Preiddeu Annwn or The Spoils of Annwfn

This poem is taken from 'Llyfr Taliesin' NLW Peniarth MS 2 which dates to around 1275; but the poem itself has been dated to between the ninth and twelfth centuries. It is similar in structure to other poems from the Book of Taliesin and shows a high degree of poetic skill.

Preiddeu Annwn

Golychaf wledic pendeuic gwlat ri.
py ledas y·pennaeth dros traeth mundi.
bu kyweir karchar gweir yg·kaer sidi.
trwy ebostol pwyll a·phryderi.
Neb kyn noc ef nyt aeth idi.
yr gadwyn trom/las kywirwas ae ketwi.
A·rac preidu annwfyn tost yt geni.
Ac yt urawt parahawt yn·bardwedi.
Tri lloneit prytwen yd aetham ni idi.
nam seith ny dyrreith o·gaer sidi.
Neut wyf glot geinmyn cerd ochlywir.
yg·kaer pedryuan pedyr·ychwelyt.
yg kynneir or peir pan leferit.
O anadyl naw morwyn gochyneuit.
Neu peir pen annwfyn pwy y vynut.
gwrym am y·oror a·mererit.
ny beirw bwyt llwfyr ny ry tyghit.
cledyf lluch lleawc idaw rydyrchit.
Ac yn llaw leminawc yd·edewit.
A·rac drws porth vffern llugyrn lloscit.
A·phan aetham ni gan arthur trafferth

The Spoils of Annwfn

I praise the Lord, the Sovereign of the royal realm,
Who has extended his sway over the tract of the world.
Gwair's prison in Caer Siddi was in order
Throughout the course of the story concerning Pwyll and Pryderi.
No-one before him went into it -
Into the heavy grey chain which was restraining the loyal youth.
And on account of the spoils of Annwfn he was singing bitterly
And our (own) poetic invocation shall continue until Judgement(-Day).
We went, three full loads of Prydwen, into it;
Apart from seven, none came back up from Caer Siddi.
I am one who is splendid in (making) fame: the song was heard
In the four-turreted fort, fully revolving.
It was concerning the cauldron that my first utterance was spoken:
It [ie the cauldron] was kindled by the breath of nine maidens.
The cauldron of the Chieftain of Annwfn: what is its faculty?
- Dark (ornament) and pearls around its rim -