references to Lug sundry solar touches, including among them an epithet meaning 'half crimson,' on account, as it is there explained, of Lug's colour being red from sunset till morn,[1] and after relating how he had been the chief organizer of the battle, states that the Tuatha Dé Danann resolved to keep him out of the conflict himself 'on account of his comeliness,'[2] a motive which vividly recalls the care taken of Balder by the Anses. The former carried their resolution into effect by placing Lug under a guard of nine men. When, however, the war had been dragging on for an indefinite length of time, his guard had their attention drawn away from Lug, and he gave them the slip. He then rode away in his chariot, and appeared at the head of the forces of the Tuatha Dé Danann, exhorting them to deeds of valour; but no feat is reported of him till he met Balor of the Evil Eye, when a conflict took place which quickly ended with Lug's slaying Balor. Lug addressed him as the monster of Lugaid, a term which brings into curious rapport with one another the victorious antagonist of the Sun-god in the person of Cúchulainn (p. 471), and the vanquished foe of the same divinity in the person of Lug.
- ↑ Fol. 69b (58b), alug letsuanaigh, which is glossed .i. dath. derc nobid fair ofuine greni comaidin. Here suanaigh should probably be sianaigh, from sion, 'digitalis.'
- ↑ The MS. reads, 67a (56a), aracoime, which may be supposed to stand for arachoime. Taken, however, as it stands, it would perhaps be admissible to render it 'on account of their fondness (for him);' but coime usually means loveliness, comeliness, or the aggregate qualities which make one pleasing to others.
p. 253 above. He says, p. 250, that he had it copied by his son in 1855; but though it is mythologically most curious, it has not yet been published, which is much to be regretted. M. d'A. de Jubainville, Essai d'un Cat. p. 80, assigns it to the fifteenth century.
