XLII.

BOOK OF TALIESSIN XXXVI.

Text, vol. ii. p. 190. Notes, vol. ii. p. 414.

EXTOL the career of the kings of Reged.
Was I not an expense to thee, though I am thine?
They brandished the blade of battle, and spears of

battle,

Men brandished under the round shield; lights
White gulls trampled.

It was not fell fought. A false king is not good.
The Guledig will prepare himself against contusions.
He will not drive the business of those that seek him.
We shall have a nimble horseman, of Gwirion's fame,

10 A leader of fair promise, wise as Don.

Until Ulph came with violence on his enemies.

Until Urien came in the day to Aeron.

He was not an agressor, there appeared not

The uplifted front of Urien before Powys.

Was not easily treated the heat of the compact of the tribes,
Hyveidd and Gododin and the lion prince.

Bold in patience, and journey of joint summons.
Without pollution he drew blood in his veins.
(He) that saw Llwyvenydd humbly will tremble,
20 A conspicuous banner in the second place,

A battle in the ford of Alclud, a battle at the Inver.
The battle of Cellawr Brewyn. The battle of Hireurur.
A battle in the underwood of Cadleu, a battle in Aberioed.
He interposes with the steel loud (and) great.
The battle of Cludvein, the affair of the head of the wood.
A tribe attracted of dogs to a plentitude of blood.
To destroy supreme felicity is the aim

Of the Angles, a hostile crew.

Ruddy-stained from the conflict with Ulph at the ford.
30 Better is born the Guledig, forward was born his lord,
Prydain's chief proprietor, harmonious his lord.
He bare not clothes, either blue or gray,

Or red or green; he will not honour the ground.
He placed not his thigh over Moel Maelaur,
On horses of the speckled race of Mor Greidiawl.
Summer until winter, and gently in hand,

On ford, and course exercising them.

And a guest under songs and exalting one's-self,

And until the end of the world was perceived the band. 40 They arrange, they sweep about chainless for an image, Uncowardly about lights did I not mangle?

I strove against the fall of spears on shoulders.
Shield in hand, Godeu and Reged protecting;

Did I not see a man folding cattle?

A serpent of enchantment, a comely trampler of the ground.

Do I not know a war wherein he was lost,

And how much I lose by his perishing?

I shall not be extremely angry to possess mead-liquor.
From the heroic Hyveidd, of hospitable course.

50 Wit not I that was permitted (to have) shelter of the battle.

My kings were broken off from cheerful graces,
Shelter of the country good to the oppressed.

And until I fail in age,

In the sore necessity of death,

May I not be smiling,

If I praise not Urien.

XLIII.

THE SATISFACTION OF URIEN.

BOOK OF TALIESSIN XXXIX.

Text, vol. ii. p. 195. Notes, vol. ii. p. 415.

HE lion will be most implacable;

I will not deplore him.
Urien I will approach,

To him I will sing.

When will come my surety,

I shall obtain admission.

Of the very best part,
Under the flow of melody,

It concerns mẹ not much,

10 The everlasting lineage which I see.

I will not go to them, I will not be with them.

I will not address the North

And the kings of the plain.

Though there should be for many

That I should see a mutual pledging.

I have no need of affection :

Urien will not refuse me

The lands of Llwyvenydd.

Mine is their wealth,

20 Mine are the festivals,

Mine is the produce,
Mine are the metals,
And its rich productions.

Mead out of buffalo-horns

And good in abundance,

From the best prince,

The most generous that has been heard of.

The chiefs of every language

To thee are all captive.

30 For thee there will be lamentation when thy death

is certain.

Though I should have preferred him

After being benefited, I would grow old.

There was not one that I loved better,
(Of those) that I knew before.

At times I see

The amount of what I shall have.
Except to God supreme,

I will not renounce

Thy royal sons,

40 The most generous of men,
Their spears shall resound
In the land of their enemies.
And until I fail in old age,
In the sore necessity of death,
May I not be smiling,

If I praise not Urien.

XLIV.

THE SPOILS OF TALIESSIN, A SONG TO URIEN.

BOOK OF TALIESSIN XXXVII.

Text, vol. ii. p. 192. Notes, vol. ii. p. 415.

EN manliness he will greet my trouble,
Should I be bled, I should evidently get better;
Truly I saw no one before, who saw not in me
Every indisposition, he will cultivate his business.
I saw a feeding about a lion for plants,

I saw leaves of luxuriant growth.

I saw a branch with equal blossoms.

Did I not see a prince? most liberal his customs,

I saw the ruler of Catraeth beyond the plains

10 Be my oak (i.e. prince) the gleaming spirit (i.e. lightning) of the Cymry.

The value of my cry great will be its advantage to

degrees.

The chief of men, shield of warriors.

The extensive booty of the ashen shaft is my fair Awen.
A shield before a prince, bright his smile,
Heroic, aspiring, the most heroic is Urien.
A merchant will not oppose me. Tumultuous

The slothful one, brightly shines the blue of the enamelled covering; prolific and highly exalted

Every one; a step without skill on the side of the watery fronts of the Mordei.

A chief excessively active to us he will come of thy will. 20 Active the yellow-gray one in the hall.

Full of people. A protector in Aeron.

Great his energy, his poets, and his musicians,

Very fierce is Ial against his enemies.

May great strength of men be connected with Brython. Like the wheeling of a fiery meteor over the earth.

Like a wave that governs Llwyvenydd.

Like the harmonious ode of Gwen and Gweithen,
Like Mor the greatly courteous is Urien.

In his early career an intrepid hero.

30 He is such a ruler of kings as Dyawr,

He is one (i.e. unequalled) as a chaser of the swift
horses of the multitude.

In the beginning of May in Powys, in battle array,
He is one, coming when he visits his people.
Eagle of the land, extensive thy glance.

I would have requested an active courser

Of vigorous trot, the price of the spoil of Taliessin.

One is the violent course on the bottom and the summit,