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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
THE FRAGILE IDEAL OF THE ROUND TABLE
The romance of Li Chevaliers as deus espees begins with a description of Arthur's court, the hub of the Arthurian world. Whereas Chrétien had always confined himself to brief generalized indications of where the first phase of the narrative was taking place, the author of Li Chevaliers as deus espees presents us with a detailed enumeration of the characteristic features of the Arthurian court and the king as its chief representative:
Tenue a sans quinte de guerre
Lonc tans li rois Artus sa terre
Et ot trestous ses anemis
A son voloir desous lui mis,
S'iert lies et la roine ert lie
Et la cours fu mout envoisie,
Et li boins rois ki tant valoit
Se pourpensa lors k'il tenroit
Court la plus bele et la grignour
K'il onques tenist a nul iour,
Dont de mout grans tenir soloit;
Car ch'est la riens k'il plus voloit
Et ki plus li plaisoit a faire
Pour aloier et pour atraire
A lui les cuers des chevaliers.
Tant les amoit et tenoit chiers,
Ke ia nuls d'els, se il peust,
D'entor lui ne se remeust.
Et rice et grant et noble estoient
Li don ke toute iour avoient,
Car de ce n'iert ratiers ne chices.
Pour eus honnerer estre rices
Voloit sans autre baerie.
Ainc ne fu sa mains desgarnie
Toutes eures de grans dons faire,
Et il, li frans, li deboinaire,
Ke plus donna, et il plus ot. […]
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