Y Gododin: A Poem of the Battle of Cattraeth Part 37

{195a} Lit. "prepared."

{195b} The popular air "Nos Galan" is supposed to have been a relic of the musical entertainments of this season.

{195c} A chieftain of Mona, the land that enjoyed "the valour of Ervei;"

see his Elegy by Taliesin apud Myv. Arch. v. i. p. 70. Ervei was also engaged in the battle of Cattraeth;-

"Red speared was Urvei before the lord of Eiddin." (Gorch. Mael.)

{195d} That is, in domestic life he was as refined as a lady, modest as a virgin, whilst in war he was brave and high minded.

{195e} The word "teyrn" reminds us of a line which countenances the theory we suggested relative to the expression "edyrn diedyrn," in stanza xv. but which we omitted to mention in its proper place. It occurs in the "Elegy on Cunedda." (Myv. Arch. i. p. 71) as follows;-

"Rhag mab _edern_ cyn _edyrn_ anaelew."

"Before the son of Edeyrn ere his kingdom became fearful."

{196a} This warrior was probably of the family of Urien Rheged, for a grandson of his, the celebrated Kentigern, was called Cyndeyrn Garthwys.

Arthwys son of Ceneu ab Coel was too early for the battle of Cattraeth.

{196b} Tinogad was the son of Cynan Garwyn, and was celebrated for his swift steed, named Cethin.

"Tri marchlwyth ynys Prydain-ar ail marchlwyth aduc Cornann March meibion Eliffer gosgortuawr, a duc Gwrgi a Pheredur arnaw, ac nys gordiuedawd neb namyn Dinogat vab Kynan Garwyn yar y Kethin kyvlym ac aruidiawt ac aglot a gauas yr hynny hyd hediw." (Triad 11, second series.)

{196c} The possession of slaves, whether of native origin, or derived from the custom of the Romans, prevailed to some extent among the Britons of the fifth and sixth century, and seems to have denoted a certain degree of power on the part of the owners. Taliesin the Druid boasts that he had received "a host of slaves," (torof keith) from his royal patron Cunedda Wledig. (Myv. Arch. v. i. p. 71.)

{197a} "Bar," al. "ban," on the heights.

{197b} Or, the chief, the best.

{197c} Many places in Wales bear the name of this animal, where it appears to have been common in ancient times, such as "Bryn yr iwrch,"

"Ffynon yr iwrch," and the like. Hunting the roebuck is recognised in the Welsh Laws; and is called one of the three cry hunts (helva ddolev.)

"Mi adaen iwrch er nas daliwyv." (Adage.) I know a roebuck, though I may not catch him.

{197d} "Derwenydd;" Derventio, the river Derwent in c.u.mberland.

{197e} "Llewyn a llwyvein." It is difficult to ascertain the particular animals which these terms respectively represent. The former might denote a young lion, a white lion, or any beast in general to whose eating faculties the word _llewa_ would be applicable. The latter might signify any animal whose haunts were the elm forests, or whose property was to _llyvu_ or to lick, as does a dog. The fox being named llwynog from _llwyn_ a forest, and the forests in the North being chiefly of elm, it is not unlikely but that the said animal was frequently called _llwyvain_ in that part of the country when the Bard wrote, though it is not known now by that name. It is remarkable that both terms also signify certain kinds of wood. The former the herb orach, the latter the elm.

{197f} Al. "None would escape."

{198a} "Angcyvrwng;" lit. "were he to place me without an intervening s.p.a.ce," that is, were he to straiten me on every side.

{198b} When any thing is taken away or used, or when any thing is done, the owner not knowing it, or without asking his leave, it is called _Anghyvarch_. "Anghyvarchwyr," extortioners. W. Salesbury, 1 Cor. v.

{198c} Lit. "There would not come, there would not be to me, one more formidable."

{198d} The head of the river Clyde in Scotland.

{198e} "Veruarch." Morach Morvran is often mentioned by the poets on account of his celebrated banquet.

"Cygleu yn Maelawr gawr vawr vuan, A garw ddisgyr gwyr a gwyth erwan; Ac ymgynnull, am drull, am dramwyan, Mal y bu yn Mangor am ongyr dan; Pan wnaeth dau deyrn uch cyrn cyvrdan, Pan vu gyveddach Morach Morvran."

In Maelor the great, the hastening shout was heard, And the dreadful shrieks of men with gas.h.i.+ng wounds in pain; And together thronging to seek a cure, round and round they strayed, As it was in Bangor for the fire of the brunt of spears; When over horns two princes caused discord, While in the banquet of Morach Morvran. (Owain Cyveiliog.)

{199a} This stanza evidently refers to the same transaction as that which is recorded in the lx.x.xth, though the details are somewhat differently described.

{199b} One of these, we may presume, was Dyvnwal Vrych.

{199c} The whole line may be thus translated;

"I saw the men, who with the dawn, dug the deep pit." Al. "I saw at dawn a great breach made in the wall at Adoen."

{199d} See stanza lii.

{199e} "Yngwydd."

{199f} "Yr enwyd."

{200a} Gwarthan the son of Dunawd by Dwywe his wife, "who was slain by the pagan Saxons in their wars in the north." (Iolo MSS. p. 556.)

{200b} Or, "let it be forcibly seized in one entire region."

{200c} An allusion to his incarceration, see lines 440, 445.

{200d} Gardith; i.e. garw deith (or teithi.)

{200e} t.i.thragon; i.e. teith-dragon.

{200f} A pitched battle.

"Gwr yn gware a Lloegyrwys." (Cynddelw.) A man playing with the Lloegrians.

{200g} Or, "did he bring and supply."

{200h} "Tymyr;" native place.

{201a} "Dyvnuyt;" see also stanza, xlviii.

{201b} One of the officers appointed to the command of Geraint's fleet.

{201c} This stanza, with the exception of a few words, is the same with the lx.x.xix.

{201d} Or "valiantly."

{201e} "Gwelydeint," from "gwelyd," a wound; or "gwelyddeint," they took repose in the grave.

{201f} Al. "with the gory trappings," as in the other stanza.

{202a} Al. "a dau," the two sons, and two haughty boars.