μεταμορφώσεις

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

How do we resist?

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

La raison est Goofy.

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

Happy accidents.

A thing of the filmic past.

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

The Wise Child

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

Jeff Bernstein · October 10

paths of error the artist averted

Jeff Bernstein · October 11

¶ Launcelot & Guenever caught in the act!

And so, as the French book says, Launcelot

went until he came to the queen’s chamber,

and was lightly put into the chamber;

then she and Launcelot were together.

Whether abed, or at other manner

of disports, hereof I make no address,

for love then was not as it is nowadays.

Then came loudly a crying voice : “Traitor

Knight! Launcelot du Lake! Now you’re taken!”

And they cried out so all the court could hear,

and armed at all points were all the fourteen

knights with sir Mordred and sir Agravaine

as if they should be facing a battle.

“Alas,” said Guenever under the noise,

“now are we mischievéd both.” Again came

“Traitor-knight, come out of the queen’s chamber!

Thou art not so wily that thou shalt escape!”

“Madam,” said sir Launcelot, “is there here

any ready armour that I might cover

my poor body withal? If so, give it me.

I shall soon stint their malice, by the grace

of God.” “Truly,” said the queen, “I have none

armour, shield, sword, nor spear. Alas! Wherefore

I dread me sore that now our love has come

to a mischievous end, and I hear

by all their noise that there be many knights,

and well I think they shall be surely armed.

Against them ye may make no resistance;

wherefore, my love, ye are likely to be killed;

and I shall be burnt. But if you escape

I do not doubt but you would rescue me.”

Then the crying voice came loudly afresh :

“Come out of the queen’s chamber, traitor-knight!”

“O Jesu mercy,” said sir Launcelot,

“this shameful cry and noise I may not suffer;

better were a quick death than endure this.”

He took the queen in his arms and kissed her,

and said: “Guenever, if here I be slain,

pray for my soul; and who remains of my kin

will not fail to save you from the fire;

and they will do for you all the pleasure

that you deserve, and you shall live as queen

upon my lands.” “Nay, Launcelot,” said she,

“I will not live out my days without you,

but will take my death as ever Christian

queen was sacrificed for loving God’s sake.”

Still the crying came throughout the castle.

“Alas, madam,” said he, “the day has come

that our love must depart. Ah! I feel worse

for you than for myself. If only sure

armour was upon me now.” “Truly,” she said,

“I would they take me and have me murdered

so that you may make your escape.” “That shall

never be,” said Launcelot. “Never will

I suffer such a shame. Now, Jesu Christ,

be Thou my shield and mine armour for us!”

Jeff Bernstein · October 11

Jeff Bernstein · October 12

¶ Launcelot strikes back!

Launcelot grabbed any clothing to hand;

it was his lady’s mantle, richly furred

with ermine, and full-set with precious stones,

and he wrapped it around him in duress

while they began to rash at the door.

The queen sorrowed for her and her lover,

and swoonéd while Launcelot was calling :

“Fair lords, leave off your noise and this rashing

and I’ll open the door! Then do your worst!”

“Come off it then,” they all said; “Move back first.”

“Do you promise to send in one at a time?”

asked Launcelot. “So you can pick us off one

by one?” they said; “No chance!” “Then why should I

open the door?” “Because, sir, you shall die

the worst death, we promise, if you stand for!”

“So you say,” said Launcelot through the door.

“Open up,” they said, “and we’ll save you, lover,

till thou come to her husband King Arthur!

Let us in!” So Launcelot considered,

then unbarred the door. And Guenever gasped.

And with his left hand he held it open

only a little, so that one man alone

might come in at once. So a good knight came,

a fighter of stature and strength, Colgrevance

of Gore, who lashed out quickly with his sword,

but sir Launcelot averted the blade

and gave him such a buffet on the head

with his fist that he felt grovelling dead;

then Launcelot with great might pulled him in

the chamber and took his sword; and the queen

helped him dress in Colgrevance’s armour.

“Jesu mercy,” said Launcelot through the door,

“why be ye all armed? What meaneth this fear

of me?” “We’ll show you how much we fear you,”

they said, and again they loudly cried through

the castle : “Come out of the queen’s chamber,

traitor!” Launcelot called out in answer,

“Leave your noise first!” “You don’t say what we do,”

they told him. “Would you rather I kill you?”

called Launcelot back through the chamber door.

“Your threats, sir,” they all said, “move us no more.”

Sir Launcelot turned to queen Guenever

and said, “Lady, I won’t be long from here;

you won’t miss me long.” Then again he called,

“Sir Agravaine, you shall not prison me.

I warn you to step away from this place

and stop with all the crying and slander.

I promise you by my knighthood’s honour

that if ye stop all your noise and leave us,

tomorrow I shall come and answer this

before the king, and speak as a knight should,

and explain I came to the Queen with good

intentions only. Else I cannot say

what I will do to you if I come out.”

“Fie on thee, traitor!” said Sir Agravaine;

“We’ll have your head and kill you if we want!

You can demand nothing of us. Either

we kill you, or you die by King Arthur,

but there shall be none other grace for you.”

So sir Launcelot was done talking through

the door. He brought his lover Guenever close,

and they kissed, and he said, “Lady, you face

no jeopardy, fear not; I would no way

allow it.” “Sir,” she said, “I am ready

when you are.” And the two of them embraced.

Launcelot, then, opened the chamber door

and charged out in a wild flash and killed

Agravaine with a quick thrust of his blade.

And before all the rest knew what was what

they were all twelve of them dead at his feet.

And Mordred, the one last living? He fled,

leaving behind him a trail of blood.

Launcelot then returned to his sweetheart

and said, “We were near slain, but Jesu Christ

provided me with strength, and we won.”

“But tomorrow,” she said, “we will be seen

by the king, and he shall put us to death.”

“Not while I live,” promised Launcelot;

“I shall rescue you.” “Do as you think best,”

she said, “and I will hold with you always.”

“Have no doubt,” he said. And they shared a kiss.

Edited October 12 by Jeff Bernstein

Jeff Bernstein · October 13

succès à deux

Then he drew his sword Excalibur / but it was so bright in his enemies’ eyes / that it gave light like thirty torches

Coming Soon—

¶ How Sir Launcelot rescued the queen from the fire

Jeff Bernstein · October 14

Stalwart Reader, please recall the four-minute track out that opens Hateful Eight. Here, by Dean Cundy and crew, the opening track in comprises 1:43 in duration.

Jeff Bernstein · October 14

¶ How Sir Launcelot rescued the queen from the fire

“Jesu mercy,” said Arthur. “how may this be? Took him in the queen’s chamber?” “So God help me,” said Mordred. “We found him unarmed. There he slew Colgrevance, and armed himself in his plate.” All this he told the king from the beginning to the ending, as the book telleth ¶ “Jesu mercy,” said the king. “The fellowship of the Table Round is broken; for with him many a noble knight will hold” ¶ And then King Arthur paused, until he spoke again ¶ “So it has fallen,” he said, “that the queen must suffer her death” ¶ The law was such in those days that, no matter estate or degree, if they were found guilty of treason, there should be none other remedy but death ¶ So said Arthur, “I commend the queen to the fire, there to be burnt.” “Good lord,” said Gawaine, “I would counsel you not to be over-hasty” ¶ “Nephew,” said Arthur, “ready yourself in your best armour, with your brothers.” “Nay, my most noble lord,” said Gawaine, “that I will never do” ¶ Then said the king to sir Gawaine, “Suffer your brothers to be there.” “My lord,” said Gawaine, “they will not want to be there. Launcelot is a knight of marvellous prowess. Who knows what adventure may fall there? But,” said he, “they are young and unable to say to you nay” ¶ Arthur said, “Refer them to the queen, to have her judgment, put to the fire, and receive the death” ¶ And then the queen was led forth from the Castle; and before the people of Carlisle, Guenever was despoiled down to her smock. Then was there weeping and wailing of many lords and ladies, and wringing of hands, but not a one arose to bear any armour to refute the death of the queen ¶

to be continued

Jeff Bernstein · October 14

Jeff Bernstein · October 14

Jeff Bernstein · October 15

There was one whom Sir Launcelot had sent to the place where the queen should go to her death; and soon as he saw her despoiled to her smock, he gave Sir Launcelot warning. Then there was spurring and plucking up of horses ¶ Launcelot rode through tree and meadow till he came to a high tower by a marsh. There he saw the rising of a fire from kindling; and bound to the bundle was Guenever, the fairest lady of the world ¶ The knights cried : “Villain! Traitor! What dost thou? Be ye wise, and depart on your way as ye came” ¶ “Step back!” said Launcelot, “or escape hard from your death” ¶ “What have ye ado with us to meddle?” said all they; “We shall smote a stroke of might sore upon you, and slip the head off your horse” ¶ “What is this noise?” said King Arthur. Then they flang out swords, and Launcelot smote one down to the earth; and with his sword’s tip he lifted up the helmet and lopped off the head ¶ Then came Sir Belliance le Orgulous, Sir Segwarides, Sir Griflet, Sir Brandiles, Sir Aglovale, Sir Tor; Sir Gauter, Sir Gillimer, Sir Reynolds’ three brethren; Sir Damas, Sir Priamus, Sir Kay the Stranger, Sir Driant, Sir Lambegus, Sir Herminde; Sir Pertilope, Sir Perimones, and two brethren that were called the Green Knight and the Red Knight ¶ All these came against the one knight who battled against all these, and that one did so marvellously; and all those who saw had wonder that one knight could do such great deeds of arms ¶ Within a little while Launcelot had slain half their horses and unhorsed them, and their horses ran in the fields and forest ¶ And in this rushing and hurling, as Launcelot thrang here and there, it now and then mishapped him to slay his friends. But Launcelot saw them not as they lay dead in the thick of the press ¶ And in the strong battle with many great strokes, much blood was bled, that all the place there as they fought was overbled with blood ¶ When Launcelot was done, and had slain and put to flight all who would withstand him, then he rode straight unto Guenever ¶ “Launcelot,” cried Arthur, “is the most mischievous knight living! Is there none here willing to face him?” All those who had stood against him, they now were slain; so no, there were none there who would withstand Sir Launcelot. Then was Arthur angry, and dressed his shield toward his enemy, and drawn sword ¶ Meanwhile Launcelot had a gown cast upon Guenever; and he set her behind him on his horse. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear; then thanked God next; and he rode his way with the queen, as the French book tells us, away into safety, ignoring the king and Excalibur his sword. For Arthur was loth to smote a sore stroke, mayhap to elicit all-out war. Of Launcelot the king was passing angry, as it telleth in the book of adventures following

¶ How Sir Launcelot rescued the queen from the fire

Edited October 15 by Jeff Bernstein

Jeff Bernstein · October 15

expressionary beginnings : Tarantino and Malory

John Ruth. Now that I can believe.

20.10. That may I byleue sayd sir gawayne

Jeff Bernstein · October 15

[ multispectrum ] [ fateful ] expressionary beginnings : Macbeth and Malory

21.4 And kyng Arthur took his hors and sayd allas thys vnhappy day & so rode to his partye

1.3. Macbeth. So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

Jeff Bernstein · October 15

21.10. Launcelot. alas who may truste thys world

whanne I saw the corses of that noble kinge and noble quene so lye to gyder in that colde graue made of erthe, that somtyme were so hyghly sette in moost honourable places, truly myn herte wolde not serue me to susteyne my wretchyd and carefull body.

Beholde also this myghty champyon Launcelot, pyerles of knyghthode, see now how he lyeth grouelynge on the colde moulde, now beynge soo feble & faynt that somtyme was so terrible, how and in what manere ought ye to be so desyrous of the mondayne honour so daungerous? ¶ Therfor me thynketh this present boke LA MORT DARTHUR is ryght necessary often to be redde. ¶ Also me semyth by the oft redying therof, ye shal gretly desyre tacustome your self in folowynge those gracyous knyghtly dedes. That is to saye, to drede god, and loue ryghtwisenes, feythfully, and courageously to serve your souerayne.