The principal sources of information for this chapter are the Harleian MS. 5280 entitled _The Second Battle of Moytura_, of which translations have been made by Dr. Whitley Stokes in the _Revue Celtique_ and M. de Jubainville in his _L’Épopée Celtique en Irlande_, and Eugene O’Curry’s translation in Vol. IV. of _Atlantis_ of the _Fate of the Children of Tuirenn_. Footnote 110: Pronounced _Kian_. Footnote 111: Pronounced _Ildāna_. Footnote 112: The Curlieu Hills, between Roscommon and Sligo. Footnote 113: Croagh Patrick. Footnote 114: The estuary of the Shannon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER VIII THE GAELIC ARGONAUTS The preparations for this war are said to have lasted seven years. It was during the interval that there befel an episode which might almost be called the “Argonautica” of the Gaelic mythology.[115] In spite of the dethronement of Bress, the Fomors still claimed their annual tribute from the tribe of the goddess Danu, and sent their tax-gatherers, nine times nine in number, to “Balor’s Hill” to collect it. But, while they waited for the gods to come to tender their submission and their subsidy, they saw a young man approaching them. He was riding upon “Splendid Mane”, the horse of Manannán son of Lêr, and was dressed in Manannán’s breastplate and helmet, through which no weapon could wound their wearer, and he was armed with sword and shield and poisoned darts. “Like to the setting sun”, says the story, “was the splendour of his countenance and his forehead, and they were not able to look in his face for the greatness of his splendour.” And no wonder! for he was Lugh the Far-shooter, the new-come sun-god of the Gaels. He fell upon the Fomorian tax-gatherers, killing all but nine of them, and these he only spared that they might go back to their kinsmen and tell how the gods had received them. There was consternation in the under-sea country. “Who can this terrible warrior be?” asked Balor. “I know,” said Balor’s wife; “he must be the son of our daughter Ethniu; and I foretell that, since he has cast in his lot with his father’s people, we shall never bear rule in Erin again.” The chiefs of the Fomors saw that this slaughter of their tax-gatherers signified that the Tuatha Dé Danann meant fighting. They held a council to debate on it. There came to it Elathan and Tethra and Indech, kings of the Fomors; Bress himself, and Balor of the stout blows; Cethlenn the crooked tooth, Balor’s wife; Balor’s twelve white-mouthed sons; and all the chief Fomorian warriors and druids.