Editing Uther Pendragon (section)

==Early Welsh poetry==
Though the Welsh tradition of the Arthurian legend is fragmentary, some material exists through the [[Welsh Triads]] and various poems. Uther appears in these fragments, where he is associated with Arthur and, in some cases, even appears as his father.

He is mentioned in the circa-10th-century Arthurian poem "[[Pa gur]] yv y porthaur?" ("What man is the gatekeeper?"), where it is only said of him that [[Mabon ap Modron|Mabon son of Modron]] is his servant. He is also memorialised with "The Death-song of Uther Pen" from the ''[[Book of Taliesin]]''.<ref>[http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/t48.html "The death-song of Uther Pendragon"].</ref> The latter includes a reference to Arthur, so the marginal addition of "dragon" to Uther's name is probably justified. "The Colloquy of Arthur and the Eagle", a modern manuscript from the 16th century but believed to have originated from the 13th century, mentions another son of Uther named Madoc, the father of Arthur's nephew [[Eliwlod]].<ref name="Bromwich512"/>

In Triad 28, Uthyr is named the creator of one of the Three Great Enchantments of the Island of Britain, which he taught to the wizard [[Menw]].<ref>[http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/triads1.html The Hergest Triads].</ref> Since Menw is a shapeshifter according to ''[[Culhwch and Olwen]]'', it might be that Uther was one as well. If this is so, it opens up the possibility that Geoffrey of Monmouth's narrative about Uther impregnating Igerna with [[Merlin]]'s help (see below) was taken from a Welsh legend where Uthyr changed his own shape, Merlin possibly being added to the story by Geoffrey.<ref>Bromwich, ''Trioedd Ynys Prydein'', p. 56.</ref>

Uthyr's other reference, Triad 51, shows influence from Monmouth's ''Historia''. It follows Geoffrey's description of Uther as brother of both [[Ambrosius Aurelianus|Aurelius Ambrosius]] ("Emrys Wledig") and [[Constans II (usurper)|Constans II]] ("Custennin the Younger"). However, its account of Uther's parentage differs; Triad 51 describes Uther's father to be [[Constantine III (Western Roman emperor)|Constantine III]] ("Custennin the Blessed") son of Elen,<ref name=":2">Bromwich, ''Trioedd Ynys Prydein'', pp. 132–133.</ref> while Monmouth describes Uther's father to be Constantine, brother of King [[Aldroen]] of Armorica.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Monmouth|first=Geoffrey|url=https://www.yorku.ca/inpar/geoffrey_thompson.pdf|title=History of the Kings of Britain|publisher=In Parentheses|year=1136|location=Cambridge, Ontario|publication-date=1999|pages=93–94|language=English}}</ref>