History & Politics

Book of Taliessin XXXIII

by Taliesin fl. late 6th century

Translated by Robert Williams (1868) · From Book of Taliessin

History & Politics

In rest,
A song I kept.
Respect and plenty
And mead I possessed.
I possessed mead.
His triumph,
And fair lands,
A great wonder.
And gold and hour,
And hour and treasure,
And plenty
And esteem.
And giving a desire,
A desire of giving it,
To encourage me.
He slays, he plagues,
He cherishes, he honours,
He honours, he cherishes,
He slays before him.
Presence was given
To the bards of the world.
Ever certainly
To thee they say
According to thy will.
God hath caused to thee
The shoulder of kings
Against despicable fear.
Incitement of battle
The protection of a country.
The country protected
Battle of incitement
Usual about thee
The tumult of capering,
The capering of tumult
And drinking of ale.
Ale for the drinking,
And a fair homestead,
And beautiful clothing,
To me has been extended.
The lofty Llwyvenydd,
And requests open.
In one dwell
Great and little.
Taliessin's song
Thou comfortest it.
Thou art the best
Of those that have heard
His vehement animosities.
I also will praise
Thy deeds,
And until I fail in old age,
In the sore necessity of death,
May I not be smiling
If I praise not Urien.

✦ ✦ ✦

Skene no. XL (group I: Poems Relating to Urien Reged). Ascribed to Taliesin by tradition.

MLA

Taliesin. “Book of Taliessin XXXIII.” Translated by Robert Williams. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/taliesin/23/.

Chicago

Taliesin. “Book of Taliessin XXXIII.” Translated by Robert Williams. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/taliesin/23/.

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