XCIV.

Echo speaks of the formidable[200d]and dragon-like[200e]weapons,And of the fair game,[200f]which was played in front of the unclaimed course of Gododin.Profusely did he bring a supply[200g]of wine into the tents, for the benefit of the natives,[200h]In the season of the storm, as long as it trickled from the vessels,And the army, a well nourished host, continued to drop in.A splendid troop of warriors, successful against a hundred men,Is led from Dindovydd in Dyvneint.[201a]Before Doleu[201b]in battle, worn out were the shields, and battered the helmets.

He brought ruin upon every fair region,[201c]And a fettering valour he displayed;The front of his shield was pierced;Caso Hir, arrayed in pomp,[201d]Protected Rhuvoniawg.A second time were they wounded,[201e]and crushedBy his warlike steeds, and gore-stained were their coffins.[201f]Always immoveable, always liberal of aid,Would be his gallant nobles, when roused to anger.Severe in the conflict, with blades he slaughtered;And agonising news from the war he brought,Which he wove into a hundred songs for the calends of January.Adan[202a]the son of Urvei there did pierce,Adan pierced the haughty boar,Even he who was like Urien,[202b]a maid, and a hero.And as the youth was thus endowed with the properties of a king,Lord of Gwynedd, and of the blood of Cilydd,[202c]he proved our deliverer;Ere the turf was laid upon the face of the generous dead,Wisely did he seek the field, with praise and high sounding fame:The grave of Gorthyn Hir[202d]is seen[202e]from the highlands of Rhuvoniawg.

On account of the piercing of the skilful and most learned man,[203a]On account of the fair corpse, which fell prostrate upon the ground,Thrice six officers judged the atrocious deed[203b]at the hour of mattins,And Morien lifted up again his ancient lance,And, roaring, stretched out[203c]deathTowards the warriors, the Gwyddyl,[203d]and the Prydyn;[203e]Whilst towards the lovely, slender, blood-stained body of Gwen,Sighed Gwenabwy, the only son of Gwen.

On account of the afflicting[203f]of the skilful and most learned manGrievously and deeply, when he fell prostrate upon the ground,The banner was pompously[204a]unfurled, and borne by a man in the flank;[204b]A tumultuous scene was beheld[204c]in Eiddin, and on the battle field.The grasp of his hand performed deeds of valourUpon the Cynt,[204d]the Gwyddyl, and the Prydyn.He who meddles with the mane of a wolf, without a clubIn his hand, will have it gorgeously emblazoned on his robe.Fain would I sing,—“would that Morien had not died.”I sigh for Gwenabwy, the son of Gwen.[204e]

[0a]Perhaps Cawlwyd is a compound of Caw Clwyd, that is, the Clyde of Caw.

[0b]Institutional Triads.

[0c]Ibid.

[0d]Myvyrian Archaiology, vol. i. page 60.

[0e]Bardic Triads.

[0f]Bardic Triads.

[0g]Triad 48, third series.

[0h]Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 308.

[0i]Ib. p. 403.

[0j]Ib. p. 504.

[0k]Gwilym Tew flourished A.D. 1340–1470, and Rhys Nanmor, A.D. 1440–1480.

[0l]In this eText the extensive alternate readings, mentioned in this passage, are not given. There are so many that it becomes impossible to read the Welsh text because of the continual footnotes.

[1a]Tacit. Julii Agric. vita, cap. xiv.

[1b]Cambrian Biography, sub voce.

[1c]Stevenson’s Nennius, p. 52.

[2a]It is stated in the Iolo MSS. that Cunedda Wledig held his court in Carlisle.

[2b]Am. Marcel. 1. 20.

[3a]Triad 39, third series.

[3b]Triad 7.

[3c]Myv. Arch. v. i. p. 52.

[4a]Myv. Arch. v. i. p 57.

[4b]Elegy on Old Age.

[5a]Chalmers’s Caledonia, v. i. pp. 239, &c.

[5b]1. 231.

[5c]1. 289.

[5d]1. 386.

[5e]1. 393.

[5f]1. 534.

[5g]1. 607.

[5h]1. 713.

[6a]1. 32

[6b]1. 648.

[6c]Stanzas xvii. xxxii lxxxvi.

[6d]1. 229.

[6e]1. 86, 584.

[6f]Stanza xviii.

[7a]1. 753, 884.

[7b]Stanza lxviii.

[7c]Stanza xiv.

[7d]Stanza xxxix.

[7e]Stanza xlii.

[7f]Stanza xliii.

[7g]Stanza lxv.

[7h]Stanza lii.

[7i]Stanza xxi.

[7j]Stanza xvii.

[8a]Stanza xliii.

[79a]Or, “The youth was endowed with a manly disposition,” the wordoedbeing taken as a verb (oedd) rather than as a substantive; though it ought to be remarked, as indicative of the sense in which it was regarded by the copyist, that MS. No. 3, which has generally supplied theddwhere it was considered necessary, has it not in the present instance.

[79b]Al. charger, in the singular number. The favourite steed of our hero, supposing him to be the son of Urien Rheged, is, in the Triads, called “Carnavlawg” (cloven-hoofed) and is said to have been “one of the three horses of depredation of the Isle of Britain,” (Myv. Arch. vol. ii. page 20.) Taliesin in his Elegy on Owain son of Urien, describes him as

“Gwr gwiw uch ei amliw seirchA roddei feirchI eirchiaid.”A worthy hero seated on variegated trappings,Who would give steeds to those that asked him.—Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 59.

“Gwr gwiw uch ei amliw seirchA roddei feirchI eirchiaid.”

A worthy hero seated on variegated trappings,Who would give steeds to those that asked him.—Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 59.

Thick manewas regarded as one of the good points of a horse; thus Taliesin,—

“Atuyn march myngvras mangre.”Beautiful in a tangle is a thick-maned horse.—Ib. p, 28.

“Atuyn march myngvras mangre.”

Beautiful in a tangle is a thick-maned horse.—Ib. p, 28.

[79c]Lit. “Were under the thigh of;” an expression frequently employed by the early bards to denote the act of riding. See “Elegy upon Geraint ab Erbin,” by Llywarch Hen.

[80a]One of the sons of Llywarch Hen is similarly represented as a youth,—

“That wore the golden spurs,”—Owen’s Ll. Hen, p. 131.

In the days of chivalry, of which the era of the Gododin may fairly be considered as the commencement, the privilege of decorating arms, and the accoutrements of horses with gold, was exclusively confined to knights, and their families; squires being only permitted the use of silver for the purpose. (St. Palaye, 1. 247, 284.)

[80b]“Pan,” pannus—down, fur, ermine, or fulled cloth.

[80c]This is not literally true of Owain ab Urien, for he was married to a daughter of Culvynawyd Prydain.

[80d]“Argyvrein,” might perhaps come fromargyvrau, paraphernalia; a portion or dowry.“Ymogel ddwyn gwraig atat yn enw eihargyvrau.”

Beware of taking to thyself a wife for the sake of her portion. (Cato Gymraeg.)

In that case, the passage should be rendered,—

Ere thou didst obtain thy nuptial dowry;

which reading would be supported by the allusion to the nuptial feast in the preceding passage. Nevertheless the term “argynrein,” occurring in three other copies, would certainly point to the signification given in the text; “argyvrein” being capable of the same meaning, whilst “argynrein” has no reference whatever to the nuptial dowry.

[81a]The manner in which the person here commemorated is associated with the ravens, leads us to suspect that he was none other than Owain ab Urien, who is traditionally reported to have had an army of ravens in his service, by which, however, we are probably to understand an army of men with those birds emblazoned on their standard, even as his descendants still bear them in their coats of arms. Not only do the Welsh Romances and Bards of the middle ages allude to these ravens, but even Taliesin and Llywarch Hen, seem pointedly to connect them with Urien or his son. Thus the former in an Ode on the battle of Argoed Llwyvaen, (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 53) in which Owain commanded the Cumbrian forces, under his father against Ida, says,—

“A rhag gwaith Argoed LlwyfainBu llawer celainRhuddei frain rhag rhyfel gwyr.”Because of the battle of Argoed Llwyvain,There happened many a dead carcase,And the ravens were coloured with the war of men.

“A rhag gwaith Argoed LlwyfainBu llawer celainRhuddei frain rhag rhyfel gwyr.”

Because of the battle of Argoed Llwyvain,There happened many a dead carcase,And the ravens were coloured with the war of men.

And Llywarch Hen in his “Elegy on Urien Rheged” has the following expressions;—

“Pen a borthav ar vy nhu; Pen Urien,Llary, llyw ei lu;Ac ar ei vron wen vran ddu.Pen a borthav mywn vy nghrys; pen Urien,Llary llywiai lys:Ac ar ei vron wen vran ai hys.”I bear by my side a head; the head of Urien,The mild leader of his army;And on his white bosom the sable raven is perched.I bear in my shirt a head; the head of Urien,That governed a court with mildness;And on his white bosom the sable raven doth glut. (Owen’s Ll. Hen. p. 24.)

“Pen a borthav ar vy nhu; Pen Urien,Llary, llyw ei lu;Ac ar ei vron wen vran ddu.

Pen a borthav mywn vy nghrys; pen Urien,Llary llywiai lys:Ac ar ei vron wen vran ai hys.”

I bear by my side a head; the head of Urien,The mild leader of his army;And on his white bosom the sable raven is perched.

I bear in my shirt a head; the head of Urien,That governed a court with mildness;And on his white bosom the sable raven doth glut. (Owen’s Ll. Hen. p. 24.)

This supposition would considerably enhance the point and beauty of the passage in the text; for a sad or unbecoming thing, indeed, (“cwl,”a fault) would it be that one who fought by the aid of ravens should himself be eventually devoured by them.

Moreover, a tradition prevails, that Owain the son of Urien was actually engaged in the battle of Cattraeth. Thus Lewis Glyn Cothi, a poet of the fifteenth century, observes;—

“Bwriodd Owain ab UrienY tri thwr yn Nghattraeth hen.Ovnodd Arthur val goddaithOwain, ei vrain a’i fon vraith.” (I. 140.)Owain son of Urien overthrewThe three towers of Cattraeth of old;Arthur dreaded, as the flames,Owain, his ravens, and his parti-coloured staff.

“Bwriodd Owain ab UrienY tri thwr yn Nghattraeth hen.Ovnodd Arthur val goddaithOwain, ei vrain a’i fon vraith.” (I. 140.)

Owain son of Urien overthrewThe three towers of Cattraeth of old;Arthur dreaded, as the flames,Owain, his ravens, and his parti-coloured staff.

But to the view which would identify our hero with the son of Urien there is this objection, that the poem describes the former as the son of Marro or Marco; nor can the difficulty be got over, without supposing that this was another name of Urien. Or if that be inadmissible, the line, in which Owain’s name occurs, may be translated,—

Alas, the beloved friend of Owain;

an alteration, which will do no great violence to the allusion about the ravens.

[82a]Al. “March,” as if addressing the horse of the slain;—

O steed, in what spotWas slaughtered, &c.

[82b]“Cynhaiawc,” (cyn-taiawg.) Adopting this version for the sake of variety, and under the impression that all the different readings of this poem are not the mere result of orthographical accident, but that the forms of obscure or illegible words were sometimes determined by tradition, we must believe that thetaiogion, who composed the army of Madog, were simply his own tenants or dependants.

[83a]“Diffun,” (di-ffun.)Ffunis any thing united together, and is used at line 803 for a band of men. Some read “diffyn,” (protection or defence) and in that case the sense of the passage would seem to be,

He brought protection to women, and mead he distributed.

The former reading is preferred, inasmuch as it exhibits in a more natural and consistent manner the twofold character of Madog, as a soldier and a courtier, which appears to be the object of the Bard to delineate. Our inference on this point is moreover supported by more obvious passages of that description, which occur again in the Poem, such as,—

“Ragorei veirch racvuanEn trin lletvegin gwin o bann.”He surpassed the fleetest steedsIn war, but was a tame animal when he poured the wine from the goblet.

“Ragorei veirch racvuanEn trin lletvegin gwin o bann.”

He surpassed the fleetest steedsIn war, but was a tame animal when he poured the wine from the goblet.

The epithet “cynhaiawc,” assuming it to be the proper term, would also, by reason of its contrasting effect, considerably enhance the value of our hero’s domestic and social courtesy.

[83b]“Twll tal y rodawr.” Dr. Owen Pughe translates this “the front opening of his chariot;” “twll ar ysgwyd,” however, in the lxxxvii stanza, evidently refers to a shield, and this sense is, moreover, supported by “tyllant tal ysgwydawr,” in Taliesin’s Ode on Gwallawg, as well as “rac twll y gylchwy,” used by Cynddelw. The meaning therefore appears to be that wherever the battle raged, there would the chief be found, so boldly anddirectlyfighting as to have the very boss of his shield perforated by the spears of his enemy.

[83c]“Brwyn.” From the practice which the Welsh Bards commonly had of adapting their descriptive similes to the names, armorial bearings, or some other peculiarities of their heroes, we may infer that the chieftain, who is celebrated in this stanza, is none other than Madog ab Brwyn. Indeed one copy reads “mab brwyn,” the son of Brwyn, rather thanmalbrwyn, as above. He is distinguished in the Triads with Ceugant Beilliog and Rhuvon, under the appellation of the “three golden corpses,” because their weight in gold was given by their families to have their bodies delivered up by the enemy. (Myv. Arch. vol. ii. p. 69.) Madog ab Brwyn was the grandson of Cunedda Wledig, lord of Gododin.

[84a]A maritime region in the north, as we infer, not only from the works of Aneurin, but also from those of Taliesin and Merddin.

[84b]The rest having been slain.

[84c]“Erwyt” (erwyd) a pole, or a staff to mete with, and, like thegwialen, an emblem of authority. “I will—mete out the valley of Succoth.” (Psalm lx. 6.) A similar expression occurs in Llywarch Hen’s Poems with reference to Urien Rheged, viz.

“Oedd cledyr cywlad rhwydd.”

which W. Owen has translated,—

“That was the prompt defender of his neighbourhood.”

[84d]Llywarch Hen says in like manner of his own son Gwen,—

“Rhythr eryr yn ebyr oeddyd.”In the assault like the eagle at the fall of rivers thou wert.

“Rhythr eryr yn ebyr oeddyd.”

In the assault like the eagle at the fall of rivers thou wert.

The eagle was probably the armorial badge of the hero of this stanza.

[84e]Al. “y lyr,” to our shore. We have here an instance of the kindred signification of some of the different readings found in the Poem. Both words are used in juxtaposition in the following extracts;—

“Gwelais ar vorwyn—Lliw golau tonau taenverw gwenygLlanwebyrarllyr, lle ni mawr-drig.” (Cynddelw.)I beheld on a maidenThe bright hue of the spreading ebullition of the breakers of the waves,Of the flood of the effluxes of rivers, on the strand, where it tarries not long.“Oedd ei var—Megys twrvebyrynllyrllawn.” (Cynddelw.)His rageWas like the tumult of the mouths of rivers with a full margin.“Calan hyddvrev, tymp dydd yn edwi,Cynhwrv ynebyr,llyryn llenwi.” (Ll P. Moch.)The beginning of October, the period of the falling off of day,There is tumult in the mouths of rivers, filling up the shore.

“Gwelais ar vorwyn—Lliw golau tonau taenverw gwenygLlanwebyrarllyr, lle ni mawr-drig.” (Cynddelw.)

I beheld on a maidenThe bright hue of the spreading ebullition of the breakers of the waves,Of the flood of the effluxes of rivers, on the strand, where it tarries not long.

“Oedd ei var—Megys twrvebyrynllyrllawn.” (Cynddelw.)

His rageWas like the tumult of the mouths of rivers with a full margin.

“Calan hyddvrev, tymp dydd yn edwi,Cynhwrv ynebyr,llyryn llenwi.” (Ll P. Moch.)

The beginning of October, the period of the falling off of day,There is tumult in the mouths of rivers, filling up the shore.

[85a]“I ammod.” This was probably a confederation entered into by the different princes, for the purpose of uniting their forces against the common enemy; a supposition corroborated by the word “cywlad,” just used. The poet might, however, have intended a play upon the word “ammod,” because of its great resemblance in sound to “ammwyd,” abait, to which the eagle was allured, “llithywyt” (llithiwyd) a strictly sporting term.

[85b]“A garwyd,” al. “a gatwyt” “was preserved, or protected.”

[85c]The connection between “arvaeth,” and the bannerial device is very obvious at lines 110, 111.

“Mor ehelaethE aruaeth uch arwyt.”With such a magnificentDesign of enterprize blazoned on his standard.

“Mor ehelaethE aruaeth uch arwyt.”

With such a magnificentDesign of enterprize blazoned on his standard.

[85d]“O dechwyt,” i.e.tech wyd.

[85e]We have adopted “Manawyd” as a proper name, under the impression that the different stanzas of the Gododin, albeit regular links of the same general subject, are nevertheless in a manner each complete in itself, and therefore that it would be more natural, where the drift of the paragraph allowed, or seemed to have that tendency, to look out for the names of the chiefs, who may be thus distinctly introduced; according to the tenor of the following declaration which is appended to “Gorchan Cynvelyn.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. page 61.)

“Canu un Canuauc a dal pob Awdyl o’r Gododin heruyd breint yngcerd amrysson. Tri chanu a thriugeint a thrychant a dal pob un or Gorchaneu . . . Achaws yu am goffau yn y Gorchaneu rivedi Guyr a aethant y Gatraeth nog y dyle gur vyned i ymlad heb arveu; Ny dyle Bard myned i amrysson heb y gerd honno.”Every Ode of the Gododin is equivalent to a single song, according to the privilege of poetical competition. Each of the incantations is equal to three hundred and sixty-three songs, because the number of the men who went to Cattraeth is commemorated in the Incantations, and as no man should go to battle without arms, so no Bard ought to contend without that Poem.

Every Ode of the Gododin is equivalent to a single song, according to the privilege of poetical competition. Each of the incantations is equal to three hundred and sixty-three songs, because the number of the men who went to Cattraeth is commemorated in the Incantations, and as no man should go to battle without arms, so no Bard ought to contend without that Poem.

It is true that in the Vellum MS. as transcribed by Davies, this does not form a distinct stanza, but is a continuation of the preceding one. Nevertheless in other copies a detached position is given to it, which seems required also by the opening sentence, and particularly by the rhyme.

We find, moreover, that Manawyd was anciently used as a proper name, for not to mention Manawydan and Culvynawyd, we have Manawyd in one of Taliesin’s Poems as undoubtedly the name of a person.

“Ys gwyr Manawyd a Phryderi.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 67.)

The name of Pryderi occurs further on in our Poem.

Manawyd is mentioned likewise in the Dialogue between Arthur, Cai, and Glewlwyd,—

“Neus duc Manavid eis tull o Trywrid” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 167.)

Dr. O. Pughe translates the line in the Gododin thus—

“There was a confident impelling forward of the shaft of the variegated standard.”

[86a]“Ny nodi,” (ni nodi)thou dost not mark, thou art blind to the arms of the enemy both defensive and offensive. “Nodi,” may also have reference to “nod” in the third line of the stanza.

[86b]Al. “Protected against the assault of the battle of Manau;” i.e. Mannau Gododin, or according to others, Mannau in which A.D. 582 Aidan mac Gavran was victorious. (See Ritson’s Annals of Caledonia, Vol. ii. p. 35.)

[87a]One reason for not regarding “Caeawc” as a proper name, may be discovered in the manner in which the expression “cawawc cynhorawc” is used in an anonymous poem of an early date, apud Myv. Arch. vol. i. page 180. The author, though he evidently borrowed it from the Gododin, as indeed his allusion to Cattraeth a few lines before would likewise imply, employs it merely as an epithet.

[87b]An allusion probably to his armorial bearings. Another reading gives “bled e maran,” on the open strand.

[87c]“This singular fact of the ancient Britons wearing amber beads, is confirmed by many beads of amber having been found in the barrows on Salisbury plain, which have been recently dug. I understand that in several of these graves, pieces of amber like beads have been met with; and in one as many beads were found as would have made a wreath.” (S. Turner’s Vind. 208, 209.)

[87d]“Am ran.” “Tri argau gwaed: gwaed hydran, a gwaed hyd gwll, a gwaed hyd lawr; sev yw hynny, gwaed hydwyneb, gwaed hyd ddillad, a gwaed a reto hyd lawr.” (Law Triads, Myv. Arch, vol. iii. p. 342.) Hence “amrant,” the eyelid.

[87e]Lit. “the place of wine,” otherwise “a horn of wine,”

“Ef a’m rhoddes medd a gwin o wydrinban.He gave me mead and wine from the transparent horn. (Taliesin.)

“Ef a’m rhoddes medd a gwin o wydrinban.

He gave me mead and wine from the transparent horn. (Taliesin.)

Al. “gwrnvann,” the place of the urn. In that case the line might be thus translated,—

Precious was the amber, but its price was the grave.

[88a]The hero of this stanza we take to be the “son of Ysgyran” himself. He disdained the eager advance of the enemy; for such was his will, that he had only to declare it, to make Venedotia and the North acknowledge his power, and submit to his jurisdiction; or, it may be, to march unanimously to his side. Supposing “gwyar,” however, to be the correct reading, we might render the line thus,—

He repelled violence, and gore trickled to the ground.

Perhaps the identity of the person commemorated with the son of Ysgyran would become more evident by the addition of a comma after “gyssul,” thus,—

“Ket dyffei wyned a gogled e rannO gussyl,—mah Ysgyrran.”

Who Ysgyran, or Cyran (theysbeing a mere prefix) was, we have no means of knowing, as the name does not occur any where in history.

[88b]Al. “The maimed shield-bearer,” (ysgwydwr.)

[88c]“Cyn-nod,” the principal mark or butt; the most conspicuous, owing to his being in advance of his men, and perhaps on account of his stature also, if “eg gawr,” or “yggawr” meangiantlike.

[88d]“Cyn-ran;” the foremost share, or participation of an action.

[89a]“Pymwnt,” (i.e. pum mwnt; “deg myrdd yn y mwnt,”) five hundred thousand, which, multiplied by five, would give us 2,500,000 as the number of men who composed the above battalions.

[89b]Deivyr and Bryneich, (Deira and Bernicia) are situated on the eastern coast of the island, the river Humber, as we learn from the Triads, (Myv. Arch. vol. ii. p. 68) flowing through a portion thereof. In a document which has been published in the Iolo MSS. Argoed Derwennydd, (Derwent wood probably) and the river Trenn or Trent, are mentioned as the extreme boundaries of the region. The triads moreover speak of the three sons of Dysgyvedawg, (or Dysgyvyndawd) viz. Gall, Difedel, and Ysgavnell, under the appellation of the “three monarchs of Deivyr and Bryneich,” (Ibid. p. 64) about the period, as it would appear, of our Poem.

It is clear from the above passage in the Gododin, as well as from those lines, (78, 79.)

“Ar deulu brenneych beych barnasswnDilyw dyn en vyw nys adawsswn.”If I had judged you to be of the tribe of Bryneich,Not the phantom of a man would I have left alive;

“Ar deulu brenneych beych barnasswnDilyw dyn en vyw nys adawsswn.”

If I had judged you to be of the tribe of Bryneich,Not the phantom of a man would I have left alive;

that the people of those countries were not at the time in question on friendly terms with the neighbouring Britons; which circumstance is further apparent from the contemporary testimony of Llywarch Hen, who speaks of Urien as having conquered the land of Bryneich;

“Neus gorug o dir Brynaich.”

This, it is true, might have a reference to the Saxon tribes, who had succeeded at an early period, in establishing themselves along the coast in that part of the island, yet the disparaging manner in which the grave of Disgyrnin Disgyfedawt, evidently the father of the “three monarchs,” is spoken of in the Englynion y Beddau, inclines us strongly to the belief that it was the Aborigines themselves who were thus guilty of treason to the common weal.

“Cigleu don drom dra thywawd,Am vedd Dysgyrnyn Dysgyveddawd,Aches trwm angwres pechawd.”Hear the sullen wave beyond the strand,Round the grave of Dysgyrnyn Dysgyveddawd,Heavy the burning impulse raised by sin.(Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 78.)

“Cigleu don drom dra thywawd,Am vedd Dysgyrnyn Dysgyveddawd,Aches trwm angwres pechawd.”

Hear the sullen wave beyond the strand,Round the grave of Dysgyrnyn Dysgyveddawd,Heavy the burning impulse raised by sin.

(Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 78.)

[90a]An allusion to the name of our hero’s father, (Bleiddan) and probably to his own standard.

[90b]“Neithyawr.” Al. “than go to the altar.”

[90c]Al. “elawr” abier, “than obtained a bier.” He was devoured by the birds of prey ere he could be removed for interment.

[90d]Or, “Ere he received his nuptial dowry, his blood streamed down.”

[90e]Hyveidd Hir was the son of Bleiddan Sant, of Glamorgan, (the celebrated Lupus.) According to the Triads he was one of the three alien kings, upon whom dominion was conferred for their mighty deeds, and for their praiseworthy and gracious qualities.

“Tri eilldeyrn ynys Prydain: Gwrgai vab Gwrien yn y Gogledd, a Chadavael vab Cynvedw yng Ngwynedd, a Hyveidd Hir vab Bleiddan Sant ym Morganwg: sev y rhodded Teyrnedd iddynt am eu campau a’u cynneddvau clodvorion a rhadvorion.” (Triad, 26, third series.)

Taliesin, in his Ode to Urien, speaks of Hyveidd in conjunction with Gododin;—

“Hyveidd a Gododin a lleu towys.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 57.)

His name also occurs in another poem, by the same Bard, “to Gwallawg ap Lleenawg;”—

“Haearnddur a Hyfeidd a GwallawgAc Owein Mon Maelgynig ddefawdA wnaw peithwyr gorweiddiawg.”Haearnddur and Hyveidd and Gwallawg,And Owain of Mon, of Maelgynian manner,Would prostrate the ravagers. (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 64.)

“Haearnddur a Hyfeidd a GwallawgAc Owein Mon Maelgynig ddefawdA wnaw peithwyr gorweiddiawg.”

Haearnddur and Hyveidd and Gwallawg,And Owain of Mon, of Maelgynian manner,Would prostrate the ravagers. (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 64.)

The epithet “Hir,” (longortall) applied to Hyveidd, countenances the view of his being conspicuous on account of his size.

[91a]Gognaw must have been the son of Botgad. The name, as well as that of the preceding hero, occurs in an Ode which Taliesin addressed to Gwallawg ab Lleenawg.

“Gognaw ei brawd digones.”

If, however, it be not a proper name in this stanza, it may be rendered either “with laughter and sprightliness,” or “they were a laughing energy.”

[91b]Al. “As with blades they dealt mutual blows.”

[91c]“A llaw,”a hand; metaphoricallypower. Al. “a allaw,”who is able.

[92a]The same consideration which induced us to regard “Manawyd” as a proper name in a former stanza, has caused us to leave “Gwanar” untranslated in this place. It is not improbable, however, from the shortness of this sonnet, that the line containing the name of its hero may have been lost. In that case we should translate “chwerthin wanar,” “their leader laughed.” That Gwanar was occasionally used as a proper name by the ancient Britons, appears from Triad xl. (first series) where we find one of the sons of Lliaws ab Nwyvre so called. He flourished however before the date of the Gododin, and cannot on that account be identified with the Gwanar of the text. Taliesin uses the word in his “Mic Dinbych,” apparently as a proper name;—

“Clod wasgar a Gwanar ydd ymddullyn.”

[92b]Or “gem of a regiment;” his choice regiment.

[92c]Al. “digynny,”went up.

[92d]The Bard in the two last lines seems to be addressing Death, or Fate, which he designates as “the strong pillar of the living law,” or the law of nature, just as the Latins called it “dura necessitas,” “mortis dura lex,” “fatalis Parcarum lex,” &c. The expressions “heb vawr drydar,” and “arwar,” indicative of the effects of death, are introduced by way of contrast to the noisy mirth which characterised the warriors’ march to the field of battle. “Arwar” signifies literally aquiescent state, orstate of general rest;pacification; and as such is a very proper term to denote the character of death.

“Oarwardaiar down i gyd dyddbrawd.” (Ll. P. Moch.)From the silent state of earth we shall all come at the judgment day.

“Oarwardaiar down i gyd dyddbrawd.” (Ll. P. Moch.)

From the silent state of earth we shall all come at the judgment day.

[93a]As the word “glas,” though primarily signifyingblue, has also a very general sense, and may mean merelypaleorfresh, yet as we find decided colours attributed to mead elsewhere in the poem, such as “melyn,” (yellow) and “gwyn” (white) we have thought proper to retain the literal acceptation in this place, as a poetical variety, however inapplicable to the beverage in question it may seem.

[93b]“Impia sub dulci melle venena latent.”

[93c]The name of the chieftain, who commanded this particular troop, is not mentioned, unless (which is not very probable) we take “Trychant” in the third line as a proper name, and translate thus,—

“Trychant marshals his men, armed with the weapons of war.”

Or, are we to understand by “trwy beiryant,” that he marshalled his men by means of some instrument or machinery?

[93d]I.e. the silence of death.

[94a]“Fyryf frwythlawn,” i.e. “fyrvfrwythlawn;” the sense of “furvfrwythlawn” would seem to be “in vigorous order.”

[94b]The followers of the son of Cian (a little dog) are evidently called “aergwn,” (dogs of war) in allusion to his patronymic, as well as to the name of his residence, “maen gwyngwn,” (the stone of the white dogs.) Probably also the figure of a dog was charged on their banner.

[94c]The Bernicians, as we have already noticed, were at this time opposed to the British patriots. The Cymry carried a traditional hatred of that people with them into Wales, and applied the termBryneichto such of their kindred as allied themselves to the enemies of their country, as is abundantly manifest in the works of the mediæval Bards.—SeeStephen’sLiterature of the Kymry, p. 265.)

[94d]Or, “Like a deluge, I would not have left a man alive.”

[94e]It is very probable that the son of Cian had married a daughter of one of the chiefs of Bryneich, which would thus account for the Bard’s lurking apprehension at first, that he might be induced to barter his allegiance for the dowry to be expected with his wife. His fears however were groundless; for such were the purity and patriotism of our youthful hero, that he even refused the dowry when it was offered to him, and braved his father-in-law’s anger withal.

[95a]In Gorchan Maelderw we read of—

“The only son of Cian from Trabannawg.”

Cian was a Bard, and is mentioned as such by Nennius in the following passage,—

“Item Talhaern Talanguen in Poemate claruit, et Nuevin et Taliessin, et Bluchbar, et Cian qui vocatur Gueinchguant (Cian who is called Gwyngwn) simul uno tempore in poemate Britannico claruerunt.”

Taliesin likewise represents him in that character in a Poem entitled, “Angar Cyvyndawd.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 34.)

“Cian pan ddarvuLliaws gyvolu.”When Cian sang the praise of many.

“Cian pan ddarvuLliaws gyvolu.”

When Cian sang the praise of many.

The circumstance of his being thus a poet, and classed with Aneurin (Nuevin) would account for the intimacy which subsisted between the latter and his son.

Cian is said to have been the servant of Peris, and to them conjointly is Llangian in Caernarvonshire dedicated. Cian is commemorated on the 11th of December.—See Rees’s Welsh Saints, p. 302.

[95b]It is probable thatthree hundredwas the number which composed the retinue of Mynyddawg, and that ahundred thousand, a large round figure, is chosen to denote the preponderance of the enemy’s forces that were arrayed in opposition. This view seems more in unison with reason, as well as with the grammatical construction of the passage, (“emdaflawr” being a middle verb) than the supposition that the “milcant a thrychant” formed the total of the army of the Cymry.

[96a]Or, “They served as butts for the falling lances.”

[96b]“Gorsaf;” “Gorsav arv,”a magazine of arms. “Brwydr orsavawl,” a pitched battle.

[96c]“Mynyddawg Mwynvawr.” The Triads call him “Mynyddawg Eiddin,”Edin, henceEdinburgh, which probably corresponds with his original place of residence, or at any rate may be considered as being situate within the limits of his ancient dominions. “The retinue of Mynyddawg Eiddin at Cattraeth” is represented as one of “the three honourable retinues of the Isle of Britain,” because the men who composed it had joined their chieftain’s standard of their own accord, and marched at their own expense, claiming neither pay nor reward for their service, from king or country.

“Tair gosgordd addwyn Ynys Prydain; Gosgordd Belyn vab Cynvelyn yng nghadvel Caradawg ab Bran; a gosgordd Mynyddawg Eiddin yng Nghattraeth; a Gosgordd Drywon ab Nudd Hael yn Rhodwydd Arderydd yn y Gogledd; sev ydd elai bawb yn y rhai hynny ar eu traul eu hunain heb aros govyn, ac heb erchi na thal nag anrheg y gan wlad na chan Deyrn; ac achaws hynny au gelwid hwy y tair gosgordd addwyn.” (Triad 79, third series.)

[96d]“Hanyanawr,” their natural relatives; “hangenawr,” those who stood in need of them, their families and friends. The line may likewise be rendered,—

“Esteemed for their age and disposition.”

[96e]Al. “llawen,”merry; “the merry minstrel.”

[97a]These plumes must accordingly have been themselves red. That military men at this period did wear feathers of particular colours as distinctive badges, is further evident from the testimony of Llywarch Hen, who describes himself as having worn “yellow plumes.”

“Gwedy meirch hywedd, a chochwedd ddillad,A phluawr melyn,Main vy nghoes, nid oes ym dremyn!” (Elegy on Cynddylan.)After the sleek tractable steeds, and garments of ruddy hue,And the waving yellow plumes,Slender is my leg, my piercing look is gone.”

“Gwedy meirch hywedd, a chochwedd ddillad,A phluawr melyn,Main vy nghoes, nid oes ym dremyn!” (Elegy on Cynddylan.)

After the sleek tractable steeds, and garments of ruddy hue,And the waving yellow plumes,Slender is my leg, my piercing look is gone.”

In some copies we read “phurawr” (purawr)what purifies.

[97b]Their weapons were red and white from the effects ofbloodandgore.

[97c]Mr. Davies and Dr. Pughe seem to have preferred the expression “pedryoletbennawr,” which they construed intofour pointed helmets: “pedryollt,”split into four parts, would appear, however, to be much more accordant with the descriptive tenor of the passage.

[97d]As in the two preceding lines is contained a compliment to military valour, the evident drift of the poem requires that it should be applied to the British party; hence “rac” in this place must be understood to mean that the toiling warriors werefromorofthe retinue of Mynyddawg rather than from those who confronted him.

[97e]Disgraced by the blasphemous taunts and treachery of the enemy.

[98a]“Ceugant yw angeu,” (adage.) The line might be rendered,—

“Without end they multiplied the wooden biers;”

An expression similar to that made use of by Llywarch Hen, in reference to the battle of Llongborth:—

“Ac elorawr mwy no maint.And biers innumerable. (Elegy upon Geraint ab Erbin.)

“Ceugant,” translatedwithout end, is properly a Druidic term, signifying the circle of eternity.

“Cylch y ceugant, ac nis gall namyn Duw eu dreiglaw.”The circle of infinitude, none but God can pervade it. (Barddas.)“Tri phren rhydd yn forest y brenhin; pren crib eglwys; a phren peleidyr a elont yn rhaid y brenhin; aphren elawr.” (Welsh Laws.)

“Cylch y ceugant, ac nis gall namyn Duw eu dreiglaw.”

The circle of infinitude, none but God can pervade it. (Barddas.)

“Tri phren rhydd yn forest y brenhin; pren crib eglwys; a phren peleidyr a elont yn rhaid y brenhin; aphren elawr.” (Welsh Laws.)

[98b]He is described as of “Baptism” in contradistinction to the infidel Saxons.

[98c]A reference to the last unction. See St. James, v. 14.

[98d]I.e. Tudvwlch Hir, the hero of this particular stanza.

[99a]“Ne.” The statement at line 138 would determine the affirmative character of this word.

[99b]“Veinoethyd,” (meinoethydd;) not “in the celebration of May Eve,” which is Davies’s rendering, as we clearly infer from the conjunction of the word with “meinddydd,” (confessedly aserene day) in Kadeir Taliesin and Gwawd y Lludd Mawr. (See Myv. Arch. v. i. pp. 37, 74.)

[99c]“Gynatcan.” Al. “gyvatcan,” (cyvadgan) a proverb. “Though his success was proverbial.”

[99d]Or, “Through ambition he was a soarer.” The person here commemorated was of an ambitious turn of mind, and bore armorial ensigns of a corresponding character, which were looked upon, in a manner, as prophetic of his successful career as a warrior, but the result of this battle miserably belied such a promise.

“Prenial yw i bawb ei drachwres.”The path of glory leads but to the grave.—(Taliesin.)

“Prenial yw i bawb ei drachwres.”

The path of glory leads but to the grave.—(Taliesin.)

[99e]Where Edinburgh now stands; and which was probably the head quarters of Mynyddawg, (see line 89 note.) In a poem printed in Davies’s Mythology of the Druids, p. 574, and supposed to have been written by Aneurin, Tudvwlch and Cyvwlch are represented as feasting with Mynyddawg.

“Gan VynydawcBu adveiliawcEu gwirodau.”Destructive were their wassails with Mynyddawg.

“Gan VynydawcBu adveiliawcEu gwirodau.”

Destructive were their wassails with Mynyddawg.

[100a]In the Poem alluded to, Tudvwlch Hir is described as aman of dignity, “breein,” and as having in conjunction with Cyvwlch made breaches in the bastions of forts,—

“A oreu vwlch ar vann caerau.”

The Gorchan Maelderw in like manner speaks of him as,—

“Tudvwlch the oppressor of war, the destroyer of forts.”

[100b]“Ech,” εχ.

[100c]Lit. “until the seventh day;”—an expression intended probably to denote the space of a week. The operations of each day are specified further on in the Poem. In like manner we are presented in “Gwawd Lludd y Mawr,” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 74) with an enumeration of certain martial deeds that were performed on each day during an entire week.

[100d]Lit. “Should have made him a free man,” or “should have continued him,” &c.

[100e]Al. “ugain,”a score,

[100f]Al. the powerful supporter—“drut nerthyd.”

[100g]Kilydd is mentioned in the Mabinogi of “Kilhwch and Olwen,” where he is represented as the son of Prince Kelyddon.

[100h]“Gwyr;” al. the hero, “gwr.”

[101a]Lit. “the gleamers assembled.” The 1, 2, 3, and 6, versions, “cyn hynt treiawr,” might be translated “ere the return of the ebbing tide,” and the meaning of the whole would seem to be, that the men, having marched to the field of battle at dawn, experienced a bloody engagement before the evening; the space of time between tide and tide being equal to the length of a day.

[101b]“Like the thunder of heaven was the clashing of the shields.”—(Gorch. Mael.)

[101c]“Od uch lle.” Al. “Od uch lled,”above the plain.

[101d]Mark the antithesis “gwr llawr”—“arbennawr,” and “cethrawr”—“llavnawr.”

[101e]“En gystud heyrn;” an allusion to the instrument which caused his death. “Ferreus somnus.”

[101f]It is clear from this statement that Erthai was the lawful lord of the Mordei. He had been deprived of his dominions for a time, probably through the usurpation of the “steel-clad commander,” but at length succeeded in recovering them. Who Erthai was we know not; Llywarch Hen had a son, whose name bore some resemblance to the word: he is mentioned in the following triplet;—

“The best three men in their country,For protecting their habitation,Eithyr andErthyrand Argad.” (Elegy on Old Age.)

[102a]Al. “Erthgi,” which is obviously the same as “Arthgi,” abear-dog. The rhythmical run of the line seems, however, to point to the other as the proper word.

[102b]“Erthychei;” there is here evidently an allusion to the name of the hero, (that is, supposing the name adopted in the translation to be the right one) which consideration induces us to prefer it to the other reading, viz. “erthrychei.” “With the latter word, however, we should translate the passage as follows;—

“In the front Erthai would mangle an army.”

[102c]Al. “dychurant,”will be afflicted.

[102d]Probably Edeyrn may have been the hero of this stanza, and that a play upon the word is intended in the expression “edyrn diedyrn.” Edyrn the kingdom will remain, but Edyrn the king is gone.

[102e]“Gowyssawr,” the furrower of battle: the designation of a warrior.

“Wyr i Vleddyn arv leiddiadA oedd draw yncwysaw cad.” (Hywel Cilan.)A grandson of Bleddyn with the weapon of slaughter,Was yonder furrowing the battle.

“Wyr i Vleddyn arv leiddiadA oedd draw yncwysaw cad.” (Hywel Cilan.)

A grandson of Bleddyn with the weapon of slaughter,Was yonder furrowing the battle.

Al. “lynwyssawr,” “the plague;” or “the pool maker,” in reference to the effusion of blood which he caused on the field of battle.

As just observed, this individual may have been Edeyrn, the son of Nudd ab Beli ab Rhun ab Maelgwn ab Caswallon Lawhir ab Einiawn Yrth ab Cunedda ab Edeyrn ab Padarn Beisrudd by Gwawl daughter ofCoel Godebog, who would be removed from the field of battle by his own clan.

[103a]“Bu truan,” just as in line 107.

[103b]The names of both these persons, as we have already seen, occur together in a Poem attributed to Aneurin, and printed in Davies’s Mythology of the Druids. The latter, moreover, appears in the Tale of “Kilhwch and Olwen,” where a daughter of his is likewise mentioned by the name of Eheubryd. Cyvwlch is there stated to have been one of the three grandsons of Cleddyv Divwlch, the other two being Bwlch and Sevwich. “Their three shields are three gleaming glitterers. Their three spears are three pointed piercers. Their three swords are three griding gashers, Glas, Glesig, and Clersag.” (page 291.)

[103c]“Leu,” the root of “goleu,” “lleuad,” &c. The other reading “liw,” is equally proper, even as we still say “liw dydd,” “liw nos,” &c.

[103d]Lit. “rush-light.”

[103e]Lit. “its enmity lasted long.” The latter portion of this stanza, which refers to Tudvwlch and Cyvwlch, seems to have been misplaced.

[103f]Qu. “Icenorum arx?”

[103g]“Ewgei,”e wgeifrom “gwg,”a frown. Al. “negei,”he shewed resistance, from “nag,” adenial. So in “Englynion y Beddau;”—

“Y Beddau hir yn NgwanasNi chavas ae dioesPwy vynt hwy, pwy euneges.”

i.e. “who will own, or who will deny them.”

[104a]Can this meanbloodorbloody field? It is certain that Meigant (600–630) uses the word in that sense;—

“Plwdey danav hyd ymhen vy nghlun.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 160)Under me was blood to the top of my knee.

“Plwdey danav hyd ymhen vy nghlun.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 160)

Under me was blood to the top of my knee.

[104b]“Digalonnit,” the other reading “dygollovit,” (dygoll ovid) would signify that the hornbanished his sorrow.

[104c]Al. “Even on the foam-bordered Mordei.”

[104d]Which “Gwarthlev,” ( the voice of reproach) was not. Davies makes “eno bryt,” into a proper name, and construes the sentence thus;—

“Whilst Gwarthlev and Enovryd were pouring forth the liquor.”

[105a]“Arch.” Al. “arth en llwrw.” “He was an impetuous bear.” There may be here a faint allusion to the name Gwarthlev, nor is it unlikely that his ensign bore the figure of a bear.

[105b]“Gwd,” (gwdd)that turns round.

[105c]“Gyfgein,” (cyvgein)co-light.

[105d]A peculiarity observable in Welsh documents is, that they frequently consign general circumstances to the island of Britain in particular. This may be exemplified by the account which is given of the deluge in Triad 13. (Third Series;)—

“The three awful events of theIsle of Britain; first, the bursting of the lake of waters, and the overwhelming of the face of all lands; so that all mankind were drowned, excepting Dwyvan and Dwyvach, who escaped in a naked vessel, and of them the Isle of Britain was repeopled,” &c.

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