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The Dialogue of Merlin and Taliesin

Mor truan genhyf mor truan
A deryu am Keduyv a Chadvan
Oed llachar kyvlavar kyvlavan
Oed yscuid o Tryuruyd o tryuan

Talyessin
Oed Maelgun a uelun in imuan
Y teulu rac toryv u lu ny thauant

Myrtin
Rac deu ur i Nevtur y tirran
Rac Errith a Gurrith y ar welu gan
Mein wineu in diheu a dygan
Moch guelher y niver gan Elgan
Och oe leith maur a teith y deuthan

Talyessin
Rys undant oet rychuant y tarian
Hid attad y daeth rad kyvlaun
Llas Kyndur tra messur y kuynan
Llas haelon o dinon tra vuan
Tryuir nod maur eu clod gan Elgan

Mirtin
Truy a thrui ruy a ruy y doethan
Trau a thrau im doeth Bran a Melgan
Llat Diuel oe dinet kyvlavan
Ab Erbin ae uerin a wnaethan

Taliessin
Llu Maelgun bu yscun y doethan
Aer wir kad trybelidiad guaedlan
Neu gueith Arywderit pan
Vit y devnit o hid y wuchit y darperan

Mirtin
Llyaus peleidrad guaedlad guadlan
Llyaus aerwir bryu breuaul vidan
Llyaus ban brivher. Llyaus ban foher
Llyaus eu hymchuel in eu hymuan

Taliessin
Seith meib Eliffer. Seith guir ban brovher
Seith guaew ny ochel in eu seithran

Myrtin
Seith tan vuelin. Seith kad kyverbin
Seithved Kinvelin y pop kinhvan

Taliessin
Seith guaew gowanon. Seith loneid awon
O guaed kinreinon y dylanuan

Myrtin
Seith ugein haelon a aethan ygwllon
Yg coed Keliton y daruuan

Can ys mi Myrtin guydi Taliessin
Bithaud kyffredin vy darogan
How sad to me, how sad!
Have Cedwyf and Cadfan perished?
Glaring and tumultuous was the slaughter
Pierced was the shield from Trywrwyd

Taliesin
It was Maelgwn that I saw combating
His household before the tumult of the host is not silent

Myrddin
Before two men in Nevtur they will land
Before Errith and Gurrith on a pale white horse
The slender bay they will undoubtedly bear away
Soon will his retinue be seen with Elgan
Alas for his death! A great journey they came

Taliesin
Rhys, the one-toothed, a span was his shield
Even to thee has complete prosperity come
Cyndur has been slain, beyond measure they grieve
Men that were generous while they lived have been slain
Three men of note, whose esteem was great with Elgan

Myrddin
Through and through, in excess and excess they came
From yonder and yonder there came to me Bran and Melgan
Slay, in their last conflict, Diwel,
The son of Erbin and his men they did

Taliesin
The host of Maelgwn, it was fortunate they came
Slaughtering men of battle, penetrating the gory plain
Even the action of Ardderydd, when there will be a crisis,
Continually for the hero they will prepare

Myrddin
A host of flying darts, reeking will be the gory plain
A host of warriors, vigorous and active will they be
A host when wounds will be given, a host when flight will take place
A host when they will return to the combat

Taliesin
The seven sons of Eliffer, seven heroes when put to the test
They will not avoid seven spears in their seven divisions

Myrddin
Seven blazing fires, seven opposing armies
The seventh Cynfelyn in every foremost place

Taliesin
Seven thrusting spears, seven rivers-ful
Of the blood of chieftains they will fill

Myrddin
Seven score generous ones have gone to the shades
In the woods of Celyddon they came to their end

Since I, Myrddin, am next after Taliesin
Let my prediction become common

~ W.F. Skene (1868) The Four Ancient Books of Wales, p368