Medes: Something Interesting

[inkasrain.livejournal.com]

So I'm taking a course in Arthurian Legends (which, it probably goes without saying, is entirely awesome) and I came across something pretty cool while reading part of Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain." At this point, Arthur and his troops are locked in battle with the Roman empire and their various allies. The relevant passage follows:

"First a loss was inflicted on the Britons, because Bedivere the Cupbearer was slain, and Kay the Seneschal mortally wounded. For while Bedivere was fighting Boccus, king of the Medes, he was pierced by that one's lance among the enemy troops and collapsed, slain. When Kay the Seneschal tried to avenge him, he was surrounded by the troops of the Medes and received his death wound. Yet like a good soldier, with a flank that he was leading, he opened a way through slain and routed Medes and would have retreated to his own lines with his division intact if he had not encountered the division of the King of Libya..." (The Romance of Arthur, New, Expanded Edition: An Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation, p. 88)

So it seems, at least according to the relatively unreliable Geoffery, that the Medes were active, allied strongly with Rome, and pretty bad-ass way back in Arthur's time. (The dates of which are not easily ascertained, unfortunately.) Even if Geoffrey's Medes don't reflect reality, it's still cool to connect fiction to fiction.

Comments

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

I WANT TO TAKE YOUR CLASS.

also...the Medes, fighting Arthur? You do realize this introduces all sorts of Arthurian-Attolian crossover fic, right? *APPROVES*

[merliquin.livejournal.com]

That would have made the search for the holy grail sooo much easier.

" Dear Attolis,
I am in need of a certain item that so far has been very difficult to obtain. I request the aid of your majesty in recovering this item. More details to follow.
Arthur, Lord of the Britons

P.S. tell Attolia that Guinevere says hullo. "

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

...

I will be using the story of Gen's Quest for the Holy Grail as a bedtime story for the next month. Thank you!

*dies laughing*

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

"Dear Arthur,
I am inclined to refuse your request, as you have not made clear what it is you want me to steal, and I've had Quite enough of that. Please make yourself clear.
Signed,
Attolis (Lord of Attolia omitted because it makes me sound self-important, hint hint.)
Ps. Tell Guinevere that Attolia is sending a package soon. Something to do with Lancelot, and wanting Guinevere to take matters in her own hands. I believe it's some sort of plant."

Run, Arthur, run!

[merliquin.livejournal.com]

Dear Attolis,

The object is a cup, simple really after everything else you've managed to steal. I have some knights who would be willing to undertake this quest with you (Gallahad practically wet himself with joy when he found out he might be working with you), but if you wish to work alone I understand completely.

more details to follow,
Arthur, the once and future king (how's that for titles?)

PS. Please refrain your wife from sending poisons through the mail as our postal service frowns upon that sort of thing.

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Dear Arthur (just Arthur, btw),

Now you're saying it's going to be simple. If it's simple, why do you need my help? honestly, I don't see how you can have gotten so famous as a wonderful ruler if you're spending all this time going after some silly cup. Now, earrings on the other hand... those can be useful.

Yes, I do prefer to work alone. Maybe you could send your overexcited young friend to do something about those damn Medes. I could send Costis to help! No wait, I have a better idea. I'll send Costis to go after your cup, and I can go and screw with the Mede's brains.

(At this point, there is a large dark inkstain, in that the writer's wife just threw an inkpot at him because of his unruler-ly language)

Hem. Excuse me. Well, I could still use some details on what this magic cup is, and why it's so damned important.

(A smaller, but rather wide, inkstain graces the page here, due to the writer's hand flying up to block a second inkpot)

Signed,
Attolis

Ps. Attolia says she'll send the package along with Costis, although I think she's being sarcastic. I'd tell your postal service not to go against her on this one.

[pigrescuer.livejournal.com]

XD

*falls over laughing*

This is actually the perfect crossover.

[annikah.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'll be taking an Arthurian course this term, too. I shall have to keep an eye out for any suspicious looking Medes... Thanks for the heads-up!

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medes so they're prepersian Iranians? how awesome is that?

[ladymoon-kora.livejournal.com]

That's amazing!! Sometimes little links sneak up on me in more modern books, but with King Arthur? Wow.

[tencups-i-swear.livejournal.com]

Ha! I love it when things like that appear and you're all like, YAY! Queens Thief Squee attack!

[ricardienne.livejournal.com]

Maybe they're Parthians...? (weren't Parthians in roughly the same place Medes were, but later?)

[reader-marie.livejournal.com]

Amazing!

To clarify: a course in Arthurian legends is amazing.

And the Medes fighting Arthur is amazing.

And Gen's quest for the Holy Grail is...you guessed it.

Thanks for the fun history (and laughs)!

[filkferengi]

Is anyone else noticing, in the excerpt given, the king named after the god of wine kills the cupbearer?

*starts picturing Gen letting the king of the Medes think he's [the king] drinking Gen under the table; hijinks ensue*