`No Arthurian critic will be able to ignore this book which gathers together so much diverse material and skilfully brings out unexpected links between versions widely separated in time and country of origin. MODERN LANGUAGE REVIEW `No Arthurian critic will be able to ignore this book which gathers together so much diverse material and skilfully brings out unexpected links between versions widely separated in time and country of origin.' MODERN LANGUAGE REVIEW Cei is one of the most puzzling figures in the development of the Arthurian legend: a hero beyond compare in the early Welsh sources, his appearances in later Arthurian literature are frequently associated with comic defeatin combat, objectionable outspokenness, and sometimes with more serious misdeeds. This study assesses Cei from his native Welsh context to his role in the romances of Chretien de Troyes and later developments, in which the authorlooks at the portrayal of Cei in a selection of medievalContinental, Welsh and English works, before moving closer to the present day and the rich heritage of English ballad and Gaelic folktale; the ending offers something of a surprise. This account of the long and varied career of one of Arthur's closest associates shows how a sympathetic approach to Cei can shed new light on some particularly controversial aspects of Arthurian studies.

Essays demonstrating that Arthur belonged to the whole of Europe - not just England. The European dimensions of Arthurian literature form the focus of this special issue of Arthurian Literature, derived from sessions held at the International Conference in Utrecht (2005). It brings out in particular the supranational coherence of the Arthurian genre, and the ways in which its motifs appear throughout European literature. Questions discussed here include the function of Perceval in a variety of Arthurian romances, the character of Gauvain in the French, Dutch and English traditions, the narrator in different versions of the Prose Lancelot, and the concept of 'youth' in Scandinavian and Old French romances. BART BESAMUSCA and FRANK BRANDSMA lecture at Utrecht University. Contributors: BART BESAMUSCA, FRANK BRANDSMA, CORA DIETL, SARAH GORDON, LINDA GOWANS, MARJOLEIN HOGENBIRK, SUSANNE KRAMARZ-BEIN, NORRIS J. LACY, MARTINE MEUWESE, STEFANO MULA, JOSEPH M. SULLIVAN,LORI J. WALTERS.