Our schools aren't so good. They haven't been for a long time. How many people have heard of the greatest King of Ireland, Cormac mac Airt? Some say he was mythological; some say he wasn't.
He was described as being famous for his "for his wise, true, and generous judgments."
The article here is ancient wisdom, and if you don't know where you came from, then you don't know who you are and certainly won't have any idea where you might be going.
Below is The Instructions of the King.
"Ethne bore to Cormac a son, her firstborn, named Cairbry, who was King of Ireland after Cormac. It was during the lifetime of Cormac that Cairbry came to the throne, for it happened that ere he died Cormac was wounded by a chance cast of a spear and lost one of his eyes, and it was forbidden that any man having a blemish should be a king in Ireland. Cormac therefore gave up the kingdom into the hands of Cairbry, but before he did so he told his son all the wisdom that he had in the governing of men, and this was written down in a book which is called The Instructions of Cormac. These are among the things which are found in it, of the wisdom of Cormac:—
"Let him (the king) restrain the great,
"Let him exalt the good,
"Let him establish peace,
"Let him plant law,
"Let him protect the just,
"Let him bind the unjust,
"Let his warriors be many and his counsellors few,
"Let him shine in company and be the sun of the mead-hall,
"Let him punish with a full fine wrong done knowingly,
"and with a half-fine wrong done in ignorance.
"Cairbry said, 'What are good customs for a tribe to pursue?' 'They are as follows,' replied Cormac:
"To have frequent assemblies,
"To be ever enquiring, to question the wise men,
"To keep order in assemblies,
"To follow ancient lore,
"Not to crush the miserable,
"To keep faith in treaties,
"To consolidate kinship,
"Fighting-men not to be arrogant,
"To keep contracts faithfully,
"To guard the frontiers against every ill.
"'Tell me, O Cormac,' said Cairbry, 'what are good customs for the giver of a feast?' and Cormac said:
"To have lighted lamps,
"To be active in entertaining the company,
"To be liberal in dispensing ale,
"To tell stories briefly,
"To be of joyous countenance,
"To keep silence during recitals.
"'Tell me, O Cormac,' said his son once, 'what were thy habits when thou wert a lad?' And Cormac said:
"I was a listener in woods,
"I was a gazer at stars,
"I pried into no man's secrets,
"I was mild in the hall,
"I was fierce in the fray,
"I was not given to making promises,
"I reverenced the aged,
"I spoke ill of no man in his absence,
"I was fonder of giving than of asking.
"'If you listen to my teaching,' said Cormac:
"Do not deride any old person though you be young
"Nor any poor man though you be rich,
"Nor any naked though you be well-clad,
"Nor any lame though you be swift,
"Nor any blind though you be keen-sighted,
"Nor any invalid though you be robust,
"Nor any dull though you be clever,
"Nor any fool though you be wise.
"'Yet be not slothful, nor fierce, nor sleepy, nor niggardly, nor feckless nor envious, for all these are hateful before God and men.'
"'Do not join in blasphemy, nor be the butt of an assembly; be not moody in an alehouse, and never forget a tryst.'
"'What are the most lasting things on earth?' asked Cairbry.
"'Not hard to tell,' said Cormac; 'they are grass, copper, and a yew-tree.'
"'If you will listen to me,' said Cormac, 'this is my instruction for the management of your household and your realm:
"Let not a man with many friends be your steward,
"Nor a woman with sons and foster-sons your housekeeper,
"Nor a greedy man your butler,
"Nor a man of much delay your miller,
"Nor a violent, foul-mouthed man your messenger,
"Nor a grumbling sluggard your servant,
"Nor a talkative man your counsellor,
"Nor a tippler your cup-bearer,
"Nor a short-sighted man your watchman,
"Nor a bitter, haughty man your doorkeeper,
"Nor a tender-hearted man your judge,
"Nor an ignorant man your leader,
"Nor an unlucky man your counsellor.
"Such were the counsels that Cormac mac Art gave to his son Cairbry. And Cairbry became King after his father's abdication, and reigned seven and twenty years, till he and Oscar, son of OisÃn, slew one another at the battle of Gowra."
1 comment:
Good advise all, but that would go over the head of the modern political class.
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