"Song of Amergin"

[katie bridgewater]

Can anyone who knows their stuff point me at a decent literal translation of "Song of Amergin"? There are plenty of versions out there, but I specifically need a literal and accurate translation of the oldest original text, preferably with footnotes explaining nuances and alternative meanings for the vocabulary. I also need to know who the translator is so I can credit where appropriate.
Thanks!

[DaRC]

Have you looked on the CELT website - which has R.A.S.Macalister's translation?
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/indexLG.html

[Mountainheart]

I love that poem, especially the Robert Graves translation, and first came across it when I was a child before I knew anything about the Druid way: in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising trilogy. I still love those books.

There are a variety of translations here: http://celticmythpodshow.com/Resources/Amergin.php

Thx
David

[Filiocht]

There's a cool essay written by Peter Berresford Ellis at this site with a nice translation attached to it: http://www.hinduwisdom.info/articles_hinduism/258.htm

The essay is interesting (especially what he says about the Tocharians) , but the bit with the song of Amergin (and Ellis's take on it, also interesting) is at the bottom.

[Serenity]

David
Straying a bit off-topic here (apologies) but I also loved "The Dark is Rising" when I was a kid. i go back to read it every now and again. I also loved Alan Garner's "Owl Service", and have been trying to find a copy to reread it. Those of us on this board must have many of the same favourite books that we read as kids that struck some deep Druidic chords within us - even when we couldn't explain what Druid was. Looking back I can now see the threads emerging and weaving together. At the same time I was reading these books, I was spending hours walking through the English countryside on my own, trying to name plants and flowers with my little Oxford dictionary of wildflowers. This was an intensely solitary pursuit and I must have seemed a seriously odd kid at times, although it didn't seem weird to me. I was very lucky to have parents who didn't seem to mind what I did. I notice that many of my favourite books appear on the "what are you reading' thread, including Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon. Is there are thread on the board "Books that changed my Life"? I'll have to do a search.
Blessings
Serenity

[Mountainheart]

Hi Serenity: I'd forgotten about the Owl Service. I loved that book. As a teenager I enjoyed similar things to what you describe. I did a lot of walking in the countryside and spent ages reading the Observer's Book of Trees / Flowers / Fungi etc I was quite fascinated by stories of fairies etc: strangely this interest started with Rupert the Bear Annuals which often seemed to have stories of Rupert's interactions with fairies. My grandmother also had a huge book (about 2 ft x 3ft when opened up which was some sort of story about fairy land. I used to read it everytime I visited.

[Serenity]

Your memory is much better than mine - I think I am probably remembering the Observer books as well.

[eilis]

I also would like a good (authentic) translation of the Song of Amergin. I tried the links given above but was unable to find a complete version. Can someone help locate one complete version that is a good quality translation?

[DaRC]

Try this too http://www.amergin.net/songofamergin.html Graves' translation.

I think you probably need to read as many as you can and then formulate your opinion. Each translator will be affected by their attitude and language so you need to read several.

[eilis]

Grave's embellished a bit - - - this is exactly the problem -- I'm looking for an "authentic" translation. I have looked in several locations and usually can only find parts of the poem, but not the whole piece in one authentic translation.

Is there one that everyone agrees on as the most authentic?

[DaRC]

Have a look here (particularly at the references):
http://www.authorsden.com/categories/article_top.asp?catid=54&id=53506

I don't think there is any translation regarded as the most authentic - amongst Gaelic scholars I believe there's still much discussion about the meanings of some words in Gaelic. Given that ancient poets had a joy in the use of kennings and alliteration translation of any ancient text is fraught with problems.

[Abfalter]

Hi,

I sure am glad I have read this thread. I am about to finalize a book about Alpine folklore, myths and customs and how they relate to the pre-christian Celtic times there, and to shamanism.
Anyway, I am writing this book in German, my mother tongue, and only knew of one German translation of Amergin's poem, where the "I am"-part ends with "I can shift my shape like a god" in the translation of Charles Squire. I am using that line as an indication that shape shifting played an important role in Druidry and was a common practise to experience other forms of existance, animated or not.

However, now that I have read a number of other translations, who tend to prefer the meaning that the God puts fire in the heads, I am wondering: how can it be that the translations are so far apart? Or, maybe I should ask, how did Charles Squire come up with this meaning?

[DaRC]

I don't know why Squire chose that particular translation or why Carey chose "I am a god who forms subjects for a ruler" from "Am dé delbas do chind codnu."

I am also not qualified to say who (of the translators) has a better understanding of old Irish and old Irish poetry. That Macallister and Gregory, whom I do know of, share the same translation and knowing what I do about the "fire in the head" as one of the Druidic divination/inspiration methods I would prefer that translation.