He commanded his brothers to take a thousand men each, and sortie quietly into the forest. He then, himself alone, secretly penetrated into the camp of the allies, and stealing to the tent of Roland, succeeded in reversing the royal dragon flag that waved over it. A short time afterward the wary Archbishop Turpin, seeing a number of birds fly out of the forest over his camp, shrewdly divined that troops were ambuscaded there, and he soon ascertained that his suspicions were correct. To summon Oger and tell him to put his soldiers under arms was but the work of an instant. Meanwhile, Maugis, seeing they were discovered, ordered his cousin Renaud with his one thousand men to continue in the woods concealed, while he, with his three brothers with their troops, boldly attacked the camp. They overturned and destroyed the tents, and slew all whom they encountered, throwing them into the utmost confusion, while cries arose on every hand for Roland and Olivier, who of course did not respond, being absent. The warlike Archbishop Turpin, furious to see everything upset in that manner, threw himself upon Maugis, and so fierce was the combat that ensued between them that their swords were broken in their hands, but each still stood firm. Finally, Maugis gave a terrible stroke on the fragment of the sword which the archbishop still fought with, which caused the warrior priest to stagger. “Good father!” exclaimed Maugis mockingly, “thou art greater in the church than in the field.” “S’death!” shouted the infuriated archbishop in reply, attacking Maugis yet more furiously. All the forces were now engaged, but they could not resist the impetuous onslaught of the soldiers of the sons of Aymon, and to add to their discomfiture Renaud came out of the forest with his detachment, surprising the enemy in the rear, who, already nearly defeated, were by this movement entirely put to rout. Conquered and exhausted, they flew in all directions to gain the main body of the royal troops on the other side of the castle. The spoils gained by the victors were considerable, and were all safely carried into Montaubon. Maugis, who had captured the dragon flag from the tent of Roland, caused it to be placed on the highest tower in defiance of his enemies. The emperor, on the other side of the mountain on which the castle was perched, knowing nothing of what was occurring, chanced to see the dragon flying from the battlements of Montaubon, and thought that Roland had become master of the fortress, and he gave way for a moment to immoderate joy. “I have lost many men,” cried he, “but the Aymons are now in my power.” His illusion, however, was short lived. It was nightfall when Roland and Olivier returned from their excursion, not knowing anything had happened, and, when near the camp, they were met by an officer, who quickly apprised them of what had occurred.