Amadis of Gaul, Volume 1

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J. R. Smith, 1872
Prose romance of chivalry, possibly Portuguese in origin. The first known version of this work, dating from 1508, was written in Spanish by Garci Ordóñez (or Rodríguez) de Montalvo, who claimed to have "corrected and emended" corrupt originals. Internal evidence suggests that the Amadís had been in circulation since the early 14th century or even the late 13th. Cf. Encyclopaedia Britannica.
 

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Page 6 - ... all was husht, Darioleta rose, and threw a mantle over her mistress, and they went into the garden. When Elisena came to the chamber door her whole body trembled, and her voice that she could not speak. King Perion had fallen asleep, he dreamt that some one, he knew not who, entered his chamber by a secret door, who thrusting a hand between his ribs, took out his heart and threw it into the river.
Page 31 - How since it pleased me ? — Remember, Lady, the day whereon your Father departed, the Queen took me by the hand, and, leading me before you, said, I give you this child to be your servant ; and you said it pleased you. And from that time I have held and hold myself yours to do you service : yours only, that neither 1 nor any other while I live can have command over me.
Page xxi - ... originally oriental ; but the adventures of Jason and Hercules, were popular tales in Europe, long before the supposed migration of Odin, or the birth of Mohammed. If magical rings were invented in Asia, it was Herodotus, who introduced the fashion into Europe. The Fairies and Ladies of the Lake, bear a closer resemblance to the Nymphs and Naiads of Rome and Greece, than to the Peris of the East.
Page 64 - Giant had earned away his brother Galaor, he determined to seek him, and recover him by force of arms or otherwise. When the cortes was ended, he requested his father permission to go to Great Britain. Much did the King and Queen labour to detain him, but it might not be by reason of the love he bare, which made him obedient to none but his Lady. So he clad himself in armour like that which Abies had destroyed in the combat, and taking none with him but Gandalin set forth. They proceeded till they...
Page xiv - I have ended here, and left the reader to infer that Amadis and Oriana, like the heroes of every nursery tale, lived very happy after. The chapters which follow in the Spanish are evidently added to introduce the fifth book, or what Montalvo, in something like a Quack's Greek, calls the Sergas of Esplandian. It is one Romance growing out of another as clumsily as a young oyster upon the back of its parent.
Page xxv - D'Herberay, or obsolete in his time, is accordingly omitted, and all the foolish anachronisms and abominable obscenities of the Frenchman are retained. I kept my eye upon it as I proceeded, for the purpose of preserving its language where it was possible. A modern style would have altered the character of the book ; as far as was in my power I have avoided that fault, not by intermixing obsolete words, but by rendering the original structure of sentence as literally as was convenient, and by rejecting...
Page 33 - Then, putting on the right spur, he said, now are you a Knight, and may receive the sword. The King took the sword, and gave it to him, and the Child girded it on. Then, said Perion, according to your manner and appearance, I would have performed this ceremony with more honours, and I trust in God that your fame will prove that so it ought to have been done.
Page 257 - Then he beheld the two uppermost ; the lower bore, in a field azure, a Knight cutting off the head of a Giant; this •was the shield of King Abies of Ireland, who had been there two years before his combat with Amadis : the highest had three golden flowers in a field azure : this he knew not, but he read the inscription. This is the shield of Don Quadragante, brother to King Abies of Ireland. He had proved the adventure twelve days ago, and had reached the marble perron, which was more than any...
Page 62 - Child by the arm, and wakened him, who awoke in wonder, and asked her why she wept. Ah ! said she, whose son art thou ? — So help me God I know not, for by great hap I was found in the sea ! The Queen fell at his feet, hearing him, and he cried, My God ! what is all this ? My son, quoth she, you see your parents ! , When the first joy had a little subsided he remembered the writing, and took it from his bosom. Elisena saw it was what Darioletta had written.
Page xxv - ... Beltenebros instead of the Beautiful Darkling, or the Fair Forlorn ; Florestan instead of Forester ; El Patin instead of the Emperor Gosling; as we speak of Barbarossa, not Red-Beard; Bocanegra, not Black Muzzle ; St. Peter, not Stone the Apostle. The praise of accuracy is all to which I lay claim for the present work; and that I claim confidently. Perhaps others may not see the beauties which I perceive ; the necessity of dwelling upon every sentence has produced in me a love for the whole....

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