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Sir Ector

Arthurian Legend
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Noble foster father of King Arthur, raising him in secret; a loyal and honorable knight whose humility and devotion underscore themes of lineage and loyalty in Arthurian legend.

Detailed Definition
Ector raises Arthur in obscurity, ensuring his safety and humility. In poetry, he embodies paternal devotion and the quiet virtue of stewardship, his role foundational to Arthur’s moral grounding and rise to kingship.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sir Ector, Arthur’s foster father, raises him unknowingly as king; Poets depict his humble joy at Arthur’s revelation; In Tennyson, Ector’s grief at Arthur’s passing is profound; Modern verse explores Ector as model of quiet, paternal love; His loyalty contrasts with ambitious nobles; Sir Ector’s legacy is nurture over bloodline.
Additional Notes
Sir Ector is Arthur’s foster-father and Kay’s biological father; his humble loyalty contrasts with noble birth—poets use him to explore themes of nurture over nature, paternal devotion, and the quiet foundations of kingship.
Also Known As
Ectorius Sir Hector Ector de Maris
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