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

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.

223-225 The eighth colum is from Flemings and Frisia, another 40K. The ninth column is from Lorraine and Burgundy, this time 50K, with spears that are short but strong. The tenth is huge! The best captains belong to the 100K men. They may be grizzled and grey-bearded but they shout, “Mountjoy!” Geoffrey raises the Oriflamme, a blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance. It was said to flame and drive out Saracens.

218-222 Each column has 20K men. Two columns are French. One is Bavarian and Charlemagne believes they will never break. The fourth is formed of Germans (Alymayne) who are well-furnished. The fifth is made of Normans, well-horsed and well-harnessed. The sixth column is men of Brittany, 30K men with painted spears and bright pennons. Naimon forms a seventhg with 40K knights from Auvergne and Poitou.

216-217 Charlemagne sees the assembly of French who are eager to avenge Roland and his men. He makes a comment about making the pagans pay and Duke Naimon adds, “God grant it so I pray!” He nominates two men to take the place of R and O, one with the sword and one with the Olifant. They are to lead the van of 15K men, all brave bachelors. He selects the leaders of a second band of 15K men. Naimon marshal the columns.

Lit Life for the win!!! It totally saw that Roland, Oliver, and the archbishop might be the tripartite soul. Their hearts knit together seem to confirm it!!! How fun is that!!!

213-215 They are laid on wagons and covered with rich oriental material. They head home and up comes the pagans’ vanward guards who carry the emir’s challenge. This is like THEODEN! A man who appears to be broken from grief is going to rage and he tells his men, “To arms!” They quickly arm themselves and gathers their weapons, mount horses, and gallop. A hundred thousand men do the same for they mean to fight.

212-213 He sounds the trumpet and they find the bodies of their friends, dig a big trench, and lay them in it. Bishops, abbots, canons, monks, and priests give absolution, make signs, kindle myrrh and incense, and cover the mass grave. He takes the hearts out of Roland, Oliver, and the Archbiship, wrapped in silk, and put in a marble white urn. Their bodies are put in roebuck hide after being washed in wine.

210-211 Charlemagne is having a royal pity party. He has looked at all the fallen and he wishes he were dead, too. He wishes someone would pull his spirit out of his body so he could lie down with the dead. Naimon (Mr. Obvious) says that Charlemagne is in great distress. Geoffrey d’Anjou tries to calm him down. Rather than do nothing he says to search for their dead and bury them together. Charles says to go for it.

206-209 His men lift up the king and lean his head against a pine tree trunk. He commends Roland and then says his glory is sinking to an end. He swooms again! Get a grip! He laments some more and tears out his hair. Around 100 thousand French grieve as well. Charlemagne is sad because, when he returns to France, he will have to tell them that Roland lies dead in Spain. When the news spreads, invaders will come.

203-205 He takes off his armor and walks around the field, assessing their losses. He leads them as they search for his nephew. He remembers that Roland said at a feast that he would die in a foreign land, lying beyond his men, facing his enemy. He sees red everywhere. He spots the two trees on the hilltop and the three stones marking the spot where Roland lies. Charlemagne runs, grabs his face, and swoons.