Roman de Brut: A History Of The British

by Wace, Judith Weiss (Translator/Editor), Eugene Mason (Translator)

Wace's "Brut" is an 1155 French verse rendering of Geoffrey of Monmouth's earlier Latin "history" of Britain, from the time of Brutus, the eponymous founder, to the 7th century. Wace uses Geoffrey's stories, such as those of King Lear and King Arthur, with a lively inventiveness and originality, drawing on oral sources and his own knowledge of parts of Britain, imaginatively re-interpreting the material. This is the first complete English translation and is presented in parallel with the French text, enabling those who wish to have access to the original to do so easily. This new reprint has been revised by Judith Weiss, taking account of comments in reviews, and includes a full introduction, footnotes and bibliography.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Medieval, France

416 pages, Paperback

Published November 2, 2005

About the author

Wace (c. 1115 – c. 1183) was a Norman poet, who was born in Jersey and brought up in mainland Normandy (he tells us in the Roman de Rou that he was taken as a child to Caen), ending his career as Canon of Bayeux.

Wace, dit aussi Guace ou Wistace était un poète normand, né à Jersey. Ses deux œuvres majeures sont le Roman de Brut et le Roman de Rou.

Sometimes referred to as Robert Wace.

Reviews

[Philip of Macedon · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1155 the Norman scholar Wace produced a French verse translation of Geoffrey’s masterpiece Historia Regum Britanniae, from almost 20 years earlier, turning a prose epic into a poetic epic. It’s not a straight translation. Artistic liberties were taken, changes were made, though often subtle, yet the main substance is unchanged. He infused elements of chanson de gest, making it a chivalric romance in some ways, dressing up some scenes in fanfare, focusing on details Geoffrey may have given scant attention to, or adding scenes to provide context or emotional resonance, but staying true to Geoffrey’s original in scope and content.

There are differences between Wace and Geoffrey, all discussed by translator Judith Weiss in the extensive footnotes. No one is going to care about these unless they’ve read at least one version, but I was curious about the differences from the start, so I took notes. Here follows a dry and uninteresting summary of these differences as I noticed them. I warn you that this is the most boring paragraph you will ever read. Wace leaves out certain details and colorful geographical description, sometimes leaves out or trims heroic speeches or shortens events, other times gives more brutal detail in battles, adds things to other descriptions, adds detailed accounts of navigation or celebrations, or changes names, adds a bit of human characterization, as befits an epic poem. Removes certain wars or conflicts, adds or expands other speeches, offers different insights, sometimes provides more information and back story on a person, other times omits people completely, or changes names. Something Wace does away with almost entirely are Geoffrey’s occasional discussions of the sins and failures and corruption of the British, and why the many bad things that ended their rule of their lands was their own fault.

Like Geoffrey’s telling, Wace performs an incredible feat in somehow relating thousands of years of battles and vying for the crown and a panorama of human emotions and natures, without ever sounding redundant. No two battles are alike, no two kings seem the same, no two heroes or barons or counts or knights resemble one another in their words or deeds, no saga stretching over the years reproduces any of the same notes or adventures of the other sagas, nothing feels like filler or fluff, no sequence of events seems predictable or mundane or familiar, everything has substance to it. It is as though each moment and person in this huge history is a critical part of the whole, without which nothing else could have happened.

Wace shows more neutrality in his treatment of battles and their aftermath, showing sympathy for the common people, or the foreigners, and admiring the warlord’s skills, courage, and tactics, no matter which side they were on. Geoffrey also came off as impartial most of the time, unafraid to present enemies as proud and capable warriors, but Wace extends his heart to those most affected by the conflicts and cruelties, the innocent victims.

Wace was French so he didn’t know the British lands as well as Geoffrey. He sometimes confuses places or people. Tells the same stories with some information omitted, or some new things added which he may have invented. He keeps all the fascinating lore specific to regions, and tells many legends with a similar mix of mythical and historical people and events, and those who fall somewhere in between.

Overall this is an outstanding chronicle that has not lost anything in Wace’s hands, but has changed just enough to make it worth reading both versions. Perhaps the most significant addition by Wace, though also one of the briefest new pieces, is Arthur’s Round Table, appearing here for the first time in writing. In the context it is mentioned, Wace refers to oral British traditions that tell of this table, and so he is not inventing it on his own. His largest and most glaring omission is Merlin’s prophecies, which Wace says he does not understand and cannot speak to the veracity of. These briefly divert from the story’s pace in Geoffrey’s telling, but they packed a glorious helping of the fantastical and mystical into the narrative, and were a welcome contrast.

Wace, like Geoffrey, is fascinated by the origins of place names. This might remind one of the Irish dindsenchas, their mythos concerned with the lore of place names. He gives ample attention to some of these and provides in a few cases more elaborate, speculative lore for how places got their names. Often names are tied to the death of a person or a tragic event. Wace dedicates more space to the transformation of Kaerlu becoming London, speculation on the origin of the name of the town of Bath and on Bladud’s folly, more detail of the cruelties of certain kings, or the qualities of others.

I could go on about the mountain of wonder that is this book. Instead I’ll just hit on a few of the big parts that make the epic so grand. I took notes while reading, in hopes of realizing all the differences in Wace’s version. It turned out to be unnecessary, since these differences were annotated. Now my notes serve as a basic outline of what is a landmark piece of history and fantasy and epic fiction of the twelfth century.

After the Trojan War, we see Aeneas traveling to Italy, marrying Lavinia, and soon there is the birth of Brutus. Brutus kills his father, crosses the sea to Greece finding his kinfolk, exiled Trojans, held captive. He becomes their leader and fights the Greeks, liberates his people and takes them to the temple of Diana where he receives the oracle that he will find a new land for his people. They go to Spain, France, meet and join Corineus. They attack the Poitevins in France, build Tours, travel to the island of Britain, and defeat all the giants. Corineus fights Gogmagog, hurling the last giant into the sea. Brutus founds New Troy which becomes Trinovant, eventually being called Kaerlu then Lodoin, and eventually Londene, then London.

There is a long lineage of kings and conflicts and violent vengeful queens, like Guendolien defeating her former husband Locrin, and later drowning his new wife and child, Hestrild and Abren. The story of Leir is told. The reign of Dumwallo Molmus is told, who brought unprecedented peace and tranquility to the lands. Upon his death the kingdom is divided in two, between his two sons Belin and Brenne, initially both at war but who come to peace at their mother’s behest. They sack Rome and conquer Europe.

Cruel king Morpidus fights a sea monster, dealing it great fatal wounds, but being devoured by the beast before it dies. A rapid succession of kings is summarized, with standout personalities and battles. We see the coming of Julius Caesar and his battle with Nennius, who takes Caesar’s sword after being mortally wounded by it. This sword is buried with him, and its great powers of death-dealing are glorified. Caesar is defeated twice.

In celebration of Caesar’s second defeat, King Cassibellan’s people have a big fun party with jousting. His nephew is killed by another knight, the nephew of Androgeus. Cassibellan tells Androgeus to hand over his nephew for punishment, but Androgeus refuses, knowing he will be put to death. Cassibellan punishes Androgeus by laying waste to his lands and destroying everything he has. Androgeus writes to Caesar asking for help, claiming he will help him conquer Britain if only he aids him. Caesar comes, corners Cassibellan, and when the king is close to starvation, Androgeus pleads with Caesar to spare his brother. He agrees, but Britain now must pay tribute to Rome. This is how Britain is finally conquered. There are many more grueling battles over the following decades and centuries, as conflicts with Rome rise and fall with new rulers.

Marius defeats the Picts, Britain is converted to Christianity. We learn the saga of Carais, the marauder who gains Rome’s trust and resources to become a pillaging pirate across the island, building an army from the Picts, and is eventually put down by Allec, a Roman commander. There follows a long chain of usurpations, wars, violence and unrest, exchanges of hostages, dramas, adventures, sieges, holy events, legendary figures and happenings, deceitful warlords and angry kings.

Romans finally leave Britain, and the Scots and Picts begin uprising. Constantine becomes King of Britain, soon to be succeeded by Vortigern, who manipulates and indirectly murders his way to the throne with the help of the Picts. During his reign the Saxons come, led by Hengist and Horsa, and his saga with them is given in full. His son Vortimer defeats the Saxons but he is murdered by his stepmother, Vortigern’s Saxon wife. The Saxons’ final deception is the Night of the Long Knives, in which they kill all Vortigern’s unarmed men and send him running into hiding.

This leads to the episode that introduces Merlin and his importance, who is still a prophet, but is more explicitly magical than he is in Geoffrey’s telling. Merlin predicts the return of Constantine’s sons, Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon, who come to reclaim their rightful rule over Britain, defeat the Saxons, and burn Vortigern alive in his tower. Merlin brings the Giants’ Dance (Stonehenge) from Ireland to Britain, which serves as a burial site and a healing monument.

Arthur is born and, after the death of Uther to poison, is crowned king. He eradicates the Saxons, ravages Scotland and splits it among his lords, invades Ireland, conquers Iceland and then Norway, which he gives to his nephew Loth, and takes Denmark and France and Burgundy.

He conquers Paris through single combat with its ruler, Roman nobleman Frollo, in which his sword Caliburn brings him victory, spilling blood and brains from his opponent. Such vivid details are common in this savage saga. After his coronation and long celebration, Romans demand tribute from Arthur, insulting him and making threats. Arthur conducts a massive campaign against Rome, with the help of all his conquered people and barons and counts. He and his barons make emphatic, powerful speeches, and the Romans likewise make their own boisterous, inspiring calls to claim what they believe is theirs. Wace portrays both sides as proud, valiant, honorable empires.

This huge campaign is filled with careful and close narration, poetic rapture, thrilling scene after scene of combat, gore, thousands of dead on both sides. Tides of fortune rapidly fluctuate, speeches are made, feats and valor solidify into legend. The Roman emperor is slain and sent back to Rome, and Arthur departs to face his treacherous nephew in battle, where he ultimately falls and is delivered to Avalon.

The peak of Roman de Brut has passed with Arthur’s long saga, but still Wace tells us of centuries of harrowing adventures and wars and incidents. There is Gurmunt’s rise to power and rule over Ireland and Britain, St. Augustine’s coming to Britain and the folklore that surrounds him in the 12th century is told, such as a silly occurrence concerning tails growing out of people and all their descendants as punishment for their treatment of the saint. Edwin and Cadwallon’s bad blood is related, their bloody wars and the latter’s eventual victory. Cadwallon’s son, Cadwallader, sees Britain suffer famine and plague, and is driven to Rome to survive. In his absence and in the abundance of empty lands after mass deaths, Saxons pour into Britain, creating England.

Such a lifeless relaying of events as I have just given is no reflection of the high artistic quality of this work. Wace was working from source material that was already a masterpiece, but his artistic flourishes produced a new product with its own immense qualities. I can’t say anything about its quality as a poem, since I can’t read French, especially twelfth century French. I imagine that is where Wace’s greatest artistic input lies. It’s still easy to see that an epic has been convincingly reworked into an equivalent epic of a different form.

[Liam Guilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's some confusion with the reviews here. There are various editions of Wace, some without translations, and some which contain only translations of the Arthurian material. One ubiquitous edition contains a translation into English of the Arthurian sections of Wace and Laȝamon (or Lawman, or Layamon depending how he's been modernised). Goodreads seems to be lumping them all together, which is more than just confusing.

So to make it clear.

This is a review of 'Wace's Roman De Brut: A History of the British, text and translation', translated by Dr. Judith Weiss, Published by University of Exeter press, second edition published in 2002, reprinted in 2010.
Eugene Mason has nothing to do with it.

The book is a complete edition of Wace's poem. He finished it in 1155. He wrote in Anglo-Norman, and the poem 14, 866 lines long.

The book also includes a facing page translation in prose, which translates the whole poem into English and there is an introduction, notes and bibliography.

If you have any need for a complete Wace, this is it.

Wace was translating the Latin Prose of Geoffrey of Monmouth. Following Geoffrey, he tells the story of how Brutus, 'the last of the Trojans' arrived in Britain after many battles. Having defeated the resident Giants, Brutus established New Troy, and gave his name to Britain, and to the poem: he is the Brut of the title.

From there the poem follows the stories of Brutus's descendants down to King Arthur and a little beyond. It's legendary history, not history as we know it and it follows Geoffrey fairly closely. What the translation allows you to do is read the bits of the story that usually get left out by readers hurrying to the Arthurian section: the fight with Gogmagog the giant, Locrin and his disasterous love affair, King Leir, Vortigern and Hengist's daughter....

Weiss's translation is accurate (as far as I can tell) and gives a good sense of the poem's qualities, though the almost epigramatic nature of Wace's line and couplet is always going to be relaxed in a prose translation.

For example, when Wace suggests the indecent haste of Vortigern's marriage in one line: ‘le jur l’ama si l’out le seir’ Weiss translates, ‘He fell in love with her in the morning and had her in the evening’. The contempt is still there in the English.

Her introduction says what needs to be said and the bibliography can be plundered for further information.

Having struggled with Wace's language for years, using a badly proofread POD French edition, the availability of a complete text of the poem with a complete reliable English translation is a godsend.

Comparing the stories across Wace, Geoffrey and Laȝamon just becomes so much easier. The fact that the translation is there with the text also means the translation can easily be checked when word choice is important. And the online Anglo-Norman Dictionary makes that easier as well.

When Laȝamon translated the whole poem into English, sometime after 1155, the Arthurian story appeared in English for the first time. But the irony, as Weiss's introduction points out, is that the first vernacular (non Latin) chronicle of British 'history' is written not in English, or Welsh, or Scots or Irish, or Cornish, but in a version of French; Anglo-Norman. It's a neat reminder that for over three hundred years English was not the language of England's rulers.

[Lulu]

1155


Adapted Geoffrey text into French

First to mention round table