La Chanson de Roland : Translated from the Seventh Edition of Léon Gautier
General
La Chanson de Roland : Translated from the Seventh Edition of Léon Gautier
Epic poetry, French -- Translations into English; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Roland (Legendary character) -- Romances
The sunny day had passed, the shades of night
Had fallen; bright the moonlight; all the stars
In heaven shone. Carle ruled in Sarraguce.
Unto one thousand men he gave command
To search throughout the city's synagogues
And mosques for all their idols and graved signs
Of gods--these to be broken up and crushed
By ax and iron mallet he ordains.
Nor sorcery nor falsehood left. King Carle
Believes in God and serves him faithfully.
Then bishops bless the fountains, leading up
The Heathens to the blest baptismal Font.
If one perchance resist the King, condemned
Is he to die, or hanged, or burnt, or slain.
More than one hundred thousand are baptized
True Christians; but not so Queen Bramimunde:
A captive shall she go unto sweet France
And be converted by the King through love.
Aoi.
CCLXIX.
Night passes; dawn appears. Carle fortifies
The towers of Sarraguce. One thousand Knights
Of valor proved are left to guard the town
In the Emperor's name. With escort strong he rides,
Followed by Bramimunde a captive, yet
Commands that naught but kindness she receive.
In proud and joyous triumph they return;
Through Nerbune passes the victorious host,
Unto Burdele, the city great and fair.
There on the altar of the Baron Saint
Sevrin, Carle lays the olifant filled full
Of marks and gold, where pilgrims view it still.
Passing upon broad skiffs across Girunde,
To Blaive, he bears the bodies of Rolland
And Olivier, his noble _Compagnon_,
With the Archbishop good and brave. Beneath
White monuments he hath the lords entombed
At Saint-Romain. Here those three Barons lie....
The French to God and to his saints, once more
Commend them. Carle anew through mounts and vales
Proceeds, nor will he stop until in Aix.
Fast rides he till he nears the marble steps
Of his great palace; and as soon as reached
Its tower, by messengers he summons up
Baiviers and Saisnes, Loherencs and Frisons,
Allemans, Burguignons, Normans, Poitevins,
Bretons, of France the wisest men; for now
Ganelon's trial shall have no delay.
Aoi.
THE PUNISHMENT OF GANELON.
CCLXX.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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