the song of roland-第12部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ase。　When　the　King　sees　the　light　at　even　fade；　On　the　green　grass　dismounting　as　he　may；　He　kneels　aground；　to　God　the　Lord　doth　pray　That　the　sun's　course　He　will　for　him　delay；　Put　off　the　night；　and　still　prolong　the　day。　An　angel　then；　with　him　should　reason　make；　Nimbly　enough　appeared　to　him　and　spake：　〃Charles；　canter　on！　　Light　needst　not　thou　await。　The　flower　of　France；　as　God　knows　well；　is　slain；　Thou　canst　be　avenged　upon　that　crimeful　race。〃　Upon　that　word　mounts　the　Emperour　again。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AOI。

CLXXX

For　Charlemagne　a　great　marvel　God　planned：　Making　the　sun　still　in　his　course　to　stand。　So　pagans　fled；　and　chased　them　well　the　Franks　Through　the　Valley　of　Shadows；　close　in　hand；　Towards　Sarraguce　by　force　they　chased　them　back；　And　as　they　went　with　killing　blows　attacked：　Barred　their　highways　and　every　path　they　had。　The　River　Sebre　before　them　reared　its　bank；　'Twas　very　deep；　marvellous　current　ran；　No　barge　thereon　nor　dromond　nor　caland。　A　god　of　theirs　invoked　they；　Tervagant。　And　then　leaped　in；　but　there　no　warrant　had。　The　armed　men　more　weighty　were　for　that；　Many　of　them　down　to　the　bottom　sank；　Downstream　the　rest　floated　as　they　might　hap；　So　much　water　the　luckiest　of　them　drank；　That　all　were　drowned；　with　marvellous　keen　pangs。　〃An　evil　day；〃　cry　Franks；　〃ye　saw　Rollant！〃

CLXXXI

When　Charles　sees　that　pagans　all　are　dead；　Some　of　them　slain；　the　greater　part　drowned；　（Whereby　great　spoils　his　chevaliers　collect）　That　gentle　King　upon　his　feet　descends；　Kneels　on　the　ground；　his　thanks　to　God　presents。　When　he　once　more　rise；　the　sun　is　set。　Says　the　Emperour　〃Time　is　to　pitch　our　tents；　To　Rencesvals　too　late　to　go　again。　Our　horses　are　worn　out　and　foundered：　Unsaddle　them；　take　bridles　from　their　heads；　And　through　these　meads　let　them　refreshment　get。〃　Answer　the　Franks：　〃Sire；　you　have　spoken　well。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AOI。

CLXXXII

That　Emperour　hath　chosen　his　bivouac；　The　Franks　dismount　in　those　deserted　tracts；　Their　saddles　take　from　off　their　horses'　backs；　Bridles　of　gold　from　off　their　heads　unstrap；　Let　them　go　free；　there　is　enough　fresh　grass　　No　service　can　they　render　them；　save　that。　Who　is　most　tired　sleeps　on　the　ground　stretched　flat。　Upon　this　night　no　sentinels　keep　watch。

CLXXXIII

That　Emperour　is　lying　in　a　mead；　By's　head；　so　brave；　he's　placed　his　mighty　spear；　On　such　a　night　unarmed　he　will　not　be。　He's　donned　his　white　hauberk；　with　broidery；　Has　laced　his　helm；　jewelled　with　golden　beads；　Girt　on　Joiuse；　there　never　was　its　peer；　Whereon　each　day　thirty　fresh　hues　appear。　All　of　us　know　that　lance；　and　well　may　speak　Whereby　Our　Lord　was　wounded　on　the　Tree：　Charles；　by　God's　grace；　possessed　its　point　of　steel！　His　golden　hilt　he　enshrined　it　underneath。　By　that　honour　and　by　that　sanctity　The　name　Joiuse　was　for　that　sword　decreed。　Barons　of　France　may　not　forgetful　be　Whence　comes　the　ensign　〃Monjoie；〃　they　cry　at　need；　Wherefore　no　race　against　them　can　succeed。

CLXXXIV

Clear　was　the　night；　the　moon　shone　radiant。　Charles　laid　him　down；　but　sorrow　for　Rollant　And　Oliver；　most　heavy　on　him　he　had；　For's　dozen　peers；　for　all　the　Frankish　band　He　had　left　dead　in　bloody　Rencesvals；　He　could　not　help；　but　wept　and　waxed　mad；　And　prayed　to　God　to　be　their　souls'　Warrant。　Weary　that　King；　or　grief　he's　very　sad；　He　falls　on　sleep；　he　can　no　more　withstand。　Through　all　those　meads　they　slumber　then；　the　Franks；　Is　not　a　horse　can　any　longer　stand；　Who　would　eat　grass；　he　takes　it　lying　flat。　He　has　learned　much；　can　understand　their　pangs。

CLXXXV

Charles；　like　a　man　worn　out　with　labour；　slept。　Saint　Gabriel　the　Lord　to　him　hath　sent；　Whom　as　a　guard　o'er　the　Emperour　he　set；　Stood　all　night　long　that　angel　by　his　head。　In　a　vision　announced　he　to　him　then　A　battle；　should　be　fought　against　him　yet；　Significance　of　griefs　demonstrated。　Charles　looked　up　towards　the　sky；　and　there　Thunders　and　winds　and　blowing　gales　beheld；　And　hurricanes　and　marvellous　tempests；　Lightnings　and　flames　he　saw　in　readiness；　That　speedily　on　all　his　people　fell；　Apple　and　ash；　their　spear…shafts　all　burned；　Also　their　shields；　e'en　the　golden　bosses；　Crumbled　the　shafts　of　their　trenchant　lances；　Crushed　their　hauberks　and　all　their　steel　helmets。　His　chevaliers　he　saw　in　great　distress。　Bears　and　leopards　would　feed　upon　them　next；　Adversaries；　dragons；　wyverns；　serpents；　Griffins　were　there；　thirty　thousand；　no　less；　Nor　was　there　one　but　on　some　Frank　it　set。　And　the　Franks　cried：　〃Ah！　　Charlemagne；　give　help！〃　Wherefore　the　King　much　grief　and　pity　felt；　He'ld　go　to　them　but　was　in　duress　kept：　Out　of　a　wood　came　a　great　lion　then；　'Twas　very　proud　and　fierce　and　terrible；　His　body　dear　sought　out；　and　on　him　leapt；　Each　in　his　arms；　wrestling；　the　other　held；　But　he　knew　not　which　conquered；　nor　which　fell。　That　Emperour　woke　not　at　all；　but　slept。

CLXXXVI

And；　after　that；　another　vision　came：　Himseemed　in　France；　at　Aix；　on　a　terrace；　And　that　he　held　a　bruin　by　two　chains；　Out　of　Ardenne　saw　thirty　bears　that　came；　And　each　of　them　words；　as　a　man　might；　spake　Said　to　him：　〃Sire；　give　him　to　us　again！　It　is　not　right　that　he　with　you　remain；　He's　of　our　kin；　and　we　must　lend　him　aid。〃　A　harrier　fair　ran　out　of　his　palace；　Among　them　all　the　greatest　bear　assailed　On　the　green　grass；　beyond　his　friends　some　way。　There　saw　the　King　marvellous　give　and　take；　But　he　knew　not　which　fell；　nor　which　o'ercame。　The　angel　of　God　so　much　to　him　made　plain。　Charles　slept　on　till　the　clear　dawn　of　day。

CLXXXVII

King　Marsilies；　fleeing　to　Sarraguce；　Dismounted　there　beneath　an　olive　cool；　His　sword　and　sark　and　helm　aside　he　put；　On　the　green　grass　lay　down　in　shame　and　gloom；　For　his　right　hand　he'd　lost；　'twas　clean　cut　through；　Such　blood　he'd　shed；　in　anguish　keen　he　swooned。　Before　his　face　his　lady　Bramimunde　Bewailed　and　cried；　with　very　bitter　rue；　Twenty　thousand　and　more　around　him　stood；　All　of　them　cursed　Carlun　and　France　the　Douce。　Then　Apollin　in's　grotto　they　surround；　And　threaten　him；　and　ugly　words　pronounce：　〃Such　shame　on　us；　vile　god！；　why　bringest　thou？　This　is　our　king；　wherefore　dost　him　confound？　Who　served　thee　oft；　ill　recompense　hath　found。〃　Then　they　take　off　his　sceptre　and　his　crown；　With　their　hands　hang　him　from　a　column　down；　Among　their　feet　trample　him　on　the　ground；　With　great　cudgels　they　batter　him　and　trounce。　From　Tervagant　his　carbuncle　they　impound；　And　Mahumet　into　a　ditch　fling　out；　Where　swine　and　dogs　defile　him　and　devour。

CLXXXVIII

Out　of　his　swoon　awakens　Marsilies；　And　has　him　borne　his　vaulted　roof　beneath；　Many　colours　were　painted　there　to　see；　And　Bramimunde　laments　for　him；　the　queen；　Tearing　her　hair；　caitiff　herself　she　clepes；　Also　these　words　cries　very　loud　and　clear：　〃Ah！　　Sarraguce；　henceforth　forlorn　thou'lt　be　Of　the　fair　king　that　had　thee　in　his　keep！　All　those　our　gods　have　wrought　great　felony；　Who　in　battle　this　morning　failed　at　need。　That　admiral　will　shew　his　cowardice；　Unless　he　fight　against　that　race　hardy；　Who　are　so　fierce；　for　life　they　take　no　heed。　That　Emperour；　with　his　blossoming　beard；　Hath　vassalage；　and　very　high　folly；　Battle　to　fight；　he　will　not　ever　flee。　Great　grief　it　is；　no　man　may　slay　him　clean。〃

CLXXXIX

That　Emperour；　by　his　great　Majesty；　　　I　　Full　seven　years　in　Spain　now　has　he　been；　And　castles　there；　and　many　cities　seized。　King　Marsilies　was　therefore　sore　displeased；　In　the　first　year　he　sealed　and　sent　his　brief　To　Baligant；　into　Babilonie：　（'Twas　the　admiral；　old　in　antiquity；　That　clean　outlived　Omer　and　Virgilie；）　To　Sarraguce；　with　succour　bade　him　speed；　For；　if　he　failed；　Marsile　his　gods　would　leave；　All　his　idols　he　worshipped　formerly；　He　would　receive　blest　Christianity　And　reconciled　to　Charlemagne　would　be。　Long　time　that　one　came　not；　far　off　was　he。　Through　forty　realms　he　did　his　tribes　rally；　His　great　dromonds；　he　made　them　all　ready；　Barges　and　skiffs　and　ships　and　galleries；　Neath　Alexandre；　a　haven　next　the　sea；　In　readiness　he　gat　his　whole　navy。　That　was　in　May；　first　summer　of　the　year；　All　of　his　hosts　he　launched　upon　the　sea。

CXC

Great　are　the　hosts　of　that　opposed　race；　With　speed　they　sail；　they　steer　and　navigate。　High　on　their　yards；　at　their　mast…heads　they　place　Lanterns　enough；　and　carbuncles　so　great　Thence；　from　above；　such　light　they　dissipate　The　sea's　more　clear　at　midnight　than　by　day。　And　when　they　come　into　the　land　of　Spain　All　that　country　lightens　and　shines　again：　Of　their　coming　Marsile　has　heard　the　tale。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AOI。

CXCI

The　pagan　race　would　never　rest；　but　come　Out　of　the　sea；　where　the　sweet　waters　run；　They　leave　Marbris；　they　leave　behind　Marbrus；　Upstream　by　Sebre　doth　all　their　navy　turn。　Lanterns　they　have；　and　carbuncles　enough；　That　all　night　long　and　very　clearly　burn。　Upon　that　day　they　come　to　Sarragus。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AOI。

CXCII

Clear　is　that　day；　and　the　sun　radiant。　Out　of　his　barge　issues　their　admiral；　Espaneliz　goes　forth　at　his　right　hand；　Seventeen　kings　follow　him　in　a　band；　Counts　too；　and　dukes；　I　cannot　tell　of　that。　Where　in　a　field；　midway；　a　laurel　stands；　On　the　green　grass　they　spread　a　white　silk　mat；　Set　a　fald…stool　there；　made　of　olifant；　Sits　him　thereon　the　pagan　Baligant；　And　all　the　rest　in　rows　about　him　stand。　The　lord　of　them　speaks　before　any　man：　〃Listen　to　me；　free　knights　and　valiant！　Charles　the　King；　the　Emperour　of　the　Franks；　Shall　not　eat　bread；　save　when　that　I　command。　Throughout　all　Spain　great　war　with　me　he's　had；　I　will　go　seek　him　now；　into　Douce　France；　I　will　not　cease；　while　I'm　a　living　man；　Till　be　slain；　or　fall　between　my　hands。〃　Upon　his　knee　his　right…hand　glove　he　slaps。

CXCIII

He　is　fast　bound　by　all　that　he　has　said。　He　will　not　fail；　for　all　the　gold　neath　heav'n；　But　go　to　Aix；　where　Charles　court　is　held：　His　men　applaud；　for　so　they　counselled。　After　he　called　two　of　his　chevaliers；　One　Clarifan；　and　the　other　Clarien：　〃You　are　the　sons　of　king　Maltraien；　Freely　was；　wont　my　messages　to　bear。　You　I　command　to　Sarraguce　to　fare。　Marsiliun　on　my　part　you　shall　tell　Against　the　Franks　I'm　come　to　give　him　help；　Find　I　their　host；　great　battle　shall　be　there；　Give　him　this　glove；