And features gloom descends; by grief o'erwhelmed
He cries: "Unhappy that I am!" Then stood
[Tierri], the brother of Geffrei, the Duke
D'Anjou, before the King. Thin, light of frame,
Hair raven-black, [face] somewhat brown of hue,
In height nor tall nor short; with courtesy
He spake thus to the Emp'ror: "Fair sire King,
Be not cast down. That I have served you well
Ere this, you know. 'Tis my ancestral right
To sit among the judges of the plea.
However guilty was Rolland against
Count Ganelon, his duty to the King
Should have restrained his hate. A treason foul
Ganelon wrought against Rolland; forsworn
In perjury tow'rd you, he lost himself.
For all his crimes his death I here demand,
Death by the cord; his body to the dogs
Be thrown away--the perjurer's just doom.
Should any of his kin deny the words
I speak, this sword of mine girt to my side
Will make them good."--All cry: "Well have you said."
Aoi.
CCLXXX.
Then toward the King advances Pinabel;
Tall, strong and swift, and brave. Strike he but once,
No second blow need follow; to the King
He said: "Sire, unto you belongs this plea.
Command these clamors to be hushed. There stands
Tierri who now his judgment has pronounced.
The lie I give him and to fight defy!"
With this his right hand glove of deer-skin gave
Unto the King who said: "I must receive
Good pledges." Of his kin then thirty knights
Were given as legal sureties of his pledge.
"I also give my pledge," the Emperor said,
"And have them guarded safe till judgment pass."
Aoi.
CCLXXXI.
When Tierri sees that now the fight is near,
He gives the Emperor his right hand glove.
To him the sureties Carle himself provides,
Bids that they bring four benches to the place
Whereon the combatants shall sit. The terms
Are judged by all the others as most fair.
Ogier de Dannemarche was chosen to rule
The lists. Then for their steeds and arms both called.
Aoi.
CCLXXXII.
Both knights now made them ready for the fight,
Were shriven, assoiled, and blessed; a mass have heard,
Communion have received, and richest alms
Bequeathed to monasteries.--Before striking
They both appear.--Gold spurs their heels adorn;
They wear white hauberks light and strong; bright helms
Clasp on their heads, and gold hilt swords are girt
Upon their thighs, and to their necks are bound
Strong quartered shields; they wield in each right hand
A trenchant sword, and on fleet steeds they mount;
Then melt in tears one hundred thousand knights
Who for Rolland's sake wish Tierri well.
Yea--but God knows what way the thing will end.
Aoi.
CCLXXXIII.
Beyond the town of Aix a plain extends:
And here our Barons will the combat try.
Most valiant knights are both; the steeds they ride
Are swift and stout; with spurs in flanks, and freed
Of rein, they dash.--The warriors all their might
And skill unite to strike the surest blow.
Bucklers beneath the shock are torn and crushed,
White hauberks rent in shreds, asunder bursts
Each courser's girth, the saddles, turning, fall.
One hundred thousand men look weeping on....
Aoi.
CCLXXXIV.
Both knights leap on the earth, and, quick as light,
Stand face to face.--Strong, fiery Pinabel
And Tierri for each other seek. Their steeds
Are fled.--But their gold-hilted swords they wield;
And on the helms of steel they shower such blows
As rashed the thongs. Loudly the knights lament,
And Carle exclaims:--"Show thou the right, O God!"
Aoi.
CCLXXXV.
Cried Pinabel:--"Tierri, surrender thou!
Thy vassal I will be in faith and love,
And to thy pleasure will I yield my wealth;
But let the King forgive Count Ganelon!"
Tierri replied:--"Thy offers all are vain;
Vile treason were it such a pact to make;
But God shall judge us and make plain the right."
Aoi.
CCLXXXVI.
Then Tierri spake:--"I hold thee, Pinabel,
As Baron true, great, strong, of handsome mold;
Thy peers acknowledge thee as valiant knight;
Well, let this combat cease, between the King
And thee a covenant I will strive to make.
On Ganelon such justice shall be done
That future ages shall record the doom."
They grasp again their swords and hew
Each other's gold-encrusted helm with rage
So rash that sparkling fires spurt through the air.
No power will now disjoint the combatants:
The death of one can only close the strife.
Aoi.
CCLXXXVII.
No braver man than Pinabel.--Such blows
He deals on Tierri's helmet of Provence,
That the sparks fly in showers, and, falling, set
The grass ablaze. Then aiming at his foe
His keen-edged brand, down to the brow cuts through
His helm; the blade glides down across his face,
And plows his right cheek with a deep red gash;
Unto his stomach is the haubert rent,
But God protects him, and averts his death.
Aoi.
CCLXXXVIII.
Tierri, on seeing blood gush from his brow
And tinge the grassy field, strikes Pinabel
On his steel-burnished helmet, and cuts through
To the nose-plate. His head is cleft in twain
And gushes forth the brain. This fatal blow
Gives Pinabel his death, and ends the fight.
The French exclaim:--"O wondrous work of God!
Full right it is that Ganelon be hanged
With all his kin who sureties were for him!"
Aoi.
CCLXXXIX.
Tierri had won, and on the battle-field
The Emperor Carle arrived with an escort
Of forty Barons,--Naimes the Duke, Ogier
De Dannemarche, Geffrei d'Anjou, Willalmes
De Blaive.--In close embrace the King has pressed
Tierri, and with his mantle's sables wiped
The warrior's face; then lays his furs aside
And on his shoulders others are arrayed.
Meanwhile the knight, by friendly hands disarmed,
On an Arabian mule is placed, and so
This valorous Baron full of joy returns
To Aix.--Amid the place they all dismount,
And now the sureties must abide their doom.
Aoi.
CCXC.
Carlemagne around him calls his counts and dukes:
"What counsel give ye touching those I kept,
Unto this plea who came for Ganelon
Themselves sworn hostages for Pinabel?"
Respond the French:--"Let none of them survive!"--
Carle then commands a road-keeper, Basbrun:
"Hang them all up on yon accursed tree!
By this gray beard of mine, I swear, if one
Escape, thou diest but a villain's death!"--
Answered the man:--"What else but to obey?"--
Then by a hundred sergeants roughly seized,
Those thirty men are hanged.--Who man betrays
Destroys himself and others drags to death.
Aoi.
CCXCI.
And now have turned away Baiviers, Allemans,
Poitevins, Bretons and Normans; but more
Than all, the French advise that Ganelon
Should die a death of torture. Then they tie
With cords his hands and feet. Four sergeants bring
Four wild and fiery destriers, made mad
By a mare 'mid the field. A fearful end
For Ganelon; bound between them, limb from limb
Is rent away, each nerve and muscle stretched
And torn. The clear blood streams upon the green.
Thus perished Ganelon by a felon's death....
Traitors of evil deeds must never boast.
Aoi.
CCXCII.
When the Emperor Carle had wreaked his full revenge,
He called the bishops from the realms of France,
And from Baviere, and those of Alemaigne:
"Now in my [court] have I a captive, sprung
From noble race. Such sermons has she heard,
So good examples seen, she will believe
In the true God, and Christian faith embrace.
Baptize her so that He may save her soul;
God-mothers choose her of our noblest dames."
With a great company the Baths at Aix
Were thronged, and soon before the holy Fonts
The Queen received the name of Juliane:
Henceforth a Christian holding fast the Truth.
Aoi.
THE END OF THE CHANSON.
CCXCIII.
But when the Emperor had made complete
His justice and his heavy wrath assuaged,
And brought Queen Bramimunde to Christian faith,
The day was over and the night had fall'n.
The King sought rest within his vaulted room.
Saint Gabriel brought him word from God and said:
"Carle, of thy empire summon all the hosts
For swiftest marching to the land of Bire;
So shalt thou succor King Vivien in Imphe,
The city compassed by the Pagan foe.
The Christians look to thee and cry for help."--
Will has he none to go, the King, but moans:--
"O, God," quoth he, "so troublous is my life!"--
Whereat he weeps, and tears his hoary beard.
Aoi.
* * * * *
Thus endeth here the Geste Turoldus sang.
* * * * *
[Footnotes]
[1] Molted. Because in that condition, better for hunting.
[2] _Pallies._ A square piece of silk on which the knights used
to sit. (From Pallium).
[3] _Tables._ In the romances of the Middle Ages the game of
tables means tric-trac, chess, checkers, etc.
[4] Bezants. A Byzantine coin.
[5] A sort of undergarment made of gold and silk brocade
worn in time of war under the coat of mail, and in time of
peace under the mantle of fur. In the latter case it was of silk.
* * * * *
GLOSSARY.
Of places and words which may present some difficulty as regards origin
and meaning on account of their ancient orthography. For more complete
information see Leon Gautier's seventh edition of the text.
The numbers indicate stanzas in this edition.
AIX, capital of Charlemagne's empire. 3.
ALMAZOUR, Arab origin, a title. 69.
ALVERNE and ALFERNE, Auvergne, French Province. 224.
AMIRALZ, Admiral. 78.
AMURAFLE, from Emir, admiral. 98.
ARGONNE, city of France (Champagne). 227.
ASPRE, defile in the Pyrenees. 88.
ASTRIMUNIES, Pagan tribes. 236.
BALAGUER, Spanish Arabian city. 73.
BASCLE, Basque--W. Foester, 280. 254.
BELFERNE, Pagan kingdom. 66.
BELNE, Beaune, French city (Burgundy). 144.
BEVUM, man's name--Teutonic. 144.
BIRE and IMPHE, unknown. 293.
BLAVE, Blaye, near Bordeaux, France. 269.
BLOS, Pagan tribe. 234.
BRIGAL, Saracen country. 97.
BRUNS and ESCLAVOS, Teutonic etymology. 234
BRUISE, Prussia. 235.
{BUGRE, Bulgarian, and
{BUGUERIE, Bulgaria. 174, 211.
BURDELE, Bordeaux. 101.
BUTENTROT, country supposed to be situated in Cappadocia. 234.
See P. Meyer in Romania, VII., p. 335.
CALIFERNE, unknown Pagan country. 211.
CANELIEUS, 236--said to be Chananians by P. Meyer in Romania, VI.,
p. 477.
CICLATON, Arab silk material. 69.
COMMIBLES, supposed city of Spain. 14.
CLARBONE, imaginary Pagan place. 236.
DANEMARCHE, Denmark. 220.--Etymology, Dania and Marcha, limit.
DIGUN, Dijon, city of France. 144.
ENFRUNS, unknown Eastern Pagans. 256.
ENGLEZ, Sclavonic tribes. 235.
ERMINES, Pagan tribes. 234.
FALDSTOOL, an arm-chair. 32.
FLOREDEE, doubtful Pagan country. 240.
GARNAILLE, unknown. 145.
GASCUIGNE, Gascony, Gascuin, Gascon. 65.
GENNES, Genoa. 165.
GLAZA, Galaza, and adj. Galazin, place, and stuff made of silk
and gold; from Asia. 215.
GROS, Pagans unknown. 234.
GUITSAND, town near Calais, 111.
HALTOIE, Spanish city. 14.
IMPHE, unknown. 293.
LEUTIS, believed to be Poland. 244. See G. Paris in Romania, II.,
p. 331.
LOHENRENGS, from Lorraine. 269.
MAELGUT, a Pagan's name. 154.
MALPRUSE and MALPREISE, Pagan region. 236.
MARBRISE and MARBRUSE, unknown places. 193.
MARCHIS, old, for Marquis. 50.
MISMIA, unknown. 234.
MONTJOIE.--Etym. Mons gaudii, name of Carle's standard;
the oriflamme and French war-cry. 93. See note in Gautier's
seventh edition, p. 278.
MORS, Moors. 234.
NERBUNE, Narbone, city, South of France. 269.
NIGRES, perhaps _Nigri_. 234.
NOPLES, supposed city of Spain. 14.
NUBLES, a Pagan tribe, Nubians. 234.
OCCIANT, Pagan country. (?) 235.
OLIFANT, Roland's ivory horn. Etym. _Elephantus_. 85.
ORMALEIS, unknown. 238. See Romania, II., and Gautier's
Glossary.
OYEZ, of French; hear! 2.
PEITEVINS for Poitevins, of Poitou. 224.
PINCENEIS, Lat. _Pincinnati_; see Romania, II., p. 331-335,
and Gautier's Glossary.
PINE, Pina, city of Spain. 14.
POUILLE, Apulia. 29.
PRIME, Arabian Province. 78.
PUILLANIE, Poland. 174.
REINS, Rheims, in Champagne. 12.
ROSNE, River Rhone. 121.
SAISNES, Saxons. 269.
SAINT-ROMAIN, church of Blaye, near Bordeaux. 269.
SAINTS (les), Les Saints of Cologne (Gautier); others say
Sens, a city of Western France. 111.
SEBILE, Sevilla, Spain. 14.
SEIGNEURS, French for Lords. 2, &c.
SIZRE, now Cisa; Etym. Caesaris, place of the defiles, near
Ronceval. 45.
SOLTRAS and AVERS, Pagan tribes. 235.
SORBRES and SORZ, Pagan tribes. 234.
SORENCE, unknown. 276.
TIEDEIS, Deutch, German. 277.
TUELE, city in Navarra. 14.
TURTELUSE, Tortosa, Spain. 75.
VAL-TENEBRE, Spanish City. 54.