King Alisaunder
King Alisaunder,an early 14th-cent. romance, probably from London, in 8,034 lines of short couplets, based on the late 12th-cent. Anglo-Norman Roman de toute chevalerie (which is unpublished). Passing remarks suggest that it was composed for oral delivery, though it also suggests wide literary range. It is based on a legend according to which Alexander was not the son of Philip of Macedon but of the Egyptian king Nectanabus who tricked Philip's wife by magic into sleeping with him. The poem deals with the birth and youth of Alexander, his succession to Philip's throne, his conquest of Carthage and other cities, and his wars with Darius. The latter parts of the poem deal with his perils and conquests in the Far East (describing the geography and wonders of those regions), his seduction by Candace, and his death by poison. Though somewhat rambling in structure, the work is written in a lively verse and flexible metre that make it more...
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