THE SCENE: A young Roman noble, Gaius Quintillianus, taunts Sir Gawain, saying that Britons were better at boasting than they were at proving their prowess on the battlefield. Gawain promptly kills the man, and pandemonium erupts.
THE TEXT: “Arthur sent two of his leaders, Boso of Oxford and Gerin of Chartres, together with his own nephew Gawain, to Lucius Hiberius, to tell him either to withdraw altogether from Gallic territory or else to march out the next day to see which of them had more right to Gaul. They made their way into the presence of Lucius and duly ordered him. As Lucius was replying that he had not come there in order to withdraw but rather that he might govern the country, his nephew Gaius Quintillanus who was present was heard to mutter that the Britons were better at boasting and making threats than they were at proving their prowess in battle. Gawain was incensed at this. He drew his sword from the scabbard which was hanging at his belt, rushed at Gaius and cut off his head.
He and his fellow-envoys then retreated to their horses. The Romans pursued them, some on foot and some on horseback, hoping to avenge the loss of their fellow-countryman. Gerin of Chartres suddenly turned round, just as one of the Romans was straining to hit him, couched his lance, pierced the enemy through his protective armor and the middle of his body, and hurled him to the ground with all his might. Boso of Oxford, envious of the mighty deed, wheeled his own horse round and stuck his spear into the throat of the first man he met, mortally wounding him and dashing him from the nag on which he was careening along.
In the meantime, Marcellus Mutius was making every effort to avenge Quintillianus. He was already threatening Gawain from the rear, and was on the point of laying hold of him, when Gawain swung round and, with the sword which he brandished, clove him through the helm and head to his chest, bidding him, when he got to hell, to tell Quintillianus that this was why the Britons were so good at boasting and making threats.”
– Historia Regum Britanniae, by Geoffrey of Monmouth, 1136 AD
