The Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Moytura)

The Tuatha De Danaan lived in the northern isles of the world, learning lore and magic and druidism and wizardry and cunning, until they surpassed the sages of the arts of heathendom. There were four cities in which they learned lore and science and diabolic arts, to wit Falias and Gorias, Murias and Findias. Out of Falias was brought the Stone of Fal, which was in Tara. It used to roar under every king that would take the realm of Ireland. Out of Gorias was brought the Spear that Lugh had. No battle was ever won against it or him who held it in his hand. Out of Findias was brought the Sword of Nuada. When it was drawn from its deadly sheath, no one ever escaped from it, and it was irresistible. Out of Murias was brought the Dagda’s Cauldron. No company ever went from it unthankful. Four wizards there were in those four cities. Morfesa was in Falias: Esras was in Gorias: Uscias was in Findias: Semias was in Murias. Those are the four poets of whom the Tuatha De learnt lore and science.

Now the Tuatha De Danaan made an alliance with the Fomorians, and Balor grandson of Net gave his daughter Ethne to Cian, son of Diancecht, and she brought forth the gifted child, Lugh. The Tuatha De came with a great fleet to Ireland to take it from the Fir Bolg. They burnt their ships at once on reaching the district of Corcu Belgatan (Connemara today), so that they should not think of retreating to them; and the smoke and the mist that came from the vessels filled the neighboring land and air. Therefore it was conceived that they had arrived in clouds of mist. The first battle of Moytura was fought between them and the Fir Bolg; and the Fir Bolg were routed and a hundred thousand of them were slain, including their king Eochaid son of Ere.

In that battle, moreover, Nuada’s hand was stricken off — it was Sreng son of Sengann that struck it off him, so Diancecht the leech put on him a hand of silver with the motion of every hand; and Credne the brazier helped the leech.

Now the Tuatha De Danaan lost many men in the battle including Edleo son of Alla, and Ernmas and Fiachra and Turil Bicreo.

But such of the Fir Bolg as escaped from the battle went in flight to the Fomorians, and settled in Arran and in Islay and in Mann and Rathlin.

A contention as to the sovereignty of the men of Ireland arose between the Tuatha De Danaan and their women; because Nuada, after his hand has been stricken off, was disqualified to be king. They said that it would be fitter for them to bestow the kingdom on Bres son of Elotha, on their own adopted son; and that giving the kingdom to him would bind the alliance of the Fomorians to them. For his father, Elotha son of Delbaeth, was king of the Fomorians.

Now the conception of Bres came to pass in this way:

Eri, a woman of the Tuatha De Danaan, was one day looking at the sea and the land from the house of Maeth Sceni, and she beheld the sea in perfect calm as if it were a level board. And as she was there she saw a vessel of silver on the sea. Its size she deemed great, but its shape was not clear to her. And the stream of the wave bore it to land. Then she saw that in it was a man of fairest form. Golden-yellow hair was on him as far as his two shoulders. A mantle with bands of golden thread was around him. His shirt had trimmings of golden thread. On his breast was a brooch of gold, with the sheen of a precious stone therein. He carried two white silver spears and in them two smooth riveted shafts of bronze. Five circlets of gold adorned his neck, and he was girded with a golden-hilted sword with inlays of silver and studs of gold.

The man said to her: “Is this the time that our lying with thee will be easy?”

“I have not made a tryst with thee, verily,” said the woman.

But they stretched themselves down together. The woman wept when the man would rise.

“Why weepest thou?” said he.

“I have two things for which I should lament,” said the woman. “Parting from thee now that we have met. And the fair youths of the Tuatha De Danaan have been entreating me in vain, and my desire is for thee since thou hast possessed me.”

“Thy anxiety from these two things shall be taken away,” said he. He drew his golden ring from his middle-finger, and put it into her hand, and told her that she should not part with it, by sale or by gift, save to one whose finger it should fit.

“I have another sorrow,” said the woman. “I know not who hath come to me.”

“Thou shall not be ignorant of that,” said he. “Elotha (Elatha) son of Delbáeth, king of the Fomorians, hath come to thee. And of our meeting thou shalt bear a son, and no name shall be given him save Eochaid Bres, that is Eochaid the beautiful; for every beautiful thing that is seen in Ireland, whether plain or fortress or ale or torch or woman or man or steed, will be judged in comparison with that boy, so that man say of it then “it is a bres”.

After that the man went back again by the way he had come, and the woman went to her house, and to her was given the famous conception.