Knights of a Round Table

The most familiar thing that comes to mind when I hear someone mention King Arthur, is automatically, his knights of the round table. They go together like speghetti and meatball. I believe that's what made the romantic idea of King Arthur so great. He not only represented ideas of chivilry and honor, but that he also supported equality of man. Merlin, King Arthur's mentor,who was the mastermind of the "round table" idea,  instilled in Arthur the values of using mind over brawn, and to avoid war and bledshed whenever possible, but also felt the importance of Arthur learning to treat his knights fairly. These men pledged themselves with their lives of their own free will to follow the lead of what they believed to be a man so great, and intelligent, so brave and gracious, a man proven to be fair. Not because he was the King, but because he was a good king, a fair king, a man that could be trusted with their lives, and a man that represented an idea that was bigger than themselves and deserved to be defended, and kept safe. They did this mostly because, they were accepted into a brotherhood that treated them all, no matter the wealth or familiar statures, equal. One of the things in the military nowadays that I belive is taken from this simple of idea of "the round table", is when you hear soldiers and sailors talk about who in their chain of command, commanded the most respect from them. It wasn't the highest ranking official, or the most seasoned veteran, it was the leader who worked alongside them, ate with them, and "chewed the same dirt they did". That person had the choice to sit apart from his men, but didn't, made the value of their work and lives equal in the same cause, the same fight. This is the impact that has been carried over hundreds of years, so even though there are those who might not know who King Arthur and Merlin are, there are still lots who know of that idea of equality that sprung from the knights of the round table.