The Mabinogion Vol. 2 by Sir Owen Morgan Edwards and Lady Charlotte Schreiber (best thriller novels of all time txt) 📕

son of Eudav, to meet the emperor.  And the emperor was glad because of them, and embraced them.

p. 126Then they looked at the Romans as they attacked the city.  Said Kynan to his brother, “We will try to attack the city more expertly than this.”  So they measured by night the height of the wall, and they sent their carpenters to the wood, and a ladder was made for every four men of their number.  Now when these were ready, every day at mid-day the emperors went to meat, and they ceased to fight on both sides till all had finished eating.  And in the morning the men of Britain took their food, and they drank until they were invigorated.  And while the two emperors were at meat, the Britons came to the city, [126a] and placed their ladders against it, and forthwith they came in through the city.

The new emperor had not time to arm himself when they fell upon him, and slew him and many others with him.  And three nights and three days were they subduing the men that were in the city and taking the castle.  And others of them kept the city, lest any of the host of Maxen should come therein, until they had subjected all to their will.

Then spake Maxen to Helen Luyddawc, “I marvel, lady,” said he, “that thy brothers have not conquered this city for me.” [126b]  “Lord, emperor,” she answered, “the wisest youths in the world are my brothers.  Go thou thither and ask the city of them, and if it be in their possession thou shalt have it gladly.”  So the emperor and Helen went and demanded the city.  And they told the emperor that none had taken the city, and that none could give it him, but the men of the Island of Britain.  Then the gates of the city of Rome were opened, and the emperor sat on the throne and all the men of Rome submitted themselves unto him.

p. 127The emperor then said unto Kynan and Adeon, “Lords,” said he, “I have now had possession of the whole of my empire.  This host give I unto you to vanquish whatever region ye may desire in the world.”

So they set forth and conquered lands, and castles and cities.  And they slew all the men, but the women they kept alive.  And thus they continued until the young men that had come with them were grown grey headed, from the length of time they were upon this conquest.

Then spoke Kynan unto Adeon his brother, “Whether wilt thou rather,” said he, “tarry in this land, or go back into the land whence thou didst come forth?”  Now he chose to go back to his own land and many with him.  But Kynan tarried there with the other part, and dwelt there.

p. 128And they took counsel and cut out the tongues of the women, lest they should corrupt their speech.  And because of the silence of the women from their own speech, the men of Armorica are called Britons.  From that time there came frequently, and still comes, that language from the Island of Britain.

And this tale is called the Dream of Maxen Wledig, emperor of Rome.  And here it ends.

Footnotes:

[7a]  Add “successively.”

[7b]  And he summoned to him.

[10]  Add “bespattered.”

[11]  And it may be that I shall have as much entertainment on account of the hunting as they.

[15]  Good Sir.

[17]   There.

[19]  And his words reached Geraint.

[22]  As thou art impartial concerning the question of right between us.

[27]  More probably “though.”  The ambiguity of the original would be best expressed by “while.”

[36a]  “Lest he should be overtaken by a piteous death.”

[36b]  “Thine I do not consider a protection, nor thy warning a warning.”

[38]  “Wilt thou not at last be silent?  Thy protection do I not consider such.”

[39]  “I declare to Heaven,” said he, “that thy protection I do not regard as such.  Hold thy peace, at last.”

[40]  He spoke not a word, being angry.

[47a]  “Do thou not go to his land beyond the bridge.”

[47b]  “I will go my way in spite of the one thou speakest of.”

[48a]  In a very rough and bitter manner.

[48b]  Gereint took the road that he had meant to take; it was not the road that led to the town from the bridge that he took, but the road that led to the ground that was hard, and rugged, and high, and ridgy.

[49]  But it was unfair for Gereint to have to fight him, so small was he, and so difficult to take aim at, and so hard were the blows he gave.  And they did not end that part of their fight until their horses fell down on their knees.

[53]  “To complete thy death.”

[64]  And what she did was to call her tutor to her, and she commanded him to dress her grave every year in such a way that nothing would grow on it.

[66]  And there were two silver spears, sharpened, in his hand.  A prince’s glaive was in his hand, a cubit from hilt to edge, that would draw blood from the wind; swifter was it than.

[67]  Yes.  And as for thee, thy head is not under thy control; curt is thy greeting.

[70a]  Carnwenhan.

[70b]  Dress.

[71a]  Galldovydd.

[71b]  Cnychwr.

[71c]  And Adwy.

[71d]  Annwas.

[71e]  Sinoit.

[72a]  Ysperin.

[72b]  Erinit.

[74a]  Llenuleawc.

[74b]  Gwrdival.

[74c]  Kai was said to be his son.

[75a]  Add, “And from him is Paris named.”

[75b]  Gweir, son of Cadellin Talaryant (Cadellin of the silver brow).

[76a]  His flat breast was ruddy.

[77a]  Hwyrdyddwc, Drwgdyddwc, and Llwyrdyddwc.

[77b]  Cethtrwm.

[78a]  Gweirdathar Wenidawc.

[78b]  Canhwch.

[78c]  Arwy.

[81a]  “We all of us will come there,” said Kai.

[81b]  This dialogue consists of a series of repartees, with a play upon words which it is impossible to follow in the translation.

[82]  “Oh man, since the sea does not allow a beautiful dead man in it, show me that dead body.”  “Oh woman, the one to whom the dead body belongs thou wilt see here this evening.”

[84a]  “I promise all this, and will obtain it,” said he.

[84b]  “Where are my bad servants and my knaves?”

[85a]  Knee-pan.

[87]  The two oxen of Gwlwlwyd Wineu.

[89]  The harp of Teirtu to console me that night.

[92]  Garselit Wyddel.

[93]  Moro Oerveddawc.

[98a]  And what he and his companions with him did was this—they crossed the three wards until he was within the fortress.

[98b]  Glini.

[99a]  Glini.

[99b]  Add “some of.”

[100]  There was but one horn on each side of my head, and there were no trees here except one oak sapling.

[102]  And they proceeded until they came to the wall opposite to where the prisoner was, where they heard lamentations and groaning on the other side of the wall.

[103]  And it was piteous to hear them.  And he hastened to the place.

[105]  Dyvnarth.

[108a]  Hosts of Ireland.

[108b]  And when all the hosts had fled, Arthur and his men went to their ship in their sight, carrying with them the cauldron full of Irish money.

[108c]  Llwyddeu.

[109]  And he only killed one of his young pigs.

[110]  Add “same night Arthur.”

[111a]  Aber Tywi.

[111b]  Kynlas.

[111c]  And ever since they had crossed the Irish Sea, he had not appeared to them until then.

[112a]  And there was killed a young boar from among his pigs.

[112b]  And there was killed a young boar and a young sow.

[114]  But she turned again upon Kacmwri; she beat both men soundly, disarmed them, and drove them out.

[116]  Maxen Wledig was an emperor at Rome.  And the comeliest man was he, and the wisest, and the one that was most fit to be an emperor, of all that had been before him.

[117]  Not for the delight of hunting went the emperor so far as that, but to make himself such a man that he would be lord over those kings.

[118a]  Valleys he saw, and precipices, and wondrous high rocks, and a rugged, waterless land.

[118b]  Barren.

[119]  Sparkling jewels laboriously wrought.

[120]  There was no joint of his bones, or cavity of his nails, not to speak of anything larger than these, that was not full of the maiden’s love.

[122]  Waterless.

[124]  Helen of the Legions.

[125]  Legions.

[126a]  Over the wall into the city.

[126b]  That it was not for me that thy brothers conquered the city.