Tammy’s Reviews > The Song of Roland > Status Update

248-250 The emir's brother gives Naimon a mighty buffet and partially cuts through his armor. He staggers and is stunned and grabs his horse's neck. God must have shielded him. Charlemagne charges toward him for Naimon faces deadly peril. He calls him a villain and plows into the shield and unhorses Naimon's foe. He grieves to see Naimon's blood spilled in the grass. He asks the duke to stay by his side.

243-245 The emir is proud of his son’s prowess. He spurs the pagans on with his words. They fight with fierce rage. The battle is grim and grievous. The ground is strewn with shattered spears, split shields, and broken chain mail. Blood is spattered everywhere. The emir tells his men to strike hard. There will be no truce at nightfall. The emir offers them beautiful women if they strike hard. His men seem worried.

239-243 His horse makes four leaps and then men are inspired. Now the vanguards of both forces face each other. The French let loose the bridles and spurs on the horses. A French leader takes out a pagan leader and the French shout, “God be on our side!” They do not want to fail Charlemagne. The next French leader makes a clean hit; they are even more encouraged. The emir’s son flings one corpse after another.

238-239 A glittering array of arms is on the open plain. The emir tells his brother to search for Charlemagne. The emir spots the emperor in the rear ranks alongside a bunch of older men. The emir shakes his spears and commands his men to come for he’s off to fight the foe. Charlemagne sees the vast host filling the countryside, led by a dragon pennon. He basically said that if God be for us, who can be against us?

236-237 The prudent emir gives his son advice on who to send forward and who to keep in reserve. He intends to take his group to face Charlemagne because he intends to take his head. When they face off, there is no cover: no hills, no valleys, no trees. The emir sounds the call and the French respond, “Mountjoy!” with the olifant blasting. The pagans expect a grim, but great battle.

233-235 The emir forms TEN MORE columns. Some are desert, wild, repulsive scamps. Then, he forms TEN MORE columns that include giants and men who have no love for God. A great host is assembled on both sides, eager for war. The emir’s standard has a dragon, the symbol of their unholy trinity. The emir calls for them to fall down prostrate to pray. The French shout that the dogs will die for they fight in God’s name.

231-232 He assigns the Persian and Lycian kings to him. The emir will give his son land if he beats the braggarts. The son thanks him but the poet says he’ll never see the land. The emir forms his men into columns and it is a great show of knighthood. The poet mirros the structure shared before and lists by land every column of Mahommedan forces. The emir takes a great oath that Charlemagne will lose his head.

229-231 The emir’s son says he’ll be shocked if Charlemagne shows. The emir says if he does, he’ll lose without Roland by his side. He recounts what happened the day before: R and O and the twelve peers die as well as 20K of their best fighters. He has already received the scout’s report who expects the French and allies to fight well. The emir’s son asks to fight first and his father lets him.

227-229 Scouts report that the French army is strong and ready to fight. The emir thinks it is brave, and he tells the pagans to sound the clarion. The pagans arm themselves. The emir wears gilded armor with gems, and he is proud of his gear. His spear and blade have names. He thinks Charlemagne is a fool. The emir looks noble. He is wise in council and stubborn in battle. His son is worthy on praise.

226-227 Charlemagne faces the sunrise and kneels. He reminds God receiving succor in the whale, Daniel in the lion's den, and his three friends in the furnace. He asks that Roland will be avenged if it pleases God. He rises and makes the sign of the cross. He is a changed man, and I wonder if Gabriel's vigil helped. The olifant is spending. They leave the mountain pass and march into the Spanish plain