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From: "Ginny Wagner" <>
Subject: RE: Latest King Arthur Movie
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 14:27:10 -0600
In-Reply-To: <6.2.0.14.1.20050208091234.01cb6150@pop1.nb.sympatico.ca>


Thank you Peter, et al. It's been quite illuminating and I appreciate all
who generously spent their time, sharing their knowledge.

'Fili, sapientia thesaurus est et cor tuum archa'
'Child, knowledge is a treasure and your heart is its strongbox'
Hugh St. Victor


At 07:27 AM 08/02/2005, you wrote:
>At 03:25 AM 08/02/2005, you wrote:
>>Ginny Wagner wrote:
>>>Just saw the latest King Arthur movie last night and LOVED it. How
>>>historically accurate would you say it was? Even more to the point, in
one
>>>instance I believe they called him Lucius Arthur. Did I hear that right?
>>>If so, whence came the Lucius?
>>
>>The only historical sources: a list of battles that Arthur "fought
>>against them (the Saxons) with the Kings of the Britons, but he himself
>>was leader of the battles." An indication that another man "was no
>>Arthur". Some lines in some annals, possibly late interpolations, the
>>first describing him carrying a cross at the Battle of Badon, the second
>>that Arthur and Medraut died in "the strife at Camlann." (This last is
>>particularly suspect, as a later addition.)
>>
>>That (at best) is the historical Arthur. Anything else . . . .
>>
>>taf
>
>
>As a supplement Todd is referring to 1) Nennius' 9th century Historia
>Brittonum
>2) some versions of the poem Y Gododdin and 3) the 10th century chronicle
>called the Annales Cambriae. There was also a reference to an Arthur in
>the "Elegy for Geraint" which is also given as evidence for his existence.
>Later sources are tainted with myth.
>
>The major problem with the movie is that the Romans left Britain about
>410 A.D.while the battle of Badon is placed at the end of the 5th century.
>One has to concede that there was a British hero known as Arthur. He
>was more akin to a 5th-6th century William Wallace fighting the Germanic
>invaders. Other than that the movie, like other stories throughout
history,
>is just that; a story.
>
>Best wishes!
>
>Peter

As a supplement to my supplement, I should have added that
the Germanic invaders were the only people he may have
fought. A number of the battles cited by Nennius were in what
we now call Scotland. I also believe that he was from that neck of
the woods.

Best wishes!

Peter


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