Vita Merlini

The Vita Merlini ( Life of Merlin ) is one of Monmouth in 1150, written by Geoffrey Middle Latin hexametric seal.

Geoffrey engages in an old Welsh tradition, which refers to the forest life of the famous, legendary poet Myrddin, and quoting from the poems which are attributed to this. This Welsh poems, however, are obtained by hand only from the 13th century: " Afallennau " ( speech to apple trees ); » Oiannau " ( speech to piglets); » Interview with Taliesin " and the " conversation with his sister ." The latter poem tells how Merlin his Lord in the battle of Arthuret in today's South of Scotland ( 573) lost and then 50 years wandering in the wilderness to escape his pursuers.

The Vita Merlini shows the aging Merlin as a "wild man" who prophesied the expulsion of the Anglo-Saxons from Britain in his solitude. He receives from Telgesinus ( Taliesin ) lessons in geography and cosmography and is finally cured by a miracle source.

In accordance with his historiographical intention, Geoffrey strives Merlin spatially and temporally classify ( end of the 6th century, partly by South West Scotland, partly to Carmarthen according to a folk etymology Marthen < Myrddin ).