The contention that the older redaction, if we had it complete, would resemble the younger one in its insistence upon the chivalrous bearing of the two opponents, may also be urged on historical grounds.  The sentiment which gives reality and power to the situation is based upon the strength of the tie of blood-brotherhood; so strong is this that it almost balances the most potent element in the ideal of old Irish heroism—­the sense of personal honour and pre-eminence in all that befits a warrior.  The tie itself and the sentiment based upon it certainly belong to pre-Christian times, and must have been losing rather than gaining in strength during the historic period, say from the fourth century onwards.  The episode of Cuchulain’s combat with Ferdiad must have existed in the older redaction of the “Tain” for the simple reason that a tenth and eleventh century story-teller would have found nothing in the feelings, customs, or literary conventions of his own day to suggest to him such a situation and such a manner of working it out.  But—­and this consideration may afford a ground of conciliation with Miss Faraday and the scholars who hold by the lateness of the episode—­the intrinsic beauty and pathos of the situation, the fact of its constituting an artistic climax, would naturally tempt the more gifted of the story-telling class.  There would be a tendency to elaborate, to adorn in the newest fashion, hence to modernise, and it is not only conceivable but most probable that the original form should be farther departed from than in the case of much else in the epic.

Alfred Nutt.

GENERAL NOTES

THE COURTSHIP OF ETAIN

The translation of both versions of this romance has been revised by Professor Strachan, and the linguistic notes are due to him, unless otherwise stated.  The rendering given in the text is noted as “doubtful,” in cases where Professor Strachan does not assent.

Page 7 @@both line 17?  Line 17.  “By a means that he devised,” do airec memman, lit. “by a device of mind.”  Compare airecc memman aith (Meyer, Hib.  Minora, p. 28).

Line 17.  “So that she became well-nourished, &c.,” lit. “till there came to her fatness and form;” sult probably means “fatness,” and feth “form.”

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Line 25.  “Curvetting and prancing,” tuagmar, foran.  These are guesses by O’Curry:  curvetting may be right, but there is little authority for rendering foran as “prancing “; this word is doubtful.  “With a broad forehead,” forlethan, lit. “broad above,” O’Curry renders “broad-rumped.”

Line 34.  “Upon the shore of the bay,” forsin purt.  Windisch’s rendering of port is “bank, harbour”; but it is doubtful whether the word means more than “place.”

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