The Celtic Literature Collective

A Poem Attributed to Cadwallon ap Cadfan
Peniarth MS 21 f. 38
14th C?

Katwallaw[n] vab Katvan av kant

Llydan y herchwyn dengyn y phleit h[ir] y h[ ]
vn lyu tonn wyrddlas ger dinas dulyn
Ker dinas dulyn
Gorwynyon tonneu gwyrdlas ymk[y]lchyn
trwy dynged y welet vynngelyn
Neut gwlyp vym pen gan [ ] tonneu
Neut gweilgi vyn trwydet gwae vi duw . . .

Translation:

Cadwallawn son of Cadfan sang it:

Wide the border, strong the wall, long the [ ],
waves the color of green-blue near Dublin,
Near Dublin,
bright green-blue waves encircle me,
through fate [I am destined] to see my enemy
My hair is wet with ... the waves
The ocean is my support, alas, God...

NOTES
This fragment of a poem is in the mouth of Cadwallon during his exile in Ireland, but the poem is very difficult to interpret.

SOURCE
Thomas, G.C.J. 'A verse attributed to Cadwallon fab Cadfan', Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, vol. 34 (1987), pp.

Translation by Mary Jones, with lots of cues from the source article.