THE

VITA MERLINI

(LIFE OF MERLIN)

BY

GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH

TRANSLATED BY JOHN JAY PARRY

1925

The Vita Merlini By Geoffrey of Monmouth.

This edition was created and published by Global Grey

©GlobalGrey 2018

globalgreyebooks.com

CONTENTS

The Life Of Merlin

Vita Merlini: Latin Text

THE LIFE OF MERLIN

In the footnotes, the figures in brackets refer to lines of the Latin text.

I am preparing to sing the madness of the prophetic bard, and a humorous poem on Merlin; pray correct the song, Robert [1], glory of bishops, by restraining my pen.  For we know that Philosophy has poured over you its divine nectar, and has made you famous in all things, that you might serve as an example, a leader and a teacher in the world.  Therefore may you favour my attempt, and see fit to look upon the poet with better auspices than you did that other whom you have just succeeded, promoted to an honour that you deserve.  For indeed you habits, and your approved life, and your birth, and your usefulness to the position, and the clergy and the people all were seeking it for you, and from this circumstance happy Lincoln is just now exalted to the stars.  On this account I might wish you to be embraced in a fitting song, but I am not equal to the task, even though Orpheus, and Camerinus [2], and Macer, and Marius, and mighty-voiced Rabirius were all to sing with my mouth and all the Muses were to accompany me.  But now, Sisters, accustomed to sing with me, let us sing the work proposed, and strike the cithara.

Well then, after many years had passed under many kings, Merlin the Briton was held famous in the world.  He was a king and prophet; to the proud people of the South Welsh he gave laws, and to the chieftains he prophesied the future.  Meanwhile it happened that a strife arose [3] between several of the chiefs of the kingdom, and throughout the cities they wasted the innocent people with fierce war. [4]  Peredur, king of the North Welsh, made war on Gwenddoleu, who ruled the realm of Scotland; and already the day fixed for the battle was at hand, and the leaders were ready in the field, and the troops were fighting, falling on both sides in a miserable slaughter.  Merlin had come to the war with Peredur and so had Rhydderch, king of the Cumbrians, [5] both savage men.  They slew the opposing enemy with their hateful swords, and three brothers of the prince [6] who had followed him through his wars, always fighting, cut down and broke the battle lines.  Thence they rushed fiercely through the crowded ranks with such an attack that they soon fell killed.  At this sight, Merlin, you grieved and poured out sad complaints throughout the army, and cried out in these words, “Could injurious fate be so harmful as to take from me so many and such great companions, whom recently so many kings and so many remote kingdoms feared?  O dubious lot of mankind!  O death ever near, which has them always in its power, and strikes its hidden goad and drives out the wretched life from the body!  O glorious youths, who now will stand by my side in arms, and with me will repel the chieftains coming to harm me, and the hosts rushing in upon me?  Bold young men your audacity has taken from you your pleasant years and pleasant youth!  You who so recently were rushing in arms through the troops, cutting down on every side those who resisted you, now are beating the ground and are red with red blood!”  So among the hosts he lamented with flowing tears, and mourned for the men, and the savage battle was unceasing.  The lines rushed together, enemies were slain by enemies, blood flowed everywhere, and people died on both sides.  But at length the Britons assembled their troops from all quarters and all together rushing in arms they fell upon the Scots and wounded them and cut them down, nor did they rest until the hostile battalions turned their backs and fled through unfrequented ways.

Merlin called his companions out from the battle and bade them bury the brothers in a richly coloured chapel; and he bewailed the men and did not cease to pour out laments, and he strewed dust on his hair and rent his garments, and prostrate on the ground rolled now hither and now thither.  Peredur strove to console him and so did the nobles and princes, but he would not be comforted nor put up with their beseeching words.  He had now lamented for three whole days and had refused food, so great was the grief that consumed him.  Then when he had filled the air with so many and so great complaints, new fury seized him [7] and he departed secretly, and fled to the woods not wishing to be seen as he fled.  He entered the wood and rejoiced to lie hidden under the ash trees; he marvelled at the wild beasts feeding on the grass of the glades; now he chased after them and again he flew past them; he lived on the roots of grasses and on the grass, on the fruit of the trees and on the mulberries of the thicket.  He became a silvan man just as though devoted to the woods.  For a whole summer after this, hidden like a wild animal, he remained buried in the woods, found by no one and forgetful of himself and of his kindred.  But when the winter came and took away all the grass and the fruit of the trees and he had nothing to live on, he poured out the following lament in a wretched voice.

“Christ, God of heaven, [8] what shall I do?  In what part of the world can I stay, since I see nothing here I can live on, neither grass on the ground nor acorns on the trees?  Here once there stood nineteen apple trees [9]  bearing apples every year; now they are not standing.  Who has taken them away from me?  Whither have they gone all of a sudden?  Now I see them - now I do not!  Thus the fates fight against me and for me, since they both permit and forbid me to see.  Now I lack the apples and everything else.  The trees stand without leaves, without fruit; I am afflicted by both circumstances since I cannot cover myself with the leaves or eat the fruit.  Winter and the south wind with its falling rain have taken them all away.  If by chance I find some navews [turnips] deep in the ground the hungry swine and the voracious boars rush up and snatch them away from me as I dig them up from the turf.  You, O wolf, dear companion, accustomed to roam with me through the secluded paths of the woods and meadows, now can scarcely get across fields; hard hunger has weakened both you and me.  You lived in these woods before I did and age has whitened your hairs first.  You have nothing to put into your mouth and do not know how to get anything, at which I marvel, since the wood abounds in so many goats and other wild beasts that you might catch.  Perhaps that detestable old age of yours has taken away your strength and prevented your following the chase.  Now, as the only thing left to you, you fill the air with howlings, and stretched out on the ground you extend your wasted limbs.”

These words he was uttering among the shrubs and dense hazel thickets when the sound reached a certain passer-by who turned his steps to the place whence the sounds were rising in the air, and found the place and found the speaker.  As soon as Merlin saw him he departed, and the traveller followed him, but was unable to overtake the man as he fled.  Thereupon he resumed his journey and went about his business, moved by the lot of the fugitive.  Now this traveller was met by a man from the court of Rhydderch, king of the Cumbrians, who was married to Ganieda and happy in his beautiful wife.  She was sister to Merlin and, grieving over the fate of her brother, she had sent her retainers to the woods and the distant fields to bring him back.  One of these retainers came toward the traveller and the latter at once went up to him and they fell into conversation; the one who had been sent to find Merlin asked if the other had seen him in the woods or the glades.  The latter admitted that he had seen such a man among the bushy glades of the Calidonian forest, [10]  but, when he wished to speak to him and sit down with him, the other had fled away swiftly among the oaks.  These things he told, and the messenger departed and entered the forest; he searched the deepest valleys and passed over the high mountains; he sought everywhere for his man, going through the obscure places.

On the very summit of a certain mountain there was a fountain, surrounded on every side by hazel bushes and thick with shrubs.  There Merlin had seated himself, and thence through all the woods he watched the wild animals running and playing.  Thither the messenger climbed, and with silent step went on up the heights seeking the man.  At last he saw the fountain and Merlin sitting on the grass behind it, and making his plaint in this manner.

“O Thou who rulest all things, how does it happen that the seasons are not all the same, distinguished only by their four numbers?  Now spring, according to its laws, provides flowers and leaves; summer gives crops, autumn ripe apples; icy winter follows and devours and wastes all the others, bringing rain and snow, and keeps them all away and harms with its tempests.  And it does not permit the ground to produce variegated [various?] flowers, or the oak trees acorns, or the apple trees dark red apples.  O that there were no winter or white frost!  That it were spring or summer, and that the cuckoo would come back singing, and the nightingale who softens sad hearts with her devoted song, and the turtle dove keeping her chaste vows, and that in new foliage other birds should sing in harmonious measures, delighting me with their music, while a new earth should breathe forth odours from new flowers under the green grass; that the fountains would also flow on every side with their gentle murmurs, and near by, under the leaves, the dove would pour forth her soothing laments and incite to slumber.”

The messenger heard the prophet and broke off his lament with cadences on the cither he had brought with him that with it he might attract and soften the madman. [11]  Therefore making plaintive sounds with his fingers and striking the strings in order, he lay hidden behind him and sang in a low voice, “O the dire groanings of mournful Guendoloena!  O the wretched tears of weeping Guendoloena!  I grieve for wretched dying Guendoloena!  There was not among the Welsh a woman more beautiful than she.  She surpassed in fairness the goddesses, and the petals of the privet, and the blooming roses and the fragrant lilies of the fields.  The glory of spring shone in her alone, and she had the splendour of the stars in her two eyes, and splendid hair shining with the gleam of gold.  All this has perished; all beauty has departed from her, both colour and figure and also the glory of her snowy flesh.  Now, worn with much weeping, she is not what she was, for she does not know where the prince has gone, or whether he is alive or dead; therefore the wretched woman languishes and is totally wasted away through her long grief.  With similar laments Ganieda weeps with her, and without consolation grieves for her lost brother.  One weeps for her brother and the other for her husband, and both devote themselves to weeping and spend their time in sadness.  No food nourishes them, nor does any sleep refresh them wandering at night through the brushwood, so great is the grief that consumes them both.  Not otherwise did Sidonian Dido grieve when the ships had weighed anchor and Aeneas was in haste to depart; so most wretched Phyllis groaned and wept when Demophoon did not come back at the appointed time; thus Briseis wept for the absent Achilles. [12]  Thus the sister and the wife grieve together, and burn continually and completely with inward agonies.”

The messenger sang thus to his plaintive lyre, and with his music soothed the ears of the prophet that he might become more gentle and rejoice with the singer.  Quickly the prophet arose and addressed the young man with pleasant words, and begged him to touch once more the strings with his fingers and to sing again his former song.  The latter therefore set his fingers to the lyre and played over again the song that was asked for, and by his playing compelled the man, little by little, to put aside his madness, captivated by the sweetness of the lute.  So Merlin became mindful of himself, and he recalled what he used to be, and he wondered at his madness and he hated it.  His former mind returned and his sense came back to him, and, moved by affection, he groaned at the names of his sister and of his wife, since his mind was now restored to him, and he asked to be led to the court of King Rhydderch.  The other obeyed him, and straightway they left the woods and came, rejoicing together, to the city of the king.  So the queen was delighted by regaining her brother and the wife became glad over the return of her husband.  They vied with each other in kissing him and they twined their arms about his neck, so great was the affection that moved them.  The king also received him with such honour as was fitting, and the chieftains who thronged the palace rejoiced in the city.

But when Merlin saw such great crowds of men present he was not able to endure them; he went mad again, and, filled anew with fury, he wanted to go to the woods, and he tried to get away by stealth.  Then Rhydderch ordered him to be restrained and a guard posted over him, and his madness to be softened with the cither; and he stood about him grieving, and with imploring words begged the man to be sensible and to stay with him, and not to long for the grove or to live like a wild beast, or to want to abide under the trees when he might hold a royal sceptre and rule over a warlike people.  After that he promised that he would give him many gifts, and he ordered people to bring him clothing and birds, dogs and swift horses, gold and shining gems, and cups that Wayland had engraved in the city of Segontium. [13]  Every one of these things Rydderch offered to the prophet and urged him to stay with him and leave the woods.

The prophet rejected these gifts, saying, “Let the dukes who are troubled by their own poverty have these, they who are not satisfied with a moderate amount but desire a great deal.  To these gifts I prefer the groves and broad oaks of Calidon, and the lofty mountains with green pastures at their feet.  Those are the things that please me, not these of yours - take these away with you, King Rhydderch.  My Calidonian forest rich in nuts, the forest that I prefer to everything else, shall have me.”

Finally since the king could not retain the sad man by any gifts, he ordered him to be bound with a strong chain lest, if free, he might seek the deserted groves.  The prophet, when he felt the chains around him and he could not go as a free man to the Calidonian forests, straightway fell to grieving and remained sad and silent, and took all joy from his face so that he did not utter a word or smile.

Meanwhile the queen was going through the hall looking for the king, and he, as was proper, greeted her as she came and took her by the hand and bade her sit down, and, embracing her, pressed her lips in a kiss.  In so doing he turned his face toward her and saw a leaf hanging in her hair; [14]  he reached out his fingers, took it and threw it on the ground, and jested joyfully with the woman he loved.  The prophet turned his eyes in that direction and smiled, and made the the men standing about look at him in wonder since he was not in the habit of smiling.  The king too wondered and urged the madman to tell the cause of his sudden laugh, and he added to his words many gifts.  The other was silent and put off explaining his laugh.  But more and more Rhydderch continued to urge him with riches and with entreaties until at length the prophet, vexed at him, said in return for his gift, “A miser loves a gift and a greedy man labours to get one; these are easily corrupted by gifts and bend their minds in any direction they are bidden to.  What they have is not enough for them, but for me the acorns of pleasant Calidon and the shining fountains flowing through fragrant meadows are sufficient.  I am not attracted by gifts; let the miser take his, and unless liberty is given me and I go back to the green woodland valleys I shall refuse to explain my laughter.”

Therefore when Rhydderch found that he could not influence the prophet by any gift, and he could not find out the reason for the laughter, straightway he ordered the chains to be loosed and gave him permission to seek the deserted groves, that he might be willing to give the desired explanation.  Then Merlin, rejoicing that he could go, said, “This is the reason I laughed, Rhydderch.  You were by a single act both praiseworthy and blameworthy.  When just now you removed the leaf that the queen had in her hair without knowing it, you acted more faithfully toward her than she did toward you when she went under the bush where her lover met her and lay with her; and while she was lying there supine with her hair spread out, by chance there caught in it the leaf that you, not knowing all this, removed.”

Rhydderch suddenly became sad at this accusation and turned his face from her and cursed the day he had married her.  But she, not at all moved, hid her shame behind a smiling face and said to her husband, “Why are you sad, my love?  Why do you become so angry over this thing and blame me unjustly, and believe a madman who, lacking sound sense, mixes lies with the truth?  The man who believes him becomes many times more a fool than he is.  Now then, watch, and if I am not mistaken I will show you that he is crazy and has not spoken the truth.”

There was in the hall a certain boy, one of many, and the ingenious woman catching sight of him straightway thought of a novel trick by which she might convict her brother of falsehood. [15]  So she ordered the boy to come in and asked her brother to predict by what death the lad should die.  He answered, “Dearest sister, he shall die, when a man, by falling from a high rock.”  Smiling at these words, she ordered the boy to go away and take off the clothes he was wearing and put on others and to cut off his long hair; she bade him come back to them thus that he might seem to them a different person.  The boy obeyed her, for he came back to them with his clothes changed as he had been ordered to do.  Soon the queen asked her brother again, “Tell your dear sister what the death of this boy will be like.”  Merlin answered, “This boy when he grows up shall, while out of his mind, meet with a violent death in a tree.”  When he had finished she said to her husband, “Could this false prophet lead you so far astray as to make you believe that I had committed so great a crime?  And if you will notice with how much sense he has spoken this about the boy, you will believe that the things he said about me were made up so that he might get away to the woods.  Far be it from me to do such a thing!  I shall keep my bed chaste, and chaste shall I always be while the breath of life is in me.  I convicted him of falsehood when I asked him about the death of the boy.  Now I shall do it again; pay attention and judge.”

When she had said this she told the boy in an aside to go out and put on woman’s clothing, and to come back thus.  Soon the boy left and did as he was bid, for he came back in woman’s clothes just as though he were a woman, and stood in front of Merlin to whom the queen said banteringly, “Say brother, tell me about the death of this girl.”  “Girl or not she shall die in the river,” said her brother to her, which made King Rhydderch laugh at his reasoning; since when asked about the death of a single boy Merlin had predicted three different kinds.  Therefore Rhydderch thought he had spoken falsely about the queen, and did not believe him, but grieved, and hated the fact that he had trusted him and had condemned his beloved.  The queen, seeing this, forgave him and kissed and caressed him and made him joyful.

Meanwhile Merlin planned to go to the woods, and he left his dwelling and ordered the gates to be opened; but his sister stood in his way and with rising tears begged him to remain with her for a while and to put aside his madness.  The hard-hearted man would not desist from his project but kept trying to open the doors, and he strove to leave and raged and fought and by his clamour forced the servants to open.  At length, since no one could hold him back when he wanted to go, the queen quickly ordered Guendoloena, who was absent, to come to make him desist.  She came and on her knees begged him to remain; but he spurned her prayers and would not stay, nor would he, as he was accustomed to do, look upon her with a joyful face.  She grieved and dissolved in tears and tore her hair, and scratched her cheeks with her nails and rolled on the ground as though dying.  The queen seeing this said to him, “This Guendoloena who is dying thus for you, what shall she do?  Shall she marry again or do you bid her remain a widow, or go with you wherever you are going?  For she will go, and with you she will joyfully inhabit the groves and the green woodland meadows provided she has your love.”  To this the prophet answered, “Sister I do not want a cow that pours out water in a broad fountain like the urn of the Virgin in summer-time, nor shall I change my care as Orpheus once did when Eurydice gave her baskets to the boys to hold before she swam back across the Stygian sands.  Freed from both of you I shall remain without the taint of love.  Let her therefore be given a proper opportunity to marry and let him whom she shall choose have her.  But let the man who marries her be careful that he never gets in my way or comes near me; let him keep away for fear lest if I happen to meet him he may feel my flashing sword.  But when the day of the solemn [formal] wedding comes and the different viands are distributed to the guests, I shall be present in person, furnished with seemly gifts, and I shall profusely endow Guendoloena when she is given away.”  When he had finished he said farewell to each of them and went away, and with no one to hinder him he went back to the woods he longed for.

Guendoloena remained sadly in the door watching him and so did the queen, both moved by what had happened to their friend, and they marvelled that a madman should be so familiar with secret things and should have known of the love affair of his sister.  Nevertheless they thought that he lied about the death of the boy since he told of three different deaths when he should have told of one.  Therefore his speech seemed for long years to be an empty one until the time when the boy grew to manhood; then it was made apparent to all and convincing to many.  For while he was hunting with his dogs he caught sight of a stag hiding in a grove of trees; he loosed the dogs who, as soon as they saw the stag, climbed through unfrequented ways and filled the air with their baying.  He urged on his horse with his spurs and followed after, and urged on the huntsmen, directing them, now with his horn and now with his voice, and he bade them go more quickly.  There was a high mountain surrounded on all sides by rocks with a stream flowing through the plain at its foot; thither the animal fled until he came to the river, seeking a hiding place after the usual manner of its kind.  The young man pressed on and passed straight over the mountain, hunting for the stag among the rocks lying about.  Meanwhile it happened, while his impetuosity was leading him on, that his horse slipped from a high rock and the man fell over a precipice into the river, but so that one of his feet caught in a tree, and the rest of his body was submerged in the stream.  Thus he fell, and was drowned, and hung from a tree, and by his threefold death made the prophet a true one.

The latter meanwhile had gone to the woods and was living like a wild beast, subsisting on frozen moss, in the snow, in the rain, in the cruel blasts of the wind.  And this pleased him more than administering laws throughout his cities and ruling over fierce people.  Meanwhile Guendoloena, since her husband was leading a life like this with his woodland flock through the passing years, was married in accordance with her husband’s permission.

It was night and the horns of the bright moon were shining, and all the lights of the vault of heaven were gleaming; the air was clearer than usual, for cruel, frigid, Boreas had driven away the clouds and had made the sky serene again and had dried up the mists with his arid breath.  From the top of a lofty mountain the prophet was regarding the courses of the stars, speaking to himself out in the open air.  “What does this ray of Mars mean?  Does its fresh redness mean that one king is dead and that there shall be another?  So I see it, for Constantine has died and his nephew Conan, through an evil fate and the murder of his uncle, has taken the crown and is king. [16]  And you, highest Venus, who slipping along within your ordered limits beneath the zodiac are accompanying the sun in his course, what about this double ray of yours that is cleaving the air?  Does not its division indicate a severing of my love?  Such a ray indeed shows that loves are divided.  Perhaps Guendoloena has left me in my absence and now clings to another man and rejoices in his embraces.  So I lose; so another enjoys her.  So my rights are taken away from me while I dally.  So it is surely, for a slothful lover is beaten by one who is not slothful or absent but is right on hand.  But I am not jealous; let her marry now under favourable auspices and let her enjoy her new husband with my permission.  And when tomorrow’s sun shall shine I will go and take with me the gift I promised her when I left.”  So he spoke and went about all the woods and groves and collected a herd of stags in a single line, and the deer and she-goats likewise, and he himself mounted a stag. [17]  And when day dawned he came quickly, driving the line before him to the place where Guendoloena was to be married.  When he arrived he forced the stags to stand patiently outside the gates while he cried aloud, “Guendoloena!  Guendoloena!  Come!  Your presents are looking for you!”  Guendoloena therefore came quickly, smiling and marvelling that the man was riding on the stag and that it obeyed him, and that he could get together so large a number of animals and drive them before him just as a shepherd does the sheep that he is in the habit of driving to the pastures.

The bridegroom stood watching from a lofty window and marvelling at the rider on his seat, and he laughed.  But when the prophet saw him and understood who he was, at once he wrenched the horns from the stag he was riding and shook them and threw them at the man and completely smashed his head in, and killed him and drove out his life into the air.  With a quick blow of his heels he set the stag flying and was on his way back to the woods.  At these happenings the servants rushed out from all sides and quickly followed the prophet through the fields.  But he ran ahead so fast that he would have reached the woods untouched if a river had not been in his way; while his beast was hurriedly leaping over the torrent Merlin slipped from his back and fell into the rapid waves.  The servants lined the shore and captured him as he swam, and bound him and took him home and gave him to his sister.

The prophet, captured in this way, became sad and wanted to go back to the woods, and he fought to break his bonds and refused to smile or to take food or drink, and by his sadness he made his sister sad.  Rhydderch, therefore, seeing him drive all joy from him and refuse to taste of the banquets that had been prepared for him, took pity on him and ordered him to be led out into the city, through the market place among the people, in the hope that he might be cheered up by going and seeing the novelties that were being sold there.

After he had been taken out and was going away from the palace he saw before a door a servant of a poor appearance, the doorkeeper, asking with trembling lips of all the passers-by some money with which to get his clothes mended. [18]  The prophet thereupon stood still and laughed, wondering at the poor man.  When he had gone on from here he saw a young man holding some new shoes and buying some pieces of leather to patch them with.  Then he laughed again and refused to go further through the market place to be stared at by the people he was watching.  But he yearned for the woods, toward which he frequently looked back, and to which, although forbidden, he tried to direct his steps.

The servants returned home and told that he had laughed twice and also that he had tried to get away to the woods.  Rhydderch, who wished to know what he had meant by his laughter, quickly gave orders for his bonds to be loosed and gave him permission to go back to his accustomed woods if only he would explain why he laughed.  The prophet, now quite joyful, answered, “The doorkeeper was sitting outside the doors in well worn clothing and kept asking those who went by to give him something to buy clothes with, just as though he had been a pauper, and all the time he was secretly a rich man and had under him hidden piles of coins.  That is what I laughed at; turn up the ground under him and you will find coins preserved there for a long time.  From there they led me further toward the market place and I saw a man buying some shoes and also some patches so that after the shoes were wornout and had holes in them from use he might mend them and make them fit for service again.  This too I laughed at since the poor man will not be able to use the shoes nor,” he added, “the patches, since he is already drowned in the waves and is floating toward the shore; go and you will see.”  Rhydderch, wishing to test the man’s sayings, ordered his servants to go quickly along the bank of the river, so that if they should chance to find such a man drowned by the shore they might at once bring him word.  They obeyed the king’s orders, for going along the the river they found a drowned man in a waste patch of sand, and returned home and reported the fact to him.  But the king meanwhile, after sending away the doorkeeper, had dug and turned up the ground and found a treasure placed under it, and laughingly he worshipped the prophet.

After these things had happened the prophet was making haste to go to the woods he was accustomed to, hating the people in the city.  The queen advised him to stay with her and to put off his desired trip to the woods until the cold of white winter, which was then at hand, should be over, and summer should return again with its tender fruits on which he could live while the weather grew warm from the sun.  He refused, and desirous of departing and scorning the winter he said to her, “O dear sister, why do you labour to hold me back?  Winter with his tempests cannot frighten me, nor icy Boreas when he rages with his cruel blasts and suddenly injures the flocks of sheep with hail; neither does Auster disturb me when its rain clouds shed their waters.  Why should I not seek the deserted groves and the green woodlands?  Content with a little I can endure the frost.  There under the leaves of the trees among the odorous blossoms I shall take pleasure in lying through the summer; but lest I lack food in winter you might build me a house in the woods and have servants in it to wait on me and prepare me food when the ground refuses to produce grain or the trees fruit.  Before the other buildings build me a remote one with seventy doors and as many windows through which I may watch fire-breathing Phoebus and Venus and the stars gliding from the heavens by night, all of whom shall show me what is going to happen to the people of the kingdom.  And let the same number of scribes be at hand, trained to take my dictation, and let them be attentive to record my prophecy on their tablets. [19]  You too are to come often, dear sister, and then you can relieve my hunger with food and drink.”  After he had finished speaking he departed hastily for the woods.

His sister obeyed him and built the place he had asked for, and the other houses and whatever else he had bid her.  But he, while the apples remained and Phoebus was ascending higher through the stars, rejoiced to remain beneath the leaves and to wander through the groves with their soothing breezes.  Then winter came, harsh with icy winds, and despoiled the ground and the trees of all their fruit, and Merlin lacked food because the rains were at hand, and he came, sad and hungry, to the aforesaid place.  Thither the queen often came and rejoiced to bring her brother both food and drink.  He, after he had refreshed himself with various kinds of edibles, would arise and express his approval of his sister.  Then wandering about the house he would look at the stars while he prophecied things like these which he knew were going to come to pass.

“O madness of the Britons whom a plenitude, always excessive, of riches exalts more than is seemly. [20]  They do not wish to enjoy peace but are stirred up by the Fury’s goad.  They engage in civil wars and battles between relatives, and permit the church of the Lord to fall into ruin; the holy bishops they drive into remote lands.  The nephews of the Boar of Cornwall [21]  cast everything into confusion, and setting snares for each other engage in a mutual slaughter with their wicked swords.  They do not wish to wait to get possession of the kingdom lawfully, but seize the crown.  The fourth [22]  from them shall be more cruel and more harsh still; him shall a wolf from the sea conquer in fight and shall drive defeated beyond the Severn through the kingdoms of the barbarians.  This latter shall besiege Cirencester with a blockade and with sparrows, and shall overthrow its walls to their very bases.  He shall seek the Gauls in his ship, but shall die beneath the weapon of a king.  Rhydderch shall die, [23]  after whom long discord shall hold the Scots and the Cumbrians for a long time until Cumbria shall be granted to his growing tusk.  The Welsh shall attack the men of Gwent, [24]  and afterwards those of Cornwall and no law shall restrain them.  Wales shall rejoice in the shedding of blood; O people always hateful to God, why do you rejoice in bloodshed?  Wales shall compel brothers to fight and to condemn their own relatives to a wicked death.  The troops of the Scots shall often cross the Humber and, putting aside all sentiment, shall kill those who oppose them.  Not with impunity, however, for the leader shall be killed; he shall have the name of a horse [25]  and because of that fact shall be fierce.  His heir shall be expelled and shall depart from our territories.  Scots, sheathe your swords which you bare too readily; your strength shall be unequal to that of our fierce people.  The city of Dumbarton [26]  shall be destroyed and no king shall repair it for an age until the Scot shall be subdued in war.  Carlisle, spoiled of its shepherd, shall lie vacant until the sceptre of the Lion shall restore its pastoral staff. [27]   Segontium and its towers and mighty palaces shall lament in ruins until the Welsh return to their former domains. [28]   Porchester shall see its broken walls in its harbour until a rich man with the tooth of a wolf shall restore it.  The city of Richborough [29]  shall lie spread out on the shore of its harbour and a man from Flanders [30]  shall re-establish it with his crested ship.  The fifth from him shall rebuild the walls of St David’s and shall bring back to her  the pall lost for many years. [31]  The City of the Legions [32]  shall fall into thy bosom, O Severn, and shall lose her citizens for a long time, and these the Bear in the Lamb [33]  shall restore to her when he shall come.

Saxon kings shall expel the citizens and shall hold cities, country, and houses for a long time.  From among them thrice three dragons shall wear the crown.  Two hundred monks shall perish in Leicester [34]  and the Saxon shall drive out her ruler and leave vacant her walls.  He who first among the Angles shall wear the diadem of Brutus [35]  shall repair the city laid waste by slaughter.  A fierce people shall forbid the sacrament of confirmation throughout the country, and in the house of God shall place images of the gods.  Afterward Rome shall bring God back through the medium of a monk and a holy priest shall sprinkle the buildings with water and shall restore them again and shall place shepherds in them.  Thereafter many of them shall obey the commands of the divine law and shall enjoy heaven by right.  An impious people full of poison shall violate that settlement and shall violently mix together right and wrong.  They shall sell their sons and their kinsmen into the furthest countries beyond the sea and shall incur the wrath of the Thunderer.  O wretched crime! that man whom the founder of the world created with liberty, deeming him worthy of heaven, should be sold like an ox and be dragged away with a rope.  You miserable man who turned traitor to your master when first you came to the throne, you shall yield to God.  The Danes [36]  shall come upon [you] with their fleet and after subduing the people shall reign for a short time and shall then be defeated and retire.  Two shall rule over them [37]  whom the serpent forgetful of his treaty shall strike with the sting in his tail instead of with the garland of his sceptre.

Then the Normans, [38]  sailing over the water in their wooden ships, bearing their faces in front and in back, shall fiercely attack the Angles with their iron tunics and their fierce swords, and shall destroy them and possess the field.  They shall subjugate many realms to themselves and shall rule foreign peoples for a time until the Fury, flying all about, shall scatter her poison over them.  Then peace and faith and all virtue shall depart, and on all sides throughout the country the citizens shall engage in battles.  Man shall betray man and no one shall be found a friend.  The husband, despising his wife, shall draw near to harlots, and the wife, despising her husband, shall marry whom she desires.  There shall be no honour kept for the church and the order shall perish.  Then shall bishops bear arms, and armed camps shall be built.  Men shall build towers and walls in holy ground, and they shall give to the soldiers what should belong to the needy.  Carried away by riches they shall run along on the path of worldly things and shall take from God what the holy bishop shall forbid.  Three shall wear the diadem [39]  after whom shall be the favour of the newcomers.  A fourth shall be in authority whom awkward piety shall injure until he shall be clothed in his father, so that girded with boar’s teeth he shall cross the shadow of the helmeted man. [40]  Four shall be anointed, seeking in turn the highest things, and two shall succeed who shall so wear the diadem that they shall induce the Gauls to make war on them.  The sixth shall overthrow the irish and their walls, and pious and prudent shall renew the people and the cities.  All these things I formerly predicted more at length to Vortigern in explaining to him the mystic war of the two dragons when we sat on the banks of the drained pool. 40  But you, dear sister, go home to see the king dying and bid Taliesin come, as I wish to talk over many things with him; for he has recently come from the land of Brittany where he learned sweet philosophy of Gildas the Wise.” [41]

Ganieda returned home and found that Taliesin had returned and the prince was dead and the servants were sad.  She fell down lamenting among her friends and tore her hair and cried, “Women, lament with me the death of Rhydderch and weep for a man such as our earth has not produced hitherto in our age so far as we know.  He was a lover of peace, for he so ruled a fierce people that no violence was done to any one by any one else.  He treated the holy priest with just moderation [42]  and permitted the highest and the lowest to be governed by law.  He was generous, for he gave away much and kept scarcely anything.  He was all things to all men, doing whatever was seemly; flower of knights, glory of kings, pillar of the kingdom.  Woe is me! for what you were - now so unexpectedly you have become food for worms, and your body moulders in the urn.  Is this the bed prepared for you after fine silks?  Is it true that your white flesh and royal limbs will be covered by a cold stone, that you will be nothing but dust and bones?  So it is, for the miserable lot of mankind goes on throughout the years so that they cannot be brought back to their former estate.  Therefore there is no profit in the bravery of the transient world that flees and returns, deceives and injures the mighty.  The bee anoints with its honey what it afterwards stings.  So also those whom the glory of the world caresses as it departs it deceives and smites with with its disagreeable sting.  That which excels is of brief duration, what it has does not endure; like running water everything that is of service passes away.  What is a rose if it blushes, a snowy lily if it blooms, a man or a horse or anything else if it is fair!  These things should be referred to the Creator, not to the world.  Happy therefore are those who remain firm in a pious heart and serve God and renounce the world.  To them Christ who reigns without end, the Creator of all things, shall grant to enjoy perpetual honour.  Therefore I leave you, ye nobles, ye lofty walls, household gods, sweet sons, and all the things of the world.  In company with my brother I shall dwell in the woods and shall worship God with a joyful heart, clothed in a black mantle.”  So she spoke, giving her husband his due, and she inscribed on his tomb this verse, “Rhydderch the Generous, than whom there was no one more generous in the world, a great man rests in this small urn.” [43]

Meanwhile Taliesin had come to see Merlin the prophet who had sent for him to find out what wind or rain storm was coming up, for both together were drawing near and the clouds were thickening.  He drew the following illustrations under the guidance of Minerva his associate.

“Out of nothing the Creator of the world produced four [elements] that they might be the prior cause as well as the material for creating all things when they were joined together in harmony: [44]  the heaven which He adorned with stars and which stands on high and embraces everything like the shell surrounding a nut; then He made the air, fir for forming sounds, through the medium of which day and night present the stars; the sea which girds the land in four circles, and with its mighty refluence so strikes the air as to generate the winds which are said to be four in number; as a foundation He placed the earth, standing by its own strength and not lightly moved, which is divided into five parts, whereof the middle one is not habitable because of the heat and the two furthest are shunned because of their cold.  To the last two He gave moderate temperature and these are inhabited by men and birds and herds of wild beasts.  He added clouds to the sky so that they might furnish sudden showers to make the fruits of the trees and of the ground grow with their gentle sprinkling.  With the help of the sun these are filled like water skins from the rivers by a hidden law, and then, rising through the upper air, they pour out the water they have taken up, driven by the force of the winds.  From them come rain storms, snow, and round hail when the cold damp wind breathes out its blasts which, penetrating the clouds, drive out the streams just as they make them.  Each of the winds takes to itself a nature of its own from its proximity to the zone where it is born.  Beyond the firmament in which He fixed the shining stars He placed the ethereal heaven and gave it as a habitation to troops of angels whom the worthy contemplation and marvellous sweetness of God refresh throughout the ages.  This also He adorned with stars and the shining sun, laying down the law by which the star should run within fixed limits through the part of heaven entrusted to it.  He afterwards placed beneath this the airy heavens, shining with the lunar body, which throughout their high places abound in troops of spirits who sympathize or rejoice with us as things go well or ill.  They are accustomed to carry the prayers of men through the air and to beseech God to have mercy on them, and to bring back intimations of God’s will, either in dreams or by voice or by other signs, through doing which they become wise.  The space beyond the moon abounds in evil demons, who are skilled to cheat and deceive and tempt us; often they assume a body made of air and appear to us and many things often follow.  They even hold intercourse with women and make them pregnant, generating in an unholy manner. [45]  So therefore He made the heavens to be inhabited by three orders of spirits that each one might look out for something and renew the world from the renewed seed of things.

The sea too He distinguished by various forms that from itself it might produce the forms of things, generating throughout the ages.  Indeed, part of it burns and part freezes and the third part, getting a moderate temperature from the other two, ministers to our needs.  That part which burns surrounds a gulf and fierce people, and its divers streams, flowing back, separate this from the orb of the earth, increasing fire from fire.  Thither descend those who transgress the laws and reject God; whither their perverse will leads them they go, eager to destroy what is forbidden to them.  There stands the stern eyed judge holding his equal balance and giving to each one his merits and his deserts.  The second part, which freezes, rolls about the foreshore sands which it is the first to generate from the near-by vapour when it is mingled with the ray of Venus’ star.  This star, the Arabs say, makes shining gems when it passes through Pisces [the fishes] while its waters look back at the flames.  These gems by their virtues benefit the people who wear them, and make many well and keep them so.  These too the Maker distinguished by their kinds (as He did all things), that we might discern from their forms and from their colours of what kinds they are and of what manifest virtues.  The third form of the sea which circles our orb furnishes us many good things owing to its proximity.  For it nourishes fishes and produces salt in abundance, and bears back and forth ships carrying our commerce, by the profits of which the poor man becomes suddenly rich.  It makes fertile the neighbouring soil and feeds the birds who, they say, are generated from it along with the fishes and, although unlike, are moved by the laws of nature.  The sea is dominated by them more than by the fishes, and they fly lightly up from it through space and seek the lofty regions.  But its moisture drives the fishes beneath the waves and keeps them there, and does not permit them to live when they get out into the dry light.  These too the Maker distinguished according to their species and to the different ones gave each his nature, whence through the ages they were to become admirable and healthful to the sick.

For men say that the barbel restrains the heat of passion but makes blind those who eat it often. [46]  The thymallus, which has its name from the flower thyme, smells so that it betrays the fish that often eats of it until all the fishes in the river smell like itself.  They say the the muraenas, contrary to all laws, are all of the feminine sex, yet they copulate and reproduce and multiply their offspring from a different kind of seed.  For often snakes come together along the shore where they are, and they make the sound of pleasing hissing and, calling out the muraenas, join with them according to custom.  It is also remarkable that the remora, half a foot long, holds fast the ship to which it adheres at sea just as though it were fast aground, and does not permit the vessel to move until it lets go; because of this power it is to be feared.  And that which they call the swordfish because it does injury with its sharp beak, people often fear to approach with a ship when it is swimming, for if it is captured it at once makes a hole in the vessel, cuts it in pieces, and sinks it suddenly in a whirlpool.  The serra makes itself feared by ships because of its crest; it fixes to them as it swims underneath, cuts them to pieces and throws the pieces into the waves, wherefore its crest is to be feared like a sword.  And the water dragon, which men say has poison under its wings, is to be feared by those who capture it; whenever it strikes it does harm by pouring out its poison.  The torpedo is said to have another kind of destruction, for if any one touches it when it is alive, straightway his arms and his feet grow torpid and so do his other members and they lose their functions just as though they were dead, so harmful is the emanation of its body.

To those and other fishes God gave the sea, and He added to it many realms among the waves, which men inhabit and which are renowned because of the fertility which the earth produces there from its fruitful soil.  Of these Britain is said to be the foremost and best, producing in its fruitfulness every single thing.  For it bears crops which throughout the year give the noble gifts of fragrance for the use of man, and it has woods and glades with honey dripping in them, and lofty mountains and broad green fields, fountains and rivers, fishes and cattle and wild beasts, fruit trees, gems, precious metals, and whatever creative nature is in the habit of furnishing.  Besides all these it has fountains healthful because of their hot waters which nourish the sick and provide pleasing baths, which quickly send people away cured with their sickness driven out.  So Bladud established them when he held the sceptre of the kingdom, [47]  and he gave them the name of his consort Alaron.  These are of value to many sick because of the healing of their water, but most of all to women, as often the water has demonstrated.  Near to this island lies Thanet which abounds in many things but lacks the death-dealing serpent, and if any of its earth is drunk mixed with wine it takes away poison. [48]  Our ocean also divides the Orkneys from us.  These are divided into thirty three islands by the sundering flood; twenty lack cultivation and the others are cultivated.  Thule receives its name “furthest” from the sun, because of the solstice which the summer sun makes there, turning its rays and shining no further, and taking away the day, so that always throughout the long night the air is full of shadows, and making a bridge congealed by the benumbing cold, which prevents the passage of ships.

The most outstanding island after our own is said to be Ireland with its happy fertility.  It is larger and produces no bees, and no birds except rarely, and it does not permit snakes to breed in it.  Whence it happens that if earth or a stone is carried away from there and added to any other place it drives away snakes and bees.  The island of Gades lies next to Herculean Gades, and there grows there a tree from whose bark a gum drips out of which gems are made, breaking all laws.  The Hesperides are said to contain a watchful dragon who, men say, guards the golden apples under the leaves.  The Gorgades are inhabited by women with goats’ bodies who are said to surpass hares in the swiftness of their running.  Argyre and Chryse bear, it is said, gold and silver just as Corinth does common stones.  Sri Lanka blooms pleasantly because of its fruitful soil, for it produces two crops in a single year; twice it is summer, twice spring, twice men gather grapes and other fruits, and it is also most pleasing because of its shining gems.  Tiles produces flowers and fruits in an eternal spring, green throughout the seasons.

The island of apples which men call “The Fortunate Isle” gets its name from the fact that it produces all things of itself; the fields there have no need of the ploughs of the farmers and all cultivation is lacking except what nature provides.  Of its own accord it produces grain and grapes, and apple trees grow in its woods from the close-clipped grass.  The ground of its own accord produces everything instead of merely grass, and people live there a hundred years or more.  There nine sisters rule by a pleasing set of laws those who come to them from our country. [49]  She who is first of them is more skilled in the healing art, and excels her sisters in the beauty of her person.  Morgen is her name, and she has learned what useful properties all the herbs contain, so that she can cure sick bodies.  She also knows an art by which to change her shape, and to cleave the air on new wings like Daedalus; when she wishes she is at Brest, Chartres, or Pavia, [50] and when she will she slips down from the air onto your shores.  And men say that she has taught mathematics to her sisters, Moronoe, Mazoe, Gliten, Glitonea, Gliton, Tyronoe, Thitis; Thitis best known for her cither.  Thither after the battle of Camlan we took the wounded Arthur, guided by Barinthus [51]  to whom the waters and the stars of heaven were well known.  With him steering the ship we arrived there with the prince, and Morgen received is with fitting honour, and in her chamber she placed the king on a golden bed and with er own hand she uncovered his honourable wound and gazed at it for a long time.  At length she said that health could be restored to him if he stayed with her for a long time and made use of her healing art.  Rejoicing, therefore, we entrusted the king to her and returning spread our sails to the favouring winds.”

Merlin said in answer, “Dear friend, since that time how much the kingdom has endured from the violated oath, so that what it once was it no longer is!  For by an evil fate the nobles are roused up and turned against each other’s vitals, and they upset everything so that the abundance of riches has fled from the country and all goodness has departed, and the desolated citizens leave their walls empty.  Upon them shall come the Saxon people, fierce in war, who shall again cruelly overthrow us and our cities, and shall violate God’s law and his temples.  For He shall certainly permit this destruction to come upon us because of our crimes that He may correct the foolish.”  Merlin had scarcely finished when Taliesin exclaimed, “Then the people should send some one to tell the chief to come back in a swift ship if has recovered his strength, that he may drive off the enemy with his accustomed vigour and re-establish the citizens in their former peace.”

“No,” said Merlin, “not thus shall this people depart when once they have fixed their claws on our shores.  For at first they shall enslave our kingdom and our people and our cities, and shall dominate them with their forces for many years.  Nevertheless three [52]  from among our people shall resist with much courage and shall kill many, and in the end shall overcome them.  But they shall not continue thus, for it is the will of the highest Judge that the Britons shall through weakness lose their noble kingdom for a long time, until Conan [53]  shall come in his chariot from Brittany, and Cadwalader the venerated leader of the Welsh, who shall join together Scots and Cumbrians, Cornishmen and men of Brittany in a firm league, and shall return to their people their lost crown, expelling the enemy and renewing the times of Brutus, and shall deal with the cities in accordance with their consecrated laws.  And the kings shall begin again to conquer remote peoples and to subjugate their own realms to themselves in mighty conflict.”  “No one shall then be alive of those who are now living,” said Taliesin, “nor do I think that any one has seen so many savage battles between fellow citizens as you have.”  “That is so,” said Merlin, “for I have lived a long time, seeing many of them, both of our own people among themselves and of the barbarians who disturb everything.

“And I remember the crime when Constans was betrayed and the small brothers Uther and Ambrosius fled across the water. [54]  At once wars began in the kingdom which now lacked a leader, for Vortigern of Gwent, [55]  the consul, was leading his troops against all the nations so that he might have the leadership of them, and was inflicting a wretched death upon the harmless peasants.  At length with sudden violence he seized the crown after putting to death many of the nobles and he subdued the whole kingdom to himself.  But those who were allied to the brothers by blood relationship, offended at this, began to set fire to all the cities of the ill-fated prince and to perturb his kingdom with savage soldiery, and they would not permit him to possess it in peace.  Disquieted therefore since he could not withstand the rebellious people, he prepared to invite to the war men from far away with whose aid he might be able to meet his enemies.  Soon there came from divers parts of the world warlike bands whom he received with honour.  The Saxon people, in fact, arriving in their curved keels had come to serve him with their helmeted soldiery.  They were led by two courageous brothers, Horsus and Hengist, who afterwards with wicked treachery harmed the people and the cities.  For after this, by serving the king with industry, they won him over to themselves and seeing the people moved by a quarrel that touched them closely they were able to subjugate the king; then turning their ferocious arms upon the people they broke faith and killed the princes by a premeditated fraud while they were sitting with them after calling them together to make peace and a treaty with them, and the prince they drove over the top of the snowy mountain.  These are the things I had begun to prophesy to him would happen to the kingdom.  Next roaming abroad they set fire to the houses of the nation, and strove to make everything subject to themselves.  But when Vortimer saw how great was the peril of his country, and saw his father expelled from the hall of Brutus, he took the crown, with the assent of the people, and attacked the savage tribes that were crushing them, and by many battles forced these to return to Thanet where the fleet was that had brought them.  But in their flight fell the warrior Horsus and many others, slain by our men.  The king followed them and, taking his stand before Thanet besieged it by land and sea, but without success, for the enemy suddenly got possession of their fleet and with violence broke out and, led over the sea, they regained their own country in haste.  Therefore, since he had conquered the enemy in victorious war, Vortimer became a ruler to be respected in the world, and he treated his kingdom with just restraint.  But Hengist’s sister, Rowena, [56]  seeing with indignation these successes, and protected by deceit, mixed poison, becoming on her brother’s account a malignant step-mother, and she gave it to Vortimer to drink, and killed him by the draught.  At once she sent across the water to her brother to tell him to come back with so many and such great multitudes that he would be able to conquer the warlike natives.  This therefore he did, for he came with such force against our army that he took booty from everybody until he was loaded with it, and he thoroughly destroyed by fire the houses throughout the country.

“While these things were happening Uther and Ambrosius were in Breton territory with King Biducus and they had already girded on their swords and were proved fit for war, and had associated with themselves troops from all directions so that they might seek their native land and put to flight the people who were busy wasting their patrimony.  So they gave their boats to the wind and the sea, and landed for the protection of their subjects; they drove Vortigern through the regions of Wales and shut him up in his tower and burned both him and it.  Then they turned their swords upon the Angles and many times when they met them they defeated them, and on the other hand they were often defeated by them.  At length in a hand to hand conflict our men with great effort attacked the enemy and defeated them decisively, and killed Hengist, and by the will of Christ triumphed.

“After these things had been done, the kingdom and its crown were with the approval of clergy and laity given to Ambrosius, and he ruled justly in all things, but after the space of four [sixteen] years had elapsed he was betrayed by his doctor, and died from drinking poison.  His younger brother Uther succeeded him, and at first was unable to maintain his kingdom in peace, for the perfidious people, accustomed by now to return, came and laid waste everything with their usual phalanx.  Uther fought them in savage battles and drove them conquered across the water with returning oars.  Soon he put aside strife and re-established peace and begat a son who afterwards was so eminent that he was second to none in uprightness.  Arthur was his name and he held the kingdom for many years after the death of his father Uther, and this he did with great grief and labour, and with the slaughter of many men in many wars.  For while the aforesaid chief lay ill, from Anglia came a faithless people who with sword subdued all the country and the regions across the Humber.  Arthur was a boy and on account of his youth he was not able to defeat such a force.  Therefore after seeking the advice of clergy and laity he sent to Hoel, king of Brittany, and asked him to come to his aid with a swift fleet, for they were united by ties of blood and friendship, so that each was bound to relieve the distresses of the other.  Hoel therefore quickly collected for the war fierce men from every side and came to us with many thousands, and joining with Arthur he attacked the enemy often, and drove them back and made terrible slaughter.  With his help Arthur was secure and strong among all the troops when he attacked the enemy whom at length he conquered and forced to return to their own country, and he quieted his own kingdom by the moderation of his laws.

“Soon after this struggle he changed the scene of the war, and subdued the Scots and Irish and all these warlike countries by means of the forces he had brought.  He also subjugated the Norwegians far away across the broad seas, and the Danes whom he had visited with his hated fleet.  He conquered the people of the Gauls after killing Frollo to whom the Roman power had given the care of that country; the Romans, too, who were seeking to make war on his country, he fought against and conquered, and killed the Procurator Hiberius Lucius [57]  who was then a colleague of Legnis the general, and who by the command of the Senate had come to bring the territories of the Gauls under their power.  Meanwhile the faithless and foolish custodian Modred had commenced to subdue our kingdom to himself, and was making unlawful love to the king’s wife.  For the king, desiring, as men say, to go across the water to attack the enemy, had entrusted the queen and the kingdom to him.  But when the report of such a great evil came to his ears, he put aside his interest in the wars and, returning home, landed with many thousand men and fought with his nephew and drove him flying across the water.  There the traitor, after collecting Saxons from all sides, began to battle with his lord, but he fell, betrayed by the unholy people confiding in whom he had undertaken such big things.  How great was the slaughter of men and the grief of women whose sons fell in that battle!  After it the king, mortally wounded, left his kingdom and, sailing across the water with you as you have related, came to the court of the maidens.  Each of the two sons of Modred, desiring to conquer the kingdom for himself, began to wage war and each in turn slew those who were near of kin to him.  Then Duke Constantine, nephew of the king, rose up fiercely against them and ravaged the people and the cities, and after having killed both of them by a cruel death ruled over the people and assumed the crown.  But he did not continue in peace since Conan his relative waged dire war on him and ravaged everything and killed the king and seized for himself those lands which he now governs weakly and without a plan.”

While he was speaking thus the servants hurried in and announced to him that a new fountain had broken out at the foot of the mountains and was pouring out pure waters which were running through all the hollow valley and swirling through the fields as they slipped along.  Both therefore quickly rose to see the new fountain, and having seen it Merlin sat down again on the grass and praised the spot and the flowing waters, and marvelled that they had come out of the ground in such a fashion.  Soon afterward, becoming thirsty, he leaned down to the stream and drank freely and bathed his temples in its waves, so that the water passed through the passages of bowels and stomach, settling the vapours within him, and at once he regained his reason and knew himself, and all his madness departed and the sense which had long remained torpid in him revived, and he remained what he had once been - sane and intact with his reason restored. [58]  Therefore, praising God, he turned his face toward the stars and uttered devout words of praise.  “O King, through whom the machine of the starry heavens exists, through whom the sea and the land with its pleasing grass give forth and nourish their offspring and with their profuse fertility give frequent aid to mankind, through whom sense has returned and the error of my mind has vanished!  I was carried away from myself and like a spirit I knew the acts of past peoples and predicted the future.  Then since I knew the secrets of things and the flight of birds and the wandering motions of the stars and the gliding of the fishes, all this vexed me and denied a natural rest to my human mind by a severe law.  Now I have come to myself and I seem to be moved with a vigour such as was wont to animate my limbs.  Therefore, highest Father, ought I to be obedient to Thee, that I may show forth Thy most worthy praise from a worthy heart, always joyfully making joyful offerings.  For twice Thy generous hand has benefited me alone, in giving me the gift of this new fountain out of the green grass.  For now I have the water which hitherto I lacked, and by drinking of it my brains have been made whole.  But whence comes this virtue, O dear companion, that this new fountain breaks out thus, and makes me myself again who up to now was as though insane and beside myself?”

Taliesin answered, “The opulent Regulator of things divided the rivers according to their kinds, and added moreover to each a power of its own, that they might often prove of benefit to the sick. [59]  For there are fountains and rivers and lakes throughout the world which by their power cure many, and often do so.  At Rome, for instance, flows swift Albula, with its health-giving stream which men say cures wounds with its sure healing.  There is another fountain, called Cicero’s, which flows in Italy, which cures the eyes of all injuries.  The Ethiopians also are said to have a pool which makes a face on which it is poured shine just as though from oil.  Africa has a fountain, commonly called Zama, a drink from it produces melodious voices by its sudden power.  Lake Clitorius in Italy gives a distaste for wine; those who drink from the fountain of Chios are said to become dull.  The land of Boeotia is said to have two fountains; the one makes the drinker forgetful, the other makes them remember.  The same country contains a lake so harmful with its dire plague that it generates madness and the heat of too much passion.  The fountain of Cyzicus drives away lust and the love of Venus.  In the region of Campania there flow, it is said, rivers which when drunk of make the barren fruitful, and the same ones are said to take away madness from men.  The land of the Ethiopians contains a fountain with a red stream; whoever drinks of this will come back demented.  The fountain of Leinus never permits miscarriages.  There are two fountains in Sicily, one of which makes girls sterile and the other makes them fruitful by its kindly law.  There are two rivers in Thessaly of the greatest power; a sheep drinking of one turns black and is made white by the other, and any one drinking of both spends its life with a variegated fleece.  There is a lake called Clitumnus in the Umbrian land which is said at times to produce large oxen, and in the Reatine Swamp the hooves of horses become hard as soon as they cross its sands.  In the Asphalt Lake of Judaea bodies can never sink while life animates them, but on the other hand the land of India has a pool called Sida in which nothing floats but sinks at once to the bottom.  And there is a Lake Aloe in which nothing sinks but all things float even if they are pieces of lead.  The fountain of Marsida also compels stones to float.  The River Styx flows from a rock and kills those who drink of it; the land of Arcadia bears testimony to this form of destruction.  The fountain of Idumea, changing four times throughout the days, is said to vary its colour by a strange rule; for it becomes muddy, then green, then the order changes and it turns red and then becomes clear with a beautiful stream.  It is said to retain each of these colours for three months as the years roll around.  There is also a Lake Trogdytus whose waves flow out, three times in the day bitter, and three times sweet with a pleasant taste.  From a fountain of Epirus torches are said to be lighted, and if extinguished to resume their light again.  The fountain of the Garamantes is said to be so cold in the day time, and on the other hand so hot all night, that it forbids approach on account of its cold or its heat.  There are also hot waters that threaten many because of the heat which they get when they flow through alum or sulphur which have a fiery power, pleasant for healing.  God endowed the rivers with these powers and others so that they might be the means of quick healing for the sick, and so that they might make manifest with what power the Creator stands eminent among things while He works thus in them.  I think that these waters are healthful in the highest degree and I think that they could afford a quick cure through the water that has thus broken out.  They have up to now been flowing about through the dark hollows under the earth like many others that are said to trickle underground.  Perhaps their breaking out is due to an obstacle getting in their way, or to the slipping of a stone or a mass of earth.  I think that, in making their way back again, they have gradually penetrated the ground and have given us this fountain.  You see many such flow along and return again underground and regain their caverns.”

While they were doing these things a rumour ran all about that a new fountain had broken out in the woods of Calidon, and that drinking from it had cured a man who had for a long time been suffering from madness and had lived in these same woods after the manner of the wild beasts.  Soon therefore the princes and the chieftains came to see it and to rejoice with the prophet who had been cured by the water.  After they had informed him in detail of the status of his country and had asked him to resume his sceptre, and to deal with his people with his accustomed moderation, he said, “Young men, my time of life, drawing on toward old age, and so possessing my limbs that with my weakened vigour I can scarce pass through the fields, does not ask this of me.  I have already lived long enough, rejoicing in happy days while an abundance of great riches smiled profusely upon me.  In that wood there stands an oak in its hoary strength which old age, that consumes everything, has so wasted away that it lacks sap and is decaying inwardly. [60]  I saw this when it first began to grow and I even saw the fall of the acorn from which it came, and a woodpecker standing over it and watching the branch.  Here I have seen it grow of its won accord, watching it all, and, fearing for it in these fields, I marked the spot with my retentive mind.  So you see I have lived a long time and now the weight of age holds me back and I refuse to reign again.  When I remain under the green leaves the riches of Calidon delight me more than the gems that India produces, or the gold that Tagus is aid to have on its shore, more than the crops of Sicily or the grapes of pleasant Methis, more than lofty turrets or cities girded with high walls or robes fragrant with Tyrian perfumes.  Nothing pleases me enough to tear me away from my Calidon which in my opinion is always pleasant.  Here shall I remain while I live, content with apples and grasses, and I shall purify my body with pious fastings that I may be worthy to partake of the life everlasting.”

While he was speaking thus, the chiefs caught sight of long lines of cranes in the air, circling through space in a curved line in the shape of certain letters; they could be seen in marshalled squadron in the limpid air.  Marvelling at these they asked Merlin to tell why it was that they were flying in such manner.  Merlin presently said to them, “The Creator of the world gave to the birds as to many other things their proper nature, as I have learned by living in the woods for many days.

“It is therefore the nature of the cranes, [61]  as they go through the air, if many are present, that we often see them in their flight form a figure in one way or another.  One, by calling, warns them to keep the formation as they fly, lest it break up and depart from the usual figure; when he becomes hoarse another takes his place.  They post sentries at night and the watchman holds a pebble in his claws when he wishes to drive away sleep, and when they see any one they start up with a sudden clamour.  The feathers of all of them grow black as they grow older.  But the eagles, who get their name from the sharpness of their sight, are said to be of such keen vision, beyond all others, that they are able to gaze at the sun without flinching.  They hang up their young in its rays wishing to know by his avoidance of them whether their exists among them one of inferior breeding.  They remain on their wings over waters as high as the top of a mountain and they spy their prey in the lowest depths; straightway they descend rapidly through the void and seize the fish swimming as their inheritance demands.  The vulture, thinking little of the commerce of the sexes, often conceives and bears (strange to say) without any seed of her spouse.  Flying about on high in the manner of the eagle she scents with distended nostrils a dead body far across the water.  This she has no horror of approaching in her flight, although she is slow, so that she may satiate herself with the prey she wishes for.  This same bird also lives vigorous for a hundred years.  The stork with its croaking voice is a messenger of spring; it is said to nourish its young so carefully that it takes out its own feathers and denudes its own breast.  When winter comes men say it avoids the storms and approaches the shores of Asia, led by a crow.  Its young feed it as it grows old because it fed them when it owed them this care.  The swan, a bird most pleasing to sailors, excels all others in the sweetness of its music when it dies.  Men say that in the country of the Hyperboreans it comes up close by being attracted by the sound of a zither played loudly along the shore.  The ostrich deserts her eggs which she places under the dust that they may be taken care of there when she herself neglects them.  Thence the birds come into the world hatched by the sun instead of their mother.  The heron, when it fears the rain and the tempests, flies to the clouds to avoid such a peril; hence sailors say that it portends sudden rainstorms when they see it high up in the air.  The phoenix by divine dispensation always lives as an unique bird, and in the land of the Arabs rises with a renewed body.  When it grows old it goes to a place very warm from the heat of the sun and gets together a great heap of spices and builds itself a pyre, which it lights with rapid movements of its wings, and it settles down upon this and is completely consumed.  The ashes of its body produce a bird, and in this way the phoenix is again renewed throughout the ages.  The cinnamolgus when it wishes to build a nest brings cinnamon, and builds of that because of its undoubted strength.  From this men are in the habit of driving it away with arrows, after which they remove the heap and sell it.  The halcyon is a bird that frequents sea pools and builds its nest in time of winter; when it broods the seas are calm for seven days and the winds cease and the tempests, relaxed, hold off, furnishing placid quiet for the bird.  The parrot is thought to utter human speech as its own call when no one is looking directly at it, and it mixes “ave” and “chaire” with jocose words.  The pelican is a bird accustomed to kill its young and to lament for three days confused with grief.  Then it tears its own body with its beak and, cutting the veins, lets out streams of blood with which it sprinkles the birds and brings them back to life.  The Diomedae when they resound with tearful noise and make lament are said to portend the sudden death of kings or a great peril to the realm.  And when they see anyone they know at once what he is, whether barbarian or Greek; for they approach a Greek with beatings of the wings and with caresses and they make a joyful noise but they fly about the others on hostile wings and approach them with a horrible sound as though they were enemies.  The Memnonides are said to go on a long flight every fifth year to the tomb of Memnon, and to lament the prince killed in the Trojan war.  The shining Hercynia has a marvellous feather which gleams on a dark night like a lighted lamp, and shows the way if it is carried in front of a traveller.  When the woodpecker makes a nest he pulls out of the tree nails and wedges that no one else can get out and the whole neighbourhood resounds with his blows.”

After he had finished speaking a certain madman came to them, either by accident or led there by fate; [62]  he filled the grove and the air with a terrific clamour and like a wild boar he foamed at the mouth and threatened to attack them.  They quickly captured him and made him sit down by them that his remarks might move them to laughter and jokes.  When the prophet looked at him more attentively he recollected who he was and groaned from the bottom of his heart, saying, “This is not the way he used to look when we were in the bloom of our youth, for at that time he was a fair, strong knight and one distinguished by his nobility and his royal race.  Him and many others I had with me in the days of my wealth, and I was thought fortunate in having so many good companions, and I was.  It happened one time while we were hunting in the lofty mountains of Arwystli [63]  that we came to an oak which rose in the air with its broad branches.  A fountain flowed there, surrounded on all sides by green grass, whose waters were suitable for human consumption; we were all thirsty and we sat down by it and drank greedily of its pure waters.  Then we saw some fragrant apples lying on the tender grass of the familiar bank of the fountain.  The man who saw them first quickly gathered them up and gave them to me, laughing at the unexpected gift.  I distributed to my companions the apples he had given to me, and I went without any because the pile was not big enough.  The others to whom the apples had been given laughed and called me generous, and eagerly attacked and devoured them and complained because there were so few of them.  Without any delay a miserable sadness seized this man and all the others; they quickly lost their reason and like dogs bit and tore each other, and foamed at the mouth and rolled on the ground in a demented state.  Finally, they went away like wolves filling the vacant air with howlings.  These apples I thought were intended for me and not for them, and later I found out that they were.  At that time there was in that district a woman who had formerly been infatuated with me, and had satisfied her love for me during many years.  After I had spurned her and had refused to cohabit with her she was suddenly seized with an evil desire to do me harm, and when with all her plotting she could not find any means of approach, she placed the gifts smeared with poison by the fountain to which I was going to return, planning by this device to injure me if I should chance to find the apples on the grass and eat them.  But my good fortune kept me from them, as I have just said.  I pray you, make this man drink of the healthful waters of this new fountain so that, if by chance he get back his health, he may know himself and may, while his life lasts, labour with me in these glades in service to God.”  This, therefore, the leaders did, and the man who had come there raging drank the water, recovered, and, cured at once recognized his friends.

Then Merlin said, “You must now go on in the service of God who restored you as you now see yourself, you who for so many years lived in the desert like a wild beast, going about without a sense of shame.  Now that you have recovered your reason, do not shun the bushes or the green glades which you inhabited while you were mad, but stay with me that you may strive to make up in service to God for the days that the force of madness took from you.  From now on all things shall be in common between you and me in this service so long as either lives.”  At this Maeldinus (for that was the man’s name) said, “Reverend father, I do not refuse to do this, for I shall joyfully stay in the woods with you, and shall worship God with my whole mind, while that spirit, for which I shall render thanks to your ministry, governs my trembling limbs.”  “And I shall make a third with you, and shall despise the things of the world,” said Taliesin.  “I have spent enough time living in vain, and now is the time to restore me to myself under your leadership.  But you, lords, go away and defend your cities; it is not fitting that you should disturb beyond measure our quiet with your talk.  You have applauded my friend enough.”

The chiefs went away, and the three remained, with Ganieda, the prophet’s sister, making a fourth, she who at length had assumed and was leading a seemly life after the death of the king who so recently had ruled so many people by the laws he administered.  Now with her brother there was nothing more pleasant to her than the woods.  She too was at times elevated by the spirit so that she often prophesied to her friends concerning the future of the kingdom.  Thus on a certain day when she stood in her brother’s hall and saw the windows of the house shining with the sun she uttered these doubtful words from her doubtful breast.

“I see the city of Oxford filled with helmed men, [64]  and the holy men and the holy bishops bound in fetters by the advice of the Council, and men shall admire the shepherd’s tower reared on high, and he shall be forced to open it to no purpose and to his own injury.  I see Lincoln [65]  walled in by savage soldiery and two men shut up in it, one of whom escapes to return with a savage tribe and their chief to the walls to conquer the cruel soldiers after capturing their leader.  O what a shame it is that the stars should capture the sun, under whom they sink down, compelled neither by force nor by war!  I see two moons in the air near Winchester [66]  and two lions acting with too great ferocity, and one man looking at two and another at the same number, and preparing for battle and standing opposed.  The others rise up and attack the fourth fiercely and savagely but not one of them prevails, for he stands firm and moves his shield and fights back with his weapons and as victor straightway defeats his triple enemy.  Two of them he drives across the frozen regions of the north while he gives to the third the mercy that he asks, so that the stars flee through all portions of the fields.  The Boar of Brittany, protected by an aged oak, takes away the moon, brandishing swords behind her back.  I see two stars engaging in combat with wild beasts beneath the hill of Urien where the people of Gwent and those of Deira met in the reign of the great Coel. [67]   O with what sweat the men drip and with what blood the ground while wounds are being given to the foreigners!  One star collides with the other and falls into the shadow, hiding its light from the renewed light.  Alas what dire famine shall come, so that the north shall inflame her vitals and empty them of the strength of her people.  It begins with the Welsh and goes through the chief parts of the kingdom, and forces the wretched people to cross the water.  The calves accustomed to live on the milk of the Scottish cows that are dying from the pestilence shall flee.  Normans depart and cease to bear weapons through our native realm with your cruel soldiery.  There is nothing left with which to feed your greed for you have consumed everything that creative nature has produced in her happy fertility.  Christ, aid thy people! restrain the lions and give to the country quiet peace and the cessation of wars.”  She did not stop with this and her companions wondered at her, and her brother, who soon came to her, spoke approvingly with friendly words in this manner, “Sister, does the spirit wish you to foretell future things, since he has closed up my mouth and my book?  Therefore this task is given to you; rejoice in it, and under my favour devoted to him speak everything.”

I have brought this song to an end.  Therefore, ye Britons, give a wreath to Geoffrey of Monmouth.  He is indeed yours for once he sang of your battles and those of your chiefs, and he wrote a book called “The Deeds of the Britons” which are celebrated throughout the world.

VITA MERLINI: LATIN TEXT

Fatidici uatis rabiem- musam que iocosam:

Merlini cantare paro- to corrige carmen

Gloria pontificum calamos moderando roberte

Scimus enim quia te perfudit nectare sacro:

Philosophia suo fecit que per omnia doctum

Vt documenta dares- dux et preceptor in orbe

Ergo meis ceptis faueas- uatem que tueri

Auspicio meliore uelis- quam fecerit alter

Cui modo succedis merito promotus honori

Sic etenim mores- sic vita probata genus que

Vtilitas que loci- clerus populus que petebant

Unde modo felix lincolnia fertur ad astra

Ergo te cuperem complecti carmine digno

Set non sufficio- licet orpheus- et camerinus

Et macer et marius magnique rabirius oris

Ore meo canerent- musis comitantibus omnes

Ad uos consuete mecum cantare camene

Propositum cantemus opus- cytharam que sonate

Ergo peragratis sub multis regibus annis

Clarus habebatur merlinus in orbe britannus

Rex erat et uates- demetarum que superbis:

Jura dabat populis- ducibusque futura canebat

Contigit interea plures certamen habere

Inter se regni proceres bello que feroci

Jnsontes populos deuastauisse per urbes

Dux uenedotorum peredurus bella gerebat

Contra guennoloum scocie qui regna regebat

Jamque dies aderat bello prefixa- duces que

Astabant campo decertabant que caterue

Amborum pariter miseranda cede ruentes

Uenerat ad bellum merlinus cum pereduro

Rex quoque cambrorum rodarcus- seuus uterque

Cedunt obstantes inuisis ensibus hostes

Tresque ducis fratres fratrem per bella secuti

Usque rebellantes cedunt perimunt que phalanges

Jnde per infestas cum tali munere turmas

Acriter irruerant subito cecidere perempti

Hoc uiso merline doles- tristes que per agmen

Commisces planctus tali quoque uoce remugis

Ergo ne sic potuit sors importuna nocere

Vt michi surriperet tantos tales que sodales

Quos modo tot reges- tot regna remota timebant

O dubios hominum casus mortem que propinquam:

Que penes est illos semper- stimulo que latenti:

Percutit- et miseram pellit de corpore vitam

O iuuenile decus qui nunc astabit in armis

Nunc michi pone latus- metumque repellet euntes

Jn mea dampna duces- incumbentesque cateruas

Audaces iuuenes uobis audacia vestra:

Eripuit dulces annos- dulcem que iuuentam

Qui modo per cuneos discurrebatis in armis

Obstantes que uiros prosternebatis vbique

Nunc pulsatis humum rubeo que cruore rubetis

Sic inter turmas lacrimis plangebat abortis

Deflebat que uiros- nec cessant prelia dira

Concurrunt acies- sternuntur ab hostibus hostes

Sanguis ubique fluit- plurimi moriuntur utrinque

At tandem britones reuocatis undique turmis

Conueniunt pariter- pariter que per arma ruentes

Jnvadunt scotos proternunt uulnera dantes

Nec requieuerunt donec sua terga dederunt

Hostiles turme per deuia diffugientes

Euocat e bello socios Merlinus et illis:

Precipit in uaria fratres sepelire capella

Deplangitque uiros nec cessat fundere fletus

Pulueribus crines sparsit- uestes que rescidit

Et prostratus humi- nunc hac- illac que uolutat

Solatur peredurus eum- proceres que duces que

Nec uult solari nec uerba precantia ferre

Jam tribus emensis defleuerat ille diebus

Respuerat que cibos- tantus dolor usserat illum

Jnde nouas furias- cum tot tantis que querelis

Aera complesset- cepit furtim que recedit

Et fugit ad siluas- nec uult fugiendo uideri

Jngreditur que nemus gaudet que latere sub ornis

Miratur que feras pascentes gramina saltus

Nunc has insequitur- nunc cursu preterit illas

Utitur herbarum radicibus utitur herbis

Vtitur arboreo fructu- moris que rubeti

Fit siluester homo- quasi siluis deditus esset

Jnde per estatem totam- nulli que repertus

Oblitusque sui- cognatorum que suorum

Delituit siluis- obductus more ferino

At cum uenit yems herbasque tulisset et omnes:

Arboreos fructus- nec quo frueretur haberet:

Diffudit tales miseranda uoce querelas

Celi christe deus quid agam- qua parte morari

Terrarum potero- cum nil quo uescar adesse:

Inspicio- nec gramen humi- nec in arbore glandes

Tres quater et iuges septene poma ferentes

Hic steterant mali- nunc non stant ergo quis illas

Quis michi surripuit- quo deuenere repente:

Nunc illas uideo- nec non sic fata repugnant

Sic quoque concordant cum dant prohibent que uidere

Deficiunt nunc poma michi- nunc cetera queque

Stat sine fronde nemus- sine fructu plector utroque

Cum neque fronde tegi ualeo- neque fructibus uti:

Singula bruma tulit- pluuiisque cadentibus auster

Jnuenio si forte napes tellure sub ima

Concurrunt auideque sues- aprique voraces

Eripiunt que napes michi quas de cespite vello

Tu lupe care comes nemorum qui deuia mecum

Et saltus peragrare soles: vix preteris arua

Et te dura fames et me languere coegit

Tu prior has siluas coluisti- te prior etas

Protulit in canos- nec habes- nec scis quid in ore:

Proicias- quod miror ego- cum saltus habundet

Tot capreis- aliisque feris- quas prendere posses

Forsitan ipsa tibi tua detestanda senectus

Eripuit neruos cursum que negauit habendum

Quod solum superest comples ululatibus auras

At resupinus humi consumptos deicis arctus

Hec inter fructices corileta que densa canebat

Cum sonus ad quemdam peruenit pretereuntem

Qui direxit iter quo sermo loquentis in auras

Exierat- reperit que locum- reperit que loquentem

Quo uiso: merlinus abit- sequitur que viator

Nec retinere uirum potuit sic diffugientem

Jnde uiator iter repetit quo ceperat ire

Propositumque tenet casu commotus euntis

Ecce uiatori uenit obuius alter ab aula:

Rodarchi regis cumbrorum qui Ganiedam:

Duxerat uxorem- formosa coniuge felix

Merlini soror ista fuit- casum que dolebat-

Fratris- et ad silvas- et ad arua remota clientes

Miserat- ut fratrem reuocarent- ex quibus unus

Obuius huic ibat- set et hic sibi protinus ergo:

Conuenere simul commiscent mutua uerba

At qui missus erat merlinum querere- querit

Si uidisset eum siluis aut saltibus alter:

Ille uirum talem se conspexisse fatetur

Jnter dumosos saltus nemoris calidonis

Dumque loqui uellet secum- secumque sedere

Diffugisse uirum celeri per robora cursu

Hec ait alter abit- siluas que subintrat et imas:

Scrutatur ualles- montes quoque preterit altos

Querit ubique uirum- gradiens per opaca locorum

Fons erat in summo cuiusdam uertice montis

Vndique precinctus corulis densaque frutectis

Illic merlinus consederat- inde per omnes:

Spectabat siluas cursus que iocos que ferarum

Nuntius hunc scandit tacito que per ardua gressu

Jndecit querendo uirum- tum denique fontem

Merlinumque uidet super herbas pone sedentem

Dicentem que suas tali sermone querelas.

O qui cuncta regis. quid est cur contigit- ut non:

Tempora sint eadem numeris distincta quaternis

Nunc uer iure suo flores frondes que ministrat

Dat fruges estas- autumpnus micia poma

Consequitur glacialis yemps- et cetera queque

Deuorat et uastat- pluuias que niues que reportat

Singula queque suis arcet Leditque procellis

Nec permittit humum uarios producere flores

Aut quercus glandes- aut malos punica mala

O- utinam non esset hiems aut cana pruina

Uer foret- aut estas. cuculus que canendo rediret

Et philomena pio que tristia pectora cantu

Mitigat- et turtur conseruans federa casta

Frondibus inque nouis concordi uoce uolucres

Cantarent alie que me modulando fouerent

Dum noua flore nouo tellus spiraret odorem

Gramine sub uiridi leui quoque murmure fontes

Diffluerent iuxta que daret sub fronde columba

Sompniferos gemitus irritaretque soporem

Nuntius audierat uatem rupit que querelas

Cum modulis cithare quam secum gesserat ultro

Vt sic deciperet demulceret que furentem

Ergo monens querulas digitis et in ordine cordas

Talia pone latens dimissa uoce canebat

O diros gemitus Lugubris Guendoloene

O miseras lacrimas lacrimantis guendoloene

Me mieret misere morientis guendoloene

Non erat in waliis mulier formosior illa

Vincebat candore deas- folium que Ligustri

Uernantes que rosas et olentia lilia prati

Gloria uernalis sola radiebat in illa

Sidereum que decus geminis gestabat ocellis

Jnsignes que comas auri fulgore nitentes

Hoc totum periit- periit decor omnis in illa

Et color et facies niuee quoque gloria carnis

Non est quod fuerat- multis meroribus acta

Nescit enim quo dux abiit- uita ne fruatur

An sit defunctus languet miserabilis inde

Tota que deperiit longo liquedacta dolore

Collacrimatur ei paribus ganieda querelis

Amissum que dolet sine consolamine fratrem

Hec fratrem flet et illa uirum- communiter ambe

Fletibus incumbunt et tristia tempora ducunt

Non cibus ullus eis- nec sompnus- nocte uagantes

Sub uirgulta fouet tantus dolor arcet utramque

Non secus indoluit sidonia- dido- solutis

Classibus enee tunc cum properaret abire

Cum non demophon per tempora pacta rediret

Taliter ingemuit fleuit que miserrima phillis

Briseis absentem sic deplorauit achillem

Sic soror et coniux collamentantur et ardent

Funditus internis cruciatibus usque dolendo

Jn grauibus querulis dicebat talia cantans

Nuntius et modulo uatis demulserat aures

Micior ut fleret congauderet que canenti

Ocius assurgit uates- iuuenem que iocosis

Affatur uerbis- iterum que mouere precatur

Cum digitis cordas elegosque sonare priores

Admouet ille lire digitos iussum que reformat

Carmen item cogit que uirum modulando furorem

Ponere paulatim- cithare dulcedine captum

Fit memor ergo sui- recolit que quod esse solebat

Merlinus- furias que suas miratur et odit

Pristina mens rediit- rediit quoque sensus in illo

Et gemit ad nomen motus pietate sororis

Uxorisque simul mentis ratione recepta

Conducique petit rodarchi regis ad aulam

Paruit alter ei- siluas que subinde relinqunt

Et ueniunt pariter letantes regis in urbem

Ergo fratre suo gaudet regina recepto

Proque sui reditu fit coniunx leta mariti

Oscula certatim geminans et brachia circum

Colla uiri flectunt tanta pietate mouentur

Rex quoque quo decuit reducem suscepit honore

Tota que turba domus proceres letantur in urbe

At post quam tantas hominum merlinus adesse

Jnspexit turmas- nec eas perferre valeret

Cepit enim furias- iterum que furore repletus

Ad nemus ire cupit furtim que recedere querit

Tunc precepit eum posito custode teneri

Rodarchus- cithara que suos mulcere furores

Astabat que dolens uerbis que precantibus illum

Orabat ratione frui- secum que manere

Nec captare nemus- nec uiuere more ferino:

Velle sub arboribus dum regia sceptra tenere

Posset et in populos ius exercere feroces

Hinc promittit ei se plurima dona daturum.

Afferi que iubet uestes- uolucres que canes que

Quadrupedes que citos- aurum- gemmas que micantes

Pocula que sculpsit guielandus in urbe sigeni

Singula pretendit uati rodarchus et offert

Et monet ut maneat secum siluas que relinquet

Talia respondens spernebat munera vates

Jsta duces habeant sua quos confundit egestas

Nec sunt contenti modico- set maxima captant

Hiis nemus et patulas calidonis prefero quercus

Et montes celsos- subtus virentia prata

Jlla michi- non ista placent- tu talia tecum

Rex rodarche feras- mea me calidonis habebit

Silua ferax nucibus- quam cunctis prefero rebus

Denique cumnullo potuisset munere tristem

Rex retinere uirum- forti vincire cathena:

Jussit- ne peterit nemorum deserta solutus

Ergo cum sensit circum se uincula vates

Nec liber poterat siluas calidonis adire:

Protinus indoluit tristis que tacens que remansit

Leticiamque suis subtraxit uultibus omnem

Ut non proferret uerbum- risum que moueret

Jnterea uisura ducem regina per aulam:

Jbat et ut decuit- rex applaudebat eunti

Per que manum suscepit eam- iussit que sedere

Et dabat amplexus et ad oscula labra premebat

Conuertensque suos in eam per talia uultus

Vidit in illius folium pendere capellis

Ergo suos digitos admouit et abstrait illud

Et proiecit humi letus que iocatur amanti

Flexit ad hoc oculos uates- risumque resoluit

Astantes que uiros fecit conuertere uultus

Jn se mirantes quoniam ridere negarat

Rex quoque miratur percunctatur que furentem

Tam subito facti causas edicere risus

Adiecit que suis donaria plurima uerbis

Jlle tacet- differt que suos exponere risus

At magis atque magis precio- precibus que mouere

Jnstabat rodarchus eum- tum denique uates

Jndignatus ei pro munere talia fatur

Munus auarus amat- cupidus que laborat habere

Hii faciles animos flectunt quocunque iubentur

Munere corrupti- quod habent non sufficit illis

At michi sufficiunt glandes calidonis amene

Et nitidi fontes per olentia prata fluentes

Munere non capior sua munera tollat auarus

Et nisi libertas detur- repetam que virentes

Siluarum ualles- risus aperire negabo

Ergo cum nullo potuisset munere uatem

Flectere rodarchus- nec cur risisset hereret

Confestim sua uincla uiro dissoluere iussit

Dat que potestatem nemorum deserta petendi

Vt uelit optatam risus expromere causam

Tunc merlinus ait gaudens quia possit abire

Jccirco risi quoniam Rodarche fuisti

Facto culpandus simul et laudandus eodem

Dum traheres folium modo quod regina capillis

Nescia gestabat- fieres que fidelior illi

Quam fuit illa tibi quando uirgulta subiuit

Quo suus occurrit secum que coiuit adulter

Dum que supina foret sparsis in crinibus hesit

Forte iacens folium quod nescius eripuisti

Ergo super tali rodarchus crimine- tristis

Fit subito- uultum que suum diuertit ab illa

Dampnabat que diem que se coniunxerat illi

Mota set illa nichil uultu ridente pudorem

Celat- et alloquitur tali sermone maritum-

Cur tristaris amans- cur sic irasceris ab re

Me que nec ex merito dampnas- credisque furenti

Qui ratione carens miscet mendacia ueris

Multociens qui credit ei fit stulcior illo

Excipe nunc igitur ne sim decepta- probabo-

Quod sit delirus- quod non sit uera locutus

Ut plures alii fuerat puer unus in aula

Hunc cum prospiceret conuoluit protinus artem

Jngeniosa nouam qua uult conuincere fratrem

Jnde uenire iubet puerum- fratrem que precatur

Qua moriturus erit- pueri predicere mortem

Ergo frater ei soror o- carissima: dixit

Hic morietur homo de celsa rupe ruendo

Jlla sub hec ridens puero precepit abire

Et quibus indutus fuerat deponere uestes

Et uestire nouas- longos que recidere crines

Sic que redire iubet- ut eis appareat alter

Paruit ergo puer rediit nam talis ad illos

Qualis erat iussus mutata veste redire

Mox iterum fratrem regina precatur et infit

Que mors huius erit uaria dilecte sorori

Tunc merlinus ait puer hic cum uenerit etas

Mente uagans forti succumbet in arbore morti

Dixerat illa suum sic est affata maritum

Siccine te potuit  falsus peruertere vates

Vt crimen tantum me commisisse putares

Ac si scire uelis qua sit ratione locutus

Hoc nunc de puero censebis ficta fuisse

Que de me dixit dum siluas possit adire

Absit ut hoc faciam castum seruabo cubile

Casta que semper ero dum flabit spiritus in me

Jllum conuici pueri de morte rogatum

Nunc quoque conuincam tu sedulus arbiter esto

Hec ait et tacite puerum secedere iussit

Vesteque feminea uestire- sic que redire

Mox puer abcessit- iussum que subinde peregit

Et sub feminea rediit quasi femina ueste

Et stetit ante uirum cui sic regina iocando

Eya frater ait- dic mortem uirginis huius

Hec uirgo nec ne dixit morietur in ampne

Frater ei- mouit que sua ratione cachinnum

Regi Rodarcho- quoniam de morte rogatus

Vnius pueri tres dixerat esse futuras

Ergo putabat eum de coniuge falsa locutum

Nec credebat ei- set contristatur et odit

Quod sibi crediderat- quod condempnarat amantem

Jd regina uidens ueniam dat et oscula iungit

Et blanditur ei letum quoque reddidit illum

Cogitat interea siluas Merlinus adire

Egressus que domum portas aperire iubebat

Set soror obstabat lacrimis que rogabat abortis

Ut secum remaneret adhuc- tollat que furorem

Jmprobus ille suis non uult desistere ceptis

Set perstat reserare fores- et abire Laborat

Et fremit et pugnat- famulos que fremendo coartat-

Denique cum nullus posset retinere uolentem

Jre uirum iussit cicius Regina venire

Eius ad abcessum absentem guendoloenam

Jlla uenit suplex que uirum remanere precatur

Spernit at ille preces- nec uult remanere- nec illam:

Sicut erat solitus gaudenti cernere uultu

Jlla dolet- fletuque fluit- Laniatque capillos

Et secat ungue genas et humi moriendo uolutat

Jd regina uidens affatur taliter illum

Hec tua que moritur sic pro te Guendoloena

Quid faciet- dabitur ue uiro uiduamue manere:

Precipis- aut tecum quocumque recesseris ire

Jbit enim tecumque nemus- nemorisque uirentes

Leta colet saltus- dum te pociatur amante

Vocibus hiis igitur respondit talia vates

Nolo soror pecudem patulo que fontis hiatu

Diffundit latices ut uirginis urna sub estus

Nec curam mutabo meam uelut orpheus olim

Quando suos calathos pueris commisit habendos

Euridice stigias plus quam transnauit harenas

Mundus ab alterutro ueneris sub labe manebo

Huic igitur detur nubendi iusta facultas

Arbitrioque suo quem gestit ducere ducat

Precaueat tamen ipse sibi qui duxerit illam

Obuius ut numquam michi sit nec cominus astet

Set se diuertat- ne si michi congrediendi

Copia prestetur- uibratum sentiat ensem

Cumque dies aderit sollempni lege iugali

Diuerse que dapes conuiuis distribuentur

Ipsemet interero donis munitus honestis

Ditabo que datam profuse Guendoloenam

Dixerat atque uale gradiens subiunxit utrique

Et peciit siluas nullo prohibente cupitas

Guendoloena manet spectans in limine tristis

Et regina- simul. casuque mouentur amici

Mirantur que nimis rerum secreta furentem

Nosse uirum- uenerem que sue sciuisse sororis

Mentitum que tamen pueri de morte putebant

Quam dixit ternam cum dicere debuit unam

Jnde diu sua uisa fuit uox uana per annos

Donec ad etatem uenit puer ille uirilem

Tum cunctis patefacta fuit multisque probata

Nam dum uenatum canibus comitantibus iret

Aspexit ceruum nemoris sub fronde latentem

Dissoluit que canes- qui ceruo deuia viso:

Transcendunt complentque suis latratibus auras

Ipsemet urget equum calcaribus- insequitur que

Nunc cornu- nunc ore monens operis que ministros

Jncrepat- atque iubet cursu ciciore uenire

Mons ibi celsus erat circumdatus undique saxis

Juxta quem fluuius subtus per plana fluebat

Hunc fera transcendit fugiens dum uenit in amnem

Exegit que suas solito de more Latebras

Jnstigat iuuenis montem quoque tramite recto

Preterit- et ceruum per saxa iacentia querit

Contigit interea dum duceret impetus ipsum:

Labi quadrupedem celsa de rupe- uirum que

Forte per abruptum montis cecidisse sub amnem

Ut tamen hereret pes eius in arbore quadam

Et submersa forent sub flumine cetera membra

Sicque ruit- mersusque fuit- ligno que pependit

Et fecit uatem per terna pericula uerum

Qui nemus ingressus fuerat ritu que ferino

Uiuebat- paciens concrete frigoris alge

Sub niue- sub pluuia sub iniquo flamine uenti

Jdque placebat ei pocius quam iura per urbes

Exercere suas gentes que domare feroces

Jnterea ducente uiro labentibus annis

Cum grege siluestri talem per tempora uitam

Guendoloena datur nubendi lege marito

Nox erat et nitide radiebant cornua lune

Cuncta que conuexi splendebant lumina celi

Purior aer erat solito- nam frigidus atrox

Expulerat nubes boreas celum que serenum

Reddiderat- sicco detergens nubila flatu

Sidereum cursum uates spectabat ab alto

Monte- loquens tacite sub diuo talia dicens

Quid sibi uult radius martis regem ne peremptum

Portendit nouiter rutilans- alium que futurum

Sic equidem uideo nam constantinus obiuit

Jpsius que nepos scelerata sorte conanus

Per patrui iugulum sumpto diademate rex est

At tu summa uenus que certo limite Labens

Jnfra zodiacum solem comitaris euntem

Quid tibi cum radio qui duplex ethera findit

Discidium ne mei sectus portendit amoris

Talis enim radius diuisos signat amores

Forsitan absentem me guendoloena reliquit

Alterius que uiri gaudens complexibus heret

Sic igitur uincor- sic alter fungitur illa

Sic mea iura michi dum demoror eripiuntur

Sic equidem nam segnis amans superatur ab illo

Qui non est segnis nec abest set cominus instat

At non inuideo nubat nunc omine dextro

Vtatur que nouo me permittente marito

Crastina cumque dies illuxerit- ibo- feram que

Mecum munus ei promissum quando recessi

Dixerat- et siluas et saltus circuit omnes:

Cerorum que greges- agmen collegit in unum

Et damas- capreas que simul ceruo que resedit

Et ueniente die compellens agmina pre se

Festinans uadit quo nubit guendoloena

Postquam uenit eo pacienter stare coegit

Ceruos ante fores- proclamans guendoloena

Gendoloena ueni te talia munera spectant

Ocius ergo uenit subridens Guendoloena

Gestari que uirum ceruo- miratur et illum:

Sic parere uiro tantum quoque posse ferarum

Vniri numerum quas pre se solus agebat

Sicut pastor oues quas ducere sueuit ad herbas

Stabat ab excelsa sponsus spectando fenestra

Jn solio mirans equitem- risum que mouebat

Ast ubi uidit eum uates- animo que quis esset:

Calluit- extemplo diuulsit cornua cervo

Quo gestabatur- uibrata que iecit in illum

Et caput illius penitus contriuit- eumque

Reddidit exanimem uitamque fugauit in auras

Ocius inde suum talorum uerbere ceruum

Diffugiens egit siluas que redire parauit

Egrediuntur ad hec ex omni parte clientes

Et celeri cursu uatem per rura sequuntur

Jlle quidem uelox sic precurrebat- ut isset

Ad nemus intactus- nisi preuius amnis obesset

Nam dum torrentem fera prosiliendo mearet

Elapsus rapida cecidit merlinus in vnda

Circueunt ripas famuli capiunt que natantem

Adducunt que domum uinctum que dedere sorori

Captus item uates fit tristis et optat obire.

Ad siluas- pugnat que suos dissoluere nexus

Et ridere negat- potum que cibum que refutat

Tristicia que sua tristem facit esse sororem

Ergo uidens illum rodarchus pellere cunctam:

Leticiam- nec uelle dapes libare paratas

Educi precepit eum miseratus in vrbem

Per fora- per populos ut letior esset evndo-

Resque uidendo nouas que uendebantur ibidem

Ergo uir eductus dum progrederetur ab aula

Jnspicit ante fores famulem sub paupere cultu

Qui seruabat eas poscentem pretereuntes

Ore tremente uiros ad uestes munus emendas

Mox stetit et risit uates miratus egentem

Jllinc progressus noua calciamenta tenentem

Spectabat iuuenem commercantem que tacones

Tunc iterum risit renuit que diutius ire

Per fora- spectandus populis quos inspiciebat

At nemus optabat quod crebro respiciebat

Quo nitebatur uetitos diuertere gressus

Jnde domum famuli redeunt- ipsum que cachinnum:

Bis mouisse ferunt- siluas quoque uelle redire

Ocius ergo uolens rodarchus scire quid esset

Quod portendisset risu dissoluere nexus

Jlico iussit ei concedens posse reuerti

Ad solitas siluas si risus exposuisset

Letior assistens respondit talia vates

Janitor ante fores tenui sub ueste sedebat

Et uelut esset inops rogitabat pretereuntes

Vt largirentur sibi quo uestes emerentur

Ipsemet interea subter se denariorum

Occultos cumulos- occultus diues habebat

Jllud ergo risi tu terram verte sub ipso

Nummos inuenies seruatos tempore Longo

Jllinc ulterius uersus fora ductus- ementem:

Calciamenta uirum uidi- pariter que tacones

Vt postquam dissuta forent- usuque forata:

Jlla resartiret- primos que pararet ad usus

Jllud item risi- quoniam nec calciamentis

Nec superaddet eis miser ille taconibus vti

Postmodo compos erit quia iam submersus in undis

Fluctuat ad ripas- tu uade uidere- videbis

Dicta probare uiri cupiens rodarchus ad ampnem

Circumquaque suos iubet ocius ire clientes

Vt si forte uirum per proxima littora talem

Demersum uideant festina uoce renarrent

Jussa ducis peragunt- nam fluuia circumeuntes

Submersum iuuenem squalentes inter harenas

Jnueniunt redeunt que domum- regi que renarrant

At rex interea forium custode remoto

Suffodit et uertit terram reperit que sub ipsa

Thesaurum positum uatem que iocosus adorat

His igitur gestis uates properabat abire

Ad solitas siluas populos exosus in urbe

Precipiebat ei secum regina manere

Optatum que nemus postponere donec abirent

Que tunc instabant candentis frigora brume

Atque rediret item teneris cum fructibus estas

Unde frui posset dum tempora sole calerent

Jlle repugnabat- uerbis et talibus illam

Alloquitur- cupiens secedere frigore spreto

O dilecta soror quid me retinere Laboras

Non me bruma suis poterit terrere procellis

Non gelidus boreas cum flatu seuit iniquo

Balantum que greges subita cum grandine ledit

Non conturbat aquas diffusis imbribus auster

Quin nemorum deserta petam- saltus que uirentes

Contentus modico potero perferre pruinam

Jllic arboreis sub frondibus inter olentes

Herbarum flores estate iacere iuuabit

Ne tamen esca michi brumali tempore desit

Jn siluis compone domos- adhibe que clientes

Obsequium que michi facient escas que parabunt

Cum tellus gramen- fructum que negauerit arbor

Ante domos alias unam compone remotam

Cui sex dena decem dabis hostia- tot que fenestras

Per quas igninouum uideam cum uenere phebum

Jnspitiam que polo labentia sydera noctu

Que me de populo regni ventura docebunt

Totque notatores que dicam scribere docti

Assint et studeant- carmen mandare tabellis

To quoque sepe ueni soror- o dilecta meam que:

Tunc poteris releuare famem- potu que cibo que

Dixit- et ad siluas festinis gressibus iuit

Paruit ergo soror nam iussam condidit aulam

Atque domos alias et quicquit iusserat illi

Jlle quidem dum poma manent phebus que peracta

Altius ascendit- gaudet sub fronde manere

Ac peragrare nemus zephiris mulcentibus ornos

Tunc ueniebat yems rigidis hirsuta procellis

Que nemus et terras fructu spoliabat ab omni

Deficeret que sibi pluuiis instantibus esca

Tristis et esuriens dictam ueniebat ad aulam

Jllic multociens aderat regina- dapes que:

Et potum pariter fratri gauisa ferebat

Qui postquam uariis sese recreauerat escis

Mox assurgebat complaudebat que sorori

Deinde domum peragrans ad sidera respiciebat

Talia dum caneret que tunc uentura sciebat

O rabiem britonum quos copia diuiciarum

Vsque superueniens ultra quam debeat effert

Nolunt pace frui- stimulis agitantur herinis

Ciuiles acies cognata que prelia miscent

Ecclesias domini paciuntur habere ruinam

Pontifices que sacros ad regna remota repellunt

Cornubiensis apri conturbant queque nepotes

Jnsidias sibimet ponentes ense nephando

Jnterimunt sese- nec regno iure potiri

Expectare uolunt regni diademate rapto

Jllic quartus erit crudelior asperior que

Hinc lupus equoreus debellans uincet et ultra

Sabrinam uictum per barbara regna fugabit

Jdem kaerkeri circumdabit obsidione

Passeribus que domos et menia trudet ad imum

Classe petet gallos- set telo regis obiuit

Rodarchus moritur postquam discordia Longa

Scotos et Cumbros per longum tempus habebit

Donec crescenti tribuatur cumbria denti

Cambrigei missos post illos cornubienses

Afficient bello- nec eos lex ulla domabit

Kambria gaudebit suffuso sanguine semper

Gens inimica deo quid gaudes sanguine fuso

Kambria compellet fratres committere pugnas

Et dampnare suos scelerata morte nepotes

Scotorum cunei trans humbrum sepius ibunt

Obstantes que uiros periment pietate remota

Non impune tamen nam cesus ductor obibit

Nomen habebit equi qui fiet seuus in illo

Finibus ex nostris heres expulsus abibit

Scote reconde tuos quos nudas ocius enses

Vis tibi dispar erit nostra cum gente feroci

Corruet urbs acelud- nec eam reparabit in euum

Rex aliquis donec subdatur scotcus apello

Urns sigeni et turres et magna palatia plangunt

Diruta donec eant ad pristina predia cambri

Kaeptis in portu sua menia rupta videbit

Donec eam locuples cum uulpis dente reformet

Urbs loel spoliata suo pastore vacabit

Donec reddat ei cambucam uirga Leonis

Urbs rutupi portus in littora strata iacebit

Restaurabit eam galeata naue rutenus

Menia meneuie reparabit quitus ab illo

Per quem palla sibi reddetur dempta per annos

In que tuo sabrina sinu cadet urbs legionum

Amittet que suos ciues per tempora Longa

Hos sibi reddet item cum uenerit ursus in agno

Saxonici reges expulsis ciuibus vrbes

Rura - domos que simul per tempora longa tenebunt

Ex hiis gestabunt ter tres diadema dracones

Ducenti monachi perimentur in urbe Leyri

Et duce depulso uacuabit menia saxo

Qui prior ex anglis erit in diademate bruti

Restaurabit item uacuatam cedibus urbem

Gens fera per patriam prohibebit crisma sacre

Inque dei domibus ponet - simulachra deorum

Postmodo roma deum reddet mediante cuculla

Rotabit que domos sacro sacer imbre sacerdos

Quas renouabit item pastoribus intro locatis

Legis diuine seruabunt iussa subinde

Plures ex illis et celo iure fruentur

Jd uiolabit item gens impia plena ueneno

Miscebit que simul uiolentur fas que nephas que

Vendet in extremos fines trans equora natos

Cognatos que suos iram que tonantis inibit

O scelus infandum quem conditor orbis honore

Celi dignatus cum libertate creauit

Jllum more bouis uendi duci que ligatum

Cessabit miserande- deo qui proditor olim

Jn dominum fueras - cum primum regna subisti

Classe superuenient daci populoque subacto

Regnabunt breuiter propulsati que redibunt

His duo iura dabunt quos ledet acumine caude

Federis oblitus pro sceptri stemate serpens

Jndeque neustrenses ligno trans equora vecti

Vultus ante suos et uultus retro ferentes

Ferratis tunicis et acutis ensibus anglos

Acriter inuadent- periment campo que fruentur

Plurima regna sibi submittent atque domabunt

Externas gentes per tempora donec erinus

Circumquaque uolans uirus diffundet in ipsos

Tum pax atque fides et uirtus omnis abibit

Undique per patrias committent prelia ciues

Virque uirum prodet non inuenietur amicus

Coniuge despecta meretrices sponsus adibit

Sponsa que cui cupiet despecto coniuge nubet

Non honor ecclesiis seruabitur ordo peribit

Pontifices tunc arma ferent - tunc castra sequentur

In tellure sacra turres et menia ponent

Militibusque dabunt quod deberetur egenis

Diuiciis rapti mundano tramite current

Eripient que deo quod sacra tyara vetabit

Tres diadema ferent per quos fauor ille nouorum

Quartus erit sceptris - pietas cui leua nocebit

Donec sit genitro suo vestitus ut apri

Dentibus accinctus galeati transeat umbram

Quatuor ungentur uice uersa summa petentes

Et duo succedent - quia sic diadema rotabunt

Vt moneant gallos in se fera bella mouere

Sextus hibernenses et eorum nomina uertet

Qui pius et prudens populos renouabit et urbes

Hec uortigerno cecini prolixius olim

Exponendo duum sibi mistica bella draconum

Jn ripa stagni quando consedimus hausti

At tu uade domum morientem uisere regem

O dilecta soror thelgesino que venire

Precipe- namque loqui desidero plurima secum

Venit enim nouiter de partibus armoricanis

Dulcia quo didicit sapientis dogmata gilde

Jt ganieda domum thelgesinum que reuersum

Defunctumque ducem reperit - tristesque clients

Ergo fluens lacrimis collabitur inter amicos

Et laniat crines - et profert talia dicens

Funera rodarchi mulieres plangite mecum

Ac deflete uirum qualem non protulit orbis

Hactenus in nostro quantum discernimus euo

Pacis amator erat populo nam iura feroci

Sic dabat ut nulli ius inferretur ab vllo

Tractabat sanctum iusto moderamine clerum

Jure regi populo summos humiles que sinebat

Largus erat- nam multa dabat- uix quid retinebat

Omnibus omnis erat faciens quodcumque decebat

Flos equitum- regumque decor. regni que columpna

Heu michi qui fueras inopinis uermibus esca :

Nunc datus es - corpus que tuum putrescit in urna

Set ne cubile tibi post serica pulcra paratur

Siccine sub gelido caro candida regia membra

Condentur saxo - nec eris nisi puluis et ossa

Sic equidem - nam sors hominum miseranda per euum

Ducitur - ut nequeant ad pristina iura reduci

Ergo nichil prodest pereuntis gloria mvndi

Que fugit atque redit - fallit Leditque potentes

Melle suo delinit apes - quod postmodo pungit

Sic quos demulsit diuertens gloria mundi

Fallit - et ingrate collidit uerbe caude

Fit breue quod prestat - quod habet durabile non est

More fluentis aque transit quodcumque ministrat

Quid rosa si rutilet - si candida lilia uernent

Si sit pulcher homo - uel equus - uel cetera plura

Jsta creatori - non mundo sunt referenda

Felices igitur qui perstant corde piato

Obsequium que deo faciunt - mundumque relinqunt

Jllis perpetuo fungi concedet honore

Qui sine fine regit christus qui cuncta creauit

Vos igitur proceres - uos menia celsa - lares que

Vos nati dulces - mundanaque cuncta relinquo

Et cum fratre meo siluas habitabo - deumque :

Leta mente colam nigri cum tegmine pepli

Hec ait atque suo persoluit iusta marito

Signauit que suam cum tali carmine tumbam

Rodarchus largus - quo largior alter in orbe :

Non erat - hic modica magnus requiescit in urna

Venerat interea merlinum uisere vatem

Tunc telgesinus qui discere missus ab illo

Quid uentus - nimbus ue foret - nam mixtus uterque

Tunc simul instabat et nubila conficiebant

Hec documenta dabat socia dictante minerua

Quatuor ex nichilo produxit conditor orbis

Vt fierent rebus precedens causa creandis

Materies que simul concordi pace iugata

Celum quod stellis depinxit et altius extat

Et quasi testa nucem circumdans omnia claudit

Aera deinde dedit formandis uocibus aptum

Quo mediante dies et noctes sidera prestant

Et mare - quod terras cingit ualido que recursu

Quatuor amfractus faciens sic aera pulsat

Vt generet uentos qui quatuor esse feruntur

Vique sua stantem nec se leuitate mouentem

Supposuit terram partes in quinque resectam

Quarum que media non est habitanda calore

Extremeque due pre frigore diffugiuntur

Temperiem reliquis permisit habere duabus

Has homines habitant - uolucres que greges que ferarum

Vt que darent subitas pluuias quo crescere fructus

Arboris et terre facerent apergine miti

Adiecit celo nubes - que sole ministro

Sicut utres fluuiis occulta lege replentur

Jnde per excelsum scandentes ethera sumptos

Diffundunt latices uentorum uiribus acte

Hinc fiunt imbres - hinc nix - hinc grando rotunda

Cum gelidus madidus mouet sua flamina uentus

Qui nubes penetrans quales facit egerit amnes

Naturam que suam zonarum proximitate

Ventorum sibi quisque trahit dum nascitur illuc

Post firmamentum quo lucida sidera fixit

Ethereum celum posuit - tribuit que colendum

Cetibus angelicis quos contemplatio digna

Ac dulcedo dei reficit miranda per euum

Hoc quoque depinxit stellis et sole chorusco

Jndicens legem que certo limite stella

Per sibi commissum posset discurrere celum

Postmodo supposuit lunari corpore fulgens

Aerium celum quod per loca celsa redundat

Spirituum cuneis qui nobis compaciuntur

Et colletantur dum sic aliter ue mouemur

Sunt que preces hominum soliti perferre per auras

Atque rogare deum quod sit placabilis illis

Affectum que dei sompno uel uove referre

Vel signis aliis ut fiant inde scientes

At caco demonibus post lunam subtus habundat

Qui nos decipiunt et temptant fallere docti

Et sibi multociens ex aere corpore sumpto

Nobis apparent et plurima sepe sequuntur

Quin etiam coitu mulieres agrediuntur

Et faciunt grauidas generantes pore prophano

Sic igitur celos habitatos ordine terno

Spirituum fecit - foueant ut singula queque

Ac renouet mundum renouato germine rerum

Et mare per species uarias distinxit - ut ex se

Proferret rerum formas generando per euum

Pars etenim feruet - pars friget - et una duabus:

Temperiem sumens- nobis alimenta ministrat

Ast ea que feruet baratrum cum gentibus acris

Circuit et tetri diuersis fluctibus orbent

Secernit refluens ignes ex ignibus augens

Jllic descendunt qui leges transgrediuntur

Postposito que deo- quo uult peruersa uoluntas

Jncedunt auidi corrumpere quod prohibentur

Trux ibi stat iudex equali lance rependens

Cumque suum meritum condignaque debita soluit

Alter que friget pretonsas uoluit harenas

Quas secum gignit uicino prima uapore

Quando suos radios inmiscet stella diones

Hanc perhibent arabes gemmas generare micantes

Dum peragrat pisces dum respicit equora flammis

Hec uirtute sua populis gestantibus ipsas

Prosunt- et multos reddunt seruant que salubres

Has quoque per species distinxit ut omnia factor

Vt discernamus per formas per que colores-

Cuius sint generis- cuius uirtutis aperte

Tercia forma maris que nostram circuit orbem

Proximitate sua nobis bona multa ministrat

Nutrit enim pisces et sal producit habunda

Fertque refertque rates commercia nostra ferentes

Vnde suo lucro subito fit diues egenus

Vicinam fecundat humum- pascit que uolucres

Quas perhibent ortas illinc cum piscibus esse

Dissimilique tamen nature iure mouentur

Plus etenim dominatur eis quam piscibus equor

Vnde leues excelsa petunt per inane uolantes

At piscis suus humor agit reprimit que sub undis

Nec sunt ut uiuant dum sicca luce fruuntur

Hos quoque per species distinxit factor eorum

Naturam que dedit distinctis unde per euum

Mirandi fierent- egrotanti que salubres

Nempe ferunt nullum cohibere libidinis estum

Set reddit cecos iugiter uescentis ocellos

At qui nomen habet timeos de flore timallus

Sic quoniam redolet uescentem sepius illo

Protrahit- ut tales oleat per flumina pisces

Femineo sexu subtracto iure murenas

Esse ferunt cunctas- coeunt tamen ac renouantur

Multiplicat que suos alieno germine fetus

Conueniunt etenim per littora sepius angues

Quo degunt faciunt que sonos ac sibila grati

Et sic eductis coeunt ex more murenis

Est quoque mirandum quod semipedalis ethinus

Herens cui fuerit fixam quasi litore Nauem

Detinet in ponto nec eam permittet abire

Donec discedat- tali uirtuti timendus

Quemque uocant gladum quia rostro ledit acuto

Sepius hunc nantem metuunt accedere naui

Nam si sumptus erit confestim perforat illam

Et mergit sectam subito cum gurgite nauem

Fit que suis cristis metuendus serra carinis

Quas infigit eis dum subnatat- atque secatas

Deicit in fluctus crista uelut ense timendus

Equoreus que draco qui fertur habere uenenum

Sub pennis metuendus erit capientibus illum-

Et quociens pungit ledit fundendo uenenum

Ast alias clades torpedo fertur habere

Nam qui tangit eam uiuentem: protinus illi

Brachia cum pedibus torpent et cetera membra

Officio que suo quasi mortua destituuntur

Sic solet esse nocens illius corporis aura

Hiis deus- ac aliis ditauit piscibus equor

Adiecit que suis plures in fructibus orbes

Quos habitant homines pro fertilitate reperta

Quam producit ibi fecundo cespite tellus

Quarum prima quidem melior que britannia fertur

Vbertate sua producens singula rerum

Fert etenim segetes que nobile munus odoris

Vsibus humanis tribuunt reddendo per annum:

Siluas et saltus et ab hiis stillantia mella

Aerios montes lateque uirentia prata

Fontes et fluuios- pisces- pecudes- que feras- que

Arboreos fructus- gemmas- preciosa metalla

Et quicquit prestare solet natura creatrix

Preterea fontes unda feruente salubres

Que fouet egrotos et balnea grata ministrat

At subito sanos pellit languore repulso

Sic ac blandus eos regni dum sceptra teneret

Constituit- nomen que sue consortis alaron

Vtilis- ad plures laticis medicamine morbos

Set mage femineos ut sepius unda probauit

Adiacet huic thanatos que multis rebus habundat

Mortifero serpente caret- tollit que uenenum

Si cua cum uino tellus commixta bibatur

Orchades a nobis nostrum quoque diuidit equor

Hec tres ter dene se iuncto flumine fiunt

Bis dene cultore carent- alie que coluntur

Vltima que ytilie nomen de sole recepit

Propter solsticium quod sol estiuus ibidem

Dum facit- auertit radium ne luceat ultra

Abducit que dies ut semper nocte perhenni

Aer agat tenebras faciat quoque frigore pontum

Concretum pigrum que simul ratibus que negatum

Jnsula post nostram prestantior omnibus esse

Fertur hibernensis felici fertilitate

Est etenim maior nec apes- nec aues nisi raras

Educit- penitus que negat generare colubres

Vnde fit ut tellus illinc auecta lapis ue

Si superaddatur serpentes tollat apes que

Gadibus herculeis adiungitur insula gades

Nascitur hic arbor cuius de cortice gummi

Stillat- quo gemine fiunt super illita iura

Hesperides uigilem perhibentur habere draconem

Quem seruare ferunt sub frondibus aurea poma

Gorgades habitant mulieres corprois hirci

Que celeri cursu lepores superare feruntur

Argire crisse que gerunt ut dicitur aurum

Argentum que simul ceu uilia saxa corinthus

Taprobana uiret fecundo cespite grata

Bis etenim segetes anno producit in vno

Bis gerit estatem- bis uer- bis coligit uuas

Et fructus alios nitidis gratissima gemis

Atilis eterno producit uere uirentes

Flores et frondes per tempora cuncta uirendo

Jnsula pomorum que fortunata uocatur

Ex re nomen habet quia per se singula profert

Non opus est illi sulcantibus arua colonis

Omnis abest cultus nisi quem natura ministrat

Vltro fecundas segetes producit et uuas

Nataque poma suis pretonso germine siluis

Omnia gignit humus uice graminis ultro redundans

Annis centenis aut ultra viuiter illic

Jllic iura nouem geniali lege sorores

Dant his qui ueniunt nostris ex partibus ad se

Quarum que prior est fit doctior arte medendi

Excedit que suas forma prestante sorores

Morgen ei nomen didicit que quid utilitatis

Gramina cuncta ferant ut languida corpora curet

Ars quoque nota sibi qua scit mutare figuram

Et resecare nouis quasi dedalus aera pennis

Cum uult est bristi- carnoti- siue papie

Cum uult in uestris es aere labitur horis

Hanc que mathematicam dicunt didicisse sorores

Moronoe- mazoe- gliten- glitonea- gliton

Tyronoe- thiten- cithara notissima thiten

Jlluc post bellum camblani uulnere lesum

Duximus arcturum nos conducente barintho

Equora cui fuerant et celi sydera nota

Hoc rectore ratis cum principe uenimus illuc

Et nos quo decuit morgen suscepit honore

Jnque suis talamis posuit super aurea regem

Stulta manu que sibi detexit uulnus honesta

Jnspexit que diu. tandem que redire salutem

Posse sibi dixit- si secum tempore Longo

Esset et ipsius uellet medicamine fungi

Gaudentes igitur regem commisimus illi

Et dedimus uentis redeundo uela secundis

Tunc merlinus ad hec ait- o dilecte sodalis

Postmodo quanta tulit uiolato federe regnum

Vt modo quod fuerat non sit- nam sorte sinistra

Subducti proceres ac in sua uiscera uersi

Omnia turbarunt ut copia diuiciarum

Fugerit ex prima bonitas que recesserit omnis

Et desolati uacuent sua menia ciues

Jnsuper incumbit gens saxon a marce feroci

Que nos et nostras iterum crudeliter urbes

Subuertit legem que dei uiolabit et edes

Nempe deus nobis ut corrigat insipientes

Has patitur clades ob crimina nostra uenire

Non dum desierat cum talia protulit alter

Ergo necesse foret populo transmittere quendam

Et mandare duci festina naue redire

Si iam conualuit solitis ut uiribus hostes

Arceat- et ciues antiqua pace reformet

Non merlinus ait non sic gens illa recedet

Vt semel in uestris ungues infixerit ortis

Regnum namque prius populos que iugabit et urbes

Viribus atque suis multis dominabitur annis

Tres tamen ex nostris magna uirtute resistent

Et multos periment et eos in fine domabunt

Set non perficient quia sic sententia summi

Judicis existit- britones ut nobile regnum

Temporibus multis amittant debilitate

Donec ab armorico ueniet temone conanus

Et cadualadrus cambrorum dum uenerandus

Qui pariter scotos- cambros et cornubienses

Armoricos que uiros sociabunt federe firmo

Amissum que suis reddent diadema colonis

Hostibus expulsis renouato tempore bruti

Tractabunt que suas sacratis legibus urbes

Jncipiunt reges iterum superare remotos

Et sua regna sibi certamine subdere forti

Nemo superstes erit tunc ex hiis qui modo uiuunt

Telgensinus ait nec tot fera prelia quemquam

Jnter conciues quot te uidisse putamus

Sic equidem merlinus ait- nam tempore multo

Vixi multa uidens et de nostratibus in se

Et de barbarica turbanti singula gente

Crimen quod memini cum constans proditus esset

Et Defugissent parui trans equora fratres

Vter et ambrosius ceperunt ilico bella

Per regnum fieri- quod tunc rectore carebat

Vortigernus enim consul gewissus in omnes

Agmina ducebat primas ut duceret illas

Ledens innocuos miseranda clade colonos

Denique ui subita rapuit diadema peremptis

Nobilibus multis et regni cuncta subegit

Ast hii qui fuerant cognato sanguine iuncti

Fratribus- if grauiter tolerantes igne cremare

Ceperunt cunctas infausti principis urbes

Et turbare suum crudeli milite regnum

Nec permiserunt illum cum pace potiri

Anxius ergo manens cum non obstare rebelli

Quiuisset populo- parat inuitare remotos

Ad sua bella uiros quibus obuius iret in hostes

Mox ex diuersis uenerunt partibus orbis

Pugnatos turme- quas excipiebat honore

Saxona gens etiam curuis aduecta carinis

Eius ad obsequium galeato milite uenit

Hinc duo prefuerant audaci pectore fratres

Horsus et hengistus qui prodicone nefanda

Postmodo leserunt populos- lesere quod urbes

Postquam namque ducem famulatus sedulitate

Attraxere sibi ciues quoque lite propinqua

Viderunt motos leuiter quo subdere regem

Possent in populos uerterunt arma feroces

Ruperunt que fidem proceres quoque premeditatos

Fraude necauerunt sedentes ferme uocatos

Jnsumil ut pacem secum fedus que iugarent

Truserunt que ducem niuei trans ardua montis

Que sibi de regno cepi cantare futura

Jnde domos prime peragrantes igne cremabant

Et nitebantur sibimet submittere cuncta

At uortimerus cum causa pericula regni

Expulsum que patrem bruti uidisset ab aula

Assensu populi sumpsit diadema: feramque:

Jnuasit gentem conciues dilaniantem

Atque coegit eam per plurima bella redire

Jn thanatum- qua classis erat que uexarat illam

Set dum diffugerent- bellator corruit horsus

Et plures alii nostris perimentibus illos

Jnde secutus eos circumdedit obsidione

Jlico rex tanathum terra que mari que resistens

Set non preualuit subito nam classe potiti

Vi magna fecere uiam- ducti que per equor

Exegere suam festino remige terram

Ergo triumphato bellis uictricibus hoste

Fit vortimerus rector uenerandus in orbe

Attrectando suum iusto moderamine regnum

Set soror hengisti successus renua tales

Jndignando ferens- protecta que fraude uenenum

Miscuit- existens pro fratre maligna nouerca

Et dedit ut biberet- fecit que perire bibentem

Confestimque suo mandauit trans freta fratri

Vt remearet item cum tot tantisque cateruis

Quot sibi pugnaces possent submittere ciues

Sic igitur fecit- nam tantus in agmina nostra

Venit- ut eriperet cunctis sua predia pregnans

Et loca per patrias penitus combureret igne

Hec ita dum fierent in finibus armoricanis

Vter et ambrosius fuerant cum rege Biduco

Jam gladio fiunt cuncti bello que probati

Et sibi diuersas sociabant undique turmas

Vt peterent natale solum- gentesque fugarent

Quod tunc instabant primam uastare paternam

Ergo dedere suas uento que mari que carinas

Presidio que suis conciuibus applicuerunt

Nam vortigernum per cambrica regna fugatum

Jnclusum que sua pariter cum turre cremarunt

Enses inde suos uertere recenter in anglos

Congressi que simul uincebant sepius illos

Et uice transuersa deuincebantur ab illis

Denique consortis magno conamine dextris

Jnstant nostrates et ledunt acriter hostes

Hengistum que necant christo que uolente triumphant

Hiis igitur gestis cleri- populi que fauore

Ambrosio regnum que datur- regni que corona

Postmodo quam gessit tractando singula iuste

Emensis autem per lustra quaterna diebus

Proditur a medico moritur que bibendo uenenum

Mox germanus ei succesit iunior vter

Nec primum potuit regnum cum pace tueri

Perfida gens etenim demum consueta redire

Venerat et solita uastabat cuncta phalange

Oppugnauit eam seuis congressibus vter

Et pepulit uictam trans equora remige uerso

Mox reformauit posito certamine pacem

Progenuit que sibi natum qui postmodo talis

Extitit ut nulli fieret probitate secundus

Arturus sibi nomen erat regnum que per annos

Optinuit multos postquam pater uter obiuit

Jd que dolore graui gestum fuit atque labore

Et nece multorum per plurima bella uirorum

Nam dum predictus princeps langueret ab angla

Venerat infidus populos- cunctas que per enses

Trans humbrum patrias submiserat ac periones

Et puer arturus fuerat- nec debilitate

Etatis poterat tantas compescere turmas

Ergo consilio cleri populi que recepto

Armorico regi mittens mandauit Hoeli

Vt sibi presidio festina classe rediret

Sanguis enim communis eos sociabat amor que

Alter ut alterius deberet dampna Leuare

Mox igitur collegit hoel ad bella feroces

Circumquaque uiros et multis milibus ad nos

Venit et arturo sociatus pertulit hostes

Sepius agrediens et stragem fecit acerbam

Hoc socio securus erat fortis que per omnes

Arturus turmas dum progrederetur in hostes

Quos tandem uicit patriam que redire coegit

Composuit que suum legum moderamine regnum

Mox quoque submisit post hec certamina scotos

Ac hibernenses conuertens bella feroces

Supposuit patrias illatis uiribus omnes

Et norwegenses trans equora lata remotos

Subdidit et dacos inuisa classe petitos

Gallorum populos ceso frollone subegit

Cui curam prime dederat romana potestas

Romanos etiam bello sua regna petentes

Obpugnans uicit- procuratore perempto

Hybero lucio qui tunc collega que legnis

Jnduperatoris fuerat iussuque senatus

Venerat ut fines gallorum demeret illi

Ceperat interea nostrum sibi subdere regnum

Jnfidus iustos modredus desipiens que

Jllicitam uenerem cum coniuge regis agebat

Rex etenim transire uolens ut fertur in hostes

Reginam regnum que suum commiserat illi

Ast ut fama mali tanti sibi uenit ad aures

Distulit hanc belli curam primam que reuertens

Applicuit multis cum milibus- atque nepotem

Obpugnans pepulit trans equora diffugientem

Jllic collectis uir plenus prodicione

Vndique saxonibus cepit committere pugnam

Cum duce set cecidit deceptus gente prophana

Jn qua confisus tantos inceperat actus

O quantas hominum strages matrum que dolores

Quarum conciderant illic per prelia nati

Jllic rex etiam letali uulnere Lesus

Deseruit regnum- tecumque per equora uectus

Vt predixisti nimpharum uenit ad aulam

Jlico modredi duo nati regna uolentes

Subdere quisque sibi ceperunt bella mouere

Alternaque suos prosternere cede propinquos

Deinde nepos regis dux constantinus in illos

Acriter insurgens populos laniauit et urbes

Prostratis que simul crudeli morte duobus

Jura dedit populo regni diademate sumpto

Nec cum pace fuit quoniam cognatus in illum

Prelia dira mouens- uiolauit cuncta conanus

Proripuit que sibi regiones- rege perempto-

Quas nunc debiliter nec cum ratione gubernat

Hoc illo dicente cito uenere clientes

Et dixere sibi fontem sub montibus illis

Erupisse nouum- latices que refundere puros

Qui iam manantes longe per concaua uallis

Girabant saltus refluo cum murmure lapsu

Mox igitur spectare nouum : consurgit uterque

Festinus fontem uiso que resedit in herba

Merlinus- laudat que locum- limphas que fluentes

Et miratur eas de cespite taliter ortas

Moxque siti captus se proclinauit in amnes

Potauit que libens et tempora proluit unda

Vtque per internos alui stomachique meatus

Humor iit laticis subsedauitque uaporem

Corporis interni- confestim mente recepta

Sese cognouit- rabiem quoque perdidit omnem

Et qui torpuerat per longum tempus in illo

Sensus item rediit- mansit que quod ante manebat

Sanus et incolumis rursus ratione recepta

Ergo deum laudans uultus ad sidera tollit

Edidit et uoces deuoto famine tales

O rex siderea quo constant machina celi

Quo mare- quo tellus- leto cum germine- fetus

Dant que fouent suos crebro que iuuamine prosunt

Humano generi profusa fertilitate

Quo sensus rediit mentisque reuanuit error

Raptus eram michimet quasi spiritus acta sciebam

Preteriti populi predicebamque futura

Tunc rerum secreta sciens- uolucrumque uolutus

Stellarum que uagos motus- lapsus que natantum

Jd me uexabat- naturalem que negabat

Humane menti districta lege quietem

Nunc in me redii uideorque uigore moueri

Quo uegetare meos animus consueuerat arctus

Ergo summe pater tibi sic obnoxius esse

Debeo- condignas ut digno pectore laudes

Dicam semper agens letus libamina Leta

Bis etenim tua larga manus- michi profuit uni

Munere dando nouum uiridi de cespite fontem

Nam modo possideo latices quibus ante carebam

Et reducem capitis sumpsi potando salutem

Jsta set inde uenit bis- o dilecte sodalis

Vt fons iste nouus sic effluit atque reformet

Me michi que fueram quasi uecors hactenus ex me

Telgesinus ait- rerum moderator opimus

Flumina per species diuisit et addidit ultro

Cumque suas uires ut prosint sepius egris

Sunt etenim fontes- fluuii que lacus que per orbem

Qui uirtute sua multis et sepe medentur

Albula namque rapax rome fluit amne salubri

Quem sanare ferunt certo medicamine uulnus

Manat in italia fons alter- qui ciceronis

Dicitur- hic oculos ex omni uulnere curat

Ethiopes etiam stagnum perhibentur habere

Quo uelut ex oleo facies perfusa nitescit

Affrica fert fontem qui uulgo zema uocatur

Potus dat uoces subita uirtute canoras

Dat lacus italie dictonus tedia vini

Qui de fonte chios potant perhibentur habere

Fertur habere duos tellus boetica fontes

Hic facit inmemores- memores facit ille bibentes

Continent ipsa lacum tam dira peste uotiuum

Vt generet furias nimie que libidinis estum

Fons syticus uenerem- uenerisque repellit amorem

Campana regione fluunt ut dicitur amnes

Qui faciunt steriles fecundas flumine poto

Jdem dicuntur furias abolere virorum

Ethiopum tellus fert rubro flumine fontem

Qui bibit ex ilo limphaticus inde redibit

Fons lentus fieri numquam permittit abortum

Sunt duo sycilie fontes steriles facit alter

Alter fecundans geniali Lege puellas

Flumina thessalie duo sunt uirtutis opime

Hoc potans nigrescit ouis- candescit ab illo

Ast ab utroque bibens uariato uellere degit

Clitumnus lacus est quem continet umbrica tellus

Hic aliquando boues fertur producere magnos

Jn que reatina fit equorum dura palude

Vngula confestim dum progrediuntur arenas

A falci que lacu iudee corpora mergi

Nequaquam possunt uuegetat dum spiritus illa

At contra stagnum sygen fert indica tellus

Quo res nulla natat- set mergitur ilico fundo

Et lacus est aloe quo res non mergitur ulla

Omnia set fluitant quamuis sint plumbea saxa

Fons quoque marsidie compellit saxa natare

Stix fluuius de rupe fluit- perimet que bidentes

Has clades eius testatur achadia tellus

Fons ydumeus quater inmutando diebus

Mira lege suos fertur uariare colores

Puluerilentus enim uiridus que fit ordine uerso

Fit quoque sanguines- fit limpidus amne decoro

Ex hiis per ternos unum retinere colorem

Asseritur menses semper uoluentibus annis

Rogotis lacus est eius quoque profluit unda

Ter fit amara die- ter dulci grata sapore

Epirir de fonte faces ardere feruntur

Extincte rursus que suum deponere lumen

Sic algere die perhibetur fons garamantum

Et uice transuersa tota feruescere nocte

Vt neget accessum pre frigore pre que calore

Sunt et aque calide multos feruore minantes

Feruorem que trahunt dum perlabuntur alumen

Aut sulphur quibus est uis ignea grata medendi

His aliis que deus ditauit uiribus amnes

Vt fierent egris subite medicina salutis

Et manifestarent quanta uirtute creator

Premineat rebus dum sic operatur in illis

Hos etiam latices summa ratione salubres

Esse reor- subitam que reor conferre medelam

Nunc potuere nouo sic erumpendo liquore

Hii modo sub terra per concaua ceca fluebant

Vt plures alii qui submanare feruntur

Forsitan excursus illorum prepediente

Obice uel saxi- uel terre- pondere Lapse

Retrogradum cursum facientes arbitror illos

Paulatim penetrasse solum fontem que dedisse

Sic plures manare uides- iterum que redire

Sub terram rursus que suas tenuisse cauernas

Hec ita dum gererent: rumor discurrit ubique

Jn calidone nouum siluis erumpere fontem

Sanatum que uirum post quam potauit ab illo

Temporequi multo rabie corruptus- et isdem

Extiterat siluis- ritu uiuendo ferarum

Mox igitur uenere duces- proceres que uidere-

Et colletari curato flumine vati

Cum que statum prime per singula notificassent

Atque rogaretur sua sceptra resumere rursus

Et tractare suam solito moderamine gentem

Sic ait- o iuuenes mea non hoc exigit etas

Jn senium uergens que sic michi corripit artus

Vt uix preteream laxatis viribus arua

Jam satis exegi longeuo tempore Letos

Glorificando dies michi dum rideret habundans

Copia magnarum profuse diuiciarum

Roboris annosi silua stat quercus in ista

Quam sic exegit consumens cuncta uetustas

Vt sibi deficiat succus penitus que putrescat

Hanc ego cum primum cepisset crescere uidi

Et glandem de qua processit forte cadentem

Dum super astaret picus- ramum que uideret

Hic illam creuisse suo iam pene sedebam

Singula prospiciens tunc et uerebar in istis

Saltibus atque locum memori cummente notaui

Ergo diu uixi- mea me grauitate senectus

Detinuit dudum- rursus regnare recuso

Me calidonis opes uiridi sub fronde manentem

Delectant pocius quam quas fert india gemme

Quam quod habere tagus per littora dicitur aurum

Quam segetes situle- quam dulcis methidis uue

Aut celse turres- aut cincte menibus urbes

Aut fraglascentes tirio medicamine uestes

Res michi nulla placet que me diuellere possit

Ex calidone mea- me iudice semper amena

Hic ero dum uiuam pomis contentus et herbis

Et mundabo meam pia per ieiunia carnem

Vt ualeam fungi uita sine fine perhenni

Hec dum dicebat proceres super ethera cernunt

Agmina longa gruum flexo per inane uolatu

Ordine girantes per littora certa videre

Posset in exstructa liquido super aere turma

Hec admirantes merlinum dicere poscunt

Quid certe fuerat quod tali more uolerant

Mox merlinus eis uolucres ut cetera plura

Natura propria ditauit conditor orbis

Sic didici multis siluis habitando diebus

Est igitur natura gruum dum celsa pererrant

Si plures assint ut earum sepe uolatu

Aut hanc- aut aliam uideamus inesse figuram

Vna modo clamando monet seruare uolando

Turbatus solitis ne discrepet ordo figuris

Aut dum raucescit subit altera deficienti

Excubias noctis faciunt- custos que lapillum

Sustinet in digitis dum uult expellere sompnos

Cumque uident aliquos subito clamore citantur

Penne nigrescunt cunctarum quando senescunt

Ast aquile que nomen habent ab acumine uisus

Obtuitus tanti pre cunctis esse feruntur

Vt perferre queant non flexo lumine solem

Ad radium pullos suspendunt scire uolentes

Jllo uitato ne degener exstet in illis

Jn montis sullime manent super equora pennis

Aspirant que suas uno sub gurgite predas

Jlico descendunt rapido per inane uolatu

Et rapiunt pisces- ut poscit origo natantis

Postposito coitu sine semine sepe mariti

Concipit et generat dictu mirabile uultur

Hec per celsa uolans aquilarum more cadauer

Naribus elatis longe trans equora sentit

Quod quamuis tardo non horret adire uolatu

Vt sese ualeat preda saciare cupita

Jdem centenis robustus uiuit in annis

Nuntia ueris auis crepitante ciconia rostro

Dicta fouere suos in tantum sedula natos

Exuat ut proprias nudato pectore plumas

Hec cum bruma uenit fertur uitare procellas

Et fines asie ductu cornicis adire

Pascit eam pullus senio cum deficit etas

Quod depauit eum iam debuit ipsa diebus

Excedit uolucres dulci modulamine cunctas

Cum moritur cignus nautis gratissimus ales

Hunc in hiperboreo perhibent accedere tractu

Ad cantum cithare per littora forte sonantis

Strucio que ponit sub puluere deserit oua

Vt foueantur ibi dum negligat ipsa fouere

Jnde creantur aues radio pro matre cubante

Ardea cum pluuias tempestates que perhorret

Euolat ad nubes ut tanta pericula uitet

Hinc illam subitos dicunt portendere nimbos

Sublimem quociens spectant super ethera naute

Vnica semper auis diuino munere phenix

Jn terris arabum rediuiuo corpore surgit

Cumque senescit adit loca feruidiora calore

Solis- et ingentes ab aromate iungit aceruos

Componit que rogum quem crebris motibus ale

Succendit- fertur que super penitus que crematur

Producit uolucrem puluis de corpore facto

Et fit item phenix hac lege nouata per euum

Nidificare uolens fert cinnom cinomolgus

Edificat que suum pro cero robore nidum

Jllinc pennatis homines abducere telis

Mouerunt cumulum soliti transmittere uenum

Alcion auis est que stagna marina frequentat

Edificat que suos hiemali tempore nidos

Dum cubat equora sunt septem tranquilla diebus

Et uenti cessant- tempestates que remisse

Jnpendunt placidam uolucri famulando quietem

Psitacus humanam proprio modulamine uocem

Dum non spectatur prorsus proferre putatur

Jntermiscet aue uerbis et chere iocosis

Est pelicanus auis pullos consueta necare

Et confusa tribus lugere dolore diebus

Denique supposito laniat sua corpora rostro

Et scindens uenas educit sanguinis undas

Et uite reduces reddit rorando uolucres

Dum diomedee lacrimosa uoce resultant

Et faciunt planctus subitam portendere mortem

Dicuntur regum uel magna pericula regni

Cumque uident aliquem discernunt ilico quid sit

Barbarus an grecus nam grecum plausibus ale

Et blandimentis adeunt lete que resultant

Circueunt alios pennis que feruntur iniquis

Horrentique sono uelut hostes agrediuntur

Mennonides quinto semper dicuntur in anno

Mennonis ad tumulum longo remeare uolatu

Et deflere ducem troiano marte peremptum

Fert quoque mirandam splendens circinea pennam

Nocte sub obscura que fulget ut ignea lampas

Aque ministrat iter si preportetur eunti

Quando nidificat deuellit ab arbore picus

Clauos et cuneos quos non diuelleret ullus

Cuius ab impulsu uicinia tota resultant

His igitur dictis: quidam uesanus ad illos

Accessit subito seu sors conduxerat illum

Terrifico clamore nemus complebat et auras

Et quasi seuus aper spumabat bella minando

Ocius ergo uirum capiunt secum que sedere

Cogunt ut moueat risus que iocos que loquendo

Jnspiciens igitur uates attentius illum

Quis fuerit recolit gemitum que reducit ab imo

Pectore- sic dicens non hec fuit eius ymago

Olim- dum nobis iuuenilis floruit etas

Pulcher enim fortis fuerat tunc tempore miles

Et quem nobilitas regum que ferebat origo

Hunc mecum plures que simul tunc diues habebam

Tot que bonis sociis felix censebar eram que

Accidit interea dum uenaremur in altis

Montibus argustli nos deuenisse sub vna:

Que patulis ramis surgebant in aera quercu

Fons ibi manabat uiridi circumdatus herba

Cuius erant latices humanis haustibus apti

Ergo siti pariter correpti sedimus illic

Et fontis puros auide libauimus amnes

Deinde super teneras solito conspeximus herbas

Jn riuo fontis redolentia poma iacere

Mox ea collegit qui primus adheserat iste

Porrexit que michi subito pro munere ridens

Ergo distribui data poma sodalibus et me

Expertem feci quia non suffecit aceruus

Riserunt alii quibus impertita fuerunt

Me que uocant largum cupidis quoque faucibus illa

Agrediendo uorant et pauca fuisse queruntur

Nec mora corripuit rabies miserabilis istum

Et cunctos alios qui mox ratione carentes

More canum sese lacerant mordendo uicissim

Strident et spumant et humi sine mente uolutant

Denique digressi sunt illinc more Lupino

Complentes uacuas miseris ululatibus auras

Hec michi non illis uelut estimo poma dabantur

Postmodo seu didici nam tunc in partibus illis

Vna fuit mulier que me dilexerat ante

Et mecum multis uenerem saciauerat annis

Hanc post quam spreui secum que coire negaui

Vt me dampanaret rapuit mox leua uoluntas

Cumque monens aditus alios reperire nequiret

Apposuit fonti super illita dona veneni

Quo rediturus eram meditans hac arte nocere

Si fruerer pomis in gramine forte repertis

At me sors melior sic conseruauit ab illis

Vt modo predixi set eum compellere queso

Hoc de fonte nouo limphas potare salubres

Vt si forte suam possit rehabere salutem

Se cognoscat item- mecum que laboret in istis

Saltibus in domino dum postera uita manebit

Sic igitur fecere duces sumpto que liquore

Redditur ille sibi qui uecors uenerat illuc

Cognouit que suos subito curatus amicos

Tunc merlinus ait tibi nunc constanter eundum

Est in agone dei qui te tibi reddidit ut nunc

Jpsemet inspectas qui per deserta tot annis

Vt fera uixisti sine sensu turpis eundo

Ne modo diffugias fructices ratione recepta

Aut uirides saltus quos iam limphando colebas

Set mecum maneas ut quos tibi surripiebat

Vis uerunca dies iterum reparare labores

Obsequio domini quod erit per singula mecum

Ex hoc nunc commune tibi dum uiuit uterque

Ergo subhoc maeldinus ait- nam nomine tali

Dictus erat- non hoc pater- o uenerande recuso

Letus enim tecum siluas habitabo- deum que:

Tota mente colam tremulos dum rexerit artus

Spiritus iste meos quem te doctore piabo

Sic et ego faciam uobiscum tercius auctus

Telgesinus ait despecto themate mundi

Jam satis exegi uiuendo tempora vane

Et nunc tempus adest quo me michi te duce reddam

Vos set abite duces urbes defendere uestras

Non decet ut nostram uestro sermone quietem

A modo turbetis- satis applausistis amico

Discedunt proceres- remanent tres et ganieda

Quarta soror uatis- sumpta quoque denique uita

Ducebat uitam regis post fata pudicam

Que modo tot populos indicto iure regebat

Nunc cum fratre sibi- siluis nil dulcius exstat-

Hanc etiam quandoque suis rapiebat ad alta

Spiritus- ut caneret de regno sepe futura

Ergo die quadam cum fratris staret in aula

Jnspiceret que domos radiantes sole fenestra

Edidit has dubias dubio de pectore uoces

Cerno ridichenam galeatis gentibus urbem

Jmpletam- sacros que uiros- sacras que tyaras

Nexibus addictos sic consiliante iuuenta

Pastor in excelsa mirabitur edita turris

Et reserare sui cogetur futile dampni

Cerno kaerloyctoyc uallatam milite seuo

Jnclusos que duos quorum diuelliter alter

Vt redeat cum gebte fera cum principe uallis

Et uincat rapto seuam rectore cateruam

Heu quantum scelus est capiant ut sidera solem

Cui sullabuntur nec ui nec marte coacta

Jnspicio binas prope kaerwen in aere lunas

Gestari que duos nimia feritate Leones

Jnque duos homines unus miratur et alter

Jn totidem pugnam que parant et cominus astant

Jnsurgunt alii quartum que ferocibus armis

Acriter obpugnant nec preualet ullus eorum

Perstat enim clipeum que mouet telis que repugnat

Et uictor ternos confestim proterit hostes

Jmpellit que duos trans frigida regna boetes

Dans alii ueniam qui postulat ergo per omnes

Diffugiunt partes tocius sidera campi

Armoricanus aper quercu protectus auita

Abducit lunam gladiis post terga rotatis

Sidera bina feris uideo committere pugnam

Colle sub urgenio quo conuenire deyri

Gewissique simul magno regnante cohelo

O quanta sudore uiri- tellus que cruore

Manat in externas dum dantur uulnera gente

Concidit in latebras collisum sydere sidus

Abscondit que suum renouato lumine lumen

Heu quam dira fames incumbit ut arceat aluos

Euacuat que suos populorum uiribus arctus

Jncipit a kambris peragrat que cacumina regni

Et miseras gentes equor transire cohercet

Diffugiunt uituli consueti uiuere Lacte

Vaccarum- scotie morientum clade nephanda

Iteque neustrenses cessate diutius arma

Ferre per ingenium uiolento milite regnum

Non est unde gulam ualeatis pascere uestram

Consumpsistis enim quicquid natura creatrix

Fertilitate bona dudum produxit in illa

Christe tuo populo fer opem- compesce Leones

Da regno placidam bello cessante quietem

Non super hoc tacuit- commirantur que sodales

Germanus que suus qui mox accessit ad illam

Hoc que modo uerbis applaudens fertur amicis

Te ne soror uoluit res precantare futuras

Spiritus- os que meum compescuit atque libellum

Ergo tibi labor iste datur- leteris in illo

Auspiciis que meis deuote singula dicas

Duximus ad metam carmen uos ergo britanni

Laurea serta date Gaufrido de monumeta

Est etenim uester nam quondam prelia uestra

Vestrorum que ducum cecinit scripsit que libellum

Quem nunc gesta uocant britonum celebrata per orbem.

Notes

[←1]

(3)  Robert de Chesney, fourth Bishop of Lincoln, was chosen toward the end of the year 1148 after the death of Bishop Alexander, to whom Geoffrey had dedicated his version of the prophecies of Merlin.

[←2]

(14-15)  Camerinus, Macer, Marius, and Rabirius are all referred to within a few lines of one of Ovid’s Epistles from Pontus (IV, xvi).

[←3]

(23ff)  For this battle and the persons concerned in it see the Introduction.

[←4]

(24-25)  This seems like a reference to the pillaging expedition, which, according to the Triads, was made by Aeddan shortly before the battle of Arderydd.

[←5]

(32)  The name Cambri (Cymry), now applied to the Welsh, was formerly used of the Britons of Strathclyde and Cumberland - “Y Gogledd”.  The kingdom of Rhydderch was in this region.  Jocelyn of Furness in his The Life of St Kentigern (Chap xxxi) speaks of going “de Wallia ad Cambrian”.  See also Y Cymmrodor, XI, 98.

[←6]

(34)  The Welsh dialogue between Myrddin and Taliesin speaks of the death in the battle of, “Three men of note whose esteem was great with Elgan.”  It speaks also of the prodigies of valour performed by the seven sons of Eliffer, of whom Peredur we know was one, and it may be three of these who are referred to.  See the Miscellany.

[←7]

(63ff)  The madness of Merlin, hardly intelligible here, is clear enough in the other versions where it comes as a punishment for his own misdeeds.  For parallels to this story see the Irish Frenzy of Suibhne and the other texts referred to in the Introduction.

[←8]

(87)  “Celi Duw” came to be a very common title of the Deity in Welsh, the “coeli” losing completely its original meaning and being considered quite equivalent to “God.”

[←9]

(90)  For references in Welsh literature to Merlin’s apple trees see the Afallennau and the Oianau.

[←10]

(132)  Coed Celyddon or the Forest of Calidon originally stretched over the greater part of what is now southern Scotland.

[←11]

(165ff)  In the Irish story of Suibhne his madness is softened in a very similar way by Loingreachan who played upon the harp and sang to him of his family, and finally persuaded him to return home.

[←12]

(191ff)  These lines show that Geoffrey was familiar with the Heroides of Ovid.

[←13]

(235)  Guilandus is probably, as San Marte suggests, Wayland Smith.  Urbs Sigenus is the old Welsh Kaer Sigont (now Caer Seiont), a name perhaps transferred to Carnarvon from the ruins of the Roman station of Segontium on the hill a short distance above the present city.

[←14]

(254ff)  This incident is contained in an expanded form in a fragment believed to be from a lost life of Kentigern, printed by Ward in Romania, xxii; there however the story is of Lailoken and the wife of Meldred, king of Dunmeller.  It bears some resemblance to the story told in Jocelyn’sThe Life of St Kentigern of the adultery of Languoreth, wife of Rhydderch.

[←15]

(305ff)  This resembles closely another fragment printed by Ward in which Lailoken prophesies a similar threefold death, in this case, however, for himself.  Much the same incident has been preserved in by Welsh oral tradition in Glamorgan in connection with Twm Ieuan ap Rhys (born in 1474), commonly called Twm Gelwydd Teg or Tom of the Fine Lies.  According to the story printed in the Iolo Manuscripts, (Second edition, p 202, translation p 616)

Twm was one day threshing in a barn, and a young lad went by and addressed him as follows: “Well, Twm Gelwydd Teg, what news have you today?”  “There is news for thee,” said he; “thou shalt die three deaths before this night.”  “Ha! Ha!” said the youth, “nobody can die more than one death,” and he went off laughing.  In the course of the day, the lad went to the top of a great tree on the brink of a river, to take a kite’s nest, and in thrusting his hand into the nest, he was wounded by an adder, brought by the kite to her young ones, as she was accustomed to do.  This causing him to lose his hold, he fell down on a great branch and broke his neck, and from there he fell into the river, and thus he met with three deaths, to be wounded by an adder, to break his neck, and to drown.

The relation of such stories as these to similar incidents found earlier in the romances is a puzzling one, but probably relate to much earlier tales.

[←16]

(434-435)  These lines, backed up by lines 1133-1135, place the action of the poem in the reign of Aurelius Conan, which according to the Historia began about two years after the translation of Arthur and lasted for about two years.  As Geoffrey places the translation of Arthur in 542, he has made a mistake in dating, since the BAttle of Arderydd was fought about 577.

[←17]

(451)  In the Irish version of the story Eorann, wife of Suibhne, takes a new mate in much the same fashion as Guendoloena does here.  In the same story we find Suibhne speaking of his herd of stags, to one of which he says,

“Thou stag that comest lowing

to me across the glen,

pleasant is the place for seats

on the top of they antler-points.”

[←18]

(481-532)  These two incidents are apparently of Oriental origin and quite possibly came to Geoffrey through some collection of exempla.  In the Babylonian Talmud there is a similar tale in which a daemon laughs at a man buying shoes and at a fortune-teller prophesying wealth for others.

[←19]

(560)  In the Irish version the prophecies are taken down by St Molig; in the Scottish version by St Kentigern; in the Welsh poems Myrddin makes them to his sister.

[←20]

(580ff)  The following passage is a working over of the Historia, XI, vii-x.  The “Wolf of the Sea” refers to Gormund.

[←21]

(586)  The “Boar of Cornwall” is Geoffrey’s name for Arthur in the Prophecies; the “nephews” are apparently his grand-nephews, the sons of Modred.  (Historia, XI, iii).

[←22]

(590)  This evidently refers to Careticus of the Historia, the fourth after Arthur’s successor Constantine.

[←23]

(596-624)  For the greater part of this there are no specific explanations.  In Jocelyn’s Kentigern we find Lailoken predicting the death of Rhydderch, and in the Welsh poem of the Cyfoesi we find Myrddin doing the same.

[←24]

(599)  On the Gewissi, who are probably intended here, see note 54 below.

[←25]

(608)  Men whose names are derived from horses, that one naturally thinks of, are Hengist, Horsus, and March, but none of these seems to fit here.

[←26]

(612)  Kaer Alclwyd, the modern Dumbarton, was destroyed by the Picts in 736, and by the Northmen in 870.

[←27]

(618)  Carlisle was destroyed by the Northmen and restored by William Rufus.  In 1133 Henry I (the “Lion of Justice” of the Prophecies) re-established its bishopric.

[←28]

(614)  Lot believes that this passage was inspired by the sight of the ruins of the old Roman station of Segontium on the hill above the modern city of Carnarvon.

[←29]

(620)  The old Roman port, now Richborough on the Kent coast between Ramsgate and Deal.

[←30]

(621)  The Rutheni were, according to Alanus, the people of Flanders.

[←31]

(622-623)  This may refer to the passage in the Historia (VII, iii), “Menevia shall be robed in the pall of the City of the Legions,” but I think more probably it expresses the hope that a king should soon come who would re-establish (or establish) an archbishop at St David’s, a hope that must have been cherished by the Welsh even before the time of Giraldus Cambrensis.  According to Welsh belief this city had been the seat of an archbishop until the time of Samson, twenty fifth from Dewi or David, who fled to Dol in Brittany taking the pall with him.  (Giraldus Cambrensis, De Menevensi Ecclesia Dialogus).

[←32]

(624)  This is the city on the Usk and not Chester, also called the City of the Legions, as the reference to the Severn shows.

[←33]

(626)  San Marte believes from what follows that this refers to the coming of Augustine.

[←34]

(630-631)  Clearly the defeat of Brocmail and the slaughter of the monks at Leicester referred to in the Historia (XI, xiii), although the number does not agree with the printed texts; it does agree with the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

[←35]

(632)  Athelstan, according to Historia, XII, xix.

[←36]

(650-654)  Daci was commonly used for the Danes at this period, as Neustrenses was for the Normans.

[←37]

(652)  Possibly Canute and his son Harold.  San Marte evidently translates this passage differently, since his not explains that the “Lex Marsia” was used south of the Thames and the Danish laws north of it.

[←38]

(672-680)  This refers to the Historia, VII, iii, but its meaning remains unclear.  The “three” are the two Williams and Henry I, and the “fourth” Stephen.  San Marte takes the “four” to be William Rufus, Henry I, Stephen, and Henry II, and the “two” to be Richard and John, the latter of whom he believes to be the “sixth”, even if line 680 does not fit him.  However, the same thing occurs in the Historia, and although it is not safe to say that a certain passage is not an interpolation, this passage was probably written forty years or so before King John was born.  It is possible that Geoffrey was basing this passage on an old Welsh poem which Skene believes to have been written before 655.

Five chiefs there will be to me

Of the Gwyddyl Ffichti

Of a sinner’s disposition

Of a race of the knife;

Five others will there be to me

Of the Norddmyn place;

The sixth a wonderful king,

From the sowing to the reaping;

The seventh proceeded

To the land over the flood

The eighth, of the line of Dyfi,

Shall not be freed from prosperity.

Skene explains the five kings of the Northumbrians as Ida, Ella, Ethelric, Ethelfred, and Edwin.  The sixth was Osric who reigned only a few months, and the seventh was Eanfrid, who crossed the Firth of Forth and was slain by Cadwallawn of the line of Dyfi.  Even if Geoffrey understood the references in the poem, which he probably did not, it must have seemed to him good material to work over and put in the mouth of Merlin.  This would lead to the confusion about the later kings of Norman line as they do not quite follow the same pattern.

[←39]

(675)  Alanus explains that the “Helmeted Man” was the name given to one of the mountains of Scotland because of its shape.

[←40]

(681-683)  From the Historia, VII, iii.

[←41]

(687-688)  The Life of Gildas by the Monk of Rhuys tells that after Gildas settled in Brittany people began to flock to him to entrust their sons for their instruction to his superintendence and teaching.

[←42]

(698) Apparently a reference to the fact told in the Scottish version but not mentioned by Geoffrey except here, that Rhydderch took St Kentigern under his protection after he had been driven out of his home in the north.

[←43]

Such Latin epitaphs on early British tombs are by no means rare.  The grave of Rhydderch Hael has not been found, but at Warrior’s Rest, near Yarrow, in Selkirkshire, is an inscription to the sons of his cousin Nudd Hael.

HIC MEMORIAE ET [BE]LLO INSIGNISIMI PRINCIPES. NVDI

DVMNOGENI. HIC IACENT IN TYMVLO. DVO FILII LIBERALIS

According to Sir John Rhys the probable date of the stone is the latter part of the sixth century.

[←44]

(737-820)  Much of the material in this passage must have been taught in every school in Geoffrey’s time so that it is perhaps useless to expect to find an exact source for it.  Bede’s De Natura Rerum furnishes a fairly close parallel for much of it and must have been known to Geoffrey since it seems to have been taught in the Welsh Schools.

[←45]

(779-780)  For this same material in the Historia Geoffrey refers us to the work of Apuleius on The God of Socrates but a number of other parallels exist.

[←46]

(827-854)  The whole passage on fish follows closely Isidore of Seville’s Etymologiae sive Origines, XII, vi.

[←47]

(871)  The account of Bladud is to be found in the Historia, II, x.  The name of Alaron is not recorded in Wales, but “Alarun” is recorded as a woman’s name in Brittany in 1152, which supports the reading of the manuscript in this passage.

[←48]

(875-909)  The account of the islands is from Isidore, XIV, vi.

[←49]

(908ff)  The description of the Fortunate Isles comes largely from classical tradition (much of it is to be found in Isidore), but it seems also to be influenced by Celtic legends of the happy otherworld.  There is a significant passage in Pomponius Mela, De Situ Orbis, III, 6, which reflects ancient Celtic tradition.

“Sena in Britannico mari, Osismicis adversa litoribus, Gallici numinis oraculo insignis est; cuius antistes, perpetua virginitate sanctae, numero novem esse traduntur; Gallicenas vocant, putantque ingeniis singularibus praeditas, maria ac ventos concitare carminibus, seque in quae velint animalia vertere, sanare, quae apud alios insanabilia sunt, scire ventura et praedicare, sed no nisi deditas navigantibus, et in id tantum, ut se consulerent profectis.”

The Gesta Regum Britanniae (IX, 4213-4234) which, although slightly later in date than this poem may represent independent tradition, gives a somewhat similar account.  So too, a later Welsh version, which shows French influence but may also contain native elements, says that Uther caused Dioneta, daughter of Gwrleis and Eigyr to be sent to the Isle of Avallach, and of all in her age she was the most skilled in the seven arts.

[←50]

(924)  Although these three places are usually rendered Brest, Chartres, and Pavia, the last is sometimes translated as Paris.  R.S.Loomis has suggested that Bristi may be the locative of the Latin name for Bristol.

[←51]

(930)  Geoffrey may have got his Barinthus from an early tradition in which he was god of the sea and the otherworld rather than from the Navigatio Brendani as is sometimes suggested.

[←52]

(962)  On the basis of Book XII of the Historia, the three are probably Cadvan, Cadwallo, and Cadwallader.

[←53]

(967-968)  For this prophecy among the Welsh before Geoffrey, see Introduction.

[←54]

(982ff)  More or less a summary of the Historia, VI, v-xix; VIII, i - XI, v.

[←55]

(986)  In spite of the testimony of Bede that the Gewissi were a people of the West Saxons, J.J.Parry believes that Geoffrey was referring to a British people, and that his contemporaries would have understood this to be so.  Alanus, who was almost a contemporary, explains that the Gewissi were “a people of the Britons”, and the early Welsh translation in the Red Book says that Vortigern was “earl of Gwent and Ergig and Euas” (that is, Ercing and Ewias, the districts on the two sides of the Wye); for the “Gewissi” of Historia, XII, xiv, this same text has “euas and Ergig,” while “Octavius, Duke of the Wissei” of V, viii becomes “Eudaf, Earl of Ergig and Euas.”  Even the Latin text makes Vortigern take refuge “in natione hergign super fluvium Guaie.”  The Welsh name for the people of Gwent was “Gwennwys” or “Gwenhwyson”, and there is a dialect of Welsh in that district known as “Gwenhwyseg.”  From some form of this word came the name “Gewissi”.

[←56]

(1033)  The Welsh form of this name is Ronwen (Red Book passim).

[←57]

(1104)  In the Historia this is “Lucio Tiberio”, although some of the manuscripts also read “Lucio Hybero”.  The weight of evidence is in favour of “Hybero”.

[←58]

(1136ff)  Such healing fountains springing up suddenly are quite common in Celtic tales.

[←59]

(1179-1242)  These lines on fountains follow closely after Isidore of Seville, XIII, xiii.

[←60]

The closest Welsh parallel to this is to be found in the Iolo Manuscripts (Second edition, pp 189 and 601)

“The Stag answered him thus: ‘Thou seest, my friend and companion, this oak by which I lie, it is at present no more than an old withered stump, without leaves or branches, but I remember seeing it an acorn in the top of the chief tree of this forest, and it grew into an oak, and an oak is three hundred years in growing, and after that three hundred years in its strength and prime, and after that three hundred years decaying before death, and after death three hundred years returning into earth, and upwards of sixty years of the last hundred of this oak are past, and the Owl has been old since I first remember her.”

The Iolo Manuscript is late, but early forms of this tale are known, see especially Culhwch and Olwen.

[←61]

(1301-1386)  The description of the birds is from Isidore, XII, vii.

[←62]

(1386)  This incident may be based on one in the Irish Voyage of Maelduin.

[←63]

(1402)  Argustli is the modern Arwystli, a district in the central part of Wales.

[←64]

(1474)  The Welsh still use the name Rhydychen or Oxen’s Ford for the city of Oxford.  This incident may relate either to the events of 24 June 1139, or to those of Easter Week, 1215.  In 1139, the Bishops Roger of Salisbury and Alexander of Lincoln were seized by Stephen at the instigation of the Court, whilst Bishop Nigel of Ely fled to Roger’s castle at Devizes.  Thereafter Roger was dragged to Devizes and forced to open and surrender the castle.  In 1215, King John went to Oxford to confer with his rebellious barons, at which time Oxford must have been filled to bursting with helms and tiaras.  The line “Pastor … reserare sui cogetur fictile dampni,” may well refer to the signing of the Magna Carta later in the year.

[←65]

(1479)  Again the possibility of two events being referred to is apparent.  The name Kaerloidcoit refers regularly to Lichfield, and an error of Geoffrey in the Historia has caused it to be attached to Lincoln.  It is undoubtedly the “caerlwytcoet” or “city of the gray wood” of the Red Booktranslation, which there seems to be used for Lincoln.  It could, therefore, Have been the Battle of Lincoln of 2 February 1141 in which Stephen blockaded William de Roumare and Randolf of Chester in Lincoln castle, Chester managing to escape and return with the Welsh under Robert of Gloucester and capture Stephen - the ‘sidera’ capturing the ‘sun’.  Alternatively it could refer to the capture of Lincoln in April of 1217.

[←66]

(1485)  Caerwent is the regular Welsh name for the City of Winchester.  Yet again there are two possible events referred to here.  On 14 September 1141, Queen Matilda and Empress Matilda (the two moons?) brought their rival forces to Winchester.  Winchester also hosted the events of 20 July 1213 when King John and Stephen Langton met.

[←67]

(1498)  The reference here is probably to the battle of Coleshill in Flint fought in 1150, in which Madoc ab Maredudd and Randolf, Earl of Chester, were defeated with great slaughter by Owen Gwynedd, and were driven back out of Wales.  The “great Coel” is Coel Godebog.

Table of Contents

The Life Of Merlin

Vita Merlini: Latin Text