The Poem-Book of the Gael

y own King, King of the pure heavens,

without pride, without contention,

who didst create the folded[11] world,

my King ever-living, ever victorious.

King above the elements, surpassing the sun,

King above the ocean depths,

King in the South and North, in the West and East,

with whom no contention can be made.

King of the Mysteries, who wast and art,

before the elements, before the ages,

King yet eternal, comely His aspect,

King without beginning, without end.

King who created lustrous heaven,

who is not arrogant, not overweening,

and the earth, with its multitudinous delights,

strong, powerful, stable.

King who didst make the noble brightness,

and the darkness, with its gloom;

the one, the perfect day,

the other, the very perfect night.

King who fashioned the vast deeps

out of the primary stuff of the elements,

who ...

the wondrous formless mass.

King who formed out of it each element,

who confirmed them without restriction, a lovely mystery,

both tempestuous and serene,

both animate and inanimate.

King who hewed, gloriously, with energy,

out of the very shapely primal stuff,

the heavy, round earth,

with foundations, ... length and breadth.[12]

King who shaped within no narrow limits

in the circle of the firmament

the globe, fashioned

like a goodly apple, truly round.

King who formed after that with fixity

the fresh masses about the earth;

the very smooth currents above the world

of the chill watery air.

King who didst sift the cold excellent water

on the earth-mass of the noble cliffs

into rills, with the reservoirs[13] of the streams,

according to their measures, with moderation.

Creation of the winds with their colours

King who ordained the eight winds

advancing without uncertainty, full of beauty,

the four prime winds He holds back,

the four fierce under-winds.

There are four other under-winds,

as learned authors say,

this should be the number, without any error,

of the winds, twelve winds.

King who fashioned the colours of the winds,

who fixed them in safe courses,

after their manner, in well-ordered disposition,

with the varieties of each manifold hue.

The white, the clear purple,

the blue, the very strong green,

the yellow, the red, sure the knowledge,

in their gentle meetings wrath did not seize them.

The black, the grey, the speckled,

the dark and the deep brown,

the dun, darksome hues,

they are not light, easily controlled.

King who ordained them over every void,

the eight wild under-winds;

who laid down without defect

the bounds of the four prime winds.

From the East, the smiling purple,

from the South, the pure white, wondrous,

from the North, the black blustering moaning wind,

from the West, the babbling dun breeze.

The red, and the yellow along with it,

both white and purple;

the green, the blue, it is brave,

both dun and the pure white.

The grey, the dark brown, hateful their harshness,

both dun and deep black;

the dark, the speckled easterly wind

both black and purple.

Rightly ordered their form,

their disposition was ordained;

with wise adjustments,[14] openly,

according to their position and their fixed places.

The twelve winds,

Easterly and Westerly, Northerly and Southerly,

the King who adjusted them, He holds them back,

He fettered them with seven curbs.

King who bestowed them according to their posts,

around the world with many adjustments,

each two winds of them about a separate curb,

and one curb for the whole of them.

King who arranged them in habitual harmony,

according to their ways, without over-passing their limits;

at one time, peaceful was the space,

at another time, tempestuous.

Measurements of the Universe

King who didst make clear the measure of the slope[15]

from the earth to the firmament,

estimating it, clear the amount,

along with the thickness of the earth-mass.

He set the course of the seven Stars[16]

from the firmament to the earth,

Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars,

Sol, Venus, the very great moon.

King who numbered, kingly the space,

from the earth to the moon;

twenty-six miles with a hundred miles,

they measure them in full amount.

This is that cold air

circulating in its aerial series(?)

which is called ... with certainty

the pleasant, delightful heaven.

The distance from the moon to the sun

King who measured clearly, with absolute certainty,

two hundred miles, great the sway,

with twelve and forty miles.

This is that upper ethereal region,

without breeze, without greatly moving air,[17]

which is called, without incoherence,

the heaven of the wondrous ether.

Three times as much, the difference is not clear(?)

between the firmament and the sun,

He has given to calculators;[18]

my King star-mighty! most true is this!

This is the perfect Olympus,

motionless, immovable,

(according to the opinion of the ancient sages)

which is called the Third Holy Heaven.

Twelve miles, bright boundary,

with ten times five hundred miles,

splendid the star-run course, separately

from the firmament to the earth.

The measure of the space

from the earth to the firmament,

it is the measure of the difference

from the firmament to heaven.

Twenty-four miles

with thirty hundred miles

is the distance to heaven,

besides the firmament.

The measure of the whole space

from the earth to the Kingly abode,

is equal to that from the rigid earth

down to the depths of hell.

King of each Sovereign lord, vehement, ardent,

who of His own force set going the firmament

as it seemed secure to Him over every space,

He shaped them from the formless mass.

The poem goes on to speak of the division of the universe into five zones, a torrid, two temperate, and two frigid zones, and of the earth revolving in the centre of the universe, with the firmament about it, "like a shell encircling an egg." The passage of the sun through the constellations is then described, each of the twelve divisions through which it passes being provided with six windows, with close-fitting shutters, and strong coverings, which open to shed light by day. The constellations are then named, and the first section of the poem ends as follows:-

For each day five items of knowledge

are required of every intelligent person,

from every one, without appearance of censure,[19]

who is in ecclesiastical orders.

The day of the solar month, the age of the moon,

the sea-tide, without error,

the day of the week, the festivals of the perfect saints,

after just clearness, with their variations.

FOOTNOTES: [11] Whitley Stokes gives "lawful."

[12] Comp. the parallel passage in Senchus mòr, Ancient Laws of Ireland, vol. i. intro. p. 26.

[13] This is Dr. Whitley Stokes' reading. Dr. R. Thurneysen reads "sextarii."

[14] It is not clear what the word glés, gléssib, which occurs frequently in the following passage, means. In mod. Irish, gléas, in one meaning, is a means or instrument for doing a thing. The verb gléasaim="to harness." It seems to have some such meaning here. The winds were apparently harnessed, curbed, or fettered two and two, the whole being held together in one fetter. In another sense gléas means "harmony."

[15] Or "track."

[16] i.e. the Planets.

[17] Or "impure air"?

[18] Cf. the parallel passage in the Senchus mòr astronomical tract, Anc. Laws of Ireland, vol. i., Introduction, p. 28.

[19] Perhaps "boasting."

* * *

l. 337

King who formed the pure Heaven,

with its boundaries, according to His pleasure,

a habitation choice, songful, safe,

for the wondrous host of Archangels.

Heaven with its multitude of hosts,

noble, durable, exceeding spacious,

a strong mighty city with a hundred graces,

a tenth of it the measure of the world.

Therein are three ramparts undecaying,

fixedly they surround heaven,

a rampart of emerald crystal,

a rampart of gold, a rampart of amethyst.[20]

A wall of emerald, without obscurity, outside,

a wall of gold next to the city,

between the two, with bright fair glory,

a mighty rampart of stainless purple.

There, with a strong-flowing sea (?)

is a spacious, perfect city,

in it, with the light of peace,[21]

is the eternal way of the four chief doors.

The measure of each door severally

of the four chief doorways,

(placed) side by side, by calculation,

is a mile across each single door.

In each doorway a cross of gold

before the eyes of the ever-shining host;

the King wrought them without effort,

they are massive, very lofty.

Overhead, on each cross, a bird of red gold,

full-voiced, not unsteady;

in every cross

a great gem of precious stone.

Every day an archangel

with his host from Heaven's king,

with harmony, with pure melody,

(gather) around each several cross.

Before each doorway is a lawn,

fair ..., of sure estimation,

I liken each one of them in extent[22]

to the earth together with its seas.

The circuit of each single lawn

with its silvern soil,[23]

with its swards, covered with goodly blossom,

with its beauteous plants.

Vast though you may deem

the extent of the spacious lawns,

a rampart of silver, undecaying,

has been formed about each several lawn.

The portals of the walls without

around the fortress on every side,

with its dwellings soundly placed,

affording abodes (?) for many thousands.

Eight portals in a series

so that they come together around the city,

I have not, in the way of knowledge,[24]

a simile for the extent of each portico.

Each portal abounding in plants,

with their bronze foundations,

a rampart of fair clay has been established

strongly about each portal.

Twelve ramparts-perfect the boundary (?)

of the portals, of the lawns,

without counting the three ramparts that are outside

around the chief city.

There are forty gateways in the heavenly habitation

with its kingly thrones;

three to each tranquil lawn,

and three to each portal.

l. 409

Gratings (or doors) of silver, fair in aspect,

to each gateway of that lawn,

gracious bronze doors

to the gateways of the portals.

The corresponding walls from the fortress outwards

of all the portals

are comparable in height[25]

(to the distance) from the earth to the moon.

The ramparts of the lawns, as is meet,

wrought of white bronze,

their height-mighty in brilliance-

is as that from the earth to the pure sun.

The measure of comparison of the three ramparts

which surround the chief city,

their height shows (a distance equal

to that) from the earth to the firmament.

l. 465

The entrance bridges[26] of the perfect gates,

a fair way, shining with red gold,

they are irradiated-pure the gathering-

each step ascending above the other.

From step to step-brave the progress,

pleasant the ascent into the high city;

fair is that host, on the path of attainment (?)

many thousands, a hundred of hundreds.

In the circuit of the ramparts-great its strength (?)-

in the interior of the chief city,

bright glossy galleries,

firm red-gold bridges.

Therein are flowering lands

ever fresh in all seasons,

with the produce of each well-loved fruit

with their thousand fragrances.

l. 553

The nine grades of heaven,

around the King of all causation,

without loss of glory, with vigour of strength,

without pride, without envy.

In abundant profusion (?) under the lawful King

this their exact number,

seventy-two excellent hosts

in each grade of the grades.

The number of each host, unmeasured gladness,

there is none that could know it,

except the King should know it

who created them out of nothing.

A majestic King over them all,

King of flowery heaven,

a goodly, righteous, steadfast King,

King of royal generosity in His regal dwelling.

King very youthful, King aged long ago,[27]

King who fashioned the heavens about the pure sun,

King of all the gracious saints,

a King gentle, comely, shapely.

The King who created the pure heavenly house

for the angels without transgression,

land of holy ones, of the sons of life,[28]

a plain fair, long, spacious.

He arranged a noble, peaceful[29] abode,

stable, under the regal courses,

a comely, clear, perfect, bright circuit,

for the wondrous folk of penitence.

My King from the beginning over the host,

"sanctus Dominus Sabaoth,"

to whom is chanted upon the heights, with loving guidance, (?)

the melody of the four-and-twenty white-robed saints.

The King who ordained the perfect choir

of the four-and-twenty holy ones,

sweetly they chant the chant to the host

"sanctus Deus Sabaoth."

King steadfast, bountiful, goodly, noble,

abode of peace, ... (?)

with whom is the flock of lambs

around the Pure Spotless Lamb.

Bright King, who appointed the Lamb

to move forward upon the Mount (of Sion)[30]

four thousand youths following Him,

(with) a hundred and forty (thousand) in a pure progress,

A perfect choir, with glories of form,

of the stainless virgins,

chants pure music along with them

following after the shining Lamb.

Equal in beauty, in swiftness, in brightness,

across the Mount surrounding the Lamb;

the name inscribed on their countenances, with grace,

is the name of the Father.

The King who ordained the voice

of the heavenly ones by inspiration,

full, strong-swelling,

as the mighty wave of many waters;

Or like the voice of sound-loving harps

they sing, without fault, full tenderly,

(like) multitudinous great floods over every land,

or like the mighty sound of thunder.[31]

King of the flowering tree of life,

a way for the ranks of the noble grades;

its top, its droppings, on every side,

have spread across the broad plain of heaven.

On which sits the splendid bird-flock

sustaining a perfect melody of pure grace,

without decay, with gracious increase

of fruit or of foliage.

Beauteous the bird-flock which sustains it, (i.e. the melody)

each choice bird with a hundred wings;

they chant without guile, in bright joyousness,

a hundred melodies for every wing.

King who created many splendid dwellings,[32]

many comely, just, perfect works,

through (the care of) my rich King,[33] over every sphere,

no lack is felt by any of the vast array.

His are the seven heavens, perfect in might,

without prohibition, without evil, whitely moving

around the earth, great the wonder (?)

with the names of each heaven.

Air, ether, over all

Olympus, the firmament,

heaven of water, heaven of the perfect angels,

the heaven where is the fair-splendid Lord.

l. 649

The amount of good which our dear God,

has for His saints in their holy dwelling,

according to the skill of the wise(?)

there is none who can relate a hundredth part of it.

The Lord, the head of each pure grade,

who gathered (?) the host to everlasting life,

may He save me after my going out of the body of battles,

the King who formed Heaven.

King who formed the pure Heaven.

FOOTNOTES: [20] Lit. "green," "gold," and "purple," but they seem to imply special stones.

[21] Or peaceful light.

[22] This is the L. B. reading; the text gives "excellence" or "fertility," which does not make good sense.

[23] The L. B. reading is fond d'argut futhib, which seems to point to some such meaning as "base," "foundation."

[24] Reading uncertain.

[25] This is the L. B. reading; our text seems to mean "in renown."

[26] Or "thresholds."

[27] Perhaps Ancient of Days.

[28] Mac bethad may mean "a sinless man," as mac ódis, "son of death," means a sinful man.

[29] We take síd to be an adjective; it might also mean "a fairy mound," but this is hardly applicable here.

[30] Rev. xiv. i.

[31] "I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps" (Rev. xiv. 2).

[32] "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John xiv. 3).

[33] Rogmar (mod. Ir. roghmhar) means "bulky" or "fortunate" or "fat"; here it refers to God as possessor of all.

* * *

l. 1081

rince who gave a clear admonition to Eve and to Adam,

that they should eat of the produce of Paradise

according to God's command:

"Eat ye of them freely,

of the fruits of Paradise-sweet the fragrance-

many, all of them (a festival to be shared)[34]

are lawful for you save one tree.

"In order that you may know that you are under authority,

without sorrow, without strife,

without anxiety, without long labour,

without age, evil, or blemish;

"Without decay, without heavy sickness;

with everlasting life, in everlasting triumph

on your going to heaven (joyous the festival)

at the choice age of thirty years."

A thousand years

and six hours of the hours,

without guile, without danger, it has been heard,

Adam was in Paradise.[35]

O God our help, whom champions prove,

who fashioned all with perfect justice,

not bright the matter of our theme (?)[36]

the King who spake an admonition with them.

Prince who gave a clear admonition.

(The figures in brackets after the title of the chapters are the numbers of the poems or cantos in the text.)

FOOTNOTES: [34] Lit. "share of a festival"; this is one of those chevilles which are frequent in this poem, often introduced without much sense to fill out a line, or to give a rhyming word. We have omitted a few of them in the translation.

[35] There seems to be some error here. According to Gen. v. 3, Adam lived altogether nine hundred and thirty years, as the poet states further on (p. 43).

[36] The meaning of this line is not clear. The above is conjectural.

* * *