The History of the Kings of Britain.pdf

Geoffrey of Monmouth

History of the

Kings of Britain

translated by

Aaron Thompson

with revisions by

J. A. Giles

In parentheses Publications

Medieval Latin Series

Cambridge, Ontario 1999

Book I.

Chapter 1. The epistle dedicatory to Robert earl of Gloucester

Whilst occupied on many and various studies, I happened to light

upon the History of the Kings of Britain, and wondered that in the

account which Gildas and Bede, in their elegant treatises, had given of

them, I found nothing said of those kings who lived here before the

Incarnation of Christ, nor of Arthur and many others who succeeded

after the Incarnation, though their actions both deserved immortal fame,

and were also celebrated by many people in a pleasant manner and by

heart, as if they had been written. Whilst I was intent upon these and

such like thoughts, Walter, archdeacon of Oxford, a man of great

eloquence, and learned in foreign histories, offered me a very ancient

book in the British tongue, which, in a continued regular story and

elegant style, related the actions of them all, from Brutus the first king of

the Britons, down to Cadwallader the son of Cadwallo. At his request,

therefore, though I had not made fine language my study, by collecting

florid expressions from other authors, yet contented with my own

homely style, I undertook the translation of that book into Latin. For if I

had swelled the pages with rhetorical flourishes, I must have tired my

readers, by employing their attention more upon my words than upon

the history. To you, therefore, Robert earl of Gloucester, this work

humbly sues for the favour of being so corrected by your advice, that it

may not be thought to be the poor offspring of Geoffrey of Monmouth,

but when polished by your refined wit and judgment, the production of

him who had Henry the glorious king of England for his father, and

whom we see an accomplished scholar and philosopher, as well as a

Geoffrey of Monmouth

brave soldier and expert commander; so that Britain with joy

acknowledges, that in you she possesses another Henry.

Chapter 2. The first inhabitants of Britain.

Britain, the best of islands, is situated in the Western Ocean, between

France and Ireland, being eight hundred miles long, and two hundred

broad. It produces every thing that is useful to man, with a plenty that

never fails. It abounds with all kinds of metal, and has plains of large

extent, and hills fit for the finest tillage, the richness of whose soil

affords variety of fruits in their proper seasons. It has also forests well

stored with all kinds of wild beasts; in its lawns cattle find good change

of pasture, and bees variety of flowers for honey. Under its lofty

mountains lie green meadows pleasantly situated, in which the gentle

murmurs of crystal springs gliding along clear channels, give those that

pass an agreeable invitation to lie down on their banks and slumber. It is

likewise well watered with lakes and rivers abounding with fish; and

besides the narrow sea which is on the Southern coast towards France,

there are three noble rivers, stretching out like three arms, namely, the

Thames, the Severn, and the Humber; by which foreign commodities

from all countries are brought into it. It was formerly adorned with eight

and twenty cities, of which some are in ruins and desolate, others are

still standing, beautified with lofty church-towers, wherein religious

worship is performed according to the Christian institution. It is lastly

inhabited by five different nations, the Britons, Romans, Saxons, Picts,

and Scots; whereof the Britons before the rest did formerly possess the

whole island from sea to sea, till divine vengeance, punishing them for

their pride, made them give way to the Picts and Saxons. But in what

manner, and from whence, they first arrived here, remains now to be

related in what follows.

Geoffrey of Monmouth

Chapter 3. Brutus being banished after the killing of his parent,

goes into Greece.

After the Trojan war, Aeneas, flying with Ascanius from the

destruction of their city, sailed to Italy. There he was honourably

received by king Latinus, which raised against him the envy of Turnus,

king of the Rutuli, who thereupon made war against him. Upon their

engaging in battle, Aeneas got the victory, and having killed Turnus,

obtained the kingdom of Italy, and with it Lavinia the daughter of

Latinus. After his death, Ascanius, succeeding in the kingdom, built Alba

upon the Tiber, and begat a son named Sylvius, who, in pursuit of a

private amour, took to wife a niece of Lavinia. The damsel soon after

conceived, and the father Ascanius, coming to the knowledge of it,

commanded his magicians to consult of what sex the child should be.

When they had satisfied themselves in the matter, they told him she

would give birth to a boy, who would kill his father and mother, and

after travelling over many countries in banishment, would at last arrive

at the highest pitch of glory. Nor were they mistaken in their prediction;

for at the proper time the woman brought forth a son, and died of his

birth; but the child was delivered to a nurse and called Brutus.

At length, after fifteen years were expired, the youth accompanied his

father in hunting, and killed him undesignedly by the shot of an arrow.

For, as the servants were driving up the deer towards them, Brutus, in

shooting at them, smote his father under the breast. Upon his death, he

was expelled from Italy, his kinsmen being enraged at him for so heinous

a deed. Thus banished he went into Greece, where he found the

posterity of Helenus, son of Priamus, kept in slavery by Pandrasus, king

of the Greeks. For, after the destruction of Troy, Pyrrhus, the son of

Achilles, had brought hither in chains Helenus and many others; and to

revenge on them the death of his father, had given command that they

should be held in captivity. Brutus, finding they were by descent his old

countrymen, took up his abode among them, and began to distinguish

himself by his conduct and bravery in war, so as to gain the affection of

kings and commanders, and above all the young men of the country. For

Geoffrey of Monmouth

he was esteemed a person of great capacity both in council and war, and

signalized his generosity to his soldiers, by bestowing among them all

the money and spoil he got. His fame, therefore, spreading over all

countries, the Trojans from all parts began to flock to him, desiring under

his command to be freed from subjection to the Greeks; which they

assured him might easily be done, considering how much their number

was now increased in the country, being seven thousand strong, besides

women and children. There was likewise then in Greece a noble youth

named Assaracus, a favourer of their cause. For he was descended on his

motherÔs side from the Trojans, and placed great confidence in them, that

he might be able by their assistance to oppose the designs of the Greeks.

For his brother had a quarrel with him for attempting to deprive him of

three castles which his father had given him at his death, on account of

his being only the son of a concubine; but as the brother was a Greek,

both by his fatherÔs and motherÔs side, he had prevailed with the king

and the rest of the Greeks to espouse his cause. Brutus, having taken a

view of the number of his men, and seen how AssaracusÔs castles lay

open to him, complied with their request.

Chapter 4. BrutusÔs letter to Pandrasus.

Being, therefore, chosen their commander, he assembled the Trojans

from all parts, and fortified the towns belonging to Assaracus. But he

himself, with Assaracus and the whole body of men and women that

adhered to him, retired to the woods and hills, and then sent a letter to

the king in these words:Ð

ÑBrutus, general of the remainder of the Trojans, to Pandrasus, king

of the Greeks, sends greeting. As it was beneath the dignity of a nation

descended from the illustrious race of Dardanus, to be treated in your

kingdom otherwise than the nobility of their birth required, they have

betaken themselves to the protection of the woods. For they have

preferred living after the manner of wild beasts, upon flesh and herbs,

with the enjoyment of liberty, to continuing longer in the greatest luxury

under the yoke of slavery. If this gives your majesty any offence, impute

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