Excalibur




On the Matter of Excalibur

by Wacco Paul Wilson
Email: caidin@mho.net


The wonderful, magical sword of Great King Arthur was the symbol of his power during the years of his fabulous reign. The sword named Excalibur, formally known as Caliburnus, "cut steel" or Chalybs, which in Latin means, "steel", is known as a mystical power in its own right as well as an extension of Arthur himself. According to legend, Arthur without Excalibur, could not be king. As most swords in those days were made of bronze it is easy to see that a steel sword which could literally cut through all swords of bronze was special and made its wielder seem magical and invincible.

Those familiar with the sagas quickly realize that it is Excalibur that was the sword in the stone pulled by young Arthur to prove he is king, as well as the sword later given to him by the Lady of the Lake at the bequest of Merlyn. Question is how could one sword be given to Arthur at two different times and from two different sources? The answer is, there were two swords.

The sword in the stone was made by ancient smiths and was known as the King's sword. "He who so ever draws forth this sword from the stone shall be the rightful king of England." Its name was Excalibur and was the ceremonial sword of state and not a sword to be used in combat. As Arthur pulled the sword from the stone he was recognized by all but the most difficult diehards to be the rightful king of England by the Saxon lords. However the ancient Celtic tribes of the land did not recognize the sword from the stone as Arthur's symbolic right to rule all of England. To them something more was needed as a talisman to bring the tribal clans in behind Arthur. That talisman was Caliburn the magic sword of faery and the Isle of Apples, sword of the Pendargon.

Legend says that this great sword was not made by the hands of man but forged in the land of the Fae with magic from metals of a falling star from heaven. Nickel Iron and purest silver from the heavens was its make up. Even more important than the sword itself was the scabbard. The scabbard was covered with woven moonbeam silver cloth and delicately stitched with runes and symbols of the magic lore of the faery folk by the queen of the Morgan clan of faeries. This scabbard protected its wearer from all harm and wounds. This was the sword and scabbard the Lady of the Lake gave to Arthur at Merlyn's bequest. The Lady of the Lake was also known as the Dame du Lac and had raised Lancelot from a babe. The Lady of the Lake has been named in various manuscripts as Viviane, Eviene, Niviene and sometimes Nimue. All names of faery queens, perhaps sisters. These also were the names of the four queens that took Arthur's body to Avalon after the last battle of Camlan.

Graphics taken from Morgan le Fay's pages.


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