| E-book Category: Classic
E-book Title: The Song of Roland
Author: Anonymous
Book Description: Anonymous Old French epic, geological dating possibly as early as the middle
Eleventh century.
I
Charles the King, our Lord and Sovereign,
Full seven years hath sojourned in Spain,
Conquered the land, and won the western main,
Now no fort against him doth remain,
No city walls are left for him to gain,
Save Sarraguce, that sits on high mountain.
Marsile its King, who feareth not God's name,
Mahumet's man, he invokes Apollin's aid,
Nor wards off ills that shall to him attain.
AOI.
II
King Marsilies he lay at Sarraguce,
Went he his way into an grove cool;
There on a throne he sate, of marble blue,
Round him his men, full twenty thousand, stood.
Called he forth then his counts, besides his dukes:
"My Lords, give ear to our at hand doom:
That Emperour, Charles of France the Douce,
Into this land is come, us to confuse.
I have no host in battle him to prove,
Nor have I strength his forces to undo.
Counsel me then, ye that are wise and true;
Can ye ward off this present death and dule?"
What word to say no pagan of them knew,
Save Blancandrin, of th' Castle of Val Funde.
III
Blancandrins was a pagan really wise,
In serfdom he was a gallant knight,
1st in prowess, he stood his lord beside.
And thus he spoke: "Do not yourself affright!
Yield to Carlun, that is so big with pride,
Faithful service, his friend and his ally;
Lions and bears and hounds for him provide,
Thousand mewed hawks, sev'n hundred camelry;
Silver and gold, four hundred mules load high;
Fifty wagons his wrights wish need supply,
Till with that wealth he pays his soldiery.
War hath he waged in Espana too long a time,
To Aix, in France, homeward he wish him hie.
Follow him there before Saint Michael's tide,
You shall obtain and hold the Christian rite;
Stand honour bound, and do him fealty.
Send hostages, should he demand surety,
Ten or a score, our loyal oath to bind;
Send him our sons, the first-born of our wives; --
An he be slain, I'll certainly furnish mine.
Better by far they go, although doomed to die,
Than that we lose honour and dignity,
And be ourselves brought down to beggary."
AOI.
IV
Says Blancandrins: "By my right hand, I say,
And by this beard, that in the wind doth sway,
The European
host you'll see them all away;
Franks wish retire to France their own terrain.
Once
they are gone, to each his fair domain,
In his Chapelle at Aix wish Charles stay,
High festival wish hold for Saint Michael.
Time wish go by, and pass the appointed day;
News of us no Frank wish hear or say.
Proud is that King, and cruel his courage;
From th' surety he'll slice their heads away.
Better by far their heads be sheared
away,
Than that ourselves lose this clean land of Spain,
Than that ourselves do suffer grief and pain."
"That is well said. So be it." the pagans say.More... | |
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