My friend in real distress, we should have been by none disturbed,
Had not the white-bannered commander [115a] led forth his army;
We should not [115b] have been separated in the hall from the banquet of mead,
Had he not laid waste our convenient groves; [115c]
He crept into the martial field, he crept into our families. [115d]
The Gododin relates how that, after the fight in the fosse,
When we had no dwellings, [116a] none were more destitute. [116b]
XXIII.
Scattered, broken, motionless is the weapon, [116c]
That used to penetrate through the great horde, [116d] the numerous [117a] horde of the Lloegrians. [117b]
Shields were strewn on the sea coast, [117c] shields in the battle of lances;
Men were reduced to ashes, [117d]
And women rendered widows,
Before his death. [117e]
O Graid, son of Hoewgi, [117f]
With thy spears
Didst thou cause an effusion of blood.
XXIV.
There was the hero, with both his shoulders covered, [118a]
By a variegated shield, and possessing the swiftness of a warlike steed;
There was a noise in the mount of slaughter, [118b] there was fire, [118c]
Impetuous were the lances, there was a sunny gleam, [118d]
There was food for ravens, the raven there did triumph, [118e]
And before he would let them go free,
With the morning dew, like the eagle in his glad course,
He scattered them on either side, and like a billow overwhelmed them in front.
The Bards of the world judge those to be men of valour,
Whose counsels are not divulged to slaves. [119a]
The spears in the hands of the warriors were causing devastation;
And ere was interred under [119b] the swan-white steed, [119c]
One who had been energetic in his commands,
His gore had thoroughly washed his armour: [119d]
Such was Buddvan, [119e] the son of Bleiddvan the Bold.
XXV.
It were wrong not to record his magnificent feat;
He would not leave an open gap, through cowardice; [120a]
The benefit of Britain’s minstrels never quitted his court
Upon the calends of January; [120b] according to his design, [120c]
His land should not be ploughed, though it might become wild;
He was a mighty dragon of indignant disposition;
A commander in the bloody field, [120d] after the feast of wine,
Was Gwenabwy [121a] the son of Gwên, [121b] in the strife of Cattraeth.
XXVI.
True it was, as the songs relate, [121c]
No one’s steeds [121d] overtook Marchleu;
The lances [121e] hurled by the commanding earl,
In his prancing career, [121f] strewed a thick path;
As he had been reared for slaughter by the aid of my mother, [121g]
Furious was the stroke of his sword whilst lending support to others; [121h]
Ashen shafts were scattered from the grasp of his hand, [122a]
Above the narrow summit [122b] of the solemn pile, [122c]
The place where one caused the smoke to ascend; [122d]
He would slaughter with the blade, whilst his arms were full of furze; [122e]
As when a reaping comes in the interval of fine weather, [122f]
Would Marchleu [123a] make the blood to flow.