Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Irish ordeals, Cormac's adventure in the Land of Promise, and the decision as to Cormac's sword (Author: Unknown)
section 3
At that time the men of Ireland used to proceed to
assemblies and great meetings in this wise: every king with his
royal robe around him and his golden helmet on his head, for
they used to wear their kingly diadems only on a field of battle.
Splendidly did Cormac enter that great meeting, for excepting
Conaire son of Etarscel, or Conchobar son of Cathbad, or
Oengus son of the Dagda, his like in beauty had never come.
Distinguished, indeed, was Cormac's appearance in that meeting.
p.204
Hair-braids slightly curled, all-golden upon him. He bore a red shield with engraving and with míla of gold and bow-ridges of silver. Around him was a mantle purple ... folded. A jewelled brooch of gold on his breast. A necklace of gold round his throat. Around him was a white-hooded shirt with a red insertion. A girdle of gold with gems of precious stone over him. He wore two golden shoes of network with buckles of gold. In his hand (he carried) two golden-ringed spears with many clasps (?) of bronze. He was, moreover, shapely, fair, without blemish, without disgrace. Thou wouldst deem that a shower of pearls had been cast into his head. Thou wouldst deem that his mouth was a cluster of rowan-berries. Whiter than snow was his nobly-built body. His cheek was like a forest-forcle1 or a mountain-foxglove. Like blue-bells were his eyes: like the sheen of a dark-blue blade his eyebrows and his eyelashes.