AN GAODHAL.
973
Lionfar a croidhe le gáirdeas ann a lár."
Leis sin do sheachaid dhi an leanbh óg,
Shín air a brollach é, 'gus thug dhó póg,
'Smig 's thríd a smig, do bhris na deor' go frás
Silt 'nuas a leacaibh, ó a súilibh deas'.
D'a feicsint dhó-san, chuimil lé bos a láimh'
A h-aghaidh táis, as labhair léi go sáimh:
"Mo chéile ansach, ghean mo chroidhe, cad fáth
Bh-fuil go h-antrach, le geur bhrón do d' chrádh?
Roimh theacht mo lae 'gus m' am, ní'l orm baoghal,
A g-cumas aoin neach, ní'l mo chur de 'n t-saoghal,
An t-olc 's an mhaith, an togha 'gus an díogha,
Níor sháruigheadh an bás bhí 'n-dán dóibh fós a ríomh.
Uime sin, fill a bhaile 's aig an t-seol
Gabhtha, figheadh le slin agus le spól,
Nó 'sniamh le fearsaid, treorughadh do chuid ban
Ann uile oibre láimhe 's stuaime, fan;
Acht de na Troighthe uile air gach laoch,
'Gus orm go h-áiridhe, tá an cath a glaoch."
Do labhair a's d' fháisg a chathbhár air a cheann,
Thóig sise an t-slíghe a filleadh chum a lann
A dearcadh siar 's ag osnaighil go trom, tiugh,
'S ag silt na n-deora boga, 'nna lán sruth.
Teacht dhi a bhaile, ghuil a's gháir na mná,
Glacadh roinn d'a dubhrón 'gus d'a crádh,
Ag caoineadh a céile, amhail 's arís go h-eug
Nár 'n-dán dhó theacht, ó lámh 's ó lann na nGreug.
As we consider the foregoing the most classi¬
cal poem in the language we give an extended vo¬
cabulary or glossary so that all our students may
be able to understand it. It is composed in the
simplest language — no dictionary words being em¬
ployed, for the translator was a dictionary in him¬
self — a fact which some of our neighbors should
bear in mind And who would be so competent to
write a dictionary or grammar of the language as
he whose language it was from the cradle to the
grave — a space of 90 years — and who had the tal¬
ent to excel in the cultivation of the Classics. Is
it he who did not know a word of the language
a few years' ago? The Lion is now dead and the
Asses would have a kick at him, but the country¬
men of Erigena can still distinguish even the re-e¬
cho of the dead Lion's Roar from the Bray of the
living Ass.
Glossary.
abhlach, carcase.
Acuil, Achilles.
aghaidh, the face.
agraim, I entreat.
Aiacs, Ajax.
aise, death.
amhgar, affliction.
anacar, calamity.
ansach, beloved
antrach, untimely.
athaiseach, spiteful.
baintreugach, widow.
bán, laid waste.
baoghal, danger.
bascadh, perishing.
brath, to spy.
bréagadh, pacifying.
brollach, breast.
cadairt, fondling.
calmach, brave.
caoidh, lamentation.
caomh, gentle.
cascairt, slaughter.
céile, wife or hus.
ceannas, headship
ciabh, lock of hair.
cladhaire, coward.
cliú, fame.
clogad, helmet.
cosaint, defending.
coimirc, mercy.
crádh, anguish.
croch, hang.
cuimhne, remembrance.
cuing, fetters.
cumasach, powerful
cuimil, rub.
cumas, power.
danartha, cruel.
dearc, look, see.
déin, clean ; last.
deo, life; ever,
Dian, Diana.
díleacht, orphan.
díogha, worst.
dís, two.
doigh, supposition.
dólásach, sad.
díol, end; sell.
dubhrón, grief.
dúiseochaidh, will awaken
dán, fate; a poem.
eiltrighe, foreign.
fáisg, squeeze.
fait, plain, field.
faraoir, allas.
feadhna, troops.
feicsint, seeing.
figheadh, weaving.
fiosach, knowing.
foluingt, suffering.
fonnóid, jeering.
frás, plentiful.
gábh, danger.
