by Matt Clayton
Bedwyr (BED-weer):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Branwen (BRAN-wen):
Main character in the second branch of the Mabinogion; sister of Manawydan
Cantref (KAHN-trev):
Welsh word for county
Celli Weg (KEL-thee WEGG):
Place in Cornwall mentioned in the Mabinogion
Celyddon (kell-ITH-on):
Grandfather of Culhwch; father of Cilydd
Ceredigion (KAIR-eh-DIG-ee-ahn):
Region of western Wales along the central coast
Cilydd (KILL-ith):
Father of Culhwch
Clud (CLID):
Father of Gwawl
Culhwch (KILL-hooch):
Welsh hero, possibly an analogue to the pig-god Moccus
Custennin (kiss-TEN-nin):
Shepherd and father of Goreu
Cwm Cerwyn (KOOM KAIR-win):
Place in Wales mentioned in the Mabinogion
Cyledyr Wyllt (kill-EH-deer WITHLT):
One of the knights of King Arthru
Cynddelig Cyfarwydd (kin-THEH-lig kih-VAHR-with):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Doged (DOH-ged):
King who is slain and whose wife is taken to be wife to Cilydd after the death of Goleuddydd
Drych Ail Cybdar (DRICH AIL KIB-dahr):
One of the three fastest men in King Arthur’s realm
Dyfed (DUH-ved):
Place name in the Mabinogion
Esgair Oerfel (ESS-geyer OHR-vell):
Place in Ireland mentioned in the Mabinogion
Glyn Ystun (GLINN ISS-tin):
Place in Wales mentioned in the Mabinogion
Goleuddydd (go-LAI-thith):
Mother of Culhwch
Goreu (GOHR-ai):
Son of Custennin
Gorsedd Arberth (GOAR-seth AHR-bairth):
Welsh place name; hill near the court of Pwyll
Grugyn Gwrych Eraint (GRIG-in GOOR-ich AIR-eyent)
One of the sons of the boar Twrch Trwyth
Gwalchmai mab Gwyar (GWAHLCH-meye mahb GOO-yahr):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Gwawl (GOO-owl):
Rival of Pwyll for the hand of Rhiannon
Gwent Is Coed (GWENT iss COYD):
Place name in the Mabinogion; seat of the nobleman Teyrnon Twrf Liant
Gwri Wallt Euryn (GOO-ree WALTHT AI-rin):
Childhood name of Pryderi, son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, and foster-son of Teyrnon
Gwyn (GWIN):
Character in the story of Culhwch and Olwen
Gwyrhyr Gwstad Ieithoedd (GOOR-heer GOO-stahd ee-YAI-thoyth):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Hafgan (HAHV-gahn):
Rival of Arawn for lands in Annwfn
Hafren (HAHV-ren):
River in Wales
Hyfaidd Hen (HUH-veth HEN):
“Old Hyfaidd”; Father of Rhiannon
Kai (KEYE):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Llyr (THLEER):
Father of Branwen and Manawydan; Welsh analogue of the Irish Lir
Mabinogion (mah-bi-NOH-gyon):
Collection of Welsh myths and legends
Mabon (MAH-bohn):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Manawydan (mah-NAH-wih-dan):
Main character in the third branch of the Mabinogion; brother of Branwen
Math (MAHTH):
Main character in the fourth branch of the Mabinogion
Mathonwy (MAHTH-on-wee):
Father of Math
Menw (MEN-oo):
One of the knights of King Arthur
Modron (MOH-drohn):
Father of Mabon
Nudd (NITH):
Father of Gwyn
Olwen (OHL-wen):
Bride of Culhwch and daughter of Ysbaddaden Pencawr
Porth Clais (POHRTH KLEYESS):
Place in Wales mentioned in the Mabinogion
Pryderi (prih-DAIR-ee):
Son of Pwyll and Rhiannon
Prydwen (PRID-wen):
The name of King Arthur’s ship
Pwyll (POO-ilth):
Lord of Dyfed; friend of Arawn, husband of Rhiannon, father of Pryderi
Teirgwaedd (TAIR-gweyeth):
Father of Menw
Teyrnon Twrf Liant (TAI-eer-non TOORV LEE-ahnt):
Nobleman who takes in the foundling son of Pwyll and Rhiannon
Twrch Trwyth (TOORCH TROO-with):
A king who was changed into a giant boar
Ysbaddaden Pencawr (ISS-bah-THAH-den pen-KOWR):
Chief of the giants and father of Olwen
Ystrad Tywi (UH-strahd TUH-wee):
One of the cantrefs mentioned in the Mabinogion
Ystrad Yw (uh-STRAHD EE-oo):
Place in Wales mentioned in the Mabinogion
Other Names and Words
Pronunciation of personal names from “The Drowned City of Ys” and “The Romance of Tristan and Iseult” are mostly given according to Old French standards, except for “Tintagel,” which has a Modern English pronunciation, and “Menez-Hom,” which is Breton.
The pronunciation guide is the same as the one given above, with the exception of the front-rounded u, which does not exist in Irish or English.
ü = front-rounded u as in Modern French cru
Andret (AHN-dret):
One of the four evil nobles of Cornwall
Baie de Douarnenez (BAI de DOO-ahr-neh-NEHZ):
Bay along the Brittany coast
Baie de Trepasses (BAI de tre-PASS-eh):
Bay along the Brittany coast
Blanchefleur (blahnsh-FLOOR):
Mother of Tristan; wife of Rivalen; sister of Mark
Brangien (BRAN-zhee-en):
Iseult’s maid
Corentin (KOH-ren-tin):
Hermit who aids Gradlon; later Bishop of Cornouaille
Cornouaille (kor-noo-AY):
Region of Brittany
Dahut (dah-HÜT):
Daughter of King Gradlon of Cornouaille
Denoalen (deh-NOH-ah-len):
One of the four evil nobles of Cornwall
Dinas (DEE-nass):
Seneschal of Cornwall and friend of Tristan
Epona (eh-POH-nah):
Celtic horse goddess
Gondoit (GON-doh-eet):
One of the four evil nobles of Cornwall
Gorvenal (GOHR-ve-nahl):
Squire to Tristan
Gradlon (GRAHD-lon):
King of Cornouaille
Guenelon (GWEN-eh-lon):
One of the four evil nobles of Cornwall
Guenole (gwen-oh-LAI):
Abbot of the monastery of Landevennec
Hoel (HOH-el):
Duke of Brittany; father of Iseult of Brittany and Kaherdin; father-in-law of Tristan
Iseult (ee-SOOLT):
1. Wife of King Mark of Cornwall; lover of Tristan
2. Daughter of Hoel and wife of Tristan
Kaherdin (KAH-her-din):
Son of Hoel and companion of Tristan
Kariado (kah-ree-AH-do):
Nobleman who woos Iseult of Cornwall
Korrigan (KOHR-rih-gan):
An Otherworldly creature in Breton myth
Landevennec (lahn-de-VEN-nek):
Monastery in Brittany
Lyonesse (lee-oh-NESS):
Country in France in Arthurian legend
Mark (MAHRK):
King of Cornwall
Menez-Hom (MEH-nez HOHM):
Forest in Brittany
Moccus (MOK-kuss):
Celtic pig god
Morgan (MOHR-gan):
Breton duke who threatens the realm of Lyonesse and kills Rivalen
Morholt (MOHR-hohlt):
Irish knight killed in single combat by Tristan; uncle of Iseult
Perinis (PEHR-in-ees):
Iseult’s squire
Quimper (KEEM-pehr):
City in Brittany
Rivalen (REE-vah-len):
King of Lyonesse; father of Tristan; husband of Blanchefleur
Rohalt (ro-HAHLT):
Marshal of Lyonesse; foster-father of Tristan
Roman (roh-MAHN):
Old French word for a narrative verse poem, often having to do with courtly love
Tintagel (tin-TAI-jel):
Castle on the coast of Cornwall; seat of King Mark
Tristan (TRISS-tan):
Knight who serves King Mark of Cornwall; lover of Iseult
Check out more mythology books by Matt Clayton
Click here to check out this book.
Click here to check out this book!
Click here to check out this book!
Click here to see all mythology books by Matt Clayton
Free Bonus from Captivating History: History Ebook
Hi History Lovers!
My name is Matt Clayton, and I’m the creator of Captivating History. First off, I want to THANK YOU for reading our books in the Captivating History series. As an avid reader of History myself, I aim to produce books that will hold you captive.
Now you have a chance to join our exclusive history list so you can get the ebook below for free as well as discounts and a potential to get more history books for free! Simply click the link below to join.
P.S. If you join now, you will also receive a free Mythology book. Remember that it’s 100% free to join the list.
Click here to access your bonus
Also, make sure to follow us on:
Twitter: @Captivhistory
Facebook: Captivating History: @captivatinghistory
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Augusta, Lady Gregory. Cuchulain of Muirthemne: The Story of the Men of the Red Branch of Ulster. London: J. Murray, 1902.
Bedier, Joseph. The Romance of Tristan and Iseult. Trans. Hilaire Belloc. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1917.
Cross, Tom Peete and Clark Harris Slover, eds. Ancient Irish Tales. Totowa: Barnes & Noble Books, 1936.
Davies, Sioned, trans. The Mabinogion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Delaney, Frank. Legends of the Celts. New York: Sterling Publishing, Inc., 1991.
Eddy, Steve and Claire Hamilton. Celtic Myths. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 2001.
Ford, Patrick, trans and ed. The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1977.
Guest, Lady Charlotte. The Mabinogion: From the Welsh of the Llyfr coch o Hergest (The Red Book of Hergest) in the Library of Jesus College, Oxford. London: Quaritch, 1877.
Hodges, Margaret. The Other World: Myths of the Celts. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973.
Kinsella, Thomas, trans. The Tain: Translated from the Irish Epic Tain Bo Cuailnge. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1969.
Macalister, R. A. Stewart. Lebor gabala Erenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland. Vols. 2-5. Dublin: Irish Texts Society, 1939-1941, 1956.
Mac Cana, Proinsias. Celtic Mythology. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, Ltd., 1970.
Markale, Jean. The Epics of Celtic Ireland: Ancient Tales of Mystery and Magic. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2000.
O'Connor, Ulick. Irish Tales and Sagas. Dublin: Town House and Country House, 1996.
Price, Bill. Celtic Myths. Harpenden: Pocket Essentials, 2008.
Rolleston, Thomas William. Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race. London: Harrap, 1911.
Squire, Charles. The Mythology of Ancient Britain and Ireland. London: A. Constable, 1906.
Zaczek, Iain. Chronicles of the Celts. New York: Sterling Publishing, Inc., 1997.