Magnus Maximus/ Welsh rugby

[Caballo]

I watched the emotional scenes as the Llanelli Scarlets left their old ground http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7690328.stm
and wanted to look up the words of the song by Dafydd Iwan that they sang at the end.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hBvVUWz5zz4

It is called Yma o Hyd- its a real Welsh Nationalist/ Plaid Cymru anthem- and it turns out it is all about Magnus Maximus (Macsen in Welsh) - hell, they even get the dates right! The Late Romans may have found a song....

Here Still

You don't remember Macsen, who was he? You don't know
One thousand and six hundred years is far, far too long ago.
When Magnus Maximus left Wales three eighty three was the year
He left us as a nation, and today – we are still here!

We're still here today! We're still here today
Despite everything and everyone (x3)
We're still here today.


Let the wind blow from the East, let the storm from the sea roar
Let the sky split with lightning, let thunderbolts shout encore.
Let the faint-hearted keep wailing, let the serfs grovel and fawn
In spite of the darkness around us, we're ready to greet a new dawn.



Remember that old Prince Macsen, left our country as one
Let's shout out to all the nations 'We'll be here until Kingdom come!'
Despite all the collaborators, despite Tony's gang, we're alive
We'll be here for ever and ever, and the Welsh language will survive!

And now for the for the really ambitious, the Welsh version....

YMA O HYD

Dwyt ti'm yn cofio Macsen, does neb yn ei nabod o
Mae mil a chwe chant o flynyddoedd yn amser rhy hir i'r co'
Aeth Magnus Maximus o Gymru yn y flwyddyn tri chant wyth tri
A'n gadael yn genedl gyfan, a heddiw - wele ni!

Chorus:
Ryn ni yma o hyd! Ryn ni yma o hyd!
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth (x3)
Ryn ni yma o hyd!


Chwythed y gwynt o'r dwyrain, rhued y storm o'r môr
Hollted y mellt yr wybren a gwaedded y daran encôr
Llifed dagrau'r gwangalon a llyfed y taeog y llawr
Er dued y fagddu o'n cwmpas, ry'n ni'n barod am doriad y wawr!

Chorus:
Ryn ni yma o hyd! Ryn ni yma o hyd!
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth (x3)
Ryn ni yma o hyd!


Cofiwn i Facsen Wledig adael ein gwlad yn un darn
A bloeddiwn gerbron y gwledydd 'Byddwn yma hyd Ddydd y Farn!'
Er gwaetha pob Dic Siôn Dafydd, er gwaetha 'rhen Tony a'i griw
Byddwn yma hyd ddiwedd amser, a bydd yr iaith Gymraeg yn fyw!

Chorus:
Ryn ni yma o hyd! Ryn ni yma o hyd!
Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth (x3)
Ryn ni yma o hyd!