[85d] “O dechwyt,” i.e. tech wyd.
[85e] We have adopted “Manawyd” as a proper name, under the impression that the different stanzas of the Gododin, albeit regular links of the same general subject, are nevertheless in a manner each complete in itself, and therefore that it would be more natural, where the drift of the paragraph allowed, or seemed to have that tendency, to look out for the names of the chiefs, who may be thus distinctly introduced; according to the tenor of the following declaration which is appended to “Gorchan Cynvelyn.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. page 61.)
“Canu un Canuauc a dal pob Awdyl o’r Gododin heruyd breint yngcerd amrysson. Tri chanu a thriugeint a thrychant a dal pob un or Gorchaneu . . . Achaws yu am goffau yn y Gorchaneu rivedi Guyr a aethant y Gatraeth nog y dyle gur vyned i ymlad heb arveu; Ny dyle Bard myned i amrysson heb y gerd honno.”
Every Ode of the Gododin is equivalent to a single song, according to the privilege of poetical competition. Each of the incantations is equal to three hundred and sixty-three songs, because the number of the men who went to Cattraeth is commemorated in the Incantations, and as no man should go to battle without arms, so no Bard ought to contend without that Poem.
It is true that in the Vellum MS. as transcribed by Davies, this does not form a distinct stanza, but is a continuation of the preceding one. Nevertheless in other copies a detached position is given to it, which seems required also by the opening sentence, and particularly by the rhyme.
We find, moreover, that Manawyd was anciently used as a proper name, for not to mention Manawydan and Culvynawyd, we have Manawyd in one of Taliesin’s Poems as undoubtedly the name of a person.
“Ys gwyr Manawyd a Phryderi.” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 67.)
The name of Pryderi occurs further on in our Poem.
Manawyd is mentioned likewise in the Dialogue between Arthur, Cai, and Glewlwyd,—
“Neus duc Manavid eis tull o Trywrid” (Myv. Arch. vol. i. p. 167.)
Dr. O. Pughe translates the line in the Gododin thus—