Dead lay the heathens, or turned to flight, And Karl was victor in the fight. Down Saragossa's wall he brake-- Defence he knew was none to make. And as the city lay subdued, The hoary king all proudly stood, There rested his victorious powers. The queen hath yielded up the towers-- Ten great towers and fifty small. Well strives he whom God aids withal. CCXXIII Day passed; the shades of night drew on, And moon and stars refulgent shone. Now Karl is Saragossa's lord, And a thousand Franks, by the king's award, Roam the city, to search and see Where mosque or synagogue may be. With axe and mallet of steel in hand, They let nor idol nor image stand; The shrines of sorcery down they hew, For Karl hath faith in God the True, And will Him righteous service do. The bishops have the water blessed, The heathen to the font are pressed. If any Karl's command gainsay, He has him hanged or burned straightway. So a hundred thousand to Christ are won; But Bramimonde the queen alone Shall unto France be captive brought, And in love be her conversion wrought. CCXXIV Night passed, and came the daylight hours, Karl garrisoned the city's towers; He left a thousand valiant knights, To sentinel their Emperor's rights. Then all his Franks ascend their steeds, While Bramimonde in bonds he leads, To work her good his sole intent. And so, in pride and strength, they went; They passed Narbonne in gallant show, And reached thy stately walls, Bordeaux. There, on Saint Severin's altar high, Karl placed Count Roland's horn to lie, With mangons filled, and coins of gold, As pilgrims to this hour behold. Across Garonne he bent his way, In ships within the stream that lay, And brought his nephew unto Blaye, With his noble comrade, Olivier, And Turpin sage, the gallant peer. Of the marble white their tombs were made; In Saint Roman's shrine are the baron's laid, Whom the Franks to God and his saints commend And Karl by hill and vale doth wend, Nor stays till Aix is reached, and there Alighteth on his marble stair. When sits he in his palace hall, He sends around to his judges all, From Frisia, Saxony, Loraine, From Burgundy and Allemaine, From Normandy, Brittaine, Poitou: The realm of France he searches through, And summons every sagest man. The plea of Ganelon then began. CCXXV