7. To prove the mettle of Arturius, as many had reacted with disbelief and refused to declare for the youth, Murrhinus brought the kings and companions of Britain to the
specus periculus, a cavern where it was said that the legions of Rome, in the reign of Hadrian,[1] had been ambushed by the Picts and had perished to the last man, and it was said that any man who dared occupy it would be killed instantly. Arturius entered alone, and from the stones he drew a sword of steel (chalybs),[2] and segmented armour which rendered Arturius and his companions invincible.[3] Since no other man had dared enter the cavern, they deemed him worthy to fight alongside the kings and soldiers of Britain.
Twelve times he was made
dux bellorum and twelve times he was victor over the Saxons, each time declared imperator.[4] The first was the mouth of the River Glein, the second, third, fourth, and fifth along the River Douglas, the sixth on the River Bassas, the seventh in the Forest Celidonis, the eighth was at the fortress of Guinnon, the ninth was at the City of the Legion, or as it is locally known, Caer Lion, the tenth was on banks of the River Tribruit, the eleventh was on Mons Agned, and the twelfth was on Mons Badonicus.[5]
On the eve of the battle, Arturius, like his father before him, gazed into the sky, and the sign of the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed itself to him. Thus inspired, Arturius said unto his men,
“Like Constantine before us, ‘In this sign we shall conquer’ (
In hoc signo vinces)”,[6]
And so Arturius bore the cross upon his shoulders[7] for three days and three nights, and nine hundred and sixty Saxons were slain in a single charge by the might of Arturius.[8] The Britons were victorious, and thus they proclaimed Arturius
dux Britanniarum, paramount leader amongst the kings and chieftains of Britain.
8. Arturius took up court at many places in the land. The three noblest courts of Arturius: the City of Legion, site of his ninth victory, and at Camulodunum,[9] once cleansed of the Saxons, and at the station of the sacred grove (Nemetostatio), or as it is known locally, Callinicum.[10] Arturius gathered unto him the finest warriors of the land, their number always at least twenty-four,[11] and assembled them round a table where all men were equals, with Arturius foremost (princeps) amongst them. Three of these companions (comes)[12] distinguished themselves. The three noblest companions of Arturius: Count Caius, father of my mother Rhelemona, and Count Bedvero, who never shrank from the enterprise of Caius, and Count Galbaneus the valiant (Valens), son of King Leudonus and Corinna,[13] sister of Arturius through Igraen.[14] Arturius made his companions swear unto him: Let the health of the people act as the supreme law (
Salus populi suprema lex esto).[15]
9. And Arturius took the fair Guinevere, daughter of Goar[16] and countrywoman to my father Perphirius, as his wife. Although they were very devoted to each other, their union produced no child. Thus Arturius adopted Moderatus the son of his sister Corinna and brother of Galbaneus Valens, as his own son and heir. But the sins of Artorius Draco the father of Arturius, committed in years past unto Igraen the mother of Corinna, were unforgivable to Moderatus. Thus Moderatus was known as Amarus[17] for the hardness of his heart, and the bitterness in his words and actions.
10. And so Arturius and his companions travelled the land, serving its people, their exploits so numerous I can hardly begin to recite them, as the poets of the land already have. Let the three noblest undertakings of the court of Arturius suffice. These three greatest deeds of Arturius and his companions: The rescue of Oluana for Porculus, son of King Calidus,[18] and the pilgrimage of Arturius in pursuit of the mystery of the underworld,[19] and the repelling of Lucius Tiberius, imperator of Rome, thereafter.[20] But more on this later.[21]
11. I would be reprobate if I were not to confess the sins of Arturius. The three greatest offences of Arturius: the sacrileges he nigh performed in desiring the altar of Caradocus and the garments of Paternus, and the lust in his heart for Claudia, the mother of Cadocus, and the slaying of Cuillus, brother of Gildas, upon his release from the sanctuary of Cadocus.
Concerning his coveting the property of God: Arturius was purging the land of wild beasts when he encountered Caradocus, who was in search of his altar. Caradocus asked of Arturius the location of his altar, which Arturius told him in exchange for knowledge of a terrible serpent, sent by God to punish the heretics of Carrum. Then Arturius demanded the altar as well, seeking to convert it into a table for his court. But any object Arturius laid upon it was thrown a great distance. Repenting, Arturius removed the followers of the Pelagian heresy in Carrum and built a church there. Similarly for the garments of Paternus, considered by Arturius to be too fine for a man of the Church: when he tried to claim them for himself, the ground swallowed him up. Repenting, the ground released Arturius. In his penance Arturius made Caradocus chief elder and Paternus chief bishop in his court at Callinicum.[22]
Concerning his lust for his neighbour’s wife: the great warrior Gundleus desired Claudia the virgin daughter of King Brychan of Brychieniog as his wife, and she loved him too. But Brychan disapproved of their union, and sent many warriors in pursuit when they eloped. Slaying two hundred of them, Gundleus eventually brought Claudia to a hill where Arturius and his companions Caius and Bedvero were playing at dice. Even from afar Arturius’s heart was inflamed with lust for Claudia, and in that instant he considered adultery against his wife Guinevere. But Caius and Bedvero rebuked him, holding him to the oath he had made them swear. Repenting, Arturius and his companions rode to the rescue of the couple, sending the forces of Brychan back in confusion. In his penance, Arturius officiated the union between Gundleus and Claudia, which produced the child Cadocus. [23]
Concerning his act of blood against his fellow man: In the land there was an active warrior and distinguished soldier who answered to no king or ruler, not even Arturius. He would upon many an occasion swoop down from the Forest of Celidon, cause conflagrations, and in the confusion steal away with property of the Britons. Many of the best companions of Arturius were slain by this man Cuillus in their pursuit, and Arturius finally closed upon him, whereupon Cuillus retreated into the house of God, claiming sanctuary. Arturius demanded Cadocus release this killer of his companions. When Cadocus refused, Arturius demanded payment in oxen, not just any normal oxen, but those partly one colour and partly another, thinking to stymie Cadocus by such an impossible task. But Cadocus produced these special oxen, which were suddenly lost amongst the ferns. Repenting and asking forgiveness, Arturius permitted Cuillus refuge for seven years in the Church. But no sooner had Cuillus left the refuge of Cadocus did Arturius and his companions ambush him, slaying the brother of Gildas on the island of Mona. For this murderous act Arturius made no penance, for Cuillus had slain many of his best companions. [24]
It is perhaps for these sins, especially the last, that Gildas fairly or unfairly condemns the memory (damnatio memoriae) of Arturius, and reproaches the kin of Ambrosius Aurelianus as “shamefully degenerated” from his greatness, even as he prays for the soul of his brother and as he used to for Arturius, for it is not written in the Gospel according to Luke that:
“Love your enemies; do good unto those who hate you; bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.”? [25]
[0]
Spathae were being introduced in the 2nd century, so it's just about plausible.
[1]
Legio IX Hispana, the “Lost Legion”, to be precise.
[2] Siege Perlious (there is some dog Latin involved) and Excalibur (
chalybes -> Caliburn) in one!
[3] Arthur and his friends can indeed be knights in shining armour with his explanation, as depicted by the Roman armour-clad Arthur in Merlin (1998) and King Arthur (2004). Legio IX Hispana disappeared just before the decline of
lorica segmentata.
[4] This is in keeping with the ancient Roman practice, and this will come into play when he meets Lucius Tiberius.
[5] “Nennius” 2:50.
[6]
De Mortibus Persecutorum; Constantine’s vision (probably of a
sun-dog) before Milvian Bridge.
[7]
Annales Cambriae. Depending on what colours you envision (although I’ve preserved the tincture of Arthur’s attributed arms) I may just have had Arthur invent the flag of England, in a massive fit of irony.
[8] “Nennius” 2:50.
[9] Colchester, or Camelot.
[10] Celliwig, literally “hut of life” in this translation.
[11] Welsh triads.
[12] Instead of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, I instead have Prince Arthur and the Counts around a table (the Latin words for "around" and "round" are cognates.)
[13] Gwalchmei’s mother is given as “Gwyar” (gore, Latin: cor) in Welsh folklore and as “Anna” by Geoffrey so I split the difference with “Corinna”, a character in Ovid.
[14] Kay, Bedivere and Gawain (or Walwen), in Latin, although somewhat modified – galbanum is a Biblical plant – as “Gualguanus” is almost certainly influenced by
St. Galgano - the sword in the stone is the proverbial smoking gun. I made Gawain's parentage consistent with Geoffrey's account.
[15] I have given Paul some classical knowledge, hence his cognisance of Constantine at Milvian Bridge, and of Cicero, specifically,
De Legibus 3:3. This may pass as the first instance of some form of a chivalric code!
[16] The closest thing to “Gogfran” Paul (and I) could find, combining him with her other father from Gwent (Venta Silurium) as recounted in Welsh Triads.
[17] Arthur's accidental incest with Morgause is a post-Galfridian invention; Mordred (or Medraut) is only ever described as Arthur's nephew in the Welsh accounts but some have him adopt Mordred. "Amarus" is my reconciliation of Mordred with Amr, fabled son of Arthur who Arthur killed according to “Nennius”.
[18] Culhwch ("Culhwch" means "pig-run" and "Porculus" includes "pig" and "culus", which is a slightly blue term for a narrow space) and Cilydd; the next update will include my take on
Culhwch and Olwen.
[19]
The Spoils of Annwn, although I have my own take on it.
[20]
Red Book of Hergest, more famously told by Geoffrey.
[21] Unlike Bede (1:16), I am actually going to follow up on these.

[22]
Life of Caradoc and
Life of Padarn. I've given the Cliffsnotes versions: just ignore this chapter if you regard the chronicles of the saints's lives to be unreliable sources concerning Arthur.
[23]
Life of Cadoc.
[24]
Life of Gildas, although Gildas wasn't as forgiving as its author would like to believe if you trust Paul's word.
[25] Luke 6:27-28