[80d] “Argyvrein,” might perhaps come from argyvrau, paraphernalia; a portion or dowry.
“Ymogel ddwyn gwraig atat yn enw ei hargyvrau.”
Beware of taking to thyself a wife for the sake of her portion. (Cato Gymraeg.)
In that case, the passage should be rendered,—
Ere thou didst obtain thy nuptial dowry;
which reading would be supported by the allusion to the nuptial feast in the preceding passage. Nevertheless the term “argynrein,” occurring in three other copies, would certainly point to the signification given in the text; “argyvrein” being capable of the same meaning, whilst “argynrein” has no reference whatever to the nuptial dowry.
[81a] The manner in which the person here commemorated is associated with the ravens, leads us to suspect that he was none other than Owain ab Urien, who is traditionally reported to have had an army of ravens in his service, by which, however, we are probably to understand an army of men with those birds emblazoned on their standard, even as his descendants still bear them in their coats of arms. Not only do the Welsh Romances and Bards of the middle ages allude to these ravens, but even Taliesin and Llywarch Hen, seem pointedly to connect them with Urien or his son. Thus the former in an Ode on the battle of Argoed Llwyvaen, (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 53) in which Owain commanded the Cumbrian forces, under his father against Ida, says,—
“A rhag gwaith Argoed Llwyfain
Bu llawer celain
Rhuddei frain rhag rhyfel gwyr.”Because of the battle of Argoed Llwyvain,
There happened many a dead carcase,
And the ravens were coloured with the war of men.
And Llywarch Hen in his “Elegy on Urien Rheged” has the following expressions;—
“Pen a borthav ar vy nhu; Pen Urien,
Llary, llyw ei lu;
Ac ar ei vron wen vran ddu.Pen a borthav mywn vy nghrys; pen Urien,
Llary llywiai lys:
Ac ar ei vron wen vran ai hys.”I bear by my side a head; the head of Urien,
The mild leader of his army;
And on his white bosom the sable raven is perched.I bear in my shirt a head; the head of Urien,
That governed a court with mildness;
And on his white bosom the sable raven doth glut. (Owen’s Ll. Hen. p. 24.)
This supposition would considerably enhance the point and beauty of the passage in the text; for a sad or unbecoming thing, indeed, (“cwl,” a fault) would it be that one who fought by the aid of ravens should himself be eventually devoured by them.