Before, above the splendid fort of Eching { 103f} he shewed a frowning aspect; { 103g} Whilst young and forward men composed his retinue; Before, on the Bludwe, { 104a} would the horn cheer his heart, { 104b} Making all the Mordei full of joy; { 104c} Before, his beverage would be braggett; Before, he displayed the grandeur of gold and rich purple; Before, pampered steeds would bear him safe away, Even Gwarthlev, who deserved a comely name; { 104d} Before, the victorious chief would turn aside the ebbing tide; His command was ever to go forward, { 105a} loth was he to skulk.
And now the early leader, The sun, is about to ascend, Sovereign of the revolving { 105b} lights, { 105c} In the heaven of Britain’s isle. { 105d} Direful was the flight before the shaking Of the shield of the pursuing victor; { 105e} Bright { 105f} was the horn In the hall of Eiddin; { 105g} With pomp was he bidden { 105h} To the feast of intoxicating mead; He drank the beverage of wine, At the meeting of reapers; { 106a} He drank transparent wine, With a battle-daring purpose. { 106b} The reapers sang of war, War with the shining wing; { 106c} The minstrels sang of war, Of harnessed { 106d} war, Of winged war. No shield was unexpanded { 107a} In the conflict of spears; Of equal age they fell { 107b} In the struggle of battle. Unshaken in the tumult, Without dishonour { 107c} did he retaliate on the foe; Buried { 107d} was whoever he willed, Ere the grave of the gigantic { 107e} Gwrveling Itself became a green sward.
The complement { 107f} of the surrounding country { 107g} Were, three forward chiefs of the Novantæ; { 107h} Five battalions of five hundred men each; { 108a} Three levies { 108b} of three hundred each; Three hundred knights of battle { 108c} From Eiddin, arrayed in golden armour; Three loricated hosts, With three kings wearing the golden torques; { 108d} Three bold knights, With three hundred of equal quality; Three of the same order, mutually jealous, Bitterly would they chase the foe, Three dreadful in the toil; They would kill a lion flat as lead. { 108e} There was in the war a collection of gold. { 108f} Three sovereigns of the people Came from amongst the Brython, { 109a} Cynrig and Cynon { 109b} And Cynrain { 109c} from Aeron, { 109d} To greet { 110a} the ashen lances { 110b} Of the men who dropped from Deivyr. { 110c} Came there from the Brython, A better man than Cynon, Who proved a serpent to his sullen foes?