THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

526
© 2009 Max Wickert
shoulders and for the second time sought to kiss him. “Oh God!” said Roland; “what miracles and
omens are these that my horse is showing me, for never in my life did it make such signs to me?”
Once again Roland turned and for the third time sought to mount him, and once again the horse put
his feet on his shoulders and for the third time kissed Roland. This done, Veglantine drew back and
fell dead to the ground.
Now, when Roland saw that his horse was dead, he was struck by great grief, saying: “Now the time
has come to fight no more; now all my battles are at an end.” He took up his horn, saying: “Alas,
my good horn, who sorrowfully you lose your master, for from this time forth he will sound you no
longer.” With this, Roland sat down and said: “I wish Charles to know of my death, and of the
treason of the traitor Ganelon, who has sold the twelve Peers of France to Marsilius of Spain.”
Now Roland began to sound his horn with all his strength, even as Charles, who was encamped at
Saint-Jean-Pie-de-Mont, was getting ready to return to France, because Ganelon was saying to him:
“Charles, Charles, I have come to tell you that we may return to France, since Marsilius is about to
be baptized with all his people. Do you not hear the great joy that causes Roland to sound his horn
so loudly?”
Meanwhile Roland stopped sounding the horn for a little while, and then he once more took up his
horn and sounded it a second time, so loudly that all the horses in Charles’ camp fell to their knees.
At this, Charles said: “Ah, God, how little this horn call pleases me, for it seems not to call out in
joy, but to announce a cruel battle.” Once more Ganelon said: “Ah, your sacred majesty, know you
not that Roland always sounds his horn in celebration?” Charles answered: “Ganelon, Ganelon, I
greatly fear that you have committed a heinous treason against us and against your son-in-law
Roland.”