According to Welsh tradition, Afaon fab Taliesin (also spelled as Addaon) was the son of the bard

Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early 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 ...

and a member of

King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...

's retinue. He appears both in the '' Welsh Triads'' and in the medieval Arthurian tale '' Breuddwyd Rhonabwy''.

Role in Welsh tradition

According to the ''Dream of Rhonabwy'', Afaon fought alongside Arthur at the

Battle of Badon The Battle of Badon /ˈbeɪdən/ also known as the Battle of Mons Badonicus ( la, obsessio isBadonici montis, "Blockade/Siege of the Badonic Hill"; ''Bellum in monte Badonis'', "Battle on Badon Hill"; ''Bellum Badonis'', "Battle of Badon"; Ol ...

as one of his chief counsellors. He recklessly rode past Arthur prior to the battle, splashing the king in his haste, and was rebuked by Elffin ap Gwyddno. Despite his recklessness, he was referred to by

Iddog ap Mynio Iddog ap Mynio, also known as Iddog Cordd Prydain is a character in the early Welsh tale ''The Dream of Rhonabwy''. He was the messenger at the Battle of Camlann and, in a bid to halt peace talks, twisted both Arthur's Arthur's was a London gen ...

as "the wisest and most accomplished in the kingdom". He is alluded to several times in the Welsh Triads. Triad 7 calls him one of the "Three Bull-Chieftains of the Island of Britain", together with two other sons of bards. Triad 25 names him one of the "Three Battle-Rulers of the Island of Britain". Triad 33 describes his death at the hands of Llawgat Trwm Bargod Eidyn (Heavy Battle-Hand of the Border of Eidyn) as one of the "Three Unfortunate Slaughters of the Island of Britain". An alternate version of this triad, 33 W., titled "Three Savage Men of the Island of Britain, who performed the Three Unfortunate (Ill-omened) Slaughters", renders the killer's name slightly differently as Llongad Grwm Fargod Eidyn (Llongad the Bent of the Border of Eidyn). Afaon is further mentioned in the late twelfth century ''Enlyngion y Clyweit'', a collection of proverbial

englyn (; plural ) is a traditional Welsh and Cornish short poem form. It uses quantitative metres, involving the counting of syllables, and rigid patterns of rhyme and half rhyme. Each line contains a repeating pattern of consonants and accent know ...

s attributed to various historical and mythological heroes. The text claims that he once sang the proverb "The cheek will not conceal the anguish of the heart".''Englynion y Clyweit''

References

Sources

* Welsh mythology Arthurian characters {{fantasy-char-stub