Adorned with his wreath, leader of rustic warriors, { 82b} whenever he came By his troop unattended, { 83a} before maidens would he serve the mead; But the front of his shield would be pierced, { 83b} if ever he heard The shout of war; no quarter would he give to those whom he pursued; Nor would he retreat from the combat until blood flowed; And he cut down like rushes { 83c} the men who would not yield. The Gododin relates, that on the coast of Mordei, { 84a} Before the tents of Madog, when he returned, But one man in a hundred with him came. { 84b}
Adorned with his wreath, the chief of toil, his country’s rod { 84c} of power, Darted like an eagle { 84d} to our harbours, { 84e} when allured To the compact { 85a} that had been formed; his ensign was beloved, { 85b} More nobly was his emblazoned resolution { 85c} performed, for he retreated not, With a shrinking mind, { 85d} before the host of Gododin. Manawyd, { 85e} with confidence and strength thou pressest upon the tumultuous fight, Nor dost thou regard { 86a} either spear or shield; No habitation rich in dainties can be found, That has been kept out of the reach of thy warriors’ charge. { 86b}
Adorned with a wreath was the leader, { 87a} the wolf { 87b} of the holme, Amber beads { 87c} in ringlets encircled his temples; { 87d} Precious was the amber, worth a banquet of wine. { 87e} He repelled the violence of men, as they glided along; For Venedotia and the North would have come to his share, By the advice of the son of Ysgyran, { 88a} The hero of the broken shield. { 88b}
Adorned with his wreath was the leader, and armed in the noisy conflict; Chief object of observation { 88c} was the hero, and powerful in the gory field, Chief fighter { 88d} in the advanced division, in front of the hosts; Five battalions { 89a} fell before his blades; Even of the men of Deivyr and Bryneich, { 89b} uttering groans, Twenty hundred perished in one short hour; Sooner did he feed the wolf { 90a} with his carcase, than go to the nuptial feast; { 90b} He sooner became the raven’s prey, than approached the altar; { 90c} He had not raised the spear ere his blood streamed to the ground; { 90d} This was the price of mead in the hall, amidst the throng; Hyveidd Hir { 90e} shall be celebrated whilst there remains a minstrel.