The Triumphs of Owen. A Fragment

from Mr. Evans's Specimens of the Welch Poetry; London, 1764, Quarto.

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Owen succeeded his father Griffin in the principality of North-Wales, A. D. 1120. This battle was fought near forty years afterwards.

1 Owen's praise demands my song,
2 Owen swift, and Owen strong;
3 Fairest flower of Roderic's stem,
4 Gwyneth's
[*] [Gwyneth, Gwynned or Gwynedd] North-Wales.
shield and Britain's gem.
5 He nor heaps his brooded stores,
6 Nor on all profusely pours;
7 Lord of every regal art,
8 Liberal hand and open heart.
9 Big with hosts of mighty name,
10 Squadrons three against him came;
11 This the force of Eirin hiding;
12 Side by side as proudly riding,
13 On her shadow long and gay
14 Lochlin
[*] [Lochlin] Denmark.
ploughs the watery way;
15 There the Norman sails afar
16 Catch the winds and join the war:
17 Black and huge along they sweep,
18 Burthens of the angry deep.
19 Dauntless on his native sands
20 The Dragon-son
[*] [The Dragon-son] The red Dragon is the device of Cadwallader, which all his descendents bore on their banners.
of Mona stands;
21 In glittering arms and glory dressed,
22 High he rears his ruby crest.
23 There the thundering strokes begin,
24 There the press and there the din;
25 Talymalfra's rocky shore
26 Echoing to the battle's roar.
27 Where his glowing eye-balls turn,
28 Thousand banners round him burn.
29 Where he points his purple spear,
30 Hasty, hasty Rout is there,
31 Marking with indignant eye
32 Fear to stop and shame to fly.
33 There Confusion, Terror's child,
34 Conflict fierce and Ruin wild,
35 Agony that pants for breath,
36 Despair and honourable Death.

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About this text

Title (in Source Edition): The Triumphs of Owen. A Fragment from Mr. Evans's Specimens of the Welch Poetry; London, 1764, Quarto.
Author: Thomas Gray
Themes: characters
Genres: ode; Ossianic verse; fragment

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Source edition

Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771. Thomas Gray: English poems. Web. Oxford: Thomas Gray Archive, 2002. http://www.thomasgray.org/texts/poems.shtml

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