Talhaearn Tad Awen (fl mid-6th century), was, according to medieval Welsh sources, a celebrated British poet of the sub-Roman period. He ranks as one of the earliest, if not the earliest, named poets to have composed and performed in Welsh. The better known poets Aneirin and Taliesin, who may have been slightly younger contemporaries, also belong to this early generation, the first of those known to modern scholars as the Cynfeirdd ("first poets").[1] Whereas medieval Welsh manuscripts preserve verse composed by or otherwise ascribed to the latter two figures, no such work survives for Talhaearn and in fact, his former fame seems to have largely vanished by the later Middle Ages.[1]
An interpolated passage in the Historia Brittonum (9th century) describes him as a famous poet, along with Aneirin, Taliesin and two lesser known figures, Blwchfardd and Cian:
Tunc Talhaern Tat Aguen in poemate claruit, et Neirin, et Taliessin, et Bluchbard, et Cian qui vocatur Gue[ni]th Guaut, simul uno tempore in poemate Brittanico claruerunt.[2]
"Then Talhaearn Tad Awen (MS. Talhaern Tataguen) was renowned in poetry, and Neirin and Taliessin and Bluchbard and Cian, who is called Gueinth Guaut, together at the same time were renowned in British poetry."[1]
The epithet Tataguen or the later form Tad Awen means "father of the Muse" or "father of (poetic) inspiration",[1] and his first name, which has in common with Taliesin the first element tal ("brow, forehead"), translates as "Shining-brow".[2] The context of the passage seems to link these five poets to the middle of the 6th century, when an otherwise unknown chieftain called Eudeyrn (MS. [O]utigirn) fought against the English, notably Ida, king of Bernicia, and when Maelgwn ruled the kingdom of Gwynedd.[2] Talhaearn's honorific nickname and the place accorded to him in the enumeration of British poets may indicate that he was regarded as the "father" of early Welsh poetry,[1] possibly preceding the others by a short period.[2]
Allusions in Middle Welsh poetryedit
The figure of Talhaearn makes brief side-appearances in several later, Middle Welsh texts. In the Welsh Triads, nos. 33 and 34, his patron appears to be same chieftain who killed Aneirin. The first of these, Triad 33, holds one Heidyn son of Enygan or Heiden son of Efengad, possibly a ruler of the "Old North",[3] responsible for a fatal hatchet-blow on Aneirin's head.[4][5] In the version of this triad found in the White Book of Rhydderch, Heiden is identified as "the man who used to give a hundred kine every Saturday in a bath-tub to Talhaearn".[6] The precise nature of these rewards remains unclear; can muv may, for instance, be a scribal error for can mu, a unit of value described elsewhere.[7] In any event, the probability is that Heiden was Talhaearn's patron[8] and it is possible therefore that the passage alludes a lost story about rivalry between the two great poets.[9] Listing the "Three Unfortunate Hatchet-Blows" of Britain, Triad 34 also alludes to the anecdote (though using the variant name Eidyn), but only one late manuscript version of the triad mentions Talhaearn.[10]
Further mention of Talhaearn is made in a difficult Middle Welsh poem entitled Angar Kyfyndawt, which is singly preserved in the Book of Taliesin. Taliesin is staged here as the first- and third-person speaker of the poem, who presents himself as a skilled and inspired poet. In passing, he is made to refer, once to Cian and twice to Talhaearn.[11] Talhaearn is praised as the "greatest of the wise men" (mwyhaf y sywedyd),[9] a reputation which is hinted at some lines earlier. The edition and the translation attempted by Sarah Lynn Higley runs as follows:
It is God's minstrel [kerdwn emended to kerdwr "singer, musician"], through the language of Talhaearn, [cf. trwy ieith taliessin "through the language of Taliesin", line 7] the baptism of the diviner of judgment, who judged the qualities of the gift of poetry.[12]
^In Triad 33W, Aneirin is called a daughter of Teyrnbeirdd (merch teyrnbeirdd), but to judge by the shorter version of the triad in Peniarth 51, this is evidently a corruption of mechdeyrn beirdd "overlord of bards". Bromwich, Trioedd Ynys Prydein, p. 72; Ford, "Death of Aneirin", p. 45.
^Angar Kyfyndawt, ed. and tr. Higley, lines 68–72.
Referencesedit
Trioedd Ynys Prydein, ed. Rachel Bromwich (1978). Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Welsh Triads. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Angar Kyfyndawt, ed. J. Gwenogvryn Evans (1910). The Book of Taliesin. 2 vols. Series of Old Welsh texts 9. Llanbedrog.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) 19.1—23.8; ed. and tr. Sarah Lynn Higley (1993). Between Languages: The Uncooperative Text in Early Welsh and Old English Nature Poetry. Univ. Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State UP.
Ford, P.K. (1987). "The Death of Aneirin". BBCS. 34: 41–50.
Koch, John T. (2006). "Five Poets, Memorandum of the". In Koch, John T. (ed.). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Denver, and Oxford: ABC-CLIO. pp. 750–2.
Lewis, Ceri W. (1992) [1976]. "The Historical Background of Early Welsh Verse". In A.O.H. Jarman and Gwilym Rees Hughes (ed.). A Guide to Welsh Literature. Vol. 1. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Further readingedit
Historia Brittonum, ed. and tr. John Morris (1980), Nennius: British History and the Welsh Annals, History from the Sources 8, London and Chichester: Phillimore
Jarman, A.O.H. (1981). The Cynfeirdd: Early Welsh Poets and Poetry. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Williams, Ifor (1980) [1972]. Rachel Bromwich (ed.). The Beginnings of Welsh Poetry: Studies (2nd ed.). Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Williams, Ifor (1944). Lectures on Early Welsh Poetry. Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
January 01, 1970
talhaearn, awen, century, according, medieval, welsh, sources, celebrated, british, poet, roman, period, ranks, earliest, earliest, named, poets, have, composed, performed, welsh, better, known, poets, aneirin, taliesin, have, been, slightly, younger, contempo. Talhaearn Tad Awen fl mid 6th century was according to medieval Welsh sources a celebrated British poet of the sub Roman period He ranks as one of the earliest if not the earliest named poets to have composed and performed in Welsh The better known poets Aneirin and Taliesin who may have been slightly younger contemporaries also belong to this early generation the first of those known to modern scholars as the Cynfeirdd first poets 1 Whereas medieval Welsh manuscripts preserve verse composed by or otherwise ascribed to the latter two figures no such work survives for Talhaearn and in fact his former fame seems to have largely vanished by the later Middle Ages 1 Contents 1 Historia Brittonum 2 Allusions in Middle Welsh poetry 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further readingHistoria Brittonum editAn interpolated passage in the Historia Brittonum 9th century describes him as a famous poet along with Aneirin Taliesin and two lesser known figures Blwchfardd and Cian Tunc Talhaern Tat Aguen in poemate claruit et Neirin et Taliessin et Bluchbard et Cian qui vocatur Gue ni th Guaut simul uno tempore in poemate Brittanico claruerunt 2 Then Talhaearn Tad Awen MS Talhaern Tataguen was renowned in poetry and Neirin and Taliessin and Bluchbard and Cian who is called Gueinth Guaut together at the same time were renowned in British poetry 1 The epithet Tataguen or the later form Tad Awen means father of the Muse or father of poetic inspiration 1 and his first name which has in common with Taliesin the first element tal brow forehead translates as Shining brow 2 The context of the passage seems to link these five poets to the middle of the 6th century when an otherwise unknown chieftain called Eudeyrn MS O utigirn fought against the English notably Ida king of Bernicia and when Maelgwn ruled the kingdom of Gwynedd 2 Talhaearn s honorific nickname and the place accorded to him in the enumeration of British poets may indicate that he was regarded as the father of early Welsh poetry 1 possibly preceding the others by a short period 2 Allusions in Middle Welsh poetry editThe figure of Talhaearn makes brief side appearances in several later Middle Welsh texts In the Welsh Triads nos 33 and 34 his patron appears to be same chieftain who killed Aneirin The first of these Triad 33 holds one Heidyn son of Enygan or Heiden son of Efengad possibly a ruler of the Old North 3 responsible for a fatal hatchet blow on Aneirin s head 4 5 In the version of this triad found in the White Book of Rhydderch Heiden is identified as the man who used to give a hundred kine every Saturday in a bath tub to Talhaearn 6 The precise nature of these rewards remains unclear can muv may for instance be a scribal error for can mu a unit of value described elsewhere 7 In any event the probability is that Heiden was Talhaearn s patron 8 and it is possible therefore that the passage alludes a lost story about rivalry between the two great poets 9 Listing the Three Unfortunate Hatchet Blows of Britain Triad 34 also alludes to the anecdote though using the variant name Eidyn but only one late manuscript version of the triad mentions Talhaearn 10 Further mention of Talhaearn is made in a difficult Middle Welsh poem entitled Angar Kyfyndawt which is singly preserved in the Book of Taliesin Taliesin is staged here as the first and third person speaker of the poem who presents himself as a skilled and inspired poet In passing he is made to refer once to Cian and twice to Talhaearn 11 Talhaearn is praised as the greatest of the wise men mwyhaf y sywedyd 9 a reputation which is hinted at some lines earlier The edition and the translation attempted by Sarah Lynn Higley runs as follows kerdwn duw yssyd trwy ieith talhayarn bedyd budyd varn Avarnwys teithi angerd vardoni It is God s minstrel kerdwn emended to kerdwr singer musician through the language of Talhaearn cf trwy ieith taliessin through the language of Taliesin line 7 the baptism of the diviner of judgment who judged the qualities of the gift of poetry 12 See also editJohn Jones Talhaiarn Notes edit a b c d e Lewis The historical Background of Early Welsh Verse p 31 a b c d Koch Five Poets Memorandum of the Bromwich Trioedd Ynys Prydein p 74 Trioedd Ynys Prydein ed and tr Bromwich Triad 33 and 33W In Triad 33W Aneirin is called a daughter of Teyrnbeirdd merch teyrnbeirdd but to judge by the shorter version of the triad in Peniarth 51 this is evidently a corruption of mechdeyrn beirdd overlord of bards Bromwich Trioedd Ynys Prydein p 72 Ford Death of Aneirin p 45 y gvr a rodei gan muv pob Sadarn yg kervyn eneint yn Talhaearn Trioedd Ynys Prydein ed and tr Bromwich Triad 33W Bromwich Trioedd Ynys Prydein p 73 Ford Death of Aneirin p 45 a b Bromwich Trioedd Ynys Prydein p 509 Trioedd Ynys Prydein ed Bromwich Triad 34 C 18 Angar Kyfyndawt ed J Gwenogvryn Evans 19 4 Cian 20 4 ieith Talhayarn 21 16 7 Talhayarn yssyd mwyhaf ysywedyd Angar Kyfyndawt ed and tr Higley lines 68 72 References editTrioedd Ynys Prydein ed Rachel Bromwich 1978 Trioedd Ynys Prydein The Welsh Triads Cardiff University of Wales Press Angar Kyfyndawt ed J Gwenogvryn Evans 1910 The Book of Taliesin 2 vols Series of Old Welsh texts 9 Llanbedrog a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link 19 1 23 8 ed and tr Sarah Lynn Higley 1993 Between Languages The Uncooperative Text in Early Welsh and Old English Nature Poetry Univ Park Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State UP Ford P K 1987 The Death of Aneirin BBCS 34 41 50 Koch John T 2006 Five Poets Memorandum of the In Koch John T ed Celtic Culture A Historical Encyclopedia Santa Barbara Denver and Oxford ABC CLIO pp 750 2 Lewis Ceri W 1992 1976 The Historical Background of Early Welsh Verse In A O H Jarman and Gwilym Rees Hughes ed A Guide to Welsh Literature Vol 1 Cardiff University of Wales Press Further reading editHistoria Brittonum ed and tr John Morris 1980 Nennius British History and the Welsh Annals History from the Sources 8 London and Chichester Phillimore Jarman A O H 1981 The Cynfeirdd Early Welsh Poets and Poetry Cardiff University of Wales Press Williams Ifor 1980 1972 Rachel Bromwich ed The Beginnings of Welsh Poetry Studies 2nd ed Cardiff University of Wales Press Williams Ifor 1944 Lectures on Early Welsh Poetry Dublin a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Talhaearn Tad Awen amp oldid 1089906682, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
