{ 98b} He is described as of “Baptism” in contradistinction to the infidel Saxons.
{ 98c} A reference to the last unction. See St. James, v. 14.
{ 98d} I.e. Tudvwlch Hir, the hero of this particular stanza.
{ 99a} “Ne.” The statement at line 138 would determine the affirmative character of this word.
{ 99b} “Veinoethyd,” (_meinoethydd_;) not “in the celebration of May Eve,” which is Davies’s rendering, as we clearly infer from the conjunction of the word with “meinddydd,” (confessedly a _serene day_) in Kadeir Taliesin and Gwawd y Lludd Mawr. (See Myv. Arch. v. i. pp. 37, 74.)
{ 99c} “Gynatcan.” Al. “gyvatcan,” (_cyvadgan_) a proverb. “Though his success was proverbial.”
{ 99d} Or, “Through ambition he was a soarer.” The person here commemorated was of an ambitious turn of mind, and bore armorial ensigns of a corresponding character, which were looked upon, in a manner, as prophetic of his successful career as a warrior, but the result of this battle miserably belied such a promise.
The path of glory leads but to the grave.—(Taliesin.)
{ 99e} Where Edinburgh now stands; and which was probably the head quarters of Mynyddawg, (see line 89 note.) In a poem printed in Davies’s Mythology of the Druids, p. 574, and supposed to have been written by Aneurin, Tudvwlch and Cyvwlch are represented as feasting with Mynyddawg.
“Gan Vynydawc Bu adveiliawc Eu gwirodau.”
Destructive were their wassails with Mynyddawg.
{ 100a} In the Poem alluded to, Tudvwlch Hir is described as a _man of dignity_, “breein,” and as having in conjunction with Cyvwlch made breaches in the bastions of forts,—
The Gorchan Maelderw in like manner speaks of him as,—
“Tudvwlch the oppressor of war, the destroyer of forts.”
{ 100c} Lit. “until the seventh day;”—an expression intended probably to denote the space of a week. The operations of each day are specified further on in the Poem. In like manner we are presented in “Gwawd Lludd y Mawr,” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 74) with an enumeration of certain martial deeds that were performed on each day during an entire week.
{ 100d} Lit. “Should have made him a free man,” or “should have continued him,” &c.
{ 100f} Al. the powerful supporter—“drut nerthyd.”
{ 100g} Kilydd is mentioned in the Mabinogi of “Kilhwch and Olwen,” where he is represented as the son of Prince Kelyddon.