I've been looking for the (or rather, an) original version of the Song of Amergin, specifically the one Robert Graves translated. I've seen discussion about one version, but unless Graves took a LOT of poetic license, it would seem he translated a different one, as his is 9, 9, and 5 lines. Can anyone help me out?

Could you give a few lines of his version, please?

I assume it is this version you meant?

http://www.amergin.net/songofamergin.html

Is this the discussion thread you found?
http://www.daltai.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/daltai/discus/show.pl?tpc=12465&post=8624# POST8624

I gave two modern Irish versions there, and a source quote:
"An buntéacs le fáil in Irische Texte III lth 61-62
De réir Lebor Gabála Érenn do chan Aimheirgin file, duine de ochtar
mac Míle, na línte seo nuair a thainig sé i dtír in Éirinn den chéad uair
ag Inbhear Scéine i gCo. Chiarraí. Mar a deirtear ann:
"Ic tabairt a choisse dessi in hEirinn, asbert Amairgen Glungel mac Míled in laíd seo sís"
(Ag tabhairt a choise deise in Éirinn, dúirt Aimheirghin Glúngheal mac Míle an laoi seo thíos)
........
Níl nualeagan anseo ach ar chuid den dán bunaidh, de bhrí na tagartha a bheith ró-dhoiléir i gcuid de
agus i gcuid eile narbh inaistrithe iad más intuigthe féin iad.
"

That last piece:
This new version contains only part of the original poem since many of the references are unclear, and others untranslatable even when they could be understood.

Yes, that's the version I was referring to, and the main thing I was wondering if where Graves gets his extra 5 "I am"'s. All the original version I've found, including the one you posted, have 12 lines starting with "am" (or is or mé, depending on the version), whereas Graves has 17 lines that start with "I am" something. Also, Graves's order is significantly different from the order in the originals I have looked at. Any ideas? Did he just make stuff up?

quote:

Did he just make stuff up?

probably - the poem is in a book where he was developing some theory of Goddess/Magic/Poetry.

It so happens that the thirteenth line of the poem ("Am dé delbas do chind codnu") is now under discussion on the Old-Irish-L list. Look for the thread "antlers for the head?".

(Message edited by dennis on August 19, 2005)