We know nothing about the Attacotti. Not who they were, or where they belonged. The best etymology put forward thus far is summarized in the following source:
* A.L.F RIVET & C. SMITH : Place-Names of Roman Britain, p 259 :
SOURCES :
* Ammianus Marcellinus XXVI, 4,5 : ATTACOTTI (again XXVII, 8, 4)
* St Jerome, Epistolae 69 (= 82, p. 415) : ATTICOTORUM (gen. pl.); Adversus lovinianum II (p. 335) : ATTICOTOS (acc. pl.), gens Britannica (var.: Scoti)
* ND Or. IX 8,29 : ATECOTTI (and several other references)
DERIVATION. The name is made up of Celtic *ate-, an intensive prefix (as in Atepomari, etc.; cognate with Latin et, and as in etiam; atavus, atnepos), and *cotto- 'old', found also in the personal names Cottos, Cottius (Alpes Cottiae), etc., whose derivatives include Cornish coth and Breton coz 'old'. Hence for the tribe, 'very old ones, oldest inhabitants'; for such a sense, one may compare Irish Tuath Sen-Cheneoil 'tribe of the old race' and Tuath Sen-Erann 'tribe of the old Hibernians' (Holder I. 254; Pokorny 70). For the expression of an older view, see Sir W. Ridgeway in JRS, XIV, (1924), 135-36.
The old idea that Attacotti is from the Irish aithechthuatha was discounted quite some time ago by R. Thurneysen (‘Morands Fürstenspiegel’, Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie 11, 1917, 56-106 at
71). There he posits *Ateuiäcotötäs as the Primitive Irish correspondent to Old Irish aithechthúatha, and states, in response to some previous Irish scholarship, that this hypothetical *Ateuiäcotötäs is too far removed from Late Latin Atecotti/Attacotti/Aticotti to permit a connection. Modern linguists universally agree with his view, although some non-linguists continue to gravitate towards it.
The old idea that Attacotti is from the Irish aithechthuatha was discounted quite some time ago by R. Thurneysen (‘Morands Fürstenspiegel’, Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie 11, 1917, 56-106 at
71). There he posits *Ateuiäcotötäs as the Primitive Irish correspondent to Old Irish aithechthúatha, and states, in response to some previous Irish scholarship, that this hypothetical *Ateuiäcotötäs is too far removed from Late Latin Atecotti/Attacotti/Aticotti to permit a connection. Modern linguists universally agree with his view, although some non-linguists continue to gravitate towards it.
Robert McNeill (in his PHASES OF IRISH HISTORY) has a sensible discussion of the Attacotti:
"A verbal resemblance in the names led some Irish writers, from the close of the eighteenth century down to O'Curry, to identify the Atecotti with the Irish Aithech-thuatha, the ancient Rent-paying communities referred to in my third lecture. I do not think that the philologists will sanction the identification so far as it is based on verbal resemblance. The name Atecotti has not been found in any form in the native records of Ireland or Britain as the name of any nation or sub-nation or in the topography of either island. Nevertheless contemporary evidence during the second half of the fourth century shows that not only on the frontier of Roman Britain but also on the Continent there was a numerous and warlike collection of men known by this name. As in the case of the name Scotti, the conclusion I would draw is that Atecotti was a name for a general class of men not for a particular nation, tribe, or political community. The name, in its best authenticated form, is a Celtic word, consisting of the adjective cottos preceded by the prefix ate. Cottos149 means "old," or "ancient." The prefix ate, which becomes aith or ath in Irish of the MS. period, means "back" or "again," like the Latin re, and like this, too, it often has a strengthening or intensifying force. Thus, Atecotti may be taken to mean the very ancient, the primitive, the pristine folk; and so it is explained by Whitley Stokes. Who then were these very ancient people who were associated with the Scotti and were not identified with the Picts? We are reminded at once of the Irish traditions of non-Gaelic and pre-Gaelic communities which formed the main fighting strength of the kings of North Leinster and South Leinster, and of the non-Gaelic origin ascribed to Cú Chulainn, Fear Diadh, and to the kindred of Fionn mac Cumhaill and of Goll mac Morna. Of course, on this point we are far from complete certainty, but the probability, in my opinion, is that, when the Irish went to war in the fourth century, they still adhered to the politico-social distinction between the Gaelic ascendancy and the conquered plebeian race, and that this was the distinction between the Scotti and the Atecotti. The adjective cottos does not appear to belong to the vocabulary of Irish, but it is found in the various Brittanic dialects and was a frequent element in Gaulish nomenclature. The Atecotti, therefore, probably received their name not in Ireland but in Britain or Gaul. The view I put forward reaches, but by a different path, a similar conclusion to that adopted by the Irish writers who sought to identify the Atecotti by name with the plebeian communities of ancient Ireland, the Aitheach-thuatha."
The idea, then, would be that Attacotti is a term used for warriors who traced their descent from pre-Goidelic peoples in Ireland. In this sense they were "older", i.e. earlier than the Gaels. We could literally render Ammianus' "Scots and Attacotti" as "the Gaels and pre-Gaels [of Ireland]".
Unfortunately, I don't think this makes much sense. The *seno- root for "old" is well-attested in Brythonic (cf. Welsh hen), so any Irish group like Tuath Sen-Cheneoil or Tuath Sen-Erann would have been rendered with a British *seno- name. There would have been no reason to substitute a *cotto- name.
Jerome refers to them as a British tribe (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf206/npnf206.vi.vi.II.html):
"Why should I speak of other nations when I myself, a youth on a visit to Gaul, heard that the Atticoti, a British tribe, eat human flesh, and that although they find herds of swine, and droves of large or small cattle in the woods, it is their custom to cut off the buttocks of the shepherds and the breasts of their women, and to regard them as the greatest delicacies?"
The Latin here reads "Atticotos, gentem Britannicam, humanis vesci car-..."
(http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/02m/0347-0420,_Hieronymus,_Adversus_Jovinianum_Libri_Duo,_MLT.pdf)
But, he also seems to pair them with the Scots, and some scholars have made a good case for them being Scots who were in Britain, i.e. who had early on settled there. See, for example, https://www.academia.edu/8872970/_Attacotti_D%C3%A9isi_and_Magnus_Maximus_the_Case_for_Irish_Federates_in_Late_Roman_Britain_Britannia_32_2001_243-270 - as long as the author's identification of the group/tribal name is discounted!
A good source on the Attacotti in the Roman army can be found here:
https://books.google.com/books?id=3gz8CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=attacotti+juniores&source=bl&ots=GiRrFWEl6P&sig=ACfU3U19SoSEqgZhuhGHInLlOklortnCGQ&hl=en&ppis=_e&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFtPbbk4noAhViJzQIHeXNB7EQ6AEwCHoECA0QAQ#v=onepage&q=attacotti%20juniores&f=false
I would like to float here my own idea for the Attacotti, a name for known Irish tribes that indeed did raid and settle in Britain. I'm talking about the Ui Liathain, whose legendary founder was Eochu Liathain, and the Ciannachta of Tadc mac Céin. The great Cunedda of Wales was of the Ciannachta. I've elsewhere demonstrated conclusively that this Cunedda was not from Manau Gododdin in the extreme North of Britain, but from Drumanagh in Ireland (see https://mistshadows.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-irish-cunedda-selection-from-my.html).
We can start with the Ui Liathain. The origin of the epithet for this founding ancestor of the tribe is the Irish word liath, whose various meanings are listed as pasted below in the eDIL. Note in particular the references to "aged", "old men, veterans."
líath
Cite this: eDIL s.v. líath or dil.ie/30139
Last Revised: 2013
o, ā
I As adj. grey .
(a) Of persons, grey-haired, aged : Ronán l.¤ Roiss Uanni, Fél. Apr. 30 . laech l.¤ mór, Sc.M² 13. itconnarcc senoir mor liath , PH 1490 . riglach liat[h] (.i. seanoir), ACL iii 30.2 (= Trip.² 2475 ). in láech l.¤ , LL 2228.
(b) Of the hair, beard grey: ulcha liatha leo . . . .i. oland l.¤ ro ceṅglad dia smechaib, LL 329e26 .i. ulliu léith leo issin chath, 29 ( ZCP xiii 318.1 ). tomm liath hi cert-medón a édain, PH 7270 . ulcha . . . ┐ uathad finda liath inne, 1968 . an ceann liath , Proverbs xvi 31 . fear na gruáige léithe, Deuteronomy xxxii 25 . déana coimhéirghe rés an gceann liath , TSh. 8546.
(c) Other applications: etuch dub ┐ fobuidhe ┐ liath , Laws i 148.3 Comm . i n-aibíd mhánaig leith Cistercian, ALC i 366.25 . gur bho derg dá ḟuil ┐ gur bo liath dá n-inchind, TBC-LL¹ 6046 . bid liath cechtar fathar do inchinn a cheile, BNnÉ 303.16 . at liatha do shúile, MacCongl. 93.12 . ech l.¤ , LU 8659 ( FB 49 ). golgaire in luin lēith, ZCP vii 310 § 7 (= luin duibh, Reeves Ad. 274 ). datha na ngaeth . . . buidhe ┐ derg, dub ┐ liath , Laws i 26.x Comm . faoi drúcht liath , Oss. iv 216.6 . sioc l.¤ , Job xxxviii 29 . aráin a lóin uile tirim ┐ l.¤ , Joshua ix 5 . muc ogham inso . . . finn (b) liath (l), Auraic. 5669 . dathogam. aicme bethi .i. ban, liath , 5698 . a beith ranocht is roliath (of anocht error), 2070 . (cryptic) loiscia .i. liath (? leg. lia), Goid. 77 § 163 (Dúil Laithne) , ZCP xlix-l 612 .
Superl.: rói-dhearca lóghmhara is léithe lí, Keat. Poems 100.
II As subst.
(a) in pl. old men, veterans : do rat a óclaecha i medón an chatha ┐ do rat a liatha fá deoid, SG 321.37 . oc faicsin na liath do letradh, 321.z . mairg nach riaraig a líathu, ZCP vii 298.18 . nī caistide (leg. coistide) fri liatu (: fiachu), xiii 264.3 . is mairg lenus do liathu, LL 307b23 ( SG 387.35 ). rolensat na léith Lothor `greybeards', Metr. Dinds. iv 52.124 . beid ogmna cen dergadh, / bud fergach a liatha, ZCP x 50 § 18.
(b) Various other applications: in liath ┐ in chiar itir in uidir ┐ in cirdub bit (of winds), Laws i 28.2 Comm . da doighli liath léna in magh, radfia su cadhan go leth crane(?), ZCP viii 550.18 = x 280.10 = inn iall én, TBC-LL¹ 1832. Of disease in sheep fluke, rot(?): liath ┐ uthud do caoirib, O'Curry 1103 ( H 3.18 p. 447a ). liath ┐ ufadh do chaorchaib, O'Curry 297 ( H 3.18 163 ).
(c) As n.pr. Léim an Leith, BNnÉ 255.1 . in L.¤ Macha (Cú Chulainn's horse), LU 8575 ( FB 43 ). da acallaim ind Leith, LL 13813 ( RC iii 175.12 ). Carcar ind Léith i mbái in Liath , Metr. Dinds. ii 22.68 . do tig Midir i mBrig Leith i Teathbai, TE² 2 . Liath na trí mbenn `the grey one of the three antlers' (of stag), SG 115.2 ( Acall. 936 ). is e in Foelcú sein dorigne in curach do C[h]olum Cille .i. in Liathmbaile (leg. Liath mBaile), ZCP viii 298.18 .
Compds.
(a) With nouns. ¤boccóit: l. fair .i. a sciath, TBC-LL¹ 5404 . ¤gae: líáthga mór . . . na láim, TBC-LL¹ 5390 . liathgha .i. ga léothach, O'Cl. liathgai fria ais, IT, ii2 243.3 . ¤lus, common as plant name, see Hog. Luibhl. lus fillocealla .i. liathlus, ACL i 333 § 19 . crocus ecolicanus liathlus, 335 § 70 . liathlus locha savin, Irish Texts v 6.31 . adiantos politricus .i. liathlus mor, ACL i 330 § 10 . asarum ┐ abrotanum .i. liathlus na tragha, ACL i 334 § 56 . auricula muris .i. an liathlus beag, 23 K 42, 367.3 . ¤muine `grey brake or thicket, tormentil,' Hog. Luibhl. In place-names see Hog. Onom. ¤nuimhir `large (hoary) number' (Gloss.), Hackett xxxix 15 .
(b) With adjj.: ¤chrúaid: lebenna liathcrúaidi cotata `grey hard stiff benches', Hib. Min. 66.17 . ¤garmnach see garmnach. ¤glas: trí monga liath-ghlasa . . . forra `grey-blue', ML 118.z . ¤lomda grey and bare : a lecní liathlomdai, IT iii 99.13 . ¤luimnech grey-cloaked (?): cailleach . . . liathluimneach, ZCP v 22 § 8 . ¤odar dark-grey: trí bruitt . . . liathodra . . . impu, MU² 606.
(c) ¤enech grey-faced , used as subst. and n.pr. or nickname: cirp lep liath ennech / luath loschlaen (gripp lep líathainech, v.l.), IT iii 14 § 30 . ní con facca beola eich, amail beola in liathánuigh .i. in Liath Macha, O'D. 1208 ( H 2.15A, 83a ), cf. am beolu inliathanaigh / nochonaca beolu eich, IT iii 68 § 7. Murchadh Liathanach, AFM ii 898.24 . Tadg mac an Liathanaigh, 1098.19
And now for the Ciannachta. The eponymous founder was one Cian, a name that means "ancient, enduring" (O'Corrain and Maquire's IRISH NAMES). The complete listing for cian is pasted below.
Thus what we have with the Ui Liathain and the Ciannachta is two Irish tribes, both invaders/settlers of Wales and Cornwall, whose names led them to be referred to in Britain as the Attacotti or 'very old ones.'
In the HISTORIA BRITTONUM ascribed to the monk Nennius, Cunedda and his sons (or teulu/warband) and said to have driven the Ui Liathain out of southern Wales.
cían
Cite this: eDIL s.v. cían or dil.ie/9003
Last Revised: 2019
Forms: cén, cíana, cíana, chíana, ciana, cían, céin, céin, géin
Arch. cén ( Ériu ix 48 § 23 , xvi 146.7 below). The follg. may contain a by-form cíana: ed cíana , Harl. 5280, 42b (cited Meyer Contribb.), TTr.² 499 , hi tir chíana , Trip.² 1438 , if not attrib. gen. of the abstract cíana, q.v. Cf. also cu ciana , LL 13576 ( Irish Texts i 33.10 .).
I As adj. o, ā long, enduring; far, distant : c.¤ .i. fada, O'Cl. Attrib. of time: ho etartetarcur cián `at a long interval', Ml. 88d13 . sechmadachta ṅ-ocus ┐ c.¤ , Thes. ii 229.26 . fri ed cián for a long time, TBC-LL¹ 1846 . íar n-aimseraib cíanaib, Imr. Brain 17.12 . ra charusa in laech út uair chéin for a long time, TBC-LL¹ 4560 . loc dam-sa . . . co hūair chéin, ZCP viii 312.2 . tri rei ciana `for a long time', Ml. 90d14 . iar reib cianaib, Ériu xvi 36.5 . dolodar . . . filid . . . riab cianaib iarsna gnimaib-sea (`a little time'), Auraic. 149 = reib chianaiph, 2452 . roan . . . fri ré ciana = multis diebus, Lat. Lives 4.9 . bui iarum imale fri Fergus re ciana, Ériu xvi 37 § 1 . fria rē ciana, Grail 629 . bai cocad mor etarro fri re ciana iarsin, RC xxiv 186.9 . le headh gcian, Aithd. D. 52.5 .
Of place: i crīchaib cīanaib, ACL iii 224.20 . adclos ua na (fana v.l.) crichaib ciana comaidchi, TTebe 694 . écndairc cian ut ille gl. absenti, Sg. 138a2 . i cendachaib cianaib in domain, PH 5500 . tancatar a tirib ciana, 5497 .
Of persons: Colmān cian of yore, Corp. Gen. 126.2 . Conán máol coinntinneach c.¤ `wearisome (?)', Duan. F. ii 258 § 37 . Corpre comramach c.¤ (: fírian), LL 15741 . Nial c.¤ Caille `old', Arch. Hib. ii 61 § 42 .
Other applications: ce beo i tairisium chian, Airne F. 138 . gidh céim c.¤ , BS 120.15 . faghail chian distant, Magauran 4396 . in cú ch.¤ (: níad), LL 29333 .
Predic. with copula, usually long (of time): ni ba cián ṁbete oca cloinib, Ml. 28a10 . nipi c.¤ a masse in choirp lasting , Wb. 28c25 . ni ba cian mbias in pecthach, Ml. 56c22 . ni ba cián ṁbete and, 66d14 . is cián arfolmas dún in sin, Wb. 21a2 . as cian do rairngredh, Blathm. 127 . is cian bus cuman, TE 9 (Eg.). domun dīan / cia bether fair nī ba cīan , ZCP vii 498.5 . cian bhus bladh, Aithd. D. 21.36 . as cian ata an sean-fhocal, MR 286.21 . Of space: is c.¤ etarru `far', Ml. 119d10 . im fochróib bá c.¤ `whether at hand or afar', Sg. 151b2 . ré nách c.¤ , LU 1992 ( FA 6 ).
In phrases. is c.¤ co it is long till (freq. with neg. shortly, soon): niba ch.¤ (leg. c.¤ ? Edd.) cu forcenn á saiguil gl. instare tempus, Ml. 56d7 . níbí cian conid apail, 91d2 . mad c.¤ co tari a fobdhub if it is not immersed quickly (a spear), BDD² 1237 . nirbo chian co toracht C.C. in sligid cetna, LU 8530 ( FB 39 ). nir-bo chian do Chonchobor . . . co facca, CRR 11 . ní cian . . . co teccema frit-sa é, Grail 2665 . Note also: nir cian d'Ercuil . . . in tan nocunnuic in rí E. soon saw, Stair Erc. 463 .
is c.¤ ó it is long since, far from. Of time: is c.¤ ós accobor lemm far ríchtu I have long wished to come to you, Wb. 7a3 . is cian . . . o rot carus, Grail 2359 . robo cian o nach facca-som iad, 1550 . mairg nach cian ó dchualabhair, Content. xi 4 . cian ód cualadh, Keat. Poems 1357 .
Of place: ni cian huaib imbíat `not far from you where they are', Mon. Tall. 151.9 . ni c.¤ úait here he is, IT i 71.20 . is c.¤ uait . . . airm in-das-fil, TBC-LL¹ 884 .
In disjunctive phrases with gar: cid c.¤ cid gair gl. quanto tempore, Wb. 3c5 . cēn gair cech fān imthéit lēn `sooner or later every wanderer comes to grief', Ériu ix 48.23 . cian gar dom beith it ingnais `whether I be a long or short while away from thee', LL i p. xvi 11 . c.¤ garit co bráth, 307a8 ( SG 386.18 ). gēr c[h]ian gar, ML² 156 . As quasi-conjunction however long, as long as, while : cián gar ro batar for innuropair sin, TBC-LL¹ 2038 . cien goirit boi C. ig a díchur dhe, 2302 . co na baoí tesbhaidh neith . . . cian gairitt battar hisuidhe, AFM vi 2276. 11 . cid c.¤ gairit ro bás . . . atrochair . . . , Acall. 4736 . cian gar co toirset nóim ind until (?), 2673 (cid cian gairit no co tí, v.l.). See 1 gar.
With prep. LA: rochīan limsa anad fri sodain I am not prepared to wait that long, TBC-I¹ 375 = c.¤ lim-sa di shodain, TBC-LL¹ 881 . ba cian lasin righ boi an t-ara tall, BNnÉ 323 § 33 . cian lem . . . / tren tucc fa toirrsi m'aignedh it grieves me(?), 254.21 . fada ar saoghal d'éis na bhFian / ní cneasta ná badh cian linn if I did not find it tedious, Measgra D. 71.22 . cíen liom 's ní ar a ghrádh `I long for', Duan. F. ii 162 § 28 . Note also: is c.¤ dúni beith acot irnaidi, TBC-LL¹ 991 .
Adv.: in ch.¤ gl. diu, Ml. 38b4 . Cf. níbu in c.¤ (níbuncían, MS.) riam gl. non multo ante, 32b17 . ro clos cian son a garma `far', Thes. ii 312.16 (Hy. ii) glossed: fo Herinn. co c.¤ dar éis na haband `till long after', Metr. Dinds. iii 168.20 . co cíen `continuously', Ériu xix 10 § 5 . iar tochaithem a bethad dó . . . co cian i fhechtnaigi, PH 4296 .
II As subst. ā, f. (elliptical for ré c.¤ , Zimmer KZ xxx 26 - 27 ). a long time, period : triasna cíana cotaislia .i. trisin ré cian , LU 985 - 6 ( ACC 90 ). is cian mór ó 'tbaltsa, 9496 . baoi cian d'aimsir ag coimhmeasgadh flaithis na Rómha `a length of time', Keat. i 226.19 . mainistear . . . do bhí cádhasach cian d'aimsir, iii 1345 . In: re cian do bhliaghnuibh, Párl. na mB. 390 and re cian d'aimsir, Parrth. Anma 6000 re (see 1 ré) may be noun and cían adj. le cianaibh for ages, Hackett² 21.15 . Of distance: is c.¤ do thír már do muir / eturru is Imlech Ibair, ZCP viii 327.36 . In cheville: céin n-gle `temps glorieux', RC xvii 282 § 6 .
In a variety of adv. phrases. Without prep. (cach la céin) . . . in céin n-aili: cach la céin aisndís dia throgai in céin n-aili aisndis dind fortacht durat Dia do at one time . . . at another, Ml. 40b8 . in céin n-aili `at another time', Sg. 8a9 . in céin n-aili gl. nunc, Ml. 39d12 . Cuaird Comgi Michíl, Cuaird Comgi Muire a n-ainm laisim i cen n-ale (of Hymn to Michael and Hymn to Mary) `respectively', Mon. Tall. 137.20 . Note also: dī-cechlacēin is diultad, alaill is aidbliugud, Corm. Y 418 . nach céin (with neg. vb.) any long while: arna bether ocu nach cein, Mon. Tall. 164.17 (§ 89) . ní beind nach céin i ndamnad, KMMisc. 212.11 . See also 1 nach. Various: atat connarc cein `long ago', Blathm. 102 § 38 (if not céin = féin, cf. tá chéin, for M. Milscothach silence a while(?), BDD² 447 ). is cīan mór hūadh ō dac[h]ótar mo chíghi-si i ndīsca, Cáin Ad. 8 . cian mór uadh `long ago', CCath. 4067 . ro-haidnaiced is cian uad `long ago', PH 657 . do foillsighed dó c.¤ suil do thicfed long before he was due, BNnÉ 328.22 .
For céin mair (with céin used as preverb, GOI 241 ) see maraid. Note further: cein do mhair, Blathm. 207 and n. to 825 . canais moir, 34 , see n. to 133 . can mair in clercin `long life to the little cleric', Ériu v 236.74 . cēnmair Ulltaib, TBC-I¹ 3424 = bochin Ultu, TBC-LL¹ 5748 . bo chinmaír rissa ṅ-gebat, 5707 = cen mair, TBC St. 4709 . Cf. nī gcēinmair doraa an māin (.i. ní mogenar dochonnaic an eladha), ZCP v 488 § 7 (B. na f.). céin mair seems to have influenced céin móir in later language occasionally giving céin máir (see below).
With CO: co céin móir for a long time, LU 5230 ( TBC-I¹ 752 ).
With DI from of yore, long; from afar : ba di chein `from of yore', Blathm. 98 . do-arrchet di chéin no mbiad adrad dǽ la genti gl. sicut scriptum est, Wb. 6d8 . o Adam co dilind dein / in chet-aimser daib dichen, Lec. 30 vb10 . is do chéin gid so afar, TBC-LL¹ 4689 . can dodeachaig? . . . ní do chein, YBL 174a40 . boi . . . Petur i cómitecht Ísu do chéin, PH 3135 . do chéin mair anall, 7046 (see céin mair above). do ch.¤ nó do c[h]omhfhogus `from far or near', Duan. F. ii 62 § 12 . Also in pl.: robadar cethtri cridiscél liom-sæ de chianaib `I have long had four darling wishes', Mon. Tall. 136.20 . As quasi-adj.: sen-briathar do chéin `from of old', Celtica iv 10.41 . Tuatha De Danann dochein, Lec. 58a10 = BB 31a41 . ar ṡeirc ind óclaích . . . di chéin, LL 31153 ( TTr. 336 ).
With ÍAR: in chaingnímai aili is iar ceín rofinnatar after some time, Wb. 29a30 . iar cein, PH 1024 . iar cein shortly, Aisl. Tond. 105 § 3 . íar cēin móir, BColm. 70.18 . iar ccein máir iarsin, BNnÉ 90.24 (see céin mair above). iar ceín mair, BB 18a49 . iar sin iar cenmair, Ériu viii 174.33 . iar cen mair do Th. . . . co faca, Aisl. Tond. 106 § 5 . ier cēin mhāir `a long time ago', Fl. Earls 208.30 . Note also: cu-du-boing cein (.i. iar cein) comarba curu, Bürgschaft 21.4 (for féin ?).
With I N-. For variety of forms cf. rachad a ccéin ┐ a ccíana ┐ a ccíanuibh, Bard. Synt. Tr. 26.19 . indtan noteigdis i céin `when they went a long distance', Mon. Tall. 129.21 . taig drochcarad hi céin (proverbial saying), BDD² 58 . fer bis a cein, Anecd. i 15.1 ( SCano 501 ). dā ndeachaid Congal a ccéin, ZCP viii 109.1 . seisrech . . . a toigheacht a gcianaibh cuige, BNnÉ 186.26 . i gcéin 's i ngar, 51.14 . Note also: rolaus cian i cein / ardo charait i mbrón, LL 18615 . As quasi-adj.: créd agaibh aoidhigh a gcéin `from afar', Studies 1924, 241 § 1 . Rarely of time: ní tualaing ionchoisiod i ccéin i gcuimhne for long, Ériu xiii 29.11 . With ocus: imb i céin fa i n-accus beo-sa, Wb. 23b41 . i ceín ┐ i n-ocus, Thes. ii 356.20 (Hy. vii). cid i cein, cid a focus, Laws i 240.17 Comm.
With ó. ó chéin from of old, long ago : iarsindi ro-n-an hua céin di aisndis dun popul gl. tam longum `after he had ceased a while', Ml. 126b1 . F . . . . atbath ó céin, Trip.² 1513 `long ago', Trip. 133 . is mé ro baeglaiged ó chéin, LU 3921 ( SCC 44 ). Bretain o chéin rodochumdaigset the B. had built it long before, Anecd. iii 70.2 . ós é sin ó chéin ar nós `our ancient custom', Content. xxviii 71 . [Críst] roncuinnig ō chēin chain, ZCP iii 18.27 . o chein mair anall, PH 3422 . ó chíanaibh just now, lately, already: fotdāilfind a nilparttib ō chīanaib acht nīpad Fergus (C.C. to Etarcomal), TBC-I¹ 1198 . mac na trí curad at-rubart a (= ó) chíanaib, MU² 679 . ticbatis Herind o chianaib they would have reached Ireland a while ago, Snedg. u. Mac R 13.9 . leis an íairmbérla adubhart ó chíanuibh just now, IGT Introd. 30.18 . Used as quasi-adj. recent, just mentioned : int urchar o chianaib `the cast just now', TTebe 2087 . is don drochgaidhilg o c[h]ianaibh é above mentioned(?), IGT Metr. Faults287 § 130 . gach re cuidechta a cianaib every other company mentioned, BCC 384.21 .
As n. pr. m. tochomladh Céin a Caisil, Anecd. ii 46.18 . See also Corp. Gen.
III As conjunction
(a) (in) céin (later also i céin , géin ), céine (for) as long as, since, when . Folld. by nasalizing rel. clause in O. Ir. (see GOI 553 ) and in later language also with follg. rel. clause (see Duan. F. iii 44 n.l . ). cein mbith oc ic, Blathm. 39 . cein ba dibh amhatair `since His mother was of them', 103 . ceín rongabus i carcair `so long as I am in prison', Wb. 23b18 . cene ṁ bether in hac uita , Ml. 107d8 . cene conmesarsa olseseom ┐ céne connoither mo thimnasa `as long as I shall give rules . . . and as long as my injunctions are observed', Mon. Tall. 129.29 . cen bai Cormac beo, Ériu xvi 84.101 . céne (cean a, MS.) forcomédaidh fírinni, 65.21 . céin mbete i llucc irnaigdi / céne mbess coic fíal findbalc, iii 104 § 34 . i céin ra búi seom aice-sain, TBC-LL¹ 2956 = an ccein, TBC St. 2564 . hi céin bae Issau ic triall dont ṡeilcg, Celtica iv 8.20 . in cen bes coir dib, Laws i 136.10 Comm. i céin raibh nemh is talamh while heaven and earth last, BNnÉ 314 § 8 . in cein do bas arin cuirt `while this assembly was in session', Ann. Conn. 1228.5 . in gein ronbuí 'na bethaidh, Duan. F. i 55.8 (`a pseudo-archaism', iii 44). géin bhus beo, Content. ii 42 . ? Cf. cen bad buidech, Metr. Dinds. iii 192.35 (leg. céin, Corrig.).
(b) céin co until: cein conid ris `till I reach him', Blathm. 102 § 42 . an frim céin córda sille, LU 3807 ( SCC 37 ). céin co tí . . . don chath, 5872 ( TBC-I¹ 1403 ).? ní béra demon díb nech / cen corop (leg. cor'p) óg nó aithrigech `while they are perfect', BColm. 52.7 . céin co n-ebar in fín nua imalle frib (words of Christ at Last Supper), PH 2995 . céin go dtarrastair .i. no go dtarla, O'Cl. gen gar muig rempu till they won the victory, BNnÉ 310.12 . Exceptionally with art.: in céin co roiscc in ceilebrad, Grail 1790 , ? Cf. cen co tola, Fing. R. 181 (see n.).
COMPDS. With nouns: iar ccianaois, AFM ii 640.12 . cienaimser ria n-a thōgbāil, Fl. Earls 110.15 . a chisde na gcianbhann lúidh (to a prince), DDána 79.27 `O thou who art skilled in the old valour feats', Ir. Monthly 1921, 247 . ? Colla Uais uas chianbla chain, LL 15753 . tochombaig Ciannacht cianbruige, Laws iv 8.17 `C. has recovered distant lands', Celtica vi 227.5 . i cind chían-chóicthigis, TBC-LL¹ 2050 (as two words LL 9331 and so also at 22815 ). ní ro chumaingsiot a chianchosnamh fris in lion sloigh, AFM vi 2026.9 . bud fata bas chianchuman, LL 7822 ( TBC-LL¹ 294 ). co crich cinnte . . . cein-eisergi caich, MR 264.5 . a gcáoile ┐ a ccíaneitche, Ériu v 80.12 . hí cíanfoccus at some little distance, BDD² 626 . dála . . . catha chianfhoghla, DDána 83.8 . clogat . . . cianḟulaing, MR xiv 21 . ar gcabhra i gciainimneadh, Aithd. D. 76.8 . cichsot cēnmuir `shall advance to the distant sea', Ériu xvi 146.7 .
With adjj.: isin set cianfotta, BB 240b15 . tellach dá dechmad / cíanramar `long and solid(?)', Celtica vi 221. 11 ( Laws iv 4.18 ) = cennramar, O'Curry 846 ( H 3.18, 384b ). With adjj. derived from nouns: seanoir cianaosda, MR 42.6 . sein leabar cianáosta, Gorm. p. xviii . a chloidhiomh . . . cianainignech destroying far and wide, MR xiv 24 . clanna cianairgnecha Cuirc, Caithr. CC 81 . do Macc cían clothach `far-renowned', BDD 157 . rosc corrglas cianradarcach, BB 427a36 . níor bhó cianṡaoghlach somh iar ngairm tighearna de, AFM vi 1996.9 . do bhuidhin chuirthe ciainsiublaigh, AFM vi 2318.7 . deaghmhac cian-teasdach Conchubhair far-famed, Miscell. Celt. Soc. 177.w . an chloch cian tuinigte `enormous', AFM vi 2012.11 . ben bhocht chumhthach chíantuirseach, Ériu v 80.5 .
Unfortunately, I don't think this makes much sense. The *seno- root for "old" is well-attested in Brythonic (cf. Welsh hen), so any Irish group like Tuath Sen-Cheneoil or Tuath Sen-Erann would have been rendered with a British *seno- name. There would have been no reason to substitute a *cotto- name.
Jerome refers to them as a British tribe (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf206/npnf206.vi.vi.II.html):
"Why should I speak of other nations when I myself, a youth on a visit to Gaul, heard that the Atticoti, a British tribe, eat human flesh, and that although they find herds of swine, and droves of large or small cattle in the woods, it is their custom to cut off the buttocks of the shepherds and the breasts of their women, and to regard them as the greatest delicacies?"
The Latin here reads "Atticotos, gentem Britannicam, humanis vesci car-..."
(http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/02m/0347-0420,_Hieronymus,_Adversus_Jovinianum_Libri_Duo,_MLT.pdf)
But, he also seems to pair them with the Scots, and some scholars have made a good case for them being Scots who were in Britain, i.e. who had early on settled there. See, for example, https://www.academia.edu/8872970/_Attacotti_D%C3%A9isi_and_Magnus_Maximus_the_Case_for_Irish_Federates_in_Late_Roman_Britain_Britannia_32_2001_243-270 - as long as the author's identification of the group/tribal name is discounted!
A good source on the Attacotti in the Roman army can be found here:
https://books.google.com/books?id=3gz8CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=attacotti+juniores&source=bl&ots=GiRrFWEl6P&sig=ACfU3U19SoSEqgZhuhGHInLlOklortnCGQ&hl=en&ppis=_e&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFtPbbk4noAhViJzQIHeXNB7EQ6AEwCHoECA0QAQ#v=onepage&q=attacotti%20juniores&f=false
I would like to float here my own idea for the Attacotti, a name for known Irish tribes that indeed did raid and settle in Britain. I'm talking about the Ui Liathain, whose legendary founder was Eochu Liathain, and the Ciannachta of Tadc mac Céin. The great Cunedda of Wales was of the Ciannachta. I've elsewhere demonstrated conclusively that this Cunedda was not from Manau Gododdin in the extreme North of Britain, but from Drumanagh in Ireland (see https://mistshadows.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-irish-cunedda-selection-from-my.html).
We can start with the Ui Liathain. The origin of the epithet for this founding ancestor of the tribe is the Irish word liath, whose various meanings are listed as pasted below in the eDIL. Note in particular the references to "aged", "old men, veterans."
líath
Cite this: eDIL s.v. líath or dil.ie/30139
Last Revised: 2013
o, ā
I As adj. grey .
(a) Of persons, grey-haired, aged : Ronán l.¤ Roiss Uanni, Fél. Apr. 30 . laech l.¤ mór, Sc.M² 13. itconnarcc senoir mor liath , PH 1490 . riglach liat[h] (.i. seanoir), ACL iii 30.2 (= Trip.² 2475 ). in láech l.¤ , LL 2228.
(b) Of the hair, beard grey: ulcha liatha leo . . . .i. oland l.¤ ro ceṅglad dia smechaib, LL 329e26 .i. ulliu léith leo issin chath, 29 ( ZCP xiii 318.1 ). tomm liath hi cert-medón a édain, PH 7270 . ulcha . . . ┐ uathad finda liath inne, 1968 . an ceann liath , Proverbs xvi 31 . fear na gruáige léithe, Deuteronomy xxxii 25 . déana coimhéirghe rés an gceann liath , TSh. 8546.
(c) Other applications: etuch dub ┐ fobuidhe ┐ liath , Laws i 148.3 Comm . i n-aibíd mhánaig leith Cistercian, ALC i 366.25 . gur bho derg dá ḟuil ┐ gur bo liath dá n-inchind, TBC-LL¹ 6046 . bid liath cechtar fathar do inchinn a cheile, BNnÉ 303.16 . at liatha do shúile, MacCongl. 93.12 . ech l.¤ , LU 8659 ( FB 49 ). golgaire in luin lēith, ZCP vii 310 § 7 (= luin duibh, Reeves Ad. 274 ). datha na ngaeth . . . buidhe ┐ derg, dub ┐ liath , Laws i 26.x Comm . faoi drúcht liath , Oss. iv 216.6 . sioc l.¤ , Job xxxviii 29 . aráin a lóin uile tirim ┐ l.¤ , Joshua ix 5 . muc ogham inso . . . finn (b) liath (l), Auraic. 5669 . dathogam. aicme bethi .i. ban, liath , 5698 . a beith ranocht is roliath (of anocht error), 2070 . (cryptic) loiscia .i. liath (? leg. lia), Goid. 77 § 163 (Dúil Laithne) , ZCP xlix-l 612 .
Superl.: rói-dhearca lóghmhara is léithe lí, Keat. Poems 100.
II As subst.
(a) in pl. old men, veterans : do rat a óclaecha i medón an chatha ┐ do rat a liatha fá deoid, SG 321.37 . oc faicsin na liath do letradh, 321.z . mairg nach riaraig a líathu, ZCP vii 298.18 . nī caistide (leg. coistide) fri liatu (: fiachu), xiii 264.3 . is mairg lenus do liathu, LL 307b23 ( SG 387.35 ). rolensat na léith Lothor `greybeards', Metr. Dinds. iv 52.124 . beid ogmna cen dergadh, / bud fergach a liatha, ZCP x 50 § 18.
(b) Various other applications: in liath ┐ in chiar itir in uidir ┐ in cirdub bit (of winds), Laws i 28.2 Comm . da doighli liath léna in magh, radfia su cadhan go leth crane(?), ZCP viii 550.18 = x 280.10 = inn iall én, TBC-LL¹ 1832. Of disease in sheep fluke, rot(?): liath ┐ uthud do caoirib, O'Curry 1103 ( H 3.18 p. 447a ). liath ┐ ufadh do chaorchaib, O'Curry 297 ( H 3.18 163 ).
(c) As n.pr. Léim an Leith, BNnÉ 255.1 . in L.¤ Macha (Cú Chulainn's horse), LU 8575 ( FB 43 ). da acallaim ind Leith, LL 13813 ( RC iii 175.12 ). Carcar ind Léith i mbái in Liath , Metr. Dinds. ii 22.68 . do tig Midir i mBrig Leith i Teathbai, TE² 2 . Liath na trí mbenn `the grey one of the three antlers' (of stag), SG 115.2 ( Acall. 936 ). is e in Foelcú sein dorigne in curach do C[h]olum Cille .i. in Liathmbaile (leg. Liath mBaile), ZCP viii 298.18 .
Compds.
(a) With nouns. ¤boccóit: l. fair .i. a sciath, TBC-LL¹ 5404 . ¤gae: líáthga mór . . . na láim, TBC-LL¹ 5390 . liathgha .i. ga léothach, O'Cl. liathgai fria ais, IT, ii2 243.3 . ¤lus, common as plant name, see Hog. Luibhl. lus fillocealla .i. liathlus, ACL i 333 § 19 . crocus ecolicanus liathlus, 335 § 70 . liathlus locha savin, Irish Texts v 6.31 . adiantos politricus .i. liathlus mor, ACL i 330 § 10 . asarum ┐ abrotanum .i. liathlus na tragha, ACL i 334 § 56 . auricula muris .i. an liathlus beag, 23 K 42, 367.3 . ¤muine `grey brake or thicket, tormentil,' Hog. Luibhl. In place-names see Hog. Onom. ¤nuimhir `large (hoary) number' (Gloss.), Hackett xxxix 15 .
(b) With adjj.: ¤chrúaid: lebenna liathcrúaidi cotata `grey hard stiff benches', Hib. Min. 66.17 . ¤garmnach see garmnach. ¤glas: trí monga liath-ghlasa . . . forra `grey-blue', ML 118.z . ¤lomda grey and bare : a lecní liathlomdai, IT iii 99.13 . ¤luimnech grey-cloaked (?): cailleach . . . liathluimneach, ZCP v 22 § 8 . ¤odar dark-grey: trí bruitt . . . liathodra . . . impu, MU² 606.
(c) ¤enech grey-faced , used as subst. and n.pr. or nickname: cirp lep liath ennech / luath loschlaen (gripp lep líathainech, v.l.), IT iii 14 § 30 . ní con facca beola eich, amail beola in liathánuigh .i. in Liath Macha, O'D. 1208 ( H 2.15A, 83a ), cf. am beolu inliathanaigh / nochonaca beolu eich, IT iii 68 § 7. Murchadh Liathanach, AFM ii 898.24 . Tadg mac an Liathanaigh, 1098.19
And now for the Ciannachta. The eponymous founder was one Cian, a name that means "ancient, enduring" (O'Corrain and Maquire's IRISH NAMES). The complete listing for cian is pasted below.
Thus what we have with the Ui Liathain and the Ciannachta is two Irish tribes, both invaders/settlers of Wales and Cornwall, whose names led them to be referred to in Britain as the Attacotti or 'very old ones.'
In the HISTORIA BRITTONUM ascribed to the monk Nennius, Cunedda and his sons (or teulu/warband) and said to have driven the Ui Liathain out of southern Wales.
cían
Cite this: eDIL s.v. cían or dil.ie/9003
Last Revised: 2019
Forms: cén, cíana, cíana, chíana, ciana, cían, céin, céin, géin
Arch. cén ( Ériu ix 48 § 23 , xvi 146.7 below). The follg. may contain a by-form cíana: ed cíana , Harl. 5280, 42b (cited Meyer Contribb.), TTr.² 499 , hi tir chíana , Trip.² 1438 , if not attrib. gen. of the abstract cíana, q.v. Cf. also cu ciana , LL 13576 ( Irish Texts i 33.10 .).
I As adj. o, ā long, enduring; far, distant : c.¤ .i. fada, O'Cl. Attrib. of time: ho etartetarcur cián `at a long interval', Ml. 88d13 . sechmadachta ṅ-ocus ┐ c.¤ , Thes. ii 229.26 . fri ed cián for a long time, TBC-LL¹ 1846 . íar n-aimseraib cíanaib, Imr. Brain 17.12 . ra charusa in laech út uair chéin for a long time, TBC-LL¹ 4560 . loc dam-sa . . . co hūair chéin, ZCP viii 312.2 . tri rei ciana `for a long time', Ml. 90d14 . iar reib cianaib, Ériu xvi 36.5 . dolodar . . . filid . . . riab cianaib iarsna gnimaib-sea (`a little time'), Auraic. 149 = reib chianaiph, 2452 . roan . . . fri ré ciana = multis diebus, Lat. Lives 4.9 . bui iarum imale fri Fergus re ciana, Ériu xvi 37 § 1 . fria rē ciana, Grail 629 . bai cocad mor etarro fri re ciana iarsin, RC xxiv 186.9 . le headh gcian, Aithd. D. 52.5 .
Of place: i crīchaib cīanaib, ACL iii 224.20 . adclos ua na (fana v.l.) crichaib ciana comaidchi, TTebe 694 . écndairc cian ut ille gl. absenti, Sg. 138a2 . i cendachaib cianaib in domain, PH 5500 . tancatar a tirib ciana, 5497 .
Of persons: Colmān cian of yore, Corp. Gen. 126.2 . Conán máol coinntinneach c.¤ `wearisome (?)', Duan. F. ii 258 § 37 . Corpre comramach c.¤ (: fírian), LL 15741 . Nial c.¤ Caille `old', Arch. Hib. ii 61 § 42 .
Other applications: ce beo i tairisium chian, Airne F. 138 . gidh céim c.¤ , BS 120.15 . faghail chian distant, Magauran 4396 . in cú ch.¤ (: níad), LL 29333 .
Predic. with copula, usually long (of time): ni ba cián ṁbete oca cloinib, Ml. 28a10 . nipi c.¤ a masse in choirp lasting , Wb. 28c25 . ni ba cian mbias in pecthach, Ml. 56c22 . ni ba cián ṁbete and, 66d14 . is cián arfolmas dún in sin, Wb. 21a2 . as cian do rairngredh, Blathm. 127 . is cian bus cuman, TE 9 (Eg.). domun dīan / cia bether fair nī ba cīan , ZCP vii 498.5 . cian bhus bladh, Aithd. D. 21.36 . as cian ata an sean-fhocal, MR 286.21 . Of space: is c.¤ etarru `far', Ml. 119d10 . im fochróib bá c.¤ `whether at hand or afar', Sg. 151b2 . ré nách c.¤ , LU 1992 ( FA 6 ).
In phrases. is c.¤ co it is long till (freq. with neg. shortly, soon): niba ch.¤ (leg. c.¤ ? Edd.) cu forcenn á saiguil gl. instare tempus, Ml. 56d7 . níbí cian conid apail, 91d2 . mad c.¤ co tari a fobdhub if it is not immersed quickly (a spear), BDD² 1237 . nirbo chian co toracht C.C. in sligid cetna, LU 8530 ( FB 39 ). nir-bo chian do Chonchobor . . . co facca, CRR 11 . ní cian . . . co teccema frit-sa é, Grail 2665 . Note also: nir cian d'Ercuil . . . in tan nocunnuic in rí E. soon saw, Stair Erc. 463 .
is c.¤ ó it is long since, far from. Of time: is c.¤ ós accobor lemm far ríchtu I have long wished to come to you, Wb. 7a3 . is cian . . . o rot carus, Grail 2359 . robo cian o nach facca-som iad, 1550 . mairg nach cian ó dchualabhair, Content. xi 4 . cian ód cualadh, Keat. Poems 1357 .
Of place: ni cian huaib imbíat `not far from you where they are', Mon. Tall. 151.9 . ni c.¤ úait here he is, IT i 71.20 . is c.¤ uait . . . airm in-das-fil, TBC-LL¹ 884 .
In disjunctive phrases with gar: cid c.¤ cid gair gl. quanto tempore, Wb. 3c5 . cēn gair cech fān imthéit lēn `sooner or later every wanderer comes to grief', Ériu ix 48.23 . cian gar dom beith it ingnais `whether I be a long or short while away from thee', LL i p. xvi 11 . c.¤ garit co bráth, 307a8 ( SG 386.18 ). gēr c[h]ian gar, ML² 156 . As quasi-conjunction however long, as long as, while : cián gar ro batar for innuropair sin, TBC-LL¹ 2038 . cien goirit boi C. ig a díchur dhe, 2302 . co na baoí tesbhaidh neith . . . cian gairitt battar hisuidhe, AFM vi 2276. 11 . cid c.¤ gairit ro bás . . . atrochair . . . , Acall. 4736 . cian gar co toirset nóim ind until (?), 2673 (cid cian gairit no co tí, v.l.). See 1 gar.
With prep. LA: rochīan limsa anad fri sodain I am not prepared to wait that long, TBC-I¹ 375 = c.¤ lim-sa di shodain, TBC-LL¹ 881 . ba cian lasin righ boi an t-ara tall, BNnÉ 323 § 33 . cian lem . . . / tren tucc fa toirrsi m'aignedh it grieves me(?), 254.21 . fada ar saoghal d'éis na bhFian / ní cneasta ná badh cian linn if I did not find it tedious, Measgra D. 71.22 . cíen liom 's ní ar a ghrádh `I long for', Duan. F. ii 162 § 28 . Note also: is c.¤ dúni beith acot irnaidi, TBC-LL¹ 991 .
Adv.: in ch.¤ gl. diu, Ml. 38b4 . Cf. níbu in c.¤ (níbuncían, MS.) riam gl. non multo ante, 32b17 . ro clos cian son a garma `far', Thes. ii 312.16 (Hy. ii) glossed: fo Herinn. co c.¤ dar éis na haband `till long after', Metr. Dinds. iii 168.20 . co cíen `continuously', Ériu xix 10 § 5 . iar tochaithem a bethad dó . . . co cian i fhechtnaigi, PH 4296 .
II As subst. ā, f. (elliptical for ré c.¤ , Zimmer KZ xxx 26 - 27 ). a long time, period : triasna cíana cotaislia .i. trisin ré cian , LU 985 - 6 ( ACC 90 ). is cian mór ó 'tbaltsa, 9496 . baoi cian d'aimsir ag coimhmeasgadh flaithis na Rómha `a length of time', Keat. i 226.19 . mainistear . . . do bhí cádhasach cian d'aimsir, iii 1345 . In: re cian do bhliaghnuibh, Párl. na mB. 390 and re cian d'aimsir, Parrth. Anma 6000 re (see 1 ré) may be noun and cían adj. le cianaibh for ages, Hackett² 21.15 . Of distance: is c.¤ do thír már do muir / eturru is Imlech Ibair, ZCP viii 327.36 . In cheville: céin n-gle `temps glorieux', RC xvii 282 § 6 .
In a variety of adv. phrases. Without prep. (cach la céin) . . . in céin n-aili: cach la céin aisndís dia throgai in céin n-aili aisndis dind fortacht durat Dia do at one time . . . at another, Ml. 40b8 . in céin n-aili `at another time', Sg. 8a9 . in céin n-aili gl. nunc, Ml. 39d12 . Cuaird Comgi Michíl, Cuaird Comgi Muire a n-ainm laisim i cen n-ale (of Hymn to Michael and Hymn to Mary) `respectively', Mon. Tall. 137.20 . Note also: dī-cechlacēin is diultad, alaill is aidbliugud, Corm. Y 418 . nach céin (with neg. vb.) any long while: arna bether ocu nach cein, Mon. Tall. 164.17 (§ 89) . ní beind nach céin i ndamnad, KMMisc. 212.11 . See also 1 nach. Various: atat connarc cein `long ago', Blathm. 102 § 38 (if not céin = féin, cf. tá chéin, for M. Milscothach silence a while(?), BDD² 447 ). is cīan mór hūadh ō dac[h]ótar mo chíghi-si i ndīsca, Cáin Ad. 8 . cian mór uadh `long ago', CCath. 4067 . ro-haidnaiced is cian uad `long ago', PH 657 . do foillsighed dó c.¤ suil do thicfed long before he was due, BNnÉ 328.22 .
For céin mair (with céin used as preverb, GOI 241 ) see maraid. Note further: cein do mhair, Blathm. 207 and n. to 825 . canais moir, 34 , see n. to 133 . can mair in clercin `long life to the little cleric', Ériu v 236.74 . cēnmair Ulltaib, TBC-I¹ 3424 = bochin Ultu, TBC-LL¹ 5748 . bo chinmaír rissa ṅ-gebat, 5707 = cen mair, TBC St. 4709 . Cf. nī gcēinmair doraa an māin (.i. ní mogenar dochonnaic an eladha), ZCP v 488 § 7 (B. na f.). céin mair seems to have influenced céin móir in later language occasionally giving céin máir (see below).
With CO: co céin móir for a long time, LU 5230 ( TBC-I¹ 752 ).
With DI from of yore, long; from afar : ba di chein `from of yore', Blathm. 98 . do-arrchet di chéin no mbiad adrad dǽ la genti gl. sicut scriptum est, Wb. 6d8 . o Adam co dilind dein / in chet-aimser daib dichen, Lec. 30 vb10 . is do chéin gid so afar, TBC-LL¹ 4689 . can dodeachaig? . . . ní do chein, YBL 174a40 . boi . . . Petur i cómitecht Ísu do chéin, PH 3135 . do chéin mair anall, 7046 (see céin mair above). do ch.¤ nó do c[h]omhfhogus `from far or near', Duan. F. ii 62 § 12 . Also in pl.: robadar cethtri cridiscél liom-sæ de chianaib `I have long had four darling wishes', Mon. Tall. 136.20 . As quasi-adj.: sen-briathar do chéin `from of old', Celtica iv 10.41 . Tuatha De Danann dochein, Lec. 58a10 = BB 31a41 . ar ṡeirc ind óclaích . . . di chéin, LL 31153 ( TTr. 336 ).
With ÍAR: in chaingnímai aili is iar ceín rofinnatar after some time, Wb. 29a30 . iar cein, PH 1024 . iar cein shortly, Aisl. Tond. 105 § 3 . íar cēin móir, BColm. 70.18 . iar ccein máir iarsin, BNnÉ 90.24 (see céin mair above). iar ceín mair, BB 18a49 . iar sin iar cenmair, Ériu viii 174.33 . iar cen mair do Th. . . . co faca, Aisl. Tond. 106 § 5 . ier cēin mhāir `a long time ago', Fl. Earls 208.30 . Note also: cu-du-boing cein (.i. iar cein) comarba curu, Bürgschaft 21.4 (for féin ?).
With I N-. For variety of forms cf. rachad a ccéin ┐ a ccíana ┐ a ccíanuibh, Bard. Synt. Tr. 26.19 . indtan noteigdis i céin `when they went a long distance', Mon. Tall. 129.21 . taig drochcarad hi céin (proverbial saying), BDD² 58 . fer bis a cein, Anecd. i 15.1 ( SCano 501 ). dā ndeachaid Congal a ccéin, ZCP viii 109.1 . seisrech . . . a toigheacht a gcianaibh cuige, BNnÉ 186.26 . i gcéin 's i ngar, 51.14 . Note also: rolaus cian i cein / ardo charait i mbrón, LL 18615 . As quasi-adj.: créd agaibh aoidhigh a gcéin `from afar', Studies 1924, 241 § 1 . Rarely of time: ní tualaing ionchoisiod i ccéin i gcuimhne for long, Ériu xiii 29.11 . With ocus: imb i céin fa i n-accus beo-sa, Wb. 23b41 . i ceín ┐ i n-ocus, Thes. ii 356.20 (Hy. vii). cid i cein, cid a focus, Laws i 240.17 Comm.
With ó. ó chéin from of old, long ago : iarsindi ro-n-an hua céin di aisndis dun popul gl. tam longum `after he had ceased a while', Ml. 126b1 . F . . . . atbath ó céin, Trip.² 1513 `long ago', Trip. 133 . is mé ro baeglaiged ó chéin, LU 3921 ( SCC 44 ). Bretain o chéin rodochumdaigset the B. had built it long before, Anecd. iii 70.2 . ós é sin ó chéin ar nós `our ancient custom', Content. xxviii 71 . [Críst] roncuinnig ō chēin chain, ZCP iii 18.27 . o chein mair anall, PH 3422 . ó chíanaibh just now, lately, already: fotdāilfind a nilparttib ō chīanaib acht nīpad Fergus (C.C. to Etarcomal), TBC-I¹ 1198 . mac na trí curad at-rubart a (= ó) chíanaib, MU² 679 . ticbatis Herind o chianaib they would have reached Ireland a while ago, Snedg. u. Mac R 13.9 . leis an íairmbérla adubhart ó chíanuibh just now, IGT Introd. 30.18 . Used as quasi-adj. recent, just mentioned : int urchar o chianaib `the cast just now', TTebe 2087 . is don drochgaidhilg o c[h]ianaibh é above mentioned(?), IGT Metr. Faults287 § 130 . gach re cuidechta a cianaib every other company mentioned, BCC 384.21 .
As n. pr. m. tochomladh Céin a Caisil, Anecd. ii 46.18 . See also Corp. Gen.
III As conjunction
(a) (in) céin (later also i céin , géin ), céine (for) as long as, since, when . Folld. by nasalizing rel. clause in O. Ir. (see GOI 553 ) and in later language also with follg. rel. clause (see Duan. F. iii 44 n.l . ). cein mbith oc ic, Blathm. 39 . cein ba dibh amhatair `since His mother was of them', 103 . ceín rongabus i carcair `so long as I am in prison', Wb. 23b18 . cene ṁ bether in hac uita , Ml. 107d8 . cene conmesarsa olseseom ┐ céne connoither mo thimnasa `as long as I shall give rules . . . and as long as my injunctions are observed', Mon. Tall. 129.29 . cen bai Cormac beo, Ériu xvi 84.101 . céne (cean a, MS.) forcomédaidh fírinni, 65.21 . céin mbete i llucc irnaigdi / céne mbess coic fíal findbalc, iii 104 § 34 . i céin ra búi seom aice-sain, TBC-LL¹ 2956 = an ccein, TBC St. 2564 . hi céin bae Issau ic triall dont ṡeilcg, Celtica iv 8.20 . in cen bes coir dib, Laws i 136.10 Comm. i céin raibh nemh is talamh while heaven and earth last, BNnÉ 314 § 8 . in cein do bas arin cuirt `while this assembly was in session', Ann. Conn. 1228.5 . in gein ronbuí 'na bethaidh, Duan. F. i 55.8 (`a pseudo-archaism', iii 44). géin bhus beo, Content. ii 42 . ? Cf. cen bad buidech, Metr. Dinds. iii 192.35 (leg. céin, Corrig.).
(b) céin co until: cein conid ris `till I reach him', Blathm. 102 § 42 . an frim céin córda sille, LU 3807 ( SCC 37 ). céin co tí . . . don chath, 5872 ( TBC-I¹ 1403 ).? ní béra demon díb nech / cen corop (leg. cor'p) óg nó aithrigech `while they are perfect', BColm. 52.7 . céin co n-ebar in fín nua imalle frib (words of Christ at Last Supper), PH 2995 . céin go dtarrastair .i. no go dtarla, O'Cl. gen gar muig rempu till they won the victory, BNnÉ 310.12 . Exceptionally with art.: in céin co roiscc in ceilebrad, Grail 1790 , ? Cf. cen co tola, Fing. R. 181 (see n.).
COMPDS. With nouns: iar ccianaois, AFM ii 640.12 . cienaimser ria n-a thōgbāil, Fl. Earls 110.15 . a chisde na gcianbhann lúidh (to a prince), DDána 79.27 `O thou who art skilled in the old valour feats', Ir. Monthly 1921, 247 . ? Colla Uais uas chianbla chain, LL 15753 . tochombaig Ciannacht cianbruige, Laws iv 8.17 `C. has recovered distant lands', Celtica vi 227.5 . i cind chían-chóicthigis, TBC-LL¹ 2050 (as two words LL 9331 and so also at 22815 ). ní ro chumaingsiot a chianchosnamh fris in lion sloigh, AFM vi 2026.9 . bud fata bas chianchuman, LL 7822 ( TBC-LL¹ 294 ). co crich cinnte . . . cein-eisergi caich, MR 264.5 . a gcáoile ┐ a ccíaneitche, Ériu v 80.12 . hí cíanfoccus at some little distance, BDD² 626 . dála . . . catha chianfhoghla, DDána 83.8 . clogat . . . cianḟulaing, MR xiv 21 . ar gcabhra i gciainimneadh, Aithd. D. 76.8 . cichsot cēnmuir `shall advance to the distant sea', Ériu xvi 146.7 .
With adjj.: isin set cianfotta, BB 240b15 . tellach dá dechmad / cíanramar `long and solid(?)', Celtica vi 221. 11 ( Laws iv 4.18 ) = cennramar, O'Curry 846 ( H 3.18, 384b ). With adjj. derived from nouns: seanoir cianaosda, MR 42.6 . sein leabar cianáosta, Gorm. p. xviii . a chloidhiomh . . . cianainignech destroying far and wide, MR xiv 24 . clanna cianairgnecha Cuirc, Caithr. CC 81 . do Macc cían clothach `far-renowned', BDD 157 . rosc corrglas cianradarcach, BB 427a36 . níor bhó cianṡaoghlach somh iar ngairm tighearna de, AFM vi 1996.9 . do bhuidhin chuirthe ciainsiublaigh, AFM vi 2318.7 . deaghmhac cian-teasdach Conchubhair far-famed, Miscell. Celt. Soc. 177.w . an chloch cian tuinigte `enormous', AFM vi 2012.11 . ben bhocht chumhthach chíantuirseach, Ériu v 80.5 .
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