24b. The Agitation of Celtchar
The Agitation of Celtchar
It was then that Celtchar in his sleep uttered these words in the midst of the men of Ulster in Iraird Cuillinn that night:
"Thirty hundred chariot-men;
An hundred horse-companions stout;
An hundred with an hundred druids!
To lead us will not fail
The hero of the land,
Conchobar with hosts around him!
Let the battle line be formed!
Gather now, ye warriors!
Battle shall be fought
At Garech and Ilgarech
On aftermorrow's morn!"
On that same night Cormac Conlongas, Conchobar's son, spake these words to the men of Erin at Slemain Mide that night:
"A wonder of a morning,
A wondrous I time!
When hosts will be confused,
Kings turned back in flight!
Necks will be broken,
The sand made red,
When forth breaks the battle, the seven chieftains before,
Of Ulster's host round Conchobar!
Their women will they defend,
For their herds will they fight
At Garech and Ilgarech,
On the morning after the morrow! "
On that same night, Dubthach Doel ('the Scorpion') of Ulster uttered these words in his sleep among the men of Erin at Slemain Mide that night:
"Great be the morn,
The morn of Meath!
Great be the truce
The truce of Culenn!
"Great be the fight,
The fight Of Clartha!
Great, too, the steeds,
The steeds of Assal!
"Great be the plague,
The plague of Tuath-Bressi!
Great be the storm,
Ulster's battle-storm round Conchobar!
"Their women will they defend,
For their herds will they fight
At Garech and Ilgarech,
On the morning after the morrow!"
Dubthach was awakened from his sleep, so that Nemain brought confusion on the host and they fell trembling in their arms under the points of their spears and weapons, so that an hundred warriors of them fell dead in the midst of their camp and quarters at the fearfulness of the shout they heard on high. Be that as it would, that night was not the calmest for the men of Erin that they passed before or since, because of the forebodings and predictions and because of the spectres and visions that were revealed to them.
Búadris Celtchair and-so innossa.
Is and-sain rabert Celtchair na briathra sa inossa ac Ultaib i n-Iraird Chullend inn aidchi sin:
trícha chet n-arad.
cét crúaid n-echdámach
cét im chét drúad
dar tus imdesfíaid
fer feraind
im dremnib Conchobar
faichlethar cath
claidid a féinne
gongáinethar cath
for Gárich & Ilgarich
issin matin-sea mon airther.
Isí inn adaig cétna rabert Cormac Condlongas mac Conchobair na briathra sa ac feraib hErend, ac Slemain Mide inn aidchi sin:
Amra maitne
amra mithisi
mescfaither sloig
soithfider rig
memsite muineoil
ruidfes grian
commae re secht cléithe
slúaig Ulad im Chonchobar.
Cossénait a mná.
rasesset a n-éite
for Gárig & Ilgarig
isin matin-sea mon airther.
Is hí inn adaig cétna rabert Dubthach Dael Ulad na briathra sa oc feraib hErend, i Slemain Mide inn aidchi sin:
Móra maitne.
maitne Mide.
móra ossud
[ossud] Cullend.
móra cundscliu.
cundscliu Chlathra.
móra echrad.
echrad Assail.
móra tedmand.
tedmand tuath Bressi.
móra in chlóe
clóe Ulad im Chonchobar
Cossénait a mná.
ra seisset a n-éiti
for Garig & Ilgarig
isin matin se mon airther.
And-sain confuchtaither Dubthach trina chotlud, co ro mesc ind Neamain bar sin slóg, collotar i n-armgrith bha rennaib a sleg & a faebor, co n-ébailt cét láech díb ar lar a n-dúnaid & allongphuirt re úathgráin na gáre ra bertatar ar aird. Cid trá acht ní hí sin aidche bá sáime d'feraib hErend fúaratar ríam na híaram risin tairchetul & risin tarngiri, risna fuathaib & risna haslingib facessa dóib.