{ 96d} “Hanyanawr,” their natural relatives; “hangenawr,” those who stood in need of them, their families and friends. The line may likewise be rendered,—
“Esteemed for their age and disposition.”
{ 96e} Al. “llawen,” _merry_; “the merry minstrel.”
{ 97a} These plumes must accordingly have been themselves red. That military men at this period did wear feathers of particular colours as distinctive badges, is further evident from the testimony of Llywarch Hen, who describes himself as having worn “yellow plumes.”
“Gwedy meirch hywedd, a chochwedd ddillad, A phluawr melyn, Main vy nghoes, nid oes ym dremyn!” (Elegy on Cynddylan.)
After the sleek tractable steeds, and garments of ruddy hue, And the waving yellow plumes, Slender is my leg, my piercing look is gone.”
In some copies we read “phurawr” (purawr) _what purifies_.
{ 97b} Their weapons were red and white from the effects of _blood_ and _gore_.
{ 97c} Mr. Davies and Dr. Pughe seem to have preferred the expression “_pedryolet_ bennawr,” which they construed into _four pointed helmets_: “pedryollt,” _split into four parts_, would appear, however, to be much more accordant with the descriptive tenor of the passage.
{ 97d} As in the two preceding lines is contained a compliment to military valour, the evident drift of the poem requires that it should be applied to the British party; hence “rac” in this place must be understood to mean that the toiling warriors were _from_ or _of_ the retinue of Mynyddawg rather than from those who confronted him.
{ 97e} Disgraced by the blasphemous taunts and treachery of the enemy.
{ 98a} “Ceugant yw angeu,” (adage.) The line might be rendered,—
“Without end they multiplied the wooden biers;”
An expression similar to that made use of by Llywarch Hen, in reference to the battle of Llongborth:—
“Ac elorawr mwy no maint. And biers innumerable. (Elegy upon Geraint ab Erbin.)
“Ceugant,” translated _without end_, is properly a Druidic term, signifying the circle of eternity.
“Cylch y ceugant, ac nis gall namyn Duw eu dreiglaw.”
The circle of infinitude, none but God can pervade it. (Barddas.)
“Tri phren rhydd yn forest y brenhin; pren crib eglwys; a phren peleidyr a elont yn rhaid y brenhin; a _phren elawr_.” (Welsh Laws.)