The Song of Roland E-Book

C. K. Scott

• Herausgeber: Qasim Idrees
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

The Song of Roland is as canonical and significant as the Anglo-Saxon Beowulf. It extols the chivalric ideals in the France of Charlemagne through the exploits of Charlemagne's nephew, the warrior Roland, who fights bravely to his death in a legendary battle. Against the bloody backdrop of the struggle between Christianity and Islam, The Song of Roland remains a vivid portrayal of medieval life, knightly adventure, and feudal politics. 

Leseprobe

The Song of Roland

C. K. Scott-Moncrieff

.

Anonymous Old French epic, dating perhaps as early as the middle 11th century.

I

Charles the King, our Lord and Sovereign,

Full seven years hath sojourned in Spain,

Conquered the land, and won the western main,

Now no fortress against him doth remain,

No city walls are left for him to gain,

Save Sarraguce, that sits on high mountain.

Marsile its King, who feareth not God's name,

Mahumet's man, he invokes Apollin's aid,

Nor wards off ills that shall to him attain.

AOI.

II

King Marsilies he lay at Sarraguce,

Went he his way into an orchard cool;

There on a throne he sate, of marble blue,

Round him his men, full twenty thousand, stood.

Called he forth then his counts, also his dukes:

"My Lords, give ear to our impending doom:

That Emperour, Charles of France the Douce,

Into this land is come, us to confuse.

I have no host in battle him to prove,

Nor have I strength his forces to undo.

Counsel me then, ye that are wise and true;

Can ye ward off this present death and dule?"

What word to say no pagan of them knew,

Save Blancandrin, of th' Castle of Val Funde.

III

Blancandrins was a pagan very wise,

In vassalage he was a gallant knight,

First in prowess, he stood his lord beside.

And thus he spoke: "Do not yourself affright!

Yield to Carlun, that is so big with pride,

Faithful service, his friend and his ally;

Lions and bears and hounds for him provide,

Thousand mewed hawks, sev'n hundred camelry;

Silver and gold, four hundred mules load high;

Fifty wagons his wrights will need supply,

Till with that wealth he pays his soldiery.

War hath he waged in Spain too long a time,

To Aix, in France, homeward he will him hie.

Follow him there before Saint Michael's tide,

You shall receive and hold the Christian rite;

Stand honour bound, and do him fealty.

Send hostages, should he demand surety,

Ten or a score, our loyal oath to bind;

Send him our sons, the first-born of our wives;—

An he be slain, I'll surely furnish mine.

Better by far they go, though doomed to die,

Than that we lose honour and dignity,

And be ourselves brought down to beggary."

AOI.

IV

Says Blancandrins: "By my right hand, I say,

And by this beard, that in the wind doth sway,

The Frankish host you'll see them all away;

Franks will retire to France their own terrain.