THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
Meanwhile Roland turned to Oliver and said: “My noble lord, I can last no longer, since you have
cut away most of my armor, and my flatteries have been of no avail. I must now perforce show
myself threatening. Therefore, let us now make peace, else you must better defend yourself than
you have so far.” This made Oliver angry and he said: “Out on you, you bastard whoreson! Do you
think you can defeat me by fear?” He grasped his sword with both hands and struck Roland with
such force that he made him bend over.
Roland, full of wrath, threw down his shield and struck Oliver a two-handed blow so fierce that it
cut and cleft the crown of his helmet. The sword descended at the side of the crown and burst the
shoulder mail and continued to deep down into the flesh of his flank, so that Oliver was stunned,
for he had never before received such a blow. His father Rainier fainted at this point.
Oliver raised his sword again and struck back at Roland in bitter revenge, but Roland gave him
another blow like the first. That cruel blow struck the middle of his helmet with such force, that
Oliver fell back senseless in the saddle. It was plain now that Roland had up to this point held back.
When Roland saw Oliver thus lifeless, he immediately thought: “Now I shall never have Alda,” and
the thought made him decide to take her by force. He turned Veliantin toward the garden and made
him jump the moat that surrounded it.
The knights saw him coming and raised many lances against him, but his good armor protected him,
and his good horse by sheer force burst through their midst. He reached the place where Alda
stood, seized her by the arm, and forced her into the saddle in front of him. The knights no longer
dared to strike at him, and she, her hair all disheveled, cried out: “Roland, you disloyal traitor, what
audacity do you use against a poor woman?” Roland forced a path out of the garden and would
have carried off Alda, had not Oliver recovered and realized what was happening as he saw Roland