Welsh Journals

THE CAMBRIAN JOURNAL. ALBAN , Ur M/SK EILIR. (VERNAL EQUINOX.) ON THE HISTORY OF THE BATTLE OF CATTRAETH, AND "THE GODODIN" OF ANEURIN. By D. W. Nash, F.L.S. The most considerable and perhaps the most valuable poetic composition in the old British language, is that en¬ titled " The Gododin," the authorship of which is univer¬ sally ascribed to Aneurin, the son of Caw. The subject matter, and the date of the events referred to in this poem, have been variously considered by different writers. The Rev. Edward Davies held the poem to be descriptive of the traditionary massacre of the British chiefs at Stone- henge, by the contrivance of Vortigern and Hengist, at a feast to which they had been treacherously invited by the Saxon leaders. This opinion was supported, with no little ability* by Mr. Herbert, in his various works on ancient British history. A better acquaintance with the contents of the poem has, however, demonstrated the fallacy of these views, and it is now universally agreed that "The Gododin" describes a battle fought between CAMB. JOUR., 1861. B