Irish History
And
The Fighting Irish
And
The Fighting Irish
Cormac Mac Art continued. . .
Cormac
impressed by the argument, made demand upon Munster - which Fiacha, the son of
of Eogan Mor, the son of Oilill Olum, promptly refused. Cormac immediately marched into that kingdom, at the head of his army, to collect what he considered his due. Fiacha, with the Munstermen met him at the place which is now called Knocklong, in Limerick, gave brave battle to, and completely routed the High King's Army, pursued them into Ossory, and humiliatingly compelled Cormac to give him securities and pledges, and to promise to send him hostages from Tara.
Some say that there was at Tara in Cormac's time, a house of virgins who kept constanly alive the fires of Bel or the sun, and of samain, the moon. It became historic from the fact that Dunlaing MacEnda, King of Leinster, once broke into this retreat, and put the virgins to the sword - for which Cormac decreed death to the scoundrel; and compelled his successors to Tara, every year, 30 white cows with calves of the same colour, 30 brass collars for the cows and 30 chains to hold them while milking. Historians record that the first watermill was introduced into Eirinn by Cormac. It was to spare toil to his concubine, Cairnat, the daughter of the King of Picts, that he did it. She was said to have surpassed all women in beauty. The men of Ulster had carried her off from Alba. From them Cormac obtained her; and his wife Ethni, jealous of her, made Cairnat her slave, compelling the woman to grind by the Queen every day, nine pecks of corn. Cormac, it is said, brought craftsmen from Alba - where water mills had been introduced from the Romans - to construct the mill, for sparing of Ciarnat.
A new classification of the people is said to have been made by the assembled nobles and scholars, the the Feis of Tara, in Cormac's time - being ranked according to their mental and material qualifications.
When Cormac found himself advanced in years, he resigned the throne and its cares. Some say he had to resign, because he lost an eye - lost it in his own hall, one time that his son, Cellach, who had insulted a woman of the Desi was thereinto pursued by the avenger of the Deisi, the Chieftan Aengus, who killed Cellach in his father's presence, and in the scuffle, put out the eye of the monarch also. Aengus, it is worth noting here, was not summarily slain by Cormac's order. This philosophic and just King called him to answer before a court of justice. And for this double crime, Aengus and his clan were exiled from Meath, where they ( of the Southern Ciannachta )
had their patrimony. They sojourned for a while in Leinster, and afterwards went onward to Munster, of their own Kindred. There they helped the Munster King ( Aengus of Cashel ) to wrest from Leinster large territory in Tipperary and Waterford - and in reward there was settled on them part of the new territory - in Waterford, where their country country is to this day known as the Deisi.
Cormac as said resigned the High-Kingship, thus ending one of most fruitful as well as illustrious reigns that ever blessed Ireland. For of all Ireland this wise and just King made a beautiful land of promise. Three great literary works are, by various authorities ascribed to him in his retirement - namely Teagasc an Riogh ( Instructions of a King ) The Book of Acaill, and The Psaltair of Tara. Teagasc an Riogh taking the form of a dialogue between Cormac and his son Caibre whom he is instructing for the duties of his position as Ard-Righ, is one of the works that some writers claim to have originated with him - though it is more likely to be a literary product of several centuries later. Of whatever ancient age they are, these Precepts form a rather remarkable very wise code of ethics.
Some say that there was at Tara in Cormac's time, a house of virgins who kept constanly alive the fires of Bel or the sun, and of samain, the moon. It became historic from the fact that Dunlaing MacEnda, King of Leinster, once broke into this retreat, and put the virgins to the sword - for which Cormac decreed death to the scoundrel; and compelled his successors to Tara, every year, 30 white cows with calves of the same colour, 30 brass collars for the cows and 30 chains to hold them while milking. Historians record that the first watermill was introduced into Eirinn by Cormac. It was to spare toil to his concubine, Cairnat, the daughter of the King of Picts, that he did it. She was said to have surpassed all women in beauty. The men of Ulster had carried her off from Alba. From them Cormac obtained her; and his wife Ethni, jealous of her, made Cairnat her slave, compelling the woman to grind by the Queen every day, nine pecks of corn. Cormac, it is said, brought craftsmen from Alba - where water mills had been introduced from the Romans - to construct the mill, for sparing of Ciarnat.
A new classification of the people is said to have been made by the assembled nobles and scholars, the the Feis of Tara, in Cormac's time - being ranked according to their mental and material qualifications.
When Cormac found himself advanced in years, he resigned the throne and its cares. Some say he had to resign, because he lost an eye - lost it in his own hall, one time that his son, Cellach, who had insulted a woman of the Desi was thereinto pursued by the avenger of the Deisi, the Chieftan Aengus, who killed Cellach in his father's presence, and in the scuffle, put out the eye of the monarch also. Aengus, it is worth noting here, was not summarily slain by Cormac's order. This philosophic and just King called him to answer before a court of justice. And for this double crime, Aengus and his clan were exiled from Meath, where they ( of the Southern Ciannachta )
had their patrimony. They sojourned for a while in Leinster, and afterwards went onward to Munster, of their own Kindred. There they helped the Munster King ( Aengus of Cashel ) to wrest from Leinster large territory in Tipperary and Waterford - and in reward there was settled on them part of the new territory - in Waterford, where their country country is to this day known as the Deisi.
Cormac as said resigned the High-Kingship, thus ending one of most fruitful as well as illustrious reigns that ever blessed Ireland. For of all Ireland this wise and just King made a beautiful land of promise. Three great literary works are, by various authorities ascribed to him in his retirement - namely Teagasc an Riogh ( Instructions of a King ) The Book of Acaill, and The Psaltair of Tara. Teagasc an Riogh taking the form of a dialogue between Cormac and his son Caibre whom he is instructing for the duties of his position as Ard-Righ, is one of the works that some writers claim to have originated with him - though it is more likely to be a literary product of several centuries later. Of whatever ancient age they are, these Precepts form a rather remarkable very wise code of ethics.
" O grandson of Conn, O Cormac, " said Cairbe " What is best for a king ? " " Not hard to tell, " said Cormac " Best for him - firmness without anger, paitence without strife, affability, without haughtiness, guarding of ancient lore, giving justice, truth, peace, giving many alms, honoring poets, worshipping the great God. Let him attend to the sick, benefit the strong, possess truth, chide falsehhod, love, righteousness curb fear, crush criminals, judge truly, foster science, improve his soul, utter every truth. For it is through the truth of a ruler that God gives all. Let him restrain the great, slave evil-doers, exalt the good, consolidate peace, check unlawfulness, protect the just, confine the unjust. He should question the wise, follow ancient lore, fulfil the lore, be honest with friends, be manly with foes, learn every art, know every language, hearken to elders, be deaf to the rabble. Let him be gentle, let him be hard, let him be loving, let him be merciful, let him be righteous, let him be patient, let him be preserving, let him hate falsehood, let him love truth, let him be forgetful of wrong, let him be mindful of good, let him be attended by a host in gatherings, and by few in secret council's, let his covenants be firm, let his levies be lenient, let his judgements and decisions be sharp and light . . . For it is by these qualities, Kings and Lords are judged. "
" O grand-son of Conn, O Cormac, " said Cairbre. " What were your habits when you were a lad? "
" Not hard to tell. " said Cormac.
" O grand-son of Conn, O Cormac, " said Cairbre. " What were your habits when you were a lad? "
" Not hard to tell. " said Cormac.
I was a listener in the woods
I was a gazer at the stars,
I was unseeing among secrets,
I was silent in a wilderness,
I was conventional among many,
I was mild in the mead-hall,
I was fierce in the battlefield,
I was gentle in friendship,
I was a nurse to the sick,
I was weak towards the strengthless,
I was strong towards the powerful,
I was not arrogant though i was wise,
I was not a promiser though i was rich,
I was not boastful though i was skilled,
I would not speak ill of the absent,
I would not reproach, but i would praise,
I would not ask, but i would give -
I was a gazer at the stars,
I was unseeing among secrets,
I was silent in a wilderness,
I was conventional among many,
I was mild in the mead-hall,
I was fierce in the battlefield,
I was gentle in friendship,
I was a nurse to the sick,
I was weak towards the strengthless,
I was strong towards the powerful,
I was not arrogant though i was wise,
I was not a promiser though i was rich,
I was not boastful though i was skilled,
I would not speak ill of the absent,
I would not reproach, but i would praise,
I would not ask, but i would give -
"For it is through these habits that the young become old and Kingly warriors" " O grandson of Conn, O Cormac " said Cairbre " what is good for me ? " " Not hard to tell, " said Cormac " if you listen to my teaching -
Do not deride the old, though you are young;
Nor the poor, though you are wealthy;
Nor the lame, though you are swift;
Nor the blind, though you are given sight;
Nor the sick, though you are strong;
Nor the dull, though you are clever;
Nor the foolish, though you are wise;
Be not too wise, be not too foolish;
Be not too conceited, be not too diffident;
Be not too haughty, be not too humble
Be not too talkative, be not too silent;
Be not too harsh, be not too feeble;
If you be too wise, they will expect ( too much ) of you;
If you be too foolish, you will be deceived;
If you be too conceited, you will be thought vexatious;
If you be too humble, you will be without honour;
If you be too talkative, you will not be heeded;
If you be too silent, you will not be regarded;
If you be too harsh, you will be broken;
If you be too feeble, you will be crushed;
Nor the poor, though you are wealthy;
Nor the lame, though you are swift;
Nor the blind, though you are given sight;
Nor the sick, though you are strong;
Nor the dull, though you are clever;
Nor the foolish, though you are wise;
Be not too wise, be not too foolish;
Be not too conceited, be not too diffident;
Be not too haughty, be not too humble
Be not too talkative, be not too silent;
Be not too harsh, be not too feeble;
If you be too wise, they will expect ( too much ) of you;
If you be too foolish, you will be deceived;
If you be too conceited, you will be thought vexatious;
If you be too humble, you will be without honour;
If you be too talkative, you will not be heeded;
If you be too silent, you will not be regarded;
If you be too harsh, you will be broken;
If you be too feeble, you will be crushed;
A
second book attributed to Cormac is the Book of Acaill so named from his place of retirement. It is a book
of the principles of Criminal Law, which is supposed to have been developed and enriched by later lawgivers and commentators - in particular by the eminent lawgiver, Ceann Falad, who died in 677. The Book of Acaill is found annexed to a law treatise of Ceann Falad's. Both are preserved and form part of the Irish Brehon Laws. The prolegomenon of the Book of Acaill says: " The place of this book is Acaill close to Teamair ( Tara ), and its time is the time of Cairbre Lifechair, the son of Cormac, and its author Cormac, and the cause of its having been composed was the blinding of an eye of Cormac by Aengus Gabuidech, after the abduction of a daughter of Sorcer, the son of Art Corb, by Cellach, the son of Cormac. " The scholars differ regarding the authenticity - but several of them conclude that the foundations of it at least are Cormac's. All of them agree that it is a noteworthy product of a very ancient lawgiver.
