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Translated by William Whitehead
MORNING rose: the issuing sun | |
| Saw the dreadful fight begun; | |
| And that sun’s descending ray | |
| Closed the battle, closed the day. | |
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| Fflamddwyn poured his rapid bands, | 5 |
| Legions four, o’er Reged’s lands. | |
| The numerous host from side to side | |
| Spread destruction wild and wide, | |
| From Argoed’s summits, forest-crowned, | |
| To steep Arfynydd’s utmost bound. | 10 |
| Short their triumph, short their sway, | |
| Born and ended with the day! | |
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| Flushed with conquest Fflamddwyn said, | |
| Boastful at his army’s head, | |
| “Strive not to oppose the stream, | 15 |
| Redeem your lands, your lives redeem. | |
| Give me pledges,” Fflamddwyn cried; | |
| “Never,” Urien’s son replied, | |
| Owen of the mighty stroke: | |
| Kindling, as the hero spoke, | 20 |
| Cenau, Coel’s blooming heir, | |
| Caught the flame, and grasped the spear. | |
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| “Shall Coel’s issue pledges give | |
| To the insulting foe, and live? | |
| Never such be Briton’s shame, | 25 |
| Never, till this mangled frame | |
| Like some vanquished lion lie | |
| Drenched in blood, and bleeding die.” | |
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| Day advanced: and ere the sun | |
| Reached the radiant point of noon, | 30 |
| Urien came with fresh supplies. | |
| “Rise, ye sons of Cambria, rise, | |
| Spread your banners to the foe, | |
| Spread them on the mountain’s brow, | |
| Lift your lances high in air, | 35 |
| Friends and brothers of the war, | |
| Rush like torrents down the steep, | |
| Through the vales in myriads sweep, | |
| Fflamddwyn never can sustain | |
| The force of our united train.” | 40 |
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| Havoc, havoc raged around, | |
| Many a carcass strewed the ground: | |
| Ravens drank the purple flood, | |
| Raven plumes were dyed in blood; | |
| Frighted crowds from place to place | 45 |
| Eager, hurrying, breathless, pale, | |
| Spread the news of their disgrace, | |
| Trembling as they told the tale. | |
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| These are Taliesin’s rhymes, | |
| These shall live to distant times, | 50 |
| And the Bard’s prophetic rage | |
| Animate a future age. | |
| Child of sorrow, child of pain, | |
| Never may I smile again, | |
| If till all-subduing death | 55 |
| Close these eyes, and stop this breath, | |
| Ever I forgot to raise | |
| My grateful songs to Urien’s praise! | |
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