Cliges: A RomanceChrétien, de Troyes, active 12th century
General
Cliges: A Romance
Chrétien, de Troyes, active 12th century
Arthurian romances; Romances -- Translations into English
sees her young taken, so embittered, and furious, and lusting,
for the fight as was Cliges who cares not to live if he fail his
lady. Rather would he die than not have her. Very great wrath has
he for this calamity and exceeding great courage does it give
him. He spurs and pricks the Arab; and goes to deal the blazoned
shield of the Saxon such a blow that--I lie not--he made him feel
the lance at his heart. This has given Cliges confidence. More
than a full acre's measure has he spurred and pricked the Arab
before the second has drawn near, for they came, one by one. The
one has no fear for the other; for he fights with each singly and
meets them one by one, nor has the one aid of the other. He makes
an attack on the second, who thought to tell the supposed duke
news of Cliges' discomfiture, and to rejoice thereat as the first
had done. But Cliges recks little of words or of listening to his
discourse. He proceeds to thrust his lance in his body so that
when he draws it out again the blood gushes out; and he bereaves
his foe of life and speech. After the two, he joins issue with a
third who thinks to find him overjoyed and to gladden him with
news of his own discomfiture. He came spurring against him; but
before he has the chance to say a word, Cliges has thrust his
lance a fathom deep into his body. To the fourth he gives such a
blow on the neck, that he leaves him in a swoon on the field.
After the fourth, he gallops against the fifth, and then after
the fifth, against the sixth. Of these, none stood his ground
against him; rather does Cliges leave them all silent and dumb.
Still less has he feared and more boldly sought the rest of them.
After this has he no concern about these six.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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