Here Arthur, Galahalt and Gauvaine fought,
And well Sir Launcelot and Tristram wrought.
Stanza lii. lines 7 and 8.
King Arthur is known to every one as the founder of the round table. Galahalt was a son of Sir Launcelot, who was enamoured of Arthur’s wife, Ganor, or Gineura; but whose constancy to her was surprised by a princess, who, in consequence, gave birth to Galahalt. This knight achieved the quest of the sangreal, or real blood of Christ, as is related in the latter part of the Mort Arthur, where that fine old compilation of romances becomes mystical. Sir Gauvaine was more especially distinguished for his courtesy, and Sir Tristram for the same propensity as Sir Launcelot, he being as faithfully attached to Yseult, the wife of King Mark of Cornwall, as Launcelot was to the wife of Arthur, King of Britain.
Of either table, whether old or new.
Stanza liii. line 2.
In imitation of Arthur, the romancers atttributed also a round table to Charlemagne.
The sweetest flower of all the ladies fair
That betwixt Ind and Atlas’ pillars are.
Stanza lxi. lines 7 and 8.
Ariosto mentions these as the eastern and western extremities of the world, without much consideration of the position of the speaker, or of hers to whom he referred. This sort of phrase seems to have originated during an imperfect state of geography, and to have been continued (as often happens in similar cases) after the motive for it had ceased. The lines seem to be a free translation of Juvenal’s
——— a Gadibus usque
Auroram et Gangem.
