ywrid" (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 167.)
Dr. O. Pughe translates the line in the Gododin thus--
"There was a confident impelling forward of the shaft of the
variegated standard."
{86a} "Ny nodi," (ni nodi) _thou dost not mark_, thou art blind to the
arms of the enemy both defensive and offensive. "Nodi," may also have
reference to "nod" in the third line of the stanza.
{86b} Al. "Protected against the assault of the battle of Manau;" i.e.
Mannau Gododin, or according to others, Mannau in which A.D. 582 Aidan
mac Gavran was victorious. (See Ritson's Annals of Caledonia, Vol. ii.
p. 35.)
{87a} One reason for not regarding "Caeawc" as a proper name, may be
discovered in the manner in which the expression "cawawc cynhorawc" is
used in an anonymous poem of an early date, apud Myv. Arch. vol. i. page
180. The author, though he evidently borrowed it from the Gododin, as
indeed his allusion to Cattraeth a few lines before would likewise imply,
employs it merely as an epithet.
{87b} An allusion probably to his armorial bearings. Another reading
gives "bled e maran," on the open strand.
{87c} "This singular fact of the ancient Britons wearing amber beads, is
confirmed by many beads of amber having been found in the barrows on
Salisbury plain, which have been recently dug. I understand that in
several of these graves, pieces of amber like beads have been met with;
and in one as many beads were found as would have made a wreath." (S.
Turner's Vind. 208, 209.)
{87d} "Am ran." "Tri argau gwaed: gwaed hyd _ran_, a gwaed hyd gwll, a
gwaed hyd lawr; sev yw hynny, gwaed hyd _wyneb_, gwaed hyd ddillad, a
gwaed a reto hyd lawr." (Law Triads, Myv. Arch, vol. iii. p. 342.)
Hence "amrant," the eyelid.
{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.)
Al. "gwrnvann," the place of the urn. In that case the line might be
thus translated,--
Precious was the amber, but its price was the grave.
{88a} The hero of this stanza we take to be the "son of Ysgyran"
himself. He disdained the eager advance of the enemy; for such was his
will, that he had only to declare it, to make Venedotia and the North
acknowledge his power, and submit to his jurisdiction; or, it may be, to
march unanimously to his side. Supposing "gwyar," however, to be the
correct reading, we might rende
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