MAPPING THE NATIONAL NARRATIVE: PLACE-NAME ETYMOLOGY IN LA3AMON’S BRUT AND ITS SOURCES
Joanna Bellis
Shortly before 1138 Geoffrey of Monmouth completed his Historia Regum Britanniae. The popularity it rapidly acquired, and the credence which was almost universally accorded to epic history that charted, were matched only by vehement incredulity its sceptics. Geoffrey's narrative, claimed Britons descendants survivors Trojan diaspora, had a tension at heart threatened destabilize it, pardy accounts for polarized reactions received. On one hand, foundation myth conferred prestige glory; on other, strained limits credible historical genre. This between glory veracity, historian's motive (to promote glorious national myth) methodology do so in style) inherited translators, Wace La3amon, their handling source probes what means write patriotic all. Every retelling narrative stumbles over sources, from earliest European myths, problematic ways negotiated classical authors, he himself mediated Wace, llamon. In problematized dialogue text landscape itself, place-names inscribed upon emerge as supreme text.This article will argue Monmouth, llamon, etymologizing giving Britain self-authenticating history, independendy sources. veracity is precariously hung, these histories, motif place-name etymology. fabulous events Brut are anchored recognizable low. Jane Bliss argues, People places knotted into spatio-temporal grid supports memory past.1 illustrious mapped onto familiar landscape, providing both an aetiology glorifies evidence corroborates it. For example, claim Carlisle once Kaerleil, city Leil, king Loegria, has bipartite function: suggests ancient vindicates suggestion citing plausible etymology existing name. Such basic structure etymological mapping texts: land; llamon particular relates very differently source, identifying with conquered rather than conquerors, history's losers victors. His truth-claims function more elegies erosion myth, prophecies ultimate reinstatement, certifiers account.The background mythInventing legend country not Monmouth's innovation. documents Frankish chronicles seventh eighth centuries. However, manipulation legend, Aeneid, makes evident easy tool aggrandisement any medieval royal house, Carolingian or Angevin. harvesting remoulding contemporary chronicle attitude early historians deferential towards patronymic text, but defiant.The author seventh-century Chronicle Fredegar takes pains emphasize rusticity, ignorance, role merely compiler greater works have gone before. Yet adds them genealogy tracing ancestry Franks back Franchis, descendant Priam. It addition far beyond conspectus sources (Jerome, Hydatius, Isidore Seville, Gregory Tours). Although calling own work appendage theirs, also implies theirs preface his: quasi quandam futuro opere (as material future work). …
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