Hagiography Gildas

the spring of st. gildas in saint-gildas-de-rhuys, morbihan


rhuys life

the first life of st. gildas written unnamed monk @ monastery gildas founded in rhuys, brittany in 9th century. according tradition, gildas son of caunus, king of alt clut in hen ogledd, brythonic-speaking region of northern britain. had 4 brothers; brother cuillum ascended throne on death of father, rest became monks in own right. gildas sent child college of theodosius (cor tewdws) in glamorgan, under care of st. illtud, , companion of st. sampson , st. paul of léon. master st. illtud loved him tenderly , taught him special zeal. supposed educated in liberal arts , divine scripture, elected study holy doctrine, , forsake noble birth in favour of religious life.

after completing studies under st. illtud, gildas went ireland ordained priest. returned native lands in northern britain acted missionary, preaching pagan people , converting many of them christianity. asked ainmericus, high king of ireland (ainmuire mac sétnai, 566–569), restore order church in ireland, had altogether lost christian faith. gildas obeyed king s summons , travelled on island, converting inhabitants, building churches, , establishing monasteries. travelled rome , ravenna performed many miracles, including slaying dragon while in rome. intending return britain, instead settled on isle of houat off brittany led solitary, austere life. @ around time, preached nonnita, mother of saint david, while pregnant saint.

he sought out wished study under him, , entreated establish monastery in brittany. built oratory on bank of river blavetum (river blavet), today known st. gildas de rhuys. fragments of letters wrote reveal composed rule monastic life less austere rule written saint david. ten years after leaving britain, wrote epistolary book in reproved 5 of british kings. died @ rhuys on 29 january 570, , body placed on boat , allowed drift, according wishes. 3 months later, on 11 may, men rhuys found ship in creek body of gildas still intact. took body rhuys , buried there.

llancarfan life: gildas , king arthur

the second life of st. gildas written caradoc of llancarfan, friend of geoffrey of monmouth , norman patrons. however, llancarfan s work historically inaccurate, hagiographies tend towards fictitious, rather strictly historical. llancarfan s life written in 12th century, , includes many elements of have come known mythical pseudo-histories, involving king arthur, guinevere, , glastonbury abbey, leading general opinion life less historically accurate earlier version. example, according dates in annales cambriae, gildas have been contemporary of king arthur: however, gildas work never mentions arthur name, though gives history of britons, , states born in same year battle of badon hill, in arthur supposed have vanquished saxons.

in llancarfan life, st. gildas son of nau, king of scotia. nau had 24 sons, victorious warriors. gildas studied literature youth, before leaving homeland gaul, studied 7 years. when returned, brought extensive library him, , sought after master teacher. became renowned teacher in of 3 kingdoms of britain. gildas subject of mythical king arthur, whom loved , desired obey. however, 23 brothers rising against rightful king, , eldest brother, hueil, submit no rightful high king, not arthur. hueil swoop down scotland fight battles , carry off spoils, , during 1 of these raids, hueil pursued , killed king arthur. when news of brother s murder reached gildas in ireland, grieved, able forgive arthur, , pray salvation of soul. gildas travelled britain, met arthur face face, , kissed him prayed forgiveness, , arthur accepted penance murdering gildas brother.

after this, gildas taught @ school of st. cadoc, before retiring secret island 7 years. pirates orkney islands came , sacked island, carrying off goods , friends slaves. in distress, left island, , came glastonbury, ruled melvas, king of summer country (gwlad yr haf, somerset). gildas intervened between king arthur , melvas, had abducted , raped arthur s wife guinevere , brought stronghold @ glastonbury. arthur arrived besiege him, but, peacemaking saint persuaded melvas release guinevere , 2 kings made peace. desiring live hermit s life, gildas built hermitage devoted trinity on banks of river @ glastonbury. died, , buried @ glastonbury abbey, in floor of st. mary s church.

the llancarfan life contains earliest surviving appearance of abduction of guinevere episode, common in later arthurian literature. huail s enmity arthur apparently popular subject in medieval britain: mentioned enemy of arthur s in welsh prose tale culhwch , olwen, written around 1100. held tradition in north wales places beheading of gildas brother huail @ ruthin, believed execution stone has been preserved in town square. brother of gildas, celyn ap caw, based in north-east corner of anglesey.