King who didst make clear the measure of the slope[15]
 from the earth to the firmament,
 estimating it, clear the amount,
 along with the thickness of the earth-mass.
He set the course of the seven Stars[16]
 from the firmament to the earth,
 Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars,
 Sol, Venus, the very great moon.
King who numbered, kingly the space,
 from the earth to the moon;
 twenty-six miles with a hundred miles,
 they measure them in full amount.
This is that cold air
 circulating in its aerial series(?)
 which is called ... with certainty
 the pleasant, delightful heaven.
The distance from the moon to the sun
 King who measured clearly, with absolute certainty,
 two hundred miles, great the sway,
 with twelve and forty miles.
This is that upper ethereal region,
 without breeze, without greatly moving air,[17]
 which is called, without incoherence,
 the heaven of the wondrous ether.
Three times as much, the difference is not clear(?)
 between the firmament and the sun,
 He has given to calculators;[18]
 my King star-mighty! most true is this!
This is the perfect Olympus,
 motionless, immovable,
 (according to the opinion of the ancient sages)
 which is called the Third Holy Heaven.
Twelve miles, bright boundary,
 with ten times five hundred miles,
 splendid the star-run course, separately
 from the firmament to the earth.
The measure of the space
 from the earth to the firmament,
 it is the measure of the difference
 from the firmament to heaven.
Twenty-four miles
 with thirty hundred miles
 is the distance to heaven,
 besides the firmament.
The measure of the whole space
 from the earth to the Kingly abode,
 is equal to that from the rigid earth
 down to the depths of hell.
King of each Sovereign lord, vehement, ardent,
 who of His own force set going the firmament
 as it seemed secure to Him over every space,
 He shaped them from the formless mass.

The poem goes on to speak of the division of the universe into five zones, a torrid, two temperate, and two frigid zones, and of the earth revolving in the centre of the universe, with the firmament about it, "like a shell encircling an egg." The passage of the sun through the constellations is then described, each of the twelve divisions through which it passes being provided with six windows, with close-fitting shutters, and strong coverings, which open to shed light by day. The constellations are then named, and the first section of the poem ends as follows:—

For each day five items of knowledge
 are required of every intelligent person,
 from every one, without appearance of censure,[19]
 who is in ecclesiastical orders.
The day of the solar month, the age of the moon,
 the sea-tide, without error,
 the day of the week, the festivals of the perfect saints,
 after just clearness, with their variations.

FOOTNOTES:

[11] Whitley Stokes gives "lawful."

[12] Comp. the parallel passage in Senchus mòr, Ancient Laws of Ireland, vol. i. intro. p. 26.

[13] This is Dr. Whitley Stokes' reading. Dr. R. Thurneysen reads "sextarii."

[14] It is not clear what the word glés, gléssib, which occurs frequently in the following passage, means. In mod. Irish, gléas, in one meaning, is a means or instrument for doing a thing. The verb gléasaim="to harness." It seems to have some such meaning here. The winds were apparently harnessed, curbed, or fettered two and two, the whole being held together in one fetter. In another sense gléas means "harmony."

[15] Or "track."

[16] i.e. the Planets.

[17] Or "impure air"?

[18] Cf. the parallel passage in the Senchus mòr astronomical tract, Anc. Laws of Ireland, vol. i., Introduction, p. 28.

[19] Perhaps "boasting."

II. THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM

l. 337
King who formed the pure Heaven,
 with its boundaries, according to His pleasure,
 a habitation choice, songful, safe,
 for the wondrous host of Archangels.
Heaven with its multitude of hosts,
 noble, durable, exceeding spacious,
 a strong mighty city with a hundred graces,
 a tenth of it the measure of the world.
Therein are three ramparts undecaying,
 fixedly they surround heaven,
 a rampart of emerald crystal,
 a rampart of gold, a rampart of amethyst.[20]
A wall of emerald, without obscurity, outside,
 a wall of gold next to the city,
 between the two, with bright fair glory,
 a mighty rampart of stainless purple.
There, with a strong-flowing sea (?)
 is a spacious, perfect city,
 in it, with the light of peace,[21]
 is the eternal way of the four chief doors.
The measure of each door severally
 of the four chief doorways,
 (placed) side by side, by calculation,
 is a mile across each single door.
In each doorway a cross of gold
 before the eyes of the ever-shining host;
 the King wrought them without effort,
 they are massive, very lofty.
Overhead, on each cross, a bird of red gold,
 full-voiced, not unsteady;
 in every cross
 a great gem of precious stone.
Every day an archangel
 with his host from Heaven's king,
 with harmony, with pure melody,
 (gather) around each several cross.
Before each doorway is a lawn,
 fair ..., of sure estimation,
 I liken each one of them in extent[22]
 to the earth together with its seas.
The circuit of each single lawn
 with its silvern soil,[23]
 with its swards, covered with goodly blossom,
 with its beauteous plants.
Vast though you may deem
 the extent of the spacious lawns,
 a rampart of silver, undecaying,
 has been formed about each several lawn.
The portals of the walls without
 around the fortress on every side,
 with its dwellings soundly placed,
 affording abodes (?) for many thousands.
Eight portals in a series
 so that they come together around the city,
 I have not, in the way of knowledge,[24]
 a simile for the extent of each portico.
Each portal abounding in plants,
 with their bronze foundations,
 a rampart of fair clay has been established
 strongly about each portal.
Twelve ramparts—perfect the boundary (?)
 of the portals, of the lawns,
 without counting the three ramparts that are outside
 around the chief city.
There are forty gateways in the heavenly habitation
 with its kingly thrones;
 three to each tranquil lawn,
 and three to each portal.
l. 409
Gratings (or doors) of silver, fair in aspect,
 to each gateway of that lawn,
 gracious bronze doors
 to the gateways of the portals.
The corresponding walls from the fortress outwards
 of all the portals
 are comparable in height[25]
 (to the distance) from the earth to the moon.
The ramparts of the lawns, as is meet,
 wrought of white bronze,
 their height—mighty in brilliance—
 is as that from the earth to the pure sun.
The measure of comparison of the three ramparts
 which surround the chief city,
 their height shows (a distance equal
 to that) from the earth to the firmament.
l. 465
The entrance bridges[26] of the perfect gates,
 a fair way, shining with red gold,
 they are irradiated—pure the gathering—
 each step ascending above the other.
From step to step—brave the progress,
 pleasant the ascent into the high city;
 fair is that host, on the path of attainment (?)
 many thousands, a hundred of hundreds.
In the circuit of the ramparts—great its strength (?)—
 in the interior of the chief city,
 bright glossy galleries,
 firm red-gold bridges.
Therein are flowering lands
 ever fresh in all seasons,
 with the produce of each well-loved fruit
 with their thousand fragrances.
l. 553
The nine grades of heaven,
 around the King of all causation,
 without loss of glory, with vigour of strength,
 without pride, without envy.
In abundant profusion (?) under the lawful King
 this their exact number,
 seventy-two excellent hosts
 in each grade of the grades.
The number of each host, unmeasured gladness,
 there is none that could know it,
 except the King should know it
 who created them out of nothing.
A majestic King over them all,
 King of flowery heaven,
 a goodly, righteous, steadfast King,
 King of royal generosity in His regal dwelling.
King very youthful, King aged long ago,[27]
 King who fashioned the heavens about the pure sun,
 King of all the gracious saints,
 a King gentle, comely, shapely.
The King who created the pure heavenly house
 for the angels without transgression,
 land of holy ones, of the sons of life,[28]
 a plain fair, long, spacious.
He arranged a noble, peaceful[29] abode,
 stable, under the regal courses,
 a comely, clear, perfect, bright circuit,
 for the wondrous folk of penitence.
My King from the beginning over the host,
 "sanctus Dominus Sabaoth,"
 to whom is chanted upon the heights, with loving guidance, (?)
 the melody of the four-and-twenty white-robed saints.
The King who ordained the perfect choir
 of the four-and-twenty holy ones,
 sweetly they chant the chant to the host
 "sanctus Deus Sabaoth."
King steadfast, bountiful, goodly, noble,
 abode of peace, ... (?)
 with whom is the flock of lambs
 around the Pure Spotless Lamb.
Bright King, who appointed the Lamb
 to move forward upon the Mount (of Sion)[30]
 four thousand youths following Him,
 (with) a hundred and forty (thousand) in a pure progress,
A perfect choir, with glories of form,
 of the stainless virgins,
 chants pure music along with them
 following after the shining Lamb.
Equal in beauty, in swiftness, in brightness,
 across the Mount surrounding the Lamb;
 the name inscribed on their countenances, with grace,
 is the name of the Father.
The King who ordained the voice
 of the heavenly ones by inspiration,
 full, strong-swelling,
 as the mighty wave of many waters;
Or like the voice of sound-loving harps
 they sing, without fault, full tenderly,
 (like) multitudinous great floods over every land,
 or like the mighty sound of thunder.[31]
King of the flowering tree of life,
 a way for the ranks of the noble grades;
 its top, its droppings, on every side,
 have spread across the broad plain of heaven.
On which sits the splendid bird-flock
 sustaining a perfect melody of pure grace,
 without decay, with gracious increase
 of fruit or of foliage.
Beauteous the bird-flock which sustains it, (i.e. the melody)
 each choice bird with a hundred wings;
 they chant without guile, in bright joyousness,
 a hundred melodies for every wing.
King who created many splendid dwellings,[32]
 many comely, just, perfect works,
 through (the care of) my rich King,[33] over every sphere,
 no lack is felt by any of the vast array.
His are the seven heavens, perfect in might,
 without prohibition, without evil, whitely moving
 around the earth, great the wonder (?)
 with the names of each heaven.
Air, ether, over all
 Olympus, the firmament,
 heaven of water, heaven of the perfect angels,
 the heaven where is the fair-splendid Lord.
l. 649
The amount of good which our dear God,
 has for His saints in their holy dwelling,
 according to the skill of the wise(?)
 there is none who can relate a hundredth part of it.
The Lord, the head of each pure grade,
 who gathered (?) the host to everlasting life,
 may He save me after my going out of the body of battles,
 the King who formed Heaven.
King who formed the pure Heaven.

FOOTNOTES:

[20] Lit. "green," "gold," and "purple," but they seem to imply special stones.

[21] Or peaceful light.

[22] This is the L. B. reading; the text gives "excellence" or "fertility," which does not make good sense.

[23] The L. B. reading is fond d'argut futhib, which seems to point to some such meaning as "base," "foundation."

[24] Reading uncertain.

[25] This is the L. B. reading; our text seems to mean "in renown."

[26] Or "thresholds."

[27] Perhaps Ancient of Days.

[28] Mac bethad may mean "a sinless man," as mac ódis, "son of death," means a sinful man.

[29] We take síd to be an adjective; it might also mean "a fairy mound," but this is hardly applicable here.

[30] Rev. xiv. i.

[31] "I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps" (Rev. xiv. 2).

[32] "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John xiv. 3).

[33] Rogmar (mod. Ir. roghmhar) means "bulky" or "fortunate" or "fat"; here it refers to God as possessor of all.

III. THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. (vii.)

P.
l. 1081
rince who gave a clear admonition to Eve and to Adam,
 that they should eat of the produce of Paradise
 according to God's command:
"Eat ye of them freely,
 of the fruits of Paradise—sweet the fragrance—
 many, all of them (a festival to be shared)[34]
 are lawful for you save one tree.
"In order that you may know that you are under authority,
 without sorrow, without strife,
 without anxiety, without long labour,
 without age, evil, or blemish;
"Without decay, without heavy sickness;
 with everlasting life, in everlasting triumph
 on your going to heaven (joyous the festival)
 at the choice age of thirty years."
A thousand years
 and six hours of the hours,
 without guile, without danger, it has been heard,
 Adam was in Paradise.[35]
O God our help, whom champions prove,
 who fashioned all with perfect justice,
 not bright the matter of our theme (?)[36]
 the King who spake an admonition with them.
Prince who gave a clear admonition.

(The figures in brackets after the title of the chapters are the numbers of the poems or cantos in the text.)

FOOTNOTES:

[34] Lit. "share of a festival"; this is one of those chevilles which are frequent in this poem, often introduced without much sense to fill out a line, or to give a rhyming word. We have omitted a few of them in the translation.

[35] There seems to be some error here. According to Gen. v. 3, Adam lived altogether nine hundred and thirty years, as the poet states further on (p. 43).

[36] The meaning of this line is not clear. The above is conjectural.

IV. THE FALL AND EXPULSION FROM PARADISE. (viii.)

l. 1105
The Devil was jealous thereat
 with Adam and his children,
 their being here, without evil,
 in their perfect bodies (on their passage) to heaven.
All the living creatures in the flesh
 my Holy King has created them,
 outside Paradise without strife
 Adam it is who used to order them.
At the time when out of every quarter
 the hosts of the seven heavens used to gather round my High King,
 every fair corporeal creature
 used to come together to Adam.
Each of them out of this place cheerfully,[37]
 at his call to adore him;
 to Adam, joyous the custom,
 they used to come to delight him.
From heaven God ruled
 all the living things
 that they should come out of every district without fierceness[38]
 till they arrived before (the gate of) Paradise.
Then they would return right-hand-wise
 without seed of pride or any murmuring,
 each of them to its very pure abode
 after taking leave of Adam.
The very fierce, double-headed beast,
 was subtle and watchful, with (his) twenty hosts,
 how under heaven he shall find a way
 to bring about the destruction of Adam.
Lucifer, many his clear questions,[39]
 went amongst the animals,
 amongst the herds outside Paradise
 until he found the serpent.
"Is it not useless (i.e. unworthy of you) thy being outside?"
 said the Devil to the serpent;
 "with thy dexterous cunning,
 with thy cleverness, with thy subtlety?
"Great was the danger and the wickedness
 that Adam should have been ordained over thee;
 the downfall[40] of him, the youngest of created things,
 and his destruction, would be no crime to us.
"Since thou art more renowned in warfare,
 first of the twain thou wast created,
 thou art more cunning, more agreeable in every way (?)
 do not submit to the younger!
"Take my advice without shrinking,[41]
 let us make an alliance and friendship;
 listen to my clear reasoning:
 do not go forth to Adam.
"Give me a place in thy body,
 with my own laws, with my own intellect,
 so that we both may go from the plain
 unexpectedly[42] to Eve.
"Let us together urge upon her
 the fruit of the forbidden tree,
 that she afterwards may clearly
 press the food upon Adam.
"Provided that they go together
 beyond the commandment of his Lord,
 God will not love them here,
 they will leave Paradise in evil plight."[43]
"What reward is there for me above every great one?"
 said the serpent to the devil;
 "on my welcoming thee into my fair body,
 without evil, as my fellow-inhabitant?
"For guiding thee on that road
 to destroy Eve and Adam,
 for going with thee truly to the attack
 whatever act thou mayest undertake?"[44]
(Lucifer replies)
"What greater reward shall I give to thee
 according to the measure of our great crime
 (than that) our union in our habits, in our wrath,
 shall be for ever spoken of?"
When he found a place for the betrayal
 in the likeness of the serpent's shape,
 slowly he went tarrying[45]
 directly to the gate of Paradise.
The serpent called outside,
 "dost thou hear me, O wife of Adam?
 come and converse with me, O Eve of the fair form,
 beyond[46] every other."
"I have no time to talk with anyone,"
 said Eve to the serpent;
 "I am going out to feed
 the senseless animals."
"If you are the Eve whose fame was heard
 with honour in Paradise,
 wife of Adam, beautiful, wide-minded,
 in her I desire[47] my full satisfaction."[48]
(Eve speaks)
"Whenever Adam is not here,
 I am guardian of Paradise,
 without weariness, O smooth, pale creature,
 I attend to the needs of the animals."
(The Serpent speaks)
"How long does Adam go from thee,
 on which side does he make his fair circuit,
 when at any time he is not here
 feeding the herds in Paradise?"
"He leaves it to me, bright jewel;
 I feed the animals,
 while he goes with pure unmeasured renown
 to adore the Lord."
"I desire to ask a thing of thee,"
 said the slender, very affable serpent,
 "because bright and dear is thy clear reasoning,
 O Eve, O bride of Adam!"
"Whatever it be that you contemplate saying,
 it will not vex me, O noble creature;
 certainly there will be no obscurity here,
 I will narrate it to thee truthfully."
"Tell me, O glorious Eve,
 since it chances that we are discoursing together,
 in your judgment, is the life in Paradise,
 with your lordship here, pleasant?"
(Eve replies)
"Until we go faultless in our turn, (or "ranks")
 in our bodies to heaven,
 we do not ask here greater lordship
 than what there is of good in Paradise.
"Every good thing,[49] as it was heard,
 that God created in Paradise,
 save one tree, all without reserve,
 is thus under our control.[50]
"It is He, the dear God, who committed to us,
 O pale, bashful creature,
 Paradise as a solace[51] for His people (?)
 except the fruit of the one tree.
"'Let alone the very pure tree,'
 He cautioned myself and Adam,
 'the fruit of the rough tree, if thou eatest of it
 against my command, thou shalt die.'"
(The Serpent speaks)
"Though on the plain[52] you be equal,
 yourself and Adam, O Eve,
 you are not more intelligent, O gentle, pure one,
 than any of the beasts.
"However great be the host under you outside
 it is lamentable that you are without minds,
 like to any of the ignorant animals;
 thus you are under one law (with them).[53]
"Except as regards possessions only,
 your lordship has not been complete;
 since nothing of evil has been sent to you,
 the worse is your understanding.
"Great is the lack of wisdom;
 God is deceiving you:
 because it is of the one tree of good and evil,
 that you are not permitted to eat.
"For this purpose the brave tree was invented,
 in order that it should not be allowed you;
 that you should not have the intelligence
 to distinguish between good and evil.
"Do not hesitate, go to the tree,
 to test it as regards one apple;
 the discernment between good and evil
 will be as the High Prince instructed you."
(Eve speaks)
"How good soever thy intelligence,
 however favourable[54] and gracious thy counsel,
 to go to the tree I dare not,
 lest we die.
"Go thou thyself to the tree, O serpent,
 and bring from it one apple;
 but if that apple come to me
 I shall share it between myself and Adam.
"Before all the multitudes we shall be endowed with knowledge,
 if we but eat the apple,
 (this is) thy tale without mockery;
 perchance what thou sayest is true."
(The Serpent speaks)
"O Eve, untrammelled light,
 open before me the gate of Paradise;
 provided I arrive without misfortune yonder
 I will bring from the tree the apple."
(Eve speaks)
"Though I open before thee that thou mayest go yonder,
 though from the tree you bring me an apple,
 there will be no delay on thee here,
 (by) thy lingering in Paradise?"
(Satan speaks)
"If I bring the apple to thee,
 that thou mayest discern good and evil
 without any fail I will go out,
 unless bondage or fetters befall me."
Eve opened secretly
 the door before the serpent,
 without difficulty[55] it went (it was not obsequious),
 on its course to the one tree.
Eve took the perfect apple
 from the apple-tree (most woeful the tale),
 Eve carried off the half, it was not well,
 she left the other half for Adam.
King who drave from Thee the host of hell,
 who hast made them fast in equal wretchedness under trembling service,
 He (God) wounded in battle, though it was laborious,
 the keen wolf who was jealous.
The Devil was jealous thereat.