The Room of the Under-Charioteers

“I BEHELD NINE men: on the mast were they. Nine capes they wore, with a purple loop. A plate of gold on the head of each of them. Nine goads in their hands. Liken thou.”

“I know those,” quoth Fer rogain: “Riado, Riamcobur, Ríade, Buadon, Búadchar, Buadgnad, Eirr, Ineirr, Argatlam — nine charioteers in apprenticeship with the three chief charioteers of the king. A man will perish at the hands of each of them,” etc.