Robert de Boron and the Prose Merlin
There are so many wonderful things about the internet: there was a time when a scholar had to order through ILL and wait for weeks or months before he or she could set eyes on such works as Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini or Robert de Boron's Prose Merlin . No more. from Prose Merlin Robert de Boron Full wrothe and angry was the Devell, whan that oure Lorde hadde ben in helle and had take oute Adam and Eve and other at his plesier. And whan the fendes sien that, they hadden right grete feer and gret merveile. Thei assembleden togedir and seiden: "What is he this thus us supprisith and distroyeth, in so moche that oure strengthes ne nought ellis that we have may nought withholde hym, nor again hym stonde in no diffence but that he doth all that hym lyketh? We ne trowed not that eny man myght be bore of woman but that he sholde ben oures; and he that thus us distroyeth, how is he born in whom we knewe non erthely delyte?" Than ansuerde anothir fende and seide
here's an appreciation: http://snipurl.com/yh1ns Didn't I read somewhere that it was the one of which Waugh himself was most proud?
ReplyDeleteDear Buce,
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. I don't know if it is anecdotal or documented, but I have also read frequently that _Helena_ was his favorite. It is certainly stylistically the simplest and in many ways the least dense, having a parable or fable-like simplicity that lends depth. It's a wonderful book--but if it were placed before you to name an author without looking at the jacket, you would be hard-pressed come up with Waugh's name.
Thanks also for the link.
shalom,
Steven