Irische Texte : mit ersetzungen und Wterbuch

The Death of the Sons of Usnech. 165
Deirdre; and if it remains, there is not of Adam's family a
woman whose form is better than hers."
351. "I myself will go thither," saith Levarcham, "and I
will bring thee tidings." Now thus was Levarcham; and dearer
to her was Naisi than any one on the globe, for often she had
gone throughout the districts of the great world to seek for
Naisi, and to bear tidings to him and from him. Thereafter
Levarcham came forward to the place wherein were Naisi and
Deirdre.
357. And thus were they, with the 'Fair-head' of Concho-
bar between them, a-playing on it.
And she gave the son of Usnech and Deirdre kisses of
loyalty, lovingly, fervently; and she wept showers of tears, so
that her bosom and her fore-breast were wet. And after that
she spake and said: "It is not well for you, beloved child-
ren," she said, "for you to have the thing which he was most
loath to lose 1 , and you in his power. And I have been sent
to visit you, and to see whether her shape or her make re-
mains on her, on Deirdre. And sad to me is the deed they
do to-night in Emain, namely to work treachery and shame and
trothbreach 2 upon you, darling friends," saith she." And till
the end of the world Emain will not be better for a single
night than it is to-night." And she made the lay therein:.
369. "Sad to my heart is the shame
Which is done to-night in Emain;
And from the shame henceforward
It will be the contentious Emain.
Three brothers the best under heaven
Who have walked on the thick earth,
Grievous to me as it is
The slaying of them on account of one woman.
1 literally "taken most difficultly from him".
2 Perhaps "breach of trust."