with Owen, Cian, Llywarch Hen, and Taliesin, all likewise
disciples of the Awen. By the rules of his order a Bard was not
permitted ordinarily to bear arms, {0b} and though the exceptional case,
in which he might act differently, may be said to have arisen from "the
lawlessness and depredation" {0c} of the Saxons, Aneurin does not appear
to have been present at Cattraeth in any other capacity than that of a
herald Bard. Besides the absence of any intimation to the contrary, we
think the passages where he compares Owen to himself, and where he makes
proposals at the conference, and above all where he attributes his safety
to his "gwenwawd," conclusive on the subject. His heraldic character
would be recognised by all nations, according to the universal law of
warfare, whereas it is very improbable that any poetic effusion which he
might have delivered, could have influence upon a people whose language
differed so materially from his own.

The Gododin was evidently composed when the various occurrences that it
records were as yet fresh in the author's mind and recollection. It is
divided into stanzas, which, though they now amount to only ninety-seven,
are supposed to have originally corresponded in point of number with the
chieftains that went to Cattraeth. This is strongly intimated in the
declaration subjoined to Gorchan Cynvelyn, and cited in the notes at page
86, and thence would we infer that the Gorchanau themselves are portions
of the Gododin, having for their object the commemoration of the persons
whose names they bear. Of course all of them, with the exception of the
short one of Adebon, contain passages that have been transposed from
other stanzas, which may account for their disproportionate lengths.
This is especially the case with Gorchan Maelderw, the latter, and by far
the greater portion whereof, is in the Carnhuanawc MS. detached from the
former, and separately entitled "Fragments of the Gododin and other
pieces of the sixth century." That they were "incantations," cannot be
admitted; and if the word "gorchan," or "gwarchan" mean here anything
except simply "a canon, or fundamental part of song," we should be
inclined to consider it as synonymous with "gwarthan," and to suppose
that the poems in question referred to the camps of Adebon, Maelderw, and
Cynvelyn:--

"Gwarchan Cynvelyn ar Ododin." {0d}

According to the tenor of the Cynvelyn statement, every stanza would
bring before us a fresh