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<title type="main">Filidheacht.  The Song of the Sword of Cerball.</title><author><persName>, Meyer, Kuno</persName></author><editor><name type="main">Laoide, Seosamh (Lloyd, Joseph H.)</name></editor><respStmt>
	<resp>Electronic edition compiled by</resp>
	<name>Foclóir na Nua-Ghaeilge</name>
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	 <edition>
		 <note type="N">IG10-11152</note>
		 <note type="L">613</note>
		 <note type="B">1900</note>
		 <note type="C"/>
		 <note><p>Description of how and why changes were made</p></note>
	 </edition>
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		<publisher>Connradh na Gaedhilge</publisher>
		<pubPlace>24 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin</pubPlace><date>Samhain, 1900</date><idno>IG10-11152</idno><distributor>Royal Irish Academy</distributor>
		<availability>
		<p>Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike (cc by-nc-sa)</p>
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<title level="s">Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge</title><biblScope unit="vol">10</biblScope>
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<title level="j">Filidheacht.  The Song of the Sword of Cerball.</title><imprint><publisher>Connradh na Gaedhilge</publisher><date>Samhain, 1900</date></imprint>
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<text><body><div><p><span><pb n="613"/></span>
<lb n="1"/><span>THE SONG OF THE SWORD OF</span>
<lb n="2"/><span>CERBALL.</span></p>
<lb n="3"/>
<lb n="4"/><p><span>Dallán mac Móire, to whom the following</span>
<lb n="5"/><span>poem is ascribed, was ollamh or chief bard</span>
<lb n="6"/><span>to King Cerball mac Murecáin of Leinster,</span>
<lb n="7"/><span>who reigned from about A.D. 885 to 909(?).</span>
<lb n="8"/><span>Several other poems or fragments of poems</span>
<lb n="9"/><span>ascribed to Dallán have come down to us, all</span>
<lb n="10"/><span>of them relating to the affairs of his royal</span>
<lb n="11"/><span>master and the dynasty of Leinster.  In a</span>
<lb n="12"/><span>poem of 20 stanzas be celebrates no less than</span>
<lb n="13"/><span>forty battles fought by Cerball.  The begin-</span>
<lb n="14"/><span>nigh is (LL. 47 a):</span></p>
<lb n="15"/>
<lb n="16"/><p><span>Cerbal Cuirr caem-Life,  clód catha for Cond,</span>
<lb n="17"/><span>ra fhacsin a aebdreche  arbath Nógba Corr.</span></p>
<lb n="18"/>
<lb n="19"/><p><span>Cerball of the Currach of the lovely Liffey, victor in battle</span>
<lb n="20"/><span>[over Leth-Cuinn,</span>
<lb n="21"/><span>Beholding his beautiful face Cnogba Cor did die.</span></p>
<lb n="22"/>
<lb n="23"/><p><span>A poem by him on the battle of Belach</span>
<lb n="24"/><span>Mugna is quoted in LL.52 b, in the Annals </span>
<lb n="25"/><span>of the Four Masters, A.D. 903, and in Three</span>
<lb n="26"/><span>Fragments of Irish Annals, p. 216.  Lastly,</span>
<lb n="27"/><span>a poem on the death of Cerball is ascribed </span>
<lb n="28"/><span>to him (FM. A.D. 904, Three Fragments, pl.</span>
<lb n="29"/><span>220).  It is probable that the poem on Cell</span>
<lb n="30"/><span>Chorbbain (LL. 201 b), from which there</span>
<lb n="31"/><span>are quotations in TF. p. 224 and FM. A.D.</span>
<lb n="32"/><span>904, is also by him.</span></p>
<lb n="33"/>
<lb n="34"/><p><span>From these poems, as well as from the</span>
<lb n="35"/><span>various Annals, we are in a position to follow</span>
<lb n="36"/><span>Cerball's career from the time of his access-</span>
<lb n="37"/><span>ion to the throne of Leinster to his death.</span>
<lb n="38"/><span>He was the son of Muricán mac Diarmata</span>
<lb n="39"/><span>who was slain by Norsemen in 863.  His</span>
<lb n="40"/><span>fostermother was Gelserc, the daughter </span>
<lb n="41"/><span>of Derell, a Frankish king, whom I cannot</span>
<lb n="42"/><span>identify.  Cormac mac Cuilennain, the cele-</span>
<lb n="43"/><span>brated king-bishop of Cashel,was his foste-</span>
<lb n="44"/><span>brother.</span></p>
</div>
<pb n="614"/>
<div><lb n="45"/><p><span>Cerball succeeded his brother Domnall on</span>
<lb n="46"/><span>the throne of Leinster.  He was a mighty</span>
<lb n="47"/><span>warrior, and most of his life seems to have</span>
<lb n="48"/><span>been spent on the battlefield, though he was</span>
<lb n="49"/><span>also proficient in the arts of peace, if we may</span>
<lb n="50"/><span>credit his eulogist, who says of him (LL. 201</span>
<lb n="51"/><span>b 42):</span></p>
<lb n="52"/>
<lb n="53"/><p><span>Ba hollom bérla Féne,  ba léignid léire mebra,</span>
<lb n="54"/><span>ba fáid, ba fili forba,  ba súi solma na senma.</span></p>
<lb n="55"/>
<lb n="56"/><p><span>“He was an ollave in the old Irish tongue, he was a dili-</span>
<lb n="57"/><span>gent reader of (good) memory,</span>
<lb n="58"/><span>He was a seer, a perfect poet, he was a ready master of</span>
<lb n="59"/><span>music.”</span></p>
<lb n="60"/>
<lb n="61"/><p><span>At one time or another he was at war with</span>
<lb n="62"/><span>all the neighbouring kings as well as with the</span>
<lb n="63"/><span>Norse invaders, whom in A.D. 897 he suc-</span>
<lb n="64"/><span>ceeded in driving from their stronghold in</span>
<lb n="65"/><span>Dublin.  He was the last king of Lein-</span>
<lb n="66"/><span>ster who held his residence at Naas.  In</span>
<lb n="67"/><span>908 he took part in the battle of Belach</span>
<lb n="68"/><span>Mugna, in which the King Cormac was slain.</span>
<lb n="69"/><span>This battle was fought on Tuesday, the 17th</span>
<lb n="70"/><span>of September, and one year and a day and</span>
<lb n="71"/><span>a half after the battle -i.e., on the 19th</span>
<lb n="72"/><span>September, 909, Cerball himself died, of</span>
<lb n="73"/><span>the effects of a wound which he had received</span>
<lb n="74"/><span>in the following manner.</span></p>
<lb n="75"/>
<lb n="76"/><p><span>After the Battle of Belach Mugna, Cerball</span>
<lb n="77"/><span>with a large number of prisoners proceeded</span>
<lb n="78"/><span>to Kildare.  There, while riding on a</span>
<lb n="79"/><span>spirited horse through the street called</span>
<lb n="80"/><span>Srait in Chéime Cloiche or of the Stone Step,</span>
<lb n="81"/><span>and passing the workshop of a fuller, his</span>
<lb n="82"/><span>horse shied and flung him on to his own</span>
<lb n="83"/><span>lance which his Norse gillie Ulf was</span>
<lb n="84"/><span>carrying behind him.  From this wound he</span>
<lb n="85"/><span>never recovered.  During the year which he</span>
<lb n="86"/><span>had still to live and which he spent at Naas</span>
<lb n="87"/><span>(Cerball i n-othrus in tan sain in Nás, LL.</span>
<lb n="88"/><span>52 b 4), he married Gormflaith, his foster-</span>
<lb n="89"/><span>brother's Cormac widow, from whom however</span>
<lb n="90"/><span>he was soon separated in consequence of a</span>
<lb n="91"/><span>gross insult which he offered to her.  See</span>
<lb n="92"/><span>LL. p. 52 b and O'Curry MS. Materials, p.</span>
<lb n="93"/><span>132.</span></p>
<lb n="94"/>
<lb n="95"/><p><span>He was buried in the cemetery of Naas -</span>
<lb n="96"/><span>i.e., in Cell Náis or Cell Chorbbain (now</span>
<lb n="97"/><span>Kill, Co. Kildare “inter patres suos.”</span>
<lb n="98"/><span>His successor was Finn, of whom however</span>
<lb n="99"/><span>no mention is made in the Annals.</span></p>
<lb n="100"/>
<lb n="101"/><p><span>LL. 47 a. 50.</span></p>
<lb n="102"/>
<lb n="103"/><p><span>1.</span>
<lb n="104"/><span>Mochen, a chlaidib Cherbaill!</span>
<lb n="105"/><span>bát menic i mórenglaim</span>
<lb n="106"/><span>Bát menic ac cur chatha,</span>
<lb n="107"/><span>ac dichennad ardfhlatha.</span></p>
<lb n="108"/>
<lb n="109"/><p><span>Hail, sword of Cerball!  Oft hast thou been in the great</span>
<lb n="110"/><span>woof of war,</span>
<lb n="111"/><span>Oft giving battle, beheading high princes.</span></p>
<lb n="112"/>
<lb n="113"/><p><span>2. </span>
<lb n="114"/><span>Rapsat menic ac dul chrech</span>
<lb n="115"/><span>il-lámaib rig na robreth,</span>
<lb n="116"/><span>Bát menic ac raind tána</span>
<lb n="117"/><span>ac degríg do dingbála.</span></p>
<lb n="118"/>
<lb n="119"/><p><span>Oft hast thou gone a-raiding in the hands of kings of high</span>
<lb n="120"/><span>judgements,</span>
<lb n="121"/><span>Oft hast thous divided the spoil when with a good king</span>
<lb n="122"/><span>worthy of thee.</span></p>
<lb n="123"/>
<lb n="124"/><p><span>3.</span>
<lb n="125"/><span>Bát menic il-láim ragil</span>
<lb n="126"/><span>bail[e] i mbítis Lagin</span>
<lb n="127"/><span>Bat menic etir rígraid,</span>
<lb n="128"/><span>bat menic im-mórdhírmaib.</span></p>
<lb n="129"/>
<lb n="130"/><p><span>Oft hast thou been in a white hand where Leinster men</span>
<lb n="131"/><span>were,</span>
<lb n="132"/><span>Oft has thou been among kings, oft among great bands.</span></p>
<lb n="133"/>
<lb n="134"/><p><span>4. </span>
<lb n="135"/><span>Mór de rigaib 'ca raba</span>
<lb n="136"/><span>da rachuris chomrama,</span>
<lb n="137"/><span>Mór scíath roscáltis i tress,</span>
<lb n="138"/><span>mór cend, mór clíath, mór caemchness.</span></p>
<lb n="139"/>
<lb n="140"/><p><span>Many were the kings with whom thou hast been when thou</span>
<lb n="141"/><span>madest flight,</span>
<lb n="142"/><span>Many a shield hast thou cleft in battle, many a head,</span>
<lb n="143"/><span>many a chest, many a fair skin.</span></p>
<lb n="144"/>
<lb n="145"/><p><span>5.</span>
<lb n="146"/><span>Cethracha bliadan can brón</span>
<lb n="147"/><span>robá oc Énna na n-ardslóg</span>
<lb n="148"/><span>Ní rabadais ríamh i n-argg,</span>
<lb n="149"/><span>acht il-lámaib rig rogarg.</span></p>
<lb n="150"/>
<lb n="151"/><p><span>Forty years without sorrow Enna of the noble hosts</span>
<lb n="152"/><span>had thee,</span>
<lb n="153"/><span>Never wast thou in a strait, but in the hands of fierce</span>
<lb n="154"/><span>kings.</span></p>
<lb n="155"/>
<lb n="156"/><p><span>6. </span>
<lb n="157"/><span>Datrat Énna, nir breth gand,</span>
<lb n="158"/><span>da mac fadein do Dunlang,</span>
<lb n="159"/><span>Tricha bliadan duit 'na seilb,</span>
<lb n="160"/><span>do Dunlang tucais-[s]iu theidm.</span></p>
<lb n="161"/>
<lb n="162"/><p><span>Enna gave thee, 'twas no niggardly gift, to his own son, to</span>
<lb n="163"/><span>Dunlang.</span>
<lb n="164"/><span>Thirty years thou wast in his possession, to Dunlang thou</span>
<lb n="165"/><span>broughtest ruin.</span></p>
<lb n="166"/>
<lb n="167"/><p><span>7.</span>
<lb n="168"/><span>Mór ríg rottecht ar eoch ard</span>
<lb n="169"/><span>co Diarmait rígda rogarg:</span>
<lb n="170"/><span>Bliadain ar a cóig déc duit</span>
<lb n="171"/><span>inn airet robá ac Diarmuit.</span></p>
<lb n="172"/>
<lb n="173"/><p><span>Many a king upon a high steed possessed the unto</span>
<lb n="174"/><span>Diarmait the kingly, the fierce,</span>
<lb n="175"/><span>Sixteen years was the time Diarmait had thee.</span></p>
<lb n="176"/>
<lb n="177"/><p><span>8.</span>
<lb n="178"/><span>I n-aenuch Alend ra hed</span>
<lb n="179"/><span>rattidnaic Diaramait dúrgen,</span>
<lb n="180"/><span>Datrat Diarmait in rí nár</span>
<lb n="181"/><span>d'fhir Mairge, do Muricán.</span></p>
<lb n="182"/>
<lb n="183"/><p><span>At the feast of Allen upon a time Diarmait the hardy-born</span>
<lb n="184"/><span>bestowed thee,</span>
<lb n="185"/><span>Diarmait, the noble king, gave thee to the man of Mairge</span>
<lb n="186"/><span>to Murican.</span></p>
</div>
<pb n="615"/>
<div><lb n="187"/><p><span>9.</span>
<lb n="188"/><span>Cethracha bliadan co tend</span>
<lb n="189"/><span>robá il-láim ardrig Alend,</span>
<lb n="190"/><span>Ní raba bliadan can chath</span>
<lb n="191"/><span>ag Muricán mórglonnach.</span></p>
<lb n="192"/>
<lb n="193"/><p><span>Forty years stoutly thou wast in the hand of the high king</span>
<lb n="194"/><span>of Allen,</span>
<lb n="195"/><span>Thou never wast a year without battle while with Murican</span>
<lb n="196"/><span>of mighty deeds.</span></p>
<lb n="197"/>
<lb n="198"/><p><span>10.</span>
<lb n="199"/><span>Dotrat Muricán rí Gall</span>
<lb n="200"/><span>i Taig Carmain do Cherball:</span>
<lb n="201"/><span>Níttuc Cerball do dune</span>
<lb n="202"/><span>céin robúi ar bith bude.</span></p>
<lb n="203"/>
<lb n="204"/><p><span>In Wexford Murican, the king of the Foreigners, gave thee</span>
<lb n="205"/><span>to Cerball:</span>
<lb n="206"/><span>While he was upon the yellow earth Cerball gave thee to</span>
<lb n="207"/><span>none.</span></p>
<lb n="208"/>
<lb n="209"/><p><span>11.</span>
<lb n="210"/><span>Ropo días derg do días glan</span>
<lb n="211"/><span>i cath Odba na n-óiged:</span>
<lb n="212"/><span>Da farg[b]ais Aed Findliath fóen</span>
<lb n="213"/><span>i cath Odba na n-ardróen.</span></p>
<lb n="214"/>
<lb n="215"/><p><span>Thy bright point was a crimson point in battle of</span>
<lb n="216"/><span>[Odba of the Foreigners,</span>
<lb n="217"/><span>When thou leftest Aed Finnliath on his back in the</span>
<lb n="218"/><span>battle of Odba of the noble routs.</span></p>
<lb n="219"/>
<lb n="220"/><p><span>12.</span>
<lb n="221"/><span>Ropo derg th'faebur, rofess,</span>
<lb n="222"/><span>i mbeluch Mugna ratmess</span>
<lb n="223"/><span>[I] cath Maige Ailbe inn áig</span>
<lb n="224"/><span>fá ndernad ind immarbáig.</span></p>
<lb n="225"/>
<lb n="226"/><p><span>Crimson was thy edge, it was seen, at Belach Mugna thou</span>
<lb n="227"/><span>wast proved,</span>
<lb n="228"/><span>In the valorous battle of Ailbe's Plain, thoughout</span>
<lb n="229"/><span>which the fighting raged.</span></p>
<lb n="230"/>
<lb n="231"/><p><span>13.</span>
<lb n="232"/><span>Romut romaid in cath cain</span>
<lb n="233"/><span>dia dardáin ac Dún Ochtair,</span>
<lb n="234"/><span>Da darochair Aed garb glé</span>
<lb n="235"/><span>isin leccaind ós Líathmuine.</span></p>
<lb n="236"/>
<lb n="237"/><p><span>Before thee the goodly host broke on a Thursday at Dun</span>
<lb n="238"/><span>Ochtair,</span>
<lb n="239"/><span>When Aed the fierce and brilliant fell on the hillside </span>
<lb n="240"/><span>above Liathmuine.</span></p>
<lb n="241"/>
<lb n="242"/><p><span>14.</span>
<lb n="243"/><span>Is romut romaid in cath</span>
<lb n="244"/><span>[in] lá romarbad Cellach</span>
<lb n="245"/><span>Mac Flannacáin, línib slóig,</span>
<lb n="246"/><span>i Temraig aird úasalmóir.</span></p>
<lb n="247"/>
<lb n="248"/><p><span>Before thee the host broke on the day when Cellach</span>
<lb n="249"/><span>was slain,</span>
<lb n="250"/><span>The son of Flannacan, with numbers of troops, in high lofty</span>
<lb n="251"/><span>great Tara.</span></p>
<lb n="252"/>
<lb n="253"/><p><span>15.</span>
<lb n="254"/><span>Is romut rothráiged tess</span>
<lb n="255"/><span>i cath Boinne na mborbchleass.</span>
<lb n="256"/><span>Dar'thuit Cnogba, cleth inn áig,</span>
<lb n="257"/><span>immut fhégad ar th'orgráin.</span></p>
<lb n="258"/>
<lb n="259"/><p><span>Before they fled southwards in the battle of the Boyne</span>
<lb n="260"/><span>of the rough feats,</span>
<lb n="261"/><span>When Cnogba fell, the lance of valour, at seeing thee, for</span>
<lb n="262"/><span>dread of thee.</span></p>
<lb n="263"/>
<lb n="264"/><p><span>16.</span>
<lb n="265"/><span>Ropsat fraechda, nirbsat meirb,</span>
<lb n="266"/><span>rapa laechda do lúathfeidm,. </span>
<lb n="267"/><span>Dar' thuitt Ailill Frossach Fáil</span>
<lb n="268"/><span>i tossuch ind immfhorráind.</span></p>
<lb n="269"/>
<lb n="270"/><p><span>Thou wast furious, thou wast not weak, heroic was thy</span>
<lb n="271"/><span>swift force,</span>
<lb n="272"/><span>When Ailill Frossach of Fál fell in the front of the </span>
<lb n="273"/><span>onset.</span></p>
<lb n="274"/>
<lb n="275"/><p><span>17.</span>
<lb n="276"/><span>Ní rabadais lá madma</span>
<lb n="277"/><span>ac Cerball na cáemgarda,</span>
<lb n="278"/><span>Nir atluig lugi n-éthig, </span>
<lb n="279"/><span>ni thánic dar a bréthir.</span></p>
<lb n="280"/>
<lb n="281"/><p><span>Thou never hadst a day of defeat with Cerball of the beau-</span>
<lb n="282"/><span>tiful garths,</span>
<lb n="283"/><span>He swore no lying oath, he went not against his word.</span></p>
<lb n="284"/>
<lb n="285"/><p><span>18.</span>
<lb n="286"/><span>Nocho rabadais lá liúin,</span>
<lb n="287"/><span>fúarais mór n-adhchi n-aniúil,</span>
<lb n="288"/><span>Fúarais mór rig co rath áig,</span>
<lb n="289"/><span>fúarais mór cath it chomdáil.</span></p>
<lb n="290"/>
<lb n="291"/><p><span>Thou never hadst a day of sorrow, many a night thou</span>
<lb n="292"/><span>hadst abroad,</span>
<lb n="293"/><span>Thou hadst found many a king with grace of valour,</span>
<lb n="294"/><span>many a battle awaiting thee.</span></p>
<lb n="295"/>
<lb n="296"/><p><span>19.</span>
<lb n="297"/><span>A chlaidib rig na rolog,</span>
<lb n="298"/><span>na sáil bith for merugod,</span>
<lb n="299"/><span>Fogéba duit th'fher dána,</span>
<lb n="300"/><span>tigerna do dingbála.</span></p>
<lb n="301"/>
<lb n="302"/><p><span>O sword of the kings of the great conflagrations, do not fear</span>
<lb n="303"/><span>to be astray!</span>
<lb n="304"/><span>Thou shalt find thy man of skill, a lord worthy of thee.</span></p>
<lb n="305"/>
<lb n="306"/><p><span>20.</span>
<lb n="307"/><span>Cia fésta forsa mbia seilb,</span>
<lb n="308"/><span>ná chia risa tic re theidm?</span>
<lb n="309"/><span>Dín ló dochúaid Cerball ass</span>
<lb n="310"/><span>cia 'ca mbia do lepthanas?</span></p>
<lb n="311"/>
<lb n="312"/><p><span>Who shall henceforth possess thee?  or to whom wilt thou</span>
<lb n="313"/><span>deal ruin?</span>
<lb n="314"/><span>From the day that Cerball departed, with whom wilt thou</span>
<lb n="315"/><span>be bedded?</span></p>
<lb n="316"/>
<lb n="317"/><p><span>21.</span>
<lb n="318"/><span>Nichatléicfider sech láim</span>
<lb n="319"/><span>co róis Tech Náis co nerbáig,</span>
<lb n="320"/><span>Bail itá Find [in] na fled,</span>
<lb n="321"/><span>atdérthar ritt is mochen!</span></p>
<lb n="322"/>
<lb n="323"/><p><span>Thou shalt not be neglected until thou come to Tech Náis</span>
<lb n="324"/><span>with strong fight,</span>
<lb n="325"/><span>Where Finn of the feasts is they will say to thee</span>
<lb n="326"/><span>Hail!</span></p>
<lb n="327"/>
<lb n="328"/><p><span>KUNO MEYER.</span></p>
<lb n="329"/>
<lb n="330"/><p/></div></body></text></TEI>
Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926

The Song of the Sword of Cerball.

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Historical Irish Corpus1600 - 1926

The Song of the Sword of Cerball.

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Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926
