{127a} This simile has evidently some connection with the story told of Caradawg, that owing to his well founded confidence in his wife’s virtue, he was able to carve a certain Boar’s head, an adventure in which his compeers failed. It is remarkable also that the Boar’s head, in some form or other, appears as the armorial bearing of all of his name. See the “Dream of Rhonabwy.”—Note. Al. “red boar.” {127b} This statement may have two meanings, the one real, as indicative of what did actually take place, namely, that the dogs came out of the neighbouring woods to feed upon the corpses which had fallen by the band of Caradawg; the other allegorical, as referring to himself in his character of a boar or a bull, the wild dogs being his enemies, who thus hunted and baited him. {127c} We may infer from this admission that the Bard’s statements, though poetically adorned, are, as to the main facts, framed with a strict regard to truth. Thus no less than four vouchers for the correctness of his description of Caradawg’s valour are presented to our notice by name. {127d} Gwriad was the son of Gwrien, one of the three princes of vassal origin. (See line 56: notes.) Gwynn might have been either Gwyn Godyvron or Gwyn ab Nudd; both alluded to in the Mabinogi of Kilhwch and Olwen. {127e} Lit. its _mangling_ or _hewing_. {127f} We should have been tempted to construe the line thus,— “From the broken hill of _encounter_,” Making “kynn caffat” into one word “cynghaffad,” had we not been precluded by the peculiar metre which version third presents throughout, and which accordingly requires “cyn” in this place to rhyme with “fryn.”— “O fryn } caffad.” Hydwn cyn } Possibly “Hydwn” may be identified with _Hdddinam_ or _Hadingtoun_, in the province of Valentia. {128a} Al. “vron,” the presence. Caradawg’s father was Llyr Merini, a prince of Cornwall. {128b} Al. “eurawc,” covered with gold. {128c} Caradawg Vreichvras, just mentioned. {128d} These two were doubtless sons of Llywarch Hên, mentioned together in the following stanza;— “Na Phyll, na Madawg, ni byddynt hiroedlawg, Or ddevawd y gelwynt; ‘Rhoddyn!’—‘na roddyn!’—cyngrair byth nis erchynt!” Nor Pyll, nor Madawg, would be long lived, If according to custom there was a calling— “Surrender!” “They would not surrender!” quarters they ever scorned. (Elegy on Old Age, &c.) {129a} Two persons named Gwgan and Gwion occur together in a Triad, as having been sentinels in the battle of Bangor, A.D. 603. As that event, however, happened subsequently to the battle of Cattraeth, where the heroes of the stanza were killed, the parties could not be the same. There was another Gwgawn, designated Llawgadarn, who is ranked with Gwrnerth and Eidiol in a Triad of the three strong men of Britain.