Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599), (spelled as Taliessin in
Alfred, Lord Tennyson's " Idylls of the King" and in some subsequent works), was a Brythonic poetof Sub-Roman Britainwhose work has survived in a Middle Welshmanuscript, the " Book of Taliesin". Taliesin was a renowned bardwho is believed to have sung at the courts of at least three Celtic British kings.
Eleven of the preserved poems, according to
Ifor Williams, date from the 6th century and may be ascribed to the historical Taliesin. These indicate that he became court bard to King Brochfael Ysgithrogof Powys around 555, then to his successor Cynan Garwyn, and lastly to King Urien of Rhegedand his son Owain mab Urien. Some of the events to which the poems refer, such as the Battle of Arfderydd(c. 583) are known from other sources.
In legend and medieval Welsh poetry, he is often referred to as "Taliesin Ben Beirdd" ("Taliesin, Chief of Bards"). He is mentioned as one of the five British poets of renown, along with Talhaearn Tad Awen ("Talhaearn Father of the Muse"),
Aneirin, Blwchbardd, and Cian Gwenith Gwawd ("Cian Wheat of Song"), in the " Historia Britonum", and is also mentioned in " Y Gododdin".
Legend has it that, as a child, Taliesin was adopted by Elffin, the son of
Gwyddno Garanhir, and that he prophesied the death, from the Yellow Plague, of Maelgwn Gwynedd. In later stories he became a mythic hero, companion of Bran the Blessedand King Arthur. His mythological life-story is found in several late renderings (see below), the earliest being from the hand of Elis Gruffydd (mid-16th century).
Little, beyond what can be gleaned from the historical poems, is known about his life. It is striking that he is not the first named by Nennius, nor does he have a title or sobriquet, suggesting that, to the author of the "
Historia Brittonum", he was not the pre-eminent poet of the late 6th century.Fact|date=September 2008
According to tradition first recorded in the 16th century, Taliesin was the foster-son of
Elffin ap Gwyddno, who gave him the name Taliesin, meaning "radiant brow", and who later became a king in Ceredigion. The tradition states that he was then raised at his court in Aberdyfiand that at the age of 13, he visited King Maelgwn Gwynedd, Elffin's uncle, and correctly prophesied the manner and imminence of Maelgwn's death.
The idea that he was a bard at the court of
King Arthurdates back at least to " Culhwch and Olwen", perhaps a product of the 11th century, and was elaborated upon in modern poetry, such as Tennyson's " Idylls of the King" and Charles Williams's "Taliessin Through Logres". In any case the historical Taliesin's career can be shown to have fallen in the last half of the 6th century, while historians who argue for Arthur's existence date his victory at Mons Badonicusin the years to either side of AD 500; the " Annales Cambriae" offers the date of 532 for his death or disappearance in the Battle of Camlann, only a few years earlier than the date of 542 found in the " Historia Regum Britanniae". Bedd Taliesin, a hilltop Bronze Agetumulus in Ceredigion, is a traditional site for his grave; the village of Tre-Taliesin, located at the foot of the hill, was named after the bard in the 19th century. A manuscript in the hand of 18th century literary forgerer Iolo Morganwgclaimed he was the son of Saint Henwg of Llanhennockbut this is contrary to every other fact and tradition.
Book of Taliesin
Some of the texts of "The Book of Taliesin", scholars believe, are examples of 10th century Welsh. Since all poetry was transmitted orally in Taliesin's day, possibly the original poems were first written down four centuries later using the contemporary spellings of that day. Sir
Ifor Williamspublished the text with notes in "Canu Taliesin" (1960), and later published in an English version "The Poems of Taliesin" (1968). John Gwenogvryn Evansdated the " Book of Taliesin" to around 1275, but Daniel Huws now dates it to the first quarter of the 14th century. Most of the poems in the collection are quite late (around 10th to 12th century and, though some may claim Taliesin as author, are clearly later, while others again are attributed internally to other poets. A few of the "marks" presumably awarded for poems - or at least measuring their "value" - are extant in the margin of the "Book of Taliesin".
Of the poems in "The Book of Taliesin", twelve are addressed to known historical kings such as
Cynan Garwyn, king of Powys, and Gwallogof Elmet. Eight of the poems, however, are addressed to Urien Rheged, whose kingdom was centered in the region of the Solway Firthon the borders of present-day Englandand Scotlandand stretched east to Catraeth (now Catterickin North Yorkshire) and west to Galloway. One poem, a "marwnad" or death lament, was addressed to Owain, son of Urien.
The rest comprises some poems addressing mythological and religious topics as well as a few works such as 'Armes Prydein Vawr', the content of which implies that they were by later authors. Many lack the characteristics, metre and 'poetic tag' associated with the work of the historical Taliesin. Much of this material is associated with the mythical Taliesin.
The mythical account of his life
In the mid 16th century, Elis Gruffydd wrote a mythological account of Taliesin which resembles the story of the boyhood of the Irish hero
Fionn mac Cumhailand the salmon of wisdomin some respects, and has many characteristics of creation mythology. The tale was also recorded in a slightly different version by John Jones of Gellilyfdy) (c. 1607). A composite version based on these accounts is given below.
Taliesin began life as Gwion Bach, a servant to the enchantress
Ceridwen. Ceridwen had a beautiful daughter and an ugly son named Morfran(also called Avagddu), whose appearance no magic could cure. Ceridwen sought to give him the gift of wisdom as compensation and cooked a potion granting wisdominspiration ( Awen), which had to be cooked for a year and a day. A blind man named Mordatended the fire beneath the cauldron, while Gwion Bach stirred. The first three drops of liquid from this cauldron would give wisdom; the rest was a fatal poison. Three hot drops spilled onto Gwion's thumb as he stirred, and he instinctively put his thumb in his mouth, instantly gaining wisdom and knowledge. The first thought that occurred to him was that Ceridwen would kill him, so he ran away.
All too soon he heard her fury and the sound of her pursuit. He turned himself into a
hareon the land and she became a greyhound. He turned himself into a fishand jumped into a river: she then turned into an otter. He turned into a birdin the air, and in response she became a hawk.
Exhausted, he turned into a single grain of corn and she became a hen and ate him. She became pregnant. She resolved to kill the child, knowing it was Gwion, but when he was born he was so beautiful that she couldn't, so she threw him in the ocean in a leather bag.
Discovery by Elffin
The baby was found by Elffin, the son of
Gwyddno Garanhir, 'Lord of Ceredigion', while fishing for salmon. Surprised at the whiteness of the boy's brow, he exclaimed "dyma "Dal Iesin", meaning "this is a radiant brow." Taliesin, thus named, began to recite beautiful poetry, saying:
:"Fair Elffin, cease your lament!":"....Though I am weak and small,":"On the wave crest of the the surging sea,":"I shall be better for you":"Than three hundred shares of salmon."
:"Elffin of noble generosity,":"Do not sorrow at your catch.":"Though I am weak on the floor of my basket,":"There are wonders on my tongue....""
Amazed, Elffin asked how a baby could talk. Again Taliesin replied with poetry:
:"Floating like a boat in its waters,":"I was thrown into a dark bag,":"and on an endless sea, I was set adrift." :"Just as I was suffocating, I had a happy omen,":"and the master of the Heavens brought me to liberty."
At the court of
A few years later, when Taliesin turned thirteen, Elffin was at the court of King Maelgwn Gwynedd, claiming Taliesin was a better bard and that his wife a better woman than anyone the king had in his court. Maelgwn's son
Rhunwent to Elffin's house to seduce his wife and prove Elffin's claims weren't true. Rhun got her drunk and tried to take off her wedding ring to prove her unfaithfulness. But Elffin was unconvinced. Maelgwn then demanded Taliesin prove the claim that he was a better bard than the ones in his court. Taliesin then prophesied the king's downfall in a flood of stanzas, while the king's bards could only play with their lips and make baby noises. Elffin was released from the prison into which he had been cast.
*Ford, Patrick K. 1977. "The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales" Berkeley: University of California Press.
*Ford, Patrick K. 1992. "Ystoria Taliesin" University of Wales Press: Cardiff.
*Ford, Patrick K. 1999. "The Celtic Poets: Songs and Tales from Early Ireland and Wales" Ford and Bailie: Belmont, Mass.
* Haycock, Marged 2007. "Legendary Poems from the Book of Taliesin" (CMCS, Aberystwyth)
*Haycock, Marged. 1997. "Taliesin's Questions" "Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies" 33 (Summer): 19–79.
*Haycock, Marged. 1987. "'Some talk of Alexander and some of Hercules': three early medieval poems from the 'Book of Taliesin." "Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies" 13 (1987): 7–38.
*Haycock, Marged. 1987–88. "Llyfr Taliesin," "National Library of Wales Journal" 25: 357–86.
*Haycock, Marged. 1983–1984. "Preiddeu Annwn and the Figure of Taliesin" "Studia Celtica"18/19: 52–78.
*Koch, John and John Carey. 2003."The Celtic Heroic Age" 3rd ed. Celtic Studies Publishing: Malden, Mass.
*Ifor Williams. 1960. "Canu Taliesin". Translated into English by J. E. Caerwyn Williams as "The Poems of Taliesin" Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies: Dublin. (first edition 1967, reprinted 1975, 1987)
*Ifor Williams. 1944. "Lectures on Early Welsh poetry". Dublin: DIAS
* [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/llyfrtaliesin.html "The Book of Taliesin", in Welsh, with English translations by W.F. Skene (1858)] (Note: Skene's text and translation are not reliable by the standards of modern scholarship)
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Taliesin — Taliesin, auch Taliessin (* ca. 534; † ca. 599) war vermutlich ein historischer Barde in Britannien. Er gilt als Verfasser der frühesten überlieferten Werke in walisischer Sprache. Man vermutet, dass Taliesin an wenigstens drei britannischen… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Taliesin — (d.i. Strahlenstirne, brit. Myth.), Anfangs Gwion geheißen, Sohn Gwreangs, wurde von Ceridwen (s.d.) zur Obacht an den Kessel gestellt, worin diese ein Schönheitsmittel für Avagddu bereiten wollte. Der Sud durfte vor Jahr u. Tag nicht… … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
Taliesin — m Welsh: composed of the elements tâl brow + iesin shining. This was the name of a legendary 6th century Welsh poet, and has been revived in recent times … First names dictionary
Taliesin — Pour l’article homonyme, voir Taliesin West. Taliesin est une figure importante de la mythologie celtique et de la littérature galloise, c’est à la fois un poète historique du VIe siècle et un barde mythique de la littérature… … Wikipédia en Français
Taliesin — Para otros usos de este término, véase Taliesin (desambiguación). Facsímil de una página del Libro de Taliesin. Taliesin (c. 534–599) … Wikipedia Español
Taliesin — (late sixth century) Taliesin is the name of the earliest known Welsh poet, believed to have been a court poet to the late sixth century King Urien and his son Owain of Rheged (an area around the Solway Estuary, southwest of Scotland). Like… … Encyclopedia of medieval literature
Taliesin — /tal ee es in/, n. fl. A.D. c550, Welsh bard. * * * Home, as well as architectural school, of Frank Lloyd Wright. Located near Spring Green, Wis., it was begun in 1911 and was rebuilt after fires in 1914 and 1925. Taliesin West, near Scottsdale,… … Universalium
Taliesin — (fl. 550) Welsh bard, the popular rendering of whose name is fair forehead, whose name is associated with the Book of Taliesin, a book of poems written down in the 10th century but which most scholars believe to date in large part from the 6th … British and Irish poets
Taliesin — Taliẹsin, kymrischer Dichter des 6. Jahrhunderts, wurde Held einer Saga, die vielleicht im 9. Jahrhundert entstand (überliefert auch in der Volkserzählung »Hanes Taliesin«, von der Handschriften ab dem 16. Jahrhundert erhalten sind).Von den… … Universal-Lexikon
Taliesin — Residencia, y también escuela de arquitectura, de Frank Lloyd Wright. Ubicada cerca de Spring Green, Wis., EE.UU., fue iniciada en 1911 y reconstruida luego de dos incendios, en 1914 y 1925. Taliesin Occidental, otra casa de Wright cerca de… … Enciclopedia Universal