It's a pity that the complex rhyming patterns of these old poems is totally lost in translation. Even verses meant to start with the last word of the previous verse seldom do that in English.I agree because I know there is something lost in the translation but the book only gives the English translation or I would have posted the Irish too (but I don't know Irish).
I also found it interesting that some translations have tried to preserve what may be lost, for example ... there is a version of Amergin's Invocation to Ireland that "departs sharply from the literal in the interest of that ancient rime scheme in which the end of the word of one line rimes with the first word of the line following:"
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The Incantation Amergin |
Bards of the Gael and Gall: Examples of the Poetic Literature of Erinn, Done Into English After the Metres and Modes of the Gael edited by George Sigerson New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907 |
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Ailim iath n-erend
- original Irish text
Ameirghin cecinit |
Lebor Gabála Érenn [The Book of Invasions], Verse 81 |
Here's the original Irish:
Ailim iath n-erend
Ermac muir motach
Motach sliab sreatach
Sreatach coill ciotach
Ciotach ab eascach
Easach loc lindmar
Lindmar tor tiopra
Tiopra tuath aenach
Aenach righ teamra
Teamair tor tuatach
Tuata mac milead
Mile long libearn
Libearn ard Ere
Ere ard diclass
Eber dond digbas
Diceadal ro gaet
Ro gaet ban breissi
Breissi ban buaich
[Be nadbail heriu]
Herimon or tus [hir]
hir Eber ailseas
Ailim iath n-erend
