The Anathemata
Mabinog’s Liturgy (continued)
. . . for she was the king our uncle’s wedlocked wife and he our father and we his sister’s son.1
David Jones notes
1 Owing to the success of the later Launcelot-Guenevere theme as a romance motif, the earlier, more basic and more political theme in the ‘moste pyteuous tale of the morte Arthure saunz gwerdon’ has been somewhat over-shadowed. I mean the destiny of Medraut (Mordred) ‘For ys nat kynge Arthur youre uncle and no farther but youre modirs brothir and uppon hir he hymselffe begate you uppon his owne syster? Therefore how may ye wed youre owne fadirs wyff’ Malory, XXI,1.
It seems not improbable that this Medraut theme contains elements of genuine historicity. It represents the tradition of a power-struggle in Britain between the dux, Artorius, and a group of his equites, during the forty years or so of peace that followed the halt of the Anglo-Saxon barbarians at the siege of Badon Hill. It fits in with what is known to the historians of the sub-Roman world. The intrigue involving the wife of Artorius in the traditional story is historically possible and such intrigue certainly fits in with the censures of Gildas against the British leaders a generation later.
additional notes
Mordred or Medraut is a character in the Arthurian legend. The earliest full account of Mordred is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae, where he plays the role of traitor to Arthur. Geoffrey introduced the figure of Mordred (whom he calls Modredus) to the world beyond Wales, detailing that Arthur left Mordred in charge of his throne as he crossed the English Channel to wage war on Emperor Lucius of Rome. During Arthur’s absence Mordred crowns himself king and marries Guinevere, forcing Arthur to return to Britain. The Battle of Camlann is fought, and Mordred dies while Arthur is taken to Avalon, and the supremacy of the Celts in Britain is broken. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur’s illegitimate son by his half-sister Morgause, sometimes identified with Morgan le Fay.
comments
This interjection is in the voice of Mordred.