Returning to Britain, Arthur holds high court at Caerleon-upon-Usk, and in the descriptions of the state that he kept there the colour and pomp of the age of chivalry, and of Norman court-life, run unchecked through Geoffrey’s narrative. Even before he had embarked upon his continental conquests, Arthur had begun to “hold such courtly fashion in his household as begat rivalry amongst peoples at a distance, insomuch as the noblest in the land, fain to vie with him, would hold himself as nought, save in the cut of his clothes and the manner of his arms he followed the pattern of Arthur’s knights.” But, so far, nothing has been heard of “the City of Legions,” except that Dubricius was “archbishop” there. Now, however, we are given a picture of the town “situate on a passing pleasant position on the river Usk in Glamorgan,” which Arthur chose to be the seat of his court, and to be the scene of the “high solemnity” of his second, and seemingly imperial, coronation. The city “abounded in wealth” above all others; ships came to it from oversea; its kingly palaces challenged comparison with those of Rome itself; it was the third metropolitan see of Britain, and “had, moreover, a school of two hundred philosophers learned in astronomy and in the other arts, that did diligently observe the courses of the stars, and did by true inferences foretell the prodigies which at that time were about to befall unto King Arthur.” To the coronation were bidden princes and warriors from every part of the British islands and from realms oversea, until “not a single prince of any price on this side Spain remained at home and came not upon the proclamation.” The description of the splendours of the ceremonial itself, and of the banquet that followed it, taxes Geoffrey’s rhetorical powers to the full. He has, indeed, to give up in despair any attempt to give a complete account of them; “were I to go about to describe them,” he writes, “I might draw out this history into an endless prolixity.” “For at that time Britain was exalted unto so high a pitch of dignity as that it did surpass all other kingdoms in plenty of riches, in luxury of adornment, and in the courteous wit of them that dwelt therein. Whatsoever knight in the land was of renown for his prowess did wear his clothes and his arms all of one same colour. And the dames, no less witty, would apparel them in like manner in a single colour, nor would they deign have the love of none save he had thrice approved him in the wars. Wherefore at that time did dames wax chaste and knights the nobler for their love.”