Texts

Etsecht Bic meic Dé

Early Irish
prose

Short Irish story of Becc mac Dé, his prophetic gift and the three falsehoods he utters on the day of his death, when he meets Colum Cille. The text is essentially an excerpt from the first recension of Aided Diarmata meic Cerbaill.

Manuscripts

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 16 (1230) = Leabhar Breac (‘Speckled Book’) [s. xvⁱⁿ]

p. 260b

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1318 6, cols 281-344 = Section of YBL

col. 344

Language

Early Irish

Form

prose (primary)

Textual relationships

(Possible) sources: Aided Díarmata meic Cerbaill (Recension I)Aided Díarmata meic Cerbaill (Recension I)A composite Middle Irish tale about the reign and (threefold) death of Díarmait mac Cerbaill, king of Ireland. A common theme is the king’s violation of ecclesiastical sanctuary or protection.