Seven
months it was since Cormac had gone out from Tara to search for his
wife and children, but it seemed to him that he had been absent but
for the space of a single day and night.
IX
DESCRIPTION OF CORMAC[33]
[33] The original from the BOOK OF BALLYMOTE (14th century) is
given in O'Curry's MS. MATERIALS OF IRISH HISTORY, Appendix
xxvi. I have in the main followed O'Curry's translation.
"A noble and illustrious king assumed the sovranty and rule of Erinn,
namely Cormac, grandson of Conn of the Hundred Battles. The world was
full of all goodness in his time; there were fruit and fatness of the
land, and abundant produce of the sea, with peace and ease and
happiness. There were no killings or plunderings in his time, but
everyone occupied his land in happiness.
"The nobles of Ireland assembled to drink the Banquet of Tara with
Cormac at a certain time.... Magnificently did Cormac come to this
great Assembly; for no man, his equal in beauty, had preceded him,
excepting Conary Mor or Conor son of Caffa, or Angus Og son of the
Dagda.[34] Splendid, indeed, was Cormac's appearance in that Assembly.
His hair was slightly curled, and of golden colour; a scarlet shield
he had, with engraved devices, and golden bosses and ridges of silver.
A wide-folding purple cloak was on him with a gem-set gold brooch over
his breast; a golden torque round his neck; a white-collared shirt
embroidered with gold was on him; a girdle with golden buckles and
studded with precious stones was around him; two golden net-work
sandals with golden buckles upon his feet; two spears with golden
sockets and many red bronze rivets in his hand; while he stood in the
full glow of beauty, without defect or blemish.
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