Y Gododin: A Poem of the Battle of Cattraeth Part 26

Sev ynt vy nhri chadvarchawg Mael hir a Llyr Lluyddawg, A cholovn Cymru Caradawg." (Triad 29.)

Caradawg's horse Lluagor is recorded as one of the three battle horses of the Island. (Trioedd y Meirch, Myv. Arch. vol. ii. p. 20.)

{127a} This simile has evidently some connection with the story told of Caradawg, that owing to his well founded confidence in his wife's virtue, he was able to carve a certain Boar's head, an adventure in which his compeers failed. It is remarkable also that the Boar's head, in some form or other, appears as the armorial bearing of all of his name. See the "Dream of Rhonabwy."-Note. Al. "red boar."

{127b} This statement may have two meanings, the one real, as indicative of what did actually take place, namely, that the dogs came out of the neighbouring woods to feed upon the corpses which had fallen by the band of Caradawg; the other allegorical, as referring to himself in his character of a boar or a bull, the wild dogs being his enemies, who thus hunted and baited him.

{127c} We may infer from this admission that the Bard's statements, though poetically adorned, are, as to the main facts, framed with a strict regard to truth. Thus no less than four vouchers for the correctness of his description of Caradawg's valour are presented to our notice by name.

{127d} Gwriad was the son of Gwrien, one of the three princes of va.s.sal origin. (See line 56: notes.) Gwynn might have been either Gwyn G.o.dyvron or Gwyn ab Nudd; both alluded to in the Mabinogi of Kilhwch and Olwen.

{127e} Lit. its _mangling_ or _hewing_.

{127f} We should have been tempted to construe the line thus,-

"From the broken hill of _encounter_,"

Making "kynn caffat" into one word "cynghaffad," had we not been precluded by the peculiar metre which version third presents throughout, and which accordingly requires "cyn" in this place to rhyme with "fryn."-

"O fryn } caffad."

Hydwn cyn }

Possibly "Hydwn" may be identified with _Hdddinam_ or _Hadingtoun_, in the province of Valentia.

{128a} Al. "vron," the presence. Caradawg's father was Llyr Merini, a prince of Cornwall.

{128b} Al. "eurawc," covered with gold.

{128c} Caradawg Vreichvras, just mentioned.

{128d} These two were doubtless sons of Llywarch Hen, mentioned together in the following stanza;-

"Na Phyll, na Madawg, ni byddynt hiroedlawg, Or ddevawd y gelwynt; 'Rhoddyn!'-'na roddyn!'-cyngrair byth nis erchynt!"

Nor Pyll, nor Madawg, would be long lived, If according to custom there was a calling- "Surrender!" "They would not surrender!" quarters they ever scorned.

(Elegy on Old Age, &c.)

{129a} Two persons named Gwgan and Gwion occur together in a Triad, as having been sentinels in the battle of Bangor, A.D. 603. As that event, however, happened subsequently to the battle of Cattraeth, where the heroes of the stanza were killed, the parties could not be the same.

There was another Gwgawn, designated Llawgadarn, who is ranked with Gwrnerth and Eidiol in a Triad of the three strong men of Britain.

"Tri gyrddion ynys Prydain: Gwrnerth Ergydlym, a laddes yr arth mwyav ac a welwyd erioed a saeth wellten; a Gwgawn Llawgadarn, a dreiglis maen maenarch o'r glynn i benn y mynydd, ac nid oedd llai na thrugain ych ai tynnai; ac Eidiol Gadarn, a laddes o'r Saeson ym mrad Caersallawg chwechant a thrigain a chogail gerdin o fachlud haul hyd yn nhywyll." (Triad lx. third series.)

Favourite expressions of both Gwgan and Gwiawn are recorded in Chwedlau'r Doethion. (Iolo MSS. pp. 251, 651.)

"A glywaist ti chwedl Gwgan, Gwedi dianc o'r ffwdan?

Addaw mawr a rhodd fechan."

Hast thou heard the saying of Gwgan, After escaping from the turmoil?

Great promise and a small gift.

"A glywaist ti chwedl Gwiawn, Dremynwr, golwg uniawn?

Duw cadarn a farn pob iawn."

Hast thou heard the saying of Gwiawn, The observer of accurate sight?

The mighty G.o.d will determine every right.

{129b} See proceeding stanza. Gwion and Gwyn are mentioned together as the sons of Cyndrwyn by Llywarch Hen. See his Elegy on Cynddylan.

{129c} The son of Evrog, and one of the knights of the court of Arthur, who found the Greal.-

"Tri marchawg llys Arthur a gawsant y Greal. Galath vab Llawnselot dy Lak, a Pheredur mab Evrawc Iarll, a Bort mab brenin Bort. Y ddau gyntav oeddynt wery o gorph, a'r trydydd oedd ddiweir am na wnaeth pechawd cnawdol ond unwaith a hynny drwy brovedigaeth yn yr amser yr ennillawdd ev * * o verch Brangor yr hon a vu ymerodres yn Constin.o.bl, or honn y doeth y genhedlaeth vwyav o'r byd, ac o genhedlaeth Joseph o Arimathea y hanoeddyn ell tri, ac o lin Davydd brophwyd mal y tystiolaetha Ystoria y Greal."-(Triad lxi. first series.)

{129d} This name occurs in the Tale of Twrch Trwyth, page 259.

{129e} Probably Aeddon the son of Ervei: see line 845.

{130a} Or affirmatively, "a s.h.i.+eld in the battle."

{130b} Or "how sad their award."

{130c} "How grievous is the longing for them."

{130d} This line is full of poetical beauty, and forcibly exhibits how the baneful effects of the banquet, or the engagement to which it was the prelude, prevented the return of the warriors home, which their friends so ardently desired.

{130e} This figure is similar to that in the fourth line of the stanza.

{131a} His name occurs again in the poem. The "horn of Gwlgawd G.o.dodin"

is mentioned in the Tale of "Kilhwch and Olwen," p. 283.

{131b} Or in reference to the banquet itself,-"notable were its effects, and it was the price which bought the battle of Cattraeth," i.e. bought, or brought about its disastrous consequences.

{131c} That is, contributed his life towards a victory.

{131d} Or _giantlike_; a reference to his stature, implied in the t.i.tle "Hir," (tall) which was attached to his name. See stanza V. note.

{131e} Lit. "With the strength of steeds."

{131f} "Ar gychwyn," poised, ready to fly.

{132a} Rhuvawn is celebrated in a Triad as one of the three blessed kings of the Isle of Britain.

"Tri gwyndeyrn ynys Prydain; Rhun ab Maelgwn, Owain ab Urien, a Rhuawn Bevr ab Dewrath Wledig." (Triad xxv. third series.)

In another Triad he is recorded as one of the three imperious ones of the island.

"Tri trahawc ynys Prydein; Gwibei drahawc a Sawyl ben uchel a Ruuawn Peuyr drahawc." (Triad x.x.xiv. second series.)

Other versions, however, of the same Triad, give Rhun mab Einiawn in the room of Rhuvawn Pebyr.