The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Evnissyen
The opening of Branwen’s tale contrasts Evnissyen’s tendency to cause strife with Nissyen’s peacemaking. That division anticipates the disruption of the marriage alliance. During the battle, Evnissyen enters the cauldron himself and breaks it into four pieces, at the cost of his own life. His intervention ends the revival of the opposing warriors.
Also known as Efnisien
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryThe opening of Branwen’s tale contrasts Evnissyen’s tendency to cause strife with Nissyen’s peacemaking. That division anticipates the disruption of the marriage alliance.
Further detail
LiteraryDuring the battle, Evnissyen enters the cauldron himself and breaks it into four pieces, at the cost of his own life. His intervention ends the revival of the opposing warriors.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the narrative in Charlotte Guest’s 1877 collection, including its particular spellings and arrangement of tales. Characters, enchantments and explanations of place names are presented as features of these stories; the translation alone does not establish their historical reality or a single original religious meaning.
Original passages
Source 1
The Mabinogion
was Nissyen ; but the other would cause strife between his two brothers when they were most at peace. And as they sat thus, they beheld thirteenOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 394
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0394
- Original scan leaf
- 395
- Recorded leaf number
- 395
- Current Reader position
- 386
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
that he rent the cauldron into four pieces, and burst his own heart also. In consequence of that the men of the Island of the MightyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 406
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0406
- Original scan leaf
- 407
- Recorded leaf number
- 407
- Current Reader position
- 398
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Bendigeid Vran
The giant king who becomes a bridge for his army and leaves a protective head behind.
Shared source pageThe Cauldron of Renovation
The vessel that returns slain warriors to life while withholding their speech.
Shared source pageThe Head of Bendigeid Vran
The severed head that accompanies the survivors’ feasts before its protective burial.
Same subject and traditionArianrod
The mother who places conditions on Llew’s name, arms and marriage.