so The forest, letting in the sun, and made Broad pathways for the hunter and the knight And so return'd.
For while he linger'd there, A doubt that ever smoulder'd in the hearts Of those great Lords and Barons of his realm
65 Flash'd forth and into war: for most of these, Colleaguing with a score of petty kings,
2. I.e., imperial protection. 3. The golden dragon [Tennyson's note].
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1 138 / ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON Made head against him, crying, 'Who is he That he should rule us? who hath proven him King Uther's son? for lo! we look at him, 70 And find nor face nor bearing, limbs nor voice, Are like to those of Uther whom we knew. This is the son of Gorloi's, not the King; This is the son of Anton, not the King.' And Arthur, passing thence to battle, felt 75 Travail, and throes and agonies of the life, Desiring to be join'd with Guinevere; And thinking as he rode, 'Her father said That there between the man and beast they die. Shall I not lift her from this land of beasts so Up to my throne, and side by side with me? What happiness to reign a lonely king, Vext?O ye stars that shudder over me, 0 earth that soundest hollow under me, Vext with waste dreams? for saving' I be join'd unless 85 To her that is the fairest under heaven, 1 seem as nothing in the mighty world, And cannot will my will, nor work my work Wholly, nor make myself in mine own realm Victor and lord. But were I join'd with her, 90 Then might we live together as one life, And reigning with one will in everything Have power on this dark land to lighten it, And power on this dead world to make it live.' Thereafter?as he speaks who tells the tale? 95 When Arthur reach'd a field-of-battle bright With pitch'd pavilions of his foe, the world Was all so clear about him, that he saw The smallest rock far on the faintest hill, And even in high day the morning star. IOO So when the King had set his banner broad, At once from either side, with trumpet-blast, And shouts, and clarions shrilling unto blood, The long-lanced battle let their horses run. And now the Barons and the kings prevail'd, 105 And now the King, as here and there that war Went swaying; but the Powers who walk the world Made lightnings and great thunders over him, And dazed all eyes, till Arthur by main might, And mightier of his hands with every blow, I io And leading all his knighthood threw0 the kings defeated Carados, Urien, Cradlemont of Wales, Claudias, and Clariance of Northumberland, The King Brandagoras of Latangor, With Anguisant of Erin, Morganore, us And Lot of Orkney. Then, before a voice As dreadful as the shout of one who sees To one who sins, and deems himself alone And all the world asleep, they swerved and brake
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THE COMING OF ARTHUR / 1 195
Flying, and Arthur call'd to stay the brands0 swords
120 That hack'd among the flyers, 'Ho! they yield!' So like a painted battle the war stood Silenced, the living quiet as the dead, And in the heart of Arthur joy was lord. He laugh'd upon his warrior0 whom he loved Lancelot
125 And honour'd most. 'Thou dost not doubt me King, So well thine arm hath wrought for me to-day.' 'Sir and my liege,' he cried, 'the fire of God Descends upon thee in the battle-field: I know thee for my King!' Whereat the two,
130 For each had warded0 either in the fight, guarded Sware on the field of death a deathless love. And Arthur said, 'Man's word is God in man: Let chance what will, I trust thee to the death.'
Then quickly from the foughten field he sent
135 Ulfius, and Brastias, and Bedivere, His new-made knights, to King Leodogran, Saying, 'If I in aught have served thee well, Give me thy daughter Guinevere to wife.'
Whom when he heard, Leodogran in heart
140 Debating?'How should I that am a king, However much he hoIp? me at my need, helped Give my one daughter saving to a king, And a king's son?'?lifted his voice, and call'd A hoary man, his chamberlain, to whom
145 He trusted all things, and of him required His counsel: 'Knowest thou aught of Arthur's birth?'
Then spake the hoary chamberlain and said, 'Sir King, there be but two old men that know: And each is twice as old as I; and one
150 Is Merlin, the wise man that ever served King Uther thro' his magic art; and one Is Merlin's master (so they call him) Bleys, Who taught him magic; but the scholar ran Before the master, and so far, that Bleys
155 Laid magic by, and sat him down, and wrote All things and whatsoever Merlin did In one great annal- book, where after-years Will learn the secret of our Arthur's birth.'
To whom the King Leodogran replied,
160 'O friend, had I been holpen half as well By this King Arthur as by thee to-day, Then beast and man had had their share of me: But summon here before us yet once more Ulfius, and Brastias, and Bedivere.'
165 Then, when they came before him, the King said, 'I have seen the cuckoo chased by lesser fowl, And reason in the chase: but wherefore now
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1 138 / ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON Do these your lords stir up the heat of war, Some calling Arthur born of Gorlois, 170 Others of Anton? Tell me, ye yourselves, Hold ye this Arthur for King Uther's son?' And Ulfius and Brastias answer'd, 'Ay.' Then Bedivere, the first of all his knights Knighted by Arthur at his crowning, spake? 175 For bold in heart and act and word was he, Whenever slander breathed against the King? 'Sir, there be many rumours on this head:? subject For there be those who hate him in their hearts, Call him baseborn, and since his ways are sweet, i8o And theirs are bestial, hold him less than man: And there be those who deem him more than man, And dream he dropt from heaven: but my belief In all this matter?so ye care to learn? Sir, for ye know that in King Uther's time 185 The prince and warrior Gorlois, he that held Tintagil castle by the Cornish sea, Was wedded with a winsome wife, Ygerne: And daughters had she borne him,?one whereof, Lot's wife, the Queen of Orkney, Bellicent, 190 Hath ever like a loyal sister cleaved To Arthur,?but a son she had not borne. And Uther cast upon her eyes of love: But she, a stainless wife to Gorlois, So loathed the bright dishonour of his love, 195 That Gorlois and King Uther went to war: And overthrown was Gorlois and slain. Then Uther in his wrath and heat besieged Ygerne within Tintagil, where her men, Seeing the mighty swarm about their walls, 200 Left her and fled, and Uther enter'd in, And there was none to call to but himself. So, compass'd by the power of the King, Enforced she was to wed him in her tears, And with a shameful swiftness: afterward, 205 Not many moons, King Uther died himself,
