Pennod 9 – Wyt ti’n cofio Macsen?

Do you remember Maxen?

In this episode we discuss the tale which informs the first verse of Dafydd Iwan’s popular song, ‘Yma o Hyd’ – the Dream of Maxen Wledig. Like that modern song, this medieval story offers a view of ancient history which is extremely significant in terms of Welsh identity. On one level, this is a love story, and the marriage between the emperor of Rome, Maxen, and a Welsh princess, Elen, brings together the political forces which they represent.

Rather than seeing them as oppressive foreign invaders, this tale takes pride in the connection with the Romans, portraying the marriage as a way of developing the Welsh/British kingdom. It also contains a surprisingly violent explanation for the linguistic link between the Welsh language and Breton.