“Inside the table's circle,
Under the sacred sword.
A knight must vow to follow
The code that is unending,
Unending as the table—
A ring by honor bound.”
Once again we come to these words. Yes, I’m back with another analysis on chivalry, and why this Code rather than the 7 Virtues, well I just love this Code and couldn’t stay away for long.
Truth is the second line intrigued me. I like to re-read the Old Code when I can, I like to examine it, tinker with it in my head and to ponder the meanings of each syllable and word. In this case, the second line is as powerful as the first but easily more Biblical in its thinking where the first is Arthuriana at its purest.
Under is the first word. This may not seem like much, but there’s more going on here than one might initially think. Under, not Over, not With, but Under. As though it were looming over thee, and you were facing your executioner or it is the hammer of judgement menacing you for your many sins.
When pondering the line ‘Under the Sacred Sword’, what comes to mind is the prayer of William Durand that Chivalry Guild posted a short time ago on twitter; William Durand’s Prayer for the New Knight: "O God, Thou hast only permitted the use of the sword to curb the malice of the wicked and to defend the right. Grant, therefore, that Thy new knight may never use his sword to injure, unjustly, anyone, whoever he may be; but that he may use it always in defence of all that is just and right."
This is a powerful prayer, the principal sentiments involve the defence of morality and righteousness and the slaying of wickedness. It is full of the same sentiments that are to be found in St-Augustine’s City of God book.
The Sacred Sword is supposed to be Excalibur certainly, the blade of the Just which only Arthur could use. A sword full of righteousness that could only ever harm the wicked, and be used for a good cause. The sword it must be said embodies the ideal that it will never be used in the injury or the unjust slaying of anyone but in the defence of the godly and the good.
The ideal of knighthood being one of defence, not aggression and hatred. One that is never bending (though men should be flexible by nature) but in matters of chivalry, they must never bend, never back down and must show utter dedication to the cause. What is the cause? That which they have sworn themselves to, to their nations’, to God and of course to their brothers and lady.
All of these are ideals, now in recent years the term ideologue has gained traction due in no small part to ideologies of all sorts possessing men and women. Driving them to such madness that one cannot help but be dismayed by the word. But the ideals of duty, family, honour are not bad ones and can never lead you astray if you balance them with the 7 Virtues and with self-awareness. I would recommend reading the likes of the Meditations, Go In No Sho (Book of the Five Rings), the Bible, and the writings of Tolkien & Howard, in order to maintain one’s level head in difficult times.
The sword is a metaphor as Musashi taught for the soul. Thus, does it mean that when you say ‘Under the Sacred Sword’ the ‘Under the Sacred Soul or Spirit’. You are not simply bound and must be motivated by the Holy Spirit, for those who are religious but you are under obligation to your own soul. To swear an oath is to promise your soul to a cause, to something, and to break your oath is to break with yourself.
Promises should never be given lightly, for to break them is easy and to uphold them difficult but they must be made at times. It is for this reason that in Dragonheart to swear allegiance in the name of Excalibur is a mighty oath and one that the likes of Bowen doesn’t take lightly.
There is however another two perspectives to look at in regards to the Sacred Sword; one is that of another sword, namely the inspiration for Excalibur (one of them at least); Joyeuse. The blade of the Carolingian line, namely the likes of Charles Martel the blade he used to help repel the Saracens from Francia and to save all of Christendom/Europe with.
Now Excalibur as all know is inspired by Caliburn from Welsh myths, but the importance was pumped up by their neighbours, as they looked at Joyeuse’s role and even that of Durandal from the Geste de Roland. It is thus a symbiosis of three different blades (making it 3 times as cool as most other fantasy weapons) (this was just a fun-fact paragraph to this essay).
The other fact to bear in mind is that in Japan, the katana was considered the soul of the Bushi, it was where his spirit lay and he thus had to preserve and protect his blade as though it were his life. I must confess to having gotten a non-sharp katana during my stay there, and I observed how serious Iaido was taken and how much the Japanese still care for their swords. When I was given mine, it was done with an air of seriousness, respect and utter love. Mailed to me by my friends, it included a loving letter and many messages encouraging me to continue to study the way of the sword (I want to go back partially to return to the study of it).
The anecdote is there to show that the spirit of the warrior is there still in Japan, in both their men and their women. Both sexes participate heartily in the study of Iaido, in the study of the blade with an air of discipline, shared love and strength. The nature of the way of the sword is that respect for your brothers in arms, for the blade is equated with self-respect.
The idea here is that the sword you own; that which has been given to you by a blacksmith and thy friends is your sacred sword. It is your soul. And this is why the knight failed where the bushi didn’t historically. The knights didn’t treat the sword with the same love and respect that the samurai did.
BUT, if we consider how the ideals of chivalry lived on, well past the warrior-caste’s fall in the west it could be said that the respect though latent has appeared. Better late than never one might say, as tales such such as those of Lord of the Rings, Dragonlance and many others show-case a special bond between wielder, blacksmith and sword. So that the respect for the artistic side and the ideal represented by the sword has been at long last discovered in the West, and our people have begun to wisen up so to speak. We have learnt respect for the blade.
The source of this reticence stems from Christ telling Mathew, ‘Those who live by the sword shall also die by it’ or something to that effect. This is true. But those who live by the ideals of the blade, the ideals of bushido & chivalry will die by those ideals and chief among their ideals is faith, is maintaining your word and protecting your wife and children. These are worth dying by, I say.
Does this mean that Jesus would condemn love for the art of swordsmanship, those who hold oaths sworn under the Sacred Sword in contempt? Not at all. To the contrary, the whole idea is also one that stems from the idea that the ‘Flaming Sword of Michael’ and the Sword of Troy, from Roman myths are inspirations also for Excalibur. Under the Sacred Sword could mean you are bound when you swear an oath, give your word, to the flaming sword of God. You swear something, you are now bound not only to yourself but to him.
The ideal is in all honesty also one that ties to the ideal of Truth. Because when you swear an oath, you must honour it truthfully, you must not twist your word and you must uphold your word less it mean nothing of value. A tall order, and one that people can be excused for struggling with. But well-worth the price I think, if you should achieve it (I haven’t always been good at this in truth), but truth demands that you also hold your own feet to the fire, that you deal honestly with all those you come across. This is what it means to be ‘Under the Sacred Sword’.
The spirit of Truth as embodied by the likes of Merlin the Magician, the ultimate advisor of Arthur and the ultimate intellectual alongside the likes of Cay & Bedivere should also be our guide. Merlin never misled his surrogate son, never lied to him and never wielded the sword of his influence against Arthur. Maybe he was wrong not to speak out against the slut Guinevere (more on her at a later date), but ultimately Merlin is still a great guide for those wishing to live a truthful life. One where men swear mighty oaths, uphold them and do what is right by one’s children and one’s wife even if it comes at great personal cost.
We may never be able to live up to the example of Christ & Arthur. We could never be them if we’re honest with ourselves. But settling for being Merlin, Gawain, Bedivere, or even Bowen, well there are worse men to be. And for the ladies, Kara, Eowyn, Mary Magdalene and Ambrosia (Merlin’s mother-figure in some adaptations) are all worthy icons to become and no less chivalrous than their obstinate male-counterparts.
The sword and it's imagery are certainly prominent in the Bible.
The sword that Solomon called for to "cut through the BS" and find the truth of the mother of the baby.
The flaming sword held by the cherubim to block the way to the Tree of Eternal Life.
Beating one's sword into plowshares, as the ultimate show of peace.
One of Christ's disciples struck off the ear of a servant/soldier who were coming to arrest Christ in the Garden. But, Christ put the ear back on and healed the guy, saying that now wasn't the time for violence.
There are many more.
There is other sacred literature that also has many examples of the importance of the sword. One wonders why a long chunk of metal would be so important as compared to a spear, or javelin, or arrow?
Warlock was used by the Celts to mark someone who was an oath-breaker (not a witch), and then they were shunned and kicked out of the tribes. Which for the times would make survival much more difficult.
"A man's word is his bond" and a handshake used to be a thing. Many deals were made that way, with no other contract involved. Very few should ever try that today.
With all the weaseling that is inherent in Bureaucracy, in a "Cover your Butt" culture, I think it was inevitable that Truth, Honesty and Personal Responsibility would be pushed to the side in many cases, just to be able to survive. It is a sad state of the world.
Subscribed. More of this.