- Aneirin
- from the 6th century, The Gododdin*
- Translated from the
Welsh by Joseph P. Clancy
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Men went to Gododdin,
laughter-loving,
Bitter in battle, each
blade in line.
A brief year they were
quiet, in peace.
Bodgad's son with his
hand took revenge.
Though they went to
churches for shriving,
Old men and young,
noble and lowly,
True is the tale, death
confronted them.
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Men went to Gododdin,
laughing warriors,
Assailants in a savage
war-band.
- They slaughtered with
swords in short order,
- War-column of
kind-hearted Rhaithfyw.
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Men went to Catraeth,
keen their war-band.
Pale mead their
portion, it was poison.
Three hundred under
orders to fight.
And after celebration,
silence.
Though they went to
churches for shriving,
True is the tale, death
confronted them
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Men went to Catraeth,
mead-nourished band,
Great the disgrace
should I not praise them.
With huge dark-socketed
crimson spears,
Stem and steadfast the
battle-hounds fought.
Of Brennych's band I'd
hardly bear it
Should I leave a single
man alive.
A comrade I lost,
faithful I was,
Keen in combat, leaving
him grieves me.
No desire had he for a
dowry,
Y Cian's young son, of
Maen Gwyngwn.
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Men went to Catraeth at
dawn:
All their fears had
been put to flight.
Three hundred clashed
with ten thousand.
They stained their
spears ruddy with blood.
He held firm, bravest
in battle,
Before Mynyddawg
Mwynfawr's men.
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Men went to Catraeth at
dawn:
Their high spirits
lessened their life-spans.
They drank mead, gold
and sweet, ensnaring;
For a year the
minstrels were merry.
Red their swords, let
the blades remain
Uncleansed, white
shields and four-sided spearheads,
Before Mynyddawg
Mwynfawr's men.
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Men went to Catraeth,
they were renowned.
Wine and mead from gold
cups was their drink,
A year in noble
ceremonial,
Three hundred and
sixty-three gold-torqued men.
Of all those who
charged, after too much drink,
But three won free
through courage in strife,
Aeron's two war-hounds
and tough Cynon,
And myself, soaked in
blood, for my song's sake.
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- * Sometime around 6oo AD, Mynyddawg Mwynfawr,
a king of the North British people known
- as the Gododdin, assembled 300 Celtic warriors
and feasted them for a year at his court in Edinburgh, before leading them south. At
Catterick in Yorkshire they encountered the English hosts and in the ensuing battle all,
or all but a handful, were killed.
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| The photographs are of Gripping Beast 25mm
Figures, from a recent advert. |
