“There was a confident impelling forward of the shaft of the variegated standard.”
[86a] “Ny nodi,” (ni nodi) thou dost not mark, thou art blind to the arms of the enemy both defensive and offensive. “Nodi,” may also have reference to “nod” in the third line of the stanza.
[86b] Al. “Protected against the assault of the battle of Manau;” i.e. Mannau Gododin, or according to others, Mannau in which A.D. 582 Aidan mac Gavran was victorious. (See Ritson’s Annals of Caledonia, Vol. ii. p. 35.)
[87a] One reason for not regarding “Caeawc” as a proper name, may be discovered in the manner in which the expression “cawawc cynhorawc” is used in an anonymous poem of an early date, apud Myv. Arch. vol. i. page 180. The author, though he evidently borrowed it from the Gododin, as indeed his allusion to Cattraeth a few lines before would likewise imply, employs it merely as an epithet.
[87b] An allusion probably to his armorial bearings. Another reading gives “bled e maran,” on the open strand.
[87c] “This singular fact of the ancient Britons wearing amber beads, is confirmed by many beads of amber having been found in the barrows on Salisbury plain, which have been recently dug. I understand that in several of these graves, pieces of amber like beads have been met with; and in one as many beads were found as would have made a wreath.” (S. Turner’s Vind. 208, 209.)
[87d] “Am ran.” “Tri argau gwaed: gwaed hyd ran, a gwaed hyd gwll, a gwaed hyd lawr; sev yw hynny, gwaed hyd wyneb, gwaed hyd ddillad, a gwaed a reto hyd lawr.” (Law Triads, Myv. Arch, vol. iii. p. 342.) Hence “amrant,” the eyelid.
[87e] Lit. “the place of wine,” otherwise “a horn of wine,”
“Ef a’m rhoddes medd a gwin o wydrin ban.
He gave me mead and wine from the transparent horn. (Taliesin.)
Al. “gwrnvann,” the place of the urn. In that case the line might be thus translated,—