قراءة كتاب Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry
تنويه: تعرض هنا نبذة من اول ١٠ صفحات فقط من الكتاب الالكتروني، لقراءة الكتاب كاملا اضغط على الزر “اشتر الآن"
اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 6
class="i0">Rivers pour forth a stream of honey
In the land of Manannan, son of Ler.
The sheen of the main on which thou art,
The dazzling white of the sea on which thou rowest about—
Yellow and azure are spread out,
It is a light and airy land.
The dazzling white of the sea on which thou rowest about—
Yellow and azure are spread out,
It is a light and airy land.
Speckled salmon leap from the womb
Out of the white sea on which thou lookest:
They are calves, they are lambs of fair hue,
With truce, without mutual slaughter.
Out of the white sea on which thou lookest:
They are calves, they are lambs of fair hue,
With truce, without mutual slaughter.
Though thou seest but one chariot-rider
In the Pleasant Plain of many flowers,
There are many steeds on its surface,
Though them thou seest not.
In the Pleasant Plain of many flowers,
There are many steeds on its surface,
Though them thou seest not.
Large is the plain, numerous is the host,
Colours shine with pure glory,
A white stream of silver, stairs of gold
Afford a welcome with all abundance.
Colours shine with pure glory,
A white stream of silver, stairs of gold
Afford a welcome with all abundance.
An enchanting game, most delicious,
They play over the luscious wine,
Men and gentle women under a bush,
Without sin, without transgression.
They play over the luscious wine,
Men and gentle women under a bush,
Without sin, without transgression.
Along the top of a wood
Thy coracle has swum across ridges,
There is a wood laden with beautiful fruit
Under the prow of thy little skiff.
Thy coracle has swum across ridges,
There is a wood laden with beautiful fruit
Under the prow of thy little skiff.
A wood with blossom and with fruit
On which is the vine's veritable fragrance,
A wood without decay, without defect,
On which is a foliage of a golden hue.
On which is the vine's veritable fragrance,
A wood without decay, without defect,
On which is a foliage of a golden hue.
We are from the beginning of creation
Without old age, without consummation of clay,
Hence we expect not there might be frailty—
Transgression has not come to us.
Without old age, without consummation of clay,
Hence we expect not there might be frailty—
Transgression has not come to us.
Steadily then let Bran row!
It is not far to the Land of Women:
Evna with manifold bounteousness
He will reach before the sun is set.
It is not far to the Land of Women:
Evna with manifold bounteousness
He will reach before the sun is set.
THE TRYST AFTER DEATH
Fothad Canann, the leader of a Connaught warrior-band, had carried off the wife of Alill of Munster with her consent. The outraged husband pursued them and a fierce battle was fought, in which Fothad and Alill fell by each other's hand. The lovers had engaged to meet in the evening after the battle. Faithful to his word, the spirit of the slain warrior kept the tryst and thus addressed his paramour:
Hush, woman, do not speak to me! My thoughts are not with thee.
My thoughts are still in the encounter at Feic.
My thoughts are still in the encounter at Feic.
My bloody corpse lies by the side of the Slope of two Brinks;
My head all unwashed is among warrior-bands in fierce slaughter.
My head all unwashed is among warrior-bands in fierce slaughter.
It is blindness for any one making a tryst to set aside the tryst with Death:
The tryst that we made at Claragh has been kept by me in pale death.
The tryst that we made at Claragh has been kept by me in pale death.
It was destined for me,—unhappy journey! at Feic my grave had been marked out;
It was ordained for me—O sorrowful fight! to fall by warriors of another land.
It was ordained for me—O sorrowful fight! to fall by warriors of another land.
'Tis not I alone who in the fulness of desires has gone astray to meet a woman—
No reproach to thee, though it was for thy sake—wretched is our last meeting!
Had we known it would be thus, it had not been hard to desist.
No reproach to thee, though it was for thy sake—wretched is our last meeting!
Had we known it would be thus, it had not been hard to desist.
The noble-faced, grey-horsed warrior-band has not betrayed me.
Alas! for the wonderful yew-forest,[6] that they should have gone into the abode of clay!
Alas! for the wonderful yew-forest,[6] that they should have gone into the abode of clay!
Had they been alive, they would have revenged their lords;
Had mighty death not intervened, this warrior-band had not been unavenged by me.
Had mighty death not intervened, this warrior-band had not been unavenged by me.
To their very end they were brave; they ever strove for victory over their foes;
They would still sing a stave—a deep-toned shout,—they sprang from the race of a noble lord.
They would still sing a stave—a deep-toned shout,—they sprang from the race of a noble lord.
That was a joyous, lithe-limbed band to the very hour when they were slain:
The green-leaved forest has received them—it was an all-fierce slaughter.
The green-leaved forest has received them—it was an all-fierce slaughter.
Well-armed Domnall, he of the red draught, he was the Lugh[7] of the well-accoutred hosts:
By him in the ford—it was doom of death—Congal the Slender fell.
By him in the ford—it was doom of death—Congal the Slender fell.
The three Eoghans, the three Flanns, they were renowned outlaws;
Four men fell by each of them, it was not a coward's portion.
Four men fell by each of them, it was not a coward's portion.
Swiftly Cu-Domna reached us, making for his namesake:
On the hill of the encounter the body of Flann the Little will be found.
On the hill of the encounter the body of Flann the Little will be found.
With him where his bloody bed is thou wilt find eight men:
Though we thought them feeble, the leavings of the weapon of Mughirne's son.
Though we thought them feeble, the leavings of the weapon of Mughirne's son.
Not feebly fights Falvey the Red; the play of his spear-strings withers the host;
Ferchorb of radiant body leapt upon the field and dealt seven murderous blows.
Ferchorb of radiant body leapt upon the field and dealt seven murderous blows.
Front to front twelve warriors stood against me in mutual fight:
Not one of them all remains that I did not leave in slaughter.
Not one of them all remains that I did not leave in slaughter.
Then we two exchanged spears, I and Alill, Eoghan's son:
We both perished—O the fierceness of those stout thrusts!
We fell by each other though it was senseless: it was the encounter of two heroes.
We both perished—O the fierceness of those stout thrusts!
We fell by each other though it was senseless: it was the encounter of two heroes.
Do not await the terror of night on the battle-field among the slain warriors:
One should not hold converse with ghosts! betake thee home, carry my spoils with thee!
One should not hold converse with ghosts! betake thee home, carry my spoils with thee!
Every one will tell thee that mine was not the raiment of a churl: