Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
have the furs, and also the beard of the vanquished for a trophy of his
victory. In his conflict, therefore, Arthur proved victorious, and took
the beard and spoils of the giant: and, as he said before, had met with
none that could be compared to him for strength, till his last
engagement. After this victory, they returned at the second watch of the
night to the camp with the head; to see which there was a great
concourse of people, all extolling this wonderful exploit of Arthur, by
which he had freed the country from a most destructive and voracious
monster. But Hoel, in great grief for the loss of his niece, commanded a
mausoleum to be built over her body in the mountain where she was
buried, which, taking the damsel's name, is called Helena's Tomb to this
day.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 219: This most romantic and interesting rock is crowned by a
singularly quaint structure, half monastic and half castellated. It must
have been a place of great strength before the invention of powder, and
contains some curious rooms, a dungeon and other remains of feudality.]
CHAP. IV. _Arthur's ambassadors to Lucius Tiberius deliver Pelreius
Cotta, whom they took prisoner to Arthur._
As soon as all the forces were arrived which Arthur expected, he marched
from thence to Augustodunum, where he supposed the general was. But when
he came to the river Alba, he had intelligence brought him of his having
encamped not far off, and that he was come with so vast an army, that he
would not be able to withstand it. However, this did not deter him from
pursuing his enterprise; but he pitched his camp upon the bank of the
river, to facilitate the bringing up of his forces, and to secure his
retreat, if there should be occasion; and sent Boso the consul of
Oxford, and Guerinus Carnotensis, with his nephew Walgan, to Lucius
Tiberius, requiring him either to retire from the coasts of Gaul, or
come the next day, that they might try their right to that country with
their swords. The retinue of young courtiers that attended Walgan,
highly rejoicing at this opportunity, were urgent with him to find some
occasion for a quarrel in the commander's camp, that so they might
engage the Romans. Accordingly they went to Lucius, and commanded him to
retire out of Gaul, or hazard a battle the next day. But while he was
answering them, that he was not come to retire, but to govern the
country, there was present Caius Quintilianus, his nephew, who said,
"That the Britons were better at boasting and threatening, than they
were at fighting." Walgan immediately took fire at this, and ran upon
him with his drawn sword, wherewith he cut off his head, and then
retreated speedily with his companions to their horses. The Romans, both
horse and foot, pursued to revenge the loss of their countryman upon the
ambassadors, who fled with great precipitation. But Guerinus
Carnotensis, just as one of them was come up to him, rallied on a
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