"A thick-necked, burly warrior at the head of that
troop; black, bushy hair he had; a scarred, crimsoned face he had; a
deep-blue-grey, blazing eye in his head; a spear set with eyes of glass,
casting shadows over him; a black shield with a hard rim of silvered bronze
upon him; a dun-coloured cloak of curly wool about him; a brooch of pale
gold in the cloak over his breast; a three-striped tunic of silk [1]with
red embroidery[1] next to his skin; a sword with ivory hilt and with
ornamentation of thread of gold over his dress on the outside." "But, who
might that man be?" asked Ailill of Fergus. "We know him full well,"
Fergus made answer. "He is the putting of hand on strife; a wave of the
high sea that drowneth [2]the small streams;[2] he is the man of three
shouts; the sea over walls; [3]the venomous destruction of enemies,[3] the
man who comes thither. Muremur ('Thick-neck') son of Gerrcend ('Short-head')
from Moduirn in the north is the one yonder."

[1-1] YBL. 47a, 40.

[2-2] YBL. 47a, 43.

[3-3] YBL. 47a, 44.

"Still another company there came to the same mound in Slane of Meath,"
continued macRoth. [4]"Not fewer than thirty hundred, the battle line of
the troops.[4] A [5]broad-headed,[5] stout warrior, pleasantly found of
limb, in the front of that troop; he is dried and sallow; he is wild and
bull-like; a dun, round eye, proud in his head; [W.5283.] yellow, very
curly is his hair; a red, round shield with hard-silver rim about it he
bore; a [1]trebly riveted,[1] broad-plated, long-shafted spear in his hand;
a streaked-grey cloak around him; a salmon-shaped brooch of copper in the
cloak over his breast; a hooded kirtle girded around him reaching down to
his calves; a straightsword with ornaments of walrus-tooth on his left
thigh." "But who might he be?" [LL.fo.98b.] asked Ailill of Fergus. "I know
him indeed," Fergus made answer. "He is the prop of battle; [2]he is the
wild heat of anger; he is the daring of every battle;[2] he is the triumph
of every combat; he is the tool that pierces, is the man who comes
thither. Connud macMorna, from the Callann in the north, is the man
yonder."

[4-4] YBL. 47b, 12-13.

[5-5] Reading with Stowe and H. 1. 13.

"There came still another company to the same mound in Slane of Meath,"
continued macRoth. [3]"A company most fair to look upon, most notable both
in numbers and in attendance and apparel.[3] It is indeed no lying word, it
is with might and s