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{{Short description|Sub-Roman Welsh poet}}{{Redirect|Gwion}}

''For the studio established by Frank Lloyd Wright, see [[Taliesin (studio)]]''

{{Other uses}}

{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}

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{{Infobox person

| image = File:The finding of Taliesin.jpg

| alt = An illustration of a baby being discovered by an adult female in a basket floating upon some open water. An adult male watches the discovery.

| caption = ''The finding of Taliesin by Elphin and Angharad'', [[F. H. Townsend]]'s illustration for Thomas Love Peacock's ''[[The Misfortunes of Elphin]]'' (1897)

| name = Taliesin

| other_names = Gwion Bach ap Gwreang

| nationality = [[Ancient Britons|Briton]]

| years_active = 6th century AD

| notable_works = [[Book of Taliesin|Llyfr Taliesin]]

}}

'''Taliesin''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|t|æ|l|ˈ|j|ɛ|s|ᵻ|n}} {{respell|tal|YES|in}}, {{IPA|cy|talˈjɛsɪn|lang}}; {{Floruit}} 6th century AD) was an early [[Britons (Celtic people)|Brittonic]] poet of [[Sub-Roman Britain]] whose work has possibly survived in a [[Middle Welsh]] manuscript, the ''[[Book of Taliesin]]''. Taliesin was a renowned [[bard]] who is believed to have sung at the courts of at least three kings. Taliesin means "shining brow" in Welsh.{{Sfn|McCarter|1997|page=119}}

'''Taliesin''' (c. [[534]]-c.[[599]]) is the earliest known [[poet]] of the [[Welsh language]]. His name is associated with the ''[[Book of Taliesin]]'', a book of poems written down in the [[10th century]] but which most scholars believed to date in large part from the [[6th century]]. He is believed to have been the chief [[bard]] in the courts of several [[Celtic]] kings of that era. He attained the status "Chief Bard of Britain" and as such was responsible for judging poetry competitions among all the royal bards of Britain. A few of the marks awarded for poems are extant in the margins of manuscripts. His life was later the subject of [[16th century]] [[mythological]] work by [[Elis Gruffydd]], who may have relied on existing oral tradition about him.

In 1960, [[Ifor Williams]] identified eleven of the medieval poems ascribed to Taliesin as possibly originating as early as the sixth century, and so possibly being composed by a historical Taliesin.<ref>''The Poems of Taliesin'', ed. by Ifor Williams, trans. by J. E. Caerwyn Williams, Mediaeval and Modern Welsh Series, 3 (Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1987 [repr. from 1968; first publ. ''Canu Taliesin'' 1960]).</ref> The bulk of this work praises King [[Urien Rheged|Urien]] of [[Rheged]] and his son [[Owain mab Urien]], although several of the poems indicate that Taliesin also served as court bard to King [[Brochfael Ysgithrog]] of [[kingdom of Powys|Powys]] and his successor [[Cynan Garwyn]], either before or during his time at Urien's court. Some of the events to which the poems refer, such as the [[Battle of Arfderydd]] ({{circa|573}}), are referred to in other sources.

==Biography==

[[John T. Koch]] argues that the description of [[Easter]] in the praise poem ''Yspeil Taliesin'' ('The Spoils of Taliesin') indicates that Urien and Taliesin were [[Christians]] who adhered to the Latin rather than the [[Celtic Christianity|Insular]] observance of Easter.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} He also suggests that the figure of Taliesin served as a bridge between the worlds of Brittonic Christian Latin literature and the [[Heroic Age (literary theory)|Heroic Age]] court poets, allowing monastic scribes to cultivate vernacular poetry.<ref>Koch, John T., "Waiting for Gododdin: Thoughts on Taliesin and Iudic-Hael, Catreath, and unripe time in Celtic studies" in Woolf, Alex (ed.)(2013), ''Beyond the Gododdin: Dark Age Scotland in Medieval Wales'', University of St. Andrews, pp. 177 - 204, {{isbn|9780951257388}}</ref>

Little, beyond what he writes in his own poems, is known about his life. One manuscript says he was the son of Saint Henwg of Llanhennock near Caerleon in [[Glamorgan]]. He is included as one of the five [[Welsh literature|British]] poets of renown in the "Northern History" section of the ''[[Historia Britonum]]'' attributed to [[Nennius]] (ch.62).

In legend and medieval Welsh poetry, he is often referred to as ''Taliesin Ben Beirdd'' ("Taliesin, Chief of Bards" or chief of poets). He is mentioned as one of the five [[Literature of Wales (Welsh language)|British poets]] of renown, along with [[Talhaearn Tad Awen]] ("Talhaearn Father of the Muse"), [[Aneirin]], Blwchfardd, and Cian Gwenith Gwawd ("Cian Wheat of Song"), in the ''[[Historia Brittonum]]'', and is also mentioned in the collection of poems known as ''[[Y Gododdin]]''. Taliesin was highly regarded in the mid-12th century as the supposed author of a great number of romantic legends.<ref name=Griffin>Griffin (1887){{page needed|date=April 2012}}</ref>

The poems ascribed to him indicate that he later became court bard to King [[Brochfael]] of [[kingdom of Powys|Powys]] around [[555]], then to his successor [[Cynan Garwyn]], and lastly to King [[Urien Rheged|Urien]] of [[Rheged]]. The idea that he was bard to [[King Arthur]] is not credible because the historical Arthur, lived in the late fifth and early 6th century. Taliesin's career can be shown to have fallen in the last half of the 6th century, after Arthur had died.

According to legend Taliesin was adopted as a child by [[Elffin ap Gwyddno|Elffin]], the son of [[Gwyddno Garanhir]], and prophesied the death of [[Maelgwn Gwynedd]] from the [[Plague of Justinian|Yellow Plague]]. In later stories he became a mythic hero, companion of [[Bran the Blessed]] and [[King Arthur]]. His legendary biography is found in several late renderings (see below), the earliest surviving narrative being found in a manuscript chronicle of world history written by [[Elis Gruffydd]] in the 16th century.

According to tradition written down in the 16th century, he was the foster-son of [[Elphin]], who gave him the name Taliesin meaning "radiant brow" and who later became King of [[Ceredigion]]. The tradition states that he was then raised at his court in [[Aberdyfi]] and that at the age of 13, he visited King [[Maelgwn]], Elphin' uncle, and correctly prophesied the manner and imminence of Maelgwn's death.

==Biography==

According to tradition, he was buried near his childhood home in [[Ceredigion]] and a village named after him in the [[19th century]] now sits below the hillside at the site of his grave.

[[Image:Helmbar.jpg|thumb|The [[River Eden, Cumbria|Eden]] Valley between Appleby and Penrith, an area referred to affectionately as the heartland of [[Rheged]] in the praise poems of Taliesin|alt=]]

Details of Taliesin's life are sparse. The first mention of him occurs in the Saxon genealogies appended to four manuscripts of the ''[[Historia Brittonum]]'' from 828AD. The writer names five poets, among them Taliesin, who lived in the time of [[Ida of Bernicia]] (fl. mid-6th century) and a British chieftain, (O)utigirn ([[Welsh language|Modern Welsh]] Eudeyrn).<ref>("At that time Talhaearn the Father of the Muse was famous in poetry, and Neirin, Taliesin, Blwchfardd and Cian who is called Gweinthgwawd, at one and the same time were renowned in British poetry." —''Gildas et Nennius'', ed. Mommsen, p. 205; Mon. Hist. Brit. p. 75), quoted in John Edward Lloyd, ''Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 55''</ref> This information is considered fairly credible,<ref>Phillimore in ''Cymmrodor'', xi. 134–8; Zimmer, ''Nennius Vindicatus'', p. 78, quoted in John Edward Lloyd, ''Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 55''</ref> since he is also mentioned by [[Aneirin]], another of the five mentioned poets, who is famed as the author of ''[[Y Gododdin]]'', a series of elegies to the men of the kingdom of [[Gododdin]] (now [[Lothian]]) who died fighting the Angles at the [[Battle of Catraeth]] around 600.

==Book of Taliesin==

Taliesin's authorship of several odes to King [[Urien Rheged]] (died c. 550) is commonly accepted,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Book of Taliesin |url=https://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=254 |website=National Library of Wales |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080715072048/https://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=254 |archive-date=15 July 2008}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=f899xH_quaMC&dq=williams+canu+taliesin&pg=PA1652 J. Koch, ''Celtic Culture: Aberdeen breviary-celticism'']</ref> and they mention [[River Eden, Cumbria|The Eden Valley]] and an enemy leader, Fflamddwyn,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/early-welsh-literature/pages/taliesin.shtml|title=BBC Wales – Arts – Early Welsh literature – Taliesin|access-date=21 June 2016}}</ref> identified as Ida<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pBIbAAAAYAAJ|title=The Scots Magazine and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany|date=1 January 1808|publisher=Archibald Constable & Company|access-date=21 June 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref> or his son [[Theodric of Bernicia|Theodric]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=buYQAwAAQBAJ&dq=flamddwyn+theodric&pg=PA243 Charles Oman, ''England Before the Norman Conquest'' -]</ref> The poems refer to victories of Urien at the battles of Argoed Llwyfain, [[Battle of Alclud Ford|The Ford of Clyde]] and [[Gweith Gwen Ystrat|Gwen Ystrad]]. Taliesin also sang in praise of [[Cynan Garwyn]], king of [[Kingdom of Powys|Powys]].<ref>Ifor Williams, ''Canu Taliesin'' (University of Wales Press, 1960), poem I.</ref> Cynan's predecessor, [[Brochwel Ysgithrog]], is also mentioned in later poems.

The work most associated with him is the ''The Book of Taliesin'', which scholars consider to have been written in [[10th century]] Welsh. Since all poetry was transmitted orally in Taliesin's day, a plausible hypothesis is that his poems were first written down four centuries later using the contemporary spellings of that day.

According to legends that first appear in the ''[[Book of Taliesin]]'', Taliesin's early patron was [[Elffin ap Gwyddno]], son of [[Gwyddno Garanhir]], who was a lord of a lost land in [[Cardigan Bay]] called [[Cantre'r Gwaelod]]. Taliesin defended Elffin and satirised his enemy, the powerful [[Maelgwn Gwynedd]], shortly before the latter died (probably in 547 AD).<ref>Based on Phillimore's (1888) reconstruction of the dating of the ''[[Annales Cambriae]]'' (A Text) – see Phillimore, Egerton (1888), ''The Annales Cambriae and Old Welsh Genealogies, from Harleian MS. 3859'', in Phillimore, Egerton, Y Cymmrodor IX, Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, pp. 141–183</ref> The Latin-Breton ''Life of Iudic-hael'' refers to Taliesin visiting the monastery of [[Gildas]] at [[Rhuys Peninsula|Rhuys]] in [[Brittany]].<ref>Koch, John T. "''De sancto Iudicaelo rege Historia'' and Its Implications for the Welsh Taliesin" in Nagy, Joseph Falaky and Jones, Leslie Ellen (eds.)(2005),''Heroic Poets and Poetic Heroes in Celtic Tradition: A Festschrift for Patrick K. Ford'', Four Courts Press, Dublin, pp. 247 - 262 {{isbn|9781851828494}}</ref>

Of the poems in the ''The Book of Taliesin'', twelve are addressed to known historical kings such as [[Cynan Garwyn]], king of [[Powys]] and [[Gwallawc]] of [[Elmet]]. Most of the poems, however, are addressed to Urien Rheged, whose kingdom was centered in the region of the [[Solway Firth]] on the borders of present-day [[England]] and [[Scotland]] and stretched east to Catraeth (now Catterick in [[Yorkshire]]) and west to [[Galloway]] Some of the events to which the poems refer, such as the [[Battle of Arfderydd]] (c. [[583]]) are known from other sources. These references lead even conservative [[historian]]s to consider the poems addressed to Urien Rheged to date from that time period.

According to the [[Welsh Triads]], Taliesin had a son, [[Afaon fab Taliesin|Afaon]], who was accounted a great warrior, and who suffered a violent death, probably in Lothian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/triads2.html|title=The Welsh Triads|access-date=21 June 2016}}</ref> Taliesin's grave is held in folklore to be near the village of Tre Taliesin near Llangynfelyn<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.llangynfelyn.org/dogfennau/bedd_taliesin_mynegiad.html|title=Llangynfelyn – Bedd Taliesin – Taliesin's grave|access-date=21 June 2016}}</ref> called [[Bedd Taliesin]], but this is a [[Bronze Age]] burial chamber, and the village of [[Tre-Taliesin]], at the foot of the hill, was actually named after the burial chamber in the 19th century<ref>Owen & Morgan (2007) "Dictionary of the Place Names of Wales" p.475</ref> though legend was traced by [[Edward Lhuyd]] to the 17th century.

The rest of the book comprises poems addressing [[mythology|mythological]], [[religion|religious]] or [[shaman|shamanistic]] topics, as well as a few works such as 'Armes Prydein Vawr', the content of which implies that they were by later authors, perhaps contemporary to the 10th century scribe who compiled the ''Book of Taliesin''.

==Gruffyd'sLegendary accountaccounts of his life==

[[File:Finding of Taliesin.jpg|thumb|"Finding of Taliesin" by [[Henry Clarence Whaite]], 1876]]

More detailed traditions of Taliesin's biography arose from about the 11th century, and in ''Historia Taliesin'' ("The Tale of Taliesin", surviving from the 16th century).<ref>*Ford, Patrick K. 1992. ''Ystoria Taliesin'' University of Wales Press: Cardiff.</ref> In the mid-16th-century, [[Elis Gruffydd]] recorded a legendary account of Taliesin that resembles the story of the boyhood of the Irish hero [[Fionn mac Cumhail]] and the [[salmon of wisdom]] in some respects. The tale was also recorded in a slightly different version by [[John Jones of Gellilyfdy]] (c. 1607). This story agrees in many respects with fragmentary accounts in the ''Book of Taliesin''.

According to the ''[[Hanes Taliesin]]'', he was originally known as '''Gwion Bach ap Gwreang'''. He was a servant of [[Cerridwen]] and was made to stir the Cauldron of Inspiration for one year to allow for Cerridwen to complete her potion of inspiration. The potion was initially intended for her son, [[Morfran]], who although was considered frightfully ugly, she loved nonetheless, and felt that if he would not grow in beauty then he should have the gift of the Awen to compensate. Upon completion of this potion, three drops sprang out and landed upon Gwion Bach's thumb. Gwion then placed his thumb in his mouth to soothe his burns resulting in Gwion's enlightenment. Out of fear of what Cerridwen would do to him, Gwion fled and eventually transformed into a piece of grain before being consumed by Cerridwen. However, this resulted in Cerridwen becoming impregnated with the seed and upon giving birth, she could not bring herself to kill the baby Gwion. She instead cast him into the ocean in a large leather bag, where he was found by [[Elffin ap Gwyddno|Elffin]], who named him Taliesin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/myths_taliesin.shtml|title=The life of Taliesin the bard|publisher=BBC.com|access-date=23 March 2017}}</ref>

In the mid [[16th century]], [[Elis Gruffydd]] wrote an mythological account of Taliesin which drew from [[Celtic mythology|Celtic folklore]]. Some scholars believe that Gruffydd recorded a tradition that existed before his time.

According to these texts 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 [[Kingdom of Ceredigion|Ceredigion]], Wales. The legend states that he was then raised at his court in [[Aberdyfi]] and 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. A number of medieval poems attributed to Taliesin allude to the legend but these postdate the historical poet's ''[[floruit]]'' considerably.

===Birth===

The introduction to [[Gwyneth Lewis]] and [[Rowan Williams]]'s translation of [[The Book of Taliesin]] suggests that later Welsh writers came to see Taliesin as a sort of [[shaman|shamanic figure]]. The poetry ascribed to him in this collection shows how he not only can channel other entities (such as the [[Awen]]) in these poems, but that the authors of these poems can in turn channel Taliesin himself in creating the poems that they ascribe to him. This creates a collectivist, rather than individualistic, sense of identity; no human is simply one human, humans are part of nature (rather than opposed to it), and all things in the cosmos can ultimately be seen to be connected through the creative spirit of the Awen.

A witch named [[Ceridwen]] had a beautiful daughter and an ugly son, [[Morfran]]. Since Morfran was hideously ugly, she sought to make him wise. Using a magical cauldron, Ceridwen cooked a potion granting [[wisdom]], which had to be cooked for a year and a day. [[Morda]], a blind man, tended the fire beneath the cauldron, while [[Gwion]], a young boy, stirred the concoction.

The idea that he was a [[bard]] at the court of [[King Arthur]] dates back at least to the tale of ''[[Culhwch and Olwen]]'', perhaps a product of the 11th century. It is elaborated upon in modern English poetry, such as [[Alfred Tennyson|Tennyson]]'s ''[[Idylls of the King]]'' and [[Charles Williams (UK writer)|Charles Williams]]' ''Taliessin Through Logres''. But 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 Badonicus]] in the years on either side of AD 500; the ''[[Annales Cambriae]]'' offer the date of c. 539 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]]''. Taliesin also appears as a companion of [[Bran the Blessed]] in this era, by which time he was clearly perceived as a legendary figure who existed in many different times.

The first three drops of liquid from this cauldron gave wisdom; the rest was a fatal [[poison]]. Three hot drops spilled onto Gwion's hand as he stirred, burning him. He instinctively put his hand in his mouth, and instantly gained great wisdom and knowlede.

A manuscript in the hand of 18th-century literary forger [[Iolo Morganwg]] claimed he was the son of [[Saint Henwg]] of [[Llanhennock]]; but this is contrary to other tradition. In it he is said to have been educated in the school of Catwg, at Llanfeithin, in [[Glamorgan]], which the historian [[Gildas]] also attended. Captured as a youth by Irish pirates while fishing at sea, he is said to have escaped by using a wooden [[buckler]] for a boat; he landed at the fishing [[weir]] of Elffin, one of the sons of Urien (all medieval Welsh sources, however, make Elffin the son of Gwyddno Garanhir). Urien made him Elffin's instructor, and gave Taliesin an estate. But once introduced to the court of the warrior-chief Taliesin became his foremost bard, followed him in his wars, and wrote of his victories.<ref name=Griffin/>

As Ceridwen chased Gwion, he turned himself into a [[rabbit]]. In return, she became a [[dog]]. He then became a [[fish]] and jumped into a [[river]], and in reponse, she then turned into an [[otter]]. He turned into a [[bird]], and in response she became a [[hawk]]. Finally, he turned into a single grain of [[corn]]. She became a hen and ate him,

==Influence==

Afterwards Ceridwen became pregnant and knew it was Gwion. She resolved to kill the child, but after he was born, he was so beautiful that she couldn't go through with the deed. Instead, she threw him in the [[ocean]].

Modern Welsh poet [[John Davies (Taliesin Hiraethog)|John Davies]] of [[Denbighshire]] (1841–1894) took the [[bardic name]] of Taliesin Hiraethog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/small/item/GTJ13096|title=Gathering the Jewels|access-date=21 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905232027/http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/small/item/GTJ13096|archive-date=5 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The American architect [[Frank Lloyd Wright]], whose mother, Anna Lloyd Jones, was born in Wales, named his [[Wisconsin]] home and studio [[Taliesin (studio)|Taliesin]] and his home and studio near Scottsdale, Arizona [[Taliesin West]].

[[Susan Kare]], the [[Typography|typographer]] and [[graphic designer]] who developed the first set of [[Fonts on Macintosh#Fonts_of_the_original_Macintosh|fonts for the early Macintosh]], created a [[dingbat]] font called Taliesin that shipped with the update disk for [[Apple System 2|System 2]] in 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rasmussen|first=Eric|date=n.d.|title=Apple Macintosh before System 7|url=https://earlymacintosh.org/|access-date=24 May 2021|website=Early Macintosh|quote=System 2.0 Finder 4.1 was released in April 1985. ... The Update disk also included the Font/DA Mover application, a Fonts suitcase with one font in it [Taliesin, a pictorial font], and a "What's New" document.}}</ref> Taliesin is relatively obscure compared to its more well-known counterpart Cairo, the symbol font that featured [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s iconic [[dogcow]] logo.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hackett|first=Stephen|date=n.d.|title=The History of Clarus the Dogcow|url=https://512pixels.net/dogcow/|access-date=24 May 2021|website=512 Pixels}}</ref> It is not clear why the font shares a name with the British poet, having been the only one of the set that does not bear the name of a "world class city"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kare|first=Susan|date=August 1983|title=World Class Cities|url=https://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=World_Class_Cities.txt&sortOrder=Sort+by+Date|access-date=24 May 2021|website=Folklore}}</ref> ([[Chicago]], [[San Francisco]], [[Toronto]], etc.). As it contains several [[Glyph|glyphs]] of [[Building|buildings]], [[furniture]], and other aspects of [[architecture]], [[landscaping]], and [[interior design]], however, it has been theorized that Taliesin was also named in homage to Frank Lloyd Wright's aforementioned studio and estate of same name.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Espinosa|first=Chris|date=21 May 2018|title=I can't find any replica of Taliesin/Mobile but I believe it was bitmapped architecture and furniture pictures. Legal was concerned about the rights of the estate of Frank Lloyd Wright re the Taliesin name. I think 'Mobile' was a pun on the French 'meubles.'|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/cdespinosa/status/998641665417011201|access-date=24 May 2021|website=[[Twitter]]}}</ref>

===Discovery by Elphin===

===Literature===

The baby was found by Elphin, the son of Lord [[Gwyddno Garanhir]] of [[Ceredigion]], who found the child while fishing for [[salmon]]. He named it Taliesin, meaning "radiant brow." While Elphin carried the baby back to his father, the baby began reciting beautiful [[poetry]].

As early as the 12th century bards of the Welsh princes adopted the persona of Taliesin to make prophetic and legendary claims for the source of their inspiration or [[awen]] as well as those poems which can be attributed directly to them.<ref> Haycock, Marged ''Prophecies from the Book of Taliesin'' (Aberystwyth 2013) and ''Legendary Poems from the Book of Taliesin'' (Aberystwyth 2007) </ref> So some of the poems in the ''Book of Taliesin'' have been attributed to bards who saw themselves as working within the tradition of a legendary bard whose poems could be re-worked or re-imagined, giving rise to the prose tale in which some of these poems are embedded.<ref> Ford, Patrick ''Ystoria Taliesin'' (Cardiff, 1992)</ref> Much of the academic work done on these poems focuses on attempting to separate poems by the original bard and later poets imaginatively taking on his mantle.<ref> Williams, Sir Ifor, ''The poems of Taliesin'' (Dublin 1968)</ref>

===At the court of Maelgwn===

His name was used, spelled as Taliessin, in [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]]'s ''[[Idylls of the King]]''. He is a character in [[Thomas Love Peacock]]'s satirical romantic 1829 novel ''[[The Misfortunes of Elphin]]'' where he is discovered as a baby floating in a coracle by Elphin (Elfin) who is fishing. In the 1951 novel ''[[Porius: A Romance of the Dark Ages|Porius]]'', by [[John Cowper Powys]], he is depicted as a politically astute court bard who is accomplished in both cookery and poetry.

A few years later, Elphin was at the court of King Maelgwn, who demanded that Elphin praise him and his court. Elphin refused, claiming Taliesin was a better [[bard]] and that his wife a prettier woman than anyone the king had in his court. Although he was not present, Taliesin knew what was happening, because he was a seer, and told Elphin's wife.

He also makes an appearance in a number of works of modern commercial fiction that blend history and Arthurian legend, including quite a lengthy appearance in Bernard Cornwell's [[The Warlord Chronicles|''Warlord Chronicles'']] and [[Guy Gavriel Kay]]'s ''[[The Fionavar Tapestry]]''. In [[Stephen R. Lawhead]]'s ''[[The Pendragon Cycle]]'', he is most notable in the first book, eponymously named ''Taliesin'', in which he is depicted as Merlin's father. In [[M. K. Hume]]'s King Arthur trilogy, he's depicted as Merlin's firstborn son. [[Gillian Bradshaw]] uses him as a stand-in for Merlin in her Arthurian trilogy. He is also a central character in ''[[Moonheart]]'', an [[urban fantasy]] novel by [[Charles de Lint]], and appears as the chief bard of the Kingdom of [[Prydain]] in the [[The Chronicles of Prydain|children's novels]] of [[Lloyd Alexander]] which are based on the Welsh ''[[Mabinogion]]''. The historical novel ''Radiant Brow – The Epic of Taliesin'' by H. Catherine Watling is based on "The Tale of Taliesin" and the poetry contained in ''The Book of Taliesin''. In the young adult fiction series ''[[The Dark Is Rising Sequence]]'' by British author [[Susan Cooper]], he guides young protagonists Will Stanton and Bran Davies through the Lost Land in the final book, ''[[Silver on the Tree]]''. Taliesin's harp-tuning key makes an appearance in "[[A String in the Harp]]" by [[Nancy Bond]], a time-travel story set in Wales. The key gives Peter Morgan, the main protagonist, the ability to see visions of Taliesin's life.

Maelgwn's son [[Rhun]] went to Elphin's house to seduce his wife and prove Elphin's claims weren't true. Rhun got her drunk, and when she passed out, Rhun tried to take her wedding ring off to prove her unfaithfulness. When the ring wouldn't come off, he cut off her finger instead. When King Maelgwn attempted to show the finger to Elphin, he pointed out that his wife cut her fingernails more often than the owner of the finger. Moreover, the fingernails had bread dough under them, but his wife always had servants knead dough. Moreover, his wife's ring was loose on her finger, but this one was tight.

In [[Charles Williams (British writer)|Charles Williams]]' unfinished series of Arthurian poems, found in ''Taliessin Through Logres'' and ''The Region of the Summer Stars'', Taliesin is the central character, Arthur's bard and Captain of Horse, and the head of a companionship dedicated to Christian Charity in Camelot.

Maelgwn then demanded Taliesin come to his court to prove wrong the claim that Taliesin was a better bard than the ones in his court. Taliesin responded with a challenge in which both he and the king's bards were to compose an epic in only twenty minutes. The royal bards failed at the task, but when it came time for Taliesin to recite his, he caused a massive wind to rattle the castle. Frightened, Maelgwn sent for Elphin. Taliesin's next song caused Elphin's chains to detach. Maelgwn challenged the pair to a horse race. Taleisin arrived the next day with an old, weak horse. As each of the king's horses passed him at the very start of the race, Taliesin touched its rump with a twig of [[holly]]. When they had all passed, he dropped his hat to the ground, and the king's horses turned back right before crossing the finish line, stopping at the holly twigs Taliesin had laid there, and began to dance. Taliesin's old horse strolled to the finish line and won the race.

He is character in [[Traci Harding]]'s Chosen series starting with [[The Ancient Future Trilogy]] where he is an immortal time traveler trying to help the human soul mind evolution advance.

===Commentary on the traditions===

===Music===

The tradition that Taliesin was the foster-son of Prince Elphin, later King of Ceredigion and that he was raised at his court in Aberdyfi is not historically substantiated but is deemed credible by historians. Likewise the tradition that he visited King Maelgwn is also deemed credible.

The Norwegian classical composer [[Martin Romberg]] wrote a concerto for alto saxophone and [[orchestra]] in eight parts after the tale named "The Tale of Taliesin". The concerto was premiered in 2009 by [[Akademische Orchestervereinigung Göttingen]], with the Norwegian saxophonist Ola Asdahl Rokkones as a soloist.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/Nachrichten/Kultur/Regional/Extravagantes-Programm-beim-Semesterkonzert|title= Göttingen, concert article from the world premiere of The Tale of Talisein|publisher= Goettinger Tageblatt.|access-date= 18 April 2018|archive-date= 18 April 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032254/http://www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/Nachrichten/Kultur/Regional/Extravagantes-Programm-beim-Semesterkonzert|url-status= dead}}</ref> The work has since been published at Éditions Billaudot, Paris<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Romberg-Martin-The-Tale-Of-Taliesin/2289548|title= The Tale of Taliesin, Éditions Billaudot distributed by Boosey and Hawkes|publisher= boosey.com}}</ref> and played by Mittelsächsische Philharmonie, The Saint-Petersburg Northern Synfonia Orchestra and Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic Orchestra, the two latter being conducted by Fabio Mastrangelo.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/RvGHiyiODGk Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130810123224/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvGHiyiODGk Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvGHiyiODGk|title= Live Recording from concert in Freiberg |date= 2 May 2012 |publisher= Youtube.com.}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.music-nn.ru/afisha/06042018/|title= Presentation of the Nizhny Novgorod programe 2018 |publisher= music-nn.ru }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://musichallspb.ru/en/orchestra|title= Presentation of The Saint-Petersburg Northern Synfonia Orchestra programe 2016 |publisher= musichallspb.ru}}</ref>

In modern music, [[Deep Purple]]'s second studio album was named ''[[The Book of Taliesyn]]'' in honour of the bard. A track on the album ''[[Softs (album)|Softs]]'' by Canterbury prog-rock band [[Soft Machine]] is titled "The Tale of Taliesin". [[Paul Roland]]’s 2006 album ''Re-Animator'' contains a song about the bard titled "Taliesin". There is a [[Dungeon synth]] band from Germany named Taliesin The Bard. The Song "Spiral Castle" by the american Epic Heavy Metal band [[Manilla Road]] uses Taliesin as the fictional narrator of the lyrics. The 2024 album by [[MGMT]], ''[[Loss of Life]]'' begins with a spoken word piece which is an excerpt from [[The Book of Taliesin]].

The "birth myth" of Ceridwen chasing Gwion through various forms seems nonsense to the literal mind, but can be interpeted as a metaphor for his spiritual journey to enlightenment.

== References ==

{{reflist}}

==Sources==

*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. 19972007. "Taliesin's'Legendary Questions"Poems ''Cambrianfrom Medievalthe CelticBook Studiesof Taliesin'' 33(CMCS, (SummerAberystwyth): 19-79.

*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): 7-387–38.

*Haycock, Marged. 1987-881987–88. "Llyfr Taliesin," ''National Library of Wales Journal'' 25: 357-86357–86.

*Haycock, Marged. 1983-19841983–84. "Preiddeu Annwn and the Figure of Taliesin" ''Studia Celtica''18/19: 52-7852–78.

*Koch, John T. and John Carey. 2003.''The Celtic Heroic Age'' 3rd ed. Celtic Studies Publishing: Malden, Mass.

*Koch, John T. "''De sancto Iudicaelo rege Historia'' and Its Implications for the Welsh Taliesin" in Nagy, Joseph Falaky and Jones, Leslie Ellen (eds.) 2005. ''Heroic Poets and Poetic Heroes in Celtic Tradition: A Festschrift for Patrick K. Ford'', Dublin, 247 - 262

*Williams, J. E. Carwyn. 1987. ''The Poems of Taliesin'' Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies: Dublin.

*Koch, John T. "Waiting for Gododdin: Thoughts on Taliesin and Iudic-Hael, Catreath, and unripe time in Celtic studies" in Woolf, Alex (ed.) 2013, ''Beyond the Gododdin: Dark Age Scotland in Medieval Wales'', St. Andrews, 177 - 204

*[[Ifor Williams|Williams, Ifor]]. 1960. ''Canu Taliesin''. Translated into English by J. E. Caerwyn Williams as ''The Poems of Taliesin'' Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies: Dublin. (first edition 1967, reprinted 1975, 1987)

*Williams, Ifor. 1944. ''Lectures on Early Welsh poetry''. Dublin: [[Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies|DIAS]]

*[https://books.google.com/books?id=gDILAAAAYAAJ English Writers: An Attempt Towards a History of English Literature], Henry Morley, William Hall Griffin, Published by Cassell & Company, limited, 1887

* {{cite book |last=McCarter |first=Robert |title=Frank Lloyd Wright |date=1997 |publisher=Phaidon Press |isbn=978-0-7148-3148-0 |publication-place=London}}

==External links==

{{wikiquote}}

{{DNB Poster|Taliesin}}

* [https://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/theme/taliesin Taliesin] at The Camelot Project

* [https://www.wisdomlib.org/celtic/book/taliesin/index.html ''Taliesin'': The Bards and Druids of Britain] by David William Nash, 1858

* [https://www.llgc.org.uk/en/discover/digital-gallery/manuscripts/the-middle-ages/book-of-taliesin/ The Book of Taliesin] at the [http://www.llgc.org.uk National Library of Wales] (gives access to colour images of Peniarth MS 2)

* [https://wordandsilence.com/2018/08/30/the-great-myths-43-sacred-language-the-story-of-gwion-bach-taliesin-welsh/ Complete text of Patrick Ford's 1977 translation of "The Tale of Taliesin" and "The Tale of Gwion Bach"]

*[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)

* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120719015908/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/texts/cronicl_wech_oesoedd/ystoria-taliesin.php Facsimile version of the Ystoria Taliesin]}} with {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120720134207/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/texts/cronicl_wech_oesoedd/ystoria-taliesin-eng.php modern English Translation]}} taken from Elis Gruffudd's ''Cronicl y Chwe Oesoedd'' (''Chronicle of the Six Ages'')

*{{Citation|last=Morris-Jones|first=John|author-link=John Morris-Jones|year=1918|editor-last=Evans|editor-first=E. Vincent|contribution=Taliesin|title=Y Cymmrodor|volume=XXVIII|publisher=Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion|publication-date=1918|publication-place=London|url=https://archive.org/stream/ycymmrodor28cymmuoft

}} — the entire volume is dedicated to attacking the late dating of Taliesin by John Gwenogvryn Evans. Evans made a similar book-length reply to his 1918 critic, in ''Y Cymmrodor'' 1924, Vol. XXXIV.

{{Hen ogledd}}

{{Celtic mythology (Welsh)}}

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[[Category:Taliesin| ]]

[[Category:530s births]]

[[Category:590s deaths]]

[[Category:6th-century Welsh poets]]

[[Category:Arthurian characters]]

[[Category:Welsh-language poets]]

[[Category:Welsh mythology]]

[[Category:Bards]]

[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]

[[Category:Year of death uncertain]]