Le récit que nous publions ici est extrait du Book of Lismore, fos 126a1140a2, d' après Stokes ( Lives of the Saints) ou fos 168a1182a2, d' après la numération que porte le manuscrit. Celui-ci se trouve actuellement déposé à la bibliothèque de Chatsworth House (Derbyshire). Il en existe à Dublin quatre copies. Trois copies conservées à la Royal Irish Academy: 1) Une copie de la main d' O' Curry, fo. 169176. Cette copie s'arrête au milieu du section 70.
2) Une copie du 19e siècle, R.I.A. 23 C 6 (et non 23 C 16, comme l'indique d'Arbois de Jubainville, Catalogue, p. 141). Cette copie s'arrête également au milieu du section 70.
3) Une copie de la main d' O'Longan fo. 176a1182a2 qui donne le texte depuis le point où s'arrête la copie d' O' Curry jusqu'à la fin.
Enfin une copie complète de la main d' O'Longan, qui est en la possession du Dr Douglas Hyde.
Le Book of Lismore est seul à nous conserver le texte du
Le Siège de Druim Damhghaire se situe, dans l'ensemble de la littérature épique irlandaise, parmi une série de textes de même type. On sait que les récits épiques irlandais se répartissent en différents cycles: cycle mythologique, relatant les aventures de la Tuatha De Danann; cycle d' Ulster dont les principaux héros sont Cuchulinn et le roi Conchobor; cycle ossianique, consacré à Finn, a Ossian et à leurs compagnons; à cela viennent s'ajouter une série de cycles secondaires qu'on peut réunir sous l'appellation générale de Cycle des rois. Un grand nombre de ces récits mi-historiques, mi-légendaires ont trait aux règnes de Conn Cétchathach roi de Connaught (vers l'an 170 de notre ère) et de son petit-fils Cormac mac Airt, grand roi d' Irlande de l'an 227 à l'an 266 de notre ère, d' après les annales des Four Masters (cf. Best, Bibliography of Irish Literature, pp. 106 et 108). C'est au cycle de Cormac mac Airt que se rattache le récit du Siège de Druim Damhghaire.
Dans quelle mesure ce récit nous conserve-t-il le souvenir d' événements historiques? Ceci est malaisé à délimiter. Pour quelques paragraphes du début nous pouvons comparer notre texte avec les passages correspondants des annalistes. La bataille de Magh Mucraimhe (A.D. 195) nous est connue par ailleurs, et par les annales et par l'épopée (d. Cath Maige
Mucrima, éd. Stokes, RC, 13, 42674). Le caractère de Cormac tel qu'il nous apparait au début de ce récit (section 2, 6, 7), juge et roi, soucieux de légalité et préoccupé de géographie administrative, concorde bien avec ce que les Four Masters (A.D. 227) nous apprennent de ce roi, qui, le premier, fixa les règles du droit, recensa les royaumes et seigneuries d' Irlande, et régla leurs rapports fiscaux.
En revanche, pour la suite de ce récit, la comparaison avec les annalistes nous fait défaut. Ni les Four Masters, ni Tighernagh ni aucun autre annaliste dont nous ayons eu connaissance ne fait allusion à une expédition de Cormac mac Airt contre Fiacha Muillethan, roi de Munster. Si l'on songe à la minutie avec laquelle les batailles livrées par Cormac sont énumérées dans les Four Masters, le fait parait surprenant. Doit on l'expliquer par le caractère entièrement légendaire de cette expédition? ou par la répugnance des historiens de Leath Cuinn à relater une victoire de Leath Mogha?
A défaut des annales, l'Histoire d' Irlande de Keating nous conserve le récit du Siège de Druim Damhghaire (II, 318322). Sa source principale parait au reste être le texte du Book of Lismore, qu'il suit exactement en l'abrégeant et en retranchant beaucoup du côté merveilleux de ce récit. Sur quelques points cependant il semble que Keating ait eu d' autres sources. Ainsi, tandis que dans le texte de Lismore les druides alliés de Cormac viennent de Sith Cleitigh, sur la Boyne (section 21, 44), d' après Keating ces druides seraient Ecossais (II, 318, draoithe Albanacha 'n-a fochair ann).
Il est également impossible de préciser la date à laquelle a pu être composé ce récit. Le manuscrit dans lequel il nous a été conservé est du 15e siècle, mais le Forbuis est déjà mentionné dans la liste de récits épiques du Book of Leinster (fo 189 b). Il existait donc déjà une version de ce texte, dès la
Quelle que soit la date de composition de ce récit, il nous conserve assurément le souvenir de bien des coutumes et des croyances anciennes. Malgré quelques références à la magie orientale et au folk-lore chrétien (cf. section 83, 97, et section 59, où apparaît à côté du nom de Simon le Magicien celui de l'apôtre Pierre qui aurait contribué à l'instruction de Mogh Ruith dans l'art magique (section 113, rhétorique) le fond en est purement irlandais et païen. O'Curry, dans ses Manuscript Materials et dans ses Manners and Customs a signalé à plus d' une reprise l'importance de ce texte si riche en détails curieux et inédits sur l'art druidique et les pratiques et superstitions diverses s'y rattachant.
Le Siège de Druim Damhghaire fournit par ailleurs bon nombre d' indications sur la topographie de l'Irlande médiévale, indications d' autant plus précieuses qu'à côté du nom usité à l'époque où fut rédigé ce récit figure le plus souvent le nom usité antérieurement. Ces données ont au reste été utilisées par
La langue du Forbuis Droma Damhghaire, ne donne lieu à aucune observation particulière. Elle est sensiblement la même que celle qu'a décrite Wh. Stokes dans ses Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore. Toutefois, comme il fallait s'y attendre, le texte épique conserve, de-ci de-là, quelques formes et formules archaïques qui tranchent sur l'aspect moyen-irlandais de l'ensemble. Citons sethfaind, pour sefaind, prétérit de senn-, section 4; dotraei, section 7; nit ain, section 28.
La langue des rhétoriques est plus difficilement analysable, le texte en étant souvent inintelligible, et probablement parfois corrompu. Aussi avons-nous rejeté en appendice les morceaux lyriques de ce genre, sans même excepter ceux qui sont partiellement intelligibles.
Section 1. Introduction: naissance et avènement de Cormac mac Airt et de Fiacha Muillethan. Section 25. Aengus mac ind Oic apparaît à Cormac et lui prophétise ses futurs revers. Section 68. Les troupeaux de Cormac étant décimés par une épidémie, celui-ci, pour réparer cette perte, décide de réclamer une contribution considérable à la province de Munster, sous des prétextes légaux. Section 911. Les Munstériens refusent de se soumettre aux exigences de Cormac et se préparent à la guerre. Section 1218. Cormac interroge ses druides, Cithach, Cithmor, Cecht, Crota et Cithruadh, quant au succès de son expédition en Munster. Ceux-ci lui prédisent une issue funeste. Dépit de Cormac. Section 1922. Cormac trouve une alliée en Bairfhinn Blaith, fille du roi de Sidh Buirche qui, éprise de lui, lui promet l'aide de ses deux druides: Colptha et Lurga, et des trois magiciennes
The story we publish here is taken from the Book of Lismore, folios 126a1140a2, according to Stokes ( Lives of the Saints) or folios 168a1182a2, according to the manuscript foliation. It is currently kept in the Library of Chatsworth House (Derbyshire). There are four copies in Dublin, three of which are kept in the Royal Irish Academy: 1) A copy in O' Curry's hand, fo. 169176. This copy ends in the middle of section 70.
2) A copy of the 19th century, R. I. A. 23 C 6 (and not 23 C 16, as indicated by d'Arbois de Jubainville, Catalogue, p. 141). This copy also ends in the middle of section 70.
3) A copy in the hand of O' Longan, fo. 176a1182a2, which contains the text from the point where the copy of O' Curry ends to the end.
Finally, a complete copy in O' Longan's hand, which is in the possession of Dr Douglas Hyde.
The Book of Lismore is the only manuscript preserving the text of the Forbuis Droma Damhghaire. According to d'Arbois de Jubainville (Catalogue, p. 141) and Stokes ( Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore, 36), another text containing this story is found in the Book of Lecan, fo. 167. In fact, the Book of Lecan only has a short note on Fiacha Muillethan, in which, after the conception and birth of this prince, the war that he conducted against Cormac mac Airt, and which is the subject of this narrative, is described in a few lines (cf. Stokes, RC XI, 4145).
The Siege of Knocklong is one of a series of similar texts in the body of Irish saga literature. The Irish sagas are known to be divided into different cycles: the mythological cycle, recounting the adventures of the Tuatha De Danann; the Ulster Cycle, whose principal protagonists are Cuchulainn and King Conchobor; the Ossianic Cycle, dedicated to Finn, Ossian and their companions; and a series of secondary Cycles that can be subsumed under the general title Cycle of the Kings. Many of these semi-historical, semi-legendary accounts relate to the reigns of Conn Cétchathach king of Connaught (around 170 AD) and his grandson, Cormac mac Airt, King of Ireland from 227 to 266 AD, according to the Annals of the Four Masters (cf. Best, Bibliography of Irish Literature, pp. 106, 108). It is to the cycle of Cormac mac Airt that the Siege of Knocklong belongs.
To what extent this narrative preserves the memory of historical events is difficult to define. For a few paragraphs at the beginning we can compare our text with the corresponding passages of the annalists. The battle of Magh Mucraimhe (AD 195) is known to us, both from the Annals and the saga literature ( Cath Maige Mucrima, ed. Stokes, RC 13, 42674). The character of Cormac, such as it appears to us at the beginning of this account (sections 2, 6, 7), as a judge and king, anxious about legality and concerned about administrative geography, agrees with what the Four Masters (AD 227) relate about this king, who was the first to establish the rules of law, enumerate the kingdoms and lorships of Ireland, and regulate their fiscal relations.
However, for the rest of this narrative, we do lack a comparison with the annalists. Neither the Four Masters, nor Tighernach, nor any other annalist that we know of alludes to an expedition of Cormac mac Airt against Fiacha Muillethan, king of Munster. If you think how meticulously Cormac's battles are enumerated in the Annals of the Four Masters, this fact seems surprising. May it be explained by the entirely legendary character of this expedition? Or by the reluctance of the historians of Leath Cuinn to recount a victory of Leath Mogha?
In the absence of annals, Keating's History of Ireland preserves the story of the Siege of Knocklong (Book II, 318322). His main source seems to be the text in the Book of Lismore, which he follows exactly by abbreviating it and removing much of the marvellous side of this story. For some details however it seems that Keating had other sources. Thus, while in the Lismore text the druids allied to Cormac come from Sith Cleitigh, on the Boyne (sections 21, 44), according to Keating these druids would be from Scotland (Book II, 318, draoithe Albanacha 'n-a fochair ann).
It is also impossible to specify the date when this narrative was composed. The manuscript in which it was kept is from the 15th century, but the Forbuis is already mentioned in the list of sagas conained in the Book of Leinster (fo 189b). A version of this text therefore already existed in the first half of the 12th century. There is no evidence that this version is the one preserved in the Book of Lismore. In fact, the narrative as published here seems to have been composed, or at least redacted, at a much earler date. It would be interesting to look for and date the allusions and references to the Siege of Knocklong which can be found in Irish medieval literature. Without doubt, there would not be many of them. The names of most of the protagonists in this story, except for the historical characters, seem to be unknown, and the inventories of personal names left to us from the Irish Middle Ages (e. g. Cóir Anmann) do not mention them. However, the couplet cited in section 63 proves (at least if Cormac the Glossator was the author), that the saga of Mogh Ruith was already in existence at the end of the 9th or the beginning of the 10th century.
Whatever the composition date of this narrative may be, it certainly preserves the memory of many ancient customs and beliefs. Despite some references to oriental magic and Christian folklore (cf. sections 83, 97 and 59, where next to the name Simon Magus, or Simon the Magician, appears that of the apostle Peter who would have contributed to Mogh Ruith's instruction in the magical art (section 113, rhetoric) the background is purely Irish and pre-christian. O' Curry, in his Manuscript Materials and in his Manners and Customs, has pointed out more than once the importance of this text, so rich in curious and original details about Druidic art and the practices and superstitions related to it.
Apart from this, the Siege of Knocklong also provides a number of clues relating to the topography of medieval Ireland, all the more valuable since in addition to the contemporary names, this saga often includes the names formerly in use. These were also used by Hogan in his Onomasticon. It was decided not to include the possible place identifications in the Geographical Names Index at the end of this edition, and we refer the reader here, once and for all, to Hogan's work.
The language of the Siege of Knocklong does not prompt any particular observation. It is essentially the same as that in Whitley Stokes's Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore. However, as might be expected, here and there the saga text retains some archaic forms and formulas that contrast with the Middle Irish language of the whole. Let us quote sethfaind for sefaind, preterite of senn-, section 4; dotraei, section 7; nit ain, section 28.
To analyze the language of the rhetorics is more difficult, the text being often unintelligible, and probably sometimes corrupted. We have therefore relegated lyrical passages of this genre to the appendix, even including those which are partially intelligible.
Section 1. Introduction: birth and advent of Cormac mac Airt and Fiacha Muillethan.
Sections 25. Aengus mac ind Oic appears to Cormac and prophesies his future setbacks.
Sections 68. Since Cormac's herds have been decimated by an epidemic, and in order to recover his losses, he decides to claim a considerable contribution from the province of Munster, under legal pretexts.
Sections 911. The Munster people refuse to submit to Cormac's demands and prepare for war.
Sections 1218. Cormac asks his druids, Cithach, Cithmor, Cecht, Crota and Cithruadh, if his campaign into Munster will be successful. They foretell a disastrous outcome. Cormac is frustrated.
Sections 1922. Cormac finds an ally in Bairfhinn Blaith, daughter of the King of Sidh Buirche, who, in love with him, promises him the help of the two druids Colptha and Lurga, and the three magicians Errgi, Eang and Engain.
Sections 2337. With this support, Cormac sets off. He camps successively in Comarna Cuan, Ath in tSloigh, Formael na Fian, and Ath Croi. At each stage one of his druids leaves the camp to conduct the auguries and meets a foreign druid with whom he converses.
Sections 3841. Cormac arrives at Cnoc na Cenn (=Druim Damhghaire) where he sets up camp with difficulty.
Section 42. Cormac's druids use their art to raise the hill where he has established his camp.
Section 4344. The Munster people are preparing to fight Cormac's champions.
Sections 4547. Single combats are fought between Colptha and Finn, Lurga and Failbe.
Sections 4850. Fights between Errgi, Eang and Engain, who are transformed into sheep, and the Munster Troops. The Munster people are defeated.
Sections 5153. Cormac's druids hide the springs of Munster, and the Munster people succumb to thirst.
Sections 5457. The people of Munster are prepared to accept the rigorous conditions that Cormac sets them when Dil comes to advise them to ask the Druid Mogh Ruith for help.
Sections 5763. Dil sets out to find Mogh Ruith on behalf of the Munster people. The latter lays down his conditions, which are accepted. He is getting ready to leave for Cenn Claire.
Sections 6467. Mogh Ruith, accompanied by the chieftains of Munster, travels through different estates and chooses the barony of Fermoy, which he is to receive in exchange for his services.
Sections 6872. Mogh Ruith instructs his students to demarcate his property for him. They betray him. The remaining provisions of the treaty are being finalized.
Sections 7376. Mogh Ruith makes the springs and waters flow again in Munster.
Sections 7781. Mogh Ruith lowers the hill raised by Cormac's druids and, with the help of Gadhra, causes Cormac's army to panic.
Sections 8289. Colptha provokes the Munster people. Cennmar puts him to death, with the help of a magic eel, who is born through the spells of Mogh Ruith.
Section 90. Mogh Corb takes Colptha's head to Mogh Ruith.
Sections 9195. Cennmar defeats and kills Lurga with the help of the magic eel.
Sections 96103. The sheep come again to fight the Munster people, but Mogh Ruith pits them against three magical dogs that put them to flight, strike them down after a long chase and devour them.
Sections 104107. Cormac tries to separate Mogh Ruith from Fiacha's party, but Mogh Ruith rejects his offers.
Sections 108109. Mogh Ruith visits the female druid Banbuanana, who predicts victory for the Munster people.
Sections 110117. Cithruadh lights a druidic fire for Cormac's army. Mogh Ruith lights one for Fiacha's army. After a long battle Fiacha's fire triumphs, and the flames turn to the North.
Sections 118121. Mogh Ruith pursues Cormac's defeated army. He turns Cecht, Crota and Cithruadh into stone. He finally stops at Sliabh Fuait, where the victors name their conditions.
Sections 122ff. Connla, Fiacha's first cousin, was raised near Cormac. Through a ploy Cormac persuades him to kill his cousin Fiacha. Death of Fiacha.