Layamon Quotes

Yurstendæi wes Baldulf cnihten alre baldest.
nu he stant on hulle & Auene bi-haldeð.
hu ligeð i þan stræme stelene fisces.
mid sweorde bi-georede heore sund is awemmed.
heore scalen wleoteð swulc gold-faye sceldes.
þer fleoteð heore spiten swulc hit spæren weoren.
Þis beoð seolcuðe þing isiyen to þissen londe.
swulche deor an hulle swulche fisces in wælle.

Better is art, than evil strength; for with art men may hold what strength may not obtain.

By reason of Arthur's position as its climax as well as of the long line of other traditional heroes, events and associations, and of its breadth of treatment, simplicity, intensity, enthusiasm, accord with the supernatural, vitality of imagination, elevation and sometimes nobility and religious feeling, the poem is the nearest thing we have to a traditional racial epic.

Betere is liste þene ufel strenðe.
for mid liste me mai ihalden þat strengðe ne mai iwalden.

And ich wulle uaren to Aualun to uairest alre maidene.
to Argante þere quene aluen swiðe sceone.
& heo scal mine wunden makien alle isunde.
al hal me makien mid haleweiye drenchen.
And seoðe ich cumen wulle. to mine kineriche.
and wunien mid Brutten mid muchelere wunne.

Even the British Arthur becomes an Englishman, a Germanic hero, brave, daring and open-handed. We are in a world of feasts and vaunting speeches, flytings and lusty battles, fierce deeds and bloody humour, with the Fiend, the Adversary of Man, always round the next corner.