Biblical | Gaelic | Cessair | Partholonians | Nemedians | Fir Bolg | Tuatha De | Milesians

Part 2. Gaelic History

Baath, [one of the two sons of Ibath] s. Gomer s. Iafeth, of him are the Gaedil and the people of Scythia. He had a son, the noble eminent man whose name was Feinius Farsaid. [It is he who was one of the seventy-two chieftains who went for the building Nemrod's Tower, whence the languages were dispersed.]

Howbeit, Nemrod himself was son of Cush s. Ham s. Noe. This is that Feinius aforesaid who brought the People's Speech from the Tower: and it is he who had the great school, learning the multiplicity of languages.

Now Feinius had two sons: Nenual, [one of the two], whom he left in the princedom of Scythia behind him; Nel, the other son, at the Tower was he born. Now he was a master of all the languages; wherefore one came [to summon him] from Pharao, in order to learn the multiplicity of languages from him. But Feinius came out of Asia to Scythia, whence he had gone for the building of the Tower: so that he died in the princedom of Scythia, at the end of forty years, and passed on the chieftainship to his son, Nenual.

At the end of forty two years after the building of the Tower, Ninus son of Belus took the kingship of the world.

For no other attempted to exercise authority over the peoples or to bring the multitude of nations under one hand, and under tax and tribute, but he alone. Aforetime there had been chieftains: he who was noblest and most in favour in the community, he it was who was chief counsellor for every man: who should avert all injustice and further all justice. No attempt was made to invade or to dominate other nations.

Now that is the time when Gaedel Glas [from whom are the Gaedil] was born, of Scota d. Pharao. From here are the Scots named, ut dictum est.

It is Gaedel Glas who fashioned the Gaelic language out of the seventy-two languages: these are their names, Bithynian, Scythian, etc. Unde poeta cecinit.

Now Sru s. Esru s. Gaedel, he it is who was chieftain for the Gaedil who went out of Egypt after Pharao was drowned [with his host in the Red Sea in the wake of the sons of Israel]: Seven hundred and seventy years from the Flood till then.

Four hundred and forty years from that time in which Pharao was drowned, and after Sru s. Esru came out of Egypt, till the time when the sons of Mil came into Ireland, to wit Eber and Eremon: whereament [one] said —

Four ships' companies strong went Sru out of Egypt. There were twenty-four wedded couples and three hirelings for every ship. Sru and his son Eber Scot, they were the chieftains of the expedition. [It is then that Nenual s. Baath s. Nenual s. Feinius Farsaid, prince of Scythia, died: and] Sru also died immediately after reaching Scythia.

Eber Scot took [by force] the kingship of Scythia from the progeny of Nenual, till he fell at the hands of Noemius s. Nenual. There was a contention between Noemius and Boamain s. [son of] Eber Scot. Boamain took the kingship till he fell at the hands of Noemius. Noemius took the princedom till he fell at the hands of Ogamain s. Boamain in vengeance for his father. Ogamain took the kingship till he died. Refill s. Noemius took the kingship till he fell at the hands of Tat s. Ogamain. Thereafter Tat fell at the hands of Refloir s. Rifill.

Thereafter there was a contention for the princedom between Refloir [grand]son of Noemius and Agnomain s. Tat, until Refloir fell at the hands of Agnomain.

For that reason was the seed of Gaedil driven forth upon the sea, to wit Agnomain and Lamfhind his son, so that they were seven years on the sea, skirting the world on the north side. More than can be reckoned are the hardships which they suffered. [The reason why the name Lamfhind was given to the son of Agnomain was, because not greater was the radiance of candles than his hands, at the rowing.] They had three ships with a coupling between them, that none of them should move away from the rest. They had three chieftains after the death of Agnomain on the surface of the great Caspian Sea, Lamfhind and Allot and Caicher the druid.

It is Caicher the druid who gave the remedy to them, when the Siren was making melody to them: sleep was overcoming them at the music. This is the remedy which Caicher found for them, to melt wax in their ears. It is Caicher who spake to them, when the great wind drave the into the Ocean, so that they suffered much with hunger and thirst there: till at the end of a week they reached the great promontory which is northward from the Rhipaen Mountain, and in that promontory they found a spring with the taste of wine, and they feasted there, and were three days and three nights asleep there. But Caicher the druid said: Rise, said he, we shall not rest until we reach Ireland. What place is that 'Ireland'? said Lamfhind s. Agnomain. Further than Scythia is it, said Caicher. It is not ourselves who shall reach it, but our children, at the end of three hundred years from today.

Thereafter they settled in the Maeotic Marshes, and there a son was born to Lamfhind, Eber Glunfhind: [white marks which were on his knees]. He it is who was chieftain after his father. His grandson was Febri [Glas], his grandson was Nuadu.

Brath s. Death s. Ercha s. Allot s. Nuadu s. Nenual s. Febri Glas s. Agni Find s. Eber Glunfhind s. Lamfhind s. Agnomain s. Tat s. Ogamain s. Boamain s. Eber Scot s. Sru s. Esru s. Gaidel from whom are the Gaedil. He it is who came in [sic, read, "out of"] the Marshes, along the Torrian Sea, to Crete and to Sicily, and thereafter they reached Spain. They took Spain by force.

As for Agnomain s. Tat, he was the Gaedil-chieftain who came out of Scythia. He had two sons, Lamfhind and Alloth. Lamfhind had one son, Eber Glunfhind. Alloth had one son, Eber Dub, at the same time as [the sojourn in] the Marshes. They had two grandsons in joint rule, Toithecht s. Tetrech s. Eber Donn, and Nenual s. Febri s. Agnomain s. Eber Glunfhind; there was also Sothecht s. Mantain s. Caicher.

Four ships' companies strong came the Gaedil to Spain, with seven unwived hirelings, Brath, a ship's company. Occe and Ucce, two ships' companies: two brethren were they, the sons of Allot s. Ogamain s. Toithecht s. Tetrech s. Eber Donn (read Dub) s. Allot s. Ogamain. Mantan, a ship's company — s. Caicher s. Ercha s. Coemthecht s. Soithecht (sic lege) s. Mantan s. Caicher the druid qui fecit prophetiam s. Eber Echruad s. Tat s. Ogamain.

They broke three battles after going into Spain: a battle against the Tuscans, a battle against the Langobardi, and a battle against the Barchu. There came a plague upon them, so that four and twenty of their number died, including Occe and Ucce. Out of the two ships none escaped, save twice five men, including En s. Occe (sic lege) and Un s. Ucce.

Brath had a good son named Breogan, by whom was built the Tower of Breogan and the city which is called Braganza. From Breogan's Tower was Ireland seen on a winter evening, to wit, on Saimain evening. Ith s. Breogan saw it, as Gilla Coeman sang the song,

[The] Feni are named from Feinius —
a meaning without secretiveness:
Gaedil from comely Gaedel Glas
Scots from Scota.

The languages of the world, see for yourselves —
Bithynia, Scythia, Cilicia, Hyrcania,
Gothia, Graecia, Germania, Gallia with horror,
Pentapolis, Phrygia, Dalmatia, Dardania.

Pamphylia, Mauretania, populous Lycaonia,
Bactria, Creta, Corsica, Cyprus,
Thessalia, Cappadocia, noble Armenia,
Raetia, Sicilia, Saracen-land, Sardinia.

Belgia, Boeotia, Brittania, tuneful Rhodos,
Hispania, Roma, Rhegini,
Phoenicia, India, golden Arabia,
Mygdonia, Mazaca, Macedonia.

Parthia, Caria, Syria, Saxones,
Athenae, Achaia, Albania,
Hebraei, Arcadia, clear Galatia,
Troas, Thessalia, Cyclades.

Moesia, Media, Persida, Franei,
Cyrene, Lacedaemonia, Langobardi,
Thracia, Numidia, Hellas — hear it!
Lofty Italia, Ethiopia, Egypt.

That is the tally of languages without tarnish
out of which Gaedel cut Gaedelic:
known to me is their roll of understanding,
the groups, the manifold languages.

Forty and four hundred
of years — it is no falsehood —
from when the people of God came, be ye certain
over the surface of Mare Rubrum
till they landed in Scene from the clear sea,
they, the Sons of Mil, in the land of Ireland.

Gaedel Glas, of whom are the Gaedil
son was he of Nel, with store of wealth:
he was mighty west and east,
Nel, son of Feinius Farsaid.

Feinius had two sons — I spreak truth —
Nel our father and Nenual.
Nel was born at the Tower in the east,
Nenual in Scythia, bright as a shield.

After Feinius, the hero of ocean,
there was great envy between the brethren:
Nel slew Nenual, who was not gentle;
the High King was expelled.

He went into Egypt through valour
till he reached powerful Pharao:
till he bestowed Scota, of no scanty beauty,
the modest, nimble daughter of Pharao.

Scota bore a son to noble Nel,
from whom was born a perfect great race:
Gaedel Glas was the name of the man —
green were his arms and his vesture.

Fierce Esru was son to him,
who was a lord with heavy arms:
the son of Esru, Sru of the ancient hosts,
to whom was meet all the fame attributed to him.

Sru son of Esru son of Gaedel,
our ancestor, rejoicing in troops,
he it is who went northward to his house,
over the surface of the red Mare Rubrum.

The crews of four ships were the tale of his host
along the red Mare Rubrum
in his house of planks, we may say,
twenty-four wedded couples.

The prince of Scythia, it as a clear fact,
the youth whose name was Nenual
it is then he died yonder in his house —
when the Gaedil arrived.

Eber Scot of the heroes assumed [the kingdom]
over the progeny of Nenual unashamed
till he fell, with no gentle kindness,
at the hands of Noemius son of Nenual.

The strong son of Eber thereafter,
who had the name Boamain, of perfect purity,
to the shore of the Caspian Sea was he king,
till he fell by the hand of Noemius.

Noemius son of Nenual of the strength
settled in Scythia, chequered like a shield:
the perfect fair prince fell
by the hand of Ogamain son of Boamain.

Thereafter Ogamain was prince
after Noemius of good strength:
till he died in his territory, unchurched:
after him Refill was king.

Thereafter Refill fell
by the hand of Tait son of Ogamain:
Tait fell, though he was not feeble,
by the hand of Refloir son of Refill.

Refloir and Agnomain without blemish,
seven years were they in contention,
till Refloir fell with tumult
by the victorious hand of Agnomain.

Noinel and Refill with a [spear-]point
two sons of Refloir son of Refill,
they drove Agnomain out
over the raging sea, great and green.

Good were the chieftains, it was sufficient,
who came out of Scythia;
Agnomain, Eber without blemish,
the two sons of Tait son of Ogamain.

Allot, Lamfhind of the green hand, conspicuous,
the two sons of very bright Agnomain,
Caicher and Cing, fame with victory,
the two good sons of Eber of the red steed.

The number of their ships, three ships,
coming over heavy waves:
three score [the crew] of every ship, a clear saying,
and women every third score.

Agnomain died, it was no reproach
in the islands of the great Caspian Sea.
The place where they were for a year
they found very secret.

They reached the full Libyan Sea,
a sailing of six complete summer days:
Glas son of Agnomain, who was not despicable,
died there in Cercina.

A fair island found they there
on the Libyan Sea of warrior-blades:
a season over a year, with fame,
their sojourn in that island.

They sail on the sea, a brilliant fact
both by day and night:
the sheen on the hands of the lustrous Lamfhind
was like to fair candles.

Four chieftains had they who were not despicable,
after coming over the Libyan Sea;
Allot, Lamfhind swift over the ocean,
Cling and his brother Caicher.

Caicher found a remedy for them yonder
for the melody of the Sirens:
this is the remedy that fair Caicher found,
to melt wax in their ears.

They found a spring a land
at the Rhipaean headland with great might,
having the taste of wine thereafter:
their thirst overcame them mightily.

Soundly, soundly they slept
to the end of three days without sorrow,
till Caicher the faithful druid wakened
the noble men impatiently.

It is Caicher, (a brilliant fulfillment!)
who made a prophecy to them,
at the Rhipaean Mountains with a headland —
"We have no rest until Ireland."

"In what place is lofty Ireland?"
said Lamfhind the violent warrior.
"Very far" said Caicher then,
"it is not we who reach it, but our fair children."

They advanced in their battalion with venom,
southward past the Rhipaean headlands;
the progeny of the Gaedel, with purity,
they landed at the Marshes.

A glorious son was born there
to Lamfhind son of Agnomain;
Eber Glunfhind, pure the gryphon,
the curl-haired grandfather of Febri.

The family of Gaedel, the brisk and white,
were three hundred years in that land;
they dwelt there thenceforward,
until Brath the victorious came.

Brath, the noble son of faithful Death
came to Crete, to Sicily,
the crew of four ships of a safe sailing,
right-hand to Europe, on to Spain.

Occe and Ucce without blemish,
the two sons of Allot son of Nenual;
Mantan son of Caicher, faithful Brath,
they were the four leaders.

Fourteen men with their wives
made the crew for every ship full of warriors,
and six noble hirelings;
they won three battles in Spain.

Lofty the first battle — I shall not conceal it —
which they won against the host of the Tuscans;
a battle against the Bachra with violence,
and a battle against the Langobardi.

It was after the sinister battle
that there came to them a plague of one day:
the people of the ships of the sons of Allot without fault
were all dead except ten persons.

Un and En came out of it,
two noble sons of the strong chieftains:
thereafter was Bregon born,
father of Bile the strong and raging.

He broke a great number of fights and battles
against the many-coloured host of Spain:
Bregon of the shouts of valorous deeds, of the combats,
by him was built Brigantia.

Bregon son of Brath, gentle and good
he had a son, Mil;
the seven sons of Mil — good their host —
including Eber and Eremon.

Along with Dond, and Airech with battle,
including Ir, along with Arannan,
including Amorgen with bright countenance,
and along with Colpa of the sword.

The ten sons of Bregon without falsehood,
Brega, Fuat, and Murthemne,
Cualnge, Cuala, fame through it were,
Ebleo, Nar, Ith, and Bile.

Ith son of Bregon with tuneful fame
came at the first into Ireland:
he is the first of men who inhabited it,
of the noble seed of the powerful Gaedil.

Mil came out of Scythia
a tale upon which bards leave a savour,
after the death-wound of Refloir son of Noemius
with his javelin, it was no bright white fetter.

Four ships were the tally of his household;
they came over sea with a multitude of progeny;
fifteen wedded couples and a hireling
in every ship which pressed forward yonder.

They stayed three months in the island
at Taprobane of the harbours:
three other months, a season without joyfulness
voyaging over the sea of foam-crests.

After that they reached the land of Egypt,
to the court of Pharao of the warriors:
Scota is given to Mil
at the land-river of the west.

Twelve men of that company undertook
to learn arts during their sojourn:
Setga, Sobairche, and Suirge,
in craftsmanship, without sad difficulty.

Druidry by Mantan, by Caicher,
by Fulman sagacious and great,
law-craft by the white-kneed one,
by Goscen hard and active, by Dond.

Twelve men undertook to learn
in every enduring craft, it was pleasant,
Setga, Sobairche and Suirge,
in craftsmanship, without sad difficulty.

Druidry by Mantan and by Caicher
by Fulman with the white hospitality:
Kingship it is that was native to Dond,
the lineage of great ones, and law-craft.

I mention three kings of the hero-band,
their faces were familiar there to the sea:
great druids in learning and valour,
Mil, Occe, noble Ucce.

They went out in the end of eight years;
backward was the true path;
they spent a month in Taprobane,
although it was no goal of sorrow.

They steered past the headland of the Rhipaean Mountain;
they fared to land upon the wave;
they had a year close by Thracia,
till they landed in brown Dacia.

They stayed a month in coloured Dacia,
they went out of it into bright Gothia,
into Belgaint, into Bregaint of large companies,
into cold Spain of the headlands.

Fourteen battles and two score
the ample hero-band waged,
in truth, about the right to Spain —
They broke before Mil the great.

Thence has he the name "Mil of Spain" —
from those battles which he broke;
Golam was his name, a faithful foster-father,
my master, without despicable contempt.

There came plague into his household,
fifteen wedded couples died of it,
including the three kings whom I have mentioned,
in an assembly which made no lament in battle.

The sons of Mil whom I praise came
to Ireland from great Spain:
in their ships over a plain of many sea-birds,
in which they maintained a crooked battle.

Four good tens and five of wedded couples
they brought with them, of the great company:
four hirelings, as they assert to me,
they had, in parting from virgin Spain.

After that they landed in Inber Scene
a Tuesday, on the exact Kalends of May:
from that out, we may be certain
they reddened points on every plain.

Before the end of a year they partitioned Ireland
into twelve parts, I hold it for certain,
between Eremon, Eber
and ten strong champions.

Five men including Eber landed
in the southern half in strife:
two Etans, and Mantan great and pure,
Caicher and white Fulman.

Five men including noble Eremon
landed around the north, I shall say it,
Amorgen, Sobairche, Setga,
Goscen, Suirge, the strong raven.

Raith Bethaig at the Eoir of the Guests,
dug by Eremon after drinking;
Raith Ainninn by Eber, be it magnified!
by Amorgen the Great Causeway.

Dun Sobairche there after repose,
by Sobairche the white-sided and strong;
Delginis by Setga after ease;
Dun Etair by slender Suirge.

Raith Arda Suird dug by Fulman,
Dun Bindi by swarthy Caicher,
Raith Rigbaird by formidable Etan,
Dun Cairich by pure Etan.

The building of Nar west of Sliab Mis I celebrate
by Goscen, it was not difficult for him:
Those are their forts which I had set forth,
and this is their divisions over Ireland.

Mil out of shield-like Scythia
upon Thursday, it is no sound of falsehoods,
took Spain in half a day —
it was a way with nimbleness for him.

It is said that it has four divisions
among scholars of Gaedelic:
Canons, Grammar, and History,
and Prosody with its great prosperity.

This is Canons, I shall not conceal it,
the Great Story, the Judgements of Nemed —
no (mere) man made it for him —
the Science of Cermna and the Science of Cano.

This is Grammar of the achievement,
the thrice fifty branching Oghams,
the declensions, the row of the letter,
and the books of a good wood.

This is History, it was a rudder of knowledge,
the sciences, the extra sciences,
forays, captures, thirty sagas,
and three-score subordinate sagas.

This is Rhyme, of which we shall not speak,
the Judgements of Cai without error;
it is idle to shun these matters,
seemly are their four parts.

The select vivacious language
which Gaedel the pure and the cunning improved,
few of the seed of rough Gaedel
are the men who may know its real name.

"Gaedelg" — they call it so,
people who are ignorant and have no knowledge:
no nearer to cunning Gaedel
than to any conspicuous notable.

Were I to desire to say to everyone
that the matter was evident,
here are — with which they name it without falsehood —
the four names of the language.

"Ticcolath" in lofty Hebrew,
"Moloth" in Greek bright and rough,
"Legulus" therewith in Latin,
"Tinoiltech" among its people.

Whoever he be who should be seeking them,
whether lowly or obscure,
those, indeed, without fear
are the tuneful names of the language.

Goirtigern was the name of the language
which the Son of God (= Adam) of good wisdom had,
as well as the seed of Adam once on a time,
before the building of Nemrod's Tower.

Although it was called the Hebrew language
among the folk of the shapely world,
This is what the name shall be according to the judgement of the summits [sages]
for the language, current Goirtigern.

Gaedel Glas — it is convenient to give the name
to the sparkling (?) perfect man:
the reason why he was called Gaedel Glas,
few there be who know thereof.

As he laved him in the strong wave,
the good son of Nel, a youth with great mind,
the serpent wound about his skin,
so that his healing was not easy.

The green spot would not depart from him
till Moses gave him good assistance:
Poets have left the important fact of knowledge
That "Gaedel Glas" comes therefrom.

He left to him and to his progeny
did Moses — good was the instrument —
that no reptile or venomous serpent should be
in the land where the Gaedil should settle.

He left other bequests,
did Moses, a youth of great renown,
that the valorous seed of pure Gaedel
should never oppose the company of the Most High.

Mil of good progeny inflicted a death-wound
on Refloir, who was not weak:
he departed under duress from the land once on a time
to the river Nile, till he found Pharao.

The eight sons of Golam of the laughings,
whose name was Mil of Spain,
they cleared a thousand plains:
what was the land from which they came?

Airech Februa, Dond before God!
They were born in Scythia.
Born in streamy Egypt
were Eber and Amorgen.

Ir, no warrior was greater
was born on the side of Thracia —
Colptha of the sword was born
in the valley of Colpa (Gampa) in the Marshes.

Born at the tower of Breogan without sorrow
were Erennan and Eremon,
the two youngest of the warriors without blemish:
the Son of God subdued their wealth.

< PART 1. BIBLICAL HISTORY | PART 3. THE HISTORY OF THE CESSAIR >

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