his back.

Laeghaire went afterwards, about twilight, to Tara, in sorrow and
shame, with the few persons who escaped in his company. On the day
succeeding Easter Sunday the men of Erinn went to Tara to drink the
feast; for the _Fes_ of Tara was a principal day with them. When they
were banqueting, and thinking of the conflict they waged the day
before, they saw Patrick, who arrived in the middle of Tara, januis
clausis ut Christus in cennaculum; because Patrick meditated: "I will
go," said he, "so that my readiness may be manifested before the men of
Erinn. I shall not make a candle under a bushel of myself. I will
see," said he, "who will believe me, and who will not believe me." No
one rose up before him inside but _Dubhtach_ Mac Ua Lugair alone, the
king's royal poet, and a tender youth of his people (viz., his name was
Fiacc; it is he who is [commemorated] in Slebhte to-day). This
Dubhtach, truly, was the first man who believed that day in Tara.
Patrick blessed him and his seed. Patrick was then called to the
king's bed, that he might eat food, and to prove him in prophecy
(_i.e._, in Venturis rebus). Patrick did not refuse this, because he
knew what would come of it. The druid Luchat Mael went to drink with
him, for he wished to revenge on Patrick what he had done to his (the
druid's) companion the day before. The druid Luchat Mael put a drop of
poison into the goblet which was beside Patrick, that he might see what
Patrick would do in regard to it. Patrick observed this act, and he
blessed the goblet, and the ale adhered to it, and he turned the goblet
upside-down afterwards, and the poison which the druid put into it fell
out of it. Patrick blessed the goblet again, and the ale changed into
its natural state. The names of God and Patrick were magnified
thereby. The hosts then went and took up their station outside Tara.
"Let us work miracles," said Luchat Mael, "before the multitude in this
great plain." Patrick asked; "What are they?" The druid said: "Let us
bring snow upon the plain, so that the plain may be white before us."
Patrick said to him: "I do not wish to go against the will of God."
The druid said: "I will bring the snow upon the plain, though you like
it not." He then began the druidic poetry and the demoniacal arts
until the snow fell so that it would reach the girdles of men; and all
saw and wondered greatly. Patrick said: "We see this; send it away, if
you can." The druid answer