*5. According to Edward Gibbon in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, why did the Norman conquerors of Britain listen with fond credulity to the tale of Arthur?
- They became enamored of the descriptions of the beauty of his queen, Guinevere the fair.
- They eagerly applauded the merit of a prince who had triumphed over the Saxons, their common enemies.
- They exhaustively examined the battle strategies of the prince who subjugated the lands they sought to control.
Answer: They had common enemies.
According to Gibbon in Chapter 38 of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: “The pride and curiosity of the Norman conquerors prompted them to inquire into the ancient history of Britain: they listened with fond credulity to the tale of Arthur, and eagerly applauded the merit of a prince who had triumphed over the Saxons, their common enemies.”
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