"Ne sont que iii matières à nul homme atandant,  De France et de Bretaigne, et de Rome la grant."

"There are but 3 literary cycles that no one should be without: The matter of France, of Britain, and of great Rome."

-- Jean Bodel: Chanson de Saisnes (12th Century CE)

 Major Literary Lineage of the Arthurian Legend (an introduction)

 I.  Pre-historic materials

A.      Celtic mythos of “Graal” and other sacred implements; Faerie, heroes.

II.   Early historical materials

A.     Nennius (8^th Century CE): Historia Brittonum: Arthur as a Celtic “Dux Bellorum” vs the Saxons.
Text at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/nennius-full.html and http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/medieval/nenius.htm.

B.      Annales Cambriae (ca. 960 – 980 CE)

III.  The Mabinogion

A.     Collection of Welsh myths – probably from ca. 1000 – 1100 CE

B.      In “Culhwch and Olwen” and “The Dream of Rhonabwy,” "The Lady of the Fountain," "Peredur, son of Efrawg," "Gereint, son of Erbin," very early Arthurian material is preserved

C.      Text available at http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=5160

IV.  Geoffrey of Monmouth

A.     Prophetiae Merlini (pre-1135)

B.      Historia Regum Britanniae (ca 1135): Arthurian materials at http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/geofhkb.htm

C.      Vita Merlini (1149-1151): http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/merlini.html

Geoffrey considerably embellishes British history, tying it to classical Greco-Roman history

V.  Wace (1115-1183 CE)

A.       Roman de Brut (1155), based on Geoffrey of Monmouth, “first to mention the legend of King Arthur's Round Table and the first to ascribe the name Excalibur to Arthur's sword, although he on the whole adds only minor details to Geoffrey's text.”

VI.  Chrétien de Troyes (last half 12^th Century)

A.      Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart (1177-1181)

VII.  Marie de France (late 12^th Century early 13^th Century)

A.      Lanval: Text available at http://smu.edu/arthuriana/teaching/Marie_Lanval_Shoaf.htm

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