"Cornan, march meibion Elifer Gosgorddfawr, a ddwg arnaw Gwrgi,
Peredur, Dunawd Fyr, a Chynfelyn Drwsgl, i edrych ar fygedorth
Gwenddoleu yn Arderydd."
Cornan, the horse of the sons of Elifer with the great retinue,
carried Gwrgi, Peredur, Dunawd Fyr, and Cynfelyn the stumbler, to see
the funeral pile of Gwenddoleu in Arderydd.
"Falsely was it said by Tudlew,
That no one's steeds would be overtaken by Marchleu;
As he was reared to bring support to all around,
Powerful was the stroke of his sword upon the adversary;
Eagerly ascended the ashen spear from the grasp of his hand,
From the narrow summit of the awful pile." _Gorch. Mael_.
{122d} "Vygu," or "the place where he would suffocate some one."
{122e} Or, "he would cut (lladd, mow) with a blade armfuls of furze."
The furze was for the purpose of supplying the pile.
{122f} When the weather is unsettled in harvest time, the reapers
display greater energy and activity during the intervals of sunshine;
hence the point of the simile.
{123a} Nothing more is known of this chieftain.
{123b} Or "Isaac," as a proper name.
{123c} "O barth deheu." "Deheu," literally means _the right_, and as
the mid-day sun is to the right of a person looking eastward, the word is
also taken to signify the south; hence we say "deheudir" for South Wales.
The "parth deheu" in this place must accordingly mean some district south
of the scene of action, such as Wales, where Gwyddno and his family
resided, would be.
{123d} "Devodeu," manners, customs.
{123e} That is, the ebb and influx of the tide represented the contrary
aspects of his character, the mild and the impetuous, which are
respectively described in the succeeding lines.
{123f} Al. "_from_ the point of Maddeu."
{123g} If we take this "clawdd" to be the Catrail, we must look for
Offer and Maddeu towards the extremity most remote from head quarters,
i.e. the fort of Eiddin, (Edinburgh) and it is rather remarkable that,
whilst the Catrail is generally supposed to terminate southward at the
Peel-fell, some eminent antiquaries have fixed its furthest point at
Castle _Over_, where there is a British fort, and others have thought
that they could trace it in the _Maiden-way_ near the Roman wall, though
it must be confessed that these supposed continuations are by a third
party regarded as Roman roads. The similarity between the words Offer
and Over is very obvious. Baxter identifies _Over_ with _Oliclavis_,
which is naught else but _ol y clawdd_ the extremity of the rampart.
{124a} Al. "There was no young offspring that he cut not to pieces, no
aged man that he did not scatter about."
{124b} "Murgreit." The title is ascribed by Taliesin to the Deity.
"Trindawd tragywydd
A oreu elvydd,
A gwedi elvydd,
Addav yn gelvydd;
A gwedi Adda,
Y goreu Eva;
Yr Israel bendigaid
A oreu _Murgraia_."
The eternal Trinity
Made the elements;
And after the elements
Adam wonderfully;
And after Adam
He made Eve;
The blessed Israel
The _mighty Spirit_ made. (Gwawd Gwyr Israel.)
{124c} Gwyddneu or Gwyddno Garanhir, lord of Cantrev y Gwaelod, A.D.
460-520. Three poems attributed to him are preserved in the Myvyrian
Archaiology. A character mentioned in the Mabinogion, goes by the name
of Gwyddneu ab Llwydau.
{124d} Mr. Davies thinks that this warrior was the son of Cunedda, who
gave his name to Ceredigion. As Cunedda, however, flourished in the
early part of the fifth century, the martial age of his son Ceredig would
not well coincide with the date of this poem. There was another Caredig,
who succeeded Maelgwn Gwynedd as king of the Britons, about A.D. 590.
{125a} "Lletvegin;" lit. a _domestic animal_. We have another example
here of the Bard's favourite practice of contrasting the different
qualities of the person whom he celebrates.
{125b} Or "When the appointed time of his departure is at hand," q.d.,
"gar cyrdd," from "cerdd" a _walk_. The adopted reading, however, is
very strongly corroborated by passages in other poems, where "cyrdd" is
unmistakeably used as the plural of "cerdd," a _song_, e.g.--
"Cyrdd a cherddorion
A chathleu englynion."
Songs and minstrels,
And Angel's melodies. (Taliesin.)
"Ys cad ffyrdd, ys _car cyrdd_ cyflef."
"He is the roads of battle, he is the friend of harmonious songs."
(Cynddelw.)
"Llary deyrn cedyrn yn cadw gwesti _cyrdd_,
_Cerddorion_ gyflochi."
A mild prince of mighty men keeping festivals of songs,
And equally protecting the minstrels. (Llygad Gwr.)
"Arddelw cain ffyrdd _cyrdd cyflef_,
Urddedig wledig wlad nef."
Claim the splendid paths of harmonious songs,
Consecrated governor of the kingdom of heaven. (Bleddyn Vardd.)
{125c} A favourite saying of a person of that name has been preserved in
the following triplet;
"A glywaist ti chwedl Ceredig
Brenin doeth detholedig?
Pawb a'i droed ar syrthiedig."
Hast thou heard the saying of Ceredig,
A wise and select king?
Every one has his foot on the fallen. (Iolo MSS. pp. 259, 664.)
{126a} The other reading "ceiniad" would mean a _minstrel_, which, on
the supposition that the chieftain of the present is the same with that
of the preceding stanza, would further support the textual construction
which we have given there to "car cyrdd," viz. _the friend of song_.
{126b} Al. "gowan," gashing.
{126c} Al. "Crwydyr," perambulated.
{126d} "Cystudd daear," _buried_; "cystudd haiarn," _killed_. See line
128.
{126e} Caradawg Vreichvras, chief elder (pen hynaiv) of Gelliwig in
Cornwall. (Triad lxiv. first series.) According to the Triads he was
one of the battle knights of the Isle of Britain, and in the Englyn
attributed to Arthur he is styled "Pillar of Cymru."
"Tri chadvarchawg Teyrn ynys Prydain: Caradawc Vreiehvras, a Llyr
Lluyddawg, a Mael ab Menwaed o Arllechwedd; ac Arthur a gant iddynt
hynn o Englyn,
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 vassal
origin. (See line 56: notes.) Gwynn might have been either Gwyn
Godyvron 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 God 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
Constinobl, 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 shield 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 Gododin"
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 title
"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 xxxiv. second series.)
Other versions, however, of the same Triad, give Rhun mab Einiawn in the
room of Rhuvawn Pebyr.
He is also styled one of the three golden corpses of the Isle of Britain,
because, when he was slain, his body was redeemed for its weight in gold.
"Tri eurgelein ynys Prydain: Madawc mab Brwyn; Ceugant Beilliawc; a
Rhuawn Bevr, ab Gwyddnaw Garanhir; sev yu gelwid felly achaws rhoddi
eu pwys yn aur am danynt o ddwylaw au lladdes." (Tr. lxxvii. third
series.)
His grave is alluded to by Hywel the son of Owain Gwynedd, about A.D.
1160, in these lines;--
"Tonn wenn orewyn a orwlych bet
Gwytua ruuawn bebyr ben teyrnet." (Myv. Arch v. i. p. 277.)
The white wave, mantled with foam, bedews the grave,
The resting place of Rhuvawn Pebyr, chief of kings.
{132b} There may be some slight allusion here to the circumstance
mentioned in the last Triad.
{132c} Coelvain; the stones of omen, an honorary reward. In this stanza
Rhuvawn is celebrated as pious, valiant, and hospitable.
{132d} The hall (neuadd) might have been the camp itself, or it might
have been the general's tent, answering to the Roman praetorium. Along
the extent of the Catrail there are several forts of the British people,
which were built either on the contiguous hills, or on the neighbouring
heights. A field in the neighbourhood of Dolgelley, which exhibits clear
vestiges of an ancient encampment, goes by the name of "_Neuadd Goch_."
"Neuadd pob diddos."