When I am come into the battle grand, And blows lay on, by hundred, by thousand, Of Durendal bloodied you'll see the brand.
Franks are good men; like vassals brave they'll stand;Nay, Spanish men from death have no warrant."
LXXXVI
Says Oliver: "In this I see no blame;
I have beheld the Sarrazins of Spain;
Covered with them, the mountains and the vales, The wastes I saw, and all the farthest plains.
A muster great they've made, this people strange;We have of men a very little tale."
Answers Rollanz: "My anger is inflamed.
Never, please God His Angels and His Saints, Never by me shall Frankish valour fail!
Rather I'll die than shame shall me attain.
Therefore strike on, the Emperour's love to gain."
LXXXVII
Pride hath Rollanz, wisdom Olivier hath;
And both of them shew marvellous courage;Once they are horsed, once they have donned their arms, Rather they'd die than from the battle pass.
Good are the counts, and lofty their language.
Felon pagans come cantering in their wrath.
Says Oliver: "Behold and see, Rollanz, These are right near, but Charles is very far.
On the olifant deign now to sound a blast;Were the King here, we should not fear damage.
Only look up towards the Pass of Aspre, In sorrow there you'll see the whole rereward.
Who does this deed, does no more afterward."Answers Rollanz: "Utter not such outrage!
Evil his heart that is in thought coward!
We shall remain firm in our place installed;From us the blows shall come, from us the assault."AOI.
LXXXVIII
When Rollant sees that now must be combat, More fierce he's found than lion or leopard;The Franks he calls, and Oliver commands:
"Now say no more, my friends, nor thou, comrade.
That Emperour, who left us Franks on guard, A thousand score stout men he set apart, And well he knows, not one will prove coward.
Man for his lord should suffer with good heart, Of bitter cold and great heat bear the smart, His blood let drain, and all his flesh be scarred.
Strike with thy lance, and I with Durendal, With my good sword that was the King's reward.
So, if I die, who has it afterward Noble vassal's he well may say it was."
LXXXIX
From the other part is the Archbishop Turpin, He pricks his horse and mounts upon a hill;Calling the Franks, sermon to them begins:
"My lords barons, Charles left us here for this;He is our King, well may we die for him:
To Christendom good service offering.
Battle you'll have, you all are bound to it, For with your eyes you see the Sarrazins.
Pray for God's grace, confessing Him your sins!
For your souls' health, I'll absolution give So, though you die, blest martyrs shall you live, Thrones you shall win in the great Paradis."The Franks dismount, upon the ground are lit.
That Archbishop God's Benediction gives, For their penance, good blows to strike he bids.
XC
The Franks arise, and stand upon their feet, They're well absolved, and from their sins made clean, And the Archbishop has signed them with God's seal;And next they mount upon their chargers keen;By rule of knights they have put on their gear, For battle all apparelled as is meet.
The count Rollant calls Oliver, and speaks "Comrade and friend, now clearly have you seen That Guenelun hath got us by deceit;Gold hath he ta'en; much wealth is his to keep;That Emperour vengeance for us must wreak.
King Marsilies hath bargained for us cheap;At the sword's point he yet shall pay our meed."AOI.
XCI
To Spanish pass is Rollanz now going On Veillantif, his good steed, galloping;He is well armed, pride is in his bearing, He goes, so brave, his spear in hand holding, He goes, its point against the sky turning;A gonfalon all white thereon he's pinned, Down to his hand flutters the golden fringe:
Noble his limbs, his face clear and smiling.
His companion goes after, following, The men of France their warrant find in him.
Proudly he looks towards the Sarrazins, And to the Franks sweetly, himself humbling;1
"My lords barons, go now your pace holding!
Pagans are come great martyrdom seeking;
Noble and fair reward this day shall bring, Was never won by any Frankish King."Upon these words the hosts are come touching.
AOI.
XCII
Speaks Oliver: "No more now will I say.
Your olifant, to sound it do not deign, Since from Carlun you'll never more have aid.
He has not heard; no fault of his, so brave.
Those with him there are never to be blamed.
So canter on, with what prowess you may!
Lords and barons, firmly your ground maintain!
Be minded well, I pray you in God's Name, Stout blows to strike, to give as you shall take.
Forget the cry of Charles we never may."
Upon this word the Franks cry out amain.
Who then had heard them all "Monjoie!" acclaim Of vassalage might well recall the tale.
They canter forth, God! with what proud parade, Pricking their spurs, the better speed to gain;They go to strike,-- what other thing could they? --But Sarrazins are not at all afraid.
Pagans and Franks, you'ld see them now engaged.
XCIII
Marsile's nephew, his name is Aelroth, First of them all canters before the host, Says of our Franks these ill words as he goes:
"Felons of France, so here on us you close!
Betrayed you has he that to guard you ought;Mad is the King who left you in this post.
So shall the fame of France the Douce be lost, And the right arm from Charles body torn."When Rollant hears, what rage he has, by God!
His steed he spurs, gallops with great effort;He goes, that count, to strike with all his force, The shield he breaks, the hauberk's seam unsews, Slices the heart, and shatters up the bones, All of the spine he severs with that blow, And with his spear the soul from body throws So well he's pinned, he shakes in the air that corse, On his spear's hilt he's flung it from the horse:
So in two halves Aeroth's neck he broke, Nor left him yet, they say, but rather spoke:
"Avaunt, culvert! A madman Charles is not, No treachery was ever in his thought.
Proudly he did, who left us in this post;The fame of France the Douce shall not be lost.
Strike on, the Franks! Ours are the foremost blows.
For we are right, but these gluttons are wrong."AOI.
XCIV
