On account of the afflicting {203f} of the skilful and most learned man
Grievously 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 valour
Upon the Cynt, {204d} the Gwyddyl, and the Prydyn.
He who meddles with the mane of a wolf, without a club
In 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}
Footnotes:
{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 word
_oed_ being 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 the
_dd_ where 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 seirch
A roddei feirch
I eirchiaid."
A worthy hero seated on variegated trappings,
Who would give steeds to those that asked him.--Myv. Arch. vol. i. p.
59.
_Thick mane_ was 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.
{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 from _argyvrau_, paraphernalia; a
portion or dowry.
"Ymogel ddwyn gwraig atat yn enw ei _hargyvrau_."
Beware of taking to thyself a wife for the sake of her portion.
(Cato Gymraeg.)