THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
intervals, so that the echoes filled earth and sky and sea. At this Namo said, “Go help me, for I
greatly fear I shall never return to my lord.” He prayed to God to defend the Christian people and
to destroy those Saracen dogs. They were holding that feast in honor of their gods for having safely
landed in Italia and escaped the dangers of the sea. Note that on that day a year had passed since
their arrival in Italy, and the next year had already begun, since they needed nine months to capture
the city of Reggio.
As the sage Duke was about to descend the slopes of Aspramont, he saw the Lighthouse, the ships,
the tents , the banners, and the huge multitudes. He cursed King Anglant then for having gathered
so many armed men and ships. Among the latter he saw an enormous vessel that seemed
completely fashioned of gold, so that it shone in the sun. This was the ship that had brought King
Anglant and his queen. Its captain was a count named Galerant of Dalmatia. (King Anglant had
promised to crown him king after conquering France and Germany.)
Nearby there was a similar ship that transported the four idols of massive gold, that is Mahomet,
Termagant, Apollyon and Jupiter, in whom King Anglant reposed all his hope. Until then, King
Angland had usually visited them aboard this ship; but when he later had a great golden Mahound
carried to the city of Reggio, and placed in one of Duke Ramald’s chapels, he no longer went to
worship aboard the ship. King Almont also had the four massive idols themselves carried to
Aspramont, where he eventually lost them, as the story will relate. The two kings who held
Jerusalem, Moadant and Moadas, King of Judea and Syria, were in charge of the idol that had been
brought to Reggio.
There was at that time a great scarcity of bread and other victuals in the camp, wherefore King
Almont took great trouble to send for camp provisions throughout Apulia and Calabria, and