So many lands he's led his armies o'er, So many blows from spears and lances borne, And so rich kings brought down to beg and sorn, When will time come that he draws back from war?""Never," says Guenes, "so long as lives his nephew;No such vassal goes neath the dome of heaven;And proof also is Oliver his henchman;
The dozen peers, whom Charl'es holds so precious, These are his guards, with other thousands twenty.
Charles is secure, he holds no man in terror."AOI.
XLII
Says Sarrazin: "My wonder yet is grand At Charlemagne, who hoary is and blanched.
Two hundred years and more, I understand, He has gone forth and conquered many a land, Such blows hath borne from many a trenchant lance, Vanquished and slain of kings so rich a band, When will time come that he from war draws back?""Never," says Guene, "so long as lives Rollanz, From hence to the East there is no such vassal;And proof also, Oliver his comrade;
The dozen peers he cherishes at hand, These are his guard, with twenty thousand Franks.
Charles is secure, he fears no living man."AOI.
XLIII
"Fair Master Guenes," says Marsilies the King, "Such men are mine, fairer than tongue can sing, Of knights I can four hundred thousand bring So I may fight with Franks and with their King."Answers him Guenes: "Not on this journeying Save of pagans a great loss suffering.
Leave you the fools, wise counsel following;To the Emperour such wealth of treasure give That every Frank at once is marvelling.
For twenty men that you shall now send in To France the Douce he will repair, that King;In the rereward will follow after him Both his nephew, count Rollant, as I think, And Oliver, that courteous paladin;Dead are the counts, believe me if you will.
Charles will behold his great pride perishing, For battle then he'll have no more the skill.
AOI.
XLIV
Fair Master Guene," says then King Marsilie, "Shew the device, how Rollant slain may be."Answers him Guenes: "That will I soon make clear The King will cross by the good pass of Size, A guard he'll set behind him, in the rear;His nephew there, count Rollant, that rich peer, And Oliver, in whom he well believes;Twenty thousand Franks in their company Five score thousand pagans upon them lead, Franks unawares in battle you shall meet, Bruised and bled white the race of Franks shall be;I do not say, but yours shall also bleed.
Battle again deliver, and with speed.
So, first or last, from Rollant you'll be freed.
You will have wrought a high chivalrous deed, Nor all your life know war again, but peace.
AOI.
XLV
"Could one achieve that Rollant's life was lost, Charle's right arm were from his body torn;Though there remained his marvellous great host, He'ld not again assemble in such force;Terra Major would languish in repose."
Marsile has heard, he's kissed him on the throat;Next he begins to undo his treasure-store.
AOI.
XLVI
Said Marsilie -- but now what more said they? --"No faith in words by oath unbound I lay;Swear me the death of Rollant on that day."Then answered Guene: "So be it, as you say."On the relics, are in his sword Murgles, Treason he's sworn, forsworn his faith away.
AOI.
XLVII
Was a fald-stool there, made of olifant.
A book thereon Marsilies bade them plant, In it their laws, Mahum's and Tervagant's.
He's sworn thereby, the Spanish Sarazand, In the rereward if he shall find Rollant, Battle to himself and all his band, And verily he'll slay him if he can.
And answered Guenes: "So be it, as you command!"AOI.
XLVIII
In haste there came a pagan Valdabrun, Warden had been to King Marsiliun, Smiling and clear, he's said to Guenelun, "Take now this sword, and better sword has none;Into the hilt a thousand coins are run.
To you, fair sir, I offer it in love;
Give us your aid from Rollant the barun, That in rereward against him we may come."Guenes the count answers: "It shall-be done."Then, cheek and chin, kissed each the other one.
XLIX
After there came a pagan, Climorins, Smiling and clear to Guenelun begins:
"Take now my helm, better is none than this;But give us aid, on Rollant the marquis, By what device we may dishonour bring.""It shall be done." Count Guenes answered him;On mouth and cheek then each the other kissed.
AOI.
L
In haste there came the Queen forth, Bramimound;"I love you well, sir," said she to the count, "For prize you dear my lord and all around;Here for your wife I have two brooches found, Amethysts and jacynths in golden mount;More worth are they than all the wealth of Roum;Your Emperour has none such, I'll be bound."He's taken them, and in his hosen pouched.
AOI.
LI
The King now calls Malduiz, that guards his treasure.
"Tribute for Charles, say, is it now made ready?"He answers him: "Ay, Sire, for here is plenty Silver and gold on hundred camels seven, And twenty men, the gentlest under heaven."AOI.
LII
Marsilie's arm Guene's shoulder doth enfold;He's said to him: "You are both wise and bold.
Now, by the law that you most sacred hold, Let not your heart in our behalf grow cold!
Out of my store I'll give you wealth untold, Charging ten mules with fine Arabian gold;I'll do the same for you, new year and old.
Take then the keys of this city so large, This great tribute present you first to Charles, Then get me placed Rollanz in the rereward.
If him I find in valley or in pass, Battle I'll give him that shall be the last."Answers him Guenes: "My time is nearly past."His charger mounts, and on his journey starts.
AOI.
LIII
That Emperour draws near to his domain, He is come down unto the city Gailne.
The Count Rollanz had broken it and ta'en, An hundred years its ruins shall remain.
Of Guenelun the King for news is fain, And for tribute from the great land of Spain.
At dawn of day, just as the light grows plain, Into their camp is come the county Guene.
AOI.
LIV
In morning time is risen the Emperere, Mattins and Mass he's heard, and made his prayer;On the green grass before the tent his chair, Where Rollant stood and that bold Oliver, Neimes the Duke, and many others there.
