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Arthur and the Giant of Mont-Saint-Michel: the Creation

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Arthur and the Giant of Mont-Saint-Michel: the Creation Arthur and the Giant of Mont-Saint-Michel: the Creation of a Folktale Four writers mention the activities of the Britons in Gaul in the fifth century: the Gothic historian, Jordanes; Sidonius Apollinaris, Prefect of Rome and later Bishop of Clermont-Ferrand; Gregory, bishop of Tours; and Geoffrey of Monmouth. Jordanes, writing his De Origine Actibusque Getarum ('On the Origin and Deeds of the Goths') in 551, tells of the deeds of Euric,, king of the Visigoths (between466 and 485).1 The Visigoths already hold most of Spain but, spurred on by changes of government in Rome,, Euric thinks to conquer parts of Gaul as well. The Western Roman emperor, Anthemius, thus seeks assistance from the Britons, and their king, Riotimus, mounts an expedition: Anthemius imperator Brittonum solacia postulavit. quorum rex Riotimus cum duodecim milia veniens in Beturigas civitate Oceano e navibus egresso susceptus est'Emperor Anthemius sought help from the Britons, of whom the king Riotimus, coming with 12,000 (men) into the state of the Bituriges by way of the Ocean, was received as he came out of his ships' (pp. I 1 8-1 191.2 Euric comes to Riotimus, in Berry, with a great force. and defeats him: ad [eosJ rex Vesegotharum Eurichus innumerum ductans advenit exercitum diuque pugnans Riutimum Brittonum rege, antequam Romani in euis societate coniungerentur, effugavit'Eurich, king of the Visigoths, came against (them) leading an immense affny, and fighting fbr a long time against Ri(o)timus, king of the Britons, put him to flight, before the Romans could join up with him' (p. I l9). Riotimus makes for Burgundy: amplam partem exercitus amissam cum quibus potuit fugiens ad Burgundzonum gentem vicinam Romanisque in eo tempore foederatam advenit 'with the best part of his army lost, fleeing with those whom he could gather, he came to the Burgundians, a neighbouring people at that time allied to the Romans' (ibid.). Further information on this British king may be found in the correspondence of Sidonius, who writes to one 'Riothamus' on behalf of a landowner, deploring the abduction of a number of his slaves by the Britons: gerulus epistularum ... mancipia sua Britannis clam sollicitantibus abducta deplorat'the bearer of this leffer complains that his slaves have been carried off secretly, by the solicitations of the Britons'.3 Sidonarius asks for justice. The date of the letterto Riothamus is probably 469 or 470.4 And Jordanes' Riotimus is active at some time between 467 and 472.the first and last years of the reign of Anthemius. Gregory of Tours. writing his Historia Francorum ('History of the Franks') in the sixth century, notes the defeat of the Britons by the Goths within the state of Berry: Brilanni de Biturica d Gotthis expulsi sunt, multis apud Dolensem vicum peremtis 'the Britons were expelled from Berry by the Goths, many having been slain in the village of Ddols'.5 The battle is undated, but only a few short chapters later Gregory is speaking of Euric, of the building of churches in Clermont-Ferrand, and of the succession of Sidonius as bishop (ll. 20, 21). He also mentions the new bishop's eloquence and saintly deeds (ll. 22,23). Piecing together the snippets of information given by Gregory, Sidonius,, and Jordanes, we have the story of a British leader called 'Riotimus' or 'Riothamus', tvho leads an arrny to Berry to assist the Romans against the Goths, who steals away the men of the country and is castigated by the bishop of Clermont, who is defeated at Ddols after a hard battle, and who takes refuge with the Roman confederate tribes in Burgundy. Thus far the information appears to be historical. The exploits of this British leader may be echoed in the deeds of King Arthur as they appear in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae ('History of the Kings of Britain').6 Arthur has made himself master of very many lands, including the Islands of the Ocean and all of the regions of Gaul (pp. I 07_109). He is holding his plenary court in the City of the Legions, when messengers come to him bringing a letter from Lucius (Hiberius), Procurator of the Republic (of Rome).7 The letter deplores Arthur's theft of Gaul from the Roman Empire and his seizure of the Islands of the Ocean and of the lands of the Allobroges (p. I l3). [t demands that Arthur appear in Rome for sentencing. It claims that tribute has been held back. In response to this letter, Arthur formulates a plan to exact his own tribute from Rome-his ancestors have held the City at various times in history and he will do the same (p. I l4). He agrees to meet his subordinates at Barfleur after they have gathered together their armies; from there they will move as a united force to the lands of the Allobroges, where they will meet the Romans (p. I 16). Arthur sends a message to Rome, saying that he will pay no tribute, but is coming, instead, to exact payment from them. When Lucius receives the message he prepares his army and sets out for Britain. And then, when Arthur learns of their coming, he places the defence of Britain in Mordred's hands, and makes for Southampton, whence he sets off u,ith a seasonable wind (ibid.). He lands, a short time later, in the port of Barfleur, where he awaits the coming of his confederates (p.1 l7). 'l'his is Geoffrey's 'historical' account, so-called. There follows a brief fabulous episode: before the other troops can join him on the Continent, news comes to Arthur that a giant, who has broken out ex partibus Hispaniarum ' from Spanish regions' (ibid.). has captured the niece of Hoel, duke of Brittany, and fled with her to the top of (the nearby) Mont-Saint-Michel. Arthur decides to meet the giant in single combat, as an inspiration to his men (in the Roman campaign); and after a long struggle he kills the giant (p. I l8). Then there is a return to the 'historical' matter: Arthur links up with his allies, and moves onwards, planning to meet the Romans at Autun (p. I l9). His men later defeat the Romans in a three-fold series of battles, near the River Aube, in the countryside near Paris, and in a valley called'sessia'(see pp. ll9-129 for the battles).8 During their clashes with the Romans, the Britons take many prisoners, kill Lucius Hiberius-and send his body to the Eastern Roman emperor, Leo,, as the only tribute he may expect (p. 129). Arthur intends to journey on to capture' occupy and plunder the city of Rome, but he is hindered by the weather. While he is waiting for a change of weather, he finds time to subdue the cities of the Allobroges, who are the allies of the Romans. When Summer comes, he is already making his way through the mountains towards Rome when news comes to him that Mordred has usurped the crown (ibid.).g Rrthur returns to Britain, fights with Mordred, and is killed (p. 132). The outline of Geoffrey's account is hence as follows: a British king,, declared enemy of Rome, comes to Gaul to meet the Romans in battle after making rendezvous with his associates. Before the other armies have joined him, he fights a giant from Spanish regions and wins. He defeats the Romans, and later subdues their allies, the Allobroges, to whose territory his troops have come. Geoffrey's account of Arthur's deeds appears to have been adapted from the Jordanes story: each version contains a plan to fight with armies united, a battle before the rendezvous can be effected, and an enemy from Spain; and Geoffrey's term 'Allobroges' is traditionally used in medieval times to refer to the'Burgundians', the gens Burgundzonum of Jordanes.l0 Yet in Jordanes' story there is a British military defeat at the hands of the Goths (who are then holding territory in Spain). In Geoffrey's account the battle of the Britons against the Spanish enemy is not lost but won. In Jordanes, the Romans and Burgundians are friends of the Britons. In Geoffrey, they are not friends but foes-the Britons meet the Romans in battle and defeat them and later subdue their allies. the Allobroses. Thus far the transformation of the story. Not only is Geoffrey's story an exaggeration (witness here Arthur's demand for tribute from Rome), but there are several features of the story which suggest that it has been fictionalised. From the court at Caerleon, after Arthur has decided to attack Rome, those kings in Arthur's service leave for home, determined to muster their forces without delay. The plan is to rendezvous at Barfleur, ut illinc Allobrogum fines cum ipso adituri Romanis in obuiam uenirent'so that from there they might march with him (Arthur) to the territory of the Allobroges to meet with the Romans' (p. I l6). Their plan has been formulated in response to a letter which has claimed that Arthur has taken lands in Gaul and has seized the territory of the Allobroges: Eripuisti quoque Galliam, eripuisti Allobrogum prouinciom 'You have snatched ... Gaul; you have stolen awaytheterritoryof the Allobroges'(p. 113). Later, however, Arthur subdues the cities of the Allobroges, whose lands are supposedly already under his control: Deinde post subsequentem hiemem in partibus illis moratus est et ciuitates Allobrogum subiugare uacuuil 'Then, throughout the following winter, he remained in those parts, and found time to subdue the cities of the Allobroges' (p.
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