Adventurous Sword
Once Balin's weapon, this sword carried both prophecy and peril. Only the destined knight could wield it safely.
Alternate Names: Espee Aventureuse
Origins and Early History#
The Adventurous Sword originally belonged to Balin the Savage. He received it from a servant of the Lady of the Island of Avalon and used it to behead the Lady of the Lake. The messenger of Avalon warned Balin that the sword would bring him sorrow. True to the prophecy, Balin later killed his own brother, Balan, with the weapon and received a mortal wound himself. These events occured on Merlin’s Island, after which Merlin took the sword and thrust it into a block of marble.
Trials and Prophecies#
Gawain later saw the sword on the island and was warned by a hermit that, in the hand of his best friend, it would bring about his death, caused by Mordred. While this seems to refer to Gawain’s future battle with Lancelot, the texts do not make clear whether Lancelot ever received the sword. Eventually, the marble block floated to Camelot at the beginning of the Grail quest. Gawain tried to draw the sword, failed, and was warned that he would suffer for his attempt.
Galahad and the Sword#
It was Galahad who ultimately dew the Adventurous Sword, girding it upon himself and wielding it during the Grail quest. He apparently retained it until he received the Sword of the Strange Hangings, and some accounts suggest he may have later given the Adventurous Sword to Lancelot, his father. During the Grail quest, Galahad fulfilled the prophecy against Gawain by striking him down with the sword, putting Gawain out of commission for the remainder of the adventure.
Symbolism#
The Adventurous Sword exemplifies the recurring Arthurian motif of perilous or fateful weapons: its power is intertwined with prophecy, moral testing, and the destiny of the knights. Like the Adventurous Bed and the Adventurous Shield, it serves both as a literal weapon and as a symbol of divine judgment, fate, and the sometimes tragic consequences of human action.
Sources#
- Vulgate Lancelot | (1215-1230)
- Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal | (1215-1230)
- Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin | 1230-1240)
