Chapter II

§ 8. The hostages of the braves had gone security on his behalf, andBricriu accordingly bethought him how he should manage to set theUlster men at variance. His deliberation and self-scrutiny being ended,he betook himself to the company of Loigaire the Triumphant, son ofConnad mac Ilîach. “Hail now, Loigaire the Triumphant, thou mightymallet of Bregia, thou hot hammer of Meath, flame-red thunderbolt, thouvictorious warrior of Ulster, what hinders the championship of Emainbeing thine alway?” “If I so choose, it shall be mine,” quoth Loigaire. “Bethine the sovranty of the braves of Erin,” quoth Bricriu, “if only thou actas I advise.” I will indeed,” quoth Loigaire.§ 9. “Sooth, if the champion’s portion of my house be thine, thechampionship of Emain is thine for ever. The champion’s portion of myhouse is worth contesting, for it is not the portion of a fool’s house,”quoth Bricriu. “Belonging to it is a caldron full of generous wine, withroom enough for three of the valiant braves of Ulster; furthermore, aseven-year-old boar; nought has entered its lips since it was little savefresh milk and fine meal in springtime, curds and sweet milk in summer,the kernel of nuts and wheat in autumn, beef and broth in winter; acow-lord full seven-year-old; since it was a little calf neither heather nortwig-tops have entered its lips, nought but sweet milk and herbs,meadow hay and corn. [Add to this] fivescore cakes of wheat, cooked inhoney withal. Five-and-twenty bushels, that is what was supplied forthese fivescore cakes—four cakes from each bushel. Such is thechampion’s portion of my house. And since thou art the best hero amongthe men of Ulster, it is but just to give it thee, and I so wish it. By the endof the day, when the feast is spread out, let thy charioteer get up, and itis to him the champion’s portion will be given.” “Among them shall bedead men if it is not done so,” quoth Loigaire. Bricriu laughed at that,for it liked him well.§ 10. When he had done inciting Loigaire the Triumphant to enmity,Bricriu betook himself into the company of Conall the Victorious. “Hailto thee, Conall the Victorious, thou art the hero of victories and ofcombats; great are the victories thou hast already scored over the heroesof Ulster. By the time the Ulster men go into foreign bounds thou art adistance of three days and three nights in advance over many a ford;thou protectest their rear when returning, so that [an assailant] may notspring past thee, nor through thee nor over thee; what then shouldhinder the champion’s portion of Emain being thine alway?” Thoughgreat his treachery with regard to Loigaire, he showed twice as much inthe case of Conall the Victorious.§ 11. When he had satisfied himself with inciting Conall the Victoriousto quarrel, he hied to the presence of Cuchulainn. “Hail to thee,Cuchulainn, thou victor of Bregia (ie. Bray), thou bright banner of theLiffey, darling of Emain, belov’d of wives and of maidens, for theeto-day Cuchulainn is no nickname, for thou art the champion of theUlster men, thou wardest off their great feuds and frays, thou seekestjustice for each man of them; thou attainest alone to what all the Ulstermen fail in; all the men of Ulster acknowledge thy bravery, thy valourand thine achievements surpassing theirs. What meaneth therefore thyleaving of the champion’s portion for some one else of the men of Ulster,since no one of the men of Erin is capable of contesting it against thee?”“By the god of my tribe,” quoth Cuchulainn, “his head shall he losewhoso comes to contest it with me.” Thereafter Bricriu severed himselffrom them and followed the host as if no contention had been madeamong the heroes.§ 12. Whereupon they entered the palace, and each one occupied hiscouch therein, king, prince, noble, yeoman, and young brave. The half ofthe palace was set apart for Conchobar and his retinue of valiant Ulsterheroes; the other half [was reserved] for the ladies of Ulster attending onMugan, daughter of Eochaid Fedlech, wife of King Conchobar. Thefollowing were those who attended upon Conchobar in the fore-part ofthe palace, namely, Fergus mac Rôig, Celtchar son of Uthechar, Eoganson of Durthact, and the two sons of the king, namely, Fiacha andFîachaig, Fergna son of Findchôim, Fergus son of Leti, Cûscraidthe-stuttering-of-Macha, son of Conchobar, Sencha son of Ailill, the threesons of Fiachach, namely, Rus and Dâre and Imchad, Muinremur son ofGeirrgind, Errge Echbêl, Amorgene son of Ecit, Mend son of Salchad,Dubtach Dôel Ulad, Feradach Find Fectnach, Fedelmid mac Ilair Chêtaig,Furbaide Ferbend, Rochad son of Fathemon, Loigaire (Leary) theTriumphant, Conall the Victorious, Cuchulainn, Connad son of Mornai,Erc son of Fedelmid, Illand son of Fergus, Fintan son of Nial, Ceterndson of Fintan, Factna son of Sencad, Conla the False, Ailill theHoney-tongued, Bricriu himself, the chief Ultonian warriors, with thebody of youths and artistes.§ 13. While the feast was being spread for them, the musicians andplayers performed. The moment Bricriu spread the feast with itssavouries, he was ordered by the hostages to leave the hall. Theystraightway got up with drawn swords in their hands to expel him.Whereupon Bricriu and his followers went out to the balcony. Arrived atthe threshold of the palace, he called out, “That Champion’s Portion, suchas it is, is not the portion of a fool’s house; do ye give it to the Ulsterhero ye prefer for valour.” He thereupon left them.§ 14. Anon the spencers rose up to serve the food. The charioteer ofLoigaire the Triumphant, to wit, Sedlang mac Riangabra, then rose upand said to the distributors: “Do ye assign to Loigaire the Triumphantthe Champion’s Portion which is by you, for he alone is entitled to itbefore the other young braves of Ulster.” Then Id mac Riangabra,charioteer to Conall the Victorious, got up and spake to the like effect.And Loig mac Riangabra spake thus: “Do ye bring that to Cuchulainn; itis no disgrace for all the Ulster men to give it to him; it is he who is mostvaliant among you.” “That’s not true,” quoth Conall the Victorious andLoigaire the Triumphant.§ 15. They then got up upon the floor and donned their shields andseized their swords. At one another they hewed till the half of the palacewas an atmosphere of fire with the [clash of] sword- and spear-edge, theother half one white sheet from the enamel of the shields. Great alarmgat hold upon the palace; the valiant heroes shook; Conchobar himselfand Fergus mac Rôig got furious on seeing the injury and the injustice oftwo men surrounding one, namely, Conall the Victorious and Loigairethe Triumphant attacking Cuchulainn. There was no one among theUltonians who dared separate them till Sencha spake to Conchobar: “Partthe men,” quoth he. [For at that period, among the Ultonians, Conchobarwas a god upon earth.][2]§ 16. Thereupon Conchobar and Fergus intervened, [the combatants]immediately let drop their hands to their sides. “Execute my wish,”quoth Sencha. “Your will shall be obeyed,” they responded. “My wish,then,” quoth Sencha, “is to-night to divide the Champion’s Portion thereamong all the host, and after that to decide with reference to it accordingto the will of Ailill mac Mâgach, for it is accounted unlucky among themen of Ulster to close this assembly unless the matter be adjudged inCruachan.” The feasting was then resumed; they made a circle round thefire and got ‘jovial’ and made merry.