Then Sir Gawaine covered his head with his cloak, and he sat there for a long time with his head covered. And ever he wept beneath the cloak, but his face was hidden, and no one could behold his tears. And anon he said in a muffled voice, “Five of them are gone! Five of them are gone!” meaning by that that his two sons and his three brothers had already died in that war. And after a little while he said, “There was comfort for me in that those three of them who died aforetime were armed for battle. For so I advised them that they should not enter this dispute; and yet they did enter it, and lost their lives therein. But these latter two were naked and unarmed, and of one of them Sir Launcelot was godfather when he was knighted. And he loved Sir Launcelot more than he loved his own blood and his own brethren. Ah, Gareth! Gareth! All things could I forgive in Sir Launcelot saving only thy death. For I loved Sir Launcelot above all others in the world, and to him could much be forgiven; but this I can never forgive. For those two were his friends and not his enemies, and they meant him good and not harm; yet he slew them, all naked and unarmed as they were.” [Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine cometh to the King._] And Sir Gawaine said, “Where is the King?” They say, “The King is at such and such a place.” So by and by Sir Gawaine arose and went to where King Arthur was. And Sir Gawaine said to King Arthur, “Lord, what now will you do?” King Arthur said, “I know not what I shall do.” Sir Gawaine said, “Sir, know you that my two brothers are slain?” And King Arthur bowed his head and said, “Yea, I know it.” Sir Gawaine said, “I will tell you what you shall do. You shall wage war to the extremity of life against this false and traitorous knight, Sir Launcelot of the Lake. What? Hath he not taken your Queen from you and carried her away to his own castle? Hath he not slain your blood and kindred? Hath he not bathed his hands in the blood of your knights of the Round Table? Hath he not slain Sir Kay, your foster brother, in this last assault? Hath he not slain Sir Griflet and my kinsman Sir Aglaval and my two sons and my two other brethren who were all unarmed and defenceless against his attack? Sir, arouse yourself. Call for your kings and princes, your earls and barons and knights, and let us set forth as an army and utterly destroy this nest of traitors and murderers. I myself will call my dependants around me and will accompany you to that war, for now it shall either be Sir Launcelot’s life or my life. For never will I forgive him so long as I have breath in my body.” [Sidenote: _The King offers forgiveness._] Quoth the King, “Nephew, if these knights will return the Queen to me, then I will forgive them, and if I forgive them cannot you also forgive? For these are Knights of the Round Table, and I must not destroy the Round Table so utterly as you advise me to do.”