The Beheading of John the Baptist by Mog
Ruith
Book
of Hui Maine
1. All
the children of Israel that spread over the yellow-crested
world, it is no labour, it is an easy task to enumerate or
to tell them.
2. Persians and Medes together, Greeks and Chaldeans: four
races that were in the east, by whom the kingships of the
world were taken.
3. There ruled in the eastern world a king known as fierce
Herod; John, through the righteous man was a bishop, was
slain by him, it is a bitter tale.
4. The reason of the slaying of noble John, by the
household of shameless Herod,--the deed was an awful
one,--was on account of the wife of Philip Labarchenn.
5. Philip Labarchenn without sorrow was true judge of true
judgments. he used to give famous judgments to the host of
the red-faced world.
6. Thereupon Philip died at the fort of famed Arguas; and
yonder in her house his wife was without a mate to lie with
her.
7. Herodias was the woman's name, the wife of Philip
without guile; her daughter's names--it is not forbidden
[to mention them]: Salius and Neiptis.
8. Neiptis used to make--a famous music!--sweet piping from
her lips; and Salius indeed would make nimble movements and
leapings.
9. To every one among the hosts of the ruddy world their
skill seemed marvellous; whereby they won goodly treasure
from the nobles of the world.
10. Thereupon Herodias goes out that night to the country
of the young man, till she reaches Esculop.
11. Philip, brother of Herod the splendid, from the perfect
Esculop, brought weighty love to her, to the wife of the
other Philip.
12. Then Philip asked of Herodias that night whether she
would lie with him in his house yonder; for a bride-price
or a gift.
13. She of the fair white limbs said to proud perfect
Philip that she would speedily lie with him if Herod would
approve.
14. They went together to the house of Herod over every
road, so that Herod sealed then her bride-price and her
gift.
15. Then Philip sat down in the chair of the fair king: it
was a gels for the beautiful king that anyone should sit
down in his chair.
16. Then Herod asked of his brother Philip: “Why hast thou
broken my law? It was unjust of you, Philip.”
17. Herod seized a convenient dog-whip in his great royal
hand, and he struck Philip in the house for the crime of
his lawless deed.
18. Then said Herodias to Philip, in that very hour, that
she would not cohabit with him, though it was a hard
condition, after his having been struck with the dog-whip.
19. Then Philip went out tearfully and sorrowfully, after
being reviled by the woman of the east, after being struck
by his brother.
20.Philip went to the house of John, the noble and the
righteous; he told John,—the matter was great,-—that his
brother had out raged him.
21. Near was their right relationship—-Philip, Herod and
John; the story tells that two sisters were their two
mothers.
22. Sarra daughter of pure Gomer was the mother of
delightful noble John; Cassamaindra, a wise daughter,
mother of Herod and Philip.
23. It is no secret that she is the mother of John, every
sage relates in story; these are their names, I shall not
hide it, Sarra and Elizabeth.
24. Elizabeth and Zacharias were the mother and father of
John the Baptist, it is they who quickly reared-John,
Philip and Herod.
25. It is known that Philip said to John the Baptist, on
account of their relationship: “Arise and utterly ruin the
woman,together with the marvellous Herod.”
26. Thereupon John went to the house of marvellous Herod,
sternly he said to him then not to sleep with Herodias.
27. Famous Herod said to his mother’s sister’s son: “If the
woman would sleep with Philip, it is not I who would
separate them.”
28. Thereupon Herodias said to Philip at once, that if she
found no husband till Doom, she would not be with Philip a
single hour.
29. Herodias then cast a spell of false love over her face,
through which grievous harm was done by imposing her love
upon Herod.
30. Then said Herod to the maidens in the house: “Display
your arts in turn that my household may see it.”
33. Herod was then pledged, and he gave his word: he
promised, though great the doom, that he would grant them
(their request) without delay.
34. Then Neiptis made sweet music from her lips, Salia
leapt over every . . ., a couple...
35. Then it was demanded--a wicked unjust boon--that she
might have the head of John on a dish at once, for he had
been reviling them.
36. Herod said in his house that he would not grant them
the request and that he would not Stain red the head of
pure John for all the gold in the world.
37. His household said to him, to Herod, though there were
danger: “Do not break thy word, oh king, lest thy law be
ruined.”
38. Then indeed Herod wept true sorrowing tears of blood:
and he afterwards granted them John, to be placed in a
cruel prison.
39. A wage was given to Mog Ruith who chose it for
beheading John; this then was the wage of Mog Ruith, (his)
choice of the maidens.
40. Then Mog Ruith the splendid went to kill John, though
it was shameful. So he took in the prison to Herod the head
of John on a dish of white silver.
41. Through that story,--a famous contention--the feast of
John (will come) upon the Gael, so that there shall not be
of the race of noble Gaels save one-third unslain.
42. The single third which will be left on that day of the
host of the Gael and the foreigners, oh Son of Mary, it is
a sad thing that they should all be visited by a black
pestilence.
43. Flann Finn son of noble Ossa son of Orath (?) from
rugged Greece, it is he who shaped this Eastern tale for
the seed of Adam and his children.
SOURCE:
"The Beheading of John the Baptist by Mog Ruith" trans. and
ed. by Annie M. Scarre. Eriu. vol. IV. Dublin: School of
Irish Learning.