Geoffrey of Monmouth: The History of the Kings of Brittain
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Number of quotes: 16
Book ID: 234 Page: 9
Section: 2E6
As he explains to us in his preface, Geoffrey’s purpose in writing the book was to trace the history of the Britons through a long sweep of nineteen hundred years, stretching from the mythical Brutus, great-grandson of the Trojan Aeneas, whom he supposed to have given his name to the island after he had landed there in the twelfth century before Christ.
Quote ID: 5840
Time Periods: 07
Book ID: 234 Page: 65
Section: 2B1
By the common consent of all, Brutus took with him the Augur Gero and twelve of the older men and set out for the temple, carrying everything necessary for a sacrifice. When they reached the place, they wrapped fillets round their brows and, according to the age-old rite, they set up three sacrificial hearths to the three gods: to Jupiter, that is, to Mercury and to Diana.
Quote ID: 5842
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 234 Page: 65
Section: 2E6
It was then about the third hour of the night, when mortal beings succumb to the sweetest rest. It seemed to him that the goddess stood before him and spoke these words to him: ‘Brutus, beyond the setting of the sun, past the realms of Gaul, there lies an island in the sea, once occupied by giants. Now it is empty and ready for your folk. Down the years this will prove an abode suited to you and to your people; and for your descendants it will be a second Troy. A race of kings will be born there from your stock and the round circle of the whole earth will be subject to them.’
Quote ID: 5843
Time Periods: 07
Book ID: 234 Page: 72
Section: 2E6
Brutus then called the island Britain from his own name, and his companions he called Britons. His intention was that his memory should be perpetuated by the derivation of the name. A little later the language of the people, which had up to then been known as Trojan or Crooked Greek, was called British, for the same reason.
Quote ID: 5844
Time Periods: 07
Book ID: 234 Page: 73
Section: 2E6
One he had divided up his kingdom, Brutus decided to build a capital. In pursuit of this plan, he visited every part of the land in search of a suitable spot. He came at length to the River Thames, walked up and down its banks and so chose a site suited to his purpose. There then he built his city and called it Troia Nova.
Quote ID: 5845
Time Periods: 07
Book ID: 234 Page: 122
Section: 2E6
At that time Peter the Apostle founded the church at Antioch. Later he came to Rome and held the bishopric there, sending Mark the Evangelist to Egypt to preach the Gospel which he had written.Pastor John notes: John’s note: What
Quote ID: 5846
Time Periods: 1
Book ID: 234 Page: 124/125
Section: 2A1
What he asked for in his pious petition was granted to him: for the Holy Father, when he heard of the devotion of Lucius, sent him two learned and religious men, Faganus and Duvianus, who preached the Incarnation of the Word of God and so converted Lucius to Christ and washed him clean in holy baptism. On all sides the peoples of the local tribes hurried to follow their King’s example. Cleansed of their sins by this same baptism, they were made members of the Kingdom of God.
Quote ID: 5847
Time Periods: 2
Book ID: 234 Page: 125
Section: 2E3
Once the holy missionaries had put an end to paganism throughout almost the whole island, they dedicated to the One God and His Blessed Saints the temples which had been founded in honour of a multiplicity of gods, assigning to them various categories of men in orders.
Quote ID: 5848
Time Periods: 2
Book ID: 234 Page: 125
Section: 3A4B
At that time there were twenty-eight flamens in Britain and three archflamens, to whose jurisdiction the other spiritual leaders and judges of public morals were subject. At the Pope’s bidding, the missionaries converted these men from their idolatry. Where there were flamens they placed bishops and where there were archflamens they appointed archbishops.
Quote ID: 5849
Time Periods: 56
Book ID: 234 Page: 132
Section: 2E6
After Coel’s death Constantius himself seized the royal crown and married Cole’s daughter. Her name was Helen and her beauty was greater than that of any other young woman in the kingdom. For that matter, no more lovely girl could be discovered anywhere. Her father had no other child to inherit the throne, and he had therefore done all in his power to give Helen the kind of training which would enable her to rule the country more efficiently after his death. After her marriage with Constantius she had by him a son called Constantine.
Quote ID: 5850
Time Periods: 34
Book ID: 234 Page: 137
Section: 2E6
As he went forward to meet Conanus, they held olive-branches in their right hands. When the Britons saw these men of venerable years who bore the olive as a sign of peace, they stood up respectfully to meet them and made way so that the envoys could approach the British general more freely.
Quote ID: 5851
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 234 Page: 167/168
Section: 2E6
Then he began to ask her by what man she had conceived the lad. ‘By my living soul, Lord King,’ she said, ‘and by your living soul, too, I did not have relations with any man to make me bear this child. I know only this: that, when I was in our private apartments with my sister nuns, someone used to come to me in the form of a most handsome young man. He would often hold me tightly in his arms and kiss me. When he had been some little time with me he would disappear, so that I could no longer see him.
Quote ID: 5852
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 234 Page: 168
Section: 2E6
I have discovered that quite a number of men have been born in this way. As Apuleius asserts in the De deo Socratis, between the moon and the earth lives spirits which we call incubus demons. These have partly the nature of men and partly that of angels, and when they wish they assume mortal shapes and have intercourse with women. It is possible that one of these appeared to this woman and begot the lad in her.’
Quote ID: 5853
Time Periods: 2
Book ID: 234 Page: 170
Section: 2E5
‘Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, my admiration for your noble behavior leaves me no other choice but to translate the “Prophecies of Merlin” from the British tongue into Latin.
Quote ID: 5854
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 234 Page: 171
Section: 2E5
However, since it has pleased you that Geoffrey of Monmouth should sound his own pipe in this piece of soothsaying, please do not hesitate to show favour to his music-makings. If he produces any sound which is wrong or unpleasant, force him back into correct harmony with your own Muses’ baton.’
Quote ID: 5855
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 234 Page: 282/283
Section: 2A3
Some little time passed. The British people gathered its strength once more and Cadwallader began again to turn his mind to his own kingdom, which by now was purged from the plague about which I have told you. He asked Alan to help him to return to the position of power which he formerly held. The King granted him his wish. However, just as Cadwallader was preparing his fleet, an Angelic Voice spoke to him in a peal of thunder and told him to stop. God did not wish the Britons to rule in Britain any more, until the moment should come which Merlin had prophesied to Arthur.{I} The Voice ordered Cadwallader to go to Rome and visit Pope Sergius. There he should do penance and he would be numbered among the blessed. What is more, the Voice added that, as a reward for its faithfulness, the British people would occupy the island again at some time in the future, once the appointed moment should come. This, however, could not be before the relics which once belonged to the Britons had been taken over again and they had transported them from Rome to Britain. Only when they had on show again the relics of all their other saints, which had been hidden away because of the pagan invasion, would they reoccupy their lost kingdom.
Quote ID: 5856
Time Periods: 7
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