Taliesin: tawl-YES-een
Taliesin, Talyesin, Talyessin, Taliessin, Thelgesinus
from Tâlyessin:
tâl: brow
yessin: shining
1. A Celtic god of poetry and rebirth, said to have once been Gwion Bach, servant of Cerridwen, until he receieved the three drops of Awen. Then he became a shape-shifter, was pursued and swallowed by Cerridwen, who gave birth to him and set him to sea. He is then found by Elphin, and performs feats of bardic prowess while a child, at one point identified with Merlin (see Hanes Taliesin). He is said to have been at the Battle of Ireland where Bran was killed. (See Branwen uerch Llyr)
2. A 6th century bard, possibly from Powes in Wales, but later migrated to Rheged where he became the court bard to Urien of Rheged and friend of Owain (the Arthurian Yvain). He is said to have been at the battle of Catterick (The Gododdin), and comforted Merlin/Myrddin at the Battle of Arthuret. His son is said to be variously named Aeddon, Adaon, or Afaon.
3. An anonymous scribe who composed poems in the 9th century and took on the persona of both 1 and 2. From him come the majority of the poems in The Book of Taliesin, dating to the thirteenth century.
4. Chief Bard of Prydain and leader of the bardic college in The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander. He is the one who gave Fflewddur Fflam the truthful harp, and it was his son Adaon who was killed in The Black Cauldron (book, not film).
5. Bard of Gwyddno Garanhir in The Silver on the Tree, by Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising series). Also called Gwion, he helps Will Stanton and Bran Davies gain the sword Eirias and end the enchantment on Gwyddno.