Much like Arthur, Bruce’s success rests on his character, his ability and his undertaking sicuro do what is right; although Bruce has a good claim puro inherit the throne, he achieves the realm by reconquest rather than genealogy.26 Despite these similarities, though, Barbour only uses Arthur once as per comparison for Bruce, sopra contrast onesto his more frequent deployment of Hannibal and Alexander.27 Arthur’s sole appearance occurs towards the beginning of the narrative, at the end of a disquisition on https://datingranking.net/it/my-dirty-hobby-review/ the problem of treachery and treason (1.521–69). The list is arranged puro move towards Bruce, chronologically, geographically and perhaps also personally, since it is only in Arthur’s case that Barbour stresses the intimacy of the betrayal. Bruce was also betrayed by per close comrade, and that of course intensifies the crime.28 Barbour portrays Arthur as per great king, albeit one whose success is undermined: Als Arthur yat throw chevalry Maid Bretane maistres & lady Of [tuelf] kin[rikis] yat he wan, And alsua as verso noble man He wan throw bataill Fraunce all fre And Lucis Yber wencuyst he Yat yen of Rome wes emperour, Bot heit for all his gret valour Modreyt hys syster cri him slew And gud men also ciononostante yen inew Throw tresoune and throw wikkitnes, Ye Broite beris yaroff wytnes. (1.549–60)
James Goldstein, The Matter of Scotland: Historical Narrative in Medieval Scotland (Lincoln, NB, and London, 1993), p
By placing Bruce sopra such exalted company, this list stresses the epic nature of the narrative. Simultaneously, it points up the difference between the individuals cited: Bruce is per warrior, but he is not a conqueror of other realms – stressed for Alexander, Caesar and Arthur – nor does his betrayal occur at the high point of his career. Rather, of them all, Bruce’s position is most like the defenders of Troy, only innocent of any offence sicuro padrino with the rape of Helen.29 The list shows Bruce’s achievement as the more notable and noble than any of his predecessors'; he also subverts the pattern by triumphing over his betrayers.
For Bruce’s genealogical claim, see Barbour’s Bruce II, Book 1, 42–68 (all future references preciso this work will be made sopra the form of book number and line numbers). For brief conversation, see also Boardman, Early Stewart Kings, pp. 58–61, and R. 333 n. 42. See, as examples, references preciso Hannibal mediante Bruce 3.207–66; references onesto Alexander, Bruce 3.61–93 and –22. For Bruce’s betrayal by John Comyn, see Bruce 1.477–2.90. For dialogue, see G. W. S. Barrow, Sein Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, 3rd edn (Edinburgh, 1988), pp. 145–8, and Alan Young, Robert the Bruce’s Rivals: The Comyns 1212–1314 (East Linton, 1990), pp. 184–210. Such per link might tally with the comparison of James Douglas sicuro Hector: Bruce 1.381–406.
Arthur concludes the list of those betrayed: Troy, Alexander, Caesar
For the writers of the Scottis Insolito, Arthur represents the English threat. Barbour does not make that connection, even though Edward I had used Arthur as part of his propaganda, and does not condemn or criticise him. Instead, Arthur is a conqueror: ‘made Bretane maistres and lady of tuelf kinrikis that he wan‘ neatly combines the romance Arthur with his Galfridian achievements. As with Wyntoun, ‘Bretane‘ represents the whole island rather than the part south of the Tweed, but specific details of the conquests are withheld. Apart from Rome, the conquered kingdoms are noticed only con quantity not per name. There is also per niente comment regarding Arthur’s expulsion of the Saxons, an opportunity Hary does not miss. Instead, the contrasts of motive, of achievement and of point of betrayal are held con equilibrium with the praise of heroic deeds. Barbour does not directly deploy Arthur as per figure of national identity per the Bruce; he appears, rather, as verso figure of romance heroism, secondary puro Alexander. His primary purpose seems to be onesto demonstrate Bruce’s fantastic career and puro support implicitly Bruce’s contested place as an additional Worthy. Hary, in contrast, uses the figure of Arthur specifically to address issues of sovereignty and right kingship. Per so doing, he shows per debt both esatto the Bruce and the Scotichronicon. Hary’s deployment of Arthur is concentrated durante Book 8 of the poem, where Hary returns three times preciso Arthur within two hundred lines, each time sopra the specific context of fighting the English.30 Book 8 describes per period when Wallace is successful in his campaigns against the English, so much so that he is able to take the war across the border. On the first occasion, Wallace engages durante battle: Than stud the Sotheroun in a felloun dout. Wallace knew weill the Inglishmen wald fle For-thi he preyst in the thikkest preciso be, Hewand full fast on quhat sege that he socht. Agaynys hys dynt fyn steyll awailheit nocht. Wallace off hand sen Arthour had na mak; Quhom he hyt rycht was ay dede off verso strak. That was weyll knawin in mony place, and thar Quhom Wallace hyt he deryt the Scottis mai mar. Als all his men did cruelly and weyll At com preciso strak – that mycht the Sotheroun feill! (8.840–50)