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CID DIATA A[i]ded Fergusa maic Róich?

Cad de atá Oidhe Fhearghais mhic Róigh?

Whence is the tragical death of Fergus mac Róich?

Ní hansa.

Ní hansa.

Not hard to tell.

Búi Fergus for luinges i Connachtaib

Bhí Fearghas ar loingeas i gConnachtaibh

Fergus was in exile in Connacht

iarna sárugud im maccuib Usnech,

iarna sharú im mhacaibh Uisneach,

after his honour had been violated in the matter of the sons of Usnech;

úair is é in tres comairci tucad friu

óir is é an treas coimircí tugadh leo,

for he was one of the three guarantors that were given to them,

ocus Dubthach Dóeltenga

agus Dubhthach Daoltheanga

the other two being Dubthach Chafertongue

ocus Cormac Conlonges mac Conchobair.

agus Cormac Conloingeas mac Conchobhair [an bheirt eile].

and Cormac Conlonges the son of Conchobar.

Bátar dono uili tíar forsan loingis co cend cethri mbliadna déc

Bhádar uile thiar ar an loingeas go ceann ceithre mbliana déag,

These were all in exile in the west to the end of fourteen years,

ocus ní an dono gul ná crith leo a nUltaib,

agus níor stop gol ná crith leo in Ultaibh,

and (during all that time) wailing and trembling in Ulster never ceased through them [i.e. through their deeds of vengeance],

acht gul ocus crith gach n-oidhchi.

ach gol is crith gach n-oíche.

but there were wailing and trembling every night.

Is é romarb Fiachraig [romarb- MS] mac Conchobair

Is é do mharbh Fiachra mac Conchobhair,

’Tis he who slew Fiachra the son of Conchobar,

ocus is é romarb Geirgi mac nIlleda ocus as é romarb [romarb- MS] Eogan mac Durthact.

agus is é do mharbh Geirge mac nIlleadha, agus is é do mharbh Eoghan mac Durthacht.

and Gerg the son of Illand, and Eogan the son of Durthacht [i.e. the murderer of the sons of Usnech].

Is lais tucad in táin [antain intain MS] .i. la Fergus.

Is leis tugadh an Táin .i. le Fearghas.

By him, even Fergus, the Táin was brought.

Mór tra do gnímaib dorine sium a tegluch Ailello ocus Medba

Mór do ghníomhaibh do rinne-sean i dteaghlach Oilealla agus Mheidhbhe,

Many deeds he did while in the household of Ailill and Medb;

ocus ba minca nobíd som ocus a muinter ar fot in tíre cena

agus ba mhinca do bhíodh san agus a mhuintir ar fud na tíre

and he and his people were more often abroad in the land

ná isin tegluch.

ná isan teaghlach.

than in Ailill’s household.

Trícha cét rob é lín na loingsi

Tríocha céad dob é líon na loingse,

Three thousand was the number of the exiled company;

ocus is é roba fer cumtha dó-som a tegluch Ailello .i. Lugaid Dailléigis

agus is é do ba fear cumtha dó-san i dteaghlach Oilealla .i. Lughaidh Dailléigis

and his comrade in Ailill’s household was Lugaid the blind poet,

.i. bráthair do Oilill in Lugaid sin.

— bráthair do Oilill an Lughaidh sin.

to wit, a brother of Ailill’s was that Lugaid.

Bátar ann iar ngnímaib acon loch ar Mag Ái.

Bhádar ann, iar ngníomhaibh ag an loch, ar Mhagh Aoi.

Once after deeds of valour they were by the lake [i.e. Findloch] on Mag Ai,

Dúnad mór leo .i. cluichi [cl-ti MS with dot over stroke] ocus céti ann.

Dúnadh mór leo: cluichí agus céadta ann.

where they had a large encampment, in which games and gatherings were held.

Laa n-aon ann dono luid in slóg uili i[s]in loch dia fothrucad.

Lá n-aon ann do chuaigh an slógh uile isan loch dá bhfothragadh.

Now on a certain day the whole host went into the lake to bathe.

“Erg sís, a Fergus,” ar Ailill “ocus báid na firu!”

“Éirigh síos, a Fhearghais,” ar Oilill, “agus báigh na feara!”

“Go down, O Fergus,” said Ailill, “and drown the men!”

“Nít maith a n-usci,” ar Fergus.

“Níd maith in uisce,” ar Fearghas.

“They are not good in water,” said Fergus.

Luid-som sís ar ái sin.

Chuaigh-sean síos ar aoi sin.

Nevertheless he went down.

Nír fulaing a cridi do Meidb co ndechaid isin loch.

Níor fhulaing a croí do Mheadhbh sin, go ndeachaigh isan loch.

Medb’s heart could not bear that, so that she went into the lake.

Mur docúaid Fergus isin loch

Mar do chuaigh Fearghas isan loch

As Fergus entered the lake,

dorala ana mbui do grenaig ocus do clochaib a n-íchtar an loch[a] co raibi for úachtar uli.

do tharla ina mbí do ghrean agus do chlochaibh in íochtar an locha go raibhe ar uachtar uile.

all there was of gravel and of stones at the bottom of the lake came to the surface.

Luid Medb didiu co raibi for a bruindi-sium

Chuaigh Meadhbh go raibhe ar a bhroinne-sean

Then Medb went till she was on the breast of Fergus,

ocus a gabla ime ocus co taircell-som in loch annsin

agus a gabhal uime, agus do thimpeallaigh-sean an loch ansin

with her legs entwined around him, and then he swam around the lake.

ocus rogab ét Ailill.

agus do ghabh éad Oilill.

And jealousy seized Ailill.

Doluid didiu súas Medb.

Do chuaigh le sin Meadhbh suas.

Then Medb went up.

“Is álaind a ndogní [anndogni MS] an dam, a Lugaid, ocus an eilit isin loch,” ar Ailill.

“Is álainn a ndo ghní an damh, a Lughaidh, agus an eilit isan loch,” ar Oilill.

“It is delightful what the hart and the doe are doing in the lake, O Lugaid,” said Ailill.

“Cid nach gontar?” or Lugaid ocus ní tuc urcor n-imraill ríam.

“Cid nach gontar?” ar Lughaidh, nár thug urchar n-iomraill riamh.

“Why not kill them?” said Lugaid, who had never missed his aim.

“Teilg-su dún orchur forru!” ar Ailill.

“Teilg-se dúinn urchar orthu!” ar Oilill.

“Do thou have a cast at them!” said Ailill.

“Impó m’agaid [mad- MS] cuctha,” or Lugaid, “ocus tabraid gái dam.”

“Iompaigh m’aghaidh chucu,” ar Lughaidh, “agus tabhair ga dom.”

“Turn my face towards them,” said Lugaid, “and bring a lance to me.”

Robúi Fergus aca nige asin loch ocus a bruinni fria

Do bhí Fearghas ag á ní isan loch agus a bhroinne leo.

Fergus was washing himself in the lake, and his breast was towards them.

ocus tucad a carpat docum Oilello co mbúi ina farrad

Agus tugadh a charbad dochum Oilealla go mbí ina fharradh,

And his chariot is brought to Ailill, so that it was near him;

ocus do teilc Lugaid urcor don gái co mbói triana druim síar sechtair [sechtduir MS].

agus do theilg Lughaidh urchar don gha go mbí triana dhroim siar seachtair.

and Lugaid threw the lance, so that it passed out through his back behind.

“Doriacht an t-urchur!” ar Lugaid.

“Do riacht an t-urchar!” ar Lughaidh.

“The cast has gone home!” said Lugaid.

“Is fír on,” ar cách, “atát bruindi Fergusa.”

“Is fíor san,” ar cách, “atá broinne Fhearghais.”

“That is true,” said all; “it is the end of Fergus.”

“Trúag sin,” ar Lugaid,

“Trua sin,” ar Lughaidh,

“How sad,” said Lugaid,

“mo chomalta ocus m’ fer cumtha do marbad dam-sa cin cinaid.”

“mo chomhalta agus m’fhear cumtha do mharú damsa gan cionaidh.”

“if I should have killed my foster-brother and comrade innocently.”

“Mo carpat dam-sa!” ar Ailill.

“Mo charbad damsa!” ar Oilill.

“My chariot to me!” said Ailill.

Téit in slóg uili for teiched, cach fer a leth fri tír

Téid an slógh uile ar teitheadh, gach fear i leith le tír,

All the host began to flee, each man towards the shore,

etir luinges ocus Connachta.

idir loingeas agus Chonnachta.

both the exiled and the men of Connacht.

Gataid Fergus [Fergusa MS] an gái as ocus teilcid a ndiaid Ailello

Gabhann Fearghas an ga as agus teilgeann i ndiaidh Oilealla

Fergus draws out the lance and hurls it after Ailill,

co ndechaid tresin milco[i]n

go ndeachaigh trésan míolchoin

so that it passed through the deerhound

búi etir dá fertas in carpait.

bhí idir dhá fheartas an charbaid.

which was between the two hind-shafts of the chariot.

Luid Fergus íarum asin loch

Chuaigh Fearghas iaramh as an loch

Thereupon Fergus came out of the lake,

ocus nusdírgenn forsan tulaig a taeib in locha

agus díríonn é féin ar an tulach ar thaoibh an locha,

and straightens himself out upon the hill by the side of the lake;

ocus luid a anum as focétóir

agus chuaigh a anam as fo chéadóir,

and his soul passed out of him forthwith.

ocus atá a lige ann fós.

agus atá a lige ann fós.

And his grave is there still.

Conid hí A[i]ded Fergus[a] connuici sin.

Gonadh hí Oidhe Fhearghais go nuige sin.

So this is the tragical Death of Fergus so far.