Texts
Introduction to the Táin bó Cúailnge
- prose
- Táin bó Cúailnge
Title
Introduction to the Táin bó Cúailnge
This is the first episode of Recension I, described in its concluding statement as being ‘the introductory part’ (titulrad) of the Táin. It is the second one in Recension II, after the story of the pillow-talk between Medb and Ailill, although in the final note, it appears to be distinguished from that preface as being more intrinsically part of the Táin proper (tairngire ⁊ remfástini ⁊ cendphairt in sceóil ⁊ fotha a fagbála ⁊ a dénma, ⁊ comrád chind cherchaille doringni Ailill ⁊ Medb i Crúachain connice sain, translated by O’Rahilly as “prophecy and augury, and the prelude to the tale, [and] the basis of its invention and composition, and the pillow-talk held by Ailill and Medb in Crúachu”).(1)n. 1 See Abigail Burnyeat, ‘Córugud and compilatio in some manuscripts of Táin bó Cúailnge’ in Ulidia 2... (2009).
Initial words (prose)
- Táin bó Cúailnge inso sís
LU
Context(s)The (textual) context(s) to which the present text belongs or in which it is cited in part or in whole.
Táin bó Cúailnge I, Táin bó Cúailnge II;
- Táin bó Cúailnge I
- lines 1–134
- (Cecile O'Rahilly, Táin bó Cúailnge: Recension I (1976))
- Táin bó Cúailnge II
- lines 147–296
- (Cecile O'Rahilly, Táin bó Cúalnge: from the Book of Leinster (1967))
Manuscripts
- Recension I
- Recension II
- Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii2]p. 55b context: Táin bó Cúailnge IINo title
Form
prose (primary)
verse (secondary)
Contains poems
‘Atchíu fer find firfes cles’ » Fedelm’s prophecy. This poem occurs in both recensions.
Textual relationships
For the prefatory matter in Recension II, see Comrád chindcherchailli (‘The pillow-talk’) . Both recensions continue with In scél iar n-urd (‘The story in due order’).
Associated items
Sources
Notes
See Abigail Burnyeat, ‘Córugud and compilatio in some manuscripts of Táin bó Cúailnge’ in Ulidia 2... (2009).
Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.
- Recension I
Windisch, Ernst [ed.], “Táin bó Cúailnge nach der Handschrift Egerton 1782”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 9 (1913): 121–158.
Internet Archive: <link>
Ó Fiannachta, Pádraig [ed.], Táin Bó Cuailnge: the Maynooth manuscript, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1966.
Edited from the O'Curry MS.
Carson, Ciarán [tr.], The Táin: translated from the old Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Penguin Classics, London: Penguin, 2007.
Translation based on O’Rahilly’s editions of Recension II, LL, and Recension I.
See below.
- Recension II
O'Rahilly, Cecile [ed.], The Stowe version of Táin Bó Cuailnge, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1961.
Kinsella, Thomas [tr.], The Tain: translated from the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge, London: Oxford University Press, 1969.
Carson, Ciarán [tr.], The Táin: translated from the old Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Penguin Classics, London: Penguin, 2007.
Translation based on O’Rahilly’s editions of Recension II, LL, and Recension I.
Translation based on O'Rahilly 1967 (Recension II, LL) and O'Rahilly 1976 (Recension I).
- Recension III
Thurneysen, Rudolf [ed.], “Táin bó Cúailghni nach H.2.17”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 8 (1912): 525–554.
TBC III edited from TCD 1319 (H 2. 17).
Internet Archive: <link>
Secondary sources (select)
Mallory, James P., “Táin bó Cúailnge: an outline of the plot”, in: Mallory, James P. [ed.], Aspects of the Táin, Belfast: December, 1992. 9–28.
External links
page name: Introduction to the Táin bó Cúailnge
page url: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/Introduction_to_the_T%C3%A1in_b%C3%B3_C%C3%BAailnge
redirect: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/Special:Redirect/page/11517
numerical alternative: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/index.php?curid=11517
page ID: 11517
page ID tracker: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/index.php?title=Show:ID&id=11517
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
May 2012, last updated: August 2020