If, however, it be not a proper name in this stanza, it may be rendered either “with laughter and sprightliness,” or “they were a laughing energy.”
[91b] Al. “As with blades they dealt mutual blows.”
[91c] “A llaw,” a hand; metaphorically power. Al. “a allaw,” who is able.
[92a] The same consideration which induced us to regard “Manawyd” as a proper name in a former stanza, has caused us to leave “Gwanar” untranslated in this place. It is not improbable, however, from the shortness of this sonnet, that the line containing the name of its hero may have been lost. In that case we should translate “chwerthin wanar,” “their leader laughed.” That Gwanar was occasionally used as a proper name by the ancient Britons, appears from Triad xl. (first series) where we find one of the sons of Lliaws ab Nwyvre so called. He flourished however before the date of the Gododin, and cannot on that account be identified with the Gwanar of the text. Taliesin uses the word in his “Mic Dinbych,” apparently as a proper name;—
“Clod wasgar a Gwanar ydd ymddullyn.”
[92b] Or “gem of a regiment;” his choice regiment.
[92c] Al. “digynny,” went up.
[92d] The Bard in the two last lines seems to be addressing Death, or Fate, which he designates as “the strong pillar of the living law,” or the law of nature, just as the Latins called it “dura necessitas,” “mortis dura lex,” “fatalis Parcarum lex,” &c. The expressions “heb vawr drydar,” and “arwar,” indicative of the effects of death, are introduced by way of contrast to the noisy mirth which characterised the warriors’ march to the field of battle. “Arwar” signifies literally a quiescent state, or state of general rest; pacification; and as such is a very proper term to denote the character of death.
“O arwar daiar down i gyd dyddbrawd.” (Ll. P. Moch.)
From the silent state of earth we shall all come at the judgment day.
[93a] As the word “glas,” though primarily signifying blue, has also a very general sense, and may mean merely pale or fresh, yet as we find decided colours attributed to mead elsewhere in the poem, such as “melyn,” (yellow) and “gwyn” (white) we have thought proper to retain the literal acceptation in this place, as a poetical variety, however inapplicable to the beverage in question it may seem.