Texts

verse beg. Cumtach na nIudaide n-ard

  • Middle Irish
  • verse
  • Early Irish poetry

Short Middle Irish poem (4qq) on the defining characteristics of various peoples (the Jews, the Greeks, the Franks, the Welsh, the Picts, etc), which correspond closely to those listed in the tract De proprietatibus gentium.

First words (verse)
  • Cumtach na nIudaide n-ard
The architecture of the noble Jews
Manuscripts
Language
  • Middle Irish
Form
verse (primary)
Textual relationships
Related: De proprietatibus gentiumDe proprietatibus gentium

A Frankish, possibly Spanish tract written in the ninth century, which lists the defining weaknesses and strengths of various gentes, including the Irish and the Britons. Two versions of it are known: a shorter one listing single characteristics, whether positive or negative, for twelve gentes (including ira Britanorum and libido Scotorum); and a longer version with two separate lists of vices (e.g. libido Scottorum, duritia Pictorum and ira Brittanorum/brit(t))onum) and virtues (e.g. Scottorum fidelitas, Pictorum magnanimitas and Brittanorum/brit(t))onum) hospitalitas).

Classification

Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
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Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
...

Sources

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.

[ed.] [tr.] Meyer, Kuno [ed. and tr.], “Two Middle-Irish poems”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 1 (1897): 112–113.
Internet Archive: <link>
[ed.] [tr.] OʼCurry, Eugene, Lectures on the manuscript materials of ancient Irish history, delivered at the Catholic University of Ireland during the sessions of 1855 and 1856, Dublin, 1861.
Internet Archive: <link>, <link> Internet Archive – Originally from Google Books: <link>, <link>, <link> Internet Archive – multiple copies: <link>
580–581 Edited from the version in Mac Fhir Bhisigh’s Leabhar na ngenealach.
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
May 2011, last updated: January 2024