‘Preideu Annwfyn’ has long been one of my favourite pieces of poetry that refers to Arthur in the medieval Welsh tradition. I studied it back when I was in my undergraduate and Masters degrees, and I enjoy its almost loneliness in the literature. Supernatural themes are not exactly uncommon (as anyone who has read any section of The Mabinogion will know, especially Breuddwyd Rhonabwy!), but the doom faced by Arthur’s men when they enter Annwn, or Annwfyn, the poet’s lament at their demise, and the obscurity of many of the references make it a unique piece of art. I don’t claim to be an artist, but I hope that I’ve managed to capture the vibes of Annwn. It is often described as a peaceful and joyous place, but I doubt that any of the men who died in this poem would agree. The spoils of the poem, like the supernatural cauldron (a common motif in many pieces of medieval Welsh prose and verse), aren’t shown because ultimately it was never the spoils which brought about the ruin of Arthur’s men, but instead their inability to break Annwn with the strength, often supernaturally provided, they possess in their own world.
