Mark Walker

Geoffrey (of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph)

For the first time in English, a verse translation of the twelfth-century epic poem about Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth, the originator of many of the Arthurian legends familiar to us today. Merlin is a mythic figure, the first and greatest of the wizards, the ancestor of Gandalf, Dumbledore and Obi-Wan Kenobi. But few know the original Merlin – the mysterious and mad character conjured up in the pages of Geoffrey's poem. Geoffrey first introduced the world to Merlin in his History of the Kings of Britain. Written some years later, his Life of Merlin draws inspiration from Welsh legends to create a striking and unique portrait of the legendary magician – here is the true Merlin, a strange druidic figure from a long-vanished time who is at once a prophet, a bard, and a madman driven insane by the horrors of war. This brand-new translation casts Geoffrey's Latin poem into accessible English hexameter verse, giving readers a real insight into the unique rhythms and cadences of the original. Turn back the pages of time and discover the mythical, magical world of Merlin.

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