human
Can you write me a poem about dowry?
assistant
Sure, here's a poem about dowry:
  {1a}  Tacit. Julii Agric. vita, cap. xiv.
{1b}  Cambrian Biography, sub voce.
{3a}  Triad 39, third series.
{4b}  Elegy on Old Age.
{6c}  Stanzas xvii. xxxii lxxxvi.
{6f}  Stanza xviii.
{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.
“Gwr gwiw uch ei amliw seirch
A roddei feirch
I eirchiaid.”
A worthy hero seated on variegated trappings,
“Atuyn march myngvras mangre.”
Beautiful in a tangle is a thick-maned horse.—Ib. p, 28.
“That wore the golden spurs,”—Owen’s Ll. Hen, p. 131.
{80b}  “Pan,” pannus—down, fur, ermine, or fulled cloth.
“Ymogel ddwyn gwraig atat yn enw ei _hargyvrau_.”
Beware of taking to thyself a wife for the sake of her portion.
In that case, the passage should be rendered,—
Ere thou didst obtain thy nuptial dowry;
“argynrein” has no reference whatever to the nuptial dowry.
“A rhag gwaith Argoed Llwyfain
Bu llawer celain
Rhuddei 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
“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;
Y tri thwr yn Nghattraeth hen.
Ovnodd Arthur val goddaith
Owain son of Urien overthrew
The three towers of Cattraeth of old;
Arthur dreaded, as the flames,
Owain, his ravens, and his parti-coloured staff.
Alas, the beloved friend of Owain;
{82a}  Al. “March,” as if addressing the horse of the slain;—
O steed, in what spot
Was slaughtered, &c.
He brought protection to women, and mead he distributed.
“Ragorei veirch racvuan
En trin lletvegin gwin o bann.”
He surpassed the fleetest steeds
In war, but was a tame animal when he poured the wine from the
goblet.
{84b}  The rest having been slain.
“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.
“Gwelais ar vorwyn—
Lliw golau tonau taenverw gwenyg
Llanw _ebyr_ ar _llyr_, lle ni mawr-drig.”  (Cynddelw.)
I beheld on a maiden
The bright hue of the spreading ebullition of the breakers of the
Of the flood of the effluxes of rivers, on the strand, where it
tarries not long.
“Oedd ei var—
Megys twrv _ebyr_ yn _llyr_ llawn.”  (Cynddelw.)
His rage
Was like the tumult of the mouths of rivers with a full margin.
“Calan hyddvrev, tymp dydd yn edwi,
Cynhwrv yn _ebyr_, _llyr_ yn 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.
{85b}  “A garwyd,” al. “a gatwyt” “was preserved, or protected.”
“Mor ehelaeth
E aruaeth uch arwyt.”
With such a magnificent
Design of enterprize blazoned on his standard.
Gorchaneu . . . Achaws yu am goffau yn y Gorchaneu rivedi Guyr a
“Ys gwyr Manawyd a Phryderi.”  (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 67.)
The name of Pryderi occurs further on in our Poem.
Dr. O. Pughe translates the line in the Gododin thus—
“There was a confident impelling forward of the shaft of the
variegated standard.”
{87e}  Lit. “the place of wine,” otherwise “a horn of wine,”
“Ef a’m rhoddes medd a gwin o wydrin _ban_.
He gave me mead and wine from the transparent horn.  (Taliesin.)
Precious was the amber, but its price was the grave.
{88a}  The hero of this stanza we take to be the “son of Ysgyran”
He repelled violence, and gore trickled to the ground.
“Ket dyffei wyned a gogled e rann
O gussyl,—mah Ysgyrran.”
{88b}  Al. “The maimed shield-bearer,” (ysgwydwr.)
“Ar deulu brenneych beych barnasswn
Dilyw 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;
“Neus gorug o dir Brynaich.”
“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.
{90b}  “Neithyawr.”  Al. “than go to the altar.”
“Tri eilldeyrn ynys Prydain: Gwrgai vab Gwrien yn y Gogledd, a
cynneddvau clodvorion a rhadvorion.”  (Triad, 26, third series.)
“Hyveidd a Gododin a lleu towys.”  (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 57.)
Ac Owein Mon Maelgynig ddefawd
A wnaw peithwyr gorweiddiawg.”
And Owain of Mon, of Maelgynian manner,
Would prostrate the ravagers.  (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 64.)
“Gognaw ei brawd digones.”
{91b}  Al. “As with blades they dealt mutual blows.”
“Clod wasgar a Gwanar ydd ymddullyn.”
{92b}  Or “gem of a regiment;” his choice regiment.
“O _arwar_ daiar down i gyd dyddbrawd.”  (Ll. P. Moch.)
{93b}  “Impia sub dulci melle venena latent.”
“Trychant marshals his men, armed with the weapons of war.”
{93d}  I.e. the silence of death.
Bards.—See STEPHEN’S Literature of the Kymry, p. 265.)
{94d}  Or, “Like a deluge, I would not have left a man alive.”
{95a}  In Gorchan Maelderw we read of—
“The only son of Cian from Trabannawg.”
“Cian pan ddarvu
Lliaws gyvolu.”
When Cian sang the praise of many.
{96a}  Or, “They served as butts for the falling lances.”
“Esteemed for their age and disposition.”
“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_.
{97d}  As in the two preceding lines is contained a compliment to
{98a}  “Ceugant yw angeu,” (adage.)  The line might be rendered,—
“Without end they multiplied the wooden biers;”
“Ac elorawr mwy no maint.
And biers innumerable.  (Elegy upon Geraint ab Erbin.)
“Ceugant,” translated _without end_, is properly a Druidic term,
signifying the circle of eternity.
“Cylch y ceugant, ac nis gall namyn Duw eu dreiglaw.”
“Tri phren rhydd yn forest y brenhin; pren crib eglwys; a phren
{98c}  A reference to the last unction.  See St. James, v. 14.
{98d}  I.e. Tudvwlch Hir, the hero of this particular stanza.
{99d}  Or, “Through ambition he was a soarer.”  The person here
“Prenial yw i bawb ei drachwres.”
The path of glory leads but to the grave.—(Taliesin.)
Bu adveiliawc
Eu gwirodau.”
Destructive were their wassails with Mynyddawg.
“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.”
{100f}  Al. the powerful supporter—“drut nerthyd.”
{101b}  “Like the thunder of heaven was the clashing of the
{101d}  Mark the antithesis “gwr llawr”—“arbennawr,” and
“The best three men in their country,
For protecting their habitation,
{102a}  Al. “Erthgi,” which is obviously the same as “Arthgi,” a
“In the front Erthai would mangle an army.”
{102e}  “Gowyssawr,” the furrower of battle: the designation of a
“Wyr i Vleddyn arv leiddiad
A oedd draw yn _cwysaw cad_.”  (Hywel Cilan.)
A grandson of Bleddyn with the weapon of slaughter,
Was yonder furrowing the battle.
misplaced.
Ni chavas ae dioes
Pwy vynt hwy, pwy eu _neges_.”
i.e. “who will own, or who will deny them.”
Under me was blood to the top of my knee.
{104c}  Al. “Even on the foam-bordered Mordei.”
“Whilst Gwarthlev and Enovryd were pouring forth the liquor.”
{105d}  A peculiarity observable in Welsh documents is, that they
There are three trumpet progressions; the assembly of a country
according to heads of families and chiefs of tribes, the horn of
“Tair clud addwyn y sydd; beirdd yn darogan heddwch, _cyrch
cynhauav_, a phriodas.”
“Tri corn cynghlud y sydd; _corn cynhauav_, corn dadlau, a chorn
{106b}  “Arvel,” which is required on account of the rhyme.
{106c}  Bright shields, which are here likened to wings.
His round shield was with fire winged for slaughter.
{106d}  An allusion to the trappings of the horses.
“Famous were the characteristics
{108f}  A reference to the armour of the soldiers.
{109b}  Cynon was the son of Clydno Eiddin, and one of the three
counselling warriors of Arthur.
“Pa gamp decav ar ddyn?
Atteb.  Cyweirdeb.”  (Cynan ab Clydno Eiddin ai dywawd.)
What is man’s fairest quality?
“A glywaist ti chwedl Cynrain,
Pen cyngor Ynys Prydain,
Gwell ydyw cadw nag olrhain.”
Hast thou heard the saying of Cynrain,
The chief counsellor of the Island of Britain?
Better to keep than to pursue.  (Iolo MSS. pp. 251, 651.)
{109d}  There is a place so called in Cardiganshire.
“To greet openly,” &c.
{110e}  His history is unknown.
{111a}  Nothing is known of this diviner.
“Llaw ynghroes”—
Which has been translated by Ieuan Vardd,
Al. “Athrwys,” (ath-rhwys) “very vigorously.”
{111c}  This appears to have been the compact entered into by the
“I fell by the radiant rampart, (ffin)”
{112b}  Or, as a moral reflection,—
“A hero’s prowess is not without ambition.”
There are various readings of the word which is here translated
fearlessness.
{112c}  In Maelderw’s stanzas thus,—
“When all went up, thou didst go down.”
In another place,—
“When all were extended, thou didst also fall.”
That in the other Gorchan of Maelderw, page 85, may be rendered,
Present narrates that he was carried with the arms.
“A hyt vraut yth goffaaf
Dy _ffossaut_ trallaut trymmaf.”  (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 149.)
Until doom will I remember
Thy interment, which was a most heavy affliction.
“Hyd ydd aeth ef
Ercwlf mur _ffosawd_
Descended into the fosse of the rampart,
And was covered with sand.
Three warriors and three score and three hundred,
To the conflict of Cattraeth went forth;
Of those who hastened from the mead of the cup-bearers,
Three only returned,
And I myself from the shedding of blood.—
{114b}  The grave of Cynon is thus recorded;—
“Bet gur gwaud urtin
In uchel titin in isel gwelitin
The grave of a warrior of high renown
Is in a lofty region—but a lowly bed;
The grave of Cynon the son of Clydno Eiddin.
And in another stanza;
“Piau y bet y dann y brin
Bet gur gwrt yng Kiuiscin
Whose is the grave beneath the hill?
It is the grave of a warrior valiant in the conflict,—
“A glyweisti a gant Cadreith
Fab Porthawr filwr areith
Ni char Dofydd diobeith.”  (Myv. Arch. i. 175.)
Hast thou heard what Cadreith sang,
The son of Porthawr, with the warlike speech?
God loves not the despairer.
“Tair braint Beirdd ynys Prydain; Trwyddedogaeth lle’r elont; nas
The three primary privileges of the Bards of the Isle of Britain;
(Institutional Triads.  See also Myv. Arch. vol. iii.  Laws of
“Sed me per hostes Mercurius celer
Denso paventem sustulit aere.  (Horace Carm. lib. ii. Ode 7.)
{115d}  Or more sententiously, as Davies has it,
“Base is he in the field, who is base to his own relatives.”
“A rhag gwaith Argoed Llwyvain
Al. “When we were deprived of our sharpened weapons.”
{116b}  Thus in Gorchan Maelderw,—
“There trod not, in Gododin, on the surface of the fosse,
When deprived of his sharpened weapon, none more destitute.”
“They assembled in arms, and in complete array they moved along,
And rolled through the mighty horde.”
“Arv ynghynnull,
Yn nghymandull,
Twrv yn agwedd;
Y rhag meiwedd,
Y rhag mawredd,
Y rhag madiedd.”
They assemble in arms,
The forces are marshalled,
Tumult approaches:
In the van are the warlike,
In the van are the noble,
In the van are the good.
“Cynddylan, cae di y rhiw,
Er yddaw Lloegyrwys heddiw;
Amgeledd am un nid gwiw!”  (Llywarch Hen.)
Cynddylan, guard thou the cliff,
Against any Lloegrians that may come this day;
Concern for one should not avail.
“There was the hero of the two shielded wings,
The one with the variegated front; the other of like quality with
which was the name of Arthur’s shield;—
“Tarian a gymmerai Arthur ar ei Ysgwydd, yr hon a elwid Prydwen.”
“Tri lloneid Prydwen ydd aetham ni ar for.”
{118c}  Perhaps scintillations from the clash of arms.
{118e}  “_Bud_ e vran,” an allusion to the name of _Bud_van.
“Nac addev dy rin i was.”
Reveal not thy secrets to a servant.
{119c}  “Eleirch,” lit. _swans_, but the expression “meirch eilw
{119d}  Or, “the trappings” of his charger.
{119e}  His history is not known.
“Llon ceiliog a thwylluan
Au _deuddeng-nydd_ yn hoean”—Engl. y Misoedd.
{120c}  The word “arvaeth” in this poem seems to have a reference
“Pedwar meib ar ugaint a’m bu,
Eurdorchawg, tywysawg llu;
Oedd Gwên goreu o naddu,” &c.
Four and twenty sons I have had,
Wearing the golden chain, leaders of armies;
Gwên was the best of them.
{121d}  “Meirch,” suggested by the name “Marchleu.”
etymological sense in preference.
{121h}  The Bard would here pay an indirect compliment to his own
{122c}  Mygedorth is mentioned by Llywarch Hen,—
“Yn Llongborth gwelais i vygedorth
A gwyr yn godde ammorth
A gorvod gwedi gorborth.”
In Llongborth I beheld a solemn pile,
And men suffering privation,
And in a state of subjection after excess of fruition
It is likewise alluded to in the Triads,—
“Cornan, march meibion Elifer Gosgorddfawr, a ddwg arnaw Gwrgi,
Peredur, Dunawd Fyr, a Chynfelyn Drwsgl, i edrych ar fygedorth
Cornan, the horse of the sons of Elifer with the great retinue,
“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.”
{123a}  Nothing more is known of this chieftain.
{123b}  Or “Isaac,” as a proper name.
respectively described in the succeeding lines.
“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.)
“Cyrdd a cherddorion
A chathleu englynion.”
Songs and minstrels,
And Angel’s melodies.  (Taliesin.)
“Ys cad ffyrdd, ys _car cyrdd_ cyflef.”
“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.)
“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.)
“Tri chadvarchawg Teyrn ynys Prydain: Caradawc Vreiehvras, a Llyr
Sev ynt vy nhri chadvarchawg
A cholovn Cymru Caradawg.”  (Triad 29.)
{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
“O fryn } caffad.”
{128c}  Caradawg Vreichvras, just mentioned.
“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—
“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.
Constinobl, or honn y doeth y genhedlaeth vwyav o’r byd, ac o
{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.”
{131c}  That is, contributed his life towards a victory.
{131e}  Lit. “With the strength of steeds.”
{131f}  “Ar gychwyn,” poised, ready to fly.
“Tri gwyndeyrn ynys Prydain; Rhun ab Maelgwn, Owain ab Urien, a
Rhuawn Bevr ab Dewrath Wledig.”  (Triad xxv. third series.)
“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.
“Neuadd pob diddos.”
Every shelter is a hall.  (Adage.)
“E Beteu ae cut gwitwal
Ny llesseint heb ymtial
The graves that have their mounds together,
Are theirs, who fell not unavenged,
“Noe and Eseye hurled a massive stone from the wall of the fort,
Nid ysgyg er meddyg mwy.”—Dr. S. Cent.
He is dead; he will stir no more for all the doctor’s art.
{134b}  Cyhadvan, cyd advan, a co-retreat.
“Gelyn i Sais, car i saint.”
The Saxon’s foe, the friend of Saints.
{136c}  Al. “in the day of gallantry.”
“Pwylrai Wallawg, marchawg trin,
Er echwydd gwneuthur dyvin,
Yn erbyn cyvrysedd Elphin.”
Gwallawg, the knight of tumult, would violently rave,
With a mind determined to try the sharpest edge,
Against the conflict of Elphin.
{138a}  Morien is probably alluded to here again, whose especial
“Marw Morgeneu marw kyvrennin
Marw Moryen mur trin
Trymmav oed am dy adoed di Vyrdin.”
Morgeneu dead, Kyvrenin dead,
Morien the bulwark of conflict dead;
Most sad the lingering that thou art left, O Merddin.
“Pieu y bedd yn y maes mawr,
Balch ei law ar ei lavnawr?
Bedd Beli vab Benlli gawr.”
Who owns the grave in the great plain,
Proud his hand upon his spear?
The grave of Beli son of Benlli Gawr.  (Myv. Arch. v. i. p. 82.)
Or Beli son of Rhun, a sovereign of North Wales.
{139f}  “A clat,” cladd, a trench.  “In those parts where it (the
{140a}  Or, “in behalf of the power.”
{140b}  Being skilled in the knowledge of the stars.
hansoddau y darogenynt a chwenychid ei wybod hyd yn nydd brawd.”
(Triad lxxxix. third series.)
{141a}  Gwyddwg seems to have been in the service of Gwydien.
{141c}  “Murdyn;” it may be “mur dyn,” (_the bulwark of men_) as
The Englynion Beddau y Milwyr point out the graves of others,—
“Y beteu yn y morva ys bychan ae haelwy
Y mae Sanant Syberv vun y mae Run ryvel achwy
The graves on the shore, on which but little generosity has been
bestowed,
{141e}  His character has been described before in stanza xxv.
{142d}  “Ysgrwydiat.”  Al. “Gold mailed warriors slept in death,
(cysgrwyddiad) on the city walls.”
{143d}  “In the day of conflict.”  _Gorch. Mael_.
{144c}  The word Din indicates it to have been a camp or a fort.
{144f}  Meaning, perhaps, that had he himself been present, this
“Adwen leverydd cyni
Vran; pan disgynai yn nghyvyrdy
Pen gwr, pan gwin a ddyly.”
“Nid â gwaew yn ronyn.”
Pain will not become a particle.
“The hero, the joy of the North, effected it,”
{147a}  Lit. “There does not walk upon the earth.”
“A glyweisti a gant Llywarch,
Oedd henwr drud dihavarch;
Onid cyvarwydd cyvarch.”
Didst thou hear what Llywarch sang,
The intrepid and bold old man?
Greet kindly though there be no acquaintance.
{147c}  He would not submit to arbitration, which would imply an
inability to assert their rights by force of arms.
{148a}  Al. “He bestowed his sword upon the,” &c.
{148e}  “Keingyell,” ceingel; a hank of thread.
{148f}  This was probably his sword which flashed.
{148h}  There is much poetic force in this line.
{149a}  Perhaps _Luce_ Bay, near _Leuco_pibia.
{149b}  Llywarch Hen, in his Elegy on Urien Rheged, speaks thus,—
“Yn Aber _Lleu_ lladd Urien.”
In Aber _Lleu_ Urien was slain.
{149e}  A poetical definition of a storm in winter.
“Deg myrdd yn y rhiallu, deg rhiallu yn y vynta, a deg mynta yn y
Ten myriads in the riallu ten times the riallu, in the mynta, ten
{150c}  Qu. _Carban_tium in the province of Valentia?
{150d}  Dyvynawl Vrych, or Donald Brec, who is said in the Scotch
“Bu cywair carchar Gwair ynghaer Sidi
Trwy ebostol Pwyll a Phryderi.” &c.
Arranged was the prison of Gwair in Caer Sidi
Pwyll is the hero of one of the Mabinogion.
{151b}  Llywarch Hen speaks of a person of this name.
“Tywarchen Ercal ar âr dywal
Wyr, o edwedd Morial;
A gwedy Rhys mae rhysonial.”  (Elegy on Cynddylan.)
The sod of Ercal is on the ashes of fierce
Men, of the progeny of Morial;
And after Rhys there is great murmuring of woe.
{151c}  Al. “from the place where he was once overtaken.”
“Mad ddodes ei vorddwyd dros obell
Ei orwydd, o wng ac o bell.”  (On Old Age.)
Gracefully he placed his thigh over the saddle
Of his steed, on the near and farther side.
{152f}  Al. “May triumph be far from his hand.”
Bradwen fought, slaughtered, and burned;
Thou didst not guard either the extremity or the entrance
Of the towering town; thy helmet did I not behold from the sea,
From the rampart of the sea, O thou knight worse than a slave.”
{154c}  “Gwas,” which means also youth.  It is probable that the
messenger or herald of the Saxons is here meant, who being of an
{154d}  Aneurin, addressing his country.
{154h}  The Saxon herald.
{154j}  By the “bulwark of toil” is probably understood Morien.
{155a}  Being like him a Bard.
{155d}  See Notes to stanza xxxviii.
{155e}  The treacherous herald before mentioned.
{156a}  Another way of construing these two lines would be,—
“Strangers to the country, their deeds shall be heard of;
The bright wave murmured along on its pilgrimage;”
in reference to the British heroes.
“Where they had collected together the most melodious deer.”
The deer were collected within the encampment for the purpose of
{156d}  I.e. no pacific insignia.
{156g}  Or, “mutually sharing” the toils of war.
“The stranger with the crimson robe pursued,
And slaughtered with axes and blades.”
Llawer deigr hylithr yn hwylaw ar rudd
Llawer ystlys rhudd a rhwyg arnaw
Llawer gwaed am draed wedi ymdreiddiaw
Llawer gweddw a gwaedd y amdanaw
Llawer meddwl trwm yn tomrwyaw.
Llawer mam heb dad gwedi ei adaw
Llawer hendref fraith gwedi llwybrgodaith
A llawer diffaith drwy anrhaith draw
Llawer llef druan fal ban fu’r Gamlan.
Many a slippery tear sails down the cheek,
Many a wounded side is red with gore,
Many a foot is bathed in blood,
Many a widow raises the mournful shriek,
Many a mind is heavily troubled,
Many a son is left without a father,
Many an old grey town is deserted,
Many are ruined by yonder deed of war,
Many a cry of misery arises as erst on Camlan field.
{159a}  “Gwryd,” _manliness_, as displayed in war.
“With a feast of wine and a banquet of mead, endowed
By Cynlaith, mother of Hwrraith, was the energetic Eidol.”
“With a feast of wine and a banquet of mead,
Did his brave (_hwrraith_ from _hwrdd_) mother
Cynlaith, enrich
The energetic Eidol.”
“With a feast of wine and a banquet of mead,
Did his mother Hwrraith
At the first fall of the dew (_cyn llaith_) enrich
The energetic Eidol.”
{160a}  The hill on which the vanguard was stationed.
{160b}  Waiting their prey.
“The foremost spearmen spring up around him.”
“As from the rocky cliff the shepherd sees
Clustering in heaps on heaps the driving bees,
Rolling, and blackening, swarms succeeding swarms,
With deeper murmurs and more hoarse alarms;
Dusky they spread, a close embodied crowd,
{161c}  Al. “They marched and chanted, clad in coat of mail.”
“Un yn darwedd
Gwin a mal a medd.”
One who was generous of wine, and bounty, and mead.
{163b}  Mynyddawg himself.
“Ceiniadon moch clywid eu govalon:
Marchawglu mor daer am Gaer Llion;
A dial Idwal ar Aranwynion
A gware pelre a phen Saeson.”  (Myv. Arch. i. p. 73.)
Songsters, soon would their cares be heard;
An army of horsemen so harassing round Caer Llion;
And the revenge of Idwal on the Aranwynians;
And the playing of ball-buffetting with Saxon heads.
Al. “mab Pel;” Present the son of Pel.
{164b}  “Adan;” that is _â dan_, will go under.  Lit. “under the
“A glyweist ti chwedl Angar
Mab Caw, Catfilwr clodgar?
Bid tonn calon gan alar.”
Hast thou heard the saying of Angar,
Son of Caw the celebrated warrior?
The heart will break with grief.
“Angor, thou scatterer of the brave,
Serpent, piercing pike,
And immovable stone in the front of the army.”
{164f}  Al. “Oppressor, dressed in thy shining white robes.”
“Enwir ith elwir oth gywir weithred.”
Enwir art thou named from thy righteous deed;
“Kigleu am dal met myned dreig Kattraeth.”  (Myv. Arch. i. 266.)
“Nid ym hyn dihyll nam hen deheu;”
where he evidently refers to line 290 of our Poem.
description of the slaughter which ensued at Cattraeth.
{167a}  Or, “the gallantry of the glorious knight of conflict.”
“Gwyr ni giliynt rhag ovn gwayw,
Ac yved gwin o wydr gloyw.”  (Elegy upon Geraint)
Men who would not flinch from the dread of the spear,
And the quaffing of wine out of the bright glass.
{168b}  His history is unknown.
{168e}  Probably Ayr in Scotland, rather than Aeron in Wales.
“Llogail” would be a wattled room.
“Kian a ud diffaith cnud.
Draw o tuch pen bet alltud
“Och Cynddilig, na buost wraig!”
Oh, Cynddilig, why wert thou not a woman!
{170b}  “Dieis.”  Al. “her thrusts were penetrating.”
“On Tuesday they put on their splendid robes;
On Wednesday bitter was their assembly;
On Thursday messengers formed contracts;
On Friday there was slaughter;
On Saturday they dealt mutual blows;
On Sunday they were pierced by ruddy weapons;
On Monday a pool of blood knee deep was seen.”
Eryr tymyr gwyr, gweilch disaesneg.”
{173b}  The stanza is thus varied in Gorchan Maelderw,
“At the early dawn of morn they marched
To conflict, headed by the king in front of the course;
Gwair was greeted by the fluid gore
In the van of the battle;
He was a beloved friend.
In the day of distress
The wealth of the mountain, the place,
And the forward beam of war, wore a murky hue.”  (_Gorch. Mael_.)
{173e}  The Catrail, or else the vallum of our hero’s camp.
“It was such a thrust to the little man.”  (Gorch. Mael.)
“Oed mor diachar
Yt wanei escar.”
{174e}  Probably from the top of the rampart.
{175f}  Quasi dicat, “did not wear one.”
“It was a violation of privilege to sentence a woman to death.”
“Pan dyvo y brych cadarn
Lliwaut gwyr treuliaut Karn
Pendevic Prydein yno _pen Barn_;”  (Myv. Arch. i. 132.)
{177d}  Or, “He sounded for steeds, he sounded for harness.”
{178d}  Lit. the room, or chamber.
“Llywelyn llew glwys, Loegrwys lugyrn.”
Llywelyn the amiable lion, the torch of the Lloegrians.
{179a}  Lit. “the battle of sovereignty,”
{180a}  The contrast between his conduct in war and his domestic
character is here noticed.
{180c}  Or, “we are called to the sea and the borders, (or to the
“A successful warrior, flaming in steel, before the enemy.”
{182c}  Or, “The raging flame turns not from Eiddyn.”
{182d}  Or, “at the entrance or gate.”
{182f}  The effects of his toil in battle.
{183b}  “Periglawr;” one who has to do with what is extreme, or
dangerous; one who administers extreme unction; a parish priest.
“Caletach wrth elyn nog asgwrn.”
Harder to an enemy than a bone.  (Elegy on Cunedda.)
{185a}  Or, “whilst the foes range the sea.”
{185b}  Lit. “It was his characteristic or property.”
“In the face of blood, of the country, and of the tribes.”
“Ev cyrch cerddorion
Se syberw Seon
Neu’r dierveis i rin
{186c}  Or, “who caused the stream of blood.”
“Yd kwytynt pennawr penn o draed;”
{188a}  “Tra;” “whilst the gory pool continued to fill.”
{188e}  Al. “Is there a place where the people do not relate the
greatness of his counsel?”
“With a rush Pwyll made the assault.”
{188g}  “Lliveit handit;” which were sharpened.
{188h}  Al. “Where his founding blade was seen.”
“Tri Gwrddvaglawg ynys Prydain; Rhineri mab Tangwn; a Thinwaed
Yn y terau tormeu tir.”
In Abergenoli is the grave of Pryderi,
Where the waves beat against the shore.
A saying of Pryderi has been thus recorded;—
“Hast thou heard the saying of Pryderi,
The wisest person in counselling?
There is no wisdom like silence.”  (Iolo MSS. p. 661.)
“Cyn bum cain vaglawg, bum cyfes eiriawg,
Ceinvygir ni eres;
Gwyr Argoed eirioed a’m porthes.”  (Elegy on Old Age.)
Before I appeared with crutches, I was eloquent in my complaint,
It will be extolled, what is not wonderful—
The men of Argoed have ever supported me!
“Yn Llongborth y llas Geraint,
Gwr dewr o goettir Dyvnaint,
Wyntwy yn lladd gyd a’s lleddaint.”
At Llongborth was Geraint slain,
A strenuous warrior from the woodland of Dyvnaint,
Slaughtering his foes as he fell.
{192b}  Al. “There was a white badge on his shield.”
“Oedd re redaint dan vorddwyd Geraint,
Garhirion, grawn odew,
Rhuddion, rhuthr eryron glew.”
Under the thigh of Geraint were fleet runners,
With long hams, fattened with corn;
They were red ones; their assault was like the bold eagles.
“Baran lew llew lloegyr oual
Lleduegin gwin gwyrt uual.”  (Myv. Arch. v. i. p. 225.)
{193d}  As the natural consequence of military operations.
{194c}  Probably the enemy.
“Rhag mab _edern_ cyn _edyrn_ anaelew.”
“Before the son of Edeyrn ere his kingdom became fearful.”
“Tri marchlwyth ynys Prydain—ar ail marchlwyth aduc Cornann March
“Mi adaen iwrch er nas daliwyv.”  (Adage.)
I know a roebuck, though I may not catch him.
{197d}  “Derwenydd;” Derventio, the river Derwent in Cumberland.
{198d}  The head of the river Clyde in Scotland.
“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 gashing wounds in pain;
When over horns two princes caused discord,
While in the banquet of Morach Morvran.  (Owain Cyveiliog.)
differently described.
{199b}  One of these, we may presume, was Dyvnwal Vrych.
{199c}  The whole line may be thus translated;
{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.)
{200f}  A pitched battle.
“Gwr yn gware a Lloegyrwys.”  (Cynddelw.)
A man playing with the Lloegrians.
{200g}  Or, “did he bring and supply.”
{201a}  “Dyvnuyt;” see also stanza, xlviii.
{201f}  Al. “with the gory trappings,” as in the other stanza.
{202a}  Al. “a dau,” the two sons, and two haughty boars.
{202d}  In a former stanza he is called Garthwys Hir.
{202e}  “Nod;” is a conspicuous mark.
{203b}  “Dyli,” condition or impulse.
{203e}  The inhabitants of Scotland.
“Hon a oresgyn
She will conquer
{204d}  Probably the Cantii or people of Kent.