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

186-187 The bears beg for him to give them their kinsman. A greyhound races toward the biggest bear and attacks it. They fight with ferocity and it is hard to tell who will win. The emperor does not wake up and sleeps until morning. I had forgotten about Marsilion who has fled to Saragossa. The coward escaped but Charlemagne doesn’t know it. He may be in charge but he has lost his right hand. He and the queen swoons.

185-186 The people cry out to Charlemagne. He grieves for his people and then a huge lion leaps on him and they grapple. The real emperor does not wake up! I guess since it is medieval there has to be some dreams. He has a second dream after the first. He is on his dais in Aix and there is a bear bound up with a double chain. Then thirty more bears arrive and talk to them. Now where have I heard about talking bears??

185 What are they going to do if the foe is dead? There’s quite a lot of the poem left. I’m glad we were spared of the gore. LOL In the dream, Charles looks up to heaven because every weather phenomenon is happening and the lightning causes spears and bosses on shields to catch fire. Then terrible creatures come on the scene to devour them, including dragons, worms, wyverns, devils, and 30,000 griffins! End times!

183-185 The French cry “Mountjoy!” in battle for this reason. Charlemagne lies awake weeping all night, thinking of his men, especially Roland, Oliver, and the peers. He prays for their soulds to be brought into Paradise. He finally falls asleep. Horses are so tired they crop while lying down. God sends the angel Gabriel to guard the Emperor. In the likeness of a dream, he shows him a new battle in the future.

182-183 The French set up camp and unsaddle their horses who graze. The men camp in the grass. Because their enemy is dead, they post no guard. I hope that doesn’t come back to bite them. Charlemagne decides to sleep with his armor on. His lance is by his side. His sword is named is Joyeuse which changes color 30 times a day! Its pommel contains part of the relic of the spear that pierced the side of Christ.

180-181 Oh, wow, Narnia and Middle Earth! Charlemange does not have to kill the pagans. They reach the River Erbo and are cut off because it is swolen. This river cuts almost all the way across Spain. They have to chose between drowning or getting hacked to death. The sun goes down and they really can’t travel anymore. The emperor gets on his knees and thanks God for the two miracles of nature.

179-180 A valiant army follows Charlemagne. This reminds me of Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas trying to catch up with the orcs. Charlemagne kneels and prays for light to be prolonged and an angel tells them to run because God sees all. Sure enough, the sun stands still at midday. The French are fresh. Not only do they catch up with the pagans, they cut off their retreat. The river is too deep for the pagans to cross.

177-178 Charlemagne does not call out for everything is still. He pulls hair out of his beard. Twenty thousand swoon out of grief for nephews, sons, brothers, and friends are all dead. Naimon grieves, but he also points out a cloud of dust left behind by the pagans. If they leave bring a group of man now, they might be able to avenge their deaths. Charles leaves some guards behind. Nobody is to touch them.

176-177 I wonder if he is intended to be an image of Christ here. Gabriel is at his side and he accepts the glove. Arms clasped to his chest, his head falls to his arms. Gabriel and cherubims take his soul to Mont Saint Michel first and then to Paradise. He’s really dead this time. Charles and his men make it through the pass. All he sees is death and yet he searches for his nephew, Oliver, archbishop, and peers.

175-176 What a dramatic death scene. He faces the pagans to show that the Christians prevailed. He confesses his sins and pleads for God’s mercy. He extends his right-hand glove to God as a token and angels rush down from Heaven. Now, that’s the way to go. Under a pine (eternity) tree (Jesus’ atoning death), he recalls his king and his men. He reminds God of Lazarus’s resurrection and Daniel’s escape from lions.