Arthurian Romance-The Knight with the Lion

     Chrétien de Troyes completed the whole piece of  The Knight with the Lion. In turn the poem does not have a prologue. The Knight with the Lion has intertextual references that are linked to The Knight of the Cart and it is agreed upon that these two works were created around the same time. This literary technique helps to cement the story and make it more legitimized. The connection between the two stories help to create a larger world that the read is able to explore more in depth. Yvain takes on the conflict of two separate forms of love. Instead of following his bride, which was a staple form of story telling in this time, he searches for love through his pursuit of glory. Chrétien was able to tell this story in a manner that made the audience think about the status quo.
     King Arthur holds his court at the time of Pentecost. After the meal Calogrenant, a knight, tells a tale of disgrace. Sir Kay mocks the knight at first because the story teller was the only knight to stand in the queen's presence. This being the same seneschal that was seen in The Knight of the Cart, his attitude ridicules the ideas of Calogrenant, which is a stark contrast to his character in Lancelot. Calogrenant continues with his tale.
     He was riding in Broceliande forest looking for adventure when he came across a treacherous path. He rode along this path for a day when he came upon a fortress. The owner gladly hosted the knight for the night. the next morning Calogrenant left his host and come across some bulls fighting amongst themselves. He kept his distance and crossed paths with a ugly peasant. The stranger alarms the peasant, who stands up upon a tree trunk.

http://www.les-mondes-de-gwenn.fr/2011/
05/23/le-recit-merveilleux-du-chevalier-calogrenant/

Calogrenant ask the peasant who he is and if he knows of any adventure suited for a knight. The peasant tells him of a mysterious spring that when its water is cast upon a mystical rock a storm will rise up like nothing he has ever seen. The knight rides away and finds the mysterious tree. Out of curiosity, he sprinkles water on the stone and a great storm rises up. Calogrenant states that he was fearful for his life and was blinded by the lightning strikes. After the storm had ceased a loud knight came along the path and challenged Calogrenant. The fight was short lived and Calogrenant was quickly overthrown. He was able to travel back home but his shame was so great that he held onto this story until this very moment.
      Yvain is insulted that his cousin, Calogrenant, had not informed him of this embarrassing story and he plans on going forth in order to avenge his cousins honor. Kay makes fun of Yvain's boisterous words and is silenced by the queen. King Arthur then enters the room and is retold Calogrenant's story by the queen. Arthur then swears that he will go to see this magical tree and spring. He offers to take any knight who wishes to accompany him. Yvain is upset by this oath, as he sees that it is his duty to fulfill this adventure alone. He takes off immediately in order to gain some distance between the rest of the men.
     Yvain follows the steps of Calogrenant to the letter. He meets the powerful knight at the beautiful tree and engages in a battle. Yvain gets the upper-hand by striking the knight with a hard blow to his helmet that opens up his head. Knowing that he must escape the unnamed knight rides off with Yvain close behind. They enter into the knight's castle where Yvain is thrown off his horse. He is warned by a maiden that he is in grave danger because he served a mortal blow to the knight. She promises to assist him because he was kind to her at Arthur's court. She gives him a ring that makes him invisible to the naked eye. He stays in one spot and is able to observe the people's mad search for the murderer.
      The lady of the house is the most beautiful woman Yvain has ever seen. Only after the funeral processional leaves the room while he is hiding, does he look out the window at this woman who was in grief. The girl who helped Yvain, leaves the knight and joins the funeral in order to shy away from suspicion. Yvain is conflicted because he loves the woman who hates him. Chrétien personifies love as a woman taking over the very being of Yvain. His description helps the audience understand the magnitude of this love that Yvain is feeling. Yvain watches out the window as everyone leaves the grave except the lady of the castle. He has a war within himself about how to handle this love and if it is possible to not obey its motives. Shame and Love keep him imprisoned in the castle. Kay and the other knights would not believe that he had slain the mighty knight without any evidence

http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.
com/bios/yvain.html

and he would be shamed, but Love of the Lady holds him fast in the walls. For his only wish is to see the woman even if it means imprisonment. The servant girl who helped Yvain has always spoken openly with the lady of the house and through her cunning words she is able to convince the woman that the knight is truly worthy of her presence. Yvain is cleaned up by the servant who revitalizes his image. She takes the knight to her lady and he asks for forgiveness. Through the witty words that had been previously spoken by the servant, the Lady of the house willingly forgives the knight and ask him what imprisons him. He confesses his love for the lady and she gladly takes him to the towns people who are overjoyed by the fact that they have a new protector. The two are married.
     King Arthur and his men make their way to the mysterious spring. Kay makes fun of Yvain because he is nowhere to be found. Yvain goes to the spring in order to "protect" the land from the King of Britain and Kay gets the chance to fight the "strange" knight. He is thrown off his horse and in order to delineate from any further battle Yvain reveals himself to his comrades. Yvain relays all that has happened and asks Arthur and his men to join him at the castle. The towns people are overjoyed and celebrate. Gawain is among Arthur's men and is enamored by Lunete, the girl who hid Yvain. She tells Gawain of all that happened and how she convinced her lady to take Yvain "...as her husband" (325). They stay there a week and as Arthur prepares to leave his people they try to convince Yvain to journey back with them. Sir Gawain challenges Yvain's idea of love and tries to convince the knight that love of glory and honor is greater then that of a woman. Chrétien is able to bring up the conflict between armes (honor) and amors (love). Yvain goes to his wife and ask to take leave with Gawain in order to fulfill his love of glory and honor in his young age. She grants him this but states that he must return within a years time in order to keep on good terms with her. It amazes me how often the measure of time that is used is a single year. With the influence of Gawain, Yvain stays away longer then the time allotted. He is then faced with one of the lady's damsels who curses the man who went back on his word. The damsel demands the ring that Yvain's wife had gifted him before his travels began. She snatches up the ring and leaves.
     Yvain goes mad at the thought of losing his love. A hermit sees Yvain, who has become a wild-man, and helps him by feeding him bread. After sometime the Lady of Norison finds Yvain naked under a tree. She sends one of her damsels with a special ointment to cure the knight's maddened mind. He becomes alert again and follows the damsel to the lady's castle. There Yvain is nurtured back to full health. Luckily when Yvain is fully healed he is able to help defend the town from the Count Alier. Yvain abilities as a knight prove to benefit the town and his success helps to build up the courage of the other warriors. Eventually Yvain corners Count Alier who surrenders to any terms that Lady Norison lays out. After taking the prisoner to the Lady, Yvain leaves amidst the pleas of the townspeople.

http://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/theme/yvain

     He travels for some time until he hears "...a very loud and anguished cry" (337). The knight comes upon a lion being attacked by a dragon. Not knowing if the lion would attack after he was freed, Yvain slays the dragon in order to help the suffering animal. Instead of attacking its savior the lion bows down in submission. From that day forward the lion would follow Yvain out of servitude. The beast would hunt for food that Yvain would then cook and at night the lion protected his master and his master's horse. This cycle continued for two weeks until Yvain came upon the spring and stone that had started his whole adventure. He fainted at the sight and his loving pet believed him to have died. Before the lion could do anything rash Yvain woke up and stopped the animals attempt at suicide.
     Yvain laments about his lost love and how he should die. A prisoner hears his words and calls down to him. Lunete, the woman who saved Yvain when he was trapped in the castle, ends up being this prisoner. She tells Yvain of Kay's evil scheme to be rid of her, because the queen trusts Lunete's word more then Sir Kay's. The seneschal uses the queen's distrust of Yvain as a way to catapult Lunete into prison. Yvain ask why Gawain did not help this "...damsel in distress" (341). Lunete relays information that relates this story back to The Knight of the Cart. Sir Kay lost the queen, so Sir Gawain went out to find Meleagant, her captor, therefore he is not to be found in court. Lunete is scheduled to be burned or hanged the next day. Yvain vows to return in order to fight for Lunete's freedom and finds lodging at a obscure stronghold.
     All the homes and huts had been taken in side the massive walls and while the people greet Yvain with joy they continually fall into grief. Yvain's curiosity gets the best of him and he is forced to ask the lord of the town what bothers the townspeople. The lord tells of Harpin of the Mountain, a giant, who had been terrorizing the city and forces everyone into the castle walls. The giant demands that the lord's daughter be given to him. The six sons of the lord had tried to defend the city but to no avail. Yvain asks the leader about Sir Gawain but is again told a shortened version of The Knight of the Cart. Our humble knight finally agrees

http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/tales.html#YvainFountain

to take on the giant himself. The lady of the house and the beautiful daughter join the men. Throughout this story Yvain continually focuses on the idea that things are to happen only if it is God's will. In Lancelot, the main character was driven by the wishes of the woman he surrounded himself with, Yvain's adventure changes depend on women's needs to some extent but are also supplemented by God's will. Yvain tells the lord that he is willing to fight the giant if he is at the castle before a certain hour because he had already given his oath to Lunete.
     The next day Yvain was torn between staying or leaving because the hour had come. After much pleading from the lady and her daughter, Yvain is still torn. Thankfully the giant shows up to demand the girl. Yvain kills the giant with the help of his lion. He then prepares to leave to his next task and ask the lord to get word to Sir Gawain of his success.
     As he enters the chapel, Lunete is tied up and about ready to be put into the fire. Yvain charges in yelling, "Release her! Release the girl, you wicked people! It's not right for her to be burned at the stake or in a furnace, for she has done no wrong" (349). The knight defeats the men who swore against Lunete, with the help of his lion. After the duel, Yvain leaves with his lion only after his love grants him her good-will. He departs from the chapel with only Lunete knowing his true identity. Yvain arrives back at his previous lodging where he is gladly taken in to start the healing process. He stays with these people until he is healthy and strong.
     Lord of Blackthorn dies and his eldest daughter takes control over all the land. His youngest daughter contest this use of power and threatens to seek help at Arthur's court. The oldest, determined to reach the court before her sister, sets out at once to seek Arthur. She is able to reach the court and discuss with Sir Gawain their terms. He agrees to help the power hungry sister and when faced with the youngest sisters request for help he refuses to go back on his word. News of "The Knight with the Lion" surfaces at Arthur's court and the youngest sister becomes determined to find him in order to defend her inheritance. She travels for days and becomes ill. She is given lodging and while she rest a servant is sent out to track down Yvain. The servant comes across the lord that was aided by Yvain when he killed Harpin of the Mountain. The lord directs her to Lunete who gives her directions that take he directly to Yvain. After catching up to Yvain the servant explains the situation and the knight graciously takes on the younger sister's cause. As the two travel with the lion at their side they come across the town of Dire Adventure. While the trio moves through the town many townspeople warn them to turn back and not to take lodging with their king. Yvain, with an innocent heart, does not listen to these words and proceeds to the building. Once at the gates, he climbs the wall to look into the meadow. He is greeted with the sight of maidens dressed in poverty working their hands to the bone in order to please their master. Yvain goes into the meadow in order to learn how these maidens ended up in such a wretched place.
     He learns the castle is owned by two men who were made from a woman and a demon. These men captured a king and in order to gain his freedom the king promised to give these terrible men 30 maidens every year. The only way for the maidens to be set free is if a knight is able to defeat the two demon-men. Step in Yvain. He promises to meet these men and if it is in God's plan he will defeat the masters of the house. Yvain walks around the castle and encounters none good or bad. He finally walks in on a daughter reading a romance to her father and mother. The knight is greeted with blessings and is given every honor that is to be bestowed upon a visitor by the daughter. After a night of good food and rest Yvain awakens and prepares to leave. The king informs him that in order to gain his freedom he must defeat the two demon-men. Before the battle begins Yvain is forced to place his pet lion in a holding room because he is only allowed to face his enemy alone. As the battle rages on the lion can sense Yvain's need for help and tunnels under the door in order to attack one of the men. While the second man tries to save his comrade the knight sees a weakness in his armor and takes this opportunity to strike him down. The first demon-man that was attacked by the lion asks Yvain to call off his lion and admits defeat.
    The townspeople are ecstatic about the upset and gather around Yvain, stating that he is now required to marry the princess. Yvain, remembering his duty to Blackthorn's daughter, refuses the marriage and in-turn upsets the king. The king goes to the extreme of demanding he marry his daughter or Yvain would become their prisoner. The knight is persistent and tries to compromise by stating he will return at the appointed time to take the girl's hand. This does not sit well with the king and he tells Yvain that he can leave and it does not matter if he returns.
      Yvain takes the maidens he had seen in the meadow and leads them out of the town and on their way home. The knight then rides off in the opposite direction behind the servant girl who originally had requested his help. The trio makes it to the lodging where the youngest sister had just recently recovered from her illness and their was much rejoicing. They left the next day and made it to Arthur's camp. That night they stayed in lodging outside the camp in order to hide their identity.

http://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot
/text/han-the-legend-of-yvain

      The next day the oldest sister tries to speed things along in order to guarantee her the fullest inheritance, but the king feels sorry for the younger sister and sees through the lies of the oldest. He forces the court to wait out the full time allotted and as he decrees this The Knight with the Lion and the younger sister walk into the court. The younger sister tries to gain her rightful inheritance without bloodshed but the controlling, older sibling refuses to hear her words. The knights prepare for battle and sadly do not know the identity of their enemy. Chrétien goes into great detail about the love and hatred the men have towards each other. Their love has always been and only because they lack the knowledge of who their opponent truly is do they harbor hatred towards one another. The battle is an equal match and continues on throughout the afternoon. The men finally stop fighting when night is upon them.
     Thankfully Yvain and Sir Gawain begin to discuss the battle and soon learn of each others' names. The two knights embrace and both admit to being defeated. The king and barons are rather confused as to what this rejoicing means. The knights explain what had happened and the king is placed in an odd position. In order to scare the oldest sister into given away some of the inheritance, the king threatens to announce Gawain's defeat. This would be a mortal blow to the reputation of the oldest sister therefore, she willingly gives away part of the land. As Gawain and Yvain have their armor removed the lion runs through the court towards his master. The sight of this animal frightens many but they are reassured by Yvain's words of the lion's gentility. The two knights are taken to the best physician in the land and are healed of their wounds.
     Yvain then feels pressure to seek out his love. His plan is to make such a storm from the spring water and stone that his lady is forced to reconcile with the knight. He leaves with only his lion as company and begins to create a tremendous storm. Lunete is called to council her Lady in order to stop the terrible weather. She is able to tell her Lady of a knight who is well-known amongst the land but is stricken by grief and sorrow. Lunete believes if the knight were to be reconciled with her mistress he would be willing to defend the town. The Lady agrees to help this infamous knight, only knowing him as The Knight  the Lion. Lunete sets out to find Yvain and comes upon him sitting underneath a pine. She tells him of the lady's oath and travels with him back to the fortress. Lunete, Yvain, and his pet lion travel into the city and head to the noble lady. After learning of his true identity the woman feels tricked but is forced to reconcile with the man.
The poem ends with:

"The Chrétien brings to a close his romance of the Knight with the Lion. I've not heard any more about it, and you'll never hear anything more unless one adds lies to it."

Note: William W. Kibler's translation was used for reference.

Arthurian Romance - The Knight of the Cart

      It has been accepted that this story, written by Chrétien de Troyes, was forced upon the writer by Marie de Champagne. A main reason for this acknowledgment hinges on the fact that he blatantly states this inconvenience in the opening prologue.  Chrétien's ideology of love also helps to concrete his resistance to this demand. The Knight of the Cart, also referred to as simply Lancelot, has a more contemporary view of love especially outside of marriage. Chrétien believed highly in the ideals of the church and saw any romance/love outside of marriage as adultery. The story is known as a "a popular Celtic abduction story, or aithed" (10). Chrétien was able to allude to the "tragic love tale of Piramus and Thisbe" in order to legitimize his knowledge of classic material.

http://www.geocities.ws/jessica12_80/plot.html

       At Camelot, King Arthur holds his court. It is quite extravagant including everything you would expect of a king. King Arthur is greeted by a mysterious knight who comes into court dressed for battle. The knight, later known as Meleagant, addresses the king and tells him of all Arthur's loyal subjects he has imprisoned. He does not intend to give them back but tells the leader of an ultimatum. "Sir, if at your court there is even one knight in whom you have faith enough to dare entrust the queen to accompany her into these woods where I am going, I give my oath that I will await him there and will deliver all the prisoners who are captive in my land -- if he is able to win the queen from me and bring her back to you" (208). Another knight, only known as Kay, hears this challenge and immediately goes to the king and tells him of his departure from the court. The king is sad and tries to stop Kay, but the knight is firm in his resolve. King Arthur finally asks the queen to convince Kay to stay and she approaches the knight while he sits with his comrades. The knight is determined to travel onward. He only agrees to stay after the queen refuses to rise and she promises to grant his mysterious request. After proceeding to the king, Kay request to fulfill the desired challenge from the illusive knight. With a heavy heart Arthur agrees. Kay's request is seen as being "...proud, rash, and foolhardy" (209). The queen and Kay prepare to leave.
      Nobody attempts to follow the duo until Sir Gawain publicly tells King Arthur that someone must follow in order to learn of the queen's final whereabouts. He also is concerned about how prepared Kay is for the duel. After the king agrees to ride with Sir Gawain many of the townspeople volunteer to help. Gawain goes on his own path and meets Kay's horse. The animal is riderless and many of the parts to the saddle are destroyed/stained with blood. Gawain continues riding on into the forest and he meets a name-less knight, later on known to be Lancelot, who is riding a labored horse. The stranger greets Gawain and asks to either loan or be gifted one of the extra horse accompanying the pursuer. Gawain gives the knight whatever horse he chooses, but his choice is hastily made and the horse dies soon into his travels. Lancelot is then forced to ask a dwarf for information of his lost queen. The dwarf refuse to give him any knowledge of the queen but in turn states that if he were to travel in his cart he would divulge information. Carts are a social symbol during this time period. These modes of travel were scarce and therefore reserved for criminals. If one was seen on a cart they would lose all of their feudal rights as well as never be allowed in court again. Lancelot hesitates for a moment, but ultimately decides his honor is worth less then the queens life. This decision helps to shape the rest 

http://www.sjsu.edu/people/cynthia.rostankowski/courses/hum1b/

of the piece. It gives the literature its title, as well as a basis for Lancelot's character. Sir Gawain comes upon the unlikely duo and is appalled at the thought of riding with the dwarf. Instead, in order to learn of queen's location, he follows the cart. They go into town where Lancelot is ridiculed and mocked. They continue on until they reach the dwarf's lodging. Sir Gawain is greeted warmly by an attractive girl who then asks what Lancelot did to deserve passage in the cart. This question will continually be a point of interest for many onlookers throughout the literature. The dwarf silently leaves the room and the two men take off their armor, fill their bodies with nourishment, and prepare for bed.
     The next morning Lancelot sees his queen through a window as she proceeds in a funeral march on horseback by her captor. Sir Gawain is able to stop Lancelot from doing anything rash and the two prepare to follow the funeral procession. They ride until mid-morning and meet a girl who is willing to tell them the location of the queen. She warns the men that the road will be dangerous and anyone who rides into the land will suffer many tribulations. She requests a promise from each man in exchange for the information and the men agree to these terms. She then explains the two passages that lead to Meleagant, the prince of Gorre. She warns the men that no one has ever returned from the land with out the kings consent.  The two ways include "The Underwater Bridge" and "The Sword Bridge". The first one is a bridge that is exactly in the middle of the water with the same amount of water above as below. The second has never been crossed by a man because "it is like a trenchant sword" (215). Lancelot asks which way Gawain will attempt. After picking The Underwater Bridge Lancelot chooses the other passage. As the men ride away the girl reminds the travelers of their promises to help at a time of her choosing. The two men hear and  vow to keep good on their word.
     At this point in the story Chrétien has our hero encounter people, predominantly women and knights, who challenge his character and loyalty to his love, the queen, and his ability to continue in his quest for her safety.  It amazes me how reliant men, especially knights, were on the women of the time. Lancelot continually is influenced by the wishes of the women who surround him but ends up finding ways to  better his reputation. As the story moves forward Lancelot comes upon a church

http://ladaria.livejournal.com/461874.html

 and the knight enters to pray. On his exit he meets an elderly monk who takes him to the cemetery. Lancelot sees the graves reserved for Gawain and Yvain. Chrétien is able to use intertextuality to give more relevancy to his stories and create a broader literary world. The pair comes across a tomb that helps to foreshadow the success of Lancelot. The knight is able to lift the massive stone away from a tomb that was prophesied only to be opened by the person who would emancipate the  prisoners of Meleagant's land. The monk is amazed and tries to learn of the identity of the mysterious knight, but Lancelot is able to hold on to his identity. Chrétien continues with Lancelot's encounters with different strangers. At one point Lancelot is forced to decided between Generosity and Compassion when faced with a duel. He finds a loophole in his logic and is able to satisfy both areas of his compassion. This occurrence helps the reader to understand the eternal war that goes on in our hero. The humble knight crosses the Sword Bridge with minimal injury.
     King Bademagu, ruler of Gorre, watches his passage with Meleagant, his son. The king is known for being the exact opposite of his son in all of his mannerisms. He tells his son to welcome this brave knight and to be hospitable to the warrior. Meleagant refuses to give in and hand over his "prize", Queen Guinevere. Bademagu tells his son that he will receive no help from him in order to defeat the knight and the only man who Lancelot should fear is Meleagant. The king rides down to talk with Lancelot and tries to convince him to let his wounds heal before their duel. Lancelot is determined to follow through with his journey quickly and only commits to wait until the next day for the impending battle. People from all over the land hear of the upcoming fight and flock to the castle.
     The next morning the battle begins in a frivolous manner and prayers are said for both men. As the battle starts and progresses it is apparent Lancelot is losing. This may be in part because of his injured hands. Queen Guinevere realizes her influence and learns the name of the knight who is

http://www.literaryramblings.com/1000-books-in-10
-years-vol-291-the-knight-of-the-cart-by-chretien-de-troyes

 fighting for her safety. She shouts out to Lancelot and distracts him. He becomes entranced by the queen and she helps him maneuver himself in order to see the her while also fighting Meleagant head on. Lancelot starts to take the upper-hand and Bademagu asks the queen to sway Lancelot so that he will not kill Meleagant. She agrees because of his kindness throughout this whole ordeal. Lancelot immediately listens to the queens words and Meleagant takes advantage of the situation and attacks Lancelot even though the knight had stopped pursuing him. Bademagu stops his son and orders his men to hold him back. The king refuses to let his son use his arrogance as an excuse for his actions. In order to appease both parties the two knights agree to another duel this time in King Arthur's court in less then a year. Queen Guinevere will be freed and given to Lancelot until the next duel where her hand will be up for grabs, again. Lancelot is then taken to the queen who is angered with the knight. He lets the queen leave with a heavy heart.
      Our knight is then taken to Kay, who is ashamed to talk with Lancelot. His shame stems from Lancelot being able to complete the task he failed. The seneschal, Kay, informs Lancelot of the drastic difference between King Bademagu and Prince Meleagant. Lancelot then takes his leave and prepares to search for Gawain. He takes with him the volunteer prisoners he freed and Lancelot's legacy is born with his partial defeat over Meleagant. He now has opened the borders of Gorre and allowed people to freely travel in and out of the land.
      As Lancelot reaches the border he is captured by the people of Gorre and held captive. Word is taken to the King of the events but he is also told that Lancelot was killed. The king is outraged. Queen Guinevere learns of Lancelot's "death" and becomes distraught. She stops eating and talks about killing herself. Rumors fly back to the captors and Lancelot is told that the queen did kill herself. This melodramatic scene alludes to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The two lovers are hysterical over news about the other's so-called deaths. Thankfully his captors stop Lancelot's suicide attempt and as the captors get close to the city both parties are informed that everyone is still alive.
     After arriving in Gorre the king is elated to see Lancelot and places judgement on the native captors. The queen is happy to hear of her lovers return and losses all preconceived judgments about the knight. The two are given time to talk and Lancelot finally asks the queen why she was so cold. She responds,"Were you not shamed by the cart, and frightened of it? By delaying for two steps you showed your great unwillingness to climb into it. That, to tell the truth, is why I didn't wish to see you or speak with you" (262). Lancelot apologizes for his actions and the two plan for their next rendezvous which must be kept secret. That night Lancelot sneaks away in order to see Guinevere at her window. The iron bars placed in the window create dilemma for the lovers. Lancelot is able to move

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/
sherwoodtimes/guinever.htm

the bars but only after cutting his fingers open. The knight is so moved by love he does not notice the injury and falls into the arms of his queen. Chrétien describes their encounter in simple terms but in the end states that, "...I shall let it remain a secret for ever, since it should not be written of: the most delightful and choicest pleasure is that which is hinted at, but never told" (265).
      The next morning Lancelot leaves saddened that he must part from his lover. During the night his injured hand stains Guinevere's bed with blood. After getting through the window and straightening the bars he bows down to the queen as if to an altar. Meleagant enters the room and sees blood on both Guinevere's and Kay's sheets and assumes that Kay had taken advantage of the queen. As an audience we know this not to be true and that the blood on Kay's bed came from his personal wounds. The prince calls for his father and states his accusation. The king is appalled by the thought of a knight that would sleep with his queen and Kay tries to deny the action but the obvious "evidence" makes his arguments void. Meleagant refuses to withdraw his accusation and Kay calls for a duel to clear his name. Guinevere summons Lancelot, who comes to defend Kay. The duel is a replication of the previous scuffle between these two knights. Guinevere is asked by Bademagu to stop the fight and from the words that fall off her lips, Lancelot obeys. Meleagant is forced to stop his attacks and is appeased by the thought that his battle in King Arthur's court will create more shame towards Lancelot. Our knight then rides off to seek Sir Gawain.
      After traveling out of the city Lancelot is tricked by a dwarf who kidnaps the hero. His men are concerned about what to do next and they go to find Sir Gawain at the Underwater Bridge. After rescuing the man they tell him all that has happened in his absence. Gawain has the men ride back to Gorre in order to gain information from Bademagu. The king sends out search parties in order to find the lost knight, but everyone comes up short. A messenger brings a mysterious letter to the king who has the it read allowed in order to avoid confusion. In the letter Lancelot tells the people he has returned to Arthur's court and that they should journey back as well. Joy is seen throughout Gorre.
      After journeying back to King Arthur's land Gawain, Kay, and Queen Guinevere are joyfully greeted. The people congratulate Gawain for rescuing the queen but Gawain refuses to accept honor. He realizes he has been deceived and King Arthur begins to grief the loss of Lancelot until he sees then queen. The single ladies and maidens of the land organize a tournament in order to help them find husbands. They get the king to agree that the queen will be present at their event. The queen also agrees to this and word of her presence travels. While being imprisoned in Gorre, Lancelot hears of this event. The Lady of his captor's house sees that he refuses any aid and asks that he confide in her. He tells her that he wishes to attend the tournament and swears that he will return when the event has passed. The Lady is scared of the Prince of Gorre and hesitates to appease this request. After some bartering Lancelot is let go, clothed in the home owner's armor.

http://www.celtic-twilight.com/
camelot/chretien/lancelot.htm

     Our knight chooses to lodge in a cramped space in the town of Wurst. He does this in order to shy away from unwanted attention. Chrétien goes into detail about the massive amount of knights who are attending the tournament; the main reasoning behind this large influx of attendance is centered on Queen Guinevere's scheduled appearance.
      The next day at the tournament the games begin swiftly. Lancelot, disguised at "the red knight", fights so well that people begin to take notice. The queen, with her suspicions, summons a girl to tell Lancelot to fight poorly. After hearing Guinevere's request Lancelot obeys his love and begins to act cowardly. The crowd, who at first were amazed, mock our knight. At the end of the day people are still perplexed by the abrupt change in the mysterious knight and call him a coward. The next morning spectators and competitors alike flock to the tournament. Many of the knights are described but when Lancelot does not show up people assume he is to ashamed to show his face.
      Guinevere has the same girl find her beloved knight and informs him to again do poorly in the games. His response is taken back to the queen who knows without a doubt that it is Lancelot. The girl messenger then returns to our knight with another message from the queen. This time the knight is instructed to do his best,
Lancelot obliges the request and amazes the crowd. The ladies and maidens who had hosted the tournament were distraught by the fact that they all wanted to marry the mysterious knight. They refused to believe that any other man would hold up to his ability and they all went home husband-less. Our knight quickly left the tournament in order to remain mysterious and returned to the prison in order to keep his word.
     After returning back to his prison Lancelot is placed in a tower that was built, as ordered, by Meleagant in order to dissipate any possibility of our knight's escape. Meleagant then returns to Arthur's court ready for his scheduled battle with Lancelot. With no sign of the celebrated knight, Gawain offers to duel the prince after the court is given a year to search for their hero. Meleagant agrees to these terms and he returns to his father's court. Upon arrival he boast about his success in Arthur's court. Instead of praising his son, King Bademagu, reprimands his arrogant words and chastises his character. Meleagant is outraged. His father states that the only way Lancelot would not follow through with his word would be if he were imprisoned or dead. Meleagant's sisters hears this statement and resolves to find Lancelot. She rides on her mule for days on end and finally finds the tower that Meleagant constructed. She frees Lancelot and takes him to a private castle where she takes care of the knight. Our knight becomes healthier and stronger and eventually leaves his savior.
     The following day Lancelot returns to court, Meleagant appears as well in order to duel Gawain. The prince goes to the court asking if Lancelot had been found and Gawain tells the villain of the sad

http://histonotas.blogspot.com/2011
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news that the knight is still nowhere to be found. As Gawain prepares himself for battle Lancelot enters the court. The people are ecstatic to see their beloved knight especially the queen who forces herself to keep her distance. He tells Arthur of the torture that Meleagant put him through and refuses to let Gawain fight for him. Meleagant is stunned to see his prisoner in the court and he concludes that he will fight as best he can until he is overtaken. King Arthur moves the duel to a heath that was known as "...the fairest from there to Ireland" (293). Both knights become enraged throughout the duel but in the end Meleagant is killed. No one shows remorse for the death of the prince and they help Lancelot with his armor.

The story ends with:
"My lords, if I were to tell any more, I would be going beyond my  matter. Therefore I draw to a close: the romance is completely finished at this point. The clerk Godefroy de Lagny has put the final touches on The Knight of the Cart; let no one blame him for completing Chrétien's work, since he did it with the approval of Chrétien, who began it. He worked on the story from the point at which Lancelot was walled into the tower until the end. He has done only this much. He wishes to add nothing further, nor to omit anything, for this would harm the story."

This last paragraph helps the reader to understand the extent to which the story was edited.

Note: William W. Kibler's translation was used for reference. 

The Song of Roland (Laisses 177 - Laisses 291)

        The French make it to the battle field to find that all their comrades have died fighting. Many of the knights weep for the men lost and some faint at the sight of all the bodies. Naimon notices the pagan's, still in sight, fleeing the battle and he recommends that the French race after their enemy in order to seek revenge. Charlemagne agrees with the knight and leads a group of men onward to battle. He makes sure to leave some soldiers behind in order to protect the bodies of their lost brothers.
        King Charles notices the sun starting to set as the warriors travel onward to take vengeance on the pagans. He stops and prays to God in order to ask him to hold the sun in place. God sends an angel to tell Charlemagne that he can continue traveling without having to worry about the night approaching and the men journey ahead. They purse the pagans until their only escape is the Ebro river. Their enemy continues into the water praying to their god for help. The book consistently gives reason to the idea that the only true God is the one that Charlemagne worships. The author could be considered bias but the writing at this time period was continually Christian based. Marsilion's men end up drowning in the river. At this sight Charlemagne bows down and gives thanks to God. He then tells his men that they will make camp there, in order to give themselves and their horses rest. All the men sleep out of exhaustion and grief for their losses. The King is sent a few dreams, from God through Saint Gabriel, that make him distraught.
         King Marsilion flees to Spain and is so beaten that he faints. The Queen and towns people are so upset about the loss they go to the temple of their god and destroy his shrine.
       Jump back to the beginning of Charlemagne's seven year attack on Spain. From the start King Marsilion does everything in his power to disrupt the advances of the French. He sends out letters in order to gain allies in this fight. The Babylon leader only gives a reply after King Marsilion's last attempt of ridding Spain of Charlemagne. In order to help the pagans Baligant, the Babylon leader, sends warships to help in the resistance against the Christians. After arriving at Saragossa Baligant boast of how he will defeat Charlemagne. He sends for King Marsilion to join him in the battle that he will wage. The messengers arrive to a troubled city. The towns people, and the leadership do not believe in the ability of their gods to help them in any way. King Marsilion laments how he was only wounded in battle and was not able to die a hero's death. He tells the messengers that they can find Charlemagne by the Ebro river and if Baligant is willing to protect Spain from the Christians he will be given the land. The messengers return to Baligant and relay all that has happened recently between the Franks and the pagans. The Babylonian leader is elated to

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php
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The-Second-Coming-of-House-Karling/page3

hear that King Charles is so close to his men. He immediately rides to Saragossa in order to talk with King Marsilion but only stays a short while in order to catch Charlemagne off guard by the Ebro river. Before leaving Baligant swears victory for the pagans.
       King Charles and his men ride back to the site of the battle and mourn over their losses. The leader finds his nephew's, Roland's, body. He griefs and laments over the life lost and final absolves to continually grieve over the lost warrior. All the bodies except that of the three leaders are then gathered and laid to rest. The grieving knights give a proper burial in order to guarantee them blessings and honors. Roland, Oliver, and the Archbishop's bodies are all wrapped up in fine linen in order to be carted back to their homeland.
        The Babylonian messengers ride up and announce the battle to come. The French prepare for battle and gather into different specified ranks. Overall Charlemagne has ten divisions in total. He gets down from his horse and prays to God to avenge his nephew's death if it is his will. He makes reference to many bible stories in his prayer as examples of other moments in history when God granted miracles. The French then continue to prepare for battle.
       The pagan messengers then join back up with their comrades. They inform Baligant that Charlemagne's men will never abandon their leader. The pagan's then prepare for battle, as well. The author continues to discuss how great of a man Baligant would be if he were only a Christian. This understanding centers on the focus of Christian ideals being spread throughout the land as the only correct form of thinking. Malpramis, Baligant's son, asks his father for the first blow of the battle. The leader is proud to give this honor to his son and promises him land if he should live to see another day. The author foreshadows the demise of Malpramis when he explains that the warrior will never be honored with the land. The pagans also form into divisions. Overall they have three sets of ten divisions equaling to thirty legions.
        As the two sides go into their final preparations, prayers are said to either sides being. Boast and threats are exchanged between the two armies. Both sides know the battle to come will be a hard fight. They have seen the abilities of the opposing side and understand what is to come.
      The battle begins with battle cries and the first blows are attributed to the Franks. Soon after, strikes are seen throughout the battlefield. Many men are wounded or killed from both armies. Throughout the battle Baligant and Charlemagne are heard inspiring the fighting spirits of their men. As the battle rages on it is apparent that the pagans are losing many of their good warriors. Baligant ends up losing both his son and his brother. After he hears news of this loss he begins to start questioning the existence of his god and possibly the truth of Charlemagne's God. The battle continues and through the slaughter of many warriors the two Kings come upon each others presence. Only through the recognition of each others voices do they realize their proximity. The two Kings know that this battle will end in death for one of them. Baligant demands that Charlemagne admit to killing his son and become his vassal in order to "right the wrong". King Charles refuses to grant peace or love to a pagan and tries to convert the Babylonian leader. At a stale mate with words, they progress into physical strikes.
     Baligant gets the first fatal blow and strikes Charlemagne in the head. This hit almost kills the French leader but, because it is not the will of God that Charlemagne dies, Saint Gabriel is sent down to push him onward. The leader hears the angel's voice and loses all fear. He immediately counters the blow with his own strike to Baligant's head which proves fatal. The Babylonian leader lays dead on the ground while

http://lachansonderoland.d-t-x.com/pages/FRpagenotes03Ah.html#baligant1

Charlemagne mounts his horse. The pagans soon learn of their leaders death and try to flee the battle. King Charles urges his men to follow the retreating enemy and few pagans leave the battlefield alive. They pursue the pagans all the way back to Saragossa. King Marsilion and the Queen soon learn of the defeat and give in to the French army. Hearing this news, King Marsilion physically dies while grieving. Charlemagne takes control of the city and he lets his men rest their for the night. The next morning  he orders his men to destroy all of the pagan idols and he has all of the townspeople baptized or killed, if they refuse. The Queen is taken back to France as a captive in order to be converted through love.
        As they travel back to France, Charlemagne leaves Roland's olifant with gold and pagan coins in Bordeaux on the altar of the Saint Sevrin church. He lays to rest Roland, Oliver, and the Archbishop at the Saint-Romain church. They continue onward until they arrive at Aix. Charlemagne calls together his judges in order to begin Ganelon's trial.
       Aude, who was promised to marry Roland upon his return, ask the king of her love's whereabouts. The king is grieved to tell her the sad news of Roland's death. After hearing of his demise, Aude dies. King Charles only thinks the girl has fainted and tries to revive her. He final understands the situation and has her buried the next day with many honors. 
       Ganelon is stationed before the palace and tied to a stake. He is beaten with many objects as he waits for his trial. At the trial, Ganelon tries to argue that he was working under the influence of revenge and not treason. The heart of the trial is not based off the action but the motive. Ganelon fully admits to plotting with the pagans but his motives were out of vengeance not treason. The judges discuss amongst themselves and all but Tierri conclude that nothing will bring back Roland and Ganelon is still willing to serve Charlemagne with love and loyalty. During the counsel Pinabel tells Ganelon he will "...give him the lie with this steel sword" (274.3791). After hearing the verdict Charlemagne calls all the judges traitors. Tierri then calls attention to the fact that Ganelon may not be a traitor to Roland but he is to Charlemagne. He cements this judgement with his sword and Pinabel challenges him. Not only does he place a challenge Pinabel also puts up the lives of his kinsmen for the judgement of innocence.
      The men prepare for the duel and are absolved of their sins. The room is set and the fight begins. Early on in the skirmish both men try to convince the other to surrender. Neither is willing to give up their claim and the battle is fated that one must die. Pinabel wounds Tierri but it is not his day to die so God saves the warrior. Tierri then strikes Pinabel with a fatal blow and Ganelon's judgement is made. To live up to Pinabel's challenge, his kinsmen are scheduled to be hanged. The loyalty of Tierri is recognized by Charlemagne and

http://nobility.org/2011/09/08/nobility-of
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he bestows much praise to the warrior. Ganelon's then has each limb strung up to a war horse and is ripped apart. By being a traitor he deserved a gruesome death that led his soul to damnation.
        The pagan Queen is then baptized and given the Christian name, Juliana. As Charlemagne lays down to rest he hears Saint Gabriel call to him. The angel tells the King he must ride to the land of Bire. King Vivien had been besieged by the pagans and the Christians were crying out for Charlemagne.

Thus ends the story.

The Song of Roland (Laisses 66 - Laisses 176)

         Charlemagne admits to Naimon the Duke that he is worried about Roland and his men. He tells the Duke of his dreams and how he fears that Ganelon is going to betray the Franks (French). Meanwhile King Marsilion nephew gathers together warriors to ambush Roland and his troops. He finds many warriors who are willing to help lead the charge into battle. In addition to these leaders Marsilion's nephew gathers approximately a hundred thousand pagans who are driven towards battle.
        The pagans prepare for battle and begin to shout out battle-cries. Oliver hears this noise and begins to discuss the likelihood of a battle. Roland is not moved by this concern and focuses on the idea that their destiny is ordained by God. Oliver climbs a tree and sees the pagan army approaching quickly from the Spanish direction. He speaks out against Ganelon and calls him a traitor. Roland hushes these words because Ganelon is in fact his step-father. After seeing the massive amount of pagan troops approaching, Oliver races down to the French to warn them of the large numbers. He tries to get Roland to sound the horn in order to warn the rest of the French troops to return to the land. Roland's arrogance and pride outweighs the safety of his men. He refuses to blow on the horn because it would be bad for his reputation. Oliver continually tries to convince Roland to blow his horn and he responds with the same arrogance and pride. Even when Roland can start to see the pagan army that approaches he refuses to give in to Oliver's wishes.
         The Archbishop stands and speaks to the French army. He absolves them of their sins before the battle in order to give them peace if death meets them. Roland admits to Oliver that he was right about Ganelon. Roland rallies the men for the battle to come and Oliver rebukes him because he refused to sound his horn. The two armies meet and Aelroth, Marsilion's nephew, spits outs proud boast to the Franks. Roland charges him and kills the pagan splitting his soul from his body. Roland is now the one to have boastful words.

http://www.pogues.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=8984

Falsaron, Marsilion's brother, continues with the outcries and rebukes the statements made by Roland. In order to silence the pagan Oliver kills the leader. Many of the well-known warriors from the French army kill notable leaders of the pagan army. The souls of the pagans are said to be taken by Satan.
         Roland and Oliver continue to slaughter pagans while other French fighters continue to proudly kill pagans. The battle takes a turn and the fighting changes from boastful to bitter survival. How ever hard the French fight they are fated to lose in this battle with uneven numbers. King Marsilion comes on the scene with more men ready to attack the few French warriors. Roland finally understands the enormity of the situation and how unlikely it is any of the French will leave this land alive. He tells his men to still be brave and fight like the warriors they were born to be, as they have the privilege to fight for their faith. Roland and Oliver watch as the pagans kill one of their men, therefore Roland cries out to avenge the death of a comrade. This continues to occur many times until Count Roland is faced with the harsh reality of all these losses.
         Much carnage is created for both sides but it more detrimental for the French. Roland finally gives in and knows the only hope for the French is by using the oilfant (horn) to alert Charlemagne. Oliver tries to convince Roland not to sound the horn because of his prior words concerning the object. The disagreement
heightens until the Archbishop quiets the two men and explains that it is better their comrades know of the

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battle than be lost on the Spanish land. Roland blows on the horn with his whole body and soul. Charlemagne hears the cry for help and Ganelon tries to deflect his concerns, but the leader hears the sound again. The cry persists while Ganelon continues to use examples of Roland's success in past battles to change King Charles' mind. The French prepare for battle but they will be too late. They travel fast back to the battle and on the way King Charles orders Ganelon be chained up in the fashion of a typical traitor.
        Jump back to the battlefield. Roland looks around to see many of his comrades dead as he pushes on into the lost battle. Oliver is badly wounded but he continues to slaughter his enemy. Eventual he is forced to cry out to Roland for help. The Count rushes over to his friend's aid but there is nothing that can be done. As Oliver's sight dissipates he strikes his comrade not knowing the man. The last few moments of Oliver's life are spent asking for forgiveness because of the blow. After Oliver's death Roland retreats back to find that only a few men still live. One ends up dying while the other, after being wounded and unhorsed, continues to fight with vengeance. Roland sounds the horn once more with all the strength he can muster. The weak sound reaches Charles and he understands that Count Roland is on his last strength. The French push forward with greater power and sound their horns in order to respond to Roland's desperate need. The pagan's hear the massive amount of troops headed in their direction and they know of what is to come. In their fear they push to attack Roland and the Archbishop with one last hurrah. The Count sees the fierceness in the eyes of his opponent and becomes invigorated with a need to push on and fight with utmost strength. Because Charles' return to battle is destined, the two warriors pledge to fight continually until either they die or their enemy is dead.
        The pagans are afraid of Roland's power and stay at a distance while throwing weapons at the leader. They end up retreating back while Roland takes care of the Archbishop's wounds. The leader then goes and finds each of his comrades and lines them up by the Archbishop. The man of God prays for each of the warriors that died on the battlefield. Roland finds Oliver's body and lines it up with the rest. The Archbishop prays over the man while Roland weeps for all the losses he has suffered in a day. The leader ends up fainting and while trying to retrieve water for the blacked out man the Archbishop dies in the field because of his lack of blood. Roland wakes up and sees his final comrade dead in the grassy field. He prays for the mans soul and ask for it to be in Paradise.
        Roland can feel that death is near and picks up his horn and sword and heads toward Spain, fainting in the grass. Saracen, a pagan, had hid among the dead bodies and waited for the end of the battle. He gets up and rushes over to Roland and tries to take his prized sword. Roland comes around at this time and kills the cowardice, thief with his horn. He then tries to break his precious sword with his final strength in order to guarantee that no pagan uses the weapon. The leader then laments about all the battles the sword has been used in and sees that nothing can break the precious weapon. He feels death wrapping its arms around the himself. The Count prays for forgiveness of all his sins and God sends down Cherubin, Saint Michael, other angels from the sea's Peril, and Saint Gabriel to guide Roland soul to Paradise.

The Song of Roland (Introduction-Laisses 65)

           The Song of Roland is based off a true story from August 778 in Spain. It involved the Franks and the Spaniards focusing on a war between Christians and Pagans. The historical event has been used as an example of crusading but in reality there was no oppression that needed saving. The version of today, called the Oxford Roland, has mysterious origins. There is a break of 300 years that are unknown. Characters that were created in this time frame can be seen in the manuscript but

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_Chanson
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their conception is a mystery. There are many contradictions between historical facts and the Song of Roland. "The Song of Roland is often held to be a kind of propaganda, a defense and glorification of royal power..." (pg.6) The poem needs to be read as a whole piece that views the epic as a larger story. Even though there are missing historical facts the ideas and truths seen in the poem stand-out. "The Song of Roland is...an Old French epic poem about the exploits...of a great vassal in the service of his lord" (pg.9) The vassal being Roland and the Lord being Charlemagne. "The close relation between the epic genre of this poem, the feudal society it depicts, and the religious war that comprises nearly all of its action is the principle of its unity, and many errors of interpretation occur when one forgets what holds the poem together" (pg. 9) The two sides (Christians and Pagans) have all the same qualities and yet by worshiping different entities one is seen as being right and the other being wrong when looked at through the eyes of Charlemagne. "The immanent justice of God is the ground upon which the entire poem is constructed" (pg.10) The Song of Roland holds literary significance in the academia world. The mysterious origins coupled with historical ideas gives readers a better understanding when looking at the piece through an outsiders perspective. If you would like further background information follow this link.
        Charles the King, Charlemagne, has taken over much of the land in Spain over a time span of seven years. All expect Saragossa, which is ruled by King Marsilion. This city is the last standing in this pagan country. The pagan King calls together his council in order to discuss how to stop this destruction. He worries that the city will not be able to hold out much longer. The council comes up with a scheme to trick Charlemagne into believing that they have converted therefore giving them the opportunity to go home. They plan to entice the leader with gifts and potential servants.
        The French men are described as being frivolous and arrogant. The King is so magnificent that when a stranger walks into the room there is no need for an introduction, the leader is readily known. The pagan messenger arrives and Charlemagne is suspicious of his enemies good-will and ask how they can be trusted. The Spaniards offer up hostages and ask how many are wanted. The man speaking even offers up his son as a hostage. This ruse helps Charlemagne bring his guard down.
       The next morning after mass the French leader calls together a council. Included in this council is Roland and Ganelon, two key characters. He explains what King Marsilion's messengers decreed and states that he is uneasy about what lies in the heart of his former enemy. Count Roland approaches Charles the King and rebukes the notion that Marsilion could have reformed so quickly. Ganelon

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tries to appease the idea that there is honesty in the words and wants the council to believe the pagans. Other members of the council agree with Ganelon and Charlemagne tries to find who will go speak with the pagan king. Different members volunteer but the leader does not want them to risk their lives. Count Roland offers to go, but the council believes that not to be wise, considering he opposed the idea. The name Ganelon is then proposed by Roland. The French leader agrees with this decision and only after Ganelon berates Roland for volunteering him, does he agree to the task. Foreshadowing is seen during this spat, because Ganelon threatens Roland while the count laughs in his face. Ganelon is furious but contains his anger long enough to gather his necessities for the trip and catch up to the pagan messengers.
     On the trip back to Saragossa, Ganelon deceives the Blancandrin, the messenger, into believing that Count Roland is an evil man who needs to be stopped. By the end of their travels the two have come to a resolve that in some way Roland must die. Blancandrin introduces Ganelon to King Marsilion. The deceiver, Ganelon, plays on the King's anger. He tells the king that either he converts and will be given half of Spain or he will become overthrown and become a prisoner. Ganelon knows that by using his words he will be able to take revenge on Count Roland. The King becomes angry by the thought and tries to harm Ganelon who takes on the persona of wounded prey. Marsilion, is jaded by this performance and tries to make amends with Ganelon.
      They get into topic of Charlemagne. The pagan is amazed at how war-focused the leader is at his old age. Ganelon creates a ruse around the notion that Charlemagne's strength lies in Roland, Oliver, and the Twelve Peers. If Marsilion were to rid Charlemagne of his strength he would not be able to continue. Ganelon also advises the King to appease Charles the King with a multitude of gifts in order to ensure their departure. When the army starts to go home the rear-guard will be left unprotected. With the death of Roland and Oliver, who will be in the rear-guard, Charlemagne will not have a will to go on. Because of his willingness to betray his army, Ganelon is given many gifts from the pagans, including pieces of armor. Marsilion's parting words clarify that if Ganelon follows through with his betrayal that the pagan will reward him greatly.
       Ganelon arrives at the Christian camp the next morning in order to deceive Charlemagne, Roland, and the others. Ganelon spins a tale for Charles the King that shows the pagan's drowning in the sea after trying to escape Christian beliefs and King Marsilion committing to follow Charlemagne toward this new faith. The French pack up their belongings and begin their long journey home. The pagans places themselves in the forest ready for the attack and Charles the King has two dreams that warn him of the danger to come and he sleeps through them. The next morning Ganelon nominates Roland to lead the rear-guard. Emperor Charles is appalled by the notion that his "second in command" would take on such a dangerous position. The ego of Roland takes into effect and he take on the position with pride. Many leaders choose to serve under him and they choose twenty-thousand men to help in their rank. The section closes with eerie words of the bitter battle to come.

Note: Frederick Goldin's translation was used for reference. 

The Aeneid (Book Ten - Book Twelve)

        Book Ten can be summarized as "the battle chapter." Jove calls together a council of the gods. He is distraught about the war that wages between the Italians and the Trojans. Venus and Juno both try to reason with Jove about their separate motives. Venus wants Jove to spare the Trojans lives and blames Juno. Juno says she had nothing to do with these chain of events. Jove quiets both women and makes the decision that how ever the clash between the Latins and the Trojans ends will be without help from the gods. He refuses to let Venus and Juno help their precious armies any more. He leaves it up to human power how the outcome will end. He states, "How each man weaves / his web will bring him to glory or to grief" (135-136). Jump back to the battle. The Trojans are still protecting their camp from the Latins, their man-power is dwindling but they still are able to hold out against the Latins. Aeneas has gained more support along his travels back to the fighting and the warrior plus his allies travel back on ships in order to speed up the process. After being entertained by stories Aeneas and his men are speed on through the waves by the water nymphs who were previously his fleet. Cymodocea, a water nymph, warns Aeneas about the upcoming challenges he will face when he gets to land. As Aeneas gets close to land Turnus leads his men toward the shore while giving the men a "pep-talk" before the battle begins. Turnus becomes worried about how to split up his warriors, while Aeneas strikes first and is able to kill many of Turnus' men. "So they clash, the Trojan armies, armies of Latins, / foot dug in against foot, man packed against man" (425-426). Pallas reprimands his men because they try to retreat, his words show the makings of a respected warrior. The son of Evander continues to show promise on the battle field. Virgil goes into depth about the many killings Pallas aided in.

http://www.amazon.com/
ThePrintsCollector-Antique-Woodcut
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Eventually Turnus takes notice of Pallas' progression and tells his men to stand down. Pallas understands his fate will either be to strip Turnus of his reputation or die a noble death. Even though he prayed to the gods for glory, Jove knows he must turn his back on the young man because "Each man has his day, and the time of life / is brief for all..." (553-554). Pallas throws his spear and it barely, "scrapes the skin of Turnus' massive body" (568). Turnus responds by throwing his spear and stating "...with winging words: 'Now we'll see / if  my spear pierces deeper!'" (570-571). The fated spear lodges itself through Pallas' shield and his broad chest. Turnus gloats that King Evander made a hasty decision to ally with Aeneas and the Trojan leader goes on a rampage killing all the enemy insight after he hears of Pallas' terrible fate. The warrior's killing spree takes him through the blockade set up by the Latins. Virgil describes many of the Latins begging for mercy from Aeneas. The man shows no charity and kills all that are in sight. Switch back to the gods. Jove agrees with Juno that Venus is truly the goddess that is helping the Trojans. The Queen begs Jove to let her save her precious warrior, Turnus. Jove agrees and Juno creates a phantom Aeneas in order to lure Turnus onto a ship. Once on the ship Juno cuts the cables and whisks Turnus out to sea. Turnus is upset because he feels that he deserted his men in their time of need while Aeneas is disgraced by the fact that he was not successful in killing Pallas' murderer. Mezentius takes over as commander for the Latins and he is able to slay many of the Trojans. Virgil describes Mezentius as a wild-boar that men are afraid to attack but will throw weapons at in order to wound. Mezentius kills Orodes but before the solider takes his last breath he curses Mezentius' gloating by stating:

 "You don't have long to crow, whoever you are, my victor!

Vengeance waits, the same fate watches over you too,

you'll lie here in the same field -- very soon" (873-875).

The Latin takes no heed to this prophecy and continues on his killing spree. The two enemy leaders finally come in contact with each other. Through attempting to attack Mezentius, Aeneas is able to slaughter the enemies son, Lausus. Aeneas shows remorse for killing the son of a great leader. He views the death as if it were his own son, Ascanius.

"Forlorn young soldier, what can Aeneas,

in all honor, give you to match your glory no?

What gifts are worthy of such a noble spirit?

Keep your armor that gave you so much joy.

I give you back to your fathers' ash and shades

if it offers any solace. And this, at least,

may comfort you for a death so cruel, unlucky boy:

you went down under the hand of great Aeneas" (974-982)

Mezentius gets word of Lausus' death and becomes hysterical and immediately blames himself for his sons death.

"Was I so seized by the lust for life, my son,

I let you take my place before the enemy's sword?

My own flesh and blood! What, your father saved

by your own wounds? Kept alive by your death?

Oh, now at last I know the griefs of exile --

I, in all my pain ---at last, a wound strikes home...

I've stained your name, my son, with my own crimes,

detested, drummed from my fathers' scepter and their throne!

I owed a price to my land and people who despise me.

If only I'd paid in full with my own guilty life,

by any death on earth! But I live on, not yet

have I left the land of men and light of day

but I will leave it all!" (1003-1015).

He hurls himself onto his horse and surges toward Aeneas instigating a challenge. Mezentius flings several spears at Aeneas that glance off his shield. Aeneas cuts into the Latins horse and gets him thrown off the animal. The final blow comes for Aeneas' sword and is met with complete solace by the grieved father.
The book closes with a feeling of completeness, the battle has finished and there finally is a close to the destruction.
           Book Eleven opens with Aeneas mourning over the loss of Pallas. He regrets not being able to give Evander an alive war hero and in order to grieve the young man Aeneas prepares Pallas in a regal manor for the travel and burial back home. Aeneas' final words for Pallas are:

"The same dark fate of battle commands me back

to other tears. Hail forever, our great Pallas!

Hail forever and farewell!" (112-114)

Envoys from the Latin city come pleading for a truce in order to bury the dead from both sides properly. Aeneas grants the appeal and reprimands Turnus for starting a war that he "ran away" from. Dances, a Latin leader, attacks Turnus' motives for starting the lethal war. Peace is seen throughout the land while much mourning take places. Evander finally sees his heroic son and is devastated by his loss. He does not blame

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the Trojans and knows that Pallas died an honorable death. The only thing Evander wants from Aeneas is the life of his son's murderer, Turnus. Mourning and preparation of the dead bodies continues for many days. The widowed towns people blame Turnus for this massacre and state that he should be the one to decide its end with his own sword and shield in a duel with Aeneas. King Latinus calls together a council to decide Latins next step. The Latins are approached by Venulus who tells of his attempt to become allies with Diomedes. The warrior does not have any quarrels with these Trojans and refuses to involve himself.  He also advises the Latins to strive for a peace treaty with the great Trojan warrior, Aeneas. King Latinus proposes to create a peace treaty that encompasses land that would be given to the Trojans in order for them to settle. Diomedes, dead set against Turnus, calls to the council for favor in forcing the Latin warrior into a duel with Aeneas. Turnus' arrogance is viewed as the reason behind this devastating war. Because of his vanity the council supports the idea of a duel. They see that Turnus is willing to put his comrades in harms way in order to prove that he is the worthy match for King Latinus' daughter. I am some what confused as to how Turnus got back to shore. In my understanding Juno was sailing Turnus off to another land, but he somehow rejoins his Latin people in the council. Turnus defends his honor and rebukes Diomedes for verbally attacking him. He continues on in his speech and prays that if men are still willing to fight that the Latins allow this; however, if the town believes that Turnus should defend the country's honor by himself he is willing to make the sacrifice. While the Latins try to decided their next move Aeneas deploys "...his lines for battle" (537). A messenger comes to tell the Latin people of this attack. Turnus swells with pride at the attack, for it shows his point of battle to be proven.

"All right then citizens...

Summon your councils, sit there praising peace!

Our enemies swoop down on our country, full force!" (550-552).

The Latin people prepare for battle in a chaotic manner. Turnus is met by Camilla, a warrior queen, who wants to take on Aeneas' cavalry in the front lines. Camilla tells Turnus to stay behind and guard the city. He  learns of Aeneas plan to attack the city through a mountain passage. The Latin takes men towards the mountains in order to ambush their enemies. Before leaving Turnus entrust Camilla with the front attacks and states "You too assume a captain's joint command" (617-618). Diana, a goddess, calls Opis, one of her virgin comrades, to tell her of the precious Camilla. Virgil goes into detail of Camilla's background and how from a young age she was committed to the goddess by her father. She grew up around weapons and become a very skilled warrior at a young age. Diana is distraught that her cherished girl is willing to fight the Trojans and worries for her safety. The goddess charges Opis with the protection of Camilla. Whatever is done to her, be it a Trojan or Italian, Opis is instructed to do the same in return. The Trojans are seen closing in on the walls and once at a "spearcast away", both sides stop abruptly and then surge forward into the battle (720). The combat is fast and furious. The fighting continues and Camilla proves to be a very worthy

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opponent. She kills many Trojans and scatters her enemy thin. Camilla is initially viewed as weak because she is female; however, as the battle continues great Trojan warriors are brought down by this woman giving her a new reputation. Arruns flings a spear and only through a pray to Apollo is he able to hit the unlucky woman warrior. After he achieves this murderer, Arruns flees in terror not wanting to own up to the fact he had killed the queen. With her last words the queen tells her trusted friend, Acca, to find Turnus and tell him to come back to the battle in order to "...free the town from the Trojans!" (968). Opis kills Arruns in order avenge Camilla's death and without a leader the Latins retreat to their town in order to defend themselves from further harm. Acca brings news to Turnus of Camilla's death and his need to return. Turnus reluctantly leads his army away from the ambush minutes before Aeneas crosses the passage. On the trip back to the city the armies learn of their proximity. The book closes with the arms digging trenches in order to guard themselves. Nightfall approached quickly forcing the two armies to wait for battle.
               Book Twelve opens with Turnus seeing the brokenness of the Latins. He vows to take on Aeneas in a duel in order to stop this bloodshed. King Latinus tries to break Turnus' resolve and convince him that there are other alternatives. Turnus is more determined to follow through with the duel and the Queen also tries to persuade Turnus away from the duel. Turnus has King Latinus come up with a proper treaty that satisfies Aeneas. The Trojans and the Latins come to the duel as spectators. Juno gets around the order of Jove by telling, Turnus' goddess sister, Juturna,  that she can help her brother. Juno fears that Turnus' is out-matched and the goddess Queen manipulates Juturna with words of sorrow and ideas of how to protect Turnus. These ideas even incorporate pushing the Latin's to abort their treaty. Aeneas, Ascanius, Turnus, and Latinus enter into the duel-zone in chariots. Aeneas prays that what ever outcome is to materialize that his people will act in a respectful manner. King Latinus then prays that the pact made between the two sides will be fulfilled no matter the outcome. Virgil uses foreshadowing by making King Latinus pointedly discuss the importance of this treaty and how it needs to be upheld. Turnus is no match for Aeneas and his people see the poor match of power and begin to question the legitimacy of the duel. Juturna sees this concern; she disguises herself as a solider, Camers, and starts to spread rumors that intensify the doubt of the Latin people. She also scares the masses into thinking if Aeneas claims victory they will all be doomed for slavery.

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The deceiving goddess uses her magic to show the people an omen to help fortify the rumors. Tolumnius, moved by Juturna's deception, throws a spear of out rage that kills a strapping, Trojan, solider with nine brothers. His siblings are the first to take up arms. All hell breaks lose and the battle blazes onward. Aeneas, moved by his oath, tries to calm his men but his cries fall on deaf-ears. An anonymous arrow whizzes through the air and hits Aeneas. No one is willing to claim the prized wound. After seeing Aeneas hit with the arrow, Turnus ignites with hope and pushes harder into the battle. "...Turnus / is spreading death across the plains in all his triumph..." (447-448). Mnestheus, Achates, and Ascanius lead Aeneas to camp with the arrow still embedded in his skin. Iapyx, a surgeon, tries everything he knows to dislodge the point out of the wound. Venus sees her son in pain and conjures up some healing salve to loosen the grip of the arrow. Unaware of its origin, Iapyx receives the potion.The swiftness at which the medicine works, amazes Iapyx and he admits that a higher power is at work. Aeneas, fully healed, races back to join the fighting with an inflamed heart. Before racing on Aeneas leaves his son, Ascanius, with these words:

"Learn courage from me, my son, true hardship too.

Learn good luck from others. My hand will shield you

in war today and guide you toward the great rewards.

But mark my words. Soon as you ripen into manhood,

reaching back for the models of your kin, remember ---

father Aeneas and uncle Hector fire your heart!" (513-518).

Aeneas rejoins the war with added intensity. Turnus and comrades are able to recognize this difference and "...an icy chill of dread [runs] through their bones" (526). Aeneas refuses to fight anyone but Turnus initially. The Trojan is defiant about keeping true to his promise in the peace treaty. After being shot at and almost killed Aeneas changes his intent and begins to kill all the enemies he sees. Aeneas and Turnus continue to slaughter their opponents. Virgil describes their rampages by stating:

"Just as furious now those two, Aeneas, Turnus

rampaging through the battle, now their fury

boils over inside them, now their warring hearts

at the breaking point -- they don't concede defeat ---

and now they hack their wounding ways with all their force." (613-617).

While the violence continues Venus impels Aeneas to storm the city. When in the city Queen Amata, distraught by the fact that she thinks Turnus is dead, hangs herself because she believes that she is the reason. After hearing word of this tragedy the princess, the king and many of the Latin people mourn the death of their queen. While still battling in the field, Turnus hears grief rocking the walls of the city. His sister tries to dissuade him from joining the fight by trying to convince him that he can help more out in the field. He sees through her disguise and recognizes that she was the one to begin this spat. Turnus gets word of the turmoil in the city and denies his sister's request while racing towards the city. He begs the men to stop fighting in order to settle the dispute with a single duel. The duel begins and Virgil is able to create imagery that shows the duel at a carnal level. He explains the actions of the opponents and the audience like that of heifers and bulls. As the duel continues Turnus gets a clear shot at the Trojan and he strikes with a sword but is rudely surprised when it breaks at the hilt. The Latin had mistakenly grabbed that of his charioteer and only after facing the armor created by the God of Fire did the weapon break. Turnus hurriedly tries to locate his personal sword and Aeneas takes this opportunity to hunt Turnus down like a "...trapped stag..." (869). The two run around with Aeneas chasing Turnus as the Latin tries to find his weapon. Aeneas gets his sword stuck in a tree stump while Turnus prays to the tree to hold the weapon longer. Juturna rushes in and returns Turnus' sword. Venus plucks her sons sword from the stump. Jump to the gods. Jove asks Juno "'Where will it end, my queen? What is left at the last?'" (918). He continues on to scold Juno for her haughty behavior

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and forbids her to continue with her grudge. Juno admits to helping Aeneas' enemy but defends herself when trying to rationalize that she did not strike anyone herself. The one thing she asks for is that the Latin name and traditions be continued through the reign of Aeneas and his people. Jove sends an omen to Turnus that also helps to dismiss Juturna from her brother's battle. Juturna becomes distraught because she knows that she will live on the earth as an immortal while her brother is doomed for the underworld. Aeneas taunts Turnus for running away, but Turnus says that he does not fear the Trojan but his fear is created from that of his mortal foe, Jove. Turnus tries to throw a huge boulder at Aeneas but the weight is too much and he only throws it in between the two fighters. The Latin has a moment where he knows that his death is on the horizon. Aeneas is able to pierce Turnus in the thigh and bring him to the ground. Turnus grovels at the feet of his opponent and he asks that his body be delivered back to his father. Aeneas is moved by the words and almost lets the man live; however, the Trojan sees Pallas' sword-belt and he knows how this duel must end
Before killing Turnus, Aeneas cries in a rage:

"Decked in the spoils 

you stripped from one I loved ---escape my clutches? Never ---

Pallas strikes this blow, Pallas sacrifices you now, 

makes you pay the price with your own guilty blood!" (1105-1108).

Thus ends the epic.