Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

291wonderful success. It was speedily translated into French byWace, who wrote “Li Romans de Brut” about 1155, with addeddetails from Breton sources, and translated from Wace's Frenchinto Anglo-Saxon by Layamon, who thus anticipated Malory'sadaptations of late French prose romances. Except a few scholars [339]who protested unavailingly, no one doubted its strict historicaltruth, and it had the important effect of giving to early Britishhistory a new dignity in the estimation of Continental and ofEnglish princes. To sit upon the throne of Arthur was regardedas in itself a glory by Plantagenet monarchs who had not a traceof Arthur's or of any British blood.The Saga in Brittany: Marie de FranceThe Breton sources must next be considered. Unfortunately,not a line of ancient Breton literature has come down to us,and for our knowledge of it we must rely on the appearancesit makes in the work of French writers. One of the earliest ofthese is the Anglo-Norman poetess who called herself Marie deFrance, and who wrote about 1150 and afterwards. She wrote,among other things, a number of “Lais,” or tales, which sheexplicitly and repeatedly tells us were translated or adapted fromBreton sources. Sometimes she claims to have rendered a writer'soriginal exactly:“Les contes que jo sai veraisDunt li Bretun unt fait les laisVos conterai assez briefment;Et cief [sauf] di cest coumencementSelunc la lettre è l'escriture.”Little is actually said about Arthur in these tales, but theevents of them are placed in his time—en cel tems tint Artus laterre—and the allusions, which include a mention of the RoundTable, evidently imply a general knowledge of the subject amongthose to whom these Breton “Lais” were addressed. Lancelotis not mentioned, but there is a “Lai” about one Lanval, who