Hi Mike,
You wrote:
Does anyone know where I can find the TRIADS or BRUTS as described
below?
I passed your query on to my daughter, who is something of an expert
on ancient British history in her spare time. Here is her reply:
Do you know anything about these TRIADS or BRUTS?
Well, a little. I can lend you a translation of the Bruts: it's
shorthand for Wace's Roman de Brut and Layamon's Brut, and I've got
them in a single volume. The "Brut" in question is Brutus, the founder
of the British race - which may give you some idea of the historical
accuracy of the whole thing. Wace based his story on Geoffrey of
Monmouth. Layamon based his on Wace. Then Malory got hold of it, and
didn't need to change much. Wace wrote in about 1150, Layamon in
1190-ish. "Much romantic detail" is about right.
The Triads are more difficult. The Welsh triads were "mnemonic lists
of tales for the most part no longer extant". A source list in the
back of one of my books gives: "Triads: Rachel Bromwich (ed.), Trioedd
Ynys Prydein: the Welsh Triads (Cardiff, 1961)". Britannica mentions
the same book, but a second edition in 1978. You might find something
in Heffers or Foyles, but the Triads are obscure even when translated.
Also, as I understand it they weren't written down until about the
sixth century, so their accuracy on the affairs of Caesar is doubtful
in the extreme. Jane Williams
jane(a)williams.nildram.co.uk
http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~janewill/index.shtml
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Best wishes,
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Jim Fisher
jim(a)jimella.co.uk
http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~jimella/home.htm