¶1] Much circumspection is due to the title of king, it must be guarded both from headstrong arrogance and lack of vigor, it is truly difficult to defend it.
¶2] If a man be headstrong he must needs be given to forays and wars, he will draw upon himself a contest for the kingship, and his land will be wrested from him.
¶3] Howbeit, let not one choose to be humble and servile; he will be despised thereby, not kingly is he who resolves thus.
¶4] Between arrogance and gentleness lies the golden mean of kingship; the king who is most moderate in his bearing is able to deal with disobedience.
¶5] According to this not many of us are fitted to assume kingship; it is not easy for a man to undertake it, considering these qualities which pertain to it.
¶6] Saving this only, might not Richard, son of Oliver— smooth hand like the blossom of the thorn—boast now that all follow his standard ?
¶7] He seeks naught from anyone else, and he leaves none unsatisfied (?}; despite the amount he spends of his wealth, there comes no ebbtide in his riches.
¶8] Although he has attained to kingship after winning every territory, it is enough for him to be as before, Richard, son of Mac William.
¶9] According to the judgment of the learned of Innisfail on Richard, grandson of John, he is the best, since he is the eldest, if he can answer for his comrades.
¶10] It is hard for them to displease the son of the queen from Ráth Murbhaigh; he of his race has the best claim, such might will be joined with him.
¶11] He is the most temperate in spirit, and has the best talents for lordship; the long of the Moy, chief in every fortune—by him is it most efficiently defended.
¶12] Never a day has the king of Cong been found humble or submissive—although he has plenty of prudence— hand which would not be checked in combat.
¶13] Neither is there any danger to the champion of Achill, high-spirited though he be, of being plundered on account of his arrogant spirit, fruitful branch of a lord.
¶14] Just such a warrior as he obtained the reward of his temperate spirit, the heir of the king of the Greeks, a deed most likely to be remembered.
¶15] The name of the youth was great Daedalus, son of Saturn, best warrior of the Greeks in valor, a graceful-fingered, kindly scion.
¶16] He coaxed—what greater affection?—the daughter of the emperor of the world to elope with him from sea to sea, without asking the leave of her father.
¶17] Along with him on his excursion, Daedalus, apple-branch surpassing the forest, brought his two brothers to guard the life of the warrior.
¶18] After exploring the lands they are wafted to a lonely isle, inhabited by no one in the world.
¶19] When this company of four had spent some time there, the maiden went of her own will to the green shore of the isle.
¶20] After a space a warrior of wondrous array came towards her; the woman, alone by the shore, regarded him for a while.
¶21] Never was there fashioned, of all human creatures, clay more beautiful than that warrior, face (radiant) as the moon, throat (white) as a blossom.
¶22] The young and. gift worthy warrior saluted the modest maiden, such fear was in her heart that she made him no reply.
¶23] And then he asked: 'What land is this in which thou art, or who has a right to dwell in it, thou graceful-handed, chaste beauty?'
¶24] 'The children of the king of Greece, who never grudged wealth, Daedalus and his two brothers, they,' said she, 'are in possession of the land, three appletrees from a single stem.'
¶25] 'I shall bear thee away from the three heroes, maiden,' said the warrior; 'sorrowful are thy words,' said the woman, 'it would be an omen of conflict were they heard.'
¶26] 'Didst thou so deal with me,' said she, 'in despite of my husband, it would be difficult for all the world to shelter thee, from the terror of the high-king's weapon.'
¶27] 'I shall take their ship with me, and the three chieftains who are within shall remain in weakness of travail in this land until the end of the world.'
¶28] He carried the woman into the ship, and then departed from the isle, having outwitted Daedalus, the generous, whitetoothed hero.
¶29] She cried as she left the shore, he rushed to her at once to see what was her trouble, or why she grieved.
¶30] He sees a ship under full sail, just visible from the strange land, speeding out to sea; he hears a cry from the vessel.
¶31] For seven days after, as it is told, Daedalus and the company who were ashore remained without woman, without ship.
¶32] 'O brothers, it is poor-spirited of us,' said bright-faced Daedalus, 'not to escape with the wings of birds, and fly from the isle across the sea.'
¶33] With strong glue they attach a bird's wing to the shoulder of each man; they arise from the slopes of the hills across the deep expanse of the ocean.
¶34] In arrogance of spirit the youngest of the eager heroes arises; from the sea he goes close to the sun, and ascended into the high heavens.
¶35] The sun's heat dissolved the fair glue, the wings gave way; he fell helpless headlong into the deep billows of the ocean.
¶36] The second youth kept close by the surface of the great streams, so that his stout pinion was struck from him by the cold flight of the water.
¶37] Upon the severing of the heavy wings by the harsh edges of the green waves the second warrior meets his death; an occasion of grief.
¶38] The elder of the joyous, fair youths, in a course between loftiness and lowliness, went unharmed across the surface of the white-foamed sea.
¶39] On coming to land the high-king seized his sword and his bright lance, and followed in the track of the couple.
¶40] He searched the whole world in pursuit of the pair and when he overtook them afterwards he caused their bodies to be hacked in pieces.
¶41] He slew the ruddy, white-toothed woman and her paramour; he gave him due cause of remorse for seeking his wife from him.
¶42] The young maiden is the wand of kingship, yours was that woman at first; be not slumbering, thou bright of cheek, the maiden has been stolen from thee.
¶43] The ship, moreover, O soft of hair, answers to those places of sovranty belonging to the Seed of Charles which have been wrested from thee, as it is said; compensation is due for unjust deeds.
¶44] And the island upon which thou didst remain when the maiden had departed from thee, thou hand unflinching in combat, is the comfortable plain of peace.
¶45] The bird's wings whereby thou didst leave the island are the mercenaries of hilly Banbha, and the companies that surround thee.
¶46] And that glue which binds to thee the blue-armoured warriors, thou chief of Bregia's ever-roving host, is the stipend which is dispensed to them.
¶47] The other young brother, whose great daring submerged him, is the people who contend with thee, and the kindred which arose on thy behalf.
¶48] And the man whom his lowliness of spirit submerged answers to those who would tell thee to make peace about thy territory.
¶49] Thou, O chief of Cong, art come in the middle way between them; thou art the elder who wilt surpass the rest, thou star of the isles of Ireland.
¶50] Thy love who was borne away from thee unjustly, O sparkling countenance, if she be restored to thee let her not be received with humility.
¶51] Go forth, thou king of Carra, make fast to thee the wings to recover the maiden, thou fair forest-tree of Bearnas.
¶52] This maiden has from childhood's years been wooing thee, Richard, this smooth, long-cultivated, fertile land, this territory of the seed of Charles.
¶53] Thou are most worthy of her, many are the reasons, thou stately hero of Bregia's hill, wherefore thy patrimony should be lawfully united to thee.
¶54] Thou hast the most numerous household, the largest number of veterans of battle; difficult it were for any to challenge thee, thou best of the sojourners of Ireland.
¶55] Let thy royal seat be filled, Richard, at the quaffing of ruddy draughts, with a number sufficient to guard the coasts of Banbha, a generous, peaceable host.
¶56] Let the northern side of the house be occupied by Sheela, daughter of Owen, and a flock of fair, modest, white-handed maidens, not of the daughters of the Sons of Míl.
¶57] Let the choicest women of the Irish and the English fill the apartment around her; a bright-cheeked swarm, ungrudging of cattle, disturbance of slumber to the warriors.
¶58] Many will be the slender-lipped, bright-cheeked beauties feasting with the daughter of the king of Durlas, like stars in time of frost.
¶59] A bevy of cupbearers with crimson beakers dispensing wine for her until after sleeping-time to the royal stags of the plain of Connacht.
¶60] After a time her minstrels, her music-makers, come to her; a forest of sweet-stringed, plaintive stems, about her soft, spreading locks and blushing cheeks.
¶61] The household of the queen of the plain of Cong— time passes swiftly amongst them; a noble throng, whom it is no wonder to love, abounding in witty converse.