THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
great noise near the circuit of the walls: so many weapons, so many banners, so many horses, so
many lances and shields and helmets resounded that it seemed the world was coming to an end.
This was Arnaut who had hurried up to the bridge across the river and had slain a number of
Saracens.
Then Almont in a rage donned his armor and mounted on horseback with ten thousand Saracens.
As soon as he had issued from the fortress, there were more than ten million who came out with
him and they confronted Arnaut. He engaged them in a great battle and thrice pushed them all the
way back to the river, but when the others saw such a huge crowd, they retreated. Then Rainier and
Miles surrounded them and would soon all have been slain, had not Almont come to their aid.
Almont entered the battle, slaying huge numbers. Then the Christians were not able to proceed as
they earlier believed they could, but, confronted with Almont, united in a single force. The Saracens
did likewise. Arnaut, Rainier and Miles engaged in furious combat and forced the Saracens back
toward the stream. Almont, seeing that troop, began to cry out to those inside the tower to join the
battle. Then the entire garrison issued forth with banners spread. Fifty thousand Saracens
confronted Ten thousand Christians. The latter began to yield ground, retreating toward the bridge
as they had been ordered. There, about two miles from the tower, Almont engaged them when his
men saw the pennants and banners of the Christians. At this point the Christians lost four hundred
knights, and Almont’s daring and wrath made them doubt the outcome. He displayed such force,
that no armor could withstand his sword. All his men ran up at the noise, believing that the
Christians had been routed and abandoning the tower so that no more than thirty men remained
inside.