The Song of Roland [29]
they surround, And threaten him, and ugly words pronounce: "Such shame on us, vile god!, why bringest thou? This is our king; wherefore dost him confound? Who served thee oft, ill recompense hath found." Then they take off his sceptre and his crown, With their hands hang him from a column down, Among their feet trample him on the ground, With great cudgels they batter him and trounce. From Tervagant his carbuncle they impound, And Mahumet into a ditch fling out, Where swine and dogs defile him and devour.
CLXXXVIII
Out of his swoon awakens Marsilies, And has him borne his vaulted roof beneath; Many colours were painted there to see, And Bramimunde laments for him, the queen, Tearing her hair; caitiff herself she clepes; Also these words cries very loud and clear: "Ah! Sarraguce, henceforth forlorn thou'lt be Of the fair king that had thee in his keep! All those our gods have wrought great felony, Who in battle this morning failed at need. That admiral will shew his cowardice, Unless he fight against that race hardy, Who are so fierce, for life they take no heed. That Emperour, with his blossoming beard, Hath vassalage, and very high folly; Battle to fight, he will not ever flee. Great grief it is, no man may slay him clean."
CLXXXIX
That Emperour, by his great Majesty, I Full seven years in Spain now has he been, And castles there, and many cities seized. King Marsilies was therefore sore displeased; In the first year he sealed and sent his brief To Baligant, into Babilonie: ('Twas the admiral, old in antiquity, That clean outlived Omer and Virgilie,) To Sarraguce, with succour bade him speed, For, if he failed, Marsile his gods would leave, All his idols he worshipped formerly; He would receive blest Christianity And reconciled to Charlemagne would be. Long time that one came not, far off was he. Through forty realms he did his tribes rally; His great dromonds, he made them all ready, Barges and skiffs and ships and galleries; Neath Alexandre, a haven next the sea, In readiness he gat his whole navy. That was in May, first summer of the year, All of his hosts he launched upon the sea.
CXC
Great are the hosts of that opposed race; With speed they sail, they steer and navigate. High on their yards, at their mast-heads they place Lanterns enough, and carbuncles so great Thence, from above, such light they dissipate The sea's more clear at midnight than by day. And when they come into the land of Spain All that country lightens and shines again: Of their coming Marsile has heard the tale. AOI.
CXCI
The pagan race would never rest, but come Out of the sea, where the sweet waters run; They leave Marbris, they leave behind Marbrus, Upstream by Sebre doth all their navy turn. Lanterns they have, and carbuncles enough, That all night long and very clearly burn. Upon that day they come to Sarragus. AOI.
CXCII
Clear is that day, and the sun radiant. Out of his barge issues their admiral, Espaneliz goes forth at his right hand, Seventeen kings follow him in a band, Counts too, and dukes; I cannot tell of that. Where in a field, midway, a laurel stands, On the green grass they spread a white silk mat, Set a fald-stool there, made of olifant; Sits him thereon the pagan Baligant, And all the rest in rows about him stand. The lord of them speaks before any man: "Listen to me, free knights and valiant! Charles the King, the Emperour of the Franks, Shall not eat bread, save when that I command. Throughout all Spain great war with me he's had; I will go seek him now, into Douce France, I will not cease, while I'm a living man, Till be slain, or fall between my hands." Upon his knee his right-hand glove he slaps.
CXCIII
He is fast bound by all that he has said. He will not fail, for all the gold neath heav'n, But go to Aix, where Charles court is held: His men applaud, for so they counselled. After he called two of his chevaliers, One Clarifan, and the other Clarien: "You are the sons of king Maltraien, Freely was, wont my messages to bear. You I command to Sarraguce
CLXXXVIII
Out of his swoon awakens Marsilies, And has him borne his vaulted roof beneath; Many colours were painted there to see, And Bramimunde laments for him, the queen, Tearing her hair; caitiff herself she clepes; Also these words cries very loud and clear: "Ah! Sarraguce, henceforth forlorn thou'lt be Of the fair king that had thee in his keep! All those our gods have wrought great felony, Who in battle this morning failed at need. That admiral will shew his cowardice, Unless he fight against that race hardy, Who are so fierce, for life they take no heed. That Emperour, with his blossoming beard, Hath vassalage, and very high folly; Battle to fight, he will not ever flee. Great grief it is, no man may slay him clean."
CLXXXIX
That Emperour, by his great Majesty, I Full seven years in Spain now has he been, And castles there, and many cities seized. King Marsilies was therefore sore displeased; In the first year he sealed and sent his brief To Baligant, into Babilonie: ('Twas the admiral, old in antiquity, That clean outlived Omer and Virgilie,) To Sarraguce, with succour bade him speed, For, if he failed, Marsile his gods would leave, All his idols he worshipped formerly; He would receive blest Christianity And reconciled to Charlemagne would be. Long time that one came not, far off was he. Through forty realms he did his tribes rally; His great dromonds, he made them all ready, Barges and skiffs and ships and galleries; Neath Alexandre, a haven next the sea, In readiness he gat his whole navy. That was in May, first summer of the year, All of his hosts he launched upon the sea.
CXC
Great are the hosts of that opposed race; With speed they sail, they steer and navigate. High on their yards, at their mast-heads they place Lanterns enough, and carbuncles so great Thence, from above, such light they dissipate The sea's more clear at midnight than by day. And when they come into the land of Spain All that country lightens and shines again: Of their coming Marsile has heard the tale. AOI.
CXCI
The pagan race would never rest, but come Out of the sea, where the sweet waters run; They leave Marbris, they leave behind Marbrus, Upstream by Sebre doth all their navy turn. Lanterns they have, and carbuncles enough, That all night long and very clearly burn. Upon that day they come to Sarragus. AOI.
CXCII
Clear is that day, and the sun radiant. Out of his barge issues their admiral, Espaneliz goes forth at his right hand, Seventeen kings follow him in a band, Counts too, and dukes; I cannot tell of that. Where in a field, midway, a laurel stands, On the green grass they spread a white silk mat, Set a fald-stool there, made of olifant; Sits him thereon the pagan Baligant, And all the rest in rows about him stand. The lord of them speaks before any man: "Listen to me, free knights and valiant! Charles the King, the Emperour of the Franks, Shall not eat bread, save when that I command. Throughout all Spain great war with me he's had; I will go seek him now, into Douce France, I will not cease, while I'm a living man, Till be slain, or fall between my hands." Upon his knee his right-hand glove he slaps.
CXCIII
He is fast bound by all that he has said. He will not fail, for all the gold neath heav'n, But go to Aix, where Charles court is held: His men applaud, for so they counselled. After he called two of his chevaliers, One Clarifan, and the other Clarien: "You are the sons of king Maltraien, Freely was, wont my messages to bear. You I command to Sarraguce