Page:Origin and Growth of Religion (Rhys).djvu/150

134 slight admixture of history. His reign is represented as one of remarkable prosperity, and he himself as exceeding 'all his predecessors in magnificence, munificence, wisdom and learning, as also in military achievements.' So great was his reputation for legal knowledge, that a well-known book of Irish law has been attributed to him. One version of his history as king of Erinn represents him driven from his throne by an enemy called Fergus the Black-toothed, but enabled afterwards, like Nuada, to recover the sovereignty. Another, however, found in an older manuscript, but not necessarily an older account, describes his court at Tara invaded by a champion called Aengus of the Poisoned Spear, whose brother had lost his daughter to a son of Cormac's called Cellach. Aengus slew Cellach between his father and the wall, and in so doing put out one of the king's eyes. This Aengus was a Plutonic prince associated with a historical people called the Déisi, which probably means that he was a god specially worshipped by them. Be that as it may, his deed of violence is represented as the beginning of a revolt against Cormac. In the war which followed, Aengus fell at the head of the Déisi, who were then driven out of their land by Cormac's son Cairbre and his sons. On the other hand, Cormac himself had to quit the office of king on losing his eye, so that he lived some time in the neighbourhood of Tara and helped his son