THE SCENE: In the passage below, King Arthur arrives when his troops are hard-pressed, and provides a potent reminder of what a difference it makes when leaders actually accompany their soldiers in battle.
THE TEXT: Those giants at the front, engendered by fiends,
With hard steel clubs they clattered at helmets,
Crushing down crests and crashing through brains,
Slaying infantry and armored horses,
Chopping down chevaliers on chalk-white chargers.
Neither steel or steed could stand against them
As they astounded and struck at our stout defenders,
Till the Conqueror came with his keen knights,
And with cruel countenance cried aloud:
“I trust no Briton will be troubled by this trifle,
by bare-legged boys who have blundered into battle.”
He flourished Excalibur, all flashing and flaring,
and galloped to Golapas who had grieved him the most,
And cleaved him cleanly in two at the knees:
“Come down,” said the King, “and call your comrades.
You’re too high by half I have to tell you;
With our Savior’s help you shall soon be handsomer!”
With his steel sword he swished off his head.
– The Alliterative Morte D’Arthur, 15th Century AD
