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Bedwyr
A Cymric Arthurian Hero, also knwn as Beduir and Bedivere: Perfect
This Arthurian Hero is known from a number of Welsh sources, including: the poem, em>Pa gur yw y porthawr, the Mabinogi of Culhwch ac Olwen and the Stanzas of the Graves. In all these he is represented as Cei's compatriot and one of Arthur's chief companions. His name means 'perfection', a meaning that presages Bedivere's role in later Arthurian romances. |
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Cym: Perfect
In the Cymric Arthurian romances Bedwyr appears as Cei's constant companion. Thus references to him occur in both the poem Pa gur yw y porthawr found in Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin and in the Mabinogi of Culhwch ac Olwen. He also appears in the Englynion y Beddau (Englynion of the Graves). Bedwyr, along with Cei, is one of Arthur's cheif companions and is depitcted as a heroic figure, second only to Cai himself.
In the the poem Pa gur yw y porthawr, though it is mostly about the exploits of Cei, Bedwyr does figure where two exploits are related: “On the shores of Tryfrwyd they felly by the hundred before Bedwyr bedrydant (perfect-sinew?); fighting with Garwlwyd (Harsh-grey who seems to have been a werewlf) furious was his nature with sword and shield”. Later in the same poem we get: “he was a steady leader of an army, for the benefit of his country.
Further attributes of Bedwyr are seen in Culhwch ac Olwen: “Arthur called upon Bedwyr, who never shrank from an enterprise upon which Cei was bound. It was thus with Bedwyr, that none was so swift as he in this Island, save Arthur and Drych son of Cibdar, and this too: that though he was one-handed no three warriors drew blood in the same field faster than he. Another strange quality was his: one thrust would there be of his spear, and nine counter-thrusts”. Thus it would seem that Bedwyr, like Nudd was one-handed and as a great warrior he wielded a magic spear. His cyneddf (magical peculiaritiy) was that of great speed, where none could catch him.
In Culhwch ac Olwen Bedwyr's father is given as Bedrawc a form which, according to Rachel Bromwich in Trioedd Ynys Prydain may actually be Pedrawg or Pedrawd a compound of petr[y] (four-square) which also has the connotation of 'perfection'. Thus Bedwyd fab Pedrawd means 'Perfect son of Perfection' and corresponds with other forename/patronymic pairings seen in Culhwch ac Olwen. Here also Bedwyr's son and daughter are named as: Amren (or Amgen) and Eneuawg. In the Englynion y Beddau gives the site of Bedwyr's grave as 'Mount Tryfan'. The Gogynfeirdd also mention a folkloric tale that Cei's heart was broken upon Bedwyr's hinting at a lost legend to do with Bedwyr's demise.
If you would like to try the foods of the time of the ancient Celts, then why not have a look at the ancient recipes section of this site. For the foods of the time when some of these tales were written down, take a look at the Medieval recipes section of the site and, in particular, the recipes from The Forme of Cury.
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