Gododdin : The Earliest British Literature published by Gomer Press is Professor Gwyn Thomass classic translation of the odes, or awdlau as they are known in Welsh, that commemorate the encounter of 300 Britons with a vast army of Angles at Catraeth. This conflict, which occurred towards the end of the sixth century, ended in the defeat of the Britons. But this was a glorious and heroic defeat and the poems include a series of elegies to the brave Britons who died fighting an army of thousands.
As well as being the title for these collection of poems attributed to Aneirin, Gododdin also refers to both the kingdom in Yr Hen Ogledd, the Old North (southern Scotland and northern England) and the tribe of British people living there.

Gwyn Thomass rhythmic rendition conveys the raw emotional power of the original Primitive Welsh text and along with his enlightening and authoritative Introduction, the author and poet offers a memorable perspective on this resonant poetry of European significance. There is much debate between scholars as to when exactly Gododdin was composed but it could be argued that some of these odes are the oldest British literature of all.

A former National Poet of Wales and Emeritus Professor of Welsh at Bangor University, Professor Gwyn Thomas is a prolific author and poet. He has published 19 volumes of poetry, several volumes of work as a literary and cultural critic and commentator as well as volumes of adaptations and translations of medieval Welsh tales.

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