Part 4

[30] Rev. xiv. i.

[31] "I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps" (Rev. xiv. 2).

[32] "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John xiv. 3).

[33] _Rogmar_ (mod. Ir. _roghmhar_) means "bulky" or "fortunate" or "fat"; here it refers to God as possessor of all.

III. THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. (vii.)

[Sidenote: l. 1081]

Prince who gave a clear admonition to Eve and to Adam, that they should eat of the produce of Paradise according to God's command:

"Eat ye of them freely, of the fruits of Paradise--sweet the fragrance-- many, all of them (a festival to be shared)[34] are lawful for you save one tree.

"In order that you may know that you are under authority, without sorrow, without strife, without anxiety, without long labour, without age, evil, or blemish;

"Without decay, without heavy sickness; with everlasting life, in everlasting triumph on your going to heaven (joyous the festival) at the choice age of thirty years."

A thousand years and six hours of the hours, without guile, without danger, it has been heard, Adam was in Paradise.[35]

O God our help, whom champions prove, who fashioned all with perfect justice, not bright the matter of our theme (?)[36] the King who spake an admonition with them.

Prince who gave a clear admonition.

(The figures in brackets after the title of the chapters are the numbers of the poems or cantos in the text.)

FOOTNOTES:

[34] Lit. "share of a festival"; this is one of those chevilles which are frequent in this poem, often introduced without much sense to fill out a line, or to give a rhyming word. We have omitted a few of them in the translation.

[35] There seems to be some error here. According to Gen. v. 3, Adam lived altogether nine hundred and thirty years, as the poet states further on (p. 43).

[36] The meaning of this line is not clear. The above is conjectural.

IV. THE FALL AND EXPULSION FROM PARADISE. (viii.)

[Sidenote: l. 1105]

The Devil was jealous thereat with Adam and his children, their being here, without evil, in their perfect bodies (on their passage) to heaven.

All the living creatures in the flesh my Holy King has created them, outside Paradise without strife Adam it is who used to order them.

At the time when out of every quarter the hosts of the seven heavens used to gather round my High King, every fair corporeal creature used to come together to Adam.

Each of them out of this place cheerfully,[37] at his call to adore him; to Adam, joyous the custom, they used to come to delight him.

From heaven God ruled all the living things that they should come out of every district without fierceness[38] till they arrived before (the gate of) Paradise.

Then they would return right-hand-wise without seed of pride or any murmuring, each of them to its very pure abode after taking leave of Adam.

The very fierce, double-headed beast, was subtle and watchful, with (his) twenty hosts, how under heaven he shall find a way to bring about the destruction of Adam.

Lucifer, many his clear questions,[39] went amongst the animals, amongst the herds outside Paradise until he found the serpent.

"Is it not useless (_i.e._ unworthy of you) thy being outside?" said the Devil to the serpent; "with thy dexterous cunning, with thy cleverness, with thy subtlety?

"Great was the danger and the wickedness that Adam should have been ordained over thee; the downfall[40] of him, the youngest of created things, and his destruction, would be no crime to us.

"Since thou art more renowned in warfare, first of the twain thou wast created, thou art more cunning, more agreeable in every way (?) do not submit to the younger!

"Take my advice without shrinking,[41] let us make an alliance and friendship; listen to my clear reasoning: do not go forth to Adam.

"Give me a place in thy body, with my own laws, with my own intellect, so that we both may go from the plain unexpectedly[42] to Eve.

"Let us together urge upon her the fruit of the forbidden tree, that she afterwards may clearly press the food upon Adam.

"Provided that they go together beyond the commandment of his Lord, God will not love them here, they will leave Paradise in evil plight."[43]

"What reward is there for me above every great one?" said the serpent to the devil; "on my welcoming thee into my fair body, without evil, as my fellow-inhabitant?

"For guiding thee on that road to destroy Eve and Adam, for going with thee truly to the attack whatever act thou mayest undertake?"[44]

(LUCIFER _replies_)

"What greater reward shall I give to thee according to the measure of our great crime (than that) our union in our habits, in our wrath, shall be for ever spoken of?"

When he found a place for the betrayal in the likeness of the serpent's shape, slowly he went tarrying[45] directly to the gate of Paradise.

The serpent called outside, "dost thou hear me, O wife of Adam? come and converse with me, O Eve of the fair form, beyond[46] every other."

"I have no time to talk with anyone," said Eve to the serpent; "I am going out to feed the senseless animals."

"If you are the Eve whose fame was heard with honour in Paradise, wife of Adam, beautiful, wide-minded, in her I desire[47] my full satisfaction."[48]

(EVE _speaks_)

"Whenever Adam is not here, I am guardian of Paradise, without weariness, O smooth, pale creature, I attend to the needs of the animals."

(_The_ SERPENT _speaks_)

"How long does Adam go from thee, on which side does he make his fair circuit, when at any time he is not here feeding the herds in Paradise?"

"He leaves it to me, bright jewel; I feed the animals, while he goes with pure unmeasured renown to adore the Lord."

"I desire to ask a thing of thee," said the slender, very affable serpent, "because bright and dear is thy clear reasoning, O Eve, O bride of Adam!"

"Whatever it be that you contemplate saying, it will not vex me, O noble creature; certainly there will be no obscurity here, I will narrate it to thee truthfully."

"Tell me, O glorious Eve, since it chances that we are discoursing together, in your judgment, is the life in Paradise, with your lordship here, pleasant?"

(EVE _replies_)

"Until we go faultless in our turn, (or "ranks") in our bodies to heaven, we do not ask here greater lordship than what there is of good in Paradise.

"Every good thing,[49] as it was heard, that God created in Paradise, save one tree, all without reserve, is thus under our control.[50]

"It is He, the dear God, who committed to us, O pale, bashful creature, Paradise as a solace[51] for His people (?) except the fruit of the one tree.

"'Let alone the very pure tree,' He cautioned myself and Adam, 'the fruit of the rough tree, if thou eatest of it against my command, thou shalt die.'"

(_The_ Serpent _speaks_)

"Though on the plain[52] you be equal, yourself and Adam, O Eve, you are not more intelligent, O gentle, pure one, than any of the beasts.

"However great be the host under you outside it is lamentable that you are without minds, like to any of the ignorant animals; thus you are under one law (with them).[53]

"Except as regards possessions only, your lordship has not been complete; since nothing of evil has been sent to you, the worse is your understanding.

"Great is the lack of wisdom; God is deceiving you: because it is of the one tree of good and evil, that you are not permitted to eat.

"For this purpose the brave tree was invented, in order that it should not be allowed you; that you should not have the intelligence to distinguish between good and evil.

"Do not hesitate, go to the tree, to test it as regards one apple; the discernment between good and evil will be as the High Prince instructed you."

(EVE _speaks_)

"How good soever thy intelligence, however favourable[54] and gracious thy counsel, to go to the tree I dare not, lest we die.

"Go thou thyself to the tree, O serpent, and bring from it one apple; but if that apple come to me I shall share it between myself and Adam.

"Before all the multitudes we shall be endowed with knowledge, if we but eat the apple, (this is) thy tale without mockery; perchance what thou sayest is true."

(_The_ SERPENT _speaks_)

"O Eve, untrammelled light, open before me the gate of Paradise; provided I arrive without misfortune yonder I will bring from the tree the apple."

(EVE _speaks_)

"Though I open before thee that thou mayest go yonder, though from the tree you bring me an apple, there will be no delay on thee here, (by) thy lingering in Paradise?"

(SATAN _speaks_)

"If I bring the apple to thee, that thou mayest discern good and evil without any fail I will go out, unless bondage or fetters befall me."

Eve opened secretly the door before the serpent, without difficulty[55] it went (it was not obsequious), on its course to the one tree.

Eve took the perfect apple from the apple-tree (most woeful the tale), Eve carried off the half, it was not well, she left the other half for Adam.

King who drave from Thee the host of hell, who hast made them fast in equal wretchedness under trembling service, He (God) wounded in battle, though it was laborious, the keen wolf who was jealous.

The Devil was jealous thereat.

FOOTNOTES:

[37] Lit. "prosperously."

[38] Lit. "without attack."

[39] This seems to be a cheville; lit. "number of clear questions."

[40] Lit. "his consuming."

[41] Lit. "without grief" or "sorrow."

[42] Lit. "under attack."

[43] Lit. "without bloom"?

[44] Lit. "rise to."

[45] Or "steadily."

[46] Or perhaps "apart from" every other.

[47] Or "I beseech."

[48] Or "need."

[49] This is the L. B. reading; the text has _fia._ Is it _fiadh_, of which one meaning is "meat," or "food"?

[50] Or "it is thus according to rule," _i.e._ laid down for us.

[51] _Donad_ seems to be used in the same way as _didnad_, "solace" or "consolation," _v.n._ of _didonaim_, "I console."

[52] _i.e._ outside in the fields among the animals.

[53] _i.e._ on the same level with the beasts.

[54] Or "full of grace."

[55] _Cith_ means a "shower" (metaph. "of tears"); also "hardship."

V. THE PENANCE OF ADAM AND EVE. (xi.)

[Sidenote: l. 1469]

King who bestowed the pleasurable earth upon Adam after the fall, he had no (reason for) displeasure towards God, save that he should perish after a time.[56]

Adam was a week yet after his expulsion out of Paradise, weary, without fire, without dwelling, without drink or food or clothing.

Because they were impoverished they went into the midst of the field, great was the mutual reproach perpetually between Eve and Adam.

"O Eve of the just fair form, sorrowful are we through thy impenitence; (?) through thy misdeeds, through thy transgression, alas! we have been cast out of Paradise.

"Much did we relinquish of good when we vexed our High Prince; Paradise was ours under perfect command[57] with every reverence.

"Youth[58] and joy, by us it has been heard, health, playfulness, delight, bordered[59] lands, most perfect of form, wondrous plants, harmonies.

"Noble satisfaction, singular wholesome peace, a festival of holiness for souls, ...[60] many the habitations, frequent intercourse with angels.

"Lasting life, continually at God's right hand, for ever in the brughs of Paradise, in which, under fair aspect, God's creatures were doing us reverence.

"All the living things under heaven which my faithful dear God created, under (our) control over every high place, we it was who used to order them.

"Fire would not burn us, water would not drown us, nor sharp edge ...[61] nor (was there) pestilence nor consuming disease.

"There was not among the elements of dear God, one that would come, in heaven or earth, against our will, to destroy us, save only the wicked Lucifer.

"Even Lucifer could not harm us, while we were under law (in a) perfect course according to mandate, according to command.

"Because we wronged dear God who gave us everything, on every height, all creatures together, are (now) in opposition to us.

"It is not God who has been evil towards us, O Eve, ruddy, gentle fair one; it is we who have wronged the Prince, though He provided us with lasting good."

Eve spake, for she was in distress,[62] in sorrow, after the fall; "O Adam, marvellous over every wild, why do you not kill me for my sins?

"It is I who transgressed the law, it is I who committed the transgression, it would then be right that thou should'st slay me, O my Lord, O Adam!

"Provided that I fall (just the measure) for my sins, for my transgression, clearly the greater mercy will thy God shew towards thee."

"Greatly have we offended the King," said he, said Adam, without contempt, "O Wife, I will not commit murder on thee, though I be famished, though I be naked.

"I will not lift my hand upon my own blood, my own flesh; how great soever thy crime, it is from my body thou art.

"It is not fitting for us in any way to outrage Him again; so that the true Prince, O wife, may not cut us off and utterly destroy us.

"That we go not from Him a distant journey with demons into the abyss of torment, nor that God give us back into the power of Lucifer."

"There is no good in our life,[63] O Adam," said she, said Eve; "without clothing, without warm dwelling, without food, we shall perish of hunger.

"We had food, we had garments, as long as we were without sin; since our fall and our going astray, we have neither clothing nor good food.

"O Husband, make a circuit without fail by a pleasant path on every hand, to learn if thou canst get as a feast (?) of food for us something that we would eat."

Adam went on a well-marked course near by, and far away; he did not find, after all, any wholesome food but herbs of the ground.

Herbs of the soil, green their colour, food of the senseless animals; they are not tender for us as a meal, after the pleasant food of Paradise.

(ADAM _speaks_)

"O Eve, let us with sincerity make lasting penance and repentance, that we might cleanse away before the King of Justice something of our sins, of our transgressions."

(EVE _replies_)

"Give me instruction about that, O my Lord, O Adam, because I know not before the great world[64] how one should do penance.

"Instruct me clearly, according to thy understanding, according to thy clear sense, that I do not exceed, neither that I fall short in any way."

(ADAM _speaks_)

"Let us adore the Lord together in silence, without intercourse; thou into the strong river Tigris, and I will go into the River Jordan.

"Thirty-three days thou should'st be in the River Tigris, myself in Jordan under correction forty-seven clear days.

"Take with thee a firm flag of stone, (place it) under thy sitting, under thy gentle feet, and I shall take with me another stone equal to it, resembling it exactly.

"Dispose the stone in the river, bathe thyself on it; thou wilt be chosen as thou hast strength to endure until the water rises to thy throat.

"Thy locks spread luxuriantly on every hand, upon the stream on every side; be thou silent with grief and special sadness, thy keen eyes towards the heavenly ones.

"Lift thy two hands every canonical hour[65] towards the heavenly Lord of the nine grades; pray ..., even at the beginning, forgiveness for thy transgression.

"We are not pure to converse with God, since (our) transgression, since (our) impurity, for our false, polluted mouths are not clean, stainless, bright.

"Let us beseech the whole of the creatures formed by God through His pure mysteries, that they implore with us to the King of Justice that our transgression be forgiven.

"Perform in this manner thy good work, and beseech the true Prince; until He determine clearly do not stir thyself, do not move."

Forty and seven days without woe was Adam in the River Jordan; thirty and three days was gentle Eve in the stream of the River Tigris.

Angels of God each day from heaven from God to succour Adam, instructing him, as was permitted, to the end of nineteen days.

Then Adam sought a mighty boon upon the River Jordan; that it would "fast" with him upon dear God, with its multitude of creatures.

The stream stood still in its course, in its onward motion; the kingly stream paused from its flow that He might give forgiveness to Adam.

Then the stream gathered together every living creature that was in its womb, until the whole number of the living creatures were around Adam.

All of them prayed, Adam, the stream, and the multitude of animals; mournfully they poured forth their noble lamentation to the perfect host of the nine holy grades.

That all the grades, openly, might beseech their Lord on their behalf that God should give full forgiveness, and should not destroy Adam.[66]

The nine grades with their array prayed to God who controls them for forgiveness now for Adam for his peril, for his sin.

God gave to His grades full pardon for the sin of Adam, and the habitation of the earth at all times with heaven, holily noble, all-pure.

And He pardoned after that their descendants and their peoples, save him alone who acts unrighteously and transgresses the will of God unlawfully.

When the black Devil heard that forgiveness had been bestowed on Adam, (he said) "I will go in a distinguished brilliant form to Eve again.

"That I may bring her out of the stream through weakness, that I may put her on a course of death; so that I may drown (_i.e._ destroy) something of her work and disturb her devotion."

Lucifer went with joyful speed, the fierce, astute wolf, like a swan, in the shape of a white angel, to Eve in the River Tigris.

The angel who destroyed them spake with her, in pity for her, as it seemed to her, "O modest Eve of the bright form, long hast thou tarried in the River Tigris.

"Ah Woman, though bright was thy beauty, thou hast grown pale[67] in the rough stream; without vigour ..., it is evident thou hast slain thyself, thou hast destroyed thyself.

"O Woman, come out for the sake of thy God, remain no longer in the cruel river; thy valiant King sent me journeying, from Him have I come to show pity to thee."

Then comes Eve out of the river, and was on the shore, drying herself; a cloud (_i.e._ a faintness) fell on her then, so that she was almost dead without life.

Bright Eve did not recognise Lucifer with his manifold snares; the matchless woman was perplexed,[68] her mind was in doubt.

* * * * *

(LUCIFER _speaks_)

"O Eve, what has come to thee? greatly art thou considering; clearly I came to thee from heaven, at the command of the steadfast God.

"Let us go hence to Adam. O Woman! do not be wavering; we have all prayed to dear God to pardon you for your sins."

Then they went vigorously as far as the River Jordan, to Adam, chief of tribes; noble Eve and Lucifer.

When Adam perceived from the river Eve and Lucifer, trembling took hold upon him, (though) he was courageous, horror of the Devil's countenance filled him.

"My grief! O wandering Eve, thy guide is betraying thee; the man who comes journeying with thee here, it is he who deceived thee in Paradise.

"Ah, sad Eve, without dear form,[69] what brought thee from the River Tigris without the warrant of the King of Justice, without a pure accompanying angel?"

When Eve heard that, the reproaches of Adam, she fell to the ground, she came near to speedy death.

(A long conversation follows between Adam and the Devil; Adam demands why the Devil pursues them with such perpetual hatred and, in reply, Lucifer recounts his fall from heaven, which he says was caused by his refusal to obey the command of God that he should worship Adam. This command he refused, because he, as the first-created, felt it unworthy of him to adore Adam, the youngest-born of created things. He details his present miseries, and his determination to take revenge on Adam and Eve. The poem or canto ends with the coming of Adam out of the river, and the history of their children, Seth, Cain, and Abel.)

FOOTNOTES:

[56] _i.e._ instead of passing in his body direct to heaven, without dying, his days henceforth were numbered.

[57] Lit. "summons."

[58] The word is _óetiu_, probably _óitiu_ = "youth"; L. B. has _áitte aille ocus slanti cen galar_, "beautiful places and health without sickness."

[59] _Balthai_ (?). There is a word _baltadh_, "a border" (O'R); L. B. has _blathi_, "blooming" or "prosperous."

[60] _Aithbi derrit_?

[61] _Fédim_?

[62] Or possibly "famished."

[63] Lit. "gatherings" or "proceedings."

[64] Lit. "before every quarter" (_i.e._ of the world).

[65] Like the mention of "cross-vigil" later on, the mention of canonical hours is a quaint anachronism in the history of Adam and Eve.

[66] Or possibly "without stint to Adam"; but the reading above seems better to bear out the meaning.

[67] Lit. "thou hast changed thy complexion in the rough stream."

[68] Lit. "it was difficult to the matchless woman."

[69] _i.e._ "whose form has been changed by her sojourn in the river."

VI. THE DEATH OF ADAM. (xii.)

[Sidenote: l. 2021]

Adam's lifetime was not short; that ye may know, without risk (of error), thirty years had he, it was exactly proven, with nine hundred years.[70]

Then came a complete sickness to Adam, such as comes to everyone, his wife Eve with every goodness was receiving his last bequests.

Adam knew his destiny, he spake to splendid Eve: "I have parted from thee and from thy children; of this sickness I die."

"It is hard of God," said she, said Eve, to Adam, "that thou art not sojourning here,(?) that it is not I who go first.

"My grief! that thou should'st change," said she, said Eve to Adam; "that I should be here sorrowful without strength, that thou should'st go first."

"O Eve of the pure clear form, understand clearly in thy mind; thou wilt not be any length, it is clear, here in pain after my departure.

"Short was the time, though it be without deception, between thy creation and mine, thou wilt not be in danger of attack,[71] bright is the outlook, but nine months after me."

"Tell me without error, O Husband, what I shall do with thy fair dear body? since thou deemest thy death is certain, O my Lord, O Adam!"

"Let not foot or hand touch me, let not any interfere with me, till one is sent from God from heaven to arrange my fair dear body.

"Leave my body (fair the fashion), in its bonds without disturbance; I am certain that the noble Artificer who formed me will provide for the needs of my body.