The myth of Oisín and the land of eternal youth - Iseult Gillespie

Translator: Sabrina Go Reviewer: Ade Indarta

In a typical hero's journey,

Tipikal perjalanan pahlawan,

the protagonist sets out on an adventure,

protagonis berangkat berpetualang,

undergoes great change,

mengalami perubahan besar,

and returns in triumph to their point of origin.

dan kembali dalam kemenangan ke tanah asal mereka.

But in the Irish genre of myth known as Eachtraí,

Namun dalam genre mitologi Irlandia yaitu Eachtraí,

the journey to the other world ends in a point of no return.

perjalanan ke dunia lain berakhir tanpa bisa kembali lagi.

While there are many different versions of the otherworld in Irish mythology,

Sementara ada banyak versi berbeda tentang dunia lain dalam mitologi Irlandia,

the most well-known example occurs in the story of Oisín.

contoh yang paling terkenal terjadi dalam kisah Oisín.

Oisín was the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill, the leader of a group of pagan warriors

Oisín adalah putra dari Fionn MacCumhaill, pemimpin kelompok pejuang pagan

known as the Fianna.

dikenal sebagai Fianna.

As Oisín rode with his companions one day,

Suatu hari saat Oisín berkuda bersama rekannya,

he was visited by the immortal princess Niamh.

ia dikunjungi oleh putri yang abadi Niamh.

The two fell instantly in love

Keduanya segera jatuh cinta

and Niamh put Oisín onto her white horse

dan Niamh menaikkan Oisín ke atas kuda putihnya

and rode with him to the edge of the Irish sea.

dan berkuda bersama ke ujung laut Irlandia.

As they made for the horizon, the riders sunk into a golden haze.

Saat mereka sampai di cakrawala, mereka tenggelam dalam kabut emas.

They came to the shores of the gleaming kingdom called Tír na nÓg.

Mereka tiba di pantai dari kerajaan yang bercahaya bernama Tír na nÓg.

This was the home of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the people who ruled Ancient Ireland

Ini adalah rumah Tuatha Dé Danann, orang- orang yang dulu berkuasa di Irlandia Kuno

long before Oisín's time.

jauh sebelum masa Oisín.

From the point of his arrival, Oisín's every need was met.

Sejak kedatangannya, segala kebutuhan Oisín terpenuhi.

He married Niamh in a grand ceremony and was welcomed into her family.

Ia menikahi Niamh dengan pesta besar dan diterima di dalam keluarganya.

When he wished to hear music, his ears filled with bewitching tones.

Ketika ia berharap mendengarkan musik, telinganya mendengar nada-nada mempesona.

When he hungered, golden plates appeared laden with fragrant food.

Ketika ia lapar, piring emas muncul penuh dengan makanan berbau harum.

He admired scenes of great beauty, and colors that he had no name for.

Ia mengagumi keindahan pemandangan dan warna-warni yang tidak ia ketahui namanya.

All around him, the land and the people existed in a state of unmoving perfection.

Di sekelilingnya, negeri dan penduduknya hidup dalam kesempurnaan yang tetap.

But what Oisín didn't know was that Tír na nÓg was the land of youth,

Namun yang tidak diketahui Oisín Tír na nÓg adalah tanah keabadian,

in which time stood still and the people never aged.

di mana waktu tidak bergerak dan orang-orangnya tidak bertambah tua.

In his new home, Oisín continued to hunt and explore as he had in Ireland.

Di rumah barunya, Oisín tetap berburu dan menjelajah sebagaimana di Irlandia.

But in the land of youth, he possessed a strange, new invincibility.

Namun di tanah keabadian, ia mendapat kekuatan baru yang aneh.

At the end of each day of adventuring,

Di setiap akhir hari penjelajahan,

Oisín's wounds magically healed themselves as he slept in Niamh's arms.

luka-luka Oisín sembuh secara ajaib sementara ia tidur dalam pelukan Niamh.

Although glory and pleasure came easily to Oisín in the land of youth,

Meski kejayaan dan kenikmatan datang dengan mudah pada Oisín di tanah keabadian

he missed the Fianna and the adventures they had in Ireland.

ia merindukan Fianna dan petualangan yang ia alami di Irlandia.

After three years in Tír na nÓg, he was struck by a deep yearning for home.

Setelah tiga tahun di Tír na nÓg, ia diserang rindu rumah yang sangat dalam.

Before he embarked on his journey back, Niamh warned him

Sebelum ia memulai perjalanan pulang, Niamh memperingatkannya

that he must not alight from his horse to touch the earth with his own feet.

bahwa ia tidak boleh turun dari kuda untuk menyentuh tanah dengan kakinya sendiri.

When Oisín reached the shores of Ireland,

Ketika Oisín mencapai daratan Irlandia,

it felt as if a shadow had fallen over the world.

rasanya seolah dunia diliputi bayang-bayang.

On the hill where his father's palace lay, he saw only a ruin strewn with weeds.

Di bukit tempat istana ayahnya berdiri, ia hanya melihat reuntuhan berumput.

His calls for his friends and family echoed from derelict walls.

Panggilannya pada teman dan keluarganya bergema dari tembok-tembok terbengkalai.

Horrified, Oisín rode until he came upon a group of peasants working in the fields.

Ketakutan, Oisín berkuda hingga ia melihat sekelompok orang bekerja di ladang.

They were struggling to remove a boulder from their land,

Mereka berusaha memindahkan batu besar dari tanah mereka,

and forgetting Niamh's warning,

dan melupakan peringatan Niamh,

Oisín leapt from his horse and rolled it away with his superhuman strength.

Oisín melompat turun dari kudanya dan memindahkan batu itu dengan kekuatannya.

The crowd's cheers soon turned into shrieks.

Sorak-sorai segera berubah menjadi jeritan.

In place of the youth was an old man whose beard swept the ground

Bukannya pemuda malahan seorang tua yang jenggotnya menyapu tanah

and whose legs buckled under him.

dan kakinya sudah lemah.

He cried out for Finn and the Fianna,

Ia meneriakkan Finn dan Fianna,

but the people only recognized these names from the distant past of 300 years before.

tapi orang-orang hanya mengenal nama tersebut dari masa 300 tahun yang lalu.

Time had betrayed Oisín

Waktu mengkhianati Oisín

and his return to mortal lands had aged him irreversibly.

dan kepulangannya ke negeri fana membuatnya tua.

Throughout Irish folklore,

Di banyak dongeng Irlandia,

sightings of the land of youth have been reported in the depths of wells,

penampakan akan negeri keabadian sudah dilaporkan ada di dasar sumur,

on the brink of the horizon,

di ujung cakrawala,

or in the gloom of caves.

atau di kegelapan gua-gua.

But those who know the tale of Oisín tell of another vision,

Tapi mereka yang mengetahui kisah Oisín menceritakan versi lain,

that of a shining princess carried upon the distant waves by a white horse,

bahwa putri bercahaya yang menaiki ombak di atas kuda putih,

still hoping for the return of her doomed love.

masih berharap akan kembalinya kekasihnya yang malang.