[10] See Text 1. paragraph 123 of Thurneysen's "Mittelirische Verslehren" for three versions of this curious poem, printed side by side from the Books of Leinster and Ballymote, and a MS. in the Bodleian. The old Irish tract for the instruction of poets gives it as an example of what it calls _Cetal do chendaib_. I have followed D'Arbois de Jubainville's interpretation of it. He sees in it a pantheistic spirit, but Dr. Sigerson has proved, I think quite conclusively, that it is liable to a different interpretation, a panegyric upon the bard's own prowess, couched in enigmatic metaphor. (_See_ "Bards of the Gael and Gaul," p. 379.) [11] A number of names are mentioned--chiefly in connection with law fragments--of kings and poets who lived centuries before the birth of Christ, including an elegy by Lughaidh, son of Ith (from whom the Ithians sprang), on his wife's death, Cimbaeth the founder of Emania, before whose reign Tighearnach the Annalist considered _omnia monumenta Scotorum_ to be _incerta_, Roigne, the son of Hugony the Great, who lived nearly three hundred years before Christ, and some others. [12] The "Uraicept" or "Uraiceacht" is sometimes ascribed to Forchern. It gives examples of the declensions of nouns and adjectives in Irish, distinguishing feminine nouns from masculine, etc. It gives rules of syntax, and exemplifies the declensions by quotations from ancient poets. A critical edition of it from the surviving manuscripts that contain it in whole or part is a _desideratum._ [13] Udacht Morain, H. 2, 7, T. C, D. [14] In the original in the Book of Ballymote: "A ua Cuinn a Cormaic, ol coirbre cia is deach [_i.e._, maith], do Ri. Nin ol cormac [_i.e._, Ni doiligh liom sin]. As deach [_i.e._, maith], do eimh ainmne [_i.e._, foighde] gan deabha [_i.e._, imreasoin] uallcadi fosdadh [_i.e._, foasdadh] gan fearg. Soagallamha gan mordhacht," etc. The glosses in brackets are written _above_ the words. [15] Compare Henry IV.'s advice to his son, not to make himself too familiar but rather to stand aloof from his companions. "Had I so lavish of my presence been, So common-hackneyed in the eyes of men, So stale and cheap to vulgar company-- Opinion, that did help me to the crown, Had still kept loyal to possession," etc. As for Richard his predecessor-- "The skipping king, he ambled up and down With shallow jesters and rash bavin wits, Soon kindled, and soon burned; carded his state; Mingled his royalty with capering fools,' etc." "Henry IV.," Part I., act iii., scene 2. CHAPTER XX THE SUGGESTIVELY PAGAN ELEMENT IN IRISH LITERATURE It is this easy analysis of early Irish literature into its ante-Christian and its post-Christian elements, which lends to it its absorbing value and interest. For when all spurious accretions have been stripped off, we find in the most ancient Irish poems and sagas, a genuine picture of pagan life in Europe, such as we look for in vain elsewhere.