Chapter 28

_Alexander Legends_ ("Matter of Rome"). The most important editions of romances concerning Alexander are Michelant's of the great poem from which, according to the most general theory, the "Alexandrine" or twelve-syllabled verse takes its name (Stuttgart, 1846), and M. Paul Meyer's _Alexandre le Grand dans la Litterature Francaise au moyen age_ (2 vols., Paris, 1886), a monograph of the very first order, with plentiful reproduction of texts.

_Arthurian Legend, The._ No complete bibliography of this is possible here--a note of some fulness will be found in the writer's _Short History_ (see above on Chapter I.). The most important books for an English reader who wishes to supplement Malory are M. Paulin Paris's abstract of the whole, _Les Romans de la Table Ronde_ (5 vols., Paris, 1869-77), a very charming set of handy volumes, beautifully printed and illustrated; and, now at last, Dr. Sommer's stately edition of the "Vulgate" texts, completed recently, I believe (Carnegie Institution, Washington, U.S.A.).

_Chansons de Gestes._ The first sentence of the last entry applies here with greater fulness. The editions of _Roland_ are very numerous; and those of other _chansons_, though there are not often two or more of the same, run to scores of volumes. The most important books about them are M. Leon Gautier's _Les Epopees Francaises_ (4 vols., Paris, 1892) and M. Bedier's _Les Legendes Epiques_ (4 vols., Paris, 1908-13).

Sainte-More, B. de. _Roman de Troie._ Ed. Joly. Rouen, 1870. Edited a second time in the series of the Societe des Anciens Textes Francais.