Fearful histories: the past contained in the romances of antiquity

Baswell, Christopher; Whitman, Jon

doi:10.1017/cbo9781107337473.005

Cited by 12 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…107 In contrast to Virgil's Aeneid, which was recognized as a fabula, a fictional narrative, within this period, 108 the texts of Dares and Dictys were believed to be historically accurate because of these claims, and were often included in manuscripts with Virgil's text, in order to present another, 'factual' view of the Trojan War. 109 These texts were designed to refute much of Homer's account of the Trojan War 110 but, as Homer was mostly unknown in western Europe during the early medieval period, their significance for Harold-as-Aeneas in the Bayeux Tapestry lies in their presentation of Aeneas. In direct opposition to Virgil's Aeneid, Dares and Dictys present the epic hero as a traitor who, along with Antenor, conspires with the Greeks to ensure the defeat of Troy.…”

Section: Harold As Aeneas the Traitormentioning

confidence: 99%

HAROLD-AS-AENEAS? THE INFLUENCE OF THE AENEID ON A RESCUE SCENE IN THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY

Rollason¹,

Lewis²

2020

Greece & Rome

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A scene in the Bayeux Tapestry (c. 1072–7 ce) shows Earl Harold ‘Godwinson’ of Wessex (c. 1022–66), future king of the English (r. 1066), rescuing two Normans from drowning in the quicksand of the River Couesnon as they cross into Brittany on military campaign (see figure 1; Bayeux Tapestry Scene 17). Harold (Bayeux Tapestry Figure 152) is depicted standing more or less upright, upon embroidered lines that represent the waters of the Couesnon. As is typical for the representation of Anglo-Saxons in this, the earlier part of the embroidery, he has a ‘pudding-bowl’ haircut and is moustached. These features distinguish Harold from the Normans he saves, who have the backs of their heads shaven and are without facial hair. Harold carries one of the men ‘piggyback’ and drags the other, who has almost fallen on his back, up by his right hand. The Latin inscription above this scene is brief, but nonetheless tells us most of what we need to know to understand the imagery beneath: hIC VVILLEM DVX ET EXERCITVS EIVS VENERVNT AD MONTE[M] MIChAELIS ET hIC TRANSIERVNT FLVMEN COSNONIS. hIC hARLOLD DVX TRAhEBAT EOS DE ARENA (‘Here Duke William and his army came to Mont St Michel, and here they crossed the River Couesnon. Here Duke Harold pulled them out of the sand’).

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Section: Harold As Aeneas the Traitormentioning

confidence: 99%