Status Updates From Cantar de Roldán

So the leopard is Marsillion; the greyhound is Roland; the bear is Ganelon and the bears are his kinsman. I need to consult the bestiary! Later Thierry is the greyhound and the biggest bear is Pinabel. In fairy tales, carbuncles had their own light and for some reason they show up a lot in various Roland stories, whether they are related to this one or not.

290-291 They christen her as Juliana and they teach her the way. Everything is done and it’s evening. Charlemagne is in bed and Gabriel tells him to get up. Wait! There’s more! He is told to assemble men and to go to King Vivien who is under siege by pagans. He weeps and says how weary his life is. I did not see that cominb. Closure, but no closure.

288-290 They hang all thirty on trees. “Treason destroys itself and others too.” That’s what I’ve been saying all along!! All except Ganelon die that way. He is tortured. Oh wow. They bind him to four steeds and let loose a mare. What a way to go! Charlemagne’s debt of vengeance is paid. Then he calls together his bishops concerning the matter of the queen. They baptize her and give her ladies to teach her the faith.

285-288 God spares his life! The next blow from Thierry was a perfect hit and, yup, there be brains and everyone cries for a rope for Ganelon. Another life gone because of him. Charlemagne and his men flock to Thierry and wipe his face with their rich sables. They disarm him and place him on a mule of Araby. They descend to the square for the death sentence. Not just Ganelon dies, but all those who pledged.

284-285 Thierry admits that Pinabel is the stronger but asks him to yield instead. He asks him to make peace with Charlemagne and let Ganelon face justice. Pinabel says he will never do something so shameful and they continue to fight. Sparks fly and they will not stop until one of them is dead. The grass catches fire. Pinabel hits Thierry’s forehead and blood streams down one side of his face. He should be dead.

281-283 They combatants face off. It’s like what I read in Green’s book about Arthur. They first joust on their steeds. They hit hard and the griths break. They spill to the ground and their steeds take off. They run to each other and fight with swords. Charlemagne cries out to God that he will judge what is right. Pinabel charges Thierry to yield and to make peace with Ganelon. He refuses because it would be base.

280-281 They prepare for death just as they did before going to war. They confess their sins, are absolved, and take communion. They vow to make offerings to the church. Then they strap on their armor and get their gear and weapons prepared. I guess they have to be ready for anything, especially for treachery. Men weep because they fear the outcome. They grieve for Roland and they pity Thierry.

277-279 He thinks Ganelon should swing. If anyone wants to dispute, he’ll duel. Pinabel is big, tall, and strong and he mocks the council and calls them weak. He’s happy to fight Thierry and he gives his glove to Charlemagne who asks for THIRTY kinsman to pledge and he will pledge the other one. More Prince Caspian. Thierry agrees to fight. They bring in four benches and wait. Ogier the Dane sets down the rules.

276-277 The council tells Charlemagne that Ganelon’s death cannot bring Roland back. No amount of money will change it either. He calls them false traitors. His brow grows dark and that encourages Thierry to speak up. He is medium build, swarthy, lithe with black curly hair. He speaks to the emperor with courtesy. He states that, as a kinsman, it’s his right to speak and he thinks it‘s an offense against Charlemagne.

275 Ganelon kisses his feet out of gratitude. The council is weak for they fear Ganelon. Roland is dead so what is the point of going after Ganelon. They should trust that he will serve Charlemagne loyally and faithfully for sparing him. How do they know Ganelon won’t betray them again? They are afraid of Pinabel’s power. There is only one who objects with this way of thinking: Thierry (Geoffrey’s brother).

274-275 He conspired with the enemy during a time of war by my account. However, I’m not sure Charlemagne knows that unless the queen speaks up. She would know. The Franks decide to debate. Ganelon is surrounded by 30 of his kin (ahem, like the 30 pieces of silver). His spokesman is Pinabel of Sorrence, who promises to get Ganelon out of this or they will swing together. Swing, baby, swing!

272-273 Ganelon the worm says he only did it to get back at Roland who wronged him in wealth and estate. He did not intend to commit treason. Ganelon looks fresh and lordly. He testifies that he went with Charlemagne to fight with the army. His intent was only against Roland because his stepson set him up to die against Marsilion. “Vengeance I took, treason I did not.” He’s never heard of unintended consequences.

270-272 Our buddy Ganelon is tied up with deer-hide thongs and he’s been beaten with cudgels. He awaits judgment. It’s hard to feel sorry for him when you think of all the dead bodies at the feet of his treachery. It happens to be the feast of Saint Sylvester, on December 31, the seventh day of Christmas! WOW! Charlemagne states that 20K French were slain plus Roland, Oliver, and the 12 peers (and Aude) for money.

268-269 When they arrive in Aix, Aude (Oliver’s sister) asks where the captain dread is. She is asking for Roland, her betrothed, and, when Charlemagne tells her what happened, he offers her Louis to soften the blow, but she drops dead anyway. At first, he thinks she swooned (it happened a lot in those days) and he holds her hand and calls her name. Then he realizes the truth. She is taken to a convent for burial.

267 They cross the Gironde Estuary to Bayle and they bury the three (Oliver, Turpin, Roland) there in white marble. Historically there is a spot where he was buried but a lot of the Saint Romanus church structure was removed to fortify other places in the 17th century. After their souls are commended to God, they return to Aix where Charlemagne sends out writs to require lords to come and deal with Ganelon.

266-26 They smash idols and images. The bishops purify the water and baptize all but the queen. Those who flee or resist will be killed. They will take the queen captive back to France to win her to Christ by love. With the city taken, they leave in the morning and return with France with the queen in their train. They went to Bourdeaux and left Roland’s Olifant on the altar at the church of Saint Severinus.

264-265 In a mirror of Roland, he’s lying in bed. He turns around and faces the wall. He dies of grief and yields his soul to the infernal ones. Charlemagne makes it to Saragossa and levels the gate without resistance. The queen gives him her ten tall towers as well as the fifty lesser towers. The day is over, the moon shines, the night is clear. The soldiers search for synagogues and heathen shrines to destroy.

263-264 Charlemagne reminds them of their tears in the morning and encourages to do what they will with all their might now. The Franks promise that few will escape their steel. They kick up a cloud of dust chasing the pagans back to Saragossa. The queen and her clerks and canons climb the tower (seeking wisdom), but she calls for help in vain. She turns to Marsilion and tells him that the great emir is dead.

262-263 This is how you know supernatural aid is at work. Could someone really continue to fight in that condition? Fight he does and cracks the emir’s skull wide open so that his brains hit the ground. He cries, “Mountjoy!” and Naimon brings his trusty speed. Without a leader, the pagans fly. It’s a bit like LotR. I can’t decide if I hear a John Williams score or Howard Shore. LOL Bottomline: it’s God’s will.

260-262 The emir says his sermon is ill-preached. The fight renews. It reminds me of the conversation between Vader and Luke in their duel in Episode V. This is also like Prince Caspian with a duel between the two leaders. Oh, wow! Charlemagne’s helmet broke and they can see a patch of his skull. That’s gotta hurt! Saint Gabriel speaks to him. Ben Kenobi? Yoda? LOL His strenght is renewed, bared skull and all!

258-260 Even though darkness is falling, the combat continues without cease. Charles is a fighter and the emir has no fear. They now face each other in face-to-face combat. One will have to give, one way or another. The emir accuses Charlemagne of killing his son and accuses him of stealing his land. He invites him to join him and the emir will be his liege. AS IF! Then Charlemagne makes the same invitation.

257-258 The emir’s flag bearer falls. What imagery! The dragon hits the ground which causes the emir to ask the scary question. “What if I’m wrong?” That is an interesting set-up in light of what happens to his queen. Seeing this Charlemagne asks his men to fight and the Franks reply, “Why ask?” Anyone who does not respond is a coward. The pagans call their war cry and the French, “Mountjoy!”

255-256 The emir blows his horn and calls in his big dogs. They are described in animalistic terms. Under their ferocious shockwave, 7K French fall. Ogier the Dane is ticked off and he calls on Geoffrey of Anjou, his brother Thierry, and someone else and he tells Charlemagne that he deserves to have his head lopped off if he does nothing. Nobody rebukes him. They all fight bravely but Dane Ogier is the most fierce.

253-254 He tells the emir that his brother and son are dead. He describes Naimon and says he is next to Charlemagne. Both caused these deaths. The emir looks to where his informant points. His face darkens and his head drops. Broken, he asks for advice. His advisor says that the pagans may lose because the French are in top form. He says if they are going to win, he cannot delay in their attack.

252-253 It cannot be denied that the bravery of the pagans is on display. Heavy losses are sustained on both sides and the French refuse to give in. The rage continues, even at vesper time. Spears shattered. Shields split. Helmets cracked. Mail rings broken. The fighting is fierce. The emir prays and promises his unholy trinity that he will make golden images if he wins. His favorite baron comes bearing bad news.

Geoffrey III’s brother, Fulk ruled Anjou after him. Fulk’s grandson Geoffrey Plantagenet was Geoffrey V, father of Henry II, King of England. AO for the WIN aGAIN! It’s amazing how reading this books allows me to find the “Easter eggs” in stories.

And now I’m sad for the Little Duke, along with two others, was killed by the evil emir. Boooooo! Fortunately, he really died of natural causes! LOL

The reason why I say this is because I saw the name Richard of Normandy and, because of The Little Duke, I wondered which one. LOL Then I look it up and it is indeed HIM! MIND BLOWN! Then I kept wondering about Geoffrey of Anjou because it rings a bell. He is somehow connected to the Plantagenets and the King Stephen versus Matilda. One commentator thinks it is Geoffrey III of Anjou, how died childless.

250-251 Interesting. Charlemagne whispers encouragement into the ear of the duke and tells him he killed his oppressor. Naimon says he is in the emperor’s debt. The poet says they ride off in love and faith. Is hope next? Who would hope be? On an AO side note, I wonder if this is like Robin Hood or King Arthur, where they should up in stories which make no historical sense, but are fun additions.

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