The Song of Roland [14]
From Charles not one has any warranty. This is the day when they their death shall meet." Has heard him well that Archbishop Turpin, No man he'ld hate so much the sky beneath; Spurs of fine gold he pricks into his steed, To strike that king by virtue great goes he, The hauberk all unfastens, breaks the shield, Thrusts his great spear in through the carcass clean, Pins it so well he shakes it in its seat, Dead in the road he's flung it from his spear. Looks on the ground, that glutton lying sees, Nor leaves him yet, they say, but rather speaks: "Culvert pagan, you lied now in your teeth, Charles my lord our warrant is indeed; None of our Franks hath any mind to flee. Your companions all on this spot we'll keep, I tell you news; death shall ye suffer here. Strike on, the Franks! Fail none of you at need! Ours the first blow, to God the glory be!" "Monjoie!" he cries, for all the camp to hear.
XCVI
And Gerins strikes Malprimis of Brigal So his good shield is nothing worth at all, Shatters the boss, was fashioned of crystal, One half of it downward to earth flies off; Right to the flesh has through his hauberk torn, On his good spear he has the carcass caught. And with one blow that pagan downward falls; The soul of him Satan away hath borne. AOI.
XCVII
And his comrade Gerers strikes the admiral, The shield he breaks, the hauberk unmetals, And his good spear drives into his vitals, So well he's pinned him, clean through the carcass, Dead on the field he's flung him from his hand. Says Oliver: "Now is our battle grand."
XCVIII
Sansun the Duke goes strike that almacour, The shield he breaks, with golden flowers tooled, That good hauberk for him is nothing proof, He's sliced the heart, the lungs and liver through, And flung him dead, as well or ill may prove. Says the Archbishop: "A baron's stroke, in truth."
XCIX
And Anseis has let his charger run; He goes to strike Turgis of Turtelus, The shield he breaks, its golden boss above, The hauberk too, its doubled mail undoes, His good spear's point into the carcass runs,
So well he's thrust, clean through the whole steel comes, And from the hilt he's thrown him dead in dust. Then says Rollant: "Great prowess in that thrust."
C
And Engelers the Gascoin of Burdele Spurs on his horse, lets fall the reins as well, He goes to strike Escremiz of Valtrene, The shield he breaks and shatters on his neck, The hauberk too, he has its chinguard rent, Between the arm-pits has pierced him through the breast, On his spear's hilt from saddle throws him dead; After he says "So are you turned to hell." AOI.
CI
And Otes strikes a pagan Estorgant Upon the shield, before its leathern band, Slices it through, the white with the scarlat; The hauberk too, has torn its folds apart, And his good spear thrusts clean through the carcass, And flings it dead, ev'n as the horse goes past; He says: "You have no warrant afterward."
CII
And Berenger, he strikes Estramariz, The shield he breaks, the hauberk tears and splits, Thrusts his stout spear through's middle, and him flings Down dead among a thousand Sarrazins. Of their dozen peers ten have now been killed, No more than two remain alive and quick, Being Chernuble, and the count Margariz.
CIII
Margariz is a very gallant knight, Both fair and strong, and swift he is and light; He spurs his horse, goes Oliver to strike, And breaks his shield, by th'golden buckle bright; Along his ribs the pagan's spear doth glide; God's his warrant, his body has respite, The shaft breaks off, Oliver stays upright; That other goes, naught stays him in his flight, His trumpet sounds, rallies his tribe to fight.
CIV
Common the fight is now and marvellous. The count Rollanz no way himself secures, Strikes with his spear, long as the shaft endures, By fifteen blows it is clean broken through Then Durendal he bares, his sabre good Spurs on his horse, is gone to strike Chemuble, The helmet breaks, where bright carbuncles grew, Slices the cap and shears the locks in two, Slices also the eyes
XCVI
And Gerins strikes Malprimis of Brigal So his good shield is nothing worth at all, Shatters the boss, was fashioned of crystal, One half of it downward to earth flies off; Right to the flesh has through his hauberk torn, On his good spear he has the carcass caught. And with one blow that pagan downward falls; The soul of him Satan away hath borne. AOI.
XCVII
And his comrade Gerers strikes the admiral, The shield he breaks, the hauberk unmetals, And his good spear drives into his vitals, So well he's pinned him, clean through the carcass, Dead on the field he's flung him from his hand. Says Oliver: "Now is our battle grand."
XCVIII
Sansun the Duke goes strike that almacour, The shield he breaks, with golden flowers tooled, That good hauberk for him is nothing proof, He's sliced the heart, the lungs and liver through, And flung him dead, as well or ill may prove. Says the Archbishop: "A baron's stroke, in truth."
XCIX
And Anseis has let his charger run; He goes to strike Turgis of Turtelus, The shield he breaks, its golden boss above, The hauberk too, its doubled mail undoes, His good spear's point into the carcass runs,
So well he's thrust, clean through the whole steel comes, And from the hilt he's thrown him dead in dust. Then says Rollant: "Great prowess in that thrust."
C
And Engelers the Gascoin of Burdele Spurs on his horse, lets fall the reins as well, He goes to strike Escremiz of Valtrene, The shield he breaks and shatters on his neck, The hauberk too, he has its chinguard rent, Between the arm-pits has pierced him through the breast, On his spear's hilt from saddle throws him dead; After he says "So are you turned to hell." AOI.
CI
And Otes strikes a pagan Estorgant Upon the shield, before its leathern band, Slices it through, the white with the scarlat; The hauberk too, has torn its folds apart, And his good spear thrusts clean through the carcass, And flings it dead, ev'n as the horse goes past; He says: "You have no warrant afterward."
CII
And Berenger, he strikes Estramariz, The shield he breaks, the hauberk tears and splits, Thrusts his stout spear through's middle, and him flings Down dead among a thousand Sarrazins. Of their dozen peers ten have now been killed, No more than two remain alive and quick, Being Chernuble, and the count Margariz.
CIII
Margariz is a very gallant knight, Both fair and strong, and swift he is and light; He spurs his horse, goes Oliver to strike, And breaks his shield, by th'golden buckle bright; Along his ribs the pagan's spear doth glide; God's his warrant, his body has respite, The shaft breaks off, Oliver stays upright; That other goes, naught stays him in his flight, His trumpet sounds, rallies his tribe to fight.
CIV
Common the fight is now and marvellous. The count Rollanz no way himself secures, Strikes with his spear, long as the shaft endures, By fifteen blows it is clean broken through Then Durendal he bares, his sabre good Spurs on his horse, is gone to strike Chemuble, The helmet breaks, where bright carbuncles grew, Slices the cap and shears the locks in two, Slices also the eyes