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fire, glitter'd the peerless blade." BUCHANAN, Death of Roland.
Finally, despairing of disposing of it in any other way, the hero, strong in death, broke Durandana in his
powerful hands and threw the shards away.
Horse and sword were now disposed of, and the dying hero, summoning his last strength, again put his
marvelous horn Olivant to his lips, and blew such a resounding blast that the sound was heard far and near.
The effort, however, was such that his temples burst, as he again sank fainting to the ground.
One version of the story (Turpin's) relates that the blast brought, not Charlemagne, but the sole surviving
knight, Theodoricus, who, as Roland had been shriven before the battle, merely heard his last prayer and
reverently closed his eyes. Then Turpin, while celebrating mass before Charlemagne, was suddenly favored
by a vision, in which he beheld a shrieking crew of demons bearing Marsiglio's soul to hell, while an angelic
host conveyed Roland's to heaven.
Turpin immediately imparted these revelations to Charlemagne, who, knowing now that his fears were not
without foundation, hastened back to Roncesvalles. Here the scriptural miracle was repeated, for the sun
stayed its course until the emperor had routed the Saracens and found the body of his nephew. He pronounced
a learned funeral discourse or lament over the hero's remains, which were then embalmed and conveyed to
Blaive for interment.
Another version relates that Bishop Turpin himself remained with Roland in the rear, and, after hearing a
general confession and granting full absolution to all the heroes, fought beside them to the end. It was he who
heard the last blast of Roland's horn instead of Theodoricus, and came to close his eyes before he too expired.
The most celebrated of all the poems, however, the French epic "Chanson de Roland," gives a different
version and relates that, in stumbling over the battlefield, Roland came across the body of his friend Oliver,
over which he uttered a touching lament.
"'Alas for all thy valor, comrade dear! Year after year, day after day, a life Of love we led; ne'er didst thou
wrong to me, Nor I to thee. If death takes thee away, My life is but a pain.'" Chanson de Roland (Rabillon's
tr.).
[Sidenote: Death of Roland.] Slowly and painfully now--for his death was near--Roland climbed up a slope,
laid himself down under a pine tree, and placed his sword and horn beneath him. Then, when he had breathed
a last prayer, to commit his soul to God, he held up his glove in token of his surrender.
"His right hand glove he offered up to God; Saint Gabriel took the glove.--With head reclined Upon his arm,
with hands devoutly joined, He breathed his last. God sent his Cherubim, Saint Raphael, _Saint Michiel del
Peril._ The soul of Count Rolland to Paradise. Aoi." Chanson de Roland (Rabillon's tr.).
It was here, under the pine, that Charlemagne found his nephew ere he started out to punish the Saracens, as
already related. Not far off lay the bodies of Ogier, Oliver, and Renaud, who, according to this version, were
all among the slain.
CHAPTER VIII. 71
"Here endeth Otuel, Roland, and Olyvere, And of the twelve dussypere, That dieden in the batayle of
Runcyvale: Jesu lord, heaven king, To his bliss hem and us both bring, To liven withouten bale!" Sir Otuel.
On his return to France Charlemagne suspected Ganelon of treachery, and had him tried by twelve peers, who,
unable to decide the question, bade him prove his innocence in single combat with Roland's squire, Thiedric.
Ganelon, taking advantage of the usual privilege to have his cause defended by a champion, selected Pinabel,
the most famous swordsman of the time. In spite of all his valor, however, this champion was defeated, and
the "judgment of God"--the term generally applied to those judicial combats--was in favor of Thiedric.
Ganelon, thus convicted of treason, was sentenced to be drawn and quartered, and was executed at
Aix-la-Chapelle, in punishment for his sins.
"Ere long for this he lost Both limb and life, judged and condemned at Aix, There to be hanged with thirty of
his race Who were not spared the punishment of death. Aoi." Chanson de Roland (Rabillon's tr.).
[Sidenote: Roland and Aude.] Roland, having seen Aude, Oliver's sister, at the siege of Viane, where she even
fought against him, if the old epics are to be believed, had been so smitten with her charms that he declared
that he would marry none but her. When the siege was over, and lifelong friendship had been sworn between
Roland and Oliver after their memorable duel on an island in the Rhone, Roland was publicly betrothed to the
charming Aude. Before their nuptials could take place, however, he was forced to leave for Spain, where, as
we have seen, he died an heroic death. The sad news of his demise was brought to Paris, where the Lady Aude
was awaiting him. When she heard that he would never return, she died of grief, and was buried at his side in
the chapel of Blaive.
"In Paris Lady Alda sits, Sir Roland's destined bride. With her three hundred maidens, to tend her, at her side;
Alike their robes and sandals all, and the braid that binds their hair, And alike the meal, in their Lady's hall,
the whole three hundred share. Around her, in her chair of state, they all their places hold; A hundred weave
the web of silk, and a hundred spin the gold, And a hundred touch their gentle lutes to sooth that Lady's pain,
As she thinks on him that's far away with the host of Charlemagne. Lulled by the sound, she sleeps, but soon
she wakens with a scream; And, as her maidens gather round, she thus recounts her dream: 'I sat upon a desert
shore, and from the mountain nigh, Right toward me, I seemed to see a gentle falcon fly; But close behind an
eagle swooped, and struck that falcon down, And with talons and beak he rent the bird, as he cowered beneath
my gown.' The chief of her maidens smiled, and said; 'To me it doth not seem That the Lady Alda reads aright
the boding of her dream. Thou art the falcon, and thy knight is the eagle in his pride, As he comes in triumph
from the war, and pounces on his bride.' The maiden laughed, but Alda sighed, and gravely shook her head.
'Full rich,' quoth she, 'shall thy guerdon be, if thou the truth hast said.' 'Tis morn; her letters, stained with
blood, the truth too plainly tell, How, in the chase of Ronceval, Sir Roland fought and fell." _Lady Alda's
Dreams_ (Sir Edmund Head's tr.).
[Sidenote: Legend of Roland and Hildegarde.] A later legend, which has given rise to sundry poems, connects [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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