t of four hundred, and he ceased at the
thunder-feat of five hundred. For he did not deem it too much that such
a great number should fall by his hand at his first onset and first
battle-assault on four of the five grand provinces of Erin, [3]while
avenging on them the slaughter of the youths and of Follomain son of
Conchobar,[3] In such wise fared he forth for to seek his foes, and he
drove his chariot in a wide circuit round about the hosts of the four grand
provinces of Erin. And he led his chariot a heavy way. The chariot's iron
wheels sank into the ground so that [4]the earth dug up by the iron
wheels[4] might have served for a dun and a fortress, so did the chariot's
iron wheels cut into the ground. For in like manner the clods and boulders
and rocks and the clumps and the shingle of the earth arose up outside on a
height with the iron wheels. It was for this cause he made this circling
[5]hedge[5] of the Badb [W.2646.] round about the hosts of four of the five
grand provinces of Erin, that they might not escape him nor get away before
he would come on them to press a reprisal for the boys. And he went into
the midst of the ranks and mowed down huge walls of the corpses of his foes
[1]and enemies and opponents[1] in a great circle round about the host. And
he made the onslaught of a foe amongst foes upon them, so that they fell
sole to sole, neck to neck, [2]arm to arm, elbow to elbow, and rib to rib,
[3]such was the closeness of their bodies,[3] and there were pools of ruddy
blood where they moved.[2] Thrice again in this manner he circled them
round, so that he left them in beds of six in a great ring around them,
even the soles of three to the backs of three men in a circle around the
camp. Hence Sessrech Breslige ('Great sixfold Slaughter')[a] is the name of
this event on the Tain, and it is one of the three unreckonable events of
the Tain, which were, to wit, Sessrech Breslige, Immslige Glennamnach ('the
Mutual Slaying at Glennamain'), and the battle of Garech [LL.fo.78b.] and
Ilgarech; only that here, hound and horse and man were one to him [4]in the
great rout on Mag Murthemni that night avenging the youths on four of the
five grand provinces of Erin.[4]

[2-2] Eg. 93.

[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[4-4] Stowe.

[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[3-3] LU. 1996.

[a] Or, 'Ploughland of the Great Slaughter.'

[4-4]