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diff --git a/16479-8.txt b/16479-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..78c5314 --- /dev/null +++ b/16479-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6915 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran + Translations Of Christian Literature. Series V. Lives Of + The Celtic Saints + +Author: Anonymous + +Translator: R.A. Stewart MacAlister + +Release Date: August 8, 2005 [EBook #16479] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LATIN & IRISH LIVES OF CIARAN *** + + + + +Produced by Ted Garvin, Lesley Halamek and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + TRANSLATIONS OF CHRISTIAN + LITERATURE. SERIES V + LIVES OF THE CELTIC SAINTS + + THE LATIN & IRISH + LIVES OF CIARAN + + By R.A. STEWART-MACALISTER + + * * * * * + + SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING + CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. London + The Macmillan Company. New York + + 1921 + + + + + CONTENTS + + INTRODUCTION + + A HARMONY OF THE FOUR LIVES OF ST CIARAN + + THE FIRST LATIN LIFE OF ST CIARAN + + THE SECOND LATIN LIFE OF ST CIARAN + + THE THIRD LATIN LIFE OF ST CIARAN + + THE IRISH LIFE OF ST CIARAN + + ANNOTATIONS TO THE FOREGOING LIVES + + THE LATIN TEXT OF THE SECOND LIFE + + INDEX + + + + + +THE LATIN AND IRISH LIVES +OF CIARAN + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Of all the saints of Ireland, whose names are recorded in the native +Martyrologies, probably there were none who made so deep an impression +upon the minds of their fellow-countrymen as did Ciaran[1] of +Clonmacnois. He stands, perhaps, second only to Brigit of Kildare +in this respect; for Patrick was a foreigner, and Colum Cille +accomplished his work and exercised his influence outside the shores +of Ireland. + +Doubtless much of the importance of Ciaran is reflected back from +the outstanding importance of his great foundation--the monastic +university, as it is fair to call it, of _Cluain maccu Nois_ (in an +English setting spelt "Clonmacnois"), on the shore of the Shannon. But +this cannot be the whole explanation of the esteem in which he +was held; it must be at least partly due to the memory of his own +character and personality. + +Such a conclusion is indicated if we examine critically the _Lives_ of +this saint, translations of which are given in the present volume, and +compare them with the lives of other Irish saints. In studying all +these documents we must bear in mind that none of them are, in any +modern sense of the word, biographies. A biography, in the proper +definition of the term, gives an ordered account of the life of its +subject, with dates, and endeavours to trace the influences which +shaped his character and his career, and the manner in which he +himself influenced his surroundings. The so-called lives of saints are +properly to be regarded as _homilies_. They were composed to be read +to assemblies of the Faithful, as sermons for the festivals of the +saints with whom they deal; and their purpose was to edify the hearers +by presenting catalogues of the virtues of their subjects, and, +especially, of their thaumaturgic powers. Thus they do not possess +the unity of ordered and well-designed biographies; they consist +of disconnected anecdotes, describing how this event or that gave +occasion for a miraculous display. + +It follows that to the historian in search of unvarnished records +of actual fact these documents are useless, without most drastic +criticism. They were compiled long after the time of their subjects, +from tales, doubtless at first, and probably for a considerable time, +transmitted by oral tradition. It would be natural that there should +be much cross-borrowing, tales told about one saint being adapted to +others as well, until they became stock incidents. It would also be +nothing more than natural that many elements in the Lives should +be survivals from more ancient mythologies, having their roots in +pre-Christian beliefs. Nevertheless, none of these writings are devoid +of value as pictures of life and manners; and even in descriptions of +incredible and pointless miracles precious scraps of folk-lore are +often embedded. In most, if not in all, cases, the incidents recorded +in the Lives are to be criticised as genuine traditions, whatever +their literal historicity may be; few, if any, are conscious +inventions or impostures.[2] + +In the Lives of Ciaran there are many conventional incidents of this +kind, which reappear in the lives of other saints. In the Annotations +in the present edition a few such parallels are quoted; though no +attempt is made to give an exhaustive list, the compilation of which +would occupy more time and space than its scientific value would +warrant. But there are certain other incidents of a more individual +type, and it is these which make the Lives of Ciaran especially +remarkable. They may well be genuine reminiscences of the real life, +or at least of the real character of the man himself. Thus, there are +a number of coincidences, clearly undesigned (noted below, p. 104) +consistently pointing to a pre-Celtic parentage for the saint. Again, +the saint's mother is represented as a strong personality, with a +decided strain of "thrawnness" in her composition; while the saint +himself is shown to us as distinguished by a beautiful unselfishness. +This, it must be confessed, is very far from being a common character +of the Irish saints, as they are represented to us by the native +hagiologists; and in any case the character-drawing of the average +Irish saint's life is so rudimentary, that when we are thus enabled to +detect well-defined traits, we are quite justified in accepting them +as based on the tradition of the actual personality of the saint. In +other words, so deep was the impression which the man made upon his +contemporaries during his short life, that his _memorabilia_ seem to +be, on the whole, of a more definitely historic nature than are those +of other Irish saints. + +There is, however, a disturbing element which must be kept in mind in +criticising the Lives of Ciaran. He was the son of a carpenter, and he +was said to have died at the age of thirty-three. It is quite clear +that these coincidences with the facts of the earthly parentage and +death of Christ were observed by the homilists--indeed the author of +the Irish Life says as much, at the end of his work. They provoked a +natural and perhaps wholly unconscious desire to draw other parallels; +and if we may use a convenient German technical term, there is +a traceable _Tendenz_ in this direction, as is indicated in the +Annotations on later pages. It is not to be supposed that even these +apparently imitative incidents are (not to mince matters) mere +pious frauds; they may well have come into existence in the +folk-consciousness automatically, before they received their present +literary form. But such a development could hardly have centred in an +unworthy subject; there must have been a well-established tradition +of a _Christ-likeness_ of character in the man, for such parallels in +detail to have taken shape.[3] + +The homiletic purpose of these documents is most clearly shown in the +Irish Life. This was written to be preached as a sermon on the saint's +festival ["this day _to-day_," § 1], at Clonmacnois ["he came _to this +town_," § 34: "a fragment of the cask remained _here_ till recently," +§ 36: "_here_ are the relics of Ciaran," § 41. Similarly the First +Latin Life, § 35, calls the saint "_Our_ most holy patron"]. The +actual date of the Irish sermon is less easy to fix; the language +has been modernised step by step in the process of transmission from +manuscript to manuscript, but originally it may have been written +about the eleventh century, though incorporating fragments of earlier +material. The passage just quoted, saying that a certain relic had +remained _till recently_, may possibly indicate that the homily had +been delivered shortly after one of the many burnings and plunderings +which the monastery suffered; in such a calamity the relic might have +perished. The prophecy put into Ciaran's mouth, that "there would be +great persecution of his city from evil men in the end of the world" +[Irish Life, § 38] seems to relate to such an event: it is very +suggestive that exactly the same exprestion "great persecution from +evil men" (_ingrem mór ó droch-daoinibh_) is used in the _Chronicon +Scotorum_ of certain raids on the monastery which took place in the +year A.D. 1091; and that on the strength of an old prophecy there was +a belief in Ireland that the world was destined to come to an end in +the year 1096, as we learn from the _Annals of the Four Masters_ under +that date.[4] It must, however, be remembered that a date determined +for a single incident does not necessarily date the whole compilation +containing it. + +The text of the First Latin Life (here called for convenience of +reference LA) is found in an early fifteenth-century MS. in Marsh's +Library, Dublin. It has been edited, without translation, by the Rev. +C. Plummer in his most valuable _Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae_ (Oxford, +1910) vol. i, pp. 200-216. The translation given in this volume has +been made from Plummer's edition, which I have collated with the +original MS.[5] + +The text of the Second Latin Life (LB) is contained in two MSS. in the +Bodleian Library (Rawl. B 485 and Rawl. B 505, here called R1 and R2). +Of these R2 is a direct copy of R1, as has been proved by Plummer, in +his description of these manuscripts.[6] As to their date, there is +no agreement; the estimate for R1 ranges from the first half of the +thirteenth to the fourteenth century, R2 being necessarily somewhat +later. The Life of Ciaran contained in these MSS. has been used +by Plummer in editing LA, and extracts from it are printed in his +footnotes. It has not, however, been previously printed in its +entirety, and a transcript made by myself is therefore added here, in +an Appendix. + +The text of the Third Latin Life (LC) is contained in the well-known +Brussels MS., called _Codex Salmaticensis_ from its former sojourn +at Salamanca. It is of the fourteenth century. This was the only +continuous authority at the disposal of the compiler of the Bollandist +life of our saint; he speaks of it in the most contemptuous terms. The +life of Ciaran in this manuscript is a mere fragment, evidently copied +from an imperfect exemplar; there seems to have been a chasm in +the middle, and there is a lacuna at the end, which the scribe +has endeavoured to conceal by adding the words "Finit, Amen." The +translation here given has been prepared from the edition of the +Salamanca MS. by de Smedt and de Backer, cols. 155-160. + +The Irish Life (here denoted VG, i.e. _Vita Goedelica_) was edited by +Whitley Stokes from the late fifteenth-century MS. called the _Book of +Lismore._[7] The numerous errors in the Lismore text may be to some +extent corrected by collation with another Brussels MS., written in +the seventeenth century by Micheál ó Cléirigh. Stokes has indicated +the more important readings of the Brussels MS. in his edition. The +scribe of the Lismore Text was conscious of the defects of his copy: +for in a note appended to the Life of our saint, he says, "It is not I +who am responsible for the meaningless words in this _Life_, but the +bad manuscript"--_i.e._ the imperfect exemplar of which he was making +a transcript. + +There were other Lives of the saint in existence, apparently no longer +extant. Of these, one was in the hands of the hagiographer Sollerius: +for in his edition of the _Martyrologium_ of Usuardus (Antwerp, 1714, +p. 523) he says, _Querani, Kirani, uel Kiriani uitam MS. habemus. +uariaque ad eam annotata, quae suo tempore digerentur_. This promise +he does not appear to have fulfilled; the Bollandist compiler, as we +have just noticed, had no materials but the imperfect Salamanca Life, +and was forced to fill its many gaps as best he could, by diligently +collecting references to Ciaran in the lives of other saints. Another +Life of the saint seems to be referred to in the _Martyrology of +Donegal_; under the 10th May that compilation quotes a certain "Life +of Ciaran of Cluain" (_i.e._ Clonmacnois) as the authority for a +statement to the effect that "the order of Comgall [of Bangor, Co. +Down] was one of the eight orders that were in Ireland." It would +be irrelevant to discuss here the meaning of this statement; its +importance for us lies in the fact that the sentence is not found in +any of the extant Lives, so that some other text, now unknown, must be +in question. + +Ciaran of Clonmacnois was not the only saint of that name. Besides his +well-known namesake of Saighir (Seir-Kieran, King's Co.), there were +a few lesser stars called Ciaran, and there is danger of confusion +between them. The name reappears in Cornwall, with the regular +Brythonic change of Q to P, in the form Pieran or Pirran. This Pieran +is wrongly identified by Skene[8] with our saint; a single glance at +the abstract of the Life of St. Pieran given by Sir T.D. Hardy[9] +will show how mistaken this identification is. A similar confusion is +probably at the base of the curious statement in Adam King's _Scottish +Kalendar of Saints_, that Queranus was an "abot in Scotl[=a]d under +king Ethus, [anno] 876" and of Camerarius' description of him as +"abbas Foilensis in Scotia."[10] + +The four documents of which translations are printed in this book +relate almost, though not quite, the same series of incidents. There +is a sufficient divergence between them, both in selection and in +order, as well as in the minor details, to make the determination of +their mutual relationship a difficult problem. We must regard all +four as independent compositions, though based on a common group of +sources, which, in the first instance, were doubtless disjointed +_memorabilia_, preserved by oral tradition in Clonmacnois. These would +in time gradually become fitted into the four obvious phases of the +saint's actual life--his boyhood, his schooldays, his wanderings, and +his final settlement at Clonmacnois. It is not difficult to form a +plausible theory as to how the systematisation took place, and also +as to how the slight variants between different versions of the same +story arose. The composition of hymns to the founder and patron would +surely be a favourite literary exercise in Clonmacnois. In such hymns +the different incidents would be told and re-told, the details varying +with the knowledge and the metrical skill of the versifiers. There are +excerpts from such hymns, in Irish, scattered through VG: and LB ends +with a _pasticcio_ of similar fragments in Latin. As a number of +different metres are employed, both in the Irish and in the Latin +extracts, there must have been at least as many independent +compositions drawn upon by the compilers of the prose Lives: and it is +noteworthy that there are occasionally discrepancies in detail between +the verse fragments and their present prose setting. Most probably the +prose Lives were based directly on the hymns; one preacher would use +one hymn as his chief authority, another would use another, and +thus the petty differences between them would become fixed, perhaps +exaggerated as the prose writer filled in details for which the +exigencies of verse allowed no scope. It is probably impossible to +carry the history of the tradition further. + +In order to facilitate comparison between the four documents, I have +divided them into _incidents_, and have provided titles to each. These +titles are so chosen that they may be used for every presentation of +the incident, however the details may vary. The titles are numbered +with _Roman_ numerals, whilst the successive incidents within each +of the Lives are numbered consecutively with _Arabic_ numerals. The +_Harmony of the Four Lives_, which follows this Introduction, will +make cross-reference easy. + +No modern biography, no edition of the ancient homiletic Lives, of +Ciaran could be considered complete without a history of Clonmacnois, +through which being dead he yet spake to his countrymen for a thousand +years. It was the editor's intention to include such a history in the +present volume; and this part of the projected work was drafted. But +as it progressed, and as the indispensable material increased in bulk, +it became evident that it would be impossible to do justice to the +subject within the narrow limits of a volume of the present series. A +slight or superficial history of Clonmacnois would be worse than none, +as it would block the way for the fuller treatment which the subject +well deserves. The materials collected for this part of the work +have therefore been reserved for the present: it is hoped that their +publication will not be long delayed. + + +[Footnote 1: The name is pronounced as a dissyllable, something like +_Kyee-raun_, with a stress on the second syllable.] + +[Footnote 2: The Bollandists long ago remarked as the special +characteristics of Irish Saints' Lives, their doubtful historicity, +their late date, and their continual repetition of stock incidents. +(_At priusquam id agam, lectorem duo uniuersim monitum uelim; primum +est, quod Hibernorum sanctorum acta passim dubia sint fidei, et +a scriptoribus minime accuratis ac aetate longe posterioribus +conscripta; alterum est, quod in iisdem frequens occurrat rerum +simillimarum narratio, quas uariis sanctis adscribunt, ita ut nescias +cui tuto adscribi possint._--Acta Sanctorum, September, vol. iii, p. +372).] + +[Footnote 3: Even the date of Ciaran's death may have been +manipulated, in order to make his age conform to the age of Christ. +As we shall see below, traditions vary.] + +[Footnote 4: The end of the +world is not actually mentioned in the Annals, but the expected plague +referred to was undoubtedly the apparition of the mysterious _Roth +Ramhach_, or "oar-wheel," an instrument of vengeance that was to +herald the end of all things. For the references to this prophecy see +O'Curry's _Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History_ (index, _sub +voce_ "Roth Ramhach"), and the present writer's _Study of the Remains +and Traditions of Tara_ (Proceedings Royal Irish Academy, vol. xxxiv, +sect. C, p. 231 ff.).] + +[Footnote 5: The following corrections may be noticed. Page 201 of +printed text, line 7, _for_ Et cum _read_ Cumque. Same page, line 24, +_for_ factum _read_ factam (_sic_). Page 202, line 6, _after_ vitulum +_add_ ilico canis famelicus iruit (_sic_) in uitulum. Same page, line +25, _after_ fregit _add_ et fracto capite effussoque cerebro canis +periit. Same page, line 33, _after_ narrabant _add_ hoc. Same page, +lines 35, 38, _for_ vaccam _read_ vacam. Page 203, line 35, _for_ +Angeli _read_ Angli. Same page, line 39, _insert_ et _after_ generis. +Page 204, line 7, Innsythe appears to be written in the MS. as one +word. Same line, _insert_ uidit _before_ zabulum. Same page, line 18, +_after_ flumen _add_ et ibi mersum est. Page 205, line 32, _read_ est +ostensum. Page 206, line 18, _after_ libri _add_ ad locum. Same page, +line 32, _after_ manducans _add_ in illa die. Same page, line 38, +_read_ Kyaranus. Same page, line 40, _read_ Maelgharbh. Page 207, line +13, _after_ recepit _add_ ipse. Page 208, line 16, _for_ complebit +_read_ implebit. Page 209, line 23, _delete_ et _after_ clamor; and +in the next line _for_ impediebant _read_ -bat. Page 211, line 14, +_insert_ in _before_ istis. Same page, line 16, _read_ loco isto. +Same page, line 40, _read_ edifficio. Page 212, line 2, _read_ +edifficiorum. Page 213, line 10, _after_ ignem _insert_ nostrum. Same +page, line 21, _for_ ipsi _read_ ipsum. Same page, line 37, _after_ +paciencie _insert_ nostre. Page 214, footnote 3, note that the first +"uas" is struck out. Same page, footnote 7, the first "sanctus" is +expuncted.] + +[Footnote 6: _Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie_, vol. v, p. 429.] + +[Footnote 7: _Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore_, Oxford, 1890, +pp. 117-134.] + +[Footnote 8: _Four Ancient Books of Wales_, i, 124.] + +[Footnote 9: _Descriptive Catalogue of Materials for the History of +Great Britain,_ vol. i, p. 102.] + +[Footnote 10: Forbes. _Kalendars_, s. v. Queranus; Bollandist _Acta_.] + + * * * * * + + + + +A HARMONY OF THE FOUR LIVES OF SAINT CIARAN + + +To the incidents of Ciaran's life VG prefixes-- + +I. _The Homiletic Introduction_ (VG I) + +not found in any of the Latin Lives. + +=A.= Ciaran was born A.D. 515. The first section of his life, his +Childhood and Boyhood, may have covered the first ten or twelve years +of his life--say in round numbers 515-530. Fifteen incidents of this +period are recorded, which are found in the Lives as under-- + + LA LB LC VG + II. _The origin and birth of Ciaran; the + wizard's prophecies_ 1 1 1 2 + III. _How Ciaran raised the steed of Oengus + from death_ 2 2 2 3 + IV. _How Ciaran turned water into honey_ 3 3 3 4 + V. _How Ciaran was delivered from a + hound_ 6 9 4 5 + VI. _How Ciaran and his instructor conversed, + though distant from one another_ 4 - - 6 + VII. _Ciaran and the fox_ - - - 7 +VIII. _How Ciaran spoiled his mother's + dye-stuff_ - - - 8 + IX. _How Ciaran restored a calf which a + wolf had devoured_ 5 8 5 9 + X. _How Ciaran was delivered from + robbers_ 7 - 6 10 + XI. _How Ciaran gave a gift of cattle_ 8 - - - + XII. _How Ciaran gave a gift of a + plough-coulter_ 9 - - - +XIII. _How Ciaran gave a gift of an ox_ 10 - - - + XIV. _How Ciaran gave the king's cauldron + to beggars and was enslaved_ 11 - 7 11 + XV. _How Ciaran reproved his mother_ 13 - 9 - + XVI. _The breaking of the carriage-axle_ 14 - 10 - + + +The boyhood legend probably consisted originally of the five incidents +common to all, II-V, IX. It is noteworthy, however, that LB transfers +V, IX, to a position after the second phase of the Life. This is +possibly due to a misplaced leaf in the exemplar from which our copies +of LB are derived. X-XIII, variants on the theme of XIV, are probably +interpolations in LA, and VIII, a valuable fragment of folk-lore, is +an interpolation in VG. VI and VII are conflations of two varieties of +one incident, as is pointed out in the Annotations. These observations +will show how complex is the criticism of the Ciaran tradition. + +=B.= The second phase of the life is the Schooling of Ciaran at +Clonard; perhaps about 530-535, still using round numbers. This part +of the life is most fully told in VG; it is very fragmentary in all +the Latin Lives. There are thirteen incidents-- + + LA LB LC VG + XVII. _How Ciaran went with his cow to + the school of Findian_ 15 4 11 12 + XVIII. _The angels grind for Ciaran_ 16 - 12 13 + XIX. _Ciaran and the king's daughter_ 17 - - 14 + XX. _How Ciaran healed the lepers_ - - - 15 + XXI. _Ciaran and the stag_ - - - 16 + XXII. _The story of Ciaran's gospel_ 18 - - 17 + XXIII. _The blessing of Ciaran's food_ 19 - 8 - + XXIV. _The story of the mill and the + bailiff's daughter_ - 6 - 18 + XXV. _The story of Cluain_ - - - 19 + XXVI. _How Ciaran freed a woman from + servitude_ 20 5 - 21 + XXVII. _How Ciaran freed another woman + from servitude_ 21 - - 22 +XXVIII. _Anecdotes of Clonard_ - - - 20 + XXIX. _The parting of Ciaran and Findian_ - - - 23 + +=C.= The third phase may be called the Wanderings of Ciaran. From +Clonard he made his way to the monastery of Ninnedh on the island in +Loch Erne now called Inismacsaint (it is to be noted that VG knows +nothing of this visit). From Loch Erne he went to Aran, thence (after +a visit to Saint Senan on Scattery Island) to his brother's monastery +at Isel, a place not certainly identified. After this he removes +to Inis Aingin, now Hare Island in Loch Ree, which is his last +halting-place before reaching his goal at Clonmacnois. There are +twelve incidents. The first forms incident 13 of LC, which then breaks +off; this text therefore no longer requires a special column. The +wander-years end with 548, the year of the saint's arrival at +Clonmacnois. + + LA LB VG + XXX. _The adventure of the robbers of Loch + Erne_ -- 7 -- + XXXI. _How Ciaran floated a firebrand on the + lake_ -- 10 -- + XXXII. _Ciaran in Aran_ 22 11 24 + XXXIII. _How a prophecy was fulfilled_ 12 -- 25 + XXXIV. _How Ciaran visited Senan_ 23 12 26 + XXXV. _Ciaran in Isel_ 24 13 28 + XXXVI. _The removal of the lake_ 25 14 29 + XXXVII. _Ciaran departs from Isel_ 26 -- 30 +XXXVIII. _Ciaran in Inis Aingin_ 27 15 31 + XXXIX. _The coming of Oenna_ 28 16 32 + XL. _How Ciaran recovered his gospel_ 29 -- 33 + XLI. _How Ciaran went from Inis Aingin + to Clonmacnois_ 30 17 34 + +The difference of opinion as to the setting of incident XXXIII is to +be noted. Also noteworthy is the absence of any reference to a second +visit to Senan, though such is postulated in the lives of the latter +saint. + +=D.= The fourth phase covers the time--according to all our texts +a few months, according to other authorities some years--intervening +between the foundation of Clonmacnois and the death of Ciaran. The +traditions of LA and VG here run along the same lines; LB is curiously +diverse. There are in all twelve incidents, namely-- + + LA LB VG + XLII. _The foundation of the church_ 31 -- 35 + XLIII. _How Ciaran sent a cloak to Senan_ 32 -- 27 + XLIV. _Ciaran and the wine_ 34 18 36 + XLV. _The story of Crithir_ 33 -- 37 + XLVI. _How an insult to Ciaran was averted_ -- 19 -- + XLVII. _How Ciaran was saved from shame_ -- 20 -- +XLVIII. _How a man was saved from robbers_ -- 21 -- + XLIX. _The death of Ciaran_ 35 22 38 + L. _The visit of Coemgen_ 36 -- 39 + LI. _The earth of Ciaran's tomb delivers + Colum Cille from a whirlpool_ 37 23 -- + LII. _The envy of the saints_ -- -- 40 + LIII. _Panegyrics of Ciaran_ 38 24 41 + + * * * * * + + + + +THE FIRST LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN + +_Here beginneth the Life of Saint Kiaranus,[1] Abbot and Confessor._ + + +II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES + +1. The holy abbot Kyaranus sprang from the people of the Latronenses, +which are in the region of Midhe, that is, in the middle of Ireland. +His father, who was a cart-wright, was called Beonnadus; now the same +was a rich man; and he took him a wife by name Derercha, of whom he +begat five sons and three daughters. Of these there were four priests +and one deacon, who were born in this order, with these names--the +first Lucennus, the second Donanus, the third that holy abbot +Kyaranus, the fourth Odranus, the fifth Cronanus, who was the deacon. +Also the three daughters were named Lugbeg, and Raichbe, and Pata. +Lugbeg and Raichbe were two holy virgins; Pata, however, was at first +married, but afterwards she was a holy widow. Now inasmuch as the +wright Beonedus himself was grievously burdened by the imposts of +Ainmireach King of Temoria, he, eluding the pressure of the impost, +departed from his own region, that is from the coasts of Midhe, into +the territories of the Conactha. There he dwelt in the plain of Aei, +with the king Crimthanus; and there he begat Saint Kyaranus, whose +Life this is. + +Now his birth was prophesied by a wizard of the aforesaid king, who +said, before all the folk, "The son who is in the womb of the wife of +Beoedus the wright shall be had in honour before God and before men; +as the sun shineth in heaven so shall he himself by his holiness shine +in Ireland." Afterwards Saint Kyaranus was born in the province of the +Connachta, namely in the plain of Aei, in the stronghold called Raith +Crimthain; and he was baptized by a certain holy deacon who was called +Diarmaid in the Scotic [= Irish] tongue; but afterwards he was named +Iustus, for it was fitting that a "just one" should be baptized by +a "Iustus." And Saint Ciaran was reared with his parents in the +aforesaid place, and by all things the grace of God was manifested +within him. + + +III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH + +2. One day the best horse of Aengussius, son of the aforesaid King +Crimhthanus, died suddenly, and he was greatly distressed at the death +of his best horse. Now when in sorrow he had fallen asleep, in his +dreams a shining man appeared to him, saying to him, "Sorrow not +concerning thy horse, for among you there is a boykin [_puerulus_], +Saint Kiaranus son of Beoedus the wright, who by God's grace can +quicken thy horse. Let him pour water into the mouth of the horse, +with prayer, and upon its face, and forthwith it shall arise sound. +And do thou bestow a gift on the boy for the quickening of thy horse." +Now when Aengus son of the king was awakened out of sleep, he told +these words to his friends; and he himself came to Saint Kyaranus +and led him up to the place where the horse was lying dead. When the +dutiful boy Kyaranus poured water into the mouth and on the face of +the horse, it forthwith rose from death and stood whole before them +all. The son of the king bestowed that field, which was great and the +best, upon Saint Kiaranus in perpetuity. + + +IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY + +3. On another day the mother of Saint Kyaranus upbraided him, saying, +"The sensible other boys bring honey to their parents every day, from +the fields and the places where honey is found. But this our son, +weak and soft as he is, bringeth us no honey." The holy boy Kyaranus, +hearing this saying of his mother chiding him, made his way to a +spring hard by, and thence filled a vessel with water. When he blessed +it, honey of the best was made from the water, and he gave it to his +mother. But his parents, astonished at the miracle, sent that honey to +the deacon Iustus, who had baptized him, that he might himself see the +miracle wrought by God through the boy whom he baptized. When he had +heard and seen it, he gave thanks to Christ, and prayed for the boy. + + +VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED, THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONE +ANOTHER + +4. The holy boy Kyaranus, as he kept the flocks of his parents, was +wont to read the Psalms with Saint Diarmatus. But that teaching was +imparted in a manner to us most wondrous. For Saint Kiaranus was +keeping the flocks in the southern part of the plain of Aei, and Saint +Diarmatus was dwelling in the northern part of the same plain, and the +plain was of great extent between them. And thus, from afar off, they +would salute each the other at ease, with words, across the spaces of +the plain; and the elder would teach the boy from his cell across the +plain, and the boy would read, sitting upon a rock in the field. The +which rock is reverenced unto this day, as the Cross of Christ, called +by the name of Kyaranus, is placed upon it. Now thus by divine favour +were the holy ones wont to hear each the other, while others heard +them not. + + +IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED + +5. On a day when Saint Kyaranus was keeping the herds, a cow gave +birth to a calf in his presence. Now in that hour the dutiful boy saw +a wretched wasted hungry wolf a-coming towards him, and God's servant +said to him, "Go, poor wretch, and devour that calf." Forthwith the +famished hound fell upon the calf and devoured it. But when the holy +herd-boy had come home with his herds, the cow, seeking her calf, was +making a loud outcry; and when Derercha, mother of Saint Kyaranus, saw +it, she said unto him, "Kyaranus, where is the calf of yonder cow? +Restore it, although it be from sea or from land. For thou has lost +it, and its mother's heart is sore vexed." When Saint Kyaranus heard +these words, he returned to the place where the calf was devoured, +and collected its bones into his breast; then returning, he laid them +before the cow as she lamented. Straightway, by divine mercy, by +reason of the holiness of the boy, the calf arose before them all, and +stood whole upon its feet, sporting with its mother. Then those who +stood by lifted up their voices in praise to God, blessing the boy. + + +V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND + +6. As the dutiful boy Kyaranus was going out to a homestead hard by, +certain worldly men, cruel and malignant, let loose a most savage +hound at him, so that it should devour him. When Saint Kyaranus saw +the fierce hound coming towards him, he appropriated a verse of the +Psalmist, saying, "Lord, deliver not the soul that trusteth in Thee +unto beasts." Now as the hound was rushing vehemently, by divine +favour it thrust its head into the ring-fastening of a calf; and tied +by the ring-fastening, it struck its head against the timber to which +the fastening was hanging, and thus it broke its head. Its head being +broken and the brains scattered, the dog expired. When they saw this +they feared greatly. + + +X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS + +7. On another day certain robbers, coming from a foreign region, found +Saint Kiaranus alone, reading beside his herds; and they thought to +slay him and to reave his herds. But as they came toward him with that +intent, they were smitten with blindness, and could move neither hand +nor foot till they had wrought repentance, praying him for their +sight. Then the dutiful shepherd, seeing them turned from their +wickedness, prayed for them, and forthwith they were loosed and their +sight restored (_soluti sunt in lumine suo_). And they returned and +offered thanks, and told this to many. + + +XI. HOW CIARAN GAVE A GIFT OF CATTLE + +8. One day a certain poor man came to Saint Kyeranus, and begged of +him a cow. Then Saint Kieranus asked of his mother that a cow should +be given to the poor man; but his mother would not hearken unto him. +When Saint Kieranus saw this, he made the poor man accompany him out +of doors with the herds, and there he gave unto him a good cow with +her calf. Now the calf itself was between two kine, and both of them +had a care for it; and as the dutiful boy knew that the second cow +would be of no service without the calf, he gave them both, with their +calf, to the poor man. For these, on the following day, four kine were +gifted to Saint Kiaranus by other folk as an alms, and these he gave +to his mother as she was chiding him. Then he exhorted his mother in +reasonable manner, and she was thereafter in awe of him. + + +XII. HOW CIARAN GAVE A GIFT OF A PLOUGH-COULTER + +9. Saint Kiaranus on another day gave the coulter of his uncle Beoanus +to a certain poor man, for which likewise on another day he received +four coulters. For four smiths came from the steading called Cluain +Cruim, with four coulters, which they delivered for an alms to Saint +Kyaranus; and these the holy boy restored to him for his coulter. + + +XIII. HOW CIARAN GAVE A GIFT OF AN OX + +10. On another day Saint Kyaranus gave the ox of the same uncle to a +man who begged for it. And he said unto him, "Son, how shall I be able +to plough to-day, seeing that thou hast given mine ox to another?" To +him responded the holy boy, "Set thou to-day thy horse with the oxen +in the plough, and to-morrow thou shalt have oxen enough." Forthwith +the horse, set under the yoke with the oxen, in place of the ox that +had been given, became tame; and the whole day it ploughed properly +under the yoke, like an ox. On the following day four oxen were gifted +for an alms to Saint Kiaranus, and these he delivered to his uncle +instead of his ox. For men who heard and saw the great signs wrought +by Saint Kyaranus were wont to beg for his prayers, and to offer +oblations unto him. + + +XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS, AND WAS ENSLAVED + +11. One day the father of Saint Kiaranus bore a royal vessel from +the house of King Furbithus, to keep it for some days. Now the king +treasured that vessel. But Saint Kiaranus delivered that vessel of the +king to certain poor men who asked an alms in Christ's name, as he +had nothing else. When the king heard this, his anger was kindled +mightily, and he commanded that Saint Kiaranus should be enslaved +to his service. And so for this cause was blessed Kiaranus led into +captivity, and was a slave in the house of King Furbithus. A task +chosen for its severity was laid upon him, namely, to turn the +quern-stone daily for making flour. But in wondrous wise Saint +Kiaranus used to sit and read beside the quern-stone, and the +quern-stone used to turn swiftly of itself, without the hand of man, +and to grind corn before all the folk. For the angels of God were +grinding for Saint Kyaranus, unseen of men. And after no long time a +certain man of the province of Mumenia, that is, of the people of the +Desi, who was called Hiernanus, stirred up by divine favour, came with +two most excellent vessels, like unto the vessel of that king, of the +same sort and the same use, and gifted them in alms to Saint Kiaranus. +When the king heard the miracle of the quern-stone, he accepted those +two vessels, and gave his liberty to Saint Kiaranus; for beforetime he +would not for anger accept a ransom for him. Thus was Saint Kiaranus +freed from the servitude of the king; and Saint Kiaranus blessed that +man with his tribe, by whom he himself obtained his liberty. + + +XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED + +12. On a certain day when Saint Kieranus was in the place called +Cluain Innsythe, he saw a ship floating on the river, and he saw a +hut on the bank of the river. Now there was a platter woven of twigs +within it, full of ears of corn, with fire underneath so that they +should be dried for grinding, as was the custom of the western people, +that is, of Britain and of Ireland. Saint Kyaranus said in prophecy, +secretly, to his companions, "Yonder ship which is on the waters shall +be burned to-day, and the hut which is on land shall be submerged." +As they disputed and wondered, he said, "Wait a little space, and ye +shall see it with your eyes." Forthwith that shiplet was raised from +the water on to the land, and placed in a shed that its leaks and +cracks might there be caulked. But a bonfire having been lit, the shed +was consumed, and the ship in its midst was likewise consumed. But +strong men, wrenching the hut out of the ground, cast it from the bank +into the river, and there it was submerged, as the servant of the +Lord prophesied. When they heard and saw such a prophecy of things +contrary, they gave glory to Christ who giveth such a gift unto his +servants. + + +XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER + +13. On another day when Saint Kiaranus had come from the fields to +his home, men came meeting him. To them he said, "Whence have ye now +come?" They said, "We come now from the house of Beoedus the wright." +Said he to them, "Have ye gotten there fitting refreshment for +Christ's sake?" They said, "Nay; but we found there a hard woman who +would not for hospitality give us so much as a drink." When Saint +Kyaranus heard this, he blessed them, and came swiftly to his house, +and entering the house he found no one therein, for its inmates were +busied with their work out of doors. Then blessed Kyaranus, moved with +zeal for God, scattered all the food which he found in the house of +his parents; for[2] the milk he poured on the ground, the butter he +mixed with the sheep's dung, the bread he cast to the dogs, so that it +should be of service to no man. For he was showing that whatsoever was +not given to guests for Christ's name should rightly be devoted by +men to loss, lest such food should be eaten. After a little space his +mother came, and seeing her house thus turned upside-down, she felt +moved to raise an outcry; for she marvelled greatly at what had +befallen her house. When Saint Kiaranus had set forth the reason, she +became calm, and promised amendment; and many of those who heard were +rendered charitable. + + +XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE + +14. On another day when Saint Kyaranus was sitting in a carriage with +his father, the axle of the carriage broke in two in the middle of +the plain; and the father of the saint, with his attendants, was +distressed. Then Saint Kyeranus blessed the axle, and it was forthwith +made whole again as it had been before; and afterwards for the entire +day they travelled in the carriage safely. + + +XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN + +15. After this Saint Kyaranus wished to leave his parents and to go +forth to the school of Saint Finnianus, who was a wise man abounding +in all holiness; so that he might there read the Scriptures, with the +other saints of Ireland who were there. He asked of his parents that a +cow might be led with him to the school, for the sake of her milk to +sustain him; but his mother denied it, saying, "Others who are in that +school have no kine." Then having received the licence and blessing of +his parents--though his mother was grieved, for she wished to have him +always with herself--Saint Kyaranus went on his way. + +Coming to the cattle of his parents, he blessed a cow, and commanded +her in the name of the Lord to follow him. Forthwith that cow followed +him with her new-born calf; and wheresoever he would go the cow walked +after him, to the city of Cluayn Irayrd, which is in the boundary of +the Laginenses and Ui Neill. But the city itself lies in the territory +of Ui Neill. + +When Saint Kyeranus had come thither, he used to make a barrier in the +pastures between the cow and her calf with his rod; and by no means +did they ever dare to cross the tracks of the holy rod, nor used they +cross it; but the cow would lick her calf across the track of the rod, +and at the proper time they would come to their stall, with full store +of milk. + +That cow was of a dun colour, and was called _Odar Ciarain_, "Ciaran's +Dun." Her fame endures for ever in Ireland, for she used to have the +greatest store of milk, such as at this time could not be believed. +Her milk was daily divided among the school, and sufficed for many. +Her hide in like manner remains to this day honourably in the city +of Saint Kiaranus; for through it, by the grace of God, miracles are +wrought. This grace greater than all it has, as the holy ancients, +the disciples of Saint Kiaranus, have delivered unto us; that it is +revealed by divine inspiration that every man who shall have died upon +it shall possess eternal life with Christ. + + +XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN + +16. Now in the school of the most holy master Finnianus there were +many saints of Ireland; to wit, two Saints Kiaranus, and two Saints +Brendanus, Columba, and many others; and each of them on his day would +grind with his own hands on the quern. But the angels of God used to +grind for Saint Kiaranus, as they did for him in his captivity. + + +XIX. CIARAN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER + +17. The daughter of the King of Temoria was conducted to Saint +Finnianus that she might read the Psalms and the other Scriptures with +the saint of God, and should dedicate her virginity. And when she +promised of her own free will to preserve her virginity for Christ, +Father Finnianus said to Saint Kiaranus, "Son, let this virgin, +Christ's handmaid, daughter of an earthly king, read with thee in the +meanwhile, till such time as a cell of virgins shall be built for +her." Which duty Saint Kiaranus obediently accepted, and the virgin +read with him the Psalms and other lections. Now when holy Father +Finnianus was establishing that virgin and other holy virgins in a +cell, the blessed fathers questioned Saint Kiaranus as to her manners +and her virtue. To them Kiaranus said; "Verily, I know naught of her +virtues, of manners or of body; for God hath known that never have I +seen her face, nor aught of her save the lower part of her vesture, +when she was coming from her parents; nor have I held any converse +with her save only her reading." For she was wont to take her +refection, and to sleep, with a certain holy widow. And the virgin +spake the like testimony of Saint Kiaranus, and many were confirmed in +the true faith by other testimonies of them. + + +XXII. THE STORY OF CIARAN'S GOSPEL + +18. Saint Kiaranus was reading the gospel of Matthew with holy Father +Finnianus, along with others. And when he had come to the place where, +in the middle of the book, it is written "All things whatsoever ye +would that men should do unto you, so do ye unto them," Saint Kiaranus +said to Saint Finnianus, "Father, enough for me is this half of this +book which I have read, that I may fulfil it in deed; verily this one +sentence is enough for me to learn." Then one of the school said to +them all, "Henceforth a fitting name for Kiaranus is '_Leth-Matha_' +(Half-Matthew)." To him the holy elder Finnianus said, "Nay; a fitting +name for him is '_Leth n-Eirenn_' (Half-Ireland); for his parish shall +be extended through the middle of Ireland." This prophecy excited much +envy against Saint Kiaranus. + + +XXIII. THE BLESSING OF CIARAN'S FOOD + +19. On another day, when Saint Kiaranus was alone in his cell, he came +to table to take food; and wishing to partake after a blessing, he +said, "_Benedicite._" When he saw that no one answered "_Dominus_," he +rose from the table, tasting nothing that day. He did the like on the +following day, still rising from the table without food. On the third +day, after having thus fasted for three days, he came to table and +said, "_Benedicite_"; and lo, a voice from Heaven said unto him, "The +Lord bless thee, weary Kiaranus; now is thy prayer full-ripe. For it +is enough for a man, whenever he is alone, to bless his food in the +name of the Most High God, and then to partake." So Saint Kyaranus, +giving thanks, ate his bread on the third day. + + +XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE + +20. One time he went to the King of Temoria, who was called Tuathal +Mael-gharbh, in that he was harsh, so that he should set free a woman +unjustly held in servitude with that king. The king released not the +woman to him. Then Saint Kiaranus blessed her, and bade her go with +him to her own people. So she forthwith rose out of the house of the +king, and made her way between crowds of men, and none of them saw her +till she came safe to her friends. Regarding this matter the king and +the others marvelled greatly at the wondrous acts of God. + + +XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED ANOTHER WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE + +21. On another occasion Saint Kyaranus entered the region of a certain +lord of the Connachta, that in like manner he should demand from him a +certain woman who was in unjust servitude to him. As holy Ciaran was +sitting there, lo, three men came with three gifts as an alms to +him; namely, one gifted to him a cow, another a robe, and a third a +frying-pan; and these three gifts did Ciaran straightway give to the +poor who were begging of him in the presence of the lord. Now in that +hour in lieu of these gifts he received others yet greater in the +presence of the lord; to wit, for the frying-pan a cooking-pot of +three measures, and for the one robe twelve robes, and for the one cow +twelve kine, were gifted to him by others. Which things Saint Kiaranus +sent to other holy men living hard by. Seeing all these things, that +lord graciously gave the woman free to Saint Kiaranus, and she went +forth to her own people, rejoicing and giving thanks. + + +XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN + +22. After these things Saint Kiaranus made his way to an island by +name Ara, which is in the ocean westward beyond Ireland a certain +space. And that same island is ever peopled from Ireland,[3] and in it +dwell a multitude of holy men, and countless saints lie there unknown +to all save only to God Omnipotent. Now for many days did Saint +Kyranus dwell in hard service, under the most holy Abbot Henna, and +great miracles were manifested by him, and works of holiness are +still there related. Now when Saint Kiaranus was there, he saw this +marvellous vision--a like vision Saint Enna also saw--to wit, a great +and fruitful tree on the bank of the river Synna in the middle of +Ireland, whose shadow was protecting Ireland on every side; and its +branches were flowing beyond Ireland into the sea. On the following +day Saint Kiaranus related that vision to Saint Enna, which holy +Father Enna forthwith interpreted, saying; "That fruitful tree which +thou hast seen, and which I likewise have seen, thou art it, my +son, who shalt be great before God and man. Thine honour shall fill +Ireland, and the helpful shade[4] of thy dutifulness and grace shall +protect her from demons, plagues, and perils, and thy fruit shall be +for a profit to many far and wide. Therefore at the decree of God go +thou without delay to the place wherein thy resurrection shall be, +which shall be shown thee of God, so that thou mayest be for a profit +to many." And there Saint Kiaranus was consecrated priest; and +afterwards, at the command of holy Father Enna, and with the prayer +and benediction of him and of all the saints that were in the island +of Ara, Saint Kiaranus came to Ireland. + + +XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN + +23. One day when Saint Ciaran was making a journey, there met him a +poor man in the way, who begged of him something in alms; and holy +Ciaran gave him his cloak, and he himself went on afterwards in his +under-garment only. His journey led him to the island of Cathi which +is in the entrance of the ocean to the west, in the estuary of +Luimnech between the territories of Kiarraighe and of Corco Baiscind: +wherein was the most holy senior Senanus, who first dwelt in that +island. For a venomous and most hurtful monster had alone possessed +that island from ancient times, which holy Senanus, by the power of +God, had driven far from thence unto a certain lake; and to-day there +is a shining and holy settlement in that island, in honour of Saint +Senanus. Now when Saint Kiaranus was approaching that island of Cathi, +Saint Senanus foresaw in the spirit his coming and his nakedness: and +he sent a ship to bear him to the island, while he himself, taking +a cloak secretly in his hands, went out to meet him at the island's +harbour. Now when most blessed Senanus saw Saint Kyaranus coming to +him, in an under-garment, he chid him sportively, saying, "Is it not +shame that a presbyter should walk in a sole under-garment, without a +cowl?" To him, Saint Kiaranus, smiling, said, "This my nakedness shall +soon receive its alleviation, for there is a cloak for me under the +vesture of mine elder Senanus." And Saint Kiaranus remained for +some days with Saint Senanus, they passing the time in the divine +mysteries; and they made a pact and a brotherhood between them, and +thereafter Saint Kiaranus with the kiss of peace went his way. + + +XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL + +24. Now when blessed Kiaranus came from Saint Senanus, he went out to +his brethren Luchennus and Odranus, who were living in a _cella_ which +is called Yseal, that is "the lowest place"; and he lived with them +for a time. And his brethren made Saint Kiaranus their almoner and +guest-master: but Luchennus, who was the eldest, was the abbot of +that place, and Odranus was the prior. Once, when Saint Kiaranus was +reading out of doors in a field facing the sun, he suddenly espied +weary guests entering the guest-house; and rising quickly, he forgot +his book, and left it out of doors open till the following day. As he +himself was settling the guests in the house, washing their feet and +diligently ministering to them, the night fell. In that very night +there was a great rain, but by the favour of God the open book was +found perfectly dry; for not a drop of rain had touched it, although +the whole ground was wet around it. For this did Saint Kiaranus with +his brethren render praises to Christ. + + +XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE + +25. Near that place of Saint Kiaranus there was an island in a +lake, on which a certain lord was dwelling in his fortress with his +followers; and the noise of their uproar was hindering the prayers of +the holy men in their _cella_. When Saint Kyeranus saw this, he went +out to the shore of the lake, and prayed there to the Lord, that He +would give them somewhat of relief from that island. On the following +night that island, with its lake, was removed by the divine power, far +away to another place, where the noise of the mob of that island could +not reach the saints of God. And unto this day there is to be seen the +place of the lake, where it had been before, some of it sandy, some of +it marshy, as a sign of the act of power. + + +XXXVII. CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL + +26. On a certain day when Ciaran was busied out of doors in a field, a +poor man came to him, asking that an alms should be given him. In +that hour a chariot with two horses was gifted to Saint Kiaranus by +a certain lord, namely the son of Crimthannus; which horses with the +chariot Saint Kiaranus gave to that poor man. + +Then, since the brethren of Saint Kiaranus could not endure the +greatness of his charity, for every day he was dividing their +substance among the poor, they said unto him, "Brother, depart from +us; we cannot now be along with thee in one place, and preserve and +nourish our brethren for God, for thine excess of charity." To whom +holy Kiaranus answered: "If therefore I had remained in this place, it +would not have been 'Ysseal,' that is, 'lowest,' that is, not small; +but high, that is, great and honourable."[5] With these words, holy +Kiaranus gave a blessing to his brethren, and taking his book-satchels +with his books on his shoulders, he went thence on his way. + +When he had gone some little distance from the place, there met him +in the way a stag awaiting him with utmost gentleness. Saint Kiaranus +placed his book-satchels upon him, and wheresoever the stag would go, +Saint Kieranus followed him. The stag came to Loch Rii which is in the +east of Connachta; he stood over against Inis Angin, which is in that +lake. Thereby Saint Kyaranus understood that the Lord had called him +to that island, and dismissing the stag with a blessing he entered +that island and dwelt there. + + +XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGHIN + +27. Now when the fame of his holiness was noised abroad, from far and +wide and from every quarter good men came together to him, and Saint +Kiaranus made them his monks. And many alms, in respect of various +matters, would be given to Saint Kiaranus and to his people by the +Faithful. But a certain presbyter, by name Daniel, who owned Inis +Angin, inspired by the devil's envy, set about expelling Saint +Kyaranus with his followers by force from the island. But Saint +Kiaranus, wishing to benefit his persecutor, sent him by faithful +messengers a royal gift which had been given him in alms, namely a +golden _antilum_, well adorned. When the presbyter saw it, at first he +refused to accept it; but afterwards, on the persuasion of trustworthy +men, he received it gratefully. And presbyter Daniel, filled with the +grace of God, came and gifted Inis Angin which was in his possession, +to God and to Saint Kiaranus for ever. + + +XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA + +28. On another day when Saint Kiaranus was in that island Angin, he +heard the voice of a man in the port wishing to enter the island; and +he said to his brethren, "Go ye, my brethren, and lead me hither him +who is to be your abbot after me." So the brethren, voyaging quickly, +found an unconsecrated youth in the port, whom despising they left +there. Coming back, they said unto Saint Kiaranus, "We found no man +there save an unconsecrated youth, who wandered as a fugitive in the +woods; he it is who calleth in the port. Far removed from abbotship +is _his_ rudeness!" To these Saint Kiaranus said: "Voyage ye without +delay and bring him with speed; for the Lord having revealed it to me, +by his voice I have recognised that he shall be your abbot after me." +When the brethren heard this, they forthwith led him in, and Saint +Kiaranus tonsured him, and he read diligently with him, and was filled +from day to day with the grace of God; and after the most blessed +Kiaranus, he was the holy abbot. For he is the blessed Aengus, son of +Luigse. + + +XL. HOW CIARAN RECOVERED HIS GOSPEL + +29. The gospel-book of Saint Kieranus fell into the lake from the hand +of one of the brethren, who held it carelessly when voyaging. For a +long time it was therein, under the water, and was not found. But on +a certain day, in summer, the kine entered the lake to refresh +themselves in the waters, for the greatness of the heat; and when the +kine had returned from the lake, the binding of the leather satchel +containing the gospel-book caught about the hoof of a cow, and so the +cow dragged the book-satchel on her hoof as she came to land. And the +gospel-book was found in the rotten leather satchel, perfectly dry +and clean, without any moisture, as though it had been preserved in a +book-case. Saint Kiaranus with his followers were rejoiced thereat. + + +XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGIN TO CLONMACNOIS + +30. After this a certain man of Mumonia, to wit of the people of Corco +Baiscind, by name Donnanus, came to Saint Ciaran as he sojourned in +Inis Angin. To him one day Saint Kiaranus said, "What seekest thou, +father, in these coasts?" Saint Donnanus answered, "Lord, I seek a +place wherein to sojourn, where I may serve Christ in pilgrimage." +Saint Kiaranus said to him, "Sojourn, father, in this place; for +I shall go to some other place, for I know that here is not my +resurrection." + +Then Saint Kyaranus granted Inis Angin with its furniture to Saint +Donnanus, and came to a place which is called Ard Mantain, near the +river Sinna; but being unwilling to remain in that place, he said: "I +will not live in this place: for here shall be great abundance of the +things of this life, and earthly joy; and hardly could the souls of my +disciples attain to heaven, were I to have dwelt here, for this place +belongs to the men of this world." + +Thereafter Saint Kiaranus left that place, and came to a place which +once was called Typrait, but now is called Cluain meic Nois. And +coming to this place he said: "Here will I live: for many souls shall +go forth in this place to the kingdom of God, and in this place shall +be my resurrection." + +Then most blessed Kiaranus with his followers dwelt, and began to +found a great monastery there. And many from all sides used to come to +him, and his parish was extended over a great circuit; and the name of +Saint Kiaranus was much renowned over all Ireland. And a shining and +holy settlement, the name of which is Cluain meic Nois, grew up in +that place in honour of Saint Kiaranus; it is in the western border +of the land of Ui Neill, on the eastern bank of the river Synna, over +against the province of the Connachta. Therein are the kings or the +lords of Ui Neill and of the Connachta buried, along with Saint +Kiaranus. For the river Synna, which is very rich in various fish, +divides the regions of Niall, that is, of Midhe, and the province of +the Connachta. + + +XLII. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH + +31. And when Saint Kiaranus would place with his own hands a +corner-post in the first building of that settlement, a certain wizard +said to him: "This hour is not good for beginning; for the sign of +this hour is contrary to beginnings of building." Then Saint Kiaranus +himself set the post in the corner of the house, saying, "Thou wizard, +against thy sign I fix this post in the ground; for I care naught for +the art of wizards, but in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ, do I all +my works." For this the wizard and his followers uttered commendation, +marvelling at the faith of Saint Ciaran in his God. + + +XLIII. HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN + +32. Now when Saint Kiaranus had been in his settlement of Cluain meic +Nois, an excellent cloak was gifted to him in alms by a certain man. +Saint Kyaranus was minded to send it to the aforesaid holy elder +Senanus, who dwelt in the island of Cathi; but he was not able +immediately to find a messenger, because the way from the settlement +of Saint Kiaranus of Cluain meic Nois, which is in the middle of +Ireland, to the island of Cathi, situate at the entrance of the ocean, +was long and rough and difficult, and crossed borders of different +kingdoms. Then at the command of Saint Kiaranus, the cloak was placed +on the river Synna, and was sent alone with the river, and it came dry +over the waters to the island of Cathi; and no one saw it while it +travelled thither. The Synna flows from the settlement of Cluain meic +Nois to the estuary of Luimnech, in which the island of Cathi stands. + +And Saint Senanus, filled with the spirit of prophecy, said to his +brethren, "Go ye to the shore of the sea, and bring to us with honour +the guest there seated, the gift of a man of God." And the brethren, +asking no questions, made their way to the sea, and found there the +cloak, perfectly dry, for it was untouched by the waters. And the holy +elder Senanus accepting it, gave thanks to God; and the cloak was in +honourable keeping with Saint Senanus, as though it were a sacred +diadem. + + +XLV. THE STORY OF CRITHIR + +33. A certain boy of the company of holy Kiaranus, called Crithir of +Cluain (a boy of great wit, but hurtful and wanton) fled from Saint +Kiaranus to the settlement of Saigyr, in the northern border of +Mumonia, that is, the land of Hele, to the other Kiaranus, the most +holy aged bishop. And that boy, sojourning for some days with the holy +bishop, after his devilish manner took the drink of the brethren, and +poured it over the fire; extinguishing thus the consecrated fire. Now +Saint Kiaranus the elder would have no other fire in his monastery +save the consecrated fire, maintained without being extinguished from +Easter to Easter. When Saint Kiaranus the elder heard what the boy +Crithir did, it greatly displeased him, and he said, "Let him be +chastened for this of God in this life." When he heard that Saint +Kiaranus the elder was angry with him, he went out from the settlement +of Saigyr, and when he was gone a short space from the settlement, +wolves met him and killed him; yet they did not touch his body after +he was dead, after the likeness of that prophet who was killed by the +lion. + +Now when Saint Kiaranus the younger heard that his boy had been with +Kiaranus the elder, he went to him; and on the day when the aforesaid +things took place, he came to the settlement of Saigyr and was +received with fitting honour by the holy bishop Kiaranus the elder. +And the holy abbot Kiaranus the younger said to the holy bishop +Kiaranus, "Restore to me, holy father, my disciple alive, who hath +been slain while with thee." To him Saint Keranus the elder said, +"First needs must your feet be washed, but we have no fire in the +monastery, to warm the water for you; and ye know that it is because +your disciple quenched our sacred fire. Wherefore beseech for us +consecrated fire from God." Then the holy abbot Kieranus the younger, +son of the wright, stretched his hands in prayer to God, and +straightway fire from heaven came into his breast, and thence was the +hearth kindled in the monastery. + +But the holy bishop Kiaranus the elder prayed to God for that youth +slain by wolves, and straightway he arose sound from a cruel death, +with the scars of the wolf-bites visible upon him. And blessing them +all, he took food and drink with the saints, and afterwards he lived +many days. + +Then the two Saints Kiaranus made a compact and brotherhood in heaven +and in earth between their successors; and they said that should any +wish to name or to beg aught for one of them, he should name them both +and ask, for they would hear him. + +After this the holy abbot Kiaranus the younger said to the bishop, +Kiaranus the elder, "In thy place, father, shall remain honour and +abundance of riches." To him said the holy bishop, Kiaranus the elder, +"Also in thy place, dearest son, shall last the strength of religion +and of wisdom, unto the end of the world." When these things were +said, having received the kiss of peace and blessing of the most holy +bishop, Kiaranus the elder, Saint Kiaranus the younger with his own +people and with the aforesaid youth Crithir returned to his settlement +of Cluain meic Nois. + + +XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE + +34. On a certain day when the brethren of Saint Kiaranus were at work +in the harvest, enduring thirst from the heat of the sun, they sent +word that cold water should be brought to them. Saint Kiaranus +answered them by a messenger, "Choose ye, my brethren, whether ye will +drink to quench your thirst for necessity, or will endure in thirst +till the evening, that through your labour to-day in thirst and in +sweat there may be abundance for the brethren who are to be in this +place hereafter; and you yourselves will not fail of reward from +God in heaven." The brethren answered, "We choose that there be a +sufficiency for our successors, and we to have the reward of our +patience and of our thirst in heaven." So the brethren worked that day +athirst, rejoicing, though the sun was hot. + +But when evening was come, the brethren returned home, and Saint +Kiaranus wished to satisfy them, and to refresh them charitably. And +trusting in the Lord, he blessed a great vessel full of water; and +immediately under his hands wine of most excellent quality appeared in +the vessel. And bringing drinking-cups, he commanded the brethren to +refresh their bodies well, with sobriety, rendering thanks to Christ +for his gifts. + +This is the Last Supper of Saint Ciaran with his brethren in his life, +he himself ministering unto them; for he lived thereafter but few +days. And that supper was most generous, excelling all the suppers +that were made in the monastery of Saint Kiaranus, as is proved thus-- + +For after a long time, when Saint Columba with his followers had come +to Ireland from the island of Hia, a great feast was prepared for them +in the monastery of Saint Kiaranus in his settlement of Cluain; and +when they had come to the religious house of Saint Kiaranus, they were +received with great joy and love, and were refreshed most bounteously +with that repast; and the fame of that supper went over the whole +settlement and its suburbs, far and wide. + +When, in the house of the holy elders, who had a little cell apart in +the monastery of Saint Kiaranus, certain persons said in ignorance +that never in that place had such a feast been made, nor would be in +the future, one, who had been a boy when Saint Kiaranus lived there, +answered: "Ye know not whereat ye wonder: for the feast which Saint +Kiaranus our patron made, of water turned to wine, for his brethren +athirst after harvesting, was far better than this feast. And that ye +may know this, and may believe that it is true, come and perceive the +odour of my finger with which I drew of that wine for the brethren. +For my thumb touched the liquor through the mouth of the cup in which +the wine was drawn; and lo, even yet its odour remains thereupon." +Then they all drew near, and being sated with the pleasant and sweet +odour of that holy elder, they cried aloud saying, "Truly much better +was that feast whose odour remains on a finger most sweet for so long +a time." And they blessed Saint Kiaranus, giving praises to God. + +And in those days, in which the brethren of Saint Kiaranus were sowing +their crops, there came merchants with wine of the Gauls to Saint +Kiaranus, and they filled a huge vessel, the _solitana_ of the +brethren, from that wine, which Saint Kiaranus gave to his brethren +with his benediction. + + +XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN + +35. Our most holy patron Kiaranus lived but for one year in his +settlement of Cluain. When he knew that the day of his death was +approaching, he prophesied, deploring the subsequent evils that would +come to pass in his place after him; and he said that their life would +be short. Then the brethren said unto him, "What then shall we do in +the time of those evils? Shall we abide here beside thy relics, or +shall we go to other places?" To them Saint Kiaranus said, "Haste ye +to other quiet places, and leave my relics here like the dry bones of +a stag on a mountain. For it is better for you to be with my spirit in +heaven than beside my bones on earth, and stumbling withal." + +Saint Kiaranus used greatly to crucify his body, and we write here an +example of this. He ever had a stone pillow beneath his head, which +till to-day remains in the monastery of Saint Kiaranus, and is +reverenced by every one. Moreover, when he was growing weak, he would +not have the stone removed from him, but commanded it to be placed to +his shoulders, that he should have affliction even to the end, for the +sake of an everlasting reward in heaven. + +Now when the hour of his departure was approaching, he commanded that +he should be carried outside, out of the house; and looking up into +heaven, he said, "Hard is that way,[6] and this needs must be." To +him the brethren said, "We know that nothing is difficult for thee, +father; but we unhappy ones must greatly fear this hour." + +And being carried back into the house, he raised his hand and blessed +his people and clerks; and having received the Lord's Sacrifice, +on the fifth of the ides of September he gave up the ghost, in the +thirty-third year of his age. And lo, angels filled the way between +heaven and earth, rejoicing to meet Saint Kiaranus. + + +L. THE VISIT OF COEMGEN + +36. And on the third night after the death of Saint Kiaranus, the most +holy abbot Coemhgenus came from the province of the Lagenians to +the burial of Saint Kiaranus; and Saint Kiaranus spake with Saint +Coemhgenus and they exchanged their vesture, and they made a perpetual +brotherhood between themselves and their followers. This is related +faithfully and at length in the Life of Coemhgenus himself. + + +LI. THE EARTH OF CIARAN'S TOMB DELIVERS COLUM CILLE FROM A WHIRLPOOL + +37. Saint Columba, on hearing of the death of Saint Kiaranus, said, +"Blessed be God, Who hath called to Himself most holy Kiaranus from +this life in his youth. For had he lived to old age, there would have +been envy of many against him, for he would have had a firm hold on +the parish of all Ireland." + +Saint Columba made a hymn to Saint Kiaranus; and when he set it forth +in the settlement of Cluain, the successor of Saint Kiaranus said unto +him, "Shining and worthy of praise is this hymn; what reward then, +father, shall be rendered unto thee?" Saint Columba answered: "Give me +my hands full of the earth of the grave of your holy father Kiaranus; +for I wish for and desire that, more than for pure gold and precious +gems." And Saint Columba receiving earth from the grave of Saint +Kiaranus, made his way to his own island of Hya. + +When Saint Columba was voyaging on the sea, there arose a storm in the +sea, and the ship was thrust towards the whirlpool which is in the +Scotic tongue called Cori Bracayn, in which is a sea-whirlpool most +dangerous, wherein if ships enter they come not out. And the whirlpool +beginning to draw the ship towards itself, blessed Columba cast part +of the earth of Saint Kiaranus into the sea. Most wondrous to relate, +immediately the storm of the air, the movement of the waves, and the +swirl of the whirlpool all ceased, till the ship had long escaped from +it. Then Saint Columba, giving thanks to God, said to his followers, +"Ye see, brethren, how much favour hath the earth of most blessed +Kiaranus brought us." + + +LIII. A PANEGYRIC OF CIARAN + +38. Most blessed Kiaranus living among men passed a life as of an +angel, for the grace of the Holy Spirit burned in his face before the +eyes of men. Who could expound his earthly converse? For he was young +in age and in body, yet a most holy senior in mind and in manners, +in humility, in gentleness, in charity, in daily labours, in nightly +vigils, and in other divine works. + +For now liveth he in rest without labour, in age without senility, in +health without sorrow, in joy without grief, in peace without a foe, +in wealth without poverty, in endless day without night, in the +eternal kingdom without end, before the throne of Christ, Who with +the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth unto ages of ages. +Amen. + +_Here endeth the life of Saint Ciaran, Abbot of Cluain meic Nois._ + + +[Footnote 1: The inconsistencies in the spelling of the various proper +names in this translation follow those in the original documents.] + +[Footnote 2: The MS. reads _lac iam... effudit_. For _iam_ we should +probably read _enim_. A similar correction is made in § 38.] + +[Footnote 3: _Ipsa insula semper ab Hybernia habitatur._ The sense of +this passage is not clear: it may be corrupt.] + +[Footnote 4: Lit.: "the shadow of the aid of thy dutifulness."] + +[Footnote 5: This sentence reads very awkwardly, owing to the +incorporation of two originally interlined glosses. Reference to the +MS. enables us to isolate these. The sentence there runs thus: "Si +ergo in isto loco mansissem non Ysseal .i. imus esset id est non +paruus sed altus .i. magnus et honorabilis." Here _id est_ occurs +three times, once in full, and twice represented by the common +contraction .i., which is universally used in MSS. of Irish origin for +the introduction of a gloss. If we write the sentence as below, +we shall see the significance of the different ways in which the +expression is written, and by expunging the glosses can make the +sentence less clumsy and more intelligible + + _.i. imus_ +--"Si ... mansissem, non Ysseal esset, id est non paruus; sed +_.i. magnus et honorabilis_ altus."] + +[Footnote 6: Correcting the _vita_ of the MS. to _via_, in conformity +with VG.] + + * * * * * + + + + +THE SECOND LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN + + +II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN + +1. A glorious man; and an abbot in life most holy, Queranus, was born +of a father Boecius, of a mother Darercha. This man drew his origin +from the northern part of Ireland, that is, he was of the Aradenses by +race. Now he was so illuminated by divine grace from his boyhood, that +it was clearly apparent of what manner he was destined to be. For he +was as a burning lamp in extraordinary charity, so as to show not only +the warmth of a pious heart and devotion in relieving the necessity +of men, but also an unwearied sympathy for the needs of irrational +animals. And because such a lamp should not be hidden under a bushel, +so from his boyhood he began to sparkle with the marvels of miracles. + + +III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH + +2. For when the horse of the son of the king of that territory +perished with a sudden death, and the young man was much grieved at +its fall, there appeared to him in dreams a man of venerable and +shining countenance, who forbade him to be grieved for the death of +the horse, saying unto him, "Call," said he, "the holy boy Keranus, +and let him pour water into the mouth of thy horse, and sprinkle its +forehead, and it shall revive. And thou shalt endow him with due +reward for its resurrection." + +When the king's son had wakened from sleep, he sent for the boy +Keranus that he should come to him; who, when he made his presence +known, and heard the dream throughout, according to what the angel +taught him, sprinkled the horse with holy water and raised it from +death. When this great miracle was seen, the king of that territory +made over to Saint Keranus a fertile and spacious field in honour of +Omnipotent God, in Whose Name his horse was resurrected. + + +IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY + +3. Moreover it fell out on a certain day that the mother of Keranus +himself found fault with him, for that he did not bring wild honey +such as the other boys were wont to carry to their parents. When the +beloved of God and men heard this, he raised his thoughts to the Boy +who was subject to His parents, and blessed water, brought from a +neighbouring spring, in His Name who is able to draw honey from the +rock, and oil from the hardest stone; and presently that water is +changed, with the help of God, into the sweetest honey, and so it is +brought to his mother. This honey his parents sent to Saint Dermicius +the deacon, surnamed Iustus, who baptized him. + + +XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN + +4. Now when the rudiments of letters had been read [with him] by the +saint aforesaid, he proposed to go to the blessed abbey of Cluayn +Hirard for instruction. And as he wished to fulfil in deed what he had +begun to conceive of in his mind, he asked a cow of his parents for +his sustenance. But when his mother would not grant his petition, the +Heavenly Father, Who loveth those whom He regardeth as a mother her +son, did not tarry to fulfil the desire of his beloved. For a milch +cow, together with her calf, followed him as though she had been +driven after him by her herdsman. + +When he had come to the sacred college of Saint Fynnianus, they all +had no small joy at his arrival. But the cow, which had followed him, +was pastured along with her calf, nor did it [the calf] attempt +to touch the udders of its mother without permission. Keranus so +separated and divided its pastures, that the mother would only lick +the calf, and would not offer to suckle it. Now the milk of that cow +was rich in such abundance that, divided daily, it would supply a +sufficiency of provision for twelve men. + +But the holy youth Keranus, deeply occupied with the sacred Scripture, +shone in holiness and wisdom among his fellow-students as a brilliant +star among the other stars. For he was filled with the fragrance of +perfect charity, with moral worth, with holiness of life, and with +sweetness of humility, gracious, honourable, and admirable to present +and to absent. + + +XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE + +5. One day he made his way to a king, Tuathlus by name, to intercede +for the liberation of a certain bond-maid. When he besought the king +fervently for her, and _he_ rejected the prayers of the servant of God +as though they were ravings, he thought out a new method of liberating +her, and determined that he himself should serve the king in her +place. Now when he was coming to the house in which the girl was +grinding, the doors which were shut opened to him. Entering, he showed +himself a second Bishop Paulinus to her. Without delay the king +freed her, and further presented his vesture to the servant of God. +Receiving this, he forthwith distributed it to the poor. + + +XXIV. THE STORY OF THE MILL AND THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER _(abstract +only)_ + +6. It fell out one night that the eminent doctor Finnianus sent him +with grain of wheat to the mill. Now a certain kingling who lived +near, learning that one of the disciples of the man of God had come +thither, sent him flesh and ale by a servant. When they had presented +the gift of such a man, he answered, "That it may be common," said he, +"to the brethren, cast it all on the surface of the mill." When the +messenger had done this, it was all turned into wheat. When he heard +this, the king gave him the steading in which he was dwelling, with +all his goods, in perpetuity: but Keranus made it over to his master, +for a monastery was afterwards erected there. But the bread made +of that grain tasted to the brethren like flesh and ale, and so it +refreshed them. + + +XXX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ROBBERS OF LOCH ERNE + +7. Now when a space of time had passed, the licence and benediction of +his master having been obtained, he made his way to Saint Nynnidus who +was dwelling in a wood _(sic)_ of Loch Erny. Now when he had arrived +he was received with great joy and unfeigned love. As he was daily +becoming perfect in the discipline of manners and of virtue, on a +certain day, as one truly obedient, he went forth to the groves hard +by with brethren to cut timber. For it was a custom in that sacred +college, that three monks, with an elder, always went out in +prescribed order to transport timber. As the others were cutting wood, +he by himself, as was his wont, was intent on prayer to God. Meanwhile +certain wicked robbers, ferried over in a boat to that island, fell +upon the aforesaid brethren and slew them, and bore away their heads. +But Keranus, not hearing the sound of his companions hacking, was +surprised, and in wonder he hurried to the place where he had left +them labouring. When he saw what had been done to the brethren he +heaved heavy sighs and was deeply grieved; and he followed the +murderers by their track, and found them in the harbour, sweating to +carry their boat in the harbour to the water, but unable to do so. For +God so fastened their skiff to the land that by no means could they +remove it. So being unable to resist the will of the All-Powerful, +they beseech as suppliants pardon of the man of God, then present. +Mindful of his Master as He prayed for the Jews who were crucifying +Him, he, a holy one, poured forth prayers for them, unworthy as they +were, to the Fount of Piety; and strengthened by the virtue of his +prayer, they were able to convey their boat quite easily to the water. +In payment for this benefit he obtained from the robbers the heads of +his brethren. When he had received these, he made his way back to the +place where their bodies had been lying, and fervently asked of God +to show forth His omnipotence in the resuscitation of His servants in +this life. Wondrous is what I relate, but in the truth of fact most +manifest. He fitted the heads to the bodies, and recalled them to life +by the virtue of the holy prayer--nay, rather, what is more correct, +he obtained their recall. These, thus marvellously resuscitated, bore +timber back to the monastery. But so long as they lived they bore the +scars of the wounds on their necks. + + +IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED + +8. At another time when he was keeping the herds of his parents in +a certain place, a cow gave birth to a calf in his presence. But a +[hound], altogether wasted with leanness, came, desiring to fill [his +belly] with whatso falleth from the body of the mother with the calf, +and stood before the dutiful shepherd. To which he said, "Eat, +poor wretch, yonder calf, for great is thy need of it." The hound, +fulfilling the commands of Queranus, devoured the calf down to the +bones. But as Queranus returned with the kine to the house, that one, +recalling her calf to memory, was running hither and thither, lowing; +and the mother of Queranus, recognising the cause of the lowing, said +with indignation to the boy, "Quiranus, restore the calf, though it be +burnt with fire or drowned with water." But he, obeying his mother's +commands, making his way to the place where the calf had been +devoured, collected its bones and resuscitated the calf. + + +V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND + +9. At a certain time, when he was passing along a road, certain men +spurred by a malignant spirit incited a most savage dog to do him a +hurt. But Queranus, trusting in his Lord, fortified himself with the +shield of devout prayer, and said, "Deliver not to beasts the souls of +them that trust in Thee, O Lord": and soon that dog died. + + +XXXI. HOW CIARAN FLOATED A FIREBRAND ON THE LAKE + +10. At another time when he was left alone in that island, he heard a +poor man in the harbour asking that fire be given to him. For it +was now the time of cold: but he had no boat whereby to satisfy the +petition of the poor man, though much he desired to do so. And because +charity suffereth all things, he cast a burning firebrand into the +lake, and the heat of love that sent it prevailing over the waters, it +came to the poor man. + + +XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN + +11. Now when the man of God had spent a certain time there, with the +licence of Nynnidus he hastened to Saint Endeus, abbot in Ara; who +was filled with no small joy at his coming. Now on a certain night he +dreamed that he had seen beside the bank of the great river Synan a +great leafy and fruitful tree which over-shadowed all Ireland. Which +dream he related to blessed Endeus on the following day. But Endeus +himself bore witness that he had seen the same vision that night, +which vision Endeus interpreted: "The tree," he said, "thou art it, +who shalt be great before God and men, and honourable throughout all +Ireland; because she is protected from demons and from other perils +by the shadow of thy help and grace, as under the shadow of a +health-giving tree. Many near and far shall the fruit of thy works +advantage. Wherefore according to the decree of God who revealeth +secrets, depart to the place that hath been shown thee before, and +there abide, according to the grace given thee of God." Comforted by +the interpretation of this vision, in true obedience he obeyed the +command of Saint Endeus his spiritual father. + + +XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN + +12. And having set forth on the way he found in his journey a poor +man, to whom, as he asked an alms of him, he made over his cloak. And +when he had arrived at the island of Cathacus, blessed Senanus learnt +of his arrival, the Spirit revealing it to him, and coming to meet him +he said as though smiling, "Is it not shame for a presbyter to journey +without a cloak?" For Senanus in the spirit knew how he had given it +to a poor man. And so he came to meet him with a cloak. And Keranus +said, "My elder," said he, "beareth a cloak for me under his vesture." + + +XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL + +13. When he had received it and returned thanks to the giver, he came +for sacred converse to the cell of his brother Luctigernnus, where +also was his other brother, Odranus by name. There for some time he +prolonged his sojourn, and was guest-master. Now one day when he was +reading in the open air in the cemetery, guests came unexpectedly, +whom he led to the guest-house, having left his book open in +forgetfulness: and he washed their feet with devotion, and did the +other services necessary for them, for the sake of Christ. Meanwhile, +when the night darkness had fallen, there was a great rain. But He Who +bedewed the fleece of Gideon, but afterwards kept it untouched by the +dew, so preserved the book of holy Keranus, open though it was, from +the rushing waters, that not a drop fell upon it. + + +XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE + +14. Near to the monastery in which the man of God was then staying, +there was an island, which certain worldly men inhabited, whose uproar +used greatly to disturb the men of God. Whence it happened that +blessed Keranus, compelled by their disquietude, made his way to the +lake, and giving himself up wholly to prayer, succeeded in obtaining +the removal of those who were distressing the servants of God. For +when he ceased from prayer, behold, suddenly the island with the lake +and the inhabitants withdrew to a remote place, so that by no means +could its inhabitants disturb the friends of the Most High. For this +miracle was done in His Name Who overturned Sodom on account of the +sin of its inhabitants, and consumed it with fire. The traces of that +lake, where it formerly was, still exist. + + +XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN + +15. As the man of God was distributing the goods of the monastery for +the use of the poor, his brethren complaining of this and coming to +him inconsiderately, said, "Depart," said they, "from us, for we +cannot live together." To whom agreeing, and bidding farewell in the +Lord, he transferred himself to an island by name Angina. A monastery +having been founded in this island, many hastening from all sides, +attracted by the fame of his holiness, submitted to the service of +God. Ordering them under strict rules, by face and by habit, by speech +and by life, he showed himself as an example to them. For he was as +an eagle inciting its young to fly, in respect to sublimity of +contemplation; but he lived as the least of them in brotherly +humility. For he was in spiritual meditations attached to the highest +things; yet so much did he stoop to feeble weakness that he seemed as +though he tended towards the lowliest things. He was also perfect +in faith, fervent in charity, rejoicing in hope, gentle of heart, +courteous of speech, patient and long-suffering, kindly in +hospitality, ever diligent in works of piety, benign, gentle, +peaceful, sober, and quiet. To summarise many things in one short +sentence, he was garnished with the ornament of all the virtues. +Expending a care zealous for these and the like matters--the care of +Mary for contemplation, and of Martha for the dispensing of things +temporal--he fulfilled his duty in ordered succession. Nor could the +light of such and so great a lantern be hidden under a bushel: but +it glittered with light, all around, wheresoever it abundantly +illuminated the world with the outpoured glory of its grace. + + +XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA + +16. He was nevertheless inspired with a spirit of prophecy, which +appears from the preceding and the following examples. For on a +certain day the voice of one asking for ferrying had struck on his +ears. Then he said to the brethren, "I hear," said he, "the voice of +him whom God will set over you as abbot. Go, therefore, and fetch +him." So they hastened; and coming to the harbour, they found an +unlettered youth. Not caring to lead him to the holy man, they +returned and declared that they had found no one, save an unlettered +youth who was wandering as a vagabond in the woods. But Saint Queranus +said, "Lead him hither," said he, "and despise not your future +pastor." Who being led in, by the inspiration of God and by the +instruction of the holy man, took on him the habit of religion, and +duly learned his letters. For he is Saint Oenius, a man of venerable +life; and, as the saint prophesied beforehand, he was duly set over +the brethren. + + +XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGHIN TO CLONMACNOIS + +17. At length, when some time had passed, a holy man by name +Dompnanus, of Mumonia by race, came to visit the man of God. When +Saint Keranus enquired of him the cause of his coming, he replied +that he wished to have a place in which he could serve the Lord in +security. But Saint Keranus, seeking not his own, but the things of +Jesus Christ, said, "Here," said he, "dwell thou, and I with God's +guidance shall seek a place of habitation elsewhere." Finally, the +sacred community accompanying him, he made his way to the place +foreshown him of God, in which, when the famous and renowned monastery +which is to-day called the city of Cluayn was built, he himself +illuminated the world, like the sun, with the light of famous +miracles. + + +XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE + +18. Of the multitude of these miracles we add some here. One time, +when the brethren, labouring in the harvest, were oppressed with +peril of thirst, they sent to holy Father Queranus that they might be +refreshed by the blessing of water. To these, through the servants, he +said: "Choose ye," said he, "one of two things; either that ye be now +revived with water, or that those who are to inhabit this place after +you be blessed with the things of this world." But they answering +said: "We choose," said they, "that those who come after us may abound +in temporal goods, and that we may have the reward of long-suffering +in heaven." And so, rejoicing in the hope of the things to come, they +abstained from drinking, though they were in great need of it. + +But in the evening when they were returning home, the tender father, +having compassion on the weariness of the labourers, blessed a vessel +filled with water: and now renewing the holy miracle in Cana of +Galilee, he changed the water into the best wine. By this wine they, +fainting from thirst, were revived; and revived in faith by the +manifestation of an unwonted miracle, they gave praises to God +Almighty. For the taste of this miraculous wine was more grateful than +was wont, and its odour scented the thumb of the wine-drawer so long +as he survived. + + +XLVI. HOW AN INSULT TO CIARAN WAS AVERTED + +19. One day when he was going on a way, most infamous robbers, +seizing him, began to shave the head of the blessed man. But what the +frowardness of man wished to efface, the divine benevolence changed to +the manifestation of a mighty miracle. For in the place of the +shaved hairs other hairs grew forthwith. The robbers, thrown into +consternation by this miracle, were changed to the way of truth, and +at length, serving in the divine army under so great a leader, they +finished their life in holy conversation. + + +XLVII. HOW CIARAN WAS SAVED FROM SHAME + +20. At another time when the good shepherd was feeding his flocks, +three poor men met him. To the first of these he made over his cape, +to the second his cloak, to the third his tunic. But when they were +going away there arrived certain men, leaders of a worldly life. As he +was ashamed to be seen of these without raiment, the Lord Who helpeth +in need so surrounded him with water that except his head no part of +him could they see. But after these men had passed by the water soon +disappeared. + + +XLVIII. HOW A MAN WAS SAVED FROM ROBBERS + +21. After this when some time had passed, certain companions of the +devil were trying to slay a man who dwelt near his monastery: whom, +when the blessed man prayed for him, God marvellously rescued. For +when they were slaughtering the man, they were striking on a stone +statue. The robbers, when at last they perceived this, being pricked +in the heart, hasten to the shepherd of souls, Queranus: they humbly +acknowledge their crime; and, amending their way of life, they served +faithfully under the yoke of Christ until death. + + +XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN + +22. The most glorious soldier of Christ, shining with these and many +other [miracles], like the luminary which presides over the day, as he +reached the setting of his natural course, approached it, seized with +grievous sickness. But because he who shall have endured unto the end +shall be saved, so the champion of Christ, not only strengthening +himself in the battle of this conflict, but also calling on souls to +conquer, caused the stone, on which, supporting his head, he was wont +until then to concede a little sleep to his body, to be placed even +under his shoulders; then raising his holy hand he blessed the +brethren, and, fortified by reception of the viaticum of salvation, +gave back his soul to heaven. For as that blessed soul departed from +the body, the choirs of angels with hymns and songs received it into +the glory of God. + + +LI. THE EARTH OF CIARAN'S TOMB DELIVERS COLUM CILLE FROM A WHIRLPOOL + +23. Also, when the most blessed abbot of Christ, Columba, heard of the +death of Saint Keranus, he composed a notable hymn about him: and he +brought it down with him to the monastery of Cluayn, where, as was +fitting, he was received with hospitality in honour. Now as for the +hymn, the abbot who was then presiding, and the others who had heard +it, lauded it with many lofty praises. But when Saint Columba was +departing thence, he took away with him earth from the sacred grave of +Saint Keranus, knowing in the spirit how useful this would be against +future perils of the sea. For in the part of the sea which bears +towards the monastery of Í, there is a very great danger to those who +cross, partly because of the vehemence of the currents, and partly +because of the narrowness of the sea; so that ships are whirled round +and driven in a circle, and thus are often sunk. For it is rightly +compared to Scylla and Charybdis; I mean that by its grave and +unmitigated dangerousness, evil is there the lot of sailors. When they +were coming to this strait, they suddenly began to glide into it in +their course: and when they looked for nothing but death, and because +they were as though apt to be devoured by the horrible jaws of the +abyss, then Saint Columba taking some of the aforesaid dust that had +been taken from the tomb of blessed Keranus, cast it into that sea. +Then there befell a thing marvellous and worthy of great wonder; for +sooner than it is told, that cruel storm ceased, and accorded them a +quiet passage. Truly do the just live for ever; among whom blessed +Queranus reigneth, the earth or dust of whose sepulchre stilled the +sea, established in the Faith the hearts of those who feared, and +strengthened them to good works. Wherefore blessed Keranus liveth not +only for God, to whom he is inseparably bound, but also for men, on +whom in time of need he bestoweth benefits. + + +A RIME ABOUT HIM + +1. As the mother of Quiaranus sat in a noisy carriage, a wizard heard +the sound and said out to his attendant lads, "See ye who is in the +carriage, for it soundeth under a king." "The wife," say they, "of +Beodus the wright sitteth here." The wizard says: "She shall bear a +king acceptable to all, whose works shall shine like Phoebus in the +sky." The soldier of Christ, Keranus, a temple of the Holy Spirit, +flourished in the virtue of spiritual piety. + +2. He bestowed the sucking calf of a cow on a hound; then his mother +severely upbraided Queranus. He asked the devoured calf from the hound +itself, and presently bearing back its bones he restored it. + +3. The bald head of a royal woman had been made bare by the envy of an +evil concubine; when it was signed in the name of Queranus it shone +adorned with golden hair. + +4. When Queranus was occupied with sacred studies, and asked time that +he might engage himself therein, then the mill is moved for him by +angels. + +5. The gospel text had fallen into a lake, but when time passed, by +the merits of Queranus, a cow brought it back sound from the abyss. + +6. When as a boy he was praying the Lord, and was spending his time in +prayer, fire came from above in the citadel of the pole. The dead boy +descried the lights of life, and the saints glorify the mighty Lord. +Sparkling fire falling from heaven is kindled and forthwith he +completes his especial duty. + +7. To the high and ineffable company of apostles of the heavenly +Jerusalem, the lofty watch-tower, sitting on thrones shining like the +sun, Queranus the holy priest, the eminent messenger of Christ, is +exalted by the heavenly hands of angels, with the happy clans of holy +ones made perfect; whom Thou, Christ, hast sent as a man, an apostle +to the world, glorious in all the latest times. + + * * * * * + + + + +THE THIRD LATIN LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN + + +II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES + +1. The blessed and venerable abbot Queranus was born of a noble and +religious stock of the Scots, of a father Beoid, that is Boeus, by +name, who was a cartwright, and of a mother Darerca; of these many +saints were born. This man of God was prophesied of by Saint Patrick, +fifty years before his birth. Moreover when his mother, sitting in +a carriage one day, passed near the house of a certain wizard, the +wizard, hearing the noise of the carriage said in prophecy, "The +carriage soundeth under a king." And when his folk went in surprise to +see the truth of the matter, and beheld no one but the wife of Boeus +in the carriage, they said in mockery, "Lo, the wife of Beoit sitteth +in the carriage." To whom the wizard said, "Not of her do I speak, but +of the son whom she hath in her womb, who shall be a mighty king; and +as the sun blazeth in mid-day, so shall he with miracles shine and +illumine this island." After this, as his father was being burdened +under the taxes of Anmereus, that is Anmirech, leaving his native +region he departed into the territory of the Conactei; and there in +the plain of Ay he begat his blessed son Queranus, who was baptized +and instructed by a certain holy man, Dermicius by name. And the holy +boy, in manners beyond his years, worked many wonders. + + +III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH + +2. So when the horse of the son of the king of that territory died by +accident, he saw in a vision a shining man saying to him, "The holy +boy Quieranus who liveth among you, can quicken thy horse. Present him +with a reward for the health of thy horse, and he shall resuscitate +him." The royal youth, awakened from sleep, went to Queranus, and +prayed him on behalf of the horse. The holy boy, without delay, +blessed water, and when he poured it into the mouth of the horse it +was restored to its former health. And when the king saw what was +done, he made over an excellent field as a reward to Saint Quieranus. + + +IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY + +3. At another time his mother upbraided him because, though the other +boys collected honey for their mothers, he used to bring her no honey. +But hearkening humbly to his mother, he went to a neighbouring spring, +and carrying thence a vessel full of water, he blessed it, and it was +changed into excellent honey. + + +V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND + +4. On a certain other day some men, spurred by a malignant spirit, +incited a most savage dog to devour the holy man. But Keranus trusting +in the Lord, and fortifying himself with the buckler of prayer, said, +"Deliver not the soul that trusteth in Thee unto beasts"; and soon the +dog died. + + +IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED + +5. When at another time he was feeding the herds of his parents, as +men are wont to do,[1] a cow brought forth a calf in his presence. But +there came a hound consumed with leanness, seeking to fill his belly +with what fell from the body of the mother along with the calf; and +moved with compassion he said unto him, "Eat, poor wretch, yonder +calf, for great is thy need of it." The hound fulfilled the commands +of Keranus, and ate the calf to the bones. As Keranus returned home to +the house of his parents with the herds, the cow, recalling the +calf to memory, went running about lowing. The mother of Keranus, +recognising the cause of its lowing, said with indignation to the +boy, "Restore the calf, Keranus, even though it be burnt with fire or +drowned in the sea." But he, obeying his mother, returned to the place +where the calf had been devoured, collected the bones, and carried +them with him and placed them before the mother [_father_, +MS.], asking his God with diligence to hear his prayers for the +resuscitation of the calf. And God hearkened to the holy one, and +resuscitated the calf in the presence of his parents. + + +X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS + +6. At another time there came robbers to him when he was feeding the +herds of his parents, wishing to slay him, so that they might the more +easily reave what they would. But God had regard to their attempt from +on high, and so multiplied infirmities upon them that they turned in +haste to God. For they were smitten with blindness, nor could they +move hand or foot, till they wrought repentance, and were loosed by +the merit of Saint Keranus: recovering the light of their eyes and the +vigour of their other members. + + +XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS AND WAS ENSLAVED + +7. It happened after this that he gave a cauldron belonging to the +king, as he had nothing else to give to poor folk asking of him an +alms. When the king heard what had been done, he was greatly enraged, +and commanded his people to bring Saint Keranus to him in bonds. When +he was led to the king, he gave sentence that he should be reduced to +servitude, and be set apart for grinding at the quern. But God, having +regard to the humiliation of His servant, caused the mill to be moved +of itself without human hand, and left Ciaran free to chant his +Psalms. After a few days coppersmiths from the land of the Mumunienses +brought three cooking-pots with them, and offered them to Saint +Keranus. Giving thanks for these to God, he was delivered from the +yoke of servitude. + + +XXIII. THE BLESSING OF CIARAN'S FOOD + +8. When on a certain day he was journeying alone, and the time of +partaking of food had come, seeking one to bless for him he said +"_Benedic._" And as no one answered, he departed, fasting. On the +following day, seeking one to bless and finding him not, he went on +fasting in like manner. On the third day he went forth fasting, +and being weary with the journey he lay down; and when he asked a +benediction as was customary, a voice came from heaven and blessed his +meal, and so, eating and giving thanks, he completed his journey. + + +XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER + +9. One time when he was coming from the fields to the house certain +strangers met him; and when he had asked them whence they had come, +they said, "From the house of Boetius the wright." And when he had +again asked them how they had been refreshed there, they answered, +"Not only got we no food, but the woman of the house heaped insults +and abuse upon us." But he, fired with the flames of charity, went to +his father's house, and cast whatsoever of food he found there into +the mud, thinking that what was not offered to Christ, and that in +which the pleasure of the devil was wrought, was corrupt and unclean +and should not be eaten of any. + + +XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE + +10. At another time when with his father he was sitting in a carriage, +the axle of the carriage broke in two; but yet for the whole day they +continued their journey safely, without any mishap. + + +XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN + +11. After these things, having heard the renown of the holiness and +sound doctrine of Saint Finnianus of Cluayn Hyrart, he desired to +hasten to him as to a living fountain, and asked of his mother a cow, +to yield him the food necessary to sustain life. When his mother +refused his request, he went to the kine of his mother, trusting in +his God, and blessed one of them in the name of God; and the cow, by +the favour of God, mindful of the blessing of the man of God, followed +him with her calf till he had arrived at the church of the man of God +Fynnianus. When the man of God arrived at the place of his desire, he +drew a dividing-line with his rod between the cow and the calf, in +the name of Him who set a boundary to the waters that they should not +transgress their limit, and this they did not cross till they were +permitted. The milk of that cow was sufficient for twelve men every +day. + + +XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN + +12. At that time there were twelve very holy and reverend men reading +in that school, and each of them on his day ground at the quern with +his own hand, as was customary. But in the day of Saint Keranus the +angels of God used to turn the quern for him. + + +XXX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ROBBERS OF LOCH ERNE + +13. At another time, when blessed Keranus had been in an island +situated in Loch Eirne, in the school of a holy man; and it was a +custom with the saints that three men should go out with an elder to +bring in timber; it was the lot of Saint Keranus to go to the forest +with three monks to cut timber. And when he was praying apart and the +others were cutting wood, robbers came and slew those three monks, and +cut off and carried away their heads with them. Saint Keranus, not +hearing the sound of those who were hacking and hewing timber, +returned from the place of prayer and found his three companions slain +and decapitated. But the man of God, though first he grieved sorely +over this deed, yet, recovering his power from Him Who deserteth not +His own in their necessity, hastened after the murderers, and found +them sweating to drag a little boat down to the water. But it was +wondrously contrived that the skiff should weigh most heavily, like +a ship, and with this their bodily strength wholly failed them. Then +they turned themselves to the holy man, and begging pardon of him, +they obtained it in mercy. And when as a price for their restored +strength he obtained the heads of his companions from the robbers, he +ran with them to the place where the bodies of the martyrs were lying, +placed each of them respectively at the junction with its body, and +restored them to life from death in the Name of the Holy Trinity. +And as a sign of this unwonted miracle, so long as they lived there +remained a blood-marked circle round their necks, that thereby +the Faithful should be strengthened in the Faith and the infidels +confuted. It endeth; Amen. + + +[Footnote 1: _More humano_: but is this an error for _in quodam +loco_?] + + * * * * * + + + + +THE IRISH LIFE OF SAINT CIARAN + + +I. THE HOMILETIC INTRODUCTION + +1. _Omnia quaecumque uultis ut faciant homines uobis, ita et uos +faciatis illis, haec est enim lex et prophetae:_ "Every good thing +that ye wish to be done unto you by men, let it be likewise that ye do +to them, for that is Law and Prophecy." + +Now He Who prohibiteth every evil, Who proclaimeth every good, Who +reconcileth God and man, Jesus Christ Son of the Living God, the +Saviour of the whole world, He it is Who spake these words; to teach +His apostles and His disciples and the whole Church concerning the +covenant[1] of charity; that men should do of good and of charity to +their neighbour as much as they would do unto themselves. To that end +saith Jesus, _Omnia quaecumque uultis_. Now Matthew son of Alphaeus, +the eminent sage of the Hebrews, one of the four who expounded the +Gospel of the Lord, he it is who wrote these words in the heart of his +Gospel, saying after his Master Jesus, _Omnia quaecumque_. + +_Si ergo uos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis uestris, +quanto magis Pater uester celestis dabit bona petentibus Se:_[2] That +is, "If ye being men _[sic]_ give good gifts to your children, much +more shall the Heavenly Father give good to His children who ask +Him." It is after these words that Jesus spake this counsel, _Omnia +quaecumque,_ etc. For Law and Prophecy command us to give love to God +and to the neighbour. _Finis enim precepti caritas est, quia caritas +propria et specialis uirtus est Christianorum. Nam caeterae uirtutes +bonis et malis possunt esse communes; caritatem autem habere nisi +perfecti non possunt. Vnde Iesus ait, "In hoc cognoscent omnes quod +discipuli Mei estis, si dilexeritis inuicem."_ "For the roof and +summit of divine doctrine is charity, because charity is the especial +virtue of the Christians. For the other virtues may belong to good and +to evil men alike; but none hath charity save good men only. Wherefore +Jesus saith, 'Hereby shall all men recognise that ye are of My folk, +if each of you loveth his fellow as I have loved you.'"[3] _Et iterum +dixit Iesus: Hoc est preceptum meum ut diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi +uos._ "And thus said Jesus further: 'This is my counsel to you, that +each of you love his fellow as I have loved you.'" + +Many of the children of life, apostles and disciples of the Lord, have +thenceforward fulfilled with zeal and with piety the counsel that +Jesus gave them as to fulfilling charity; as _he_ fulfilled and loved +charity especially beyond all virtues, to wit the noble glorious +apostle, the father confessor, the spark-flashing, the man through +whom the west of the world shone with signs and wonders, with virtues +and with good deeds, _Sanctus Ciaranus sacerdos et apostolus Dei_, the +archpresbyter and apostle Saint Ciaran, son of the wright. Now he was +son of the Wright Who formed heaven and earth with all that in them +is, according to his heavenly genealogy; and son of the wright who +used to frame carriages and all other handiworks beside, according to +his earthly genealogy. + +The date which the Faithful honour as the feast-day of this noble one +is the fifth of the ides of September according to the day of the +solar month, and this day to-day according to the day of the week. + +Accordingly I shall relate a short memoir of the signs and wonders of +that devout one, for a delight of soul to the Faithful; and of his +earthly generation, and of his mode of life,[4] and of the perfection +which he gave to his victorious course in the earth. A man held +greatly in honour of the Lord was this man. A man for whom God +reserved his monastery, fifty years before his birth; a man whom +Christ accounteth in the order of apostles in this world, as Colum +Cille said-- + + _Quem Tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem._ + +A lamp was he, shining with the light of wisdom and doctrine, as Colum +Cille said-- + + _Lucerna huius insulae lucens luce mirabili._ + +A man who established a cathedral from which was drawn the +effectiveness of rule, and wisdom, and doctrine, for all the churches +of Ireland, as the same man of learning said-- + + _Custodiantur regmina adcessione edita Diuulgata per omnia + sanctorum monasteria_[5]-- + +that is, "Let the rules and doctrines and customs which have been +received from the master, from Ciaran, be kept by the elders of these +monasteries; thus, these are the rules and customs that have been +distributed and received of all the monasteries of saints of Ireland." +For it is from her [Clonmacnois] that are carried rules and precepts +throughout Ireland. + +He is a man whom the Lord accounteth of the order of chief prophets in +this world, as the same prophet said-- + + _Propheta qui nouissimus fuerit praesagminibus,_[6] + +for it was by reason of his nobility and his reverence before the Lord +that he was foretold of prophets long before his birth, as Isaac was +foretold, and John the Baptist, and Jesus, which is something yet +nobler.[7] First Patrick son of Calpurn prophesied of him in Cruachan +Aigli, after the tree had closed around his relics in the place where +that settlement is now. Brigit prophesied of him when she saw the +fire and the angel, fifty years before Ciaran, in the place where the +Crosses of Brigit are to-day. Becc mac De prophesied, saying there-- + + Son of the wright + with choruses, with choirs, + In comely cloak, + with chariots, with chants. + +Colum Cille prophesied in Ard Abla to Aed son of Brandub (or of +Brenainn). + + +II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES + +2. Now this is the genealogy of Ciaran-- + + + Ciaran, son of Lairne, son of Bresal, son of + Beoit " Cuiltre " Dega " + Olchan " Gluinech " Reo-soirche, son of + Dichu " Coirpre " Reo-doirche " + Corc " Lug " Tigernmas " + Cuindiu " Meidle " Follach " + Cuinnid " Dub " Eithrial " + Fiac " Lugna " Irel the prophet, son of + Mael-Catrach, son of Feidlimid " Eremon " + Laire " Echu " Mil of Spain. + + + +Beoit son of Olchan of the Latharna of Mag Molt of the Ulaid was +earthly father of Ciaran. Darerca daughter of Ercan son of Buachall +was his mother, as Ciaran said-- + + Mother mine, a woman good, + she Darerca hight; + Father, of Molt's Latharna + he was Beoit the wright. + +Of the Ciarraige of Irluachra was his mother, that is, more +especially, of the Glasraige. Glas the Poet was her grandfather. Now +this was the cause of the coming together of those twain. When +Beoit went to visit his brethren who were in the territory of Cenel +Fiachrach, and when he saw the maiden Darerca before him, he asked for +her of her [friends and her][8] parents, so that she was given him to +wife. Thereafter she bore five sons to him, and this is the order in +which they were born: Lucoll her firstborn, Donnan the second, Ciaran +the third, Odran the fourth, Cronan the fifth--he was a deacon, but +the other four sons were archpresbyters. Furthermore she bore three +daughters to him; two of them were virgins, to wit Lugbec and Rathbeo; +Pata was the third daughter, and she was a pious widow. These are the +graveyards wherein are the relics of those saints; Lucholl and Odran +in Isel Chiarain, Donnan and Ciaran in Cluain maccu Nois, Cronan the +deacon and Beoit and the three daughters in _Tech meic in tSaeir_. + +Now there was an impious king in the land of Ui Neill at that time, +Ainmire son of Colgan his name. He impressed the tribelands and the +septs under a grievous tax. So Beoit went, a-fleeing from that king, +into the land of the Connachta, to Cremthann son of Lugaid son of +Dallan King of Ireland, to Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai. The day on +which Ciaran was conceived was the sixth of the calends of June, and +he was born on the sixth of the calends of March. + +The birth of Ciaran was prophesied by Lugbrann the wizard of the +aforesaid king. The wizard _dixit_-- + + Oengus' steed he made alive, + while he yet in cradle rested; + God this marvel did contrive, + by Ciaran, in swathing vested. + +One day when the wizard heard the sound of the carriage [he spake +thus: "See, lads," said he, "who is in the carriage][9]--for here is +the sound of a carriage that bears a king." When the lads went out +they saw no one save Beoit and Darerca in the carriage. When the lads +mocked the wizard, thus spake he: "The child who is in the womb of +the woman," said he, "shall be a great king: as the sun shineth among +the stars of heaven, so shall he shine, in signs and wonders that +cannot be related, upon the earth." + +Thereafter was Saint Ciaran born, in Mag Ai at Raith Cremthainn. He +was baptized by deacon Iustus, for it was fitting that the true one +should be baptized by a True One. + + +III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH + +3. A certain day the horse of Oengus son of Cremthann died, and he +had great sadness because of the death of his horse. Now when Oengus +slumbered, an angel of God appeared to him in a dream, and thus he +spake with him: "Ciaran son of the wright shall come, and shall raise +thy horse for thee." And this was fulfilled, for Ciaran came at the +word of the angel, and blessed water, and it was put over the horse, +and the horse arose from death forthwith. Then Oengus gifted a great +land to God and to Ciaran in return for the raising of the horse; +Tir-na Gabrai is the name of the land. + + +IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY + +4. A certain day his mother upbraided him. "The little village lads," +said she, "bring with them honey out from the combs to their folks, +but thou bringest it never to us." When Ciaran heard that, he went to +a certain spring, and he fills his vessel from it, and blesses it: so +that it became choice honey, and he gives that honey to his mother; so +she was thankful. That is the honey which was given to deacon Uis (= +Iustus) as a fee for baptizing him. + + +V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND + +5. A certain day evil men incited a savage hound against Ciaran, to +tear him. When Ciaran saw the hound, he sang this verse: _Ne tradas +bestiis animam confitentem tibi._ And when he said this the hound fell +forthwith and did not rise again. + + +VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONE +ANOTHER + +6. This was the labour that his parents used to lay upon him, namely, +herding, after the likeness of David son of Jesse, and of Jacob, +and of the elders thenceforth, for God knew that he would be a wise +shepherd of great flocks, that is, the flocks of the Faithful. +Thereafter a marvellous thing took place at Raith Cremthainn in Mag +Ai: he was keeping the flocks of [his parents at Raith Cremthainn, and +there was dwelling][10] his tutor, deacon Uis, at Fidharta, and there +was a long space between them: yet he used to hear what his tutor was +saying as though they were side by side. + + +VII. CIARAN AND THE FOX + +7. Then there came a fox to Ciaran from out the wood, and behaved +tamely with him. It would often visit him, so that he bade it do him +a service, namely, to carry his book of Psalms between him and his +teacher, deacon Uis. For when he would say in Fidharta, "Say this +in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," +Ciaran would hear in Raith Cremthainn, from that on to the end of the +lesson; and the fox would be awaiting the lesson obediently till its +writing on wax was completed, and thereafter he would carry it with +him to Ciaran.[11] + +Once on a time his natural treacherousness broke forth in the fox, and +he began to eat the book: for he was greedy for the leather that was +bound around the book outside. While he was eating the book, there +came Oengus son of Cremthann with kernes and with hounds, so that they +chased him, and he found no sanctuary till he came under the cloak of +Ciaran. The name of God and Ciaran's were magnified by the rescue of +the book from the fox and by the rescue of the fox from the hounds. +The book is what is now called the "Tablet of Ciaran." + +Most consonant with these things is it for evil men who are near to +the Church, and who profit by the advantages of the Church--communion, +and baptism, and food, and teaching--and withal stay not from +persecuting the Church, until there come upon themselves the +persecution of some king, or mortality, or a disease unknown: and then +they needs must flee under the protection of the Church, as the fox +went under the cloak of Ciaran![12] + + +VIII. HOW CIARAN SPOILED HIS MOTHER'S DYE + +8. A certain day the mother of Ciaran was making blue dye, and she +had reached the point of putting the garments therein. Then said his +mother to him, "Get thee out, Ciaran." For they thought it unbecoming +that males should be in the house when garments were being dyed. "May +there be a dun stripe upon them!" said Ciaran. Of all the garments +that were put into the dye, there was not one that had not a dun +stripe upon it. The dye is prepared again, and his mother said, "Go +out, Ciaran, this time, and now, Ciaran, let there be no dun stripe." +Then he said-- + + Alleluia Domine! + White my mother's dye let be! + When in my hand it's gone, + Be it white as bone! + When boiling it is stirred, + Be it white as curd! + +Accordingly every garment that was placed therein was of a uniform +whiteness. For the third time is the dye made. "Ciaran," said his +mother, "hurt me not the dye now, but let it receive a blessing from +thee." When Ciaran blessed the dye, never was dye made so good, before +or since; for though all the garments of Cenel Fiachrach (_sic_) were +placed in its _iarcain_, it would turn them blue; and at the last it +turned blue the dogs and the cats and the trees that came in contact +with it. + + +IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED + +9. Once he was tending kine. A miserable wolf came to him. Now this +was a habitual expression with him, "Mercy on us." [He said to the +wolf in compassion][13] "Rise and devour the calf and break or eat not +its bones." The wolf went and did so. When the cow lowed a-seeking the +calf, his mother spake thus to him: "Tell me, Ciaran, where is the +calf of this cow? Let the calf be restored by thee, whatsoever death +it has died." Ciaran went to the place where the wolf had devoured the +calf, and collected the bones of the calf, and brought them before the +cow, and the calf arose and stood up. _Ut dixit_-- + + One day when, assiduously + Ciaran the kine was havening, + He a calf for charity + Gave to a wolf ravening.[14] + + +X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS + +10. A certain day there came robbers from Ui Failge to slay people [in +the land][15] of Cenel Fiachach, and they found Saint Ciaran a-reading +with his herds; and they went forward to slay him. But they were +smitten with blindness, and could stir neither foot nor hand, till +they wrought repentance, and were loosed by the word of God and of +Ciaran. + + +XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS AND WAS ENSLAVED + +11. Another time his father sent him to present a cauldron to +the king, even to Furban. There met him poor men on the way, and +[Ciaran][16] gifts the king's cauldron to them. So he was put in bonds +then, and slavery was imposed on him at the king's hands; and this was +the labour put upon him, to grind at the quern. Then great marvels +came to pass, for when he went to grind at the quern, it would turn of +itself, and did so continually. They were the angels of the Lord who +used to grind for his sake. Not long thereafter there came smiths from +the lands of Muma, with three cauldrons for Ciaran as an alms, and +thus was Ciaran delivered from servitude to the king. + + +XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN + +12. Now after those things Ciaran thought it time to go a-schooling +to Findian of Cluain Iraird, to learn wisdom. He begged a cow of his +mother and of his father, to take it with him to serve him.[17] His +mother said that she would not give it him. He blessed one of the +kine, to wit the Dun Cow of Ciaran, as she was called thenceforward, +and she went with her calf after Ciaran thence to Cluain Iraird. +Afterwards he drew a line with his staff between them, for between +them there was no fence, and the cow used to lick the calf and neither +of them transgressed the mark. Now the milk of that cow used to be +divided between the twelve bishops with their folk and their guests, +and it was sufficient for them; _ut dixit_, + + Ciaran's Dun was wont to feed, + three times fifty men in all; + Guests and sick folk in their need, + in soller and in dining-hall. + +The hide of the Dun is in Clonmacnois, and whatsoever soul parteth +from its body from that hide [hath no portion in hell, and][18] +dwelleth in eternal life. + + +XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN + +13. Now there were the twelve bishops[19] of Ireland in the school of +Findian in Cluain Iraird, _ut dixit_, + + Two Findians, holy Colums two, + Ciaran, Cainnech, Comgall fair; + Two Brenainns, Ruadan bright of hue, + Ninned, Mo-Bi, Mac Natfraeich there. + +This was their rule, that every bishop[19] should grind at the quern +on his day. But angels used to grind at the quern for Ciaran's sake on +the day that was his. + + +XIX. CIARAN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER + +14. The daughter of the King of Cualu was brought once upon a time +to Findian to read her Psalms, after offering her virginity to God. +Findian committed the maiden to Ciaran, so that it was with him that +she used to read her Psalms. Now Ciaran saw naught of the body of +the maiden, so long as they were together, save her feet only. As is +verified in the stanza-- + + A maid, rich in stateliness + with Ciaran there was reading; + Of her form or shapeliness, + he was all unheeding.[20] + + +XX. HOW CIARAN HEALED THE LEPERS + +15. There came then twelve lepers to Findian for their healing. +Findian sent them to Ciaran. Ciaran welcomed them, and went with them +westward from the cell, and tears a sod from the ground, so that a +stream of pure water breaks forth from thence. He poured three waves +of the water over each of them, so that they were healed forthwith. + + +XXI. CIARAN AND THE STAG + +16. Further, into that school there used to come a stag to Ciaran, and +he would place his book on the horns of the stag. One day there Ciaran +heard the bell. He arose suddenly at the sound of the bell, but still +swifter was the arising of the stag, and it went off, with his book +on its horns. Though that day and the following night were wet, and +though the book was open, not a letter in it was moistened. The cleric +arose on the morrow, and the stag came to him with his book uninjured. + + +XVII. THE STORY OF CIARAN'S GOSPEL + +17. Now into that school there came Ninned the Squinting, from the +lochs of Erne, to read with Findian; and he had no book. "Seek a +book," said Findian. Ninned went a-searching round the school, and +did not obtain a book from any of them. "Hast thou gone to the gentle +youth on the north side of the lawn?" said Findian. "I shall go now," +said Ninned. Now when Ninned reached him, Ciaran was going over the +central text of the book of Matthew: _Omnia quaecumque uultis ut +faciant homines uobis, ita et uos faciatis illis._ "I have come for +the loan of a book," said Ninned. "Mercy on us," said Ciaran, "for +that do I read this, and this is what the text saith to me, that +everything that I would that men should do to me, I should do to all. +Take thou the book," said Ciaran. On the morrow his companions asked +of him, at the time of the lesson, where his book was. "He gave it to +me," said Ninned. "Let 'Ciaran Half-Matthew' be his name," said one +of the school. "Nay," said Findian, "but Ciaran Half-Ireland; for his +shall be half of Ireland, and ours the other half."[21] As Findian +said-- + + Holy Ciaran zealously + under Findian studying pored; + Half his book he left unread, + half of Ireland his reward. + +From this was the well-known saying _Non legam Marcum quousque +compleueram Mattheum_ carried to Rome, to Alexander. + + +XXIV. THE STORY OF THE MILL AND THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER + +18. Now it came to pass that there was scarcity of corn and sustenance +in that school, so that it was necessary for a strong man of them in +turn to protect the sack of grain that was being carried to the mill. + +It happened that Ciaran, in his turn, was carrying a sack of oats to +the mill. As he was opening the sack, he said, "O Lord," said he, "I +would that this were fine wheat, so that it were a great and a kindly +and a pleasant satisfaction to the elders." And so it came to pass: +the angel of God took the mill in his hands, and he [Ciaran] was +rendering his Psalms in purity of heart and mind, and the oats which +were being put in were choice wheat as they were coming out. + +Now the daughter of the bailiff of the mill came, amorous for Ciaran; +and she gave her love to him, for fairer was he in form than any other +of his time. "Most hard for thee is that,"[22] said Ciaran. "Is it not +these things to which thou shouldest give heed--the passing of the +world, and the Day of Judgment, and the pains of Hell to shun them, +and the rewards of Heaven to earn them?" When the maiden went home, +she tells that tale to her father and her mother. They came and +offered the maiden to Ciaran. "If she sacrifice her virginity to God," +said Ciaran, "and if she serve Him, I will be in union with her." Then +the maiden offered her virginity to God and to Ciaran, and her folk +offered their perpetual service and perpetual subjecthood to Ciaran +from that onward. + +When they went to their house, a portion was sent to Ciaran by them, +to wit, three wheaten cakes, with their meed of suet and flesh, and +a vessel full of ale. When the servants left it, and received a +blessing, he said, "Mercy on us," said he, "it is not right for us to +eat of this, with exclusion of the other brethren." Thereafter he cast +all the food, after shredding it fine, upon the mill, and he cast the +ale likewise, so that all was turned to fine flour. + +When Ciaran perceived the servant spying on him at the roof-ridge, +he spake a word against him, saying, "May the crane," said he, "take +thine eye out of thy head!"[23] And so it came to pass; for a pet +crane plucked his eye out of his head, so that it was on his cheek as +he was going home. The bailiff came straightway with the servant, and +they did obeisance to Ciaran, and he offered the mill with all its +land to Ciaran for the healing of the lad. Ciaran laid his palm on the +eye and put it in its place, and he made the sign of the cross upon it +so that it became sound. + +When he finished the grinding of the corn, four full sacks of +consecrated wheat were there, by the grace of God and of Ciaran. When +he reached his house with the wheat he made cakes for the elders. Now +these cakes were the best ever given to them; for from the time when +the mystic manna was received yonder by the sons of Israel, there was +not received the like of that food. For in this wise was it, with the +taste of every food of excellence, [both bread and flesh, and of every +excellent drink][24] both wine and mead; so that it filled and healed +all of them. For every man in sickness who was in the whole city, +whosoever ate any of it was whole forthwith. + +The elders did not observe the nocturn that night until prime on the +morrow. + +When Findian asked of Ciaran regarding the miracle that had taken +place, Ciaran related from beginning to [end][24] how the mill and the +land with its implements, or its men, had been offered to him as a +gift; "and there for thee, Findian, is all that land," said Ciaran. +Then did Findian give his blessing fervently to Ciaran; _ut dixit_ +Findian-- + + Ciaran my little heart, + whom for holiness I love, + Princely lands shall be thy part, + favour, dearest, from above. + + Ciaran, famous all around! + wealth and wisdom on thee pour! + So may, in thy Church renowned, + knowledge grow yet more and more. + +Now this blessing was given fervently to Ciaran through his great +love and spiritual exaltation.[25] So that there he left half of the +charity, and the nobility, and the wisdom, among the men of Ireland to +Ciaran and his monastery. Moreover Ciaran left wealth to him and to +his monastery, so that thence is the wealth of Findian. + +That corn sufficed for the congregation of Findian for forty days with +their nights; and a third part of it was stored up for sick folk, +for it would heal every malady, and neither mouse nor worm dared to +destroy it. [It endured a long time][26] until it turned at last to +clay. And every disease for which it was given would be healed. + + +XXV. THE STORY OF CLUAIN + +19. One day when Ciaran was collecting a band of reapers, there met +him a youth named Cluain. "Help us at the reaping to-morrow," said +Ciaran. "I will," said Cluain. But when Cluain went home he said to +his folk, "Should one come from Ciaran for me," said he, "say that I +am sick." When this was told to the lad who went to summon Cluain, +he reported it to Ciaran. When Ciaran heard it he laughed, and he +understood that Cluain was practising deception, for he was a prophet +of God in truth. Now when the folk of Cluain went to awake him, thus +they found him, without life. Sorely did his folk bewail him, and +there came the people of the neighbourhood to ask them the cause of +their weeping. "Cluain," said they, "went to his bed in health, and +now he is dead; and Ciaran hath slain him with his word, for that he +went not to reap for him." All those people go to Ciaran to intercede +with him for the raising again of the dead: "we shall all," said they, +"reap for thee, and we shall give our labour and our service to thee +and to God for ever, if thou raise the dead for us." Then said Ciaran +to his servant: "Rise," said he, "and take my staff with thee to the +dead, and make the sign of the cross with the staff on his breast, and +speak this quatrain-- + + Cluain did say + He would reap with me today; + Living, by a dread disease, + Dead within his house he lay." + +Then Cluain arose forthwith and went with speed to Ciaran. "A blessing +on thee, holy Ciaran," said he, "good is what thou hast done for me; +for I am grateful to have come from the many pains of hell. Now know +we the profit of obedience, and the unprofit of disobedience, and we +know in what great honour the Lord and the folk of Heaven hold thee." +Then he did obeisance to Ciaran, and gave him labour. + + +XXVIII. ANECDOTES OF CLUAIN IRAIRD + +20. (_a_) Certain of the clerks asked of Findian which of them would +lead the prayer when Findian should be no longer here. "Yonder youth +[Ciaran] is he," said Findian. "Thou givest the abbacy to him above +us all," said Brenainn. "It hath been given, it is given, it shall be +given," said Findian. All the saints except Colum Cille were envious +because of this. + +(_b_) Then certain of them asked which of the saints should have the +greatest reward in heaven. "Mercy on us," said Ciaran, "that will be +made known in our habitations on earth." Then Brenainn of Birra made a +prophecy of him: "We shall take two habitations," said Brenainn, "on +two streams between chief cities, and the difference that shall be +between the two streams shall be the difference between the size of +the cities." + +(_c_) When it was time for Ciaran to depart from Cluain Iraird, after +learning letters and wisdom, he left the Dun Cow with Saint Ninned; +but he said that her hide should come to him afterwards, and Ciaran +said further, "Though many be succoured by her milk, yet there shall +be more to whom her hide will give succour." And he said, "Every soul +that parteth from its body from the hide of the Dun Cow shall not be +pained in hell." + +(_d_) Findian saw a vision of him [Ciaran] and of Colum Cille, namely, +two moons in the air with the colour of gold upon them. One of them +went north-east over the sea, [and the other][27] over the middle of +Ireland. That was Colum Cille, with the glory of his nobility and his +good birth, and Ciaran with the glory of his charity and his mercy. + + +XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE + +21. Thereafter Ciaran went to parley with the King of Ireland, Tuathal +Moel-garb, to ask him for a slave-girl that he had. Ciaran put his +hand on the quern for charity, and he promised that he would serve +in the place of the girl. Then Tuathal gifted the girl to God and to +Ciaran, and further he gave him his kingly apparel, and Ciaran gave it +forthwith to poor folk. + + +XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED ANOTHER WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE + +22. One time Ciaran went to ask another slave-girl of King Furbaide. +Then one man gifted him a cow as an alms, another gifted him a cloak, +and another a kettle. Forthwith on the same day he gave them all to +poor folk; and God gifted to Ciaran three gifts yet better, a cauldron +instead of the kettle, twelve robes instead of the one robe, twelve +kine instead of the one cow. When the king saw that, he gave him the +slave-girl. + + +XXIX. THE PARTING OF FINDIAN AND CIARAN + +23. When the time came for Ciaran to bid farewell to his teacher, he +offers to put his monastery at his service. "Nay," said Ciaran,[28] +"sever not thy monastery for any save for God alone, Who hath given +thee favour beyond us all." ["The monastery I give thee," said +Findian.][29] Ciaran weeps, for he thought it noble of his teacher to +offer him his monastery. "Well, then, let there be unity between us +henceforth," said Findian, "and let him who breaketh that unity have +no part in earth or in heaven." "Be it so," said Ciaran. Then Ciaran +went his way; and Colum Cille uttered this testimony of him-- + + A wondrous youth from us departs, + Ciaran, craftsman's son; + Of greed, of pride, reviling, lust, + satire, he hath none. + + +XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN + +24. Thereafter Ciaran went to Aran to hold converse with Enda, and +Enda and Ciaran saw one and the same vision--a great fruitful tree +beside a river in the middle of Ireland, a-sheltering the island of +Ireland, and its fruit was going over the sea that was around the +island outside, and the birds of the air were coming and taking of the +fruit. Ciaran went and told the vision to Enda. Said Enda, "That great +tree which thou hast seen is thyself; for thou art great before God +and man, and Ireland shall be full of thine honour. This island +shall be protected under the shadow of thy grace, and many shall +be satisfied by the grace of thy fasting and of thy prayer. Rise +therefore at the word of God, and go to the shore of the stream, and +found a church there."[30] + + +XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED + +25. Once when he was in Aran a-drying corn in the kiln, and Lonan the +Left-handed with him (one who ever was contradictious of Ciaran) they +saw a ship foundering in their sight. "Methinks," said Lonan, "yonder +ship shall be drowned to-day and this kiln shall be burned with the +greatness of the draught." "Nay," said Ciaran, "yonder ship shall be +burned, and this kiln with its corn shall be drowned."[31] And this +was fulfilled; for the crew of the ship escaped, and the ship was cast +on shore close to the kiln. The fire seized the kiln, and the ship is +burned. A blast of wind struck the kiln and its corn into the sea, so +that it was drowned, according to the word of Ciaran. + + +XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN + +26. When Ciaran left Aran a poor man met him on the way. Ciaran gives +him his linen cloak, and goes to Inis Cathaig to salute Senan. That he +was in one mantle only was revealed to Senan, and he went to meet him, +with a linen cloak under his armpit. And he said to Ciaran, "Is it not +shame," said he, "for a priest to travel without a cowl?" "Mercy on +us," said Ciaran, "God will have pity [on my nakedness];[32] there is +a cloak for me under the covering of mine elder." + + +XLIII. HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN + +27. When Ciaran arrived at Cluain maccu Nois he wished to send another +cloak to Senan. The cloak was laid upon the stream of the Shannon, and +it travelled without being wetted to the harbour of Inis Cathaig. Said +Senan to his monks, "Rise and go to the sea, and ye shall find there a +guest, which bring with you, with honour and dignity." When the monks +went out they found the cloak on the sea, dry, and they brought it +with them to Senan, and offered an offering of thanks to the Lord. +That is now called "Senan's cloak." + + +XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL + +28. Thereafter he went to his brethren to Isel, and Cobthach son of +Brecan gave Isel to God and to Ciaran; and he lived there with his +brethren. One day when he was doing his lesson outside in the field, +he went to attend upon his guests, and left his book open till morning +under the rain; and not a damp drop fell upon the book. + +Once Ciaran was sowing seed in Isel. A poor man came to him. Ciaran +gives him a handful of the grain into his breast, and the grain was +forthwith turned into gold. A chariot with its horses was gifted to +Ciaran by Oengus son of Cremthann. Ciaran gave it to the poor man in +exchange for the gold, and the gold turned into grain, and the field +was sown with it. + + +XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE + +29. Moreover there was a lake near Isel, and country-folk and +despicable people used to occupy the island that was upon it. The +noise and uproar of those worthless people used to cause disturbance +for the clerics. Ciaran prayed to the Lord that the island should be +removed from its place, and that was done. The place where it was in +the lake is still to be seen as a memorial of that miracle. + + +XXXVII. CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL + +30. As the brethren could not suffer the almsgiving of Ciaran, so +great was it, and as they were envious of him, they said unto him, +"Rise and depart from us," said they, "for we cannot be in the same +place." Said Ciaran, "Had I been here," said he, "though this spot be +lowly (_Ísel_) in situation, it would have been high in glory and in +honour." Then he said-- + + Although lowly, it were high, + Had not censure come me nigh; + Had I not been censured so, + It were high though it be low. + +Then Ciaran put his books upon a wild stag; afterwards he accompanied +the wild stag wheresoever it would go. The deer went forward to Inis +Aingin. He went into the island and dwelt there. + + +XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN + +31. Then his brethren came to him from every side. There was a certain +archpresbyter in the island, Daniel his name. Of the British was he, +and the devil incited him to be jealous of Ciaran. A royal cup with +three birds of gold was given him by Ciaran as a token of forgiveness. +The presbyter marvelled thereat, and repented, and did obeisance to +Ciaran, and gave the island to him. + + +XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA + +32. Once Ciaran was in Inis Aingin and he heard a cry in the port. He +said to the brethren, "Rise and go for your future abbot." When they +reached the harbour they found no man save a weak unconsecrated youth. +They tell that to Ciaran. "For all that, go again for him; it is clear +to me from his voice that it is he who shall be abbot after me." +Thereafter the youth was brought into the island to Ciaran, and Ciaran +tonsured him, and he read with him. That was Enna maccu Laigsi, a holy +man, held in honour of the Lord; and it is he who was abbot after +Ciaran. + + +XL. HOW CIARAN RECOVERED HIS GOSPEL + +33. It happened that the gospel of Ciaran fell into the lake from the +hand of a heedless brother, and it was a long time in the lake. Upon +a day in the time of summer the kine went into the water, so that the +strap of the gospel attached itself to the hoof of one of the kine, +and she brought it dry [from below][33] to haven. Thence is "Port of +the Gospel" in Inis Aingin. When the gospel was opened it was in this +wise--white and clean, dry, without the loss of a letter, through the +grace of Ciaran. + + +XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGIN TO CLONMACNOIS + +34. A certain man of Corco Baiscind came to Ciaran, Donnan his name, +brother's son of Senan mac Gerginn; and he had the same mother as +Senan. "What wouldest thou, or wherefore comest thou?" said Ciaran. +"Seeking a place wherein to abide and to serve God." Ciaran left Inis +Aingin to Donnan. Donnan said, "Since thou hast a charity towards me, +leave me somewhat of thy tokens and of thy treasures." Ciaran leaves +him his gospel--that which was recovered from the lake--and his bell, +and his bearer Mael Odran. Three years and three months was Ciaran in +Inis Aingin. + +He came thereafter to Ard Manntain, close to the Shannon. When he saw +the beauty of that place, thus he spake: "If we dwell here," said he, +"we shall have much of the wealth of the world, and there shall be few +souls going to heaven from hence." + +Then he came to this town; Ard Tiprat was its name at that time. "Here +will we stay, for there shall be many souls going to heaven from +hence, and God and man shall visit this place for ever." + +On the eighth of the calends of February Ciaran settled in Cluain, the +tenth day of the moon, a Saturday. Eight men went with him--Ciaran, +Oengus, Mac Nisse, Cael-Cholum, Mo-Beoc,[34] Mo-Lioc, Lugna maccu Moga +Laim, Colman mac Nuin. Wondrous was that monastery, set up by Ciaran +in Cluain with his eight men after coming from the waves of the water, +as Noah son of Lamech took the world with his eight after coming from +the waves of the Flood. + + +XLII. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH + +35. Then Ciaran set up the first post in Cluain, and Diarmait mac +Cerrbheil along with him. Said Ciaran to Diarmait when they were +planting the post, "Warrior, suffer my hand to be over thy hand, and +thou shalt be over the men of Ireland in high-kingship." "I permit +it," said Diarmait, "only give me a token thereof." "I will," said +Ciaran; "though thou art solitary to-day, thou shalt be King of +Ireland this time to-morrow." That was verified; for Tuathal Moel-garb +King of Ireland was slain that night, and Diarmait took the kingship +of Ireland on the morrow, and he bestowed a hundred churches on +Ciaran. Wherefore to prove that, it was said-- + + I'll speak both choice and truly, + although thou now art lonely, + Thou shalt rule Ireland duly, + after one's day's space only. + + The chosen Tuathal's slaughter, + a crying without glory. + Thence is it said thereafter, + "That deed was of Mael-Moire." + + Without a court or slaughter, + great Diarmait Uisnech lifted; + A hundred fanes thereafter, + to God and Ciaran gifted. + +Then was the post made fast; and Ciaran said in fixing it, "Be this," +said he, "in the eye of Tren." Tren was a youth who was in the +fortress of Cluain Ichtar, and who had adventured arrogance against +him. Forthwith his one eye burst in his head, at the word of Ciaran. + + +XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE + +36. One day the brethren were sore athirst, while they were reaping in +Cluain. They send a messenger to the cleric, that water be brought +to them in the field. Then Ciaran said, "If to-day they would endure +thirst, it would procure great riches of the world for the brethren +who would come after them." "Truly," said the brethren, "we prefer to +exercise patience, whereby profit will be secured for ourselves, +and advantage to the brethren who follow us; rather than to have +satisfaction of our thirst to-day." + +A cask full of wine was brought from the land of the Franks to the +steading, to Ciaran, in reward for their patience; and a fragment of +that cask remained here till recently. + +When the evening was come, Ciaran blessed a vessel full of water, and +it was changed to choice wine, and was divided among the monks; so +that there was no feast that excelled that feast. For the folk of +Colum Cille came from Í, after a long time, to this city. A feast was +prepared for them, and it was noised abroad through the whole city +that never before or since was there a feast its equal. Then an aged +man who was in the house of the elders said, "I know," said he, "a +feast that was better than this feast. Better was the feast that +Ciaran made for his monks when they were sore athirst,[35] so that he +changed water into wine for them. That it be no story without proof +for you," said the elder, "it was myself who divided that wine, and +my thumb would go over the edge of the cup into the wine. Come and +perceive now the savour of my thumb, which then was dipped into the +wine." They came and were all satisfied with the savour of that +finger. And they said, "Better," said they, "than any feast was that +feast of which the savour remains after a long time on a finger. +A blessing," said they, "on Ciaran and a blessing on the Lord Who +allotted every good thing to him." + + +XLV. THE STORY OF CRITHIR + +37. Crichid [_sic_] of Cluain, a servant of Ciaran, went to Saigir and +stayed there a long time. The devil tempted him to quench the sacred +fire which the monks had in the kitchen. Said Ciaran of Saigir, that +he would not eat food till there should come guests who would bring +him fire. Crichid then went from them a short distance outside the +city, and wolves slew him, but did not injure his body. When Ciaran +the wright's son heard of the death of his attendant, he went to +Ciaran of Saigir to seek for him. When he arrived, Ciaran of Saigir +said, "First of all ye need water for your feet; but we have no fire +to heat water for you. Let you as guests give us fire, for God hath +decreed this for you." Then Ciaran the wright's son raised his hands +to heaven, and made fervent prayer. When the prayer was finished, +there came fire from heaven, and rested on his breast. He protected +his breast from the fire, and carried it with him to the monastery. He +cast from him the fire on to the floor, and it did not hurt so much as +the fur of the robe of white linen which he was wearing. + +Then he revived his servant who had died before that, and he ate food +with them. The two Ciarans then made a covenant together. "The wealth +of the world," said Ciaran son of the wright, "be in great Saigir." +"Knowledge and dignity incorruptible be in Cluain maccu Nois," said +Ciaran of Saigir. + + +XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN + +38. The soul of Ciaran was not more than seven months in this town +before he went to heaven, on the ninth day of September. When Ciaran +knew that the day of his death was drawing nigh, he made a prophecy +with great sorrow. He said that great would be the persecution of his +city from evil men towards the end of the world. "What then shall we +do in the time of that crime?" said the monks; "is it by thy relics we +shall stay, or shall we go elsewhere?" "Rise," said Ciaran, "and leave +my relics as the bones of a deer are left in the sun. For it is better +for you to live with me in heaven than to stay here with my relics." + +When the time of his death was near to Saint Ciaran in the Little +Church, in the thirty-third year of his age, on the fifth of the ides +of September as regards the solar month, on Saturday as regards the +day of the week, on the eighteenth day as regards the moon, he said, +"Let me be carried out to the Little Height," said he. And when he +looked at heaven, and the height of air above his head, he said, +"Awful is this road upward." "Not for thee is it awful," said the +monks. "Truly, I know not," said he, "any of the commandments of God +which I have transgressed: yet even David son of Jesse, and Paul the +apostle, dreaded this way." + +Then the stone pillow was taken from him, to ease him. "Nay," said he, +"put it under my shoulder. _Qui enim perseuerauerit usque in finem, +hic saluus erit._" Then angels filled the space between heaven and +earth to receive his soul. + +He was brought afterward into the Little Church, and he raised his +hand and blessed his folk, and said to the brethren to shut the church +upon him till Coemgen should come from Glenn da Locha. + + +L. THE VISIT OF COEMGEN + +39. When Coemgen came after three days, he received no full courtesy +at first from the clerics, as they were in great sadness after their +head. Said Coemgen to them, "Let a doleful countenance be upon you +continually!" said he. Then fear took hold of the elders, and they did +the will of Coemgen, and opened the Little Church to him. The spirit +of Ciaran went at once to heaven,[36] and he returned again into his +body to converse with Coemgen, and welcomed him. From one canonical +hour to the next they were there in converse, and making a covenant. +Thereafter Ciaran blessed Coemgen, and Coemgen blessed water and made +a communion with Ciaran. And Ciaran gave his bell to Coemgen as a sign +of their league and as a fee for their communion. That is what is now +called the _Boban_ of Coemgen. + + +LII. THE ENVY OF THE SAINTS + +40. The saints of Ireland were envious of Ciaran for his excellence, +and they put their trust in the King of Heaven that his life might be +shortened. So great was their envy against him that even his comrade +Colum Cille said, "Blessed be God," said he, "Who hath taken Saint +Ciaran. For had he lived to old age, there would not have been the +place of two chariot-horses found in Ireland that would not have been +his." + + +LIII. A PANEGYRIC ON CIARAN + +41. Here then is Ciaran with the eight men whom I have mentioned, and +many thousands of saints besides. Here are the relics of Paul and +Peter, which Benen and Cumlach left in the hollow tree here. Here are +the relics of the blind boy, the disciple of Peca. Here is the shrine +of the guest Peca, whom a certain devout man saw borne by angels to +the burial of Ciaran. There were three wonders here that night: the +guest-house being without fire, without guest, without prayer, for +Peca was sufficient of fire, and guest, and prayer. + +There is not one to relate completely what God wrought of signs and +wonders for this holy Ciaran; for they are more than can be told or +mentioned. For after the coming of Christ in the flesh there was +not one born greater in almsgiving and mercy, greater in labour and +fasting and prayer, greater in humility and fervour of good-will, +greater in courtesy and mildness, greater in care for the Church of +God, greater in daily labour and in nightly vigil. + +He it is who never put tasty food or heady drink into his body, from +the time when he embraced the religious life. He it is who never drank +milk or ale, till a third of it was water. He it is who never ate +bread, till a third part of sand was mixed with it. He it is who never +slept save with his side on the bare ground. Beneath his head was +never aught save a stone for a pillow. Next his skin never came flaxen +or woollen stuff. + +A man with choice voluntary full offerings to the Lord, like Abel +son of Adam. A man with zealous entreaties to God, like Enoch son of +Jared. A steersman full-sufficient for the ark of the Church among +the waves of the world, like Noah son of Lamech. A true pilgrim with +strength of faith and belief, like Abraham son of Terah. A man loving, +gentle, forgiving of heart, like Moses son of Amram. A man patient and +steadfast in enduring suffering and trouble, like suffering Job. A +psalmist full-tuneful, full-delightful to God, like David son of +Jesse. A dwelling of true wisdom and knowledge like Solomon son of +David. A rock immovable whereon is founded the Church, like Peter the +apostle. A chief universal teacher and a chosen vessel for proclaiming +truth, like Paul the apostle. A man full of the grace of the Holy +Spirit and of chastity, like John the breast-fosterling. + +A man full of likeness in many ways to Jesus Christ the Head of all +things. For this man made wine of water for his folk and his guests in +this city, as Jesus made choice wine of water at the feast of Cana of +Galilee. This man is called "son of the wright," as Christ is called +"Son of the wright" in the Gospel (_hic est Filius fabri_, that is, +of Joseph). Thirty-three years in the age of this man, as there are +thirty-three years in the age of Christ. This man arose after three +days in his bed in Cluain to converse with and to comfort Coemgen, as +Christ arose after three days from the grave in Jerusalem, to comfort +and strengthen His mother and His disciples. + +So for these good things, and for many others, is his soul among +the folk of heaven. His remains and relics are here with honour and +renown, with daily wonders and miracles. And though great is his +honour just now in this manner, greater shall be his honour in the +holy incorruptible union of his body and his soul in the great +assembly of Judgment, when Saint Ciaran shall be judge of the fruit +of his labour along with Christ Whom he served. So shall he be in the +great assembly, in the unity of holy fathers and prophets, in the +unity of apostles and disciples of the Saviour Jesus Christ, in the +unity of the nine grades of angels that have transgressed not, in +the unity of the Godhead and Manhood of the Son of God, in the unity +nobler than every other unity, the Unity of the Holy Trinity, Father, +Son, and Holy Spirit. + +I beseech the mercy of the Lofty Omnipotent God, by the intercession +of Saint Ciaran, that we may reach that unity. May we dwell there, _in +saecula saeculorum!_ + + +[Footnote 1: Following the reading _córdus_ in the _Leabhar Breac_ +text of the Homily from which this section is an extract, instead of +the unintelligible _comhlud_ of the MSS. of the _Life_.] + +[Footnote 2: This Latin extract in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 3: In this paragraph the less corrupt Brussels text +is followed. In the original the Latin passages, here printed +consecutively, are interspersed sentence by sentence with the Irish +translation here rendered into English.] + +[Footnote 4: This is the apparent sense of the passage: the MSS. are +here corrupt.] + +[Footnote 5: Only the first two words of this extract in the +Lismore MS. The Brussels MS. erroneously repeats _reg[i]mina_ after +_Diuulgata_.] + +[Footnote 6: The last two words in the Brussels MS. only, which also +adds "of the Elements" after "Lord," two lines further down.] + +[Footnote 7: Following the Brussels MS.: the Lismore text is here +again corrupt.] + +[Footnote 8: The bracketed words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 9: The bracketed words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 10: The bracketed words represent the sense of a passage +that has evidently dropped out of the MSS.] + +[Footnote 11: _Sic_ MSS.: we should read "Iustus."] + +[Footnote 12: The Lismore text is slightly imperfect in this +paragraph: it is completed with the aid of the Brussels MS.] + +[Footnote 13: This represents the sense of a passage that must have +dropped out.] + +[Footnote 14: _Ut dixit_ and the stanza following in the Brussels MS. +only.] + +[Footnote 15: Bracketed words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 16: In Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 17: Emending the _dia fhoglaim_ of the text ("as he was +learning") to _dia fhognam_.] + +[Footnote 18: These words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 19: "Apostle" in the Brussels MS.] + +[Footnote 20: From "as is verified" to the end of the stanza in the +Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 21: The Lismore MS. is here illegible: the rendering follows +the Brussels MS.] + +[Footnote 22: The Lismore MS. is here illegible: the translation +follows the Brussels MS.] + +[Footnote 23: The Brussels MS. adds "and may it be on thy cheek as +thou goest to thy house."] + +[Footnote 24: Bracketed words represent the sense of a passage +evidently lost from the MSS.] + +[Footnote 25: Literally "intoxication."] + +[Footnote 26: In Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 27: The bracketed words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 28: The MSS. read "Findian."] + +[Footnote 29: These words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 30: In this incident again it is necessary to follow +the Brussels MS. in places, as the Lismore MS. is corrupt and +unintelligible.] + +[Footnote 31: Literally "'tis a drowning that shall drown this kiln."] + +[Footnote 32: These words in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 33: In Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 34: This name in the Brussels MS. only.] + +[Footnote 35: Here the Brussels MS. is corrupt.] + +[Footnote 36: _Sic_ MSS. We should read "came from heaven,"] + + * * * * * + + + + +ANNOTATIONS TO THE FOREGOING LIVES + + +I. THE HOMILETIC INTRODUCTION (VG) + +The three Latin lives plunge _in medias res_ at the beginning; but +VG prefixes an introduction borrowed from a Homily on _Charity_. The +Irish text of this homily, with the original Latin, will be found +printed from the fifteenth-century MS. called _Leabhar Breac_ ("The +speckled book") in Atkinson's _Passions and Homilies_ (Dublin 1887). +The text announced by the preacher is clearly suggested by incident +XXII. It has already been shown in the Introduction, that this Life, +with its homiletic preface, was a sermon written to be preached or +read on the festival of the saint (9th September) at Clonmacnois. + +The keynote of the Irish homily is struck in this first section. It is +the work of some scholar of Clonmacnois, with a warm enthusiasm for +the dignity of his _alma mater_. The sermon is as much a eulogy of +Clonmacnois as of Ciaran. In the preacher's view, Clonmacnois is +the chief and central church of Ireland, and the source of all +ecclesiastical discipline in the country. Its founder excelled his +fellow-saints as the sun excels the stars (§ 2). His pre-eminence was +recognised by angels, who relieved him of labour when his turn came (§ +13): and on several occasions Findian showed a like favouritism (§§ +18, 20, _a_, _d_, 23). Clonmacnois was superior to the rival house +at Birr (§ 20 _b_); and possessed in the hide of the Dun Cow an +infallible passport to heaven (§ 20 _c_). The vision of the tree seen +by Enda and by Ciaran prophesied the pre-eminence of Clonmacnois (§ +24). The other saints were envious of his renown and of the glory of +his monastery (§ 40). + +_The Hymn of Colum Cille._--Following the usual practice of Irish +prose literary composition, the homilist intersperses his work +throughout with verse extracts, appealed to as the authority for the +various statements which he has occasion to make. In the present +section he draws upon a hymn made by Colum Cille in honour of Ciaran. +To this hymn, and to its surviving fragments, we shall return in +commenting upon incident LI, where the composition of the hymn is +alluded to. + +_The Ante-natal Prophecies._--Patrick is said also to have prophesied +the advent of Senan (LL, 1845)[1] and of Alban (CS, 505); and Becc mac +De that of Brenainn (LL, 3343). But the parallels drawn between the +Life of Ciaran and that of Christ have made such prophecies especially +appropriate in the present case. + +The prophecy of Saint Patrick took place under the following +circumstances (VTP, p. 84 ff.).[2] The leper whom, in accordance with +a custom frequent in early Irish monasticism, Patrick is said to have +maintained--partly for charity and partly for self-abasement--departed +from Patrick when the latter was on the holy mountain of Cruachan +Aigli (Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo). He made his way to the then empty +site of Clonmacnois, and sat in the split trunk of a hollow elm tree. +A stranger made his appearance, and the leper, having assured himself +that he was a Christian, requested him to uproot a bundle of rushes +and to give him in a clean vessel of the water that would burst forth. +Then the leper begged of the stranger to bring tools for digging, +and to bury him there; and he was the first dead man to be buried in +Clonmacnois. Now after this had taken place, the nephew of Patrick, +Bishop Muinis, chanced to be benighted on the same spot, when +returning from a mission to Rome on which the apostle had sent him. +There were angels hovering over the leper's grave, and thus Muinis +recognised it as the burial-place of a man of God. He deposited the +relics which he was bearing back from Rome, for the night, in the +hollow elm; but he found in the morning that the tree had closed upon +them, and that they could not be recovered. In sorrow for their loss, +he related the event to Patrick, and for his comfort he was told that +a Son of Life--to wit Ciaran, son of the wright--was destined to come +thither, and that he would need the relics. These relics are mentioned +in VG 41, though "Benen and Cumlach" [the leper] are there said to +have left them, not Muinis. From this reference we learn that they +were attributed to Saints Peter and Paul. + +It is quite clear that this curious story has reached us in a +fragmentary and expurgated form, and that if we had the whole +narrative before us it would afford us an indication that Clonmacnois +was the site of an earlier, Pagan, sanctuary. It will most probably be +found to be an invariable rule that the early Christian establishments +in Ireland occupy the sites of Pagan sanctuaries; the monastery having +been founded to re-consecrate the holy place to the True Faith. The +hollow elm was doubtless a sacred tree; the well which miraculously +burst forth was a sacred well: the buried leper may have been a +foundation sacrifice, like Oran on Iona. The old pre-Christian name of +the site is suggestive--_Ard Tiprat_, "the high place of the [holy] +well." By no stretch of language can the site of Clonmacnois be called +physically high; as in the stanza quoted in VG 30, the word _Ard_ must +be used in the sense of distinguished, eminent, or sacred. + +Of the prophecy attributed to Brigit there appears to be no record in +any of her numerous _Lives_: nor can I identify with certainty the +story of "the fire and the angel." There were "Crosses of Brigit" at +Armagh;[3] but as there were probably many other crosses throughout +the country dedicated to this popular saint we cannot infer that +Armagh was the scene of the prophecy. + +Becc mac De was chief soothsayer to King Diarmait mac Cerrbeil. Very +little is certainly known of him; most of the traditions relating +to him consist of tales of his remarkable gift of foretelling the +future--tales similar to those related of the Covenanter Alexander +Peden in Scotland, or of the seventeenth-century Mayo peasant Red +Brian Carabine.[4] He died in or about the year A.D. 555 (the +annalists waver between 552 and 557); and the _Annals of Clonmacnois_ +tell us that he began to prophesy in 550. As Ciaran is said to have +died in 548, the statement that Becc mac De foretold his coming is +anachronistic. The prophecy here attributed to him does not appear +in the list of prognostications attributed to him (given in the MS. +Harleian 5280, British Museum, edited in _Zeitschrift für Celtische +Philologie_, ix, 169), or in _Leabhar Breac_, p. 260, where some +further particulars about him are given. + +I have ventured to emend the passage regarding Becc mac De slightly, +restoring the verse form which the prophecy seems to have had +originally. As it appears in the _Lismore Lives_ printed text it is +given in prose; an insignificant transposition of the words, and the +taking of the word _andsin_ out of the inverted commas is all that +is necessary.[5] In the rendering in the text an attempt is made to +reproduce to some extent the elaboration of alliteration, but the +end-rhymes and the vowel-assonances cannot be imitated without +sacrificing the sense. The metre resembles that known as _mibhasc_ +(four-syllable and six-syllable lines alternating, but with +trisyllabic rhyme in the short lines). + +The person to whom Colum Cille uttered his prophecy was Aed mac +Brenainn, Prince of Tethba (Teffia), the region comprising various +baronies in the modern Co. Westmeath and part of Co. Longford. This +Aed gave Dermag (Durrow) to Colum Cille a few years before the +latter's departure for Scotland. There is, however, no record of +the prophecy in the lives of Colum Cille; probably his visit to +Clonmacnois from Durrow is in the writer's mind. Ard Abla, identified +by O'Donovan with Lissardowlin, Co. Longford, was in the territory +of Tethba. The Lismore scribe has written the name of Aed's father +incorrectly (Brandub); the correction ("or Brenainn") is a marginal +note. + + +II. THE ORIGIN AND BIRTH OF CIARAN: THE WIZARD'S PROPHECIES (LA, LB, +LC, VG) + +_The Pedigree_ (VG).--The pedigree in VG traces Ciaran's descent from +Tigernmas, fabled to have reigned in Tara 3580-3657 _Anno Mundi_ +(1620-1543 B.C.).[6] Through Tigernmas the line is traced to Mil of +Spain, the eponymous ancestor of the "Milesians," or Celtic-speaking +inhabitants of Ireland. + +There is another pedigree, totally different, which connects the +saint, not with the Tara kings, but with those of the Ulaid or Ulster +folk, through the dethroned Fergus who figures so prominently in the +epic tale _Táin Bó Cualnge_. This pedigree appears in the _Book of +Leinster_ (facsimile, pp. 348, 349) and _Leabhar Breac_ (facsimile, p. +16), the Bodleian MS. Rawlinson B 506, p. 154 _d_, and in the MS. in +Marsh's Library containing LA, at the foot of the column where LA +begins; with an added note stating that Ciaran was "of the true +Ultonains of Emain": its authenticity is adopted by Keating (I.T.S. +edition, vol. iii, p. 48). Correcting one copy with another this +genealogy runs as follows-- + + + Ciaran son of Coscrach son of Aislithe son of + Beodan " Mesinsuad " Modruad " + Bolcan " Mesinsulad " Follomain " + Linned " Erce " Deoda " + Corc " Erc (or Oscar) " Eochaid " + Daig " Mechon " Corc " + Cunneda " Nechtan " Fergus " + Cass " Aed Corb " Ros " + Froech " Aed Gnoe " Rudraige + + +Thus both genealogies claim a royal descent for the saint. This is an +instance of a widespread policy, of which many traces are to be found +in the old Irish Genealogies. The whole country was divided into +territories of different clans, under which were subordinate and +tributary septs. The latter bore the chief burden of taxation; +and they were for the greater part composed of descendants of the +aboriginal pre-Celtic tribes, who had been reduced to vassalage on +the coming of the Celtic-speaking invaders (about the third or fourth +century B.C.). When a tributary sept became strong enough to resist +the pressure of these imposts, exemption was claimed by a sort of +legal fiction, by which they were genealogically affiliated to the +ruling sept. This practice led to the fabrication of spurious links, +and even of whole pedigrees. + +In point of fact several indications show that Ciaran belonged to a +tributary sept, and was of pre-Celtic blood. These tributary +septs were distinguished from their Celtic conquerors by social +organisation, racial character, and probably still to some extent +by religion and language. They had much the same position as the +_perioeci_ in ancient Sparta. The following are the evidences of his +pre-Celtic nationality-- + +(_a_) The tribal names of his parents (Latharna, Glasraige). There are +two forms of tribal names in ancient Ireland; those consisting of two +words, and those consisting of one. The first are in such formulae as +"tribe of NN," "seed of NN" or the like--NN being the name of a more +or less legendary ancestor. The second are either simple names which +cannot be analysed, or else are derived from an ancestral name by +adding the suffix _-rige_ or _-raige_. As a rule the names consisting +of one word only are fundamentally pre-Celtic, or denote pre-Celtic +septs, though in many cases they have been fitted with Celticising +genealogies. + +(_b_) The names of Ciaran himself and his brothers, and of one of his +sisters. Donnan, Ciaran, Odran, Cronan are all diminutives founded +upon colours--the little brown, black, grey, and tawny one. These +indicate that the family was dark complexioned, which would also +accord with a pre-Celtic origin. The Celts were fair, their +predecessors dark. One of the sisters was called Pata, with an initial +P. This is impossible in a Gaelic name. + +(_c_) The subordinate position of Ciaran's father, and his liability +to taxation. In the _Book of Leinster_ and, in part, in _Leabhar +Breac_, after the genealogy, we read "He [_i.e._ Ciaran] was of one of +the seven clans of the Latharna of Molt. His father was originally in +slavery in Britain; he went thereafter to Ireland to Cenel Conaill +[north of Co. Donegal], and after that to Connacht[7] to avoid a +heavy tax, so that Ciaran was born at Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai." LA +describes Ciaran's father as "a rich man," and certainly the family +seems to have been comfortably provided with cattle, the chief wealth +of their time. In reference to his father's trade Ciaran is regularly +called _mac in tsáir_, "son of the wright." The Rabelaisian +extravaganza called _Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe_ ("The Adventures of the +Burdensome Company") introduces Ciaran as himself practising smith's +craft;[8] but no importance can be attached to so irresponsible a +production. Analogous in this respect are the references to our saint +in _The Adventures of Léithin_,[9] which also introduces Ciaran and +his monks; but as Dr. Hyde points out in his edition, these are merely +a kind of framework for the legend, and the story, though in itself +extremely curious and interesting, tells us nothing about either +Ciaran or Clonmacnois. + +(_d_) The fact, specially mentioned in LA, that Ciaran was reared by +his parents, not put out to fosterage as would have been done had he +been of gentle birth. + +(_e_) The pre-eminent position of Ciaran's mother in the home. The +pre-Celtic tribesmen of Ireland, like their Pictish kinsmen in +Scotland, were organised on the system of mother-right, in which +property and descent and kinship are all traced through the maternal +side of the ancestry. Throughout the _Lives_, Beoit is a cypher: the +house and its contents and appurtenances are almost invariably treated +as Darerca's property. Matriarchate usually implies exogamy, a man +choosing his wife from a sept differing from his own; and the +children are related to the mother's, not the father's kin. The male +responsible for the education of the child is not so much the father +as the maternal uncle. The law of exogamy was strictly followed in the +case before us. Beoit comes from north-east Ulster; Darerca belonged +to a family which drew its origin from the south-east of the present +county Kerry, though she seems to have settled in Cenel Fiachach at +the time when Beoit met her. Incidents VIII and X of Ciaran's Life are +laid in that territory, which falls in with a tradition, presently to +be noted, that the dwelling-place of the family of the saint was not +Raith Cremthainn, but the place where the parents had first met--which +would be an instance of the husband dwelling with the wife's people, +as is frequent under the matriarchate. The Celtic authors of the +_Lives_ have transferred the kinship of the son to the father's clan, +in accordance with their own social system; but an older tradition has +left an unmistakable trace in the confusion of the relationships of +"father" and "uncle" in LA, §§ 9, 10. + +It is possible that the prominence of the mother in the household, +and Ciaran's birth away from his ancestral home as the result of +a taxation, are specially emphasised because they offer obvious +parallels with the Gospel story. The character of Darerca is, however, +by no means idealised, as we might have expected it to be, had this +been the chief purpose of the narrator. + +_The Parents of Ciaran, their Names and Origins._--The name of +Ciaran's father is variously Latinised in the Latin Lives. The Irish +lives call him Beoit, a name analysed in the _Book of Leinster_, p. +349, into _Beo-n-Aed_, which would mean something like "Living Fire." +The _-n-_ is inserted, according to a law of Old Irish accidence, +because _áed_, "fire," is a neuter word. Thus arises the Latin form +_Beonnadus_. By metathesis the name further becomes transformed to +_Beodan_ or _Beoan_. The _Latharna_ were the people who dwelt around +the site of the modern town of _Larne_, which preserves their name; +Mag Molt ("the plain of wethers") is probably the plain surrounding +the town. The _Aradenses_, to whom LB ascribes the origin of Beoit, +were the people known in Irish record as _Dal n-Araide_, the +pre-Celtic people of the region now called Antrim. + +Dar-erca, "daughter of brightness" or "of the sky," was a common +female name in ancient Ireland. The Glasraige to whom she belonged +was a tribe with divisions scattered in various parts of Ireland. +Irluachra was south-east Kerry with adjoining parts of Cork and +Limerick. Of her poet grandfather Glas nothing is known. + +It would perhaps be too far-fetched to see a hint at a mythological +element in the traditions of Ciaran in the signification of his +parents' names. Indeed, considering the _Tendenz_ of the Ciaran +_Lives_, it is remarkable that there is no supernormal element in the +account of the birth of this particular saint; supernatural births are +almost a commonplace in Irish saints' lives as a rule. + +The saint's own name is regularly spelt with an initial K or Q in the +Latin texts, doubtless because Latin _c_ was pronounced as _s_ before +_e_ and _i_ in mediaeval Ireland. + +The _Annals of Clonmacnois_ preserves for us a totally different +tradition of the origin and upbringing of the saint. Modernising the +haphazard spelling and punctuation of the seventeenth-century English +translation (the original Irish of this valuable book is lost), we may +note what it tells us. "His father's name was Beoit, a Connacht man +(_sic_) and a carpenter. His mother Darerca, of the issue of Corc mac +Fergusa mic Roig of the Clanna Rudraige. He in his childhood lived +with his father and mother in 'Templevickinloyhe' [wherever that may +have been] in Cenel Fiachach; until a thief of the country of Ui +Failge stole the one cow they had, which, being found, he forsook +together with his father and mother the said place of the stealth [= +theft], fearing of further inconvenience." Here note: (1) that Darerca +is given the ancestry attributed in the _Book of Leinster_ pedigree +to Beoit, thus hinting at an originally _matrilinear_ form of the +official pedigree: (2) that the settlement of the family in Cenel +Fiachach, _i.e._ the place of Darerca's dwelling, is definitely +stated; (3) that the migration of the family does not take place till +after Ciaran's birth; (4) that a totally different reason is assigned +for the migration; (5) that incident X of the _Lives_ is directly +referred to; (6) that we hear nothing in this passage about the rest +of the numerous family of Beoit; and (7) that the family is poor, +having but one cow. + +Cenel Fiachach (the clan of Fiachu) occupied a territory covering +parts of the present counties of Westmeath and King's Co. VG +erroneously writes this Cenel Fiachrach, which occupied a territory of +the modern Co. Sligo. _See_ further, p. 171. + +_The Princes._--Unfortunately Ainmire mac Colgain, lord of Ui Neill, +and Cremthann, a chieftain of Connacht, are not otherwise known; we +cannot therefore test the chronological truth of this part of the +story. Ainmire reappears as an oppressor in the life of Aed (VSH, ii, +295). LA anachronistically confuses this Ainmire with Ainmire mac +Setna, King of Tara, A.D. 564-566. + +It is noteworthy that VG calls Cremthann "King of Ireland." This is in +accordance with the fact that the dynasty which united Ireland under +the suzerainty of the King of Tara was of Connacht origin.[10] + +_The Wizard's Prophecy._--The phrase "the noise of a chariot under +a king" is a stock formula in this connexion; compare, with Stokes, +_Vita Sancti Aedui_ in Rees' _Lives of Cambro-British Saints_, p. 233 +(also VSH, ii, 295). With the incident compare the story of the druid +rising to welcome the parents of Saint Senan, and when ridiculed for +thus showing honour to peasants explaining that it was to their unborn +child that he was paying honour (LL, 1875). Observe that in both tales +the druid is _mocked_. This touch doubtless belongs to the Christian +chronicler, taking the opportunity of putting the minister of the +rival creed in an invidious position. + +_Deacon Iustus_, according to VTP (p. 104) and Tirechan's _Collections +regarding Saint Patrick_ (edited in VTP, see pp. 305, 318) was +consecrated by Saint Patrick, who left with him his ritual book and +his office of baptism, in Fidarta (Fuerty, Co. Roscommon). It was in +his old age that he baptized Ciaran, out of Patrick's book--he was, +indeed, according to the documents quoted, no less than 140 years of +age. The glossators of the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (Henry Bradshaw +Society edition, p. 128) confuse him with Euthymius, the deacon, +martyred at Alexandria. The play on words ("it were fitting that the +_just one_ should be baptized by a _Just One_") is lost in the Irish +version, whence Plummer (VSH, i, p. xlix) infers that this document is +a translation from a Latin original: but the fact proves nothing more +than that the author of VG borrowed _this particular incident_, as +he borrowed his preface, from a Latin writing. All these Lives are +patchworks, and their component elements are of very different origins +and dates. + +_The date of Ciaran's birth_ was 25 February, A.D. 515. The _Annals of +Ulster_ says 511, or "according to another book," 516. The _Annals of +Clonmacnois_ has the correct date, 515. + +_The Geographical Names in this Incident._--_Temoria_ (LA) is Tara +(Irish _Teamair_), Co. Meath, the site of the dwelling of the Kings of +Ireland. _Midhe_ (LA) means the province of Meath; LA is, however, +in error in placing the Latronenses therein. The _Connachta_ are the +people who give their name to the province of Connacht. _Mag Ai_, +variously spelt, is the central plain of Co. Roscommon; _Raith +Cremthainn_ ("the fort of Cremthann") was somewhere upon it, +presumably near the royal establishment of Rathcroghan, but the exact +site is unknown. _Isel Chiarain_ (VG), a place reappearing later in +the Life, is unknown, but doubtless it was close to Clonmacnois. +_Cluain maccu Nois_, the "Meadow of the Descendants of Nos," now +Clonmacnois, stands on the right bank of the Shannon about twelve +miles below Athlone. Extensive remains of the monastery founded by +Ciaran are still to be seen there. As for _Tech meic in tSaeir_, "the +house of the wright's son," we might have inferred that this place was +also somewhere near or in Clonmacnois; but a note among the glosses of +the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (under 9th September) says that it was "in +the house of the son of the wright" that Ciaran was _brought up_. It +is therefore to be identified with the mysterious place corruptly +spelt "Templevickinloyhe" (church of the son of the ----?) in the +extract from the _Annals of Clonmacnois_ printed above.[11] + +_The Verses in this Section of VG._--The epigram on Ciaran's parents +is found in many MSS. The rendering here given expresses the sense and +reproduces the rhythm of the stanza, but does not attempt to copy the +metre in every detail. This is known as _cro cummaisc etir casbairdne +ocus lethrannaigecht_, and consists of seven-syllable lines with +trisyllabic rhymes, alternating with five-syllable lines having +monosyllabic rhymes. Literally translated the sense would run, +"Darerca my mother / she was not a bad woman // Beoit the wright my +father / of the Latharna of Molt." + +The second stanza is misplaced, and should properly have been inserted +in the following paragraph. Its metre is _ae freslige_--seven-syllable +lines in a quatrain, rhyming _abab_: _a_ being trisyllabic, _b_ +dissyllabic rhymes. The stanza is obscure and probably corrupt; so far +as it can be rendered at all, the literal translation is: "He healed +the steed of Oengus / when he was in a swathe, in a cradle // there +was given ... / from God this miracle to Ciaran." + + +III. HOW CIARAN RAISED THE STEED OF OENGUS FROM DEATH (LA, LB, LC, VG) + +_The Four Versions._--This incident is told in all four lives, and it +is instructive to note the differences of detail which they display. +In LA Oengus goes to fetch Ciaran, after consulting with his friends. +In LB he sends for him. In LC he goes to him, and in VG Ciaran comes +without being fetched. The stanza interpolated in the preceding +section of VG introduces us to another variant of the tradition, in +which Ciaran was a swaddled infant when the miracle was wrought. In LB +the incident is given a homiletic turn, by being told to illustrate +the saint's care for animals. + +_Parallels._--A similar but not identical miracle is attributed to +Saint Patrick (VTP, 228; LL, 565). Here the saint resuscitates horses +with holy water; but in this case the saint's own curse had originally +caused the horses' deaths, because they grazed in his churchyard. +Saint Lasrian also restored a horse to life (CS, 796). + +_Tir na Gabrai_ ("the land of the horse") is unknown, though it +presumably was near Raith Cremthainn. The story was probably told to +account for the name of the field. It has been noticed that the Latin +Lives are less rich in details as to names of places and people than +the Irish Life. This is an indication of a later tradition, when the +recollection of names had become vague, or, rather, when names which +had been of interest to their contemporaries had ceased to rouse such +feelings. + + +IV. HOW CIARAN TURNED WATER INTO HONEY (LA, LB, LC, VG) + +One of the numerous imitations of the story of the Miracle of Cana. +Compare incident XLIV. An identical story is told of Saint Patrick +(LL, 108). Note the variety of reasons given for sending the honey to +Iustus. + + +V. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM A HOUND (LA, LB, LC, VG) + +_Parallels._--The same story is told of Saint Patrick, in Colgan's +_Tertia Vita_, cap. xxxi, _Septima Vita_, I, cap. xlvii. Patrick +likewise quoted the verse _Ne tradas bestiis animus confitentes tibi_ +(Ps. lxiv, [Vulgate lxiii] 19). + +_The Fate of the Hound._--This varies in the different versions. In +the Patrick story just quoted it was struck immovable, as a stone. +In LA it thrusts its head _in circo uituli_, which I have rendered +conjecturally as the context seems to require, but I can find +no information as to the exact nature of this adjunct to the +cattle-stall. Du Cange gives _arcus sellae equestris_ as one of the +meanings of _circus_. + +LB and LC, which have many points of affinity, are in this incident +almost word for word identical. They agree in saying that the men +setting on the hound were spurred (_uexati_) by an evil spirit. The +misplacing of this incident in LB is probably due to a transposition +of the leaves of the exemplar from which it was copied. + + +VI. HOW CIARAN AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CONVERSED, THOUGH DISTANT FROM ONE +ANOTHER (LA, VG) + +_Topography of the Story._--Assuming that Raith Cremthainn was +somewhere near Rathcroghan, the distance between this and Fuerty would +be about fourteen miles. There is no indication on the Ordnance map of +any rock that can be identified with the cross-bearing stone on which +Ciaran used to sit, though it clearly was a landmark well known to the +author of LA. (_Pacé_ LA, Rathcroghan is _north_ of Fuerty.) + +_Parallels._--The closest parallel is the story of Brigit, who heard +a Mass that was being celebrated in Rome, though unable to hear a +popular tumult close by (TT, 539). Something resembling the action of +a wireless telephone is contemplated, the voices being inaudible +to persons between the speakers. Thus the tales of saints with +preternaturally loud voices are not quite in point. Colum Cille was +heard to read his Psalms a mile and half away (LL, 828); Brenainn also +was heard at a long distance (LL, 3419). The burlesque _Vision of +MacConglinne_ parodies such voices (ed. Meyer, pp. 12, 13). + + +VII. CIARAN AND THE FOX (VG) + +_Parallels._--There are endless tales of how saints pressed wild +animals into their service; indeed the first monastic establishment of +Ciaran's elder namesake, Ciaran of Saigir, consisted of wild animals +only: a boar, a badger, a wolf, and a stag (VSH, i, 219; _Silua +Gadelica_, i, p. 1 ff.). Moling also kept a number of wild and tame +animals round his monastery--among them a fox, which, as in the tale +before us, attempted to eat a book (VSH, ii, 201); otherwise, however, +the stories differ. Aed rescued a stag from hunters, and used its +horns as a book-rest (VSH, ii, 296); Coemgen similarly rescued a boar +(VSH, i, 244). So, in Wales, Saint Brynach caused stags to draw +his carriage, and committed his cow to the charge of a wolf +(_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 10, 296). Saint Illtyd tamed a stag +which he had rescued from hunters (_ibid._, pp. 164, 473). + +_Herding of Cattle._--There is abundant evidence from the Lives of the +saints that the herding of the cattle while pasturing was an important +duty of the children of the household. There was no little risk in +this, owing to the prevalence of wolves. + +_Reading the Psalms._--The Psalms seem to have been the first subject +of instruction given to young students; LB, 4, indicates that Ciaran's +lessons with Iustus did not go beyond the mere rudiments of learning. +There is in the National Museum, Dublin, a tablet-book containing six +leaves of wax-covered wood, on which are traced a number of the Psalms +in the Vulgate version; this was most likely a lesson-book such as is +here described. The story evidently grew up around an actual specimen, +that bore injuries, explained as being the tooth-marks of the fox. + +_Versions of the Tale._--It would appear that this story was +originally an account of how Ciaran and his distant tutor could +communicate, quite independent of incident VI. It has become awkwardly +combined with VI into a conflate narrative, as is shown by the silence +about the fox in LA. According to the one story, they used their +supernatural "wireless telephone." According to the other, the fox +trotted back and forth with the book. In the conflate version, it +would appear that Iustus dictated Psalms to Ciaran by "telephone," +Ciaran then wrote them on his tablets, and the fox waited till he +was finished and then carried them for correction to Iustus. (As is +observed in the footnote _in loc_, p. 73, we must read "Iustus" for +"Ciaran" in the passage describing the proceedings of the fox). + +_The Homiletic Pendant._--The unexpected homiletic turn given to this +story in VG may perhaps find its explanation in facts now lost to us; +the passage reads like a side-thrust at some actual person or persons. +It may possibly refer to the act of sacrilege committed by Toirdelbach +ó Briain, in 1073, who carried away from Clonmacnois the head of +Conchobar ó Maeil-Shechlainn; but being attacked by a mysterious +disease--imparted to him, it was said, by a mouse which issued from +the head and ran up under his garment--he was obliged to return it, +with two gold rings by way of compensation. He did not recover from +the disease, however, but died in 1086 (_Annals of Four Masters_). + + +VIII. HOW CIARAN SPOILED HIS MOTHER'S DYE (VG) + +I have found no parallel to this most remarkable story. It displays +the following noteworthy points-- + +1. It belongs to the Ciaran-tradition which places the home of the +family in Cenel Fiachach. + +2. It preserves what has every appearance of being an authentic +tradition of a prohibition against the presence of males, even of +tender years, when dyeing was being carried on.[12] + +3. Most likely the saint's curse--indeed, the whole association of +the tale with Ciaran--is a late importation into the story: it was +probably originally a [Pagan] tale, told as a warning of what would +happen if males were allowed to be present at the mystery. The +different colours which the garments assumed are perhaps not without +significance; Sullivan, in his introduction to O'Curry's _Manners +and Customs_ (i, p. 405), says "the two failures ... are simply +the failures which result from imperfect fermentation and +over-fermentation of the woad-vat." + +4. There is an intentionally droll touch given to the end of the +_Märchen_. + +5. The independence of parental control which the youthful Ciaran +displays will not escape notice. + +_The Stanza._--This is written in a peculiar metre; two seven-syllable +lines, with trisyllabic rhymes, followed by two rhyming couplets of +five-syllable lines with monosyllabic rhymes. + +_Iarcain_ is a word of uncertain meaning: it probably denotes the +waste stuff left behind in the vat. + + +IX. HOW CIARAN RESTORED A CALF WHICH A WOLF HAD DEVOURED (LA, LB, LC, +VG) + +_Parallels._--Practically the same story is told of Abban (VSH, i, 24; +CS, 508) and of Colman (CS, 828). A similar story is told of Saint +Patrick (LL, 91), but it is not quite identical, inasmuch as here the +wolf voluntarily restored a sheep which it had carried off. Something +like this, however, is indicated in the Latin verse rendering of the +story (No. 2 of the Latin verse fragments at the end of LB). More +nearly parallel is the tale of Brigit (LL, 1250; CS, 19) who gave +bacon which she was cooking to a hungry dog; it was miraculously +replaced. A converse of this miracle is to be found in the Life +of Ailbe, who first restored two horses killed by lions, and then +miraculously provided a hundred horses for the lions to devour (CS, +239). Aed gave eight wethers to as many starving wolves, and they were +miraculously restored to save him from the indignation of his maternal +aunt (VSH, ii, 296). It is obvious, but hypercritical, to complain +that in these artless tales the kindness shown to the beasts is +illogically one-sided! + +_The Process of Resuscitation._--The important point in the tale, +though the versions do not all recognise this, is the collection of +the bones of the calf. VG preserves the essential command to the wolf +not to break these. Colum Cille reconstituted an ox from its bones +(LL, 1055). Coemgen gave away to wayfarers the dinner prepared for +the monastic harvestmen, and when the latter naturally protested, he +collected the bones and re-clothed them with flesh, at the same time +turning water to wine (VSH, i, 238). Aed performed a similar miracle +in the nunnery at Clonmacnois, replacing Ciaran's dinner which he +himself had eaten (VSH, i, 39). There is here no mention of the bones, +but very likely this has become lost in the process of transmission. +By all these tales we are reminded of the boar Sæhrimnir, on whose +flesh the blessed ones in Valhalla feast daily--sodden every evening +and reconstituted from its bones every morning.[13] In a Breton +folk-tale, _La princesse Troïol_, the hero has been burnt by the wiles +of his enemy, but his sorceress fiancée seeks among the ashes till +at last she finds a tiny splinter of bone. With this she is able to +restore her betrothed; without it she would have been powerless.[14] + +Very probably the practice of "secondary interment" of human bones, +which we find so far back as the later stages of the Palaeolithic age, +is based upon the same belief; that if the bones are preserved, their +owner has a chance of a fresh lease of life. + +There is a curious variant of the story in the Life of Coemgen. +Here the cow is driven home, and Coemgen, called upon to soothe its +lamentations, fetches, not the bones of the eaten calf, but the +culprit wolf, which comes and plays the part of the calf to the +satisfaction of all concerned (VSH, i, 239). It is evident that +in this case there is another element of belief indicated: the +personality of the calf has passed into the wolf which has devoured +it--in fact, the wolf _is_ the calf re-incarnate. + +_Resurrection of Beasts._--Calling dead animals back to life is a not +infrequent incident in the lives of Irish saints. We have already seen +Ciaran resuscitating a horse. Mo-Chua restored twelve stags (VSH, ii, +188); but perhaps the most remarkable feat was that of Moling, who, +having watched a wren eating a fly, and a kestrel eating the wren, +revived first the wren and then the fly (VSH, ii, 200). Saint +Brynach's cow having been slain by a tyrannical king, was restored to +life by the saint (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 11, 297). + +_The Stanza in VG._--The metre is _ae freslige_. The rendering in the +text is close to the literal sense. + +_The Ejaculation "Mercy on us"_--or, more literally, "mercy come to +us." The sentence recording this habitual ejaculation, in VG, breaks +so awkwardly into the sense of the passage in which it is found, that +it must be regarded as a marginal gloss which has become incorporated +with the text. It has dislodged a sentence that must have legitimately +belonged to the text, restored in the foregoing translation by +conjecture. Probably the lost sentence, like the intrusive one, ended +with the word _trocuire_, "mercy," which, indeed, may have suggested +the interpolation; this might easily have caused the scribe's eye +to wander. An habitual expletive is also attributed to St. Patrick +(_modébroth_, apparently "My God of Judgment!"). + +Here, again, the versions in LB and LC are very closely akin. + + +X. HOW CIARAN WAS DELIVERED FROM ROBBERS (LA, LC, VG) + +_Parallels._--Robbers were smitten with blindness (cf. Genesis xix. +II) by Darerca (CS, 179) and restored on repentance. The same fate +befell a man who endeavoured to drive Findian from a place where he +had settled (CS, 198). Robbers who attempted to attack Cainnech (CS, +364, 389; VSH, i, 153), Colman (VSH, i, 264), and Flannan (CS, 669), +were struck motionless. The story before us is a conflation of the two +types of incident, blindness and paralysis being accumulated on the +robbers. The same accumulation befell a swineherd who attempted to +slay Saint Cadoc (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 31, 321). + +Note that this incident, like No. VIII, belongs to the Cenel Fiachach +tradition. We have already seen that it was known to the compiler of +the _Annals of Clonmacnois_, though he ignores the miraculous element. + + +XI.-XIII. HOW CIARAN GAVE CERTAIN GIFTS (LA): XIV. HOW CIARAN GAVE THE +KING'S CAULDRON TO BEGGARS AND WAS ENSLAVED (LA, LC, VG) + +These four incidents may be considered together: they are all variants +of one formula. + +_Parallels_.--Brigit took "of her father's wealth and property, +whatsoever her hands would find, ... to give to the poor and needy" +(LL, 1308). A story is told in the Life of Aed which is evidently a +combination of our incidents XII and XIII: to the effect that when +ploughing he made a gift of one of his oxen and of the coulter, and +continued to plough without either (VSH, i, 36). + +The angels grinding for Ciaran reappear in incident XVIII: this is a +frequent type of favour shown to saints. Angels ground for Colum Cille +at Clonard (LL, 850), swept out a hearth for Patrick (LL, 121), and +harvested for Ailbe (CS, 241). + +_Beoit an Uncle._--This is an important link between incidents XII and +XIII in LA. Its bearing upon the question of the origin of Ciaran's +family has already been noticed. + +_The Oxen ploughing._--Incident XIII would be meaningless if we did +not understand from it that at the time of the formation of the +story it was not customary to use horses in the plough. This is an +illustration of the way in which these documents, unhistorical though +they may be in the main, yet throw occasional sidelights, which may be +accepted as authentic, on ancient life. + +_King Furbith._--I have not succeeded in tracing this personage, who +reappears in incident XXVII. But the story of his cauldron is found in +the Life of Ciaran of Saigir (CS, 815), in a rather different form--to +the effect that he deposited his considerable wealth for safe-keeping +with Ciaran, who was already abbot of Clonmacnois. Ciaran promptly +distributed it to the poor. Furbith was human enough to be annoyed at +this breach of trust, and ordered Ciaran to be summoned before him in +bonds. This done, he addressed him "insultingly," as the hagiographer +puts it, in these words: "Good abbot, if thou wilt be loosed from +bonds, thou must needs bring me seven white-headed red hornless +kine:[15] and if thou canst not find them, thou shalt pay a penalty +for my treasures which thou hast squandered." Ciaran undertook to +provide the required cattle, "not to escape these thy bonds, which are +a merit unto me, but to set forth the glory of my God"; and therefore +he was set free to obtain them. Another variant of these stories--a +common type, in which the saint gives away the property of other +people in alms, but has his own face miraculously saved--is +illustrated by the tale of Coemgen, who, when a boy was pasturing +sheep. He gave four of them to beggars, but when the sheep were led +home at night the number was found complete "so that the servant of +Christ should not incur trouble on account of his exceeding charity" +(VSH, i, 235). + +The site of _Cluain Cruim_ (LA) is unknown (perhaps Clooncrim, Co. +Roscommon). The _Desi_ (VG), or Dessi, were a semi-nomadic pre-Celtic +people once established in the barony of Deece, Co. Meath, but +afterwards in the baronies of Decies in Waterford: both these baronies +still bear their name. A branch of them settled in Wales. Evidently +the donors of the cauldrons which purchased the freedom of the saint +were of the Decies; they are said to have been Munster folk (the name +of the province is variously spelled). + + +XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER (LA, LC) + +I have found no parallel to this story; it contains no miraculous +element, and may quite possibly be at least founded on fact. Its chief +importance is the prominence given to the _materfamilias_. + + +XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE (LA, LC) + +Unlike LA, LC seems to imply that the injury to the axle was not +repaired. This would be parallel to the story of Aed, who, when his +carriage met with a similar mishap, was able to continue his journey +on one wheel only (CS, 336; VSH, i, 36). + + +XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL OF FINDIAN (LA, LB, +LC, VG) + +_The blessing of the Cow._--In this story we again note the prominence +of the _materfamilias_: it is she who in most of the versions +withholds the desired boon. Note how LB endeavours to tone down the +disobedience of the saint by making the cow follow him of her own +accord, or, rather, upon a direct divine command. The _Annals of +Clonmacnois_ presents the story in a similar form: "He earnestly +entreated his parents that they would please to give him the cow +[which had been stolen and recovered; _ante_, p. 108], that he might +go to school to Clonard to Bishop Finnan, where Saint Colum Cille ... +and divers others were at school: which his parents denied: whereupon +he resolved to go thither as poor as he was, without any maintenance +in the world. The cow followed him thither with her calf; and being +more given to the cause of his learning than to the keeping of the +cows, having none to keep the calf from the cow, [he] did but draw +a strick of his bat between the calf and cow. The cow could not +thenceforth come no nearer [_sic_] the calf than to the strick, nor +the calf to the cow, so as there needed no servant to keep them one +from another but the strick." A totally different version of the story +of the cow is recorded in the glosses to the _Martyrology of Oengus_ +(9th September). Here Ciaran applied to his _father_, who, so far from +refusing his request, bade him go through the herd and take whatever +beast would follow him. "The Dun Cow of Ciaran" yielded to the test. +Further, the same cow followed him when he left Clonard, instead of +remaining with Ninned as in the _Lives_ before us. + +Note how the author of LA has been unable to keep a very human touch +out of his arid record: _matri displicebat, uolebat enim eum secum +semper habere_. This is our last glimpse of poor Darerca, and it does +much to soften the rather lurid limelight in which our homilists place +her. + +_The Division of Kine and Calves._--This miracle is one of the most +threadbare commonplaces of Irish hagiographical literature; it is most +frequently, as here, performed by drawing a line on the ground between +the animals with the saint's wonder-working staff. It is attributed, +_inter alia_, to Senan (LL, 1958), Fintan (CS, 229), Ailbe (with +swine, CS, 240), and Finan (CS, 305). + +_A miraculous abundance of milk_ was also given by kine belonging to +Brigit (CS, 44) and to Samthann (VSH, ii, 255). + +_The Hide of the Cow._--Plummer quotes other illustrations of such +mechanical passports to the Land of the Blessed (VSH, i, p. xciii). +The main purpose of this whole incident is doubtless to explain the +origin of a precious relic, preserved at Clonmacnois. Its history +is involved in some doubt: it is complicated by the fact that there +exists a well-known manuscript, now preserved in the library of the +Royal Irish Academy, written at Clonmacnois about A.D. 1100, and +called the _Book of the Dun Cow_, from the animal of whose hide the +vellum is said to have been made. But whether this book has any +connexion with the Dun Cow of Ciaran may be considered doubtful. For +down to the comparatively late date at which our homilies were put +together, the hide of Ciaran's Dun was evidently preserved _as a +hide_, on or under which a dying man could lie: therefore it cannot +have been made into a book. Yet _Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe_ (p. 124 +of the printed text) tells us, for what it may be worth, that Ciaran +wrote the great epic tale called _Táin Bó Cúalnge_ upon the hide of +the Dun Cow. There is actually a copy of this tale in the existing +book; but the book was written not long after the time when our +homilists were describing the relic as an unbroken hide. Either there +were two dun cows, or the name of the Manuscript has arisen from a +misunderstanding. + +_The stanza in VG_ is another example of _ae freslige_ metre. The +literal translation is "Fifty over a hundred complete / the Dun of +Ciaran used to feed, // guests and lepers / people of the refectory +and of the parlour." + +_The School of Findian._--Findian was born in the fifth century. He +went to Tours for study, and afterwards to Britain; he then felt a +desire to continue his studies in Rome, but an angel bade him return +to Ireland and there continue the work begun by Patrick. After +spending some time with Brigit at Kildare, and establishing various +religious houses, he settled at Cluain Iraird, in the territory of +Ui Neill: now called Clonard, in Co. Meath. His establishment there +became the chief centre of instruction in Ireland in the early part of +the sixth century. He died in 549, at an advanced age: indeed, he is +traditionally said to have lived 140 years. Nothing now remains of the +monastery, though there were some ruins a hundred years ago. + + +XVIII. THE ANGELS GRIND FOR CIARAN (LA, LC, VG) + +The angels grinding have already been seen in incident XIV. + +_The Stanza in VG._--This is in the metre known as _rannaigecht +mór_, seven syllables with monosyllabic rhymes, usually _abab_. The +translation adequately expresses the sense and, approximately, the +metre.[16] The number of saints enumerated is thirteen, not twelve, +but the master, Findian of Clonard, is not counted in the reckoning. +The names, the principal monasteries, and the obits of these saints +are as follows-- + + Findian of Cluain Iraird (Clonard, Co. Meath), 12 December 548. + Findian of Mag-bile (Moville, Co. Donegal), 12 September 579. + Colum Cille of Í Choluim Cille (Iona), 9 June 592. + Colum of Inis Cealtra (Holy Island, Loch Derg), 13 December 549. + Ciaran of Cluain maccu Nois (Clonmacnois), 9 September 548. + Cainnech of Achad Bo (Aghaboe, Queen's Co.), 11 October 598. + Comgall of Beannchor (Bangor, Co. Down), 10 May 552. + Brenainn of Birra (Birr, King's Co.), 29 November 571. + Brenainn of Cluain Fearta (Clonfert, King's Co.), 16 May 576. + Ruadan of Lothra (Lorrha, Co. Tipperary), 15 April 584. + Ninned of Inis Muighe Saimh (Inismacsaint in Loch Erne), + 18 January 5..(?). + Mo-Bi of Glas Naoidhean (Glasnevin, Co. Dublin) 12 October 544. + Mo-Laise mac Nad-Fraeich of Daimhinis (Devenish, Loch Erne), + 12 September 563. + + +XIX. CIARAN AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER (LA, VG) + +_Parallels._--Maignenn never would look on a woman, "lest he should +see her guardian devil" (_Silua Gadelica_, i, 37). The story has some +affinity with the curious _Märchen_ of the Mill and the Bailiff's +Daughter (incident XXIV). Cuimmin of Connor, in his poem on the +characters of the different Irish saints, spoke thus of Ciaran, +doubtless in reference to this incident: "Holy Ciaran of Clonmacnois +loved humility that he did not abandon rashly; he never spoke a word +that was untrue, he never looked at a woman from the time when he was +born." + +_The Stanza in VG._--Metre _ae freslige_. Literally thus: "With Ciaran +read / a girl who was stately with treasures // and he saw not / her +form or her shape or her make." + +In LA the father of the maiden is king in Tara: in VG he is king of +Cualu, the strip of territory between the mountains and the sea from +Dublin southward to Arklow. + + +XX. HOW CIARAN HEALED THE LEPERS (VG) + +Leprosy, or at least a severe cutaneous disease so called, was common +in ancient Ireland; and there are numerous stories, some of them +extremely disagreeable, that tell how the saints associated with its +victims as an act of self-abasement. We have already seen how Patrick +was said to have kept a leper. Brigit also healed lepers by washing +(LL, 1620), and Ruadan cleansed lepers with the water of a spring +that he opened miraculously (VSH, ii, 249). Contrariwise, Munnu never +washed except at Easter after contracting leprosy (VSH, ii, 237). +The miraculous opening of a spring is a common incident in Irish +hagiography; we have already seen an example, in the annotations to +incident I. + +Whitley Stokes points out (LL, note _ad loc._) that the "three waves" +poured over the lepers are suggested by the triple immersion in +baptism. + + +XXI. CIARAN AND THE STAG (VG) + +_Parallels._--We have already noted the use of wild animals by Irish +saints. Findian yoked stags to draw wood (LL, 2552). Patrick kept a +tame stag (TT, p. 28, cap. lxxxii, etc.). In incident XXXVII, Ciaran +is again served by a stag. Cainnech, like Ciaran, made a book-rest of +the horns of a stag (CS, 383), and books which Colum Cille had lost +were restored to him by a stag (TT, _Quinta Vita_, p. 407). In the +life of Saint Cadoc we read an incident which combines docile stags +drawing timber and a forgotten book untouched by rain (_Cambro-British +Saints_, pp. 38, 329). + +For Ciaran's prompt obedience to the summoning sound of the bell, +compare what is told of Cainnech, who happened to be summoned by the +head of the monastic school when he was writing, and left the letter +O, which at the moment he was tracing, unfinished, to obey the call +(VSH, i, 153). + +There is a parallel in incident XXXVI for the book unwet by rain. +Books written by Colum Cille could not be injured by water (LL, 956). +It is perhaps hardly necessary to infer with Plummer (VSH, i, p. +cxxxviii) that this was a myth of solar origin. + + +XXII. THE STORY OF CIARAN'S GOSPEL (LA, VG) + +This striking anecdote is unique, and probably founded on an authentic +incident. The two versions before us differ in some respects, as a +comparison will show. The story is told in another form in the _Quinta +Vita Columbae_ (TT, p. 403) to the effect that "Once Saint Kieranus, +whom they call the Son of the Wright, on being asked, promised Columba +that as he was writing a book of the Holy Gospels, he would write out +the middle part of the book. Columba, in gratitude to him, said, 'And +I,' said he, 'on behalf of God, promise and foretell that the middle +regions of Ireland shall take their name from thee, and shall bring +their taxes or tribute to thy monastery.'" The same version appears in +O'Donnell's _Life of Colum Cille_ (printed text, p. 128). Yet another +version appears in the glosses to the _Martyrology of Oengus_ +(9th September), according to which Colum Cille wished to write a +gospel-book, but no one except Ciaran had an exemplar from which to +make the copy. Colum Cille went to Ciaran's cell and asked for the +loan of the book; Ciaran, who was preparing his lesson, and had just +come to the words _Omnia quaecumque_, etc., presented him with it. +"Thine be half of Ireland!" said Colum Cille. It is worth passing +notice that the verse in question, here treated as the central verse +of the gospel, is not one-fifth of the way through the book. Had the +original narrator of the tale a copy with misplaced or missing leaves? + +_The Stanza in VG._--This is apparently slightly corrupt, but the +metre is evidently meant to be _ae freslige_. It probably belongs to +one poem with the previous stanzas in the same metre: its first line +echoes the stanza in incident XIX. Literally, "With Findian read / +Ciaran the pious, with diligence // he had half a book without reading +/ half of Ireland his thereafter." + +_The Saying of Alexander._--I regret to have to acknowledge that +I have been unable to get on the track of any explanation of this +appendix to the incident, as related in VG. It is probably a marginal +gloss taken into the text. The "Alexander" is presumably one of the +popes of that name, and if so, must be Alexander II (1061-1073), as +the first Pope Alexander is too early, and the remaining six are too +late. I have, however, searched all the writings bearing his name +without discovering anything like this saying, nor can I trace it with +the aid of the numerous indexes in Migne's _Patrologia_. + + +XXIII. THE BLESSING OF CIARAN'S FOOD (LA, LC) + +I cannot find any authority for the ritual indicated by this curious +story, in which the blessing of a second person is necessary before +food can be consumed. There is a Jewish formula described by +Lightfoot,[17] in which, when several take their meals together, one +says _Let us bless_, and the rest answer _Amen_. But it is not clear +why a response should have been required by a person eating alone. + + +XXIV. THE STORY OF THE MILL AND THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER (LB, VG) + +The full details of this narrative have evidently been offensive to +the author of LB, who has heroically bowdlerised it. It is obviously +an independent _Märchen_, which has become incorporated in the +traditions of Ciaran. + +_The Famine._--Famines are frequently recorded in the Irish Annals: +and it is noteworthy that they were usually accompanied by an epidemic +of raids on monasteries. The wealth of the country was largely +concentrated in these establishments, so that they presented a strong +temptation to a starving community. The beginning of the story is thus +quite true to nature and to history, though I have found no record +of a famine at the time when we may suppose Ciaran to have been at +Clonard. + +_Transformation of Oats to Wheat, and of other Food to Flour._--Such +transformations are common in the saints' Lives. We read of swine +turned to sheep (CS, 879), snow to curds (LL, 127), sweat to gold +(TT, 398) flesh to bread (CS, 368). The later peculiarities of the +food--bread or some other commonplace material having the taste of +more recondite dainties, and possessing curative properties--are not +infrequently met with in folk-lore. Saint Illtyd placed fish and water +before a king, who found therein the taste of bread and salt, wine and +mead, in addition to their proper savours (_Cambro-British Saints_, +pp. 165, 474). + +_The Resistance of the Saint to amorous Advances._--The reader may be +referred to Whitley Stokes's note _ad loc._, in LL. We may recall the +well-known story of Coemgen (Kevin) at Glendaloch: though it must be +added that the version of the tale popularised by Moore, in which the +saint pushed his importunate pursuer into the lake and drowned her, +has no ancient authority. On the rather delicate subject of the +arrangement made between Ciaran and the maiden's family, consult +the article _Subintroductae_ in Smith and Cheetham's _Dictionary of +Christian Antiquities_. This feature of the story is enough to show +its unhistorical character, at least so far as Ciaran is concerned: +for Ciaran did not belong to the _Primus Ordo_ of Irish saints, who +_mulierum administrationem et consortia non respuebant, quia super +petram Christum fundati ventum temptationis non timebant_, but to +the _Secundus Ordo_, who _mulierum consortia et administrationes +fugiebant, atque a monasteriis suis eas excludebant_ (CS, 161, 162). +The description of Ciaran as transcending his contemporaries in beauty +is probably suggested by Ps. xlv, 2, and is another illustration of +the _Tendenz_ already referred to. + +_The Eavesdropper and the Crane._--This incident reappears in the Life +of Flannan (CS, 647). Wonder-workers do not like to be spied upon by +unauthorised persons. This is especially true in the Fairy mythology +surviving to modern times. Compare a tale in the Life of Aed (VSH, ii, +308). A quantity of wood had been cut for building a church, but there +was no available labour. Angels undertook the work of transportation +on condition that no one should spy upon them. One man, however, +played the inevitable "Peeping Tom," and the work ceased immediately. +The reader may be referred for further instances to the essay on +"Fairy Births and Human Midwives" in E.S. Hartland's _Science of Fairy +Tales_. + +There is a touch of intentional drollery at the end of the story where +the brethren are shown as having so thoroughly enjoyed the feast +miraculously provided for them that their observance of the canonical +hours was disjointed. For other instances of intoxication as resulting +from saints' miracles see VSH, i, p. ci. + +_The Stanzas in VG._--These are in _ae freslige_ metre, so that they +are probably another fragment of the poem already met with. The +translation in the text reproduces the sense with sufficient +literalness. + +On the whole the impression which this unusually long and very +confused incident makes on the reader is that originally it was an +_anti-Christian_ narrative concocted in a Pagan circle, which has +somehow become superficially Christianised. + + +XXV. THE STORY OF CLUAIN (VG) + +One of the numerous tales told of the danger of crossing the will of a +saint. It is possibly suggested by Matt, xxi, 28; but it may also be +a pre-Christian folk-tale adapted to the new Faith by substituting a +saint for a druid. On the cursing propensities of Irish saints see +Plummer, VSH, i, pp. cxxxv, clxxiii. A curse said to have been +pronounced by Ciaran on one family remained effective down to the year +1151, where it is recorded by the _Annals of the Four Masters_ (vol. +ii, p. 1096). Another curse of the same saint, and its fulfilment, is +narrated in Keating's History (Irish Texts Society's edn., iii, 52 +ff.), and at greater length in the life of the victim, Cellach (_Silua +Gadelica_, no. iv). + +Note that Ciaran sends a messenger with his rod to revive Cluain. This +is probably imitated from Elisha sending Gehazi similarly equipped to +raise the Shunammite's son (2 Kings iv, 29). + +Cluain's thanks at being delivered from the pains of hell may be +contrasted with the protest of the monk resurrected by Colman (VSH, +i, 260, 265) at being recalled from the joys of heaven--an aspect of +resurrection stories frequently overlooked by the narrators. + +_The Stanza in VG._--The metre is _rannaigecht gairit dialtach_ (a +line of three syllables followed by three of seven, with monosyllabic +rhymes _aaba_). The literal rendering is "Cluain agreed to come / to +me to-day for reaping // for an oppressive disease / caused him living +in his house to be dead." + + +XXVI, XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED WOMEN FROM SERVITUDE (LA, LB, VG) + +Tuathal Moel-garb ("the bald-rough") was king in Tara A.D. 528-538. We +have already met with Furbith in incident XIV. + +Interceding for captives, with or without miracle, was one of the most +frequent actions attributed to Irish saints: as for instance Brigit +(LL, 1520) and Fintan (CS, 300). Doors opened of their own accord to +Colum Cille (CS, 850). Paulinus of Nola gave himself as a captive in +exchange for a widow's son at the time of the invasion of Alaric in +A.D. 410 (see Smith's _Dictionary of Christian Biography_, vol. iv, p. +239, col. ii, and references there). This explains the allusion in LB. +The woman passing through her enemies is perhaps suggested by Luke iv, +30. The prisoner Fallamain, rescued by Saint Samthann, also passed +unscathed through a crowd of jailers (VSH, ii, 255; compare _ibid._, +p. 259); his chains opened of their own accord, like the doors in +incident XXVI. Compare Acts xii, 7 ff. + + +XXVIII. ANECDOTES OF CLUAIN IRAIRD (VG) + +These four _petits conies_, found in VG only, are clearly designed +to set forth the superiority of Clonmacnois above its rival +establishments. + +(_a_) This story tells how Findian ranked Ciaran above all the notable +saints and scholars of his time, and how they had to acknowledge his +pre-eminence by their very jealousy. Colum Cille is the only saint +whom the homilist will allow to approach his hero. + +(_b_) This is a thrust at the monastery of Birr. It says, in effect, +"Clonmacnois is situated on the great river Shannon, Birr on the +insignificant Brosna; and the relative importance of the two +establishments is to be estimated by the size of their respective +rivers--even Brenainn, the founder of Birr, said this himself!" There +was a contest between the people of Clonmacnois and those of Birr at +a place now unknown, _Moin Coise Bla_ (the bog at the foot of Bla) +in the year 756, according to the _Annals of Clonmacnois_ and of +_Tigernach_. The circumstances which led to this event are not on +record; but it is not far-fetched to see an echo of it in the story +before us. This would give us an approximate date for the construction +of the story, though the compilation in which it is now embedded is +considerably later. + +(_c_) This story further exalts Clonmacnois as the place containing +a valuable relic that ensures eternal happiness in the hereafter. Of +this relic we have already spoken. + +(_d_) Again exalts Clonmacnois by relating a dream in which the +founder is put on a level with the great Colum Cille. This vision is +related also in the Lives of the latter saint (see, for instance, LL, +852). An analogous vision, not related in the Lives of Ciaran, is that +of the three heavenly chairs, seen by Saint Baithin. He saw a chair of +gold, a chair of silver, and a chair of crystal before the Lord. +As interpreted by Colum Cille, the first was the seat destined for +Ciaran, on account of the nobility and firmness of his faith; +the silver chair was for Baithin, on account of the firmness and +brightness and rigour of his faith; and the third was for Colum Cille +himself, on account of the brightness and purity--and brittleness--of +his faith.[18] + + +XXIX. THE PARTING OF CIARAN AND FINDIAN (VG) + +Compare with this narrative the parting of Senan and Notal (LL, +2031). The metre of the stanza is _cummasc etir rannaigecht mór ocus +leth-rannaigecht_ (seven-syllable and five-syllable lines alternately, +with monosyllabic rhymes _abab_). The translation is literal. + + +XXX. THE ADVENTURES OF THE ROBBERS OF LOCH ERNE (LB, LC) + +LA and VG know nothing of the visit to Loch Erne of which this is the +chief incident. Ninned here appears as an abbot, which is scarcely +consistent with his previous appearance as a junior fellow-student of +Ciaran. There is, however, a possible hint at this tradition in the +statement in VG that when Ciaran departed from Clonard he left the Dun +Cow with Ninned. Ninned's island, as we learn from an entry in the +_Martyrology of Donegal_ (18th January) was Inis Muighe Samh, now +spelt Inismacsaint, in Loch Erne. The reading in both MSS. of LB, +_silua_ for _insula_, evidently rests on a false interpretation of a +word or a contraction in the exemplar from which R1 was copied. This +seems to have been hard to read at the incident before us. Later on +there is a word, which the sense shows us must have been _potentes_. +The scribe of R1 could not read it, and left a blank, which +he afterwards tentatively filled in with the meaningless word +_fatentes_--a word which his copyist, the scribe of R2, emended by +guesswork into _fac(i)entes_. + +_Parallels._--There are several cases of the restoration to life of +persons who had been decapitated. Coemgen restored two women who had +been thus treated (VSH, i, 239). The famous Welsh holy well of Saint +Winefred in Flintshire is associated with a similar miracle (see Rees' +_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 17, 304). The story of the three murdered +monks is also told of Saint Aed (VSH, i, 38), but there the blood-mark +round their necks is absent. Ciaran seems to have been less expert +than some of his brethren in replacing severed heads on decapitated +bodies; for according to a tale preserved in the _Book of Lismore_, +there was a certain lord of the region of Ui Maine (the region west of +the Shannon), who was called Coirpre the Crooked, for the following +reason: he was an evil man who did great mischief to every one, in +consequence of which he was murdered and beheaded. But Ciaran had +shriven him, and in order to deliver his soul from demons he restored +him to life, replacing his head--so clumsily, however, that it was +ever afterwards crooked. + +A certain man called Ambacuc, having perjured himself on the hand of +Ciaran, his head fell off. He was taken to Clonmacnois, and not only +lived there headless for seven years, but became the father of a +family![19] + + +XXXI. HOW CIARAN FLOATED A FIREBRAND ON THE LAKE (LB) + +_The Harbour of the Island._--It must be remembered, in reading this +and other island stories, that as a rule "the harbour of the island" +is not, as might be expected, the landing-stage on the island itself, +but the port on the mainland from which ships depart to visit the +island. Thus Portraine, a place on the coast north of Dublin, is +properly _Port Rachrann_, the Port of Rachra--the port from which +voyagers sailed to Rachra, the island now called by its Norse name +Lambay. + +_Parallels._--I have not found an exact parallel, but the story +belongs to the same family as that related of Coemgen, who kindled a +fire with the drops of water that fell from his fingers after washing +his hands (CS, 839). + + +XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN (LA, LB, VG) + +_The Aran Islands._--The marvellous isles of Aran, still a museum of +all periods of ancient Irish history, with their immense prehistoric +forts and their strange little oratories, were from an early date +chosen as the site of Christian communities. Enda ruled over a +community at the southern end of the Great Island; the church still +survives, in ruin, and bears his name. Ciaran must have remained long +enough in Aran to make a permanent impression there, for one of the +ancient churches--much later than his time, however--is dedicated +under his invocation. The reference to saints "known to God only" +reminds us of the dedications to saints "whose names the Lord knows" +in Greek on the font of the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem, and +in Armenian on a mosaic pavement at Jerusalem. + +_Prophecy by Vision._--This is not an infrequent incident in the +saints' Lives. It often appears at the beginning of a Life, the +saint's mother having a dream interpreted by some one, whom she +consults, as indicative of the future greatness and holiness of her +unborn son. I have not hit upon another case in these documents of the +same dream appearing to two persons at once. + +Ciaran's visit to Enda is described at length in the _Vita Endei_ +(VSH, ii, 71-2). We are there told that he was seven years in Aran, +serving faithfully in the monastic threshing-barn, so that in the +chaff-heaps it would have been impossible to discover a single grain; +and that the walls of his threshing-barn were still standing in Aran +when the hagiographer wrote. He then saw the vision of the tree, +which, however, we are not told was seen by Enda also. Enda +interpreted the vision as in the texts before us, and bade him +go forth to fulfil the divine will. Ciaran then went to found +Clonmacnois. He besought Enda before he departed that he (Enda) should +accept him and his _parochia_ under his protection: but Enda answered, +"God hath not ordained it so for thee, that thou shouldst in this +narrow island be under my authority. But because of thy wondrous +humility and thy perfect charity, Christ thy Lord giveth thee a half +of Ireland as thine inheritance." Here there is another version of the +claim of Clonmacnois to legislate ecclesiastically for half of the +island. They then erected a cross as a token of their fraternal +bond, putting a curse upon whomsoever should make a breach in their +agreement. In a Life of Saint Enda, quoted by the Bollandists +(September, vol. iii, p. 376 C), it is further averred that Enda saw +in a vision all the angels that haunted Aran departing in the company +of Ciaran as he went on his way. Distressed at this desertion of his +heavenly ministrants, he fasted and prayed; but an angel appeared +to him and comforted him, saying that the angels were permitted to +accompany Ciaran on account of his holiness, but that they would +return again to Aran. + + +XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED (LA, VG) + +The versions of this incident differ considerably both in detail and +in the setting of the incident. + +"_Cluain Innsythe_," where LA sets the story, is unknown. There is +no river in Aran, where VG places the incident; in this version, +therefore, the ship is placed on the sea. + +_Lonan the Left-handed._--Nothing further is recorded of this person, +so far as I know. The parenthesis describing how he "was ever +contradictious of Ciaran" is probably a gloss; so far as the incident +goes, the contradictiousness is the other way. + +Note the interesting sidelights upon the practice of artificially +drying grain in LA. There are some technical terms in the Latin of +this incident in the LA version. Thus, the word here translated "hut" +is _zabulum_; this I presume is another way of spelling _stabulum_, +for the meanings given in Du Cange to _zabulum_ or similar words are +here quite unsuitable. The word which I have rendered "platter" is +_rota_, and the word translated "shed" is _canaba_. + + +XXXIV. HOW CIARAN VISITED SENAN + +_Senan._--This is an extremely interesting personality. His island, +Inis Cathaigh (now corrupted to "Scattery") is said to derive its +name from _Cathach_, a monster (mentioned in LA) which had formerly +inhabited it, and which Senan had slain or charmed away. There are +obvious pagan elements in the legends of this saint, and there can be +little doubt that the unknown hermit who founded the monastery, +of which the remains are still to be seen, has entered into the +inheritance of the legends of an ancient deity, most likely worshipped +on the island. This deity was probably the god of the Shannon river: +and the name of the saint is clearly reminiscent of the name of the +river. In their present form the two names are not philologically +compatible: the name of the saint may be explained as an arbitrary +modification, designed to _differentiate_ the Christian saint from +the pagan river-god. That pagan names should survive (modified or +otherwise) in ancient holy places re-consecrated to Christianity is +only natural. + +There may be some foundation in fact for apparently supernatural +knowledge such as Senan displays in this incident of the personality +of a coming guest. In reading documents such as this, we are not +infrequently tempted to suspect that we have before us the record of +actual manifestations of the even yet imperfectly understood phenomena +of hypnotism, telepathy, "second sight," and similar psychical +abnormalities. + +The story of the cloak is told again in the Life of Senan (LL, 2388). +From the version there contained, we learn that Ciaran gave his cloak +to _lepers_. There is another version of the visit of Ciaran to Senan +in the metrical Life of the latter saint (CS, 750). According to this +story, Ciaran was not travelling alone, but with his disciples; and +they had no means of transport to the island except an oarless boat +woven of osiers. Trusting themselves to this doubtful craft (as Cybi +voyaged in a skinless coracle, _Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 186, 499), +they were ferried over in safety, no water finding its way into the +boat. Then follows the episode of the cloak, omitting, however, +Senan's jest of carrying it secretly. A glossator has added in LA +the marginal note "Priests formerly wore cowls." There are slight +discrepancies between the versions as to the precise garment given by +Ciaran and restored by Senan. + +Another episode connecting Ciaran and Senan is narrated in the +metrical Life of Senan (though the passage is absent from the CS copy; +it will be found in the Bollandist edition, March, vol. ii, p. 766). +Briefly, this tale is to the effect that Ciaran and Brenainn went to +Senan for confession. They were received with fitting honour, but the +steward of Inis Cathaigh told his superior that he had no provision to +set before the guests. "The Lord will provide," answered Senan; and +in point of fact, a prince for whom a feast was at the time being +prepared on the mainland was divinely inspired to send it as a gift +to the sacred island. The saints partook of the banquet thus bestowed +upon them; and while they were doing so, a small bell fell from heaven +into their midst. None of the three was willing to assert a claim to +this gift over the other two; and after discussion they agreed to +advance in different directions, and he who should continue longest to +hear the sound of the bell was to be its possessor. This test assigned +the bell to Senan. The shrine of this sacred relic (the bell itself +is lost) is now preserved in the museum of the Royal Irish Academy, +having been acquired from the last hereditary keeper by a generous +donor.[20] + +_The Geographical Names._--Besides "the island of Cathi" (Inis +Cathaigh, Scattery) LA refers to "Luim-nich" (Limerick), Kiarraighi +(properly _Ciarraige_, [North] Kerry), and Corco Baiscind (the +southern barony of Co. Clare), now spelt "Corcovaskin." + + +XXXV. CIARAN IN ISEL (LA, LB, VG) + +_Cobthach son of Brecan_.--This person, who is said in VG to have +made over Isel to Ciaran, was probably a local chieftain; but he has +escaped the notice of the Annalists. In any case the statement that he +made over Isel to Ciaran is so obviously incongruous with the sense of +the passage, that it can be safely rejected as an interpolation. Its +purpose is to claim for Clonmacnois the possession of the land called +Isel, the site of which is no longer known, though it cannot have +been far from Clonmacnois. Conn of the Poor, the great and charitable +benefactor of Clonmacnois in the early years of the eleventh century, +established an almshouse at Isel; and some fifty-six years later, +in the year 1087, his son Cormac, then abbot, purchased Isel in +perpetuity from the king of Meath. + +_Parallels._--We have already (incident XXI) seen an example of the +rescue of a book from rain; compare also incident XLI. The garment of +Finan (CS, 316) and of Cainnech (CS, 371) were preserved from rain, +and snow did not injure a book belonging to Abban (CS, 530). The +forgetfulness attributed to the saint with regard to his precious +volume is a regular feature of this type of incident: it is no doubt +meant to honour him, as indicating that the fulfilment of his monastic +duties were yet more precious in his eyes. Moling forgot his book when +reading by the sea-shore, and though the tide arose and covered it, it +remained uninjured (VSH, ii, 191). There are numerous illustrations +of the paramount need of attending to guests scattered through the +saints' Lives. + +The story of the grain cast into the breast of a poor man has come +down to us in confusion: it is not clear why the chariot is introduced +at all. Probably we have a conflation of two incidents. In the one +(which is the version followed by LA, for which see § 26 of that +document) Ciaran gave to a pauper a chariot and horses which the +prince Oengus son of Cremthann had given him: as that prince belongs +to the boyhood stories, it is probable that this incident should be +transferred to that section of the Life. In the other incident, which +may belong to the Isel period, Ciaran flings grain into the breast of +the poor man, where it turns into gold: and we may suppose that the +pointless re-transformation of the gold to grain did not take place. A +similar tale is told of Saint Aed (VSH, ii, 308). The weird story of +the jester who stopped the funeral of Guaire, king of Connacht, famous +for his abounding liberality, and demanded a gift of the dead man, is +of the same type; we are told that the dead king scooped up some earth +with his hand, and flung it into the jester's lap, where it became +pure gold.[21] + + +XXXVI. THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE (LA, LB, VG) + +The island in the lake was probably a crannog, or artificial fortified +island, such as are common on the lakes of Ireland. Fundamentally the +story is an evident aetiological myth, intended to account for the +existence of some curious swampy hollow. In its present form it is +obviously suggested by Matt, xvii, 20. Note that VG does not seem to +contemplate the wholesale removal of the lake. + +_Parallels_ are not wanting. Findian dried up a lake by prayer (CS, +192); and houses were shifted from the west side to the east side of +a flood for the convenience of Colum Cille (LL, 858). Saint Cainnech, +finding the excessive singing of birds on a certain island to be an +interruption to his devotions, compelled them to keep silence (CS, +376; VSH, i, 161). + + +XXXVII. CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL (LA, VG) + +_Parallels._--The nuns of Brigit made a similar complaint against the +excessive charity of their abbess (LL, 1598). For the stag compare +incident XXI; also the tale of how Brenainn was on one occasion guided +by a hound (CS, 116). Ruadan, having given in alms his chariot-horses +to lepers, found two stags to take their place (CS, 328). + +_The Stanza in VG._--The metre is one of the numerous forms of +_debide_, seven-syllable lines with echo-rhymes in which the +rhyme-syllable is stressed in the first line, unstressed in the second +(as _mén_, _táken_). The stanza before us is in _debide scáilte_, +where the two couplets of the stanza are not linked by any form of +sound assonance. The literal translation is: "Although it be low it +would have been high / had not the murmuring come // the murmuring, +had it not come / it would have been high though it be low." + +_The Geographical Names in LA._--Loch Rii (properly Loch Rib) is Loch +Ree on the Shannon, above Athlone. The island called Inis Aingin has +now the name of Hare Island; it is at the south end of the lake near +the outlet of the river. There are some scanty remains of a monastic +establishment to be seen upon it. + + +XXXVIII. CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN (LA, LB, VG) + +_The Presbyter Daniel._--For the presence here of a Welsh or British +priest, see the remarks in Plummer, VSH, i, p. cxxiv. But it is +probable that in the original form of the story the presbyter Daniel +was a fictitious ecclesiastic, perhaps the Evil One disguised. We may +compare the two false bishops that came to expel Colum Cille from Iona +(LL, 1007). Biblical names were sometimes used in the early Irish +Church, though native names were preferred. There is actually the +monument of a person called Daniel at Clonmacnois; it is a slab, +bearing an engraved cross and inscription, probably of the ninth or +tenth century. + +_The Gift._--This is said in VG to have been a cup adorned with birds. +Such forms of decoration seem to have been common, and are sometimes +referred to in Irish romances, though few, if any, examples that may +be compared with the descriptions have come down to us. In LA a word +_antilum_ is used, which does not appear to occur anywhere else, and +is unknown to our lexicographers. It is possibly a corruption for +_an(n)ulum_, "a ring." Naturally this tale of the gift must be a later +accretion to the story, if it had the origin just suggested. + +Note, in the long eulogy of the saint which the author of LB gives us +here, that the writer has not hesitated to introduce reminiscences of +Phil, ii, 7, 8, thus hinting at the general _Tendenz_ of the Lives of +Saint Ciaran. The rest of the eulogy is a free paraphrase of Rom. xii, +9 ff. There is extant a metrical "Monastic Rule" attributed to Saint +Ciaran, which was edited by the late Prof. Strachan in _Eriu_ (The +journal of the Dublin "School of Irish Learning") vol. ii, p. 227. +The subject-matter of this composition is a series of regulations +on morality and mortification of the flesh, but the language is so +obscure, and the text of the single MS. which alone contains it is so +corrupt, that even the pre-eminent Celtist who edited the poem would +not venture on a translation. + + +XXXIX. THE COMING OF OENNA (LA, LB, VG) + +_Parallels._--As Ciaran recognised Oenna by his voice, so Colman +picked out by his voice one of a number of soldiers destined for a +religious life (VSH, i, 261). With the incident of the consecration, +as successor, of an unprepossessing intruder, compare the tale of +Findian consecrating for the same purpose a raider whom he caught +hiding in the furnace-chamber of his kiln (LL, 2628 ff.; CS, 198). +The version in LB conveys the impression that Oenna's learning was +imparted to him miraculously, as Oengus the Culdee inspired an idle +boy with a miraculous knowledge of his neglected lesson.[22] + +The story of Oenna is told rather differently in the glosses to the +_Martyrology of Oengus_ (Bradshaw edn., pp. 48 ff.). Oenna with two +companions was going for military service to the King of Connacht. +They came to the embarking-place, not of Inis Aingin, but the larger +Inis Clothrann (now sometimes called Quaker Island), where there are +extensive ancient monastic remains. Ciaran was at the time in Inis +Clothrann. He summoned Oenna to him, and asked him whither he was +faring. "To the King of Connacht," answered Oenna. "Were it not better +rather to contract with the King of Heaven and earth?" asked Ciaran. +"It were better," said Oenna, "if it be right to do so." "It is +right," answered Ciaran. Then Oenna was tonsured and began his +studies. Here the miraculous insight which recognised in the warrior +youth the future abbot is ignored. The tract _De Arreis_[23] tells us +of the penance which Ciaran imposed upon Oenna: briefly stated it was +as follows. He was to remain three days and three nights in a darkened +room, not breaking his fast save with three sips of water each day. +Every day he was to sing the whole Psalter, standing, without a +staff to support him, making a genuflexion at the end of each Psalm, +reciting _Beati_ after each fifty, and _Hymnum dicat_ after every +_Beati_ in cross-vigil (_i.e._, standing upright with his arms +stretched out sideways horizontally). He was not to lie down but only +to sit, was to observe the canonical hours, and was to meditate on the +Passion of Christ and upon his own sins. + +The author of LA betrays his Irish personality by a phrase which he +uses of Oenna. Ciaran bids his followers to fetch _materiam abbatis +uestri_--"the makings of your abbot." This is a regular idiom for +an heir-apparent, and it shows that if the writer be not actually +translating from an Irish document, he is at least thinking in Irish +as he writes in Latin. + + +XL. HOW CIARAN RECOVERED HIS GOSPEL (LA, VG) + +There is another story of a gospel recovered from a lake, but without +any mention of a cow as the agent for its rescue (CS, 556). The tale +may be founded on fact. The "Port of the Gospel" is now forgotten. + +Books preserved as relics (_e.g._ the gospels belonging to a sainted +founder) were kept in metal shrines, and valuable books which were in +use were hung in satchels of leather on the walls of the library or +scriptorium. Two specimens of such satchels still remain. + + +XLI. HOW CIARAN WENT FROM INIS AINGHIN TO CLONMACNOIS (LA, LB, VG) + +_Parallels._--As Ciaran gave up his monastery to Donnan, in like +manner Munnu surrendered his settlement to the virgin Emer (CS, 495). +The list of equipments delivered by Ciaran to Donnan introduces us +to the "human beast of burden," Mael-Odran, a servile functionary +occasionally met with in Irish literature. A well-known incident of +St. Adamnan introduces him travelling "with his mother on his back" +(see Reeves, _Vita Columbae_, p. 179). As to the bell, it may be worth +noting that my friend Mr. Walter Campbell, formerly of Athlone, has +informed me that an ancient bronze ecclesiastical bell, found on the +lake shore opposite Hare Island, was long preserved, and used as +a domestic bell, in the cottage of a man named Quigley. The owner +believed that it was the bell of St. Ciaran, possibly that mentioned +in VG: this is not impossible, though hardly likely, as a bell of such +antiquity would most probably be of iron, and rendered useless +by corrosion. Unfortunately, the bell in question is no longer +forthcoming: it disappeared one day from Quigley's house, stolen, he +believed, by a tourist who chanced to pass by. + +Note Donnan's relationship to Senan as set forth in VG. He was +brother's-son of Senan, but had the same mother as Senan. Clearly this +indicates a _ménage_ such as that indicated by Cæsar as existing among +the wilder tribes of Britain; a polyandry in which the husbands were +father and sons (_De Bello Gallico_, V, xiv). These people were +probably pre-Celtic, and this strengthens the arguments already put +forward for a pre-Celtic origin for the Protagonist of our narrative. + +On the subject of the burial of the chieftains of Ui Neill and the +Connachta at Clonmacnois, see Plummer, i, p. cx. Neill is the genitive +of Niall. + +_Ard Manntain_ is now unknown. + +The chronological indications contained in VG are sufficiently close +to accuracy to show that they have been calculated, though the +computor has made a miscount of a year. The eighth of the calends of +February (25th January) in A.D. 548 was actually a Saturday, but it +was two days before new moon. The same day in A.D. 549 was the tenth +day of the moon, but it fell on a Monday. + +Of the companions of Ciaran, Oengus (properly Oenna) succeeded him as +abbot, dying in A.D. 569; Mac Nisse, who was an Ultonian, followed +him, and died 13 June 584 (aliter 587). The others, however, do not +appear to have found a place in the martyrologies. Mo-Beoc is a +different person from the famous Mo-Beog of Loch Derg in Co. Donegal. + + +XLII. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH (LA, VG) + +The two versions are independent. But though there are no wizards or +druids in the VG version, they appear in another story connecting +Diarmait with the foundation of Clonmacnois. This is to the effect +that Diarmait was at a place on the Shannon near Clonmacnois, called +Snam dá Én, and saw the glow of the first camp-fire lighted on the +site of the future monastery by Ciaran and his followers. The druids +who were with Diarmait told him that unless that fire were forthwith +quenched, it would never be put out. "It shall be quenched +immediately," said Diarmait; so with hostile purpose he advanced +on Clonmacnois, but instead of doing what he proposed, he suffered +himself to be pressed into the service of the builders, as the story +in VG narrates. The tale in LA is interesting, as showing (1) the +existence of a calendar of seasons lucky and unlucky for various +enterprises, and (2) a spirit of kindly tolerance on the part of the +pagan wizard. + +The wiles of wizards were exposed by various saints, _e.g._ by Aed and +by Cainnech. These tales are curious; the wizard in each case +appeared to pass through a tree, but the saint opened the eyes of the +spectators, so that they saw him actually passing round it (CS, 353, +368; VSH, i, 156). This reads like the exposure of hypnotically +induced hallucinations.[24] + +Diarmait mac Cerrbeil, or more properly mac Fergusa Cerrbeil, was +grandson of Conall Cremthainne, son of Niall Noi-giallach, the +ancestor of the royal line of Ui Neill. The reigning king, Tuathal +Moel-Garb, of whom we have already heard, was grandson of Coirpre, +another son of Niall. As a possible rival for the kingship, Tuathal +had driven him into banishment. Mael-Moire, or Mael-Morda, who +murdered Tuathal, was Diarmait's foster-brother. When Diarmait was +installed on the throne, he summoned the convention of Uisnech--one +of the places where from time immemorial religious Pan-Iernean +assemblies, resembling in character the Pan-Hellenic Olympic +gatherings, had been held. How Diarmait afterwards offended Ciaran, +was cursed by him, and met his death in consequence of that curse, may +be read in the tale printed in _Silua Gadelica_, No. vi, from which +we have just quoted the version of the story of setting up of the +corner-post. + +There are chronological discrepancies, difficult if not impossible to +reconcile, between the annalist's dates for Diarmait and those for +Ciaran. The _Annals of Ulster_ places the death of Tuathal in 543, the +accession of Diarmait in 544, and the death of Ciaran in 548, seven +years after founding Clonmacnois. Some MSS. of these Annals, however, +omit the reference to the seven years, and place the accession of +Diarmait in 548, evidently to reconcile the stories. According to +the _Annals of the Four Masters_, Tuathal was slain in 538, Diarmait +succeeded in 539, and Ciaran died in 548. The _Annals of Clonmacnois_ +is more consonant with the chronology of the Life of Ciaran. It tells +the tale so picturesquely that we transcribe it here, as before +modernising the spelling-- + +"535. Tuathal Moel-Garb began his reign, and reigned eleven years.... +He caused Diarmait mac Cerrbeil to live in exile and in desert places, +because he claimed to have right to the crown.... + +"547. King Tuathal having proclaimed throughout the whole kingdom the +banishment of Diarmait mac Cerrbeil, as before is specified, with a +great reward to him that would bring him his heart, the said Diarmait +for fear of his life lived in the deserts of Clonmacnois, then called +Ard Tiprat: and meeting with the abbot Saint Ciaran, in the place +where the church of Clonmacnois now stands, who was but newly come +thither to live or dwell from Inis Aingin, and having no house or +place to reside or dwell in, the said Diarmait gave him his assistance +to make a house there, and in thrusting down in the earth one of the +pieces of the timber or wattles of the house, the said Diarmait took +Saint Ciaran's hand and did put it over his own head or hand in sign +of reverence to the saint: whereupon the saint humbly besought God of +His great goodness that by that time to-morrow ensuing that [_sic_] +the hands of Diarmait might have superiority over all Ireland. +Which fell out as the saint requested, for Mael-Moire ó hArgata, +foster-brother of Diarmait, seeing in what perplexity the nobleman +was in [_sic_], besought him that he might be pleased to lend him his +black horse, and that he would make his repair to Greallach da Phuill, +where he heard King Tuathal to have a meeting with some of his nobles; +and there would present him with a whelp's heart on a spear's head, +instead of Diarmait's heart, and so by that means get access to the +king, whom he would kill out of hand and by the help and swiftness +of the horse save his own life whether they would or no. Diarmait, +listing to the words of his foster-brother was amongst two +extremities, loath to refuse him and far more loath to lend it him, +fearing he should miscarry and be killed, but between both, he granted +him his request; whereupon he prepared himself, and went as he was +resolved, mounted on the said black horse, a heart besprinkled with +blood on his spear, to the place where he heard the king to be; the +king and his people seeing him come in that manner, supposed that it +was Diarmait's heart that was to be presented by the man that rode in +post-haste; the whole multitude gave him way to that king, and when he +came within reach to the king as though to tender him the heart, he +gave the king such a deadly blow of his spear that the king instantly +fell down dead in the midst of his people, whereupon the man was beset +on all sides and at last taken and killed, so as speedy news came to +Diarmait, who incontinently went to Tara, and there was crowned king +as Saint Ciaran prayed and prophesied before.... Diarmait was not +above seven months king, when Saint Ciaran died in Clonmacnois, where +he dwelt therein but seven months before, in the thirty-third year of +his age, on the 9th of September." + +_The Stanzas in VG._--The metre is _ae freslige_. Literally: "I shall +speak witness truly / though single is thy numerous train // thou +shalt be a king pleasant, dignified / of Ireland this time to-morrow +/// The slaying of chosen Tuathal / Moel-Garb, it was a crying without +glory // thence is the choice saying / 'it was the deed of Moel-Moire' +/// Without rout and without slaughter / he took Uisnech, it was not +after an assembly // Diarmait the eminent gave / a hundred churches to +God and to Ciaran." + +_The Episode of Tren_ (VG).--This story illustrates a belief in +sympathetic magic. What Tren had done to deserve this punishment is +unknown, nor is the site of Cluain Iochtar identified. Possibly he had +endeavoured to prevent Ciaran from founding his church; compare the +story of Findian and Baeth (LL, 2624). Patrick had a dispute with a +certain Trian, but the details of the story are different (TT, p. 45, +ch. lxxx, etc.). It is difficult for us to put ourselves into the +position of people who thought to honour their saint by telling a +story about him which we should consider not only silly but immoral. +But such an attempt must be tried if we are to understand anything of +ancient writings, in whatever language and from whatever countries +they may come down to us. Even when we read so modern and so universal +an author as Shakspere we must for the moment imagine ourselves +sixteenth-century Elizabethans; the more we succeed in doing so, the +better do we understand what we read. So, in criticising a story like +this, we must rid ourselves of all our twentieth-century prejudices, +and accept it in the simple faith of those to whom it was intended to +be told. + +On one of the great carved crosses still to be seen in +Clonmacnois--that erected in memory of Flann King of Ireland (ob. +914)--there is a panel representing an ecclesiastic and a layman +holding an upright post between them. It has been plausibly +conjectured that this represents the erection of the corner-post of +the church, as described in our text. + + +XLIII. HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN (LA, VG) + +The "Cloak of Senan" must have been an actual relic preserved on Inis +Cathaig; tradition said that it had been floated on the river to the +saint of the island, though there were various opinions as to which +saint had done the miracle; it is attributed to Brigit daughter of Cu +Cathrach (LL, 2399) and to Diarmait (CS, 753). For parallels to the +automatic transfer of objects by water, see Plummer, VSH, i, p. +clxxxvi, note 2. + + +XLIV. CIARAN AND THE WINE (LA, LB, VG) + +The choice laid before the monks is curious, and hardly consonant +with the usual spirit of abjuring the world; it may be aetiological, +designed to explain, and perhaps to excuse, the opulence and temporal +importance of Clonmacnois at the time when it was written. A similar +but not identical story appears in the life of Munnu (VSH, ii, 227). + +It is quite obvious that the story as we have it is a conflation of +two versions of the anecdote. In the one version the wine was brought +by Frankish merchants and acquired by purchase; in the other it was +provided by miracle. The composite story appears in LA and VG; LB +knows the miraculous version only. + +That Frankish merchants should have sailed up the Shannon and +delivered a cargo of wine at a settlement in the heart of Ireland in +the middle of the sixth century, is no mere extravagance. The subject +of ancient Irish trade has been very fully investigated by the late +Prof. Zimmer, and he has brought a large number of facts together +which show that such an episode is a quite credible fragment of +history.[25] + +The second version, though LB calls it _miraculum insolitum_, is one +of the commonplaces of hagiography. Water was turned to wine by a host +of saints, such as Colum Cille (LL, 839), Fursa (CS, 111), Findian +(CS, 205), Lugaid (CS, 283), Aed (CS, 339), and others needless to +specify. Fintan (CS, 404), and Munnu (CS, 503), blessed a cup in such +wise that one of their followers, while appearing, in self-abnegation, +to drink nothing but water for thirty years, was in reality enjoying +the best wine! Saint Brynach drew wine from a brook and fishes from +its stones (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 12, 298), Brigit (LL, 1241) +and Colman Elo (CS, 441) turned water into ale; the former (LL, 1368) +as well as Lugaid (CS, 269, 280) and Fintan (CS, 404) turned water +into milk. + +I have not found any exact parallel to the incident of the scented +thumb. + +There is a cognate tale in the Life of Colman, in which monks, thirsty +with labour, expressed a doubt as to the reality of the heavenly +reward, whereupon their eyes were opened to see a vision of the joys +of the after-life (VSH, i, 265). + +The _Tendenz_ of the biographies of Ciaran is clearly marked in the +hint at a parallel between the last supper of Ciaran and the Last +Passover of Our Lord. + + +XLV. THE STORY OF CRITHIR (LA, VG) + +On the consecrated Paschal fire, see Frazer, _Balder the Beautiful_, +vol. i, p. 120 ff. + +_Parallels._--Coemgen carried fire in his bosom (CS, 837, VSH, +i, 236). Cadoc also carried fire in his cloak without injury +(_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 30, 319). Elsewhere we hear of flames +which do not consume, as in the burning bush of Moses, and probably +in imitation of it (Exod. iii, 2). Thus the magic fire that delivered +Samthann from a forced marriage appeared to ignite a whole town, +which, however, suffered no injury (VSH, ii, 253). The fall of fire +from heaven in answer to prayer is most likely imitated from 1 Kings +xviii, 38. + +The verse extracts at the end of LB (which see) contain a form of this +story incompatible with the prose narratives. + +The boy slain but not torn by wolves is, of course, imitated from the +Prophet whose story is told in 1 Kings xiii, which is directly quoted +in LA. + +The mutual blessings of the two saints may be compared with the +prophecy said to have been uttered by Ciaran of Saints Cronan and +Molan who visited him at Clonmacnois (CS, 542). The one (Cronan) took +away with him the remains of his repast for distribution to the poor, +the other left them behind in the monastery; whereupon Ciaran said +that the monastery of the one should be rich in wealth and in charity, +that of the other should always maintain the rule (of poverty). Such +tales as this, of compacts between saints, are probably based on +mutual arrangements of one kind or another between the monasteries +which claimed the saints as founders; we have already seen leagues +established between Clonard and Aran on one side and Clonmacnois on +the other, expressed as leagues made by Ciaran with Findian and Enda +respectively. Contrariwise, we read of the disagreement of saints when +their monasteries were at feud with one another. Ciaran was not always +so successful in making treaties with his ecclesiastical brethren. +Thus, he is said to have made overtures to Colman mac Luachain of Lann +(now Lynn, Co. Westmeath)--a remarkable feat in itself, as Colman died +about a century after his time--but not only did Colman refuse, but he +sent a swarm of demons in the shape of wasps to repel Ciaran and his +followers, who were journeying towards him. Ciaran then made a more +moderate offer, which Colman again refused.[26] Lann was in the +territory of the Delbna, who, although friendly to Clonmacnois in +the middle of the eleventh century, plundered it towards its close +(_Chronicon Scotorum_, 1058, 1090; _Annals of Four Masters_, 1060). + +The chronology of Ciaran the Elder is entirely uncertain. He is said +to have been one of the pre-Patrician saints, in which case he could +hardly have been a contemporary of Ciaran the Younger, unless we +believe in the portentous length of life with which the hagiographers +credit him (over three centuries, according to the _Martyrology of +Donegal_, though others are content with a more moderate estimate). + +The story of Crithir is told again in the Lives of Ciaran the Elder +(see _Silua Gadelica_, vol. i, p. 14, and corresponding translation). +The culprit is there called Crithid, and the version adds that the +event took place in a time of snow. + +_The Geographical Names in LA._--Saigyr, properly Saigir, is now +Seir-Kieran in King's Co. Hele, properly Eile, was a region comprising +the baronies of Clonlisk and Ballybrit in King's Co., and Eliogarty +and Ikerrin in Tipperary. + + +XLVI. HOW AN INSULT TO CIARAN WAS AVERTED (LB) + +For parallels to this story see Plummer, VSH, i, p. clxxxvii, note. +Compare also the third of the metrical fragments with which LB closes. +It is clear that the purpose of the robbers was to efface the tonsure +of the saint; very likely ecclesiastics were on occasion subjected to +such rough treatment during the period of transition between Paganism +and Christianity. + + +XLVII. HOW CIARAN WAS SAVED FROM SHAME (LB) + +Contemporary representations (_e.g._ on the sculptured crosses) show +that at this time two garments were normally worn, a _lene_ or inner +tunic, and a _bratt_ or mantle. These, with the addition of a cape, +something like a university hood, which could be thrown over the head, +made up the complete equipment, and if all these were given to beggars +the owner would be left completely destitute. So, in the story of the +Battle of Carn Conaill, as narrated in the _Book of the Dun Cow_, +Guaire, king of Connacht, of whom we have already heard, on one +occasion would, if permitted, have divested himself of all clothing +to satisfy importunate beggars. The device of the water-covering is +remarkable. + + +XLVIII. HOW A MAN WAS SAVED FROM ROBBERS (LB) + +This story, summarily and rather obscurely told in the text before us, +is related more clearly in the Life of Brenainn (VSH, i, 101). The +saint, seeing a man hard pressed by his enemies, bade him take up his +position beside a standing stone; he then transformed the victim +into the stone, and the stone into the victim. The assailants, thus +deceived, cut off the head of the stone, and departed in triumph: the +saint then reversed the transformation, leaving the man to go his +way in peace. An analogous story is that of Cadoc, who turned raided +cattle into bundles of fern, and transformed them back to cattle when +the raiders had retired discomfited (_Cambro-British Saints_, pp. 49, +342). + + +XLIX. THE DEATH OF CIARAN (LA, LB, VG) + +This impressive story, which is as remote as possible in style from +the ordinary stock incident, is probably authentic. The chronological +indications in VG are quite wrong: the 9th of September A.D. 548 was a +Wednesday, and was the twentieth day of the moon. They are, however, +so far accurate for the year 556, that 9th September in that year was +Saturday, and was the _nineteenth_ day of the moon. As the observation +of new moon, if not astronomically calculated, is often wrong by a +day, owing to the faint crescent not being seen at its very first +appearance, this is sufficiently close to allow us to enquire +legitimately whether 556 may not have been the true date of Ciaran's +death. + +The Bollandists cite from the Life of Saint Cellach a tale to the +effect that Cellach was son of Eogan Bel King of Connacht, and was +a monk at Clonmacnois; but on the death of his father he secretly +absconded, in order to secure the kingdom for himself. Becoming +convinced of the sinfulness of this proceeding, he returned and +submitted to Ciaran once more, who received him fraternally _after he +had spent a year in penance_. As the Bollandists point out, this +story (quite independently of its historical authenticity) reveals a +tradition other than that of Ciaran spending but seven months on earth +after founding Clonmacnois. The _Annals of Ulster_ also gives him a +longer time at Clonmacnois, dating the foundation 541, and the death +of the saint 548: a space of seven years. This would make the saint +only twenty-six years old when he founded Clonmacnois, which is +perhaps improbable. We may suggest another way of reconciling the +traditions, taking the orthodox date for the foundation of Clonmacnois +(548) but postponing the death of the saint to 556, in accordance with +the astronomical indications. Some one noticed that if his life were +retrenched to the year of the foundation of the monastery, it would be +brought into conformity in length with the Life of Christ. + +With Ciaran's indifference as to the fate of his relics, contrast the +dying injunction of Cuthbert to his monks, that they should dig up his +bones and transport them whithersoever they should go.[27] + +The _Little Church_ intended by the author is presumably the small +chapel, of which the ruins still remain at Clonmacnois, called Saint +Ciaran's chapel. It is a century or two later than Ciaran's time, but +may very probably stand on the site of Ciaran's wooden church. Hard by +is the end of a raised causeway leading to the Nunnery; this may be +the "Little Height" referred to. + + +L. THE VISIT OF COEMGEN (LA, VG) + +Coemgen's petulance at the preoccupation of the bereaved monks (VG) +is in keeping with other traditions of that peppery saint. The +resurrection of Ciaran after three days is another touch in imitation +of the Gospel story: it is, however, also told of Saint Darerca, who +appeared to her nuns three days after her death (CS, 185). + +The story before us is thus related in the Life of Coemgen: "At +another time most blessed Coemgenus made his way to visit most holy +Kyaranus the abbot, who founded his settlement Cluayn meic Noys, which +is in the western border of the territory of Meath, on the bank of +the river Synna over against the province of the Connachta. But Saint +Cyaranus on the third day before Saint Coemgenus arrived, passed from +this world to Christ. His body was laid in a church on a bier, till +Saint Coemgenus and other saints should come to bury him. And Saint +Coemgenus coming late to the monastery of Saint Chyaranus, he entered +the church in which was the holy body and commanded all the brethren +to go forth, wishing to spend that night alone beside the sacred body. +And when all the brethren had gone out, Saint Coemgenus carefully +closed the door of the church, and remained there alone till the +following day; but some of the brethren were watching till morning +before the doors of the church. And as Saint Coemgenus prayed there, +the most blessed soul of Saint Chiaranus returned to his body, and he +rose and began to speak in health-giving words to Saint Coemgenus. The +brethren remaining outside heard the voice of each of them clearly. +Saint Kyaranus asked blessed Coemgenus that they should interchange +their vesture, as a sign of everlasting fellowship: and so they did. +On the following day when the door of the church was opened, the +brethren found Saint Coemgenus clad in the vesture of Saint Kyaranus, +and Kyaranus wrapped in the vestments of Saint Coemgenus. The body +of Saint Kyaranus was warm, having a ruddy tinge in the face. Saint +Coemgenus pointed out to the monks of Saint Kyaranus the brotherhood +and fellowship which he and Saint Kyaranus had established for ever +between themselves and their places and their monks; and the brethren +who watched that night bore testimony thereto. When the body of Saint +Kyaranus was honourably committed to the ground, Saint Coemgenus +returned to his own settlement." (VSH, i, 248). + +In this story we see as before the explanation of a treaty between +Clonmacnois and Glendaloch. + +The _Annals of Clonmacnois_ narrates the story of the death of Ciaran +and the visit of Coemgen, with an interesting additional miracle. +"Dying, he desired his monks that they would bury his body in the +Little Church of Clonmacnois, and stop the door thereof with stones, +and let nobody have access thereunto until his companion Coemgen +had come; which they accordingly did. But Saint Coemgen dwelling at +Glendaloch in Leinster then, it was revealed to him of the death of +his dear and loving companion Saint Ciaran, whereupon he came suddenly +to Clonmacnois: and finding the monks and servants of Saint Ciaran in +their sorrowful and sad dumps after the death of their said lord and +master, he asked them of the cause of their sadness. They were so +heartless for grief as they gave no answer; and at last, fearing he +would grow angry, they told him Saint Ciaran was dead and buried, and +ordered or ordained the place of his burial should be kept without +access until his coming. The stones being taken out of the door, Saint +Coemgen entered, to whom Saint Ciaran appeared: and [they] remained +conversing together for twenty-four hours, as is very confidently +laid down in the Life of Saint Ciaran; and afterwards Saint Coemgen +departed to the place of his own abiding, [and] left Saint Ciaran +buried in the said Little Church of Clonmacnois. But king Diarmait +most of all men grieved for his death, insomuch that he grew deaf, and +could not hear the causes of his subjects, by reason of the heaviness +and troublesomeness of his brains. Saint Colum Cille being then +banished into Scotland, king Diarmait made his repair to him, to the +end [that] he might work some means by miracles for the recovery of +his health and hearing: and withal told Saint Colum Cille how he +assembled all the physicians of Ireland, and that they could not help +him. Then said Saint Colum: 'Mine advice unto you is to make your +repair to Clonmacnois, to the place where your ghostly father and +friend Saint Ciaran is buried: and there to put a little of the earth +of his grave or of himself in your ears, which is the medicine which I +think to be most available to help you.' The king having received the +said instructions of Saint Colum, took his journey immediately to +Clonmacnois; and finding Oenna maccu Laigsi, who was abbot of the +place after Saint Ciaran, absent, he spoke to Lugaid, then parish +priest of Clonmacnois, and told him of Saint Colum's instructions unto +him. Whereupon priest Lugaid and king Diarmait fasted and watched that +night in the Little Church where Saint Ciaran was buried, and the next +morning the priest took the bell that he had, named then the White +Bell,[28] and mingled part of the clay of Saint Ciaran therein with +holy water, and put the same in the king's ears, and immediately the +king had as good hearing as any in the kingdom, and the whole sickness +and troubles of his brains ceased at that instant, which made the king +to say, _Is feartach an ní do ní an clog orainn_, which is as much as +to say in English, 'The bell did do us a miraculous turn.' Which bell +Saint Lugna conveyed with him to the church of Fore, where he remained +afterwards. King Diarmait bestowed great gifts of lands on Clonmacnois +in honour of Saint Ciaran, for the recovery of his health." + +The bell, called the _bóbán_ of Coemgen, reappears much later in +history as a relic on which oaths were taken (_Annals of Clonmacnois_, +anno 1139; _Four Masters_, anno 1143). It was doubtless a relic +preserved at Glendaloch, in which the people of Clonmacnois rightly or +wrongly claimed a part-proprietorship. The name is obscure: it means, +according to O'Davoren's Glossary, a calf or little cow: and Plummer +(VSH, i, p. clxxvii) suggests that this name may be an allusion to its +small size. But why "calf"? Is it an allusion to the original use of +the type of bells used for ecclesiastical purposes in Ireland, as +cow-bells? + +Angels were seen by Saint Colman to fill the space between heaven and +earth to receive the soul of Pope Gregory (VSH, i, 264). + + +LI. THE EARTH OF CIARAN'S TOMB DELIVERS COLUM CILLE FROM A WHIRLPOOL +(LA, LB) + +This is perhaps an imitation of the tale of the Empress Helena, who, +when returning after her discovery of the True Cross, was delivered +from a storm by casting one of the Nails into the sea. Colum Cille was +saved from the whirlpool of Coire Bhreacain (Corrievreckan, between +Jura and Scarba) on another (?) occasion, by reciting a hymn to Brigit +(LL, 1706). + +_The Visit of Colum Cille to Clonmacnois._--This took place during the +rule of Ailithir, the fourth abbot of Clonmacnois (A.D. 589-595). It +is described in Adamnan's _Vita Columbae_, where we read of the honour +paid to the distinguished visitor, and how he was greeted with hymns +and praises, while a canopy was borne over him on his way to the +church, to protect him from inconvenient crowding. A humble boy, a +useless servitor in the monastery, came behind Columba to touch the +hem of his garment: the saint, miraculously apprised of this, caught +him by the neck and held him, despite the protests of the brethren +that he should dismiss this "wretched and noxious boy." Then he bade +the boy stretch forth his tongue, and blessed it, prophesying his +future increase in wisdom and knowledge, and his eminence as a +preacher. The boy was Ernin or Ernoc, the patron saint of Kilmarnock; +and Adamnan had the tale from Failbe, who was standing by as Ernin +himself related the incident to Abbot Segine of Í. Colum Cille also +prophesied the Easter controversy, and told of angelic visitations +that he had had within the precincts of Clonmacnois: but Adamnan says +nothing about the hymn to Ciaran, or the wonder-working clay from his +tomb, although elsewhere in his book the terrors of Corrievreckan +are alluded to. According to a prophecy of Colum Cille narrated in +O'Donnell's Life of that saint, Patrick is to judge the men of Ireland +on the Last Day at Clonmacnois. + +_The Hymn of Colum Cille._--This composition has not been preserved +in its entirety. Fragments of it are introduced into the Homiletic +Introduction of VG, which are enough to identify it with a short hymn +to be found in the Irish _Liber Hymnorum_, and published by Bernard +and Atkinson in their edition of that compilation.[29] It is as +follows-- + + Alto et ineffabile apostolorum coeti + celestis Hierosolimæ sublimioris speculi + sedente tribunalibus solis modo micantibus + Quiaranus sanctus sacerdos insignis nuntius + + inaltatus est manibus angelorum celestibus + consummatis felicibus sanctitatum generibus + quem tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem + gloriosum in omnibus nouissimis temporibus + + rogamus Deum altissimum per sanctorum memoriam + sancti Patrici episcopi Ciarani prespeteri + Columbæque auxilia nos deffendat egregia + ut per illorum merita possideamus premia + +Obviously the third stanza, with its reference to Colum Cille himself, +is a later addition, so that only the first two stanzas belong to the +original hymn. The sixth line, _quem tu Christe_, is quoted in the +section of VG referred to; but the three other excerpts, _lucerna_..., +_custodiantur_..., _propheta_..., do not appear in the text before us: +nor do the surviving stanzas justify the extravagant praise said to have +been heaped on the composition at Clonmacnois--though no doubt a +composition by Colum Cille, had it only the artless simplicity of a +nursery jingle, would have been sure of an appreciative audience. +However, the text seems to indicate something much more elaborate, and +probably the original composition was an acrostic, like Colum Cille's +great _Altus Prosator_.[30] The two authentic stanzas of the _Liber +Hymnorum_ are incorporated in the metrical patchwork at the end of LB. + +Another version of the hymn was known to Colgan, and is given by him +in TT, p. 472. Unfortunately he quotes only one couplet-- + + Quantum Christe O Apostolum mundo misisti hominem + Lucerna huius insulæ lucens lucerna mirabilis + +which is evidently corrupt, and (as Colgan seems to regard it as the +opening stanza) must show that the whole text had become disturbed by +the time when Colgan wrote. Indeed, it does not appear that Colgan +knew any more of the hymn than these two lines. + + +LIII. THE ENVY OF THE SAINTS (VG) + +Note how the Latin texts soften down the saying attributed in VG to +Colum Cille. A curious incident of disagreement between Ciaran and +Colum Cille is thus related by Colgan (TT, p. 396). "Once there +arose a petty quarrel between Kieranus and Columba, in which perhaps +Kieranus, jealous for the divine honour, appeared either to prefer +himself to Columba, or not to yield him the foremost place. But a good +Spirit, descending from heaven, easily settled the quarrel, whatever +it may have been, in this wise. He held out an awl, a hatchet, and an +axe, presenting them to Kieranus: 'These things,' said he, 'and other +things of this kind, with which thy father used to practise carpentry, +hast thou abjured for the love of God. But Columba renounced the +sceptre of Ireland, for which he might have hoped from his ancestral +right and the power of his clan, before he made offering.'" The same +tale is told in Manus O'Donnell's Life (ed. O'Kelleher, p. 60). + +The authorities differ as to the attitude which Colum Cille adopted +with regard to Ciaran. But as regards the other saints of Ireland +there is no ambiguity. The cutting-short of Ciaran's life was one of +the "three crooked counsels of Ireland" according to the glosses to +the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (9th September): the same authority adds +that the saints "fasted for Ciaran's death," as otherwise all Ireland +would have been his. The ancient legal process of fasting was an +inheritance from Pagan times. If A had a case against B, he might, and +under certain circumstances was obliged to, abstain from food till the +case was settled; he was then said to "fast upon B." The idea probably +was that if a litigant permitted his adversary to starve to death, the +angry ghost would ever afterwards disturb his rest. Parallels have +been found in ancient Indian practice. Sometimes B performed a +counter-fast; in such a case he who first broke his fast lost his +cause. But the process seems to have been strangely extended, even in +Christian times, to obtain boons from the supernatural Powers. We read +of a saint "fasting upon God" that a king might lose a battle; and +in _Revue celtique_, vol. xiv, p. 28, there is printed a story of a +childless couple who fasted with success upon the Devil, that he might +send them offspring. Two of the saints--Odran of Letrecha Odrain and +Mac Cuillind of Lusk--went and told Ciaran for what they were fasting: +Ciaran simply replied, "Bless ye the air before me"--the air through +which I must travel in passing heavenwards--"and what ye desire shall +be given you." The _Book of Leinster_ contains a poem attributed +to Saint Ciaran relating to the shortness of his life: as it has +apparently never been printed it is given here with a translation, so +far as the obscurity of the language permits-- + + An rim, a rí richid ráin corbom etal risin dáil: + co cloister cech ní atber i sanct cech sen, a Dé máir. + +(Stay for me, O King of glorious heaven, till I be pure before the +assembly; till everything that I shall speak be heard in the sanctuary +of every blessing, O great God.) + + A Mic Maire, miad cen ón ammochomde corric nem, + a ruiri na nangel find, innanfa frim corbom sen? + +(O Son of Mary, a dignity without blemish, O my Lord as far as Heaven, +O King of the white angels, wilt Thou stay for me till I am old?) + + Attchimse mo guide rutt arbaig Maire diandit Macc + menbad tacrad latt a Ri condernaind ni bud maith latt + +(I make my prayer unto Thee, for the love of Mary to whom Thou are +Son, if it be not displeasing in Thy sight, O King, that I may do +somewhat pleasing to Thee.) + + Maccan berair rian a ré ní fintar feib ar a mbé + asaóete lenta baeís aggáes cach aés bes nithé + +(A young man who is taken before its time, the honour in which he may +be is not discovered: from his youth of following folly, to his age +every company ... (?).) + + Ni horta laeg rianáes daim ár cach sen as tressiu achách, + ni horta uan na horc maith ni coilte cr ... [31] a bláth + +(A calf is not slaughtered till it is of ox's age, 'tis the ploughing +(?) of every old one which waxes stronger: a lamb or a good pigling is +not slaughtered, the (saffron?) is not plucked till its flower.) + + Buain guirt riasiu bas abbuig is m ... cacaid, a Rí rind? + is e in longud riana thráth blath do choll in tan bas find + +(To reap a field before it is ripe, is it a right (thing), O King of +stars? It is eating before the time to violate a flower while it is +white.) + + Fuiniud immedon laa ni hord baa rian ... + matan in aidche, in dedoil ria na medon cia mó col + +(Sunset in midday, no order of profit before...; morning in night, +twilight before its noon, though it be greatest wrong.) + + Cluinti itgi notguidiu is mo chridiu deroil dúir + a Mic mo De cianomrodba is bec mo thorba dondúir + +(Hear Thou the prayer I pray Thee in the depth of my wretched hard +heart, O Son of my God, although Thou cuttest me off, small is my +profitableness ... ) + + Duitsi a Mic motholtu cen cope sentu dom churp, + cenambera cen taithlech no co bia maith fe[in] fort + +(To Thee, O Son, ... (?), that without my body becoming aged, I be not +taken without reason till I shall myself be good in Thy sight.) + + Is fort shnádud cach ambi ria ndula m' chri, a Ri slán, + ic do guide dam cen dichil, an rimm a Rí richid ran + +(On Thy protection is every one whereso he is; before departure of my +body, O Perfect King, I am praying Thee without negligence, stay for +me, O King of glorious heaven.) + + +LIV. THE PANEGYRICS (LA, VG) + +There is little that need be said about these paragraphs, which are of +conventional type. There are two references in VG which may, however, +be noted. The first is to the relics left in the hollow elm, of which +we have already heard at the beginning of these annotations: here +said to have been deposited by Benen (the pupil of Patrick, and his +successor in Armagh) and by Cumlach (the leper of Saint Patrick). The +second is an allusion, on which I am unable to throw any light, to +some evidently well-known story of a certain Peca and his blind pupil. + + +THE METRICAL PANEGYRIC IN LB + +This is a patchwork of extracts from different sources. + +1. Fifteen-syllable lines, with caesura at eighth syllable; every +line ending in a trisyllabic word, rhyming (not always) with a word +preceding the caesura. A dissyllable or trisyllable precedes the +caesura. Rhythm of Tennyson's _Locksley Hall_, proceeding by stress +only, independent of vowel-quantity or hiatus. In line seven, +'Keranus' must be pronounced in four syllables, Kiaranus. Refers to +the wizard's prophecy, incident II. + +2. Four lines, in _Locksley Hall_ rhythm, with a dissyllabic rhyme +running through the quatrain. Relates incident IX. + +3. Four lines, twelve syllables trochaic, caesura at seventh syllable. +Each line ends with a trisyllable or a tetrasyllable, with dissyllabic +rhyme running through the quatrain. The rhythm is that of the +following line (which is intentionally misquoted to serve the present +purpose)-- + + "Gather roses while you may, time is still a-flying." + +The incident is not recorded in the prose lives; but it appears in the +_Book of the Dun Cow_, in the story of the Birth of Aed Slaine (son of +King Diarmait, reigned A.D. 595-600). Diarmait, it appears, had two +wives (for, notwithstanding his friendship to Ciaran, he was but a +half-converted pagan), by name Mugain and Muireann. Muireann had the +misfortune to be bald, and Mugain, who, as is usual in polygamous +households, was filled with envy of her, bribed a female buffoon to +remove her golden headgear in public at the great assembly of Tailltiu +(Telltown, Co. Meath), so as to expose the poor queen's defect to the +eyes of the mob. The messenger accomplished her purpose, but Muireann +cried out, "God and Saint Ciaran help me in this need!" and forthwith +a shower of glossy curling golden hair flowed from her head over her +shoulders, before a single eye of the assembly had rested upon her. +Compare Ciaran's own experience, incident XLVI. + +4. Three lines in the same metre, but apparently with three instead of +four lines in each rhyming stanza. Refers to incident XVIII. + +5. Three lines in the same rhythm as extract 1, but with a different +rhyme-scheme; apparently three lines from a quatrain rhyming _abab_. +Refers to incident XLI. + +6. Six lines in elegiac couplets. This probably refers to XLVI, but +without their original context the lines must remain obscure. In any +case the versifier has the story in a rather different form from the +prose writers, and appears to regard it as an incident of the boyhood +period. + +7. Eight lines from the hymn of Colum Cille, already commented upon. + + +ADDITIONAL NOTE ON CIARAN'S BIRTHPLACE + +Some place-names in the barony of Moycashel (S. Co. Westmeath), which +lies in Cenel Fiachach, support the tradition that Ciaran's birthplace +is to be sought there, and not in Mag Ai at all. I can find nothing +in the local nomenclature to suggest Ráith Cremthainn; but +"Templemacateer" (_Teampull mhic an tsaoir_, the "Church of the +Wright's son") may be compared with, and perhaps equated to the +similarly named "house" (p. 111); "Ballynagore" (_Baile na ngabhar_, +the "town of the goats," or "horses") perhaps echoes the "Tir na +Gabrai" of VG 3. About half a mile to the west is _Tulach na crosáin_, +the "Mound of the crosslet"--possibly the missing cross of Ciaran (LA +4). At the outflow of the Brosna from Loch Ennell is "Clonsingle," +which it is tempting to equate to the place-name corrupted to "Cluain +Innsythe," in LA 12. + +An additional suggestion may here be made to the effect that the +eldest son and daughter of Beoit were twins. Their names, _Lug-oll_ +"big Lug," and _Lug-beg_ "little Lug," are in correspondence, as +twins' names often are. + +[Footnote 1: For brevity we shall refer to certain books, frequently +quoted in these Annotations, by the following symbols-- + + LL. _Lives of Saints from the Book of Lismore_, ed. Stokes. + CS. _Codex Salmaticensis_ (Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae), ed. de + Smedt and de Backer. + VTP. _Vita Tripartita Patricii_, ed. Stokes. + VSH. Plummer's _Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae_. + TT. _Trias Thaumaturga_ (Colgan's collection of the lives of + SS. Patrick, Brigid, and Colum Cille).] + +[Footnote 2: There is a different version, which need not be given +here, in the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (Henry Bradshaw Society edition, +p. 204).] + +[Footnote 3: Mentioned in _Annals of Ulster_, anno 1166, _Annals of +Loch Cé_, anno 1189, _Annals of the Four Masters_, annis 1121, 1166.] + +[Footnote 4: A collection (in Irish) of the traditions of this person +will be found in _Targaireacht Bhriain ruaidh uí Chearbháin_, by +Micheál ó Tiomhánaidhe (Dublin, 1906).] + +[Footnote 5: The passage would then read thus--_Rothircan Bec mac De +condebairt andsin_-- + + "_A maic in tsaeir, cot clasaib, cot coraib, + It casair chaeim, cot cairpthib, cot ceolaib._" + +The transposition has probably been caused by the error of some scribe +who copied first the parts of the two lines preceding the caesura.] + +[Footnote 6: The roll of the Kings of Tara was evolved from various +sources by the Irish historians of the early Christian Period. +Tigernmas was properly a pagan culture-hero, to whom was traditionally +attributed the introduction of gold-smelting and of other arts, and +who was said to have perished, apparently as a human sacrifice, at +some great religious assembly.] + +[Footnote 7: This is certainly the reading, curiously misread in LL p. +356, (Irish text), and in VSH i, p. li, note 3.] + +[Footnote 8: Ossianic Society's _Transactions_, vol. v, p. 84 ff.] + +[Footnote 9: Edited by Dr. Hyde in _Celtic Review_, vol. x, p. 116 +ff.] + +[Footnote 10: On this whole subject see Chapter IV of MacNeill's +_Phases of Irish History_, a book which may be unreservedly +recommended as giving a clear and accurate view of the early history +of the country.] + +[Footnote 11: It may be noted for the benefit of the reader +unaccustomed to Irish nomenclature, that persons are named in one of +the following formulae: "A mac B" (_mac_, genitive _mic_, in syntactic +relation _mhic_ [pronounced _vic_] = son): "A ó B" (_ô_ or _ua_, +genitive _ui_ = grandson or descendant): and "A maccu B" (_maccu_ = +descendant, denoting B as the name of a remote ancestor). Of course +the name B will in every case be in the genitive.] + +[Footnote 12: For division of labour between the sexes, see Frazer, +_Spirits of the Corn and of the Wild_, ii, 129. For prohibitions +of the presence of males when specifically female work was being +transacted, Plummer quotes Grimm, _Teutonic Mythology_, Eng. Trans., +iv, 1778 ("Men shall not stay in the house while women are stuffing +feathers in the beds, otherwise the feathers will prick through +the bed-ticking"). O'Curry (_Manners and Customs_, iii, p. 121), +commenting on this story, refers to times and seasons deemed unlucky +for dyeing, at the time when he wrote; but the prohibition of the +presence of males was forgotten.] + +[Footnote 13: Vafthrudnismál 41; Grimnismál 18. (_Edda_, ed. Hafn, +1787, vol. i, pp. 24, 48.)] + +[Footnote 14: F.M. Luzel, _Contes populaires de Basse-Bretagne_ +(Paris, 1887), vol. i, p. 219 ff. Some other parallels are quoted by +Plummer, VSH, i, p. cxliii, note 5.] + +[Footnote 15: There is evidence from various literary sources that +cattle thus peculiarly coloured were accounted sacred in ancient +Ireland.] + +[Footnote 16: There should be no hypermetric syllables, but I have +been unable to avoid them.] + +[Footnote 17: _Horae Hebraicae_ in Evangel. Matt., xv, 36, following +the tract _Berakoth_.] + +[Footnote 18: O'Donnell's _Life of St. Columba_, ed. O'Kelleher, p. +120.] + +[Footnote 19: For the story of Coirpre, see _Lismore Lives_, ed. +Stokes, preface p. xvi; _Revue celtique_, xxvi, 368. For the story of +Ambacuc, see _Silua Gadelica_, no. xxxi; _Eriu_, vol. vi, p. 159.] + +[Footnote 20: A fully illustrated description of this relic by +Mr. E.C.R. Armstrong will be found in _Journal_, Royal Society of +Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. xlix, p. 132.] + +[Footnote 21: _Book of the Dun Cow_, printed in _Zeitschrift für +Celtische Philologie_, iii, 218.] + +[Footnote 22: _Féilire Oengusso_, Henry Bradshaw Society edition, p. +12.] + +[Footnote 23: _Revue celtique_, xv, at p. 491.] + +[Footnote 24: I should here have quoted as a parallel the +oft-described Indian rope-trick, which is alleged to be a hypnotic +feat, had I not been recently assured by a relative who knows India +well that no one has yet been discovered who has actually seen this +trick performed, and that it is probably nothing more than a piece of +folk-lore.] + +[Footnote 25: See his important series of papers, _Ueber directe +Handelsverbindungen Westgalliens mit Irland im Altertum und früher +Mittelalter_, published in _Sitzungsberichte der königliche +preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften_, 1909, vol. i.] + +[Footnote 26: _Life of Colman mac Luachain_, Todd Lectures Series, +Royal Irish Academy, vol. xvii, p. 86.] + +[Footnote 27: Bede's _Life of Cuthbert_, § xxxix.] + +[Footnote 28: This is evidently a mistranslation of _bóbán_, the +translator having in mind the word _bán_, "white."] + +[Footnote 29: Henry Bradshaw Society edition, vol. i, p. 157.] + +[Footnote 30: Although the sense appears to run continuously from one +stanza to the next in their present collocation.] + +[Footnote 31: MS. illegible.] + + * * * * * + + + + +=APPENDIX= + + +THE LATIN TEXT OF LB + +[Sidenote °1: R1 162b; R2 127d] +[Sidenote °2: R2 128a] +[Sidenote °3: R1 162c] + +1.[°1] Vir gloriosus, et uita sanctissimus abbas, Queranus, ex patre +Boecio, matre Darercha [Darecha R2] ortus fuit. Hic traxit originem de +aquilonali parte Hibernie, Aradensium silicet genere. Diuina quoque +gratia a puerili etate sic ipse illustratus est, ut qualis[°2] foret +futurus luculenter appareret.[°3] Erat [Cras MSS.] enim tanquam +lucerna ardens eximia caritate, ut non solum feruorem pii cordis +et deuocionem erga hominum inopiam releuandam [reuelandam MSS.] +exhiberet; uerum et in creaturum irrationabilium necessitatibus +infatigabilem ostenderet affectum. Et quia tanta lucerna non debuit +sub modio abscondi, ideo a puerili etate cepit miraculorum prod[ig]iis +coruscare. + +2. Quum enim equus fili regis terrae illius subita morte periret, ac +de eius casu iuuenis ille multum doleret, apparuit ei in sompnis uir +uultus uenerabili ac rutilentis, qui eum prohibuit tristari pro morte +equi, dicens ei, "Voca" inquit "sanctum puerum Keranum, qui aquam in +os equi tui infundat, frontemque aspergat, et reuiuiscet. Illum quoque +pro resuscitatione eius munere debito dotabis." Cumque regis filius de +sompno euigilasset, misit pro puero Kerano ut ad se ueneret; qui cum +sui presentiam ei exhiberet, atque sompnium scriatim [seruatem _or_ +seritatem R1] audiret, secundum quod angelus illum docuit, equum aqua +benedicta aspergens de morte resuscitauit. Viso hoc magno miraculo, +agrum fertilem et amplum rex terrae illius in honore Dei Omnipotentis, +in cuius nomine equus suus est resuscitatus, sancto Kerano contulit. + +3. Accidit autem quadam die [q.d. _omitted_, R2] quod mater ipsius +Kerani eum reprehenderet, eo quod mel siluestre, sicut ceteri pueri +suis parentibus ferebant, non portaret. Quod cum dilectus Deo et +hominibus audiret, mentem eleuans ad Puerum illum qui subditus erat +parentibus, aquam de fonte uicino allatam benedixit, in nomine Eius +qui mel potens est producere de petra, et oleum de saxo durissimo; et +mox aqua illa in mel dulcissimum, Deo cooperante, conuertitur, et +sic matri defertur. Hoc mel parentes eius sancto Dermicio diacono, +cognomento Iusto, qui eum baptizauit, transmiserunt. + +[Sidenote °4: R1 162d] +[Sidenote °5: R2 128b] + +4. Lectis autem a[°4] memorato sancto literarum rudimentis, beatum +Cluayn Hir[°5]ardensem abbatem, discendi causa, adire proposuit. Et +cum opere uellet complere quod animo cepit cogitare, uaccam unam a +parentibus ad uictum sibi postulauit. Sed cum eius peticionem mater +eius non acquiesceret, celestis Pater, qui intimios [_sic_ R1, +intuitos R2] suos quantum mater filium diligit, desiderium dilecti +sui adimplere non distulit. Nam uacca una lactifera, una cum uitulo, +consecuta est eum, acsi a suo pastore minaretur post eum. Qui cum ad +sacrum collegium sancti Fynniani uenisset, gaudium non modicum de eius +aduentu omnes habuerunt. Vacca uero, que secuta est eum, simul +cum uitulo pascebatur, nec ubera materna sine licencia tangere +attemptabat. Keranus eius pascua sic discriminauit atque distinxit, ut +tantum uitulum mater lambe[re]t, nec tamen ei ubera praeberet. Istius +uero uacce in tanta habundancia exubrabat lac, ut xii uiris cotidie +distributum sufficientem copiam uictus praeberet. Sanctus uero +adolescens Keranus, diuine scripture intentus, inter condiscipulos +suos sanctitate ac sapientia, uelut sidus perfulgidus inter alia +[alique R2] sidera, emicabat. Erat uero perfecte caritatis fragrantia +plenus, et moris probitate, et uite sanctimonia, ac humilitatis +dulcedine, presentibus et absentibus gratiosus, honorabilis, et +admirabilis. + +[Sidenote °6: R1 163a] + +5. Vna dierum ad regem quendam, Tuathlum nomine, pro cuiusdam ancille +liberacione intercessurus accessit. Cumque regem deuote pro ea rogaret +[pro ea deuote oraret R2] ac preces famuli Dei quasi deliramenta +sperneret, nouam artem liberacionis eiusdem cogitans, semet ipsum regi +seruiturum pro ipsa decreuit. Veniente autem eo domum in qua puella +molebat, clause iam fores illi patuerunt. Intransque, alterum se +illi[°6] Paulinum episcopum exhibuit. Nec mora, rex illam emancipauit, +et insuper Dei famulo suum indumentum donauit. Quod ille accipiens, +continuo pauperibus distribuit. + +[Sidenote °7: R2 128c] + +6. Nocte quadam[°7] contigit ut eum doctor egregius Finnianus cum +annona frumenti ad molendinum transmitteret. Regulus uero quidam prope +habitans, quendam de discipulis uiri Dei illuc aduenisse intelligens, +carnes et ceruisiam ei per ministrum destinauit. Cumque illi exenium +tanti uiri presentaret, respondit ipse, "Vt commune" inquit "sit +fratribus, totum in os molendini proice." Quod cum nuncius compleret, +in farinam totum mutatum est. Quo audito, rex uillam in qua manebat +cum omnibus bonis suis in perpetuam dedit illi; sed Keranus suo +condonauit magistro, ibidem enim monasterium postea constructum est. +Panis uero de illa farina factus, uelut caro et ceruisia fratribus +sapiebat et eos sic recreabat. + +[Sidenote °8: R1 163b] +[Sidenote °9: R2 128d] + +7. Transacto autem temporis spacio, accepta magistri sui licentia +et benedictione, ad sanctum Nynnidum in quadam silua stagni Erny +commorantem properauit. Et cum [cum _omitted_ R2] illuc peruenisset, +cum magno gaudio et caritate non ficta susceptus est. Cumque idem in +moris ac uirtutum disciplina cotidie proficeret, quadam die ad nemora +uicina cum fratribus ad scindenda ligna ut [ut _omitted_ R2] uerus +obediens properauit. Erat enim consuetudo in sacro illo collegio ut +iii monachi cum seniore ad ligna deportanda secundum ordinem temporis +semper irent. Cedentibus uero ceteris ligna, ipse seorsum [deorsum R2] +Deum, secundum quod moris erat sibi, attente orabat. Interea quidam +nefandi latrones, rate ad insulam illam transuecti, in prefatos +fratros irruerunt, atque eos occiderunt, et eorum capita secum +detuler[°8]unt. Keranus uero, dum strepidum soc[i]orum [_sic_] +percucientium non audiret, mirabatur; et propter admiracionem festine +peruenit ad locum ubi eos laborantes reliquit. Viso quoque eo quod de +fratribus actum est [est _omitted_ R2], alta trahit ipse suspiria, et +uehementer contristatus est. Secutus est quoque homisidas [_sic_ R1] +illos e uestigio, atque eos in portu ut suam nauiculam in portu ad +aquam [aquas R2] deducerent desudantes, sed minime hoc facere potentes +[fatentes R1, facientes R2] inuenit; sic uero [sic eis R2] Deus +scapham[°9] eorum terre conglutinauit ut nequaquam eam amouere +potuissent. Et cum uoluntati Cunctipotentis contraire non possent, a +uiro Dei tunc presente [-entem R2] ueniam suppliciter postulant. Qui +memor sui Magistri pro Iudeis eum crucifigentibus orantis, sanctus pro +illis licet indignis preces ad fortem pietatis effudit; et uirtute +orationis eius potiti, ratem suam facillime ad aquam ducere potuerunt. +Pro munere uero huius beneficii, optinuit a latronibus capita suorum +fratrum. Acceptis uero hiis, ad locum ubi corpora iacuerant deueniens, +Deum deuote rogauit ut omnipotenciam suam in seruorum suorum +resuscitatione hac uite ostenderet. Mirum quoque est quod narro, sed +ueritate facti euidentissimum; capita corporibus coaptauit, ut illos +uirtute sacre orationis ad uitam reuocauit, immo quod uerius est, +reuocari meruit. Hii quoque sic mirabiliter resuscitati, ligna secum +ad monasterium transuexerunt. Quam diu tamen uixerant [_sic_], +cicatrices uulnerium in collis suis portauerunt. + +[Sidenote °10: R1 163c] + +8. Alio tempore cum peccora parentum in quodam loco custodiret, uacca +una peperit coram eo uitulum. Veniens uero imacie omnino confectus +[canis][1] cupiens de hiis que cum uitulo cadunt de uentro matris +[uentrem suum][2] implere, stetit coram pio pastore. Cui ait "Commede, +miser, uitulum istum, quia multum eo indi[°10]ges." Canis uero iussa +Querani complens, usque ad ossa uitulum commedit. Redeunti uero +Querano cum uaccis ad domum, illa ad memoriam reducens uitulum +mugiendo huc illucque discurrebat. Causam uero mugitus cognoscens +mater Querani, cum indignatione puero ait "Redde uitulum, Quirane, +etsi igne sit combustus uel aqua submersus." At ille iussis maternis +parens, ad locum ubi uitulus erat commestus accedens, ossa eius +collegit et uitulum resuscitauit. + +[Sidenote °11: R2 129a] + +9. Quodam tempore, transeunte eo per uiam, quidam mali[°11]gno spiritu +uexati canem ferocissimum excitauerunt ut sibi[3] [_sic_] noceret. Sed +confidens in Domino suo Queranus scuto deuote orationis se muniuit, +ac dixit "Ne tradas bestis [_sic_ R1, bestiis R2] animas confitentium +tibi, Domine." Et mox canis ille mortuus est. + + +10. Alio tempore solo eo in insula illa relicto, pauperem quendam +audiuit in portu ignem sibi dari rogantem. Erat enim iam frigidum +tempus; sed ratem non habuit ut pauperis peticioni, licet multum +desideraret, satisfaceret. Et quia caritas omnia sustinet, ticionem +ardentem in stagnum proiecit, et feruore [-rem MSS.] dilectionis +mittentis in aquis preualente [preualens MSS.] ad pauperem usque +peruenit. + +[Sidenote °12: R1 163d] + +11. Aliquandiu uero ibidem moratus homo Dei, cum licencia Nynnidi ad +sanctum Endeum Arnensem abbatem properauit; qui in aduentu eius non +modica perfundebatur leticia. Nocte uero quadam sompniauit se +uidisse iuxta ripam magni fluminis Synan arborem magnam frondosam et +fructiferam que totam obumbrauit Hyberniam. Quod sompnium beato Edeo +indicauit crastina die [die _omitted_ R2]. Sed et ipse Endeus eandem +uisionem ea nocte [e.n. _omitted_ R2][°12] se uidisse attestatus est, +quam uisionem sanctus Endeus interpretatus: "Arbor" inquit "illa tu +es, qui coram Deo et hominibus magnus eris, et per totam Hiberniam +honorabilis, propter quod et tui adiutorii et gracie umbra a demoniis +et aliis periculis protegetur uelut sub umbra arboris salutifere; +plurimisque prope ac procul tuorum fructus operum subuenient. Igitur +secundum Dei imperium qui reuelat secreta, ad praeostensum accede +locum, et ibi habita secundum graciam a Deo tibi datam." Confortatus +ex huius uisionis interpretacione, paruit uerus obediens iussioni +Sancti Endei patris sui spiritualis. + +[Sidenote °13: R2 129b] + +12. Et profectus in uiam inuenit quendam pauperem in itinere cui ab eo +eleemosinam petenti casulam suam tribuit. Cumque ad insulam Cathaci +uenisset, beatus Senanus aduentum eius, Spiritu reuelante, didicit; +eique obuiam ueniens quasi subridendo ait, "Nonne presbitero pudor est +absque casula incedere?" Senanus enim in spiritu nouit quomodo ipse +pauperi eam dedit. Et ideo cum ca[°13]sula ei occurreret. Et ait +Keranus, "Senior" inquit "meus sub uestimento suo casulam mihi +aufert." + +[Sidenote °14: R1 164a] + +13. Quam cum accepisset et gracias datori egisset, pro sancta +colloquia ad cellam fratris sui Luctigernni [-gerimi R2] peruenit, ubi +et alius frater eius Odranus [Ordanus R2] nomine erat. Ibi aliquanto +tempore moram traxit ac magister hospicium fuit. Die uero quadam eo +sub diuo legente in cimitherio, hospites ex improuise uenerunt, quos, +librum oblitus apertum, ad hospicium adduxit; eorumque pedes +deuote lauit, et cetera que eis necessaria erant propter Christum +ministrauit. Interea cum nocturne adessent tenebre, grandis facta est +pluuia. Sed Ille qui uellus Gedeonis ir[°14]rorauit, at praeterea a +rore intactum custodiuit, librum sancti Kerani sic ab ingruentibus +aquis licet apertum [aquis hoc apertum R2] reserauit quod nec una +gutta super eum cecidit. + +14. Monasterio in quo tunc uir Dei morabatur, erat quaedam insula +uicina, quam seculares quidam inhabitabant, quorum tumultus uiros +Dei multum molestabat. Vnde contigit ut beatus Keranus, eorum +inquietacione compulsus, ad stagnum accederet, et orationi se totum +dans, elongationem illorum uexancium seruos Dei perueniuit. Cum enim +ab oratione cessaret, ecce subito insula cum stagno et habitatoribus +in remotum locum secessit, ut ullatenus [nullatenus R2] habitatores +eius eius [_sic_ MSS.] amicos Altissimi possent turbare. In Eius +enim nomine hoc miraculum factum est qui Sodomam propter peccatum +inhabitancium subuertit ac igne succendit. Adhuc extant signa illius +stagni, ubi ante erat. + +[Sidenote °15: R2 129c] +[Sidenote °16: R1 164b] + +15. Vir Dei, cum in usum [usus MSS.] pauperum bona monasterii +distribueret, fratres super hoc conquirentes ad ipsum temere +accedentes, dixerunt, "Discede," inquierunt "a nobis, simul enim +cohabitare non possumus." Quibus ipse acquiesce[n]s, et uale in Domino +faciens, ad insulam quandam se transtulit [a. i. s. t. q. R2] nomine +Anginam; in qua insula fundato monasterio, multi undique properantes +fama sanctitatis eius eos attrahente[°15] seruicium Dei mancipauerunt. +Sub stricta instruens regula, uultu et habitu, sermone et uita, se eis +in exemplum exhibuit. Erat enim tanquam aquila prouocans ad uolandam +pullos suos quantum ad contemplacionis sublimitatem; sed fraterna +humilitate sicut minus [unus R2] ex eis uiuebat. Erat enim in +spiritualibus meditacionibus suspensus ad supera; infirma tum +imbecillitate sic condescendebat ut quasi uideretur se inclinare +ad infima. Ipse quoque fide erat perfectus, caritate feruidus, spe +gaude[n]s, corde mitis, ore affabilis,[°16] paciens et longanimis, +hospitalitate erat humanus, in operibus pietatis semper assiduus, +benignus, mansuetus, pacificus, sobrius, et quietus. Et ut multa +breui concludam sermone, omnium uirtutum erat ornatus decore. Hiis +et huiuscemodi sollicitum impendens studium Marie contemplacioni ac +Marthe erga temporalium dispensacionem ordinata succasione [succisione +R2] adimplebat officium. Nec potuit talis ac tante lucerne lumen sub +modio abscondi, sed circumquoque gracie sue splendore diffuso mundum +copiose illuminauerat irradiauit lumine. + +16. Erat nihilominus prophecie spiritu inspiratus, quam ex +precedentibus et subsequentibus patet exemplis. Quadam namque die uox +cuiusdam nauigium postulantis aures ei[us] pulsauerat. Tunc ait +ad fratres; "Vocem," inquit "eius audio quem Deus uobis preficiet +abbatem; euntes ergo ipsum adducite." Illi itaque properauerunt, atque +ad portum peruenientes quendam adolescentulum illiteratum inuenirent. +Quem negligentes adducere ad sanctum uirum reuersi neminem nisi +adolescentulum illiteratum qui profugus in siluis errabat se inuenisse +asseruerunt. Sanctus autem Queranus ait; "Adducite" inquit "illum, +et nolite futurum pastorem uestrum despicere." Qui adductus Dei +inspiracione et sancti uiri instructione religionis habitum suscepit, +et per modum literas didicit. Ipse est enim sanctus Oenius, uir uite +uenerabilis: et, sicut sanctus ante predixit, fratribus per modum +prefuit. + +[Sidenote °17: R2 129d] +[Sidenote °18: R1 164c] + +17. Elapso denique tempore, quidam uir sanctus nomine Dompnanus,[°17] +Mumoniensis genere, ad uirum Dei uisitandum peruenit. Cumque ab eo +sanctus Keranus causam aduentus scicitaretur, respondit se uelle locum +habere in quo Dominum [habere in Deo R2] secure posset seruire. Sanctus +uero Keranus, non que sua[°18] [supra R2] sed que Ihesu Christi querens +ait "Hic" inquit "inhabita, et ego Deo duce locum habitandi alibi +queram." Denique sacro eum comitante [conm. MSS.] conuentu ad locum eius +a Deo premonstratum profectus est, in quo celebri ac famoso monasterio +constructo quod hodie Cluaynensis [Claynensis R2] appellatur ciuitas +insignium miraculorum luce ipse, tanquam sol mundum istum ita +illuminauit. + +18. De quorum miraculorum multitudine quedam hic subnectemus. Quodam +tempore dum fratres in messe laborantes sitis periculo grauarentur, +miserunt ad sanctum patrem Queranum ut aque [aqua MSS.] beneficio +refocillarentur. Quibus per ministros ipse ait: "Vnum" inquit "de duobus +eligite; aut aqua nunc uos recreati, aut hic post uos habitaturos rebus +mundanis beneficiari." At illi respondentes dixerunt "Eligimus," +inquiunt "ut illi qui post nos ueniunt in bonis temporalibus habundent, +et nos tollerantie mercedem in celis habeamus." Et sic futurorum spe +gaudentes, a potu abstinuerunt, licet multum indigentes. Vespero uero +illis domum redeuntibus, pius pater, laborancium lassitudinem +compaciens, uas aqua plenum benedixit, et iam sanctum miraculum in Chana +Galilee renoua[n]s, in optimum uinum transmutauit aquam. Quo uino siti +deficientes recreati sunt, et in fide insoliti miraculi ostensione +recreati laudes omnipotenti Dei dederunt. Huius enim uini miraculosi +sapor solito graciosior erat, et odor in propinatoris pollice quamdiu +suruixit redoleuit. + +[Sidenote °19: R1 164d] +[Sidenote °20: R2 130a] + +19. Die quadam cum in uia incederet, nephandissimi latrones eum +comprehendentes, caput beati uiri radere ceperunt. Set quod +peruersitas hominis delere uoluit, diuina pietas ad magni mirac[u]li +ostensionem conuertit. Rassorum enim capillorum loco alii statim +capilli cresceba[n]t.[°19] Quo miraculo latrones perculsi,[°20] ad +ueritatis semitam sunt conuersi, ac deinceps diuine milicie sub tanto +duce seruientes, in sancta conuersacione uitam finierunt. + +20. Alio tempore bonus pastor peccora pascens, tres pauperes ei +occurrerunt. Quorum primo capam, secundo pallium, tercio tunicam +contulit [secundo tunicam, tercio pallium eius tulit, R2]. Abeuntibus +uero illis, uiri quidam, secularis uite professores, aduenierunt. A +quibus quoniam uestimentorum expertum se uideri erubuit, adiutor in +opportunitatibus Dominus aqua eum circumdedit adeo, quod preter +caput nullum membrum illi uidere potuerunt. Sed postquam hii uiri +transierunt, aqua ilia mox disparuit [desperauit MSS.]. + +21. Elapso post hoc tempore, quidam satellites diabuli uirum quendam +iuxta monasterium eius commorantem interficere conabantur. Quem beato +uiro pro eo orante Deus mirabiliter eripuit. Illi [illium MSS.] enim +eundem uirum iugulantes statuam quandam lapideam percuciebant. Quo +tandem percepto, latrones corde compuncti, ad pastorem animarum +Queranum properant, culpam humiliter recognoscunt, atque uite sue +emendato calle, sub iugo Christi usque ad mortem fideliter seruierunt. + +[Sidenote °21: R2 165a] + +22. Hiis atque aliis perplurimis gloriosissimus Christi miles tamquam +luminare quod diei presidet fulgens, ad occasum naturalis cursus +deueniens correptus infirmitate graui appropinquiuit. Sed quia qui +perseuauerit usque in finem his salus erit, ideo athleta Christi, non +solum se in bello huius certaminis confortans, uerum et animos ad +uincendum inuitans, lapidem quo capiti supposito soporis modicum +corpori hactenus indulgebat, humeris etiam fecit subponi; sanctamque +eleuans manum fratres benedixit et uiatici salutaris perceptione +munitus, spiritum celo reddidit. Exiens enim beata illa anima de +corpore, chori angelorum [angelorum _omitted_ R2] cum ympnis et +canticis[°21] illam in Dei gloriam assumpserunt. + +[Sidenote °22: R2 130b] + +23. Beatissimus quoque abbas Christi Columba, audito sancti Kerani +obitu, egregium de ipso composuit ympnum: eumque ad [de MSS.] +Cluaynense secum detulit monasterium, ubi prout decuit hospicio +honorifice susceptus est. Ympnum uero abbas qui tunc preerat, +ceterique qui eum audierant, multis et ma[°22]gnis laudibus +extulerunt. Discedens autem inde Sanctus Columba, de sacro sancti +Kerani sepulchro humum secum detulit, sciens in spiritu quam utile hoc +foret contra futura pelagi pericula. In parte enim maris que tendit +uersus Iense monasterium, est maximum transeuntibus periculum, tum +propter fluminum impetuositatem, tum propter maris angustiam, itaque +naues circumuoluuntur, atque in rota mouentur; ac frequenter sic +submerguntur. Scille enim atque Caribdi merito asi[mi]latur, uelim +periculositate perfecta tristique [-teque MSS.] nautis malum ibi +subministratur. Ad hoc eurippum ipsi peruenientes, repentino ceperunt +in eum delabi cursu; quumque nil preter mortem [Quumque uelut propter +mortem R2] sperantes, et quia iam quasi tetris essent abyssi faucibus +deuorandi, tunc sanctus Columba prefati pulueris de tumba beati Kerani +assumpti aliquid assumens, mare in ipsum immisit. Res mira ac nimium +stupenda tunc accidit; dicto [uicto MSS.] namque cicius tempestas illa +seua cessauit ac transitum eis tranquillum administrauit. Vere iusti +in perpetuum uiuunt; cum quibus beatus Queranus corregnat, cuius +sepulchri terra uel puluis mare sedauit [cedauit MSS.], corda +trepidancium in fide solidauit, et ad bonum operandum irrigauit. +Beatus ergo Keranus non solum uiuit Deo, cui inseperabiliter adheret, +uerum et hominibus quibus beneficia oportuno tempore impendit. + + + + +METRUM DE EO SIC + +[Sidenote °23: R1 165b] + + Matre Quiarani sedente in curru uolubili + [°23]Sonitum magus audiuit perdixitque seruulis + "Videte quis sit in curru, nam sub rege resonat." + "Coniunx" inquiunt "Beodi sedet his artificis." + Magus inquit "Gratum cunctis ipsa regem pariet, + Cuius opera fulgebunt ut Phebus in ethere." + Miles Christi Keranus, Sancti sedes Spiritus, + Spiritali pietatis uirtute floruerat. + + Vitulum uacce lactentem iam cani concesserat, + Queranum inde grauiter mater reprehenderat; + Vitulum cane uoratum ab ipso exegerat, + Cuius ossa mox apportans ipsum restaurauerat. + +[Sidenote °24: R2 130c] + + Mulieris regie caput decaluatum + Seue zelo pelicis fuerat nudatum. + In Querani nomine cum esset signatum, + [°24]Aurea cessarie fulserat ornatum. + + Cum Queranus studiis sacris teneretur, + Atque tempus posceret ut operaretur. + Pro ipso ab angelis tunc mola mouetur. + + Textus euangelicus in stagnum ceciderat, + Sed uoluto tempore per Querani merita, + Integrum de gurgite uacca reportauerat. + + Cum puer oraret Dominum, precibusque uacaret, + ignis ab excelsis uenerat arce poli. + Defunctusque puer conspexit lumina uite, + et sancti magnum glorificant Dominum [Deum MSS.]. + De celis lapsus rutilans accenditur ignis, + et peragit proprium protinus officium. + + Alto et ineffabili apostolorum cetui + Celestis Ierosolime, sublimioris specule, + Sedenti tribunalibus solis modo micantibus, + Queranus sacerdos sanctus, insignis Christi nuntius, + Inaltatus est manibus angelorum celestibus, + Consummatis felicibus sanctitatum generibus; + Quem Tu Christe apostolum mundo misisti hominem, + Gloriosum in omnibus nouissimis temporibus. + + +[Footnote 1: This word omitted in MSS.] + +[Footnote 2: Omitted in MSS.] + +[Footnote 3: Corrected by a note in the margin to _illi_.] + + * * * * * + + + + +INDEX + +(For the leading incidents in the Life, see the list, pp. 11 _ff._). + +Abban, St., +Adamnan, St., +Aed, St., +Aed mac Brenainn, +Aed Slaine, +Aei. _See_ Mag Ai. +Aengus maccu Luigse. _See_ Oenna. +Aengussius. _See_ Oengus. +Ailbe, St., +Ailithir, abbot of Clonmacnois, +Ainmire mac Colgain, +Ainmire mac Setna, +Ainmireach. _See_ Ainmire mac Colgain. +Alban, St., +Alexander, +almsgiving, _See also_ hospitality. +_Altus Prosator_, +Ambacuc, +angels, +Angina. _See_ Inis Aingin. +animals, _See also_ resuscitation, hound. +Anmereus. _See_ Ainmire mac Colgain. +_antilum_, +Ara (Aran Is.), +Aradenses. _See_ Dal nAraide. +Aran Is. _See_ Ara. +Ard Abla, +Ard Machae (Armagh), +Ard Manntain, +Ard Tiprat, _See also_ Cluain maccu Nois. +assemblies, +austerities, +Ay. _See_ Mag Ai. + + +Baithin, St., +Ballynagore, +Bangor. _See_ Beannchor. +Beannchor (Bangor, Co. Down), +bearer, +Becc mac De, +bells, +benediction of food, +Benen, St., +Beoanus, Beoedus. _See_ Beoit. +Beoit, +Beonedus, Beonnadus. _See_ Beoit. +Birra (Birr, King's Co.), +birthplace of Ciaran, +boban, _See also_ Bells. +Boecius, Boeus. _See_ Beoit. +bones, +bonfire, +books and book-satchels, +books preserved from wet, +Brenainn, St., +Brenainn of Cluain Ferta, St., +Brigit, St., +Brigit of Cu Cathrach, +Brynach, St., + + +Cadoc, St., +Cael Cholum, +Cainnech, St., +Camerarius, +Cana of Galilee, +Carabine, Red Brian, +Cathach, a monster, +Cathacus, Cathi. _See_ Inis Cathaig. +Cattle, sacred, +Cellach mac Eogain Beil, +Cenel Conaill, +Cenel Fiachach, +Cenel Fiachrach, _See also_ Cenel Fiachach. +Christ, parallels between lives of Ciaran and. _See_ Tendenz. +Ciaran, _passim_. Poem attributed to, +Ciaran of Saigir, St., +Ciaran, other saints called, +Ciarraige, +clairvoyance, +cloak floated on water, +cloak of Senan, +Clonard. _See_ Cluain Iraird. +Clonmacnois. _See_ Cluain maccu Nois. +Clonsingle, +Cluain Cruim, +Cluain Innsythe, +Cluain Iochtar, +Cluain Iraird (Clonard, Co. Meath), +Cluain maccu Nois (Clonmacnois, King's Co.), _passim_ +Cobthach mac Brecain, +Coemgen, St., +Coire Bhreacain (Corrievreckan), +Colman, St., +Colmán Elo, St., +Colmán mac Luacháin, St., +Colmán mac Nuin, +Colum Cille, St. (Columba), +Colum Cille, hymn of, +Colum of Inis Cealtra, St., +Comgall, St., +compacts between saints, +companions of Ciaran, +Conn of the Poor, +Connachta (people of Connacht), +Corco Baiscind, +Corpre the Crooked, +Cow, Ciaran's. _See_ Dun Cow. +crane, pet, +Cremthann, +Crichid. _See_ Crithir. +Crithir, +Croagh Patrick. _See_ Cruachan Aigli. +Cronan, +crosses, +Cruachan Aigli (Croagh Patrick), +Cualu, +Cuimmin, St., +Cumlach, +curses, +Cuthbert, St., +Cybi, St., + + +Dal n-Araide, +Daniel, +Darerca, mother of Ciaran, +Darerca, St., +dates of Ciaran's life, +dates of documents, +deafness cured, +decapitation, +Decies, +Deece, +Delbna, +Derercha. _See_ Darerca. +Dermag (Durrow, King's Co.), +Dermicius. _See_ Diarmait (deacon). +Desi, Dessi, +Diarmait, deacon, _See also_ Iustus. +Diarmait, St., +Diarmait mac Cerrbeil, king, +Dompnanus. _See_ Donnan. +doors open automatically, +Donnan, brother of Ciaran, +Donnan, St., +dreams, +drolls, +druids, _See also_ wizards. +drying corn, +Dun Cow of Ciaran, +Durrow. _See_ Dermag. +dye and dyeing, + + +earth of Ciaran's tomb, +eavesdroppers, +Eile, +elders, Cell of the, at Cluain maccu Nois, +Emer, St., +end of world, beliefs regarding, +Enda, Endeus, Enna, Henna, +envy against Ciaran, +Erne, Loch, +Ernin, St., +Euthymius, +exogamy, +expletives, saintly, +eye plucked out and restored, + + +Failbe, +famines, +fasting, +feasts, +Fergus, +Fidarta (Fuerty, Co. Roscommon), +Finan, St., +Findian, St. (Finnianus), +Findian of Mag Bile, St., +finger scented with wine, +Fintan, St., +fire, consecrated, + from heaven, + Paschal, +firebrand, +Flannan, St., +flesh turned to wheat, _See also_ transformations. +flocks, keeping of, +fosterage, +foundation sacrifices, +fox, +Fuerty. _See_ Fidarta. +Furban, Furbith, king, +Fursa, St., + + +garments, +genealogy of Ciaran, +gifts made by Ciaran, _See also_ almsgiving. +Glas the poet, +Gleann da Locha (Glendaloch, Co. Wicklow), +glosses, +gospel, reading of, +gospels, _See also_ books. +grain turned to gold, _See also_ transformations. +Gregory, Pope, +Guaire, king, + + +hair restored miraculously, +harbour of island, meaning of expression, +Hare Island. _See_ Inis Aingin. +harvesting, +Helena, empress, +Henna. _See_ Enda. +historicity of Lives of Ciaran, +holy water, +homiletic purpose of Lives, +horse ploughing, +hospitality, _See also_ almsgiving. +hound miraculously killed, +Hyde, Dr. Douglas, +hymn of Colum Cille, +hymns to Ciaran, +hypnotism, + + +I (Iona), +Illtyd, St., +Inis Aingin (Hare Island), +Inis Cathaig (Scattery Island), +Inis Clothrann, +Inis Muige Samh (Inismacsaint), _See also_ Ninned. +intoxication, +Iona. _See_ I. +Irluachra, +Isel Chiarain, +Iustus, _See also_ Diarmait, deacon. + + +Keranus, Kiaranus. _See_ Ciaran. +Kiarraighe. _See_ Ciarraige. +King, Adam, 8 +kings of Ireland, 103 +Kyaranus, Kyeranus. _See_ Ciaran. + + +Laigen (Laginensea, Lagenians, Leinstermen), +Lann, +Larne, _See also_ Latharna. +Lasrian, St., +Latharna, +Latronenses. _See_ Latharna. +lepers and leprosy, +Lissardowlin. _See_ Ard Abla. +Little Church of Cluain maccu Nois, +Little Height of Cluain maccu Nois, +Lives of Saints, their nature, +Loch Erne. _See_ Erne, Loch. +Loch Rii. _See_ Rib, Loch. +Lonan the Left-handed, +lucky and unlucky signs, +Lucoll (Lucennus, Luchennus, Luctigernnus), +Lugaid, priest, +Lugaid, St., +Lugbeg, +Lugbrann, +Lugna maccu Moga Laim, +Luimnech (Limerick), + + +Mac Cuillind of Lusk, +Mac Natfraeich, +Mac Nisse, +Mael-Odran, +Mag Ai, +Mag Molt, +Magic, +Maignenn, St., +manuscripts of Lives, +matriarchate, +merchants of wine, +metres, +Mide (Meath), +Mil of Spain, +Milesians, +milk, miraculous supply of, +mills, +Mo-Beoc, +Mo-Bi, St., +Mo-Chua, St., +mockery of druids, +Moin Coise Bla, +Mo-Laise, St., +Moling, St., +Mo-Lioc, +Mugain, +Muinis, bishop, +Muireann, +Muma (Mumenia, Munster, Mumunienses), +Munnu, St., + + +nicknames, +Ninned, St. (Nynnidus), +Nunnery, Cluain maccu Nois, + + +oats turned to wheat, _See also_ transformations. +Odrán, Odranus, +Odrán of Letrecha Odráin, +Oengus mac Crimthainn, +Oengus the Culdee, +Oenna maccu Laigsi (Aengus, Oenius), +Oran, St., +oxen ploughing, + + +pagan sanctuaries, +panegyrics, +Pata, +Patrick, St., +Paul and Peter, SS., relics of, +Paulinus, +Peca, +Peden, Alexander, +pedigree of Ciaran. _See_ Genealogy. +periods of Ciaran's life, +Pieran, St., +ploughing, +Port of the Gospel, _See also_ Inis Angin. +Pre-Celthic tribes, +priest, Ciaran consecrated, +prophecies, +Psalms, use of, + + +Queranus. _See_ Ciaran. +quern, grinding at, +Quiaranus, Quieranus, Quiranus. _See_ Ciaran. + + +raids on Cluain maccu Nois, +Raithbeo (Raichbe), +Ráith Crimthainn, +relics, +resuscitation of animals, + of boy, + of Cluain, + of murdered monks, + process of, +Rib, Loch (Loch Ree), +robbers, +Ruadán, St., +rule of St. Ciaran, + + +Saehrimnir, +Saigir (Seir-Kieran, King's Co.), +Samthann, St., +Scattery Island. _See_ Inis Cathaig. +scent of wine on finger, +secondary interments, +Segine, abbot of I, +Seir-Kieran. _See_ Saigir. +Senan, St., +separation of cows and calves, +ship +Sinann (Sinna, Synna, Shannon), +slavery, +springs, miraculous, + + +taboo, +Tailltiu (Telltown, Co. Meath), +Tara. _See_ Temair. +Tech meic in tSaeir, +Teffia. _See_ Tethba. +Temair (Tara, Co. Meath), +Templemacateer, +Templevickinloyhe, +_Tendenz_ of biographies of Ciaran, +Tethba, +threshing, +Tigernmas, +Tir na Gabrai, +Toirdelbach ó Briain, +tonsure, effacement of, +trade, Irish, +transformations, +tree, sacred, +Tren, +Tuathal Moel-Garb, king, +Tulach na Crosáin, +twins, + + +Ui Failge, +Ui Maine, +Ui Neill, +Uis. _See_ Iustus. +Uisnech, +uncle, relationship of, + + +voice, recognition by, +voice heard from long distance, +voice from heaven, + + +water turned to honey, + to wine, _See also_ transformations. +whirlpool, +wine, +Winefred, St., +wizards, +wolves, +women, relations with, + + +Yseal, Ysseal. _See_ Isel. + + + + * * * * * + +PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, BUNGAY, +SUFFOLK. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LATIN & IRISH LIVES OF CIARAN *** + +***** This file should be named 16479-8.txt or 16479-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/4/7/16479/ + +Produced by Ted Garvin, Lesley Halamek and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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