The National Music of Wales ... continued xxxxxxxxxxxxxxpage 6
John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia). From Y Cymmrodor, 1878

It may be a circumstance worthy of remark that Abaris was a name peculiar to Arabian kings in ancient times, as much so as Ptolemy was to Egyptian monarchs.

In the fourth century, Ammianus Marcellinus relates that the British bards celebrated the brave actions of illustrious men in heroic poems, which they sang to the sweet sound of the harp.

In this respect they resembled the Grecians, as is shown by Homer, in the 9th book of the Iliad (v. 245). In the embassy sent by Agamemnon to Achilles, during his retirement, after he had quitted the Grecian camp, he gives the following description:

"Amus'd at ease, the God-like man they found,
Pleas'd with the solemn harp's harmonious sound;
(The well-wrought harp from conquer'd Thebæ came,
Of polish'd silver was its costly frame);
With this he soothes his angry soul, and sings
Th' immortal deeds of heroes and of kings."

The most remarkable feature of all, in comparing the manners and customs of the ancient Greeks with those of the ancient Britons, is to be found in the singular similarity between the Olympic games and the Eisteddfodau, which have been periodically held in Wales from time immemorial, and continued up to the present. It is true that athletic games are no longer included in the programme of the Eisteddfod - in addition to music and poetry - as was the case in the Olympic games; neither have we any instance of a challenge of skill between two musicians, and its being mutually agreed that he who was defeated should be tied to a tree and flayed alive by the conqueror, as was the case between Marsyas and Apollo; but the particular trials of strength mentioned in the Grecian contests, such as running, leaping, wrestling, boxing, and throwing the quoit, are all included in the four-and-twenty games of the Welsh; and in all probability, they were encouraged at the Eisteddfodau in former times, and until the more civilising influence of music and poetry caused them to be discontinued.

back 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 next