Historia Brittonum IX: Guorthigirn II

Mommsen’s chapters

The six ages of the world

§1: creation to David
§2: David to the Babylonian exile
§3: the Babylonian exile to the Passion
§4: since the Passion
§5: the first three ages
§6: the last three ages

Origins of the Britons

§7: description of Britain
§8: the three offshore islands
§9: the rivers of Britain
§10: the first inhabitants of Britain
§11: Aeneas and the Latin kings
§12: the Picts

Origins of the Irish

§13: Partholomus, the Spanish soldier
§14: the League of Eight
§15: the Scythians and Dal Riada

A computation

§16: the present year

Another origin tale

§17: the European descendants of Adam
§18: the peoples of Europe

Roman Britain

§19: Julius Caesar
§20: Caesar conquers Britain
§21: Claudius
§22: King Lucius is baptised
§23: Severus builds the Wall
§24: the usurper Caritius
§25: Constantius II
§26: Maximus
§27: Maximianus, Severus II and Constantius I
§28: Roman rule
§29: Maximianus, continued
§30: the Roman defeats by the Britons

The Saxons part 1

§31: Hengist and Horsa arrive

Saint Germanus part 1

§32: the arrival of Saint Germanus
§33: his first miracle
§34: Benlli’s citadel destroyed
§35: the origin of Powys

The Saxons part 2

§36: the Britons cannot feed the Saxons
§37: Guorthigirn marries Hengist’ daughter
§38: Hengist invites more Saxons

Saint Germanus part 2

§39: Guorthigirn cursed
§40: Gourthigirn consults his wizards
§41: the boy without a father
§42: the red and white serpents

The Saxons part 3

§43: the war against Hengist
§44: Guorthemir’s death
§45: the Saxons return
§46: the Night of the Long Knives

Saint Germanus part 3

§47: St Germanus destroys Guorthigirn
§48: another story of Guorthigirn’s death

Genealogy of Builth

§49: the descent of the kings of Builth from Guorthigirn
§50: Saint Germanus goes home

A Life of St Patrick

§50: escape from captivity
§51: the mission to Ireland
§52: the baptism of the Irish
§53: a calculation
§54: St Patrick’s many deeds
§55: comparing Patrick with Moses

Arthuriana

§56: Arthur’s twelve battles

Saxon genealogies

§57: the Bernician kings
§58: the Kentish kings
§59: the East Anglian kings
§60: the Mercian kings
§61: the Deiran and Northumbrian kings
§62: the Men of the North
§63: early Northumbrian history
§64: Oswald and Oswiu
§65: Oswiu and Ecgfrith

A computation

§66: the date of Guorthigirn

28 cities of Britain

§66a: a list of cities

Wonders of Britain

§67: Loch Lomond, the Trent Bore and Bath
§68: salt springs and the Severn Bore
§69: Aber Llyn Llifan
§70: Ffynnon Gwr Helig, a tree at the mouth of the Wye and a blow-hole in Gwent
§71: the altar of Llwynarth
§72: a spring in Gwent
§73: Carn Cafall and Gamber Head
§74: a burial mound in Ceredigion

Wonders of Anglesey

§75: four wonders
§76: the pond of Llwchlein

factum est autem postquam metati sunt saxones in supra dicta insula tanet, promisit rex supra dictus dari illis uictum et uestimentum absque defectione; et placuit illis, et ipsi promiserunt expugnare inimicos eius fortiter. at illi barbari cum multiplicati essent numero, non potuerunt brittones cibare illos. cum postularent cibum et uestimentum, sicut promissum erat illis, dixerunt brittones: non possumus dare uobis cibum et uestimentum, quia numerus uester multiplicatus est, sed recedite a nobis, quia auxilio uestro non indigemus. et ipsi consilium fecerunt cum maioribus suis, ut pacem disrumperent. hencgistus autem, cum esset uir doctus atque astutus et callidus, cum explorasset super regem inertem et super gentem illius, quae sine armis utebatur, inito consilio dixit ad regem brittannicum: pauci sumus; si uis, mittemus ad patriam nostram et inuitemus milites de militibus regionis nostrae, ut amplior sit numerus ad certandum pro te et pro gente tua. et ille imperauit ut facerent, et miserunt, et laegati transfretauerunt trans tithicam uallem, et reuersi sunt cum ciulis sedecim, et milites electi uenerunt in illis, et in una ciula ex eis uenit puella pulchra facie atque decorosa ualde, filia hencgisti. postquam autem uenissent ciulae, fecit hencgistus conuiuium guorthigirno et militibus suis et interpreti suo, qui uocatur ceretic et puellam iussit ministrare illis uinum et siceram et inebriati sunt et saturati sunt nimis. illis autem bibentibus intrauit satanas in corde guorthigirni, ut amaret puellam, et postulauit eam a patre suo per interpretem suum et dixit: omne quod postulas a me impetrabis, licet dimidium regni mei. et hencgistus, inito consilium cum suis senioribus, qui uenerunt secum de insula oghgul, quid peterent regi pro puella, unum consilium cum illis omnibus fuit, ut peterent regionem, quae in lingua eorum uocatur canturguoralen, in nostra autem chent. et dedit illis guoyrancgono regnante in cantia et inscius erat, quia regnum ipsius tradebatur paganis et ipse solus in potestatem illorum clam dari, et sic data est puella illi in coniugium et dormiuit cum ea et amauit eam ualde. et dixit hencgistus ad guorthigirnum: ego sum pater tuus et consiliator tui, et noli praeterire consilium umquam, quia non timebis te superari ab ullo homine neque ab ulla gente, quia gens mea ualida est. inuitabo filium meum cum fratueli suo, bellatores enim uiri sunt, ut dimicent contra scottos, et da illis regiones, quae sunt in aquilone iutxta murum, qui uocatur guaul. et iussit ut inuitaret eos et inuitauit: octha et ebissa cum quadraginta ciulis. at ipsi cum nauigarent circa pictos, uastauerunt orcades insulas et uenerunt et occupauerunt regiones plurimas ultra mare frenessicum usque ad confinum pictorum. et hencgistus semper ciulas ad se paulatim inuitauit, ita ut insulas ad quas uenerant absque habitatore relinquerent, et dum gens illius creuisset et in uirtute et in multitudine, uenerunt ad supra dictam ciuitatem cantorum.