Death of King Arthur

From their stronghold in Carlisle, Arthur and his knights set out on a campaign that, after many challenges, will take them to the gates of Rome. Written around 1400, the poetic romance known as the Alliterative Morte Arthure was the inspiration for Malory's prose retelling, and has all its epic sweep. This spirited translation by the poet Simon Armitage makes a classic medieval tragedy of chivalry and carnage accessible to modern readers.