THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
Liadras arrived at Bethany and soon learned that the visitor was Hugh, not Roland. Nevertheless, he delivered his
embassy. Both Hugh and Answig replied that they would gladly come to relieve Jerusalem. Since Bethany is only two
leagues from Jerusalem, Hugh and Answig arrived speedily. They were received and given command of half the city,
which displayed Roland’s three-quartered device. Machidant’s banners flew over the other half.
Outside the walls, when Roland rose in the morning, he saw his own banners displayed on the walls. He sent
Samsonet to demand man-to-man combat with the chief Christian knight. Hugh accepted the challenge. In the joust
that followed, Hugh overthrew Samsonet and accept his surrender on condition that he would fetch the killer of Pelleas
and Polynor to face him in battle. “Are you Roland, then?” said Samsonet. “I am not he,” said Hugh, “but his
cousin Hugh, sent through the world to look for him.”
Samsonet brought these tidings back to Roland, and Roland smiled but rode out against Hugh. In the combat that
followed, Roland struck at Hugh with Durandel, saying: “Do you know this sword?” “Alas, you villain,” Hugh
replied, “you have murdered Count Roland.” Roland replied, “You lie in your throat, for I killed him in battle.”
Their fight continued, but Roland used only the flat of his sword. The duel lasted till evening, when Roland lifted his
visor and said: “Don’t you recognize me, cousin?” Hugh went to embrace him, but Roland whispered: “I must not be
recognize. I must tell you that, if you go to the city tonight, Machadant will try to murder you and all your men. But
while you are in battle, do you secretly open a gate and I will help you punish his treachery.” Then they both swore to
return to battle in the morning.
Hugh told his brother Answig of Machadant’s plot. They secretly armed and lay in readiness. At midnight,
Machadant said to his son Liadris: “Go you into the Christian quarters on one side, and I will come on the other.”
Liadrix answered: “I will do as you command, but I vow by Mahound to commit no treason against Count Roland.”
Then they both attacked and the Christians offered a valiant defense. Roland heard the noise of battle and said to
Samsonet, “The time has come.” As Roland was waiting for Hugh to open the gate, Hugh came face to face with
Machadant and slew him. Now Liadris cried out, “False Christian, you have killed my father. I will make you
regret this.” Hugh thought he could not in honor open the gate to Roland until he had shown his full valor. He
therefore continued fighting until more than ten thousand of his company lay dead.. Answig also fought on, but,
realizing the overwhelming odds, opened the gate for Roland. The supposed Constable rushed in and the Saracens of
Jerusalem fled before him in panic. Hugh, still in combat with Liadras, saw him coming and cried out: “Surrender,
Liadras, for all your men are dead.” “I shall surrender to no man,” said Liadras, “except it be Roland.” Roland
now advanced and took up the fight, sparing his blows, for he could easily have killed him. At last, he struck him
down and said: “Surrender to this sword of mine called Durandel.” Liadras grew pale at this and Roland continued:
“I am Count Roland. Surrender to me.” At this Liadras took his own sword by the point and offered it to Roland,
saying: “I gladly yield, noble night, for I wish to turn Christian.” Samsonet then, finding that his Constable was none
other than Roland, knelt also and asked to be baptized.
Presently they were joined by the Sultan and his daughter. He had heard the tidings. Dionysia, fresh as a rose, knelt
to Roland. The Sultan said that they both desired baptism, and that he would bestow Dionysia on Answig. “I will
have no husband,” said Dionysia, “except the finest flower of knighthood in the world.” Roland smiled to hear this
and said: “I will have no wife except Oliver of Vienne’s sister, the fairest lady in France.” When Dionysia knew that
Roland was promised to another woman, she said: “I will do as you please.” So she and her father and her brother,
together with all the citizens of Jerusalem, were baptized by the Patriarch of Bethany; later all Syria, Persia and
Babylon also converted for love of Roland. On the twelfth day, Dionysia and Answig were married amid great
rejoicing.