A Hymn on the Life, Virtues and Miracles of St. Patrick Part 1

A Hymn on the Life, Virtues and Miracles of St. Patrick.

by Saint Fiech.

A

HYMN

ON THE

LIFE, VIRTUES, AND MIRACLES OF ST. PATRICK,

COMPOSED BY HIS DISCIPLE,

SAINT FIECH, BISHOP OF SLETTY

As this specimen of the language spoken in Ireland about 1200 years ago, is here published, not only for the elucidation of our apostle's history, but also for the gratification of the lovers of Irish literature in general; the Irish original is accompanied, on the opposite page, with an English translation of the whole.

In this translation, the literal meaning, and idiomatic expression of the words and phrases, are adhered to in all such stanzas as the editor (with the aid of some members of the Gaelic Society, particularly conversant with subjects of this sort) could fully understand: for he acknowledges that neither he nor these gentlemen are so vain or disingenuous as to pretend that they comprehend the whole of this very ancient composition.

In order to obviate any objection which may be made against the pa.s.sages in which the editor differs from the author of the version of this hymn, in Colgan's collection of our patron saint's lives, the Latin translation adopted in _his_ edition, is also subjoined to the poem, at the bottom of each page.

To the hymn are added some short notes, ill.u.s.trative of the subject.

_Vindication of St. Fiech's Hymn, in Answer to Dr. Ledwich's Objections._

Respecting the authenticity and antiquity of this curious specimen of our language about the commencement of the sixth century, some doubts were entertained by the sagacious Bollandists, who, consequently, considered St. Fiech to have lived long after our saint's time. This opinion, those learned Jesuits founded on Fiech's referring to other _histories_ for the truth of what he relates with regard to his master, St. Patrick, during the first sixty years of his life previously to his arrival on the mission of Ireland.

This plausible objection has been adopted and urged by Dr. Ledwich, against St. Patrick's existence, with that dogmatical tone of magisterial positiveness so conspicuous in his volume of invectives against the ancient splendour, sanct.i.ty, and literature of his native country, declaring that Fiech and Sedulius's poems on our saint "are the wretched productions of some cloistered ecclesiastic."

To this, the only remaining one of these formidable objections, adduced by the doctor against our apostle's existence, we answer, that Fiech lived and composed this hymn some time after St. Patrick's death, in the 120th year of his age, and 60th of his apostleship. Now supposing Fiech to have lived to the 84th year of his age, and to have composed this hymn in 600, seven years after his master's death, which he so circ.u.mstantially relates in the poem; Fiech must consequently have been no more than about 17 years of age when our saint commenced his mission here. Where, or whence, then, except by divine revelation, or from St. Patrick himself, or from the revelation of others, could his disciple derive his information with respect to St. Patrick's parents and ancestors, who lived in a foreign country? or sacred Tours, in Gaul, the place of our saint's nativity? or his original name Succoth? or his voyages and travels by sea and land, after his escape from servitude in Ireland? or his insular retreats or studies under the spiritual guidance of St.

German of Auxerre? &c, &c. &c.

Now, Fiech very justly informs his readers, that all these transactions, wrought before he was born, and in a foreign country, during the first 60 years of his great master's life, were ascertained in _skelaiv_, (STORIES,) as in the first stanza; or Fiadhaid, _testified to us_, as he says in the sixth stanza of his poem, the only two places were Fiech appeals to others for the foreign actions performed in the early period of St. Patrick's life: of whom, though there were many lives written and published during his existence, yet it is uncertain whether Fiech obtained his account from written or oral doc.u.ments, for either may be denoted by the Irish word _Scealaw_ (stories.) The term by which the translator of this hymn into Latin has rendered it, may also denote either oral or written information. In English, too, the word _history_ often imports oral narration: thus Pope says:

"What _histories_ of toil could I declare, But still, long-wearied nature wants repair."

INNUIN PATRAIC.

I.

Genair Patraic i nem Thur, (1) a.s.seadh ad fet hi scelaibh, Macan se m-bliadharn decc An tan do bhreth fo dheraibh.

II.

Succat a ainm hitrubhradh Cidh a atair ba fisse, Mac calpuirn mic Otide Ho Deocain Odisse. (2)

III.

Baise bliadhna bi foghnamh Maise doine ns tomledh Bitar le cothraighe, (3) Ceathar trebha dia fognadh.

IV.

As bert Uictor fri gniadh Milcon, teseadh far tonna Forruibh a chois for sind leic Maraidh dia aes ni bronna.

V.

Do faidh tar ealpa uile (4) De mhuir, bo hamhra reatha Comdh fargaibh la _Gearman_ Andeas an deiscort leatha.

VI.

An-innsibh mara toirrian Ainis indibh, ad rimhe, Leghais cannoin la _Gearman_ Is eadh ad fiadhad line.

VII.

Do c.u.m n-Erenn dod fetis Aingil _de_ hi fithis, Menic it chithe ifisibh Dos mcfed arithisi.

VIII.

Ro po cobhair don D-Eren Tichta Patraic for Oclat: Ro clos cian son an garma Macraidhi caille fochlad.

IX.

Gadhadair co tisseadh in noebh Ar a nimthised lethu, Ar atin taradh o cloean Tuath a h-Eren do bheathu.

X.

Tuata h-Eren Tairchantais Dos nicfead Sithlaith nua, Meraidh co ti amartaige Bidh fas tir temhrach.

XI.

A Dhruidh ar Laoghaire Tichta Patraic ni cheiltis, Ro firad ind aitsine, Ina flatha as beirtis.

XII.

Ba leir Patraic c.u.mbebha, Ba sabh innarba cloeni, Ised duargoibh a Eua Suas de sech threbhah doeani

XIII.

Immuin agus Apocapalips, Na tri coicat nos canad Pritchad, batset, arniged, Do moladh De in anad.

XIV.

Ni con Gebed fuacht sine Do shess aidche hillinnibh For nim consena a Righe, Pritcais fri de indindaibh.