Echtra Fergusa maic Léti
Sections in the text
Section 1
Batar tri primcinela in here |
Bhí trí phríomhchineál in Éirinn |
There were three chief races in Ireland: |
.i. feni ocus ultaig agus gailni .i. laigin. |
.i. Féine agus Ulaidh agus Gailne .i. Laighin. |
the Féni, the Ulaid, and the Gáilni or Laigin. |
robatar didiu trí rigtigernai consniset flaith(i) feni |
Bhí, más ea, triúr ríthiarnaí a bhí ag cosnamh flaitheas Féine |
Now there were three royal chiefs contending for the sovereignty of the Féni, |
.i. cond cétcathach |
.i. Conn Céadchathach, |
viz. Conn Cétchathach (‘of the hundred battles’) |
ocus conn cétcorach |
agus Conn Céadchorach, |
and Conn Cétchorach (‘of the hundred treaties’?) |
ocus eochu belbuidhi mac tuathail techtmair. |
agus Eocha Béalbhuí mac Thuathail Theachtmhair. |
and Eochu Bélbuide (‘of the yellow lips’) son of Tuathal Techtmar. |
luid eochu for loinges co fergus mac leti ri ulath |
D’imigh Eocha ar deoraíocht go Fearghas mac Léide rí Uladh |
Eochu went into exile to Fergus mac Léti king of the Ulaid |
do chuinnchid neirt agus sochraidi |
ag lorg cabhrach agus slua |
in quest of support and allies, |
iar foglaib moraib fri conn ria techt. |
tar éis dó foghla móra a imirt ar Chonn roimh dhul. |
having inflicted many injuries on Conn before going. |
bui iarum imale fri fergus re ciana. |
Bhí sé fara Fearghas ar Feadh i bhfad ina dhiaidh sin. |
For a long time thereafter he remained with Fergus. |
doluid eochu bélbuide iar dain co cinel |
Tháinig Eocha Béalbhuí faoi dheireadh chun a chinéil féin |
Eventually Eochu Bélbuide came to his own tribe |
do imarchur choru friu. |
chun réiteach a thairiscint dóibh. |
to offer them terms of peace, |
marbsi(de) |
|
but was slain by |
asal mac cuinn cetcataig |
Ach, Asal mac Coinn Chéadchathaigh |
Asal son of Conn Cétchathach |
ocus .iiii. maic buide meic ainmirech |
agus ceathrar mac Bhuí mhic Ainmhireach |
and the four sons of Buide mac Ainmirech |
.i. eochu oirisech |
.i. Eocha Oireasach, |
— viz. Eochu Oiresach, |
ocus enna agenbras |
Éanna Aigheanbhras, |
Énda Aigenbras (‘broadmouthed’?), |
ocus ailill antuarad |
Ailill Anduaradh, |
Ailill Antuarad (‘ill-omened’?) |
ocus tibraiti traiglethan |
agus Tiobraide Troighleathan, |
and Tipraite Traiglethan (‘broadfooted’) |
ocus mac ronuc dorn ingen buide do deorath. |
agus mac a rug Dorn iníon Bhuí do dheoraí, |
and a son whom Dorn the daughter of Buide had borne to an outlander. |
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— mharaigh siadsan é. |
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Section 2
is de rocett: |
Is faoi sin a canadh: |
Of this was sung: |
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foglaid forn |
Is foghlaí orainn |
An aggressor against us (?) is |
mac (?) dia duirnn |
Mac do Dhorn; |
the son of (?) Dorn . . . . . . |
dia foghlaid a cin |
De fhoghlaí a chion, |
|
do tuathaib targuth echtrann |
De thuathaibh tar guth eachtrann. |
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dun a forus fil |
Is eol dúinn a bhunús. |
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co breith biru a bas ninn |
Daoraim é chun báis dá bharr |
I doom him to death for it |
mad rachtid adrorastar |
Más féidir a ghabáil go reachtach. |
if he can be secured . . . ; |
no aurnaidet a mathair a mifolta |
Nó iompraíodh a mháthair a chionta. |
or let his mother sustain [responsibility for] his misdeeds. |
nis fol forreth |
Ní fhóirfidh maoin |
Help (?) shall not support her |
nach a finntiu foisither |
Ná ní chosnóidh a fearann gaoil. |
nor shall her kin-land protect her . . . . . . |
cach connli cin |
A bhfuil páirteach so choir |
|
cinged hi cumalacht |
Céimníodh i gcumhalacht |
let her advance into bondage |
ceim co nduiri fri saegalrith sir |
Céim dhaoire ar feadh cúrsa fada a saoil. |
and servitude for the whole course of her life. |
nochotacertmaim |
Nó réitím a caingean mar seo: |
Or I decide her case [thus]: |
id laim lecther |
Scaoiltear léi faoi do láimh |
that she (?) be left in thy hand [to be sent adrift] |
co .iii. mara muircrecha |
Trí muirchreacha |
as far as three muirchrecha out to sea, |
ar is frit forruich. |
Óir is i d’aghaidh a chiontaigh. |
for it is against thee she (?) has offended. |
Section 3
Et doget snaduth fergusa ime ocus a muintir. |
Coilleadh coimirce Fearghasa maidir le hEocha féin agus a mhuintir. |
And Fergus’s protection was violated by the slaying of him and his followers. |
siacht fergus co sluagaib a diguin. |
Tháinig Fearghas le sluaite ar lorg cúitimh. |
Fergus came with armies to avenge the violation. |
dobreth iarum a riar do |
Tugadh ansin ar éiligh sé dó, |
Eventually his own terms were given to him, |
ocus roictha fris .iii. .uii. cumal |
agus íocadh leis trí seacht gcumhala |
and there were paid to him thrice seven cumals, |
.i. cumal do or agus argat |
.i. seacht gcumhal d’ór agus d’airgead, |
viz. seven cumals of gold and silver |
ocus tir .uii. cumal |
agus talamh seacht gcumhal |
and land worth seven cumals, |
tir cuinn cétcoraig |
de chuid Choinn Chéadchoraigh |
the land of Conn Cétchorach |
— Nítha ainm in tiri |
(Níotha ainm na talún |
— Níth was the name of this land |
ara lin do nithaib ocus debthaib |
de bharr an líon níoth agus cath |
on account of the numerous contests (nítha) and dissensions |
robui imbi iar tain — |
a bhí ina taobh ina dhiaidh sin) |
that arose about it subsequently — |
ocus duine cam do fognam |
agus banchumhal le fónamh dó |
and a human cumal (bondwoman) to serve him, |
.i. dornn ingen buidhi |
.i. Dorn iníon Bhuí, |
to wit Dorn daughter of Buide, |
.i. siur do macaib buidhe ditngegnatar |
deirfiúr do mhic Bhuí a rinne an coilleadh air, |
a sister of Buide’s sons who had violated his (Fergus’s) protection, |
ach[t] ba i ngill fri cimbid dobrethside |
ach ba i ngeall le cime a tugadh ise |
but it was as pledge for the surrender of a captive that she was given |
no co ruigletis .uii. cumala cacha laime robbi |
nó go ngeallfaí seacht gcumhala gach lámh a mharaigh é (Eocha); |
— or it may be that seven cumals had to be pledged for every hand that had slain him (Eochu) — |
conad o sunn romes fiach digona rig |
ionas gurb as sin a measadh na fiacha i gcúiteamh coilleadh coimirce rí |
so that it is from this that the penalty for breach of a king’s protection has been fixed |
cim[b]ith i cinaid .u.ir |
.i. cime i gcúiteamh cion cúigir. |
at a captive for every five persons concerned; |
ocus dobert conn tir i ccinaid a m[e]ic et reliqua. |
Agus thug Conn an talamh mar chúiteamh i gcoir a mhic &rl. |
and Conn gave the land in atonement for the liability of his son (Asal), etc. |
Section 4
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De bharr an chúitimh seo |
In consideration of this mulct |
Dogeni fergus ogcoru |
rinne Fearghas lánsíocháin |
Fergus concluded full peace |
tarsa nericso |
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ocus luid doa tir |
agus d’imigh dá thír |
and went to his own land, |
ocus bir[t] a cumail lais i foghnum. |
agus thug leis a chumhal i ndaoirse. |
bringing with him his bondmaid into servitude. |
IN tan ronainic fergus a methus |
Nuair a shroich Fearghas a fhearann féin |
When he had reached his domain |
luid docum mara sechis |
chuaigh sé ar aghaidh chun na mara |
he went on to the sea |
ocus a ara muena a ainm. |
agus a ara darb ainm Muena leis. |
accompanied by his charioteer, whose name was Muena. |
contuilsit and for bru in mara. |
Thit a gcodladh orthu ansiúd ar bhruach na mara. |
There they fell asleep on the sea coast. |
dolota(ta)r lucorpain dond rig |
Tháinig lúchorpáin chun an rí |
Sprites came to the king |
conidmbert[at]ar asa carpat |
agus rug leo as a charbad é; |
and bore him out of his chariot, |
ocus bertatar a claidem nuad i tosach. |
thóg siad a chlaíomh nua leo i dtosach. |
having first deprived him of his sword. |
runucsat iarum co rainic a muir(e) |
Ansin rug siad leo é nó go raibh sé ag an muir; |
They then carried him as far as the sea, |
conidforcualae |
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o rancatar a cosa a muir. |
agus nuair a chuaigh a chosa i bhfarraige, |
and when his feet touched the sea |
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bhraith sé é. |
he became aware of it. |
dofiuchtradar la sodain |
Dhúisigh sé leis sin |
At this point he awoke |
ocus argab triar dib |
agus ghabh triúr díobh, |
and caught hold of three of them, |
fer cechtar a da la(i)m |
ceann gach lámh leis |
one in each hand |
ocus araile fora bruinnib. |
agus ceann ar a ucht. |
and one on his breasts. |
“anmain i nanmain!” .i. anacal. |
“Anam ar anam!” (.i. anacal) arsan t-abhac. |
“Life for life!” [said the chief dwarf]. |
“tartar mu tri drindro(i)sc .i. roga” ol fergus. |
“Tugtar mo thrí ghrinnmhian (.i. rogha) dom,” arsa Fearghas. |
“Let my three wishes be granted to me” said Fergus. |
“rodbia” ol int abac “acht ni bes ecmacht dun.” |
“Gheobhaidh tú iad,” arsan t-abhac, “seachas rud a bheadh thar ár gcumas.” |
“Thou shalt have anything that is not beyond our power”, said the dwarf. |
atgege fergus fair didiu |
Roghnaigh Fearghas dá bhrí sin |
So Fergus chose to ask from him |
eolas fobarta fo muirib ocus lindaib ocus lochaib. |
an rún faoi conas imeacht faoi fharraigí agus linnte agus locha. |
a charm for passing under seas and pools and lakes. |
“rotbia” ar int abacc |
“Gheobhaidh tú sin,” arsan t-abhac, |
“Thou shalt have it,” said the dwarf, |
“acht aen ar[a]cuillimm airiut |
“ach aon ní amháin a choiscim ort, |
“save one that I bar to thee: |
loch rudrige fil ad crich ni dechais fai.” |
Loch Rudhraí atá i do chrích féin, ná téigh faoi.” |
thou shalt not go under Loch Rudraige which is in thy own territory.” |
Dobertatar didiu in lucuirp luibe dosom ina cluasa(ib) |
Thug na lúchoirp luíonna dó ina chluasa |
Then the sprites gave him herbs [to put] in his ears, |
ocus imtiged leo fo muirib. |
agus d’imíodh sé leo faoi fharraigí. |
and he used to travel about with them underseas. |
Section 5
asberat araile iss int abac dorat(a) a brat do |
Deir daoine eile gurb ann a thug an t-abhac a bhrat dó |
Some say that the dwarf gave him his cloak |
ocus atcortad fergus ima cenn |
agus go gcasadh Fearghas timpeall a chinn é |
and Fergus used to wind (?) it about his head, |
ocus fo(r)bered muire ocus uisce samlaid. |
agus go dtéadh sé faoi fharraigí agus faoi uisce mar sin. |
and in this way used to pass under seas and water. |
iss esside abac dide a cichesom fergusa |
Is é sin an t-abhac a dhiúil cíocha Fhearghasa |
This was the dwarf who sucked his, Fergus’s, breasts |
ocus gaba(i)s a gruaide i nnairide a anacuil. |
agus a rug greim ar a ghrua in airí a anacail. |
and caught hold of his cheek as a token of [asking] quarter from him. |
ISbert fergus “Cid ara ndenesiu sin?” |
Dúirt Fearghas: “Cad chuige a ndéanann tú sin?” |
“Why dost thou do that?” said Fergus. |
“ni anse” ar int abacc “fir fer linne in so.” |
“Ni ansa,” arsan t-abhac, “cothrom na féinne é seo againne.” |
“That,” said the dwarf, “is [one of the rules of] fair combat with us.” |
is de ata inniu gabail ciche fer ocus a ngruaide |
Is uaidh sin atá gabháil cíocha fear agus gabháil a ngruanna mar nós inniu |
Hence comes today [the custom of] taking hold of men’s breasts and cheeks |
(Asberad araile dochuaid ogma lais gillae fergusa dia roscar fria coin et reliqua) |
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do chuinnche anacail ocus do denum fir dia inchaib et reliqua. |
d’iarraidh anacail agus ag lorg cothrom na féinne dá bharr. |
for the purpose of seeking quarter and making appeal (?) to their honour, etc. |
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(Deir daoine eile go ndeachaigh Oghma, giolla Fearghasa, ina theannta nuair a scar sé lena chú &rl). |
(Some say that Ogma, Fergus’s servant, went with him when he had parted from his hound, etc.) |
Section 6
Laithe nann iarum |
Lá áirithe ina dhiaidh sin |
One day |
admidair fergus fobairt locha rudraighe |
thug Fearghas amas ar imeacht faoin uisce i Loch Rudhraí |
Fergus essayed to pass under Loch Rudraige, |
ocus facba(i)d a ara ocus a carpat for bru in locho. |
agus fágann sé a ara agus a charbad ar bhruach an locha. |
leaving his charioteer and his chariot on the brink of the loch. |
A lluid fon loch |
Nuair a chuaigh sé faoin loch |
When he dived under the lake |
con(f)aca[e] in muirdris and |
chonaic sé muirdhris ann, |
he saw there a muirdris, |
peist uiscide uathmar. |
míol uafar uisce, |
a fearful water-monster |
ala nuair rosraiged in uair naili nosnimairced amal bolg ngobenn. |
a bhíodh á síneadh féin agus á crapadh féin gach re turas mar bhoilg gabhann. |
which kept alternately inflating and contracting itself like a smith’s bellows. |
La diuderc do fuire |
Nuair a d’fhéach sé uirthi, |
At the sight of it |
rosiapartha a beoil doa dib culadaib |
síofradh a bheola siar do dtí a chúilfhéithe |
his mouth was wrenched back as far as his occiput, |
ocus doluid as for tir ar omon |
agus tháinig sé i dtír as an uisce le heagla. |
and he came out on land in terror. |
ocus asbert fria araid |
Dúirt sé lena ara: |
He said to his charioteer: |
“cia cuimacci?” |
“Conas a fhéachaim, dar leat?” |
“How do I appear to thee?” |
“is olcc do gne” ol int ara |
“Is olc é do dhealramh,” arsan t-ara, |
“Ill is thy aspect”, said the charioteer, |
“acht nib lia. |
“ach ní bheidh tú amhlaidh. |
“but it will be nothing more (?); |
berthi cotlud dit.” |
Bainfidh codladh díot é.” |
sleep will take it from thee.” |
la sodain danalaig int ara ina carpat |
Chuir an t-ara ina luí siar ansin é *ina charbad* |
Thereupon the charioteer laid him down *in his chariot* |
ocus contuil. |
agus thit a chodladh air. |
and he fell asleep. |
Section 7
cein contuilsium |
Fad a bhí sé ina chodladh |
While he slept |
teit int ara calleicc co gaotha ulath |
chuaigh an t-ara, idir an dá linn, go lucht gaoise Uladh |
the charioteer went in the meantime to the wise men of Ulster |
batar i nemain macha |
a bhí in Eamhain Mhacha |
who were [assembled] in Emain Macha |
ocus inset doaib imthechta in rig |
agus d’inis imeachta an rí dóibh |
and told them of the king’s adventures |
ocus a mbui fair. |
agus a raibh air. |
and his present condition. |
friscomarca[i]r doaib |
D’fhiafraigh sé díobh |
He inquired of them |
cia ri(g) nogebdais tara eisi |
cén rí a gheobhaidís ina dhiaidh |
what king they would take in his stead, |
ar nibud urusa ri co nainim i nemain |
mar níorbh fhurasta rí le hainimh a bheith in Eamhain. |
since it would not be proper to have a blemished king in E. M. |
Ba si comairle gaoth nulad |
B’é comhairle lucht gaoise Uladh |
The decision of the wise men of Ulster was |
in ri do tuidecht dia tig |
an rí a theacht abhaile |
that the king should come to his house, |
ocus glanadh ara cinn o cach doescurslua(i)g |
agus gach daoscarshlua a ghlanadh ar shiúl roimhe |
and that beforehand a clearance should be made of all the base folk |
arna beth druth na hoinmid ann |
le nach mbeadh amaid ná óinmhid ann |
so that there should be neither fool nor half-wit therein |
arna toirbeitis a ainme ina inchaib |
le heagla go ndéanfaidís a ainimh a chasadh leis; |
lest these should cast his blemish in the king’s face; |
ocus folcad faon do do gres |
agus é á fholcadh i gcónaí ina luí faon |
and further that he should always have his head washed while lying on his back |
arnach aiced a scath i nuisciu. |
chun nach bhfeicfeadh sé a scáth in uisce. |
so that he might not see his shadow in the water. |
dognith iarom a imcomet co leir co cend .uii. mbliadan. |
Rinneadh é a aire go géar go ceann seacht mblian. |
For seven years he was diligently guarded [in this manner]. |
Section 8
Laithe nann asbert fria cumail folcad do denam do. |
Dúirt sé lena chumhal lá áirithe folcadh a thabhairt dó. |
One day he told his bondmaid to wash his head. |
ba mall leis didiu dogena[i] in ben in folcad. |
Ba mhall leis, más ea, a rinne sí an folcadh. |
Thinking that the woman was too slow in carrying out this, |
dobertsom buille di co nechlaisc. |
Bhuail sé í le heachlasc. |
he gave her a blow with his whip. |
gabsi tuirsi |
Tháinig míshásamh uirthi |
Resentment overcame her |
ocus dobi a an(a)im fria enechsom. |
agus chas sí a ainimh leis suas lena phus. |
and she taunted him to his face with his blemish. |
dobert builli ndi co claidem |
Bhuail sé buille dá chlaíomh uirthi |
He gave her a blow with his sword |
co ndene di bloig di |
agus rinne dhá leath di. |
and cut her in two. |
imeso. IAr suidiu |
Ansin d’iompaigh ar a sháil |
Thereupon he turned away |
co luith fa(n) loch rudraidhi |
agus d’imigh faoi Loch Rudhraí. |
and went under Loch Rudraige; |
laa co naidche rofich in loch |
Bhí an loch ar coipeadh lá agus oíche |
for a whole day and night the loch seethed |
dib ocus in muirdris |
dá bharr féin agus na muirdhrise |
from [the contest between] him and the muirdris, |
co tiged a tonngar for tir. |
i dtreo go dtagadh an tonnaíl ar talamh. |
and the surge of its waves kept coming on to the land. |
do(t)luidsium iarom co mbui forsan loch |
Faoi dheireadh tháinig sé ar barr sa loch |
Eventually he emerged on the surface of the loch, |
ocus cend na piasta |
le ceann na péiste, |
holding the head of the monster, |
conidnacatar ulaid |
i dtreo go bhfaca Ulaidh é, |
so that the Ulaid saw him, |
ocus isbert friu |
agus dúirt sé leo: |
and he said to them: |
“meisi is tiugba” olse. |
“Mise a tháinig as beo,” ar sé. |
“I am the survivor.” |
focairt fai iarum marb |
Thit sé síos marbh ansin. |
Thereupon he sank down dead, |
ocus ba derg in loch dib co c(o)enn mis. |
Bhí an loch dearg uathu go ceann mí. |
and for a whole month the loch remained red from [the battle between] them. |
Section 9
Is desom rocet: |
Is faoi sin a canadh: |
Of this was sung: |
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Fergus mac leidi in ri(g) |
Fearghas mac Léide, an rí, |
King Fergus, son of Léte |
luid i fertus rudraigi |
Chuaigh ar fheartas Rudhraí, |
Went on the sandbank of Rudraige; |
huath do[d]narfas fa gann (n)gle |
Taibhsigh uafás dó, dian gleo, |
A horror which appeared to him — fierce was the conflict — |
ba he fochond a ainme. |
Cúis a ainmhe ab ea é dó. |
Was the cause of his disfigurement. |
Section 10
Tír boíe (?) Chuind chétchoraig |
Tír ba le Conn an chéad conradh, |
Land which belonged to Conn of the hundred treaties (?), |
asa·ngabtha ilbenna |
As ar tógadh mórán eallaigh (ina dhiaidh sin), |
out of which many horned beasts (lit. ‘horns’) were [afterwards] seized, |
bertai Fergus ferglethech |
Ghlac Fergus F. seilbh air |
Fergus the manly warrior (?) took it |
i ndígail a thromgreise |
I gcúiteamh ar shárú a einigh |
as atonement for the grievous outrage done to him |
di guin Echach bélbuidi. |
Trí Eochu B. a mharú. |
by the slaying of Eochu of the yellow lips. |
Brethae Dorn i n-ansoíri, |
Tógadh Dorn i mbraighdeanas (chomh maith), |
Dorn was brought [by him] into captivity; |
do·cer inna fírinni |
Cailleadh í i ngeall ar an bhfírinne |
she perished on account of the truth |
seiches i ngnúis Fergusa. |
A nocht sí i ngnúis Fhergusa. |
which she uttered in Fergus’s face. |
Ferais Fergus ferfhechtas |
Chuaigh Fergus ar eachtra |
Fergus made a manly incursion |
finech i lloch Rudraige |
Ina thír féin i Loch Rudraige, |
into the tribal (?) Loch of Rudraige, |
dia·marbad i márchinta. |
Áit ar maraíodh trína chionta é. |
as a result of which he was killed for [his] grave wrongdoing. |
Taisic a tír immurgu |
Chuaigh an talamh i bhfrithdhílse, áfach, |
The land, however, reverted |
fo selba Cuind comorbae. |
Chuig oidhrí Chuind. |
to the estates of Conn’s heirs. |