Hew Morrison Collection > Adhamh agus Eubh, no Craobh Sheanachais nan Gàël

CELTIC LANGUAGE. 131
CHAPTER V.
" Oùx av ^vvùcifiriV ffufifta^i7v ùfuv lya,
auS" oì r^o'jroi yà^ òfji,otoutj ouS" oi \of/.oi
hf-Zvy àtr' aK\i\Xoiv Sl ^ii^ouffiv vroXÙ.
'Bouv TT^offKuvils' tyòj Sè 6ua rols 6io7s'
T?v ìy^tXuv ft,'iyi(rrov hyi7 ìaifiova,
hfM7; Sì rùv o'4'ojv fiiyiffrov tragà •ffoXh.
oùx, iffù'iii; uiia, iyù Ss y ìjìof^cai
ftaXifra rovrois' xuva iriSiis, ru'ìfru S' tyoi,
ToZ^f/ov xariffùioufav hvix av XaSai,
rous ìi^ias IvSa^i fAÌv òXoxX'A^ous vofios
tivai' Va^' ifiTv S', às toixiv, àv/i^yfi.ivous'
ffv fìiv ròv a'iXou^ov xaxòv l^'ovr, riv 'io'/is,
xXaiiis' iyài d'Tì^iirr' àxoxriivas oi^o)'
"èùvarai -xa^ vf/ìv f^vyaX'/i, Tà.^ Ifioì òi y' ou."
The foUow'ms is a Translation.
" 'Tis plain tiiat you and I can ne'er agree,
So opposite are all our ways and rites.
Before a bul/, four-legged beast, ye bend,
With pious terror smitten : at the altar,
I offerliim a victim to thc gorts.
You fancy in the little eel some power
Of dajmon hugc and terrible, within ;
We stew it for our daintiest appetite. The flesh
Of fatted swine you touch not : 'tis the best
Of all our delicate mcats. The yelping air
Is in your creed a god : I whip the rogue
Whene'er I catch hira stealing eggs or meat.
Our priests are whole in skin from foot to head :
Not so your circumcised and shaven seers.
You cry and wail whene'er ye s()y a cat
Starving or sick : I count it not a sin
To hang it up, and flay it for its skin.
Ye say the paltry shrew-raouse is a god."
Anaiand. in Civitat. apud Atkctuai Deipnos, lih. vii. p. SiH).