The Quest Of The Holy Grail

Composed by an unknown author in early thirteenth-century France, The Quest of the Holy Grail is a fusion of Arthurian legend and Christian symbolism, reinterpreting ancient Celtic myth as a profound spiritual fable. It recounts the quest of the knights of Camelot - the simple Perceval, the thoughtful Bors, the rash Gawain, the weak Lancelot and the saintly Galahad - as they journey through danger and temptation to reach the elusive Holy Grail. But only one of them is judged worthy to see the mysteries within the sacred vessel, and look upon the ineffable. Enfused with tragic grandeur and an aura of mysticism, The Quest is an absorbing and radiant allegory of man's perilous search for divine grace, and had a profound influence on later Arthurian romances and versions of the Grail legend. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Published in 1965: In the following pages the author has endeavoured to give, as clearly and concisely as possible, a description of the literature composing the Grail cycle, an analysis of its content and a survey of the leading theories to which this perplexing body of romance has given rise.

The Old French Lancelot-Graal is an important but massive work, providing a place for King Arthur not only in the history of Britain but also in Christian history. This new translation of one section, the Quest of the Holy Grail, will be a flexible addition to courses on medieval literature or romance. The notes and guides are designed to help readers enjoy the text while appreciating its relationship to social and literary history. Appendices include translations of material from two of Chrétien de Troyes’s romances (Perceval and Yvain); translations from other parts of the Lancelot-Grail Cycle (the early history of the Grail and the conception of Galahad); and excerpts from apocryphal works (from French versions written at about the same time as the Quest).

This book surveys the influence of the middle ages, and of medieval attitudes and values, on later periods and on the modern world. Many artistic, political and literary movements have drawn inspiration and sought their roots in the thousand years between 500 and 1500 AD. Medieval Christianity, and its rich legacy, has been the essential background to European culture as a whole.Gothic architecture and chivalry were two keys to Romanticism, while nationalists, including the Nazis, looked back to the middle ages to find emerging signs of national character. In literature few myths have been as durable or popular as those of King Arthur, stretching from the Dark Ages to Hollywood. In Search of the Holy Grail is a vivid account of how later ages learnt about and interpreted the middle ages.

The Holy Grail: it conjures images of a rich and fantastic world full of magnificent adventures and perilous quests by gallant knights. It whispers of strange mysteries and fabled conspiracies staged by Templars, Cathars, Nazis, and innumerable secret societies. Was it the Cup used by Christ at the Last Supper, or something else? Is there any truth to the wonders and marvels bards and poets associated with it? After years of being co-opted by pop culture and New Agers, what significance can this fairy tale still hold for Catholics? Ah, but this is no fairy tale! As A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail shows, not only does the Grail exist, its whereabouts are known today! Charles Coulombe examines the fabled vessel's literary and historical connections, but he offers far more than a stuffy history of a dusty old cup. Rather, he shows how the Holy Grail is the key to an entire genre of glorious relics and miraculous phenomena that extend from the time of Christ to the present day. A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail uncovers the Grail's intrinsic connections to Catholic Monarchy and Chivalry, to the Precious Blood of Christ, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts devotions, and to the Kingship of Christ and Queenship of Mary, as well as its ties to the Passion of Our Lord and the Blessed Sacrament. Indeed, the Holy Grail is not a myth, but a living reality, a key to a new understanding of the world in which we all live. As far in time and space as the Crucifixion at Golgotha and Medieval deeds of knightly valor, and as close as the next Mass you attend, the Holy Grail is there, a real myth. The Grail is proof that when J.R.R. Tolkien asks: "Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?" it can truly be answered: "A man may do both ... The green earth, say you? That is a mighty matter of legend, though you tread it under the light of day!" In these pages, discover the reality of the legend of the Holy Grail!

The medieval legend of the Grail, a tale about the search for supreme mystical experience, has never ceased to intrigue writers and scholars by its wildly variegated forms: the settings have ranged from Britain to the Punjab to the Temple of Zeus at Dodona; the Grail itself has been described as the chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper, a stone with miraculous youth-preserving virtues, or a vessel containing a man's head swimming in blood. In his classic exploration of the major versions, Roger Sherman Loomis shows how the Grail, once a Celtic vessel of plenty, evolved into the Christian Grail with miraculous powers. Loomis bases his argument on historical examples involving the major motifs and characters in the legends, beginning with the Arthurian legend recounted in the 1180 French poem by Chrétien de Troyes. Loomis's book builds suspense as he proceeds from one puzzle to the next in revealing the meaning behind the legends.--From publisher description.

First Published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The final word on passive vs. active investing The debate on active investing-stock picking and market timing-versus passive investing-markets are highly efficient and almost impossible to outperform-has raged for decades. Which side is right? In The Quest for Alpha: The Holy Grail of Investing, author Larry E. Swedroe puts an end to the debate, proving once and for all that active investing is likely to prove futile as the associated expenses-costs, fees, and time spent analyzing individual stocks and the overall market-are likely to exceed any benefits gained. The book Presents research, data, and quotations that reveal it's extremely difficult to outperform the market Explains why investors should focus on asset allocation, fund construction, costs, tax efficiency, and the building of a globally diversified portfolio that minimizes, if not eliminates, the taking of idiosyncratic, uncompensated risks Other titles by Swedroe: The Only Guide to Alternative Investments You'll Ever Need and The Only Guide You'll Ever Need for the Right Financial Plan Investors are on a never-ending search for a money manager who will deliver returns above the appropriate risk-adjusted benchmark, aka the "Holy Grail of Investing." The Quest for Alpha demonstrates that it's a loser's game-while it's possible to win, it's so unlikely that you shouldn't try.