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Lancelot en prose #1
Historia de Lanzarote del Lago
La Historia de Lanzarote del Lago es sin duda la novela artúrica más importante de cuantas se escribieron en la Edad Media. Inicia el denominado Ciclo de la Vulgata, anónima recopilación en prosa concluida en 1230. La obra narra la biografía del caballero Lanzarote desde su nacimiento. Tras la pérdida de sus padres, el rey Ban de Benoic y la reina Elaine, Lanzarote es criado por la Dama del Lago, surgida de las aguas, que conoce los secretos de Merlín. Educa al "mejor de los caballeros", el que parece destinado a alcanzar el Santo Grial. Lanzarote vivirá mil aventuras en torno al rey Arturo y su mesa redonda: los amores por la reina Ginebra, las iras de Morgana, cruentas batallas, grandes torneos, encantamientos, engaños, lances por el honor de una dama...
1680 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1220
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 18, 2023
When I started reading Arthurian literature a little while ago I expected to find more mentions of conflict with the Saxons in the stories, since the original legend of Arthur casts him as a hero against the Saxon invaders of Britain. Outside of Nennius, Geoffrey of Monmouth and Wace, the Saxons don’t appear at all in the Arthurian lore. That is, until the Lancelot-Grail cycle, also called the Prose Lancelot, almost a hundred years after Geoffrey’s Historia Regum Brittaniae.
In Lancelot of the Lake, the first part of this cycle of stories, retelling and reshaping many of the most timeless myths and hero epics of the lore, the Saxons return. They do not have a big part, and they only appear toward the end, but their presence alerts the reader to the author’s respect for the original legends. It feels almost like a return to the roots. The whole incredible epic feels like a fresh adaptation of the Lancelot myth, both true to some of the traditions of Chrétien and Geoffrey, but exploring unexplored corners of the kingdom of Logres and beyond, and Lancelot’s story.
War is a constant through this book. It opens with a war that puts King Ban and his queen on the run. Their son Lancelot is abducted by the Lady of Lake after King Ban dies of grief at the taking of his kingdom. He is raised by the otherworldly people of the lake, a direct heritage of Celtic legends in which Arthur and his knights were forged.
At Arthur’s castle Lancelot, still abiding by the Fair Unknown prescription and nameless to all, pulls weapons from the wounds of a wounded knight, swearing to avenge him against all those who love his injurer more than the wounded man. This is thought to be an impossible task to undertake. The encounters corresponding to this quest become a recurring side task he follows as he comes across these individuals on his journeys. It’s a hard to understand quest because of its obscure nature, but it introduces Lancelot’s boldness and courage, his willingness to do the impossible. Lancelot is identified for much of his journey by his white armor before his name is known.
Although in some ways staying true to Chrétien’s original story of Lancelot, the Prose Lancelot does not tread any of the same path. The story is wholly new, also completely unlike Lanzelet, by Von Zatzikhoven. Like many others of the time, its authorship is unknown and its source material, if any, has never been found. Here we watch Lancelot from childhood through the extremes of his youth and knighthood, into his peerless heroism and feats of incredible valor. Lanzelet was the only other full story of Lancelot’s childhood and upbringing by the thirteenth century, and the two could not be more different.
In every Arthurian romance that revolves around a central hero, that hero is always shown to be the greatest and most outstanding of all knights ever to belong to the Round Table. Perceval often comes in at the top, but I think here Lancelot paves his way as the most supreme variant of a hero in any existent Arthurian lore, save maybe one or two episodes of Perceval’s. The depth of character he’s been given makes his story more dynamic and human, as his friendships and love are wound around his valiant deeds. His weaknesses and his temporary madness, or his fainting from love sickness, and his hopelessness and reveries compound his nature and make his highs even more vicious and impressive than what we see in most of these legends.
The White Knight undertakes many more impossible tasks to prove himself, fighting in honor of the Lady of Nohaut with Kay, defending her honor and right to her lands; undergoing secret tests through combat with other knights, and culminating in the conquest of the Dolorous Guard wherein he defeats wave after wave of knights in order to lift the enchantments on the castle.
He has three white shields, one with one red stripe, two stripes, and three stripes, each imbuing him with greater strength against his enemies. Here he learns his name by lifting the lid of a tomb with his name carved into its underside, said to only be moveable by he who would conquer the castle. The news of all his amazing deeds reach Arthur.
He does not lift the enchantments on this castle until much later, after he has undertaken many more battles, lies wounded for days, and traveled the lands. These enchantments, alluded to throughout the tale, are finally ended in a fantastic underground tomb of copper warriors, demonic guards, illusions, a smelling well, and locked devices filled with devils that hold the curse of the castle in place.
Gawain’s adventures make up a big part of the book, as does his quest to find the White Knight. He travels far, encountering vicious combat with treacherous knights. Arthur’s nephew comes across many maidens who he ends up escorting along his way, either to a castle, or having them show him the way to his goal, or being guided to where he might avenge them against some cruelty. Eventually his partnering with Hector allows for even more risky and daring adventures to be undertaken. The story switches between interweaving narratives of Lancelot, Gawain, and Arthur and his men.
Arthur and his men have traveled to see the Dolorous Guard lifted from its enchantments, and have found themselves going to war with two kings, the King from Over the Borders and the King of a Hundred Knights.
Once more we see the recurrence of the motif in which the Arthurian knight goes about disguised, his identity kept secret, performing valorous deeds, and having emerged victorious over all contestants at the tournaments. Lancelot does this more than once, changing out his shields or his armor, as is seen before in other Arthurian tales. Also the motif of the unknown hero fighting in various armors of different colors. Lancelot goes from white to red to black, and outdoes all others.
Galehot, son of a Giantess, declares war on Arthur by demanding his lands and loyalty, a recurring theme we have seen since Geoffrey’s Romans making similar demands. The two sides do battle while Lancelot is held in jail by the Lady of Malohaut who wants to keep him for herself. He is released to do battle, and as the red knight and later the black knight he dominates the field. Sir Gawain and Yvain carry the fight for Arthur’s side, dominating their opponents who outnumber them until Lancelot conquers all. Galehot is so amazed by Lancelot’s prowess on the field he must have him as his companion and takes him in, whereby peace is brought between he and Arthur, being the boon Lancelot asks of him.
Their friendship grows and becomes a minor recurring focus of the narrative as Lancelot’s love for Guinevere moves into view. This romantic subplot isn’t as significant as popular culture would lead one to believe, but the romance serves as Lancelot’s motivation to do all the greatness he does later in the story, particularly during the war against the Saxons and Irish. This war sees him, fighting for Arthur, perform the most inhuman and bestial feats of raw power and unlimited violence we have ever seen in the legends, while also showing Lancelot’s weaknesses, his sensitive character, his frailty in emotion and in love.
The friendship between Galehot and Lancelot might be mirrored in a way by the friendship between Hector and Gawain, although the former seems more like an idolization and obsession in which the knight serves and protects his adoring patron-king, while the latter sees the two companions as equals who fight side by side and are united by mutual respect.
Lancelot, the Fair Unkown, becomes exactly what the Lady of the Lake and her people long ago taught him to be: with a heart both hard and impenetrable as diamond, but also as soft and pliable as hot wax. He is a merciless and unbeatable beast in war, against any odds, but sensitive and loving and compassionate outside of it. He is rescuer, peace-bringer, honorable comrade, passionate lover, war machine, and skull-splitter. Eventually he is a leading knight of the Round Table, recognized as its finest until his son Galahad comes along in the next part of the cycle.
I didn’t know this until recently, but finding a full translation of the Prose Lancelot may be impossible if one isn’t willing or able to spend around $500. The full Vulgate cycle is composed of many works, of which this is the first, and finding all of them is difficult but for one very nice looking and expensive collection I’ve yet to buy. The Prose Lancelot, meaning the first part of this cycle dealing with Lancelot’s story, only exists in incomplete translations, like this Oxford Classic, which summarizes certain chunks of the text that do not relate directly to his story. The summaries are well done, full of energy and detail, without breaking the tone of the rest of the story. But I don’t understand the purpose of trimming the epic. It looks like a full version would be 700-800 pages. It’ll be nice to acquire and read that one day.
Until then, this almost complete rendition is still a spellbinding adventure of absolutely the best quality and art. It is an epic in the old tradition, a blend of myth and history and hero saga, true to the canon in which it is immersed. Everything new it brings to the world of Arthur fits seamlessly, possesses an authenticity not found in derivative works. It is a triumph that stands on the shoulders of giants. Its narrative structure is itself an accomplishment worthy of praise, a rhythmic and brilliantly orchestrated piece of work. This and the vast scale of the always gripping saga puts it up there with the mightiest works in the Arthurian canon.
In Lancelot of the Lake, the first part of this cycle of stories, retelling and reshaping many of the most timeless myths and hero epics of the lore, the Saxons return. They do not have a big part, and they only appear toward the end, but their presence alerts the reader to the author’s respect for the original legends. It feels almost like a return to the roots. The whole incredible epic feels like a fresh adaptation of the Lancelot myth, both true to some of the traditions of Chrétien and Geoffrey, but exploring unexplored corners of the kingdom of Logres and beyond, and Lancelot’s story.
War is a constant through this book. It opens with a war that puts King Ban and his queen on the run. Their son Lancelot is abducted by the Lady of Lake after King Ban dies of grief at the taking of his kingdom. He is raised by the otherworldly people of the lake, a direct heritage of Celtic legends in which Arthur and his knights were forged.
At Arthur’s castle Lancelot, still abiding by the Fair Unknown prescription and nameless to all, pulls weapons from the wounds of a wounded knight, swearing to avenge him against all those who love his injurer more than the wounded man. This is thought to be an impossible task to undertake. The encounters corresponding to this quest become a recurring side task he follows as he comes across these individuals on his journeys. It’s a hard to understand quest because of its obscure nature, but it introduces Lancelot’s boldness and courage, his willingness to do the impossible. Lancelot is identified for much of his journey by his white armor before his name is known.
Although in some ways staying true to Chrétien’s original story of Lancelot, the Prose Lancelot does not tread any of the same path. The story is wholly new, also completely unlike Lanzelet, by Von Zatzikhoven. Like many others of the time, its authorship is unknown and its source material, if any, has never been found. Here we watch Lancelot from childhood through the extremes of his youth and knighthood, into his peerless heroism and feats of incredible valor. Lanzelet was the only other full story of Lancelot’s childhood and upbringing by the thirteenth century, and the two could not be more different.
In every Arthurian romance that revolves around a central hero, that hero is always shown to be the greatest and most outstanding of all knights ever to belong to the Round Table. Perceval often comes in at the top, but I think here Lancelot paves his way as the most supreme variant of a hero in any existent Arthurian lore, save maybe one or two episodes of Perceval’s. The depth of character he’s been given makes his story more dynamic and human, as his friendships and love are wound around his valiant deeds. His weaknesses and his temporary madness, or his fainting from love sickness, and his hopelessness and reveries compound his nature and make his highs even more vicious and impressive than what we see in most of these legends.
The White Knight undertakes many more impossible tasks to prove himself, fighting in honor of the Lady of Nohaut with Kay, defending her honor and right to her lands; undergoing secret tests through combat with other knights, and culminating in the conquest of the Dolorous Guard wherein he defeats wave after wave of knights in order to lift the enchantments on the castle.
He has three white shields, one with one red stripe, two stripes, and three stripes, each imbuing him with greater strength against his enemies. Here he learns his name by lifting the lid of a tomb with his name carved into its underside, said to only be moveable by he who would conquer the castle. The news of all his amazing deeds reach Arthur.
He does not lift the enchantments on this castle until much later, after he has undertaken many more battles, lies wounded for days, and traveled the lands. These enchantments, alluded to throughout the tale, are finally ended in a fantastic underground tomb of copper warriors, demonic guards, illusions, a smelling well, and locked devices filled with devils that hold the curse of the castle in place.
Gawain’s adventures make up a big part of the book, as does his quest to find the White Knight. He travels far, encountering vicious combat with treacherous knights. Arthur’s nephew comes across many maidens who he ends up escorting along his way, either to a castle, or having them show him the way to his goal, or being guided to where he might avenge them against some cruelty. Eventually his partnering with Hector allows for even more risky and daring adventures to be undertaken. The story switches between interweaving narratives of Lancelot, Gawain, and Arthur and his men.
Arthur and his men have traveled to see the Dolorous Guard lifted from its enchantments, and have found themselves going to war with two kings, the King from Over the Borders and the King of a Hundred Knights.
Once more we see the recurrence of the motif in which the Arthurian knight goes about disguised, his identity kept secret, performing valorous deeds, and having emerged victorious over all contestants at the tournaments. Lancelot does this more than once, changing out his shields or his armor, as is seen before in other Arthurian tales. Also the motif of the unknown hero fighting in various armors of different colors. Lancelot goes from white to red to black, and outdoes all others.
Galehot, son of a Giantess, declares war on Arthur by demanding his lands and loyalty, a recurring theme we have seen since Geoffrey’s Romans making similar demands. The two sides do battle while Lancelot is held in jail by the Lady of Malohaut who wants to keep him for herself. He is released to do battle, and as the red knight and later the black knight he dominates the field. Sir Gawain and Yvain carry the fight for Arthur’s side, dominating their opponents who outnumber them until Lancelot conquers all. Galehot is so amazed by Lancelot’s prowess on the field he must have him as his companion and takes him in, whereby peace is brought between he and Arthur, being the boon Lancelot asks of him.
Their friendship grows and becomes a minor recurring focus of the narrative as Lancelot’s love for Guinevere moves into view. This romantic subplot isn’t as significant as popular culture would lead one to believe, but the romance serves as Lancelot’s motivation to do all the greatness he does later in the story, particularly during the war against the Saxons and Irish. This war sees him, fighting for Arthur, perform the most inhuman and bestial feats of raw power and unlimited violence we have ever seen in the legends, while also showing Lancelot’s weaknesses, his sensitive character, his frailty in emotion and in love.
The friendship between Galehot and Lancelot might be mirrored in a way by the friendship between Hector and Gawain, although the former seems more like an idolization and obsession in which the knight serves and protects his adoring patron-king, while the latter sees the two companions as equals who fight side by side and are united by mutual respect.
Lancelot, the Fair Unkown, becomes exactly what the Lady of the Lake and her people long ago taught him to be: with a heart both hard and impenetrable as diamond, but also as soft and pliable as hot wax. He is a merciless and unbeatable beast in war, against any odds, but sensitive and loving and compassionate outside of it. He is rescuer, peace-bringer, honorable comrade, passionate lover, war machine, and skull-splitter. Eventually he is a leading knight of the Round Table, recognized as its finest until his son Galahad comes along in the next part of the cycle.
I didn’t know this until recently, but finding a full translation of the Prose Lancelot may be impossible if one isn’t willing or able to spend around $500. The full Vulgate cycle is composed of many works, of which this is the first, and finding all of them is difficult but for one very nice looking and expensive collection I’ve yet to buy. The Prose Lancelot, meaning the first part of this cycle dealing with Lancelot’s story, only exists in incomplete translations, like this Oxford Classic, which summarizes certain chunks of the text that do not relate directly to his story. The summaries are well done, full of energy and detail, without breaking the tone of the rest of the story. But I don’t understand the purpose of trimming the epic. It looks like a full version would be 700-800 pages. It’ll be nice to acquire and read that one day.
Until then, this almost complete rendition is still a spellbinding adventure of absolutely the best quality and art. It is an epic in the old tradition, a blend of myth and history and hero saga, true to the canon in which it is immersed. Everything new it brings to the world of Arthur fits seamlessly, possesses an authenticity not found in derivative works. It is a triumph that stands on the shoulders of giants. Its narrative structure is itself an accomplishment worthy of praise, a rhythmic and brilliantly orchestrated piece of work. This and the vast scale of the always gripping saga puts it up there with the mightiest works in the Arthurian canon.
July 27, 2010
I read the Oxford edition.
A translation of the prose Lancelot based on Kennedy's edition.
Rambling tale edited in what appears to be a fairly haphazard manner. Very poor notes, a problem I've found with many Oxford books (some Dumas being major offenders in this respect). Many of the notes refering to the page numbers in the Kennedy edition and not the book you have in your hands...what's that about? Some medieval terms explained and others never mentioned in what seemed to be a random way (eg: surcoat explained, but perrier and vavasour not).
Lance spends most of the book not wanting anyone to know who he is and acting like a brat. This means that he is always talked about in a round about way, rarely by name, and you end up being unsure who is fighting who...this confusion is added to by the amount of damsels that are only described as "the damsel"...something like: the knight met the damosel that was traveling with the knight who said to the damosel that was with the knight that the knight was not worthy of the damsel...that kind of thing. Which knight and which damsel? Who said what to who? At times the combats were a complete mess. The fact that half the time knights were doing the standard "in disguise" bit didn't help things either.
Then there's the whole thing with Gwen which only really happens in the last 1/3 of the text.
I don't know how much of my confusion was due to the translation or if it was all due to the editing.
Anyway, although this touches on most of the Lancelot related stuff in the Arthurian tales it does so in an infuriating and at times confusing way.
Having recently read and enjoyed Tristan: With the Surviving Fragments of the 'Tristan of Thomas' which is well translated and reads easily, also having a narator with a human touch, I was expecting more from this.
Gawain is nails in this though, and more human than most of the other knights.
A translation of the prose Lancelot based on Kennedy's edition.
Rambling tale edited in what appears to be a fairly haphazard manner. Very poor notes, a problem I've found with many Oxford books (some Dumas being major offenders in this respect). Many of the notes refering to the page numbers in the Kennedy edition and not the book you have in your hands...what's that about? Some medieval terms explained and others never mentioned in what seemed to be a random way (eg: surcoat explained, but perrier and vavasour not).
Lance spends most of the book not wanting anyone to know who he is and acting like a brat. This means that he is always talked about in a round about way, rarely by name, and you end up being unsure who is fighting who...this confusion is added to by the amount of damsels that are only described as "the damsel"...something like: the knight met the damosel that was traveling with the knight who said to the damosel that was with the knight that the knight was not worthy of the damsel...that kind of thing. Which knight and which damsel? Who said what to who? At times the combats were a complete mess. The fact that half the time knights were doing the standard "in disguise" bit didn't help things either.
Then there's the whole thing with Gwen which only really happens in the last 1/3 of the text.
I don't know how much of my confusion was due to the translation or if it was all due to the editing.
Anyway, although this touches on most of the Lancelot related stuff in the Arthurian tales it does so in an infuriating and at times confusing way.
Having recently read and enjoyed Tristan: With the Surviving Fragments of the 'Tristan of Thomas' which is well translated and reads easily, also having a narator with a human touch, I was expecting more from this.
Gawain is nails in this though, and more human than most of the other knights.
May 12, 2019
Took me almost a year to get through. Parts read like bad fanfiction which is entertaining in a manuscript from the thirteenth century. Fainting was fairly common, especially for any female. But the knights did their share of that as well. Lots of tears, lots of lances shattering.
The translation was easy to read, and I appreciated that some 'chapters' were just summarized, because this text was long enough already.
Lancelot of the Lake diverges from the legend as it is now told. This was written before Lancelot was connected to the search for the Holy Grail and it was interesting to see how that changed the framing of his exploits and relationship with Guinevere.
Some of the roots of fantasy writing were evident in the text as the knights fought giants, battled enchantments, and passed through booby traps. The honor system that all the knights live by was also interesting, if pretty alien compared to the way combat is handled now.
Overall an interesting read, I'm not sure if I'll ever read it again all the way through, but I will probably come back to some of the more outrageous passages.
The translation was easy to read, and I appreciated that some 'chapters' were just summarized, because this text was long enough already.
Lancelot of the Lake diverges from the legend as it is now told. This was written before Lancelot was connected to the search for the Holy Grail and it was interesting to see how that changed the framing of his exploits and relationship with Guinevere.
Some of the roots of fantasy writing were evident in the text as the knights fought giants, battled enchantments, and passed through booby traps. The honor system that all the knights live by was also interesting, if pretty alien compared to the way combat is handled now.
Overall an interesting read, I'm not sure if I'll ever read it again all the way through, but I will probably come back to some of the more outrageous passages.
December 16, 2025
“Galeotto fu ‘l libro e chi lo scrisse:
Quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avante.”
Quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avante.”
August 25, 2016
It was good to fill in a gap in my understanding of certain strands of the Lancelot legend that many modern writers have used in their adaptations of Arthurian legend, i.e., Lancelot's connection to the Lady of the Lake and how Lancelot became Guinevere's knight. It never ceases to surprise me how we have romanticized the figures of Arthurian legend that bear little resemblance to the figures medieval Europe romanticized. From the perspective of modern sensibilities they mostly all seem to be one can short of a six-pack with little to admire but their feats in arms. This is sub par compared to the beauty and coherence of the Vulgate cycle of Arthur and his knights, but it has a rough vitality that was fun to read.
Read
February 7, 2017I have some questions, and most of them are about why nobody seems to be bothered by the fact that the Lady of the Lake just STRAIGHT-UP STOLE A BABY FROM HIS GRIEVING MOTHER AND JUMPED INTO A LAKE WITH HIM. Why does nobody have issues with this? It's not like there was an agreement, the way there was with Merlin and Uther about Arthur. She just abducted him. Wtf, Lady.
I am entirely saturated with Lancelot right now and this essay is killing me. How many times will I reread this text before I am free? That's a trick question because I will never be free.
I am entirely saturated with Lancelot right now and this essay is killing me. How many times will I reread this text before I am free? That's a trick question because I will never be free.
April 12, 2015
This is a translation of the Lancelot parts of the second book of Lancelot-Grail (also known as Lancelot Prose). I gave it the 5 stars because it's very rare to find translations which are cheaper than Norris's one and this was a nice fluent reading even if the non-Lancelot parts were simply summarized.
It starts with the war against Ban and Bors and it ends with the death of Galehaut.
It starts with the war against Ban and Bors and it ends with the death of Galehaut.
November 7, 2020
Lancelot is one of those characters that many people seem to hate. And that even seems to includes those that have just heard the stories of King Arthur or seen movies or series. Maybe it's because he is just too perfect or because he loves the woman of another man.
In Lancelot of the lake, we are presented to a more approachable Lancelot. As his story begins when he was just a baby, we can see the Lancelot before the fame. Maybe it's the best chance Lancelot will get to be loved as a character. The story begins with his father loosing his kingdom and dying of grief and his mother loosing Lancelot for a mysterious lady of the lake and deciding to become a nun. During his stay at the lake, Lancelot seems to be a very sensible boy, but as soon as he gets to King Arthur's Castle all the intrigues, knight valours and love for the queen (once he and his horse almost drawned and he was captured by the worst knight of the kingdom just because he couldn't stop looking at her) transforms him in somebody else entirely. But don't expect the book to develop the characters. Psychological aspects aren't that important to the book.
The translation is very easy to read, but many parts of the story just don't make sense. It seems that Lancelot knows who he is, but there's all this nonesense about not revealing his name or who is his father. When he learns his name, he can't tell anyone because the lady of the lake for some weird reason told him not to. It'd seem logical that he'd search for his real mother and try to avange his father as soon as possible, but it wasn't the case. All in all, the story gets a little better when everybody discouver his identity, but it's a theme that goes through almost the whole book. I thought it was strange that the lady of the lake uses magic but she seems to be catholic. But I could be biased by the mists of Avalon book series. As the translator warns us, the numerous mentions of knights and maidens without their proper names also gets a bit confusing.
I really missed Merlin.
If you are expecting a love story, just don't. Love motives are very scarse. I thought Galehaut and Lancelot were the closest the book got to a romance.
Some of the adventures are intriguing (like the one of the poor wounded knight that had lances and a sword on his body waiting for another knight to pull them of - but it takes a long time for Lancelot to get on with this advenure) and others are just ridiculous (like the one with the castle's gates - just why couldn't Lancelot let the King inside the castle and why not alert the king that his knights were imprisoned? Who is Lancelot to ask the king to send a knight every hour?). Even the better adventures are very silly and it all reminded me of Don Quixote.
With a lot of cleaning up and an update to present day's values, the story could be more interesting. I really enjoyed the summarization of the translator as the story just dragged for too long. I can't help but envy those times where we found enjoyment from a conversation that consist only of: say you love so-and-so better; no, I will never!
Be prepared to see many knights getting knocked over and maidens being exchanged like cattle.
In Lancelot of the lake, we are presented to a more approachable Lancelot. As his story begins when he was just a baby, we can see the Lancelot before the fame. Maybe it's the best chance Lancelot will get to be loved as a character. The story begins with his father loosing his kingdom and dying of grief and his mother loosing Lancelot for a mysterious lady of the lake and deciding to become a nun. During his stay at the lake, Lancelot seems to be a very sensible boy, but as soon as he gets to King Arthur's Castle all the intrigues, knight valours and love for the queen (once he and his horse almost drawned and he was captured by the worst knight of the kingdom just because he couldn't stop looking at her) transforms him in somebody else entirely. But don't expect the book to develop the characters. Psychological aspects aren't that important to the book.
The translation is very easy to read, but many parts of the story just don't make sense. It seems that Lancelot knows who he is, but there's all this nonesense about not revealing his name or who is his father. When he learns his name, he can't tell anyone because the lady of the lake for some weird reason told him not to. It'd seem logical that he'd search for his real mother and try to avange his father as soon as possible, but it wasn't the case. All in all, the story gets a little better when everybody discouver his identity, but it's a theme that goes through almost the whole book. I thought it was strange that the lady of the lake uses magic but she seems to be catholic. But I could be biased by the mists of Avalon book series. As the translator warns us, the numerous mentions of knights and maidens without their proper names also gets a bit confusing.
I really missed Merlin.
If you are expecting a love story, just don't. Love motives are very scarse. I thought Galehaut and Lancelot were the closest the book got to a romance.
Some of the adventures are intriguing (like the one of the poor wounded knight that had lances and a sword on his body waiting for another knight to pull them of - but it takes a long time for Lancelot to get on with this advenure) and others are just ridiculous (like the one with the castle's gates - just why couldn't Lancelot let the King inside the castle and why not alert the king that his knights were imprisoned? Who is Lancelot to ask the king to send a knight every hour?). Even the better adventures are very silly and it all reminded me of Don Quixote.
With a lot of cleaning up and an update to present day's values, the story could be more interesting. I really enjoyed the summarization of the translator as the story just dragged for too long. I can't help but envy those times where we found enjoyment from a conversation that consist only of: say you love so-and-so better; no, I will never!
Be prepared to see many knights getting knocked over and maidens being exchanged like cattle.
May 25, 2022
I purchased this book on a whim in Madrid along for less than ten euros and truly loved this book. It will always have a treasured spot on my bookshelf. As I was never able to read the Lancelot Vulgate cycle in the original French, I thoroughly enjoyed this Spanish translation.
There were parts that sagged with the countless jousts between knights, insisting on their anonynimity for no apparent reason other than to keep the knights fighting their cousins, brothers etc, without recognizing them. That being said, the parts that were truly fascinating were the whole narrative of a false doppelgänger Ginebra (Guinevere) who casts doubt and suspicion across the whole court and even gains the love of the king while the true Ginebra loves her Lanzarote (Lancelot). Other noteworthy episodes in this cycle include Mordred discovering through a priest that he is to be the downfall of Camelot. All the way up into this point he is a good knight and even a friend to Lanzarote.
One of the understated heroes, who shines without that annoying need to be anonymous, is Galván (Gawain), and in many parts comes across as far more endearing than Lanzarote himself.
Lanzarote is described in far more detail than Malory, who sourced this book for his own Le More d'Arthur. Lanzarote is described in places as moreno, con cabeza rapado (handsomely dark with a shaven head), and almost conjures images of contemporary reggaeoton artists.
The book ends with a set up for the Grail cycle, which is not included in this tome, but which Carlos Alvar has translated wonderfully in his Busqueda de Santo Grial and concludes with his best work in La Muerte de Rey Arturo.
It helps to also procure Alvar's Diccionario Arturico, to help with countless place names and characters.
There were parts that sagged with the countless jousts between knights, insisting on their anonynimity for no apparent reason other than to keep the knights fighting their cousins, brothers etc, without recognizing them. That being said, the parts that were truly fascinating were the whole narrative of a false doppelgänger Ginebra (Guinevere) who casts doubt and suspicion across the whole court and even gains the love of the king while the true Ginebra loves her Lanzarote (Lancelot). Other noteworthy episodes in this cycle include Mordred discovering through a priest that he is to be the downfall of Camelot. All the way up into this point he is a good knight and even a friend to Lanzarote.
One of the understated heroes, who shines without that annoying need to be anonymous, is Galván (Gawain), and in many parts comes across as far more endearing than Lanzarote himself.
Lanzarote is described in far more detail than Malory, who sourced this book for his own Le More d'Arthur. Lanzarote is described in places as moreno, con cabeza rapado (handsomely dark with a shaven head), and almost conjures images of contemporary reggaeoton artists.
The book ends with a set up for the Grail cycle, which is not included in this tome, but which Carlos Alvar has translated wonderfully in his Busqueda de Santo Grial and concludes with his best work in La Muerte de Rey Arturo.
It helps to also procure Alvar's Diccionario Arturico, to help with countless place names and characters.
December 30, 2023
An early thirteenth century romance which would go on to provide material for the first stage of the Vulgate Cycle, a much larger work on the Lancelot/Grail material.
The book begins with an account of how Lancelot came to be raised by the Lady of the Lake and then his departure for the court of Arthur. The notion of self-doubt seems an entirely foreign concept to Lancelot, who waited till merely the day after he arrived before demanding to be knighted and then galloping off on his first run of adventures.
He rescues damsels in distress, spars with errant knights and engages in a whole host of other daring deeds, the most notably of which is his defeat of the Dolorous Guard (the only real merveilleux of the book).
It is this incident which gives Lancelot his name and puts him in a position to then become Queen Guinevere's paramour... the attainment of which feels far less like an elicit affair and far more like a triumphant conquest.
The second half of the book sees Lancelot fight and make peace with Galehot, the son of giants, and then later join Arthur in his wars with the Saxons. These final combat scenes are very well drawn indeed and the rescue at Saxon Rock felt far more realistic than any of the previous knightly duels.
The book begins with an account of how Lancelot came to be raised by the Lady of the Lake and then his departure for the court of Arthur. The notion of self-doubt seems an entirely foreign concept to Lancelot, who waited till merely the day after he arrived before demanding to be knighted and then galloping off on his first run of adventures.
He rescues damsels in distress, spars with errant knights and engages in a whole host of other daring deeds, the most notably of which is his defeat of the Dolorous Guard (the only real merveilleux of the book).
It is this incident which gives Lancelot his name and puts him in a position to then become Queen Guinevere's paramour... the attainment of which feels far less like an elicit affair and far more like a triumphant conquest.
The second half of the book sees Lancelot fight and make peace with Galehot, the son of giants, and then later join Arthur in his wars with the Saxons. These final combat scenes are very well drawn indeed and the rescue at Saxon Rock felt far more realistic than any of the previous knightly duels.
September 23, 2022
There is no unity of place, but most of the episodes take place in the kingdom of Logres, stronghold of King Arthur. The latter is one of the main characters of the story, and around him gravitate a multitude of other heroes, many of whom are Knights of the Round Table. Among them, the famous Lancelot du Lac, whose novel details the adventures, including the successive love stories, mainly that with Queen Guinevere (wife of King Arthur). But the cycle also recounts adventures of a more spiritual, even religious order: those of the Holy Grail, a vessel that contained the blood of Christ, in search of which all the knights of the Round Table will set out at one time or another, the winner of this sacred competition being none other than the son of Lancelot: Galaad.
July 27, 2025
A very enjoyable prose translation of a 13th century Old French poem. There are several themes in this poem that are different from the Grail and “Once and Future King” cycles of Arthurian Legend. For some reason this poem is a little more obscure than “The Quest of the Holy Grail” and “The Death of King Arthur” poems so the contents were at times a little surprising (no spoilers). It is still absolutely essential for any Arthurian enthusiast. My only complaint would be that the entire poem is not translated but the abridged parts do not seem to involve Lancelot as much and the translator does give adequate summaries of those missing portions.
October 28, 2025
This was crazy from start to finish. A bit of a slog in places, I seriously question the morality of literally all of it, and half the quests read like video game boss fights...but it was entertaining nonetheless. And I'm not surprised Guinevere wanted Lancelot over Arthur, when you consider the insanity at the end!
My only real complaint is that parts of the book are summaries of the text rather than the text itself. It only happens in a few places, but the abridging choices really baffled me. Why didn't the translator think we'd want to see Lancelot's childhood in the magical realm of the Lady of the Lake?? Just bizarre.
My only real complaint is that parts of the book are summaries of the text rather than the text itself. It only happens in a few places, but the abridging choices really baffled me. Why didn't the translator think we'd want to see Lancelot's childhood in the magical realm of the Lady of the Lake?? Just bizarre.
June 30, 2025
3.5 stars. This is pretty fun, though it ends rather abruptly with exactly zero explanation for a major event in the last three sentences. If you're going to abridge a text, you need to do better than that.
Also, Lancelot is a crybaby war criminal.
Also, Lancelot is a crybaby war criminal.
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November 27, 2016Well, Lancelot is slightly less of a numpty in this one, though he still has his moments, such as almost drowning because he's too busy looking at Guinevere. Funny how he's so wise as a little kid and yet grows up to be a bit of an idiot. I actually liked this quite a lot -- it's got more depth than Chretien de Troyes, being so much longer, and Guinevere's a sympathetic character.
Odd translation, though, with explanations for things that were obvious and none for things that weren't, as well as somewhat arbitrary decisions to summarise certain sections instead of translating then. I realise a full translation would be super long, but the scene at the end with the impostor Guinevere seemed like one that should have been translated in full.
Also, an observation: everybody is gay for Lancelot.
Odd translation, though, with explanations for things that were obvious and none for things that weren't, as well as somewhat arbitrary decisions to summarise certain sections instead of translating then. I realise a full translation would be super long, but the scene at the end with the impostor Guinevere seemed like one that should have been translated in full.
Also, an observation: everybody is gay for Lancelot.
August 11, 2010
A good translation; unfortunately, it omits the imposter-Guenevere episode towards the end. You can, however, supplement your reading of this volume with The Lancelot-Grail Reader: Selections from the Medieval French Arthurian Cycle.
May 30, 2016
An OK translation of a genuinely interesting part of the Arthurian Canon, but suffers from poor notes and being summarized/abridged in places. You can really tell this is a French contribution to the canon, with a weepy (emo really) hero and a certain amount of bed hopping.
October 30, 2013
This was an excellent book until the ending. It was very detailed and captivating. It built up really well, and then at the end everyone died. No explanation, just that they died.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2024
i love you lancelot du lac, you're everything to me. my foolish man in love. <3
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