glunbubh,  high  king  of  Ireland,  slain  by  the  Danes  on 
17  Oct.  917,  whose  ancestors  are  well  known  for  centuries,  and  are  to  be 
found  in  the  O'Neill  main  stem  in  this  MS. 

The  five  brothers  above  named  may  be  calculated  to  have  flourished  about 
the  year  1420,  as  we  know  that  Maelmuiri  son  of  Suibhne  appears  as  a 
witness  in  1262  (Paisley  Charters),  but  the  Duggall  son  of  Sewen  who 
appears  in  1261-62  (ibid.)  evidently  does  not  appear  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote, 
as  he  can  hardly  be  the  Dubgaill  who  was  one  of  the  five  brothers,  nor 
Dubgaill  who  was  their  father. 

Another  problem  is  this,  we  know  that  Iain  or  Ewen,  Terrealnanogh  and 
Murquocgh  were  three  brothers  and  sons  of  Suibhne  in  1310.    Yet,  strange 


NOTES 


349 


to  say,  the  Ballymote  Book  does  not  seem  to  notice  them,  though  its  Toirdel- 
bach  oig  son  of  Eogain  connrug  son  of  Donchaidh  moir  son  of  Moroch  oig 
son  of  Moroch  Moir  might  be  meant  for  the  second  brother  were  it  not  that 
he  obviously  is  one  descent  younger  than  the  five  brothers  of  the  Irish 
pedigree,  who  presumably  flourished  about  1420. 

Thus  the  early  kinship  of  these  ancient  clans  may  be  best  set  forth  as 
follows. 


Aedh  Alain  of  Buirche 


I 
Giollachrist 

I 

Lachlan 

ancestor  of  the 

M°LachIans 


Niall 

ancestor  of 

a  elan  of 

M-'Neills, 

probably  those 

of  Tayniah 

and  Gighw. 


Dunsiebhe 
(omitted  in  Ballymote) 


Ferchar 


Suibhne  who  built 

Castle  Sween  in 
Knapdale,  ancestor 
ef  the  MacSweens 

of  Fannad  and 
MacEwens  of  Otter 


GioUacoluim 
died  1238 

I 

SirLadhman,  Kt., 

vivens  Oct.  1269 

also  Feb.  1292-3. 

Ancestor  of  the 

Clan  Lamont 


Duncan 
vivens  1238 


I 

Sir  David 

a  canon  of 

Argyll  in  1270 


Duffgall 
vivens  1261 


Maelmure 
vivens  1262 


Angus  MacFerchar 

vivens  1270-1292- 

1296 


4 


M^Ewen  of  Otter 


Sorley,  ancestor  of  the 
MacSorleys  or  M'^Quorlies  or 

Laments  of  Monydrain  in 

Glasrie,  Argyll,  as  they  later 

called  themselves 


Dunsleve  lived 
1262,  ancestor 
of  M<=Dunslave 


Moroch  Mor 

vivens  1262-1267. 

Died  in  prison 

I 

M<'Sweens  of 
Fannad 


This  survey  shows  us  an  exact  reproduction  among  the  clans  of  Scotland 
of  what  is  true  of  district  after  district  in  Ireland,  viz.  that  as  a  rule  where 
clans  of  different  names  occupied  adjacent  territories,  they  sprang  from  a 
common  ancestry.  It  may  be  therefore  quite  true  that  the  Campbells  of 
Lochow,  the  MacNachtans  of  that  Ilk,  and  the  Drummonds  and  Mac- 
Arthurs  are  also  sprung  from  the  O'Duibhnes  as  is  recorded  in  the  traditional 
genealogies  of  the  Senachies,  the  dates  of  their  divergence  from  the  main 
stem  being  so  remote  that  it  was  before  the  surname  of  Campbell  had 
become  fixed. 

We  have  an  illustration  of  this  practice  in  the  case  of  the  MacSorleys  of 
Monydrain.  They  knew  well  enough  that  they  were  sprung  from  a 
common  ancestor  with  the  Lamonts,  and  both  for  some  generations  bore  the 
patronymic  Mac  Fhearchair  from  Ferchar  the  son  of  Dunsiebhe  son  of  Aedh 
Alain,  yet  when  Lamont  or  Lawmont  crystallised  as  the  clan  name,  those 
septs,  even  though  derived  from  a  generation  older  than  Sir  Ladhman  of 
1269,  did  not  hesitate  to  adopt  that  surname  ultimately,  however  long  they 
may  have  clung  to  their  sept  name  as  an  alternative  before  doing  so. 

Niall  D.  Campbell. 


350      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR  AND  READER 

By  Julius  Pokorny,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.  (Vienna) 

{Continued  from  page  288) 

§  177.  The  Future  and  Secondary  Future. 
Of  the  future  there  are  three  types : 

1.  The  f- future 

is  formed  from  almost  all  weak  verbs  and  some  radical  verbs,  as 
e.g.  the  compounds  of  -ice,  -moinethar,  etc. 

Its  stem  is  formed  by  adding  a  suffix,  whose  consonant  appears 
as  /  or  h  {  =  v).  The  h  is  always  found  in  final  position ;  / 
appears  regularly  in  the  interior  of  a  word  after  consonants, 
while  in  vowel-flanked  position  either  h  or  f  may  be  found. 

The  /  (h)  shows  in  most  instances  palatal  quality ;  only  occa- 
sionally in  %-  verbs,  more  frequently  in  a-  verbs,  broad  quaUty 
may  be  found. 

2.  The  s-  future 

is  a  reduplicated  form  of  the  s-  subjunctive.  A  sigmatic  future 
and  a  sigmatic  subjunctive  regularly  go  together.  Only  the 
compounds  of  -ic{c)  have  an  s-  subjunctive  and  a  h-  future.  The 
reduplication-vowel  is  -%-.  Thus,  e.g.  claidid  '  digs,'  3.  sg.  subj. 
cldis  fr.  *kldd-s-ti :  3  sg.  fut.  cechlais  fr.  *ki-kldd-8-ti,  composi- 
tional form  -cechla  fr  *ki-kldd-s-t ;  guidid  '  prays,'  3.  sg.  subj. 
geiss  fr.  *g''hedh-s-ti  :  3.  sg.  fut.  gigis  fr.  ^g^hi-g^hedh-s-ti, 
compositional  form  -gig  fr.  g'hi-g'hedh-s-t ;  cf.  further  saigid 
'  makes  for,'  compositional  3.  sg.  subj.  -sd  fr.  *sdg-s-t  and  composi- 
tional 3.  sg.  fut.  -sia  fr.  *si-sdg-s-t;  ad-fdt  'tells,'  3.  sg.  subj. 
ad-fe  :  3.  sg.  fut.  ad-fi  fr.  *ad-vi-v.  .  .  . 

If  the  root  begins  with  a  vowel,  it  contracts  with  e  or  ito  i; 
before  o  it  remains,  e.g.  org{a)id  'slays,'  compositional  3.  sg. 
subj.  -orr :  compositional  3.  sg.  fut.  -ior,  -iarr  (§  64). 

Note  1. — No  trace  of  reduplication  is  found  in  some  compound 
verbs,  containing  at  least  two  preverbal  prepositions,  e.g.  con-rig 
'binds,'  compositional  2.  sg.  fut.  -riris  fr.  *ri''rig-s-ei,  but  ar-fmrsef,  3. 
pi.  of  ar-fuirig,  'detains.' 


ACCIDENCE  351 

Note  2. — In  some  verbs,  as  rethid  'runs,'  saidid  'sits,'  etc.,  the 
subjunctive  forms  serve  to  express  the  future  tense. 

3.  The  reduplicated  and  e-  future. 

a.  The  reduplicated  future  is  a  reduplicated  form  of  the  d- 
subjunctive,  the  reduplication  vowel  being  i. 

Thus,  e.g.  gainithir  '  is  born '  (fr.  *gn-je-trai),  3.  sg.  pres.  subj. 
genaithir  (fr.  *gen-d-trai) :  3.  sg.  fut.  gignithir  (fr.  *gi-§en-d- 
trai) ;  canid  '  sings,'  compositional  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  -cana : 
compositional  3.  sg.  fut.  cechna  (fr.  O.  C.  *ki-Jcan-d-t). 

b.  The  e-  future  is  in  origin  only  a  particular  kind  of  redupli- 
cated future.  It  arose  regularly  in  verbs  whose  future-stems 
go  back  to  a  time  when  the  reduplicated  future  was  still 
formed  from  the  reduced  root  form,  e.g.  celid  'conceals,'  3.  sg. 
fut.  c4l{a)id  (fr.  *^i-^l-d-ti),  fo-geir  '  inflames,'  3.  sg.  secondary 
fut.  fo-gerad  (fr.  ^upo-g^hi-g^hr-d-to),  and  thence  spread  more 
and  more  as  a  convenient  type.  Hence  be(i)rid  '  carries,'  3.  sg. 
fut.  ber{a)id,  gaibid  '  takes,'  3.  sg.  fut.  g&){a)id,  etc. 

Note. — The  na-  and  nu-  verbs  (§  175,  4)  have  in  the  composi- 
tional 3  sg.  fut.  the  ending  -i  e.g.  len{a)id  'follows'  (fr.  0.  C. 
*li-na-ti) ;  compositional  3.  sg.  fut.  -lili.  0.  C.  *-li-li-a-t,  the  reduplicated 
form  of  the  subjunctive  *-li-art,  0.  Ir.  -lia,  would  have  given  *-lile. 

ben{a)id  '  cuts '  shows  no  trace  of  reduplication  in  the  future,  e.g.  3. 
secondary  fut.  no-b'iad. 

§  178.  Active  and  Deponent  Preterite  and  Perfect. 

Of  this  tense  there  are  three  types. 

1.  The  s-  preterite  and  perfect 

is  formed  from  all  weak  verbs  (and  some  radical  verbs,  as 
gaibid  '  takes,'  ad-glddathar  '  addresses,'  etc.). 

Its  stem  is  formed  by  adding  -ss-  to  the  short  form  (§  128)  of  the 
suflSx  (§  173,  1 ),  e.g.  car(a)id  'loves'  (pres.  stem  car-d-):  3.  sg. 
pret.  carais  (fr.  *carassi,  0.  C.  *kar-d-s-ti),  compositional  form 
-car  (fr.  *carass,  O.  C.  *kar-d-s-t). 

On  the  hiatus- verbs,  see  §  181. 

2.  The  t-  preterite  and  perfect 

is  formed  from  radical  verbs  in  -I,  -r  and  from  some  in  -m  and 
-g.    There  is  no  deponent  inflexion. 


352      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

Its  stem  is  formed  by  adding  -t-,  thus  e.g.  do-meil '  consumes ' 
3.  sg.  pret.  do-melt  (fr.  Ho-rml-t),  contracted  form  (after  the 
particles  and  conjunctions  mentioned  in  §  53)  -tomalt  (fr.  *-tb- 
mel-t)  ;  berid  '  carries,'  compositional  1.  sg.  pret.  -biurt,  fr.  0.  C 
*ber-t-o  (  =  I.E.  3.  sg.  *bhert  +  d). 

3.  The  reduplicated  preterite  and  perfect 
is  formed  from  all  the  other  radical  verbs. 

There  are  two  types, 

(a)  really  reduplicated  forms.  The  reduplication  vowel  was 
regularly  e,  but  in  roots  ending  in  i  this  vowel  seem  to  have 
been  introduced  as  reduplication  vowel;  in  roots  ending  in  a 
consonant  the  root  vowel  appears  in  the  deflected  vowel  grade 
(§  129),  thus  e.g.  ligid  'licks'  (fr.  I.E.  *li^h-e-ti),  3.  sg.  perf. 
ro-lelaig  (fr.  I.E.  le-loigh-e;  the  i  of  the  present  stem  is  the 
reduced  vowel  grade  of  ei),  cingid  'steps'  (fr.  I.E.  *kheng-e-ti), 
3.  sg.  perf.  ro-cechaing  (fr.  I.E.  *pro-khe-khong-e),  while  in  roots 
ending  in  a  vowel,  the  root-vowel  has  been  lost,  e.g.  -len(a)id 
'  you  follow '  (fr.  I.E.  Hi-nd-te) :  3.  sg.  perf  ro-lil  (0.  C.  *ro-li-l-e), 
-cren(a)id  '  you  sell '  (fr.  I.E.  ^k''ri-n9-te) :  3.  sg.  perf.  ro-ciuir  (fr. 
0.  C.  *ro-k%-k'r-e,  cf.  §  115)  etc. 

(b)  Forms  without  reduplication. 

The  root-vowel  appears  as  d  (fr.  I.E.  o)  or  i  (fr.  I.E.  e)  in 
O.  Ir.,  e.g.  te{i)chid  'flees,'  3.  sg.  pret.  tdich  (fr.  I.E.  *tdk-e); 
guidid  'prays,'  1.  sg.  perf.  ro-gdd  (fr.  I.E.  *pro-g''hodh-a) ; 
midithir  'judges,'  3.  sg.  perf.  deponent  ro-rnidair,  etc. 

Note. — ben{a)id  'cuts'  forms  its  preterite  from  the  aorist-stem 
0.  C.  *bl,  e.g.  3.  sg.  perf.  ro-M,  fr.  0.  C.  *ro-bl-e ;  3  pi.  perf.  ro-b4otar,  fr. 
*ro-bl-(mtro. 

For  the  preterite  of  Uagu  '  I  go '  the  aorist-stem  I.E.  *litdh  is  used, 
e.g.  -luid  '  went '  fr.  0.  C.  *lud-e. 

The  perfect  of  ro-cluinethar  'hears'  is  c'i!cal{a)e  fr.  *fCu-klov-e,  with 
analogical  ?/. 

4.  The  perfect  ^  is  commonly  distinguished  from  the  preterite 
by  the  addition  of  ro-  or  other  particles  (see  §  174).  The  pre- 
terite is  the  narrative  tense.     Further,  it  is  used  in  indirect 

^  This  short  section  (4)  is  taken  from  Strachan's  Selectiona,  p.  61. 


ACCIDENCE  353 

speech  to  represent  a  present  of  direct  speech ;  it  is  used  in  a 
modal  sense,  e.g.  ni  hoi  '  there  were  not ' ;  further  after  nnad- 
*well,'  e.g.  mad-genatar  '  blessed  are'  and  after  6  'since.' 

The  perfect  marks  the  occurrence  of  an  action  in  past  time 
from  the  point  of  view  of  the  present.  Such  action  may  fall 
within  the  recent  experience  of  the  speaker  (or  the  person 
spoken  to),  or  within  his  more  remote  experience,  or  it  may  fall 
in  an  indefinite  past.  In  subordinate  clauses,  the  perfect  may 
denote  action  prior  to  the  action  of  the  main  verb. 

§  179.  Passive  Preterite  and  Perfect. 

There  is  only  one  formation.  The  non- compositional  forms 
(originally  identical  with  the  passive  participle  ?)  may  have  been 
formed  by  means  of  the  old  suflfix  -tjo-,  -tjd,  e.g.  marbaid '  kills ' : 
marhthae,  fr.  *inrvd-tjo-{-tjd) ;  the  e  and  the  broad  th  in  brethae 
(fr.  berid  *  carries ')  would  be  due  to  the  influence  of  the  com- 
positional forms.  The  latter  are  formed  by  means  of  the  suffix 
-to-,  -td-,  e.g.  ro-breth  '  he  has  been  carried  '  fr.  *pro-hhr-to-s ;  in 
the  plural  the  feminine  form  is  used  for  all  genders,  e.g.  ni- 
marbtha  '  they  have  not  been  killed '  (fr.  ^mrvd-tds),  do-hretha 
'  they  have  been  given '  fr.  *to-bhr-tds.  Other  examples  are 
bong{a)id  '  breaks ' :  -bocht  (fr.  *bhog-to-) ;  ad-fet '  tells ' :  ad-fess 
(fr.  *-vid-to- ;  cf.  §  94.) ;  do-moinethar  '  believes ' :  do-inet  (fr. 
*to-7nii-to-) ;  ad-ci  '  sees  ' :  ad-cess  (fr.  *ad-k%8-to-),  etc. 

Note. — In  radical  verbs  the  root  originally  always  showed  the 
reduced  vowel-grade,  as  in  ro-cleth  (fr.  *pro-Kl-to-)  fr.  celid  'hides, 
ro-breth,  etc.  But  through  the  influence  of  other  verbal  forms  the 
normal  vowel  grade  has  often  been  restored. 

§  180.  Passive  Participle  and  Participle  of  Necessity. 

These  participles  are  (verbal)  adjectives  and  hence  always 
stressed  on  the  first  syllable.  The  participle  of  necessity  looks 
in  most  instances  like  a  dat.  sg,  fern,  of  the  passive  participle, 
though  it  is  of  different  origin,  e.g.  do-eim  '  protects,'  part.  pass. 
dite  (fr.  *de-e7n-tjo-) :  part.  nee.  diti  ;  guidid  '  prays,'  part.  pass. 
gesse  (fr.  ^g^hedh-tjo-) :  part.  nee.  gessi ;  ad-rimi  '  reckons,'  part. 
pass.  dirTThithe  (fr.  *ad-rim%-tjo-)  :  part,  nee.  dirmithi,  etc. 

VOL.  IX.  Z 


354      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

Note. — The  part.  nee.  cannot  be  inflected.  The  dative  plur., 
which  occurs  thirteen  times  in  Ml,  e.g.  betis  imgabthib  (fr. 
im-gaib)  '  that  they  should  have  been  avoided/  is  an  artificial 
formation. 

§  181.  Hiatus-verbs. 

In  hiatus-verbs,  i.e.  verbs  whose  root  ended  in  a  vowel  or 
s,  V,  j,  p  which  have  been  dropped  in  vowel-flanked  position, 
the  inflexion  of  radical  and  weak  verbs  has  been  mixed  up  very 
early.  Thus,  e.g.  ad-ci  '  sees '  (fr.  *ad~h%s-e-t),  contracted  form 
-aicci  though  being  in  origin  a  radical  e/o  verb,  looks  in  the 
present  like  an  i-  verb ;  hence  it  has  an  a-  subjunctive  (deponent 
inflexion),  while  in  the  contracted  ^  passive  the  forms  of  the  old  s- 
subjunctive  have  been  preserved. 

Otherwise  all  hiatus-verbs  (except  do-goa  '  chooses ')  seem  to 
have  only  an  a-  subjunctive,  though  some  forms  show  the 
influence  of  the  s-  subjunctive,  as  e.g.  the  compositional  1.  sg. 
-gneu  (-gneo)  fr,  gniid  '  does.' 

In  the  future  tense  gniid  '  does,'  the  cpds.  of  -goa  and  -ci 
(but  in  the  passive  the  latter  have  an  s-  future)  and  some  other 
verbs  have  the  reduplicated  future,  while  most  of  the  hiatus- 
verbs  have  probably  an  /-  future. 

In  the  preterite  many  verbs,  as  the  cpds.  of  -ci  and  -goa,  did 
•weeps,'  etc.,  have  the  reduplicated  preterite,  gniid  shows  a 
mixture  of  the  reduplicated  and  s-  preterite  (stem  geniss,  fr. 
Pr.  Ir.  *ge-gnlss-), 

e.g.  do-genis  *  thou  didst '  fr.  Pr.  Ir.  *dl-ge-gnl-ss-e  (I.E.  *ei). 

Not  a  few  of  the  hiatus-verbs  have,  however,  the  s-  preterite, 
thus,  e.g.  ad-roillis  (fr.  Pr.  Ir.  *ad-ro-sli-ss-e)  '  thou  hast 
deserved,'  1.  sg.  pres.  ad-roilliu;  ad-noi  'entrusts'  I.E. 
*ate-nev-e-t :  3.  sg.  perf.  ad-ro-n{a)i,  etc. 

In  such  verbs  as  ad-roilli  (3.  sg.)  the  final  vowel  has  been  pre- 
served, as  only  the  various  sufiixes  (§  173,  i.)  were  shortened  in  the 

^  Most  compound  verbs  have  contracted  and  uncontracted  forms.  The  con- 
tracted forms  are  used  after  the  particles  and  conjunctions  mentioned  in  §  .53, 
2.  be,  after  ro-  and  in  the  imperative.  Thus,  e.g.  aa-htir  'says'  (fr.  *t1c8-})heret), 
but  n\-epir  *he  does  not  say'  (fr.  -^ics-bhtret). 


ACCIDENCE  355 

preterite  (§  178,  i),  but  not  the  root-vowels,  while  in  such  verbs 
as  ad-ro-n{a)i,  the  final  vowel  results  from  two  subsequent 
hiatus-vowels ;  <id-ron{a)i  instead  of  *ad-ro-n(a)e  fr.  O.  C,  *ad-ro- 
nove+s-t  is  due  to  the  influence  of  ad-roilli,  etc. 

Use  of  the  Subjunctive  Mood 
§  182.  The  subjunctive  is  used: 

1.  In  principal  and  subordinate  clauses  as  a  subjunctive  of 
wish  and  will,  and  as  a  potential  subjunctive ;  further  after  hes 
'  perchance.' 

2.  In  relative,  temporal,  conditional  and  concessive  clauses 
and  in  clauses  of  comparison  (occasionally  also  in  indirect 
questions),  when  the  action  is  to  be  marked  as  hypothetic, 
prospective  or  general. 

3.  After  re-siu  '  before '  and  acht '  but  that,  provided  that.' 

4.  In  final  clauses. 

5.  In  'that-'  clauses  after  verbs  of  effort,  fearing,  rejoicing, 
grieving,  wondering,  happening,  etc.,  and  after  certain  imper- 
sonal expressions  denoting  '  it  happens,  it  is  possible,  necessary, 
right,'  etc. 

Note. — But  to  express  a  fact  or  result  the  indicative  is  used.  After 
verbs  of  saying,  thinking,  showing,  etc.,  the  subjunctive  is  used  only 
when  the  '  that '-  clause  belongs  to  one  of  the  categories  given  above 
1-4. 

6.  In  relative  clauses  of  the  form  '  if  it  be  they  who  do  it,' 
'let  it  be  this  that  they  do,'  where  the  copula  is  in  the  subjunc- 
tive or  imperative,  the  following  verb  is  also  put  in  the  sub- 
junctive, e.g.  hat  he  berte  (subj.)  bretha  lib  '  let  it  be  them  who 
give  judgments  among  you ' ;  bad  hed  dogneid  '  let  it  be  that 
that  ye  do,' 

PARADIGM  OF  WEAK  VERBS 
§  183.  Only  the  regular  verbal-forms  are  given  below.     The 
a-  verbs  are  represented  by  scar{a)im{m)^   '1  separate'  (fr. 
*skrd-'mi),  the  i  verbs  by  Uciin{m)  ^  '  I  leave,'  the  deponent 

*  The  unaspirated  -mm  of  the  1.  sg.  is  due  to  the  influence  of  the  copula  am 
(with  unaspirated  m),  fr.  *imm,  *tsmi  (§  81). 


356      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

inflexion  by  suidigur  '  I  place '  (i-verb ;  an  example  of  an  d- 
verb  would  be  comalnur  '  I  fulfil '). 


Indicative 
§  184.  Non-compositional  Present. 


Sg.  1.  scaraim{m) 

Ucmi{'m) 

auidigv/r 

2.  scarai 

led 

suidigther 

3.  scaraid 

lecid 

suidigidir 

rel.  scaras 

Idces 

suidigedar 

PI.  1.  scarmai 

Uicmi 

suidigmir 

rel.  scarmae 

Uicme 

suidigmer 

2.  scarthae 

leicthe 

suidigthe 

3.  scarait 

Ucit 

Buidigitir 

rel.  scardae,  scaraife 

leicde,lecite 

suidigetar 

§  185.  Compositional  Present. 

Sg.  1.  -scaraim  (7n), -scaru  -leci7n{m), -Uc{i)u -suidigur 

2.  -scarai  -led  -suidigther 

3.  -scara  -led  -suidigedar 
PI.  1.  -scaram  -lecem  -suidigmer 

2.  -scaraid  -Udd  -suidigid 

3.  -scarat  -Ucet  -suidigetar 

§  186.  Imperfect.    (Only  compositional  forms,  §  179,  la.) 


Sg.l. 

-scarainn 

-Udnn 

-suidiginn 

2. 

-scartha 

-leicthea 

-suidigthea 

3. 

-scarad 

-Uced 

-suidiged 

PLl. 

-scarmais 

-leicmis 

-suidigmis 

2. 

-scarthae 

-leicthe 

-suidigthe 

3. 

-scartais 

-leictis 

-suidigtis 

§  187.  Non-compositional  Future. 

(The  a-  verbs  are  mostly  inflected  like  i-  verbs,  §  177,  i.) 

Sg.  1.  [The  cpds.  of  Uicfea  suidigfer 

2.      scaraid  have  leicfe  suidigflder 


ACCIDENCE 

( 

3.      the  e-  future            leicfid 

suidigfidir 

rel.      like  strong  verbs,]  leicfes 

suidigfedar 

PI.  1.                                        leicfimmi 

suidigfimmir 

rel.                                        UicfimTne 

suidigfemmar 

2.                                        leicjide 

suidigfide 

3.                                       Uicjit 

suidigfitir 

rel.                                       Uicfite 

suidigfetar 

§  188.  Compositional  Future. 

Sg.  1.                                       -Uc{i)nh  (§  62) 

-suidigfer 

2.                                       -leicfe 

-suidigfider 

3.                                        -leicfea 

-suidigfedar 

PI.  1.                                        -leicfem 

-suidigfeTYhTnar 

2.                                        -leicfid 

-suidigfid 

3.                                       -leicfet 

-suidigfetar 

357 


§  189.    Secondary    Future.     (Only    compositional    forms, 
§  174,  la.) 


Sg.l. 

2. 

3. 
PI.  1. 

2. 

3. 

-leicfinn 

-leicfeda 

-leicfed 

-leicfiTnmis 

-Uicfide 

-Uicfitis 

-suidigfiTiTh 

-suidigfeda 

-suidigfed 

-suidigfimmis 

-suidigfide 

-suidigfitis 

§190. 

Non- compositional  Preterite. 

Sg.l. 

scarsu 

Uicsiu 

? 

2. 

scarsai 

leicsi 

? 

3. 

rel. 

PL  1. 

scarais 

scaras 

scarsaiTnmi 

lecis 
leces 
UicsimTni 

suidigistir 
suidigestar 
? 

rel. 

scarsaimme 

Uicsimme 

? 

2. 

? 

? 

? 

3. 

rel. 

scarsait 
scarsaite 

Uicsit 
leicsite 

suidigsitir 
suidigsetar 

358      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


§  191.  Compositional  Preterite. 


Sg.l. 

-scctrus 

'Uc{i)us  (§  62) 

-suidigsiur 

2. 

-scaraia 

-lecis 

-suidigser 

3. 

-scar 

-Uic 

-suidigestar 

PL  1. 

-scarsam 

-Idicsem 

-suidigsemmar 

2. 

-scarsaid 

-leicsid 

-suidigsid 

3. 

-scarsat 

-Uicset 
Subjunctive 

-suidigsetar 

§192. 

Non-compositional  Present. 

Sg.l. 

scara 

lecea 

suidiger 

2. 

scarae^ 

lece 

suidigther 

3. 

scaraid 

lecid 

suidigidir 

rel. 

scaras 

leces 

suidigedar 

PI.  1. 

scarTnai 

leicmi 

suidigmir 

rel. 

scarmae 

leicTne 

suidigmer 

2. 

scarthae 

Uicthe 

suidigthe 

3. 

scarait 

Ucit 

suidigitir 

rel. 

scardae,scaraite  Uicde,  lecite 

auidigetar 

§193. 

Compositional 

Present. 

Sg.l. 

-scar 

-Uic 

-suidiger 

2. 

-scarae 

-Uce 

-suidigther 

3. 

-scara 

-Ucea 

-suidigedar 

PI.  1. 

-scaram 

-Uceiii 

-suidigmer 

2. 

-scaraid 

-Ucid 

-suidigid 

3. 

-scarat 

-lecet 

-suidigetar 

§194. 

.  Preterite.  (Only  compositional : 

forms,  §  174,  la.) 

Sg.l. 

-scarainn 

-Ucinn 

-suidiginn 

2. 

-scartha 

-Idicthea 

-suidigthea 

3. 

-scarad 

-Uced 

-suidiged 

PL  1. 

-scarinais 

-leicmis 

-suidigmis 

2. 

-scarthae 

-leicthe 

-suidigthe 

3. 

-scartais 

-Uictis 

suidigtis 

ACCIDENCE  359 

Imperative 

§  195.    (No  distinction  is  made  between  compositional  and 
non-compositional  endings.) 


Sg.2. 

scar 

leio 

suidigthe 

3. 

scarad 

Uced 

suidiged 

PI.  1. 

scaratn 

Uceini 

suidigmer 

2. 

scaraid 

Ucid 

suidigid 

3. 

scarat 

Ucet 

suidigetar 

PASSIVE 

(On  the  relative  forms  see  §  173,  2.) 

Indicative 
§  196.  Non-compositional  Present. 
Sg.  3.         scarthair  Uicthir  suidigthir 

PI.  3.        8cartair,searaitirUictir,lecitir      suidigtir 

Compositional  Present. 

General  form    -scarthar  -leicther  -suidigther 

PI.  3.   -scartar,-scaratar  -leicter,lecetar   suidigter 

Imperfect  (Only  compositional  forms,  §  174,  la.) 

General  form    -scarthae        -leicthe  -suidigthe 

-scartais         -leictis  -suidigtis. 

§  197.  Non-compositional  Future. 
Sg.  3.  (See  §  187.)  leicjldir  suidigfidir 

PI.  3.  Uicjitir  suidigfitir 

Compositional  Future 

General  form  -Uicfider  -suidigfider 

PI.  3.  -Uicfiter  -fetar      -suidigfiter  -fetar 

Secondary  Future  (Only  compositional  forms,  §  174,  la.) 
General  form  -Uicjide  -suidigfide 

PL  -leicfitis  -suidigfitis 


360      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

§  198.  Non-compositional  Preterite 
Sg.  3.  (and  rel.)  scarthae      leicthe  suidigthe 

PI.  3.  (?)  (?)  (?) 

Compositional  Preterite 

General  form     -scarad        -leced  -suidiged 

PI.  3.    scartha       -leicthea  -suidigthea 

Subjunctive 

§  199.  Non-compositional  Present 
Sg.  3.         scarthair  Uicthir  suidigthir 

PI.  3.        scartair,scaraitir  Uictir,  lecitir      suidigtir 

Compositional  Present 

General  form     -scarthar  -leicther  -suidigther 

PI.  3.     -scartar,  -scaratar  -leicter,  -Ucetar  -suidigter 

Preterite    (Only  compositional  forms,  §  174,  la.) 

General  form     -scarthae         -Uicthe  -suidigthe 

PI.  3.     -scartais         -leictis  -suidigtis 

Imperative 

§  200.     (No  distinction  is  made  between  compositional  and 
non-compositional  endings.) 

General  form     scarthar  leicther  suidigther 

PI.  3.     scartar  leicter  suidigter 

Passive  Participle] 
§  201.        scarthae  Uicthe  suidigthe 

Participle  of  Necessity 
§  202.        scarthai  leicthi  suidigthi 


ACCIDENCE 


361 


PARADIGMS  OF  RADICAL  VERBS 

§  203.  melid  '  grinds'  ('/„  verb,  §  175, i.) 

As  the  complete  paradigm  cannot  be  restored  with  certainty,  some 


Present  Indicative 

Imperfect 

non 
Sg.l. 
2. 
3. 

-compositional 
7nelim{7)i)  ^ 
*meli(l) 
Tnelid 

compositional 
{-hiur) 
(-bir^) 
-meil 

only  compositional 
-melinn 
? 

-meled 

rel. 

meles 

PI.  1. 

TnelTYiai 

-Tnelam, 

-meilmis 

rel. 

melmae 

2. 

meilte  (§  84  b.) 

-melid 

? 

3. 

melait 

-melat 

-me(i)ltis 

rel. 

Tneldae,  -toe 

Note  1. — Occasionally  the  ending  -u  is  found,  e.g.  biru  'I  carry,' 
Uagu  '  I  go.' 

Note  2. — Many  verbs  have  -i  also  in  the  compositional  form,  e.g. 
ar-rethi  'thou  assailest';  the  i  in  -bir  'thou  earnest'  (0.  C.  -*bere, 
fr.  I.E.  *bherei)  is  due  to  the  influence  of  the  1 

e-Future 


;.  -biur. 
Secondary  Future 


Sg 


non-compositional 


compositional 
-tnel 
-Tnelae 
-mSla 


1.  Tnela 

2.  mdae 

3.  melaid 
rel.  melas 

PI.  1.  mJlmai 

rel.  melmae  

2.  mdtae  (§  84  b.)    -melaid 

3.  melait                  -melat 
rel.  mAldae,  -tae         


-mdaTTi 


^Preterite 
non-compositional 
Sg.  1.  ? 

2.  ? 


compositional 

-miult 

-m,eiU 


only  compositional 

-TYielainn 
-'inelta  (§84  b.) 
-melad 


-mdm^ais 


-Tneltae  (| 
-Tneltais 


84  b.) 


Perfect 

contracted  forms 
-ru-mult 
-ru-mj{a)iU 


362      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


3. 

rel. 

PI.  1. 

rel. 

2. 

3. 
rel. 


(hirt) 


-melt 


-ru-malt 


meltae  

?  -meltaTnmar        -ru-maltmar 

TneltamTYiar  

?  -meltaid  -ru-7naltaid 

?  -meltar,  meltatar  -ru-7nalt(at)ar 

meltar,  meltatar 


Present  Subjunctive 


non-compositional 


Sg.l. 

2. 

3. 

rel, 

PI.  1. 

rel. 

2. 

3. 


mela 

onelae 

m^elaid 

melas 

melm^ai 

melmae 

meltae  {\ 

melait 


compositional 
-mel 
-melae 
-mela 


Past  Subjunctive 

only  compositional 

-onelainn 
-melta  (§84  b.) 
-melad 


-melam 


-melmais 


84  b.) 


-melaid 
-melat 


-meltae  (\ 
-meltais 


84  b.) 


rel.        meldae,  -tae 


Imperative 

(No  distinction  is  made  between  compositional  and 
non-compositional  endings.) 
Sg.  1.         PI.  1.  melam 

2.  vieil  2.  melid 

3.  meled^  3.  melat 

Note  3. — The  ending  -ad  appears  occasionally  instead  of  -ed  (fr.  *-e-to) 
through  influence  of  the  3.  pl.  {-at,  fr.  *-ont). 

Note  4. — From  tiagu  *I  go,'  comes  a  1.  sg.  ipv.  tlag  with  the  sense  of 
'  I  will  go.' 


PASSIVE 

(On  the  relative  forms  see  §  173,  2.) 
Present  Indicative  Imperfect 

non-compositional  compositional      only  compositional 

Sg.  3.         melair  -melar  -meilte  (§  84  b) 


PI.  3. 


'melair 
meltair 


-melar 
-meltar 


-7Yie{i)ltis 


ACCIDENCE 


363 


e- Future  Secondary  Future 

non-compositional  compositional      only  compositional 

Sg.  3.        meltair  (§  84  b)  -meltar  (§  84  b)  meltae  (§  84  b) 


PI.  3. 


mdtair 


■meltar 


Preterite 

non-compositional  compositional 

Sg.  3.        mlethae  -mleth 

PL  3.  (?)  -mletha 


-TTieltais 

Perfect 

contracted  forms 
-ro-Tnlad 
-ro-malta  (§67) 


Present  Subjunctive  Past  Subjunctive 

non-compositional  compositional     only  compositional 

Sg.  3.         meltair  (§  84  b)  -meltar  (§  84  b)   -meltae  (§  84  b) 
PI.  3.        meltair  -meltar  -meltais 

Imperative 

(No  distinction  is  made  between  compositional  and 
non-compositional  endings.) 

General  form  (3.  sg.)  melar 
PI.  3.        m^eltar 

Passive  Participle  Participle  of  Necessity 

mlithe  mlithi 

§  204.  caiiid  '  sings '  {e\o  verb,  §  175,  i). 

In  the  Present  and  Imperfect  Indicative  Active,  as  well  as 
in  the  Present  and  Past  Subjunctive  Active,  it  is  inflected  like 
melid  (§  203).  In  the  1  sg.  compositional  pres.  the  non-com- 
positional canaim{m)  is  used  besides  the  regular  -cun  (fr. 
*-caun). 


Reduplicate 

id  Future 

Secondary  Future 

non-compositional 

compositional 

only  compositional 

Sg.  1.         cechna 

-cechan 

-cechnainn 

2.        cechnae 

-cechnae 

-cechnatha 

3,        cechnaid 

-cechna 

-cechnad 

rel.        cechnas 

364      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


PI.  1.  cechnairami  (?)  -cechnam 

rel.  cechnairriTne  (?)  

2.  cechnaithe  (?)  -cechnaid 

3.  ceehnait  -cechnat 
rel.  cechnaite  (?)  

Reduplicated  Preterite 


-cechnaimTnis  (?) 


-cechnaithe 
-cechnaitis 


compositional 

-cechan 
-cechan 
-cechain 


Perfect 

contracted  forms 

-roichan 
-roichan 
-roichain 


■cechnamTnar       -roichnammar 


non-compositional 

Sg.  1.  cechan  (?) 

2.  ? 

3.  cechain 
rel.  cechnxie 

PI.  1.  cechnaimTnir  (?) 

rel.  cechnammar 
2.  ? 

3t  cechnaitir 

rel.  cechnatar  

The  Present  and  Past  Subjunctive  as  well  as  the  Imperative 
Active  are  inflected  like  melid. 


-cechnaid 
-cechnatar 


-roichnid 
-roichnatar 


PASSIVE 

(On  the  relative  forms  see  §  173,  2.) 

In  the  Passive  the  Present  Indicative  and  Subjunctive,  the 
Imperfect,  and  the  Past  Subjunctive  and  Imperative  are 
inflected  like  melid. 


Reduplicated  Future 

non-compositional    compositional 
Sg.  3.        cechnaithir  -cechnathar 

PI.  3.         cechnaitir  -cechnatar 


Secondary  Future 

only  compositional 
-cechnxiithe  (?) 
-cechnaitis  (?) 


Preterite 
non-compositional  compositional 
Sg.  3.        cetae  -cH 

PI.  3.  (?)  -c^ta 


Perfect 

contracted  forms 
-ro-chet 
-ro-cheta 


ACCIDENCE 


365 


Passive  Participle 

cete 


Participle  of  Necessity 

ceti 


§  205.  guidid  '  prays'  (§175,  3). 

In  the  Present  and  Imperfect  Indicative  Active  it  is  inflected 
like  an  vverb  (Idcid)  except  in  the  compositional  3  sg.  pres. 
ind.  (-guid  fr.  ^g'hodh-i-t ;  of.  §  173, 1). 

In  the  non-compositional  1  sg.  pres.  ind.  the  form  guidiu  '  I 
pray '  occurs  beside  the  regular  guidiin(m). 


s-Future  Secondary  Future 

non-compositional    compositional  only  compositional 


Sg.l. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 

P1.1. 

rd. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 


gigsea 

gigsi 

gigis 

giges 

gigsimmi 

gigsimme 

gigestae 

gigsit 

gigsite 


-gigius 
-gigis 

-9^9 


-gigsmn 
7 

-gigsed 


-gigsem 


-gigsimmis 


-gigsid 
-gigset 


-gigsitis 


a-Preterite  (§  178,  3b.) 
non-compositional  compositional 


Sg.l. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 

PI.  1. 

rel. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 


gdd  (?) 
? 

gdid 

gdde 

7 

gddaTnmar 

7 

7 
gddatar 


-gdd 
-gdd 
-gdid 

-gddammar 


Perfect 

contracted  forms 
-ro-gad 
-ro-gad 
-ro-gaid 


-gddid 
-gddatar 


Present  (s-)  Subjunctive  Past  Subjunctive 

non-compositional  compositional  only  compositional 
Sg.  1.           ?^                         -ges8  -gessinn 

2.        gessi  -geiss  ? 


/ 

366       A  CONCISE  OLD  lEISH  GRAMMAR 

-ge  -gessed 


3. 

geiss 

rel. 

gess 

PI.  1. 

gesmai 

reL 

gesmae 

2. 

7 

3. 

gessait 

rel. 

gestae 

-gessain  -gesmais 


7 


-gessid 

-gessat  -gestais 


Note  1. — The  only  example  I  have  of  the  non-compositional  1  sg, 
is  tiasu,  pres.  tlagu  '  I  go.'  Perhaps  the  other  verbs  had  the  ending  -a 
as  in  the  s-  future  (§177,  2). 

The  Imperative  Active  is  inflected  like  lecid. 


PASSIVE 

(On  the  relative  forms  see  §  173,  2). 

The  Present  Indicative,  the  Imperfect  and  the  Imperative 
are  inflected  like  lecid. 

s-Future  Secondary  Future 

non-compositional    compositional  only  compositional 
Sg.  3.        gigsithir               -gigsethar  -gigeatae 

PI.  3.        gigsitir  -gigsetar  -gigsitis 

Preterite  Perfect 

non-compositional  compositional  contracted  forms 
Sg.  3.        gessae  (?)               -gess  ? 

PI.  3.  (?)  -gessa 


2 


Present  Subjunctive  Past  Subjunctive 

non-compositional  compositional  only  compositional 
Sg.  3.        gessair  -gessar  -gestae 

PI.  3.        gessaitir  -gessatar  -gestais 

Passive  Participle  Participle  of  Necessity 

ge{i)8se  ge(i)ssi 


ACCIDENCE 


367 


§  206.  renaid  'sells'  {-na-  verb;  §  175,  4). 

Present  Indicative  Imperfect 

non-compositional  compositional  only  compositional 
Sg.  1.        renaim(7n)  -renairMjn)  -renainn 

2.  renai  -renai  -renta 

3.  renaid                  -ren                      -renad 
rel.        renas  

PL  1.        renmai 
rel.        renmae 

2.        rentae  (§  84  b) 

8.        renait 
rel.        rentae,  -dae 


-renam 

-renaid 
-renat 


-renmais 


-rentae  (§  84  b) 
-rentais 


Reduplicated  Future 
non-compositional  compositional 


Sg 


1. 
2. 
3. 

rel. 

PL  1. 

rel. 

2. 

3. 
rel. 


rire 
7 

rires 
rirmi  (?) 
rirme  (?) 
rirthe  (?) 
ririt 
rirte 


-ririu 

-rire 

-riri 


-rtrem 

-ririd 
'riret 


Secondary  Future 

only  compositional 

-rirthinn  (?) 
-rirthea  (?) 
-rired 


-rirmis  (?) 


-rirthe  (?) 
-rirtis  (?) 


Reduplicated  Preterite 
non-compositional  compositional 


Sg.  1. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 

PLl. 

rel. 

2. 

3. 

reL 


2 

? 

rir  (V) 
rire 

1 

7 

1 

7 
rertar,  -dar 


-rer  (?) 
-rer  (?) 
-rir 


-rertar,  -dar 


Perfect 

(Of  contracted 
forms  I  have  no 
examples.) 


368      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


Present  Subjunctive 

Past  Subjunctive  ^ 

non-compositional 

compositional 

only  compositional 

Sg.l. 

? 

-reu 

-r'ieinn  (?) 

2. 

viae  (?) 

-viae 

? 

3. 

r'ieid  (?) 

-r'ia 

-r'iad 

rel. 

r'ias  (?) 

PI.  1. 

reimmi  (?) 

-r'iam 

-remTYiis  (?) 

rel. 

reiTnme  (?) 

2. 

reitke  (?) 

-r'ieid  (?) 

? 

3. 

rmi  (?) 

-riat 

-retis 

rel. 

reie 

The  Imperative  Active  is  inflected  like  scaraid. 


PASSIVE 

(On  the  relative  forms  see  §  173,  2). 

Present  Indicative  Imperfect 

non-compositional  compositional  only  compositional 
Sg.  3.        renair  -renar  -rentae  (§  84  b) 


PI.  3. 


rentair 


-rentar 


-rentals 


Reduplicated  Future  Secondary  Future 

non-compositional    compositional  only  compositional 

Sg.  3.         rirthir  -rirther  -ririhe  (?) 

PI.  3.         rirtir  (?)  -rirter  (?)  -rirtis  (?) 


Sg.3. 
PL  3. 


Preterite 
non-compositional  compositional 
rithae  -rith 

(?)  -ritha  (?) 


Perfect 

(Of  contracted 
forms  I  have  no 
examples.) 


^  The  subj.  stem  r'ia-  is  a  later  formation,  due  to  the  influence  of  cria  (fr. 
crenaid  '  buys ') ;  there  are  still  traces  of  the  old  subj.  stem  em-  (inflected  like 
the  subj.  of  melid),  formed  from  the  full  root  *per[d)  (of.  §  176,  i,note.).  But  em- 
has  a  dififerent  meaning,  e.g.  ro-era  '  may  he  grant,' 


ACCIDENCE  369 

Present  Subjunctive  Past  Subjunctive 

non-compositional  compositional   only  compositional 


Sg.3. 
PI.  3. 

rethir 
retir 

-rether                  -rethe 
-reter  (?)               -retis 

The  Imperative  Passive  is  inflected  like  melid 

Passive  Participle 

rithe 

Participle  of  Necessity 
rethi  (?) 

§  207.  gainithir  'is  bom'  (deponent  verb,  §  175,  3). 
(On  the  relative  forms,  see  §  173,  2)- 

Present  Indicative  Imperfect 

non-compositional  compositional   only  compositional 


Sg.l. 

2. 

3. 
PL  1. 

2. 

3. 

gainiur                -gainiur 
gainter  (§  84  b)  -gainter  (§  84  b) 
gainithir             -gairiethar 
gainimmir          -gainemmar 
gainte  (§  84  b)     -gainid 
gainitir               -gainetar 

-gaininn 
1          etc. 

The  inflexion  is 
the    same    as    in 
active    verbs.  (Of. 
guidid,  §  198.) 

Reduplicated  Future 

Secondary  Future 

non-compositional  compositional   only  compositional 

Sg.l. 

2. 

3. 
PI.  1. 

2. 

3. 

gigner                   -gigner 
gignither              -gignither 
gignithir              -gignethar 
gignimmir           -gignemmar 
gignithe                -gignid 
gignitir                -gignetar 

-gigninn 
etc.  (§  173,  4). 

Reduplicated  Preterite 

Perfect 

non-compositional  compositional 

(Of    contracted 

Sg.l. 
2. 
3. 

?                           -g4nar 
?                            -genar 
gdnair                 -gdnair 

forms  I   have  no 
examples.) 

VOL. 

IX. 

2a 

370      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


PL  1. 

? 

-gdnammar 

2. 

? 

-genaid 

3. 

? 

-gdnatar 

Present  Subjunctive  Past  Subjunctive 

non-compositional  compositional   only  compositional 


Sg.  1.        genar                   -genar 

2.  gentar  (§  84  b)     -gentar  (§84 

3.  genaithir              -genathar 
PL  1.        genaimmir  (?)     -genammar 

2.  gentae  (§  84  b)     -genaid 

3.  genaitir                -genatar 

-genainn 
>  b)  etc.  (like  melainn) 

Imperative 

Sg.  1.                                 PL  1. 

2.  gainte  (§  84  b)          2. 

3.  gained                       3. 

gainem,  -emmar 

gainid 

gainetar 

The  Passive  of  deponent  verbs  is  formed  exactly  like  that  of 
active  verbs  of  the  same  class. 

Thus,  e.g.  do-7)ioinethar  '  thinks ' :  compositional  3.  sg.  pres. 
ind.  pass,  do-mointer  (fr.  O.  C.  *to-man-i-toro)  like  fo-gaibther 
(0.  C.  *vo-gah-i-toro)  fr.  the  active  fo-gaib  '  finds.' 


§  208.  THE  SUBSTANTIVE  VERB 

Indicative  Mood 

Present 

Imperfect 

Sg.  1.        (atytdu, 

-to 

-biinn 

2.         -tai 

7 

3.        'td 

-bith 

PL  1.        -taam 

7 

2.        -ta{ayid 

7 

3.        -taat 

•bitis 

As  the  relative  form  the  impersonal j^i^,  {feil,  fel,  fail)  and  jile 


ACCIDENCE 


371 


{fele)  are  used ;  -fil  (but  not  file)  is  also  used  after  the  particles 
and  conjunctions  mentioned  in  §  53,  2,c,d,  e,  except  before  an 
infixed  pronoun  expressing  a  dative  relation  (e.g.  ni-m-thd  '  I 
have  not,'  but  ni-nn-jil  'I  am  not'),  further  in  answers  and 
(archaic)  in  order  to  bring  forward  emphatically  any  part  of  a 
sentence.  In  composition  {for-td  '  is  upon,'  do-es-ta '  is  wanting,' 
etc.),  only  -td  can  be  used. 

Note  1.  at-ta  has  no  contracted  (§181  footnote)  forms;  after  the 
particles  and  conjunctions  mentioned  in  §  53,  2,  be,  the  preverbal 
preposition  ad-  is  always  dropped  (§  210,  note  2). 

Note  2.  There  is  also  a  non-compositional  3.  sg.  tdith,  which  is 
in  poetry  and  sometimes  in  prose  used  with  suffixed  pronouns. 

Consuetudinal  Present 

non-compositional  compositional  relative 

Sg.  1.        hiuu  -biu  

2.  ?  -bi  

3.  h'iid  -hi  his 

PI.  1.        bimmi  -hiam  bimme 

2.  ?  -hiid  (?)  

3.  Hit  -b'iat  bite 

Imperative 

Sg.  2.        bi  PI.  1.         hiid 

3.        bith  2.         but 

Future  (cf.  §  174,  3,  note.)  Secondary  Future 

non-compositional  compositional  only  compositional 

Sg.  1.        b'ia  ?  -beinn 

2.  biae  -b'iae  (?)  ? 

3.  bie{i)d                   -b'ia  -biad 
rel.        bias                     

PI.  1.  he(iymmi  -hiam,  -bemmis 

2.  be(i)the{^)  -bieid  ? 

3.  b%e{i)t  -b'iat  -hetis 
reL  be(i)te  


372      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


Preterite  ^ 

Perfect 

non-compositional  compositional 

contracted  forms 

Sg.l. 

?                           -bd 

-ro-ha 

2. 

?                         -U 

-ro-ba 

3. 

boi                        -boi 

-ro-b{a)e,  -ra-h(a)e 

rel. 

hoie 

PI.  1. 

?                            -bd'minar 

-ro-bammar 

2. 

?                            -baid 

-ro-baid 

3. 

hdtar                    -hdtar 

-ro-batar,  -ra-batar 

Subjunctive  Mood 
Present 

non-compositional  compositional  contracted    forms 

(with  -ro) 
Sg.  1.        heu  (beo)  -bdu  (-beo)  ? 

2.  bee  ?  ? 

3.  beith  held,  heth  -he  -roi-b 

bed 
rel.        hess  


PL  1.  he{i)')nmi  -hem  -ro-bam 

2.  be(i)the  -beith,  -beid  -ro-b{a)ith 

3.  belt  -bet  -ro-bat 
rel.  hete  


Past  Subjunctive 
Sg.  1.        -heinn  PI.  1.        -bemmis 

2.  -hetJia  2.        -bethe 

3.  -heth,  -bed  (contracted :  ro-bad)    3.  -hetis  (contracted  : 

-roi-btis) 

PASSIVE  (Impersonal  Forms) 

Present  Indicative :  (at)-tdthar ;  rel&tiYe:  filter. 
Consuetudinal  Present:  non-compositional  hithir;  composi- 
tional -hither. 

^  The  3.  sg.  is  from  I.E.  *bhove,  the  other  persons  are  formed  from  I.E.  stem 
*bhvd-. 


ACCIDENCE 


373 


Preterite  and  Perfect:  non-compositional  hothae-,  composi- 
tional -hoth. 

Present  Subjunctive:  non-compositional  hethir;  composi- 
tional -bether. 

Participle  of  Necessity :  buithi. 
I  209.    The  Copula. 


Present  Indicative 

non-compositional 

compositional 

Sg.  1. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 

PI.  1. 

2. 

3. 

rel. 

am  (fr.  *esmi) 

at  (it) 

ia 

as 

ammi  {armnin(n)) 

adib  (idib) 

it 

ata  [at) 

I. 

II. 

ni-ta  -da 
ni-ta  -da 
ni 

ni-tam  -tan  -dan 
ni-tad  -dad 
ni-tat  -dat 

-da 
-da 

-d,  -t,  —,  ■(d)id 

-dan 
-dad 
•dat 

Note  1. — The  compositional  forms  in  the  first  column  are  used  after 
the  negative  ni  'not,'  after  c<mi  'ia  notr  and  sechi  'whosoever  is' 
(3.  pi.  also  sechi-t). 

In  negative  relative  clauses  in  the  3.  sg.  ndd,  in  the  3.  pi.  nafat  are 
found ;  under  the  conditions  mentioned  in  §  28,  the  3  sg.  shows  the 
forms  nanf,  nan{d),  nat,  ndt,  ndich,  ndch,  nach,  in  the  3.  pi.  the  form 
nandat. 

Note  2. — The  compositional  forms  in  the  second  column  are  used  after 
a  relative  which  includes  a  preposition  (also  after  i"  '  in  which '),  after 
the  conjunctions  mentioned  in  §53, 2d,  the  interrogative  particle  in 
and  in  the  relative  first  and  second  persons  after  an  eclipsing  (§  28)  no-. 

The  a  of  the  relative  preceded  by  a  preposition  is  changed  to  i  when 
preceded  by  a  consonant. 

Examples  of  the  3.  sg.  are :  arndid,  arin  '  for  which  is ' ;  diandid, 
diant  'to  whom  is';  in{n)  'is  he?';  lassin{n)  'with  whom  is';  condid, 
conid  '80  that  is,'  etc. 


374       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 


Note  3. — With  ce  (cia)  'thougli'  and  ma  'if  the  copula  appears  in 
the  3,  sg.  as  cesu  (ciasu),  ceso  (daso),  masu,  maso  (with  negative :  manid, 
canid) ;  in  the  3.  pi.  as  cetu,  ceto,  7)iatu. 

For  the  Consuetudinal  Present  the  shortened  forms  of  the 
substantive  verb  are  used,  e.g.  ni-bi,  ni-pi  'he  is  not  wont 
to  be.' 

Imperative 

PI.  1.  ban  (badn  Wb.  5  d  22) 

2.  bad,  bed 

3.  bat 


Sg.  1.  

2.  ba 

3.  bad,  bed,  pad 


Future 

non-compositional     compositional 

Sg.  1.  be  ? 

2.  ?  -ba 

3.  bid,  bith  -ba,  -pa 
rel.  bes,  bas  

PL  1.  be7nm%  bimmi 
ba(7n)mi 

2.  ?  ? 

3.  bit  -bat,  -pat 
rel.  beta  — ^ 

Preterite  (and  Imperfect) 


Secondary  Future 

Sg.  3.  -bad,  -pad 
PI.  3.  -btis,  -ptis 

Unlike  other  verbs 
there  is  also  a  non- 
compositional  3  sg.  bed. 


non-compositional 
Sg.  1.  ba-sa 

2.  ? 

3.  (and  rel.)  ba 
PI.  1.      ? 

2.  ? 

3.  batir,  batar 

rel.  batar 


compositional 

-b-sa,  -p-sa,  -sa,  -b 
-b-sa,  -sa 
-bo,  -po,  -bu,  -pu 
bovimar,  bwnnmar 

7 

-btar,  -ptar,  -tar,  -dar  ni-rii-btar  beside 

con-narbtar 


negative  Perfect 

ni-r-b-sa 
ni-r-b-sa 
ni-r-bo,  ni-r-bu 
ni-r-boi7imar 
1 


Note  4. — The  compositional  forms  of  the  preterite  and  the  com- 
positional perfect-forms  are  also  used  after  ce  {da)  '  though.'  -sa  is  the 
emphasising  pronoun.     On  the  elision  of  the  vowel  of  to-  in  the  forms 


ACCIDENCE  375 

of  the  perfect  see  §  77.  The  b  (p)  is  dropped  (§  103)  after  eclipsing 
particles  (§§  28,  30),  e.g.  a  {r)romtar  (ro-m-htar)  *  when  they  have  been,' 
otc. 

Present  Subjunctive 
non-compositional  compositional 

Sg.  1.  ba  -ba,  -jpa 


2.  ba 

-ba 

3.  ba 
rel.  bes,  has 
PI.  1.    ? 

•b,  -p,  — ,  -dib,  -dip  (-bo,  -po,  -bu,  -pu) 
-ban 

2.  bede 

3.  ? 

rel.  6e^e,  beta. 

bata 

bad  (-baid) 
-bat,  -pat 

Note  5. — In  the  3.  sg.  the  usual  form  is  -h,  -p.  The  form  -dib,  -dip  is 
found  after  ara^  '  in  order  that '  (a(i)rndip  beside  arim{p)),  i"  '  in  which,' 
the  interrogative  in  {indip  beside  iin{b),  imp)  and  cd^  'so  that,  until'; 
also  after  na  (nadip  beside  nap,  nab),  robo,  nipo,  etc.,  are  rare  beside 
the  regular  rop,  nip,  etc. 

ceni  'though  not,'  mani  'if  not,'  ara"  'in  order  that*  are  shortened 
to  cin,  main,  a{i)r'"  (ar"*)  before  syllabic  compositional  forms. 

Note  6. — With  ce  (cia)  '  though '  and  ma  '  if '  the  copula  appears  in 
the  3.  sg.  as  cid  (cith,  ced,  ceith),  mad,  in  the  3.  pi.  as  cit,  mat.  But  with 
the  interrogative  ce  (cia)  the  copula  appears  in  the  3.  sg.  as  dp,  cib 
('  whosoever  it  be,'  etc.). 

Past  Subjunctive 
non-compositional  compositional 

Sg.  1.         ?  -bin,  -benn 

2.        ?  -ptha 

3  (and  rel.).  bid,  bed,  bad  -bad,  -pad,  -bed 

PL  1.  bemmis,  bimmis  -bim(m)is 

2.  ?  ? 

3.  betis,  bitis  -btis,  -ptis,  (-dis,  -tis) 

Note  7. — Unlike  other  verbs  the  past  subj.  of  the  copula  has  also 
non-compositional  forms,  ara'"  'in  order  that,'  mani  'if  not'  are 
shortened  to  a(i)r"*,  main.  The  b  (p)  is  dropped  after  eclipsing 
particles  (§§  28,  30, 103),  e.g.  com,tis  (co  m-btis)  'so  that  they  might  be' ; 


376      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

by  the  side  of  armad  (ara^+had),  airmtis,  occur  forms  like  arhed,  ardis 
(see  p.  10,  footnote). 

Note  8. — With  ce  (cia)  '  though  '  and  ma  '  if,'  the  copula  appears  in 
3.  sing,  as  cid,  mad,  in  the  3.  pi.  as  matis. 


Miscellaneous  Paradigms  of  Radical  and  Irregular  Verbs 

§  210.  (Where  not  otherwise  stated,  only  the  3.  sg.  has  been 
given.) 

ad-ci,  -aicci  'sees'  (§  181),  1.  sg.  ad-ciu,  pass,  ad-cither, 
-accastar;  subj.  ad-cethar,  -accathar,  sg.  1  ad-cear,  -accar,  pass. 
ad-cether,  -accastar;  past.  subj.  ad-ceth;  fut.  ad-cichi,  pass. 
ad-cichestar ;  preterite  cou-accae,  cf.  §  174,  4;  perf.  ad-con-dairc; 
pret.  pass,  con-accas,  -accas;  perf.  pass,  ad-cess, -accas  (§  179). 

ad-fet  (§  84  d,  note)  'relates,'  pi.  ad-fiadat;  subj.  ad-fe 
(§  176,  1),  pi.  adrfessat ;  ro-  subj.  (174,  2  e)  1.  sg.  ad-cdns,  -4c{i)u8 
(§  62  note),  pfiss.  -ecestar;  fut.  ad-fi  (§  177,  2),  pi.  ad-fessat;  perf. 
ad-c^aid,  -dcaid ;  pret.  pass,  ad-fess ;  perf.  pass,  ad-coas. 

aingid  'protects,'  -anich;  imp  v.  2.  sing,  ain;  subj.  -a-in,  pi. 
-amsei(§  176,  i);  fut.  §  177,2,  note  2;  pret.  -anacht  (§  178,  2), 
pass,  -anacht 

henaid  'strikes,  slays,'  -hen  (§  175,  4);  subj.  -h'ia,  end.  -he 
(§  176,  2);  pret.  -hi,  end.  -h{i),  pi.  -heotar  (§  178,  3,  note),  pass. 
bith'y  part.  pass,  hithe,  part.  nee.  bethi. 

herid  '  carries,'  -heir,  pass,  -herr,  -herar ;  ro-  present  (§  174, 2  b), 
ro-uc{c)ai,  -ruc(c)ai ;  subj.  -hera ;  ro-  subj.  (§  174, 2  e)  -ruc{c)a ;  fut. 
-hera;  pret.  -foer^,  pass,  -hreth;  perf.  ro-u'ic(c),  ro-uc,  -rue,  pi. 
-rucsat,  pass,  ro-ucad,  -rucad.    Cf.  note  1. 

hongid  '  breaks '  (§  175,  2),  -hoing ;  subj.  -&o,  pi.  -6osai ;  fut.  1  sg. 
6i&sa,  -bihus  (§  177,  2)  ;  pret.  hehaig,  pass,  -hocht 

-cuirethar  '  throws,  puts'  (-i-  verb,  §  173,  1),  imperative  2.  sg. 
cuirthe,  cuire,  pi.  cu-iWc?;  pres.  subj.  -corathar  (176,  2);  perf. 
-corastar;  the  future  tense  and  the  ro-  forms  (§  174,  2)  as  well 
as  the  non-compositional  forms  of  the  other  tenses  are  supplied 
from  fo-ceird.  The  cpd.  do-cuirethar,  when  used  in  the  sense  of 
'  takes  to  himself,  invites,'  has  a  future  1.  sg.  do-cuirifar  and  a 
perfect  do-rochuirestar. 


ACCIDENCE  377 

ccm-ic(c)  •  is  able,'  -cwmaing,  [S.  pi,  con-ecat,  -cumcat  (fr. 
*cumngat, -p.  10,  footnote) ;  subj.  con-i,  -cwmiai),  pi.  -cuimset', 
fut.  1  sg.  con-icub,  -cumguh;  sec.  fut.  con-icfed,  -cumcaihed; 
pret.  and  perf.  (§  174,  3)  con-dnacuir,  -coiTnnacuir.  (Only  ad- 
cumaing  '  it  happens '  has  the  active  inflexion  in  the  pret. 
ad-comnicc.) 

do-heir  '  gives,' '  brings,'  -tabair,  is  inflected  like  herid.  In  the 
sense  of 'brings'  it  has  a  ro-  present  (§174, 2b)  do-uccai,-tuccai ;  ro- 
snhy -tucca ;  perf.  do-uic,  -tuic(c),  -tuc,  pi.  do-ucsat,  pass.  -tuc{c)ad, 
-tuiced.  There  is  also  an  imperative  tuic  (2.  sg.)  beside  the 
regular  tabair.    Cf.  note  1. 

In  the  sense  of 'gives'  it  has  a  ro-present  (§  174, 2b)  do-rati; 
ro-  subj.  do-rata,  -tarta ;  perf.  do-rat,  -tar at,  pi.  do-ratsat,  -tartsat 
and  -tartisset,  pass,  do-ratad,  -tardad. 

do-gni  'does,'  -denai  (§  181),  ro-present  do-ronai,  -dernaiy 
1.  sg.  do-gniu,  -denaim;  impv.  2.  sg.  ddnae;  subj.  do-gn4,  -d4na\ 
ro-  subj.  do-r6na,  -derna;  hit.  do-gina,  -dignea]  pret.  do-geni, 
-digni;  pass,  do-gnith,  -ddnad;  perf.  do-rigni,  do-rigeni, 
-deirgeni,  -deirgni  -derni  (§  181),  pass,  do-ronad,  -demad ;  part, 
nee.  deinti,  dAntai. 

do-ic{c)  'comes,'  -tic{c),  pi.  do-ec(c)at,  -tec(c)at;  subj.  do-i, 
-ti,  pi.  do-isat,  -tisat;  fut.  do-icf(e)a,  -ticf{e)a;  pret.  and  perf. 
(174,  3)  do-dnaic{c),  -tdnaic{c).     Cf.  note  1. 

do-te(i)t '  comes,'  pi.  do-tiagat  is  generally  inflected  like  te(i)t 
'  goes,'  save  in  the  2.  pers.  impv,  (sg.  tair,  pi,  toi^  1  ^^-^^  •  •  • 
becomes  tai  .  . .  (§  110)  in  contracted  forms,  e.g.  do-tiag  'I  come' 
(fr.  Ho-tegil,  older  *-(s)teigho) :  -taig,  do-te{i)t  'comes':  -tait,  etc. 
In  the  future  the  contracted  form  of  do-rega,  do-riga  is  -terga, 
-tirga  through  influence  of  the  reduplication-vowels  of  other 
verbs.    Cf  note  4, 

do-tuit  falls,  -tuit,  pass.  tuiter\  subj.  do-toth,  -toth  (fr.  *-to- 
tud-s-t),  pi,  do-todsat,  -todsat;  fut,  do-tdeth,  -tSeth  (fr.  *-to-ti- 
tud-s-t) ;  pret.  do-cer ;  pref.  do-rbchair,  -tbrcha{i)r.    Cf  note  3. 

fo-ceird  'throws'  (cf.  -cuirethar) ;  subj.  fo-ceirr-,  ro-  subj. 
-raZa;  fut.  fo-cicherr, -foicherr  (§  110);  pret. /o-c(i^r(Z  (§§  118, 
178,  3  b).  pass,  fo-cress;  perf  ro-Z(i,  -ra^ae,  pass,  ro-laad, 
-ralad. 


378      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

fo-gaih  'finds';  subj.  fo-gaha;  fut.  fo-gdba',  pret.  and  perf. 
(§  174,  3)  fo-fuair,  -fuair,  pass,  fo-frith,  -frith.     Cf.  note  2. 

Tnidithir  'judges'  (§  175,3);  subj.  1.  sg.  messur,  2.  messer, 
3.  ffiestir,  -mestar,  1.  pi.  messimir,  -messamar,  2.  meste,  -messid, 
3.  messitir,  -messatar,  pass.  sg.  ')ness{a)ir,  -messar,  rel.  mestar, 
pi.  messitir,  -m,essatar;  the  fut.  is  identical  with  the  subj.  except 
the  3.  persons  sg.  miastir,  miastar-  (act.  and  pass.) ;  pret.  -midair, 
pass.  -Tness,  part.  pass.  me{i)sse,  part.  nee.  me(i)8si. 

ro-cluinethar  'hears'  -cluinetJiar;  subj.  ro-cloathar;  fut.  ro- 
cechladar,  pass,  ro-cechlastar ;  pret.  co-cualae  (fr.  * -tcu-1dov-e), 
pass,  co-closs  (-cloth)  cf.  §  174,  4;  perf.  ro-cualae,  pass,  ro-closs 
(-cloth).    Cf  note  2. 

ro-fitir  'knows,  knew,'  pres.  and  pret.  1.  sg.  ro-fetar,  2. 
-fetar,  3.  -^<ir,  1.  pi.  -Jitemmar,  -fetammar,  2.  -^i^cZ,  3.  -fitetar 
-fetatar,  fetar,  pass,  ro-fess;  consuetudinal  pres.  ro-finnadar ; 
impf.  ro-finnad;  im-pv.  finnad;  subj.  and  fut.  go  exactly  like 
TTiidithir  (ro-festar,  ro-fiastar,  etc.);  part.  nee.  /ssi  Cf 
note  2. 

saigid  'makes  for,'  -sai^r,  pi.  -segat;  subj.  -sci,  pi.  -sdsai;  fut. 
-e?a,  pi.  -sessat,  pret.  -s'iacht. 

t6it '  goes,'  -;ie('i)i ;  in  the  other  persons  appears  the  stem  teg- 
tia^-  (§  122);  ro-  pres.  (§  174,  2)  -dichet;  impv.  1  sg.  iiagf 
(§  196,  note  4),  2.  eirg(g),  3.  ie^,  1  pi.  tiagam,  2.  erg(g)id,  3.  tiagat, 
pass,  tiagar;  subj.  (cf  §  198,  note  1)  ie'-is,  -<^,  pi.  i^asa< ;  ro-  subj. 
and  fut.  do-coi  (fr.  Ho-lcom-vedh-a-t),  -decha,  -dich,  -dig,  pi. 
do-coiset, -dichset ;  past.  subj.  -te(i)sed;  past,  ro-  subj.  and  sec. 
fut.  do-coised,  -dichsed;  fut.  -regra,  -rigra  (inflected  like  an 
a-subj.),  sec.  fut.  -regad,  -rigad;  pret.  luid,  pi.  lotar,  pass. 
ethae;  perf  do-coid,  -dechuid,  1.  2.  sg.  do-c6od  (-coad),  -dechud, 
3  pi.  do-cotar  (du-cuatar),  -dechutar,  pass,  do-cdas. 

tongid  'swears'  (§  175,2),  -toing;  subj.  -M,  pi.  -<o'sa<;  fut. 
2.  sg.  -tithis ;  pret.  -tethaig ;  perf  do-cuitig. 

Note  1. — In  compound  verbs,  as  e.g.  ro-icc  'reaches,'  do-iec,  do-uccai 
(see  dobeir),  ro-uccai  (see  berid),  do-adbat  ^ shows,'  fo-accaib  'leaves,'  etc., 
where  the  verbal  stem  beginning  with  a  vowel  is  preceded  by  do  (fr. 
*to),  ro-  or  fo-,  the  contracted  forms  are  often  used  in  principal  and 
relative  clauses  (except  when  there  is  a  relative  -n- ;  §  28)  instead  of 


ACCIDENCE  379 

the  uncontracted  forms,  e.g.  tdn(a)icc  sam  •  summer  has  come,'  ani  riecu 
a  less  '  that  which  I  need '  (also  do-dn{a)icc,  ro-iccu). 

Note  2. — Some  verbs,  as  e.g.  ad-dgathar  '  fears,'  ro-fitir,  ro-cluinethar, 
fo-fuair  (see  fo-gaib),  have  no  contracted  (§  181  footnote)  forms,  the 
preverbal  preposition  being  dropped  after  the  particles  and  conjunc- 
tions mentioned  in  §  53,  2  be. 

Note  3. — The  uncontracted  forms  of  some  verbs  have  been  altered 
by  the  influence  of  the  corresponding  contracted  forms.  Thus,  e.g. 
*do-til  (fr.  *to-tud-s-t),  3.  sg.  pres.  subj.  of  do-tuit  has  been  altered  to 
do-toth  by  the  influence  of  the  contracted  -toth  (fr.  *-td-tud-s-t).  Similarly 
the  final  -t{t)  of  do-tuit  {*to-tud-i-t  gives  regularly  *do-tuid)  has  been  taken 
from  the  contracted  -tuit.  On  the  other  hand  the  vowel  of  -tuit  is  due 
to  the  influence  of  the  uncontracted  form.  (*-tb-tud-i-t  gives  regularly 
-*toit;  §110,  note). 

Note  4. — Tho  quality  of  the  diphthong  in  -tait,  etc.  (fr.  *to-te-  one 
expects  *toi-,  §  110)  is  very  peculiar. 

The  Preposition 

§  211.  Preverbal  and  Simple  Prepositions. 

1.  ad-  (*ad)  *  to,  up  to.' 

(a)  Under  the  stress  (§  53,  2)  ad-,  liable  to  various  changes 
before  consonants  (§§  94, 109, 112,  2).  Under  the  influence  of 
auo'-  the  form  aud-  occasionally  appears. 

(b)  Before  the  stress  (§  53,  3)  ad- ;  occasionally  as-  is  sub- 
stituted, e.g.  as-roilli  '  deserves '  besides  the  regular  ad-roilli. 

ad-  occurs  only  in  compounds. 

2.  air-  {*pre)  'for,  on  account  of  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress  (§  53,  2)  air-,  before  -7^0- :  air-  or  ar-, 
before  -fo-  and  -uss- :  aur-,  e.g.  aurlara  '  ready '  (air-fo-lam). 

(b)  Before  the  stress  (§  53,  .3)  ar-,  in  relative  sense  ara-. 
In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.  and  ace.)  ar. 

3.  aith-  (*ate) '  re '-. 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  aith-,  aid-,  occasionally  ath-,  ad- 
(§  55  II.  exception). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  ad-,  before  infixed  pronouns  at- ; 
aith-  occurs  only  in  compounds. 


380      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

4.  amal '  like '  (older  amail,  §  81),  with  ace.  (see  §  160). 

5.  cen  '  without,'  with  ace.  (see  §  160). 

6.  cenmithd,  cenTnathd  {cenmd) '  besides,  except,'  with  ace. 

7.  c^t- (^/cTjita) '  with: 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  cet-. 

(b)  before  the  stress :  ceta-,  cita-. 
cet-  occurs  only  in  compounds. 

8.  CO  '  to,  up  to,'  with  ace.  (see  §  160). 
In  compounds  ad-  is  used. 

9.  coTTi-  {*1com) '  with ' ; 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  cotti-,  liable  to  various  changes  before 
consonants.    (§§  103, 107, 108). 

For  coTTi-:  cuon-  is  often  found  (§  116);  in  late  compounds 
the  -m  is  regularly  preserved ;  coTn-imm-  gives  coimm-  (§  110). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  con-,  for  which  cot-  is  substituted  before 
infixed  pers.  pronouns. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  co",  cu\ 

10.  di-,  de-  (*cZe)  'from'  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  d4,-,  di-  (§  125,  note),  de- ;  with  following 
-fo-:  dii-. 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  do-,  du-,  occasionally  di-,  (de-). 
In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  di,  de,  seldom  do. 

11.  echtar  (*efcs-tris)  '  outside,'  with  ace. 
It  occurs  also  in  nominal  compounds. 

12.  er-  {*perd)  'for,  on  account  of  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  er-. 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  ar-,  in  relative  sense  ara-. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.  and  ace.)  ar.    See  further 
below,  22,  note. 

13.  ess-  {*eL) '  out  of  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  ess-  (seldom  ass-),  liable  to  various 
changes  before  consonants  (§§  97, 109). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  ass-,  for  which  ad-  is  substituted  before 
infixed  pers.  pronouns ;  hence  ad-  is  sometimes  used  instead  of 


ACCIDENCE  381 

as-  and  vice  versa.  Even  under  the  stress  ad-  may  appear  for 
ess-,  e.g.  -aparr  '  is  said '  beside  regular  eperr  (0.  C.  *ek{s)-ber-ro). 
The  form  aasa-  appears  occasionally  in  relative  and  non-relative 
use. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  a,  before  proclitic  words  as, 
e.g.  as  mo  . . . '  out  of  my ' . . .,  etc. 

14.  etar-,  eter-  (*entris)  'between,  among'  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  etar-,  before  vowels  etr-, 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  itir-  (§  81,  exception  2),  iter-,  eter-,  etar-, 
etir-. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  ace.)  iter,  itar,  etir,  eter,  etar. 

15.  fiad  '  in  presence  of,'  with  dat.  (see  §  160). 

16.  fo-  {*upo-) '  under '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  fo-,fu-,fa-  (§  116);  before  a  following 
vowel :  /-.     In  late  formations  contraction  is  regular. 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  fo-,  fu- ;  before  vowels  occasionally  /-. 
In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.  and  ace.)  fo,  fu. 

17.  for-  {*vor,  an  analogical  transformation  oiver,  fr.  I.E.  *uper) 
'upon '(see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  for-,  seldom  fur-  (§  116). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  for-,  occasionally  fur-,  far-. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.  and  ace.)  for,  occasionally 
far. 

18.  frith-  {*vrt)  '  against,  towards  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  frith-,  liable  to  various  changes  before 
consonants  (§  93),  in  later  compounds  the  -th  is  regularly  pre- 
served, frith-ess-  gives  fress-,  frith- ess-ind- :  freisn- ;  fress- 
spread  analogically  to  other  forms. 

(b)  Before  the  stress:  friss-;  before  infixed  pers.  pronouns 
frit-,  only  before  the  rel.  3.  sg.  m.  and  n.  friss-. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  ace.)  fri. 

19.  iar-  iarm-  {*eperoin)  '  after ' ; 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  iarm-,  iar-, 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  iarmi-  (iarmu-,  iarma-) 
In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  iar^. 


382       A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

20.  imh-,  imm-  {*mhhi)  '  about '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  i^nb-,  im(m)-  (§  103),  before  s:  imp- 
(§  88). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  im{m)-,  in  relative  sense  imme-  imma-. 
In  prepositional  use  (with  ace.)  im{'m). 

21.  in-  {*eni),  en-  (*en),  ind-  '  in  '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress  :  in-  remains  unchanged ;  en-  is  liable  to 
various  changes  before  consonants  (§§  104, 107, 108.);  it  appears 
occasionally  as  in-  under  the  influence  of  in-  {*eni);  ind- 
appears  before  most  consonants  as  in-  (§  104),  before  s  as  int- 
(§  88). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  in- ;  before  infixed  pers.  pronouns  ad-, 
only  before  the  rel.  3.  sg.  m.  and  n.  ass- ;  hence  ad-  and  ass-  are 
sometimes  used  instead  of  in-,  e.g.  ad-greinn  '  pursues,'  beside 
in-greinn,  etc. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.  and  ace.)  i«. 

22.  ir-  {*eru,  fr.  I.E.  *perd)  'for,  on  account  of; 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  ir- 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  ar- 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.  and  ace.)  ar. 

Note. — Compounds  which  have  er-  (12.)  are  older  than  the  change 
of  final  -6  to  -u  (§  118),  hence  the  -6  of  *perd  has  been  treated  like  old  o 
in  the  interior  of  a  word.  In  those  compounds,  however,  which  were 
formed  at  the  time  when  *per6  had  already  become  eru  (iru  §  Hi),  the 
preposition  appears  as  ir-.  The  forms  er-,  ir-  (with  u-  coloured  r),  air- 
have  frequently  fallen  together  and  may  interchange  in  the  same 
word. 

23.  is  {*ped-su,  a  locative  pi.  of  the  I,  E.  *ped-s '  foot ')  '  below,' 
with  dat.  (see  §  160). 

24.  la  (arch,  le) '  with,  by,'  with  ace.  (see  §  160). 

25.  6,  ua  '  from,  by'  (see  §  160)  and  uss-. 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  before  vowels  uss-,  oss-  (§  117);  before 
l,n,r:  6,  ua ;  before  other  consonants  u,  o  without  any  effect 
upon  these.    As  this  u,  o  looks  like  aspirated  /u,  fo,  an  /  has 


ACCIDENCE  383 

often  been  prefixed  to  it,  when  not  preceded  by  an  aspirating 
preverbal  preposition  (§  18),  e.g.  ni-tuissim  (*-to-u . . .  -sem-et) 
'  he  does  not  create,'  but  do-fuissim  '  he  creates '  (instead  of 
do-uissim).    In  later  compounds  appears  the  form  uad-. 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  ass-  or  ad-,  before  infixed  pers.  pronouns 
ad-. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  d,  ua. 

26.  oc  *  at '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  oc-,  e.g.  ni-ocman  '  he  does  not  touch' 
(the  m  through  influence  of  com-). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  oc(c)ik-,  e.g.  ocu-ben  *  touches.' 
In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  oc(c)  (uc,  ac). 

27.  ds,  lias  '  above,'  with  dat.  (see  §  160). 

28.  rem-  'before'  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  reTn-. 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  remi-,  in  relative  use  also  reme-. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  re",  ri",  Ha". 

29.  ro-  (see  §  174,  2). 

(a)  Under  the  stress:  ro-,  ru-,  ra-  (§  116),  before  vowels  r- 
only  with  the  prep,  uss-  (fr.  *u  .  .  -)  (2.5)  it  is  contracted  to 
ro-;  between  consonants  we  have  -ar-,  -or-  (fr.  r:  §§59,  66-71). 

(b)  Before  the  stress:  ro-,  ru-,  before  vowels  occasionally  r- 
through  influence  of  the  stressed  form. 

ro-  occurs  only  in  compounds. 

30.  sech, '  past,  beyond '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  sechm-, 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  sechmo-  (sechmi-). 

In  prepositional  use  (with  ace.)  sech. 

31.  sechtar  {*s{o)-efcstris), '  forth  from,'  with  ace. 

32.  tairm-,  tar,  dar, '  over '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  tairm-,  tarm-, 

(b)  Before  the  stress  :  seldom  tarm,i-,  regularly  tremi-,  trimi' 
(34). 

In  prepositional  use  (with  ace.)  tar,  dar  (§  80). 


384      A  CONCISE  OLD  IRISH  GRAMMAR 

33.  to-,  do-  {Ho) '  to '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  to-,  tu-,  ta-  (§  116),  before  vowels  t-,  only 
with  the  prep,  uss,  *u  . .  .  (25)  it  is  contracted  to  to-,  tua- ; 
similarly  to-fo-,  to-for-  give  to-,  tua-,  tor-,  tuar-.  In  late  com- 
pounds the  form  do-  appears. 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  do-,  du-  (§  80),  before  vowels  occasionally 
t-  through  influence  of  the  stressed  form. 

In  prepositional  use  (with  dat.)  do,  du. 

34.  trem-,  tri,  tre  *  through '  (see  §  160). 

(a)  Under  the  stress :  trem-  {tre-). 

(b)  Before  the  stress :  -tremi-,  trimi-,  in  relative  use  also  treme-. 
tris-gataim '  I  transfix '  is  due  to  the  influence  of  friss-  (18). 

In  prepositional  use  (with  ace.)  tri,  tre, 

§  212.  Compound  Prepositions. 

Some  examples  are:  ar  bdaih  'in  presence  of;  ar  chiunn 
and  ar  chenn  'in  front  of;  ar  chuit  'with  regard  to'; 
fo  bith,  fo  hithin  'because  oV;  i  n-arrad ' with' ]  i  n-dead,  i 
n-diad,  and  i  n-degaid^,  i  n-digaid  '  after,'  tar  4isi^  '  instead  of.' 

Note. — All  compound  prepositions  govern  the  genitive ;  the 
genitives  of  personal  pronouns  (  =  possessive  pronouns)  are  inserted 
after  the  first  preposition,  e.g.  di  rdith  Di  '  for  (instead  of)  God/  i  n-a 
dead  'after  him,'  ar  do  chuit  '  with  regard  to  you.' 

CONCLUSION  OF  GRAMMAR. 


Dr.  Pokorny's  Concise  Old  Irish  Grammar  will  be  published 
immediately  in  book  form  by  Messrs,  Max  Niemeyer,  Halle  A.  S., 
and  Messrs.  Hodges,  Figgis  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Dublin.     Price  5s.  net. 

It  will  be  dedicated  to  Professor  Ernst  Windisch,  who  has  done 
so  much  to  further  Celtic  scholarship.  Ed.  C.R. 


GADELICA 

A  Journal  of  Modern-Irish  Studies 

Edited  by  THOMAS    F.   O'RAHILLY 

The  aim  of  GADELICA  is  to  do  for  Modem  Irish  what  has  been,  and 
is  being,  done  so  successfully  for  the  older  forms  of  the  language  by 
such  periodicals  as  ^riu,  the  Zeitschriftfiir  Celtische  Philologie,  and  the 
Revue  Celtique. 

Scholarly  investigation  in  the  wide  field  of  Modern  Irish  {i.e.  Irish 
from  about  the  year  1600  to  the  present  day)  has  hitherto  been  handi- 
capped owing  to  the  want  of  a  journal  such  as  GADELICA.  Only  a 
small  part  of  the  vast  MS.  literature  of  Modern  Irish  has  as  yet  seen 
the  light,  and  much  of  what  still  remains  unpublished  is  of  prime 
importance  from  the  literary,  historical,  and  philological  points  of  view. 

Inasmuch  as  Modern  Irish  and  the  Gaelic  of  Scotland  are  essentially 
the  same,  no  serious  student  of  Scottish  Gaelic  can  afford  to  be  without 
GADELICA.  A  feature  of  GADELICA  which  will  be  appreciated 
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ordinary  roman  type. 

GADELICA  publishes:— 

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'  Carpers  will  no  longer  have  it  to  say  that  Ireland  is  without  a  scholarly  journal  of 
modern  Gaelic  studies.  .  .  .  The  contributors  are  trained  scholars  of  recognised  ability 
and  accuracy,  and  some  of  them  have  won  a  reputation  far  beyond  Irish  shores.' — An 
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CUID    DE    BHEACHDAN    A'    CHLO 

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'  Fascinating  reading.  .  .  .  We  hope  that  this  Magazine  is  being  supported  by 
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'  Guth  na  Bliadhna  is,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  superior  to  all  the  Gaelic 
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