e ye the sorest of all hardships, for although all the men of
Erin are drawn up against them, it is the men of Erin that will be
defeated. When they take it upon them to engage in battle they cannot hold
out without a combat. Thus will they remain now till morning, every forty
men of them contending with the others. And this is my advice to you," said
Fergus: "permit me with my division to withstand them, and do ye betake
yourselves to the woods and wilds of Erin, and the Ulstermen shall not find
ye in any place, and I will proceed as an example, depending on my own
men-of-war." "There are men here for ye!" cried Medb. "That will be a force
for yourselves," Fergus made answer.[6]

[6-6] See note 6, page 338.

"Yet another company came there to the same height in Slane of Meath,"
said macRoth. "Not fewer than a division was in it; wild, dark-red,
warrior-bands; [1]bright, clear, blue-purple men;[1] long, fair-yellow
heads of hair they wore; handsome, shining countenances they had; clear,
kingly eyes; magnificent vesture with beautiful mantles; conspicuous,
golden brooches along their bright-coloured sleeves; silken, glossy tunics;
blue, glassy spears; yellow shields for striking withal; gold-hilted,
inlaid swords set on their thighs; loud-tongued care has beset them;
sorrowful are they all, and mournful; sad are the royal leaders; orphaned
the brilliant company without [W.5689.] their protecting lord who was wont
to guard their lands." "But, who may they be?" asked Ailill of Fergus.
"Indeed, we know them well," Fergus made answer. "Furious lions are they;
deeds of battle; the division from the field of Murthemne are they.
[LL.fo.100b.] It is this that makes them cast-down, sorrowful, joyless
[1]as they are,[1] because that their own divisional king himself is not
amongst them, even Cuchulain, the restraining, victorious, red-sworded one
that triumpheth in battle!" "Good reason, in truth, there is for them to be
so," quoth Medb, "if they are dejected, mournful and joyless. There is no
evil we have not worked on them. We have harassed and we have assailed
them, [2]their territory and their land,[2] from Monday at the beginning of
Samaintide till the beginning of Spring.[a] We have taken their women and
their sons and their youths, their steeds and their troops of horses, their
herds and their flocks and their droves. We have razed their hills after
them till they are become lowlands, so that they are level with the
pl