The mythology of Camelot, and the story of King Arthur has been told and
retold over the centuries, hence there are many versions. The legends of
Arthur may have originated with an actual chieftain named Arthur who lived
in Wales in the sixth century, but the many retellings have moved the story f
ar away from that place and time. Because of the belief that Arthur will return,
he is sometimes called The Once and Future King and Camelot itself has come
to not only be viewed as a place, but as a state of mind or a reflection of
a lost ideal. Tennyson, in the Idylls of the King writes that it is symbolic
of "the gradual growth of human beliefs and institutions, and of the spiritual
development of man."
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