Celtic Gods: The Cymric Hero, Gwyddar ap Rhun ap Beli (Lover of Knowledge son of Rhun, son of Beli)

Gwyddar ap Rhun ap Beli
A Cymric Hero: Lover of Knowledge son of Rhun, son of Beli

Gwyddar ap Rhun ap Beli is a Cymric (Welsh) hero known from the Welsh Triads where he is named as one of the three chief officers of the Island of Britain. He may well be a remnant of the old Celtic gods, being a child of Beli Mawr and Dôn and his name sugests he may have been a god of knowledge.



Synonyms:
Cym: Lover of Knowledge son of Rhun, son of Beli

Gwyddar ap Rhun ap Beli is known from a single poem contained within the Trioedd Ynys Prydain. Triad 13 (the Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch Version) describes him as one of the three chief officers of the Island of Britain. Nothing is known of him save his patronymic, though if the Beli referred to here in Beli Mawr then this makes Rhun a son of Beli and Dôn as well as making Gwyddar a nephew of the childrem of Dôn as well as a cyfyrdar (second cousin) of Bendigeidfran and Branwen by virtue of his aunt, Penarddun's marriage to Llŷr.

Gwyddar's name is derived from the Cymric roots gwŷdd (knowledge) and cêr (to love) (cf his uncle, Gwydion) so that his name can be interpreted as 'Lover of Knowledge'. If the assertion of Rhun's parentage is correct, then this would rank him amongst the Plant Dôn, the Elder Cymric deities and would make him a god of larning and knowledge.



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