Le Morte D’Arthur, book 1, part 7

I was honestly wondering if I’d be able to post this today, because I’ve been feeling pretty sick and tired, but here we are! Yay! Hopefully I feel better soon. >_<

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Then King Arthur came out of his tower, and he had under his tunic a coat of double mail, and there went with him the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Baldwin of Breton [or maybe Britain], Sir Kay, and Sir Brastias. These were the men of most worship who were with him.

And when he and the kings met, there was no meekness, but stout words on both sides; but always King Arthur answered them, and he said he would make them to bow, as he lived. Wherefore they departed with wrath, and they bade each other farewell. So the king returned to the tower again and armed himself and all his knights.

‘What will you do?’ asked Merlin to the kings. ‘It would be better to stop now, for you shall not prevail here though you were ten times so many.’

‘Would we be well-advised to be afraid of a dream-reader?’ asked King Lot. [I’m not even sure if Morgause was a magician in the legends, but she usually is in modern stories, which makes me wonder what kind of relationship she’d have with King Lot. Lot seems downright scornful of magic. So do they not really get along? Does she hide her magic from him, or does he accept it, maybe with a slight eyeroll when she isn’t looking? All of them are possibilities, and it’s kind of an interesting relationship to think about.]

With that Merlin vanished away and came to King Arthur and bade him to set on them fiercely. And in the meanwhile, three hundred good men, of the best that were with the kings, went straight to King Arthur, and that comforted him greatly. [That conveniently timed desertion!] [I mean, I guess it’s not completely a deux ex machina, because Malory already mentioned Merlin convinced some people in the last chapter, but whatever let me make fun of this book in peace.]

‘Sir,’ said Merlin, ‘do not fight with the sword you got by miracle, until you see the battle turn for the worse, then draw it out and do your best.’

So forthwith King Arthur set upon them in their lodging. And Sir Baldwin, Sir Kay, and Sir Brastias slew so many on the right hand and the left that it was a marvel. And always King Arthur on horseback did marvelous deeds of arms, and many of the kings had great joy of his deeds and hardiness. [King Lot: You guys do realize that is our men he’s killing, right?!

Random king: I know, but he looks so good while doing it! So hardy!

I won’t call Arthur a Gary Stu, not at all. But this is such a Gary Stu moment XD]

Then King Lot broke out on the back side, with the King with The Hundred Knights and King Carados, and set on Arthur fiercely behind him. With that Sir Arthur turned with his knights and smote before and behind, [he was smiting everywhere] and Arthur was ever in the foremost press until his horse was slain. And therewith King Lot smote down King Arthur. With that Arthur’s four knights rescued him and set him on horseback. [So, ‘press’ could mean ‘army’, and I’m not seeing any other definition that works well in context, but who knows. I’m not entirely sure.]

Then he drew his sword Excalibur, and it was so bright in his enemies’ eyes that it gave light like thirty torches. [Wait, I thought he received Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake? Are there two Excaliburs? Has my life been a lie? (*whispers* is this another inconsistency)] And therewith he put them to flight and slew many people. And then the commons of Caerleon arose with clubs and staves and slew many knights, but the kings held them off with their knights that were left alive, and so fled and departed. And Merlin came unto Arthur and counseled him to follow them no further.

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I’ve been being a slow reader lately, but I’m still making progress on this book. Posting these have been keeping me on track. But I do need to remind myself not to get distracted. Sometimes it’s easy for me to abandon a long book in order to chase after something new and shiny, and I refuse to do this here. I really want to finish this book! I love it so far!