48 THE BATTLE OF VENTRY. 



870 Is ann sin imoro rainic airdri oirrdeirc uasalghnimhach teann trentalcur tar- 

 caisneach neartmar neimneach naimhdeamhail data dighaingar^ (?) dubhgusrunach 

 an domhain 7 an cing cabarthach clannHnmhar ceartberathach flaithamhail fireolach 

 Finn 7 doriachtadar an da omna aigh sin 7 an da beithir gan baeghlachadh 7 an da 

 mathgamain morghlonnacha 7 an da leoman luathfeargacha co hait na hirghaili. 7 do 



875 connairc ri an domain an cloidheamh nemhe arna nochtad a laim Finn 7 ro airigh 

 an t-sleigh nithghalaidh neimhe 7 an scian 7 do athain na hairm neimhe da raibhe 

 a n-dan do fefn bas d' fagail. 7 ro lin uaman 7 imeacla uili he 7 dochuaidh a cruth 

 7 a caemhdenamh de 7 do meirbligheadar a m^oir 7 do crithnaigheadar a chosa 7 

 do saebadh a rosg 7 a ragarc le faicsin na n-arm sin a laimh Finn. 



880 Ro nochtadar imoro an da chathmilidh a cloidhme altgorma iarannblaithi 

 orcumdaighi 7 ro innsaigheadar a cheile co dianborb dluithmar dasachtach 7 co 

 morbhuill^fy^ malltroightheach merlaidir 7 co tren teann tulbhorb tinneasnach 7 

 dorinneadar na hairdrighi an irghail co hingantach. Uair do beandais tuirc 7 trom- 

 chaepa a taebhaibh 7 a torcasnach a cheili 7 nir becan ni ris ba samalta torannchleasa 



885 na deisi sin, amail budh e sighi gairbgreasach gaithi na geamoidche arna roinn co 

 ceart cudruma do thiucfadh anoir 7 aniar a n-airrcis a cheili no amail budh hi an 

 Mhuir Romar reachtaigeantach Ruadh ar n-denamh da leath co lanceart di do bhan- 



Then came the illustrious high-king of the world, of noble deeds, strong, robust, 

 proud, powerful, venomous, destructive, nimble, disdainful, full of black crafty thoughts, 

 and the helpful warrior of many clanns, whose is the birthright, the princely, truly-wise 

 Finn, and those two oaks of valour, and the two bears without fear, and the two bears of 

 great deeds, and the two quickly-roused lions went to the place of combat. And the 

 king of the world beheld the venomous sword unsheathed in the hand of Finn, and per- 

 ceived the venomous battle-strong spear and the knife, and recognised the venomous 

 weapons, by which he was fated to find death. And fear and dread filled him completely, 

 and his comeliness and fair shape left him, and his fingers grew unsteady, and his feet 

 trembled, and his eye and his sight began to squint, when he saw those weapons in the 

 hand of Finn. 



Then the two battle-soldiers bared their blue-jointed, iron-smooth, gold-omamented 

 swords, and attacked each other vehemently, fiercely, closely, madly, and with great 

 blows, with slow feet, actively, strongly, and powerfully, hardily, fiercely, and vehemently, 

 and the high-kings fought a wonderful combat. For they would strike the hearts and 

 heavy clods out of the sides and out of the heart-ribs of each other, and not small was 

 that with which the thunder-feats of those two may be compared, as if it was the rough- 

 breezed gust of a winter-night's wind which, having separated itself equally, would come 

 from east and west against each other, or as if it was the Red Sea fully and equally 

 divided into two sides, striking against each other, or as if it were two days of judgment 



873. an dana omna MS. 



