THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

357
© 2009 Max Wickert
Then Roland mounted his horse and received the salute of many lances. Presently he rode back to
Charlemagne. The king had already summoned Astolph, son of Otho, king of England. He now
girded him with the sword that had once been King Sinador’s until Charles’s father Pepin conquered
it in Gascony, and created him Duke of England, promising to crown him at Roland’s coronation.
Then he knighted Otho and Berlingher and Angelet the Breton and many other nobles. There were
four thousand new knights altogether. He said to them: “My lords, I have endowed you and
knighted you. Now I give you my nephew Roland for your captain, and Ogier the Dane for your
preceptor. I command you, Roland, and all the rest of you, never to stray from Ogier the Dane’s
orders, for he is very seasoned in battle and knows how to conduct one.” As he made the sign of
the cross over them, the tears came into his eyes as he saw before him such a multitude of knights
whose death was close at hand. Then Gerard’s sons stepped forward, and Roland and his
companions departed and encamped on a hillside.
. . . . . . . .
Roland in Battle
Preliminaries
67
King Charlemagne sent word to Duke Gerard that Anglant had dispatched two ambassadors and
that he did not wish to reply to them without his advice. Gerard mounted at once and came to
Charles’s pavilion. He heard the ambassadors and then they withdrew into the tent. Gerard said:
“How arrogant these Saracens are! Upon my faith, Charles, if you proceed by my lights, I would
send him his son Almont’s head with his arm and right shoulder. That would humble their pride.”