“The car, the car of battle comes, like the flame of death; the
rapid car of Cuchullin, the noble son of Semo. It bends behind
like a wave near a rock; like the golden mist of the heath. Its
sides are embossed with stones, and sparkle like the sea round the
boat of night. Of polished yew is its beam, and its seat of the
smoothest bone. The sides are replenished with spears; and the
bottom is the footstool of heroes. Before the right side of the car
is seen the snorting horse, the high-maned, broad-breasted, proud,
high-leaping, strong steed of the hill. Loud and resounding is his
hoof; the spreading of his mane above is like that stream of smoke
on the heath. Bright are the sides of the steed, and his name is
Sulin-sifadda. Before the left side of the car is seen the snorting
horse; the thin-maned, high-headed, strong-hoofed, fleet, bounding
son of the hill; his name is Dusronnal among the stormy sons of the
sword. A thousand thongs bind the car on high. Hard polished bits
shine in a wreath of foam. Thin thongs, bright-studded with gems,
bend on the stately necks of the steeds--the steeds that, like
wreaths of mist, fly over the streamy vales. The wildness of deer
is in their course, the strength of the eagle descending on her
prey. Their noise is like the blast of winter on the sides of the
snow-headed Gormal.
“Within the car is seen the chief, the strong, stormy son of the
sword; the hero’s name is Cuchullin, son of Semo, king of shells. His
red check is like my polished yew. The look of his blue rolling eye
is wide beneath the dark arch of his brow. His hair flies from his
head like a flame, as, bending forward, he wields the spear. Fly,
king of ocean, fly; he comes like a storm along the streamy vale.”
The Gaelic scholar will at once observe that the above is a free but
a fair translation of the original Gaelic, and the character of the
translation is such as to give no idea of imposition. It is just such
a translation as a man of poetic temperament and talent would give of
the passage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account