hour in
the evening all the men of Ulster had taken position on that height in
Slane of Meath.

MacRoth came forward with the account of their first company to the place
where Ailill and Medb and Fergus were and the nobles of the men of
Erin. Ailill and Medb asked tidings of him when he arrived. "Come,
macRoth," quoth Ailill, "tell us in what manner of array do the Ulstermen
advance to the hill of Slane in Meath?" "Truly, I know not," answered
macRoth, "except [1]this alone:[1] There came a fiery, powerful, most
well-favoured company upon the hill of Slane in Meath," said macRoth. "It
seemed, on scanning and spying, that[a] thrice thirty hundred[a] warriors
were in it. [2]Anon[2] they all doffed their garments and threw up a turfy
mound for their leader to sit on. A youth, slender, long, exceeding great
of stature, fair to behold, proud of mien, in the van of the troop. Fairest
of the princes of the world was he in the midst of his warriors, as well in
fearsomeness and in awe, in courage and command; fair-yellow hair, curled,
delicately arranged in ridges and bushy had he [3]reaching to the nape of
his neck;[3] a comely, clear-rosy countenance he had, [4]narrow below and
broad above;[4] a deep-blue-grey, angry eye, devouring. [W.5175.] and
fear-inspiring, in his head; a two-forked beard, yellow, fairly curled, on
his chin; a purple mantle with fringes and five-folded wrapped around him;
a [1]conspicuous,[1] salmon-shaped brooch of [2]red[2] gold in the mantle
over his breast; a shining-white, hooded shirt under red interweaving of
red gold he wore next his white skin; a bright-white shield with figures of
beasts of red gold thereon; a gold-hilted, hammered sword in one of his
hands; a broad and grey-green lance-head [3]on an ashen shaft[3] in the
other; [4]the pillar of a king's house on his back.[4] That warrior took
his station on the top of the mound, so that each one came up to him and
his company took their places around him.

[1-1] Stowe and H. 1. 13.

[a-a] 'Thirty hundred,' Stowe, H. 1. 13, and YBL. 46a, 47.

[2-2] Stowe and H. 1. 13.

[3-3] Stowe and H. 1. 13, and, similarly, YBL. 46a, 42.

[4-4] YBL. 46a, 47.

[1-1] YBL. 46a, 44.

[2-2] YBL. 46a, 44.

[3-3] YBL. 46b, 3.

[4-4] Stowe and H. 1. 13. That is, 'a great spear.'

"There came also another company to the same height in Slane of Meath,"
continued macRoth. "Second of the two divisions of thirty hundred it