Both Uses of
Knights of the Round Table
in
Don Quixote
- Well, then, in the time of this good king that famous order of chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table was instituted, and the amour of Don Lancelot of the Lake with the Queen Guinevere occurred, precisely as is there related, the go-between and confidante therein being the highly honourable dame Quintanona, whence came that ballad so well known and widely spread in our Spain— O never surely was there knight So served by hand of dame, As served was he Sir Lancelot hight When he from Britain came— with all the sweet and delectable course of his achievements in love and war.†
Chpt 1.13-14 *
- his arm, brought his pike to the slope, and said, "Friend Sancho, know that I by Heaven's will have been born in this our iron age to revive revive in it the age of gold, or the golden as it is called; I am he for whom perils, mighty achievements, and valiant deeds are reserved; I am, I say again, he who is to revive the Knights of the Round Table, the Twelve of France and the Nine Worthies; and he who is to consign to oblivion the Platirs, the Tablantes, the Olivantes and Tirantes, the Phoebuses and Belianises, with the whole herd of famous knights-errant of days gone by, performing in these in which I live such exploits, marvels, and feats of arms as shall obscure their brightest deeds.†
Chpt 1.19-20
Definition:
mythological honorable knights who served King Arthur and sat with him at the round table (made round so they could sit as equals with no head or foot to the table as would exist at a table of traditional rectangular shape)