p. 250. Seisreaċ Breisliġe, the onslaught made by Cú Chulainn on Méibh’s camp as a reprisal for the slaughter of the youths (pp. 156–60). The title is generally connected with brisleaċ, ‘rout,’ see Hull’s Cuchullin Saga, p. 177, but the simplest explanation would be ‘plowing,’ and Breisliġe as gen. of Breisleaċ, the name of the place where Méibh’s army was encamped on this occasion (TBC 2432; TY 1773); the translation would then be ‘the plowing of Breisleach.’ In the old descriptions of the onslaught stress is laid upon the way in which the ground was trenched by the iron wheels of Cú Chulainn’s chariot. The suggested rendering is supported by the fact that the two other great slaughters in the Táin, with which this is ranked, are named from places, viz., Imshlighe Gleannamhnach and An Cath for Gáirigh ocus Irgáirich.
p. 251. tá do ċuid fola leat, ‘your blood is flowing from you.’
„ „ The healing of the Mórríghan. She had been blinded in one eye by Cú Chulainn, and those whom he wounded could not be cured until he wished them well.
„ „ dée agus andée, rendered ‘gods and non-gods’ by O’Grady and Miss Faraday. In some MSS. these words are followed by the commentary dee leósaṁ an t-aos cuṁaċta ⁊ andee an t-aos treaḃṫa‘ ‘they looked upon the people of power as gods and the husbandmen as non-gods.’ O’Grady, Hull’s Cuchullin Saga, p. 169, takes ‘people of power’ to mean ‘the aristocracy of war class.’
p. 252. tál-ḟuil, ‘pulsating blood.’
The duration of the Táin: When Cú Chulainn was leaving Scáthach, having finished his training in warfare, she recited some verses to him foretelling the war of the Táin. Prof. Thurneysen remarks (Zeits. f. Celt. Phil. IX. 487) that according to these verses, which constitute the oldest known reference to the Táin, the campaign would appear to have lasted only fourteen days. Buit this should probably be understood as referring only to the time taken by Méibh’s army in capturing the bull (p. 125 supra). It is constantly stated e.g., TBC 2900, etc., R.C. XV. 465) that Cú Chulainn withstood the invaders from November to February.
