Vocabulary

Courtliness(noun) Polite, refined, or elegant




Sedately(adverb) Calm, quiet, or composed; undisturbed by passion or excitement:



Accrue(verb) To happen or result as a natural growth, addition, etc.




Malady(Noun) Any disorder or disease of the body, especially one that is chronic or deepseated.







Affliction(noun) A state of pain, distress, or grief; misery





Gorge(noun) A gluttonous meal.




Infamous(adjective) Having an extremely bad reputation




Purge(verb) To rid of whatever is impure or undesirable; cleanse; purify




Loathsome(adjective) Causing feelings of loathing, disgusting; revolting; repulsive




Martyr(noun) A person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion.

Conchobarh in my own words

The Death of Conchobarh

A long time ago the Ulster men were super drunk Then they started to fight over who was the better worrier especially between Conall, Cu chulainn, and Loegaire. Then Conall Said, “ Bring me the brain of Mesgegra so I can show off my trophy to the other warriors.” Back then the Ulster men would take the brains out of all the warriors they killed and mix lime with them to make them hard. Also if they every got in a dispute about who was the better contender they would have the brains brought to them to show them off.

Conall then tells Conchobarh that until the other warriors have killed a man like Mesgegra they can’t compare to me. “That is true.”

Then they put the brain on the self where it was always kept. The next day they went back to their day to day life. Then Cet the most troublesome thief in Ireland.

While the jesters were playing with the brain of Mesgegra Cet over heard whos brain it was and snatched it out of the hand of one of them and ran away with it. He stole it because he knew that it was told that Mesgegra would come back and kill who ever killed him. In every battle the men of Connacht had with Uslter Cet would try and figure out a way to kill Conchobarh with the brain ball.

Then Cet went eastward until he came upon a drove of cows and stole them from the Men of Ros. The men of Ulster caught up to him and overtook him. Then Connacht people came fro the other side to rescue him, and a battle started. Conchobar went into the battle. But as he was about to go out the woman Connacht begged him to come there so they could she his body and how great he was. However it was by the because of Cet that the woman talked to Conchobar like that. Then he went aside alone to be seen by the woman.

Cet went into the crowd of woman. He adjusted the Brain of Mesgegra in the sling and threw so that it hit Conchobar in the head, so that two-thirds of it went into his head and he fell down face first. Conchobar’s men then came running towards him, and carried him off. It was then that his doctor was brought to him. Conchobar was then told if the stone was removed from his head he would immediately die. If it is not taken out though it could heal you; but it will be a disfigurement to you but the Ulsterman would rather have him living then dead. The doctor also told him he should take not let him self get angry, don’t mount a horse, shouldn’t be messing around with woman, don’t eat a ton, and don’t run. He remained in a dangerous state as long as he lived, for seven years, he wasn’t able to be active and had to stay in his seat; until he heard the Jews crucified Christ. He was very upset and wanted revenge. He believed  that he was one of two people in Ireland who believed in God before the faith had spread.

“Well now, “said Conchobhar, ‘a thousand armed men shall come with me to avenge Christ.” He leaped up and grabbed his two spears and brandished them violently so that they broke in his hands; then he took his sword and started cutting down trees until it made a open field in the forest. He then said he was going to Avenge Christ on the Jews and those who Crucified him, if he could get at them. With all the anger Mesgegra’s Brain flew out of his head, so that his own Brains came out, and he died.    

            

Conchobhar questions

1)    Explain the ending.  How does this story fit the theme of Paganism vs. Christianity? 

At the end Conchobhar finds out the the Jews had Crucified Christ and he gets very up set and angry. He also believed that he was one of the two men in Ireland who believed in God before the faith had spread. Then Conchobhar said he was going to go fight the jews for what they had done. But sense he got so angry Meis-Gegra's brains popped out of his head and he died. At the beginning of the story it was in a Pagans point of view with Meis-Geghra getting his brain taken out and him saying he was going to back and kill who ever killed him which is referencing to magic. Then at the end of the story it changes out of no where to a Christians point of view with him finding out that the Jews killed Christ and him wanting to avenge him. 

2)    Makes inferences (educated guesses based on the information in the text): What is Conchobhar like?  Describe his personality. 

He thinks very highly of him self because when the woman were complementing him and calling him he came even when he was about to go into battle. 

3)    Is Conchobhar a good king?  What information informs your opinion?

I don't think he is a very good king because he was able to just leave his men for the women and he thinks to highly of him self and iresoosible. Such as when the girls were calling him over and complementing him and he wasn't shy about it and walked over.  

4)    What was life like back in this period accounting to the information in the story?

life was simple and about rivalries  

5)    Who was Meis-Geghra?

He was a respectable worrier who was killed and got his brains taken out and said he would come back and kill whoever killed them. 

6)    How does Cet trick Conchobar?

Cet gets a bunch of woman to distract Conchobar by complementing him so he could sneak up and hit him over the head with the Brian ball 

7)    Retell this story in contemporary English.  This retelling should be at least a page and you are expected to act it out.