The Gests of King Alexander of Macedon: Two Middle-English Alliterative Fragments, Alexander A and Alexander B

Published in 1929 by Harvard University Press, this scholarly edition presents two distinct Middle English alliterative poems focused on the life and exploits of Alexander the Great. Francis Peabody Magoun, a noted medievalist, curated these fragments—Alexander A (the Alisaunder of Macedoine) and Alexander B (the Alexander and Dindimus)—to provide a rigorous critical text for academic study. The work emerged from the early 20th-century tradition of philological research, which sought to preserve and interpret vernacular literature that had survived largely in isolated manuscripts.

The design and scholarly apparatus of the volume reflect the rigorous editorial standards of the Harvard faculty during the interwar period. Magoun aimed to highlight the linguistic characteristics and the distinct alliterative styles of the two fragments, which differ significantly in their composition and source material. The text is celebrated by medievalists for its meticulous transcription and foundational commentary, providing an essential resource for understanding how the legend of Alexander the Great was adapted and reimagined within the Middle English literary landscape.