Cath Maige Tuired: A Full English Translation

by Morgan Daimler

The Cath Maige Tuired is one of the most important Irish mythological texts, relating the events of the battle between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians.
No previous published versions of the Cath Maige Tuired include the entire text in English, as multiple sections are usually left out. These sections are poetic and often difficult to translate, however in this book the full story is given including the portions of the text not found in other printed versions. The version offered here also strives to adhere as closely as possible to the tone of the original, giving as literal a translation as possible. This may feel somewhat stilted for English speakers but the goal is to convey a feeling that is as close to the original text as possible

Genres: Mythology, Paganism, History

42 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2020

About the author

My name is Morgan Daimler. I have had my poetry and prose published in different places including various anthologies, Circle magazine, Witches and Pagans magazine and Pagan Dawn magazine. I am the author of the urban fantasy series Between the Worlds and (through Cosmic Egg Books) the high fantasy novel Into Shadow. I've written more than a dozen non-fiction works through Moon Books including Fairy Witchcraft, Pagan Portals: the Morrigan, Fairies: A Guide to the Celtic Fair Folk, A New Dictionary of Fairies, and Pagan Portals Aos Sidhe

Reviews

[Mike Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Translation

Another amazing work by Daimler. A thorough translation of the ancient text has been sorely lacking and now we have it. Richly footnoted throughout with thoughtful explanations of how and why the phrases and words were translated the way they were. This work is simply a must have for anyone seeking a deeper connection to Irish mythology.

[Lloyd Earickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since the last ancient myth book I read and reviewed (I think the last one was Volsunga Saga ), and it was fun to return to this kind of storytelling. In this case, we have a translation of an Irish myth involving a war between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians, and it has everything you and I have come to enjoy about these sorts of works: talking swords, gods with a profound weakness for porridge, and sorcerous rap battles to determine the fate of the land.

Sometimes, these books can be difficult to get through, whether because they're long, or the style and language, even in translation, is so opaque and alien to a modern viewpoint, but that wasn't the case here. Cath Maige Tuired, as translated by Morgan Daimler, is as approachable as any piece of modern fiction, albeit with less defined narrative structure. Still, it manages to have vivid characters, and with each "chapter" being only a paragraph or two, you might find yourself sitting down and reading the entire thing in a single pass.

Like the "northerness" that so inspired Tolkien (and thereby the rest of the fantasy genre), which was on such fine display in Volsunga Saga and other works, Cath Maige Tuired is riddled with elements that will seem familiar to any avid reader of fantasy. "Aes," for instance," is an ancient Irish word meaning "people of," and will be familiar to anyone who has read Wheel of Time. Now, there are no Aes Sedai in this mythology, but it is surely the same root. Similarly, we find magic swords (which monologue their histories and deeds whenever unsheathed), druids, witches, and the most powerful cupbearers in all storytelling. No, really: these cupbearers can deprive enemy armies of every lake, stream, or other body of water so that they die of thirst before coming to battle.

That undermines the druids' power a bit, since amongst the ability to call storms of fire and leech away valor from their opponents, the druids also have the ability to...stop them from urinating? These are the kinds of strange abilities and details that you don't find outside of mythic storytelling.

If you thought that the Tuatha Dé Danann were the people of faerie, like I did, this book might not be quite what you expect. I'm still not clear on exactly where they fit into the traditional mythology (or their Formorian opponents, for that matter), but they are neither strictly human. Cath Maige Tuired raised more questions than it answered in that regard, but that might be because I am nothing close to an expert in traditional Irish mythology. All else aside, this was an excellent read, and I think you'll enjoy it, too. Now I just need to figure out how to incorporate wounded-crane-rapping-wizards into a story.

[Mariette T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Daimler's thoughtful translation of this Irish myth. I appreciated her transparency in the footnotes, explaining why she chose to go with a certain meaning of the word if there were multiple meanings; as well as where she had to guess on what the word might have meant.

I can't imagine reading a different translation of the Cath Maige Tuired where the poetry isn't translated. You would just be missing out on so much of the story and the history of the ancient Irish people.

[Grace Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Morgan Daimler

I appreciate the work Morgan put into the translations and the footnotes throughout the book. (This version is great for those of us with ADHD.) This was exactly what I needed to better understand this story. Previously when trying to read other versions, I didn't understand what was happening because I couldn't comprehend it how it was written. Morgan fixed that issue.

[Medusa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a good modern translation, bereft of “thou dost” and other floral archaic buffoonery. It’s a primary source for study of deities such as Na Morrigna. And that makes it a must read, should your interests run this way.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this translation and Daimler’s willingness to work with the passages others avoid. This text inspired my curiosity and sent me on other research journeys. I’ll certainly read it again.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable! I love the translation footnotes. This is probably going to become my favorite translation and reference material.

[Pinar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Especially enjoyed the footnotes. Very accessible translation too.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous

[Sam Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must have for anyone interested in the Irish lore. I have read it more times than I can count. I always get something new out of it each time. This is a fantastic translation.

[Varadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Translates a lot of the poetry that is not usually translated!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

everything happens so much. i would like to give bres a hug also

[Dzesika · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent addition to any library. Daimler's translation is thorough and respectfully done.

[Andrew Pixton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my dive into modern Paganism and Irish history and mythology, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It had many things I love. Beautiful prose and poetry, grim and dark battles, that Celtic lead-on trope of storytelling, exaggerations, and as a bonus we get a dark prophecy at the end. The Fomorians are excellent villains, though I'd have liked more description of their monstrous characteristics. It also strikes me at how human the gods are here, I mean that's always been a thing of paganism with the gods being more flawed. But they're really more superhuman than supernatural or immortal. I was also surprised to see how new Lugh was to this scene since I'd thought he'd be more present than showing up at their "last battle" and then suddenly becoming central to it, but that might speak more to the developing mythos.

Quotes:

A great cry was given by the hosts as they went to battle, they came together then, and each began to strike their opposites.
A great many beautiful ones fell there in the enclosure of death. Great the slaughter and the grave-laying that was there. There was arrogance and shame-facedness side by side. There was wrath and rage. Plentiful were the streams of blood over the bright-skin of young warriors there weapon-wounded by the hands of those rushing to go through stress for shame.
There was a rough, tumultuous sound and a multitude slashing and the valorous warriors engaged in protecting their spears and their shields and their bodies while being struck by their opposites who were smiting with their spears and their swords. Rough, as well, the noise there throughout the battlefield, that is the shouting of warriors and the din of shields, brightness and whistling of the swords and the ivory blades, the clatter and rattling of the quivers, whistling and whizzing of the small spears and lances, and uproarious smiting of weapons.
Indeed when they met their fingers and feet were mutually striking, they were falling from standing because of the slipperiness of the blood under the feet of the soldiers, and having their heads hewn from them as they sat. Risen up was a gory, injurious, pointed, bloody battle and spear shafts were reddened in the hands of enemies.

“And you, oh Coirpre son of Étaín,” said Lugh to his poet, “what power can you control in battle?”
“Not hard,” said Coirpre, “I will make a satire on them and lampoon them, and shame them, so they will offer no resistance to the warriors through the incantations of my skill.

"This is why Badb still declares great deeds. “What news with you?” everyone asked her then. “Peace to sky. Sky to earth. Earth below sky, strength in each one, a cup overfull, filled with honey, sufficiency of renown. Summer in winter, spears supported by warriors, warriors supported by forts. Forts fiercely strong; banished are sad outcries land of sheep healthy under antler-points destructive battle cries held back. Crops [masts] on trees a branch resting resting with produce sufficiency of sons a son under patronage on the neck of a bull a bull of magical poetry knots in trees trees for fire. Fire when wished for. Wished for earth getting a boast proclaiming of borders. Borders declaring prosperity green-growth after spring autumn increase of horses a troop for the land land that goes in strength and abundance. Be it a strong, beautiful wood, long-lasting a great boundary 'Have you a story?' Peace to sky be it so lasting to the ninth [generation]”

She was afterwards among them prophesying the years at the end of existence, and further promising each evil and lack in those years, and every plague and every vengeance: so that there she chanted her poem: "Something seen is a world that shall not be pleasing: summer deprived of flowers, cows deprived of milk; women deprived of modesty, men deprived of valor. Conquests without a king, pointed, bearded, mouths of many-oaths, sorrow, a lord without judgments. Sea without profit. Multitude of storms, excessively tonsured, forts, barren of structures, hollow, a stronghold coming from mistakes a devastated time, many homeless, an excess of lords, joy in evil, a cry against traditions, bearded faces. Equipment decaying, numerous exploits, finding battles, silent towards a spurred horse, numerous assemblies, treachery of lord's sons, covered in sorrow, crooked judgement of old men. False precedents of judges, a betrayer every man. A reaver every son. The son will go lay down instead of his father. The father will go lay down instead of his son. In-law each to his own kinsman. A person will not seek women out of his house. A long enduring evil period of time will be generated, a son betrays his father, a daughter betrays [her mother]"

[Heidi Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan gets 5 stories for even attempting this translation, but beyond that it is so well done. She is admittedly not a professor of linguistics, but who cares? This is brilliant and extremely helpful in understanding this particular mythic tale. Well, done, Morgan Daimler and thank you.