Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem 2

Temair II

  1. Temair free from feebleness hides not
    the glory due to women for its building;
    the daughter of Lugaid obtained in her possession
    an open plain that it were pity to pillage.
  2. 5] The wife of Gede begged a dower
    from her husband, as I have heard,
    the clear-hued fortress, stately ascent;
    keen was the game for graves.
  3. The abode was a keep, was a fortress,
    10] was a pride, a rampart free from ravage,
    whereon was to be the grave of Tea after death,
    so that it should be an increase to her fame.
  4. Erimon the lowly had
    a wife in the very midst of imprisonment;
    15] she got from him all her eager desires;
    he granted everything she spoke of.
  5. Brega Tea, a teeming home,
    is famed because Tea was a noble dame;
    the funeral mound under which is the great one of the standards,
    20] the burying ground that was not rifled.
  6. The daughter of Pharaoh, with tale of warriors,
    Tephi the bright, who used to cross the hill-slope,
    framed a stronghold (hardy the labourer!)
    with her staff and with her brooch she traced it.

    7. p.9

  7. 25] She gave a name to her fair stronghold,
    the king's wife gracious and lovely:
    the Rampart of Tephi, who would affront an army,
    whence she executed without dread any deed.
  8. Not hidden is the secret place that it should not be spoken of,
    30] the Rampart of Tephi in the east, as I have heard;
    in such wise at that place with no unworthy tradition
    did many queens build their sepulchres.
  9. The length and breadth of the House of Tephi
    not ignorantly the learned measure—
    35] sixty feet in full;
    diviners and druids beheld it.
  10. I have heard in many-cornered Spain
    of a maiden fair and indolent, heroic in fight,
    offspring of Bachtir son of Buirech;
    40] Camson, gentle champion, wedded her.
  11. Tephi was her name, from every warrior;
    ill-luck to him whom her entombment should wear out!
    a rath of sixty feet, full measure,
    was built by them for her concealment.
  12. 45] The king of Bregon free from sorrow did not wed her,
    though there was strife between him and Camson,
    that the loan of her might be returned1
    were it for better or for worse, or were she dead.

    13. p.11

  13. The tutelar of Camson, not hidden,
    50] Etherún (he was transitory),
    and the grey-eyed pasturing host
    were sent by him as a pledge for the restitution of mighty Tephi.
  14. The sad death of Tephi who came to the north,
    was a deed not concealed for a moment;
    55] Camson launched a vessel without payment
    with her over the surface of the cold and treacherous sea.
  15. The chief of Britain sent them from the shore,
    (for Etherun was pure;)
    with the lifeless body to do it honour in the rampart
    60] in the south, on which settled the name Tephirún.
  16. It was after this likeness in this place
    was made boldly the first frame
    of Temair, that has no match nor mate
    for beauty and for gaiety.
  17. 65] 'Temair' is the name of every lofty and conspicuous spot
    whereon are dwellings and strong keeps;
    'Temair' is the name of every peaked and pointed hill
    except the far-seen Emain.
  18. Temair of the cantred, and of the house,
    70] without hurry, without frenzy of heroes,
    was mother of the wealth of every tribe
    till a foolish crime destroyed her.

    19. p.13

  19. It was a shield of lords and chiefs
    it was a home of heroes, valiant in fray,
    75] Temair free from feebleness and faintness
    hides not its glory from womankind.

    20. p.15