Erec and Enide — Chretien de Troyes

Erec and Enede was the first Arthurian romance (composed around A.D. 1170), also the first of five extant works by French court poet Chretien de Troyes. Erec and Enide, newly married and lost in erotic, conjugal bliss, are brought back to reality when gossip suggests that Erec, son of a king, prefers life at home to the existence of a fearless, heroic knight. Celtic legend, classical motifs, and ecclesiastical elements are masterfully interwoven in this tale, whose colloquial translation brings to life the clashing sounds of battle, de Troyes's multiple poetic tones and colorful expressions, and the rhyme and meter of the original. Both scholars and general readers will surely enjoy this story of the Erec's quest for honor, glory, and the Arthurian way.