The Once and Future King The Supernatural Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph.)

Quote #7

"I have a Master called Bleise who lives in North Humberland, and perhaps he will be able to tell me what it is I am trying to remember." (Q.10.21).

In Malory, Bleise (Blaise) is Merlyn's Master, to whom he tells the history of Arthur so it can be written down. In the novels, we don't hear too much about this guy. This is pretty much it. Is this who has taught Merlyn magic? That might be hinted at here in his title "Master" (which in the medieval period could mean either "Ruler" or "Teacher").

Quote #8

The strip was a less cruel piece of magic than the black cat had been, but more gruesome. It was called the Spancel—after the rope with which domestic animals were hobbled—and there were several of them in the secret coffers of the Old Ones. They were a piseog rather than a great magic. Morgause had got it from the body of a soldier which had been brought home by her husband, for burial in the Out Isles. (Q.13.39).

First of all: Eww! We're edging into Buffalo Bill territory here. Morgause uses this strip of human skin to bind Arthur to her. For a "piseog" (little magic), this act certainly has major repercussions.

Quote #9

Facts of which Guenever was subconscious, in this sense, included the whole of the Arthur-Lancelot situation, most of the future tragedy at court, and the grievous fact of her own childlessness—which was never to be remedied. (K.16.5)

Otherwise normal, Guenever seems to possess a sort of low-grade clairvoyance, which works on an unconscious level. She knows things are going to happen, but she doesn't know that she knows. You know?