The Holy Woman The Lady of the Lake
- Role: The Enigmatic Guide and Guardian of Excalibur
- The Lady of the Lake is a mystical figure who aids Arthur by granting him Excalibur and assisting Merlin.
- Symbolism: She embodies the feminine aspect of the divine, offering wisdom, magic, and protection.
- Purpose: She acts as a bridge between the mortal world and the magical otherworld.
Lady of the Lake could be a Sophia figure….
There likewise I beheld Excalibur Before him at his crowning borne, the sword That rose from out the bosom of the lake, And Arthur rowed across and took it--rich With jewels, elfin Urim, on the hilt, Bewildering heart and eye--the blade so bright That men are blinded by it--on one side, Graven in the oldest tongue of all this world, "Take me," but turn the blade and ye shall see, And written in the speech ye speak yourself, "Cast me away!" And sad was Arthur's face Taking it, but old Merlin counselled him, "Take thou and strike! the time to cast away Is yet far-off." So this great brand the king Took, and by this will beat his foemen down.
- Alfred Lord Tennyson - The Coming Of Arthur
Excalibur
Sidney Lanier. The Boy's King Arthur
“The legend of Excalibur may have originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of casting precious items, including swords, into pools or lakes as offerings to a water goddess. Many such items have been discovered by archaeologists in the beds of dried-up lakes across Europe. For example, almost 200 such votive offerings – including swords - have been found at Llyn Cerrig Bach, a lake in Anglesey, North Wales. The Romans documented that such practices were believed to bring good fortune. They even adopted the custom themselves by tossing coins into springs and ponds, eventually giving rise to the tradition of wishing wells. The Romans also noted that British Celts would cast warriors’ swords into lakes as part of a funerary rite as offerings to a goddess, a very similar theme to the story of Arthur's sword being thrown to the mysterious water nymph, the Lady of the Lake, as the king lies dying.”
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Nimue (Viviane)
The Enchantress
- Role: The Lady of the Lake and Merlin’s Protégé
- Nimue is an enigmatic figure often associated with the Lady of the Lake. She is Merlin's apprentice, lover, or both, and in many versions, she ultimately traps Merlin in a cave or tree.
- Symbolism: Nimue embodies the dual nature of magic—creation and destruction, nurturing and controlling. She serves as a counterbalance to Merlin’s wisdom.
- Purpose: She protects Arthur by giving him Excalibur and, in some tales, acts as a mentor to other knights.