batch.motif.celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg-l14158-l14287
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg-l14158-l14287
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
passage_locator:
label: HERE FOLLOWETH ILIACH'S CLUMP-FIGHT / HERE NOW THE DEER-STALKING OF AMARGIN
IN TALTIU / THE ADVENTURES OF CUROI SON OF DARE FOLLOW NOW / THE REPEATED WARNING
OF SUALTAIM; lines 14158-14287
start: '14158'
end: '14287'
translation: The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: MacRoth reports successive companies arriving at the hill in Slane of Meath.
Ailill asks Fergus to identify the leading warriors. Fergus identifies a closely
matched pair, Fiacha and Fiachna, sons of Conchobar; then Celtchar son of Uthechar;
then Errge Echbel; and then Menn son of Salcholga, who has come seeking vengeance
for wounds inflicted on him.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A company comes to the hill in Slane of Meath with two young warriors at its
head, described as fair, tender, wholly alike, similarly dressed and armed, and
moving their feet together without one going ahead of the other.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Fergus identifies the two leading warriors as Fiacha and Fiachna, two sons
of Conchobar.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Fergus describes Fiacha and Fiachna through paired epithets, including united
flames, united torches, champions, heroes, dragons, thunderbolts, boars, and loved
ones of Ulster.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Another company comes to the same mound, with a rough, wrathful, terrible
warrior at its head, bearing an iron-skewered cloak, a sword, a shield described
as a brown hillock, and a great grey spear.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The host rises to meet the rough warrior, and the lines and battalions are
thrown into disorder at the sight of him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Fergus identifies the rough warrior as Celtchar son of Uthechar from Lethglass
in the north, describing him as the half of battle, the head of strife, and a
storm-wave that drowns.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: A further company arrives with a great-bellied, big-mouthed champion at its
head, described as one-eyed, half-brained or broad-headed in a variant note, long-handed,
and armed with sword, lance, and grey buckler.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Fergus identifies this champion as Errge Echbel, also glossed as Horse-mouth,
from Bri Errgi in the north, and describes him as a wild red-handed lion and a
fierce bear.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: Another company arrives with a large noble fiery man at its head, red-haired
and crimson-eyed, armed with shield, lance, shirt, sword, and spear, amid a blood-smeared
company and himself covered with wounds and blood.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: Fergus identifies the wounded red-haired warrior as Menn son of Salcholga
from Rena of the Boyne and says he has come to take vengeance for wounds and sores
inflicted on him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: 'The repeated sequence is: MacRoth reports an arriving company and leading
warrior or warriors; Ailill asks who they are; Fergus identifies them with epithets
and origins.'
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: MacRoth
description: Speaker who reports the companies arriving at the hill or mound in
Slane of Meath.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Ailill
description: Speaker who repeatedly asks Fergus to identify the warriors.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Fergus
description: Speaker who identifies the warriors and gives their epithets, kinship,
origins, and purposes.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Fiacha
description: One of two similar young warriors, a son of Conchobar, arriving at
the head of a company.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Fiachna
description: One of two similar young warriors, a son of Conchobar, arriving at
the head of a company.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Celtchar son of Uthechar
description: A rough, wrathful, terrible warrior from Lethglass in the north, whose
appearance disorders the host.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Errge Echbel
description: A great-bellied, big-mouthed, one-eyed champion from Bri Errgi, glossed
as Horse-mouth.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Menn son of Salcholga
description: A red-haired, crimson-eyed, wounded warrior from Rena of the Boyne
who has come for vengeance.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Conchobar
description: Named as father of Fiacha and Fiachna in Fergus's identification.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
roles:
- id: role:1
label: reporting scout or announcer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: MacRoth narrates the arrival and appearance of each company to the hill.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:2
label: questioner of identities
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Ailill asks who each warrior or pair might be.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:3
label: identifier of warriors
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Fergus answers Ailill and names each warrior or pair with epithets and origins.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:4
label: leading warrior of an arriving company
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
basis: Each named warrior or pair is described as being at the head or in the van
of a company or troop.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: paired sons
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
basis: Fiacha and Fiachna are identified as two sons of Conchobar and are described
as matching and moving together.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: avenger for wounds
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Fergus states that Menn has come to take vengeance for wounds and sores previously
inflicted on him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: named father
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Conchobar is named as the father of Fiacha and Fiachna.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: paired movement
literal_form: Two warriors lifting and setting down their feet together, neither
going ahead of the other.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: paired weapons and dress
literal_form: Two green cloaks, two silver brooches, two yellow silk tunics, swords,
two shields with silver beast-figures, and two five-pronged spears.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: fire imagery for paired champions
literal_form: Fergus calls Fiacha and Fiachna two united flames and two united torches.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: storm-wave and sea imagery for Celtchar
literal_form: Celtchar is described through images of engulfing sea, storm-wave,
and sea overbounds.
associated_figures:
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: animal warrior epithets
literal_form: Warriors are compared to dragons, boars, lion, bear, eagle, goring
beast, and furious bull in Fergus's identifications.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: wounds and blood
literal_form: Menn appears amid a blood-smeared, becrimsoned company and is himself
covered with wounds and blood.
associated_figures:
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Arrival and identification of Fiacha and Fiachna
summary: MacRoth describes two similar young warriors leading a company at Slane
of Meath; Ailill asks who they are; Fergus identifies them as Fiacha and Fiachna,
sons of Conchobar, and praises them with paired martial epithets.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Arrival and identification of Celtchar
summary: MacRoth describes a terrifying armed warrior whose arrival disorders the
host; Fergus identifies him as Celtchar son of Uthechar from Lethglass and frames
him in battle, sea, and storm imagery.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Arrival and identification of Errge Echbel
summary: MacRoth describes a large-mouthed, one-eyed champion leading another company;
Fergus identifies him as Errge Echbel, Horse-mouth, from Bri Errgi, using lion
and bear imagery.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Arrival and identification of Menn
summary: MacRoth describes a red-haired, crimson-eyed, wounded warrior with a bloodied
company; Fergus identifies him as Menn son of Salcholga and says he has come to
avenge his wounds.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Repeated catalogue of arriving champions
summary: The passage repeats a formal pattern in which MacRoth describes a company
and its leader, Ailill asks for identification, and Fergus supplies the warrior's
name, epithets, origin, and martial significance.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: paired sibling champions
taxonomy_refs:
- sibling_pair
basis: Fiacha and Fiachna are two sons of Conchobar, presented as a matched martial
pair with similar dress, arms, age, synchronized movement, and paired epithets.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage calls them two sons and describes near identity, but it does
not explicitly call them twins.
- id: motif:2
label: dual warrior likeness and synchrony
taxonomy_refs:
- duality
basis: The two leading warriors are described as wholly alike, nearly the same in
years, equipped in paired items, and moving in exact synchrony.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: This is a local descriptive pattern rather than an explicit metaphysical
duality.
- id: motif:3
label: avenging wounded warrior
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Menn is shown covered with wounds and blood, and Fergus states he has come
to take vengeance for his wounds and sores.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly matches this motif.
- id: motif:4
label: catalogue of martial arrivals and identifications
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage uses a repeated structure of arriving companies, visual descriptions,
Ailill's questions, and Fergus's naming of champions with epithets and origins.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: This is a narrative pattern within the passage, not a supplied taxonomy
family.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: 'The presentation of Fiacha and Fiachna fits a sibling-pair pattern: two
brothers are described as a closely matched martial unit with shared movement,
equipment, and paired praise names.'
claim_level: same_motif
target: sibling_pair motif family
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The passage does not state that the brothers are twins or assign them
a sacred or divine status.
- id: claim:2
claim: The exact synchrony and doubled equipment of Fiacha and Fiachna support comparison
to a duality pattern within heroic description.
claim_level: same_function
target: duality motif family
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The evidence is descriptive and martial; the passage does not develop
a broader cosmological or symbolic dualism.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 14158-14175
quote_or_summary: MacRoth reports two fair young warriors at the head of a company
on the hill in Slane of Meath; they are wholly alike, similarly clothed and armed,
nearly the same age, and step together so that neither goes ahead of the other.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 14176-14192
quote_or_summary: Ailill asks who the two warriors are; Fergus identifies them as
Fiacha and Fiachna, sons of Conchobar, and praises them as paired champions, united
flames and torches, dragons, thunderbolts, boars, and loved ones of Ulster.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 14193-14219
quote_or_summary: MacRoth reports another company at the mound with a rough, wrathful,
ill-favoured warrior at its head, equipped with cloak, iron skewer, tunic, sword,
shield, and spear; the host rises and the battalions are thrown into disorder
at his sight.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 14220-14231
quote_or_summary: Ailill asks who the warrior is; Fergus identifies him as Celtchar
son of Uthechar from Lethglass in the north, calling him the half of battle, head
of strife, storm-wave, and overbounding sea.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 14232-14249
quote_or_summary: MacRoth reports another company with a great-bellied, big-mouthed
champion in the van, one clear eye, long hands, brown curly hair, black mantle,
tin brooch, tunic, sword, lance, and grey buckler.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 14250-14260
quote_or_summary: Ailill asks who the champion is; Fergus identifies him as Errge
Echbel, Horse-mouth, from Bri Errgi in the north, and describes him as a wild
red-handed lion and fierce bear.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 14261-14278
quote_or_summary: MacRoth reports another company with a large noble fiery man at
its head, red hair, crimson eyes, cloak, brooch, shield, lance, shirt, sword,
spear, and a blood-smeared company; the man himself is covered with wounds and
blood.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 14279-14287
quote_or_summary: Ailill asks who the man is; Fergus identifies him as Menn son
of Salcholga from Rena of the Boyne and says he has come to take vengeance for
the bloody wounds and sores inflicted on him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage provides clear descriptive and identification evidence. Motif
mapping is strongest for the sibling-pair and duality patterns, but some imagery
is martial epithet rather than developed mythic symbolism.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No figures, objects, taxonomy IDs, or external comparisons beyond the supplied passage and available taxonomy references have been added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg__l14158-l14287
passage_sha256=9495e171f2049b58e792480e11e8abca3e896c01b881298ed178ae13b4fd20cc