THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
have become so bold as to ask for the realm of France, which you have all sworn to render to me,
and which was promised me. Seven years have passed since this army was assembled and began to
gather for this conquest. If Balant went to France, I believe that Charles told him much more than
he says, and Balant is not a liar. But I do not believe that Charles has enough treasure to show to
Balant as to cause him, by that demonstration, to inspire our army with fear. King Moisas, King
Salatiel, and Lampal and Triamides and all who have talked against Balant have done so out of
envy.” Then Goreas rose to his feet, who was Balant’ son and the camp seneschal, and a favorite of
King Anglant’s wife, the queen. He knelt to the king and said: “Your Sacred Majesty, I have
suffered too much offence in standing here listening to knavery and knavish words, so that every
man might think me a coward and of small account. But, in the presence of King Anglant and
Almont, I intend to prove by trial of arms, upon any man who desires the combat, that my father
never once thought of a crime or of treason against you.” At this, Anglant commanded all to be
silent, and none to speak any more of this matter on pain of his life, and he bade all those who held
land to attend him at a general council.
20
The next morning all the kings and lords of the army assembled before King Anglant. Their first
decision was that troops should be sent to guard the passes of Aspramont against King Charles,
should he come as Balant had said. It was also decided that King Almont should ride out with a
hundred-thousand Saracens to lay waste and plunder Apulia and Calabria, both on the plains and on
the mountains, and also that King Anglant with the other lords should reoccupy Reggio against
Charles’s arrival. Almont took with him Hector, son of Lampal, and many other lords, and he took
with him four golden idols, of Mahound and Termagant and Great Jupiter and Apollyon, as well as
the royal standards, and at his departure he foraged and robbed a great quantity of provisions and
sent it to the camp, and took and pulled down many castles and killed many Christians and cut off