THE SCENE: Corineus, the legendary founder of Cornwall, was a wise man in peace, and a demon in war.
THE TEXT: [Corineus] took fresh heart, called his own men over the right of the battle, arranged them in fighting formation and charged headlong at the enemy. With his troops in close order he broke through their ranks in front and went on killing the enemy until he had worked right through their force and compelled them all to flee. He lost his sword, but by good luck he had a battle-axe: and anything he struck with this he cut in two from top to bottom. Corineus brandished his battle-axe among the retreating battalions and added not a little to their terror by shouting, “Where are you making for, you coward? Where are you running to, you slackers? Turn back! Turn back, I say, and do battle with Corineus! Shame on you! You are so many thousands and yet you run away from me who am one! Take at least this comfort in your flight: that it is I, Corineus, who am after you – I who often drive in confusion before me the giants of Etruria, thrusting them down to hell three or four at a time.”
At these words of his one of the leaders called Suhard did turn back and charged at him with three hundred fighting-men. Corineus received on his outstretched shield the blow which Suhard dealt him. Then he remembered the battle-axe which he was holding. He swung it up in the air, struck Suhard on the crest of his helmet and at the spot where he made contact split him in two halves from top to bottom. Then he rushed at the others, twirling his battle-axe, and went on causing the same destruction. Up and down he ran, avoiding none of the blows which were dealt him and never pausing in his destruction of the enemy. From one he severed an arm and a hand, from another he carved the very shoulders from his body. At a single blow he struck off one man’s head, while from another he cut away the legs. He was the one whom they all attacked, and he in his turn took them all on.
– De Gestis Britonum, Geoffrey of Monmouth, 12th Century AD
