Merlin The Magician

By Crusader1307

 Next to King Arthur, perhaps the most known (and unknown) of all Characters in The Arthurian Legend Cycle. Merlin first ''appeared'' even before Thomas Mallory's ''Le Morte'' Saga. Found in French, Scottish, Irish and Welsh Mythology under different (but similar names), Merlin was the foundation for The Legend of Arthur. Responsible for setting into motion the Rise and eventual Fall of King Uther, the very ''birth'' of Arthur and even educating Arthur as a young Boy, Merlin was given the Title of ''Magician''. A rather different meaning than today, He was in reality a Wizard (even Alchemist). Said to have been ''Old, when The World was Young'', it is a common misconception that Merlin was immortal. In truth, whatever ''Being'' Merlin was, He was more so gifted with an exceptionally long life (aging quite differently than ''mere mortals''). A Master of ''Dark Arts'', Merlin was malevolent. However, although a constant in the young King's (Arthur) Life, He disappears from later chronicles, which is perhaps why Arthur's ''dream of Unification'' would ultimately fail.

Merlin had it appears one vice....beautiful Women! This is why He was so attracted to the ''charms'' of Morgan Le Fey (Arthur's step-sister). She wished to master The Dark Arts as a means of ruining Arthur (whom She hated). Merlin only gave Her a small amount of power, but it was ''enough'' for Her to ''enchant'' Merlin into a ''deep slumber'' (often seen by some Scholars as ''death''). Later revived, Merlin would again fall prey to another enterprising Female named Viviane. She took too much of Merlin's power and caused Him to go into ''Eternal Slumber'' Placed into what some believe was another dimension, Merlin's ''resting place'' was said to be the Enchanted Forest of Broceliande (created by Morgan Le Fey). Merlin however, did not ''die''. He would become a literary point (often expanded from His true origins), for many later books and films. His very name conjures ''Medieval Magic'' and serves to remind One of the Cycle (Saga) of ''Camelot'', perhaps even more than Arthur.