The spread of the Arthurian legend during the course of the twelfth century is one of the most remarkable phenomena in literary history. "Arthurian Chronicles" looks at two unsung but deserving poets who contributed to the diffusion of the legend, Wace who preceded the more famous Chretien de Troyes, and Layamon, who followed him.

Wace was of an inquiring turn of mind, with, for his day, a scholarly and sceptical approach to lais, marvellous tales, and fables. 'Not all lies, nor all true, all foolishness, nor all sense. So much have the story-tellers told, and so much have the makers of fables fabled to embellish their stories, that they have made all seem fable,' he writes. He was the first to mention the famous Round Table.

In Layamon's Brut, Arthur, hero and emperor, makes his first appearance in English vernacular literature. It is Layamon who tells of the elves that attended on the infant Arthur and endowed him with gifts and qualities; he also launched Arthur after his last battle to Argante in Avallon, to be healed of his wounds.

In this English language prose translation of the Wace and Layamon Arthurian poems, the folk-tale ferocity of Arthur is made as exciting to the readers as to the poets who contributed so much to Arthur's legend. (Amazon.com)

INTRODUCTION
“… In the chronicle of wasted time
I see descriptions of the fairest wights,
And beauty making beautiful old rhyme,
In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights.”
—Shakespeare, Sonnet cvi.

I.—WACE
IN THE LONG LINE of Arthurian chroniclers Geoffrey of Monmouth deservedly occupies the first place. The most gifted and the most original of their number, by his skilful treatment of the Arthurian story in his Historia Regum Britanniae, he succeeded in uniting scattered legends attached to Arthur’s name, and in definitely establishing their place in chronicle history in a form that persisted throughout the later British historical annals.

His theme and his manner of presenting it were both peculiarly adapted to win the favour of his public, and his work attained a popularity that was almost unprecedented in an age that knew no printed books. Not only was it accepted as an authority by British historians, but French chroniclers also used it for their own purposes. ...

Download Arthurian Chronicles: Roman De Brut by Wace

PDF format, 371KB, 145Pages.

Arthurian Chronicles: Roman De Brut by Wace, trans. Eugene Mason, the Pennsylvania State University, Electronic Classics Series, Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, Hazleton, PA 18202-1291 is a Portable Document File produced as part of an ongoing student publication project to bring classical works of literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to make use of them.

Cover Design: Jim Manis
Copyright © 2007 The Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity university.

Contents
I.—WACE................................................................................. 5
II.—LAYAMON ..................................................................... 11
EXCURSUS I.—ARTHUR’S MAGIC POSSESSIONS ......... 16
EXCURSUS II.—THE ROUND TABLE............................... 18
EXCURSUS III.—THE HOPE OF BRITAIN ....................... 20
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................... 22
WACE’S ROMAN DE BRUT ................................................ 24

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