ARTHURIAN ROMANCES, The. The figure of Arthur rests, in all probability, upon a historical basis, which has been completely transformed by the accretions of mythology, legend and romance. In the 'Historia Brit onum' of Nennius, a compilation of very un certain date, mention is made of a certain Arthur who was °dux of the Britons against the Saxon invaders. His most brilliant achievement is stated to have been the British victory at Mount Badon (early in the 6th cen tury). This testimony is substantiated by the Latin work of Gildas, an ecclesiastic of the 6th century, although Gildas does not mention Arthur by name. The memory of a conquering leader of this sort may well have been cherished by the English Celts in their later adversities, and his deeds magnified into the exaggerated exploits of a popular hero. The more primitive conception of Arthur is revealed in certain por tions of the Welsh In the tale of and Olwen,' for example, he ap pears as the leader of a far ruder company than that generally associated with his name. In the course of time many features belonging to Celtic mythology became attached to him and his followers, which are occasionally plainly visible in the later romantic narratives. Sir Thomas Malory describes the strength of Gawain as waxing and waning each day, a peculiarity originally belonging to a super natural being. Episodes in the story of Ar thur's life may in all probability be traced to a similar source. .The faithlessness of his wife and treachery 01 his nephew may perhaps be the rationalized form of an old myth. It has even been argued that Arthur was originally a Welsh deity or culture-hero, but this theory has not met with general acceptance.
The conception of Arthur as the heroic king of mediwval romance is due largely to Geoffrey of Monmouth. In his fictitious 'Historia Rein= about 1136, or later, he elabo rated the slight hints offered by Nen nius and presented a complete and well rounded portrait. A romantic parentage and a wonderful boyhood are given to Arthur, in which supernatural occurrences are not absent.
A warrior of surpassing valor, he not only puts to rout the invading Saxons, but subdues Eu rope to his sway. In the midst of his last for eign campaign he learns of the infidelity of his wife Guanhumara and the treason of his nephew Modred, to whom he has entrusted the govern ment of Britain. Hurriedly returning, he de feats Modred in a bloody combat, but himself receives a mortal wound, and is borne to Avalon to be healed. Too much importance can hardly be attached to this narrative, which forms the beginning of the great body of romantic litera ture which clustered about the name of Arthur, although the later romancers worked along very different lines from those laid down by Geoffrey. Much of the material in the 'Historia' is no doubt due to the author's own vivid imagina tion, but it is certain that he made use of the Arthurian legends in circulation in his native country near the Welsh border. In the 12th century there must have been many of these current among the Welsh people. On the Con tinent as well, the name and fame of Arthur appear to have been well known in early days. The•Celts who crossed the Channel, mainly in the 5th and 6th centuries, and settled in A r morica, carried these legends with them, devel oped them in their own way, and transmitted them to their French neighbors. The question whence the early trouveres got the matiere de Bretagne has been much discussed. It has been contended by some scholars that this was chiefly, if not wholly, derived from the Con tinent. Others have maintained that the trans mission of the Arthurian stories by the Welsh to the Anglo-Normans was the most important factor in their later literary development. Suf ficient evidence exists to prove the early circu lation of this material both in Wales and Brittany, and the most reasonable view would seem to be that each locality contributed its share, but that a just apportionment of the indebtedness of the later romances is hardly possible.