Y Gododin: A Poem of the Battle of Cattraeth Part 22

His round shield was with fire winged for slaughter.

{106d} An allusion to the trappings of the horses.

{107a} "Diryf." "Rhyv;" that enlarges or swells out; "diryv," without enlargement. A descriptive reference to the expanding or bulging effects of spears when hurled against a shield.

{107b} Al. "with equal step they thickly a.s.sembled," "cnydyn" from _cnydiaw_, to yield a crop. And "cynfedion" from _cyd_ together, and _pedion_, feet.

{107c} Al. "unprofitably."

{107d} "Hudid" (huddid) covered over.

{107e} Query, "vras" to rhyme with "glas"?

{107f} "Teithi;" _the character_, i.e. of the military preparations.

{107g} "Amgant;" al. "etmygant;" in which case the pa.s.sage might be rendered,-

"Famous were the characteristics Of, &c."

{107h} The Novantae comprised the present districts of Galloway, Carrick, Kyle, and Cunningham.

{108a} If we have interpreted "pumcant" aright, as giving the number of men in each battalion, it would appear that "mwnt," though primarily standing for one hundred thousand, has also a general sense. This view of it might in like manner apply to the statement made at line 49.

{108b} "Trychwn," i.e. tri cwn (a head) a regiment commanded by one head.

{108c} Al. "Thrice six," &c. Al. "Three noisy," &c. That as many as 300 commanders should issue from Eiddin, can only be explained on the supposition that, because of its proximity to Cattraeth, it formed the princ.i.p.al station of the allied forces.

{108d} Lit. "golden kings wearing chains." The manner in which the greater and lesser numbers are placed in juxtaposition (lines 184187) makes it very probable that the latter designate the commanders of the troops there mentioned. And we may well suppose that the statement from line 188 to line 191 is a mere continuation of the character of the "three bold knights."

{108e} _Lead_, being heavy, answers to "trwm" in the preceding line.

{108f} A reference to the armour of the soldiers.

{109a} Or "who were Brython." The Brython were the third "social tribe of the Isle of Britain," who "came from the land of Llydaw, and were descended from the primitive tribe of the Cymry," (Triad 5, third series.) Being the third princ.i.p.al tribe that settled in Britain, it is probable that their original inheritance was Alban, one of the "three princ.i.p.al provinces of the Isle of Britain," (See Triad 2) which they must have occupied prior to the time of Prydain the son of Aedd Mawr.

Dunbarton is Dun Bretton, i.e. Dinas y Brython.

{109b} Cynon was the son of Clydno Eiddin, and one of the three counselling warriors of Arthur.

"Tri chyngoriad varchawg llys Arthur; Cynon ab Clydno Eiddin, Arawn ab Cynvarch, a Llywarch Hen ab Elidyr Lydanwyn." (Triad 86, first series.)

He was also one of the "three ardent lovers," on account of his pa.s.sion for Morvydd, daughter of Urien Rheged.

"Tri serchawg Ynys Prydain; Caswallawn mab Beli am Flur merch Fugnach Gorr, a Thrystan mab Tallwch am Essyllt gwreig March Meirchiawn ei ewythr, a Chynon ab Clydno Eiddun am Forwydd verch Urien." (Tr. 53.)

Cynon ab Clydno Eiddin was educated at the college of Llancarvan, and is said to have answered one of the seven questions proposed by Cattwg Ddoeth, the President, as follows,-

"Pa gamp decav ar ddyn?

Atteb. Cyweirdeb." (Cynan ab Clydno Eiddin ai dywawd.)

What is man's fairest quality?

Answer. Sincerity.

His grave is recorded in the Englynion y Beddau. (Myv. Arch. vol i. p.

79.)

{109c} We adopt this as a proper name, because it makes up the number three. A person of that name is mentioned in the following stanza;-

"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.)

The word has however been construed "chief spearmen," and "of the stock of."

{109d} There is a place so called in Cardiganshire.

{110a} Al. "gogyverth," to oppose.

{110b} "Yn hon," from _on_ an ash, and by metonymy, a spear. Or, as "hon" means what is present to the sight, we may construe the pa.s.sage thus,-

"To greet openly," &c.

{110c} "Deivyr diverogion," the droppers of Deivyr; not "the men who dropped _into_ Deira," as Davies has it. Deivyr and Bryneich were now opposed to the British patriots. See lines 50, 78.

{110d} Namely Cydywal, a chieftain of Gwynedd, now stationed in the region of Mordei; considering the disaster that ensued, it appeared whilst he presided over the banquet in his own camp, as if he were merely preparing a feast for the birds of prey.

{110e} His history is unknown.

{110f} "Cyn y," i.e. _cyni_.

{111a} Nothing is known of this diviner.

{111b} The "croes" was probably a kind of cross bow. Taliesin in "Gwaith Gwenystrad" says of the slain warriors,-

"Llaw ynghroes"-

Which has been translated by Ieuan Vardd,

"Their hands were on the crucifix [cross.]" (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p.

52.)

Al. "Athrwys," (ath-rhwys) "very vigorously."

{111c} This appears to have been the compact entered into by the different tribes of the Britons, for the purpose of withstanding the usurpation of the common foe. See line 32.

{111d} "Ermygei," which might also, and perhaps more literally, be rendered _he paid respect to_. The other reading "dirmygei," would mean _he spurned_, or _dishonoured_.

{111e} "Blaen Gwynedd," the borders of North Wales, whither the Saxon encroachment had already extended.