The Old North

The Battle of Gwen Ystrad

Arwyre gwyr Katraeth gan dyd
Am wledic gweithvudic gwarthegyd.
Uryen hwn an wawt eineuyd;
Kyfedeily teyrned ae gofyn:
Ryfelgar rwysc enwir rwyf bedyd.
Gwyr Prydein a dwythein yn lluyd.
Gwen Ystrad ystadyl kat kyvygyd.
Ny nodes na maes na choedyd
Tut achles dy ormes pan dyvyd.
Mal tonnawr tost eu gawr dros elvyd.
Gweleis wyr gwychyr yn lluyd.
A gwedy boregat briwgic.
Gweleis i twrwf teirffin traghedic.
Gwaed gohoyw gofaran gochlywyd.
Yn amwyn Gwen Ystrat y gwelit
Gofur hag a gwyr llawr lludedic.
Yn drws ryt gweleis y wyr lletrudyon,
Eiryf dillwg y rac blawr gofedon;
Unynt tanc gan aethant golludyon;
Llaw yg croes gryt ygro Garanwynyon;
Kyfedwynt y gynrein kywymdon.
Gwanecawr gollychynt rawn eu kaffon.
Gweleis i wyr gospeithic gospylat.
A gwyar a vaglei ar dillat,
A dullyaw diaflym dwys wrth kat;
Kat gwortho ny bu ffo pan pwyllatt,
Glyw Reget revedaf i pan veidat.
Gweleis i ran reodic am Uryen
Pan amwyth ae alon yn Llech Wen Galystem
Y wytheint oed llafyn
Aessawr gwyr goborthit wrth aghen.
Awyd kat a diffo e Urowyn.

The men of Catraeth arise with the dawn
Around thie prince, victorious raider of cattle.
Uryen is he, in the minstrel's song;
The banquet of princes is subject to him;
Warlike, he is named the lord of Christendom.
The men of Prydyn advanced in hosts
To Gwen Ystrad, the territory of the fighter of battles
Neither field nor woods afforded
Shelter to aggression when it came.
Like waves alout roaring over the land
I saw impetuous men in hosts
And after the morning battle, mangled flesh
I saw the throng of three regions dead.
A rueful sullen cry was heard;
Defending Gwen Ystrad were seen
A low rampart, and dejected tired men
At the gate of the ford I saw bloodstained men
Laying down their arms before the grey weirs
They made peace for they had become weary
With hand on cross on the shingle of Granwynion
The leaders named their hostages
The waves washed the tails of their horses
I saw men haggard, ragged
And the blood that stained clothes
And keen intense fighting in battle;
Battle-coverer, they took to flight when they knew
Prince of Rheged, I marvel that he was dared.
I saw a noble band about Uryen
When he contented with his foes at Llech Velen
His spears
were supplied at need
May the desire of battle come to Uryen.

~ J. Morris-Jones (1918) Taliesin