The Lady of the Lake,
Sacred Feminine of Logres
None of the line items that are included in the following outline are meant to be links.
The outline itself represents the material that is to be covered in the upcoming book known by the above title (available after December 2026).
Foreword by Martini Fisher
- Introduction to The Lady of the Lake, Sacred Feminine of Logres
- Meaning, Origin, Existence, and Comparison: The Name “The Lady of the Lake”, Multiple “Ladies of the Lake”, and Other Similar Females
- Introduction to the Meaning, Origin, Existence, and Comparison: The Name “The Lady of the Lake”, Multiple “Ladies of the Lake”, and Other Similar Females
- Meaning and Origin of The Name “The Lady of the Lake”
- Introduction to the Meaning and Origin of The Lady of the Lake’s Name
- As Title
- Lady/Dam(o)sel of the Lake
- French: Dame/Damoisele du/del Lac
- Welsh: Arglwyddes y Llyn
- Cornish: Arloedhes an Lynn
- Breton: Itron an Lenn
- Italian: Dama del Lago
- “Mysterious Lady”
- “Enigmatic Faery Woman”
- Various Individual Names
- (Mātronā/Modron)/(Morgan le Fay)/(Queen of Maidenland)/(Lady of the Sea) — son: Maponos/Mabon/Mabuz
- Margawse/Morgose/Morgause/Anna/(M)orc(h)ades/Sangive/(Siefe(/Anthonje))/Belisent/Gwyar
- Argante/Margant(e)/Margan
- Argante/Margant(e)
- Margan
- Viv(i)an(e)/Vivien(ne)/Evien(n)e/Éviène/Nivian(e)/Niviene
- Ninian(n)e/Ninienue/Nimane/Nimiane
- Nimuë/Nimue(h)/Nymenche
- The name Nymenche is said to be derived from the Irish Niamh
- As an otherworldly woman of Tír na nÓg
- Elain(n)e/Helaine/Heleyne
- Suniane/Uiuiane
- Nin(n)ian(n)e/Nimuë/Nineve
- Nin(n)ian(n)e/Nimiane/Niniame
- Viviane
- Nimuë/Nimue(h)
- Helaine/Heleyne
- Nimuë/Nimuè/Nimue(h)/Nymue
- Vivienne
- Nimiane/Niniame/Nin(n)ian(n)e
- Nineve
- Nineve/Nenive/Nyneue/Nynyve/Nenyve/Nyneve/Nynyue
- Nin(n)ian(n)e/Nin(ian)a/Niniame/Nimiane
- Nimuë/Nimue(h)/Ny(u)nyue
- Heleyne/Helaine
- Malvis
- Seraide/Saraiade/Celice
- Sebile (of the Castle) of the Lake/(Sebile (du Chastel) du Lac)/Lady of the Lake/(Dame du Lac)/Sebile of the Red Castle/(Sebile du Chastel Vermei)
- Various spellings of her name
- Sedile
- Sebille
- Sibilla
- Sibyl
- Sybilla
- An Ally of Morgan le Fay
- Appears in Perceforest
- Becomes the Wife of Alexander the Great
- Is an ancestor of King Arthur
- Miyazu-hime, the Lady of the Lake
- The Lake itself
- Lac(h)
- Lais/Lays
- Existence of Multiple “Ladies of the Lake”
- Introduction to the Existence of Multiple Ladies of the Lake
- “The Lady of the Lake” as the titular name of the female ruler of “Avalon” — Lady Lile of Avel(i)on/Dame L’ile d’Avilion/Lady (of) the Isle of Avalon
- (Morgan le Fay)/Feimurgan/Morgana/Morgue/Morgen/Morgain/Morgayne — has at least one sister who is also the Lady of the Lake
- Argante/Margant(e)/Margan
- Argante/Margant(e)
- Margan
- Viviane/Vivienne
- Possibly derived from the Welsh chwyfleian/hwimleian/chwibleiana/(wanderer of pallid countenance)
- She is sometimes referred to as Viviane delAcqs
- Said to be born c AD 450
- Whose father is variously listed as
- The King of Northumbria
- The Knight Dyonas/Dionas
- Amlawdd Wledig
- Myrddin/Merlin
- Or Taliesin
- As a daughter of the King of Northumbria
- Viviane was born and lived in a magnificent castle
- At the foot of a mountain in Brittany
- As a Damosel, she is known as Damsel Huntress (Damoiselle Cacheresse)
- As daughter of Dyonas/Dionas
- She is said to be the niece of the Duke of Burgundy
- Her Fairy Godmother is said to be Diana the Huntress Goddess
- In the time of Virgil, Diana had been a Queen of Sicily
- Her mother is said to be Vivianne delAcqs, Queen of Avalon
- Ninian(e)
- Possibly derived from
- Welsh mythologys Rhiannon
- The 5th-century saint Ninian
- Or The river Ninian
- Sometimes referred to as Niniane delAcqs
- Said to be born c AD 470
- Her father is variously listed as
- Amlawdd Wledig
- Myrddin/Merlin
- Or Taliesin
- Her mother is sometimes said to be Vivianne delAcqs, Queen of Avalon
- Niniane is said to have married Aurelius Ambrosius (Emrys), The Merlin of Britain
- More accurately Ambrosius/Emrys/Embreis Aurelianus Wledic/(G)wledig/Guletic the Younger
- Son of Custennin/Constantin(e)/(Constantinus I) ap Selyf(an)/Salomon I, son of Urbienus/Gradlon Mawr/(The Great)
- Born AD 439/440
- Reigned AD 473/474 to AD 475/476 (High-King/Pendragon of Briton; Breton/Cornouaille/Kerne(v))
- Died AD 489/490
- Nynyve/Nenyve/Neneve/Nineve/Nimuë/Nimué/Nimue(h)/Nymue
- As Dam(o)sel/Handmaid(en)
- As Lady
- Possibly derived from Welsh mythologys Rhiannon
- Igraine/Igrayne/Igerna/Ygerne/Eigr/Ingrene/Arnive
- Guinevere/Wenhaver/Wenor/Gwenhwyfar
- Enid(e)/Énide
- Kundry/Cundrie/(The Proud Damsel)/(La Demoisele Maldisant)/(Le Demoisele Sauvage)
- Dindraine/Dandrane/Dandrenor/Danbrann
- Ragnell/(The Loathly Lady)/(The Black Maiden)
- Margawse/Morgawse/Morgause/Morgose/Anna/(M)orc(h)ades/Sangive/(Siefe(/Anthonje))/Belisent/Gwyar — sister of Morgan le Fay
- Sebile of the Lake/(Sebile du Lac)/Lady of the Lake/(Dame du Lac)/Sebile of the Red Castle/(Sebile du Chastel Vermei)
- Various spellings of her name
- Sedile
- Sebille
- Sibilla
- Sibyl
- Sybilla
- An Ally of Morgan le Fay
- Appears in Perceforest
- Becomes the Wife of Alexander the Great
- Is an ancestor of King Arthur
- Lydore, the (wise) Fairy Queen/Goddess
- Miyazu-hime, the Lady of the Lake
- Yamato-hime/Yamatohime-no-mikoto
- The fairy who raises Lancelot in France (after the death of his father)
- (Mātronā/Modron)/(Morgan le Fay)/(Queen of Maidenland)/(Lady of the Sea)
- Mātronā/Modron
- Morgan le Fay
- Queen of Maidenland
- Lady of the Sea
- Viviane/Nin(n)iane/Nimuë/Nimue(h)
- Viviane
- Nin(n)iane
- Nimuë/Nimue(h)
- The one who gave Arthur his sword(s)
- A “sorcerous damosel” (who may or may not have been a “Lady of the Lake”)
- Viviane/Ninianne/Nimuë/Nimue(h)/Ny(u)nyue
- Viviane
- Ninianne
- Nimuë/Nimue(h)/Ny(u)nyue
- Nineve/Nyneve/Lady Lile of Avel(i)on/Lady Lile of Avilion/Lady Lile of Avalon
- Nineve/Nyneve
- Lady Lile of Avel(i)on/Lady Lile of Avilion/Lady Lile of Avalon
- The one who imprisons (enchants) Merlin
- Viv(i)ane/Vivienne/Nivian(e)
- Nin(n)ian(n)e/Nin(ian)a
- Nimuë/Nimue(h)/Nymue, as Merlin’s nemesis/replacement
- Those magical women who are on their ship to bear away the mortally wounded Arthur
- Nimuë/Nimue(h), Chief Lady of the Lake
- Queen Morgan le Fay
- In the Vulgate Cycle, King Arthur dies and is buried
- After his sister (Morgan the Fay) and at least two other women take him by boat
- To the Black Chapel
- Where on a very splendid and rich tomb was written:
- Here lies King Arthur
- Who through His Valour
- Conquered Twelve Kingdoms
- The Queen of Norgales/Northgalis
- The Queen of the Waste Lands
- The fairy who heals Arthur in Avalon
- Queen Morgan le Fay
- Silver Fairy Queen Argante/Margant(e), the Fair (an elf most fair)
- Margan, (a) Goddess of/from Annwn
- Comparison of Other Similar Females to “The Lady of the Lake”
- Introduction to the Comparison of Similar Females to “The Lady of the Lake”
- Ladies of the Fountains
- Introduction to the Ladies of the Fountains
- The Lady/Countess of the Fountain
- Laudine
- Wife of the Lord of the Fountain
- Eventually marries Sir Owain/Owein after he slays her husband
- (The Lady Lile of Avalon)/(La Dame Gauloise/(Riche et Poissans))
- A lady who admired Lancelot; Guerrehes/Gaheris met her by a fountain
- The second of the ladies whom Guerrehes/Gaheris met by the fountain
- The third of the ladies whom Guerrehes/Gaheris met by the fountain
- Whom Gawain found
- Lamenting in a pavilion
- Near the Miraculous Fountain
- She deceived him
- A lady who recognises Lancelot
- After the tournament between the King of Norgales and Baudemagus/Bagdemagus
- At whose castle Lancelot stays
- She promised to show him “la plus bele riens”
- Conducts Lancelot to Corbenic/Carbone(c)k
- Ladies of the Waters
- Introduction to Ladies of the Waters
- Mermaids
- Introduction to Mermaids
- Mélusine/Melusine
- (Lí Ban)/Liban/(beauty + of women; paragon of women)/Muirg(h)e(i)n
- Maiden(s)/Virgin(s) (of the)/(associated with) (a) (Sacred) Well(s)/Spring(s)
- Dam(o)sels/Nymphs/Fairies whom King Ama(n)gon(s)/Amaugon and his male retainers wronged
- Associated with Goddess Queen Boann of Ireland
- Lady Kunneware/Kan-rune/(rune of the dragon)
- Tylwyth Teg (Fair Family)
- Bendith y Mamau (Blessing of Mothers)
- Gwyll/((Yr) Wyll)/Gwyll(i)on/(twilight, gloaming)/(ghosts, spirits)/(night-wanderers (human or supernatural) up to no good, outlaws of the wild)
- Ellyllon (Elves)
- (Gwraig Annwn)/(Gwragedd Annwn)/(Lake Maidens)
- Ganieda/Gwenddydd — Sister of Myrddin/Merlin
- Gwendoloena/Guendoloena/Coventina/Covienna — Wife of Myrddin/Merlin
- Co(-)vianna/Vi-Vianna
- Diana/Dyan(n)e/(Diana Nemorensis)
- Limnatis Artemis
- Egeria
- Dea Latis
- Rhiannon
- Rīgantonā/(Rīgantona/Riga(n)tona)/(rīgan(i) + (t)on = queen + divine/augmented = great queen)
- Daughter of Heuedd/Hefeydd Hen/(the Old)
- Arianrhod, daughter of Beli Mawr and Dôn verch/ferch Mathonwy
- Epona
- ?Macha?
- Elaine of Garlot
- Domnu
- Scáthach/(shadow)/Scat(h)ach/Sgàthach/(mirror) (an Eilean Sgitheanach)/(of the Isle of Skye)
- Mneme/Mnemosyne/Minerva
- Μνήμη/Mnḗmē
- Mnēmē/(remembrance, memory)
- Menos/(thought)/menes-ueh/(provided with a mind, intelligent)/meneswo/(intelligent, understanding)
- Mari
- (Mari (Urraca))/(Anbotoko Mari)/(Lady of Anboto)/(Murumendiko Dama)/(Lady of Murumendi)
- Mari(ana)
- (Mari)Amman
- Grendel’s mother
- Satanaya/(Lady Satana) — The Mother of a Hundred Sons
- The Navky
- Descriptions and Attributes of The Lady of the Lake
- Appears as a beautiful, mysterious, dignified woman
- Pragmatic, calm, and knowledgeable
- Plays a pivotal role in many stories
- Positive Traits
- A generally beneficent enchantress who acts as a basically recognizable force for good
- A mysterious, almost angelic benefactress of Arthur and his court
- Compassionate, clever, strong willed, and sympathetic; especially to Arthur
- Heavily stresses justice based on the greater good
- Helps knights and damsels alike
- Negative Traits
- Generally characterized as wicked and evil
- A villainess and temptress
- Her Watery Court/Castle/Realm
- Form and Features of Location — “Celtic” Otherworld
- In a lake — The Lake
- On an island — Avalon
- In a mysterious land that may be in a lake and/or on an island — Maidenland
- As described by Merlin: “within that lake is a rock, and therein is a fair place as any on earth, and richly beseen”
- Possible locales for “The Lake”
- Britain
- Caer Lleon/Ca(e)rl(l)ion/City of Legions
- Isca Silurum/Camu-lôt/Caerleon(-on-Usk)
- Caerleon-upon-Dee/Chester (upon the Dee)
- Llyn Llydaw
- Llyn Ogwen
- Llyn y Fan Fach (near Myddfai)
- Llyn Cerrig Bach
- Berth Pool
- Dozmary Pool
- The Loe
- Pomparles Bridge
- Martin Mere
- Blake Mere Pool
- Loch Arthur
- France
- Benoye
- (l)Étang de Comper
- The Lake of Comper
- In Forêt de Brocéliande (Forest of Brocéliande)
- The Lake of Diana
- In Brittany
- Containing an invisible island
- Belgium — Aleines Stream
- Italy
- Pergusa Lake, in Sicily
- Lake Nemi, in the Lazio region
- Occurrences of “Lady of the Lake” (by various names and descriptions) in Related “Literature”
- de Troyes, Chrétien. Lancelot, or Le Chevalier de la Charrete (Lancelot, or The Knight of the Cart). late Twelfth Century AD (c AD 1135).
- Layamon. Brut (Brutus, or The Chronicle of Britain). late Twelfth/mid Thirteenth Century AD (AD 1209/1215).
- von Zatzikhoven, Ulrich. Lanzelet (Lanzalet in French and Spanish; Lancelot in English). early Thirteenth Century AD (c AD 1200).
- Lancelot do Lac (Lancelot of the Lake). AD 1215/1220.
- Vulgate Lancelot Propre (Lancelot Proper). AD 1210s/1215/1230.
- Vulgate Suite du Merlin (Story of Merlin). AD 1220/1230s/1235.
- Post-Vulgate Huth-Merlin (Continuation of Merlin, or The Merlin Continuation). AD 1230/1240.
- Owain, neu (Chwedyl) Iarlles y Ffynnon/Ffynnawn (Owain, or the (Legendary) Lady of the Fountain). Thirteenth Century AD.
- de Gat, Luce and Helie de Boron. Tristan en prose (Prose Tristan). AD 1225-1235, second half of Thirteenth Century AD (AD 1276).
- d’Irlande, Richart. Les Prophecies de Merlin. (The Prophecies of Merlin). AD 1272/1279.
- Arthour and Merlin (Arthur and Merlin). late Thirteenth Century AD.
- Pieri, Paolino. La Storia di Merlino (The Story of Merlin). c AD 1300/1305.
- La Tavola Ritonda (The Round Table). AD 1325/1350.
- Perceforest (Pierce the Forest). AD 1330/1344.
(The most complete of the four manuscripts known is “Manuscript C”.)
(It was written by David Aubert, c AD 1459/1460; for Duc Philippe de Bourgogne le Bon.)
- Prose Merlin. mid Fifteenth Century AD (AD 1450/1460).
- Malory, Syr Thomas. (Le) Morte Darthur (The Death of Arthur, or, as originally titled, The Whole Book of King Arthur and His Noble Knights of the Round Table).
This ‘Winchester Manuscript’ was published AD 1469/1470/1481/1483.
- Vita di Merlino con le Sue Profetie (The Life of Merlin, with His Prophecies). c AD 1480.
- Malory, Sir Thomas. Le Morte d’Arthur (The Death of Arthur). Printed by William Caxton in AD 1485.
- Astrological Signs Associated with The Lady of the Lake
- Cancer — Moon-/+ — Water
- Pisces — Jupiter- — Water
- Libra — Venus+ — Air
- Geography, Genealogy, and Timeline of The Lady of the Lake
- Geography of The Lady of the Lake
- Genealogy of The Lady of the Lake
- Timeline of The Lady of the Lake
Afterword by Michèle Elaine Scott
“There is more of Rome*, than of Romance, about Arthuriana” — Glyn Hnutu-healh